Liverpool continued their good recent form at Anfield in the Premier League by dismantling Stoke City on Sunday. Liverpool opened the scoring after a shot from distance from fullback Alberto Moreno before Stoke City equalised through Bojan Krkic in the first half.
Daniel Sturridge put Liverpool back in front before half-time after some delightful work from young Sheyi Ojo and Divock Origi came on at half time to take the game away from Stoke City with two fantastic goals.
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Here’s a look at the major talking points from the game.
1)Sheyi Ojo is looking the part
Jurgen Klopp has recently bemoaned the lack of proper wide players in the Liverpool squad and it seems likely that he will look to address the issue in the summer. Jordon Ibe has not been in form as he was at the end of last season and has slipped away from the matchday squad altogether.
However, the rise of Sheyi Ojo seems to have given Jurgen Klopp plenty of food for thought after producing a scintillating display for 45 minutes on his full Liverpool EPL debut. After an initial few minutes of nervousness, a switch to the left-hand side of the pitch provided a spark to the youngster and he switched gears to trouble Stoke.
Ojo tortured the Stoke right-hand side and eventually turned a bewildered Xherdan Shaqiri and powered past him into space. With Bardsley nowhere near him, Ojo released a peach of a cross with a quick touch that reached Daniel Sturridge’s head without the Liverpool striker having to even jump.
The ball in was simply incredible and gave Liverpool the lead at a crucial point in the game.
It is still unknown as to why Jurgen Klopp chose to withdraw the youngster at half time but Liverpool fans and indeed Jurgen Klopp would be excited at the prospect of the young player developing over time.
2) Divock Origi is a player
“We will have fun with this player”
These were the words uttered by Jurgen Klopp when he was asked about the young Belgian upon the German manager’s arrival at Merseyside. Liverpool fans could’ve been forgiven for having taken the comment with a pinch of salt considering how Divock Origi was chosen amongst the worst players in Ligue 1 the season before and seemed intent on doing that title some justice under Brendan Rodgers.
However, Klopp seems to have delivered on his promise as Divock Origi has simply been sublime under him. His hat trick at Southampton in the League Cup was only a glimpse of things to come as he has, in the last week, been incredible.
Trusted with a start ahead of a fit Daniel Sturridge at the Westfalenstadion of all places with a full strength Borussia Dortmund team to take on, Divock Origi delivered a crucial away goal on the night. He even tormented Mats Hummels on occasion, which many will testify, is no mean feat.
Yet it was today that he well and truly came to life. Having come on for Sheyi Ojo at half-time, Divock Origi blew his opponents away with some incredible displays of power, pace and instinct. At the right place, at the right time for the first goal, Origi tormented Phil Bardsley before dispatching a peach of a cross for Daniel Sturridge which the Englishman missed, but the ball had such good shape to its trajectory that it simply zipped into the net.
Divock Origi is going to be a fun player to watch in the buildup to the end of the season and it could prove to be a smart piece of business by Liverpool after all.
3) The resurgent Joe Allen
Joe Allen has been one of the players who has looked rejuvenated under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage but it began to seem like a case of too little too late with his contract running out and Joe Allen considering his future at the club.
However, the injury to Jordan Henderson and Emre Can’s two match suspension gave him a chance to grab the initiative and prove his importance to this team. It was a chance he has taken with both hands.
Joe Allen looked mighty tall for a player of his stature tonight as he offered to be the Reds’ most efficient midfield outlet on the night. Pressing like there’s no tomorrow and recovering the ball at will, Joe Allen kept play ticking for Liverpool from midfield. He also made some great late runs into the attacking third and even made a no-look pass or two.
‘Wee Joe’ received a standing ovation from the crowd at Anfield as he walked off to be substituted later into the game and seems set to retain his place against the visiting Borussia Dortmund side.
His form and ability may well be crucial to Jurgen Klopp with Jordan Henderson possibly out for the season. For Joe Allen, this may well prove to be a fresh lease of life.
4) Giannelli Imbula will attract interest this summer
Stoke City had to do a lot of digging to conclude a deal for Giannelli Imbula in the summer and what a player he seems to be. Stoke City’s club record transfer from FC Porto did his very best Patrick Vieira impression on the night by imposing himself in midfield while his teammates all around him were falling over their boots.
Giannelli Imbula bullied several Liverpool players and drove majestically a few times with the ball at his feet almost forcing his way into the Liverpool box. He also seemed immensely calm on the ball and energetic without it. Mark Hughes had very few positives to take with him from the night but Giannelli Imbula was definitely one of them.
It seems set to be an interesting summer with several teams in the market for a midfielder and it may so happen that Imbula forms the top of a priority list of a few of these teams.
Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are after a string of high-class midfielders and it shouldn’t be long before they discuss the possibility of taking Imbula in from Stoke.
Rest assured, Mark Hughes will probably put his foot down and greet every such suitor with a stare hoping to scare them away.
5) Mark Hughes was despondent
Mark Hughes will rue his rising injury list over the last few games, a problem whose effect could be felt today as Stoke seemed to be missing a few important parts of their starting line-up. However, the tame surrender affected at Anfield will have Hughes worried as to the performances that greet the Stoke fans of late.
Stoke have won one of their last five games now and this run of form has brought the Potters down to 9th in the table. With Liverpool leapfrogging them and Chelsea only three points behind with a game in hand, Stoke could find themselves in the bottom half of the table if they were to continue performing as meekly as they did on the day.
Mark Hughes will want to sort out the issues on the field as soon as possible even with key players missing as a season they began so brightly (having invested sufficiently heavily in the squad) could be on the verge of collapsing for the Potters as they face an in-form Tottenham Hotspur next.
