Liverpool Record-Thrash Maribor 0-7

Sports - Football - Champions League - NKM 0:7 LFC

Liverpool record the biggest away win by an English team in the history of the European Cup after thrashing Slovenian side NK Maribor 0-7, the win taking them to the top of Group E after Sevilla lost 5-1 at Spartak Moscow on the same Tuesday night.

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This was the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides and finally the Reds made the flood of chances and stats count after their frustrating goalless draw against Manchester United on Saturday!

It didn't even take four minutes for Jürgen Klopp's men to find the breakthrough, man of the match Roberto Firmino tapping in from close range after a great breakthrough and pass by Mohamed Salah from the right.

Just under ten minutes later, Philippe Coutinho doubled the lead putting a lovely right-footed shot into the back of the net after a great counter, the home side unable to keep the ball.

Salah made it three sending a perfect left-footer past keeper Samir Handanovic's right seconds after being denied a penalty seeing the ball bounce off a Maribor defender's arm.

The great Egyptian was dancing through the opposition and was great to watch.

Firmino and Salah worked well together to make it four before the break, both thinking they scored, but it was the latter beating his team mate to have the final touch on Alberto Moreno's cross from the left to net the ball.

The referee whistled HT five seconds early, that said it all regarding the game. After the break, the Red dominance continued over the Violets, no matter what keeper Handanovic tried and kept.

Ten minutes after the break, Firmino headed in another LFC free kick seconds after Handanovic had made a great save jumping to his top-right corner to deny Coutinho.

Around an hour gone, both sides started to make their changes, and in the final minutes two of Liverpool's substitutes combined to make it six.

Daniel Sturridge picked out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after the Reds bullied their way all over NKM and the former Arsenal man made no mistake of converting the chance to score his first goal for the Merseyside club.

And that wasn't it. Red youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold added his name to the long score list unable to miss the chance, totally unmarked, right-foot shot, 0-7, thank you very much.

The French commentator called it a massacre, Klopp "nice to write a piece of history", I feel it is just what the Red doctor ordered after all the chances and points missed and dropped over the last month-and-a-bit!

After only one win in the previous eight games, two defeats, five draws, scoring eight and conceding 14 in all competitions, the second consecutive clean sheet will be very much appreciated by and for the much criticised defence too.

And seeing Sevilla thrashed 5-1 at Spartak Moscow makes the Reds' draw in Russia look less disappointing and more credible.

Hopefully Liverpool can take this confidence boost to Wembley where they face Tottenham on Sunday in the Premier League.

Click here for my full ByTheMin live match coverage.

Liverpool Goals: Firmino 4' & 45', Coutinho 13', Salah 19' & 39', Oxlade-Chamberlain 86' & Alexander-Arnold 90'.

NK Maribor Team: 33 Handanovic, 28 Viler, 4 Suler, 26 Rajcevic, 22 Milec (booked 45'), 5 Vrohec (booked 80'), 8 Kabha, 39 Bohar (27 Mesanovic 81'), 7 Ahmedi (6 Pihler 58'), 97 Kramaric (10 Hotic 58', booked 89'), 9 Tavares.
Subs not used: 3 Billong, 12 Vrsic, 29 Palcic, 69 Obradovic.

Liverpool Team: 1 Karius, 66 Alexander-Arnold, 32 Matip, 6 Lovren, 18 Moreno, 5 Wijnaldum (29 Solanke 76'), 23 Can, 7 Milner, 11 Salah (21 Oxlade-Chamberlain 57'), 9 Firmino (15 Sturridge 68'), 10 Coutinho.
Subs not used: 12 Gomez, 14 Henderson, 17 Klavan, 22 Mignolet.

HT stats: NKM 0-4 LFC
Possession: 35%-65%
Shots: 5-14
On target: 2-9
Corners: 0-3
Fouls: 3-6
Yellow cards: 1-0
Red cards: 0-0

FT stats: NKM 0-7 LFC
Possession: 30%-70%
Shots: 5-26
On target: 2-14
Corners: 0-9
Fouls: 10-11
Yellow cards: 3-0
Red cards: 0-0

Referee: Viktor Kassai
Man of the match: Roberto Firmino
Ground: Ljudski Stadium
Attendance: 12,506

Click here for my last LFC match report.

All pictures, quotes, facts and stats were taken from the BBC match report and beIN sports live match coverage.

