Liverpool continues to impress even without two key players, Alisson Becker and Fabinho Tavares. The duo was sent to Madrid ahead of Tuesday’s match in the Champions League because of the Covid-19 protocol in England, if they returned to England after the international break they would have to quarantine for ten days and would have missed Tuesdays match as well as Saturdays. As it turned out the team did not need them. Liverpool dominated the game from start to finish. The Reds had 18 shots (8 on goal) and 87% possession of the ball. It took eight minutes to get the scoring started by Sadio Mane. Sadio is having a great season so far this year after a subpar season last year. Fans were calling for Liverpool to ship him out and he has responded sitting in third for goals scored in the Premier League. His goal in the eighth minute was also Sadio’s 100th career goal in the Premier League, making him third most goals scored by an African player, only behind teammate Mo Salah (104) and Didier Drogba (104). The goal was set up by a beautiful pass from Mo Salah who also tallied a goal in the 5-0 route. The real story of the game was Bobby Firmino who snatched up the match ball with a hattrick.
With Firmino’s three goals he also tallied an assist in the game, an absolute complete performance from the Brazilian. Backup keeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, stepped up big for the squad in the absence of Alisson, stopping all three shots on goal. Liverpool remains the only undefeated team in the Premier League so far this season sitting in second place only one point behind Chelsea.
Tuesday Liverpool travels to Madrid and will face their group rival in the Champions League, Atletico Madrid. The two teams sit one and two in the group as Liverpool is two points ahead of Atletico. If Liverpool comes back from Madrid five points ahead of Atletico there is no saying how far this team can go. They won’t have clinched a spot in the round of sixteen but with Atletico coming to Anfield November 3rd, one of the hardest places to play in European football is when Liverpool can go for the kill and be able to rest players for the final two games. I know you aren’t supposed to look ahead of opponents but I don’t play for the team so I’m allowed to do so. The Reds are getting players back from injury bit by bit and with a fully healthy squad it seems no one can stop this team.
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