THE BLAST SIXTEEN
Highest-ever goals total in the group, who would want to draw Liverpool in the knockout phase
FOR all the talk of frailty in both mind and body, there is one quality that makes Liverpool genuine Champions League contenders: goal threat.
In dismissing Spartak Moscow here with an imperious, sublime performance, Jurgen Klopp’s side recorded their highest goals total in the group stages of this competition.
They are its second highest scorers this season, ahead of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, and behind only the rampant Paris Saint-Germain.
That, undoubtedly, will strike fear into the heart of any rival in the next round, their bold four-man attack at Anfield last night confirming what we have known for some time now – there are few forward lines in Europe their equal.
There will be much sterner tests ahead, but let us rejoice in this display, in the sheer menace of the again outstanding front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, and the brilliance of Philippe Coutinho, who outshone even those three.
His hat-trick last night was a thing of beauty, the Brazilian showing just why Klopp will fight viciously to keep him out of the clutches of Barca and any other side. Yet it is far from a one-man show, even if he certainly was the man last night. Mane’s volley just after the break, which sealed the game, the group and Liverpool’s burgeoning reputation, was epic in its execution, and magnificent in its audacity.
On this form, with this ruthless mentality, the attack looks virtually unstoppable, and even with a vulnerable defence they have the fire-power, the intimidating threat, to go far this season. Remember, Spartak came here knowing victory would put them through and, potentially, the Reds out.
This was a pressure game make no mistake, but the joy Liverpool brought to their football to go three goals up within 19 minutes suggested this team feels no such thing. It was all started by a woeful mistake from the hapless Spartak left-back Georgi Dzhikiya – who had a horror show – dragging down Salah in the box when there was little danger. Coutinho swept home the penalty with relish.
Spartak were simply overwhelmed by the home side. Within minutes, Coutinho had scored a brilliant second, running onto a fine pull back from
Firmino. Incredibly, no visiting defender got within five yards of any of Liverpool’s front four in that move. Then Firmino finished after Mane ran through totally unchallenged to cross for the Brazilian, with a helping hand – literally – from a Spartak defender.
If there were fears of another Liverpool lapse, another Sevilla-style meltdown, Mane put them to rest with another contender for the goal of the season, which he seems to produce every season. Sub James Milner crossed brilliantly just two minutes into the second half, and the Senegal star launched himself into a horizontal position five feet off the ground to smash a volley into the roof of the net.
From there, the only remaining interest on a night where Liverpool announced themselves to the rest of Europe, was whether Coutinho could complete a hat-trick.
He did not keep the fans waiting for long. Milner was again the provider, Coutinho’s shot taking a deflection on its way in.
Daniel Sturridge, on as a sub, escaped down the right and unselfishly crossed to give Mane a tap in.
And Salah crowned an epic victory with the seventh.