A 6-0 Champions League triumph, headlined by a returning star’s goal, offers a timely boost for the under-fire manager.
A Mohamed Salah goal and a decisive 6-0 victory over Qarabag at Anfield on Wednesday provided a much-needed respite for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, securing the team’s automatic passage to the Champions League last 16.
The emphatic win, Liverpool’s largest in any competition since 2023, was crowned by Salah curling in a superb free-kick early in the second half. It was the Egyptian star’s first goal for the club since November 1, ending an eight-game drought that had seen him dropped and led to public friction with Slot. The strike came on his club-record equalling 80th Champions League appearance, signaling a potential mending of fences at a crucial time.
“I’m very pleased. We know we can still improve, but it was a very good performance,” said a relieved Slot after the match. “It’s always important to get the early goals to get the crowd on our side.”
Liverpool overpowered the Azerbaijani side from the start, with first-half goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz settling nerves. After Salah’s moment of quality, further strikes from Hugo Ekitike, a second from Mac Allister, and a late Federico Chiesa effort completed the rout. The result ensures Liverpool skip the play-off round and will host the second leg of their last-16 tie.
The performance was a welcome tonic for Slot, who has faced growing scrutiny over a troubled Premier League campaign that sees the defending champions trailing leaders Arsenal by 14 points. He recently acknowledged the “noise” around the club was “fair” and could only be silenced by achieving “special things” in the remaining competitions.
Despite being hampered by a defensive crisis that forced midfielder Ryan Gravenberch to start in central defence and an early injury to Jeremie Frimpong, Liverpool were untroubled. The set-piece opener, orchestrated by newly promoted coach Lewis Mahoney, offered a glimpse of improvement in an area that has been a persistent weakness.
While the Champions League advance offers a beacon of hope, the victory’s most promising sign for Liverpool may be the sight of a smiling Mohamed Salah finding the net again, potentially reigniting a key partnership for the challenges ahead.
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