Arsenal’s future is unlikely to be this brand of intense resilience so the familiar mistakes that led to Liverpool’s goal still resonateIn a mixing studio somewhere deep in the Premier League’s plague bunker, a young sound engineer was, one suspects, given only a moment’s pause. Just what crowd effect do you play after an error by Virgil van Dijk? The Ride of the Valkyries? The gathering rainclouds of impending apocalypse? Perhaps sensibly, they went with the safe option of an Arsenal cheer, which managed to convey most of the home team’s elation but very little of the seismic shock, the existential befuddlement: like being told there’s no such thing as Belgium, or that potato waffles are actually made of fur.For...
City played like princes, made Liverpool gasp for air, and handed out a thrillingly fluent, thrillingly pointless 4-0 thrashingThe French have a phrase for things such as this. L’esprit de l’escalier describes that moment on the stairs when you think of exactly the right witty riposte, just 10 minutes too late.There was something of that spirit here on an engrossing mid-summer night at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City played like princes, made Liverpool gasp for air, and handed out a thrillingly fluent, thrillingly pointless 4-0 thrashing to the club football champions of the world. Related: Sterling and Foden star as Manchester City rain on Liverpool's title parade Related: Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool: Premier League – as it happened Continue reading...
They are undoubtedly a winning machine but the pause for coronavirus and the easy nature of the success make it difficult to know just how good Liverpool areLiverpool could still end up with a record-shattering 107 points this season, though whether they will continue to carry everything before them after winning the title so early remains to be seen. Their game against Manchester City on Thursday should offer a fairly large clue about how the champions intend to approach their remaining fixtures, though by virtue of wrapping up the title with seven matches left to play, Liverpool have already managed one of the most impressive Premier League campaigns.Whether it will be deemed the best ever probably depends on the final...
Liverpool and their homegrown poster boy reminded us that it wasn’t a fever dream. They really are that goodWe didn’t imagine it then. The Premier League’s reanimation may have been ghostly, muted, frantic, low-key, and oddly vague. But at Anfield Liverpool drew themselves up to their full height and produced a performance that felt like muscle-memory kicking in; like roots beginning to stir; that felt, above all a bit like football.A 4-0 defeat of Crystal Palace leaves Jürgen Klopp’s team a ludicrous 23 points clear at the top of the table. It was a reminder of something too. It wasn’t a fever dream. Yes, they really are that good. Related: Liverpool cruise past Crystal Palace to put Premier League title...
They are a point nearer the title but, as so often since the turn of the year, Jürgen Klopp’s side failed to find their rhythm in the derby at EvertonWhen in 20 or 30 years Liverpool fans settle down to revel in the great side that ended the 30-year drought, it’s probably not this game they’ll be watching. The 19th league title, the first since 1990, will come and there may yet be further wonders to garnish the final weeks of the season, but the derby was not a game to dispel fears that what should be one of the most glorious seasons in the team’s history will end in anticlimax.The ceiling that’s almost painted when the gloss runs out....