Tsimikas and Allison the heroes as Liverpool win FA Cup on penalties. Title challenge set to go to the wire.

 

Another dramatic and nerve-racking week for the Reds as this amazing season draws to a close.

It started with Liverpool on Tuesday making hard work of a bang-average Aston Villa side in the Premier League, falling behind 1-0 to a Douglas Luiz goal after only three minutes following some horrible defending from Naby Ketia and Kostas Tsimikas (in for the rested Andy Robertson) and even worse officiating, not calling an obvious offside in the Aston Villa buildup.

Fortunately for the Reds, they hit back almost immediately with an equally scruffy goal and poor defending, from Tyrone Mings, ended with Joel Matip scrambling in the ball from close.

Liverpool controlled most of the game from then on, but couldn’t find the breakthrough. It took some sublime play from Luis Diaz down the left on 65 minutes, picking out Sadio Mané in the box and the Senegalese ace twisted his neck to connect with the ball slightly behind him to guide it into the corner of the net, beyond the despairing hand of Emi Martinez.

Liverpool held on for the win, only for Manchester City the following night to make short shrift of Wolves, thrashing the midlanders 5-1 to maintain their three point lead at the top and boost to almost insuperable proportions their goal difference.

The title seemed all over for Liverpool, increasing the importance of the FA Cup final against Chelsea. For this remarkable season to have significant meaning for the Reds, defeating Thomas Tuchel’s side seemed necessary.

And, indeed, Liverpool began the final as if they were going to overwhelm Chelsea, Luis Diaz in particular proving unplayable. All the Colombian was missing was the ability to convert his numerous chances. Diogo Jota, too, on for the injured Mo Salah after half an hour, had opportunities to make Liverpool’s superiority count, but failed to capitalise.

Thus, Chelsea grew into the game and for large parts of it dominated and created significant chances, Mason Mount and, in particularly, Christian Pulisic, missing when they should’ve done better. Marcus Alonso hit the bar from a free kick.

The goalless match went into extra time and then penalties, where Mané had the chance on the fifth penalty – James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander Arnold having put their spot kicks away – to win the Cup, with Cesar Azpilicueta having missed Chelsea’s second penalty; but the Senegalese, having scored winning kicks in the Afcon final and to take his national side to the World Cup – both victories coming against Mo Salah's Egypt – fluffed his shot against his international colleague Bernard Mendy.

It seemed there would be a massive switch in momentum, especially with Hakim Ziyech expertly putting Chelsea 5-4 up. Jota, however, kept his nerve and the Reds in it by scoring the sixth penalty. Mount’s kick was then saved by Allison Becker.

Thus, it was the turn of Tsimikas to become a legend to score the penalty that would win the cup for Liverpool and the Greek international stepped up to send Mendy the wrong way.

The good weekend continued when Manchester City dropped two points against West Ham – who were actually two up at half time – meaning that if Liverpool beat Southampton in midweek, then we will go into the final matches next Sunday with City needing to beat Aston Villa to prevent Liverpool, who play Wolves, overtaking them at the last moment. You’d have to expect that Villa won’t be able to resist Pep Guardiola’s side, but City did show signs of nerves against West Ham – a much better side than Villa – and a repeat, though unlikely, would open the door to Liverpool.

Obtuse Spurs thwart Liverpool title challenge

 

A strange topsy-turvy week for the Reds, making unnecessarily hard work of seeing off weak opposition standing in their way of a third Champions League final in five years, but eventually getting the job done, coming from two down to beat Villarreal 3-2 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate; then failing to pile pressure on Manchester City – who exited the Champions League the following evening in heartbreaking and exhausting fashion against Real Madrid – by putting in a below par performance against an obtuse Tottenham side, only managing a draw against the North Londoners.

In fact, Liverpool’s performance against Spurs was so nervous and rushed that the Reds were lucky to come away with a point.

Antonio Conte’s team held its own in the first half, soaking up Liverpool pressure without conceding many chances and taking the lead on 58 minutes after some smart play down the Liverpool right between Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon ended with Son Heung-Min tapping the ball into the Liverpool net from four yards out.

