Liverpool have been welcomed to the hostile and raucous atmosphere of Stade Velodrome with a tifo depicting The Beatles alongside the phrase ‘historical past repeats itself’, a nod to Marseille toppling the Reds within the 2004 UEFA Cup.
Historical past did, in some methods, repeat itself for Arne Slot: similar to six weeks in the past on their final overseas enterprise, at San Siro to beat Inter Milan, Liverpool put in an achieved, balanced efficiency to underline their continental credentials.
And historical past repeated itself on one other degree as this was a throwback efficiency from the Reds to final season’s breathtaking, front-foot soccer.
Although they have been 12 matches unbeaten earlier than their jaunt to the south of France and this lovely port metropolis, there have been nagging doubts and issues for Slot nonetheless to resolve.
It was a effective victory on the street that made one surprise simply how deep they’ll go on this season’s Champions League. Given the ultimate is in Budapest, Hungarian Dominik Szoboszlai will see that as his final dream – with the midfielder opening the scoring right here.
A Marseille mess-up made it two as Jeremie Frimpong pressured an personal aim earlier than substitute Cody Gakpo accomplished Liverpool’s second-biggest win of the season by way of the margin of victory.
Liverpool have been welcomed to the hostile Stade Velodrome with a tifo depicting The Beatles alongside the phrase ‘historical past repeats itself’
Dominik Szoboszlai scored a free-kick to provide Liverpool the benefit simply earlier than half-time
Jeremie Frimpong pressured an personal aim from Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli to make it 2-0
They’ve had blemishes in Europe, akin to an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven and a slightly smash-and-grab loss at Galatasaray, however the Reds have flourished on the European stage this season.
Sporadically positioned alongside a slightly drab home marketing campaign have been victories over Atletico Madrid, Actual Madrid, Inter and now Marseille, the midweek nights appearing as a tonic to shoddy performances within the Premier League.
And this was one other win that Slot will take credit score for.
The Dutchman spent his pre-match press convention in France speaking about how Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi is ‘probably the greatest managers on the earth’ and batting off a weird query over whether or not he thought Xabi Alonso would exchange him as Liverpool boss.
Clearly, Slot is just not precisely flavour of the month proper now – however there are numerous deserves to his administration and one on the very prime of that listing needs to be victories like this.
One other is how the boss has dealt with the Mohamed Salah animosity, after the Egyptian threatened to spark a manager-versus-star-man civil struggle final month. Salah was again within the XI right here after a month and, maybe extra importantly for Slot and Co, again smiling.
Quickly he can be again within the objectives, too, and the way they’ve missed that amid his Africa Cup of Nations absence. Whereas he didn’t precisely set the world alight on his return, the 33-year-old inserted a semblance of steadiness and calm to a workforce that has lacked each just lately.
Salah continues to be the principle man in these elements, although Szoboszlai is working him shut along with his stellar shows this season. His aim and man-of-the-match efficiency in Marseille was simply one other accomplishment in a effective marketing campaign.
Cody Gakpo scored in stoppage time to ship the travelling followers residence happy
Mohamed Salah began on his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, the place Egypt got here fourth
Arne Slot was happy with a victory after 4 consecutive attracts within the Premier League
Late within the first half, he left us questioning what the French phrase was for ‘draft excluder’.
Marseille may have executed with one – and never simply because there was a cold maritime breeze heading into this gorgeous stadium from the close by Vieux-Port on the tip of the Mediterranean Sea.
Rulli, the Argentine goalkeeper as soon as on Manchester Metropolis’s books, spent an age arranging his defenders for a free-kick – solely to overlook to station certainly one of his troops mendacity all the way down to cease the outdated cheeky one slotted beneath the leaping wall.
As foolish because it seems to be for the poor soul to tug the brief straw and be advised to lie down, it really works. A bit like an insurance coverage coverage on a telephone – should you take it out then you definately in all probability will not ever want it however, with out it, you permit your self open to a punishment.
We are able to reward Szoboszlai for the ingenuity however concurrently criticise the goalkeeper for a shoddy effort to forestall the shot, which was not precisely a howitzer effort just like the Hungarian’s failed penalty within the FA Cup final week. Hearsay has it the Anfield crossbar continues to be rattling.
Szoboszlai has been the shining mild in a slightly gray season total for Liverpool the place extra headlines have led with negativity than positivity.
The Hungarian has his eyes on a future position as membership captain and it’s traits like with the ability to tip video games in his workforce’s favour, as he did right here, which might be simply as vital as the numerous management expertise he could possess.
Additionally it is an identical attribute to a sure former No 8 used to do at Liverpool in Steven Gerrard, who scored a brace on the Reds’ final go to right here approach again in 2008.
The Reds made the quarter-final that season however, on this proof, Slot and Co can go deep into this yr’s competitors, too, and maybe the 3-0 scoreline flattered Marseille.
Liverpool may have hit 4 or 5 if not for Rulli pushing a Wirtz effort simply large, or Hugo Ekitike smashing the submit and seeing a aim chalked off for a slim offside.
Now a win towards Azerbaijan outfit Qarabag subsequent Wednesday – and they’re definitely no mugs, simply take a look at their place within the desk – will verify Liverpool’s protected passage to the final 16 of this competitors and proceed the journey to Budapest.
It isn’t fairly ‘e book flights to Hungary’ territory, however the Reds definitely take a look at their greatest on the continental stage having already crushed some juggernauts at residence and flourished within the cauldron atmospheres of some robust away journeys.
Though it has been a sub-par season within the league, Europe – because it so usually has been over the last decade for this membership – may very well be a goldmine.
