YOU would now expect Mo Salah and his Liverpool team to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Yet they should hope that their likely appearance in the last 16 is not settled on penalties because on current form, you would not put much money on Jurgen Klopp’s side scoring from the spot.
Although their other summer signings have not exactly been on fire, Salah reach double figures for the season to settle Liverpool’s nerves and finally deliver a breakthrough against Maribor’s stubborn resistance. Emre Can grabbed the second but his effort only came after a penalty miss – yet another one – from James Milner. Sub Daniel Sturridge completed the scoring late on with his first Champions League goal for nearly seven years. But the most curious aspect was another penalty miss. This means Liverpool have failed to score all four of their spot-kicks at Anfield in 2017 with Milner missing against Southampton in May.
Roberto Firmino missed in the 2-2 against Sevilla in the Champions league while Salah was also a villain against Huddersfield on Saturday. And last night, Milner watched in frustration as veteran Jasmin Handanovic delivered a cracking save but fortunately for Jurgen Klopp, it did not prove to be a turning point. In total, Liverpool have missed five of their last seven penalties in all competitions so we know what Klopp's team should be practising over the coming weeks. Liverpool are now the firm favourites to get through this group even though they have managed just two wins – against the same team from Slovenia.
They travel to Sevilla in three weeks before having a home game with Spartak Moscow and one win should be enough.
Klopp’s team humiliated Maribor 7-0 15 days earlier but we were never going to see a repeat. Maribor were bad that night – really bad – but they had won three rounds just to get through the groups stages. The Slovenians must have had something about them. They certainly put on a far better defensive performance against a Liverpool team without Philippe Coutinho – with Sadio Mane and Adam Lallana still sidelined Oxlade-Chamberlain, 24, has suffered a nightmare since his arrival from Arsenal in a £35million transfer and was making his first Anfield start.
He had a couple of first half chances while also created a couple of opportunities and will be happy at finally delivering a decent performance for Klopp.
Liverpool also have an injury worry as Georginio Wijnaldum left the pitch early on after turning his ankle and Oxlade-Chamberlain will be hoping to keep his place for the visit to West Ham on Saturday evening.
From The Sun
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