Darwin Núñez strike sinks Leipzig to take care of Liverpool’s good begin

It’s too early to go judgment on Liverpool’s credentials or the brand new Champions League format, ­in accordance with Arne Slot. It isn’t too quickly to go judgment on Slot’s begin. Outstanding, with Liverpool’s head coach racking up one other win and one other report on an unnecessarily sophisticated night time in Leipzig.

For the primary time of their ­illustrious historical past Liverpool have gained 11 of the opening 12 video games in a season and their first six away matches from the beginning of a marketing campaign. Their newest got here courtesy of a Darwin Núñez faucet‑in towards the membership that may quickly be regarded over by Jürgen Klopp, Crimson Bull’s incoming head of world ­soccer, and some late escapes towards a Leipzig crew nonetheless looking for its first level within the Champions League. Liverpool have 9 from a potential 9 and are nearly already by to the subsequent part of the competitors.

“We must be proud,” Slot stated of the 2 data. “As a result of so many nice groups have worn this shirt and so many nice managers have been on the membership, so to attain one thing that hasn’t been executed earlier than is sort of unimaginable and all the time good. However there’s something that’s a lot nicer than data and you realize what I imply by that: trophies.”

Slot was much more impressed with this efficiency than the win towards Chelsea on Sunday, parti­cularly the guests’ means to play by the press and ball ­possession. His solely grievance was the variety of clear probabilities that had been squandered. Leipzig had hope till the tip after they may have been out of it by half-time. “It’s a pity on the finish of a sport like that if you want huge roles out of your two centre-backs and goalkeeper,” Slot stated. “A sport like that ought to have been ours after 60-70 minutes.”

There have been parallels to the Chelsea efficiency right here. Liverpool once more began passively and had been dominated by a Leipzig facet that carried a better menace than the guests to Anfield final Sunday. Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko each missed good early probabilities. Amadou ­Haidara examined Caoimhín Kelleher from a brief nook routine and Sesko curled an formidable try broad after holding Kelleher’s weak headed clearance in play. Lois Openda did discover the highest nook with a thumping drive however was clearly offside when receiving the go from Simons.

Then Liverpool struck, the standard of their entrance line unimaginable to include for too lengthy, and the stability of the sport turned right away. Cody Gakpo stored his place forward of Luis Díaz and vindicated Slot’s choice with a advantageous show. The Netherlands worldwide was concerned within the breakthrough, exchanging passes with Kostas Tsimikas who floated a cross from the byline over Castello Lukeba to Mohamed Salah. Salah’s positioned header was destined for the far nook however Núñez did what any goalscorer ought to and made certain with the crowning glory on the road.

Liverpool instantly took management. Núñez ought to have had a ­second shortly afterwards when Gakpo, launched by an outstanding cross-field ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold, curled an ideal cross in the direction of the Uruguayan with the surface of his foot. The centre-forward related cleanly however the former Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi tipped away his header at point-blank vary.

The Leipzig captain, Willi Orban, was lucky to not concede a ­penalty when he caught Núñez because the striker darted into the world. Orban appeared in two minds whether or not to commit as Núñez sprinted in from the left however caught out a leg and caught the ahead, who went tumbling off the pitch. However the Swiss referee Sandro Scharer rejected the penalty enchantment, and was backed up by VAR. Possibly they thought Núñez had initiated contact. In that case, he ought to have booked the ahead, having earlier proven a yellow card to a disbelieving Alexis Mac Allister for an obvious dive. Each Núñez and Mac Allister made their emotions clear to the referee when leaving the pitch at half-time.

Gulacsi rescued Leipzig once more early within the second half following extra good work by Núñez, clearly an offended man on a mission. Seizing on a free ball by Benjamin Henrichs, the centre-forward burst to the byline earlier than scuffing a cross that ought to have been handled by Arthur ­Vermeeren and Lukeba. They made a hash of it and allowed the ball to run to the unmarked Gakpo. He appeared sure to attain just for Gulacsi to save lots of with an outstretched proper leg. The keeper made one other good save from Gakpo within the last moments.

Mac Allister struck the crossbar after a sensible change with the previous Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai. Leipzig’s menace was continuously undermined by a poor last ball however, with Simons’s affect rising, the specter of an equaliser continued. Kelleher repelled the hosts twice in a minute. Alisson’s deputy saved together with his legs when Simons offered Sesko with an excellent alternative then acrobatically tipped over when Simons’s shot nearly looped in off Núñez.

Leipzig nearly levelled late on when Henrichs compelled Kelleher right into a low, fingertip save. Openda tapped within the free ball solely to be denied by an offside flag for a second time. Slot began ­making modifications with the journey to Arsenal on Sunday in thoughts, and Liverpool deservedly maintained their 100% report within the Champions League.