Liverpool’s fourth Champions League group stage game was effectively Liverpool’s last group stage game of meaning: we’re top and through to the last 16!
Liverpool 2-0 Atletico Madrid
Champions League (4), Anfield
November 3, 2021
Goals: Jota 13′, Mane 21′
Sent off: Felipe 36′
Alisson – 7 (out of 10)
Took a couple of high balls very well, punching out under pressure when he had to.
Didn’t have anything to do first half really and nothing he could do about the deflected ‘goal’ which was then ruled out. Barely anything else to worry about.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 9 – Man of the Match
If he ever decides to switch away from No. 66, we should probably offer up our Scouse right-back the No. 10 jersey, once Mane’s done with it.
His cross for the first goal was great, the fired low ball for the second even better.
Joel Matip – 7
Tempted to give Joel a two out of 10 for his four-yard miss, which was swiped horribly wide, but a very expressive reaction to it saved him.
Defensively, largely fine until the closing minutes.
Virgil van Dijk – 7
Mostly did well in defensive work, though was dragged across out of position on the counter late on for Herrera’s scuffed effort.
Fired a rocket just over the bar – he’d love a goal to stamp his return to full throttle, wouldn’t he?!
Kostas Tsimikas – 7
Might be the player in the squad who gives most of a ‘feel-good’ to the fans when he’s in the team – loads of energy, plenty of endeavour, lots of very good crosses.
Great to see him get the full 90 minutes in with a fine showing.
Fabinho- 8
Lovely to have him back – took him three minutes to get a knee into an opponent’s side. We’ve needed that.
Know what else we’ve needed? His ability to hold position, win the ball, keep it and make sure everyone else in midfield is in their right area.
That is precisely what Fab brought, right from kickoff.
Jordan Henderson – 7
Some really good moments of link play down the right channel, even if they didn’t all quite come off as intended.
Much better in the No. 8 role than he had been earlier in the season and worked hard throughout.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 7
The good and the not-so-good were on show: some very lax passes, some moments where he didn’t track his man back down the left…and also more than a couple of individual bursts which saw Ox dribble past two or three.
He got in a shot or two as well, but couldn’t trouble the ‘keeper. Bit of an issue with his knee at one stage but saw out a few more minutes.
Mohamed Salah – 8
Some incredible first touches and dribbles past Hermoso in the first half, though he absolutely should have played through Jota for a one-on-one.
Another moment of magic saw him fire in a shot before half-time, which was heading for the top corner before Oblak parried it out.
Diogo Jota – 8
Lovely movement yet again to score a header yet again. On the ball (and on the deck) he was quite sloppy in the first half, though. Another header before the break was well-saved by Oblak.
Right after the restart, he should have netted two – he didn’t reach a rebound quickly enough, then shouldered one wide from a few yards, just after burying an offside effort.
Sadio Mane – 8
Got himself in a few battles with defenders and the ref, involved in more card offences than shots in that tempestuous first half – including the red.
Did score, though, a well-finished first-time effort on the run to make it 2-0, before being subbed at the break to save any hint of a second yellow which Atleti were intent on earning.
Substitutes
Roberto Firmino (on for Mane, 46′) – 6 – On at the break, off again with 15 to play. Let’s hope it’s nothing serious.
Thiago (on for Fabinho, 59′) – 6 – Some lovely passing about and one moment where he was too lax and caught out.
Takumi Minamino (on for Oxlade-Chamberlain, 77′) – N/A
Divock Origi (on for Firmino, 77′) – N/A –
Nat Phillips (on for Alexander-Arnold, 90+4′) – N/A
Subs not used: Adrian, Kelleher, Konate, Robertson, Williams, Morton, Origi
Jurgen Klopp – 9
The boss made two big calls by bringing back in Kostas at left-back and Fabinho after injury, but both were somewhat required after recent team and individual showings.
His setup was perfect for the game, as it turned out, with Ox making the running when it was needed from deep, the forward line clinical in the first half and 50-50 calls falling Liverpool’s way.
Can’t argue with any of his calls off the bench either, with Mane replaced nice and early and no risks taken with injuries.
And a home win in Europe over a big champion, of course!
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