UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

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Hoff To A Flyer

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim looked like being tricky opponents in the Champions League qualifying round with the German side unbeaten at their Rhein Neckar Arena home in 15 months so Trent Alexander-Arnold certainly picked a good time to net his first LFC goal in the first leg.

When the Reds were awarded a 35th minute free-kick on the edge of the TSG 1899 Hoffenheim box Jürgen Klopp shouted from the sideline for the teenager to take it, having seen his ability from set-pieces at youth level, and Alexander-Arnold duly repaid his manager's faith by curling a low shot into the bottom corner. It was some way to mark his European debut and helped Liverpool FC to win 2-1, ending achtzehn99's proud unbeaten home record, before a 4-2 Anfield victory.

Seven Up

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will always remember his first goal for LFC as it came on a night when the Reds set a new club record by beating NK Maribor 7-0 in Slovenia. Not only did that Group E result equal the record away win in the Champions League, it was also Liverpool FC's record away victory in European competition and the Reds' biggest away victory under Jürgen Klopp's management.

Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah both netted a couple apiece with Philippe Coutinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold also on the scoresheet, delighting the boss: “The wonderful history of this club can feel like a backpack at times so it is nice to write our own good piece of the history,” he said. “It will be difficult to beat that record. It is quite rare to win 7-0 but it showed we did unbelievably well.”

Spartak Attack Attack

Turns out winning 7-0 isn't as rare as Jürgen Klopp thought as his wonderful team did it again in the final group game, soundly beating Spartak Moscow on an Anfield night when the Reds needed to win to ensure they progressed to the knockout stages. It meant that Liverpool FC became the first ever club to win Champions League games 7-0 home and away in the same season.

It was 3-0 within 19 minutes with Roberto Firmino's outside-of-the-foot flicked finish to make it three-nil having Anfield purring before Sadio Mane scored a stunning fourth after the interval, meeting James Milner's cross in mid-air with a thumping volley to seal a place in the last 16 as Group E winners.

Mane Magic

Michael Owen was the only man to have netted European hat-tricks for LFC away from home, which tells you just how hard it is, so for Sadio Mane to hit three in a 5-0 Champions League last 16 away success at FC Porto – to inflict their record home defeat – is an achievement that shouldn't be underestimated.

The Senegalese striker's first two, either side of Mo Salah's spot of ball juggling and neat finish inside the six yard box, were side-footed efforts but his hat-trick clincher was far more spectacular when he took a Danny Ings pass on and fired home from almost 25 yards out. It was Mane's first treble for the Reds and with finishing like that it won't be his last.

City Stunned

Allez allez allez, allez allez allez! There have been some memorable European nights at Anfield over the years and Liverpool FC 3 Manchester City FC 0 is right up there with our L4 home being whipped into a scarf-twirling, lung-busting, eardrum-perforating frenzy as the Redmen stunned Pep Guardiola's champions elect with a whirlwind first-half display that led to three goals in 31 minutes.

Mo Salah rapped home the first from close range, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain let fly from 25 yards out for the second and Sadio Mane headed home a Salah cross – all at the Kop end – to have Anfield absolutely rocking. Then, with Salah off injured, followed a display of defensive defiance and commitment that stopped City, who had scored 123 goals during the season, from even managing a shot on target as Liverpool FC recorded a fantastic 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win by a scoreline few people had predicted.

Marvellous Mo

After an agonising Champions League quarter-final second leg first-half when Manchester City FC had scored within two minutes through Gabriel Jesus, struck a post and had a second goal controversially disallowed it became apparent that only a Liverpool FC goal would save the finger nails of every nervous LFC supporter. Once again it was Mo Salah who provided it.

It looked like the chance had gone when Sadio Mane was thwarted by City keeper Ederson inside the penalty area but the ball squirmed free for Salah and after calmly taking a touch he had the composure to dink the ball, almost in slow-motion, into the net to send the travelling Kop wild. Roberto Firmino's second goal of the night made Liverpool FC the first ever team to beat a Guardiola side three times in a season but more importantly confirmed a place in the Champions League semi-final – against AS Roma – for the first time since 2009.