A fluke, deflected goal from a Luis Diaz shot put Liverpool level on 74 minutes but Tottenham – despite needing three points to challenge Arsenal for the fourth Champions League spot and looking like they had the wherewithal to overcome the Reds – resorted to feigning injury and other time-wasting tactics seemingly satisfied with the one point and thwarting Liverpool’s title challenge.

This self-defeating approach may have allowed Tottenham fans to gloat that they had a decisive impact on the destination of the league title but it will probably result in Spurs playing in the Europa League next season. Arsenal’s defeat of Leeds 2-1 today means the Gunners are now four points ahead of their bitterest rivals and they can go into next Thursday’s North London derby knowing they can afford to lose to Spurs and still be in command of their destiny in the fight for fourth.

As for Liverpool, dropping points to Tottenham would’ve revived Man City spirits as they looked to recover from the shock of being knocked out of the Champions League so dramatically by Real Madrid.

And, indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men took full advantage of Liverpool’s slip up yesterday by hammering Newcastle 5-0 at the Etihad, to go three points and four goals in goal difference ahead of Liverpool.

To win to the title, Jurgen Klopp’s men now require a small miracle, involving Man City dropping at least three points – in games against West Ham, Wolves and Aston Villa – and Liverpool winning the rest of their games, against Aston Villa, Southampton and Wolves. It looks unlikely, if not desperate.

Still, Liverpool have two finals to look forward to in their pursuit of silverware: the FA Cup final against an out-of-form Chelsea next Saturday at Wembley, while on the 28 May in Paris, Liverpool will play Real Madrid and hope to win their seventh European Cup and gain revenge for Los Blancos having humiliated Liverpool at the same stage in 2018.

Reds win again… so do City, as games start to run out in title race

 

Liverpool put in an impressive away performance against in-form and nouveau riche Newcastle to win 1-0 and keep the pressure on leaders Man City, due to play Leeds later in the day.

Newcastle disrupted Liverpool for the first 15 minutes of the game, pressing high, forcing mistakes and misplaced passes, casting doubt on Jurgen Klopp’s decision to make five changes from the side that beat Villarreal midweek in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, bringing in Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Naby Keita, Diogo Jota and James Milner, but once Liverpool got a grip of the game there only seemed to be one possible outcome.

Indeed, it was the back up players who starred for Liverpool today.

Joe Gomez coming in at right-back for Trent Alexander Arnold was particularly good, both defensively and going forward, as was the belligerent Milner – returning to one of his former clubs – and the enterprising and industrious Keita.

In fact, Milner and Keita were key players in Liverpool’s winning goal that came on 20 minutes.

A superb tackle from Milner on Fabian Schar in the last third – a challenge that had Newcastle players and fans screaming for a free kick that never was – saw the ball squirt out to Jordan Henderson who found an advancing Keita.

The Guinean international exchanged passes with Diogo Jota before calmly dummying and rounding the United keeper Martin Durbravka and thumping the ball into the net, passed the defending players on the line.

Before the break, Liverpool had chances to add to their tally,

Mané should have scored on a counter attack after being played in by Luis Diaz, while a cross from Henderson was met by Jota and his header was well saved by Dubravka,  Milner should’ve done better with a shot outside the area.

These squandered chances added to the nerves as one mistake, deflection or set piece could’ve pegged Liverpool back and ended their championship challenge.

On top of the nerves was a healthy dose of frustration as further chances for the Reds came and went, with Sadio Mané being particularly wasteful.

Still, Newcastle failed to seriously threaten Liverpool and Alisson Becker in the Liverpool goal only had one (routine) save to make, from a Bruno Guimaraes shot from outside the area.

With the effort exerted by Klopp’s men and the nerves shredded by the fans, this felt like a significant win for Liverpool.

However, as the afternoon unfolded and Manchester City crushed a hopelessly average Leeds 4-0, the magnitude of the task of toppling the reigning champs became apparent.

Not only did City with their thumping of Leeds go back ahead of Liverpool at the top of the league by one point but they have also caught the Reds’ goal difference, which is now down to one.

Four games left for both City and Liverpool.

The Reds’ next league game is a tough looking home encounter with Spurs, while City play Newcastle at the Etihad.

After that, City have games to play against West Ham, Wolves and Aston Villa, while Liverpool will have games against Southampton, Wolves and Aston Villa.

