Salah’s six minute hat-trick steals Firmino’s thunder as the Reds rout the Blues
Rangers 1 Liverpool 7, UEFA Champions League, 12th October 2022.
Rangers 1 Liverpool 7, UEFA Champions League, 12th October 2022.
Following last Tuesday’s comfortable 2–0 win in the corresponding fixture and first “Battle of Britain” clash with Rangers, I confidently predicted the Reds of Liverpool would travel north across the border into Scotland and win even more comfortably and by perhaps as comprehensive as a four goal margin. My rationale was simply that Rangers are batting way over their average by even being in this most prestigious of European competitions, they had to be more expansive and expressive and attack minded, and, well, they also aren’t very good. I must admit to swallowing something hard and jagged when on 17 minutes Scott Arfield gave Rangers an arguably deserved lead and for over 20 minutes the Reds of Liverpool were ragged, out of sorts and looking a little desperate. Roberto Firmino’s near post headed equaliser on 24 minutes came as a result of his physicality and determination to score a goal for his beloved team but it also arrived courtesy of Fabio Carvalho having the Reds first shot on target all evening followed by a deflected shot seconds later that evaded goalkeeper Allan McGregor for a corner, a corner whipped into the near post by Kostas Tsimikas and from nowhere and courtesy of the goal poaching desires of Roberto Firmino and attacking intent of Fabio Carvalho, Liverpool were level.
Quixotically, Carvalho was arguably at fault for Arfield’s brilliantly taken goal for the home team Blues of Rangers as he was muscled off the ball by “The Gers” captain James Tavernier before a sweeping and ultra quick move involving Antonio Colak and Ryan Jack presented Arfield the chance to sweep home a majestic goal for the home side. But when your team wins 7–1 away from home it would be churlish to appoint blame for one mistake and certainly when seen from the perspective of an impressive performance from the young man in the cauldron of white noise that is Ibrox Stadium, and had it not been for Carvalho’s persistence and attempts on goal there would not have been the corner from which Roberto Firmino would equalise then who knows in which direction and where tonight’s game may have gone had Rangers held on to their lead until half-time, or even increased it?
From Firmino’s equaliser on 24 minutes onward, the Reds slowly and surely took control and by that I mean they retained greater and more threatening possession of the ball whilst inching their defensive back line further and further forward, thus ultimately condensing play to inside Rangers half of the field only. I can’t recall Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker having a save to make and especially so in a second half that saw the Reds score 6 (six!) in just 32 minutes of playing time, Roberto Firmino scoring the decisive second goal that befitted his incredible individual performance, Darwin Nunez netting a confidence building goal, Harvey Elliott notching his first ever Champions League goal at just 19 years of age that capped off another impressive performance from the young man, oh, and Mo Salah scored a 6 minute hat-trick, breaking a Champions League record as well as Rangers Royal Blue hearts in the process.
Salah’s ridiculous and somewhat surreal 6 minute hat-trick will grab the worldwide headlines (and I hope his look of ennui and disinterest is his poker face response to being a substitute tonight rather than a Media twisted and ultimately a larger problem) but he also rather stole the limelight as well as the headlines from a brilliant performance from his Brazilian strike partner of many years, Roberto Firmino. In a turgid first half it was Firmino’s equalising goal that propelled a dominant sway over the game but it was also his deft touches and flicks as well as being the central hub around which his Liverpool teammates ticked. Without his first half performance and the energy, enthusiasm and incisive forward passes of Harvey Elliott the Reds may well have continued in the same vein when these two players weren’t involved, listless, directionless and lacking in purposeful cohesion. Firmino’s performance shouldn’t be overlooked tonight, and not only for his first half performance and two goals but for that cheeky assist for Nunez’s goal as well as being the attacking spearhead and touch of ice cool class Liverpool desperately needed at times.
Harvey Elliott too was massively impressive tonight with a first half performance of endeavour and guile, involvement in two of the six of the other goals as well as concluding the scoring for the night on 87 minutes. The return of Ibrahima Konate, performance from Fabio Carvalho and goal for Darwin Nunez makes the argument that the “kids are alright” amongst an aging team and a spiralling injury crisis that gives as much as it equally takes away. There are many more positive takeaways from tonight’s encounter in Glasgow: the way Joe Gomez grew into the game as well as his assist for the important second goal, the substitute return of Andy Robertson, the game time minutes as well as assists in the substitute appearance of Diogo Jota and a more Fabinho like appearance from the gifted Brazilian holding midfielder.
The facts are clear: Although not mathematically guaranteed a place in the knock out phase of the Champions League it would now be absurd if the Reds don’t qualify. Ajax need to beat the Reds in Amsterdam as well as beating Rangers in their final game together with Liverpool losing at home in their final group game to already qualified Napoli and Ajax overhauling a 10 goal differential in the process. It could happen, but it won’t.
Arguably more important than anything previously penned above is the 7 goals scored away from home in the Champions League and the enormous confidence gained throughout the squad and starting XI ahead of Sunday’s crunch game with Manchester City in the Premier League. In the midst of yet another injury crisis, the Reds put together a fantastic, dominating performance for 65 minutes but on Sunday they’ll need to replicate this for 90 minutes and against their nemesis and holder of a title they held until incredibly recently: the greatest club football team in the world.
Roll on Sunday and can someone give Mo Salah a hug please? We need that footballing King sitting happily upon his throne.
Preferably with a hat-trick on Sunday!
Thanks for reading. My Liverpool FC archives contain a wealth of articles past, present and often personal, or you can find the three most recently published articles linked below:
A tale of two penalties and a whole heap of madness at The Emirates
Arsenal 3 Liverpool 2, 9th October 2022.medium.com
“Skippy” settles the Derby as the Reds close in on top spot
Retro Series Vol 22: Everton 1 Liverpool 3, 27th March 1982medium.com
Reds take great leap forward in Europe after easy win in the “Battle of Britain”
Liverpool 2 Rangers 0, UEFA Champions League, 4th October 2022medium.com