Liverpool were spectacular last night against current Premier League table toppers Manchester City in the first leg tie of the Uefa Champions League quarter final.
The Reds now have one foot in the Champions League semi-final after a 3-0 superb performance against fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City. The first half of the epoch match was an attacking showpiece, with an amazing display from Liverpool, with the goals rushing in.
Pep Guardiola took had a traumatic experience at Anfield and was truly overwhelmed at the manner with which Jurgen Klopp’s men wrapped up proceedings in the first half of the Champions League game.
In his defence, few sides could have coped with Liverpool’s first half superb display. While Manchester City patiently probed in the opening stages of the encounter, Klopp’s men were carefully soaking the pressure preparing to launch an onslaught. Eventually, in the space of 19 minutes Manchester City’s errors were ruthlessly punished.
Liverpool’s forward pressing was too much for Guardiola’s side to handle. The Reds launched attacks from the right and left ends of the field, stretching City’s backline to no limits. Their finishing was indeed clinical.
Liverpool’s breathless first-half display evoked memories of that 4-3 win in January, but this time there was never any danger of a late collapse. Liverpool’s ability to maintain a clean slate without conceding against an attacking side like City goes a long way to show how Liverpool have improved defensively.
The man at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, Van Dijk who joined from Southampton for £75m proved to be a profitable deal as he rose to the occasion and had Gabriel Jesus caged. He won every duel he competed and marshaled the defence with the kind of authority Liverpool have so often failed to possess under Klopp. It was not the first time he has made a difference, as in his last eight starts, Liverpool have kept five clean sheets and only conceded four goals.
The goal non-conceding status of Liverpool having secured the fourth clean sheet in the Champions League and their sixth overall, the joint-highest in this year’s competition along with Spanish giant Barcelona.
It is another impressive statistics which points to a steady improvement at the back and it is a welcome development, and needs to be maintained with regards to the challenges ahead.
Liverpool will need to maintain the same steam as they will head to the Etihad stadium in a week’s time for the second-leg tie of the Uefa quarter final against Manchester City. But before that is sorted out, they have a Mersey-side derby against fellow city rivals Everton at Goodison Park.
Liverpool will certainly visit Goodison Park without Mohamed Salah spearheading the attack. With their defence having taken a great shape, can Sadio Mane, Firmino and probably Oxlade Chamberlain deliver the goods?