Liverpool vs Sheffield United: Jurgen Klopp’s side blasts its way to a huge win, leapfrogs Arsenal to No. 1 spot

Liverpool vs Sheffield United: With the No. 1 spot in sight, Liverpool demolished Sheffield with supreme confidence.

Liverpool vs Sheffield United: Considering the form that Liverpool is in and the woeful place that Sheffield have in the league table, it was clear right from the outset that this would be a mismatch. Yes, Juergen Klopp’s team was expected to run riot. However, in EPL, there is always uncertainty and that draws fans to every match year in and year out. Giant killers have emerged out of nowhere and ahead of this match, Sheffield fans would have hoped that this would be their day. What were the chances of that? You will have to go back as far as 1994 at Anfield, when Sheffield last registered a victory against Liverpool.

Liverpool vs Sheffield United: Chasing the EPL title, coach Jurgen Klopp-led team did not let Sheffield even get into the match. (AFP)

Still, can things go wrong? You just have to look at Liverpool’s last scoreline to know that things can and do go wrong. In the match against Brighton, they emerged winners by just a 2-1 score. Considering Liverpool have been hogging the top spot in the league, that was an underperformance. Brighton are in the 9th spot on the EPL table.

However, nothing of the sort happened as Liverpool blasted its way to a win that has leapfrogged the team over Arsenal. While Liverpool is on 70 points now, Arsenal are on 68 and Manchester City on 67. All have played 30 games.

What gave Liverpool the edge?

In terms of top-class players, there is virtually no comparison as Salah, Van Dijk, MacAllister, Diaz and Nunez tower over the opposition. The men actually doing the scoring today were Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.

It all started with a weird Nunez strike, Mac Allister’s thunderbolt and a header on 90 minutes by Cody Gakpo that secured a 3-1 home victory over Sheffield United on Thursday.

Nunez scored after 17 minutes when he closed down keeper Ivo Grbic and actually ended up blocking his attempted ball clearance into the back of net.

However, there was a big lull in play thereafter and a lackluster Liverpool paid the price when Sheffield scored after half-time. The pressure by Sheffield led Connor Bradley to score an own goal! Sheffield's performance thereafter was magnificent and it looked like they would battle their way to a draw at least and maybe even win.

It was then that Liverpool showed that champion sides can raise their game with both Mac Allister and Gakpo doing the honors.

Finally on 76th minute, a loose ball came out to Alexis Mac Allister and he smashed a swerving right-foot effort into the top corner of the Sheffield net.

And the final nail in the coffin was hammered by Cody Gakpo on the stroke of 90 minutes when he headed home Robertson’s wonderful cross from far to ensure there were no last minute hiccups.

Pre-match points to ponder

Despite the presence of the indomitable Van Dijk at the back, Liverpool had shown a propensity for letting in goals. The last time it battled to a clean sheet was in the match against Man United in December.

Sheffield on the other hand have a problem playing away. The team has just one victory this season playing away and that was against Luton.

Ahead of the tie, out of 6 games, Sheffield won 1, lost 3 and drew 2. Over the season, the team has allowed as many as 77 goals to be scored against it.

Liverpool, on the other hand, had won 5 and drawn one.