Jurgen Klopp’s changes at half-time spark Liverpool into life at Stoke
Goals from substitutes Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino changed the game.
Brazilian pair Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho stepped off the bench to drag Liverpool to a 2-1 victory at Stoke and keep momentum behind their Champions League chase.
The Reds’ top-four hopes appeared to have suffered a huge blow when Everton fan Jon Walters headed home his seventh goal against his favourite opponents but Jurgen Klopp’s half-time SOS was answered in style by Firmino and Coutinho.
Coutinho’s drilled finished levelled matters in the 70th minute and Firmino sealed the win two minutes later with a wonderful dipping strike over Lee Grant.
Tweet of the match
Star man – Roberto Firmino
If the awards were handed out after 45 minutes, Potters captain Ryan Shawcross would be collecting the champagne for a dominant showing at the back. But the arrival of the Liverpool cavalry for the second half flipped the game on its head. Both Firmino and Coutinho added flair, guile and class – qualities that had been missing in their absence – and elevated the match to a different level. There was little to pick between them in truth, but Firmino nudges ahead for the magnificence of his finish.
Moment of the match
Simon Mignolet pulled off two outstanding saves to underpin Liverpool’s win. The first saw him keep a strong base and bravely stand firm to repel Charlie Adam’s point-blank shot with Stoke 1-0 up. But the second was even better as Stoke roared up the field in pursuit of an equaliser. Marko Arnautovic whipped a devilish cross in from the left and Saido Berahino seemed a dead cert to clip it home from a couple of yards. Mignolet had other ideas, showing great instincts to follow the trajectory across his six-yard box, throw himself in front of the shot and deflect it out of harm’s way. Flawless goalkeeping.
Stat of the day
Stoke boss Mark Hughes named a battle-hardened starting XI featuring plenty of experienced campaigners and an average age of 28.55. His Liverpool counterpart, Jurgen Klopp, took the exact opposite stance by loading his team with youthful energy. With 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold and 17-year-old Ben Woodburn in the side, their average age was significantly lower at 24.90. Klopp switched at half-time, taking off the teenagers and reaping the benefits.
Player ratings
Who’s up next?
Stoke v Hull (Premier League, April 15)
West Brom v Liverpool (Premier League, April 16)
