Fabinho reminder as Klopp bravery rewarded
It was a moment that encapsulated the respective performance of the two seasoned Brazilian warriors.
With 89 minutes on the clock and Manchester City pouring forward, Fernandinho pushed towards the Liverpool half, only to be unceremoniously and comfortably stripped of possession by Fabinho, prompting huge cheers from the travelling Kop.
What a difference a week makes. Fabinho had alarmingly poor at the Etihad last Sunday, regularly bypassed and appearing to lack mobility and reactions. It’s difficult to remember a less effective game from him in a Liverpool shirt.
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But with no Kevin De Bruyne – clearly unfit despite being named on the City bench – snapping at his heels and Liverpool collectively far more confident in their decision-making from the get-go, Wembley saw the true Fabinho, providing protection for the back four, sniffing out danger and feeding his team-mates.
And when City began to probe in the second half, they found the Liverpool midfielder blocking their path time and again.
Jurgen Klopp, then, was justified with the brave decision to field the same attack-minded starting line-up that saw off Benfica in Lisbon less than a fortnight earlier. But it would not have been rewarded without Fabinho. The ‘lighthouse’ is shining again.
Trent truth exposed
Among football’s modern-day myths, it’s right up there: Trent Alexander-Arnold cannot defend.
Sure, with 18 assists this season, there are few if any players in world football who can produce going forward from right-back, a position he has helped redefine in the modern era.
But when it comes to the nitty-gritty, the hard yards, the dirty stuff, the things that don’t capture the headlines, he is regularly found wanting. Apparently.
Hopefully the last week has put paid to that lie. Having helped quell Phil Foden at the Etihad, Alexander-Arnold again managed to subdue the City dangerman, whose contribution was minimal.
No player made more tackles than the Liverpool defender who, while playing a more reserved role, nevertheless was able to pick his moments going forward, not least an outrageous crossfield pass for Luis Diaz in the build-up to Sadio Mane’s winning strike.
On the other flank, Andy Robertson swept in another assist for Ibrahima Konate to power in his third header in as many starts, but will be disappointed with his role in City’s two goals.
Virgil van Dijk, meanwhile, was strangely below par, proof that even the very best can have an off-day. For Alexander-Arnold, though, this was a reminder he’s more than just a creative force.
Liverpool’s perfect goal and goalkeeper
There’s no such thing as a bad goal for Jurgen Klopp. Some, though, are enjoyed more than others.
And for good reason the Liverpool manager was thrilled with the manner of his team’s second here, a strike that showcased a quality he has instilled since day one at Anfield.
The Reds had come close earlier in the season when Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was caught dallying only for Sadio Mane to inadvertently handle the ball before netting.
But there was to be no such fortune for City reserve goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 17 th minute, spooked when put under pressure by Mane near his goalline before the Senegalese effectively tackled the ball into the net.
The perfect goal? Perhaps not. The perfect Klopp goal? Most definitely, even if the Reds boss was regretful it had happened to a young goalkeeper.
That, though, was a narrative of this game, the travails of the stand-in shot-stopper echoing Liverpool’s last visit to Wembley for the League Cup final against Chelsea. Steffen was surprisingly chosen ahead of Ederson and was unconvincing before his howler. He never truly recovered.
At the other end, Alisson Becker, unemployed first half, made two crucial saves to deny Gabriel Jesus. This, like every Liverpool success under Klopp, was a team effort from front to back. Another final awaits.
