In a week when Jurgen Klopp joined Juan Mata’s Common Goal project, donating 1 per cent of his salary to charity, Liverpool nevertheless benefited from generosity. Victory at Bramall Lane was donated by a Manchester United player, the on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson with a wretched mistake to extend Liverpool’s superb start.
Now they have begun with seven straight wins, a start only previously made by Chelsea’s champions of 2005-06. They have 16 successive league victories, a tally only bettered by Manchester City’s runaway winners of 2017-18.
This made it 209 days without dropping a point. The numerical evidence of excellence is mounting, even as their performance was unconvincing. “Winning on the cloudy days is especially valuable,” said Klopp.
Liverpool’s previous win at Bramall Lane came in 1990 when defender John Pemberton ended up in goal after Simon Tracey was injured. Almost three decades later, United suffered another goalkeeping mishap.
Liverpool had not even mustered a shot on target when Henderson made a chastening error, letting Georginio Wijnaldum’s unthreatening shot squirm through his legs and roll over the line. Klopp had contemplated taking the Dutchman off when he brought on another attacker, Divock Origi; instead he removed Jordan Henderson. “Gini stayed,” he reflected. “He scored.”
From Jordan Pickford to Julian Speroni to Hugo Lloris, opposing goalkeepers came to Liverpool’s aid last season. Another allowed Klopp’s team to register victory even though they did not record a shot on target for 69 minutes. “We didn’t play our best football, but there we are,” the German added.
It may be of scant consolation to Sheffield United, but they are in good company. Wijnaldum’s previous Liverpool goals came when he assumed the role of the destroyer of Barcelona. A belated first of the season defeated the brave Blades but, if truth be told, they caused their own downfall on a day when they did much right. “I am not bothered about pride, I am bothered about the result,” said a typically blunt Chris Wilder.
“Unlucky for Sheffield United,” reflected Klopp. “If it had been a draw, I would say that is what Sheffield deserved.”
A team who were in the Championship a few months ago defended valiantly and attacked intelligently against Champions League winners. All 11 starters played in the second tier last season; the majority have plied their trade further down the league ladder. It was not evident in the displays of players such as Enda Stevens, John Fleck and John Egan.
United managed a minor milestone as they became the first team to prevent Liverpool from leading at half-time in the Premier League this season. For the first time in those 16 straight wins, Liverpool only scored once but once sufficed: Henderson later made a terrific save from Mohamed Salah, but his afternoon will not be remembered for that.
While James Milner struck as a left-back at MK Dons on Wednesday, Wijnaldum’s was the first goal a midfielder has scored for Liverpool this season. It was necessitated as their forwards lacked a finishing touch.
Often clinical, Sadio Mane was the culprit in chief, missing twice in 10 minutes but in contrasting fashion. Having struggled to break United down, Liverpool went from back to front with one ball, Virgil van Dijk’s pass clearing the United defence to find Sadio Mane drifting in on a diagonal run. The Senegalese attempted a half-volley and skewed his shot wide.
After Salah, Roberto Firmino and Mane combined – this time, Liverpool’s front three were passing to each other – Mane struck the post. He delayed before shooting, looking for almost deliberate precision, but only hit the upright.
United, meanwhile, could argue they were the more threatening. Oli McBurnie twice could have done better, heading wastefully over when Adrian missed Oliver Norwood’s corner.
Callum Robinson whistled a shot wide. Adrian did well to tip Norwood’s dipping shot wide, Andy Robertson made a brilliant block to stop John Fleck’s shot while after Wijnaldum struck, Leon Clarke ought to have equalised.
But his effort flew over the bar. “When these unbelievable sides have slightly off-days we have to capitalise and we didn’t,” Wilder added.
“I don’t think there is a big enough word to say how much we are frustrated. We have had a glorious, golden opportunity and we have let that slip.”
