The last time Liverpool went eleven consecutive league wins was betwen March - May 1982. Today Liverpool matched that record with a narrow win at Carrow Road vs. Norwich City to put the Reds five points clear of the Barclays Premier League table. Liverpool now need seven points from their remaining nine available to secure their first league title since 1990.
Liverpool went into the game with two enforced changes from the team which beat Manchester City last Sunday. The suspended Jordan Henderson was replaced by Joe Allen while Daniel Sturridge was replaced by Lucas Leiva. The diamond formation was kept by Liverpool with Raheem Sterling playing as a striker alongside Luis Suarez.
Liverpool typically started like a steamtrain and were 1-0 up inside five minutes. Some slick play by the Liverpool forward line saw Sterling cut inside from all of 22 yards and strike into the top corner passed John Ruddy. Followong the goal, young Raheem Sterling ran straight toward his mentor, his manager, Brendan Rodgers and embraced him with a picture perfect hug.
Liverpool's lightning start continued, and they were nearly 2-0 up by the 9th minute. More slick interplay saw Joe Allen slipped in on goal - yet on a tight, awkward angle. Allen controlled the pass and shot a volley across they goal, which John Ruddy smartly saved.
The next goal would soon follow though, with Sterling again at the heart of all things good for Liverpool - which has certainly been the case in recent weeks for Liverpool. Liverpool broke quickly and the ball was played to the left wing where Raheem Sterling was stationed, and he clinically played the ball to the back post where Luis Suarez was able to connect with the pass and slip the ball passed John Ruddy to make it 2-0 inside all of 11 minutes. Luis Suarez' solitary goal today was his 30th league goal of the season, and puts his on the verge of matching The Premier League goal scoring record for a 38 game season held by Alen Shearer and Cristiano Ronaldo with 31 goals.
Liverpool would look comfortable if not penetrative for the next 20 minutes. The lack of Jordan Henderson's energetic play was apparent, which resulted in less options for a defence coached to play out from defence as much as possible. Lucas Leiva, the Sunderland native's replacement presumably until Liverpool's final game of the season vs. Newcastle, was poor and uninvoled thoughout the game.
Slowly Norwich began to put more and more pressure on Liverpool. Norwich increasingly went wide - where Liverpool would be conceding space through their diamond formation - and attacked Liverpool aerially - a clear weakness in this Liverpool side. Despite te increasing pressure, Liverpool made it into hal time with a 2-0 lead. The lead wouldn't last too long into the second half though, and things weren't going to be as comfortable for the players - or the supporters - until the final whistle.
Norwich came out from the second half in a similar, sprightly fashion. The amount of corners the Canaries got rose at an alarming rate for the Merseysiders whose Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was ultimately at fault for the first Norwich goal. Another Norwich cross saw Mignolet come to punch clear, climbing over young full full back Jon Flanagan, yet couldn't make a proper connection with the ball, as it rolls to Gary Hooper who passes the ball into an open net. Norwich's fightback though, would not last for long.
Liverpool quickly got a goal back, this time Raheem Sterling took control of the loose ball on the halfway line and ran all the way to the Norwich City box and shot with his left foot, where it took a deflection from Johnny Howson, and looped up and over John Ruddy to give Liverpool the two goal lead back. Winning league's isn't easy, nor, incidentally, was winning this game - and with that, another Norwich goal felt somewhat inevitable from a Liverpool perspective.
The swathes of Norwich City pressure continued, though. Brendan Rodgers subbed off Coutinho for the fresher legs of Victor Moes - though his focus and desire could have been questioned before his substitution. The Nigerian in the end made a fine contribution to the game, perhaps one of the very few games this season he hasn't infuriated Liverpool fans. Moses kept the ball well and used his energy and strength positively.
Moses' positive contribution though, wasn't enough to see Liverpool concede again. A long ball down the left was worked to Redmond, whose cross is headed by Snodgrass, and the ball loops in at the back stick to descrease Liverpool's lead to win to put the score at 3-2. Next Norwich brought on Van Wolfswinkel for Hooper, and now Liverpool brought on Agger and took off Allen where The Reds switched to five at the back.
The pressure from Norwich continued, but they never seemd to worry the Liverpool as much as the pressure fifteen minutes. Liverpoool in the end narrowly escaped with the coveted three points. A sigh of relief was let out by Liverpool fans worldwide.
With three games remaining Liverpool's unlikely dream remains alive, their hopes to be cast forever among the Liverpool legends of yesteryear edges closer. Closer, to footballing immortallity.