Middlesbrough vs. Liverpool: Score and Reaction from 2016 Premier League Match
Liverpool comfortably dispatched Middlesbrough 3-0 at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday as Adam Lallana grabbed two goals and an assist.
Divock Origi also netted as the Reds saw off a spirited challenge from Boro, who enjoyed a number of chances in the first half.
The Reds started the game with Simon Mignolet in goal, with the Belgian replacing the underfire Loris Karius, while Ragnar Klavan came in for Joel Matip, who was ruled out late on, per James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo.
Both sides began positively amid a bright start to the game, but clear-cut chances were at a premium in the early stages as each team defended resolutely.
The hosts' first real sight of goal came after 18 minutes, when Fabio da Silva fired in an effort from 25 yards, but the shot was straight at Mignolet, who comfortably dealt with the challenge.
The Belgium international was called into action again six minutes later to keep out Ben Gibson's header after he connected with an Adam Forshaw free-kick.
The Reds broke the deadlock when Lallana met Nathaniel Clyne's superb cross with his head at the back post.
Squawka Football noted the contrast in his form compared with last season:
Undeterred, Middlesbrough continued to push forward and were almost rewarded within minutes when Alvaro Negredo fed Viktor Fischer on the right, and the 22-year-old forced another save from Mignolet. Bleacher Report's Jack Lusby was impressed with the stopper:
Dejan Lovren kept his side ahead when he made a vital block to deny Forshaw after the effervescent Adama Traore had picked him out, while Sadio Mane almost doubled the visitors' lead late in the half when he rolled Gibson before rattling the post, with Origi firing his rebound into the side netting.
The Reds flew out of the traps in the second half as Mane burst past Gibson to face Victor Valdes one-on-one, but the Spaniard reacted well to smother the danger. A minute later, Calum Chambers was required to block the winger's effort from six yards out after Lallana had picked him out with a header.
Liverpool grabbed a deserved second through Origi on the hour mark. After some neat play between Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson, Lallana picked out the Belgian eight yards out, and the forward made no mistake from close range—his fifth goal in successive games.
Former Liverpool star John Aldridge was impressed:
Eight minutes later, Lallana bagged his second from a similar range, with Origi returning the favour after the ball broke to him on the right.
Former Liverpool forward Luis Garcia hailed the England international's performance:
The Reds got back to winning ways in style on Wednesday after losing to Bournemouth and drawing with West Ham United.
Lallana's outstanding form came as excellent news, as did Mignolet's confident performance and their ability to keep a clean sheet without Matip.
As for Boro, the match could have gone differently had they been able to take their early chances, but scoring goals has been a problem this season—they remain the lowest scorers in the league, with just 13 strikes to their name—which does not bode well as they head into crucial fixtures with Swansea City and Burnley.
Post-Match Reaction
Per BBC Sport's Luke Reddy, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reserved great praise for Lallana:
"Adam Lallana is improving even when he doesn't score, but it's nice he's in that situation. About a year ago I had sat him in the office and I was happy with him but he was like "I'm not scoring" - and I said he wasn't in the right positions. Tonight he was twice in the right position and it was wonderful.
"
Meanwhile, Boro manager Aitor Karanka said: "We have to remember how good we've been in the games before this, against Bournemouth and Hull City. I think they were the best team we've faced this season."
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