1 Mar 2015

Confirmed lineup vs. MCFC: £45m duo out; boost for £20m star; surprise as BR leaves 4 strikers on the bench

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is back on the bench for this afternoon's Premier League clash with Manchester City.

FULL TEAM: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Lovren, Henderson, Allen, Moreno, Markovic, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling

SUBS: Ward, Toure, Lambert, Sturridge, Borini, Balotelli, Williams

MAN CITY: Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala, Kompany, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko, Aguero.

* It's a shame to see £29m-rated Sturridge on the bench, but it's important that he's not overplayed.

* Lovren keeps his place, which is deserved after his good defensive performance against Besiktas. It's also a confidence-booster - it would've been harsh to drop Lovren after the penalty miss, and hopefully, he'll get a shot in the arm from Rodgers' renewed faith in him.

* Henderson, Moreno, Markovic, and Coutinho all return to the starting line-up, which represents a timely injection of freshness into the team.

* It looks like Can will drop back into defence, which is a good idea after his ineffective midfield performance against Besiktas.

* Lallana also keeps his place, which is a good idea as he only played 38 minutes in the last game, which should (in theory) mean he's fresh for this game.

My prediction: 2-1 to City.

Author:


374 comments:

  1. Hoping for a great match.Victory for LFC of course.Would have preferred to see Daniel start and maybe even Balo against his old side to prove a point. I hope 4-2 for LFC but not sure.Dream on...

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  2. I've honestly got no idea how today will pan out. Depends which Liverpool shows up. Could've done with Lucas being fit today

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  3. Not sure what to think about the line up hopefully Lovren can pull his finger out anyway i reckon 2-2 draw.

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  4. What great defensive performance he couldnt put one pass together wake up and smell the coffee over this guy.

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  5. It's kinda tough day for me today. Let's make it better Liverpool..

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  6. Lets hope we can get a win for ya.

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  7. we are expecting to score, and 4 forwards are on the bench.. poor from rodgers

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  8. good pressing should do it. and no fear from yaya..

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  9. Yes well City could fall to pieces if we push em hard we usually play well against them at home.

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  10. Have to move the ball quickly today, none of this fiddling around behind the half way line please.

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  11. Move the ball quickly around and take time off from Yaya and Silva. We have the players but do we have the legs after the dissapointing trip to Istanbul only few days ago.

    I so want to see Balotelli and Sturridge to come from bench and settle this for us. They are ex-City players after all.

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  12. SUPER BRENDON LEFT OUT OUR ONLY GENUINE GOALSCORER FOR PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE SEASON. He is saving him until we are out of the running - very cunning. OH I HOPE I AM WRONG or we can stay in it until Sturridge comes on.

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  13. Why is Ibe out of the squad?

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  14. Not sure mate. Think it's just a knock

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  15. As frustrating as it is to see studge on the bench its the right call this game isnt as big as it was last season and we need studge for the rest of the year. With that said I would of liked to see balo start he has a few goals and has been working hard off the ball and he should be relatively fresh. Balo is great with his link up play and can really bully the likes of kompany around and let sterling run off him. I just dont see sterling up alone working vs city we were toothless in attack for large portions of that europa game granted on the road but still. Lets get a result lads

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  16. 2-0 liverpool..with anfield roaring lets do this

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  17. BR pregame talk suggested it was a knock nothing serious

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  18. Ibe is injured which is a big blow but let's hope Markovic can pick up on his defensive duties

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  19. aw what a goal that woulda been

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  20. hendo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  21. HENDOOOOOOOOO WHAT A HIT SON

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  22. Don't shoot Hendo!

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  23. HENDERSON.....!!!!!

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  24. ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK

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  25. Mingolet cmon if u commit u gotta go...lucky there

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  26. What a hit hendo! what a hit!

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  27. Where is Markovic?

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  28. playing at the wrong position

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  29. Yes. But still? Hopefully we will see more of him soon.

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  30. mignolet what the f***....

