2024-01-02 00:44:12
Salah’s new demonstration, Nunez’s failures and Newcastle’s worrying situation… find the top-flops of the clash of the 20th day of the Premier League.
TOPS
Salah, a double before leaving
It’s called not doubting, or succeeding in not showing it. Great architect of Liverpool’s great success against Newcastle (4-2), Mohamed Salah had started… with a missed penalty (22nd). Disturbed like his partners by Dubravka’s insolent success in the visitors’ goals, the Egyptian returned to the locker room frustrated. Before taking care of everything afterwards. First served on a plate by Nunez (49th), the right winger will take care of creating the goals of Jones (74th) and Gakpo (78th) before taking his revenge on Dubravka, on the wrong foot (86th) . A news masterclass and a farewell gift before moving towards the CAN to guide the Pharaohs there.
Dubravka, great evening… contrasting
It is obviously very rare to highlight the performance of a goalkeeper beaten four times. But beyond his great match, Martin Dubravka contributed to the dramaturgy of an evening which could have ended short without his prowess. Impassable for a half, from Salah’s penalty to his duels won against Nunez (35th, 52nd), the Slovak ended up being beaten by avoidance, when the Reds ended up understanding that they had to pass the ball to a partner to end up finding the fault. Still brilliant despite the goals conceded, Dubravka certainly had a career-defining evening, as he is the usual replacement for the injured England international Nick Pope. Especially since his interim has been criticized until now, hence to consider reinforcement this winter. This first evening of the year may have reshuffled the cards.
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FLOPS
Newcastle on the reserve
Coming out with honors from the “Group of Death” in the Champions League, Newcastle seems to be paying off for the chain of efforts generated by this early discovery of the C1. On the street for several weeks, as during the reception of Nottingham on Boxing Day (1-3), the Magpies were overdominated by the Reds with the naturally opposite dynamic, but certain individuals, who were able to carry the band to Eddie Howe up here, start sticking his tongue out. And the English coach could also end up being confronted with current results (6 defeats in 7 matches in one month) below the expectations born from the exceptional last season.
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Nunez’s failures
Hero of the first leg, where he overthrew everything in ten minutes on the pitch (2-1), the Uruguayan went through a much more frustrating evening this Monday evening. Often criticized for his ineffectiveness, the number 9 of the Reds will therefore have come up against a Dubravka on the big nights, notably twice in quick succession… on two separate actions (35th, 52nd). A slightly too uncrossed header (64th) to complete a complicated evening, only saved by his decisive pass on Salah’s first goal.
Szoboszlai falls into line
His body language at his exit (now the back of the thigh) can be open to interpretation. Injury to traditional gestures of players disappointed with their performance? In difficulty for several weeks, the Hungarian recruit of the summer has once again disappointed in the Reds’ midfield, where he seems disconnected from his partners. His succession of bad choices at the end of the first period, particularly on the counterattack, reflects a lack of confidence. To his credit, the start of the transition towards opening the score, but it is little compared to his much more satisfactory debut under his new colors.
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