Liverpool brush past Milan for perfect six

 

While there was nothing at stake for Liverpool – other than pride and the chance to become the first English side to win all six of their Champions League group matches – a win tonight for legendary Italian side and current Series A leaders, AC Milan, would’ve meant they would’ve put themselves in position to qualify for the knock out stages or, at least, keep their European campaign going with qualification for the Europa League. Defeat for Milan would mean elimination from all this season’s European competitions.

Such a surprise, therefore, that the Italian side were so poor this evening or, maybe, we were expecting too much from them, are overestimating the Italian league, particularly in light of the national side becoming European champions over the summer, or, indeed, underestimating how dominant English sides – plus, maybe, PSG, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid – currently are in the Champions League.

Thus, having made eight changes to tonight’s lineup, Jurgen Klopp was able to see his Liverpool side dominate play from start to finish and run out comfortable 2-1 winners. And this despite going one down on 29 minutes after a Milan corner – their first of the match – saw some sloppy near-post defending from Taki Minamino and some questionable keeping from Alisson Becker to allow Fikayo Tomori, on loan from Chelsea, to smash the ball into the back of the net from three yards out.

Perhaps doubt would’ve crept into Liverpool minds if Milan could hold onto their lead for any period of time but it took only seven minutes for the Reds to equalise. A snapshot from Alex Oxlade Chamberlain from the edge of the box, after an effective dribble, was only parried by the Milan keeper, the ball landing at pace at the feet of Mo Salah who whacked it first time high into the back of the net.  

The second half continued in the same vein as the first, with Liverpool dominating and AC Milan not able to lay a glove on the Reds. A second goal for Liverpool seemed inevitable and on 55 minutes it came when a mix up between Mike Maignan and his centre back allowed Sadio Mané in. The Senegalese striker’s powerful shot was fisted out by the Milan keeper, but a predatory Divock Origi – coming after his match-winning performance against Wolves at the weekend – was waiting to cleverly head the ball into the net.

Milan tried to rouse themselves to get back into the game, but they rarely troubled Alisson and Liverpool looked more likely to get a third than the Italians did to equalise.

Next up for Liverpool is the return of Steven Gerrard to Anfield. He’ll be rocking up as manager of in-form Aston Villa, having won three of his first four matches in charge. Still, given the way Liverpool have been playing recently, since the West Ham defeat, it’s hard to see anything other than a Reds’ victory.

As for the Champions League, Liverpool will find out who they play in the first round of the knockout stages when the draw takes place on Monday. Talking of draws, yesterday’s third round FA Cup draw was favourable for the Reds, resulting in them being asked to play League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town at home.

Reds start Champions League campaign with nervy win

 

A win for Liverpool in their opening game in the Champions League Group of Death against Milan at Anfield, but the three points shouldn’t mask some worrying traits in the game that don’t augur well for the rest of the season in this tournament and in the Premier League.

Manager Jurgen Klopp made a number of significant changes in the lineup, dropping Sadio Mané for Divock Origi, who impressed before going off injured, bringing in Joe Gomez for Virgil van Dijk at centre half, Henderson for Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita for the long-term absentee Harvey Elliott. Kostas Tsimikas can count himself unlucky not to start ahead of Andy Robertson, the Greek international having shown in the first two games of the season against Norwich and Burnley that he’s a more than a competent deputy for Scotland’s captain.

The changes looked justified in the first half hour of the game as Liverpool completely dominated their Italian opponents, going one up after nine minutes when a shot from the edge of the area from Trent Alexander Arnold defected off Fikayo Tomori and ended in the back of the net.

Liverpool’s dominance should have been rewarded further when they were awarded a penalty for handball, but Mo Salah’s weak effort was easily saved by Mike Maignan and the Reds’ seemed to lose momentum.

Still, no one could foresee what transpired in the last five minutes of the half, when Milan, having barely crossed into Liverpool’s half, with two attacks down the right, which exposed once again Alexander Arnold’s defensive deficiencies, particularly when he doesn’t have van Dijk to protect him, scored two goals, the first by Ante Rebic, the second from Brahim Diaz, making a mockery of all Liverpool’s efforts in the first half.

The second half got underway with Milan on the front foot and a clever corner saw Theo Hernandez prod the ball passed Alisson Becker, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside to save Liverpool the humiliation of going down 3-1.

Having been saved by the offside flag at one end, it looked like Salah’s clever finish from a smart chip from Origi would also fall victim to the linesman’s flag, with the Egyptian striker mutedly celebrating as VAR checked to see that the official had made the right non-decision. He had, the goal stood.

Relieved that they were still in the game, Liverpool upped the ante and put Milan under intolerable pressure. Thus, on 69 minutes a corner from Alexander Arnold fell to Jordan Henderson on the edge of the box and his controlled strike skated passed the Milan keeper to put the Reds ahead again.

James Milner, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Thiago and Curtis Jones all came on to see out the game and there were few serious scares and Liverpool even found themselves in a couple of promising positions to put the tie to bed, but both Jones and Mané – who had come on for Origi and whose cameo was another frustrating exercise – weren’t decisive enough to take advantage of the situation. 

 

The next two games in the group are away to Porto and then away to Atletico Madrid, both will undoubtedly be tougher games for Liverpool and they’ll have to be a lot better defensively to come through them unscathed. It’s hard to imagine that van Dijk will start these crucial matches on the bench.

Gerrard scores winner against AC Milan, speaks on Reds title challenge

Steven Gerrard may be manager of Rangers these days, but the Liverpool legend said he has "one eye" on his former club's title race after scoring a last-minute winner against a team of AC Milan greats at Anfield.

Saturday's charity match in front of more than 50,000 fans featured a number of players who played in the two Champions League finals between the teams in 2005 and 2007.

Former captain Gerrard, who scored in 2005 as the Reds came back from 3-0 down to win on penalties, lined up alongside the likes of ex-England internationals Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler and Spaniard Luis Garcia in a Liverpool FC Legends team managed by Sir Kenny Dalglish.

The AC Milan Glorie side featured Brazilian pair Cafu and Kaka, as well as former Italy internationals Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi and Andrea Pirlo.

Read more here.