Jürgen Klopp couldn’t bear to watch. Another night of Champions League torment beckoned Liverpool as Joël Matip curled an 89th-minute header past Ajax goalkeeper Remko Pasveer only for Dusan Tadic to clear the line. Or from behind the line, as a signal on the referee’s watch confirmed. Klopp was looking away from the pitch when the referee pointed to the center circle and pointed Liverpool’s campaign in a completely different direction.
It was late, sloppy and Liverpool still have a lot of room for improvement, but this was a lovely win after Napoli’s low and with their season already at a crucial stage. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring before Kudus leveled superbly for Ajax. Liverpool were beginning to rue several missed chances when Matip finally converted a Kostas Tsimikas corner.
After several days of hammering his players with the “absolute truth”, Klopp made four changes to the team responsible for what he described as the worst display of his Liverpool reign in Napoli last week. One was enforced, Kostas Tsimikas replacing the injured Andy Robertson, and three were a direct response to the calamity in Italy with Joe Gomez, James Milner and Roberto Firmino dropped to the bench. Diogo Jota was drafted in ahead of summer signing Darwin Nunez as Klopp looked for a more compact, counter-pressing unit to reignite Liverpool’s Champions League campaign. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion made him the youngest player in Liverpool’s history to reach the milestone of 50 European appearances for the club, aged 23 years and 341 days.
There was no Champions League anthem before kick-off and the traditional sound of You’ll Never Walk Alone was abandoned after a few notes as Uefa and Liverpool commemorated the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II. Anfield was asked to observe a period of silence for the late monarch and it was mostly respectfully observed. A shout of “Liverpool” and a couple of boos were met with immediate instructions to shut up from others in the crowd as most paid their respects in silence.
Joél Matip rises above the Ajax defense to make the difference. Photograph: Visionhaus/Getty Images
Klopp’s call for Liverpool to “reinvent themselves” after Napoli did not lead to a radically different approach, although an improvement was noticeable and instant. The recalled and in-form Thiago Alcântara and Jota had an early impact, while Matip’s forays helped break Ajax’s lines and put the Dutch champions under sustained early pressure. It paid off as the hosts claimed an early lead which should have eased some of the anxiety inside Anfield.
Luis Diaz, one of the few to escape criticism in Napoli, won a high header from an Alisson clearance and headed it towards Jota. Two Ajax defenders tackled the Liverpool forward, but he held them off with ease before setting Salah free inside the penalty area. After seven Champions League games without a goal, his longest drought in the competition, Salah could not have wished for a better chance to end the unwanted streak and beat Pasveer with a convincing finish into the corner.
Every Liverpool player joined in the celebrations and last week’s doubts seemed to have been released as they bombed past Pasveer’s goal in search of a second. Diaz dragged a superb chance narrowly wide after Virgil van Dijk had pounced on a Tsimikas foul on his way near the penalty spot. Jota tested the Ajax keeper from distance and then set up Salah again after being found in space on the left by the ever-alert Alisson. The goalscorer was deflected at the near post.
Liverpool’s work rate off the ball was also improved and Klopp roared his approval as Tsimikas, Diaz and Thiago pressured Ajax so successfully that they were forced to play Dusan Tadic’s ball into attack Pasveer in goal. But just as Liverpool were enjoying their most dominant spell, they were prized by Ajax’s speed and intelligence in a rare foray forward.
Trouble started from the moment right-back Devyne Rensch broke through Liverpool’s press with a pinpoint pass from Diaz and Tsimikas. Edson Alvarez found Daley Blind hugging the opposite flank and the former Manchester United defender sent Steven Berghuis into the space vacated by Alexander-Arnold. Berghuis flicked a cross between Matip’s legs to an unmarked Steven Bergwijn inside the Liverpool penalty area. Mohammed Kudus, also unmarked, got to the ball first, turned from Van Dijk and drove an unstoppable left-footed shot under Alisson’s crossbar. It was clear why Ajax refused to sell Kudus to Everton in the recent transfer window after losing Antony to United.
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Liverpool continued to create good openings but, whether from set pieces or in open play, a clinical touch proved difficult. Van Dijk and Matip sent several headers over the crossbar or straight at Pasveer, while the Ajax goalkeeper saved well from Alexander-Arnold and Salah. The latter, after Fabinho’s rebound had found Salah free inside the box, bounced past Harvey Elliott but could only hit the net from a difficult angle.
The visitors carried a clear threat on the counter and should have taken the lead when Tadic picked out Blind with a measured cross at the back post. Blind had time and space to pick his spot only to slot a header inches wide of the far post, sending manager Alfred Schreuder to his knees in anguish.
Núñez had an ideal chance to seal the win late on when Salah squared the striker inside the box. The Uruguayan international shot wide, but Matip would save the night for Liverpool.