Liverpool do wish to make issues laborious for themselves, ay.
But it surely did not matter ultimately, with courageous Southampton defeated at Anfield after a second-half turnaround, Will Smallbone’s opening purpose negated by a crisp Darwin Nunez end and Mohamed Salah’s brace.
He silenced in midweek, however Salah returned to kind forward of Tuesday’s crunch Champions League second leg towards Paris Saint-Germain. The unflappable talisman actually is a particular participant.
Mohamed Salah retains on firing
Liverpool now command a 16-point lead on the high of the Premier League, albeit having performed two extra video games than second-placed Arsenal. Nonetheless, it is fairly the hole with the ultimate stretch up forward.
As in Paris, Salah struggled to make his mark for the opening half, however got here up with the products when it mattered right here, taking his seasonal whole to a fairly extraordinary 32 targets and 22 assists from 41 matches.
He misplaced 4 of his 5 duels and ceded possession 21 instances, however the 32-year-old additionally offered underpar Liverpool with an inimitable attacking outlet, hailed by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano for his “unstoppable” efforts this season.
Whereas Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai’s half-time withdrawals have been maybe preordained with PSG looming massive, Tsimikas was skating on skinny ice and may need initially been slated for the complete 90.
However he failed his massive likelihood.
Kostas Tsimikas failed his massive likelihood
Liverpool have been the very best workforce within the Premier League this season, however the left facet of Slot’s backline has left one thing to be desired.
Andy Robertson has confronted his fair proportion of detractors this season and also you’d suppose Tsimikas may use his counterpart’s woes to raise his standing in Slot’s reckoning. However regardless of a combative show towards Southampton, he nonetheless flattered to deceive.
The Liverpool Echo branded the 28-year-old with a 5/10 match ranking after his meek exhibiting, noting that he wasn’t ‘on the identical wavelength’ as his friends whereas additionally struggling to comprise Tyler Dibling.
That mentioned, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Greece worldwide. He gained six of his ten contested duels and made 5 tackles, as per Sofascore, however he additionally dedicated a collection of fouls and skirted near the road of a dismissal. Tsimikas left on the interval with a reserving to his title.
|
Kostas Tsimikas – Premier League Profession by Season |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps (begins) |
Objectives |
Assists |
|
24/25 |
14 (5) |
0 |
1 |
|
23/24 |
13 (8) |
0 |
3 |
|
22/23 |
20 (9) |
0 |
4 |
|
21/22 |
13 (9) |
0 |
2 |
|
20/21 |
2 (0) |
0 |
0 |
|
Stats by way of Transfermarkt |
|||
Finally, Tsimikas’ reserving and certainly Slot’s determination to carry him again to the bench at half-time makes a agency touch upon his standing within the squad. He is by no means fairly nailed down a beginning berth and that does not seem like it is going to change.
With respected sources similar to Romano confirming FSG’s curiosity in bringing Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez to the membership this summer season, it feels just like the Greek defender’s day could be completed on Merseyside.
He is been a improbable servant however this could possibly be a transfer to additional improve Slot’s undertaking – and after such an electrical begin to life within the massive seat, he deserves backing.
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He is value greater than Kerkez: Liverpool have struck gold on “particular” star
He might change into a celebrity in Arne Slot’s system sooner or later.
