BRIGHTON, United Kingdom (AFP) - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed his side's maturity as Premier League contenders after breaking down an obdurate Brighton thanks to Mohamed Salah's 50th-minute penalty in a 1-0 win on Saturday (Jan 12).
Klopp's men had lost their last two games in very contrasting fashion as Manchester City inflicted Liverpool's only Premier League defeat of the campaign nine days ago before a much-changed side lost in the FA Cup to Wolves.
Liverpool were far from their fluent best on England's south coast, but ground out a vital win to move seven points clear of City at the top of the table thanks to a 13th clean sheet in 22 league games this season.
"The headline before the game was 'be ready', the headline after the game is 'very mature'," said Klopp.
"It's so important. On the good days everybody can win; on average days not a lot of teams can win football games and, on a bad day, only a few can win.
"Today was not a bad day but it was a difficult day because Brighton is doing really well."
Salah was just one a number of first-team regulars to return from Monday's defeat by Wolves, but the Egyptian and the rest of Liverpool's forward line were starved of service before the break as Brighton sat deep and the visitors dominated possession without any cutting edge.
"It was very hard but that is how it is," added Klopp.
"I liked the performance. It wasn't an opera of football but it was a really nice song."
SALAH'S SIGNAL OF INTENT
Salah immediately signalled a change in Liverpool's intent after half-time as his powerful shot at the end of a purposeful run was well saved by David Button.
Brighton, though, were architects of their own downfall moments later. Salah was given too much room inside the area to turn and Pascal Gross then hauled down last season's Premier League player of the year.
"I feel for Pascal because Mo Salah is probably the most dangerous player once he gets in those positions one on one," said Brighton boss Chris Hughton, who had no complaints over the penalty award.
Salah stepped up to blast the penalty past Button and move level with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Harry Kane as the league's top-scorer on 14 goals for the season.
One moment of madness from Gross undid Hughton's gameplan to defend and frustrate the league leaders.
Yet, the German midfielder had a chance to make amends almost immediately with Brighton's best opportunity to level, but his shot was bravely blocked by Fabinho.
From then on Liverpool looked more likely to add to their lead than concede as Firmino's fierce strike from outside the box was placed too close to Button before Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane fired wide.
Salah passed up a glorious chance two minutes from time when he turned James Milner's driven cross wide from point-blank range.
That could have proved costly when Florin Andone escaped in behind the Liverpool defence in stoppage time, but his low cross found no takers.
And Liverpool held out to ensure a largely forgettable 90 minutes could be remembered as another important step on course to the title come May.
Most of the time, preseason power rankings are the ugly union of last season's inertia and this year's guesswork. We take everything that happened last year, modify it slightly by what occurred in
Tower 1988 by Northwest Missouri State University Archives
ZURICH: Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is facing disciplinary action for his celebration after one of the three goals he scored in last week's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. UEFA said the Portuguese would face a hearing on Thursday for "improper conduct" during the
Soccer: Ronaldo faces disciplinary hearing over goal
History made as first all-female referee team to officiate men's AFC Cup clash The AFC Cup match between Myanmar's Yangon United and Cambodia's Naga World at the Thuwunna Stadium will witness this
History made as women to referee men's AFC Cup | Greater Kashmir
Tottenham striker Harry Kane could miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury, says manager Mauricio Pochettino. Kane, 25, will have an MRI scan on Wednesday after hobbling off during
Harry Kane could be out for rest of the season, says Mauricio
Recalling Origi's "lucky goal", the Portuguese manager also mocked the manner in which the Reds boss celebrated the win as if it "was the final of a World Cup". EVERTON V LIVERPOOL Singtel TV
When the Reds will compete in the Club World Cup
DUBAI: Son Heung-min's South Korea needed an extra-time winner to beat world ranked 113th Bahrain 2-1 as they stumbled into the Asian Cup quarter-finals in unconvincing fashion on Tuesday.
Son 'unhappy' as Koreans given fright by Bahrain's part-timers
Qatar thrash UAE amid ugly scenes to reach Asian Cup final AFC Asian Cup semi-final football match between Qatar and UAE at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on January 29, 2019
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - December 13, 2017 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in the net Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine Leaders Liverpool stumble, Chelsea collapse
Correct way to check, set and adjust your spark plug gap. NGK Spark Plugs USA. Correct way to check, set and adjust your spark plug gap. NGK Spark Plugs - Tech Video - Duration: 3:10
Find the right spark plug and gap for engine | Briggs & Stratton
Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko did not realise his side had advanced to the Champions League semi-finals until a member of the coaching staff informed him in the dressing room that Manchester City's
Moussa Sissoko unaware Spurs advanced to UEFA Champions
Football: Messi's motivation spurs on Barcelona, says Rakitic
Real Madrid end campaign with 12th league defeat who was given a rousing reception from supporters in what was believed to be his last game for the club. BALE LEFT ON BENCH Keylor played
La Liga: Real Madrid end campaign with 12th league defeat
Football: Furious Sarri slams Chelsea players as 'difficult to motivate' LONDON • Maurizio Sarri shamed his Chelsea players by making a remarkable - and perhaps risky - attack on their character on Saturday, suggesting that they may not have the "motivation" and "mentality" of top professionals.
Furious Sarri Slams Chelsea Players As "Difficult To Motivate
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in Cup Soccer Football - FA Cup Third Round - Manchester United v Reading - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - January 5, 2019 Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
Solskjaer unimpressed as United ease past Reading in Cup
Sports Rescuers 'fear the worst' in search for footballer Emiliano Sala and missing plane. A player who had just become Premier League side Cardiff City's record transfer was on a plane that went
0 comments:
Post a Comment