There was a response from the Kop when we were 3-2 down against Fulham and it then became a different atmosphere inside Anfield from that point onwards. It shows you the impact of the Kop, Anfield and what it can do for the players. It will continue to be massive for us throughout the season.
All Liverpool need to do is keep on winning games and see where it takes them. Manchester City’s result against Tottenham Hotspur adds spice to the title race as they are stuttering a little bit. Long may it continue. Kevin De Bruyne continues to be a major loss for them as he makes them tick. Their loss of form could also be a hangover of last year’s treble, which has happened to other teams in the past after a hugely successful campaign. Look at what Liverpool did after nearly winning the quadruple in 2021/22, we followed that up by going without a trophy last season. It can take its toll on you, mentally. In the 80s, Liverpool were expected to win and the pressure was always on. Ronnie Moran would give you your medals after you won the league and would then tell you to put that in your cupboard and to go again next year. It kept you on your toes.
Arsenal don’t look to be going anywhere, meanwhile, and remain at the top of the table. People are talking about our meeting with them at Anfield on December 23 as a massive game, and rightly so, but Sheffield United away on Wednesday is arguably even bigger. Notoriously, we slip up against teams lower down in the table.
We have to defend better than we did on Sunday against Fulham, make no mistake about it. Sheffield United are going to sit back and do what Luton did, so we should know what to expect. We were very wasteful and poor that day and can’t afford for a repeat of that. Sheffield United are expected to sack their manager before our game with them, which only adds to the intrigue, and that could well give them a lift as you see it so often with clubs that make a managerial change. If their players suddenly put more effort in, then they have been cheating the club and their fans. If it takes a new manager to get them up and going, that’s not acceptable. It will have an impact of some sort, but we just have to focus on winning our battles on the pitch.
We have seen Liverpool come from behind to win a number of games this season and that trend continued again at the weekend. The players have got a great mentality and it’s showing time and time again. What we are proving by doing this is that we have to be considered genuine title contenders.
