Well that went well. Makes you wonder what we were worried about really, doesn't it? Pressure? What pressure? These players are incredible. The composure and mental strength we're seeing from them is something to behold. Whether they go on to win it or not, this is a truly great Liverpool side we're watching right now.
If they carry on like this and win their four remaining games, it may or may not be enough to win the title but it will definitely be the highest points tally the club has ever amassed. There are no open top bus parades for that but it would still be a phenomenal achievement.
Winning this game was a significant step as you know everyone (especially City) was looking on expecting this to be the game when it all went wrong for us. It was uncanny really, us playing Chelsea on the same weekend City were at Palace. Just like in 2014. Except it wasn't just like in 2014 because we won.
If we win the title then this will be a significant victory, but even if we don't it still goes some way towards setting the record straight. It doesn't make up the heartbreak of the Gerrard slip, but it's a significant barrier that has been overcome. Next time we play Chelsea this late in the season with a title on the line, hopefully Sky Sports news will have the Salah thunderbolt on a loop instead of Demba fucking Ba. Ok, probably not, but it at least changes the narrative somewhat and banishes a few ghosts.
The win was well deserved. The clean sheet was somewhat fortunate as we could easily have conceded, but ultimately this was a test that the lads - and the fans - came through with flying colours. There was no edginess or nervous tension in the stands, although scoring early in the second half obviously helps with that.
The first half atmosphere was good too though. We weren’t creating too much and given the high stakes some tension would have been understandable, but there was no sense of panic and I thought the crowd were great from start to finish.
What happened in 2014 will have been in the back (and in some cases the front) of all of our minds, but Klopp had done his best to dismiss that in the build up and it was clear that to him and the players it was a complete non-factor. When you think about it, why would it be?
The one player who might have been thinking of it was Hendo, who was sat in the stands that day unable to do anything about it as he was suspended (thanks to Victor fucking Moses and his hospital pass. Twat). Given the way the skipper has been playing of late and the desire and determination he has, I was convinced he’d put in a big performance. He did. They all did.
Trent was in the stadium that day too. He was a ball boy. He knew what that result did to the psyche of the fans as he’s one himself. Now, as a player, he was in a position to help slay that demon. He’s still only a kid himself, but what a performance he put in.
I genuinely don’t think most people realise just how good he is you know. He’s incredible. He’ll be one of the best players in the world one day, regardless of what position he ends up in. So gifted.
For the rest of the lads though 2014 had no relevance. It’s the fans who were scarred by it, not these players or this manager, and it showed by the calmness and maturity in their performance. The first half was fine, not a great deal wrong with it at all and certainly there were no nerves in evidence. Sometimes it just takes a while to break teams down and you need to be patient, which I thought we were.
Chelsea set up to play defensively and hit us on the break, so it wasn’t easy for us. We created a few chances, not too many clear cut ones but some of the approach play was good and I thought we looked quite sharp. We weren’t helped by the wind though. It was especially noticeable any time a quick switch of play to Robbo or Sadio was attempted. A few times that ball was on but it hung up in the air and allowed Azpilicueta to recover his position.
Balls over the top were difficult too, but for Chelsea it was easier in the first half and a few times they were able to get the ball into space for Willian to chase. Trent dealt with him very well though, and with Fabinho patrolling in front of the two centre halves Hazard was hardly able to get on the ball. One early tackle that won the ball and left Hazard in a heap needing treatment really got the crowd going. Great that, and good refereeing from Michael Oliver too who was in position and saw that the ball was won cleanly.
I don’t know whether Hazard was genuinely hurt or not, but I suspect he was fine as it was clear from early on that Chelsea wanted to break up the play and waste time whenever possible. Azpilicueta actually had the cheek to go and complain to Oliver about that challenge and wanted a yellow card for Fabinho. He was trying to confront the official but was struggling to get past big Virg who was having none of it. Love that.
It’s funny how sometimes you can completely misjudge a player. I’ve always seen Azpilicueta as a Steve Finnan type. Quiet, unassuming, good pro who just does his job. Watching him in this game it hit me just how wrong I was. He’s a proper little twat him. I guess if you spend as long at Chelsea as he has that it’s almost inevitable. He was lucky not to be sent off in this game.
Oliver was quite lenient on the whole, but I don’t mind that as long as it’s consistent, which he was. He had a good game and is comfortably the least shit of a massively shit current crop of officials. He did miss a penalty when Salah was kicked on the shin by Luiz. Yes, he went down easily, but it's still a foul.
And spare me the 'Salah diving again' nonsense. I've lost count of the amount of times he's stayed on his feet after being fouled, only to be given fuck all for it. If you don't go down you don't get a penalty, so where's the incentive to stay up? It's not in the spirit of the game some will say. That's true, but then financial doping is not in the spirit of the game either but nobody seems to want to bring that up, do they?
