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Liverpool vs Wolves: How Divock Origi went from Reds outcast to Champions League hero and Jurgen Klopp’s super sub

After spending last season on loan at Wolfsburg, the Belgium international has proven his worth to Klopp this season by helping their Premier League and European assaults

Adam Lanigan
Sunday 12 May 2019 08:34 BST
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Liverpool vs Wolves: Jurgen Klopp expecting no favours in title race

The history of successful football teams is littered with stories of the famed contributions of substitutes or stand-ins.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s legend at Manchester United was written when he came off the bench to score the winner in the 1999 European Cup final with Bayern Munich and that never-to-be forgotten moment.

Manchester City would never have had their ‘Agueroooo’ moment in 2012 if sub Edin Dzeko had not first equalised against QPR, while Liverpool’s David Fairclough earned the moniker ‘super sub’ after his famous European Cup goal against St Etienne in 1977.

And to talk of stand-ins, Sir Geoff Hurst would never have scored a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final if it wasn’t for Jimmy Greaves getting injured ahead of England’s quarter-final.

As such, Divock Origi has joined that list this season. The Belgian has provided a number of crucial moments during Liverpool’s chase for the Premier League title, including the injury time winner over Everton in the Merseyside derby back in December and last Saturday’s crucial late goal in the 3-2 win at Newcastle.

When everyone is fit, Origi knows he will be on Liverpool’s bench. That is a given when you have a forward line of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

But when Salah and Firmino were absent last Tuesday, Klopp turned to Origi and he had the night of his life as he scored twice when in from the start in the unforgettable 4-0 mauling of Barcelona at Anfield to reach the Champions League final.

With Firmino again missing from today’s title decider at home to Wolves, Origi will surely have the chance to continue this recent purple patch, as Liverpool chase a victory and a huge favour from Brighton against Manchester City to end the day as champions.

It is quite a tale for a player who wasn’t even at the club last season as he spent it on loan at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, managing just six goals for a team who only just avoided relegation.

“Showing up the way he did, it has been 'Divock Origi week',” smiles his manager. “There was the header at Newcastle, that was crazy. And we don’t have to talk about these two goals the other night.

“What Trent Alexander-Arnold did was one of the most genius moments in football I will ever see as long as I am alive. But it was not an easy ball. It was the opposite.

Jurgen Klopp embraces Divock Origi after his two goals against Barcelona

“It was bouncing and nine times out of ten, it would go in the stand. This one ended up in the net – a brilliant goal.

“It shows what confidence can do and how important it was in this moment as he didn’t think about it. That is brilliant.

“When you think about how much he was not playing, maybe you think that I don’t like the player that much or I don’t trust him. That is actually not right.

“It is difficult to come in a team when you have Salah, Mane and Firmino. That is one thing.

“The other thing I cannot forget is how good he was until the Everton game (April 2016) when Ramiro Funes Mori kicked him. Divock thought he could play again in the Europa League final. For sure, that was too early but we didn’t realise it then.

“He went away with the national team and there was no time to rest and everyone was asking, ‘What’s wrong with Divock Origi?’ But you cannot be the same player when you have a bit of pain in each step.

“You lose confidence and you send him out on loan. He comes back but he needs time, and in this business, nobody has time.

“Divock was so unlucky but I’m very happy he is there again and he is really back on the landscape.”

Origi scored the goal that sealed Liverpool's Champions League final spot (Reuters)

It is 29 years since Liverpool were English Champions and 14 since they were European champions, and hope abounds of an incredible double over the next three weeks.

If that were to happen, Jordan Henderson would be the man to lift the trophies. Often maligned, his manager has no time for those who still cannot recognise the qualities of the Liverpool captain.

“If people don't know that after this season, then I lose a little bit of respect for them, to be honest,” says Klopp.

Klopp defended Jordan Henderson (Getty)

“It wasn't only after we brought him into another position, because he had brilliant games in other positions, no doubt about that, in the number six for example.

“What can I say? The energy level Hendo and James Milner had on Tuesday, the chasing mood, I thought they were like wolves who nobody had fed for eight weeks. They were unbelievable.

“They were pretty much unplayable. That inspired everyone. That's how we created the direction of the game, that's the truth.”

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