It was not very convincing, Liverpool were sloppy here and there and used a very slow pace. Hard pins and fierce Villarreal duels in their own half didn’t make the Reds’ job any easier. Thiago was closest to the first goal just before half time. About twenty-five yards of dust filled the intersections.
It took Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli a moment of weakness to beat Liverpool. Rulli tried to save Henderson’s cross, tapping the ball with his fingertips before landing in the center corner. For Anfield Road it didn’t matter how the target fell, as long as it fell.
The resistance broke immediately. Two minutes later, Mané doubled his bet. The Senegalese striker took the lead 2-0 with a difficult pass from Salah.
Rest for Mane and Henderson
Liverpool were clearly looking for the decision – 3-0 meant an almost certain place in the final – but that didn’t happen and then Liverpool slowed down a bit. Even then, Villarreal couldn’t do anything. Fabinho, Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate had no doubts: Villarreal had nothing to gain at Anfield.
Until then, Klopp had dared to replace captain Jordan Henderson and Mane. After all, there are still many important games for Liverpool: a tough away game against Newcastle United and next week the Spurs come to visit. Next week, Liverpool will play the FA Cup final with Chelsea.
Next Tuesday there is a rematch against Villarreal in Spain.
Source: NOS
Smith Charles is a talented entertainment journalist and author at The Nation View. He has a passion for all things entertainment and writes about the latest movies, TV shows, music, and celebrity news. He’s known for his in-depth interviews with actors, musicians, and other industry figures, and his ability to provide unique perspectives on the entertainment industry.
