Liverpool tarnished its status as a contender for the Premier title this Sunday against United, in a game that revealed the flaws that threaten to collapse its provisional leadership. The 2-2 at Anfield was a true reflection of a poorly run and poorly prepared match, as the team projected the old classic of English football more attentive to Mo Salah than to United. The top scorer of the tournament – he had 17 goals and 13 assists before the last day – did everything that is not expected of a leader: claim prominence for himself and distract attention away from the collective enterprise, nothing less than to lament in public that they do not improve the contract under the conditions it demands.
2
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold (Conor Bradley, min. 85), Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo (Harvey Elliott, min. 85), Ryan Gravenberch, Mohamed Salah, Curtis Jones ( Diogo Jota, min. 60) and Luis Díaz (Darwin Núñez, min. 59)
2
André Onana, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt (Leny Yoro, min. 82), Lisandro Martínez, Kobbie Mainoo (Alejandro Garnacho, min. 71), Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, Amad Diallo, Rasmus Højlund (Joshua Zirkzee, min. 86) and Bruno Fernandes
Goals
0-1 min. 51: Lisandro Martínez. 1-1 min. 58: Gakpo. 2-1 min. 69: Salah. 2-2 min. 79: Amad Diallo Traore
Referee Michael Oliver
yellow cards
Diogo Dalot (min. 22), Amad Diallo Traore (min. 53), Matthijs de Ligt (min. 63), Harry Maguire (min. 72), Darwin Núñez (min. 76), Trent Alexander-Arnold (min. 82) )
“These are my last six months here,” said Salah, who knows of PSG’s interest in acquiring the most popular Muslim player in the world. “We are far from progress.” The interview, granted to Sky on Friday, stirred up the dressing room and the owners. For six years, everyone at Liverpool has known that Salah is the highest-paid footballer in the squad, but the leaders do not dare to give him what he asks for. And he asks for more, according to sources close to the club: 18 million euros net per season until June 2028, when he will turn 36 years old. “They believe that if they sign him that amount his level will drop,” warn sources close to the society on the banks of the Mersey, cautious about the character of a player. vedettewho, after two seasons serving as pigeonkeeper, has returned to running as in his younger years, coinciding with the negotiations. United’s test was too high a bar, given the circumstances.
Liverpool’s distractions were reflected on the playing field as much as the difficulties that have been pointed out by the technical office for months, and which call into question the evolution of the attack at the hands of Arne Slot, Jürgen Klopp’s successor. Too many crosses, too much frontal football where subtlety is needed, too many long balls to Salah to solve problems that require more complex ideas, especially against a rival like Amorim’s United. A low block of back and forth with Maguire in the trenches and the lesson well learned to clear centers and slow down the pace.
Without realizing it, Liverpool – like City two weeks ago – fell into the trap of the sleepy game. He suffered it when returning from the locker room after the break. Van Dijk and his teammates moved the ball calmly, as if passing it around was enough to control the situation. With the score at 0-0, the visitors did the same. Maguire gave it to Ugarte, Ugarte gave it back, Maguire gave it to De Ligt, and De Ligt gave it back without anyone putting pressure on them, because Gravenberch, the midfielder in charge of leading Liverpool, is not mature enough to know when to accelerate and when to put on the brakes. Thus, until Lisandro changed the record and looked for Bruno Fernandes with a 50-meter throw. The ball was divided, Liverpool recovered it with fatigue, as they had mentally settled, and Alexander Arnold repeated the required play. Long pass to Salah, who waited standing still. Motionless as a monument. Badly arranged to protect the shipment. Easy prey for Lisandro, who anticipated him and launched a brilliant counterattack that he himself finished off.
Lisandro’s 0-1 changed the pace for Liverpool, which was already behind. Gakpo and Salah (from a penalty) went ahead but Amad Diallo shouted the happiest goal, 2-2. It will be of little use to United, 13th in the standings. Liverpool, which remains the leader with 46 points, six more than Arsenal and one game less, could serve as a lesson. But it won’t be easy. The Premier remains very open.
