Liverpool made it three wins from three in the Champions League as Darwin Nunez netted the winner in a 1-0 win over RB Leipzig.
The victory means Arne Slot has now won 11 of his 12 matches across all competitions since replacing Jurgen Klopp and this was a perfect prep for Sunday’s clash with Arsenal in the Premier League, live on Sky Sports.
Slot’s men set two new club records – the first Liverpool side to win their first six away games of a season and the first to triumph in 11 of their first 12 matches.
Nunez, brought into the starting XI in place of the injured Diogo Jota, grabbed the all-important winning goal on 27 minutes when poking home from close range after Mohamed Salah’s header looked to be heading in anyway.
Nunez wanted a penalty in the 38th minute after being tripped by Leipzig skipper Willi Orban. Replays showed contact but Swiss referee Sandro Scharer was not convinced and VAR somehow did not intervene.
Nunez embraces Mohamed Salah after poking home his goalbound header
The visitors created 2.38 worth of expected goals but couldn’t find a second goal with Péter Gulácsi in the RB Leipzig goal making some stunning saves whilst Alexis Mac Allister also hit the crossbar.
Liverpool had to endure a stressful closing 10 minutes though with Lois Openda finding the net but his effort was ruled out for a narrow offside.
Caoimhin Kelleher also did well to save from Benjamin Sesko after Ibrahim Konate lost the ball. Moments later, the Irishman tipped over a dipping shot from Xavi Simons in another impressive performance from Alisson’s backup.
Sunday 27th October 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
Slot’s team, along with Aston Villa, are the only two teams with a 100 per cent record in the Champions League and lead the way in the league phase.
Analysis: Liverpool make RB Leipzig look ordinary
Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
“Those doubting whether this Liverpool team can challenge on all fronts will have to find a better argument than ‘but who have they played?’ now.
“Two tough teams have been put in front of them in Chelsea and RB Leipzig and Slot’s men have put them away, deserving to win both matches. Winning at the Red Bull Arena isn’t supposed to be easy but Liverpool made it look just that for large parts of this game, especially after Nunez opened the scoring. RB Leipzig have taken 17 points after seven Bundesliga games, proving to be a very dangerous and energetic team that can trouble anyone on their day in Europe. But Liverpool made them look very ordinary.
“This team will have Manchester City and Arsenal worried – they look serious players for both the Premier League and Champions League.”
Slot: We dominated for 70 minutes
Arne Slot discusses tactics with Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, speaking to TNT Sports: “We are really happy with the win. We knew it was a difficult away game but what pleased me most was that we controlled large parts of it, except for the last 15 to 20 minutes, when we definitely needed our two centre-backs to keep a clean sheet, and also our goalkeeper in two big moments. That was, in my opinion, unnecessary.
“If we had left this place with a draw, I would have really felt we had lost something. For the 70 previous minutes – except, maybe, for the first 10 – we dominated.”
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Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he ‘liked a lot of what I saw’ in his side’s clash against RB Leipzig but admitted ‘ the game should have been ours after 70 minutes’.
What do Liverpool need to reach knockouts?
Liverpool have nine points and they need just one more point from their remaining five Champions League matches to confirm a spot in the knockout play-offs at least.
But Slot’s side will now be looking at the top eight, with 15 points behind enough to go straight into the last 16 stage.
Two wins from five doesn’t sound too hard does it?
