almost 4 years ago

It was not meant to be that easy, but Liverpool borderline strolled to a victory once more against FC Porto in the Champions League — the third time they have done so to date under the management of Jürgen Klopp.

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring and then Sadio Mané added another one just before half-time, putting the Reds well in control.

Salah notched a second when Curtis Jones got his second assist of the night with a perfect pass, and then the 20-year-old completed a hat-trick of sorts by setting up a Liverpool fourth through Roberto Firmino after Mehdi Taremi had pulled one back.

Firmino got a second after a lengthy VAR check, and while it finished 5-1, it could have been a few more.

In truth, Liverpool made it look far simpler than it was; this is a Porto side that is in good form, and with a number of good players among their ranks.

That should not be forgotten, but ultimately, Liverpool were comfortable and deserving winners, placing themselves three points clear at the summit of Group B after only matchday two.

The prevailing outlook on Liverpool’s midfield has veered wildly throughout the summer and into the autumn months. Georginio Wijnaldum appeared to leave a gaping hole when he left for PSG, but as time passed the mood palpably began to shift towards a feeling that it might just be alright — particularly once it became clear that Jürgen Klopp viewed Harvey Elliott as a midfield option. However, the teenager is now out for the long-term, and the remaining options all have at least some kind of question mark over their heads: the injury to Thiago Alcântara has brought the concerns about the centre of the park to the fore once again.

In one sense, the impact Thiago’s absence has had on the team is a good thing. It shows exactly how important the Spaniard has become: this could not have been said throughout much of last season, where his bad luck with injury and illness meant he could barely get a sustained run in the side. The fact he is now being missed so much demonstrates that he has truly arrived at Liverpool, yallashoot albeit belatedly — when available, he is a key cog in Klopp’s machine. The manager faces a serious headache if Thiago is to miss the Man City game, as looks likely.

Source : yacine tv