The rest of the game was just huffing and puffing by the home side but a back four depleted with injuries meaning Fabinho had to play centre back didn’t look out of place and even made an outstanding block to deny a certain goal. It may not be the most eye-catching result but to start the run Liverpool did what they did best last season, keeping tight at the back, nicking a goal when needed and looking imperious.Saturday 9th February 2019- Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth (Mane 24, Wijnaldum 34, Salah 48)You’ve got to wonder if Klopp unleashed all the attacking attributes in Gini Wijnaldum, how many goals he can he extract out of him? Against Bournemouth back in February he showed a glimpse of quality with a precise chip over Artur Boruc’s head.Going into the game Liverpool had drawn their last two meaning the gap to city was only three points. Therefore, despite remaining in pole position there were shades of doom and gloom that City were going to catch City. Liverpool were determined to send their own message out as a Sadio Mane header and Wijnaldum’s brilliant piece of skill put Liverpool in cruise control before a brilliantly executed team move between Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino led to Mo Salah effort wrapping up the game.Where questions started being asked of Liverpool, they responded with a statement of their own that through quality defensive and offensive play the league title was still in their grasp. The feeling around the ground at 3-0 instilled new belief that the title was very much in their hands.Sunday 3rd March 2019- Everton 0-0 LiverpoolIt’s unbelievable in a run like Liverpool are having a draw away at your local rivals is seen as the downer in all these results. However, a 0-0 draw with Everton made it four draws in Liverpool’s last six games meaning City were in control of the title race being clear by a point.A frustrating 90 minutes for Liverpool was epitomised by Salah missing a one on one with Jordan Pickford as he failed to beat him. Klopp going over to the away end at the end of the game to encourage them to make more noise showed he was still confident Liverpool could win the league. But there was that ultimate feeling this was missed opportunity that ended up costing Liverpool as they were edged out of the title race by one point.Though it proved a blessing in disguise as the main lesson the Redmen learnt was draws were not good enough to maintain a title charge against Pep Guardiola’s City side. Therefore, every time Liverpool are drawing a game they know in the back of their heads a draw could be enough to deny the big trophy this season.Saturday 4th May- Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool (Atsu 20, Rondon 54, Van Dijk 13, Salah 28, Origi 86)The penultimate game to the 2018/2019 league season was a Saturday night away trip to St. James Park which meant only one thing, carnage. Liverpool still had hope of winning the league but needed three points to put the pressure back on City ahead of a Monday night fixture with Leicester City.In one of the most chaotic games of the season two of Liverpool’s main men Virgil Van Dijk and Salah both scored twice for Liverpool gave them the lead before being pegged back by Christian Atsu and the excellent Saloman Rondon.But then step up Divork Origi who scored a late winner with a flicked header not just gave Liverpool hope ahead of the final day but lifted the confidence of himself ahead of his biggest night in a Liverpool shirt against Barcelona. Boy did he deliver big time
Friday 9th August- Liverpool 4-1 Norwich City (Hanley (OG) 7, Salah 19, Van Dijk 28, Origi 42, Pukki 64)A brand-new season followed the summer of jubilation after Liverpool’s triumph in Madrid but there was always the fear that Liverpool hitting the pinnacle silverware that compliancy could affect their start to the season. On the basis of the first 45 minutes against newly promoted Norwich City, the reds came back with a vengeance after missing out on the league by one point on the final day of last season.An electrifying start which included some brilliant attacking play was rewarded by goals from some of Liverpool star men that put them in a position to even be challenging City as Salah composed finish, Van Dijk towering header and Origi benefitting from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross put the Reds in cruise control.A brief response from Norwich as Teemu Pukki replied with his first Primer League goal showed they would be up for the fight to stay in the Primer League but the bigger picture was any hard luck story Klopp’s men might have had been feeling from last season was truly behind them.FREE month trial:https://buff.ly/2GNsNTv
Saturday 5th October- Liverpool 2-1 Leicester City (Mane 40, Milner 95 Pen, Maddison 80)When it felt like Liverpool’s best performance of the season in terms of chances created would be left unrewarded as Leciester equalised late on those mentality monsters struck again. With chances to put the game to bed after Mane’s superbly taken goal not taken there was always the chance Leicester would strike.But then again this is a Liverpool side that keep going until the end and the desire from a exhausted Mane to force the foul from Marc Albrighton revealed the never say die attitude that has earned them 14 wins so far this season.The composure from James Milner to stick the penalty away showed he had ice running through his veins. It’s the example of stepping up in the biggest moments to get those extra points that could be the difference come the end of the season.
