And with that, this MBM comes to its natural end. All that’s left to do is point you in the direction of Jamie Jackson’s match report ... and thank you for reading. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Nighty night!
Jurgen Klopp and David Wagner are being interviewed together. Here goes, then.
KLOPP: It is strange [to face Wagner] in the preparation, but only on a private level, as it’s the only week of the year when we don’t speak. But it’s not the day for a funny interview. It was a good game of Huddersfield, not so good from us. We will take it.
WAGNER: It is more or less business as usual, we take our personal emotions out of the game.
KLOPP: We could have scored in five, six, seven situations with one easy pass. The last pass was so often not good. We’ll have to watch it again. We were not fresh. But mostly Huddersfield did really well and we had to fight; we did that really well and I am proud. I said sorry, because it feels like that to be honest. I expect us to do better, and we will do.
WAGNER: I have seen this game before, against Tottenham and Burnley. We have played well, with passion and aggression, we pressed high and caused panic. The players have done well but without results. I would lie if I said it isn’t a problem, but at the end it is a challenge, and the experience of turning performances into results will be exciting. If we perform consistently, the results will come.
KLOPP: I have watched all the games of Huddersfield, and in their first nine games they have played us, Manchester City, Tottenham, Leicester, Everton ... it’s not a fixture list when you think “oh good, we’ll get 24 points” here.
WAGNER [grinning]: He is my friend!
Mo Salah speaks! “It was a tough game, but we got the three points. We had to fight, but we knew we would have to. It is a good feeling [to score his 50th goal in England], but as I said last season, the most important thing is to help the team. I’m not worried [about form].”
Adam Lallana adds: “It was nice to contribute, it’s been so long. On that form, Huddersfield have a right good chance to stay in the league and do well. But it’s a huge three points for us. It’s been tough, just constant setbacks, but I feel I’m in a really good place now, I just want to play games. Everyone’s going to have to contribute if we’re going to achieve something special.”
A warm embrace between Wagner and Klopp on the touchline. Wagner surely won’t be too upset; his team will take great heart from their performance, once the sting of defeat subsides. It should serve them well in the coming weeks. Klopp meanwhile will know his side dodged a bullet today; Salah still looks a little short on confidence, while there’s a big drop-off in the potency of their attack when Mane doesn’t play. They’re still struggling to locate their mojo. On the other hand, they’re joint top of the Premier League with Manchester City, having yet to click into anything approaching top gear! There are worse states to be in.
FULL TIME: Huddersfield Town 0-1 Liverpool
The final whistle goes. Liverpool survive. It’s not entirely clear how Huddersfield didn’t score this evening. Liverpool were poor, and rode their luck. But it’s three points for the Reds. They go joint top, though if they keep playing like that, they can forget about the title. On the other hand, if Huddersfield keep playing like that, they’ll have a good chance of staying up.
90 min +3: Diakhaby crosses again from a tight spot on the left. Jorgensen, on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, flicks the ball high to the far post, but it sails out for a goal kick.
90 min +2: Diakhaby - a former team-mate of Fabinho at Monaco - comes on for Hogg. He nearly makes an instant impact, steaming past Lovren down the left and crossing from the byline. Alisson and van Dijk just about manage to smother and clear.
90 min +1: Salah has an opportunity to set Firmino clear down the left. He plays the ball straight at Durm. Some of Liverpool’s passing today has been risible.
90 min: There will be at least four added minutes.
89 min: Salah and Sturridge combine well down the inside-right channel. Then the ball’s rolled across the face of the box for Firmino, who has time to size things up ... but blooters wildly over the crossbar.
88 min: Sturridge flicks a pass down the right for Gomez, who has time to pick a pass. He pulls back for Salah, who squirms into a little space down the inside-right channel and tries to dink a finish past Lossl from a tight angle. But the keeper smothers.
87 min: Liverpool are struggling to keep hold of the ball. That’s giving Huddersfield and their vocal support hope.
