Liverpool Takes a Step Forward in Champions League

Reds, who also lost Fabinho due to injury, take a big step towards leading Group D, although they offered a more than discreet performance on the day their coach decided to rotate.

Jürgen Klopp warned before the match that they shouldn't underestimate the modest Midtjylland and that anyone can beat you in the Champions League.

But the truth is that the German seemed to not take the Danes seriously, leaving their star players on the bench.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino did not start and it cost Liverpool, as they looked static and without danger.

The Reds were not able to shoot on goal in the first half. They were lucky not to be behind on the scoreboard since Anders Dreyer, in a one-on-one in the first minute, failed to overcome Alisson.

Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi did not pose any problems for the Danish defense and the first half was one of the worst remembered at Anfield, considering that Midtjylland had been heavily defeated in their first group stage match.

Klopp also suffered a setback in defense as his emergency center-back due to Virgil Van Dijk's absence, Fabinho, got injured and had to leave after half an hour, leaving no choice but to bring on the academy player Rhys Williams.

Despite all the problems, Liverpool had much more quality than the Danes and only needed one combination to unlock the match.

Shaqiri played a one-two with Alexander-Arnold, who filtered the ball into the box, and the English full-back served it on a platter for Diogo Jota, who was unmarked to push it into the net.

The goal didn't make Liverpool play more comfortably, instead it woke up Midtjylland, who started to feel loose, playing the ball and creating opportunities to level the match, especially with a one-on-one chance in injury time that Dreyer missed.

The luck for Liverpool was that it was Midtjylland and not a higher-level team. With almost full-time, Paulinho fouled Salah inside the box and the Egyptian sealed the game from the penalty spot.

Klopp took a risk by rotating and it paid off because they got the three points, despite giving a poor performance for a Premier League champion.

Liverpool comfortably leads the group with six points, two more than Atalanta, whom they will visit next week.

Match details:

2 - Liverpool: Alisson; Robertson, Gomez, Fabinho (Williams, m.30), Alexander-Arnold; Henderson (Wijnaldum, m.46), Milner, Minamino (Salah, m.61); Shaqiri, Jota (Firmino, m.80), Origi (Mané, m.60).

0 - Midtjylland: Andersen; Paulinho, Scholz, Sviatechenko, Andersson; Cajuste (Kraev, m.81), Onyeka, Sisto (Evander, m.72); Mabil (Anderson, m.66), Kaba (Pfeiffer, m.81), Dreyer.

Goals: 1-0, m.55: Jota. 2-0, m.92: Salah, penalty.

Referee: Pawel Raczkowski (POL) cautioned Milner (m.41) for the home team and Scholz (m.19), Onyeka (m.25), Cajuste (m.32), and Paulinho (m.91) for the visitors.

Attendance: Match corresponding to the second round of Group D of the Champions League, played at Anfield (Liverpool) behind closed doors.