Liverpool put in a much, much improved performance to easily overturn a 1-0 deficit against Galatasaray and qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Reds ran out 4-0 winners at Anfield to set up a rematch with Paris Saint Germain in the last eight.
Here’s how we rated the players on a night where it felt like the feelgood factor finally returned to Liverpool.
Who was your Man of the Match in Liverpool’s rout of Galatasaray? 💪
Defence
Alisson Becker: 5 – Was a virtual bystander for much of the 90 minutes.
Jeremie Frimpong: 5 – Lively, but does not look completely comfortable in the final third. Two early pull-backs did not come close to finding a red shirt. Couldn’t handle the tricky Baris Alper Yilmaz going the other way, either. Did well to force yet another own goal, but was deemed offside.
Ibrahima Konate: 5 – Set his stall out early with Victor Osimhen, putting in a firm challenge which ultimately injured the Nigerian. A much better performance than the first-leg.
Virgil van Dijk: 5 – Not unduly troubled with a half-fit Osimhen and that continued throughout the match.
Milos Kerkez: 7 – Showed exactly the aggression needed in the early stages, continuously winning the ball back. Exactly the performance that was needed on a night like this.
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Midfield
Ryan Gravenberch: 5 – Needs to learn to pass forward much more. Far too risk-averse in possession and the least confident of the midfield three. Ultimately came up with the goal which killed the game, doing brilliantly to steer home a bouncing left-footed effort to find the corner.
Alexis Mac Allister: 6 – Much more front-footed in his ball-winning, and also provided a superb, unorthodox corner for Dominik Szoboszlai to smash in. Unlucky to see a goal disallowed at the end.
Dominik Szoboszlai: 8 Man of the Match – Incredibly sloppy in possession early on, but came up with the all-important leveller in sensational fashion. A simply incredible finish at a vital time of the game. Dominated the game from there on in as he was Liverpool’s best player again.
Attack
Mohamed Salah: 5 – Very much game of two halves for Salah. Missed a glorious chance for a one-two punch straight after Szoboszlai’s goal, but his attempted dink was easily saved and he then missed an awful penalty to put the cherry on top. Redeemed himself somewhat with a superb assist for Hugo Ekitike, before bending home a classic finish from outside the box for his 50th Champions League goal.
Hugo Ekitike: 5 – Kept getting into good positions in the first-half, but made so many poor decisions when on the ball. Appears determined to ignore the ball to the right to Salah especially. Far too slow in possession, which led to him being caught for a Galatasaray break early in the second-half, but did well to get the crucial second goal of the night.
Florian Wirtz: 5 – Saw plenty of the ball but, somewhat uncharacteristically – and just like Ekitike – kept making the wrong decision. Missed a huge chance at 1-1 with the goal gaping, but did improve and laid on Salah’s goal with a lovely backheel.
Substitutes
Curtis Jones: 5 – Kept things ticking without doing anything spectacular.
Cody Gakpo: 5 – Not much to note after coming on with the game in the bag.
Federico Chiesa: N/A – No time to make an impact.
Trey Nyoni: N/A – No time to make an impact.
Rio Ngumoha: N/A – No time to make an impact.
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