Liverpool vs Norwich City: Red start in style, suffer Alisson injury blow

August 11, 2019 Contributing Editor European Leagues, News, Premier League
Mohamed Salah Liverpool Norwich
Mohamed Salah Scoring second goal against Norwich
Liverpool vs Norwich City: Red start in style, suffer Alisson injury blow European Leagues News Premier League
Mohamed Salah Scoring second goal against Norwich

Liverpool: Grant Hanley, Own Goal (7″), Mohamed Salah (19″), Virgil van Dijk(28″), Divock Origi (42)

Norwitch City: Teemu Pukki (64″)

Liverpool beat Norwitch City 4-1 in style. Liverpool appeared to have a perfect start till 36th minute as they were up against the opponent 3-0. But then, taking a routine goal-kick, the goalkeeper Alisson slipped. He looks to have a pain in calf strain. While the precise nature of the problem remains unclear, the fear is that he could miss several weeks of the season. The injury certainly have overshadowed a comfortable 4-1 victory.

The only positive for Liverpool as well as Alisson, is that the goalie did not need a stretcher but was able to walk off, after treatment and with help, to limp off. That meant an early debut for Adrian, who only completed his free transfer to Liverpool earlier in the week after the previous backup, Simon Mignolet, left the club for Club Brugge.  The 32-year-old Spaniard did not start a single league game last season and hadn’t played in a competitive fixture since West Ham’s FA Cup fourth-round defeat to AFC Wimbledon in January.

Liverpool had a perfect start in Premier League as they beat Norwich 4-1 in Anfield. Adrian had only 20 touches in rest one hour on the pitch and was barely involved he faced Moritz Leitner in 63 minutes. He was saved by the post that time. Regarding the goal he could do little, as Teemu Pukki converted Emi Buendia’s through-ball two minutes later.

Alisson Injury

Adrian is a fine goalkeeper, has significant role to play if Liverpool have to do fare in Premier league. Although he could hardly be blamed if he were a little rusty. He does not have Alisson’s ability with his feet which is vital to how Liverpool play. Alisson has been comfortable in operating outside his box, almost as an auxiliary playmaker, sweeping in the space behind the back four. It would be interesting to see how this change in key position affect the Super Cup final.

The Match

It took just seven minutes for Grant Hanley to deflect a Divock Origi cross into his own net and a neat Mohamed Salah finish had as good as ended the game as a contest after 19 minutes. Virgil van Dijk headed a third from a corner before an unmarked Origi glanced in a fourth before halftime. A refusal to compromise his principles may be admirable, but there will surely have to be tweaks if there are not to be similarly hefty defeats to Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom Norwich also face in the next five weeks.

There is a wider issue here too. The last domestic season ended with Manchester City smashing Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final and it did nothing to dampen concerns about the growing gulf between top and bottom of the league that this season should start in similar fashion. Liverpool, in truth, could have easily have extended its lead in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half before rather switching off, and there were chances at both ends after Pukki’s goal.

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