This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Liverpool just about squeezed past Aston Villa on Saturday in the Premier League.
The Reds were 1-0 down against the Villans going into the last few minutes of normal time, and it looked as though they could be on their way to their first league loss of the season. That, of course, was until Andrew Robertson equalised. Then, before we knew it, the Anfield outfit had taken the lead thanks to Sadio Mane’s header.
Watch the moment Adam Lallana broke United hearts at Old Trafford in the video below…
This is what some would be inclined to call “a performance of champions” – when a team does not play to the best of their ability yet still manage to prevail and pick up vital points. Over the course of a 38-game season, there will be several days when such displays are needed.
This late victory is somewhat of an anomaly so far this term.
This campaign, the Reds have scored 13 and conceded four in the first 45 minutes, compared to 12 and five in the second half. Last season, though, it was a very different story. After the interval, they scored 51 and shipped 12, compared to 38 and 10 in the first period. As such, the Reds were six points worse off in regards to their first-half performance compared with their second.
Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Generally, champions dominate, and to do so, they must come out of the blocks flying. This is clearly something that the former Borussia Dortmund boss has tried to instil into his team this campaign as they go in search of their first league title in 30 years.
Between the 15th and 45th minutes, particularly, the Merseyside outfit have been impressive, scoring nine goals and conceding just two in response.
Man City, meanwhile, have been slightly better in the second half, with a record of +14 compared to plus +10 preceding the break. That is a reversal of the past season, with a record of +38 in the first half compared to +34 in the second. That ended up having a telling impact on the final outcome of the league campaign, and Liverpool’s efficiency in the first half has given them the advantage so far this time out.
Yes, these late victories are sometimes required, but a title championship cannot be founded on picking up late points.
Klopp and co must ensure that they continue to be efficient in the first 45 minutes as it could end up making all the difference in the title race.