85 min: Then the ball’s launched long from the left, and Depoitre wins a corner on the right. The set piece is cleared by van Dijk, and suddenly Liverpool are tearing clear on the break! Firmino has Shaqiri to his left, but opts to lay off to Salah on his right. And he undercooks the pass, allowing Lowe to slide in and intercept. Liverpool should have put the game to bed then. They at least should have got a shot on target. On the touchline, Klopp is going spare, throwing semaphore shapes that spell U-N-H-A-P-P-Y, as well as E-F-F and C-E-E.
84 min: Firmino handles the ball out on the left. That gives Pritchard a couple of chances to dribble into the box from that wing. Gomez sticks out a leg to stop him, just as he threatens to break through on goal.
82 min: Mbenza tears down the right and curls in a cross. Van Dijk fresh-air kicks his attempted clearance. The ball clanks off the back of a panicked Lovren, who is trying ... I’m not sure what he’s trying. A donkey kick? Anyway, the ball drops to Mounie, who also panics, and shins a hopeless effort over the bar from eight yards. Huddersfield should be level. Liverpool are hanging on by their fingertips.
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80 min: Salah shimmies into the Huddersfield area from the right, and there’s space for a shot, but he looks to slip Shaqiri in on goal instead. His pass inside is easily intercepted by Jorgensen, who clears.
79 min: Huddersfield stroke it around the back awhile, and Liverpool seem happy enough to let them do it. Eventually they come forward and Fabinho takes up possession. He runs at the hosts but eventually has to turn back. Liverpool are utterly disjointed in attack.
77 min: Firmino replaces Milner. Then Lossl launches long, Depoitre flicks past van Dijk, and Mounie blazes recklessly high and wide from an ambitious position.
76 min: Shaqiri’s delivery goes out of play before it reaches the box. Sturridge blasts the ball away in frustration and is booked for his sauce.
75 min: The corner’s shuttled to Wijnaldum on the edge of the box. He considers shooting but indecision overwhelms him. But then Shaqiri comes again down the left and wins another corner.
74 min: Sturridge finds a little pocket of space in the Huddersfield box, and dribbles into it, down the inside-right. But his attempt to cross for Salah is blocked. Then another phase of Liverpool attack, as Shaqiri slips a pass down the left for Robertson on the overlap. Schindler slides in at the near post to concede the corner, with Sturridge lurking.
72 min: It’s all very scrappy again, as the subs find their feet and both teams recalibrate.
70 min: Billing is replaced by Mounie. Huddersfield now have two strikers on the pitch. They also swap a defender in Hadergjonaj for the winger Mbenza. They’re going for it, with Liverpool looking increasingly uncertain of themselves.
69 min: Lallana, who hasn’t started a game for yonks, is down with cramp. He gets up, then limps off to be replaced by Fabinho.
67 min: Liverpool are preparing a change. It looks as though the lesser-spotted Fabinho will be coming on soon.
65 min: Space for Pritchard down the right. His ball inside finds Durm, coming in from the other wing, but the wing-back can’t control the ball to get an effort on target. Liverpool are holding firm, but there’s a sense that Huddersfield could get something if they keep this up.
63 min: Sturridge, deep on the left, curls a pass inside for Salah, who chests down and powers down the inside-left channel. He enters the box and whistles a shot across Lossl and inches wide of the right-hand post. A suggestion Salah might have brought that down with his upper arm instead of his chest, so the miss nips that controversy in the bud.
61 min: The corner’s launched deep. At the far post, van Dijk tries to guide a volley into the net from a tight angle, but can only cushion it into the arms of Lossl.
60 min: Gomez strolls forward down the right. He lays off for Salah, who drifts inside and has a whack from distance. It’s blocked for a corner on the left.
59 min: Lallana and Salah combine down the inside-right channel, forcing a corner. Salah takes. Schindler clears with van Dijk lurking in the six-yard box.
57 min: Huddersfield have enjoyed 63% possession since the restart. Liverpool are making a habit of giving the ball away in the midfield.