Luiz didn't get the ball and he kicked Salah on the shin. Probably should have been a pen but I'd agree that it wasn't a stonewaller like the two that Naby hasn't been given this season. In fairness it was a difficult one for Oliver to see and I'm not being too critical of him for it. I do wonder what VAR would have made of this one though, as it isn't a clear one either way.
Anyway, in between all the stoppages and time wasting, we were dominating the game without really creating too much. The best opening fell to Salah, who didn’t connect properly with a volley that went straight at the keeper. Mané had a chance too, firing just wide after positive play from Mo cutting in from the right. Hendo then saw a shot deflected behind off Luiz after a lovely cushioned header by Mo had set him up.
At the other end Chelsea had two chances. Willian broke away and made room for a shot which he surprisingly put wide, while Hazard showed brilliant footwork to make space for himself in the box but his left foot strike from a tight angle was never going to trouble Alisson. They were warning signs though. As much as we were on top, Chelsea have that quality up top with Hazard (and to a lesser extent Willian) to hurt anyone. The much hyped Hudson-Odoi was completely anonymous though.
Considering what was at stake I wasn't too anxious at half time. Of course I was a little concerned, but I was still confident we'd get the job done. We were playing alright but it just needed a slight raise in the tempo, and that’s exactly what we got after the break.
You could tell as soon as the second half kicked off that the lads had the bit between their teeth. They had Chelsea penned back and wouldn’t let them out. Our intensity was too much for them and Sarri’s approach made things even more difficult for Chelsea. He just won’t compromise on his style at all will he?
They kept trying to pass it out from the back and they kept being forced into errors because of it. It’s asking for trouble playing like that against us, and that Jorginho lad has clearly never watched us play because he seemed to think he had all day in possession. Every time he got it I expected us to nick it from him, and we usually did. He's not cut out for the Premier League him, he's a huge flop.
Even the normally accomplished David Luiz was struggling to find team-mates and knocked the ball out for throw ins a few times. Sarri-ball is not going to work against us and he’d have been better off sticking Giroud up front and letting Hazard play off him. I’m glad he didn’t. I’m also glad he did us a big favour by starting Hazard through the middle. I was made up when I saw that. It was a massive relief.
Very few players genuinely scare me but Hazard tops that list by a mile. Aguero always worries me too, as does Son. It's mostly Hazard though, as not only is he a great player but he always seems to save his best performances for us. He doesn’t like playing through the middle though and it genuinely seems like a stupid thing to do as he sees less of the ball in that position and has less room to operate in.
It also meant he was up against two centre halves as well as Fabinho, which favours us massively. We controlled him quite easily, but the instant he was moved out wide everything changed and he started to run amok. By that point we were already 2-0 up, but if he’d taken one of the two great chances that came his way it would have been an unbearable last 15 minutes or so.
It was a wild second half really. We were so good at times and they couldn’t live with it. We just wanted it more. We were pressing them, snapping into challenges, not giving them a second’s peace. The opener was the perfect example of it.
Salah attempted a one two with Bobby, but the return pass didn’t reach him and was cut out by Emerson. Mo didn’t give it up though and challenged the full back, who wasn’t strong enough and just fell over. Hendo reacted quickest to seize on the loose ball and then clipped a perfect ball to the back stick where Mané had an easy header.
Anfield went mad, but no-one lost it more than Hendo who was just so fired up that he ran off and celebrated on his own while his team-mates ran to congratulate Mané. I love that. With some players that could be seen as a bit of a self centred act, but it’s Hendo and you know it’s just because of how much it means to him.
He wants it as much as any one of us does, he’s fucking desperate to do it and I love him for it. I can think of few things that would be sweeter than the sight of him lifting the Premier League trophy.
While it was industry, endeavour and will to win that made that first goal, I don’t know what you’d put the second one down to. Karma perhaps? It wasn’t your typical Salah goal that’s for sure. Usually he goes for placement rather than brute force, but this was just fucking stunning. From my seat I had a great view of it and the moment that ball left his boot I was celebrating. It was only ever going in one place, you could tell even before it hit the net. The only thing missing was a nutmeg on Steve Staunton. That strike was pure Fowler.
The great man himself was there looking on and made the same comparison afterwards, although he reckoned his was more difficult because he had to beat a defender! He’s probably right, but this goal was more memorable because of the occasion. And because it was Mo, against Chelsea. With a title on the line.
The reaction of Margaret Aspinall hugging Kenny was something else too. No other club has this kind of thing. It’s part of why so many of them seem to hate us so much. I know that sounds a little corny, but it's true. Who else in England has anything like that? Who else can create an atmosphere like this, with the flags, banners, noise? No-one, that's who.
