3 Things We Learned From Liverpool’s Win Over Hull City

Liverpool completed a comfortable 2-0 win over Hull at home, the three points taking them to the fourth spot in the table. Goals in either half from Daniel Agger and Luis Suarez ensured that Liverpool continued their push for a Champions League berth. Here’s a look at three things that we learned from this game.

1. Anfield is becoming a fortress

Liverpool recorded their seventh consecutive win at Anfield with this 2-0 win over Hull. They failed to score a third goal for the first time in the winning streak, having score at least three in the previous six wins. With such an impressive home form, Liverpool have the launch pad from which they can expect to launch their push for a Champions League berth.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has called for his players to make Anfield a fortress like the glory days, and the players did respond today with a thoroughly professional display resulting in three points and a clean sheet, and in the process, bouncing back from consecutive defeats away at Manchester City and Chelsea over a tough Christmas week. With five of their next eight fixtures being at home, they will undoubtedly look to continue the streak.

2. Hull are likely to stay up

Even though Hull succumbed to a 2-0 defeat, they performed admirably in the final half hour following an attacking triple substitution by manager Steve Bruce. They had spells of possession late in the game where they were parked outside the Liverpool box, with only the final delivery letting them down. Tom Huddlestone’s radar seemed a bit off today, but his passing did improve as the game went on.

With the 6-0 hammering of Fulham fresh in memory, Hull would have been expected to put up more of a fight, but the quality they showed would undoubtedly encourage their fans about an extended stay in the top flight of English football. They have done really well in home games so far this season, and if they are able to continue, they should be safe come May.

3. You don’t mess with the Zohan… er, Suarez…

Suarez spent most of the first half riding tackles, hitting the ground following crunching challenges and complaining about the rough nature of the game that Hull had set out to play against him. With only a yellow card to show for his efforts in the first half, the Uruguayan stepped up to the mark, and smashed home a spectacular free-kick from 25 yards to seal the three points for his team.

He curled the ball over the wall and into the top corner, beyond the reach of a despairing Alan McGregor for what was his 20th Premier League goal of the season. The pace and accuracy of the free-kick was outstanding, and based on some of the free-kicks we have seen from him in the last year, he is undoubtedly one of the best in the world at the moment.