In many ways, Liverpool’s April Merseyside Derby was much like Jurgen Klopp’s first in the same month last year…
Victory was easy and sweet, but marred by an injury to a key attacker who’ll now miss the run-in.
In 2016, Divock Origi scored versus Everton in a 4-0 rout, but was stretchered off in the second-half. This time, Sadio Mane bagged in a 3-1 win but similarly left the field accompanied after going down nastily.
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For Jurgen Klopp, it halts his ability to enjoy the performance:
Klopp: “Losing Sadio on Saturday was like ‘oh my God’. Can’t we have one day where everything is perfect…..”
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) April 4, 2017
The Mane news is all the more painful considering we’re also currently without Adam Lallana and captain Jordan Henderson, while Daniel Sturridge is (slowly) coming back from injury himself.
To make matters worse, Emre Can and Joel Matip picked up niggles against Everton, making it potentially six starters out for the Bournemouth tie tonight.
If there was ever a time for squad players like Lucas and Origi to step up, it’s tonight.