Champions League: Liverpool labour to 2-0 win over Midtjylland

Liverpool laboured to a 2-Zero win over Denmark’s Midtjylland on Tuesday as a aim from Diogo Jota and a Mohamed Salah penalty secured a hard-fought Champions League Group D victory at Anfield.

The win got here at a value, nonetheless, as Liverpool supervisor Juergen Klopp suffered one other defensive blow with Brazilian Fabinho limping off within the first half with what gave the impression to be a hamstring damage. Fabinho had been deputising for central defender Virgil van Dijk, who’s out with a long-term knee damage, and he was changed by 19-year-old Rhys Williams.

“It is exactly the last thing we needed,” mentioned Klopp, who added that the seriousness of the damage wouldn’t be recognized till after a scan and praised Williams for the composed manner wherein he coped with being thrown into the sport.

Liverpool made a sluggish begin and suffered an early scare when Anders Dreyer broke via the center however shot straight at keeper Alisson. With Klopp having rested his normal entrance three and given begins to Jota, Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri, Liverpool struggled to interrupt down the decided Danes.

The breakthrough got here within the 55th minute when after a swift trade with Shaqiri, Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed low to Jota who had a easy tap-in. The aim was Liverpool’s 10,000th in all competitions. Substitute Roberto Firmino ought to have settled the competition close to the tip, however blasted over the bar after extra good work from Alexander-Arnold.

Then Dreyer had the most effective likelihood of the sport when he jinked into house within the Liverpool field however, with Alisson to beat, he may solely discover the side-netting. Salah made positive of the win, in stoppage time, from the penalty spot, changing after he had been introduced down by Paulinho contained in the field.

Liverpool have the utmost six factors from their opening two video games whereas Midtjylland are but to get off the mark.