Liverpool has won yet another game. As the fixtures continue to come thick and fast, Jürgen Klopp’s side just keeps on excelling. Caoimhín Kelleher was sublime in the first half against Sparta Prague but the Reds ultimately won comfortably by a scoreline of five goals to one.
Ahead of next week’s second leg, Liverpool already has more than one foot in the last-eight. With the return A) at Anfield and B) coming between fixtures against Manchester City and Manchester United, having such a big margin for error could be massively important. And Darwin Núñez, Alexis Mac Allister and Caoimhín Kelleher appear to have hit top form at the ideal time.
At the start of the game, it looked like Liverpool could run riot. Sparta Prague came back into the contest to some degree thanks to some shaky defending by a much-changed Reds side lacking experience at its heart but the Czech outfit couldn’t take any of the chances that it generated. With big opportunities either put wide or saved superbly by Kelleher, Liverpool went on to secure a victory by a margin that could ultimately have been more.
Here’s what Liverpool.com learned at the epet ARENA and what you might have missed. There were plenty of positives for Liverpool to take from its latest European fixture.
One thing we learned
Harvey Elliott picked up a hat-trick of assists on the day and was excellent again. It would be very harsh to leave him out against Manchester City but Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai might have something to say about that.
Liverpool gave minutes to those who will play the biggest part on Sunday, with some hints in the substitutions. Luis Díaz, who played 74 minutes, and Darwin Núñez, who got just over 45 minutes, should be there. Salah looked sharp enough to be too.
Playing 65 minutes, Alexis Mac Allister is nailed on. Joe Gomez, meanwhile, came off at the interval in a pre-planned swap. He might be needed at center-back rather than right-back depending on what happens with Ibrahima Konaté.
Biggest takeaway
Mac Allister is in a really strong vein of form at the moment. Some might paint that as being because he is being played higher up the pitch (rather than in the deeper role) but he has now excelled in both positions for sustained periods of time for Liverpool. Lately, he has been good as a number eight, but he will play as a number six plenty more times in the future.
The Argentine looks more and more like a genuine bargain with every match that he plays. For just $44m (£35m/€41m), you won’t find better value anywhere these days.
Mac Allister was sublime again here and netted from the spot. Salah won’t want to hear it but if Liverpool gets a penalty on Sunday, the Reds’ number 10 should be the man who takes it. After a delay that added to the pressure, he showed why his record is so good with a cool strike from 12 yards.
In his whole career, he has only ever missed one. And while it might be tough to convince Salah to give up penalty duties, the numbers are in Mac Allister’s favor.
A moment you might have missed
As Núñez celebrated his second goal, someone in the stands attempted to throw something at him — though he easily shrugged it off. It didn’t even come close to him and the Uruguayan appeared to turn away and laugh.
Perhaps he was smiling purely because of the excellence of his volley but it could also have been a smirk at the anger from the crowd. As he has done plenty of times this season, Núñez did a lot to silence his critics.
Núñez has 16 goals and 11 assists this season now. For any striker to get 20-plus, which he surely will, is impressive. Liverpool’s number nine has a lot more in his locker than the majority still insist on giving him minimal credit for.
