FRANKFURT, Germany: Liverpool broke a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Hugo Ekitike scoring for the English champions against his former club.
After Ekitike levelled for Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai all grabbed goals, the latter two assisted by Florian Wirtz on his return to Germany.
Liverpool came into Wednesday’s match staring down the barrel of their worst losing run in 73 years dating back to 1953-54, when they were relegated from the top flight.
“We’re Liverpool and if we win a game of football it’s not that we’ll celebrate until tomorrow, but I’m pleased we were able to win,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot told DAZN.
The Dutchman benched the out-of-form Mohamed Salah and Liverpool conceded first for the fifth straight game when Rasmus Kristensen scored on the counter.
The Reds soon kicked into gear however, scoring three goals inside 10 minutes to take a 3-1 lead at half-time.
Wirtz, who had no goals or assists in the Premier League or Champions League since his big-money arrival at Anfield, laid on second-half goals for Gakpo and Szoboszlai to put the match to bed.
While Wirtz broke his goal contribution duck, Alexander Isak again was subbed off at half-time for Federico Chiesa.
“He had to go off at half-time because he felt his groin a little bit,” Slot told TNT Sports of Isak’s withdrawal.
“That’s a pity. I’ve said many times, it’s such a difficult balance to find with a player that missed three months.”
The win will do Liverpool’s confidence as a whole the world of good but Slot’s side will face bigger tests than Frankfurt, who have now conceded 23 goals in their past six games.
“We know what quality we have in the team — all world-class players,” Wirtz said. “We didn’t start well but we came together and turned the match around.”
“I can do much, much more,” Wirtz added of his assists. “I’m satisfied we won and that I finally laid on some goals.”
- Liverpool roar back -
With 26 minutes gone, Nathaniel Brown picked Wirtz’s pocket before Frankfurt thundered up the field, Mario Goetze finding Kristensen who swapped to his preferred right foot and hammered home the opener.
Frankfurt were pushing for a second on 35 minutes when Andy Robertson won possession and played a superb long-range pass from deep to the breaking Ekitike.
The former Frankfurt forward collected the pass, advanced goalwards and slid it under Michael Zetterer, before raising his palms to apologize to the home fans.
“I had to score,” a smiling Ekitike said of his return. “It was a great feeling and something special to come back.”
The goal came against the run of play but sent a jolt through Liverpool.
The Reds were two up just four minutes later when Van Dijk powered past his helpless marker, the slight winger Ansgar Knauff, to head in a Cody Gakpo corner.
One minute before the interval, Van Dijk’s center-back partner Konate repeated the trick, again powering past Knauff to head in a corner.
Wirtz had a mixed opening half but looked more assured when Liverpool got on the front foot.
The Germany midfielder set up Gakpo for the fourth with a perfectly-weighted ball across the face of goal in the 66th minute.
Szoboszlai then put the icing on the cake for Slot’s men when he received the ball from Wirtz and arrowed in a raking finish from distance with 20 minutes remaining.
“We started well, took the lead but at this level you need to be there for 90 minutes. It hurts,” 2014 World Cup winner Goetze said.