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  31. sterling I am sick of your sh*t final ball

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  32. Oh gosh bad omens of old unsteady mingolet get ur sh*t together

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  33. I'm not conviced of him either, but he's wasted at wingback

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  34. dude we're 1:0 up it's ok

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  35. i want better from him though, needs to match his wage demands

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  36. Lets just outscore them...end to end, like another before half time. Don't think one will be enough.

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  37. Alberto Moreno for 12 mil or Luke Shaw for 27? No brainer, he looks to have been an excellent bit of business for us

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  38. and we still have studge and balo up our sleeve...

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  39. What about lovren??

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  40. some questionable defending at times but still has room to improve and is young I agree looks to be solid certainly going forward

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  41. that's what happens when you just play yourselves into trouble needless with that bullshit passing around the back

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  42. Lovren is lost out there stop ball watching and freakin relax with the ball

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  43. sakho, stop being injured

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  44. This game was never gonna be nil nil though...just keep attacking i'd take another 3-2

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  45. in fact it was Can who was just watching

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  46. yep we need him

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  47. Yup can my fault but still lovren needs to relax....at least we have skrtel back there

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  48. some questionable defending as a defender is really bad

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  49. No too busy watchin the game.

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  50. Keep at least level until late on and we have studge/balo factor.

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  51. or the lamborini factor ;-)

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  52. Toure on for lovren on halftime idk if my heart can take anymore misplaced passes why do we consistently play ourselves into trouble when on doubt clear your effin lines

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  53. nice one..sounds better when you put them together

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  54. one is immobile and the other one can't put the ball in the back of the net. if you put them together they could be a pretty decent player

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  55. Lallana should be a striker.

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  56. Player hybrids that is the future...Sakho/Balo now that would be some player

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  57. Get to half time regroup..attacking kop second half...lets give it to them

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  58. Sterling take that first time cmon

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  59. sterling that is not 130K/week composure

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  60. This could go either way

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  61. when do u bring on studge/balo

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  62. And Ibe is on 25k think theyve got that 1 wrong.

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  63. Really good to see that Liverpool are playing their normal game and going direct in attack. The way that every player in the attacking half is willing to run at the defence makes for good football. They do still lack that ounce of quality that would make such a difference, but the intent can't be faulted. Great to watch.

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  64. Such a change from before christmas different side and to think we are still trying to gel and have injuries bright signs and great to watch but we need a result here

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  65. Yeah but him and couts are getting into pockets between the lines, He might still have a big say in this match

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  66. Cracking game between two of the most attack minded teams, lets hope we edge. Both benches to come into play to settle this one.

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  67. Yes the movement from Sterling, Couts and even Markovic puts City on the back foot in defence. They don't know which side they are going to go.

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  68. Another coutinho cracker please :)

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  69. I'm already labelled a Rodgers fan-boy but I don't mind it. All those good things are what Rodgers football is about and I think it's brilliant to watch. It's a total catastrophe when it doesn't work but so far in his career as manager of Liverpool he's managed to produce the working version fairly consistently.

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  70. Hmm, is it *quality* that's lacking or just the cool focus that comes with experience?

    Excellent performance, to my eye, one of our better games this season. Allen outstandingly good again. Coutinho out of this world. Sterling impossible to defend against -- just a question of whether or not he beats *himself*. Lovren showing some positive and determined defending despite the nerves early on.

    Good goal from City, finishing their one clear chance from our one serious mistake -- Can shoulld have picked up Dzeko, or whoever ghosted across from the right, since Aguero was in the traffic and the play was to the left.

    But second half, attacking the Kop, with power to add from the bench, this looks like a win to me. Sturridge is not the kind of player you want to face if you're in Kompany's form. Only wish we had Gerrard or Lucas to bring in -- I worry that Henderson and Allen are going to struggle for endurance if we don't have control as the game goes on.

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  71. tbh i think we've seen the best of us now, hope i'm really wrong. this is how i see it, we are likely to tire in the 2nd half after putting so much in in the first and having played et on thursday. not many options on the bench. coutinho is a first half player he never seems to do it for an entire match, Sterling makes too many weak decisions and is not a CF, Markovic is too lightweight physically and seems out of his depth against this opposition. think man city should power on in the second half fitness and quality should tell. wish we had aguero though he's some player.

