Liverpool warmed up for Sunday’s title showdown with Manchester City by all but securing their place in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals with a thumping 5-1 last-16 first leg win at Sparta Prague.
On a night where Mohamed Salah made his first Liverpool appearance since 17 February, an Alexis Mac Allister penalty plus two goals from Darwin Nunez and one each for Luis Diaz and substitute Dominik Szoboszlai, secured a seventh consecutive win for Jurgen Klopp‘s side.Competing in the Europa League round of 16 for the first time since 2015/16, Sparta knew a fast start was needed in front of a raucous home crowd.
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It was Liverpool, however, who came flying out the blocks, and their early pressure was rewarded inside the opening five minutes when Alexis Mac Allister was tripped inside the area by Asger Sorensen.
The Argentine assumed the responsibility from the spot and sent Peter Vindahl Jensenthe wrong way to give the visitors a crucial lead.
Undeterred by that setback, Sparta came agonisingly close to a swift response when Lukas Haraslin saw a close-range effort superbly thwarted by Caoimhin Kelleher.
Brian Priske’s men continued to probe for an equaliser, but despite plenty of encouraging play in the final third, Liverpool soon doubled their advantage in the 25th minute as Darwin Nunez’s strike from range deceived Jensen.
Although Sparta Prague reduced the deficit on 46 minutes when Liverpool substitute Conor Bradley turned the ball into his own net with his first touch, Elliott set up Luis Diaz to restore their three-goal cushion with a deflected finish seven minutes later.
Salah entered the action with 14 minutes remaining, and thought he had added a fifth goal, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
After a frantic first hour, the match settled into a more sedate rhythm heading into the closing stages, with Jurgen Klopp giving Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah crucial minutes ahead of a crunch clash against Manchester City at the weekend.
There was still time, however, for the Hungarian to tuck home a fifth in stoppage time as Liverpool emphatically ended a run of 11 away knockout matches in the Europa League without a win.