Jürgen Klopp spoke before Liverpool’s FA Cup trip to Wolves about the need to go ‘back to basics’ and, in one crucial area, the team looked like its old self.
For the first time since the World Cup, Liverpool has not only won a game but also produced a convincing performance to go with it.
The Reds were highly fortunate to emerge with a 2-1 victory over Leicester City last month and, even though they were better against Aston Villa in the previous game, Unai Emery’s side definitely had enough chances to pick up a draw.
But at Molineux on Tuesday night, Jürgen Klopp saw enough to be almost completely satisfied. Liverpool beat Wolves 1-0 through a Harvey Elliott goal to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup, and it was fully deserved.
The visitors controlled the first half, playing some of its swiftest, most purposeful and most cohesive football in months.
But as Wolves’ threat increased in the second, Liverpool’s solidified off-ball structure and renewed battling spirit both came to the fore.
Another of the standout features of the game, particularly in the first period, was Liverpool’s high press.
The front three of Elliott, Cody Gakpo and Fábio Carvalho led the charge, supported by the midfield of Naby Keïta, Stefan Bajčetić and Thiago to form a single-minded unit.
It looked like a vintage Klopp press at times, repeatedly forcing Wolves into mistakes in its own half or defensive third. The manager could be seen applauding on the touchline, and no wonder.
There was one moment that rather summed it up when goalkeeper José Sá received the ball and, quickly realizing he had no safe passing options, resorted to knocking it behind and conceding a corner.
Liverpool was closing off the angles and swarming the old gold shirts, restoring the underlying fear factor the team possessed in its pomp.
Klopp’s pressing can be a playmaker of its own in the sense that it fashions dangerous attacking situations after turnovers.
And while his side didn’t necessarily make the absolute most of them here, the manager may just be relieved to see something more recognizable.
Crucially, Liverpool avoided the kind of situations Klopp has repeatedly bemoaned when a meek press is too easily bypassed and the team is left looking exposed. Both the defensive and offensive rewards were plain to see.
How, then, did this come about?
Well, Klopp spoke before the game about the importance of going ‘back to basics’ as he looked to restore his team’s identity (via This is Anfield). In that sense, he certainly got the reaction he desired.
But the raft of changes he made to his XI was also key.
In the frontline, Carvalho hunted the ball with an unmatched enthusiasm and frequently pounced, while Elliott seemed to take to his defensive responsibilities better in the right-wing position than he’s done in midfield. On an otherwise frustrating night, Gakpo very much played a part too.
Further back, Keïta and Bajčetić combined with Thiago to form the most compact and disciplined midfield supporters have seen for a long while. They courageously stepped up to cut off the passing options and help the forwards smother Wolves.
All of this leaves Klopp with something of a selection dilemma for the weekend’s key clash with Chelsea. He may have been planning to reinstate his skipper Jordan Henderson, who was rested here, but Keïta’s excellent display could force him to reconsider.
The manager insisted that he was not ‘too loyal’ in the build-up (via Sky Sports), and now he has a chance to deliver on that promise by rewarding the Guinean for his leading role in what was, at times, a trademark Liverpool performance.
