Liverpool reached the Europa League knockouts with a 4-0 win over LASK.
Luis Diaz handed the hosts an early first-half lead when he met Joe Gomez’s delivery from the right-hand side with a diving header in the 12th minute.
A second soon followed as stand-in captain Mohamed Salah teed up Cody Gakpo with a tidy ball across the face of goal for him to meet at the far post.
Salah added a third just five minutes into the second half from the penalty spot after the visitors’ goalkeeper Tobias Lawal bundled Gakpo in the area.
Deep into added time, Gakpo rounded off a comprehensive night for Jurgen Klopp’s side by rifling home his second of the game in front of The Kop.
The Reds’ comfortable victory coupled with Toulouse’s home draw against Union Saint-Gilloise means they will automatically qualify as Group E leaders.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Imperfect Reds coast into knockouts
It turns out Jurgen Klopp was half-right about the Europa League after all.
The Liverpool manager did not expect his side to fly through their group stage campaign and it subsequently proved to be far from plain sailing overall.
But comfortably dispensing of LASK ensured that Klopp’s instruction to wrap up qualification for the knockout rouinds with time to spare was fully heeded.
This result marked 10th successive victory at Anfield in all competitions marks the club’s best start on home soil since the double-winning 1985/86 season.
Cody Gakpo’s brace also marked the first time in three decades that the Reds have boasted five players all with five goals apiece before December arrives.
Yet such statistical quirks pale in significance to the fact that Klopp’s side are into the last 16 ahead of time and with the distinction as Group E winners.
Defeat to Toulouse notwithstanding, this was as close to a perfect qualification route and the Liverpool manager would not have it any other way.
Anfield sees a different side to Salah
Mohamed Salah strives to lead by example in Liverpool’s front line, but some things proved beyond the mercurial forward’s reach before the Austrian’s visit.
No matter how many goal-scoring records he smashes, the Egyptian has still been left wanting in other areas in the quest to be an emphatic all-rounder.
Serving as stand-in captain has been a bone of contention ever since he lamented being overlooked for a Champions League dead rubber in 2020.
Finally in possession of the armband from the get-go for a first time on Thursday, the Anfield faithful was treated to a very different side of Salah.
He was more provider than poacher during a first half when the hosts could conceivably have racked up more than a commanding two-goal advantage.
Little changed after the interval, too, with the exception of stepping up to net a 50th-minute penalty which left him just one goal away from 200 in a red shirt.
Klopp will undoubtedly prefer to see his talisman racking up strikes instead of teeing them up but Salah’s captaincy cameo adds another string to his bow.
Kelleher warmed up to fill the void
News of Alisson’s injury threatened to cast a cloud over Liverpool.
The Brazil international’s projected several weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem picked up at Manchester City could not be worse timed.
Fortunately in Caoimhin Kelleher, Klopp boasts a more than able deputy that was belatedly given a training exercise by LASK deep into the second half.
When they finally gained sight of goal, the visitors proceeded to offer the Republic of Ireland an early warm-up exercise by putting him to work.
First, Ibrahim Mustapha attempted to round him on a counterattack but could not find a way through as his opposite number narrowed the angle superbly.
Moses Usor and Robert Zulj also failed to get the better of Kelleher as he demonstrated sharp reflexes to repel both from close-range late in the game
With Fulham on the horizon, it was worthwhile practice that offers hopes that the 25-year-old can handle the pressure as Liverpool’s temporary No.1.