In a week that had been described as being hysteria-like by Brendan Rodgers ahead of Liverpool’s fixture with Aston Villa last weekend, thankfully for the Reds boss, he came out of the game still in charge of the Merseyside giants.
Labouring to a penalty shoot-out against Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup where they eventually prevailed last week, the Reds still let two Rudy Gestede goals in at Anfield on Saturday but Liverpool fans were buoyed again by the much-needed return of Daniel Sturridge.
Bagging two goals on his return to the team, the England international wasn’t 100 per cent match fit so the sheer fact he managed to bag a brace is fantastic for Liverpool although Reds fans have become cautiously optimistic with Sturridge due to the sheer number of injuries the former Chelsea man suffers.
Facing Everton in the Merseyside Derby on Sunday lunchtime, it doesn’t get any easier for Rodgers who will know a defeat will yet again cast the microscope over his long-term credentials if people weren’t doing that already!
Roberto Martinez has the Toffees performing well right now having mounted an incredible comeback against West Bromwich Albion on Monday night so Everton will be going into the Liverpool fixture high on confidence.
With every Liverpool fan looking ahead to that fixture right now, we’re trying to grab their attention for 10 minutes having devised a list of the five best Reds strikes so far this 2015/16 campaign.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five best Liverpool goals so far this 2015/16 season.
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Christian Benteke vs Manchester United (A)
Have we seen a finer goal this season?
At the end in which Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney scored his famous bicycle kick against Manchester City a few seasons’ back, Christian Benteke scored his own version in a game Reds fans will ultimately want to forget having eventually gone down 3-1 to the Red Devils.
With United leading the game 2-0 however, Benteke gave Reds supporters hope at the time on 84 minutes when he superbly arced his body to lash home an overhead volley after Jordon Ibe’s cross was propelled straight up into the air by Daley Blind.
An incredible strike at the home of Liverpool’s fiercest rivals. Just don’t mention Anthony Martial to Reds fans!
Daniel Sturridge (1st goal) vs Aston Villa (H)
Although Christian Benteke has made a good fist of his fledgling Liverpool career so far, given the sheer fact Liverpool have been inconsistent meant Daniel Sturridge’s return from injury was hailed by Kopites heading to the fixture against Aston Villa last weekend.
And what a comeback it proved for Sturridge who registered a brace against his hometown team, taking his first superbly well, volleying it beyond Brad Guzan first time after receiving a lovely little dink through from James Milner who himself opened the scoring.
A fantastic goal and right in front of the Kop to boot!
Liverpool fans ultimately might not want to see their side performing in the Europa League and rather the Champions League but this won’t stop Reds fans getting behind their side when Thursday night fixtures do come around.
Having earned just a point from their first group stage game away to Bordeaux back on September 17th, the Reds opened the scoring in slick fashion with Adam Lallana dribbling inside the 18-yard box with the ball from the left hand side, skinning a Bordeaux defender before coolly opening up his body to dispatch past the vastly experienced Cedric Carrasso.
A fine goal in France for the England international.
Philippe Coutinho vs Stoke City (A)
Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium home held several ghosts on behalf of everybody connected with Liverpool given the hiding the Potters dished out to the Reds on the final day of last season with Mark Hughes’ side running out 6-1 victors on an incredible day in Staffordshire.
But when Brendan Rodgers’ men trekked to the same ground on the opening weekend of this season, they went about writing the wrongs of last season and how with this fine Philippe Coutinho strike that secured a hard-fought narrow 1-0 victory to start the season with three points.
Collecting the ball around 25 to 30 yards out from Jack Butland’s goal, the Brazilian international lashed one of his trademark long rangers beyond the helpless Potters stopper to send the travelling away supporters into absolute euphoria.
A wonderful strike from a wonderful player!
Daniel Sturridge (2nd goal) vs Aston Villa (H)
With his first goal of last weekend’s fixture against Aston Villa making it into this countdown, we couldn’t ignore Daniel Sturridge’s second either which was a composed slot after a quite magical back flicked assist from Philippe Coutinho.
In shades of Liverpool’s play from the 2013/14 campaign when they went oh so close to winning the Premier League title, Sturridge finished off a wonderful move after starting it on the left hand side of the pitch before combining elegantly with Coutinho who repaid the favour by expertly flicking the ball back into Sturridge’s path only for the England man to slot past Brad Guzan with ease.
A wonderful goal between two of Liverpool’s better players.
