SWEET MUSIC FROM THE FAB FOUR
Coutinho and Co are too hot for Moscow
WHEN Jurgen Klopp closes his eyes at night, this is the kind of football he surely must see. This is the kind of football the German came to Liverpool to deliver and when it all falls in to place, it seems unfeasible to think anybody would ever doubt him.
Klopp is yet to deliver a trophy to Liverpool in his two years and his team sit 14 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City. So that’s the bad news.
Here in superb animation was all the good news bundled into one as Klopp’s team ripped Spartak Moscow apart with the kind of football that you are only privileged to witness once in a while.
Spartak are Russian champions and as such are no mugs. Here at Anfield, though, they were embarrassed by Liverpool, dismantled by the kind of devastating passing football that is only possible to attempt when you are blessed with a certain kind of player.
The four leaders of Liverpool’s orchestra were all present at the same time as Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Saido Mane combined to light up a cold European night.
The first goal of Coutinho’s hattrick came from the penalty spot early on and the third was a deflected shot. But the one in between was majestic, while Firmino’s finish with the outside of his foot on the half-volley was made to look rather ordinary by a second half Mane volley that almost ripped the net from its moorings at the Kop end.
There could have been more, too. Liverpool were forensic in the way they created chances but not always in the way that they attempted to finish them. Nevertheless, Liverpool have scored 23 goals in six European games this season and it is no surprise to see them top Group E.
Liverpool were ahead in only the fourth minute and it was all Spartak’s fault.
The ball Coutinho aimed towards the head of Mo Salah was speculative at best. But instead of allowing what was an over-hit pass to pass harmlessly out of play, Georgi Dzhikiya chose to get physical with his opponent. When he needlessly dragged Salah to the ground the referee was alert enough to award the penalty. Coutinho sent goalkeeper Aleksandr Selikhov the wrong way.
Ahead so early, Liverpool were in the position they love so much. Already chasing the game, Spartak tried to respond and in doing so left huge gaps in their own half of the field. As a result, the game was over within 20 minutes.
When Liverpool are in this mood, they are ruthless. Everything they do looks like it will end in a goal.
The second arrived in the 15th minute, moments after Spartak’s Quincy Promes had brought a low save from Loris Karius.
This was a beautiful goal, too, a result of passing, movement, vision and understanding. Dejan Lovren started the move in his own half.
And when Mane and Salah funnelled the ball to Roberto Firmino on the right overlap, the Brazilian chose his moment perfectly to pull it back for Coutinho to finish with an equally calm sidefoot. It was a goal that couldn’t have looked any prettier had it been painted in watercolour.
This was everything Klopp strives for as a manager and when it was followed by a third goal four minutes later, one wondered just how many Liverpool may score.
Once more there was a Spartak mistake involved — Denis Glushakov giving the ball away in centre field. Once again Liverpool punished their opponents as Mane’s cross rebounded off Serdar Tasci in the penalty area for Firmino to finish beautifully on the half-volley with the outside of his right foot.
With a derby against Everton looming on Sunday, Liverpool already had reason to slacken offbut they continued to push.
Mane should have scored the fourth in the 36th minute only to blaze over when played through by Salah’s lovely backheel.
But two minutes into the second half he did score and what a goal it was. Substitute James Milner was played down the left by Coutinho and when the cross reached Mane at the far post he crashed it high in to the net with a scissor kick of immaculate timing and power.
Three minutes later they had another as Milner allowed Coutinho to dance in to the penalty area. His low shot struck Salvatore Bocchetti and span past goalkeeper Selikhov for the Liverpool No 10’s hat-trick.
As the night went on, Spartak continued to help out when they could and the Russians were hustled out of possession again with 14 minutes left. Emre Can fed Daniel Sturridge down the right and Mane dragged in his second goal from six yards. Still Liverpool were not finished. They had already scored seven at Maribor and equalled that when Salah left his man on his back with another superb turn in the box. He placed a right-foot shot high in to the goal as though taking part in a passing drill at Melwood.
If new Everton manager Sam Allardyce hasn’t got a plan in place already, he had better find one. LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Karius 6.5; Gomez 6.5, Lovren 6.5 (Alexander-Arnold 60min, 6), Klavan 6.5, Moreno 6 (Milner 45, 6.5); COUTINHO 8.5, Can 7.5, Wijnaldum 7.5; Salah 8, Firmino 7.5 (Sturridge 72, 6), Mane 7.5. Subs not used: Mignolet, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Solanke. Scorers: Coutinho 4 (pen), 15, 50, Firmino 18, Mane 47, 76, Salah 86. Booked: Can. Manager: Jurgen Klopp 8. SPARTAK MOSCOW (4-2-3-1): Selikhov 5; Eschenko 5, Tasci 5, Bocchetti 5, Dzhikiya 6 (Pasalic 60, 6); Glushakov 6, Fernando 6.5; Zobnin 6, Luiz Adriano 5, Promes 5 (Samedov 75, 6); Ze Luis 5 (Melgarejo 51, 5). Subs not used: Rebrov, Kutepov, Popov, Rocha. Booked: Dzhikiya, Fernando. Manager: Massimo Carrera 5. Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Pol) 7. Attendance: 48,779.