Porto 0-5 Liverpool: Five Talking Points

Liverpool blew Porto away this evening, as they won 5-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Sadio Mané scored a hat-trick, with Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah notching too, as the Reds took control of the tie.

Alexander-Arnold impresses

Trent Alexander-Arnold was just 10 years of age when Liverpool last played a Champions League knockout tie, as the Reds went out of a thrilling contest to Chelsea in the quarter finals in 2009, but this evening he started the game ahead of Joe Gomez, who was deemed fit enough only for the bench.

Gomez replaced him late on, but until then Alexander-Arnold had been secure and comfortable.

Porto danger-man Yacine Brahimi was kept quiet until he was substituted soon after the hour mark, largely thanks to the young right-back.

With each game, he gets better and better. The future is bright.

Centre back partnership

Dejan Lovren returned to the side alongside Virgil van Dijk, and his solid and assured showing proved why he deserves to be the Dutchman’s partner full-time.

PORTO, PORTUGAL – Wednesday, February 14, 2018: Liverpool’s xxxx during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st leg match between FC Porto and Liverpool FC on Valentine’s Day at the Estádio do Dragão. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

He made a superb block in the first half to deny Otavio a certain goal, and was focused throughout.

Van Dijk was brought in to transform Liverpool’s defence – his ability to organise at the back and vision to switch play effortlessly the key advantages of having him – and Lovren should be the man to line up alongside him.

The two could constitute a solid backline for at least the remainder of the season.

Magnificent Mané

Sadio Mané has not quite been at the races for a number of weeks, and indeed was not at his very best tonight, but he continues to score goals. The last one in particular was a special finish.

Nothing seemed to come off for him in terms of beating players in the first half, but he gained confidence in the second, going on to score a treble.

The hat-trick should catapult him forwards, and he will be hoping to kick on further between now and May.

Salah again

No single player has been more of a talking point than Mo Salah this season. Today, he notched his 30th goal of the campaign, to become the first winger since Cristiano Ronaldo to score 30 goals in a season for an English side. The last player to do it for Liverpool was Luis Suarez in 2013/14.

PORTO, PORTUGAL – Wednesday, February 14, 2018: Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 1st leg match between FC Porto and Liverpool FC on Valentine’s Day at the Estádio do Dragão. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The audacity of his deft headed touch past goalkeeper José Sa was sensational; the smile on his face after the ball trickled into the goal suggested he knew as much.

He and Roberto Firmino now have 51 goals between them. Who needs a 30-goal striker?

Midfield dominance

James Milner, Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson were excellent in the centre of the park, as their constant pressing and high energy displays smothered what Porto had to offer.

Milner was everywhere: cutting out passes and playing some of his own forward with intent, and dominating the space. Wijnaldum, often critised away from home, produced a performance that he usually does in the big games as he put in a huge shift.

Captain Henderson was crucial to being able to switch the play and was in complete control of the match, dictating its every ebb and flow.

Between the three of them, they ran the game for the most part, and can reflect on a job well done.

The post Porto 0-5 Liverpool: Five Talking Points appeared first on AnfieldHQ.

Source: anfieldhq.com