Liverpool have taken themselves to a whole new level across the last twelve months both in the Premier League and across a range of other competitions. Tonight, they were able to prove that once again by becoming only the third team in the history of the league to go a full calendar year unbeaten as they beat Sheffield United 2-0 at Anfield.
The Reds controlled large portions of the game and it didn’t take them long to make an immediate impact, with Mohamed Salah opening the scoring within less than four minutes of kick-off. Liverpool never really looked to be in any sort of sustained danger, and in the second half, a strike from Sadio Mane after nice link-up play with Salah sealed all three points for the runaway leaders.
Never in doubt
After the game, Jurgen Klopp had the following to say about the performance and result.
“It’s obviously good [to go unbeaten for a year] but the target was not to extend this [run], but to win the game. The best thing you can say when you play against Sheffield United is to keep the game not spectacular. We controlled the game.
“We played around their formation, played behind, in-between, broke the lines and had counter-attacks. All the things we want to have. The boys played sensational.
“You saw these glimpses in the game where we were a bit sloppy. They wanted two or three situations in which they could score in. We needed that concentration and that was incredibly tough but the boys did so well. Nothing ends. We have to make sure we are ready again.
Nowhere near
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“Little bit drained – disappointed in our performance tonight, we never laid a glove on them. If there’s ever an example of a team doing well and with the desire, that’s Liverpool.
“The first balls, second balls, running forward, tackling, defending, being aggressive; they [Liverpool] showed all those qualities. It’s a great example for our team. We were off the pace. Maybe the Manchester City game took more out of them than I expected – our goalkeeper kept us in the game. For us to get anything, we would have had to perform really well and we didn’t.
“Every time we tried to press they played around us with the quality they have got. All the stuff that gets talked about in academies, with young coaches – just look at what they did in terms of the basic stuff that gives you an opportunity to play and dominate. That’s what they did to us. Not only technically, but tactically, they are a fantastic side. We have been well beaten.”
Match Report
Liverpool: Alisson (7), Robertson (8), van Dijk (7.5), Gomez (7), Alexander-Arnold (7), Wijnaldum (6.5), Henderson (7.5), Milner (7), Mane (8), Firmino (6.5), Salah (8), Elliott (6), Lallana (6), Origi (6)
Sheffield United: Henderson (7), Basham (7), Egan (6.5), O’Connell (6.5), Baldock (5), Lundstram (6), Norwood (6.5), Fleck (6), Stevens (6), Mousset (6), McGoldrick (6.5), McBurnie (6.5), Sharp (6.5), Besic (6)
Referee: Paul Tierney
Goals: Salah x2
Yellow Cards: N/A
Red Cards: N/A
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