The Premier League champions took three much-needed points on Saturday, thanks to Hugo Ekitike’s well-taken double.
Here, this is Henry Jackson from Anfield (@HenryJackson87) and Dan Clubbe of The Redmen TV (@dan_clubbe) discuss a positive day for the future of Liverpool and Salah at Anfield.
The good
AND: Three more Premier League points and unbeaten in five!
A few weeks ago I would have scoffed at such a run and longed for a more reckless performance, but as things stand, I’ll take them as they come.
In terms of the overall picture, there seemed to me more fluidity in attack and a little more collective solidity in defense.
Certain individuals have certainly taken their game to the next level over the last two weeks – Jones and Ekitike stand out, and I dare say even the much-maligned Ibou looked a little calmer.
HENRY No defeats in five minutes – it all feels a little happier, doesn’t it?
The performance may not have been a classic, but the Reds got the job done and showed they still play for Slot.
I agree with Dan that Ekitike and Jones were the best players – what an asset Hugo looks. He just has that X factor.
Jones has also added a lot to the midfield of late and looks a more mature player than ever before.
It was clearly also great to see Mo back in the squad and on the pitch. God, I hope he stays.
The bad
AND: Notice I didn’t mention the clean slate in the good. In name alone, this was a clean slate.
Luckily Ali is in charge and Brighton left their shooting books on the south coast as the ease with which they got between our lines and into dangerous areas was still a bit alarming.
It’s not quite crisis mode with injuries yet, but it’s quickly approaching.
Gomez has been fantastic of late and it seems like we can’t stay fit at right-back, so any dismissal would be a tough pill to swallow.
Fingers crossed that we get positive news about Szoboszlai.
HENRY Gomez’s injury was a rare negative: the poor guy just can’t catch a break.
Losing Dom, by far our best player this season, before the holidays would also be a huge blow.
As Dan says, it was still too easy for Brighton to create chances, and on another day the result could have been very different.
But I’ve had enough of the whining lately, so it’s wrong to focus on too many negatives!
Has Salah played his last game for Liverpool?
AND: Whatever Salah’s farewell was, it was just nice to see him there and doing things that were somewhat similar to him!
I haven’t read much about him serenading after the match. If this was a farewell, I think he would have gone one step further.
Inclusion in the selection and an introduction within about twenty minutes feels like an olive branch from Slot and the club, so I don’t think we have seen the last of Mo yet.
There was enough from his performance to give hope that we can leave the place at least until the summer.
HENRY I’m actually very torn – my head says he can still leave, but my heart says he stays.
I agree with Dan that it would have been a more emotional goodbye if Mo was gone, which gives me hope.
He’s still clearly a player well short of his best, but Liverpool will always be better when he’s around.
Hopefully AFCON sorts him out and he returns in much better form, which admittedly often doesn’t happen when he plays in it.
#LFC #DEBATE #Ekitikes #Xfactor #Salah #played #game