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  72. problem is, it doesn't look like it win trophies right now

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  73. Plus when we eventually throw Studge into the mix to occupy their central defenders more space will open up. They'll do the the exact same thing with Bony.

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  74. For me top 4 is more important than silverware this season worry bout a trophy next year....but big boys are out of the fa cup

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  75. Lol fine ill rephrase chelsea/city r out :-P

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  76. Good start to the half this is but need a finish

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  77. Anyone perpetuating the myth that Lovren is a LCB or better than Sakho is deluded.
    Sakho for president.

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  78. Who on earth even said that?

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  79. Get Studge on now whilst on top and before we tire

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  80. Joe Allen is having a decent game so far. Our team would look so much better with strong DM and good striker.

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  81. Studge or super sub Mario Please

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  82. It'd be funny if Liverpool and City fans united to do a Toure chant

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  83. Feel like it should be balo has the strength to cause kpmpany headaches

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  84. He could surprise and throw on both

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  85. He causes me them ;-)

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  86. Why does BR wait so long before subs these days ? We have another match on Wed as well !

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  87. Studge readying himself lets goooooooooo

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  88. Anyone who says Markovic's passing is good is clearly wrong. Completely erratic

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  89. I blame Pascoe ......

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  90. worst player on the pitch for us today but no other options

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  91. lt kompany cause his own headaches and put Sturridge pace

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  92. HURRY UP BRENDAN, JESUS

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  93. Yep. Such a frustrating player. Wastes so many good attacking positions. Hopefully Ibe will phase him out of the team.

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  94. He has strengths and weaknesses in his passing. He's an inside player and he struggles to find angles from wide. His forward passing can be fantastic though, quality and vision on the move -- he has a very rare and potent set of skills and if he progresses he will be an incredibly effective player.

    This substitution has taken too long for my liking, though. We needed a striker when we were dominating and we may struggle for the energy needed to support Daniel now.

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  95. Give the kid a break, he'll get better with time. He is not a rwb to start with...shown enough potential for me to be valuable squad member.

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  96. We need some divine help

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  97. 19 MINUTES LEFT BRENDAN ARE YOU JOKING...

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  98. ffs it's bloody snail's pace now

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  99. we. need. final. ball.

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  100. COUTINHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  101. What did I say COUTINHO CRACKER AGAIN!

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  102. Gerrard Ramadhan1:33 pm, March 01, 2015

    gooooooooooollll cou

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  103. Cracking match Great Goal

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  104. COUUUUUUUUUUUU!! best player this season for sure!

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  105. Unfuckingbelievable. ..

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  106. and studge now!! good call

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  107. Cracking player and Studge On ! Cmon you Reds

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  108. Just feel if we had had a striker on the field we would have had many more

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  109. Hes been great since he came one thing he was missing was consistency and boy has he found it

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  110. coutinho has finally learned how to shoot

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  111. But its great that without a true striker we have 2 and are in prime position for 3 pts with minimal risk to studge

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  112. lovren's brain has completely lost the plot

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  113. They are going to throw the kitchen sink at us now .... got to keep attacking
    Migno nervy this game

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  114. My god stop the risky passes at the back

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  115. Don't go into shell, keep pressing and score a third

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  116. Toure stripped and ready looks like shell inbound

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  117. Toure v Toure :-)

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  118. The dude will score the third

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  119. What's going on with Sturridge's body language? He's acting pretty grumpy and negative, not like him. All's not well -- something in his private life, who knows. No doubt a goal or two would cheer him up.

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  120. lallana that was stupid

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  121. This is like last season :-)

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  122. They are bricking it at the back

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  123. Dont think anyone fancies allen but he has been brilliant today neat and tidy

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  124. Joe Allen's best game for Liverpool.

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  125. Motm if it wasnt for cou

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  126. See it out lads see it out

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  127. Yup. Allen's status needs to be revised among LFC fans. He's exactly the kind of player I want to see at the club. Technically excellent, hard-working, intelligent. He's been fantastic and can hopefully build on this.

