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Jurgen Klopp highlighted the importance of Takumi Minamino to his Liverpool team by starting with him over Mohamed Salah in a 7-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Japanese international restored the German manager’s faith and helped increase the Reds’ lead at the top of the tree in time for Christmas.
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Minamino’s arrival this time around last year after he traded RB Salzburg for Liverpool. If you had seen their performances that season in the Champions League in particular, you would have been impressed with what you saw. The 25-year-old contributed two goals and three assists, including a goal at Anfield, as Salzburg finished third in a Champions League group with the men of Klopp and Napoli. Added to his exploits in the Champions League, his five goals and six assists in the Austrian Bundesliga made him look like an exceptional bargain at £ 7.25 million.
Although his first year at Anfield probably wasn’t quite the way he would have liked, Klopp has never doubted that he would eventually come out well. When asked about Minamino’s lack of playing time in November, Klopp said his “time will certainly come.” That opportunity came against Palace with his only other Premier League start in a 1-1 draw against Brighton, where he was deployed in a three-man midfield. He struggled to enter the game at Amex Stadium last month, but there were no such problems at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
2:05 – This is Liverpool’s first Premier League goal away (125 seconds) since November 2014, when Rickie Lambert scored after 90 seconds in a match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Repeat. pic.twitter.com/V5f8oFXCWp
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 19, 2020
Klopp even dedicated his show notes before his win over Tottenham to Minamino, saying: “I’m not usually a fan of highlighting people, but I think Taki Minamino is someone I want to highlight. Taki has been great to us since he arrived. His attitude is always of the highest level. The commitment to improvement is total. He has had to be patient and at times I imagine it was quite difficult. His lack of starting opportunities so far is not for anything he is not doing well, it is because the players in his position have been so consistent in their delivery to our club.
But Taki points the way for everyone when it comes to setting an example. He gives everything he has, every day that he is with us. We have used him recently in central midfield and he has accepted it very positively. This is what we need from all of us if we have any chance of having a successful season. When an opportunity presents itself, jump into it. For the team! “
He certainly lunged at Palace. Minamino looked much more comfortable on the left side of a front of three alongside Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, with Salah on the bench. The Japanese international was probably not Liverpool’s best player on the pitch, and Firmino took that accolade, but his contribution was vital. Liverpool opened the scoring through Minamino after just three minutes, his beautiful late finish setting the stage for an impressive victory for the Reds. Palace had a handful of good chances over the next 15-20 minutes and the game could have gone in a different direction if it weren’t for their initial effort. It was Minamino’s first goal in his 18 Premier League appearances and he will be looking forward to many more days like this. In that role, he certainly seems like a great addition to Klopp’s winning machine.
7 – Liverpool’s seven goals were assisted by different players (Mane, Firmino, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Salah, Matip and Oxlade-Chamberlain), the first time in Premier League history that seven different players have attended a goal for a team in a match. Banquet.
– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 19, 2020
Mane, who haunted Palace’s backline throughout, added a wonderful second for Klopp’s men in the 35th minute and has been a terrible afternoon for Roy Hodgson and his team ever since. The Senegalese international ended his longest goalless streak after nine games without scoring. Liverpool’s shot was clinical, but Palace did not appear in the second half as the Reds rampaged. Firmino scored a beautiful third before he and Henderson led the score to 5-0. Salah took two more off the bench and it’s one of the main reasons Minamino will have a hard time getting a consistent spot on his side, injury-free.
This was a performance by the Liverpool champions that has brought them six points behind second-placed Tottenham, who play Leicester City tomorrow. The Reds haven’t been as clinical in recent weeks, but that was more like Liverpool in recent seasons. It’s bad news for Spurs and bad news for the rest of the league, with many saying that the title race could be closer this season. If other clubs don’t respond this weekend, there could be another one-sided title race. It’s up to you guys.
Joe williams
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