Liverpool with a youngster making his full debut handed Stoke City a three goal hiding on home turf, with no reply from the home team.
Klopp cast doubt across the Premier League ahead of the game after starting his team without both, Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah. The top scorer of the Premier League was afforded a break and then welcomed on the pitch with a marvellous strike to help emphasis on why he tops the list.
Mark Hughes and his men could do nothing effective on the ground and was victim to more than one 50/50 decision. One such as Joe Gomez situation on the touch-line.
The biggest moment of the game, the incident that did not see a red card handed to Liverpool’s number 1. The brain dead challenge was awarded a free kick on the edge of the box and a yellow card. This one moment of madness kept the Reds to eleven on the field.
This ultimately made things harder for Stoke as the Reds represented a stronger threat and a stronger squad, altogether. What was on the Anfield team’s bench and playing, proved Klopp undoubtedly has a squad to work with.
Stoke City and Liverpool match stats:
Stoke City | Stat | Liverpool |
| 10 | Possession | 14 |
| 1 | Total Shots | 7 |
| 39% | Shots on Target | 61% |
| 5 | Corners | 9 |
| 4 | Offsides | 2 |
| 8 | Fouls | 10 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 5 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
The Potters had the right game plan going after Liverpool’s captain on the night, Simon Mignolet. Pumping long balls forward, using the height – holding on the idea of Lovren possibly making an error, was the smartest plan.
Solanke, Firmino, Mane, and Salah were at the peak of their powers – Liverpool’s interplay plus their finishing was world-class and the difference between them and Stoke.
Stoke was ushered well by ex-Red, Peter Crouch, who helped create a couple of chances for another one of Liverpool’s ex-players, Joe Allen. They did not possess the quality as their old club displayed on the night.
Klopp was full of praises how well the team did in a difficult place.
"“It was hard work, but that’s how football should be—especially when you go to places like Stoke, so it was no surprise.“I think we could have made it a little bit easier for ourselves in the first half if we’d used the two fantastic chances we had.“In the end, it was well deserved but it was hard work.“That’s how it is and no problem with that.”"
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Mark Hughes has every reason to be frustrated and furious with the match officials – but at the same time, frustrated with his team who couldn’t finish a single move they managed to set up in front of goal.
But mostly, he’s not far off with the idea of Simon Mignolet getting a red. Another week on and another costly decision made in the English Premier League.
Mark Hughes words about the challenge mildly punished by the referee:
"“That’s the key moment in the game from our point of view,” he said.“I just don’t understand why the referee and the officials couldn’t see that for what it was – a clear goal-scoring opportunity.“If the keeper doesn’t wipe Mame Diouf out it’s a tap-in into an empty net and, at that point, it’s 1-1 and game on.“It came at a time when we were in the ascendancy I felt, asking questions of them.“I don’t think we got the benefit of the doubt from the officials on too many occasions tonight, to be perfectly honest.“The one thing you want from the referees and officials is to get the key decisions, the match-defining decisions right. In my view, he didn’t unfortunately tonight.”"
Rightful so Mr Hughes and we say again – why always Mark Hughes!