Milner masterclass: Five things learned as Liverpool trounce West Ham

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Liverpool got their season off to the perfect start by dispatching West Ham 4-0 at Anfield.

The Reds, tipped by some as strong contenders for the Premier League, were at their ruthless best under Jurgen Klopp.

It was the usual suspects who inflicted pain on Manuel Pellegrini’s new-look side. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and the forgotten Daniel Sturridge doing the damage.

Klopp and company atop of the embryonic league table, before the late kick-off between Arsenal and champions Manchester City, but where they are placed this early is unlikely to bother the affable German tactician.

Here are five things we learned from a performance that will have put everyone on notice.

Mane writes history

Despite bagging 20 goals across 44 matches in all competitions last season Mane wasn’t always the man on everyone’s lips in Merseyside.

Sharing the pitch with Salah, a force of nature, unfortunately ensured that but it doesn’t belittle his importance.

For today, at least, the headlines belongs to him. His opening goal, on the stroke of halftime, saw him equal a feat last achieved nearly three decades ago.

Mane became the first Liverpool player to score in three consecutive opening top-flight matches since John Barnes between 1989-90 and 1991-92. He’s also the seventh to do so in the Premier League era and first whilst representing the Reds.

Mo is up and running

It didn’t take long for last season’s player of the year to get his name on the score sheet.

West Ham, under new management, were able to keep Mohamed Salah quiet for 18 minutes before the irresistible Egyptian winger popped up to put Liverpool in front with the simplest of finishes.

It brings his league tally for 2018 to 16 goals across 16 matches. To put that into some perspective only the ‘big two’ Lionel Messi (19) and Cristiano Ronaldo (22) have registered more top flight goals this year across Europe’s leading ten divisions.

A subdued beginning

All eyes were on the Hammers’ new summer recruits at Anfield with new boss Manuel Pellegrini handing five players their official debuts from the get-go.

The most high profile were Jack Wilshere and record signing Felipe Anderson but they were, to put it bluntly, overwhelmed. Neither were allowed to be their natural selves as Liverpool’s pressing game was too much.

Of course, one has to factor their situation, playing against one of the early title favourites isn’t easy particularly when Pellegrini’s men are still in a rebuilding phase.

However, for a while there was someone who did provide a semblance of encouragement, new goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański – who swapped Swansea City for east London – keeping the scoreline respectable, but even in the end he was blown away. By conceding four he’s now shipped in nine goals on his last two visits to Anfield.

Liverpool’s flying full-back

There were some eyebrows raised when acquired the services of Andrew Robertson from relegated Hull City last summer. A year later and the Scottish left-back now stands among the Premier League’s finest in his role.

Not just from a defensive standpoint, but what he offers going forward, and that was perfectly illustrated when he teed up Salah to put the Reds in front. His first assist of the season and there’s surely more to come. He managed five in England’s top-flight last season only Ben Davies (6) produced more from a full-back position.

Milner’s passing masterclass

Since turning up at Anfield following a successful five-year spell with Manchester City it’s fair to say James Milner has been indispensable member of Liverpool’s playing staff.

The former England international, who came through at Leeds United all those years ago, can be described as a “jack of all trades” having been utilised in no fewer than five different positions – left-back, defensive midfielder, right midfielder, central midfielder and left midfielder – under Jurgen Klopp and his predecessor Brendan Rodgers.

Against the Hammers he found himself in central midfield, where he calls home, alongside Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum which only led to him expressing himself as he attempted 102 passes, 23 more than the next best on the pitch, completing 95 of those (giving him a 93% success rate) whilst creating two of the Reds goals in the process.

The post Milner masterclass: Five things learned as Liverpool trounce West Ham appeared first on Squawka News.



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