- Norwegian striker has 20 goals this season
- Drew a blank at Anfield
- Was also shut out in Community Shield
WHAT HAPPENED? Two Premier League heavyweights locked horns at Anfield on Sunday, with a solitary strike from Mohamed Salah proving to be the difference in an action-packed encounter. Norwegian superstar Haaland, with 20 goals to his name across all competitions this season, drew a blank on Merseyside – with the efforts of Jurgen Klopp’s defensive unit allowing the likes of Fabinho to focus their attention elsewhere.
WHAT THEY SAID: The Brazil international midfielder has told ESPN of facing one of the most fearsome strikers in world football: "I think that, in my case, I wasn’t so worried about him because I already had Bernardo (Silva), (Ilkay) Gundogan and Foden on my side.I was trying to close the spaces between the lines, then they do the movements very well, so they pass on the back of the full-backs very well. We were working well on the right side with (James) Milner, Joe Gomez, so communication and also understanding with the other players is very important, and I think it worked very well. Then the two defenders played an excellent game, they managed to close Haaland’s spaces well.
“Of course, a player of that quality will always be able to have space, create chances, which is what happened, but Alisson was also very secure, so I’m happy to have managed to close the spaces of a team as good as City."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Liverpool are - along with Bournemouth - one of just two teams that Haaland has failed to score against for City this season, with the Reds also shutting him out in the Community Shield clash at Leicester’s King Power Stadium back in July.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty Images
Getty
Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW? Liverpool have won 23 Premier League games against reigning champions, seven more than any other side. The Reds are unbeaten in their last 14 such home games (W8 D6).
WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL? Klopp’s side, who are now up to eighth in the Premier League table, have a home date with West Ham and a trip to Nottingham Forest to take in this week – with the first of those fixtures taking place on Wednesday.