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Where do we start with that one? It may sound like a rhetorical question, but it is actually genuine. There’s so much to talk about, both good and bad, that you don’t know which part to kick things with.
Liverpool did a harder job of their 2-0 win over Midtjylland than they should have, especially with the quality they had on display. There were one or two good individual performances, but there will be several who will see the match as a missed opportunity.
However, it was a game that provided an unlikely opportunity for young Rhys Williams, who is unlucky not to be on the podium today, but deserves an honorable mention after taking the place of the injured Fabinho.
That injury will be a major concern for Jürgen Klopp if it is serious, especially with the lack of options at his disposal as a central defender. Still, he saw Williams rewarded with a shot and showed us all what he can do on the big stage.
Here’s our podium from a rather disjointed night of Champions League action at Anfield …
Gold: Trent Alexander-Arnold
One of the few bright lights of a rather disjointed Liverpool performance. If Liverpool had been blessed with a tall forward who possesses an aerial presence, then they might have had a few more assists to his name.
You can only do so much when you are the creator of opportunities. In Alexander-Arnold’s case, he often placed exquisite crosses that begged a teammate to lead him. That didn’t happen close enough.
Where was Divock Origi? When your full back is providing excellent crosses, as a forward you have to anticipate that they will be thrown and get into position. That was not the case for the Belgian, and you have to wonder if he still has a long-term future at Anfield.
Back at Trent, his defensive display was pretty solid considering he was up against a quick Midtjylland front line. Another assist for Diogo Jota’s goal, and it looked like the generational talent that everyone in the red half of Merseyside was used to seeing.
(Image: Jon Super – Getty Images)
Silver – All Midtjylland Team
Sometimes you just have to give credit to the opposition. Before that game there was much talk that Liverpool would have a comfortable afternoon and score a handful of goals against the Danish champions.
It was anything but an easy match for Klopp’s men, and the entire Midtjylland playing team should be credited for that. They came to Anfield with a clear game plan, and on a different night they could have easily gone well.
Standout performer Anders Dreyer was a constant threat throughout the game, and heavily restricted to Andy Robertson, who generally operates more as a winger than a winger. He couldn’t do that after being tasked with making sure Dreyer didn’t have a good night.
He was not the only good player from Midtjylland, and coach Brian Priske can take a lot of credit for the way he organized his team against strong Liverpool.
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Bronze: Diogo Jota
Another game, another goal. It’s unlikely even Klopp would have expected the summer signing to start the season so well with his new club.
There can be no doubt in anyone’s mind now that when the Portuguese international is called up in the future, Liverpool will be in good hands. It seems like he’s been a part of this team for several years rather than just a few weeks, which is the highest compliment you can pay to any new signing.
It’s not just the fact that he’s scoring goals that is so impressive, it’s the importance of them. It’s two straight decisive blows from Jota, and he’s literally turning out to be the definition of a match winner for Liverpool.
Let that continue for a long time.
Must Do Better: Shadow Trio
It was a great show of faith for Klopp to give Takumi Minamino, Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi a rare start all together, especially in a Champions League match. It was an opportunity for all of them to bet on being a regular part of the first team, but unfortunately, none of them managed to do it.
Minamino seemed to have a lot of difficulty getting into attacking position and keeping the ball, while Origi seemed more of a silent observer than the main forward. As for Shaqiri, there is no denying that he tried, but nothing he tried seemed to work.
It’s a problem for Klopp to consider in the future, for sure. You can’t trust Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino to play every game this season, it just isn’t possible.
Of course, the three who started the game have had very few minutes this season and the lack of sharpness in the game will have influenced their performances. If they want everyone to have a future at Liverpool, they need to play better than tonight, that’s for sure.
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