Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah were all on target for Liverpool as they smashed four goals past Genk, giving the reds a much-needed victory in Group E of the UEFA Champions League.
The Ox, making his first appearance in the Champions League since the semi-final victory over Roma in April 2018, latched on to Fabinho’s pass before driving a shot into the bottom left corner to give the visitors an early lead in the 2nd minute.
Shortly after, the reds had a penalty shout waved away when Roberto Firmino was bundled over by Maelhe, as he looked to get on the receiving end of James Milner’s dangerous cross.
Genk began to settle and produced a save from Alisson in the 9th minute when their target man Onuachu burst into the box following a long ball. However, Liverpool’s Brazilian stopper was equal to the effort.
Mane then squandered a chance to put the reds two up following a beautiful rabona pass from Firmino to play the forward in, and moments later Genk swiftly moved the ball up field to Ito, who produced a floating ball into the box for captain Sanatta to power home.
The goal however was quickly ruled out by the referee, before going to a VAR check which confirmed that the Japenese winger Ito was marginally offside in the build-up to the goal.
The Belgain outfit produced another glorious chance to level before the break when Ito drilled a ball across goal, but Samatta only just failed to get on the end of it.
Oxlade-Chamberlain then doubled his and Liverpool’s tally for the night with a stunning strike after the restart in the 57th minute, rifling in with the outside of his foot after neat build-up play from Naby Keita and Firmino to set up the English midfielder.
Liverpool’s front three linked up beautifully for their third goal in the 77th minute. Firmino and Salah combined well before the Eqyption fed in Sadio Mane to dink the goalkeeper, notching his 8th goal of the season in the process.
Salah grabbed the fourth in the 87th minute after a pass from Naby Keita, holding off two Genk defenders before placing his shot in the bottom corner to give Couke in goal no chance.
However, Alisson was denied a clean sheet only a minute after Salah’s strike, when Ndongala picked out Odey in the box who flashed the ball past the Brazilian keeper.
Both sides had chances in the dying embers to add to the scoreline, but the final score finished 4-1 to Jurgen Klopp’s men.
The result meant Liverpool came away with their first away win in the Champions League group stages since their comprehensive 7-0 victory at Maribor in October 2017.
The reverse fixture at Anfield is in two weeks time, where the reds will be hoping to strengthen their hopes of progressing through to the knockout stages.
(Photo by Hobby-Fotograf2013, creative commons licence)
