For Jurgen Klopp, this was the beginning of a protracted farewell. It was another step in ensuring that he departs this season in a respectable manner for his Liverpool squad.
Awards. That is what we now need to see from this Liverpool campaign. During his eight and a half years at Anfield, Klopp undoubtedly focused on glamour, excitement, energy, and identity. However, they have also been about triumphing. Therefore, over the course of the next four months or so, more wins, more success, and more trophies are what his present Liverpool team owes their manager.
Liverpool is now leading every competition that was up for grabs in August. atop the Premier League, in the Carabao Cup final, in the Europa League knockout rounds, and, following that, in the FA Cup fifth round as well.
This event, and the firing of a passionate but defensively deficient Norwich squad, would not have been unusual if we had not known what we now know, which is that Klopp will be leaving Liverpool this summer. One memorable Anfield day was marred by Norwich’s 1-0 victory here in the final match before the historic Kop terrace was demolished in 1994. Here, a recurrence was never possible.
But no, this game was not especially moving or emotional—at least not in a noticeable way. It was just another instance of Liverpool doing what they do, and it pays the greatest tribute to Klopp and everything he contributed to this incredible team in its own right.
+11View gallery
Liverpool eased to victory in their first game since Jurgen Klopp announced he will leave the club at the end of the season
The Reds manager received a hero’s reception inside Anfield from the home faithful in attendance on Sunday
Klopp’s players delivered, as they have done his whole reign, and remain in all four competitions they started the season in
Liverpool fought for possession when they didn’t have it, ran hard, passed swiftly, and eventually scored five goals when they probably should have scored twice as many.
The three injured players—Andrew Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Dominink Szoboszlai—also made a comeback to the field. The reception for Robertson’s return after such a long absence nearly raised the roof of this beautifully restored historic stadium.
This season has rapidly gained momentum with Liverpool’s roster refilled and young players like James McConnell, the midfielder, and full-back Conor Bradley developing at a rapid pace (both were superb here). Chelsea will play in the league on Wednesday, and Klopp will take his team to Arsenal on Sunday. Right now, no one would want to play them, and if Klopp’s intentions are to invigorate his team instead of the opposite outcome, then this 90 minutes of football may be seen as the beginning of it.
Curtis Jones’ header gave Liverpool the lead early on, then Ben Gibson, a Norwich defender, suddenly equalized from a corner. Nunez then fed off a Bradley pass to put his team back ahead. Norwich was dedicated, but there were many individual mistakes. Due to this, Liverpool was able to score three goals in the second half through goals from Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk, and Ran Gravenberch. Although Norwich substitute Borja Saniz scored a spectacular goal from 25 yards out to make the score 4-1, that only served to provide the away fans with something to ponder about.
Out of everything we witnessed today, Liverpool’s second goal may have best summed up what has, on occasion, made Klopp’s team so captivating to watch over the previous eight years or so. Bradley and Nunez, the two players involved, could have a bright future at Liverpool, but the goal they manufactured and scored was straight out of the traditional Klopp playbook.
On the far touchline, Bradley, a 20-year-old full-back from Northern Ireland, pushed an opponent out of possession with ferocious energy, setting the stage for what followed. Bradley was able to get forward and then play Nunez down the middle as Norwich found themselves short on players and unbalanced. The young but gifted center striker for Liverpool still had a lot of work ahead of him, and in the past 15 months, he has undoubtedly squandered more opportunities than this one. However, on this occasion, his low right-foot attempt was flawlessly placed, finding the bottom right-hand corner of the Norwich goal, leaving goalkeeper George Long helpless to stop it.
+11View gallery
Andy Robertson also returned for Liverpool in the game having missed a number of months through injury
+11View gallery
Liverpool took the lead early on when Curtis Jones headed in, before Ben Gibson equalised
That goal arrived in the 28th minute and restored Liverpool’s lead during a half they rather predictably dominated. There had in truth been nothing out of the ordinary about the afternoon, despite the understandable fuss made over Klopp’s decision to retire.
