Kerkez on Newcastle Win: “If We Are like This Every Week…”

It’s been a difficult season for Liverpool, but with the Reds following up their 6-0 demolition of Qarabag mid-week in Europe with a both thorough and entertaining 4-1 win over a far more difficult league opponent in Newcastle over the weekend, there are for the first time in a long time perhaps feelings of optimism.

Tentative optimism, perhaps, given how the season has played out and that after the 24th round of Premier League action played out the Reds remain sixth. Still, it’s been a while since we’ve seen this Liverpool side both perform as well as they did on Saturday and get the result, and hopefully it will end up meaning something.

“It was brilliant,” reflected left back Milos Kerkez. “It was a big performance. We were all really ready to fight, to run back, run in front, counter-attack and defend the set-pieces—a great mentality. If we are like this every week there will be big things. I hope that now we rest, celebrate this, and then next week again here in Anfield.”

Next week things could get even tougher, as second place Manchester City come to Anfield. City, though, aren’t the indomitable force they once were and are struggling to close the gap on an Arsenal that are hardly running away with the league. Still, this season there is a clear top three then everyone else—and City are in it.

As another top side—or aspiring top side, as was the case with Newcastle—it at least seems unlikely City will set out in the low block this Liverpool group has struggled to break down, but they remain one of the most difficult opponents in football and a win would, just maybe, be proof the Reds have belatedly figured things out.