Liverpool were unplayable at times but also indefensible in defence as their thrilling win over Leicester shows their season will be a rollercoaster
The extra 8,000 fans crammed into the new-look Anfield will be excited by Jurgen Klopp's rebuilding - yet there is much to do
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LIVERPOOL are still after a naming rights deal for the sparkling new £115million Main Stand which opened with a bang on Saturday.
They might want to open talks with Alton Towers or let their Stateside owners chat to some friends at Disneyland.
Because one thing is for certain — this season is going to be one hell of a rollercoaster.
The extra 8,000 fans crammed into the new-look Anfield will have poured out of L4’s biggest attraction and gone in search of a post-match beer happy with what they had seen.
Champions Leicester shipped goals to a Jurgen Klopp team that was unplayable at times. But sharper Reds fans will also know something else.
For every goal Liverpool are going to score this term, they look just as likely to concede.
They are as capable of being as brain-dead as they are brilliant.
Make no mistake, at times against Claudio Ranieri’s team they were unstoppable and set a footballing marker that will have the rest of the Premier League quaking.
Liverpool were a ruthless powerhouse, pouring forward whenever they wanted, making the Foxes chase their own tails and shadows.
Sadio Mane led the way, producing the type of home debut that dreams are made of.
He was backed up by two-goal Roberto Firmino, lethal Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge who all caused Wes Morgan and Robert Huth major headaches.
But, like last season, Liverpool also look completely exposed at the back too often.
The tension in the Kop whenever Simon Mignolet was within the same postcode as the ball told its own story. As does the fact midfielders James Milner and Lucas are deputising in the back four.
Six players in over the summer with £63.2m spent is by no means the worst transfer window in Liverpool’s history. Don’t forget they once bought Alberto Aquilani.
But away from the noise and bedlam created by this win, how many Reds supporters can honestly say the club has the bedrock for sustained glory?
Entertaining? Yes — and Klopp’s men are likely to remain that way all match, every match. But sometimes for the wrong reasons.
The Reds were in total control of this clash early on after Firmino coolly converted Milner’s defence-splitting pass and a fine Sturridge backheel helped Mane make it 2-0.
Lucas then had a mind-freeze, passing straight to Jamie Vardy who thrashed home in front of a deserted Kop goal to halve Liverpool’s lead.
When Huth hit the bar shortly after, Liverpool were suddenly all over the place.
Klopp’s men crawled to half-time, relieved they were still in front. And the Reds boss admitted his side need to do better when a match stops going in their favour.
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He said: “At half-time I said it was not Lucas’ mistake but everybody knew it was!
“I didn’t speak about the goal we conceded, I spoke about the reaction we showed after the goal — that made no sense. In my opinion we can be really good but we have to show we can still be good when something happens in the game that we don’t want.”
Mane cost £30m but could be the bargain of the summer if he carries on harassing teams like this and he hopes other Premier League defenders remain wary of his pace.
He said: “I will be happy if they are afraid of me because it will make it easier for me.
“It was easier for me, especially, because when you are new it can sometimes be difficult to adapt into the team. But it is easy with great players like Daniel, Roberto and Phillippe Coutinho.”
A new stand, a new star in Mane and a new season — Anfield had every right to cheer at the end.
But Klopp will have to be careful that cheers do not turn to tears.