Liverpool 4-1 Swansea: Reds returning to their attacking best, says Gary Neville on Monday Night Football
Swansea 'dismantled' by Liverpool's front three that 'look a challenge for defenders'
Tuesday 30 December 2014 10:13, UK
Liverpool are beginning to return to their attacking best, says Gary Neville.
Brendan Rodgers’ side moved within five points of the Champions League places with a stylish display in a 4-1 victory over Swansea on Monday Night Football.
Adam Lallana scored twice for the Reds as part of a lively strike force alongside Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling, and Neville thinks Liverpool’s attacking trio are a real force.
“The threat is back for Liverpool and those three are creating it,” said Neville.
The threat is back for Liverpool and those three are creating it.
“You think of Liverpool last season, they’re certainly not back to that, because that was an incredibly high standard with Sterling, Suarez and Sturridge, but when you look at the front three in the past five or six matches compared to how it was before, they’re getting more shots per game.
"There’s more activity, there’s more happening, there’s more movement and everything’s quicker.”
Liverpool’s win was the first time this season they’ve scored four goals in a game, and the former Manchester United defender was left impressed by their performance.
“They’ve dismantled Swansea over a period of 60 or 70 minutes,” he said.
“Swansea came here with a rigid shape, trying to be solid, but were pulled apart by good passing and good movement.
“Those front three really look a challenge for defenders. Even against United and Arsenal in recent weeks, when they didn’t get the results, they were still a threat.”
Sterling was fortunate not to be sent off for raising a hand in retaliation to Federico Fernandez, however.
While Neville felt the Liverpool forward should have been sent off - and that Jonjo Shelvey should have been dismissed for a first-half clash with Emre Can - the Sky Sports pundit reckons both will avoid any FA punishment.
“How can the officials possibly, in any way shape or form, say they haven’t seen that?" he said. "The referee and linesman are going to lose credibility if they say they saw neither incident.
“The Papiss Cisse one (in Newcastle’s win over Everton), there was a little bit of vagueness as the ball was 10 metres away…there’s no vagueness about this one.
“There will be other managers looking at that tonight and thinking 'hang on, my player got sent off for that two weeks ago’.”
