Liverpool’s forgotten man Divock Origi was the hero as Liverpool secured a late, dramatic, and frantic 1-0 win over Merseyside rivals Everton to keep the pressure on Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. But what were the key stats from a huge result at Anfield?
Can You Smell What Divock Is Cooking?
Divock Origi has scored 13 Premier League goals for Liverpool over the course of his four seasons at the club – which from 2115 minutes works out as a solid 163 minutes per goal. Three of those goals, however, have been in Merseyside derbies at Anfield, as Divvy added a third derby goal to his 2016 and 2017 strikes. Divvy loves an Anfield goal against the Ev.
One more hilarious Divvy stat. Understat has him at 27.5 xG/90 this season, as his only five minutes on the pitch has yielded 1.53 xG from two big chances (two absolutely huge chances it has to be said).
Divock Magic Covers Stuttering Attack
To say that this was a bad Liverpool attacking performance would probably be harsh, but to say that it was an excellent one would also be untrue. As mentioned above, Origi’s two late chances, both of which were scrambles from set-pieces were worth 1.53 xG, of Liverpool’s total of 3.04. So Liverpool managed their second highest xG total of the season, despite offering nothing for long spells.
That said, the Reds still generated three big chances before Divvy’s late two, with Mané and Shaqiri both conspiring to miss them between them – admittedly all on their weaker feet. Even so, the Reds’ attack was wholly reliant on Salah for creativity, with Mo producing two nice passes for two big chances – 0.81 xA on his part. He made four key passes, with Shaq, Mane and Bobby making just two key passes between them for 0.39 xA.
Defence Creaks But Alisson Bails Them Out
It’s a funny old game. Liverpool have on paper their second best-attacking display of the season and scored just once. On paper, this was Liverpool’s third-worst defensive performance, but they come out with their ninth clean sheet from fourteen games.
Liverpool conceded three big chances, the joint most they’ve conceded this season, as well as 1.23 xGA, but Alisson denied Gomes with a phenomenal save to keep Liverpool in the game, also denying Theo Walcott as he tried to go around the keeper. Equally as important, as Si Brundish points out below, is Alisson’s contribution to the attack. His passing game seems to be back, which is very good news for LFC.
Alisson has 3 passes over the halfway line in the last 9 games. Today he made 11, he made 4 into the final 3rd along with 2 world class saves.@DanKennett told you he wasn’t in form, he is now
— SimonBrundish (@SimonBrundish) December 2, 2018
Reds Run Continues
21 games at Anfield in 19 years now without an Everton win. 18 games home and away in eight years without an Everton win (the longest running derby unbeaten run in English football). Liverpool vs Everton continues to be very fun.
In terms of Liverpool themselves, that’s one goal conceded in seven home games, as the Reds made it six wins out of seven at home, with just Man City picking up a point. That’s now 15 league games unbeaten, 14 this year, and a 28 game unbeaten streak in the Premier League now, with 19 of those games won. That’s a points per game of 2.38 at Anfield since the start of last season. Overall? Very impressive from LFC.
