Liverpool 2-0 (4-0 on agg.) RB Leipzig
Liverpool booked their place in the last eight of the Champions League after another impressive 2-0 victory over RB Leipzig saw them go through 4-0 on aggregate.
Just like in the first leg, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane scored the goals for the Reds, who played one of their best games in a long while amid their disastrous run of results over the past few weeks. With Fabinho back in midfield and Diogo Jota combining well with Salah and Mane, Klopp’s side looked like the Liverpool of old once again.
This performance should serve as a good reminder that despite their recent struggles, Liverpool’s Champions League 2021 odds of winning the competition once again should not be overlooked.
Highlights of the game
The SBOTOP preview of the second leg wondered what changes Jurgen Klopp would make to his side following their disastrous defeat to Fulham. And the answer was to put Fabinho back in defensive midfield while pairing Nat Phillips with young Ozan Kabak in the centre of their defence.
Meanwhile, Diogo Jota once again got the start in attack alongside Salah and Mane, who returned to the line-up after being rested against Fulham. Those changes seemed to make quite a big difference as Liverpool made a bright start to the match.
Mane got the first big chance just six minutes in, but the Senegalese forward fired his shot well over the bar.
Jota then forced a fine reaction save from Leipzig keeper Peter Gulacsi, who tipped over the Portuguese striker’s header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.
A few minutes later, neither Salah nor Mane could put the finishing touches on a brilliant Liverpool counterattack. Salah then squandered another great chance set up by Alexander-Arnold as he skied his shot over.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side finally started to get into the match after the half-hour mark. Kevin Kampl’s shot from the edge of the box forced a save from Alisson. Then, Emil Forsberg’s shot just missed the bottom corner.
RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann watches from the sidelines during his side’s Champions League match against Liverpool
Jota had a couple more chances in the final minutes before half-time, but he could not take either as Liverpool somehow went into the break without a lead to show for all their dominance.
And it was much the same story to start the second half. Jota was through on goal 10 minutes after the break but could not beat Gulacsi. Salah then conspired to miss a wide-open goal with his shot on the rebound.
After how poorly the last few weeks have gone, Liverpool fans might have been feeling that this would once again not be their night.
Indeed, the Reds almost paid dearly for their wastefulness in front of goal as Leipzig substitute Alexander Sorloth hit the post with his header.
But Liverpool’s luck turned at last as they took the lead on 70 minutes. The front three of Mane, Jota, and Salah combined brilliantly on a quick counterattack, and Salah finally found the right finish as he squeezed his left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
And just four minutes later, Mane would put the finishing touches on the tie with Liverpool’s second. Substitute Divock Origi supplied a beautiful cross and Mane had the simple task of tapping the ball into the net.
There would be no way back for Leipzig, who looked as if they could give the English champions a scare. But in the end, they disappointingly looked overmatched even against an out-of-form Liverpool side over two legs.
Key statistics
The final statistics show that Liverpool only had a slight edge in shots (12-11) and had just 40 per cent of possession. But those numbers do not tell the story of the match, which was that the Reds dominated.
Mane, Salah, and Jota ran the Red Bulls ragged with their pace on the counter as they created several Champions League 2021 highlights.
Although, it seems that Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann helped them by not learning the lessons of the first leg, where they also struggled to contain Liverpool on the break while playing such a high line. Meanwhile, Leipzig’s persistent problem of failing to create good chances against superior teams was again clear for all to see.
Nevertheless, it was encouraging to see Liverpool back to playing somewhere close to their best. Jota’s performance was especially promising as he had four shots and an assist in just his third game back from injury.
What’s next?
Liverpool will look to translate the form they showed over two legs against Leipzig to the Premier League, where they will face Wolves this weekend.
While Liverpool have been completely awful at Anfield — six losses in a row — they have at least won three of their last four away from home.
As for Leipzig, they will now turn their focus toward the Bundesliga, where they are still second and just two points behind leaders Bayern Munich. However, Leipzig will have a tricky match on the weekend as they host high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt.
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The post Champions League: Liverpool Back to Their Best in Leipzig Beatdown appeared first on SBOTOP.