Liverpool piled more relegation worries on Leeds United with a comprehensive 6-0 victory at Anfield, and Joel Matip's goal was one of the highlights.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa admitted runs from central defenders represented a "problem" after the former Schalke defender tucked away the Reds' second of the night and Virgil van Dijk also found the net late on, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane sharing the other four goals between them..
Matip's goal was his first of the season, and only his second since August 2019, with the effort helping Jurgen Klopp's side close to within three points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.
On an evening where Klopp's full-time celebrations caught the eye, others made sure Thiago's reaction to his teammate's first-half strike didn't go unnoticed.
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“The problem of opposing centre-backs driving forward has become very evident,” Bielsa said after the game.
“The solution is very clear. When a centre-back drives with the ball he passes the height of the wingers on the side that he goes up, then the central attackers and defensive midfielders and eventually they come up against our free man who is often a centre-back.
“There are spaces were we can recover the ball but it’s clear that’s a problem I haven’t been able to resolve.”
Matip's goal was a special one, with the defender making a late run into the box and confidently beating Illan Meslier.
Thiago knows a thing or two about impressive goals himself, though, having delivered one of the best of Liverpool's season in their Champions League group stage victory over Porto.
After seeing Matip get himself on the scoresheet, the Spain international couldn't hide his astonishment, raising his arms in disbelief as a huge smile broke out across his face.
"The way Leeds defend, it gives, especially Joel on that right side, the chance and it is a duty then to step in, to make yards," Klopp said of the Cameroonian's strike.
"There will always be the block and you have to find a way to keep the game going and he did that this time with a pass to the outside and then followed through, which is absolutely great. Then he finished it off.
"It’s not possible in all games – and not needed in all games – but against Leeds it’s possible and against Leeds it’s needed as well. He did that very well and got the full reward for it. I am really happy for him."
While Liverpool's win leaves their fate in their own hands as far as the title race is concerned, Klopp is not thinking about that right now, with the Reds' next two games coming in the Carabao Cup final and FA Cup fifth round.
"We have 10 days until we play the next league game and we have two games in-between in completely different competitions," Klopp told the BBC.
"One is a final and the other I don't even know, a quarter-final or a last 16 and they will be different games and we have to be ready for them as well."
