Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says reaching the League Cup final is all that matters as he prepares for the second leg of the semi with Stoke City.
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The buoyant Canaries were then ahead just before the break and it was a special moment on his debut for Naismith as the former Everton man fired across Mignolet and into the far corner after being played in by a clever pass from Wes Hoolahan.
Just when Norwich appeared to have nicked the points, however, the game’s momentum turned on a dime again as Jordan Henderson volleyed home Nathaniel Clyne’s low cross from the center of the box in the fifty-fourth minute.
Norwich swiftly reduced the deficit back to 4-3 as Allcock’s header went in off the underside of the crossbar.
“A lot of people will look at the defence but it’s the whole way through the side”.
If comparing the current Liverpool team to the title challenging one under Rodgers two years ago then clearly they have gone backwards, but they did so under the Northern Irishman, which led to him being sacked. The hosts were straight back into it though when the Reds inability to effectively clear a corner ended with Dieumerci Mbokani scoring with a cheeky back-heeled effort.
There’s no question as to who’s Liverpool’s most in-form player right now. Hoolahan converted the penalty. Things got a little too extreme for one member of the Liverpool mosh-pit, however – Klopp’s trademark glasses.
It went from bad to worse for Norwich as Martin inexplicably passed back in the direction of Rudd without looking.
Bassong finished superbly from 22 yards for what he thought was the equaliser.
Because it’s Liverpool, of course Norwich would score in stoppage time.
“The first (Norwich) goal, with the heel, you have to be offside if you stay there”.
It’s a match many of us may remember for the rest of our lives.
Only following Norwich’s third goal did the away side begin to wake up and take responsibility in the game. Alan Hansen will be glad he does not have to analyse the defending having now retired from the Match of the Day sofa.
“It was very important that we could strike back because we were really angry with ourselves at half time that it was again like this”. When they scored in the 92nd or 93rd minute, you think it’s going to be one of those days. A massive three points for us.
“It’s disappointing to concede from another set-piece. A great finish from the lads”. It was not easy today.
But that set the stage for Saturday’s heart-stopping finale, which left the always emotional Klopp beside himself with frustration and then jumping for joy.
His tone became more sharp as he sent out a message to his players that they need to change their mentality.
“We felt we deserved a point, so there’s real disappointment when you can’t see the game out with two minutes to go”. Our first 15 minutes in the game…I don’t have the words for this.
Asked about the joyous scenes which greeted Liverpool’s first Barclays Premier League win of 2016, Klopp said: “I don’t know, I saw nothing”.
“We managed to score four goals at home and that should mean three points”, Neil said.
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He said: “We were good value for 3-1”.
