The easy thing to do would have been to let someone else step up. With time ticking by and a game slipping away, Adam Lallana knew exactly what was at stake when Liverpool won a corner.
This was their last chance to salvage a point against Arsenal and the wrong delivery would have been greeted with a mix of derision and exasperation by the Kop.
Those without sufficient mental strength would have been inclined to pass on such responsibility.
Lallana, however, did not flinch. He ended up delivering the perfect set-piece, inviting Martin Skrtel to thunder in a header and secure a 2-2 draw. If the centre back’s goal on Sunday has the potential to change Liverpool’s season, the assist could be vital for the man who provided it.
Things have not been straight-forward for Lallana since his £23.7million summer switch from Southampton.
He has sat out big games, nursed injuries and struggled for form but his persistence and determination cannot be questioned. The evidence was there for all to see last Sunday when it mattered.
‘When you’re not playing well and results aren’t going well, it’s easy to hide and not want the ball,’ said Lallana. ‘But that’s where you have to work through because eventually it will click. Something good will happen, you will gain confidence and you’ll have a good impact.’
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