Tuesday 20 December 2016 11:42, UK
Sadio Mane’s stoppage-time winner broke the deadlock and earned Liverpool the points in Monday’s Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park. The 1-0 win lifts Liverpool up to second in the table and means they will be six points behind Chelsea at Christmas.
It was a hard-fought win but one Jurgen Klopp felt was deserved. "I can't remember one chance for Everton," he told Sky Sports afterwards. He was more circumspect about his team's title chances but this was a result that will surely bring real belief.
Here we pick out five reasons why Liverpool supporters will be particularly encouraged by their 1-0 win over Everton…
Mignolet's clean sheet
It was a big call for Klopp to drop Loris Karius, the man he had clearly identified as Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper, but it has proven to be the right one. Simon Mignolet has returned to the starting line-up and promptly produced two consecutive clean sheets away from home.
I just think it vindicates the manager.
The Belgian has not had much to do but if, as Gary Neville suggested, Karius was "transmitting anxiety" to his team-mates, Mignolet deserves some credit for restoring order. This, their final game before Christmas, was Liverpool's first 1-0 win in 2016.
Klavan stepping up well
If Mignolet coming in for Karius was seen as a move to shore things up, Liverpool supporters would have been rather less optimistic about Joel Matip's continued absence through injury. However, Ragnar Klavan stood up to the test well.
It was a difficult start to life at Liverpool for the Estonian - he was part of the side that let in three at Arsenal and two at Burnley - but it's now four-and-a-half hours since the side let in a goal with Klavan on the pitch. He battled well against Romelu Lukaku.
Lovren playing at his best
The 31-year-old certainly benefited from the man alongside him. "I thought Dejan Lovren was absolutely outstanding," said Gary Neville. Lovren set the tone early on with a fine header away from close range from inside his own six-yard box to deny Lukaku.
I thought Dejan Lovren was absolutely outstanding.
After enduring what Ronald Koeman called his team's best 45 minutes, Lovren began to really exert his influence on the ball too. As a result, he not only made more clearances but also completed more passes than any other player on the pitch. It was a big performance.
Sturridge's impact on return
Daniel Sturridge is still waiting for his first Premier League goal of the season but he had a big impact on his return to the field for the first time in a month. It was the striker's scuffed shot deep into stoppage time that rebounded off the goal frame for Mane to pass into the net. "We needed somebody who could shoot the ball to the post," said Klopp.
This was not a moment of high quality but it still felt like a big one in Liverpool's season. The hope will be that Sturridge feeling a part of it could be the catalyst for him to play a much more significant role in the second half of what could yet be a massive season for the Reds.
Goals from various sources
Mane's goal took his tally to eight for the Premier League season, still some way short of the likes of Diego Costa (13) and Sergio Aguero (10) but he is one of five Liverpool players to score five or more so far this season. No other team has more than three players with that many.
Carragher believes that's a plus as they are less reliant on one man. "I think the front three, whoever they are, score goals," he told Sky Sports. "I think it's a major strength of Liverpool. They haven't got one outstanding goalscorer but the front players all chip in."
