Liverpool battled their way to a massive 2-1 win at home to Ajax on Tuesday night, with the media praising a much-needed solid performance.
Jurgen Klopp’s men were late to seal an important Champions League victory, with Joel Matip the unlikely hero at the end of the day.
The three points restored some parity in Group A as Liverpool improved much after the embarrassment at Napoli.
Here’s how the media reacted to the Reds’ thrilling win.
The magnitude of the victory was undeniable…
Richard Jolly of The Independent compared Matip’s goal to Dejan Lovren’s against Borussia Dortmund:
Arguably, Jurgen Klopp’s first big European night at Anfield culminated in the late game-winner from a central defender sent off from a set piece.
“If Ajax in 2022 still doesn’t belong to Dortmund in 2016, Joel Matip’s decider here could be on the same level as Dejan Lovren’s against Klopp’s former employers six years ago in terms of importance.
“After the worst display of their reign and the nightmare in Napoli, Liverpool needed an answer and a win.
“In their energy and their organization, individually and collectively, they had improvement. But as long as Ajax were on course to pick up a point, there was reason to argue that the result could be even more damaging than their regulation setback in Naples… until Matip found Kostas Tsimikas’s corner to plant a header past Remko. Pasveer and the frustration was replaced by celebration.”
Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo saw clear signs of improvement:
“After administering ‘four or five days of absolute truth’ to his Liverpool players last week, it seems that Jurgen Klopp has discovered that honesty is, in fact, the best policy.
“This wasn’t exactly a Reds team in their swashbuckling prime, but at least they started to vaguely resemble the team that was good enough to reach the Champions League final just a few months ago.
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“For a sport that does hyperbole and overreaction so well, those sorts of statements were always going to be available, but the only way to turn down the volume on that noise was with a proper reaction from Liverpool here against Ajax, one consistent with your well-being. earned reputation.
“Perhaps this was not that, but a welcome step in the right direction as Klopp’s men signed September with a much-needed return to winning form.”
Sam Wallace of the Telegraph was another who felt he was much better since Liverpool, although there is still work to be done:
“Jurgen Klopp may not yet be able to herald a return to the form that made some of his players giants from Liverpool’s recent past, though at least this time, when it mattered most, there was something resembling the best German-era performances. .
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“In years past, they could have swept away Ajax long before the 89th minute, but something remains off about this Liverpool team.
“They are no longer able to crush the opposition like before.”
Jolly added that he thought Klopp landed his team selection spot at Anfield:
“Klopp’s vindication, perhaps. He had brought four players to the side. Everyone played their part. Matip scored, Tsimikas and Diogo Jota got assists and Thiago Alcántara lent class in possession.
“Equally pertinent, each played well. Liverpool did the same, albeit imperfectly. On a day when they had 23 shots, they finally managed a second goal to ensure deficiencies in either frame didn’t cost them.
“Klopp could not find any positives to derive from the display of incompetence in Naples. There were several here, including Mohamed Salah’s sight on the scoreboard.”
Key people also focused on…
Goal’s Neil Jones liked what he saw from goalscorer Mohamed Salah:
“You can’t keep the best players in the world for long. Salah’s start to the season, like Liverpool’s, has been mixed, but this was much more like the Egyptian.
“He buried the first opportunity that came his way, taking advantage of a pass from Diogo Jota and finishing off hard with his left foot in the 17th minute.
“It was exactly what Jurgen Klopp would have wanted to see, his forwards coming together to devastating effect, with Salah benefiting in the center rather than being isolated on the right flank as in recent weeks.
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“All in all, a welcome step in the right direction for the Reds’ star man.”
However, Dominic King of the Daily Mail felt that Darwin Nunez really put up a fight:
“This is not to make a snap judgment or to suggest that Liverpool have bought a fiasco in Núñez. The quality of the clubs that wanted to get him out of Benfica this summer and that tried in January tells you that he is a talented young man and, in flashes, he has shown it in red.
“But the very fact that Klopp has used Nunez in supporting roles, as Liverpool set out on a path they hope will take them back to Istanbul next June, tells you that his acclimatization is taking longer than some might have anticipated.
“Perhaps the first cameos against Manchester City in the Community Shield, when he won a penalty and then scored the decisive third goal in a 3-1 victory, and against Fulham, when he scored again and gave another pass to Salah have not been particularly helpful.
“After City’s win, the narrative became who would score more, Nunez or Erling Haaland, but the Norwegian’s astonishingly smooth transition has made this no contest. How can he be when he is only fleetingly in the field?
Daniel Orme of The Mirror criticized another dubious showing by Trent Alexander-Arnold:
“While Kudus received high praise for his goal, Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold could reflect on a night in which his defensive contributions have once again been called into question.
“The Liverpool right back allowed Steven Berghuis to get behind him and take the ball to Steven Bergwijn. The former Spurs man missed his effort, only to see him fall to Kudus.
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“In what was his 50th appearance for the Reds in Europe, the right-back’s defensive awareness fell short once and it’s becoming increasingly clear that it’s something he certainly needs to work on.”
Finally, Mark Delgado of This Is Anfield praised Matip and Thiago who returned:
“First of all, Thiago’s comeback was as glorious and necessary as you’d expect, with his trademark body turns and superb passing into the center all on display in the opening minutes.
“It’s top class most of the time; the only problem is that he was also above his own team, with few able to match his incision on the ball.
“Second, Joel Matip was very good, on and off the ball. He made one or two sneak fouls when he had to, intercepted and headed clear, but also got the ball out of defense with great skill and poise, catching a good pass at the end.”
