Liverpool 4-0 Red Star Belgrade: goals galore at Anfield as Mo Salah scores his 50th
Relive all the action from Anfield where Liverpool took on Red Star
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool inflicted an almighty 4-0 thumping on a drab Red Star Belgrade, who failed to rekindle glory at one of their old English haunts.
It's 35 years since Red Star came to Liverpool and clinched a 2-1 victory but what they experienced tonight was a cruel one-way battering which rarely left them with a moment's pause.
The first came after 17 minutes when Xherdan Shaqiri - the game's man of the match - held up play in midfield to allow Andy Robertson to dart beyond Belgrade's right back and cut-back to Roberto Firmino who gratefully accepted the end to his goal-drought.
Then it was the turn of Mo Salah, who after an unsteady start was the recipient of a deft flick by Shaqiri and side-footed home Liverpool's second. The little Egyptian added another to his total just a few minutes later from the penalty spot after Mane was felled in the box by a flying elbow.
Mane should have then had one from the spot himself but was denied by a brilliant save but made amends just minutes later with an old-fashioned toe-poke tap-in to complete the healthy haul.
The victory puts Liverpool in pole position in Group C, which has quickly become a group of death in this year's Champions League. The Reds are one point clear of Napoli, who were pegged back by PSG in the last minute thanks to a stunning strike from Angel Di Maria, when it looked as though the visors secure the most unlikely away victory.
Right, things to unpack:
Firstly, it is a controversial penalty. El Fardon Ben Nabouhane heads against his own arm but the referee has no hesitation in giving the spot kick.
Sadio Mane doesn't mess around and seizes the ball with Salah off.
Mane goes to his left, but Milan Borjan guesses correctly and tips phenomenally on to the woodwork.
The ball rebounds back to Mane and he seems set to score but he can't get a clean shot away and Red Star clear.
It is still 3-0.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Red Star Belgrade (Sadio Mane, 79 minutes)
This time he scores!
Clever play from Liverpool, and Daniel Sturridge is able to get his head up on the edge of the 'D'.
He pivots, feeds Sadio Mane and the Senegalese winger just about toes past Borjan after a slightly heavy touch.
81 minutes
Veljko Simic is on for Red Star in the wake of the goal.
Adam Lallana is completely free in behind but the visitors just about recover to force a hurried shot that Milan Borjan saves.
82 minutes
Andrew Robertson gets the last ten minutes or so off.
Alberto Moreno comes on at left-back.
84 minutes
Liverpool free kick on the edge of the box, wide on the right.
Trent Alexander-Arnold swings it in but it is too deep and headed away.
86 minutes
Dusan Jovancic is booked for a foul as the game rather peters out in the closing stages.
89 minutes
Daniel Sturridge shoots from about 30 yards and his effort appears to be curling some distance wide, but Milan Borjan feels he has to palm it behind.
90 minutes
Three added minutes.
Liverpool cruising to a 4-0 win.
90 + 2 minutes
Should have been five!
Daniel Sturridge plays a lovely outside-of-the-foot ball to Roberto Firmino, who takes it down brilliantly.
He kills it did and slots the ball superbly through for Sadio Mane, and it seems he will surely notch his second.
But Mane's effort finds only the side netting.
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