Watch: Adam Lallana vs. Middlebrough

Once again, Adam Lallana was Liverpool’s best player. It’s hardly a surprise to say or hear it said anymore; hardly a controversial talking point. After looking solid and hard working but without much in the way of end product under Brendan Rodgers, the England international has taken a leap forward under Jürgen Klopp.

He is now, if not Liverpool’s best player perhaps, then certainly at least the most influential. His hard work off the ball, his smart movement and tireless pressing, has been complimented this year by that fabled end product, and the 28-year-old now has six goals and six assists in 15 total appearances for the Reds this season.

A shift into a deeper role has allowed Lallana to see more of the field with the ball at his feet, to begin moves before moving to arrive late and—more and more often of late—finishing them. Against Middlesbrough, his two goals and an assist made him the key man for Liverpool, and he rightly won man of the match honours.

As so often has been the case for Lallana, though, it all started with hard work. It all started with intellegent movement and tireless running—and, for much of the night, a shift to the left after spending most of the year on the right. It was a performace well worth revisiting today with the help of an every-touch compilation.

Video by MrBoywunder