Our Liverpool fan jury discuss the Reds' win over Marseille in the Champions League and look ahead to the visit to Bournemouth
Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners in Marseille
Liverpool ran out 3-0 winners in Marseille(Image: Getty Images)
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Liverpool's Champions League victory in Marseille has extended their current unbeaten run to 13 games and raised the spirits after the recent disappointment at home to Burnley.
Despite facing bizarre questions over his future before the match, Arne Slot guided the Reds to an impressive victory that puts his side on the cusp of qualification for the last-16.
Now the task is to take that good form into Saturday's trip to the south coast to take on Bournemouth, and our Liverpool fan jury have been having their say before the game.
Andrew Cullen
In a frenetic and frenzied atmosphere at the Stade Velodrome, we remained calm and composed. We were a constant threat in attack and stable at the back.
Fans have been crying out this year for more aggression, more leadership, and more battling cries during games. We have seen far too much passive play this year, so it was pleasing to see Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong take players on. For passages in the game, we could see the potential of this new Liverpool: there was pace down the wings, nimble feet in the box, and harrying and hassling across the pitch.
Mohamed Salah's return was quiet but noticeable; he played some dangerous balls forward, linked up play, and got into some dangerous areas. There is still a cloud hanging over Salah given his antics this year, but he will be forgiven if he returns to his usual heights. The real question that has emerged this season is whether those heights are now beyond him.
Given our troubles domestically, it does feel like Arne Slot needs a good run in the Champion’s League to restore some pride and faith in his leadership.
Away from the pitch, it was surprising and depressing to miss out on Marc Guehi; I am sure we will have our reasons. Perhaps it was the wages, or perhaps the fee. Whatever the reason, it feels like a missed opportunity.
Rhys Buchanan
What a difference a game can make in terms of our collective mindset. Despite coming away with a statement away win in the hostile surroundings of the Orange Velodrome, I actually think the Reds could have made lighter work of the French opposition.
A huge positive is that right now, an array of key players are exploding into form. The likes of Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong will be feeling a million feet tall after their recent contributions. After all the merited talk of us looking pensive and over-cautious, we showed once again in Marseille we can play some thrilling football and look very lively going forward.
The problem is that we need to back that up back home in the league. Steven Gerrard made a compelling point when he said he’s bored of all this talk of ‘low block opposition’ and that it’s something Liverpool teams have faced all the way back to his playing days. As he hinted post-match, we just need the big players to step up, take risks and win games. That’s exactly what’s going to be needed on the south coast tomorrow.
James Noble
The Mediterranean coast seems a popular getaway location around this time of year; not too hot, nor too cold – understandably so. Pleasingly, Liverpool leant into that spirit against Marseille on Wednesday with a superbly balanced display at the familiarly fervent Stade Velodrome.
The dynamism and diligence of full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez again caught the eye, Joe Gomez stepped in with admirable assuredness, Alisson Becker provided typically timely interventions and Mohamed Salah returned with encouraging sharpness. Despite the relatively mild conditions, Dominik Szoboszlai classily displayed the value of draught excluders, too.
Another reminder of the strength and potential within this squad, and another demonstration of the collective poise displayed against the likes of Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Internazionale so far this term. Encouraging ahead of the Champions League’s latter stages and all the more reason to reaffirm our top-eight standing against Qarabag next week.
Also, hardly unreasonably, such displays can cue quiet frustration, considering 2025/26’s inconsistencies. We evidently need to become more rounded when it comes to reliably navigating different game states and opposition set-ups.
Saturday’s trip to face Bournemouth may offer climatic contrasts to midweek but there could well be certain on-field parallels, given the general proactivity of Andoni Iraola’s side. That is a context that the Reds, if balanced, ought to be primed to capitalise upon.