Liverpool recently achieved something they haven’t done since the Jurgen Klopp era. This comes at a good time as this important issue has been resolved. A football match can be turned upside down in an instant.
Liverpool’s recent win provided a great case study in this phenomenon. As the clock ticked down to the 74th minute at Crystal Palace last weekend, the Reds were one goal behind and not having a shot on the board.
But as they chased an equaliser, Jordan Ayew brought down Harvey Elliott and was sent off in far less controversial circumstances than the commentators and pundits had suggested.
In the next game, Ibrahima Konate scored a free kick and Liverpool equalized after about 30 seconds. From that point on, it looked like there could only be one winner, and that was it. It was fortunate that Reds were able to attack quickly after Ayew was sent off. Palace defended well and limited Liverpool to few chances.
With a leader and a man behind it, it’s clear they are determined to protect what they have. Liverpool needed to score quickly if they had any real hope of winning.
The clash at Selhurst Park was a success that at least inspired Liverpool as they overcame 10 opponents to start the campaign, although they needed a goal when outnumbered.
Ashley Young was sent off in the first half of October’s Merseyside derby and needed 40 minutes to break the deadlock. When it comes to disciplinary matters, Liverpool are 4-1 with 10 men in 2023/24 and 4-0 against red-carded teams.
While the former looks impressive, the latter is a dramatic improvement over recent seasons. The last seven times United have had a one-man advantage dating back to the 2023/24 season, the score has remained unchanged between broadcast and full-time, for a total of 381 minutes (including stoppage time).
In most cases, it wasn’t a problem because there was lead. The only two highlights in the competition during this period were Liverpool’s 2-0 and 5-0 wins against Newcastle and Manchester United respectively. But this testing period has put the spotlight on a team that has always struggled to overcome unfavorable opposition.
Despite scoring in previous games, the goals included two penalties from Mohamed Salah (against Chelsea and Atletico Madrid) and Sadio Mane’s 92nd-minute goal against Leeds. Liverpool were still 2–0 up at the time.
