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As it happenedended

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

Harry Latham-Coyle
Wednesday 24 October 2018 22:29 BST
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Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade: Champions League preview

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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.

4-0 - two for Salah, one for Mane and one for Firmino. A comfortable home victory for Liverpool.

Harry Latham-Coyle24 October 2018 21:53

That's all from us here tonight. Keep up to date with all the reaction, analysis and more from tonight's Champions League action with The Independent over the next couple of days.

I've been Harry Latham-Coyle - thank you for joining me.

Harry Latham-Coyle24 October 2018 22:03

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