This was Liverpool’s sixth away game this season and the Anfield side were business like from the first whistle. The Reds made several changes (seven to be precise) to the side which won at Stamford Bridge and were rewarded with goals from centre-back Ragnar Klavan, Philippe Coutinho and Divock Origi. The only objection that Klopp might have from this display were the bookings picked up by Alberto Moreno and Marko Grujic.
Derby was outplayed for the entirety of the game and only saves from young goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell were responsible for keeping the score-line to a respectable margin.
#1 Brazillian duo mesmerise the Rams
Roberto Firmino may have missed out on the Friday win, but here the Brazilian was back to his thrilling best. Combining with Coutinho, he tormented the Derby defence and the icing on his display was the exquisite pass to pick out his fellow Brazilian for the goal, which extended Liverpool’s lead.
The second goal may have been initiated by Coutinho, but it was Firmino’s pass which pierced the defence, a pass almost similar to the goal at the Etihad last season.
His constant tormenting of the defenders down the right side of Derby’s defence didn’t make for pleasant viewing for the home side but was enthralling for other viewers. His victims, Richard Keogh and Cyrus Christie, often struggled to stand their ground as Firmino made merry.
The only solace for the Derby defenders is that Firmino didn’t get on the score-sheet himself.
#2 Derby County’s toothless attack didn’t do them any favours
Darren Bent led the line gamely but it wasn’t his fault that Derby failed to score. His isolated presence at the top meant that he was a very sporadic threat. A look at the match statistics doesn’t lie about Derby’s performance on the night.
With only 4 shots in reply to Liverpool’s 16 out of which only 2 were on target represents a 50% accuracy which is good considering the score line. However, as English league football’s lowest scorers showed, it was the gap in quality among players, which was responsible for the score-line rather than poor performances from any individuals.
Derby struggled to mark the Brazilians and must do better to prevent goals such as the Coutinho one, where he was allowed to run freely from the half line and be at the receiving end of a one-two which he had started. These type of unhindered runs is what makes a manager’s blood boil and Derby would need to rectify such errors.
#3 Jurgen Klopp’s seriousness reflected by team selection
The German led the team to the finals of this competition last time around. With no European football on offer, the former Borussia Dortmund manager believes that Liverpool has the squad to compete at full strength in the cups.
While he may have made seven changes to the squad, the team’s playing style wasn’t affected. Instead, his faith in the changed squad was reposed by goal scorers Klavan, Origi and Coutinho.
The German has brought a lot of change to the club and his ability to present the entire team as a family has helped him tap into some of the unutilised potential of the players. His captain, Henderson can be the most primary example of this. After a stunning goal on Friday night, Jordan Henderson followed that up with a more calming performance in midfield.
Instead, alongside Lucas, he curbed his runs and let the forwards do their thing as he only made occasional forays into the box. Moreno’s defensive display was also a boost and with Loris Karius making his debut, a clean sheet was the icing on a very masterful display.
#4 Nigel Pearson needs to make a number of changes
Derby, who have been struggling in 20th position in the English second tier, looked a side devoid of ideas and concentration. They have already made a hash of their start to the season having failed to score in seven of their eleven matches and were bundled out of the League cup after a very poor display.
Pearson speaking to the press after the game did acknowledge the gulf in class and spoke about progress being a necessity for the club. In his view, the goals could have been avoided as there were all the results of some mistake or the other.
Speaking to the press, Pearson stated, "All of the goals had an element of we could have done better, so that is frustrating. Mistakes cost you dearly against sides like this. After that it is damage limitation to make sure it is not an embarrassment.", as reported by BBC Football.
Pearson whose time at Leicester resulted in the making of a squad which went on to become the Premier League Champions knows he will have to start from scratch in order to achieve the same success.
#5 Attacking flair complements defensive solidarity
Composure, a word often associated with teams which show mental fragility. There has been a need to improve the composure of some of the players at Anfield ever since the German’s arrival. The lapses in concentration are becoming fewer and the mistakes are being curtailed and this run of results has led to a new energy engulfing the squad.
This was the 19th goal they netted this season with Klavan becoming the 10th different goal scorer. The team may be short on individual superstars who can run the game on their own but as a team; Klopp is slowly turning them into a world-class unit. Different goal scorers mean a variety of options to attack with and a flexible plan.
Klavan’s performance combined with Grujic’s confident display should fill the squad with more belief. The additional appearances of Danny Ings and Emre Can cannot be discounted as well. The late introduction of Ovie Ejaria, a youth academy product, shows a coach willing to invest in the future while keeping his eye on the ball.