It seems that only a freak result will deprive Pep Guardiola’s men of the points that might let Liverpool in, assuming Liverpool are able to take maximum points from their games.

Increasingly, it seems that Liverpool’s failure to take three points off City in the recent game at the Etihad – the game, which City should’ve won, ended 2-2 – will cost Liverpool the title.

There will be an opportunity for revenge in the Champions League final, assuming both sides get there. Liverpool have one foot in Paris and will hope to finish off the job against Villarreal on Tuesday while City, though favourites, will have a trickier game against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Even though City outplayed Real in the first leg and should’ve finished the tie there and then, sloppiness and Real relentless saw the game end 4-3 to City and the Spanish champions in with a chance to progress.

Origi cements legendary status with game-changing performance as Reds triumph in Merseyside derby

 

A shameless cynical game-plan from the Jose Mourinho playbook adopted by the Everton boss Frank Lampard and instilled into his relegation-threatened team may have frustrated Liverpool in the first half – absurd simulation, time-wasting, feigning injury – but, fortunately, for the integrity of football, it couldn’t be sustained into the second half and Jurgen Klopp’s men secured a 2-0 victory to keep pace with Manchester City at the top of the league, only a point behind with five matches each left to play.

Still, it took a bold double substitution from the Liverpool gaffer on 60 minutes – not the first time this season that Klopp has made changes relatively early in the game to clinical effect – bringing on the sparsely-used Divock Origi for Sadio Mané and Luis Diaz for Naby Keita – to decisively turn the scrap in the Reds’ favour.

Within two minutes of the changes, Mo Salah played a clever one-two with Origi in the Everton box before the Egyptian king clipped the ball to the far post, just over Diogo Jota but right onto the head of the onrushing Andy Roberston – Liverpool’s man of the match and player of the season – who bulleted the ball into the back of the net.

Apart from a shot outside of the area from Demarai Gray that whistled past the post, a good run to the byline from Dele Alli, whose cross was superbly intercepted from the retreating and ever-alert Robertson, and another Anthony Gordon dive in the box (the Everton striker was booked for a similar piece of theatricality in the first half), Everton didn’t look like or deserve to get themselves back into the game.

Nevertheless, these nervy moments for Liverpool were only allayed in the 85th minute when another chip to the far post, this time from Jordan Henderson, a sub for Jota, was met acrobatically from the hugely impressive Diaz and his scissors kick bounced into the path of Origi four yards out and he firmly met the ball with his forehead and lodged it into the top of the net.

Another vital and iconic goal for Origi, who it seems will leave for Inter Milan on a free in the summer, but will end his Anfield career as a fans’ favourite, a cult hero, an all-time Liverpool great.

Next up for Liverpool, in what will be two games a week until the end of the season, is the Champions League semi-final first leg tie on Wednesday against Villarreal.

Annoyingly for Klopp – who failed to get the timing of the match changed – Liverpool will then face in-form Newcastle away Saturday lunchtime.

It will be remarkable if Liverpool manage to claim a victory against the transformed Magpies, but a victory is what they will need if they are not to give any advantage to Manchester City, who easily overcame Watford 5-1 yesterday and play another weak opponent in Leeds after Liverpool’s game.

The quadruple remains on for Liverpool but it is the tallest of orders.

Realistically, the Reds’ best chances to add to the League Cup is in the other cup competitions they remain active in – the FA Cup (where they play Chelsea in the final) and the Champions League (where a final against Manchester City is likely).

The Premier League title to all intents and purposes requires not only that Liverpool win all their remaining fixtures but that Man City slip up.

It’s not impossible, but the Blues’ run-in is far more straightforward than Liverpool’s and Pep Guadiola’s side’s ability to steamroller weaker teams is undiminished.

Liverpool crush Man United to go top of the league

 

Liverpool followed their 5-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier in the season with another devastating and, at times, arrogant and contemptuous display to brush their historic rivals aside 4-0 to go top of the league table by two points ahead of Manchester City’s home game against Brighton on Wednesday night.

It’s hard to believe how far ahead of Manchester United in terms of quality Liverpool are. The scoreline could have been anything Liverpool wanted had the Reds, after having gone two up after 22 minutes, didn’t relax and feel so comfortable that they seemed to want to show off their superiority and toy with Manchester United rather than put them to the sword.

