Nunez hits landmark goals as Liverpool thrash Sparta
Darwin Nunez scored the 1,000th goal of Jurgen Klopp’s reign in Liverpool’s comfortable 5-1 Europa League win over Sparta Prague but it was not quite the perfect warm-up for Sunday’s title clash with Manchester City after another injury blow.
The Uruguay international finished the last-16 first-leg tie in the Czech Republic capital with another goal on the stroke of half-time but it was his first in the 25th minute which was massively important – and not just because of the landmark it brought up.
Liverpool had been under a sustained spell of pressure after Alexis Mac Allister, taking over penalty duties from Nunez after his failure against Chelsea in January, had put them ahead.
Perhaps spurred on by that snub Nunez – out of nowhere, as is often his inclination – cut in from the left to whip a brilliant25-yarddippingshotover goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.
His second effectively came when Mac Allister, head and shouldersaboveeveryoneelse in possession, played a superb ball over the top which his fellow South American lashed across Vindahl and inside the far post.
Conor Bradley’s first involvement after replacing Joe
Gomez at half-time in a prearranged swap was to divert Velijko Birmancevic’s cross into his own net seconds after therestarttoreducethedeficit for Sparta.
The chaotic start to the second half continued when Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate was injured and replaced by Virgil van Dijk.
Luis Diaz scored the fourth andkloppevenhadtheluxury of giving much-needed minutes to midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai – who scored the fifth – and forward Mohamed Salah on his return to tune them up for the weekend, but the loss of Konate to injury is another unwanted headache.
The gulf in class in terms of finishing was evident as Sparta, unbeaten at home all season, squandered a number of chances which could have made this much trickier whereas Liverpool were clinical and had plenty in reserve.
Brighton’s European adventure turned into a nightmare after they were blown away by Roma to suffer a 4-0 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roberto De Zerbi had guided the Seagulls through to the Europa League last-16 with a four-match winning run in the competition, but first-half goals by Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku put the visitors on the ropes in Rome.
Worse was to follow after the break with Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante able to score in quick succession to
essentially kill the tie. Brighton did have their chances with Dannywelbeckdeniedonseveral occasions, but they need a miracle to overturn a fourgoal deficit in next week’s second leg.
West Ham drew a blank in theblackforestastheyslipped to a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 meeting with Freiburg.
Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta missed golden opportunitiestogivethehammersa leadtotakebacktothelondon Stadium next week.
But instead they will have to come from behind after they were hit by a late sucker punch from Freiburg substitute Michael Gregoritsch.
They were also denied what looked a clear penalty for handball in stoppage time after the referee refused to change his decision despite checking the pitchside monitor.