Match ends, Stoke City 1, Liverpool 2.
Stoke City 1-2 Liverpool
- From the section Football
Liverpool came from behind to beat Stoke City and stay on course for a top-four finish thanks to goals by substitutes Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino.
Unmarked Jon Walters headed the hosts into the lead after meeting Xherdan Shaqiri's cross, as the Reds failed to register a first-half effort on target.
Coutinho levelled with a first-time shot before Firmino smashed the bouncing ball beyond keeper Lee Grant after Georginio Wijnaldum's pass.
Liverpool remain third in the Premier League table.
Liverpool overcome bottom-half hoodoo
Much has been made of Liverpool's inability to beat teams in the bottom half of the table and for 45 minutes it looked like they were heading for defeat against a team that started the day 12th.
Klopp started with 17-year-old Ben Woodburn and 18-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold, while opting to keep Coutinho, who was ill during Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, and Firmino on the bench.
It looked like his plan to give youth a chance had backfired as Walters was left totally unmarked to bury Shaqiri's inch-perfect cross past Simon Mignolet.
It was only after the introduction of Brazilian duo Coutinho and Firmino at the start of the second half - in place of Woodburn and Alexander-Arnold - that Liverpool played like a team chasing a Champions League spot.
Dejan Lovren headed against the bar before Coutinho swept home the equaliser from 12 yards out.
Liverpool fans were still celebrating when Firmino lashed a dipping shot over Grant from 22 yards, a sublime goal worthy of winning any match.
Mignolet still had to produce a fine save to deny Saido Berahino, but Liverpool hung on to move nine points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal, although the Reds have played three games more.
Stoke lose again to a top-six team
Stoke slipped to 13th in the table after a fourth successive league defeat.
They were the better team in the first half but Mark Hughes' side remain without a win against a team currently in the top six - eight defeats in 11 games.
At 1-0 they wasted a great chance to double the lead when Charlie Adam was denied at close range by Mignolet after a terrible mistake by Wijnaldum.
Had that gone it, it could have been a different story.
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The Potters still need another four points to reach 40 with six fixtures left, including a home match against Arsenal.
They ought do it with games to spare - but they need to escape this losing run before it causes serious damage.
Man of the match - Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)
'I couldn't feel any better' - what the managers said
Stoke City boss Mark Hughes: "We needed to take our chances and capitalise when we were on top. I was happy, we were good value at 1-0 and restricted them to very little.
"Second half they brought their big hitters on, which made an impact, but it took a mistake from us.
"It was a long ball down the middle and we should have dealt with it. When those are the things that are happening you think maybe it's not your day."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp: "Philippe Coutinho lost three kilos in the past three days, which some people wish - but for a professional footballer it's not too cool.
"Simon Mignolet saved our life. Job done, feels good. Nice weather, 63 points and I couldn't feel any better.
"Now we have a long week. No team in the world wins only the very, very good games. You need to win games like this."
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'Comeback kings' - the stats
- Liverpool have won more points from losing positions than any other Premier League team this season (18).
- There were just 126 seconds between Liverpool's first and second goals.
- Walters has scored seven times against Liverpool in the Premier League, more than he has against any other side.
- Wijnaldum has provided six Premier League assists this season, one more than he registered for Newcastle in 2015-16.
- Klopp's side won their first away Premier League game of 2017.
What's next?
Stoke can end a four-match losing run at home to Hull City on Saturday, 15 April (15:00 BST), while Liverpool are away at West Brom the following day (13:30).
Line-ups
Stoke
- 33Grant
- 8Johnson
- 17Shawcross
- 15Martins Indi
- 3Pieters
- 22Shaqiri
- 20Cameron
- 4AllenSubstituted forAdamat 27'minutesSubstituted forSobhiat 81'minutes
- 10Arnautovic
- 19WaltersSubstituted forWhelanat 68'minutes
- 9Berahino
Substitutes
- 5Muniesa
- 6Whelan
- 16Adam
- 18Diouf
- 24Given
- 25Crouch
- 32Sobhi
Liverpool
- 22Mignolet
- 6Lovren
- 32Matip
- 17KlavanBooked at 48mins
- 66Alexander-ArnoldSubstituted forCoutinhoat 45'minutes
- 5Wijnaldum
- 23Can
- 7Milner
- 2Clyne
- 58WoodburnSubstituted forRoberto Firminoat 45'minutesBooked at 73mins
- 27OrigiSubstituted forSturridgeat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Karius
- 10Coutinho
- 11Roberto Firmino
- 15Sturridge
- 16Grujic
- 18Moreno
- 21Leiva
- Referee:
- Mike Dean
- Attendance:
- 27,568
Match Stats
Home TeamStokeAway TeamLiverpool
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home9
- Away15
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away4
- Corners
- Home5
- Away8
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away11
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 1, Liverpool 2.
Simon Mignolet (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City).
Offside, Stoke City. Marko Arnautovic tries a through ball, but Ramadan Sobhi is caught offside.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Glen Johnson.
Attempt blocked. Emre Can (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Philippe Coutinho.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Erik Pieters.
Offside, Stoke City. Erik Pieters tries a through ball, but Ramadan Sobhi is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Ramadan Sobhi replaces Charlie Adam because of an injury.
Attempt blocked. Emre Can (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Hand ball by Geoff Cameron (Stoke City).
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Simon Mignolet.
Attempt saved. Saido Berahino (Stoke City) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marko Arnautovic with a cross.
Booking
Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal!
Goal! Stoke City 1, Liverpool 2. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum.
Attempt missed. Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is high and wide to the left.
Goal!
Goal! Stoke City 1, Liverpool 1. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Attempt blocked. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniel Sturridge.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Daniel Sturridge replaces Divock Origi.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Glenn Whelan replaces Jonathan Walters.
Attempt missed. Bruno Martins Indi (Stoke City) header from the left side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Marko Arnautovic with a cross following a set piece situation.
Foul by Dejan Lovren (Liverpool).
Erik Pieters (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Attempt missed. Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Roberto Firmino following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Ryan Shawcross.
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Ragnar Klavan.
Foul by Ragnar Klavan (Liverpool).
Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt blocked. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Dejan Lovren (Liverpool) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Philippe Coutinho with a cross following a corner.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Charlie Adam (Stoke City) because of an injury.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Lee Grant.
Attempt saved. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nathaniel Clyne.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Lee Grant.
Attempt saved. Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the top right corner.
Attempt missed. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Philippe Coutinho.
Attempt missed. James Milner (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Dejan Lovren with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Ryan Shawcross.