Klopp picked what could reasonably be described as a typical cup competition team. Not full strength but still formidable with a number of first team regulars on the bench including Van Dijk, Robertson and Alexander-Arnold.
Norwich, for their part, were almost at full strength as captain Grant Hanley returned. They did make a change in goal, however, with Long replacing Angus Gunn. Long was not actually called upon very much in the early stages but Liverpool were still dominant in terms of territory and possession. Cody Gakpo volleyed rather wildly over at the far post in the eighth minute before Nunez struck a post from 20 yards and was then unable to reach a Jota cross to the far post.
The pressure was steady rather than relentless but the fact Norwich struggled to get out of their own half was telling. Former Burnley striker Ashley Barnes was a lone runner up front and for the opening spell of the game he saw precious little of the ball.
Ben Gibson shocked the Anfield faithful with an equaliser, but the Reds were by no means fazed by the strike
Darwin Nunez restored the lad a matter of minutes later with a neat finish low into the corner
Liverpool eventually broke through in the 16th minute and it was a goal simple enough to surely irritate Klopp’s friend in the opposite dugout, David Wagner. Another young Liverpool player at its heart – central midfield player McConnell – and it was his ability to find space and clip a cross towards Jones at the far post that enable the opening goal to be headed neatly at angle across Long and in to the far corner.
Klopp’s reaction was muted, just a round of applause, while Anfield readied itself for more goals. What nobody expected, though, was that the next one would arrive at the opposite end.
Norwich broke upfield for just about the first time in the 20th minute and stretched Liverpool by working the ball down the left and then to the far post where Joe Gomez had to block and concede a corner. Gabriel Sara swung the kick to the near post and when Gibson beat Gravenberch to it, his back header bypassed Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson on its way in to the goal.
Diogo Jota gave the Reds a two-goal cushion with a fine strike after an error from Ben Gibson
Red captain Virgil van Dijk, who has been one of the best players of the Klopp era, added a fourth just after the hour
Deep into stoppage time, Ryan Gravenberch scored Liverpool’s fifth goal despite Borja Sainz’s goal. It was a fantastic afternoon.
Liverpool was undoubtedly taken aback, but they remained unfazed. They should have scored again before halftime, since it took them less than ten minutes to reclaim the advantage. After a blunder in the Norwich defence, Gravenberch fired low from 12 yards, but Gibson and a teammate managed to scramble the ball from the goal line between them. Gakpo made another mistake by failing to score an open goal.
To be honest, the Norwich defense was not doing itself any favors. The team from the Championship made a lot of individual mistakes, but there was nothing wrong with the organization or effort. Seven minutes into the second half, Jota’s volley from just inside the penalty area helped Liverpool almost seal the victory after Gibson failed to control a long ball from the Liverpool half. When his header dropped at his feet, Jota’s shot went over and beyond Long.
With some daylight still in the match, Klopp was able to make three replacements. Van Dijk entered the game and had minutes to score, but the reception was for Szoboszlai’s and Robertson’s injury comeback. Alexander-Arnold quickly became involved in the action as well.
But there was still time for another goal in between, as Van Dijk headed in from a corner following yet another Norwich blunder that saw Nunez miss with a pretty desperate deflection.
It hadn’t exactly been a competition. It must have seemed alarming to see such brilliance coming from the Liverpool bench since Norwich simply hadn’t been strong enough defensively to annoy Liverpool. The captains of Scotland, Hungary, and Holland had all appeared simultaneously at one point.
Klopp was serenaded by the Liverpool fans following the game – just a few months of his reign at the club remain
Nevertheless, the Championship team did score the most spectacular goal of the game. Sainz had been on the field himself for less than ten minutes when he drove forward from midfield in to space, eased the ball on to his right side and whipped it past Alisson from 25 yards. It was a wonderful goal.
There was still time to Gravenberch to head in from a yard with virtually the last touch of the game. It had taken only 57 seconds of this game for the first Klopp song to tumble down from the Kop. As he left the field at the end, they sang: ‘I’m so glad Jurgen is a red…’ and indeed he is. For now, at least.