Mohamed Salah marked his return to Liverpool action on Wednesday, but it was Dominik Szoboszlai who emerged as the standout performer as Arne Slot’s side moved closer to automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16 with an emphatic 3-0 victory in Marseille.
Much of the pre-match focus was on Salah’s first start since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as his much-discussed clash with Slot back in December, yet the Egyptian endured a largely disappointing evening.
Liverpool, however, delivered one of their most convincing all-round displays in recent months, with Szoboszlai playing a central role.
The Hungarian midfielder combined his trademark high-intensity pressing with creative influence, crafting several opportunities and making up for his missed penalty against Burnley by opening the scoring with a brilliantly inventive first-half free-kick, sliding the ball beneath Marseille’s jumping wall.
Marseille were generous opponents, particularly in a dismal first half. Although they improved after the break, Liverpool extended their lead when goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli could only turn Jeremie Frimpong’s dangerous low cross into his own net. Substitute Cody Gakpo then wrapped up an encouraging win with a composed finish in stoppage time.
Goalkeeper and defence
Alisson Becker was sharp early on, dealing well with threatening crosses and shots from Gouiri and Greenwood before sealing his clean sheet with an excellent late stop to deny Aubameyang.
Jeremie Frimpong impressed again, regardless of the ongoing debate about his best position. He defended diligently and was a constant outlet on the counter, with his pace and persistence key to Liverpool’s second goal.
Joe Gomez made the most of a rare start, putting in a confident display in place of Konate and even threatening to end his long wait for a goal. Liverpool will hope he can remain fit.
Virgil van Dijk was calm and authoritative, cutting out danger early and distributing effectively with several probing long passes.
Milos Kerkez continued his upward trajectory, showing intensity and energy down the left flank and increasingly resembling the player Liverpool believed they were signing.
Midfield
Ryan Gravenberch helped Liverpool control proceedings with intelligent ball use and timely recoveries, linking play neatly and setting up Gakpo’s late goal with a driving run forward.
Alexis Mac Allister looked more dynamic than in recent outings and tested the goalkeeper early, though he was fortunate not to be punished for a poor first touch that nearly gifted Marseille a chance.
Dominik Szoboszlai set the tone with his pressing, created clear chances for Ekitike, and capped his display with a cleverly executed set-piece, rounding off another strong all-action performance.
Attack
Mohamed Salah returned straight to the starting XI but struggled to make a major impact, aside from an inventive flick that landed on the roof of the net and a late missed opportunity created by Gakpo.
Hugo Ekitike led the line effectively, holding the ball up well and posing a constant threat, though he was caught offside unnecessarily for a disallowed goal and failed to convert a clear chance set up by Szoboszlai.
Florian Wirtz could not capitalise on the chances that came his way despite being in good scoring form recently, but his close control and ability to glide past defenders still caused problems.
Substitutes and manager
Cody Gakpo changed the game from the bench, immediately creating a clear chance for Salah before sealing the result with a well-taken goal at the death.
Curtis Jones added energy late on, helping Liverpool see the game out after coming on alongside Gakpo.
Arne Slot enjoyed a much-needed positive night, earning praise for deploying attack-minded full-backs. While Salah was below his best, Liverpool looked sharper going forward and solid defensively.
Despite ongoing struggles domestically, Slot will take confidence from a European performance that suggests Liverpool remain a serious threat on the continental stage ahead of their trip to Bournemouth.