Another Frustrating Draw For The Reds

Sports - Football - Champions League - FCSM 1:1 LFC

Liverpool were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw in Moscow on Tuesday night, despite their dominance and chances galore, it was just the point once again. The Reds are still looking for a European win, Sevilla topping the Champions League group E after beating MK Maribor 3-0.

Click here for my full ByTheMinute match coverage.

Neither side was able to take and make much of their possession, no control, just give and take, backwards and forwards, messy stuff. Just when Liverpool got more threatening and created more, they conceded, same old.

Spartak Moscow's first threat came halfway through the first half, Aleksandr Samedov went down against Philippe Coutinho after Liverpool tried to block and stop the threat, winning a free kick.

The set piece was not far outside the box, about six yards, Fernando sending Loris Karius full-stretch to his left, trying to reach a nice curl around the wall, but not much jump or cover in the effort.

It was their only shot in the whole half that gave the home side the lead against the run of play.

Sadio Mané had a goal correctly disallowed offside, shortly before a fine team build-up with Emre Can, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mané led to the visitors' equaliser.

The ball found Coutinho in the box, with too much space, his right-foot volley giving keeper Artem Rebrov no chance. Too close. Too quick. The Brazilian ace made it 1-1 with just over half an hour gone.

There was not much interruptions, end to end stuff, more and more Liverpool possession and pushing, Roberto Firmino wasting and missing a couple of close chances.

After the break, Liverpool's dominance and frustrations continued.

Rebrov did a good job with some strong saves denying Coutinho before having to come off injured, replaced by Aleksandr Selikhov, the replacement keeper filling the position well for the rest of the match.

With twenty minutes left, Jürgen Klopp brought Daniel Sturridge on for Mané, who also drew a very frustrated figure, missing and wasting chance after chance, losing the ball again and again.

Play was stopped quite a few times, Spartak forced to make all three changes due to injury, eight minutes had to be added on in the end.

Sub keeper Selikhov starred with a fantastic save denying Mohamed Salah in the 96th minute, impressive reflex, his glove meeting the header full-on and strong, keeping the scoreline level at the dead.

With this draw, Liverpool have failed to win any of their last seven Champions League games (D4 L3), their longest ever run without a victory in the competition. They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine Champions League games.

Spartak Moscow have won only five of their last 37 Champions League games (D7 L25). They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 12 outings in the competition.

Liverpool have only won one of their last eight away games in the Champions League (D4 L3) – this coming against Debrecen in November 2009 (1-0). They are two points behind group leaders Sevilla. Not nice reading.

Klopp's reaction:

"We have to be more clinical - 100%!

"To create all those chances and only score one goal feels average. It was a crazy game.

"What can I say? We created, created and created. Where is the real point for criticism? We tried with all we had. The effort was great."

But it was and is obviously not enough. Again, the stats speak for themselves. But we want and need more! Results!!! This was the only draw of the night! Argh! When will it finally click for the Reds?!?!?!

Spartak Moscow goal: Fernando 23'.

Liverpool goal: Coutinho 31'.

Spartak Moscow team: 32 Rebrov (57 Selikhov 68'), 38 Eshchenko, 29 Kutepov, 5 Tasci, 16 Bocchetti (booked), 14 Jikia, 19 Samedov (99 Rocha Neves 90'+3'), 11 Fernando, 50 Pasalic, 71 Popov (25 Melgarejo 85'), 12 Luiz Adriano.
Subs not used: 3 Petkovic, 18 Bakaev, 21 Samsonov, 69 Davydov.

Liverpool team: 1 Karius, 66 Alexander-Arnold, 6 Lovren, 32 Matip, 18 Moreno, 14 Henderson, 23 Can (booked) (5 Wijnaldum 73'), 10 Coutinho, 11 Salah, 19 Mané (15 Sturridge 70'), 9 Firmino (booked).
Subs not used: 7 Milner, 17 Klavan, 21 Oxlade-Chamberlain, 22 Mignolet, 38 Flanagan.

HT 1-1
Possession: 40%-60%
Shots: 1-9
On target: 1-4
Corners: 1-3
Fouls: 6-7
Yellow cards: 0-1

FT 1-1
Possession: 36%-64%
Shots: 3-16
On target: 2-6
Corners: 2-5
Fouls: 11-11
Yellow cards: 1-2

Referee: Clément Turpin
Man of the match: Philippe Coutinho
Stadium: Otkrytiye Arena
Attendance: 43,376

Click here for my previous LFC match report.

Pictures, quotes, stats and facts taken from the BBC match report, Twitter and beIN Sport match coverage.