Sunday 20th October- Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool (Rashford 36, Lallana 85)With the expectation of Klopp’s side pulling Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side apart when travelling down the M62, which didn’t materialise as Liverpool were behind for a long time thanks to a controversial Marcus Rashford goal and it looked like their long unbeaten run was coming to the end.There must have been a rewind in time to the peak 2016/2017 Adam Lallana when the current version graced Old Trafford to tap in a priceless goal that halted Liverpool’s winning run but maintained their unbeaten start to the season.What it also showed was the mentality that even Liverpool not performing at their best are able to scrap out a result. As well the goals being spread around the team means less of a burden on the front three to save Liverpool every time, they need a goal.Saturday 2nd November- Aston Villa vs Liverpool (Trezeguet 21, Robertson 87, Mane 94)They do not get as big of a late show as Villa Park was as the run looked destined to end as the game was approaching the 90th minute. News of Sergio Aguero putting City in front against Southampton and reducing the gap to three points ahead of their fixture seemed the perfect storm for the media to report.What they didn’t take into account was Mane having a five-minute spell of being world class by sending in a cross to the far post for Andy Robertson to head into the roof of the net. Robertson’s celebration is what separates the average and decent football teams from the great ones. Any other side would be delirious, rightly so after getting an equaliser near the end of the game. This Liverpool don’t settle for one point as Robertson sprinted straight back to the halfway line sensing a winner.Where set pieces have been so effective for Liverpool there arguably will not be one as important as the head level delivery of Trent Alexander-Arnold onto Mane’s head who guided a glancing header into the far bottom corner to send the LFC fanbase raptures and Man City into meltdown. It turned out to be the perfect storm in the end, for the league leaders.Sunday 10th November- Liverpool 3-1 Man City (Fabinho 6, Salah 13, Mane 51, Silva 78)El Clasico can move aside as this is now the most anticipated, talked about fixture in the footballing calendar. The quality that these two sides possess always guarantees an entertaining affair, particularly with Man City six points behind meaning they needed to win somewhere for the first time since 2003.That idea evaporated within 13 minutes as a Fabinho wonder strike and Salah header gave Liverpool daylight between the challengers and the champions. Mane’s header after head time sent the Kop onto cloud nine, even a late Bernardo Silva consolation could not dampen the spirits inside Anfield.The noise inside the stadium was ecstatic not just at the result in isolation as payback for the title heartbreak last season but stretched the gap between Liverpool and City to nine points. It was always suggested the meetings between these two would decide the title and so far, it is advantage Liverpool.
Wednesday 4th December- Liverpool 5-2 Everton (Origi 6,31, Shaqiri, 17, Mane 45, Wijnaldum 90, Keane, 21, Richarlison 45+3)There is nothing like pulling your city rival’s pants down but the worst part was that Blue fans were not surprised which just shows the difference between the two sides. What was interesting was Klopp waiting to make changes in a derby of all games, but it proved a gamble that paid off. The performance of Divork Origi that is destined to haunt blue fans and Jordan Pickford was sensational. The return of players such as Lallana, Shaqiri all gave fresh legs that Everton couldn’t deal with.It proved the final nail in the coffin for Marco Silva who lost his job shortly after but set the record for Liverpool that they are unbeaten in 32 league games. While this side carries on creating history it is important to remember there is one trophy lead statistics that needs resolving. These types of unbeaten runs are the key to getting there.By Jake Clay -@JakeClay17
