If you had offered a Liverpool supporter two points from their trips to The Emirates and The Etihad, most would have answered with a resounding yes.
The Reds now have thirteen matches and thirty-nine points remaining to play for having made the trips to Arsenal and Man City, currently nine points from a Champions League place, and have already played each of the other nine clubs occupying the top half of The Premier League away from home.
But if you ask most Liverpool supporters, or any football fan for that matter, if they thought Liverpool got what their performances deserved from the two tough away matches, you’ll likely get a straight forward ‘no’, in reply.
A cold, January evening under the floodlights in North London saw Brendan Rodgers’ side really turn on the style against Wenger‘s men. At times you could say The Reds out Arsenal’d Arsenal, with their slick passing and domination of proceedings for large parts. It was also an energetic, counter-attacking performance, and one that showed signs of the high pressure, yet tiki-taka football Rodgers has promised.
Stalwart Jamie Carragher, and Jordan Henderson, who played like he’d been enhanced with the addition of Duracell batteries were the stand out performers for The Reds in what was a bitter-sweet evening, having let a two goal lead slip, but played so well for much of the game, a way to describe many of Liverpool’s outings this campaign, perhaps the story of our season so far.
Onto Manchester City for what proved to be an enthralling 90 minutes.
A second 2-2 draw of the season between the two sides from The North West, with Liverpool kicking themselves not to have possibly taken all six points from both matches against the reigning champions.
Our last two league visits to Eastlands have resulted in two sorry 3-0 defeats, with the likes of Milan Jovanovic and David Ngog starting for The Reds in the 2010/2011 fixture, while last seasons defeat saw Jay Spearing and Charlie Adam in the XI for Kenny Dalglish’s side.
But Sunday was different. The selection was different, with Rodgers opting to start the industrious, energetic and highly impressive Jordan Henderson who, since his goal away in Udinese, has been nothing short of a revelation.
The side sent out was strong, as was Rodgers’ bench, which as been something Liverpool fans haven’t been able to say for years.
Liverpool started a little deeper than usual, due to Jamie Carragher’s lack of pace, the vice-captain rightly keeping his place after his brilliant display in the draw at Arsenal.
Jose Enrique returned to the side, with Glen Johnson being deployed in his natural right back position. The fullback pair give the side an extra dimension, and it was no different on Sunday, with Enrique’s comfort, and quality on the ball, added to his strength keeping Man City quiet for the most-part, down their right hand side.
The Reds started brightly and with a high tempo, the passing was crisp and confident throughout the side, with the idea when the home side had the ball immediately obvious to press City, not letting them rest.
As said above, Rodgers has spoken about a tiki-taka style, and this was possibly Liverpool’s finest presentation of this style under his leadership, and showcased the way he wants his side to eventually play week in week out. Unlike at Arsenal, where Liverpool offered much more of a counter-attacking threat, the side at City were attacking throughout.
Even Edin Dzeko’s tap in, after some great work and a clever, low cross from the impressive James Milner in the 23rd minute didn’t seem to faze Liverpool, who continued to play their football.
Lucas Leiva had his best game since returning from injury, the Brazilian was at the heart of everything in the centre of the park; mopping up, intercepting, heading and of course, tackling. What was most impressive on Sunday, though, was his calmness on the ball.
Lucas’ passing triangles with Johnson and Downing on the right hand side, and Enrique and Henderson on the left, really opened up City at times, perhaps not in the most menacing parts of the pitch (after all he is a defensive minded player) but it got Liverpool out of some tight spots, without giving the ball away.
Often, those balls, especially from Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique would be aimed to the outstanding Daniel Sturridge. The former Man City youngster was a constant outlet for Liverpool, his strength before signing for the Anfield giants was obviously his goal-scoring prowess, and being in the right place at the right time, and while he has that quality, it is only one of the many strings to his bow, as we are quickly finding out.
Sturridge’s touch on Sunday was immaculate, whether it was taking the ball past Joe Hart first time or bringing down a fizzed, diagonal driven ball from Jose Enrique; the 23 year-old had the ball under his spell all afternoon, dazzling the Liverpool faithful in the away end like a magician with a wand. Every time he rolled the ball from left to right and back under his studs, or got himself a bit of space with a clever bit of movement a cheer echoed around the stadium from the travelling Kop.
There’s no doubt about it, Sturridge has already given Liverpool an extra dimension, and looks an astute signing, perfect for the formation and style of play that has been implemented under Rodgers this season.
The key moment in the man with the wriggly arms’ (only when he celebrates) afternoon came on the 30th minute; receiving a squared ball from the imperious Steven Gerrard outside the Man City box, taking one touch and smashing the ball past the despairing Joe Hart, with excellent technique. No back lift was required, Sturridge simply put his laces through the ball and watched it sail into the bottom corner, though we didn’t see any dancing this time out of respect for his former employers.
The goal gave Liverpool added belief they could take all three points, and after forty minutes of good football and clever passing, without either goalkeeper being tested, up stepped Steven Gerrard. Who else?
A trademark blockbuster from twenty-five yards nestled in Joe Hart’s bottom right hand corned, sending the away end into a delirious amalgamation of joyous limbs. Victory was in sight.
After what had been a brilliant away performance, Liverpool could finally be rid of the monkey on their back, the damning stat that reads The Reds having not yet beaten a side currently in the Top 10 of The Premier League. It wasn’t to be.
Two minutes after taking the lead Brendan Rodgers opted to make a substitution, with Martin Skrtel replacing the tiring Jose Enrique. Two minutes later, Man City equalised.
Gareth Barry picked a loose ball up in the middle of the park and played what seemed an innocuous ball over the top, which the tireless Sergio Aguero latched onto after Martin Skrtel hesitated on whether to challenge for the ball. Out came Jose Reina, on what can only be described as an impulsive suicide run, and within seconds City were level. Aguero with a finish straight from the Sensational Slotters Handbook, 2013.
Between them, Reina and Skrtel’s blatant errors have cost Liverpool four points against Man City alone this season, after Skrtel’s horrific back pass let Carlos Tevez round the desolate Spaniard in August to, again, gift City an equaliser.
The final fifteen minutes saw Man City pile on the pressure territorially, without really troubling Liverpool’s no longer AWOL goalkeeper. Enrique was missed when he went off, as was Agger’s composure on the ball and reading of the game in the heart of the defence after he switched the left back when Skrtel was bought on.
The final score reads Man City 2-2 Liverpool, and just the one point goes back down the M62 to Anfield, but many positive are to be taken from Sunday’s performance.
A look to the future now as Monday night sees West Brom visit Anfield. Yet another side that Liverpool played in August, when again Brendan Rodgers’ men made individual errors that cost them. At that stage only the then new-boy, Joe Allen, looked fit to wear the famous red shirt.
Liverpool have come a long way since then, the youngsters have come on leaps and bounds, the results have steadily improved throughout the season and the style of play is really starting to take shape.
One area that does concern me for West Brom’s visit is Liverpool’s vulnerability in the air, especially from set-pieces.
Steve Clarke, who it’ll be great to see back at Anfield having done so well at West Brom, has his side well organised, and with key men Liam Ridgewell, Jonas Olsson, and Romelu Lukaku standing at 6ft 2”, 6ft 4” and 6ft 3” respectively, it’s where the men from The Hawthorns will pose their principal threat.
West Brom’s energetic, Congolese midfielder, Youssouf Mulumbu, will strike fear into the home side; as will hard-working marksman Shane Long, but if The Redmen continue with their impressive league performances and cut out the lapses in concentration, I can’t see past a home win.
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