Liverpool vs FC Midtjylland

FT:2-0

Goals: Jota (55′) Salah (90+3′) P

27th of October 2020

Liverpool registered their 10,000th club goal last night; scored by Diogo Jota. The Portuguese netted in front of The Kop on a European night, that was met with silence and a low key lacklustre performance.

Liverpool did what they have done for the last three games – found a way to win while looking a shadow of the side we usually see in front of a vibrant audience. Mohammed Salah’s injury-time penalty gave the scoreline a gloss as once more it was the character of Jurgen Klopp’s side, which shone as they overcame the early loss of Fabinho to a hamstring injury.

But credit to Midtjylland, who can be justly proud of how far they pushed their hosts – rarely has a European night at Anfield felt so underwhelming. The Danish champions hassled and harried, chasing down lost causes, and offering passion in the tackles and with a little more quality could have created an early and frankly justified embarrassment for the Reds.

Liverpool offered a disjointed response. The passing lacked penetration and suggested uncertainty, aside from the occasional spark from Xherdan Shaqiri, the ball travelled across the backline and made a ponderous predictable trip into Midtyjlland half.

Mid way into the 2nd half Klopp had clearly seen enough, with Salah and Mane prepared to enter. It is if prompted by their presence, Liverpool conjured up a goal. Shaqiri, increasingly influential, cleverly picked out the overlapping Trent Alexander-Arnold, and he found Jota for the Portuguese international to net his third goal for the Reds.

The Danes were more impetus in the closing stages and substitute Evander was inches from securing a 77th-minute equaliser. Anders Dreyer bookmarked his evening by missing another well crafted opportunity, finding the side netting after showing guile to make space in the penalty area.

Alexander-Arnold, slide an sublime pass which found Salah through the wrong side of Midtjylland’s full-back. Paulino’s who after two attempts brought Salah down for a penalty. The Egyptian dispatched the Danes as he slammed home a penalty to give Liverpool six points from six.

Winning seemed the only consolation prize for Liverpool- after Fabinho’s injury. The Brazilian seemed to offer the solution to the Virgil Van Dijk void. Klopp was left searching for a fresh alternative at centre-half, after Fabinho pulled up with a hamstring injury on 30 minutes. Klopp summoned 19-year-old Rhys Williams to play alongside Joe Gomez, and he looked accomplished for someone so young. Reds fans will be hoping that Joel Matip is fit to meet an improving West Ham, who are the weekend visitors to Anfield.

Give it a few weeks and every member of the squad may be given a go in the position.

For Liverpool to challenge in all competitions, a stretch on their resources at such an early stage of the season and with games coming thick and fast does not bode well. It is just as well, that Liverpool move to their new training and medical facility in Kirkby which can accommodate the extra treatment tables!

Klopp is clearly seeking to spread his resources by deploying squad players. But it is important, that these players step up and provide Klopp with a better level of performance than last night. Better performances will allow the German to spread the load, or the alternative will be the Reds seeking additional resources in the January window…

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