Ian Doyle with the talking points from Liverpool's Champions League clash at Marseille on Wednesday evening
MARSEILLE, FRANCE - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Jeremie Frimpong of Liverpool, Milos Kerkez of Liverpool celebrating 0-2 during the UEFA Champions League match between Olympique Marseille v Liverpool at the Stade Vélodrome on January 21, 2026 in Marseille France (Photo by Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates /Getty Images)
Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez celebrate after the former's run and cross led to Liverpool doubling their lead at Marseille
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(Image: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates /Getty Images)
The Champions League hadn’t been particularly kind for either Jeremie Frimpong or Milos Kerkez as Liverpool players. This, though, was the evening that changed for the summer signings as their rapid improvement was again underlined.
Both had started the defeat at Galatasaray in September while Frimpong lasted only 19 minutes of the victory at Eintracht Frankfurt the following month before suffering a second hamstring injury of the season that kept him out for six weeks.
Kerkez, meanwhile, saw his only other start in the competition end in the horror defeat at home to PSV Eindhoven.
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The duo have both progressed since then, however, and here they again highlighted the value of their big-money purchases, which cost a combined £69.5m.
Kerkez was dogged and determined with his defending and chose the right moments to press forward, while Frimpong’s attacking instincts contributed to a brilliant run that ended with him forcing an own goal from home goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli for Liverpool’s second.
While the bare statistics continue to declare Frimpong has only one goal and one assist since the Community Shield, it doesn’t take into account the key strikes he created at Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and now Marseille.
Both Kerkez and Frimpong are now making a positive difference for Liverpool.
Gomez sends reminder
This was a landmark 350th game for Virgil van Dijk in all competitions for Liverpool. And the Reds skipper was reunited with an old favourite to commemorate the occasion.
With Ibrahima Konate absent due to personal reasons, Joe Gomez was handed only an eighth start of the season and a first at centre-back in the Champions League since the win at Girona in December 2024.
Gomez, of course, was a regular partner to Van Dijk when the Reds won the title under Jurgen Klopp back in 2020.
And here he demonstrated why he remains a viable option for Arne Slot when fit with a performance that, while solid defensively, also delivered impressive distribution, most notably with a crisp forward pass that set in motion events for the third goal.
There was even a fleeting glimpse at goal himself with Gomez sending a free header wide from a corner early on. His anguished reaction indicated he knew it was a chance to net his first-ever senior strike.
While Alisson Becker was required to make a couple of quality saves, overall Liverpool limited the threat of a Marseille side that has outscored Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue Un this season.
And a 10th clean sheet of the season extended to 12 games their remarkable record of not having conceded a second-half goal in European competition to an opposing player.
Slot’s Marseille repeat
The feelgood factor continues for Slot at the Stade Velodrome. And while it may not, as with Feyenoord in 2022, been a result worthy of reaching a European final, this was a much-needed balm for the sores that reopened with the frustrating home Premier League draw against Burnley on Saturday.
Slot had been a little bewildered at questions over his suitability as Liverpool boss been sparked by that stalemate, particularly as his team were far more inventive than usual up against a low block.
And the richly-deserved win in southern France was a reminder of how the Reds can prove so devastating against teams that opt to go toe-to-toe – and why so many don’t even bother.
Liverpool have now won nine of their last 11 away European fixtures with one of the two defeats, at PSV Eindhoven a year ago, a dead rubber.
The Premier League may not be going to plan. But with Marseille joining Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan as scalps this season, Liverpool will take some eliminating from the Champions League.