Darwin Nunez’s poacher’s finish fired Liverpool to victory at RB Leipzig and maintained their flawless start to life in this season’s Champions League.
Arne Slot’s side made it three wins from three in the competition with a 1-0 win in Germany, with former Leipzig players Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai tasting victory against their old team thanks to Nunez’s first-half goal.
Despite Lois Openda twice finding the net only to be ruled offside and Caoimhin Kelleher making a succession of second-half saves, Liverpool successfully kept their opponent’s talented attack at bay at the Red Bull Arena.
Andy Jones and Seb Stafford-Bloor break down the main talking points from the game.
Nunez sparks in Jota’s absence
It was a Darwin Nunez performance that had everything – and most importantly was capped by a winning goal.
His second goal of the season was a case of Nunez capitalising on an opportunity at its finest. After a relatively quiet start to the game, the 25-year-old was alert and poked home Mohamed Salah’s header from a yard out.
It is not the type of goal typical to the Nunez repertoire. The spectacular is usually more likely than a tap-in but the striker was alive to divert Salah’s angled header, which was not guaranteed to go in, into the net.
Nunez earned plenty of praise for his performance against Chelsea last weekend and with Diogo Jota out injured, the key is producing that level on a consistent basis.
This was an excellent follow-up. His opening goal brought him and Liverpool to life. The Uruguayan was all-action on and off the ball. Shortly after scoring, Nunez was back deep in his own half, helping win the ball back. Two minutes later, he nearly doubled his goal tally with a point-blank header but was denied by an excellent Peter Gulacsi save.
His link-up and movement was excellent all evening. He was denied a penalty when brought down by Willi Orban and then took his frustration out by bundling the centre-back over seconds later when attempting to press the goalkeeper.
Nunez is a firecracker and his commitment and desire to be a success in the Arne Slot era is in no doubt. This was another positive step forward.
Darwin Nunez remonstrates with Leipzig’s Willi Orban (Ronny Hartmann/AFP via Getty Images)
Andy Jones
Liverpool exert control when they need to
It had been a relatively quiet 70 minutes for Caoimhin Kelleher — but, as has become common, when Liverpool’s second-choice goalkeeper was needed he rose to the occasion.
After Konate was dispossessed in his own half, Xavi Simons slipped in Benjamin Sesko. It was a great opportunity but instead of seeing the net bulge, he was denied by the Republic of Ireland international.
Kelleher was called into action soon after, tipping a dipping deflected Simons effort over the bar but, before and after that brief spell of pressure, the home side struggled to conjure up a big chance to trouble the Liverpool goalkeeper.
It was another promising defensive performance from Liverpool as they registered their seventh clean sheet this season from 12 matches in all competitions.
They were able to hold Leipzig at arm’s length and despite the slow start, restricted their opponents to shots from the edge of the area. The German side’s better chances came when they gained an advantage from offside positions — although the second goal Openda’s had ruled out was slightly fortunate.
Trent Alexander-Arnold faces up to Leipzig’s Xavi Simons (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
It would have been more comfortable had they not faced an impressive goalkeeper themselves. Gulacsi saved impressively from Nunez, Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo.
Liverpool’s one-goal advantage led to a nervy finish but as Liverpool’s attackers became careless in possession, Leipzig repeatedly ran into a Konate and Van Dijk wall.
They restored calm in added time with an excellent passage of possession in Leipzig’s half to calm the game down again and secure the victory.
Andy Jones
Leipzig’s front three flatter to deceive
Leipzig’s headline act is clearly their front three of Sesko, Openda and Simons. It’s a trio that perfectly suits their style of play: containing players of different styles who complement each other in interesting ways.
But — and this game illustrated a common problem that they face — they often only tease connectivity and cohesion, looking menacing in attacking areas but without finding a final pass or, worse, overplaying at the critical moment.
Most of Leipzig’s best chances came in the second half, with Kelleher making excellent saves to preserve Liverpool’s lead, but a feature of the hosts’ attacking play was that it was never quite slick enough when it needed to be, meaning that while they were able to open their opponents up, they lacked the precision to take full advantage in those moments.
Lois Openda had two goals ruled out for offside (Oliver Hardt – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Typically, one of those three players was culpable for that, with an errant, or badly timed pass, the wrong run, or just general confusion among them. No surprise that Sesko was substituted midway through the second half.
Injury meant that Simons quickly followed him to the bench but, form and fitness aside, are they a natural attacking group? They are three gifted players, certainly, but — and this is a bit of a theme in Bundesliga — the theory of what they can be together often exceeds the reality.
This was one of those evenings.
Seb Stafford-Bloor
Castello Lukeba looks the part – but it’s still early days
On Tuesday, Leipzig announced a contract extension for Castello Lukeba, the 21-year-old French defender who only joined the club 15 months ago from Lyon.
Lukeba’s new deal will run until 2029 and includes a substantial release clause which, as reported by The Athletic, has Real Madrid’s attention, among other elite European clubs.
No wonder. Lukeba is a compelling talent: a model of a modern centre-back who enjoyed an encouraging first Bundesliga season and has begun his second well. This was a testing night, though, against an opponent who was just a bit too slick for him.
Lukeba is elegant, skilful and physically imposing, but he can also be too impulsive. Against Liverpool, an impetuous charge into midfield earned him a caution inside 10 minutes. Still, his passing out of defence was good and before Leipzig fell behind, he made several excellent covering clearances, shutting doors at critical moments.
Castello Lukeba clears his lines under pressure from Mohamed Salah (Luciano Lima/Getty Images)
But he was twice culpable for Nunez’s goal — initially for the errant long ball that gave possession away cheaply and began the move, then for mistiming his jump and allowing Salah a free header. Were it not for a superb Gulacsi save, he might have been punished again a few minutes later when he was late recovering his position and beaten to a cross by Dominik Szoboszlai.
It is not difficult to see him evolving into one of the better defenders in Europe. Liverpool have a quality of movement at the top of the pitch that would trouble most players, too. He also had plenty of good moments with the ball, passing or carrying beyond the press. But — overall — this was a reminder that Lukeba is 21, barely has 100 senior games to his name, and has plenty of experience left to acquire. It will be fun watching him learn but nights like this will be part of that journey.
Seb Stafford-Bloor
What did Arne Slot say?
We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.
What next for Liverpool?
Sunday, October 27: Arsenal (A), Premier League, 4.30pm UK, 12.30pm ET
Recommended reading
(Top photo: by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Read the full article here