Despite losing Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah to their respective countries; Senegal and Egypt for the African Cup of Nations tournament, the young reds with a mixture of experience did the damage to Shrewsbury as they were comprehensively outclassed by the dominant reds.
Gordon, Fabinho (twice) and Firmino all got on the score sheet after Udoh initially put Shrewsbury ahead at Anfield. The Reds rallied around and came back from the deficit to win by 4-1. Jürgen Klopp would be proud of his young guns as they tried to cope with life without their two important players.
It took Shrewsbury just 27 minutes to get the first goal at Anfield after Ogbeta did well on the left-hand side to deliver the ball into the box where Udoh was fast and smart enough to bundle the ball into the back of the net with the goalkeeper helpless in stopping it.
The Reds wouldn't go down without a fight and they drew level in the 34th minute to make Shrewsbury's lead last for just 7 minutes. Bradley did so well to get the ball to Gordon inside the box. He managed to pick out the position well suited to him as he smashed the ball into the back of the net to draw Liverpool level.
Shrewsbury got denied shortly after too after Leahy delivered an inviting cross into the box which was met with the head and precision of Bowman who found the back of the net but the linesman ruled the goal off for offside as the Reds breathed a sigh of relief after having just gotten into the game with the scoreline at 1-1.
The game slipped out of Shrewsbury's hand and the start of that was when Robertson delivered a freekick from the edge of the box into the penalty area only for the referee to spot a handball inside the box. He has no choice but to give Liverpool the penalty. Fabinho stepped up a minute before halftime and gave Liverpool the lead as they went into the break. It was indeed a lovely penalty from Fabinho as he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to bring the game to 2-1.
Liverpool should have been 3 goals up if not for the brilliance of the goalkeeper to deny Liverpool from close range after Robertson was found at the end of the post. He did so well to pull the ball back to the face of the goal and Gordon pounced but the goalkeeper denied his effort which would have been his second of the game.
Not to be denied for long, Liverpool got their 3rd goal of the game thanks to a lovely backheel from substitute; Firmino in the 78th minute after he pounced on a loose ball that came to in inside the box after it came off Konate. Fabinho smashed home the last goal of the game after his initial effort was saved in the 93rd minute and with instant reaction despite the tight angle, he found the roof of the net as he smashed home the rebound that was initially blocked by Shrewsbury.
Liverpool ran out worthy winners by 4-1 and no one would have any questions regarding the authenticity of this win.
Thank you for your time.
My pen doesn't bleed, it speaks, with speed and ease.
Still me,
My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.
Olawalium; (Love's chemical content, in human form). Take a dose today: doctor's order.
