Liverpool’s Europa League campaign continued with a a rout over Toulouse.
Diogo Jota opened the scoring for Jurgen Klopp’s side with just nine minutes on the clock courtesy of a brilliant individual run followed by a low finish.
Thijs Dallinga drew the visitors level shortly after a quarter of an hour by beating the offside trap and firing past Caoimhin Kelleher in The Kop’s goal.
But Wataru Endo restored the Reds’ lead with his first goal for the club in meeting Trent Alexander-Arnold’s incisive delivery with a bullet header.
Darwin Nunez added a third a matter of minutes later with a rifled shot into the roof of the net after Curtis Jones’ initial shot was rebounded into his path.
A double should have followed for the Uruguayan as he rounded Guillaume Restes but remarkably hit the post before Ryan Gravenberch stroked home.
Substitute Mohamed Salah capped off an emphatic outing for the hosts in stoppage time with virtually the game’s last kick to score in front of The Kop.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Reds have proven Klopp wrong
Jurgen Klopp has never shied away from admitting when he gets it wrong.
Consistently holding his hands up is what sets the Liverpool manager apart from his equally vaunted peers during the past eight years in the hot seat.
So, expect another mea culpa from Klopp for insisting anyone that believed his side would fly through their Europa League group was simply mistaken.
The Reds have made light work of their Group E campaign with a hat-trick of victories capped off by this emphatic, goal-laden display against Toulouse.
Klopp continues to treat this competition as a hybrid proving ground, where fledgling youngsters are showcased alongside their esteemed teammates.
Such was the ease with which his players put the French Cup holders to the sword that it’s easy to forget he also handed crucial starts to callow youth.
Luke Chambers made his full debut while the German afforded senior bows to Calum Scanlon and James McConnell, both as second-half substitutes.
Turning doubters into believers was Klopp’s early mission statement but his own apprehension will require a rethink on the strength of this flawless run.
Nunez’s goal gaffe par for the course
Darwin Nunez remains an enigma which Liverpool fans cannot help but love.
In the blink of an eye, the Uruguay international devolves from one of the most industrious and ruthless forwards around into a hapless caricature.
Anfield was treated to another glimpse of that split personality as Nunez’s sense of anticipation allowed him to rifle a Curtis Jones rebound home.
Over half an hour later, doubling his goal tally appeared promising when a surging run took him past Guillaume Restes and towards a gaping Kop goal.
And then, with an empty net at his mercy, Nunez massively fluffed his lines.
Ryan Gravenberch’s follow-up spared any potential blushes for the 24-year-old, who was substiuted mere minutes later for Scanlon’s Anfield debut.
Even after his goal gaffe, Anfield continued to chant Nunez’s name with gusto; knowing that such blundering moments are simply par for the course.
Gravenberch is already a bargain
Whenever Liverpool have dipped into the market for a long-term target throughout Klopp’s tenure, that perseverance tends to pay off handsomely.
Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker are all prime examples of how playing the long game translates into success once within the Anfield ranks.
In barely two months, Gravenberch has joined that trio.
The deadline day arrival from Bayern Munich continues to thrive in midfield as another stellar Europa display was capped off with another goal involvement.
Fresh from a goal and assist in Liverpool’s opening two continental outings, Gravenberch added a third by firing home after Nunez’s horror miss.
If Klopp had any misgivings about the Dutch international’s qualities after a torturous 12 months in Bavaria, he was immediately disabused of that notion.
Gravenberch offers the whole package to Liverpool’s engine room to the point that his £34 million price tag already appears increasingly like small change.