Liverpool return to the top with victory over struggling Sheffield United
JURGEN Klopp’s Anfield farewell gained momentum last night, although one suspects that the emotional roller coaster provided by his team in returning to the top of the table last night was a taste of things to come over the final weeks of the season.
Liverpool, looking to respond to victories from rivals Manchesrer City and Arsenal 24 hours earlier, were made to work ridiculously hard by struggling Sheffield United even after their keeper Ivo Grbic’s error gifted the Reds a goal start in the first half.
But on 58 minutes, Gustavo Hamer started a fast-break upfield for the visitors and arrived on the end of James McAtee’s cross to head in via a wicked deflection off the ankle of defender Conor Bradley, to make it 1-1.
Anfield was stunned although not for that long. Klopp threw on a variety of fresh legs and a difficult task for United became nigh on impossible.
It was hugely predictable, therefore, that after Anel Ahmedhodzic’s clearance of an Andy Robertson cross was deflected to the edge of his area, Alexis MacAllister steamed in to score with a devastating finish from the edge of the area.
And in the final minute of normal time, Robertson’s brilliant cross found Cody Gakpo in space for the substitute to score with a clinical stooping header.
The task was always going to be a tall one for Chris Wider’s side but the worst defence in the Premier League - possibly in the Premier League ever - hardly helped itself by gifting their hosts a goal start.
Jack Robinson started the chaos, unwittingly, with a perfectly-gauged back-pass which Grbic collected at his feet just inside his area and, seemingly, under no pressure, after 17 minutes.
Yet, somehow, he appeared unaware of the 6’2” Darwin Nunez sprinting towards him to close him down. Having hesitated fatally, Grbic succeeded only in hitting his clearance against the striker, as he turned his back, and the ball dribbled over the line in agonising fashion.
Still, Liverpool had to survive an early scare, barely 30 seconds in, when Caoimhin Kelleher had to save well from on-loan Manchester City forward James McAtee after a long throw from Robinson caused momentary panic in the home defence.
How the blue half of Manchester would have appreciated one of their own doing a little to try and boost their own title hopes.
Grbic actually started the night convincingly, tipping over a Mo Salah shot, Nunez headed wide, Salah shot just over and Nunez drilled an inviting low cross through the visitors’ area without a team-mate able to connect.
The gifted goal just seemed to spur on the league leaders even more with Nunez making space but shooting too close to Grbic and Joe Gomez, still waiting for his first goal after over 200 games, just missing the target from outside the box.
Luis Diaz set up Mac Allister for a curling shot which the Argentinian steered just wide, again, but as the first half fizzled out, it appeared that one goal was going to be enough to take the three points.
Ryan Gravenberch summed up that confidence before the interval when Diaz created space for him but the Dutchman slipped in the process of shooting straight at Grbic. The Croatian keeper was also afforded the chance to atone for earlier sins before the break, diving high to keep out a Dominik Szoboszlai strike bound for the top corner.
There were to be a couple of last flourishes by United in first half injury-time, as Ahmedhedovic met Jayden Bogle’s chip forward with a volley that did not clear the home goal by too much and Bogle forced Kelleher into a sharp block, that suggested Klopp would want to see a second goal as early as possible after the restart.
His team - and the Anfield crowd - reflected that desire although Salah continued to struggle to find his aim, with a powerful shot straight into Grbic’s midriff in the opening moments.
But the longer the lead remained a solitary goal, the greater danger there was of the game becoming extremely interesting, for Arsenal and City fans, at least.
Hamer tested that theory with quickly-taken free-kick, which found Kelleher alert to the danger as he dived to collect, but Hamer was more fortunate moments later, when he enjoyed his deflected goal.
Liverpool’s response to going level saw Virgil van Dijk meet a Szoboszlai corner with a powerful header which Grbic fumbled off his goalline while MacAllister thundered a shot against the bar after 85 minutes.
Kelleher 7; Bradley 6, Konate 6, van Dijk 7, Gomez 7 (Gakpo 73, 7); Szoboszlai 8 (Jones 73, 6), Mac Allister 7, Gravenberch 6 (Robertson 60 5); Salah 6 (Elliott 60, 5), Nunez 7, Diaz 6. Substitutes (not used) Adrian, Tsimikas, Clark, Danns, Quansah.
Grbic 5; Holgate 5, Ahmedhodzic 7, Trusty 5 (Brooks 78, 5); Bogle 7, Souza 6, Arblaster 6, Hamer 7 (Osborn 62, 5), Robinson 8; McAtee 7 (McBurnie 63, 5), Brereton 6 (Osula 63, 5). Substitutes (not used) Norwood, Foderingham, Slimane, Larouci, Curtis.
S Attwell 7
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