OPINION
Liverpool produced perhaps their most assured performance of the season as they cruised past Red Star Belgrade 4-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side looked at it from the word go at Anfield and, after Roberto Firmino’s 20th minute opener, they never let their opponents off the hook.
A brace from Mohamed Salah and a Sadio Mane strike followed as the Reds’ fearsome front three rediscovered their mojo, but it was a consummate European performance all round from this Liverpool side.
Live4Liverpool has rounded up three things that can be learned from the team’s resounding 4-0 win over Red Star Belgrade.
Shaqiri earning undroppable status
Xherdan Shaqiri was the least heralded, and expensive, of Liverpool’s four signings this summer, but the Switzerland international is now producing form to rival any of them.
He produced another classy display at Anfield on Wednesday, building on his encouraging display in the 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town on Saturday. The former Stoke City man was involved throughout and showed plenty of work rate alongside his trademark neat touches.
It will be hard for Klopp to justify not starting the 27-year-old, who is on a reported £90,000-per-week at the club [Source: Spotrac], moving forward. He has the look of a player who is bang in form and the German would be a fool to drop him at this point.
Klopp gets selection right
The Liverpool boss has received a bit of criticism in recent weeks for breaking up Joe Gomez’s partnership at centre back with Virgil van Dijk in order to accommodate Dejan Lovren in his return from injury. However, the German got his team selection bang on against Red Star.
Lovren was jettisoned, with Trent Alexander-Arnold returning in the right back slot and Gomez moving back across to centre back. The result was an assured defensive performance from each member of the back four.
Klopp was also correct in his choice of Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Georginio Wijnaldum in midfield. The trio provided the perfect mix of solidity and attacking menace and they were heavily involved throughout the evening.
Salah looking back to his best
Make that three goals in two games for Mohamed Salah, as he followed up Saturday’s winner against Huddersfield with a brace against the Serbian giants on Wednesday.
The Egyptian, oft criticised this season, produced a sterling effort at Anfield as he gave a deadly reminder of his quality. His finish for his first goal was sublime, while his penalty was cool as you like. For a man supposedly out of form, this was a lethal display.
The two goals brought his tally to 50 goals in 65 games for the Reds, a stunning statistic. The 26-year-old may not have been at his scintillating best in the early stages of this season but, if Wednesday’s performance was any indication, he is now approaching the frightening level he operated at last term.
