Liverpool ended a run of four successive Premier League defeats and scored their 7,000th top-flight goal during a victory at Sheffield United that moves them within two points of a Champions League place.
Blades goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale produced a string of fine saves to frustrate Liverpool in the first half as the Reds' recent lack of cutting edge in front of goal looked set to continue.
But 20-year-old Curtis Jones showed the clinical touch his team-mates had been missing to break the hosts' resolve shortly after the interval.
Roberto Firmino's effort then deflected off Kean Bryan and over a stranded Ramsdale as Liverpool doubled their lead with the club's 7,000th goal in England's top division.
The Reds are only the second team to achieve that landmark, after Merseyside rivals Everton who have scored 7,108.
The victory keeps Jurgen Klopp's side sixth in the table and they are now two points behind West Ham in fourth.
Sheffield United were competitive throughout and Oliver McBurnie may have done better when he headed wide while unmarked from Oliver Norwood's cross.
But the bottom-placed Blades will now have to produce an unprecedented recovery if they are to remain in the Premier League this season.
Reds return to winning ways
It is only eight months since Liverpool clinched their first league title for 30 years but Klopp's side have had to alter their ambitions this season and now find themselves in a battle to make the top four and secure Champions League qualification.
The Reds have already suffered as many defeats in 2021 as they did in their previous 100 top-flight fixtures but a trip to the division's bottom side proved the perfect tonic for ending a four-match losing run.
It began as another frustrating evening for the Reds when they found Ramsdale in inspired form, and the visitors' failure to find the net before the break means they have only scored one first-half goal in their past 11 Premier League games.
But Klopp insisted this week his squad does not require a "massive rebuild" this summer and the German will therefore be looking towards the younger players to show they can be counted on.
Midfielder Jones did just that during another competent display when he picked out the bottom corner after Sheffield United failed to clear Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross to open the scoring.
Firmino then engineered a shot on goal after some smart footwork and the ball found its way in off Bryan to wrap-up the three points for Liverpool with 26 minutes to go.
Klopp will also be delighted with his side's first clean sheet away from home in eight league matches, despite having to make more changes at the back.
He named a 14th different centre-back partnership in the league in Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips, and Adrian replaced Alisson in goal following the death of the Brazilian's father this week, but the visitors dealt with the Blades' threat comfortably.
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق