Turnaround

With five games in a row now without loss, three of them with a clean sheet, including a very difficult one at San Siro, I think it’s finally time to say that a turnaround is unfolding. Which is a relief. The nerves are still very evident, but now the players are showing a bit of belief, too, and with this group and its massive talent, it’s games like this that are the catalyst, the reminder to everyone of just how good they are.

And who they are playing for.

In a way, we should all be thankful to Salah for the drama. The frankly shocking results the Reds were producing were not enough to shock them out of their stupor, so something more drastic was needed. With his very unique sense of flair, Mo stepped in for that interview, truly upset the apple cart, and suddenly both Inter (last year’s Champions League finalist, playing at home) and Brighton (tied for points with Liverpool before today’s game) were put away, critically without conceding. Not confidently, no. Not with a swagger. Not yet. But that will come soon enough.

Should Brighton have scored today?

Yes, in the same way that Liverpool should have in many games during the dreadful run leading into the last five games. The beauty of elite competitive sports, that makes it so compelling to watch, is that nothing is ever sure. Mo Salah can find himself with essentially a free hit from six yards out and shin it over the bar – just as Diego Gomez did a few minutes earlier on the other side, when needing a tap-in. In both cases, something happened that threw them off, and while it looks simple to us on the couch, doing this stuff in real life is always hard. The ball may bounce just a little bit, like it did on both occasions, and suddenly a well placed shot becomes am embarrassing fumble. It all happens so quickly, too.

Salah’s assist for Ekitike’s second shows that the man is still more than capable, and we can only hope that AFCON will help restore his personal swagger. Speaking of Ekitike, he could have had more than two today, but his first one was a peach, and coming as quickly as it did gave the team something to build on. The result was utter domination in the first half. The problem was that, like so many times before, Liverpool couldn’t find the net again. Brighton then came into the second half looking to sting, and they almost did as Liverpool looked cowered. The same script seemed to be playing again, except this time it didn’t, and once the Reds reasserted themselves, the result never looked in doubt.

And that, my friends, is a feeling I had missed for a while.

Wirtz is looking better every game, and I’m looking forward to seeing a run from Chiesa on the right while Salah is gone. Let’s hope Slot allows it. Let’s see if we maintain this non-losing streak for a few more games, and build a bit of momentum. If the team can do that, then the season (at least the Champions League one) may yet end on a high note.