VITALITY and purpose.
Nothing other than the title is our business.
Our business is nothing other than the title.
There is a purity to that.
Tonight told you that story and told you how much it matters to this club, this manager and his players, and what everyone is prepared to do.
Sunday was a local skirmish, a bit of internal business. Something you have to get through and Liverpool did so with class and elan. Brio some may say.
But tonight was back to the job in hand, the matter that matters. Tonight was about our title hopes.
There was a moment they wobbled. A moment when a big selection looked a wrong selection, when rolling the boulder up the hill looked beyond us. The task may prove to be Sisyphean but not tonight, not today. No way on earth.
Liverpool heaved, James Milner shoved and then the manager showed the courage of his convictions and got all his footballers on the pitch and backed them to box it for the remaining time in the game.
They boxed it. They repaid that backing. Naby Keita and Jordan Henderson were excellent in the middle of the park in the second half in different ways. The former all chorus, the latter all verse. Keita had been Liverpool’s most likely first half.
Milner went to left back and reminded us he may well be the second best left back in the country, behind only the absent Andy Robertson; all sense on toast along with his galvanising, fantastic goal. Milner loved the battle, roaring at the away end, scrapping with purpose.
Xherdan Shaqiri spent much of the game struggling to get himself on the ball. The first half especially graft but the second anonymous too. But when he gets himself on it he can be sumptuous, scrumptious and finally, ultimately victorious. I’d say I loved his finish but I didn’t see it. I saw him though, wheeling away never in doubt.
Daniel, oh Daniel. Daniel Sturridge grew into the game like ivy up an exterior wall. At times in the first half he was completely unable to assert himself. By 80 minutes he had the game in a headlock and walked it round the playground, rubbing its head. The game curved back towards him.
He truly is the best of us, eventually finding Mo Salah who found Shaqiri who finished. Sturridge came right towards us at the end. I thought of him, of you, of us. You got light in your eyes, and you are standing here beside me.
But the save, the magnificent save at 1-2, then keeping it in, then finding Daniel who found etc. Alisson Becker isn’t currently the best of us, he’s the best of them, the best full stop. He’s galactic, fantastic. He’s magic and constant and certain throughout. He’s winning points and creating goals.
Roberto Firmino and Salah end the game the most super of subs, leading a charge. Firmino bags to make it 1-2 after brilliant work from Virgil van Dijk. They pressed Burnley right back.
It was clear after Sunday our manager had serious courage, moreso than his opposite number that day. Sean Dyche today sent his lads out to be absolute warriors. They left their foot in everywhere. This isn’t a moan, it is what going to Burnley should be. That the refereeing should be better is the bigger issue. Dyche should be concerned; his lads tired before our eyes and there is a massive challenge ahead. Are they ready for it?
But their challenge is nothing to ours. Liverpool are ready, willing and able. They aren’t going anywhere these Reds of ours. They are in this until the bitter end, whether they are his footballers or not.
Fifteen hurdles surmounted. The Reds have 12 wins and three draws. This is what it is to be alive. This is what it is to be vital. This is what it is to have purpose.
Nothing other than the title is our business.
Our business is nothing other than the title.
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As put on the Match Rating article, my only moan tonight is once again we saw some absolutely shocking officiating. Seems you can even assassinate our players and the ref will applaud you. Another straight red card opportunity missed. That is more worrying than Klopp hugging our goal keeper when he scores, but where’s all the public outrage at once again injuring our players?
Boys did great taking the sting out of Burnley 1st half, with the inevitable selection changed as required, the team played through the ‘getting to know you again’ period’ very well indeed. I’m Matip’s Biggest critic as he always plays without heart ( looking up to Moan at the ref every time he was on the deck instead of just getting on with it) but big Virg coaxed him and Moreno, my other biggest nightmare player, through the game as if he’s been here for years. Virg is coming up to 12 months at LFC, after their goal you could physically see his determination and winning attitude when dictating the pace of the game from the back. The man is a giant in every sense of the word. And the £75m is chicken feed for his services.
I’m frequently awestruck by how such quality can just be knocked out quickly by Mr Atkinson, especially on nights where he’d probably much rather be celebrating than writing. Well done sir, much appreciated.
An astounding piece of writing, thank you Neil. 23 to go.
As ballsy as it gets, that win. The sort of win we’d have never got in a million years only a few seasons ago. Those lads stayed composed and collectively said: “not tonight”, before going about their business and doing what needed doing. That third goal was a marvellous thing. A pure demonstration of footballing superiority.
As for the officiating, well, what more is there to say that hasn’t already? Premier League officiating is as bad as I’ve ever seen it. I think that’s why people don’t comment on it so much anymore. We’ve all reached apathy. We expect shite officiating and get it every single week without fail, unless Michael Oliver is reffing.
‘The task may prove to be Sisyphean’ is true Neil.. but these lads are giving their all and maybe it will be enough. For now though their bravery effort and endeavour is to savour.
For the first time in a long time maybe I saw patient play without panicking in the game. I think Jurgen has these Reds maturing in the right direction.
The selection numbers had me worried and when Gomez was stretchered off, I had to admit I was even more concerned that our Everton comedy show was going to be thrown away for nothing.
So happy to see the Reds marching on.
Long may it continue (one game at a time)!
When Gomez went off, I panicked that all we had was Virgil and Matip. Somehow I had completely forgotten the CB that just played quite well in the finals of both the World Cup and Champions League only a few months ago.
The years may be catching up to me, but this is not the first time I’ve found myself completely forgetting about some truly excellent options in our squad. Players who were excellent even a week or two earlier somehow lost in the shuffle of this side. Which is now better at this point in the season than any in our illustrious history. Name your Big Names, the true legends of the club, and these lads are outperforming them without getting out of first gear. Mad, isn’t it?
An epic piece of writing! Fuck the back pages, TAW is the home of literary wonder!! Up the reds!
Whilst some parts of the fanbase went into meltdown after losing 2-1 to PSG away, Klopp and his men have dusted themselves down, kept believing and won 2 tough matches. 39 points from 15 and still only 2nd. Has any Liverpool team ever had it tougher to win the league? Get behind them this is gonna be tough few weeks to New Year.