Mohamed Salah and Curtis Jones starred before Roberto Firmino came off the bench to kick Porto while it was down in a decisive 5-1 win in Portugal on Tuesday.
The UEFA Champions League powers from the Premier League have now beaten AC Milan and Porto, and this time the finishing boots were in phenomenal shape.
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Salah scored twice, Jones had two assists, and Sadio Mane also scored before super sub Firmino did what Jota couldn’t and buried two chances (one of them comical from the Porto keeper).
The Reds look very, very good ahead of Man City’s visit for a tantalizing title-talker in PL play this weekend.
Porto vs Liverpool final score, stats
Final score: Liverpool 5, Porto 1
Scorers: Salah (18′, 60′), Mane (45′), Taremi (74′), Firmino (77′, 81′)
Shots: Liverpool, 21-6
Shots on goal: Liverpool, 13-3
Possession: Liverpool, 67%
Three things we learned from Porto vs Liverpool
1. Liverpool at height of its powers: This was magic, conceded goal aside. Mohamed Salah was magnificent, Curtis Jones nearly on the same level, and it almost never felt like Porto was in the same stadium as Jurgen Klopp’s men. James Milner was good at right back and basically every starter besides Diogo Jota was European. Cup-winning good.
2. Salah on the stage: It sounds odd given his meteoric rise a few years ago, but it’s possible If not probable that the “Egyptian King” is one of the most underappreciated superstars in the world. Perhaps the rush to praise Sadio Mane in the year after Liverpool won the European Cup pushed Salah into the background a bit, but he’s very much on his game this season. He might’ve been the beneficiary of some shoddy defensive play when he boosted the Reds in front 2-0, but the 29-year-old now has seven goals and two assists in eight appearances this season (two goals in two during Champions League play).
Side note: This is really good stuff from Curtis Jones.
3. Curtis Jones, my goodness: When the youngster is at his best, he looks like Liverpool’s best midfielder not named Thiago Alcantara. Three key passes including his two assists, three shots on target, 7-of-10 duels won. This was magnificent stuff.
Man of the Match: Mohamed Salah
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Porto vs Liverpool: Reds shine, Salah stars originally appeared on NBCSports.com