Liverpool do prefer to make issues arduous 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 objective 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 really is a particular participant.
Mohamed Salah retains on firing
Liverpool now command a 16-point lead on the prime 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 complete to a quite extraordinary 32 objectives and 22 assists from 41 matches.
He misplaced 4 of his 5 duels and ceded possession 21 instances, however the 32-year-old additionally supplied underpar Liverpool with an inimitable attacking outlet, hailed by switch 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 giant, Tsimikas was skating on skinny ice and might need initially been slated for the total 90.
However he failed his huge probability.
Kostas Tsimikas failed his huge probability
Liverpool have been the perfect group 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 score after his meek exhibiting, noting that he wasn’t ‘on the identical wavelength’ as his friends whereas additionally struggling to include 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) |
Targets |
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 through Transfermarkt |
|||
Finally, Tsimikas’ reserving and certainly Slot’s choice to convey 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 appear to be it should change.
With respected sources corresponding to Romano confirming FSG’s curiosity in bringing Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez to the membership this summer time, it feels just like the Greek defender’s day could be carried out on Merseyside.
He is been a unbelievable servant however this could possibly be a transfer to additional improve Slot’s undertaking – and after such an electrical begin to life within the huge seat, he deserves backing.
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He may change into a celebrity in Arne Slot’s system sooner or later.