And after what happened with some of their away following in Prague this week, there’s a poetic irony that Chelsea were beaten by goals from two muslim lads. They chanted about him being a bomber and he proved them right by unleashing a rocket that blew up right in their faces. Those racist dickheads in Prague were responsible for this, as not only was it a scummy thing to be chanting, it was also poking fate with a big stick. Karma can be a beautiful thing sometimes.
The decent Chelsea fans know where the blame lies for this one. And there are decent Chelsea fans. Plenty of them. It’s easy to forget that because of the sheer volume of helmets that follow them. I don’t know what shocked me more - Mo’s wonder strike or the impeccably observed minute’s silence for the 96. I’m loathe to praise anyone for doing something that should be a given, but having been utterly convinced that there’d be some knobheads in the away end disrupting it, it’s only fair to say I was wrong.
I’m relieved for all the decent Chelsea fans that they didn’t have to suffer the embarrassment of a few dickheads shaming them all again. In fact, the worst incident of fan behaviour was one of ours throwing a smoke bomb into the away end. Just no fucking need. We’re winning the game, that’s punishment enough for them. Why do something that’s going to make us look like the dickheads?
At 2-0 the game went a bit crazy. We had the bit between our teeth and knew Chelsea were on the ropes. One more goal would finish them completely and it looked like we’d get it. The stadium was bouncing (all four sides of the ground were on their feet belting out Allez Allez Allez) and we all got a little carried away and almost paid the price.
Sarri had sneaked Higuain on while we were all partying and Hazard now suddenly had the freedom to do his thing. For five minutes or so we were all over the place and they got in behind us three times. Hazard hit the post when he seemed certain to score and he put another one straight at Alisson. Higuain waddled in behind us too at one point, but thankfully he’s a fraud and was unable to punish us.
We just needed to calm things down as this was all going a bit ‘last season’. For the most part this season we’ve been more pragmatic and sensible when leading, and we’ve not done anything stupid. We were 2-0 up and didn’t need to play at 100mph trying to score more. The first Hazard chance should have been the signal to shut things down for a bit and keep the ball, but it took the introduction of Wijnaldum to do that.
Keita was the obvious one to make way, not because of how he’d played but because he was beginning to tire and we needed the calming presence of Gini out there. Naby was good though. He’s looking much more comfortable now and it speaks volumes that he was selected to start the game. A few weeks ago that seemed unthinkable. The midfield is functioning well at the moment though.
Fabinho bossed this game and Henderson was terrific again. He had to go off with a knock that he picked up when making a crucial tackle to stop a Chelsea break. The reception he got as he left the field was rapturous. I’ve said it before, but the way Henderson is viewed by the crowd does not tie in with how he’s talked about on social media. I’m not saying he never gets any stick at the game, but it’s not proportionate with the warped view I often see of him on Twitter. He even had his name sung a couple of times in this one. Two different songs too. Made up for him.
Milner came on and with him and Gini settling things down, the rest of the game passed with very little incident. Once we saw out that mad 5-10 minute spell after it went 2-0 I never felt there was any way we’d concede. Not least because Chelsea were still trying to pass it out from the keeper and putting themselves in trouble.
If I’d been a Chelsea fan I’d have been fucking fuming at the last ten minutes of this game. Where was their urgency? It was bizarre. It looked like they gave up, but then this is a side that conceded six at Man City so their temperament is clearly in question. They probably knew when Hazard missed those two chances that they were done.
We were much better than them all over the park. Trent was brilliant, some of his passing was sublime and he also pulled off a Cruyff turn that will have had Adam Lallana sagely nodding in approval in the stands (and probably pulling a neck muscle in the process). Big Joel was terrific too. His only blemish was trying to play offside and letting Hazard in for the chance that Alisson saved. Other than that, he was outstanding again.
Big Virg was Big Virg, Fabinho was monstrous, Robbo was solid, I’ve already spoke about Keita and Hendo, and the front three were all brilliant. I gave all of the forward line 9 out of 10 in my ratings for ESPN. Sadio was razor sharp and tormented Azpilicueta throughout. The experienced full back was booked in the first half and then got away with a forearm block in the second that should have seen him given a second yellow. Sadio has been fucking boss since the turn of the year.
Mo looked really sharp and dangerous throughout too. The goal was great, but what I also liked was his willingness to look for team-mates when he was running into the box. Sometimes he gets too pre-occupied with trying to score himself, but this was the Salah from last season. Great to see. Loved how much ‘umph’ there was in his celebrations too.
The pick of the forwards was Firmino though. I’m not giving him the star man, that honour has to go to Salah because of the incredible goal, but Bobby was immense. The second half especially. He was good in the first half too but at times he held onto the ball a little too long. After the break though he was phenomenal.
