While Liverpool were widely praised for their capture of the cultured Thiago Alcantara two years ago, especially for a knockdown price from under the noses of several rivals, there were many who suggested he was a luxury player who wasn’t suited to Jurgen Klopp’s high-octane style of play.
Then the age-old “can’t cope with the pace of the Premier League” trope reared its ugly head as the Spaniard struggled with injuries and could not hold down a place in the side. A fine option to have, yes, but he was not a difference-maker to inspire Liverpool to another league title, the naysayers suggested.
However, now fully fit, Thiago has evolved into a vital cog in the Liverpool machine, having taken on board what it means to be Klopp’s go-to man in the engine room, adding a facet to his game none of us saw coming.
Some of Thiago’s no-look passes had fans oohing and aahing at Anfield on Tuesday night. It was the trajectory of them that had all in attendance gasping for air.
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Just like his half-volleyed goal against Porto in November that skipped off the surface before hovering just off the ground like a stone skimming across a silent loch, even Thiago’s sprayed, cross-field pick-outs on Tuesday more often than not did not go over head height, dipping to the feet of his target at the right moment, like he had some form of personal gravitational pull over the ball.
Yet, given all the space in the world by a Manchester United team their own manager admitted after the game were “too scared to be outplayed”, this was Thiago’s wheelhouse – putting on such a spectacular display with the ball is all in a day’s work. Even the doubters never questioned his penchant for a pass.
It has been his willingness to up the ante in terms of intensity that has seen the 31-year-old’s stock at Anfield rise.
Somewhat surprisingly given who he lined up alongside on Tuesday, Thiago covered more ground per minute than any other player on the pitch – over 10 kilometres in total – before he got a standing ovation for his efforts as he wearily trudged off when replaced late on. Not bad for a luxury option.
That is more than Liverpool’s flying full-backs. More than breathless Colombian Luis Diaz. More than the man for so long at the axis of the Liverpool juggernaut Jordan Henderson.
Roared on by an Anfield crowd who were baying for blood, desperate to hammer home their superiority over their once great foes, Thiago was often the first man to pressure United in their own half. Not necessarily flying into tackles, he didn’t need to given the quivering wrecks he was up against, but enough to keep the intensity levels turned to optimum Klopp.
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“Thiago played a good game,” Klopp said. “But with his quality, obviously comes responsibility. If you are good, you should play good as well and that’s what he did tonight. Again.
“If our counter-pressing was not as sensational as it was tonight, I really think United could have had a much better game. But because we were extremely good, it didn’t happen for them.”
Needing slip ups from the near-imperious Manchester City if they are to reclaim their Premier League crown, Liverpool are going to have to somehow maintain that United-induced ferocity until the end of the season.
They have plenty of candidates already willing to give every inch of their being to do just that, in all areas of the pitch, but Tuesday revealed they now have one more eager, battle-ready recruit primed to hassle and harry to their heart’s content. No-look, winged passes are just an added bonus.
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