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Liverpool made it seven wins from seven in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, despite a less than vintage display.

Mohamed Salah and Harvey Elliott scored either side of a Jonathan David strike as the Reds edged past Lille OSC by two goals to one at Anfield.

Here, we will be analysing five things that we learned as the Reds confirmed their spot in the last-16  of Europe’s elite club competition.



1.

MAGIC MO REACHES ANOTHER LIVERPOOL MILESTONE

It was another special night for the history books of Mohamed Salah’s illustrious Liverpool career.

The Egyptian brought an end to a drought of three matches this season without providing a goal contribution and in doing so, recorded a fiftieth goal in European competition for Liverpool.

A club first.

Steven Gerrard sits second with forty-one, but it’s Salah that will take the headlines in becoming the first Liverpool player to reach goal number fifty.

Liverpool’s talisman spoke post-match and made his feelings clear after reaching yet another club milestone.

He said, “Hopefully I’m not the last one but it’s something I’m very happy and proud about – and especially because we won the game, so that’s the most important thing.”

We are witnessing greatness right in front of our very eyes.

2.

JOY FOR HARVEY ELLIOTT

Harvey Elliott was given forty-five minutes in an attempt to stamp his authority on the game, and he did just that.

The midfielder volleyed home the winning goal in front of the Kop, albeit via a wicked deflection, just minutes after Jonathan David had equalised for Lille.

This strike was Elliott’s first Anfield goal in Europe, having scored away against Rangers and Ajax, three years ago.

This performance couldn’t have come at a better time for the 21-year-old, as he wheeled away in celebration making an ‘all-talk’ gesture, whilst pointing to the Anfield turf, making his feelings known about the rumours linking himself with a move away from his boyhood club.

Elliott also addressed the situation when speaking to Amazon Prime after the game.

“I think it’s pretty clear, I’m not leaving.”

“I said it in an interview the other day, this is my team, this is my club, I’m a massive fan and we are in a great position so far this season.”

“I just want to enjoy my football and when a chance comes, I need to show the gaffer that if I am needed, I am ready.”

3.

ARNE SLOT UTILISED HIS SQUAD TO PERFECTION

Arne Slot selected his starting eleven and substitutes perfectly in this one.

Liverpool’s position in the League Phase after six matches allowed some room for rotation and Slot grasped that opportunity.

The Dutchman opted for four changes from the weekend victory over Brentford, with Darwin Nunez being rewarded for his late show, leading the line in a three-man attack alongside Luis Diaz and Mo Salah.

Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah and Curtis Jones were also preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Alexis Mac Allister, with the latter used for the second forty-five and Alexander-Arnold making a late cameo, replacing his fellow-right back.

Curtis Jones was brought off as half-time as a precaution following a first-half knock and Ryan Gravenberch was also wrapped up in cotton wool.

Slot gave a welcomed rest to Dominik Szoboszlai, replacing the Hungarian with Wataru Endo, and Federico Chiesa made an impact when he entered the pitch.

Overall, it was a job well done by Arne Slot with Liverpool having as many as eight fixtures to come over the course of the next month.

4.

ROUND-OF-16 PLACE SECURED

Victory for Liverpool on Tuesday confirmed their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, automatically qualifying for the round-of-sixteen, avoiding the February play-off round.

The Reds were on the verge of progressing as League Phase winners with a game to spare, until Barcelona completed a miraculous comeback away to Benfica in the final thirteen minutes, from 4-2 down to 5-4 up.

Liverpool will be able to secure top spot in their final League Phase matchday next Wednesday.

5.

SEVEN DOWN, ONE TO GO

Arne Slot’s side are the only team to have won all seven of their League Phase matches, scoring fifteen and conceding just  two.

The seven results are as follows:

3-1 vs AC Milan

2-0 vs Bologna

1-0 vs RB Leipzig

4-0 vs Bayer Leverkusen

2-0 vs Real Madrid

1-0 vs Girona

2-1 vs Lille

Liverpool conclude their set of eight fixtures away at PSV Eindhoven, a team who are well known to the Dutch quartet amongst the current ranks.

Cody Gakpo, former PSV player, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch will be heading home to familiar surroundings, and Arne Slot competed against Eindhoven for three seasons as Feyenoord manager.

This game can be seen as a further opportunity to rotate the squad, with one point enough for the Reds to finish top of the pile.

Liverpool and Arne Slot could not have asked for a better start to their European adventure this season and will look to take this momentum into the knockout rounds and most importantly, their Premier League title push.

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