Thiago Alcantara was magical in midfield. Audible gasps could be heard from the Liverpool faithful at some of his passing. How did he see that angle? How did he execute that pass with such laser-like accuracy? And his passing wasn’t just clever, it was also incisive, catching the opponents by surprise and creating great attacking opportunities. It was perhaps Thiago’s best game for the Reds and he easily won man of the match.

The rout began after five minutes with a chip from Sadio Mané that found Mo Salah in acres of space down the right and his firm accurate cross cut out the retreating Man Utd defence and fell into the path of Luis Diaz who couldn’t miss from four yards out.

Having assisted the first goal, Salah broke his six-game goal drought finishing off an extended piece of superb team play and passing that ended with Joel Matip, finding himself in the number 10 position, playing an incisive pass to Mané on the edge of the area and his exquisite round-the-corner pass fell into the path of Salah and the Egyptian king controlled the ball with one touch then finished with aplomb passed David de Gea.

Salah’s excellent performance will have quietened all those who’ve been saying that since his disappointments with the Egyptian national side – losing in the Afcon final to Senegal and to the same team in the World Cup qualifying playoff – his form for Liverpool has dipped. Yet anyone who saw how strong, fit and engaged Salah was in the FA Cup semi-final win against Manchester City last Saturday would have realised that there was nothing wrong with the Egyptian striker and his goal-scoring touch would return sooner rather than later – which it did today and in spectacular fashion.

Manchester United changed formation at half-time, with Ralf Rangnick abandoning the five at the back and taking off Phil Jones for a more conventional 4-4-2 with Jordan Sancho coming on on the left.

And, indeed, Sancho was at the epicentre of a modest Manchester United revival – and a drop off in Liverpool’s play as their strategy of controlling the game seemed to lead to too much caution, sloppiness in possession and a deterioration in mental sharpness – and fear crept in that rather like Manchester City in the cup Liverpool, having appeared to have won the game, would unnecessarily let the opposition back in.

But Manchester United are not Manchester City and the Red Devils couldn’t take advantage of their 25-minute stronger spell at the beginning of the second half and Liverpool’s deceleration and on 68 minutes Jurgen Klopp’s men finished the game off after Andy Robertson drove into the United half, laid the ball off to Luis Diaz on the the edge of the United area and the Colombian superbly found Mané level with the penalty spot and the Senegalese striker stroked the ball with his left foot into the far post corner passed the outstretched hand of the United keeper.

To prove to his doubters that he was well and truly back to his best, Salah completed the rout on 85 minutes after Diogo Jota – on for Luis Diaz – found Salah in the area and seeing off a challenge from Aaron Wan-Bissaka managed to lift the ball over de Gea and into the back of the net.

Having drawn 3-3 with Benfica and taken the tie 6-4 and secured their place in the Champions League semi-final, which will be played against Villarreal, and earned a place in the FA Cup final (against Chelsea) after seeing off Manchester City, Liverpool have had a spectacular week.

It could get better if Brighton – who have beaten Spurs and Arsenal in their last two games – pull off an unlikely result against Pep Guardiola’s men at the Etihad tomorrow and Liverpool deal with struggling Everton as they should in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool scrape City draw to hang in title race

Having completely outperformed Liverpool in the first half, holding their nerve, composure, playing the game and the football they would’ve wanted and are used to playing, reigning champs Manchester City will have been disappointed to go in to the changing rooms only leading their challengers 2-1 when a true reflection of the Blues’ domination would’ve seen them ahead by two or three goals and the contest – and the title – out of sight.

Still, Liverpool, rattled, playing poorly, with their most reliable players – Alisson Becker and Fabinho – looking particularly ropy, hung in there, doing what they’ve been doing since the New Year, which is rely on determination, willpower and having the gumption to take chances when they present themselves.

Thus, City having gone ahead after five minutes – a deflected Kevin De Bruyne shot bouncing wickedly off the surface and giving Alisson no chance – were pegged back within seven minutes after some superb build up play, involving Thiago Alcantara, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, concluded with the Reds’ right-back on the City goal line knocking the ball back into the path of Diogo Jota who scuffed his shot but still managed to squeeze it underneath Ederson, who may be disappointed he didn’t manage to keep it out.

