aLiverpool shrugged off their Premier League malaise to storm into the Champions League quarter-finals by thrashing Galatasaray 4-0 at Anfield on Tuesday.
Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit for Arne Slot’s men to set up a reunion with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight.
Slot needed a reaction from the English champions after they were booed off at Anfield on Sunday for the latest in a series of lacklustre displays in a 1-1 draw against struggling Tottenham.
Languishing fifth in the Premier League, the Champions League could save Liverpool’s season and Slot’s job.
The Dutchman had given a rest to some of his stars at the weekend and was rewarded with a dominant display that could have resulted in a far more comprehensive scoreline.
Galatasaray’s hopes of causing an upset was dealt a massive blow inside the first few minutes when star striker Victor Osimhen injured his forearm in a clash with Ibrahima Konate.
The Nigerian international was clearly hobbled as he continued on until half-time before being replaced by Leroy Sane.
By that point the Turkish champions’ advantage had already been erased.
Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s outstanding performer in a troubled season and levelled 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 glorious chance to immediately double the Reds’ lead when he failed to chip Ugurcan Cakır.
Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort flew just over and Cakır repelled another sweet Szoboszlai strike.
The Turkey goalkeeper then saved Salah’s poor penalty after Szoboszlai was upended inside the box.
But the floodgates opened on the visitors in the second half.
Salah atoned for the penalty miss with a inch-perfect pass for Ekitike to slot home.
Two minutes later Gravenberch fired in the rebound 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 Slot after being dropped in December.
He could and should have had many more on the night, but did register his 50th Champions League goal in some style with a spectacular strike from Wirtz’s backheel.
Salah also hit the bar before asking to be replaced with an injury concern as Galatasaray offered little resistence to the waves of Liverpool attack.
The Reds face a very different challenge against PSG, who crushed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate to reach the last eight.
Slot has repeatedly spoken in glowing terms of the French champions.
Liverpool came as close as anyone to stopping PSG last season as Luis Enrique’s men emerged victorious on penalties in the last 16 after a titanic tussle.
AFP
