Wijnaldum wants Promes at Liverpool

“The goal made it hard against a team who use the counter attack like a master”, said the City manager.

Chelsea’s record-equalling 13th consecutive victory against Stoke City earlier on Saturday left their closest challengers looking at respective nine and 10-point deficits when they kicked off at Anfield, although this did nothing to tiresome Liverpool’s senses as Georginio Wijnaldum headed them into an ultimately decisive early lead. “It is unbelievably hard this league but we can not have a look at Chelsea, they are unbelievably strong and they are on an outstanding run”.

And the remainder of the first half very much belonged to Liverpool, with Klopp’s gameplan working to perfection.

Pep Guardiola confronts one of the few opposition managers to have regularly outwitted him when Manchester City visit Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the Premier League’s stand-out New Year’s Eve fixtures.

Their boss Mark Hughes had never won away to Liverpool as a manager in the Premier League but Stoke had their hosts on the ropes for a while after going in front. He was probably aware 100 per cent of the big challenge.

The Liverpool manager had spoken in frustration of the financial superiority enjoyed by Guardiola’s Bayern Munich, which allowed them to recruit the best players produced and developed by Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund. – Adam Lallana has been involved in more goals than any other midfielder in the Premier League this season (7 goals, 6 assists).

It was Lallana’s seventh assist of the season – he has also scored seven – that set up Wijnaldum. On the wing, Adam Lallana is brimming with confidence, his ideal cross for Georgino Wijnaldum’s eighth-minute goal being the best moment of a sparkling display.

While Liverpool was pressing with rhythm, the visitors looked ragged. He is back and a good striker, obviously.

The Manchester City loanee, who’s spending this season at Torino in Serie A, has been linked with a move to Anfield as Jurgen Klopp’s side struggle with their goalkeepers.

Indeed, in City’s 3-0 loss at Anfield in March Sterling was substituted at half-time after a woeful first 45 minutes having seen his every touch booed by the home fans. Fortunately for Klopp it wasn’t necessary.

Liverpool are still sweating over Jordan Henderson, we’re yet to hear back from Lverpool’s medical staff but I’m sure there will be some clarification in the pre or post-match interview with Klopp.

“I’ve said enough about the fixtures and we accepted it long ago”. I’m happy about our situation in the table at the moment, but we don’t care who is around.

“We were not quite as good in possession as we should have been We defended really well but we were not as confident with the ball”. It was kind of a wild game.