Daniel’s Debrief: Liverpool 4-0 LASK

Got the job done with the minimum of fuss.

That was the requirement tonight and Liverpool did it. It’s not the most thrilling game you’ll ever see but what you do see is a team that know they’ve got a task to complete and never look like failing it.

Four wins from five in this group, and a 100% record at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp has made changes for all of the fixtures but he’s treated the competition like one he wants to progress in and that’s exactly what he does tonight.

I’m surprised he starts Kostas Tsimikas, just because of how much league action the left-back will be needed for, but he gets some rest towards the end of the night when the game is sown up.

Other than that, it’s pretty much as you’d expect, with a changed backline and midfield spearheaded by Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz, all of whom get among the goals.

Joe Gomez’s cross for the first goal is brilliant. In fact, I like everything about this goal. Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch combine in the half-space and Diaz chips a lovely floated ball over to Gomez. His control and technique here is excellent, stopping the ball with his right foot and then delivering an inch-perfect volleyed pass into the path of Diaz, who heads home.

He has an intelligent start to the game, Diaz, and it’s great work from him for this goal - the timing of his run into the box makes him so hard to pick up, and Salah does well to drag the centre-back away from him.

It’s a big period for Diaz. With Diogo Jota out of the team for an unspecified period, Diaz will be looking to step up and contribute with numbers as well as performances.

A second soon follows and whilst it’s a bit scrappier by the time Gakpo turns it home, the front three all combine well to ensure the move stays alive, and they get their reward with that second goal.

The rest of the first half is a stroll, really. LASK threaten with a few decent counters but most of them are offside and the closest man to a third goal is Tsimikas, who rattles the crossbar with a powerful strike.

Salah senses blood and finds himself frustrated when his left-footed effort is far too tame to find the net, and at half-time, it’s regrettably only 2-0.

Elliott has a tremendous first half and is at the centre of everything good that Liverpool do. Some of his deft passing and intricate play is lovely to watch early on and he alone ensures that the attacks from Liverpool are relentless.

I enjoy how hard he works in this game, too. Puts himself about plenty and gets stuck into battles.

He and Tsimikas are the two best performers on the night, for me. Tsimikas supports the attack well, works hard and makes sure that his channel is unscathed.

Most of the attacking traffic comes down their left and our right, Gomez given a fair old chunk of defending to do, most of which he does with relative ease. He’s having a good season, Gomez, and has hardly put a foot wrong in any of the three positions he’s found himself playing in.

With a relentless month of fixtures, and big fixtures, coming up, you need players like Joe Gomez.

Sticking with defence, another very tidy performance from Jarell Quansah. So calm and composed on the ball, so proactive and alert without it. He’s still in single figures for Liverpool appearances yet the biggest compliment I can pay him is that when I see his name on the teamsheet, I don’t feel a single ounce of nerves or anxiety around him.

Salah puts the game to bed from a penalty and Klopp can ring the changes a bit - Conor Bradley is an interesting one here. Robbed of the start of this campaign due to injury after a brilliant year on loan at Bolton, if he can prove himself to be an able option for these fixtures, it’s another body you can rely on and trust.

A word for Gakpo too, who rounds the game off with his second after a delicious fizzed pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Lovely control and a very cool finish. This is probably his best performance of the season so far. He’s involved and he’s active, he’s noticeable and he’s present - all things he’s lacked at times this season.

It’s noticeable that Alexander-Arnold moves into the eight position after Klopp’s subs are complete - we’ve seen him as a six against Bournemouth in the cup, and Toulouse away, but as an eight this time. Given how much call there is for him to permanently play in midfield, there is still uncertainty over which role in midfield he suits best.

There’s two others who come in that do well; Caoimhin Kelleher and Wataru Endo. Endo actually starts the game quite slowly but from about 30 minutes onwards, is the best midfielder on the pitch. 

He’s physical on the night and he’s progressive with the ball. He’s been pretty good in nearly all of the League Cup and Europa League fixtures, particularly at home. His next big task is to look comfortable in a league game.

And Kelleher is in for a huge week or two. With Alisson out, this will be the first time he gets a run of league games for Liverpool. I felt it was crucial he had a good game here for his confidence and momentum and he does fine, is only called into action a few times but is far more convincing than he has been at times so far this season.

Winning the group with a game to spare means that the trip to Belgium in a few weeks is a non-event, and Klopp will surely make mass changes for that one.

It also means that Liverpool bypass the playoff round and will not re-enter the competition in the last 16 until March, along with all the other group winners. A significant advantage on the calendar, you’d say.

Speaking of the calendar, what a month coming up. Six league fixtures, including United and Arsenal and a cup quarter-final, as well as that trip to Union. Being able to write that game off and essentially having seven fixtures to concentrate on, rather than six, can only be a good thing.

December is always a period we’ve excelled in under Klopp because he rotates his squad so well during this part of the season. He builds around the bigger games and puts faith in squad players for others.

It’s a massive month for the likes of Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Endo, Elliott, Gakpo and Ben Doak.

The good thing is that the Europa League has given the squad players plenty of gametime and sharpness already this season.

The journey continues.

Daniel