Liverpool moved into fourth place in the Champions League table with an impressive 3-0 win over Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.
Arne Slott’s side started the game outside the top eight, but increased their chances of going straight into the round of 16 thanks to an excellent away game.
Dominic Choboslai curled a free-kick under the Marseille wall for their opener in first-half stoppage time, having missed a penalty in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Burnley behind.
The second came when Jeremy Frimpong beat his man in the Marseille penalty area before making a cut which was diverted into his own net by Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Roulli.
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Clinton Morrison analyzes Liverpool’s dominant win over Marseille
Substitute Cody Gakpo added a third with a clinical finish from Ryan Gravenberch’s pass on a night when Arne Slott also started Mohamed Salah for the first time since the explosive interview that threw his future into doubt in December.
Salah, who returned from last week’s Africa Cup of Nations match with Egypt, should have been on the scoresheet but uncharacteristically curled his shot wide when it was put in by Gakpo.
Marseille tested Alisson on several occasions but Liverpool controlled the game and Hugo Ekitike also went close when he hit the post from one of several chances in the second half.
Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo celebrates with Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenbark
The win, just Liverpool’s second in six games in all competitions, puts Slott’s side in a strong position to finish comfortably in the top eight, avoiding a play-off doubleheader, ahead of their final league game at home to Qarabag next week.
Permutations: What does it mean to win?
Victory in Marseille gave Liverpool the chance to not only secure a place in the top eight, but quite possibly the top four as well.
But first things first: with such a congested table and only three points separating third-placed Real Madrid and Juventus in 15th place, Liverpool must beat Qarabag to be sure of avoiding the play-offs.
A draw could be enough, but next Wednesday’s final round of games will begin with nine teams below Liverpool in the table who can also finish with 16 or more points.
So a win against Qarabag is a must. And if Liverpool win, a top-four finish is their goal, which would mean Anfield would host a second leg of their final game and any quarter-finals.
Slott: We had to be really good to beat them
Liverpool boss Arne Slott yes TNT Sports:
“It’s a tricky place to go, because of their fans, but certainly because of the players they have and the manager they have. They always have a very good idea of how to play.
“We had to be really good today to beat them, and I think we were.”
“In the last 14 games we’ve been undefeated, we’ve only trailed for 54 minutes. In every other game, we’ve blown that lead somewhere in the game.”
“One of the best examples was when we hit the crossbar from Ekitika on the counter attack and they almost scored to make it 1-1.”
“Now, in our season, you would expect that chance to arise, so people could complain a lot about us again.”
“But today we probably deserved what we got and we weren’t as unlucky as so many times this season.”
Analysis: Did Soboslai usurp Salah?
Salah’s return to the starting line-up for the first time since his glowing interview suggests he still has a role to play this season. But this team now has another main man in Dominic Soboslai.
The midfielder suffered a major setback last week, scoring for Barnsley in the FA Cup before missing from the spot against Burnley. But when Liverpool took a free-kick in the box at the end of the first half, it made it clear to Salah who was going to step up.
Dominic Shoboslai celebrates with Jeremy Frimpong
“I love his confidence,” said Steven Gerrard, a man who knows a thing or two about taking charge at Liverpool. TNT Sports. “Most players with Mo Salah in their ear would move and respect that, but I love the way he says there’s no way.”
What followed, of course, was a clever strike under the wall and into the net to give Liverpool the crucial opening goal. It was Soboslai’s fourth in seven Champions League appearances this season and he has another three assists.
The goal was a standout moment in another influential display. Soboslai was involved in most of Liverpool’s best moments. He took over from the free-kick after Trent Alexander-Arnold came off and continues to step up in big moments.
Salah is back, but Soboslai is now the talisman of this team.
Szoboszlai matches Trent feat – Opta stats
- Dominik Shoboslai is the first Liverpool player to take more free-kicks in a season since Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2022/23 (both two).
- Soboslai has directly contributed to the goals in the last five games in the Champions League (four goals, two assists).
- Mohamed Salah made his 88th appearance in a major European competition for Liverpool, leveling with Ian Callaghan. Only Jamie Carragher (130) and Steven Gerrard (111) have made more for the Reds.
- Since the start of last season, no team has won more away games in the Champions League stage than Liverpool (W8 L6 L2), level with Arsenal (W8 L6 L1 L1).