55 min: Hadergjonaj scoops a cross into the Liverpool box from the left. Depoitre rises highest, and guides a header towards the bottom right, but Alisson reads it well and smothers. Depoitre didn’t quite catch that; a bit more oomph and Liverpool might have been in trouble.
54 min: Shaqiri hugs the right touchline and slides a pass down the wing for Salah, who turns on the jets but runs down a cul-de-sac. Liverpool aren’t firing up front at all; like that’s breaking news.
52 min: A throw for Huddersfield deep on the left. Billing flings it in. Milner stoops bravely to head clear from a thicket of flailing legs.
51 min: Henderson was taken off as a precautionary measure, as he was feeling a tight hamstring.
50 min: Wijnaldum spins out of a tackle and into space down the left. He’s dragged back by Hogg. Liverpool get the foul, but Hogg escapes a yellow. That’s a pretty generous decision, and Klopp engages the fourth official in debate accordingly.
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48 min: Liverpool appear to be trying to up the tempo a little. Milner makes ground down the left. His cross is only half cleared, and drops to Sturridge, who tries to curl one into the top left. Too high and wide. Sturridge is cutting a frustrated figure right now.
46 min: Robertson spins infield from the left wing and exchanges passes with Sturridge. Robertson has a shot from just inside the area, but it’s blocked pretty much at source. Sturridge hesitated before playing the return ball, and it probably cost Robertson there.
And we’re off again! Liverpool have made a change: Wijnaldum has come on for Henderson. Huddersfield get the ball rolling once more.
Half-time entertainment: Some fine work here.
HALF TIME: Huddersfield Town 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool will be happy to hear the half-time whistle. Huddersfield were coming at them in waves. The hosts will wonder how they’ve not managed to score; they’ve been very lively in attack. It’s going to be a very interesting second half. Liverpool need to change something, because their midfield is being over-run.
Updated
45 min: Pritchard whips in dangerously from the left. The Liverpool box is loaded but Alisson reads it well to claim.
43 min: Huddersfield have a goal disallowed! The ball’s headed down the inside-left channel, and Pritchard is clear into the area! He flicks the ball past the outrushing, star-jumping Alisson ... but the flag goes up for offside. It’s the correct decision, but there was only an inch or so in it.
Updated
42 min: Van Dijk and Lovren get into all sorts of bother trying to play out from the back. Hogg heads back into the box. The ball strokes Milner’s hip and the inside of his arm. Hot shouts for a penalty, but it’s not awarded. You’ve certainly seen those given, though Milner will argue he was too close to Hogg and his arm was in a natural position.
40 min: A lovely flowing move by Huddersfield. Pritchard slips a pass down the right for Hadergjonaj, who rolls infield for Depoitre. Billing is free on the left, and eventually gets the ball, but the hesitation by Depoitre allows Gomez to get over and block the shot. Liverpool were all over the place at the back there.
38 min: Billing takes the free kick, and sends it screeching inches wide of the right-hand post. A few inches inside, and that was going into the top corner. Alisson might have got over to it, had that been the case, but it wasn’t certain.
37 min: They’ve showed the Hogg shot again. It took a little nick off Lovren on the way through, which took it past Alisson’s fingers and onto the post. Meanwhile a free kick for Huddersfield, as Gomez goes into an aerial challenge with Depoitre, high-kicking like billy-o.
35 min: Lallana nicks the ball off Mooy, but then clatters into Lowe as he chases it, and is quite rightly booked.
33 min: Salah and Sturridge try to one-two their way through the centre of the Huddersfield defence, but their flicks don’t come off.
31 min: Huddersfield haven’t scored at home yet this season. But it’s not for the want of trying. Hogg unleashes a rising shot towards the top left from 30 yards. It beats Alisson at full stretch, but hits the left-hand post flush, and away from danger. Such a magnificent effort, and so unlucky!
