One curse lifted and Matip is ahead of Richarlison – 4 things Liverpool fans are talking about

One curse lifted and Matip is ahead of Richarlison – 4 things Liverpool fans are talking about

Liverpool continued their winning form by beating West Ham 2-1 in a bustling London stadium to move closer to a European place next season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side won their third consecutive league game for the first time since December, thanks to a superb strike from Cody Gakpo and a powerful header from Joel Matip.

Liverpool are now level with this weekend’s opponents Tottenham but are still six behind Manchester United, who are fourth with two games to play.

There have been many positive performances against the Hammers – here are four things fans are talking about.

Win with the disco kit!

A by-product of Liverpool’s shocking form away this season is the negative association fans now have with the away game this season. In total, Klopp’s side have played in the shirt six times, winning once, drawing once and losing four times.

Finally a victory in a disco kit before his retirement! Good three points that??? #LFC

— Charlotte Coates (@CACoates96) April 26, 2023

Disco Inferno

Does Liverpool finally win in a disco shirt?

FT: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/HFvRQKYyqy

– Spy Kop? (@TheKopHQ) April 26, 2023

Big away win – finally lifting the disco jersey curse!

Too bad it’s a little late now, but something to build on.

— BN LFC (@BN_LFC) April 27, 2023

I’m warming up with the migraine disco kit! https://t.co/ryKhwpUYaa

— Sally (@SalligatorLFC) April 26, 2023

We won in disco kit!! ? #LFC

— Vicki (@Vixta184) April 26, 2023

Fortunately, Wednesday night was the last time Liverpool wore the disco kit. Matip defeats Richarlison

Due to the recovery of Ibrahima Konate, Matip has been out of the squad lately.

The centre-back returned with a bang, however, when he headed in Liverpool’s winner – his first Premier League goal of the season.

Fans were quick to point out that the defender has scored more in the Premier League this season than former Everton striker Richarlison, who made 21 league appearances for Tottenham without returning.

pic.twitter.com/ZTpOU0ZT8r

— No Context Joel Matip (@NoContextJMatip) April 26, 2023

Has Joel Matip scored a Premier League goal for Richarlison this season? pic.twitter.com/rdURAPlo5r

— TheKop.com (@TheKop_com) April 26, 2023

Last summer, Richarlison cost Tottenham £60m to move from Everton. Matip got a prem target for Richarlison this season

pic.twitter.com/mjFqYGA13J

— . (@_Riddxck) April 26, 2023

Matip has more goals than Richarlison this season pic.twitter.com/Jxm5sWCYCm

– Yes?? (@trentseffect) April 27, 2023

Matip was also named Man of the Match by BT Sport’s Steve McManaman, although we’re not sure about that decision, despite the defender’s winning goal.

Jones stands out – again

He has struggled with recurring injury issues over the past year, but Curtis Jones is now finally getting a run on the team and rewarding Klopp’s confidence.

After starting in the last five games, Jones is making him the left side of midfield thanks to his reliability with the ball and his work-rate. His statistics against West Ham were extremely impressive.

Progressive passing game for West Ham United against Liverpool. #autotweet pic.twitter.com/ENv0Ly5NtV

— 11tegen11_plots (@11tegen11_plots) April 26, 2023

Curtis Jones v West Ham

• Pass 67/71 (94%).

• 3 chances created (=1.)

• 88 keys

• 1 shot

• 5/7 tackles (1st)

• 2 interceptions

Another great performance? pic.twitter.com/KECRVda7Kx

— LFC Stats (@LFCData) April 26, 2023

Curtis Jones has started the last 5 league games for Liverpool, marking his longest league starting streak for the club since his breakthrough. Not since February 2021. — Lewis Bower (@LewisBower2021) April 27, 2023

Jones’s decision making has improved tremendously. I think that’s what happens when he gets consistent playing time. Silence many doubters, great displays at LCM https://t.co/NS7HOVViwr

— El Knee Know (@ElKneeKnow) April 26, 2023

Curtis Jones is still underrated. He was as important as Trent in this new system.

— Sam McGuire (@SamMcGuire90) April 26, 2023

Curtis Jones was amazing there tonight. That form and more control next season will be crazy. Be nice if we could squeeze a little more in the back or I’ll end u  with a full head of gray hair

— Mike Kearney (@MikeKearney1) April 26, 2023

A familiar feeling

If you haven’t noticed, there was another big Premier League game on Wednesday night.

In what could have been a title decider, Man City beat Arsenal 4-1 at the Etihad to move just two points behind the leaders with two games less.

Liverpool fans now realize how exhausting it is to compete with Pep’s City. pic.twitter.com/KQYAi2V1OY

— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) April 26, 2023

The Premier League becomes League One.

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) April 26, 2023

Without Liverpool doing what they did, City would be on the verge of winning their sixth consecutive league title. Instead, it’s just 5 of the last 6. https://t.co/PL9qWiWDHC

— Matt Ladson (@mattladson) April 26, 2023

After what we did at Arsenal, I have much more respect for Liverpool. Liverpool sent shivers down my spine. This Arsenal team has been light work, I wasn’t worried at all.

— ?? (@ErlingRoIe) April 27, 2023

With Liverpool having won the title twice in recent years thanks to Man City’s impeccably high standards, perhaps Arsenal fans are starting to understand our experience.

Also.. 

Pep Guardiola claims Man City were ‘lucky’ to be ‘pushed’ by Liverpool

Pep Guardiola, whose Man City side took a big step towards the title in midweek, has thanked Liverpool for ‘pushing’ his team to keep challenging.

A headline appeared on The Athletic on Thursday morning: ‘This is the era of Manchester City’.

“At least there was a title race this time,” the outlet said when promoting journalist Daniel Taylor’s article.

Man City cruised to a 4-1 win over Premier League leaders Arsenal on Wednesday night to move within two points of Mikel Arteta’s side in two games.

Arsenal have taken three points from their last four games, starting with the 2-2 draw at Liverpool, and Man City are now set to clinch the title with time remaining. At least this time there was a title race.

But the truth is that we are in the Manchester City era.

Who will stop this?

There are only two scenarios that could prevent #MCFC from turning their dominance in English football into something even bigger in substance.

? @DTathletic

— The athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) April 27, 2023

Athletic seem to have conveniently forgotten in history that City won the title with only minutes left last season.

In 2019/20 they finished within 18 points of Liverpool; in 2018/19 only one point more.

It was just a point between the sides last season, with Man City overcoming a 2-0 deficit at Aston Villa to win 3-2 on the final day.

Guardiola certainly hasn’t forgotten Liverpool’s role in the Manchester City era, explaining how Jurgen Klopp’s team “pushed” City from complacency.

“We’ve been lucky as a team, I have to be honest, with the way Liverpool have pushed us in recent seasons,” he told BT Sport after Wednesday’s win. “The next three games are really important.”

“Match after match and we’ll see what happens.”

Pep Guardiola remains coy on Man City’s title prospects despite crucial victory over Arsenal… pic.twitter.com/vzi4Sg4Kwy

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 26, 2023

“After winning [the title] by 100 points, 98 points, you can say ‘OK, that’s enough’, but we realized Liverpool were pushing us.

“And Arsenal this season. They [won] 50 points in the first leg [of the season], I didn’t expect to get here in that position.

“Once we get there, we try to win, like all of us when we used to play. Why should I stop? It’s not necessary.”

Guardiola can often find himself bringing up Liverpool uninvited and more often than not that draws ridicule or at least confusion from those on Merseyside.

But it wasn’t paranoia; it was respect for a rival at a time when the media seem to have forgotten their role.

At least there was a title race this time, right? !