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Liverpool show their credentials in Merseyside Derby victory
It may have been far from a classic, but Saturday’s Merseyside derby offered yet more evidence that Liverpool are heading in the right direction.
Yes, they had to wait until the second half to secure the victory, and yes Everton were reduced to 10 men for much of the match, but there is a certainty about Jurgen Klopp’s side this season that just wasn’t there last term. They’ve rediscovered that winning habit, that ability to keep their patience and trust that everything will turn out right.
They weren’t great on Saturday, but they didn’t need to be. They needed to be good enough, and they were. They were the dominant side even before Ashley Young’s sending-off, and even though they weren’t at their devastating best as an attacking force, there was always the feeling, from me at least, that they would find a way through.
What stands out at the moment is the amount of potential game-changers Klopp has at his disposal. Mo Salah got the goals and the headlines, and remains the Reds’ star man, but Liverpool are by no means a one-man band. In Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Klopp has players who can turn a game in an instant, whether with a pass, a shot or a piece of individual magic. Nunez and Elliott, in particular, had a big impact against Everton after coming on as subs.
They were fortunate, of course, that Ibrahima Konate didn’t pick up a second yellow card with the game at 0-0. That was one of a few bizarre decisions made by referee Craig Pawson on the day. But even if he had brandished the red, I still would have backed Liverpool to get the win. They have that look about them again, and having navigated…
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