29 min: Huddersfield enjoy a little bit of possession in Liverpool’s final third. Hadergjonaj crosses twice from the right; van Dijk swipes the first one clear, the second goes out for a goal kick.
27 min: Liverpool claim a penalty, Shaqiri’s cross from the right hitting Billing on the arm. But the players were so close together, and Billing’s arms were down by his side. The visitors are never getting that. Up the other end, Depoitre has a shot that’s blocked, the ball ballooning into Alisson’s arms.
25 min: Huddersfield nearly strike back immediately, Mooy rolling a pass wide left for Durm, who is in acres. But Gomez reads the danger, coming across to block-tackle. The ball clanks out of play for a throw.
GOAL! Huddersfield Town 0-1 Liverpool (Salah 23)
So having said that, Liverpool score a magnificent goal! Gomez takes down a high crossfield Milner pass on the right. He then fires a pass down the inside-right for Shaqiri, who drifts a little inside before rolling further down the channel for Salah. Salah takes a touch and slips a trademark shot across Lossl and into the bottom left! Liverpool picked up the pace, and they’ve been rewarded.
Updated
22 min: Liverpool are very ponderous in attack. Short of ideas. Sturridge and Salah try to up the tempo with a quick one-two down the left, but the move doesn’t come off.
20 min: Billing strides forward, then slips over and loses the ball. Henderson picks it up and storms into the space left by the marauding defender, but then wastes the opportunity by playing a poor ball down the inside-right channel, intended for Lallana but nowhere near him.
18 min: Neither team has worked their way into a groove yet. It’s all a bit hurried and shapeless. Salah demonstrates this by playing a simple pass left for Sturridge behind his team-mate and out of play.
16 min: Now it’s Liverpool’s turn to throw long. Gomez launches it. It’s half cleared. Shaqiri shapes to volley from the edge of the box, but he’s closed down quickly.
15 min: Huddersfield make a proper balls of the corner, allowing Liverpool to break upfield en masse. Robertson swings in a cross from the left. It’s only half cleared, and Gomez latches onto the loose ball. He gives it one hell of a blooter, and hit hits Lowe flush in his startled grid. Oof. The ball pings out for a throw, but before it can be taken, the Huddersfield left-back will get a nice mop down with the magic sponge.
14 min: Billing, deep on the right, sends a glorious crossfield pass to Durm, tight on the left touchline. He wins a throw, and it’s another chance for Billing to hoick one of his long throws into the mixer. In goes the throw, and it earns a corner.
12 min: Milner launches long for Shaqiri, who looks to take the ball down and spin clear on the edge of the area. But Schindler is stuck to him like glue, and wins the ball. Fine last-man defending.
10 min: Van Dijk passes back to Alisson, who faffs around with the ball at his feet. He allows Depoitre to close him down, and his attempted pass right for Gomez is charged out for a goal kick. Shades of Leicester, but the goalie got away with this one.
Updated
9 min: Shaqiri crosses deep from the right. Milner tries to get on the end of it, but has no chance. It’s still a bit scrappy, but both teams are going forward with purpose; it should make for an entertaining game.
8 min: Alisson passes long. Salah cushions a header down to Sturridge, who is in a lot of space in the Huddersfield half. Lallana is ahead, ready to spring clear into the box, but perpetual motion is his downfall; as Sturridge plays the pass forward, he’s inexplicably spun round the wrong way, and hasn’t a clue where the ball is.
6 min: Depoitre romps down the right and centres. Billing shuttles the ball to the left for Durm, who has space but hesitates. He’s closed down by Gomez and the chance of getting a shot on goal is lost.
4 min: A throw for Huddersfield down the left. Billing will launch it long. In a packed area, Lovren gets his head on it and clears.
Updated
3 min: Sturridge embarks on a power dribble down the middle. He evades a couple of challenges then rolls a pass to the left for Salah. There’s too much juice on it, and though Salah manages to retain possession, he’s forced miles to the wing and the move breaks down.
2 min: Still super-hectic. Nobody’s managed to control the ball yet, never mind string a few passes together.
