The Anfield side recorded an impressive 0-4 away win at West Ham United to down the host in the wake of their Champions League pursuit.
Players like Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho in particular rose up to the challenge for Jurgen Klopp’s men as they took a deserved 4-0 away from home. Going into the game against West Ham United there were fears for Liverpool as they have struggled recently against weaker teams particularly at home.
They defeated Watford 0-1 at the Vicarage Road few weeks ago courtesy of a wonderful strike from Emre Can to seal the win for the away side after been picked out superbly by Veteran midfield player Lucas Leiva.
With the impressive win we evaluate some significant lessons as Liverpool amassed another three points towards the end of the season.
LIVERPOOL REVIVES AMBITION
The away team took a giant stride in reviving their Champions League fortunes as they raced into a 0-4 lead in the game.
Jurgen Klopp’s side took a valuable three points on the road as they sought to keep pace for a place in the Champions League with Arsenal lurking around them with impressive and some relatively inspired win of late coupled with the 1-4 away win at Stoke City.
The Liverpool side has their destiny in their own hands and knows that a win against relegated side Middlesbrough will all but guarantee their place next season in Europe elite competition.
This might look an easy task for the Anfield side with the fact that Middlesbrough is not in contention for anything but with the fact that Liverpool have struggled at home against the weaker sides is what they must avoid against Boro as the visitors will want to sign out from the Premier League with at least a point for their fans.
IMPRESSIVE START FOR STURRIDGE
The Liverpool star has been off and on this season in the Liverpool set up owing to injury. The talented and flair center forward have had his ups and down this season that saw him limited with first team appearance which left the trio of Sadio Mane and the Brazilian duo of Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho in particular to lead the lines for Liverpool.
His injury saw him fall behind the Divock Origi in the pecking order as he had to battle it out with series of injuries for a place on the Liverpool bench. But the forward rose up to the challenge when he was given the nod to start for his Liverpool side against West Ham United to show what he can do and why he was missed most times by Jurgen Klopp’s side in the season.
He showed composure to make the most of Coutinho’s through ball, round the goalkeeper with some impressive step over before opening the scoring and setting the tone for a perfect day for Liverpool football club away from home.
MAGICAL FEET OF PHILIPPE COUTINHO
The Brazilian was at its best as he rose up to the challenge to give Liverpool a life line with an impressive performance in the game. Despite the absence of his strike partners in Sadio Mane and compatriot(fellow Brazilian teammates) Roberto Firmino, the Brazilian led the way as he put through Daniel Sturridge with an impressive through pass as the English forward made the most of the assist to open the scoring for Liverpool.
The playmaker then put the ball behind the West Ham’s goal for Liverpool second of the game to set the tone for a massive three points for Jurgen Klopp’s side with a mazy run around the host defence.
He later made an imprint in the game when he went past players in the West Ham’s defence before sliding the ball home to make it 3-0 on the road as the Brazilian guided his team to the all important away win despite all odds and pressure attached to the game.
That’s how good the Brazilian forward was as he led Liverpool to a fine finish in the match thus igniting another Barcelona interest for his signature for a possible move in the summer.
LIVERPOOL TEACHES TOTTENHAM
Jurgen Klopp’s men taught title runners up for the second successive season Tottenham Hotspurs how it is done away at West Ham United. May be the London side would have loved to take a clue of how Liverpool did the needful when it matters the most as they took an early lead through forward Daniel Sturridge.
This was unlike Tottenham who fluff their title chances when they lost 1-0 to West Ham United courtesy of a 65th minute effort from Manuel Lanzini which all but ended Tottenham title challenge and chances of catching the Blues as Antonio Conte’s men went 7 points clear to win the League title with two games (against Watford and Sunderland) at home to spare.
What Liverpool did under top four pressures is what Tottenham should have done as the Anfield side got what they deserved to keep their ambitions alive and in the hands going into the last game of the season.
Tottenham have to wait for another season to stand a chance as they failed to get an early lead (goal) to set them up on a positive platform when they took on West Ham away from home as Liverpool did through Daniel Sturridge to ran riot and ensure a comfortable 0-4 (emphatic) win against host West Ham United that Tottenham faltered against in their Premier League pursuit.
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