Date: 29 October 2016 Mail Sunday Times Times Telegraph October 29 2016 Opposition: Crystal Palace Echo Sun Independent Guardian Mirror Competition: League BBC Sun Telegraph Independent Standard Liverpool have look of contenders; Pardew joins the growing ranks of Roberto Firmino rounds off Liverpool’s goal rush at Crystal Palace admirers of Klopp's irresistible side On a day when all three of the Premier League’s pacesetters flexed their attacking Crystal Palace 2 McArthur 18, 33 Liverpool 4 Can 16, Lovren 21, Matip 44, Firmino muscles, Liverpool relied on their own lust for goals to turn a potentially awkward 71 Referee: A Marriner Attendance: 25,628 contest into a celebration of blistering intent. As Jurgen Klopp attempts to end a title drought at Liverpool that stretches back Crystal Palace contributed to a captivating encounter, twice pegging back more than a quarter of a century, he might be excused for thinking that he is Liverpool as they endeavoured to contain the surges from the away team – no being assisted by his team having a lighter schedule than some of their rivals in mean feat – but Jürgen Klopp’s team were in one of those moods where they the upper reaches of the Premier League. ooze goals. Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino showcased bewitching skills. For Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, the Champions League means Sadio Mané should have helped himself to a strike or two himself. There was so challenging home games against Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen respectively this much forward momentum it was not unreasonable to forget they even had Daniel week, while Arsenal have a round-trip to Bulgaria. Klopp has one thing on his Sturridge back waiting in those familiar wings. mind, a home game on Sunday against Watford. The German manager, though, As it was, the selection comprised a team goal based on slick passing, two set sees no positives in the lack of Champions League football at Anfield. pieces and a sumptuous lob. All very tasty from Klopp’s perspective. He might "I know everyone talks about this, but I think, in Europe, 80-90 per cent of the well wonder about eradicating some of the defensive wobbles. But that is a poser teams becoming champions are in the Champions League, that's how it is," Klopp for another day. Playing like this, Liverpool can be confident that if the opposition said. "Why? Because they have quality, they can rotate, they can rest whenever. score, they will simply outscore them. They extended their dazzling run, picking It's not too cool when you are not successful. Sometimes it is an advantage, but in up their sixth win from their last seven Premier League games and had verve to the end, why does a team win the league with all these intense games in burn. midweek? Maybe you find an answer." “Sorry for this boring performance,” Klopp quipped at the end of it all. Then he Liverpool under Klopp do not lack quality. They looked irresistible at times on acknowledged that while the inherent characteristics of his team help them to Saturday against Crystal Palace, as their speed, movement and seemingly endless overcome defensive deficiencies he would sooner have a little more cool control. options in attack were a pleasure to behold. Their vulnerabilities were on display “We cannot strike back every day, but we are good enough to find a solution in too, as some sloppy defending, notably when Dejan Lovren's sliced back-pass set situations like this,” he said. “But since I am at Liverpool I am happy with the up James McArthur for the first of his two goals, left the door constantly ajar for character of my boys.” the home side. It still seems unfeasibly early to be stoking up a title-chase narrative before In the end, there were just too many positives for Liverpool, whose constant high- Halloween, but such is the bunched-up nature at the top, all eyes turned to tempo game forced mistakes from the home defence for Liverpool to be Liverpool after Arsenal and then Manchester City swept to three emphatically comfortable winners, having endured plenty of pressure at the start of the second won points earlier in the day. What ensued, in a helter-skelter match, was half when Liverpool were flagging. extraordinary. Goals always seemed likely given the encouragement Klopp gives "I can't find anything negative," Klopp said. "I don't expect perfect, perfect games. his forwards to raid in a high-energy pack coupled with Crystal Palace’s clean I'm happy, not more. I'm especially happy with the reaction in the second part of sheet allergy this season. the second half when we came back to play football again, even when we were From the 16th to the 21st minute it rained goals. Liverpool went ahead when the really tired. The first half killed us a little bit, it was so intense, so wild and good vibrant Coutinho’s scooped pass fell to Alberto Moreno, who hooked the ball back and the second half was like, 'Oh my God, doing the same again?' So you could across goal. Emre Can arrived unmarked and his shot ricocheted in. see it is not easy any more. We can't switch on and off [like] machines." Perhaps some of smoke from the firecrackers hurled from the away end got in Palace would have been aggrieved at some of the decisions of Andre Marriner, Dejan Lovren’s eye, as there was no obvious explanation for the undercooked the referee, and his assistants. Alberto Moreno was given the benefit of a close back pass which gifted Palace a route back into the game. James McArthur was on offside call before he set up Emre Can for the opening goal, while Wilfried Zaha hand to score with a clever header, nudging the ball instinctively over the (twice) and Christian Benteke had good shouts for a penalty turned down as onrushing Loris Karius. Palace pushed for a third equaliser. The irresistible law of making up for painful mistakes ensured Lovren took centre In a frantic first half, McArthur had twice levelled with his head, the first after stage again three minutes later. When Liverpool won a corner he was on point to Lovren's error, the second time beating the Croatia defender to Zaha's cross. beat his marker Scott Dann, thumping his team back into the lead with a header. Two headers from corners, by Lovren and Joel Matip, had given Liverpool a half- Liverpool’s threat bubbled constantly. The thirst for goals throughout the team is time lead but the game was settled after 71 minutes when the home defence was obvious and there could have been more as Firmino’s attempt was blocked by parted by Jordan Henderson's pass that allowed Roberto Firmino to flick the ball Joel Ward, Moreno struck a post and Mané scooped over with a free shot. over the advancing Steve Mandanda. In the spirit of the goal glut, Palace responded. Christian Benteke glanced the ball "When you have a winning team you have to have your character and to move on to Wilfried Zaha, whose inviting cross was met by none other than McArthur. quickly and I think we showed that today, especially the first half after the Having already patted his head in astonishment after his first goal, he was at it mistakes," Lovren said. again after nipping ahead of Lovren to steer in another equaliser. "We just continued to play on and I think we could score a couple more goals. If The heading contest was far from over. The crowd were almost confounded by you want to be in the top four at the end of the season or be champion, you need disbelief as yet another looked goalbound – this time from Coutinho – only for to win the smaller games like today, then we will see against the big teams. But I Steve Mandanda to scramble the ball superbly on to the frame of the goal. think we have shown this year that when we can play against the big teams, we It came as no surprise when Liverpool duly did the deed again. Just before are not scared. I think the biggest opponent for us is us." half-time Coutinho delivered a corner for Joël Matip to meet with full power. It was hard not to be impressed by Liverpool. It was at Selhurst Park two and a Pardew lamented that the game was “a bit too open for us against a side as good half years ago that their most recent, serious title bid hit the buffers. Even Alan as they are”, which was an honest enough appraisal. Pardew, the Palace manager, had to stop himself sounding too much like a Coutinho was at the heart of so much that was positive about Liverpool. Klopp cheerleader. rightly enthused about how much effort he puts in: “He is 24. His work rate is "They are as good as anyone we've played this year," Pardew said. "I'd put them outstanding. You cannot be a genius every day so you have to be a proper football in the same level as Spurs and Spurs were terrific. It's very difficult to play against player. That is how the boys are.” them. The speed, the runners, they're coming from every angle. As much as I say Palace returned after the restart intent on coming back into it again. Benteke was my back four didn't play well -- I think the two set plays and the fourth goal is dominant (Klopp intriguingly described his performance as “warm”), taking aim at where I'm questioning them -- some of the defending was brilliant, the last-ditch Karius’s goal on a number of occasions.