Gini Wijnaldum scored his fourth goal in six Anfield Premier League matches on Sunday, helping us clinch a consecutive top flight victory for the first time in 2017.
The Dutchman is becoming increasingly important to our side and if he can start finding the net away from home as well, the 26-year-old may well be considered one of the first names on the team-sheet.
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According to Wijnaldum, the timing of his goal in first-half injury-time was crucial, as it enabled us a platform to find the win, which we did in the end thanks to Emre Can’s second-half stunner.
He told Liverpoolfc.com: “It was really hard – you could see it in the game. The start was already tough, especially because they scored a goal in the first few minutes, so that made it even harder for us. But we kept fighting, kept trying and gave 100 per cent in the game.
“We were lucky that we scored right before half-time because that gave us a little bit more confidence when we were in the dressing room. If you go into the dressing room at 1-0 down, it is different.
“The goal just before half-time was a good thing for us, it gave us more confidence and at half-time we spoke about the things we did badly, the things we did good and could do even better. In the second half, we kept on going, fighting and tried to score a goal – and it was a good one from Emre.
“It gives you another feeling if you go into the dressing room at 1-1, rather than 1-0 down. We had something to take confidence from and it was a really important goal for me and especially for the team. And also for the crowd, because it gave them something to support us more in the second half.”
Wijnaldum scored 11 goals for Newcastle last term, and is on five for the campaign so far. There’s ten games left of our season and it would be great to see him approach double figures again.
At his best, Wijnaldum can get into the box, create chances, but also break up opposition play centrally.
He’s one of our in-form players right now and we’ll need him to be at his best next weekend, when Liverpool visit Manchester City on what’s likely to be a pulsating affair.