And we’re off! Liverpool get the party started. A hug between Wanger and Klopp on the touchline; a thundering atmosphere in the stands. All very scrappy at the start in the midfield; a couple of misdirected throws, a couple of misplaced headers. The only way is up!
No pre-match word with David Wagner, which is a shame. He was caught on camera earlier sharing smiles and high fives with his old buddy Jurgen, so at least we know he’s in high spirits. Anyway, the teams are on the pitch, Huddersfield in their grand old blue and white stripes, Liverpool sporting their equally storied red. We’ll be off in two shakes of a Terrier’s tail. “Call me paranoid,” adds suspicion’s Hubert O’Hearn, “but I’m incredibly nervous about this match. It’s just the sort of away fixture that Liverpool have stumbled over in the past. Post-international break, motivated opponents, assorted injuries, Dejan Lovren starting ... Dejan Lovren starting!?!? I hope we hold it to a draw.”
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Jurgen Klopp speaks! “Keita and Mane’s injuries are not too serious, they shouldn’t be out too long. But I am happy with the line-up, we have a strong bench. We are aware that this will be a difficult game. Huddersfield are only not in a good moment results-wise; all the rest was good in the last few weeks. We need to be ready. Lallana has trained good, he was quite impressive all week. If he could take that onto the pitch it would be good!”
Pre-match reading. If you missed this, you missed out. Rob Smyth on one of the greatest goals ever scored at Anfield.
Huddersfield make one change to the team sent out for the 1-1 draw at Burnley a fortnight ago. Rajiv van La Parra makes way so Florent Hadergjonaj can bolster the defence.
Liverpool make three changes to the side named against Manchester City before the break. Like his half-brother van La Parra, Georginio Wijnaldum drops to the bench, along with Roberto Firmino. Sadio Mane is injured. Taking their places: Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge and Xherdan Shaqiri.
Updated
The teams
Huddersfield Town: Lossl, Jorgensen, Schindler, Lowe, Hadergjonaj, Mooy, Hogg, Billing, Durm, Pritchard, Depoitre.
Subs: Bacuna, Diakhaby, Hamer, van La Parra, Mbenza, Mounie, Stankovic.
Liverpool: Alisson, Gomez, Lovren, van Dijk, Robertson, Lallana, Henderson, Milner, Salah, Sturridge, Shaqiri.
Subs: Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Mignolet, Origi, Matip, Alexander-Arnold.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
Preamble
You could argue that the international break came at the wrong time for Huddersfield Town. A fortnight ago, David Wagner’s troops drew at Burnley, and on the balance of play they should have registered their first win of the season. It was a “brave and confident” display, according to Wagner. Slim pickings, admittedly, but when you’re struggling at the wrong end of the table, you grab any positives going with both hands. However a chance to build some precious momentum was scuppered by the quirks of the calendar.
The break probably came at the right time for Liverpool. After opening the season with seven straight wins, they’ve not won in four, a run that’s seen them knocked out of the League Cup and pitched into a real dogfight in the Champions League. Given that winless streak comprised of games against Chelsea (twice), Napoli and Manchester City, and they’re still in the mix at the top of the Premier League, this hardly constitutes a full-blown crisis. But they’ve not been at their freewheeling best, so the opportunity to stop and take stock will have been welcomed by Jurgen Klopp.
The Liverpool boss will be glad to see his old pal Warner. The Reds beat Huddersfield home and away last season, 3-0 on both occasions. Huddersfield haven’t beaten Liverpool since 1959. And they’ve yet to score at home in 2018-19. Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have all tamed the Terriers this season; Liverpool are expected to join that top-six list today. Then again, they’ve not been totally dependable in seemingly lop-sided situations like this; they dropped nine points last season against the three teams eventually relegated, for example, a fact that will give Warner and his men succour as they look to cause a shock. It’s Huddersfield v Liverpool. It’s the Bill Shankly derby. It’s on!
Kick off: 5.30pm BST.
