Liverpool show grit to move back into top four (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

Having slipped to sixth place and seen every other result go against them this weekend, Liverpool showed tremendous character to get a win at one of the more difficult venues in English football as they edged out Stoke 5-3 in a thrilling game in the Potteries. They made hard work of it at times, but the Reds' potent attack came through for them as Brendan Rodgers' side reclaimed its spot in the top four.

The 5-3 scoreline tells its own story; Liverpool were simply irresistible going forward and worryingly vulnerable at the back. It was far from being a perfect performance and there were aspects that may cause Rodgers a sleepless night or two this week, but rather than worry about the negative, I'd prefer to focus on the positives, of which there were plenty.

Not least the result itself. Not many sides win at Stoke. Prior to Liverpool's success, only Norwich had emerged from the Britannia Stadium with maximum points this season. Chelsea were beaten, Everton needed a stoppage-time penalty to avoid the same fate, and Manchester City also failed to win against Mark Hughes' men. Combine that with Liverpool's pitiful record in this fixture, and any win would have been a good one. So to score five goals against a side that had previously conceded seven on home soil all season is a fine achievement.

Having Daniel Sturridge back is huge for Liverpool. The striker looked like he had never been away and wasted no time getting back among the assists and goals after coming on as a second-half substitute. If he can stay fit for the remainder of the season, his partnership with Luis Suarez will greatly increase Liverpool's top-four prospects.

Steven Gerrard's performance in a new role as the deepest-lying midfielder was also encouraging. The switch meant Lucas playing further forward than usual, and it may take a game or two for that new setup to jell. The skipper is more than capable of performing that job -- Rodgers apparently sees him performing an Andrea Pirlo-type role -- which may present Lucas with a problem when the dynamic Joe Allen returns to fitness.

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