JOHN BRADLEY: Well, if 2019 was the unforgettable year for Liverpool Football Club,
what does the new one, and the new decade, have in store?
One thing's for sure, if they keep going the way they are going in the Premier League,
2020 could be the most perfect of years.
The lights are on, the atmosphere is electric,
and Liverpool's surge at the top of the Premier League
they hope will continue.
GARY GILLESPIE: It's been a fantastic start to the campaign obviously,
and we are in a very strong position,
but still a hell of a long way to go.
JOHN: It's like the movie Fight Club, isn't it?
The first rule is you don't talk about Fight Club.
I think if you're involved in a race for the title, you don't talk about it.
That's for Robertson, flag stays down, Salah's there!
And Salah scores. It's an almighty slip up at the back for Sheffield United,
it's an absolute gift for Mohamed Salah to start the year,
and Liverpool get off to a perfect start in 2020.
Just the way 2019 ended, 2020 starts,
horrible moment for George Baldock.
GARY: I think he just slips, he runs back with Robertson,
and then just at the vital time he loses his footing,
and then Robertson has got the composure to look up and pick the pass at the right time,
and the weight, it's a great run from Robertson.
And Baldock, a little bit unfortunate.
GARY: As a manager you set your stall out and have a pattern of play
that you want to start the game with, but when you lose such an early goal
it goes out the window a little bit.
But it's been a good response from his team.
JOHN: That breaks nicely, and Alisson was very casual and made it look very easy.
But that was a real stinger from McGoldrick.
GARY: He catches it on the half-volley, good strike, but straight at the goalkeeper.
He just gets a big right hand to it and helps it on its way over the crossbar.
JOHN: Firmino. Henderson loves teeing it up from here.
And that's towards Salah!
Stunning stop by Henderson.
Who had to react quickly, and react quickly he did - brilliant stop.
GARY: This is a stunning effort from Salah, he hits it on the half-volley,
with his right foot, it comes at pace, Henderson really has to react quickly,
and he does it with great aplomb. Really good save.
JOHN: That's lovely from Liverpool again, moving from one end of the field to the other.
Wijnaldum!
Whisker away from another moment of wonder from Liverpool.
GARY: You can see the reaction from the manager, this is what Liverpool are all about.
He loves moves like this.
JOHN: There's the new man.
Takumi Minamino.
Header by Baldock, that's for Lundstram.
There's not many who will come out on top in a strength-off with Gini Wijnaldum.
That's on towards Mane, and Salah runs on to it!
Henderson has to make another good save.
GARY: The strength of Sadio Mane here is really impressive,
the touch as well, and the finish equally so,
but again it's Henderson that makes the save.
JOHN: That was well read by Van Dijk. Firmino's touch...
..again just absolutely sublime.
Mane had no right to keep it, but keep it he did.
Looked like handball. I think Basham knew it, the referee knew it too.
Rather than losing the ball on the edge of his own box,
he decided, "We'll get set up and defend a free kick on the edge of our box."
It's Robertson, and it comes all the way down, and very nearly in by Van Dijk,
who hobbles away. Sadio Mane also went down and was asking for a penalty.
GARY: You can clearly see there, there's a grab on Sadio Mane,
there's a shirt pull on Virgil van Dijk, the referee has got a great view of it,
he's got the best view in the house.
JOHN: Lovely pirouette by Henderson,
allows Liverpool to change the direction of this attack.
Here's Firmino, and he's gone for goal!
I think he caught everyone by surprise and very nearly caught the goalkeeper out.
GARY: From the angle of the shot, difficult to see how close this was.
It's not a million miles away, is it? It is swerving.
JOHN: Mane. Goes for the return round the corner.
Ref's going to pull it back for a foul there.
It's going to be no more than a corner to Liverpool, I think United are not happy.
Liverpool take the corner quickly, United were ready but didn't really deal with it.
Away by Fleck.
Milner.
Space created by Robertson, and Milner, for Salah.
Oh!
Nearly. Very, very nearly for Mo Salah,
and Henderson is very relieved, because he would have ended up with egg on his face.
Just doesn't react.
GARY: He just lets it go, Van Dijk, and the goalkeeper is distracted by that.
He leaves it, the defender leaves it, they think it's going wide,
the upright comes to their rescue.
JOHN: Header by Egan, Gomez with the header.
Mousset reads it.
Back with Stevens.
Despite the best attempts of McGoldrick to be a hindrance to Alisson,
he just takes it down beautifully.
That's a nice ball by Robertson, slid beautifully down the line for Mane,
here's Salah. Looking for Mane!
Brilliant save by the goalkeeper, but Mane is not to be denied.
Another special Liverpool goal, they've moved it from end of the field to the other.
Mane might have needed two attempts, but despite the heroics of Henderson,
Mane very much the man.
GARY: I just finished saying that when Liverpool do step up the pace of attack,
they do look a threat, and that's a prime example.
It's a typical Liverpool goal, isn't it? Starts with Alisson in his six-yard box
and then it's an early ball from Robertson, perfect weight for Mane,
we haven't been able to see Sadio Mane run at people for so much in his game.
You can clearly see he's onside.
Much has been made of the decision between the two players not to pass to each other,
but on this occasion Mohamed Salah picks out Sadio Mane
and it's a typical Liverpool goal,
but what a wonderful one in many ways.
JOHN: Not much is said about the man on the ball here, Jordan Henderson,
whose form at the moment is as good as it's ever been.
And looking to add to Liverpool's two-goal lead.
Lovely ball for Alexander-Arnold.
Firmino was there and waiting, can't believe it didn't go in.
Salah sees his effort saved.
Firmino is currently looking around and wondering whether
it's a black cat or whatever that's stopping him scoring at Anfield.
GARY: Well, this is as good a chance as he's gonna get.
JOHN: Stevens.
That's a lovely thread, and the strike in from McBurnie!
Alisson reacts so quickly and so well.
It wasn't the best contact in the world.
GARY: They work it really well, it's a lovely little ball, isn't it?
Really McBurnie should be doing better, to be quite honest.
JOHN: Well, Liverpool get the job done, it was something of a procession
from when Mohamed Salah scored in the fourth minute of the game.
They ended 2019 by winning, and the mentality monsters start 2020 by winning.
Jürgen Klopp is happy, Anfield is happy.