Liverpool made light work of Marseille in the Champions League, with the UK's media on hand to give its verdict on Mohamed Salah's first start for the Reds in nearly two months
James Findlater Content Editor
11:00, 22 Jan 2026
Mohamed Salah celebrates with his teammates after Liverpool's second goal against Marseille
Mohamed Salah made his first start for Liverpool in almost two months against Marseille(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool moved a big step closer to a place in the last-16 of the Champions League after a comfortable night’s work against Marseille.
Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick set the Reds on their way to a 3-0 victory in France, with Jeremie Frimpong forcing an own goal and Cody Gakpo adding the gloss to an impressive victory over a side expected to give their visitors more problems.
That it proved much easier is testament to Liverpool’s performance, with Arne Slot’s side managing to put its Premier League issues to one side and leave itself on track to avoid an extra play-off game, with just the visit of Qarabag left to navigate in the league phase.
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As usual, a host of the UK’s media was in attendance at the Stade Velodrome to watch the Reds’ latest outing, and give their verdict on an impressive outing for the Reds…
Andy Hunter - The Guardian
The intense, intimidating examination by Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille never materialised. Liverpool, again more comfortable on European soil and without the irritation of facing a low block, delivered a commanding display to advance on automatic qualification for the last 16 and leave their Premier League troubles behind.
A Dominik Szoboszlai free‑kick, an own goal forced by Jeremie Frimpong and a stoppage-time strike from the substitute Cody Gakpo gave Arne Slot’s side a merited victory in the south of France.
The margin of Liverpool’s ninth win in 11 European away games could have been greater but, having struggled to turn possession into chances and chances into wins of late, Slot could take satisfaction from a comprehensive triumph all the same.
Lewis Steele - Daily Mail
Liverpool were welcomed to the hostile and raucous environment of Stade Velodrome with a tifo depicting The Beatles alongside the phrase 'history repeats itself', a nod to Marseille toppling the Reds in the 2004 UEFA Cup.
History did, in some ways, repeat itself for Arne Slot: just like six weeks ago on their last foreign venture, at San Siro to beat Inter Milan, Liverpool put in an accomplished, balanced performance to underline their continental credentials.
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool celebrates his goal with Milos Kerkez and team-mates during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league phase match at Velodrome stadium on January 21 2026
Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool celebrates his goal with Milos Kerkez and team-mates during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 league phase match at Velodrome stadium on January 21 2026(Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
And history repeated itself on another level as this was a throwback performance from the Reds to last season's breathtaking, front-foot football.
Though they were 12 matches unbeaten before their jaunt to the south of France and this beautiful port city, there were nagging doubts and problems for Slot still to solve.
It was a fine victory on the road that made one wonder just how deep they can go in this season's Champions League. Given the final is in Budapest, Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai will see that as his ultimate dream – with the midfielder opening the scoring here.
Paul Joyce - The Times
Mohamed Salah was back. Back in a red shirt, back seeking to drive opponents, rather than his manager, to distraction and back in a winning Liverpool team.
Arne Slot has had little to truly savour of late so he would have enjoyed the wave and thumbs up at the final whistle to the away supporters gathered in a corner of the Stade Vélodrome.
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There are different players to the fore now, which meant the returning Salah’s fingerprints were not all over a victory that should have been more emphatic against Marseille, but he played his part.
A glorious chance to add another layer of gloss to proceedings was spurned by the attacker, yet after everything that transpired at the end of last year when he was a ball of anger this felt like progress.
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Jason Burt - The Telegraph
It is now 13 games unbeaten for Liverpool, they are in position to go through to the last 16 of the Champions League and, importantly, this was by far their most convincing game in that run.
And Mohamed Salah is not just back, but was back from the start and he played right through to the end. Even when he missed chances, as he did late on, Salah played with a broad smile.
Crisis? What crisis? If Liverpool can continue to play like this, with this level of commitment then they, and Arne Slot, will quickly brush away such concerns. This was far more like it; this was a performance worthy of the Champions League as they largely dominated a potentially dangerous Marseille side and even quelled their fiercely passionate support. Liverpool looked like a top European team. Job, emphatically, done.