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  128. Cmonnnnnn studge :(

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  129. damn, if we only had a stiker on the pitch ;-)

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  130. Oh Studge who'd have thunk it ....

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  131. I'm not an Allen fan but he HAS come up with the goods in this match

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  132. oh ffs that was too easy guys

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  133. Heart in mouth first studge then silva

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  134. Come on you reds almost there men

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  135. ok guys you can say what you want, but allen has been superb today, being avaliable all the time and playing so calm. not sure what skrtel and lovren would have done without his help

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  136. Can worked his socks off as well

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  137. WTF sterling was fouled first....

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  138. Stand tall redmen

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  139. I dont fancy him but man oh man brilliant today

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  140. GREAT comeback after Thurs

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  141. I think people can just stop staying things like "I'm not an Allen fan". Just accept him as a good player for Liverpool.

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  142. BIG WIN. Lets get that place off united.

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  143. THERE WE GO REDS EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE

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  144. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS F#CKIN WELL DESERVED

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  145. What a result. Massive 3 points

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  146. Orme this will make ya day mate!!!!

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  147. Coutinho MOTM but huge love to allen best game in liverpool red baby

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  148. Can't wait to watch this again. What a performance in the second half!

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  149. This could be the win that sees us take at least 4th place.

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  150. What a game one of the best of the season look out top 4

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  151. Joe Allen was magnificent.
    Praise is due.

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  152. Is this you Logan?

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  153. Yeah! *highfives*.

    Going to be some entertainment to come as we look to improve that goal difference too...

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  154. Have to tip my cap to rodgers 3 pts and studge only 15 mins stays fresh

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  155. Happy to be sooooooooo wrong :)))))))

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  156. We dominated them... yes a few scary moments at back but bound to have that with the quality players they have. On that performance should be looking at third and getting as close to second as possible.

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  157. I said the other day that we had to beat either City or Arsenal to make top 4 possible so nothing new here.

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  158. No the real Loges would be upset its looking like Rodgers is staying.

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  159. Hendo you a maturing into a great captain. Did anyone else see him pushing Sterling back to the ground when he was fouled on the half way line? Telling him to stay down and waist time. Even that clever header out at the very end. Well done

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  160. Err excuse me if I'm not a fan of someone / something I WILL say so

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  161. I think Burnley are going to get a hiding. Rested Sturridge will want to start scoring.

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  162. yeeeeee haaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww

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  163. Do not count your chickens before they hatch ;-)

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  164. Just kidding mate :-) Man I'm just so happy right now, Coutinho's my official favourite play.

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  165. Would be the perfect day if arsenal slip up

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  166. Can I make a request that you predict a draw or loss every week?

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  167. That was AWESOME!!!!!! Coutinho outplayed Silva for 94 minutes and was justly rewarded with the game winner. Awesome display of ball control. We shouldn't worry about Sterling leaving...Coutinho is the guy Real will be chasing.

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  168. Should've held off on that post...

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  169. Is there one player who didn't have an excellent game ?? Allen was perfect, controlled the middle of the park, not one bad pass.

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  170. Henderson's goal was top drawer. He needs to produce more of that from now on.

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  171. If this form continues who is to say we cant win the league. Just gonna put that out there. If Chelsea and Man city lose a couple we will be right in the thick of it.

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  172. Have a laugh Loges its a great day to be a fan!!!!!!!!!!!

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  173. I mean, he's probably still on his upgraded reserve contract. That's pretty high for a guy who's never played first team before now. But it should undoubtedly go higher asap.

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  174. He sounded sincere when he said he was happy with us for believing in him when others have not. Lets build and and not sell

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  175. It is a fantastic win. Anfield becoming a nightmare for City.

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  176. there's no chance of us winning the league this season

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  177. Hahahahahahah, f***. The same kind of conversation began last season around this time. Everyone thought Eric was nuts.

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  178. One week at a time lets just pray for top 4.

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  179. Pipe dream. Simple.

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