Last-16 beckons, Salah scores and Frimpong injury - 5 talking points vs Qarabag

In a season of ups and downs, this was a game for the home fans to savour, as Liverpool moved into the Champions League last-16 thanks to an emphatic win over Qarabag

Mohamed Salah was back among the goals against Qarabag

Liverpool showed its attacking prowess as it moved into the last-16 of the Champions League with an emphatic 6-0 win over Qarabag.

This always promised to be a straightforward affair against the Azerbaijani champions, but too often things haven't gone to plan for Arne Slot's side this season. Thankfully, there were no dramas on the final night of action in the league phase, as Liverpool showed why it remains among the favorites to win the trophy outright.

Alexis Mac Allister got the ball rolling when he headed in from a corner early on, before Florian Wirtz doubled that advantage before the break. Three quickfire goals from Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and another from Mac Allister put the game beyond doubt inside the first 16 minutes of the second half. Federico Chiesa grabbed a sixth in the final minutes to give the home supporters one final cheer. We've picked out the biggest talking points from the Qarabag victory.

Selection woes

Selection issues and squad depth were a huge talking in Slot's pre-match press conference, with Liverpool currently missing five players. Given three of those are center-backs, it was always going to force Slot into an unorthodox choice at the heart of defense. The Dutchman opted for Ryan Gravenberch instead of Wataru Endo.

Curtis Jones also missed out due to illness, and that further depleted the options for Slot, who named a bench that included four teenagers, two goalkeepers and two players he doesn't trust to start in Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo.

And it went from bad to worse when inside the first four minutes Jeremie Frimpong was forced off with injury. The defender fell to the ground as he sprinted back towards his own goal, and appeared to be holding his groin. Immediately Endo was readied, and he slotted in at right-back. Frimpong looked distraught as he left the field, and headed straight down the tunnel.

Last-16 beckons

Wednesday's win ensures Liverpool secured a top eight finish for the second season in a row. Ultimately it finished third in the table, and was joined in the automatic qualification places by Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon and Manchester City.

Perhaps even more importantly, the win means Liverpool bypasses the two-legged play-off and faces a kinder fixture schedule in February. Given the Reds' current injury issues, that will be a huge relief for Arne Slot.

European form continues

While Liverpool's Premier League showings continue to frustrate supporters, in the Champions League it has been a different story. Wins over Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and at Inter Milan and Marseille have underlined why many feel the Reds have the capacity to win the competition outright this season.

Against Qarabag, Liverpool was again afforded time and space, and made the opposition pay. With Florianj Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike leading Liverpool's offensive assault, this was another reminder of just how dangerous the Premier League champions can be. The interchanging, fast breaks and the sheer number of chances created is certainly reason for further optimism.

Another Salah milestone

This time last year, it was almost a weekly custom to type about how Salah had set yet another record. That hasn't been the same of late, although the 33-year-old has accumulated a few individual accolades and milestones over the years.

Against Qarabag, he recorded his 80th Champions League appearance for Liverpool, equalling Jamie Carragher's record for the club. It's a remarkable achievement for Salah, who will surely set a new outright record in March.

He marked the ocassion with an excellent free-kick at the start of the second half. It was a reverse of the weekend goal against Bournemouth, with Dominik Szoboszlai this time rolling the ball to Liverpool's no.11, who curled in to net his first club goal since the start of November, and first in the Champions League since the opening game against Atletico Madrid.

Standout stars

On another Champions League when Liverpool sparkled, it was the summer arrivals that shone brightest. Wirtz and Ekitike were outstanding as Liverpool kept on racking up the goals. They combined for the second at Anfield, as the German fired beyond Mateusz Kochalski in the away goal. Given time and space on the ball, both have proved to be superb options for Slot, and will surely be crucial to the Reds hopes of going deep in the competition.