Liverpool 5 – Hull City 1
- Lallana (17’minutes),
- Milner (30’minutes pen, 71’minutes pen),
- Mané (36’minutes),
- Coutinho (52’minutes)
- Elmohamady (Dismissed at 29’minutes),
- Meyler (51’minutes)
Anfield may have never been a great place to visit for ex-Manchester United man, Mike Phelan. Now, after this match, at the helm of Hull City, it would be one of those places that make him wake up in cold sweat. Liverpool had no intention of easing off the Juergen Klopp juggernaut that has been sent rolling, now perched up to 2nd in the league with the 5-1 victory.
Let’s have a look at our powerhouse protagonists.
Defence
There were chants coming in from the Kop End in the first half, asking whosoever is concerned with dispensing chairs at Anfield, to give Loris Karius one to catch up on the latest episodes of Narcos on Netflix. No, not really, we just made that up, but hey, it’d be all the same if he did. Barring that one goal, there wasn’t much he did do. 6.5 for the German keeper who benches Mignolet. In fact, we are tempted to give him an extra .5 just because of that fact.
Joel and Ragnar [RAGNAAAR!!] both get a 7 for not spontaneously imploding like the Liverpool defences of the past. Cool customers, both.
Nathaniel Clyne, on the other hand, gets a 7.5. Is usually kept busy in his defensive third had a free rein of his right-hand side, embarking on daring expeditions with his frontiersmen up front. His attacking play seems to be improving with every match.
James Milner has the river Mersey running through is veins. Two penalties, two goals, and yet another uncannily enterprising display at left-back, with plenty of forward runs. You earned your 9, James.
Midfield
6.5 for Gini Wijnaldum as kept things simple, tic-tocking like clockwork, with clever bits of patch up play from the midfield and in the attack. Neat, tidy, footballer. Had a good shot stopped by David Marshall, the otherwise hapless Hull goalkeeper. He just can’t seem to get a goal even a side as poor as this
Henderson did what he does best. Harry. What’s noticeable about his game is his sudden, tangible improvement in his positioning, where he seems to be a magnet for opposition knock-downs, clearances, and second balls. 8 for the skipper.
That turn and finish, and then that turn and assist. An Adam Lallana with an end product is an Adam Lallana worthy of a 9.
Attack
How do you mark someone who isn’t there? Bob Firmino, being the sneaky bugger he is, gets a 8 for facilitating the majority of the forward play with his running. His buddy Phil gets an 8.5 for that worldly alone. Sadio Mane did well to provide width and direct running. Bagged himself a ridiculously difficult goal on the turn, which he had to dig out. The power on that finish is an 8 on our book.
