You imagine that when you attend a football match, particularly at a ground like Anfield, particularly on a Champions League evening, where traditionally Liverpool fans are determined to add to the atmosphere and spur on the players, bearing in mind the legendary European nights, against St Etienne, Dortmund, Barcelona, it’s somewhat peculiar not to have anything riding on the game, with the Reds not only already qualified for the knock-out stages but guaranteed to be group winners, and indeed Liverpool’s first half performance against Porto reflected the fact that Liverpool have already done what they needed to do.
However, on nights like this, Liverpool fans will still go home delighted that they turned up with memories to last because of two spectacular goals, from Thiago Alcantara and Mo Salah, that ensured a Liverpool victory, five wins out of five in the so-called group of death.
Thiago’s goal will live long in the memory. A weak free kick from the right from Alex Oxlade Chamberlain was headed out to the Spanish midfielder who caught it on the half volley in a controlled fashion, slashing the ball with the outside of the foot, skimming the ball with pace and accuracy across the grass into the corner of the net. A perfect strike, a brilliant goal from a player now finding his form for Liverpool, having arrived with a big reputation from Bayern Munich and not yet having lived up to it, injuries and the disruption of the pandemic having set him back.
Salah’s goal was less spectacular but oozed quality. Salah exchanged intricate passes with Jordan Henderson on the right of the Porto area before a beautiful shimmy from the Egyptian left the defender on the floor. Salah then deceived the keeper into thinking he was going to curl the ball into the left of the goal, only to strike it low and hard in the near post.
Porto did have chances in the first half to score, but it would be wrong to assert that they were on top or that Liverpool were on the ropes. Liverpool, too, had opportunities to score and, indeed, apart from the two that were put in the back of the net, the Reds had two disallowed after VAR ruled them offside. Sadio Mané’s goal – a one-on-one that he calmly slotted past the keeper – was particularly marginal. Taki Minamino was the other unlucky player to have a goal ruled out.
Lots of changes for tonight’s lineup – Ibrahima Konate in for Virgil van Dijk, Neco Williams for Trent Alexander Arnold, Tyler Morton for Henderson, Minamino for Diogo Jota – and it was the two academy products who shone most. Williams looked solid defending and threatening going forward, while Morton, making his first start for Liverpool seniors, having made his debut with a substitute appearance against Arsenal at the weekend, was impeccable, and looked a better prospect than his contemporary, Curtis Jones.
Next up for the Reds is Southampton at home in the Premier League. The final game in the Champions League group will be away at AC Milan.
