LIVERPOOL RUN RIOT
Klopp’s boys serve up the orange crush
BOLD citrus, the marketing men call it. Bold decision, others would have said, a sight that could have made for sore eyes. Liverpool donned their new third kit and the colour — luminous orange — would have left them with no place to hide had things gone askew. Fortunately for Jurgen Klopp, they made a statement in their performance rather than their fashion.
Klopp wanted a win to mark the second anniversary of his first game in charge of Liverpool, but he could not have envisaged what his players produced. Even for a club with such a fine European pedigree, this was a record-breaking night.
They plundered seven unanswered goals in Maribor, smashing their previous best scoreline of 5-0 (achieved three times — in 1964, 1976 and 2001) to leave Klopp purring about the quality of a display that will do wonders for confidence.
‘Wow,’ said Klopp. ‘The history of this wonderful club can be like a backpack. Now we get to write our own history. It will be difficult to beat that (in the future). To win 7-0 is quite rare. We did unbelievably well.’
The success came thanks to the irresistible play of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho, who shared the first five goals, before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Trent Alexander-Arnold completed the demolition.
Liverpool’s front three terrorised Maribor’s defenders. Their speed, skill and subtlety wrapped up the points inside the first 20 minutes and the club’s first away win in the Champions League since 2009.
Liverpool’s command was so great that Klopp had the luxury of introducing Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge, to protect Salah and Firmino for Sunday’s clash with Tottenham.
Rotation had been the last thing on Klopp’s mind and he indicated beforehand that he could have gone with the same line-up that were held by Manchester United as that game, he mischievously suggested, had ‘not been too intense’.
Still, there were three changes, with Loris Kariusi t takingki over betweenb the sticks and Alexander-Arnold replacing Joe Gomez. The most surprising, though, was James Milner come in for Jordan Henderson.
Milner has barely been sighted this season, but he could not have wished for a better fixture in which to return.
Liverpool were in no mood to ease their way into the contest and they had the lead within 196 seconds. Salah hurtled down the right and crossed for Firmino to tap in.
You sensed this might be the night when they made up for lost time. Klopp barely flickered as the away fans celebrated and, clearly, he wanted them to keep building on the foundation Firmino had provided.
Quickly they were back in position and fizzing upfield, their startled hosts with no idea how to contain this fluorescent swarm. They didn’t have to wait long for the second and it was the pick of the four before the interval, Milner darting down the right and crossing for Coutinho to volley home. With only 13 minutes gone, there was no way the scoring was going to stop and soon two became three. Salah got involved this time, Firmino slipping a pass to the Egyptian, who promptly drilled in.
There was never any threat of a comeback. Salah, Coutinho and Firmino had too much class and intensity, and they all had further chances before the interval.
Goal four was scored by Salah, who darted ahead of Firmino to apply the finishing touch to an Alberto Moreno cross.
‘We’ve had bad luck in the last three or four games, we missed many chances,’ said Salah. ‘We created many and we had bad luck, but everyone is confident the good results are coming. I’m sure the next game will be the same.’
Maybe not, given Spurs are the opposition, but the way the goals rained in after the break bodes well.
Maribor disintegrated after Firmino had glanced in Coutinho’s free- kick and
Oxlade-Chamberlain ensured history was made when he raced through to score the sixth after Sturridge sent him clear.
It was now Liverpool’s biggest ever away win in Europe but there was still time for one more when Alexander-Arnold fired in. Keep playing like this and the future will be bright even when they don’t wear orange. MARIBOR