Although Jurgen Klopp’s team did not play flawlessly in their victory over Sheffield United on Wednesday night, it did demonstrate that the team is capable of winning even when its players are not performing at their best.
Liverpool, who had previously in the season shown numerous instances of destructive attacking intent, triumphed dramatically over Fulham at Anfield on Sunday after trailing in the 80th minute.
The club has regained its never-say-die mindset, which was crucial as they pursued remarkable success under Klopp’s tutelage during the previous few years.
Sadly, table-toppers Arsenal have just as much zeal and unwavering resolve. Although Manchester City has not begun as well as many may have anticipated, the treble-winning champions will take advantage of any mistakes made by their Premier League rivals.
Liverpool increased their streak of victories in the English top flight to eight games this week by defeating Mikel Arteta’s Gunners 2-0 at Bramall Lane. They are now only two points behind them.
The way Liverpool played against Sheffield United
Liverpool started the match against the Blades, who had just fired manager Paul Heckingbottom and brought in former manager Chris Wilder, in a typically lethargic manner. However, Virgil van Dijk made sure the visitors led at halftime by heading Trent Alexander-Arnold’s looping delivery from the corner spot into the net.
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a fierce goal after finding acres of space in the final third after Darwin Nunez, a substitute who had been wasteful since his introduction, placed a cross into the goal. The home team’s energetic players probed and prodded but were unable to capitalise on opportunities, pushing forward for an equaliser in the dying minutes.
While some may argue that the result wasn’t noteworthy, Liverpool’s triumph represented both a return to winning ways away from home and a bold declaration that they will contend for silverware.
The Merseyside team’s outstanding offensive potential was not on display in this encounter, but the defence held firm, led by Ibrahima Konate, who played a good central role.
Numbers from Ibrahima Konate’s match against Sheffield United
On Wednesday night, Konate was a wall, constantly controlling the ball both on the ground and in the air to keep Sheffield United from getting past Caoimhin Kelleher’s goal.
Naturally, Konate’s channel was targeted because he was far more active in his defensive responsibilities than his colleague Van Dijk, but he proved Klopp wrong by rising to the situation.
Praised by Statman Dave for his “dominant” performance, the France international was outstanding and will now look forward to a spell of consistency and energy. He is gifted but prone to injuries that impede his progress.
Though Joe Gomez would be a superior partner in front of Alisson’s goal, Klopp will probably need to choose a standout defensive axis moving forward, even though Konate is expected to play a significant role in the upcoming months.
Why Joel Matip might be replaced by Joe Gomez
Naturally, Klopp will use both Konate and the £85k-per-week Gomez to his advantage during the holiday season and beyond in order to accompany Jarell Quansah and Liverpool’s steadfast captain van Dijk in central defence, but it’s possible that Gomez is the more capable and energetic of the two.
That’s not to minimise Konate’s abilities; the Frenchman put on an impressive show of defensive power at Bramall Lane. However, there’s little doubt that Liverpool’s best defensive performances during the Klopp era occurred during the amazing Gomez and Van Dijk partnership between 2018 and 2020, with the Reds convincingly winning their lone Premier League title under the German’s direction in the latter year.
Journalist Uri Levy claimed that Gomez was in a “footballing nightmare” the previous season, but he has recovered this year and can only become better as he maintains his form.
The technical skill that aids Liverpool in quick transition is highlighted by Gomez’s ranking among the top 1% of positional peers for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for assists, the top 10% for passes attempted, and the top 19% for progressive passes per 90, according to FBref.
While Konate is in the top 12% for successful take-ons, the top 9% for tackles, the top 11% for aerial wins per 90, and the top 22% for passes attempted, he is not far behind.
Joel Matip, a 32-year-old Cameroonian who was forced off against Fulham last week and has since been confirmed to have ruptured his ACL, has to be replaced in central defence.
Under Klopp’s tutelage, Matip—who joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Schalke in 2016—has made 201 appearances for the team and taken home every award.
Joel-Matip-Liverpool
This season, Matip has made nine starts in the Premier League and has been an integral part of the team, completing 88% of passes, winning 74% of his aerial battles, and averaging 5.8 ball recoveries and 4.1 clearances.
The veteran will need to recover for a long time, and as his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, it’s possible that this is his final game at Anfield.
According to Sofascore, this season in the Premier League, the England international has completed 89% of his passes and averaged 3.3 recoveries, 1.5 tackles, and 1.7 clearances per game.
Additionally, Gomez has emerged victorious in 82% of his aerial contests in the Premier League this year, indicating that he is more than capable of matching Konate’s performance against Sheffield United.
Even though Matip’s campaign and probably his Liverpool career are now finished, Klopp’s ability to respond on both titans is a brilliant showcase of Liverpool’s options at the back.
Attempts to add defensive reinforcements will definitely take priority during the January transfer window, but Gomez can already make a claim to begin securing a place in the backline’s core and leading his club through the demanding winter season.