Champions League group stage recap: Liverpool looking ominous
Monday, February 14, 2022
Article summary
With Mohamed Salah purring and Anfield rocking, Liverpool again look to be among the teams to beat in the UEFA Champions League.
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Six wins out of six, goals galore, lightning-fast starts and Anfield drama aplenty – it's been vintage stuff from Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool in this season's UEFA Champions League.
Campaign so far
Group B winners: W6 D0 L0 F17 A6
Top scorer: Mohamed Salah (7)
15/09: Liverpool 3-2 Milan (Tomori 9og, Salah 49, Henderson 69; Rebić 42, Brahim Díaz 44)
28/09: Porto 1-5 Liverpool (Taremi 75; Salah 18 60, Mané 45, Firmino 77 81)
19/10: Atlético 2-3 Liverpool (Griezmann 20 34; Salah 8 78pen, Keïta 13)
03/11: Liverpool 2-0 Atlético (Diogo Jota 13, Mané 21)
24/11: Liverpool 2-0 Porto (Thiago Alcántara 52, Salah 70)
07/12: Milan 1-2 Liverpool (Tomori 29; Salah 36, Origi 55)
Campaign in ten words: A perfect group stage facilitated by an in-form attacking unit.
UEFA.com reporter's view
The Reds have left their challengers for dust, storming to the Group B summit without dropping a point. It's not been plain sailing, though, as they have had to show some mettle to battle back against top-quality opposition in AC Milan and Atlético.
What we've learned
This Liverpool side rarely go about things quietly – it's been another raucous campaign so far, with Salah to the fore as usual, though Diogo Jota looks increasingly at home in this competition. Goals from midfield will have pleased Klopp, but there are creases to iron out defensively.
Fantasy star performers
Mohamed Salah – 52 points
Jordan Henderson – 25 points
Sadio Mané – 24 points
Squad changes
In: Luis Díaz
Out: Nathaniel Phillips
Clubs could register a maximum of three new eligible players prior to the knockout stage. Since 2018/19, it no longer matters whether those players have already played in the competition for another club, even for another club still in the competition.
Key stats
• Liverpool were one of three clubs to complete a perfect group stage campaign, a feat achieved only seven times in competition history prior to this season.
• Salah scored in a club record ten successive games during the autumn.
• The Reds set an English football record by scoring two or more goals in 18 consecutive games, between 12 September and 1 December.
