Liverpool analysis: Adam Lallana call pays off for Jurgen Klopp as Sadio Mane steps up under title pressure

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David Lynch10 March 2019

If Jurgen Klopp was given the chance to pick a fixture to help Liverpool put the pressure back on Manchester City, this would not have been it.

A 12pm kick-off at a windy Anfield against Burnley had slip-up written all over it, particularly given the Reds’ patchy recent form.

But, a couple of hairy moments aside, Klopp’s team dealt admirably with everything thrown at them by opposition only too eager to throw another spanner in the works.

Things haven’t been easy for Liverpool recently, as the fact they now sit second in the table proves.

But anyone who thought they were going to meekly surrender the title to City from here looks to be sorely mistaken.

Lallana call pays off for Klopp

REUTERS

With the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Naby Keita fit and available, Adam Lallana seemed a strange pick in midfield for this game.

Klopp revealed before kick-off that the Englishman’s training ground performances had earned him a first start since the February draw at West Ham, and he had little trouble transferring that form to Anfield.

The desire shown in creating Liverpool’s second goal said everything about why the Reds’ No20 is so loved by his manager, but there was so much else to admire about his showing.

Lallana was a bundle of energy between the lines, showing the touch and vision that established him as a key man before an injury-hit 18 months.

The 30-year-old may struggle to establish himself in Klopp’s first-choice XI before the end of the season, but he still has plenty to offer.

Officials could play decisive role

AFP/Getty Images

After seeing refereeing incompetence gift Manchester City an opener against Watford on Saturday, Liverpool might have hoped for similar good fortune today.

Unfortunately, they received quite the opposite, as a woeful decision instead handed Burnley the lead with just five minutes gone at Anfield.

The only upside of Andre Marriner’s failure to spot James Tarkowski holding down Alisson Becker at a corner was that it came early enough in the game for the Reds to rectify it.

But the fact remains, the hosts should never have been put in that position by the officials.

With the race at the top so tight and so few games remaining, the fear is that the destination of the title could well be decided by the man in the middle.

Don’t doubt Reds’ mental strength

AFP/Getty Images

Since City hit the front in the title race, it has been hard to find anyone outside of Anfield who believes Liverpool will go on and win the Premier League from here.

Fortunately for Klopp, his players seem to have no doubts whatsoever, even if their bottle is called into question laughably frequently.

Four points behind, trailing to a goal that should have been ruled out, and playing in difficult conditions, it would have been easy for the Reds to go into their shell here and let City run away with it.

But they responded, as they have done so many times when doubts have been raised this season.

If Klopp’s team don’t win it this season, it would not be fair to suggest that a lack of mental strength had anything to do with it.

Mane form sustaining Liverpool push

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Sadio Mane’s brace against Burnley stretched his goalscoring run at Anfield to six straight Premier League games.

The Senegalese joined some esteemed company in achieving a feat that only Mohamed Salah, Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres and Michael Owen have previously managed.

That Mane is doing this during a period where Salah’s goals have dried up has been crucial to keeping Liverpool in the title race.

The Reds’ Egyptian talisman has now gone five games without finding the back of the net - his worst run since signing for the club in the summer of 2017.

But, given that he is generally playing well, that is no huge concern, particularly with Mane picking up the goal slack in the meantime.

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