The touch, the intelligence, the running. The fucking running. He didn’t stop, he was perpetual motion. The only thing missing was a goal. It was close to being the perfect number nine performance. He’s been a bit up and down this season but like Salah he seems to have come into form at just the right time.
The crowd are responding to it and Anfield has been electric these last few weeks. I’m not sure I can ever remember the place being louder than when Mo’s shot hit the net. It really was something else. I doubt anything will ever top the atmosphere of that ’05 semi against them, but in terms of a one off reaction to a goal, this is right up there with anything I’ve experienced.
We’ve had so many of those moments this season that we will look back on as being “defining” if we do go on to win it, and this goal is certainly one of them. The Spurs own goal is obviously another, as is the Hendo celebration at Southampton. There’s loads actually, although Divock’s derby winner currently tops the list. We have to win it though for those moments to live forever. Otherwise it will be like Lovren’s Dortmund winner. Does anyone really think about that anymore?
Funnily enough, Klopp actually referenced it afterwards when he compared it with Sadio’s goal, and my reaction was “oh yeah, I forgot about that”. Not winning the Europa League that year basically ruined that amazing moment against Dortmund. Losing last year’s final to Madrid didn’t wipe out all the great things that happened along the way to Kiev, but they don’t mean as much when you don’t get the trophy.
It doesn’t take anything away from the achievements themselves, it just means they aren’t looked back on as fondly. For example, Gerrard’s winner against Olympiakos is an iconic moment in the club’s history. If Istanbul hadn’t happened though it would just be remembered as a great goal. Davie Fairclough against St Etienne too.
This team has a chance to make history, but the unfortunate thing is that it’s not in their hands. That’s massively fucking unfair considering they are having the best season this club has ever had in terms of amassing points. None of our other great sides have had to contend with a Man City though. We can’t do anything about them breaching all of the financial fair play rules that the rest of us abide by, and we can’t do anything about so many of their opponents just curling up into a ball and begging “please don’t hurt us”.
We can only control what we can control, and this team are controlling it admirably. Every test that’s put in front them they pass. This was a big one, make no mistake. It could so easily have gone wrong as all of the ingredients were there for it. City had won at Palace. Chelsea hadn’t lost at Anfield since 2012. We had the ghost of 2014 haunting us and then there was Hazard, who had just come into his best form of the season and seemed primed to unleash more punishment on us.
Klopp and his players just don’t seem to be effected by any of that stuff though. They just take it one game at a time, don’t get too far ahead of themselves and play their football. There’s a steel, resolve and belief about them that we haven’t had in a long, long time. Five years ago we were within a whisker of winning the title but came a cropper against Chelsea at Anfield. This team has so much more about it than the 2014 vintage though (and I loved that team).
The current group are just better in virtually every department (although there’s an argument to be had about which is the better forward line) and although I don’t want to say they’re luckier too (that's doing them a dis-service), let’s just say that - up to now at least - it doesn’t appear as though they’re cursed like Brendan’s team was.
As if to emphasise the point, Robbo slipped over on halfway but nothing came of it. Klopp certainly saw the funny side of that, he was pissing himself on the touchline. It felt like that was a symbolic moment.
For all the talk of Brendan's side bottling it and throwing the title away, what happened to Stevie and the team that day was desperately cruel and unlucky. Chelsea did absolutely nothing in that game in 2014 yet somehow won 2-0. A freakish slip and then a late counter attack, that was all they had.
The big difference was that Rodgers' team panicked in the second half when they knew they needed to score. They didn’t do the things that they’d been doing all season and they lost their composure. Klopp’s team did the opposite, they played their natural game and got the job done. They were against a stronger opponent too.
This Chelsea team were not camped in their own half and created three or four chances (two of them great ones) but didn’t score. Hazard hitting the post when it seemed certain to score seems quite fitting. In any other previous game between the sides he’d put that away. That he didn’t this time adds more fuel to the ever increasing fire that maybe this year it’s going to be different for us.
It’s not that we’re getting loads of good luck, it’s more than we’re not being plagued by bad luck. Not yet anyway. There’s still four games left and plenty of time for that kick in the face that usually comes our way.
If these lads don’t win the title though it’ll be a travesty. Some will argue that it’s the same for City. If they miss out they’ll also be the second placed team with the most points in history. The difference is that they’ve cheated the system to get where they are and therefore deserve fuck all. The Ben Johnson of football. Fuck them, the cheating cunts.
This team deserves a title. In fact, after last year and the whole Ramos / Salah / Karius thing they deserve a European Cup too. If there’s any justice in this world they’ll get them both, but it's 30 years to the day since 96 Reds went to a game and didn’t come home. We're still waiting for someone to be held to account, so we of all people know that justice is not something you can ever rely on in this world.
RIP and Justice for the 96.
Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho; Henderson (Milner), Keita (Wijnaldum); Salah (Shaqiri), Firmino, Mané:
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