It was time to say goodbye to Anfield. Jurgen Klopp soaked it all up before and his last game against Liverpool with popular players Thiago and Joel Matip also on their way out.
A football attack erupted after Klopp savored every moment of You’ll Never Walk Alone and there was a bit of dryness in the eyes of those in red.
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Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring after Nelson Semedo was sent off, and VAR turned the first yellow card into a red for a bad tackle on the Argentine midfielder.
Jarell Quansah made it 2-0 before the break with his second goal in two games, pushing from inside a yard, and the game was almost over.
Harvey Elliott inspired again, but this game is about a boy and his last game at Anfield when Klopp retired in style.
Anfield Road, a sea of red. Thousands of fans lined the road to greet the Liverpool manager when he arrived shortly after 2. 30pm. The atmosphere under the sun felt more like a wonderful European night than a last day with the bare minimum at stake.
They had come to pay tribute to the guy who made their dreams come true. The resounding renditions of “I’m So Glad Jurgen Is Red” were filled with emotion. “Thank you, Jurgen, you have made other people happy,” one banner read. Another read: “Thank you, honorary Jurgen. Scouser. “
Holding back tears as he listened to an emotional rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” before kick-off, Klopp, 56, lowered his head and put his hand in the centre as his wife, Ulla, held a Liverpool shawl in the stands behind him.
The message “Skeptics, Believers, Conquerors” is the centerpiece of a colorful Kop, while a mosaic on three sides of the floor reads: “Danke, Jurgen. YNWA.
Klopp had used the final notes of his reign at Anfield to reward the accolade. “To the fans, I still have nothing, thank you and love,” he wrote. “Everything we’ve done has been thanks to you, with you. “and for you. I have referred several times to the banner on the Kop that says “Unity is strength” and this is a trust that we have all respected.
“The important thing is that it continues so that my successor can have the same benefits I’ve had. After Sunday, I will be a supporter, too, so hopefully, I can play my part in that. I have never walked alone. You will never walk alone. LFC will never walk alone.”
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It wasn’t just a farewell to an icon and his team, it marked the end of an era and the Kop scoured its catalog to recognize those who had played a role along the way. Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Georginio Wijnaldum, Divock Origi and Jordan Hfinisherson were among those celebrated with songs.
But there’s no doubt who’s in the spotlight: the most transformative figure in Liverpool’s history since Bill Shankly. It’s a fitting farewell.
Jaime Pearce
Real Jurgen Klopp of The Athletic
Arne Slot will be unveiled as Liverpool’s new head coach this week. It’s almost an act to follow, but you can see why the Dutchman draws on Klopp’s work.
Liverpool’s challenge for the Premier League name has faded the foray era (they’ve only accepted 12 numbers out of the last 24 on offer), but they’re a talented side in need of tweaking rather than a summer overhaul. to be unlocked.
On the most sensible summer shopping list will be an elite midfielder. Wataru Endo has proven to be a wonderful addition after joining from Stuttgart last summer, but at 31, he is not a long-term solution. More quality is needed in this branch as Liverpool cannot count on Mac Allister as number 6.
The World Cup winner has had a wonderful first season at Anfield, is peaking at the age of 25 and is one of the players around whom Slot will build his team; however, Mac Allister is most effective when you have a license to get it. Offensive and influential matches in the final third. On the final day of the crusade he reinforced that concept when he made a wonderful run to meet Elliott’s attractive center with a header into the corner.
Mac Allister completed 38 passes (95 percent) and won all seven of his games.
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Seven goals and seven assists in forty-five appearances is a decent comeback and when Mac Allister replaced him with 20 minutes remaining, he left to a standing ovation. Mac Allister has reached the end of a generation and is now destined to play a leading role. in the next one.
Jaime Pearce
Klopp recently said that one of his biggest regrets this season wasn’t betting more on Elliott. Had he done so, the 21-year-old’s claim to a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for this summer’s European Championship would be even stronger.
It’s been a remarkable crusade for Elliott, first doing his job off the bench before completing the season as one of Liverpool’s in-form players.
His help in Liverpool’s opener is a wonderful example of the creativity and quality he consistently displays around the penalty area. It was a perfectly weighted cross that gave Mac Allister the undeniable task of guiding it into the corner.
– Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 19, 2024
He was a constant risk throughout the game, wandering around the box to bond with his teammates while Mac Allister and Endo provided a shield behind him.
Southgate is unlikely to bring too many new faces to his squad, however, Elliott has been the star of England Under-21s this season and his form at the end of the season put him firmly in Southgate’s mind.
Andy Jones
“I’m absolutely shocked to be torn to pieces,” Klopp said on the pitch after the game. “I’m very happy to be part of this family, this atmosphere, very happy to be us. Thanks a lot.
“Thank you for absolutely ignoring my request not to sing my song. . . (Anfield continues his speech with the song) if you sing it next year, it would be fun. For some reason, it doesn’t feel like an end, just a beginning because I saw a football team full of talent, conviction, youth, creativity and desire. It is a component of development.
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“They paid too much attention to me. People said I turned them from skeptics to believers, that’s not true. This Club is in a better moment than it has in a long time. Beautiful stadium, educational center, team and ustedes. la fans, a superpower in world football. Wow!
“As of today, I am one of you and I will remain a 100 percent believer. I’ve noticed a lot of other people crying, and for me, replacing him is a smart thing to do and if you approach him with your right hand. Attitude, everything will be fine. The fundamentals and the new manager (and Klopp introduced in a chant by Arne Slot).
(Top photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)