Harvey Elliott fends off 10-man Lille to depart Liverpool in seventh heaven | Champions League

Liverpool and Mohamed Salah march on with ease. Arne Slot’s group secured a spot within the knockout part of the Champions League with victory over Lille, on the night time Salah turned the primary participant in Liverpool’s illustrious historical past to attain 50 European targets. High of the Champions League and the Premier League, the six-time champions will concern nobody within the final 16.

Liverpool wanted just one level from their remaining two group video games to ensure a spot within the knockout rounds, a spot that has by no means as soon as appeared doubtful, and took all three courtesy of Salah’s instinctive end and Harvey Elliott’s deflected strike. Victory equalled Liverpool’s finest sequence within the Champions League period of seven straight wins, first set in 2021/22. Slot’s group additionally created a brand new membership file for many minutes with out conceding in Europe, surpassing the 572 set by Rafael Benítez’s group in 2005-06.

Slot’s beginning XI steered he had a watch on Saturday’s sport with Ipswich and managing particular person workloads, notably in defence, however Lille weren’t underestimated. Bruno Génésio’s facet began the penultimate spherical of fixtures within the remaining automated qualifying spot after a powerful marketing campaign that has yielded victories over each Madrid golf equipment and a draw in opposition to Juventus. There was an early warning from the guests when Gabriel Gudmundsson broke by straight from Liverpool’s kick off. The left-back shrugged apart Conor Bradley and surged into the realm the place he despatched a robust drive vast of Alisson’s put up.

Gudmundsson’s effort, 30 seconds in, was as shut as both group got here to even testing a goalkeeper till Salah adorned a humdrum affair with one more slice of Liverpool historical past. The 2 sides cancelled one another out for 34 minutes – each had been polished in possession, properly structured however missing a innovative – after which the Egypt worldwide took centre stage as soon as once more.

As so usually, he struck in a flash. Lille had been on the assault with Jonathan David when Kostas Tsimikas regained possession with a clear problem. Whereas David’s teammates appealed for a foul, Curtis Jones threaded a go by a chasm within the guests’ defence for Salah to cost down on Lucas Chevalier’s purpose. A primary-time shot across the Lille keeper was ample for Salah to turn into the primary Liverpool participant to attain 50 targets in European competitors. He celebrated by taking a seat on the promoting hoardings. A number of Liverpool gamers joined the ahead on his throne in recognition of a exceptional achievement.

Releasing Salah early behind the Lille defence was an everyday Liverpool ploy. It ought to have introduced a second purpose moments earlier than the interval when Luis Díaz discovered him with an excellent diagonal ball. Salah held off the shut attentions of Gudmundsson and superior into the realm however, with solely Chevalier to beat, he positioned a low shot vast of the far put up.

Lille created a number of promising conditions with Rémy Cabella outstanding down the left. However they lacked an finish product all through the primary half. When Hákon Arnar Haraldsson was launched contained in the 18-yard field by Mitchel Bakker’s tremendous go Jones sprinted again to take the ball off his toes. The midfielder’s defensive work was notably spectacular given he had simply acquired remedy for a second time on a suspected knee damage. Jones didn’t reappear for the second half whereas Ryan Gravenberch, who had performed each minute of the Champions League marketing campaign, was additionally withdrawn. Alexis Mac Allister and Elliott changed the midfield duo.

Elliott’s creativity was instantly on present. The midfielder created an opportunity for Bradley, a clumsy one admittedly, who shot over from a decent angle. He then performed Darwin Núñez by on purpose with one other measured go however Chevalier was off his line shortly to dam the striker’s tried chip. Tsimikas free-kicks had been one other harmful weapon for Liverpool, however each Jarell Quansah and Mac Allister headed over when discovered unmarked contained in the Lille space. Tsimikas’s physique language made it clear that each ought to have hit the goal.

Liverpool’s activity appeared extra snug when Aïssa Mandi was despatched off on the hour for a second bookable offence. The Lille right-back acquired his first yellow card for dissent, when protesting too lengthy over the referee’s appropriate refusal to penalise Tsimikas for the problem on David that led to Liverpool’s opener. His second arrived for a blatant foul on Díaz. However, simply two minutes later, Lille had been stage. Cabella launched Gudmundsson to the byline and his low cross from the left discovered Haraldsson unmarked 12 yards from purpose. The midfielder’s shot struck Tsimikas and fell invitingly for David, who gave Alisson no probability from shut vary.

It was the primary purpose Liverpool had conceded at house within the Champions League this season. It didn’t spoil their 100% file within the competitors, nonetheless. Lille had been stage for all of 5 minutes. When a Tsimikas nook was headed clear to Elliott the substitute swept a first-time shot in the direction of purpose from 22 yards. His effort took a giant deflection off the unlucky Ngal’ayel Mukau and sailed into the underside nook of Chevalier’s internet.