Rampant Reds!
Fab Four fire Liverpool into last 16 with Spartak thrashing
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho (centre) celebrating with Mohamad Salah (left) and Roberto Firmino after netting his hattrick – and his side’s fifth goal – during the Champions League Group E match against Spartak Moscow at Anfield on Wednesday. A brace by Sadio Mane and one each from Salah and Firmino gave the Reds an impressive 7- 0 win to top the group and qualify for the knockout round. With their Fab Four – Coutinho, Salah, Firmino and Mane – firing on all cylinders, the Reds will head into Sunday’s English Premier League Merseyside derby against Everton on a high.
LONDON: Philippe Coutinho’s first Liverpool hattrick propelled Juergen Klopp’s side to a 7-0 thrashing of Spartak Moscow that swept the Merseyside club into the Champions League last 16.
Sadio Mane scored twice and Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah both found the net as Liverpool’s “Fab Four” emphatically returned the five-time champions to the knockout rounds after a nineyear absence.
Group E winners Liverpool joined Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in progressing from the group phase, making England the first country to send five teams into the last 16.
“We opened the game perfectly and after we took the lead, we didn’t have to defend,” Klopp told BT Sport.
“It’s really difficult when we go to the next gear and use the space. It was nice to watch tonight.”
It was Liverpool’s second hefty group-stage win after a 7-0 rout of Maribor and erased memories of their previous outing in the competition, when they squandered a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 away to runners-up Sevilla.
With Liverpool having plundered 32 goals in their last nine games, few teams will relish the prospect of facing off against Coutinho, Salah, Mane and Firmino in the last 16, the draw for which takes place on Monday.
“I don’t mind too much who we get,” Klopp added.
“Usually I always get Real Madrid, so we will see.”
Klopp will have to do without Emre Can for the first leg of the last 16 tie, after the midfielder was booked against Spartak, and victory also came at the cost of an injury to leftback Alberto Moreno.
But those were the only bum notes on an evening when a Liverpool team showing five changes from Saturday’s 5-1 romp at Brighton found themselves 3-0 up inside 18 minutes.
Spartak coach Massimo Carrera delivered a damning assessment of his team’s display.
“The players almost played like they were afraid,” said the Italian, whose side dropped into the Europa League.
“It proved Spartak aren’t ready for this level of football.
“Today we lacked quality in all aspects of football.”
Everton, who visit Anfield in Sunday’s derby, were left with plenty of food for thought. — AFP