Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Momentum is building for Liverpool under Andoni Iraola. Their victory over Brighton made it four in a row in all competitions. It's eight in 10 going back to the start of September.
They had to ride their luck at times at Anfield. Yasin Ayari should have put Brighton in front before their opener. But the hosts were rewarded for attacking quickly and directly, in the style of their head coach.
They are starting to look like an Iraola team. Liverpool won possession in the final third five times - their second-highest total in the Premier League this season. Iraola values speed and incisiveness above possession, so the fact they had only 36 per cent of the ball is unlikely to concern him.
Instead, he will take satisfaction from the contributions of his forwards. Bradley Barcola provided an assist for a second straight Premier League game, this time having been swapped to the right flank. Alexander Isak led the line with another clinical display.
Florian Wirtz had bright moments too, taking the shot that forced the opening goal before coming off in the second half, while Rio Ngumoha, their star man in the midweek win over Villarreal, was only needed for a quarter of an hour with Cody Gakpo also impressing. Liverpool did the damage in the first half and failed to capitalise on counter-attacking openings after the break. But Iraola will take encouragement that his messages are landing with the players in the way their playing.
"I'm liking a lot of things," he told Sky Sports.Nick Wright Crystal Palace need to decide what sort of club they want to be over the next few weeks. If Pierre Sage is to pay the price for another damaging defeat, the priority should not be finding another progressive footballing philosopher. It should be finding someone who can stop the rot.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
