Liverpool continued their impressive start to the calendar year by destroying Chelsea on Wednesday evening.
Diogo Jota and Conor Bradley scored before the break with Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz netting in the second half as the Reds romped to a 4-1 triumph. The result means Jurgen Klopp’s men are again five points clear at the Premier League summit and have lost just once in their last 33 top-flight games.
But there was plenty that went unnoticed or under the radar during the 90 minutes at Anfield.
Darwin Nunez did just about everything but score during a typically all-action performance against Chelsea. But the Uruguayan did find the target in one respect.
When one first-half thunderbolt was tipped on to the top of the crossbar by visiting goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, it smashed into the face of an unsuspecting visiting fan behind the goal in the Anfield Road stand.
It turns out it was wannabe-boxer and occasional clothes-forgetter Astrid Wett, who has a neat sideline in supporting Chelsea. Given the abuse she had been giving Liverpool on social media, plenty of Reds fans would no doubt have been nodding in approval at Nunez’s unwitting intervention.
Bradley bow
Few if any Academy graduates have enjoyed a home Premier League debut for Liverpool quite like Bradley, scoring one goal and creating two others and earning the adoration of the Anfield crowd.
When he was replaced midway through second half, the Northern Irishman was given an extremely warm welcome from the Reds bench with assistant manager Pep Lijnders in particular delighted with the youngster’s performance.
And after having scored his debut Reds goal from a Diaz pass, Bradley made a point of offering a small bow towards the Colombian by way of thanks. Which was nice.
Robertson message
There were other small demonstrations of recognition around some of Liverpool’s other goals on Wednesday
Szoboszlai celebrated his header by gesturing with his fingers what appeared to be an “M” with one hand and an “O” with the other, presumably a nod to the injured Mohamed Salah.
And, after assisting Diaz’s fourth, Nunez was given a pep talk by Andy Robertson which appeared to tell the Uruguayan to keep on going after his second-half header had earlier hit the crossbar.
Gakpo greet
Not many former Manchester United managers are invited as guests of Liverpool players to Anfield. Louis van Gaal, though, was the exception after being given the honour by Cody Gakpo, who he used to manage as Holland national team boss.
And there was another reunion within the bowels of the Main Stand after the game, with Szoboszlai deep in conversation with ex-RB Leipzig team-mate Christopher Nkunku.
The Hungarian then used his old colleague as a shield as he wandered through the mixed zone past the gathered media throng. He’s not soft, is Szoboszlai.
