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Divock Origi – the super sub Liverpool lack this season

Karolina Kurek

Divock Origi is the player Anfield crowd will remember forever. It is not only his ability to find the back of the net that will be appreciated but the fashion and timing in which he executed it. Origi took his tally to 12 goals as a Liverpool’s substitute. Calm as you like.

Followed in David Fairclough’s steps

In the past, L4 supporters were gifted with seeing heroes who emerged from the bench to write their names into Anfield history. David Fairclough was one of a kind. His feat is engraved in one of the stones that are located outside the home stadium. In life after football, he is still strongly connected with his maiden club. His role involves being an ambassador during meetings with fans, a stadium guide and pundit.

Last year, Fairclough suffered a stroke, and in October last year, provided a positive update on his health, confirming he was making positive strides. Fairclough was hailed “Supersub” as he recorded 18 goals in 62 substitute appearances. Despite the fact that he hardly ever started in the first XI line-up, Fairclough cemented his place in Anfield folklore with his heroics against Saint-Etienne.

 

That Tuesday’s night

Liverpool were gasping for a miracle against FC Barcelona in the second leg of the semi-finals in 18/19 season. The Spanish outfit notched up a vital 3-0 victory in the first leg. In fact, that night Liverpool were the dominant force at Camp Nou. However, their powerlessness in front of the goal made Liverpool find themselves on the wrong end of the result.

Barcelona’s three goals advantage was impressive and at the same time tough to turn over. Albeit, with the help of the 12th man in the shape of Anfield’s crowd, anything seemed to be possible. They were at the wrong end of the result and needed to do the impossible in order to get to the final. The second leg of that semi-final was about to get underway. Anfield under the floodlights was electric and fully packed with believers.

Not only was the night special but also magic. We saw a flash of genius from Liverpool’s graduate Trent-Alexander Arnold, but the key moment was the quick-thinking of the ball boy, who later turned out to be Oakley Cannonier.

Nonetheless, that was Divock Origi’s night. Having deputised for Roberto Firmino from the very first whistle, he had the world at his feet. The team needed to comeback from 3-0 down to get through to the final and it was Origi, who bagged the first goal after seven minutes on the clock. Georginio Wijnaldum added a brace in the second half but the Reds were in need of another to go through. As we approached the final 11 minutes of the contest, the duo of Trener Alexander-Arnold and Divock Origi did the impossible. The Academy graduate provided a brilliant corner for the number 27, who fired the decisive goal. Anfield erupted along with players, and  the renowned “You’ll never walk alone” was heard after the final whistle, Origi became a legend and all is history now.

Other Game-Changing Moments Straight From the Bench

Origi has never cemented his place in Liverpool’s first XI. Instead, he made 107 appearances out of 175 as a substitute. However, there were groundbreaking moments featuring Divock Origi, we should remember forever. It is vital to note that the goals mentioned below were selected on the basis of magnitude and substitution performance:

Liverpool 2-2 West Brom: Origi 90+6′

Hectic fixtures were approaching for new manager Jurgen Klopp. It was 90+6 minute on the clock when Divock Origi found the equaliser and delivered a vital point for The Reds.

Liverpool 1-0 Everton: Origi 90+6’

Christmas time was felt with LFC supporters singing “Merry Christmas Everton” at home. You could sense something would have happened with Origi’s previous record against “the Toffees”. The derby match went into injury-time, Pickford’s serious error led to Divock’s header from one yard meaning he sealed a 1-0 win for Liverpool. Anfield erupted.

Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool: Origi 86’

“The Reds” were chasing the Premier League title and were in need of three points in every remaining game. 2-2 result was seen of the scoreboard and it was Origi who became a hero in 86th minute on the clock.

Wolves 0-1 Liverpool: Origi 90+4’

Regular game time was over, no player was able to break the deadlock. Origi replaced Henderson in the second half and again stole the show with the injury-time winner. These four goals bagged after coming on the pitch from the bench were good as gold due to their significance. There were many more moments involving Divock’s flash of genius and ability to finish off a chance in a cool manner in other major games.

However, in this case, I only focused our attention on both his involvement in a match as a substitute player and direct point-winners.

 

His Legacy Will Live on

An instant impact of Diogo Jota meant a reduction of game time for Origi in the 2020/2021 season. There were days when Divock did not make it to the matchday squad. His first start in 2021/2022 came in the opening Champions League group-stage game against AC Milan at home. The limited amount of time made him change the scenery last summer, but one thing has never changed – Divock will forever be a Liverpool legend.

Jurgen Klopp hailed him a world-class player after a match against Everton when he fired for 2-0 for “The Reds” to clinch the win. In the post-match conference, the German coach gave him credit by saying: “He is a legend on and off the pitch. He is a fantastic footballer for me, and I know it sounds ridiculous as I don’t line him up often.”

Liverpool are still missing the unique impact of Divock Origi. Few players are like Origi, and even he himself hasn’t quite been able to replicate the same form at AC Milan. Can Liverpool bring a player in the summer that would be able to make such impact as he did from the bench? Time will tell…

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