the return to anfield
the hit
“Come Home,” Anderson .Paak feat. André 3000 (2019)
Darlin’, I have to be moved from afar
The truth is the only thing
worth holdin’ onto anymore
Untie me, let me loose from the cord
I’m so gone, so far, I deserve more
I’m beggin’ you
I’m beggin’ you, please, come home
No one even begs anymore
10/29 | Carabao Cup | Liverpool 0, Crystal Palace 3
Despite an encouraging first 35 minutes or so, we were ultimately beaten decisively by Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the League Cup. Ismaila Sarr, who we might as well call Death, bagged two goals just before halftime, turning the rest of the contest into a procession. Poor Amara Nallo was sent off for the second time in his second senior appearance for the club — two reds in a total of 16 first-team minutes. Yeremy Pino added another in the 88th and that was that. Humbled by Palace for the third time in less than three months — this time, fittingly, in torrential rain.
The story of the game wasn’t the game itself, but Slot’s team selection. Oliver Glasner put out a strong starting lineup; Slot, outside of Mac Allister, Robertson, Kerkez, and Gomez, didn’t include anyone — even on the bench — who he considers a serious starting option in a meaningful game. On the heels of the most disappointing result of the season (and that’s saying something) at Brentford, it was a big call that split opinion among supporters and pundits. Some said it was a missed opportunity to regain some momentum and goodwill. Some called it a piss take. And some felt it was the right call — rest the big guns and don’t risk another injury. Whether or not you agreed with Slot’s choice to relegate the League Cup from our list of priorities, one thing remained true: Liverpool had to get a positive result against Aston Villa in their next league fixture
11/1 | Premier League | Liverpool 2, Aston Villa 0
With added pressure to get the lineup right, Slot went with Robertson over Kerkez and picked last season’s title-winning midfield trio of Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister. Mamardashvili and Ekitike were the only newbies named.
Unlike our recent run of league opposition, Villa’s Plan A wasn’t to go long. A team that builds out of the back, they stuck to their principles, which led to their biggest chance of the contest on 5’. After the visitors broke our press far too easily, Morgan Rogers spun and found Ollie Watkins in the channel between Bradley and Konate. Watkins laid it back off and Rogers’ fantastic effort from the top of the box hit the outside of Mamardashvili’s far post. Villa’s only other notable opportunity was a deflected long-range strike from Matty Cash on 19’, which Giorgi did well to push out of the top corner and off the bar. With this little slice of luck, we made it out of the first 20 unscathed and got the chance to play on our terms for the first time in a long time. We took it.
The much-maligned Alexis Mac Allister turned in his best performance of the season by a mile, and Mo Salah finally made his first touch stick, tormenting Lucas Digne at every opportunity. The return of Ryan Gravenberch and the typical relentlessness of Szoboszlai led to what we’ve been missing most of all during this losing streak — sweet, sweet second balls, which allowed us to spring attacks and keep our back four facing forward.
While Villa’s buildup from the keeper did yield the occasional break, it was this tactic and their inability to pick up enough second balls that caused their downfall. Szoboszlai often led our press, like Bobby Firmino in years past, and his pressure presented him with a wide open, straight-on chance from 18 yards. His left-footed shot was tame, but it was a harbinger of the quality opportunities to come.
On 43’, Ezri Konsa blocked a point-blank, goal-bound strike from Mac Allister, who forced Lucas Digne to head it right back to Szoboszlai. With time to pick someone out, he whipped a cross onto the forehead of Hugo Ekitike, who nodded home powerfully. “Nails it!” Peter Drury exclaimed on the commentary. “Boy, Anfield needed that!” I stuck a fist in the air. The Anfield Road End went wild.
Then the goal was chalked off for a narrow offside. You couldn’t help but wonder if we’d ever find the breakthrough.
But just three minutes later, it came in the form of a gift from Emi Martinez. With Gakpo spearheading the press, Villa went back to the keeper, who looked to go short to Pau Torres. Salah was on hand to cut the out the misplaced pass and finish first-time with his weaker right foot, using Torres as a screen and bending it around him to give Martinez no chance. He made it look simple. It was anything but.
Our second goal, which came at the 58’ mark, was a thing of beauty. Villa did go long this time, and the move started with Van Dijk comfortably headed the ball down to Gakpo — this is how the high line works at it’s best. Gakpo laid it off to Macca, who spun and found Gravenberch, who skillfully wove inside toward the 18 and shot. A deflection carried it past Martinez and Grav had bagged his third of the year (zero goals last year!) A weight was lifted off everyone’s shoulders.
The rest wasn’t perfect, but it was solid game management that earned us our first truly grownup scoreline of the year: a classic 2-0. You can’t understate the importance of Andy Robertson back on the left, who was all consistency and pragmatism. Mac Allister finally looking like himself again changed the complexion of the midfield, and our talisman opening the scoring was just what we needed.
11/4 | uefa champions League | Liverpool 1, real madrid 0
In the Aston Villa game, we gave the solid B+ performance we needed not only for our league campaign, but for our chances against Real Madrid — 10-0-1 in La Liga, 3-0-0 in the Champions League, fresh off an El Clásico victory — the team that defender Dean Huijsen described as, “for me, for everyone, the best team in the world, the best club.” The team star boy Jude Bellingham, his midfield compatriot Aurelien Tchouameni, his manager Xabi Alonso, and of course, his best mate Trent Alexander-Arnold chose over Liverpool.
We gave an A+ performance against Madrid on Tuesday.
Slot picked the same 11 from the Villa game with the exception of Wirtz, who replaced Cody Gakpo on the left but was given permission to roam. No one in a Liverpool shirt put in less than an 8/10 performance, collectively limiting Madrid to 0.45 xG, two shots on goal, and two half chances — a low Bellingham shot that Giorgi blocked at his near post in the first half, and a clever Mbappe effort that spun wide of the far post in the second half.
Van Dijk, Konate, and Robertson were each outstanding in and out of possession, but the MOTM was Conor Bradley. He battled with Vinicus Jr. for 90 minutes and change, surrendering no more than a single foul in their countless one-on-one duels. Bradley’s defensive timing and physicality were more than the Brazilian could handle, whose only response was playing his greatest hits: falling over, holding his face or his ankle, and screaming.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Liverpool created 2.63 xG of their own, recording 17 shots with 9 on target. It was Bradley’s day, but Thibaut Courtois had the greatest impact on the scoreline, making 8 saves, many from close range with impossibly quick reflexes. He spread himself to block Szoboszlai’s dinked 1v1 finish with his foot, batted away Szoboszlai’s venomous hit destined for the far corner, pushed over two point-blank headers from corners — one from Virgil and one from Ekitike — and got down to deny Gakpo a late tap-in. It was the best performance I’ve seen from an opposing goalie since we faced the Belgian in the 2022 final, which makes sense considering that since the start of that game, 23% of his saves in the Champions League have come against Liverpool.
Huijsen, a real chatterbox in the lead-up, looked out of his depth against the quickness of Wirtz and Salah. But it was Madrid’s midfield that struggled the most, and they resorted to fouling to slow us down. Tchouameni and Bellingham committed two nasty ones, and Mac Allister scored from the latter.
Best of all, Trent coming on felt like a B plot. The media had a field day with it, obviously, but the takeaway for Liverpool fans was a tactical clinic from Slot, a second straight clean sheet, and a fluid attack that created endless chances against a team of such high quality.