Manager Jurgen Klopp urged Liverpool supporters not to sing his name after an impressive 4-1 victory over defending Premier League champions Leicester marked the opening of a new-look Anfield in impressive fashion.
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Firmino opened the scoring after 13 minutes in front of the Reds’ redeveloped stadium, slotting home neatly after James Milner’s through ball.
The Premier League champions were handed a glimmer of hope just before half-time when Jamie Vardy took advantage of Lucas’s terrible back pass.
However, Adam Lallana sealed the win by firing a shot into the top corner and Firmino got a second from Mane’s pass.
Saturday’s victory capped a memorable day for Liverpool, who were playing their first home game of the season following the expansion of the club’s Main Stand at Anfield.
Under new manager Antonio Conte, the 2016-17 iteration of Chelsea is, like Liverpool, blessed with the eternal sunshine of the Europe-less mind: UEFA forgetting, and by UEFA forgot. We want to do something but Liverpool won the first ball, the second hall they were inspired tonight. It would be really nice if you could stop please!
To add to Claudio Ranieri’s problems ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League group game with Club Brugge, defender Danny Simpson was taken off injured in the first half.
“It was no-one’s fault and as a team we probably didn’t manage the game as well as we should have at 2-0 and gave them a few sniffs”. When he plays well, the rest of the side seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet going forward. I know it doesn’t sound too smart, but sorry.
“He’s the type of player, yes, we’ve paid a lot of money for him, but two good seasons with us, and he could be smashing world records”. What we did today, those are the things I expect.
“When you lose some players, maybe you lose composure and your way”, he said. We were sloppy and they were at their good side.
“It’s a little bit like celebrating a penalty before you’ve scored”, he added.
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“It’s a good challenge for us, because I know – I don’t know who else knows – but I know we can be really strong”, he said.
