Another encouraging performance from Liverpool sees them edge Sunderland at the Stadium of Light…
Kop boss Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for his players after they secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday lunchtime.
The scoreline didn’t do justice to Liverpool’s dominance with the Merseysiders mustering 21 attempts at goal compared to only five by the hosts, who were reduced to ten-men during the second half.
Serbian international Lazar Markovic ultimately proved the match winner, scoring from close-range in the 8th minute, just moments after being denied a seemingly clear-cut penalty.
“I thought we were outstanding,” analysed Rodgers at his post-match press conference. “In the first half, we had real control of the game, good tempo and pressed the ball very well.
“We scored a very good goal and should have had a penalty, hit the crossbar and had one or two other chances. In the second half we again started well.
“Their sending-off probably threw us a little bit more than them for about 10 minutes. But once we regained the ball, started to move and get good positions on the field to pass it, we started to create chances again.
“When it’s only 1-0, you’re always tentative a little bit, but defensively I thought the players were excellent in their pressure and how strong they were.
“It’s a difficult place to come but it was a very good result and performance.”
The win stretches Liverpool’s recent run of improved form to just one defeat in 13 matches in all competitions.
The quality of their displays is also much improved with the pace, tempo and pressing, which characterised last season’s title tilt, regaining prominence.
“I always felt it would come,” remarked Rodgers on the subject of progress. “It was just going to be a matter of time.
“In the first part of the season it was difficult for us, but it was about getting the players into the team and also what we have been missing – we had Daniel Sturridge out and what we lost in the summer.
“It was always a case of trying to find the solutions in order to get us playing how we have been playing for the last 18 months to two years.
“In the last number of weeks, we have started to see that – the domination with the ball, the control, but also with tempo and pace in the team. Put alongside that a real willingness to defend then we’re slowly getting back to where we want to be.
“We’ve still got a way to go, but the exciting thing is that in my two years here we’ve always been better in the second part of the season, that’s the business end.
“We’ve still got Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana and Glen Johnson, all these guys, to come back into the squad. It’s going how I hoped it would and hopefully we can continue with this momentum.”
Previously there had been much criticism of the club’s summer transfer dealings so it was pleasing to see a number of the new recruits playing a pivotal role in securing the three points.
Additionally, only four of the starting 11 on Wearside were over the age of 24 so there are plenty of other reasons for optimism going forward.
“Look at Emre Can today, young Lazar, Alberto Moreno and the other players,” added Rodgers. “It has just taken them time – they have come to a new country and there’s a big spotlight on them because of what we did last year.
“It has been difficult for the team, but they are starting to settle into the philosophy of how we work and how we play.
“[Markovic] was fantastic – not just with the ball in his goal and the one that hit the crossbar, but his ability to press people and defend, which is important for us. He is only 20 years of age, so there’s a big future for him.”
Liverpool are next in action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Villa Park to face Aston Villa.
The struggling Midlanders have proved a bit of a bogey side in the past so nobody will be getting ahead of themselves and taking another three points for granted.
Such an outcome would send the Reds into their League Cup semi-final with Chelsea full of confidence.
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