Football365’s early winner: Jurgen Klopp

Matt Stead

In terms of thinly-veiled digs, Jurgen Klopp’s comments in midweek were disguised only by a combination of paper, gnat hairs and the walls in a dodgy hotel room.

Perhaps the Liverpool boss never intended to mask his true feelings. “We are a football-playing side and Manchester United were more physical and stronger than we were with a lot of tall players,” he said on Friday. “We need to be ready again for situations like this.”

The German was previewing the game with West Brom on Saturday, the second consecutive Premier League fixture in a week where Liverpool would be tasked with overcoming a defensive side at home. Manchester United had succeeded in weathering the Anfield storm, the visitors claiming just 35% of the possession and a solitary shot on target on Monday. Tony Pulis will have watched on excitedly from his home, covering his nether regions with only a cap from the club shop.

‘Does this Liverpool side have the nous to break down stubborn defences?’ asked one of 16 Conclusions from that goalless draw earlier in the week. ‘They must find a way to pick the locked doors, or their supposed Premier League title challenge will soon waiver,’ was the warning. Klopp had a matter of days to find a solution to the problem ahead of the meeting with West Brom, whose door is not only locked, but password-protected, blastproof and manned by a number of bodyguards more than willing to take a bullet.

As it happened, Liverpool simply maintained faith in their style. The temptation could have been to fight fire with fire, combating West Brom’s physical presence head on, stepping toe to toe with them in the ring. But Klopp, unlike many of his managerial counterparts, often chooses to play to the strengths of his team, not the weaknesses of his opponent. Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho are not heavyweights, but they have proven adept at landing knock-out blows with their own blend of speed, agility, skill and guile. Despite struggling in their previous fixture, they were trusted to do so again.

West Brom managed to see less of the ball than United (32%), and matched their total number of shots on target, with Gareth McAuley’s late goal the only time Loris Karius was called into inaction. Yet while Liverpool panicked and floundered when confronted by a ten-man United defence on Monday, they ran veritable rings around the Baggies.

It is credit to Klopp, who has been justly criticised in some quarters for failing to find a Plan B. The frustrating thing with Liverpool is that when Plan A works, they are the most entertaining and most effective side to watch in the Premier League. On Saturday, it worked a treat.

The concession of another goal from a set-piece left the manager with a bitter taste in his mouth, but it was countered with another sweet attacking display from his players – one made even more satisfying as it came against a side intent only on defending.

That’s the thing with buses: You wait ages for one, and then two come along at once. Klopp failed to catch the first on time, but that just meant he had the correct change for the second.

 

Matt Stead