Liverpool played their last home league game of the season against Chelsea and provided a 5-3 goalfest ahead of their Premier League trophy lift party.
Liverpool 5-3 Chelsea
Premier League (37), Anfield
July 22, 2020
Goals: Keita 22′, Alexander-Arnold 37′, Wijnaldum 42′, Firmino 55′, Oxlade-Chamberlain 85′; Giroud 45+2′, Abraham 60′, Pulisic 72′
Alisson – 5 (out of 10)
Great save initially but couldn’t prevent Olivier Giroud’s goal on the rebound. Safe with his first-half handling.
Couldn’t do anything about the goals after the break as he was left exposed.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 9 (Man of the Match)
Played one outrageous left-footed crossfield ball in the first half which was basically good enough to win Man of the Match by itself in a normal team.
Unreal free-kick again, which is becoming a regular feature now, and an equally superb cross for Roberto Firmino‘s goal.
Joe Gomez – 5
A lovely couple of surges out of defence past the first Chelsea line.
Easily beaten by Christian Pulisic though for Chelsea‘s second, and a whole collection of errors for the third.
Virgil van Dijk – 5
Similar to Gomez in that he was good in spells, but didn’t do enough to prevent the goals scored.
Andy Robertson – 7
His best performance since the restart. Nice and aggressive, linked well with Sadio Mane. Maybe needed to react quicker for one of Chelsea‘s goals. Brilliant run for the fifth.
Fabinho – 6
Solid, decent game, good passing. All the usual Fabinho things. Then lost a little as the game became a very strange pinball affair.
Gini Wijnaldum – 7
Got himself into the penalty box a number of times in the first half and was rewarded with a well-taken goal.
Naby Keita – 8
We are seeing the Naby we want to see, more and more often. That was a perfect Keita goal: win the ball, run the ball, absolutely thunder the ball in off the bar.
Whatever he was eating for breakfast during lockdown, he better order in a ton of it for next season.
Mohamed Salah – 7
So quick with his footwork and exchanges of passes. Always a threat for the Reds, even when it’s just his movement to open up spaces for others.
Should have been more willing to play in his team-mates for a couple of shots he took on, though.
Roberto Firmino – 7
Got his Anfield goal in the league!
Sadio Mane – 8
If there’s a stronger player in the Premier League, let them bring forth their challenge now.
Mane holds off player after player, challenge after challenge. Great slaloming run won the free-kick for Trent’s goal.
Substitutes
James Milner (on for Wijnaldum, 65′) – 6
Good to have the vice-captain on the pitch at the end.
Curtis Jones (on for Keita, 65′) – 7
Some nice touches, worked back well, involved in the killer fifth.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (on for Salah, 78′) – 6
Played on the wing, two great runs forward, one ended in him killing off the game with a goal!
Takumi Minamino (on for Firmino, 86′) – 6
Couple of minutes, couple of touches.
Divock Origi (on for Mane, 86′) – 6
Remember his goal against Everton that time?
Subs not used: Adrian, Lovren, Lallana, Shaqiri
Manager
Jurgen Klopp – 10
Started the strongest team. Gave one of his favourite players a farewell performance in the squad. Won us the bloody Premier League.
Same again next year, yeah?
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