Stoke City 0 Liverpool 1: First Thoughts

Stoke City 0
Liverpool 1 Coutinho 86'

• Rodgers wasted no time giving us something to gripe about with Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez preferred to Sakho and Moreno. Murmurs are Sakho is expecting a baby, though.  MAMA'S GONNA BE A PAPA, GUYS!!!
  
  
• There was this moment in the 8' where Lovren towered over Diouf for a headed clearance, and Gomez picked up possession to roam forth like a gazelle on the Serengeti. So maybe it's not all that bad.
  
  
• Gary Mac hasn't aged a day. Leaving him looking exactly like the 60 year old man he was when Houllier signed him.
  
  
• Thrilnerson took some more baby steps on developing that double pivot rhythm.
  
  
• Stoke City really are more expansive and fun to watch under Mark Hughes. Too bad I still hate you, Stoke.
  
  
• Nathaniel Clyne is going to be just fine.
  
  
• Marco Van Ginkel harmed a hair on Lallana's glorious head, and that's just not cricket, mate. Also not cricket: Lallana's abject day.
  
  
• Christian Benteke leaps out of the stadium for those headers, but it also looked like he'd never met Coutinho before this game.
  
  
• Mignolet saved a great set piece from Stoke with the coolness of a cucumber laying on the other side of the pillow.
  
  
• Diouf nearly brought the house down at 84' - he had a nice day at the office.
  
  
• HOTSUGARUNICORNMAGIC - PHILIPPE COUTINHO YOU PANTS EVISCERATING MOTHERLOVER, COME HERE AND GIVE US A KISS!!!!!!!
  
  
• It was always going to be tough, otherwise instead of Stoke at the Britannia they'd call it Marshmallow Sugarpop Fun Time. Still, we walk on with the 3 points and the goal of the week!

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.