CHELSEA – LIVERPOOL – Defenders, midfielders, attackers, substitutes, in Liverpool, danger can come from anywhere

Pressing, counter-pressing, intensity… so many principles that Jürgen Klopp successfully applies to Liverpool. So he has created a team in which every player is involved from the first minute to the last when it comes to recovering the ball. And that’s not all. If everyone is on fire to defend, when it comes to attacking, each Reds is up to the task.

In the Premier League, first everywhere except in the standings

If we had to choose a single statistic to illustrate it, it would be this: the first three places in the Premier League scorers and assists rankings are monopolized by Klopp’s players. Salah, Jota, Firmino among finishers, Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Robertson among distributors.

Even though the Reds can count on Salah and Mané to go there with their goals, other players, not necessarily expected at the forefront, point the tip of their noses. On Wednesday, Liverpool spent six at Leeds to the delight of Anfield. And the central hinge wanted to join in the fun. Joel Matip launched into a breakthrough followed by a one-two with Salah to wrap up a straight past Ilan Meslier. Van Dijk, he, already three league goals, quietly added his stone to the building in stoppage time with a helmet kick from a corner.

The Dutchman, not very surprised, also commented on the goal of his friend from the defense after the match: “He has this quality (of percussion), it is one of his great strengths and it is useful because he knocks the other players out of their positions. And today, the space was there to do this race and finish”. Everyone defends, everyone attacks.

All affected attackers

The most crazy ? Those who do not have a place of choice in the starting eleven are not left out. The Reds have a bench provided, of quality, which does not have to be ashamed of its performances, far from it.

Statistically, all attackers, holders and substitutes, are concerned by the recovery of the ball. On their respective playing times, Luis Diaz and Firmino even trigger more pressings on average than Salah and Mané (19 and 20 pressings over 90 minutes for the former, 13 for the latter). Not to mention Minamino who triggers an average of 36 per 90 minutes played.

When it comes to scoring, no one is left out either. The responsibilities are always taken, regardless of the attack aligned by Klopp. Obviously, a player like Minamino scores less than the starters. But compared to playing time, we see that each offensive player finds his place and his importance. The Japanese is 1.8 goals scored per 90 minutes played! Diaz and Firmino are at 0.77 and 0.48. On this side, nothing to envy to the serial scorer Salah, who points to 0.82.

Salah and Mané were at the CAN, so what?

Before the CAN, for Jürgen Klopp, it’s always the same ritual. He explains to reporters how he will manage without his two best forwards. This year the answer was evasive: We have other options that I’m happy with. […] We always have a plan to win a match. Will we play the same football? Probably not, but whatever. We play as we can.” It is clear that what they can do is not bad.

The Senegalese-Egyptian magic duo was absent for a long month between January and February. Seven matches in total in all competitions, in which Klopp’s men scored 17 goals. That’s almost 2.5 per game. Over this period, several circles did not hesitate to take their responsibilities, like Fabinho who planted four.

It’s more than fair and enough to put the pressure on City at the top of the Premier League, move up to 8th in the FA Cup and clinch a ticket to try to fill the trophy cabinet in the EFL Cup final against Chelsea this Sunday (5:30 p.m.). Tuchel’s Blues, a little less sharp than usual for a few weeks, have been warned.