Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool emphatically secured their place in the Champions League last 16 with a dominant 6-0 victory over Qarabag at Anfield on Wednesday night, finishing third in the league phase standings behind Arsenal and Bayern Munich. The result provided a much-needed tonic for Arne Slot’s side, who have struggled domestically with just five wins from their last 18 Premier League matches, yet found their rhythm in European competition with their sixth group-stage victory.
Alexis Mac Allister struck twice, while Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and substitute Federico Chiesa all found the net in a commanding display before the Anfield faithful.
An intriguing subplot of the evening was Ryan Gravenberch’s deployment at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk. With Ibrahima Konate absent on compassionate leave following the death of his father and Joe Gomez ruled out with a hip injury sustained at Bournemouth, Slot was forced into the unconventional selection.
The Dutch midfielder, who won the Premier League Young Player of the Season award last term for his performances in a deep-lying midfield role, adapted impressively to his makeshift defensive duties albeit against middling opposition.
Gravenberch posted several photos to Instagram captioned “Top 8,” celebrating Liverpool’s automatic qualification to the knockout rounds. Among the responses from teammates came a cheeky comment from Ekitike: “Guehi! “.
The reference was unmistakable to anyone who followed last summer’s transfer saga. Marc Guehi had been on the brink of joining Liverpool from Crystal Palace, with the defender having completed his medical examination on deadline day before the South London club pulled the plug on the £35 million deal.
Jokes aside, Liverpool’s defensive depth is now in the danger zone with Jeremie Frimpong’s fresh hamstring injury. Arne Slot hinted that January business for the senior team could be forthcoming, saying after the win over Qarabag:
“Longer-term, that’s why we sign young players as well, very good players, but young ones that can still develop. Now we can see this development with a few. And it always depends on, are there players available that we think can help us, and if they are, can we afford them?
“Our players come back from injury as well, and I just said that we don’t have a squad where we have four right-backs and 12 midfielders and three or four number 9s, so we have to do smart things for the near future, but also for the longer future.
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