Liverpool return to the top with victory over struggling Sheffield United

Premier League: Liverpool 3 (Nunez 17’, Mac Allister 76’, Gakpo 90’) Sheffield Utd 1 (Bradley 58’ (OG))

JURGEN Klopp’s Anfield farewell gained momentum last night, although one suspects that the emotional roller coaster provided by his team in returning to the top of the table last night was a taste of things to come over the final weeks of the season.

Liverpool, looking to respond to victories from rivals Manchesrer City and Arsenal 24 hours earlier, were made to work ridiculously hard by struggling Sheffield United even after their keeper Ivo Grbic’s error gifted the Reds a goal start in the first half.

But on 58 minutes, Gustavo Hamer started a fast-break upfield for the visitors and arrived on the end of James McAtee’s cross to head in via a wicked deflection off the ankle of defender Conor Bradley, to make it 1-1.

Anfield was stunned although not for that long. Klopp threw on a variety of fresh legs and a difficult task for United became nigh on impossible.

It was hugely predictable, therefore, that after Anel Ahmedhodzic’s clearance of an Andy Robertson cross was deflected to the edge of his area, Alexis MacAllister steamed in to score with a devastating finish from the edge of the area.

And in the final minute of normal time, Robertson’s brilliant cross found Cody Gakpo in space for the substitute to score with a clinical stooping header.

The task was always going to be a tall one for Chris Wider’s side but the worst defence in the Premier League - possibly in the Premier League ever - hardly helped itself by gifting their hosts a goal start.

Jack Robinson started the chaos, unwittingly, with a perfectly-gauged back-pass which Grbic collected at his feet just inside his area and, seemingly, under no pressure,