1 week ago
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Liverpool returned to winning on Wednesday as Arne Slot's side record a fantastic 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Amid all the pressure and negative headlines that have surrounded the Reds in recent weeks on the back of a four-match losing run, this was the perfect response.
Despite falling behind to an early Rasmus Kristensen strike, the Reds rallied and were 3-1 by half-time courtesy of Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai then got in on the act after the break against a fragile Frankfurt defense. Here are five things we picked out from Liverpool's excellent night in Germany.
Brave selection
In the midst of Liverpool's recent blip, Arne Slot needed to find an alternative solution, and opted for a a radically different XI in Germany. The Dutchman opted to drop the out-of-form Mohamed Salah, while Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez also dropped out. With Ryan Gravenberch injured, Slot decided Wednesday's game was the time for a complete formation shift, as he deployed Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike up front together for the first time in a fluid 4-4-2 shape, with Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo playing as inverted wingers. Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai played in midfield and provided more control from the middle than Liverpool has managed in recent games.
Injury blow
Jeremie Frimpong came in for a first start since Liverpool's last Champions League outing against Galatasaray. The full-back had a positive start and produced several runs from deep positions on the right flank. But sadly for the Dutch international, he lasted just 18 minutes when a collision with Nathaniel Brown resulted in Frimpong sustaining a knock. Frimpong dropped to the turf and immediately indicated he could not continue, while appearing in to be in some discomfort. For Slot and Liverpool, they will hope issue is not too severe. Alexander Isak was also replaced at half-time, although it's not clear whether that decision was pre-planned or due to a knock.
Moment of class
Ekitike's return to Deutsche Bank Park was among the biggest pre-match talking points, with the Frenchman a firm fan favorite with the Frankfurt supporters. Clearly, the love between fans and players, and Ekitike showed a moment of class with his celebration to his 35th goal. Holding his hands in the air to indicate he would not celebrate, Ekitike ran back to the halfway line, before heading in the direction of Federico Chiesa on the substitutes' bench and exchanging a high-five with the ex-Juventus man.
Vast improvement
Liverpool has underwhelmed for so much of this but, after Slot's brave tactical switches, this was a significant upgrade from the Reds. For the majority of the game, there was more midfield control and the match was less frantic than recent encounters. The movement of Florian Wirtz across the pitch was also a vital part of Liverpool's improved display. Admittedly, Frankfurt's defensive fragilities helped the Reds establish a dominant position.
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