Virgil van Dijk reaction outside dressing room speaks volumes as five Liverpool changes pay off
Liverpool triumphed against Newcastle in dramatic circumstances. Virgil van Dijk was among the most relieved, but the comeback was no fluke amid clever changes.
Liverpool has made an excellent start to the new Premier League season, taking seven points from a possible nine against Chelsea, Bournemouth and Newcastle in testing circumstances.
Darwin Núñez was the man of the moment at St James’ Park this weekend but Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have also made good starts to life at Anfield and Wataru Endō survived a baptism of fire.
Perhaps the most exciting thing, however, is that there is more to come. Things could have been far more comfortable — not just against Newcastle, but against Bournemouth too — had Liverpool started better and more quickly.
When the defensive third becomes a little more in tune with the other two parts of the pitch, though, Jürgen Klopp’s side will click up another gear. And, of course, a couple more signings in the coming days would really help the cause.
Here’s what Liverpool.com learned and what you might have missed from that incredible win over Newcastle, a team that climbed above the Reds in the Premier League table last season to win the race for the top four and the Champions League places.
One thing we learned
It has not always been the case that Klopp has made the most of his substitutes, but he certainly got them very right here — helped, of course, by the depth and range of players available in reserve.
Núñez, clearly, made his mark on the game, but Harvey Elliott was also very good in his pressing and off-the-ball work and Joe Gomez came in and performed superbly considering the circumstances. Diogo Jota did very well and Jarell Quansah did not look out of place.
Stefan Bajčetić is still to return to the fold and Thiago Alcântara, Curtis Jones and Ibrahima Konaté were all absent here. That would point to lots of different options in the future; even if injuries are inevitable, it bodes well.
Biggest takeaway
Simply put, if Liverpool gets another couple of players in this week who are of the required quality, there is no reason that the Reds cannot challenge at the top. Manchester City is the clear Premier League title favorite but the next-best side is up for grabs.
Yes, Arsenal has spent big, but that does not always lead to big strides forward. Szoboszlai was marginally cheaper than Kai Havertz but there appears to be a gulf in quality between the pair. Mac Allister looks like even more of a bargain compared to the ex-Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea man, who is being converted into an attacking midfielder.
Without more depth at the back, in particular, with Virgil van Dijk now suspended and Konaté currently injured, Liverpool might struggle to compete with Pep Guardiola’s team. Get that right, though, and the rest of the team is incredibly exciting.
A moment you might have missed
It was not an easy afternoon for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who could have been sent off (albeit referee John Brookes should have awarded him a free-kick before he threw the ball away in disgust). He also gave away the opening goal.
But while the Newcastle supporters attempted to get on his back (and also to pressure the referee into giving him a second yellow card), the Liverpool vice-captain stood strong and ultimately got the last laugh.
