The watching media could only find positives from Liverpool’s 4-0 win over LASK on Thursday, as their season goes from strength to strength.
The Reds were in complete control at Anfield from the off, cruising into the knockout stages after a routine night at the office.
Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo fired Liverpool into a 2-0 lead in no time, while Mohamed Salah‘s second-half penalty took his overall goal tally for the club to 199.
The impressive Gakpo finished off the scoring with seconds remaining, as Jurgen Klopp‘s team topped their Europa League group and advanced into the last 16 of the competition.
Here’s the best of the media reaction to Liverpool’s victory.
It was a comprehensive victory for an in-form Liverpool side…
The Daily Mail‘s Lewis Steele felt this was a huge improvement on the limp defeat at Toulouse earlier in the month:
“Temperatures reached lows of -4C at Anfield but Liverpool put in a performance to warm the cockles of Jurgen Klopp and an expectant crowd.
“The Reds ensured safe passage to the Europa League knockout stages with a thumping win over Austrian side LASK.
“After a bruising defeat – and more worryingly a shoddy performance – in Toulouse in their last European outing, Klopp had challenged his team to make this a ‘special night’ and qualify for the latter stages of the competition – and Liverpool passed that audition with flying colours.
“In many ways, this was a perfect night for Klopp and Co. A goal for each of the starting front three and confident performances from all. A night mainly sat on the bench in a puffer jacket, hat and snood for key men. And more minutes in the legs of fringe players and young stars.”
On X, David Lynch felt it was a “routine” outing, as Liverpool cruised to victory in about second gear:
As routine as it gets for Liverpool at Anfield tonight. And a good night has turned into a perfect one with Toulouse's 0-0 draw with USG meaning they have now secured progression as group winners with a game to spare.
— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) November 30, 2023
Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph hailed Liverpool’s perfect home record this season, in all competitions:
“Liverpool 2.0 is mirroring the new Anfield Road stand: not quite complete but already a towering and formidable presence.
“Ten home games this season have yielded as many wins and 31 goals, the so-called work in progress continuing with all the haste of a Mohamed Salah sprint.
“Jurgen Klopp’s side are taking the scenic route towards restoring their sheen after last season’s rustiness, with Anfield form as spectacular as at any point in his reign.”
The Independent‘s Richard Jolly focused on the importance of qualifying for the knockout rounds with a game to spare:
“With Toulouse being held by Union Saint-Gilloise, Liverpool won the group to spare themselves a play-off round against a team that drops out of the Champions League.
“While they head straight for the last 16, the immediate benefit is next month’s game in Brussels becomes meaningless. And, as it is three days before they face Manchester United, Klopp could leave several regulars at home.
“So defeat in Toulouse did not come at a cost. This result was not in doubt after a quarter of an hour, progress clinched by Salah’s spot kick early in the second half. It all felt predictable, Liverpool taking their return on home soil this season to 10 wins out of 10.”
Elliott continues to grow as a player this season…
This Is Anfield‘s Mark Delgado had plenty of complimentary words for Harvey Elliott‘s display for the Reds:
“Best player on the night? Probably Harvey Elliott, who was industrious, creative, selfless and non-stop with his overlaps, recovery runs and intent to push the team forward.
“From the right side of midfield and later in the front line, Elliott was impressive with both pressing work and passing, spotting spaces between the lines and executing the ball required.”
Steele was of a similar impression, with the 20-year-old proving such a key squad player now:
“The starting front three will take all the headlines and praise with goals and good performances.
“But Harvey Elliott is starting to mature into a quality midfielder and was excellent tonight. Energetic, decisive and a constant nuisance off the ball.”
Belief is growing over this being a memorable campaign for Liverpool…
Bascombe believes the Reds are the overriding favourites to win the Europa League:
“The Europa League may not be the competition in which Klopp sought to re-energise, but Liverpool are tournament favourites with good reasons, LASK the latest to suffer in the wake of sheer attacking power.
[…]
“There will come a moment in this year’s competition when Liverpool need to move out of third gear.
“Alas, for those hoping for a breathless, competitive Uefa occasion, this never looked like becoming such an evening.”
Finally, Delgado looked ahead to some key Premier League games on the horizon, as the festive fixtures arrive:
“Fulham, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest present three winnable fixtures in isolation, but the challenge of course comes in doing it back-to-back-to-back in quick succession.
“Still, we’re in great form and scoring at will right now and the squad players are by and large proving themselves able stand-ins when required.
“Onwards, Reds, towards a very merry Christmas.”
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