Liverpool secured their place in the Champions League round of 16 with a 2-1 victory over French side Lille at Anfield.
The Reds, who sit at the top of the league phase table, remain the only team in the competition to have won all seven of their matches so far.
Arne Slot’s men had already guaranteed a round of 16 playoff spot following their 1-0 win over Girona in the previous match but needed just a single point tonight to confirm one of the eight automatic qualification spots.
As it happened
Slot made four changes from the team that triumphed 2-0 against Brentford on Saturday.
Darwin Nunez earned a start after his dramatic stoppage-time brace in that game, while Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, and Curtis Jones were also brought into the lineup. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister, and Cody Gakpo were all named on the bench.
On the other side, Lille manager Bruno Genesio made three changes from their 2-1 win against Nice on Friday. England midfielder Angel Gomes dropped to the bench alongside Thomas Meunier and Ismaily.
Their replacements included Aissa Mandi and Gabriel Gudmundsson, with the latter returning after recovering from a thigh issue, and Ngal’Ayel Mukau slotting into midfield.
The match started as a cagey affair but burst into life just past the half-hour mark when Liverpool struck through a trademark counterattack.
Curtis Jones played a perfectly weighted pass, and Mohamed Salah latched onto it before lofting a sublime curling finish over Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
The goal marked Salah’s third of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League campaign and his 50th in European competitions for Liverpool—nine clear of Steven Gerrard in second place.
Lille’s task became more difficult when right-back Aissa Mandi received a second yellow card and was sent off just before the hour mark.
However, the French side showed resilience and equalised three minutes later; Jonathan David capitalised on a rebound to slot home, registering his fifth goal of the Champions League season and 18th across all competitions.
Liverpool responded quickly, regaining their lead through Harvey Elliott. The midfielder’s low volley deflected off Ngal’Ayel Mukau, wrong-footing Chevalier and sealing the victory for the Reds.
Despite Lille’s late efforts, the hosts held firm to continue their perfect run in the tournament.
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