After winning their first Premier League title in 30 long years, Liverpool fans around the world were ecstatic. The squad’s performance for the entire season was unmatchable, and no other team stood a chance. Jurgen Klopp’s squad, including some big names like Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, and Alisson Becker, was simply undefeatable. Becker also went on to win the Golden Glove that year and is mentioned in Sportingbet’s list for keeping the highest amount of cleansheets during the 2019/20 season.
The Reds were expected to keep the same energy levels throughout the 2020/21 campaign and achieve the seemingly impossible: two Premier League titles in a row. However, it was Manchester City’s silverware to take. Now that the new season has begun, Liverpool shows promising signs in their first match in the opening weekend.
It seems the renowned Egyptian King is back in form this season, as Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s star striker makes history. Salah scored one goal, setting a Premier League record – he has now scored on a fifth successive PL opening weekend.
-2017-18 vs Watford
-18-19 vs West Ham
-19-20 vs Norwich
-20-21 vs Leeds
-21-22 vs Norwich
Alexander Arnold shot the ball to Salah, who diverted it in Diogo Jota’s pathway, and he scored the opening goal in the 26th minute, giving Liverpool the lead. They were able to double it after half-time, courtesy of Roberto Firmino and an assist by Salah, while Salah himself scored the third goal of the game, setting a record and sealing the deal for the Reds.
Newly-promoted side Norwich simply could not find a chink in the Reds defence, and with Virgil van Dijk back on the field after ten months, it may become increasingly hard to do so for other teams as well.
Unfortunately for Norwich, who have lost 11 Premier League games consecutively, things will not be getting easier. Next weekend, they are set to battle it out against defenders of the title Manchester City and they really have to step up their game.
Jurgen Klopp was well impressed with his squad, and he had a lot of positive things to say about their performance in the post-match press conference.
“What you go for at the start of the season is the result. So, the result depends on the performance obviously. That means we were today absolutely good enough to win the game, and that was the most important thing. It was a very professional performance, what I liked a lot. I said it outside already. I don’t need a 20, 25-minute sensational spell and then losing the game – it makes no sense. You have to be in the game, you have to start the season as we did today – I’m really happy about that. Having an away game against a freshly-promoted team in the fully-packed stadium for the first time, so they celebrate pretty much everything today together or wanted to celebrate, that’s the situation. I’m really, really happy that we played how we played. We can play better, that’s clear.”
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