Reds’ fans must have hoped that equalising so soon after going behind would’ve settled Liverpool, but this wasn’t the case. Rather, Reds’ play continued to be slack and wayward as Manchester City cut through the Liverpool defence at will, with cross-field passes and through balls, looking permanently dangerous and superior to their opponents.

It seemed only a matter of time before the league leaders restored their lead and, indeed, on 36 minutes, a cross from the City left by Joao Cancelo caught Alexander-Arnold, finding himself in the left-back position, off guard and Gabriel Jesus snuck in to knock the ball over the advancing Alisson into the roof of the net.

It was no more than City deserved and Liverpool could have no complaints going into half time behind.

Liverpool’s resilience and good fortune were rewarded within the first minute of the second half when good play down the right between Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson ended with a sublime little pass from Mo Salah into the path of Sadio Mané, who firmly clipped the ball over the City stopper.

For the next 10 minutes, Liverpool were in the ascendancy and looked as if they had enough to overwhelm City going forward. But it was City who scored the next goal, Raheem Sterling, having been put through by man-of-the-match De Bruyne, tucked the ball under Alisson. Fortunately for Liverpool, a VAR review found the City striker was marginally offside when he received the pass and the goal was ruled out.

Substitutions, fouls and nerves conspired to put a dampener on the game for the last 20-25 minutes with neither side managing to maintain sufficient pressure to break down the other team.

The best chance was the game’s last, after Riyad Mahrez was put through, again by De Bruyne. The Algerian went for a chip over Alisson but got too much on the ball, which went sailing over the bar.

Liverpool will be relieved not to have lost the game, even if their need to win was greater, given that they were a point behind City at the start of the day. Conversely, City will be upset that having been the better side, created the better chances, they weren’t able to win this game and take a firm grip on the title.

Still, with seven games to go in the league, City have the easier run-in, which must make them favourites to go on and retain their title. On today’s performances, it will be deserved. Liverpool have been on an extraordinary run to get back in the chase but fell short today when it really mattered.

Next Saturday, the two sides meet again in the FA Cup semi-final and Liverpool will look to play better and have to play to better to progress to the final.

Before that matchup, Liverpool have the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Benfica to contend with, though they do go into it as heavy favourites, having won the first game 3-1.

LIverpool defeat Watford to keep pace with title rivals

This match against Watford coming after a two-week international break with Liverpool players only just arriving back to the UK from all corners of the world, many having experienced the emotional highs of lows of World Cup qualification – notably Sadio Mané for Senegal and Mo Salah for Egypt – and starting at 12:30 lunchtime, when players and crowd traditionally find it hard to rouse themselves, had all the potential for a banana skin for the Reds.

This was even more true given that Watford – in desperate trouble at the bottom of the league and needing to fight for every point – under the management of veteran Roy Hodgson, replacing the hapless Claudio Ranieri in January, have shown good signs of revival. Well organised, aggressive, trusting in the system, Watford proved their quality in their last outing, defeating Southampton away 2-1.

Indeed, the game unfolded as predicted, with Liverpool weary and Watford looking comfortable at the back and threatening on the break.

Yet again the decisive moment of the game came with a terrific trademark save from Alisson Becker, blocking one on one as Juraj Kucka bore down on goal, which was immediately followed by Liverpool going up the other end of the pitch and scoring.

On 23 minutes, found by Jordan Henderson on the right, Joe Gomez, playing instead of the hamstrung Trent Alexander Arnold, put in a pacy, accurate cross that the usual right-back would have been proud of, onto the run of Diogo Jota, whose glancing header ended up in the corner of the net.

In the past, Liverpool, both home and away, have scored hatfuls of goals against Watford but this was never going to be the case today. Despite Jota’s goal, the Reds were restricted to long-range shots – from Jota and Curtis Jones (in for Fabinho) – that invariably went way over the bar and set-piece headers off-target.

The second half saw, on the hour, Fabinho come on for Jones – who did well in places but was frustrating elsewhere – and Liverpool have control of the game without being able to finish Watford off.

Another chance came Watford’s way to equalise when Joao Pedro found himself through on goal only to screw the ball just past the far post when he should have scored. Drawing level would not have flattered Watford.

