Liverpool have found a repeat from Man Utd but is it too late for  Champions League hopes? 

Liverpool beat Man Utd 7-0 and finally found the wherewithal to beat Leeds United for six 44 days later, but it’s too late to reignite their Champions League hopes

It really is feast or famine for this Liverpool side.

Finally, 44 days after their historic 7-0 victory over arch-rivals Manchester United, they won again. And likewise… at the home of another eternal ‘enemy’ in the eternal Northern Triangle, Leeds.

If that wasn’t as audacious as Manchester’s club record-breaking dismissal, it was just as convincing: Mo Salah and Diogo Jota both scored twice as they grabbed a sensational six against Leeds here at Elland Road.

If the win suggests – following their 5-1 defeat here a week ago – the Yorkshire club look increasingly vulnerable in the vicious relegation scandal at the foot of the table, then it speaks to what could have been for the uneven Reds. Between those two big wins, there were five games without a win, and in most of them they looked like they were lost. But the nature of these two incredible end-of-the-book performances shows that with a little inspiration, they can be truly devastating.

It was only their fourth away win of the season and comes far too late to revive Champions League hopes. The reason? Prior to this one-sided game, Liverpool hadn’t actually scored a goal away from any of the teams currently in the bottom half of the Premier League this season. And for the first half hour you could see why. In fact, the first five minutes showed their troubles throughout the season. They looked pretty good during that period with 80 assists to Leeds’ 12, but it was the home side who created the first chance for Rodrigo who should have scored.

And Leeds continued to equalize more from snatches of possession, with Luis Sinisterra close – Liverpool, despite all their possession, looked strained, overconfident in their movement and passing.

But after 35 minutes, the game turned… with yet another controversial referee decision playing such a crucial role in the outcome. This time the VAR didn’t even intervene, which begs the question, what is it for?

Trent Alexander-Arnold clearly used his arm to stop Junior Firpo’s pass, referee Craig Pawson didn’t see it, and after some crafty exchanges with Salah, the Liverpool defender stabbed home for Gakpo. Predictably, the attack was too far behind in movement for the VAR to control.

He sucked the life out of a Leeds side still reeling from their 5-1 home defeat to Palace, and it was no surprise that they conceded again just four minutes later, with their home nerves so frayed, when Jota Weston McKennie he stole before feeding Salah for burial. the finish line with his dear left foot. Liverpool offered a brief lifeline just after the break with a shocking error that lifted the atmosphere and the players as Luis Sinisterra finished softly after stealing Ibrahima Konate.

However, Leeds forgot how to tackle midfield and five minutes past that lifeline which is a recipe for relegation. Curtis Jones was allowed to skip two weak challenges to fire Jota to wrap a fine finish past Illan Meslier.

Game after game, the game was (again) over and Salah added the fourth after another sweeping move to show that with that rare quality of confidence, Liverpool are still a team. They could be notable next season in the Europa Conference League.

Leeds crumbled and Liverpool showed their undisputed class as Salah scored again after another devastating move. And when Jota scored again in the 74th minute before Sub Nunez finished with a sixth, it highlighted the fragility of a Leeds side who – having come close to being pummeled twice in a week – looks suspicious as if they would believe him. they are doomed.

Also..

 5 talking points from Leeds 1-6 Liverpool as Diogo Jota finally back on the scoresheet

Liverpool produced their best away game of the calendar year by beating Leeds 6-1, with Diogo Jota finally back on the scoresheet.

Leeds United 1-6 Liverpool

Diaz is back but why not Darwin?

Finally returning to the match day squad was our best player on the pitch by far to start the season, Luis Diaz.

The Colombian was a huge failure, even taking away his scoring potential and technical level from him: he works relentlessly, is powerful and absolutely fast, all huge factors that have left the grim Reds without enough of this period.

He only had ten minutes but received a big round of applause from the crowd and a warm welcome from his team mates. And then there’s Darwin Nunez. The club’s record-signing potential has been on the periphery of late, not with his usual chaotic impact on matches, but also without starting them.

Despite a lack of goals and progress in recent games, there have been no drastic changes up front and Jurgen Klopp clearly feels the Uruguayan has work to do to get back into line-up.

Perhaps the goal for him in stoppage time will help confidence there too.

The curious case of Jota

Half an hour after the match, one question surely arises: Should Diogo Jota be on the pitch? The Portuguese striker has been out for a long time with an injury affecting his speed of movement and, frankly, he hasn’t gotten back on his feet since his return.

He feels heavy and slow in turns or in the…deep breath…sprint, has no foot movement around it and technically it’s all over the place.

Bad passes, running into players, inability to deal with his markers and no goal threat – Jota is miles away from his old predatory self, let alone one who could contribute significantly in an underperforming team.

And then he steps up to score a crucial second goal and scores the third and fifth himself.

Jota covered quite a bit of ground after regaining possession, though the pass was poorly placed and weighed down: Salah’s sharpness transformed the assist, spinning and shooting in the first. His finishing wasn’t bad or bad though, with a run and first goal ending a more than a year and goalless drought – hopefully this can be a stepping stone to a better and more consistent one.

Diaz’s return will bring real pressure after a few outings – but he certainly looks like a Klopp favourite.

An away win?!

Incredible – Liverpool took three Premier League points that didn’t come to Anfield!

It was the first time we had done it since mid-February; Removing FA Cup games or those where the opposition goalkeeper was sent off in the first 25 minutes is our first real away win since Boxing Day.

It’s been five defeats, two draws and just one win at Newcastle since that Aston Villa game, making it a hugely welcome return to form.

At least as important, however, is what comes next. The Reds must face West Ham, Leicester and Southampton away from home before the end of the season.

They are all poor, two in the bottom three. These are all teams we normally wipe the floor with. It has to happen, now we have rediscovered how to play with the front foot, score goals and somehow win.

The unlikely resurgence of Curtis Jones

A few unusual things happened that night, including goals from Jota and the road win, but another came in the form of an assist from Curtis Jones. In short, it was more than deserved.

After barely resting for months, Jones has now entered his final three league games in a row and has earned himself a place in Klopp’s restructured midfield (again).

His chance may have come this time through injuries suffered by others, but he made the most of it with controlled and accomplished – and laborious – performances.

Here comes the final product, and it’s on the merits side at the moment – notably ahead of Thiago.

Can we continue? We’ve had some big wins this season. They’re great, but we try to be consistent.

The last time we beat a team – Man United, remember? ! – we went on and lost to relegation-threatened Bournemouth immediately afterwards.

Liverpool can no longer afford it. Next up is Nottingham Forest at home, a truly winnable and must-have game if we still have any hope of finishing in the top four. There’s no real reason why we shouldn’t, given Newcastle and Spurs’ defeats and dismal performances over the weekend, but Brighton and Aston Villa are now in much better form too.

Indeed, three points here don’t exactly lift Liverpool out of eighth place. All we can do now is keep winning, especially with four of our next five games at Anfield.

Points are needed to win and when we do we will climb that ranking. Maybe it’s not all over yet.