Liverpool played a near-perfect contest in posting a stylish 4-1 win over West Ham United on Saturday at Anfield.
[ RECAP: Reds 4-1 West Ham ]
“It was intense, it was aggressive, it was angry, it was full of desire,” said manager Jurgen Klopp. “I saw everything I wish to see in a game of football and it’s not often you see that.”
The Reds went second thanks to goals from Emre Can, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane, conceding a lone goal courtesy of a Cheikhou Kouyate turnover of Can.
The result made Liverpool’s Spanish training camp look like genius, and put to bed fears that the Reds would not build off a 5-0 dismantling of Porto in the UEFA Champions League.
The win moves Liverpool into second place before Manchester United’s Sunday tilt with Chelsea. If the Red Devils fail to beat the Blues, Liverpool will finish the match week in second.
Here’s more from Klopp, from the BBC:“I don’t think as a manager you can expect a game like this, you can hope for it but it’s very rare you get it. We got it. It was a joy to watch.
“The boys delivered, it makes me really happy. It helps us when we have time to train and prepare but we don’t often have the time. I saw a lot of things today we did in training which makes me happy.”
Klopp’s reference of preparation time is another sign that schedule congestion has not escaped the minds of the managers, and the Reds would not have had as much time off had they not been upset by West Brom in the FA Cup.
A visit from Newcastle is next, and the Reds can focus on the league because the following visit from Porto carries such a lopsided first leg score line.