Not even the introduction, in place of the lacklustre Salah, of Mané, rested after his heroics midweek for Senegal, scoring the winning penalty to take his country to the World Cup ahead of Egypt – the West Africans, again, overcoming the North Africans in a major encounter, having defeated them in the Africa Cup of Nations final – gave Liverpool the impetus to put the game to bed.

Indeed, it was only a fortunate penalty decision in the 89th minute that calmed Red nerves, Kucka wrestling Jota to the ground off the ball at a corner, the referee only giving the spot kick on the advice of the VAR.

With Salah off, Fabinho stepped up and took the perfect penalty, high to Ben Foster’s right in the top corner of the net to secure the victory.

The win temporarily put Liverpool top of the table, a point ahead of Manchester City, playing lowly Burnley in a 3:00 pm kickoff. The reigning champions did what they had to do, defeating the Clarets 2-0 to retake top spot and setting up next weekend’s home clash against Liverpool, the outcome of which will go some way to telling us who will end up as Premier League winners.

Liverpool pass Arsenal test with flying colours

With Manchester City having dropped two points in a scoreless draw against a good Crystal Palace side on Monday night, Liverpool went into the game with Arsenal two days later with the chance to close to within one point of the league leaders.

An enormous night, therefore, for the Reds at the Emirates against one of the league’s in-form outfits that has seen the Gunners rise to fourth and the last, coveted Champions League spot.

Of the 10 league games left in their season, after the Man City clash due on 10 April, this was seen by many as the most difficult challenge facing Liverpool, the one where we would find out the seriousness of the Reds’ title aspirations.

And, indeed, in the first half the magnitude of the occasion seemed to have got to Liverpool, who were nervous, passive and intimidated by Arsenal’s energy and the passion of the home crowd, which, after years of seeing their side in the doldrums, are now optimistic that the successful Wengerian years are on the way back.

Yet, for all Arsenal’s good play in the first half, their chances were few and far between and they had no shots on target. Still, the Gunners seemed more likely to score than Liverpool, for whom the half-crocked Mo Salah, their top goalscorer, only started on the bench. It was a relief for Liverpool to go in at the break with the scores level. Surely, Jurgen Klopp wouldn’t allow his players to get away with similar levels of performance in the second period?

And, indeed, within a minute of the restart, Sadio Mané, latching onto a through ball from Jordan Henderson, slid the ball passed Aaron Ramsdale into the Arsenal goal, only for the linesman to correctly judge the Senegalese striker offside.

The game turned decisively in the 50th minute. A terrible back pass from Thiago Alcantara – Klopp excused the Spaniard after the game by suggesting the skilful midfielder simply couldn’t tolerate to clear the ball haphazardly and was always looking for a team-mate – found itself not at the feet of Alisson Becker but Alexandre Lacazette. The French striker laid the ball to Martin Odegaard, who blasted it goal-wards only for Alisson to make a brilliant block that sent the ball over the bar.

Klopp had seen enough and prepared to bring on Salah and Roberto Firmino.

In the meantime, the lucky Thiago threaded the ball through the eye of a needle into the path of Diogo Jota in the Arsenal area. Despite being wide, the Portuguese got off a hopeful shot, which squeezed passed Ramsdale, not covering his near post properly, to put Liverpool one up.

It was Jota’s last action. Having made a decisive contribution he was, along with Luis Diaz, hooked.

Again, Klopp’s prompt substitutions were just what was required. A goal in front and with Salah and Firmino on – reviving the classic Salah, Firmino, Mané upfront triumvirate – Liverpool never looked back and took complete control of the game.

A second goal came seven minutes later. Great pressing from Firmino ended with Salah and then Andy Robertson having shots blocked by a desperate Arsenal defence.

The industrious Robertson chased his block to the touchline and retrieved the ball after Bukayo Saka had blasted it against him in a vain attempt at a clearance. The Scot dribbled to the goal line, crossed into the path of Firmino who brilliantly flicked the ball passed the despairing Ramsdale. At no point, thereafter, did Liverpool’s lead look in jeopardy, nor did they press significantly for a third goal. The last half hour of the game was, as Liverpool would have wanted, a tame affair.

