The 2019 Liverpool team will always be remembered for their victory against Barcelona. In 2024, the team will face Luton. Jürgen Klopp couldn’t help but compare the two comebacks, not because of the opponents or the event, but because of the challenges, resilience, and intense atmosphere at Anfield. He hopes that this similarity will lead to winning a trophy.
The manager of Liverpool had previously mentioned their list of injuries before the game against Luton, making it clear that no excuses would be accepted. Despite initially struggling against Rob Edwards’ team, the league leaders were able to come back and secure a four point lead at the top. The team’s strong performance in the second half showed that they are capable of overcoming injuries and remaining strong contenders for the title.
Klopp’s team have recovered 22 points from losing positions this season, more than any other Premier League side, and the latest felt hugely significant after Manchester City had reduced the gap to one the previous night. Behind to Chiedozie Ogbene’s first half header and fretting, on and off the pitch, Liverpool recovered to make light work of missing Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson and company.
Klopp was reminded of the 2019 Champions League semi-final not just by the intense match and four goals. The second goal scored by Liverpool, which was a result of quick thinking from Conor Bradley near “Alexander-Arnold’s corner,” also brought back memories of Divock Origi’s iconic winning goal on that unforgettable evening.
The Liverpool manager stated that they will talk about this game frequently in the future. Their fist-pump celebrations were even more enthusiastic than usual.
A few months ago, I made a promise to my team that I would not use the Barcelona game as an example. However, today I broke that promise. At the time of the game, our team did not let the absence of certain players affect us, and I wanted us to continue that mentality. Now, it has become our example, our “Barcelona.” Although it was a challenging situation against Luton, our team did not give up and showed great determination. I witnessed a united group fighting until the end. As long as we do not limit ourselves with negative thoughts, we can achieve great things, and that is exactly what the boys did.
All problems are relative of course, and what Luton would give for an injury crisis that still left room for the Netherlands’ captain, Virgil van Dijk, his international colleague, Cody Gakpo, Colombia’s finest, Luis Díaz and occasional England Under-21 captain Harvey Elliott to score in a second successive 4-1 victory. Luton’s fine first half showing was long forgotten by the time World Cup winning midfielder Alexis Mac Allister delivered two assists in two minutes for the Dutch duo.
Display the image in full screen mode.
Liverpool had a strong start, but were shocked when the opposing team scored on their first notable attack. Alfie Doughty made a clever pass to Cauley Woodrow, who then passed it to Tahith Chong inside the area. Chong’s shot was deflected by Caoimhín Kelleher’s legs and landed at the back post where Chiedozie Ogbene was in the right spot to score with a header.
Skip over the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
Luton’s composed and courageous play with the ball was remarkable. Their confident defense also added to Liverpool’s frustrations before halftime, although the home team’s numerous sloppy passes and hasty decisions contributed to the tension at Anfield. However, everything changed when, as is often the case with Klopp’s coaching, Liverpool emerged for the second half with more determination, energy, and a willingness to push more players forward. The Luton manager reflected, “We definitely got under their skin, didn’t we? The first half was an excellent performance, but in the second half, we witnessed the power of Anfield and Liverpool’s high-intensity style of play. Their pressing game was incredible. Ultimately, it was a valuable learning experience for us to see the level of excellence.”
Van Dijk initiated the comeback with a goal as captain, using his strength to score a header from Mac Allister’s corner, beating Ogbene to get past Thomas Kaminski. Mac Allister was also involved when Bradley noticed his run and quickly threw the ball to him. Gakpo then scored another powerful header from the first-time cross, hitting the roof of Kaminski’s net. Díaz made up for previous missed opportunities by drifting away from Teden Mengi and scoring at the near post past Kaminski.
Elliott successfully completed the comeback by scoring a goal from a loose ball, thanks to a well-placed pass from 18-year-old newcomer Jayden Danns. This marked Elliott’s 100th appearance for Liverpool and the team’s 100th goal of the season in all competitions. This accomplishment sets Liverpool apart from all other teams in Europe’s top five leagues, as they have the highest goal count. Under Klopp’s leadership, Liverpool continues their journey to Wembley.
Source: theguardian.com
