Liverpool ended their Premier League malaise by beating Galatasaray 4-0 at Anfield on Wednesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Hugo Ekitke, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah helped Arne Slott’s men overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to set up a reunion with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight.
Slott needs a response from the English champions after being booed at Anfield on Sunday in a recent string of poor performances in a 1-1 draw against struggling Tottenham.
A Champions League finish in fifth place in the Premier League could save Liverpool’s season and Slott’s job.
The Dutchman rested some of his stars at the weekend and were rewarded with a strong performance that could have led to a more comprehensive scoreline.
“We could have won 10-0, but we did a good job. We can be proud,” Ekitke said.
Facing his former club in the last eight, the French international added: “I can’t wait to be there.”
Galatasaray’s hopes of causing an upset were dealt a huge blow in the first few minutes when star striker Victor Osimhen injured his forearm in a collision with Ibrahim Konate.
The Nigeria international was visibly shaken as he continued until half-time before being replaced by Leroy Sane.
By that time the advantage of the Turkish champions had already been erased.
Szoboszlai was Liverpool’s best performer in a troubled season and leveled the tie with a cushioned finish from a well-worked corner on 25 minutes.
Galatasaray somehow escaped further punishment before the break.
Salah missed a brilliant chance to immediately double the Reds’ lead when he failed to chip past Ugurkan Cakir.
Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort flew just wide and Cakir parried another sweet Szoboszlai strike.
The Turkish goalkeeper then saved Salah’s poor penalty after Szoboszlai lifted inside the box.
But the floodgates opened on the visitors in the second half.
Salah atoned for the penalty miss, with an inch-perfect pass for ETK to slot home.
Grevenburch fired in the rebound two minutes later after Salah’s initial shot was saved.
Salah has been a shadow of his former self this season, either side of a public bust-up with Slott after being dropped in December.
He could and should have had more on the night, but recorded his 50th Champions League goal in some style with a brilliant strike from Wirtz’s backheel.
Salah hit the bar before being asked to be substituted with injury concerns as Galatasaray offered little resistance to waves of Liverpool attacks.
The Reds face a different challenge against PSG, who thrashed Chelsea 8-2 to reach the last eight.
Slott has repeatedly spoken in glowing terms of the French champions.
Liverpool came close to stopping PSG last season as Luis Enrique’s men triumphed on penalties in the last 16 after a titanic fightback.
(With FRANCE 24 AFP)
(tags to translate)Sport
