Liverpool came from behind to beat Norwich, with two goals in three minutes then Luis Diaz‘s first goal for the club.
Liverpool 3-1 Norwich
Premier League League (25); Anfield
February 19, 2022
Goals
Rasicha 48′
Mane 64′ (assist: Tsimikas)
Salah 67′ (assist: Alisson)
Diaz 81′ (assist: Henderson)
Jurgen Klopp made seven changes to the side that beat Inter Milan in the week, including Joe Gomez making his first Premier League start for 468 days.
Gomez occupied the right-back spot, with Trent Alexander-Arnold given the day off ahead of a busy month of action for the Reds.
Also rested were Fabinho, Thiago and Andy Robertson, while Roberto Firmino joined Diogo Jota on the sidelines with a slight muscle issue.
It meant that Luis Diaz got the nod in attack, with Sadio Mane in the centre-forward position.
The first half saw plenty of endeavour but little end product for the Reds. The highlight was Salah’s superb jinking run out wide, turning Brandon Williams inside out.
The best chance of the first 45 fell for Norwich, with Teemu Pukki putting the ball wide when through on goal.
Liverpool’s best chance fell for Tsimikas, but the full-back slid in and somehow hit the ball over the bar from five yards out.
Without the influential full backs, Liverpool lacked something out wide, but still they’d created enough chances to have been ahead.
Half time: Liverpool 0-0 Norwich
- 7 changes from Milan
- 2 goals in 3 minutes to turn it around
- Salah nets his 150th goal for LFC
- Diaz nets his first for the club
Norwich took the lead shortly after the break when Milot Rasicha’s shot from the edge of the box took a massive deflection off Matip and sailed into the opposite corner past Alisson.
Klopp brought on Thiago and Divock Origi just after the hour and with it completely changed the game, moving to a 4-2-3-1 shape.
The atmosphere raised, then within five minutes Liverpool scored twice to turn it around!
First, Mane hit a wonderful overhead kick from Tsimikas’ headed knockdown, then Salah notched his 150th goal for the club when beautifully receiving Alisson‘s long kick and eventually sitting the ‘keeper down and placing the ball into the corner with his right foot.
Anfield went into pandemonium and Salah almost doubled his tally when cutting in on his left foot and curling an effort that just went past the post.
It was still to get better, with Luis Diaz netting his first goal for the club with 10 minutes to go. The Colombian received Henderson’s through ball in the area and wonderfully chipped the ball over the oncoming ‘keeper.
The Kop responded with a familiar tune, adapting the old Luis Suarez song to the new Luis of the Reds.
Next, the Reds host Leeds on Wednesday night, before the League Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley next Sunday.
TIA Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah
Referee: Mike Dean
Attendance: 53,135
Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Henderson, Keita (Origi 62′), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Thiago 62′); Salah, Mane, Diaz (Minamino 90′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Konate, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Elliott
Norwich: Gunn; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Williams; Normann; Gilmour, McLean; Rashica, Sargent, Pukki
Subs: McGovern, Byram, Zimmermann, Kabak, Giannoulis, Placheta, Lees-Melou, Rowe, Dowell
Next match: Leeds (H) – Premier League – Wednesday, February 23, 7.45pm (GMT)
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