Liverpool win but with no fireworks
IF a week can make all the difference in politics, a fortnight can do even more in football.
There was plenty of Champions League entertainment last night but precious little of it at Anfield.
A rampant Liverpool team had completely embarrassed Maribor 7-0 two weeks ago as Jurgen Klopp’s men lined up to score in Slovenia.
However, this contest saw the Reds toil – and miss yet another penalty – against far more determined opposition.
In the end, Liverpool got the job done as goals from Mohamed Salah, Emre Can and Daniel Sturridge helped them struggle to a win that will be forgotten by everybody involved almost instantly.
Salah, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino had outclassed Maribor in the first match with their pace and energy.
But with Coutinho out injured, this gave Alex OxladeChamberlain the chance to shine.
Maribor manager Darko Milanic promised there would be no repeat of the 7-0 defeat.
But the pre-match statistics did not do the visitors any as the entire match was played out in Maribor’s half but the ball refused to fall kindly for either OxladeChamberlain, Firmino or Salah.
There were red shirts all over the penalty area but Liverpool failed to create a golden opportunity.
After 30 minutes Firmino went closest to opening the scoring but was denied by a wonder save.
The Liverpool striker outjumped Jean-Claude Billong and nodded goalward, it deflected off Billong and although it looked like it was going to loop over the Maribor keeper, he somehow hung in the air to claw the effort up and onto the crossbar.
Finally in the 49th minute Salah made the breakthrough as the game awoke from its slumber.
Salah beautifully backheeled Trent AlexanderArnold’s superb cross past Handanovic.
Liverpool fans expected the floodgates to open, especially when Firmino was hauled down by Aleksander Rajcevic in the area, but James Milner missed the spot-kick as Handanovic did wonderfully well to tip it onto the post.
It was Liverpool’s second consecutive penalty miss after Salah’s was saved against Huddersfield on Saturday.
They have now missed five of their last seven and four on the trot at Anfield.
That statistic did little to quell the nerves that could still be felt around the ground, although the visitors still did little other than kick the ball clear and defend in numbers.
Eventually their luck ran out as Can threaded home a fine effort and substitute Sturridge added a late third.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Goals: (3-4-3):