Liverpool scored six in their thumping of Leeds on Monday night, but none of the goals were Jurgen Klopp’s favourite moment of the match.
This was much more like it from the Reds in what’s been a very frustrating season for them, with braces from Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota, as well as goals by Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez sealing their dominant win.
They showed the class that fans have come to know and love under the German’s guidance but the moment that pleased Klopp the most was a good old fashioned piece of hard graft from four of his players in stoppage-time.
After Luis Diaz had the ball taken from him, the Colombian, Nunez, Thiago Alcantara, Trent Alexander-Arnold took it upon themselves to win the ball back.
The result was a beautiful chaos as the hunting pack barged Georginio Rutter off the ball to regain possession in a fine showing of counter-pressing.
“I think it’s the best game we’ve played this season from all different perspectives; aspects from the game, controlling the game,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“I heard Jamie speak about errors from Leeds, I think we forced a lot of them.
“It was a really good game, sensational goals and counter-pressing wise it was our best game for I was going to say decades but long ago.
“My favourite situation was in the 92nd minute we lose the ball and four players chase the boy on the ball, the poor boy from Leeds. That was absolutely outstanding and exactly what we wanted.”
Liverpool were levels about Javi Gracia’s men at Elland Road with Gakpo putting them in front on 35 minutes.
Salah’s history-making strike put the Merseysiders 2-0 up at half time but Luis Sinisterra halved Leeds’ deficit after Ibrahima Konate was dispossessed deep in the Liverpool half.
Jota restored Liverpool’s two-goal advantage as he swept home Curtis Jones’ classy through ball before Salah slotted home his second and the away side’s fourth.
Portugal forward Jota, who hadn’t scored for Liverpool in over a year, then got his second of the match with a brilliant first-time finish before Nunez completed the rout.
A top-four push is probably still out of reach for Liverpool despite the brilliant result, however, the display especially in stoppage-time shows there’s still life in this Reds squad.
