Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan has said he knew he had to win his duel with former teammate Raheem Sterling at Anfield on Wednesday to give fans something to shout about.
Less than 30 seconds into the 3-0 win over Manchester City, Flanagan, making his first Premier League start since May 2014, sent the England winger flying with a crunching but fair tackle.
The Kop roared approval of the challenge, and the tone was set for the rest of the night.
Sterling managed just 45 minutes in which Flanagan got the better of him on several occasions -- not least with one superb last-ditch tackle -- before being hauled off at the break as his first return following his £49 million summer move ended disappointingly.
"It was something I had to do to get the crowd up," the 23-year-old told Press Association Sport about the first challenge, which knocked Sterling off his feet.
"The crowd have been fantastic, always right behind me. Me and Raheem were good mates at Liverpool, but now he's gone to City it is just business on the pitch."
The way Flanagan went about his business, playing in his favoured right-back slot with Nathaniel Clyne switching to the left, was warmly welcomed by fans desperate to see the academy graduate flourish after two knee operations sidelined him for a season.
It has left him anxiously waiting to see whether his contract, which expires this summer, will be renewed - although the way manager Jurgen Klopp spoke about him in his prematch press conference suggests that should not be an issue -- and he needs a run of games.
"It is great to be back in the Premier League. It has been a nightmare with injuries," added Flanagan, who made his long-awaited senior comeback in the FA Cup replay against Exeter in January.
"I am feeling good and fit and sharp so I am just trying to get as many games as possible.
"I am just leaving that side [his contract] to my agent to see what happens, but it was great to hear those words from the manager in the press conference.''
Klopp has often talked glowingly about the defender but after his injury problems the Reds boss knows he will have to be managed carefully.
"We don't talk about quality. We talk about 20 months [out] -- that is really unusual," the German said.
"We have to sit together tomorrow and think about what we can do with Flanno. The Premier League is about playing Sunday-Wednesday-Sunday, and we have to think about this."
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