Jurgen Klopp Turns Conductor to Ensure Liverpool Overcome Sunderland’s Bus

ANFIELD, Liverpool — Jurgen Klopp urged on the Anfield crowd, who in turn urged on the Liverpool players, who eventually got the breakthrough to see off Sunderland and get the three points they needed to maintain the pace at the top of the Premier League.

That the Reds lost Philippe Coutinho, their playmaker and maestro, in the first half meant Klopp took to leading the orchestra in the second 45 minutes.

Klopp’s touchline antics midway through the second half, gesturing wildly for the crowd to get behind the team and help his players overcome David Moyes’ proclaimed “double decker bus,” saw the Kop respond to the challenge and help Liverpool’s players through a difficult encounter.

“I believe in atmosphere,” said the Liverpool manager post-match. “I think it’s a big, big part of the game—part of the joy.

“I think the crowd was really good in the first half, [but] in the second half it was like ‘come on.'”

With the score at 0-0 and Sunderland playing extremely defensively—the “most defensive team I’ve ever played against” according to Klopp—naturally the crowd were beginning to get frustrated by the situation and were eager to see the goal they craved.

Klopp’s passionate encouragement from the touchline did the trick, with the breakthrough eventually arriving via substitute Divock Origi in the 75th minute.

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“In a game like this, the decisions are made in the small moments, the details—atmosphere’s more than a detail, it makes everything easier,” he explained. “That’s why I tried to remind the crowd and they reacted more than brilliant. After that it was easier for everybody to enjoy the challenge.”

This was a huge win for Klopp’s side. After Southampton last time out, a second consecutive 0-0 draw would have been disappointing, but this one would have been at home to one of the relegation contenders.

Home form is vital in any challenge for the title, and it was crucial Liverpool didn’t begin to drop points to teams they should be beating comfortably. That they made it 16 points from 18 available at home this season so far proved they are a very different proposition to 12 months ago.

Origi

Coutinho’s injury, confirmed post-match as …

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