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I thought it was a good Liverpool performance against West Ham at Anfield.

It was obviously a bit more of a contest in the first half than it was in the second but there was never any doubt Liverpool were going to win the game.

I also think there’s a trust thing - more and more fans are now trusting this team and know that they can deliver to a high standard.

On the defensive problems I don’t see them as negatively as everybody else does.

So I think a lot of fans walked away from Anfield thinking ‘I can trust this team, it’s just a matter of how far they can take us’.

The front three all did their bit again and could all have had more goals than the one they got.

(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

Roberto Firmino was excellent again but the other two are a handful aren’t they with their movement and their pace. It’s incredible that we’ve now almost come to expect all three of them to get one every game so they can be very happy with their afternoon’s work.

Calmness is always good when you’re defending, especially after you’ve conceded a goal.

Virgil van Dijk did what he had to do on Saturday. He almost cruised through the game and spent an awful lot of time talking his fellow defenders through the game which is always good.

You’re always going to concede goals but I no longer see big defensive problems - I think we look a good, balanced team.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Loris Karius made another good save against Marko Arnautovic.

What we know is that he will play the majority if not all of our games until the end of the season.

The only way most players improve is by playing games. Over the last two or three matches there’s been an added calmness to his game which is good. He no longer creates havoc or uncertainty.

Whether he’ll ever be good enough only time will tell but he is getting better, he is improving, there’s a better understanding with his defenders which only comes with games.

So it’s really interesting, either he does enough to convince Klopp that he doesn’t need to spend or we go out and spend big money on a new goalkeeper.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The two full-backs were also excellent but it was one of those games where there was plenty of room for them on the flanks.

James Milner was excellent too. Maybe three or four months ago you were worried for him in terms of how many more minutes he was going to get. But he’s got himself back involved, he’s playing well, that central midfield role suits him, he’s a good reader of the game, aggressive, gets himself forward and creates goals - I thought he played really well.

Overall it was just the sort of performance you want in a home game you’re expected to win. You want to win, and win convincingly, and make sure more than half of your team play really well.

Most of them did that so it was very much a case of job done.

Rafa will always be welcome at Anfield - but it will be a big achievement to keep Newcastle up

Rafa Benitez makes his return to Anfield on Saturday with Newcastle.

He will always be welcomed with open arms because of what he did when he was at Liverpool.

In terms of Newcastle I think he will do well to keep them up. I think they lack real quality, it’s a very average squad when you look right across it.

They’re obviously well coached, hence the reason they’re still above the line but it will be a big achievement if he keeps them up.

Rafa was criticised a while ago when they played Man City at home for being really negative.

But it will be something similar at Anfield. He knows what the chances are of getting a result and that is to play well defensively, get men behind the ball and create what we now call ‘traffic’ for Liverpool to run into,

But as it always is if we can get a goal before them and they have to open up I do think this has the hallmarks of another convincing win.

No need for any dramatic changes

(Image: (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images))

Jurgen Klopp won’t ‘rest’ anyone against Porto in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie - but he will make changes.

This season he’s made an awful lot of changes from game to game and that’s how he’ll get away with it.

But he will make changes for the game on Saturday and then he will make changes for Porto on Tuesday where he has a 5-0 lead from the first leg.

It’s another game we should win, I no longer think Champions League is a priority for Porto.

I thought Nathaniel Clyne could be on the bench after his comeback with the U23s, maybe to get a little time in the second half.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Lallana must be ready to start a game and that will do him the world of good.

Beyond that, keep playing the players who you want to be involved in the Premier League, those with a chance of starting.

The players who are just subs, there’s no need to give them a run-out, they know their role.

I don’t think there’s anyone shouting out for a game, I don’t think it’s a case of ‘Woodburn could do with playing or Solanke could do with playing’.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Just continue to make a few changes from game to game, Clyne could maybe do with the last 20 minutes and maybe Lallana could do with playing for the first hour.

Apart from that I don’t think there’s any reason to do something dramatic in introducing someone you’re not going to be relying on between now and the end of the season.

Tantalising prospect of opening up a gap

This weekend’s fixtures offer Liverpool the chance of establishing a gap in their pursuit of the top four.

With Chelsea facing a tough game at Man City, a win for Liverpool could see them with a seven point gap to the Londoners.

That’s a big gap - three defeats - with just nine games left.

For the first time this season we can create that gap but there’s work to be done, We need to win our game and then hope Man City can beat Chelsea.