Liverpool extended their winning run to five matches after earning a 1-0 win at the expense of Fulham on Wednesday evening.
Mohamed Salah's 39th-minute penalty proved to be the difference between the two teams, in what became a tense affair at Anfield as the clock ticked down during the second half.
Victory has ensured the Reds remain good value to secure a European finish this season and could yet gatecrash the Champions League places should Manchester United or Newcastle falter in the coming weeks.
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Members of the national media, along with the ECHO's very own Paul Gorst, were present to witness yet another Salah goal in a Liverpool shirt and their thoughts on proceedings can be found below.
'On a mission'
Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph wrote:
"Mohamed Salah could not do any more to demonstrate his distaste for the Europa League. The Egyptian is on a mission to avoid the indignity of relegation from Uefa’s top tier, his latest goal spree retaining Liverpool’s slender hopes of Champions League football next season.
"Salah became only the third Liverpool player to score in eight consecutive Anfield games, his winning penalty against Fulham consolidating Jurgen Klopp’s position in fifth, ready to pounce if the United's from Newcastle and Manchester slip-up.
"Salah has six in six in all competitions, this much-needed contribution securing a victory which became more unconvincing the longer the game progressed.
"He has now scored in every home game since February 13, a reminder that for all the changes in Klopp’s forward line, he remains reassuringly consistent."
'Pang of regret'
Paul Joyce of the Times wrote:
"There was the sight of Darwin Núñez duping a defender, Mohamed Salah on the scoresheet and Luis Díaz buzzing around, driving markers to distraction.
"In those carefree moments, Jürgen Klopp must have looked on with a pang of regret. This was how he had envisaged Liverpool’s entire season to be.
"The fingerprints of all three were on what was, ultimately, a hard-fought success over Fulham, a fifth straight Premier League victory that meant Liverpool closed to within four points of the fourth-placed Manchester United. Erik ten Hag’s side do have two games in hand, however.
"Yet when Díaz was substituted shortly after the hour, it was a reminder of how little the trio had played together. It is now only 295 minutes in the league across the season, with the serious knee injury suffered by Díaz, and the difficulties Núñez has had assimilating into an inconsistent team, factors in that."
'Flourishing in this role'
Dominic King of the Daily Mail wrote:
"Controversy seems to be following referees around at Anfield and this time Stuart Attwell and VAR Tony Harrington were in the line of fire after Issa Diop and Darwin Nunez collided.
"If Silva was a cartoon character, steam would have been fizzing out of ears, so incensed was he by the injustice. Aggrieved that his team had played so well and had nothing to show for their efforts, Silva couldn’t resist having a go, like the batsman who sees a ball going outside off-stump.
"Slowly, Liverpool began to settle down. Key to it all was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is flourishing in this role that sees him step into midfield and pick passes like a quarterback; the more he gets attuned it, the better Klopp’s team will become."
'Flashes of rich promise'
Andy Hunter of the Guardian wrote:
"Salah, Núñez and Luis Díaz would have been most people’s idea of Liverpool’s first choice forward line at the start of the season, and an enticing prospect too, but it has remained little more than an idea due to a serious knee injury sustained by the Colombia international and a difficult debut campaign for the Uruguay striker. The trio started together for only the fifth time against Fulham and showed both flashes of rich promise as a combination as well as understandable rust.
"Silva grew increasingly frustrated at Fulham’s passive response to falling behind but that was down to Liverpool’s endeavour more than any failing on his team’s part. The home side pressed relentlessly whenever Fulham attempted to build from the back, with Jordan Henderson and the energetic Curtis Jones joining the front three in shutting down the escape routes."
'Harried and battled at every turn'
Paul Gorst of the ECHO wrote:
"It was Nunez's first start since the goalless draw with Chelsea a month ago as he was entrusted to lead the line and try to add to his 15-goal haul he has so far registered across all competitions in his maiden season in English football.
"The Uruguay international came haring out the traps and looked like a player determined to make a point after being told that his work on the defensive side of things needs to show an improvement by Klopp of late. 'Counter-pressing is the ticket into this side,' the Reds boss says. Nunez appeared to have been listening. Or at least had that message translated.
"The No.27 chased down, harried and battled at every turn, even if the rough edges around his game were still very evident at times. It was his hard work that brought about a penalty and the winning goal when he smartly nudged the ball ahead of Issa Diop before being clattered by the defender's attempt to clear.
"It's interesting to reflect on where Nunez currently sits in the pecking order for the Reds and their six-man frontline. The former Benfica man is not guaranteed his place based on his £64m price tag - one that could rise to a club-record £85m - and Klopp has, at times, been quite pointed in his critiques.
"The 23-year-old's pressing and linguistic skills, the manager says, need to improve before he forces his way back in on a more regular basis but this was an outing full of the sort of endeavour that has made him a hit on the Kop in his debut campaign. His name rang all over Anfield as soon as referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot."
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