Next up for Liverpool is an FA Cup quarter final clash away at Championship high-flyers Nottingham Forest, who knocked out Arsenal and holders Leicester in previous rounds.

It won’t be an easy game but even with a Wembley semi-final spot on the line, Klopp is sure to make significant changes to the lineup.

An international break follows, then Liverpool are up against relegation-threatened Watford, a win or draw against the Hornets will put Liverpool on top of the table before Manchester City play against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Luis Diaz stars – and survives assault – as Reds overcome Seagulls

A strange and infuriating game at the Amex this lunchtime still saw Liverpool come away with 2-0 win and, despite 15 minutes of Brighton pressure at the start and 15 more of it at the end, deservedly so.

Indeed, it was Liverpool’s failure to convert command of the game into goals – and another incomprehensible VAR decision – that contributed to the agitation and anger Liverpool fans would have felt as proceedings unfolded.

This was a game Liverpool could’ve won by six or seven, so many were the chances and the openings that the Reds created but failed to take advantage of because of poor finishing or poor choices – Mo Salah and Sadio Mané being the main culprits.

At one point, Jurgen Klopp was shown from the touchline bellowing at Salah to ‘pass it’ as the Egyptian king bore down on goal and chose to attempt to slide the ball past Robert Sanchez rather than knock it across the six-yard box for Mané to tap in.

Mané himself was similarly guilty of selfish play, fluffing a shot from just inside the penalty area when an easy pass to Salah to his right would have been the better option.

Of the three strikers starting today, it was the new-signing, the Colombian Luis Diaz, who played most effectively, posing a constant threat with his pace and skill to Brighton’s defence and showing superb commitment in his pressing.

Indeed, it was Diaz, on 19 minutes, who was involved in the game’s defining moment.

Running onto a clever clipped pass from Joel Matip, the Colombian nodded the ball over the onrushing Brighton keeper into an empty net, Sanchez not only missing the ball by a mile but also clattering into Diaz and flooring the Liverpool 23 after catching him in the head with his thigh.

VAR checked for an offside – there was no question of that – and at Sanchez’s diabolical challenge.

While the speed of the incident might excuse referee Mike Dean and his linesman of missing the serious foul play, it was incomprehensible that VAR Stuart Atwell, who would have seen the crime a hundred times, and in slow motion, decided there was nothing untoward in Sanchez’s tackle.

Atwell will be perhaps the only person who saw the incident back who thought that way. There cannot have been all season a clearer example of a challenge endangering an opponent and no clearer example of a red card. Yet, nothing was given and Sanchez was allowed to stay on the field.

Football has a habit of exacerbating injustices. A player who should not have been on the pitch ends up scoring a late equaliser or winner and when, on 61 minutes, Liverpool were awarded a penalty after Naby Keita’s shot was blocked by the raised hand of Yves Bissouma, it seemed that the football gods would further mock the Reds by allowing Sanchez to save the penalty.

Fortunately, Salah stepped up and smacked the ball down the middle past the sprawling Brighton keeper. Order was restored.

There were alarms for Liverpool later on and Alisson Becker had to be at his best to save from Danny Welbeck to keep Liverpool’s lead in tact.

Recently, the Reds have been sloppy while ahead, conceding goals to make the remainder of the game unnecessarily anxious.

This was the case midweek in the second leg of the last 16 Champions League tie against Inter Milan.

Two up from the first leg, Liverpool had several opportunities to completely put the tie to bed – Salah hitting the post twice when he should have scored – only for Lautaro Martinez to score a second half wonder goal out of nothing to give Inter hope and potentially change the momentum of the game.

It was lucky for Liverpool that a second yellow from the otherwise outstanding Alexis Sanchez almost immediately took the stuffing out of the Italian side and the Reds were able to hang on, without much trouble, to qualify for the quarter finals.

The next game for Liverpool is their game in hand against Manchester City. It’s Arsenal away on Wednesday.

Arsenal’s good form has seen them rise to fourth in the league and favourites to qualify for the Champions League. The Gunners should have beaten City when they visited the Emirates on New Year’s Day – some strange refereeing decisions let Pep Guardiola’s men off the hook – but were comfortably beaten 2-0 by the Reds in January in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi final.