Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 on Sunday.The Reds kept pace in their Premier League opener with Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunes and Mohamed Salah all on target.
Jurgen Klopp’s current side are in fourth place, three points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur.After making eight changes for Thursday’s Europa League clash with Toulouse, Manchester United manager Klopp has assembled a full squad as he turns his attention to the English top flight.
Luis Diaz was one of those who didn’t show up for work Saturday night after his Colombian parents were reported kidnapped. Jota paid tribute by lifting Diaz’s No.7 shirt after opening the scoring before Klopp launched a ‘Battle for Lucho’.Here we take a look at how the national press and the ECHO’s Paul Gorst reacted to the win at Anfield. “Liverpool thrash Nottingham Forest and show unity in Diaz’s absence”The Guardian’s Andy Hunter: “Luis Diaz has always had Liverpool on his mind. When he heard his parents had been kidnapped in Colombia, he was preparing to go to Nottingham Forest – ‘the hardest thing I’ve ever done’.” Jurgen said: Klopp.“The ease with which Forest have been dismissed this season with eight wins from eight games at Anfield speaks volumes for the professionalism, unity and quality of his squad.
Diaz was surprisingly ruled out due to family issues and his replacement Diogo Lotta scored his fifth goal of the season before goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool the lead. “Cody Gakpo thought it would be 4 o’clock in extra time, but a VAR review ruled out offside.””Liverpool’s relentless scoring machine shows once again why they are title contenders.”The Mirror’s David Anderson: Liverpool’s goalscoring machine is so strong that the sudden loss of Luis Diaz will not slow them down.“The biggest win took Liverpool to 36 goals in 14 games and is the main reason why they are in the title race this season. “Diaz did not attend Anfield on Saturday night following the kidnapping of his parents in his native Colombia.”Liverpool paid tribute to Diaz, with Diogo Jota running down the touchline to collect his number 7 shirt after scoring in the first leg against the Reds.
Diaz, who has scored three goals for Manchester United, started on the left against Nottingham Forest, with substitute Darwin Nunes filling the gap.”They are a much bigger threat at the top of the table.”BBC Sport’s Neil Johnstone said: “Liverpool fans chanted the name of Diaz, who joined for £37.5m in January 2022, as the team maintained their 100% home winning streak in the league” .“The 26-year-old was due to play the day before the game before his parents heard the news.
But the late substitution didn’t affect the Reds on the pitch, with Klopp’s side now unbeaten at home in the league for a year.“Liverpool finished last season 22 points behind champions Manchester City. “Now we’re a quarter of the way through the season and they’re an even bigger threat at the top table.””Klopp is creating a new version of Liverpool, but his Ferrari stays up front and the Rolls-Royce stays behind the centre.”Chis Bascombe of The Telegraph said: “Jurgen Klopp is creating a new version of Liverpool, but his Ferrari is up front and his Rolls-Royce is firmly rooted at centre-back.”Mohammed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are in an era between Klopp’s conquering first team and success, the survivor and the inspirational force behind the Kop rebuild. “Salah’s fitness is unquestionable. Every goal puts the onus on people to deliver meaningful jobs every week for Anfield’s record.
The Egypt international’s latest major contribution came in the 3-0 win against Nottingham. He was the third Liverpool player to feature as Forest picked up an injury in five successive home games at the start of the campaign. “The last time John Aldridge did that was in 1987. The only other time would be to go back to Harry Chambers in 1922.””The new midfielder has given a huge boost to Liverpool’s overall operation.””If Rome wasn’t built in a day, we can now safely assume that Liverpool’s midfield has at least been properly rebuilt in the summer transfer window,” said the ECHO’s Paul Gost. “The Reds won very comfortably at home in their third game in eight days and completed their Premier League run with wins against Everton and Nottingham Forest after a good Europa League win against Toulouse. He scored 10 goals and conceded only 1 goal. A goal was scored.” One was sent inside. This bodes well for the future. Alexis McAllister, Dominic Soboslay and Ryan Gravenbirch were at the center of things at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
In retrospect, the three players who inspected the engine room were already long overdue. It’s not time yet. Absolute. Free – three stars brought in for around £135m. However, the improved midfield gave Liverpool’s entire operation a huge boost at the right time. “Whereas last season’s midfield debate was an endless, unpleasant irritation that never subsided, the conversation in the center of the park was much more positive on the evening and Gravenbirch added another excellent performance this week.
The Dutchman, who made his full debut against Everton in midweek and scored another goal in the Europa League, will now be an automatic starter in midfield alongside Mac Allister and Szoboszlay.“Gravenburch’s decision to withdraw from the Netherlands U21s was one that Ronald Koeman confirmed at the start of September that the Netherlands would not be happy with, but it is now paying off.
Leave a Reply