Liverpool continued their winning start to the new Champions League campaign by seeing off Serie A side Bologna 2-0 at Anfield.
Having bested Italian opposition in their opening game against Milan, the Reds had to endure a few nervy moments against one of last season’s surprise packages. Bologna, who were previously managed by current Juventus boss Thiago Motta, hit the woodwork twice at Anfield but were ultimately downed by strikes from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah.
It takes Liverpool’s points tally to six after two fixtures, sitting alongside Borussia Dortmund, Brest, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, Aston Villa and Juventus at the top of the league phase. But which players were pivotal as Arne Slot made history with his eighth win in his first nine matches?
Here are their best and worst performers against Bologna, according to 90min’s player ratings.
Mohamed Salah – 8/10
Mohamed Salah is the player Liverpool often look towards for inspiration and he so often delivers when it matters. It was no different on Wednesday night as the Egypt international set a number of impressive records with his display.
The 32-year-old now has the most goals by an African in the competition’s history with 45, overtaking Didier Drogba, and is also the first Liverpool player to score in five consecutive Champions League games at Anfield.
It was Salah whose cross was tapped in at the back stick by Alexis Mac Allister and he later cut in from the right wing and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner to wrap up the points.
He has both the most goals and assists of any Liverpool player so far this season. Time to get that new contract ready for signing.
Honourable mentions
Alexis Mac Allister – 7/10
Alexis Mac Allister had little choice but to tap in Salah’s inviting cross – given the chance’s xG value of 0.83 it might have been tougher to miss – but that wasn’t the only area in which the World Cup winner impressed at Anfield.
Mac Allister made a game-high four interceptions and regularly played probing passes into Bologna’s defensive third, providing an all-action performance in midfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7/10
Dominik Szoboszlai is still searching for game-to-game consistency, though his strengths and potential are well known at this point. The Hungarian can be a little erratic and careless in possession, but he was the perfect presser against Bologna.
The 23-year-old won six of his eight ground duels, made three successful dribbles and picked up his second assist of the season by teeing up Salah’s screamer.
Darwin Nunez – 4/10
Darwin Nunez is the very definition of inconsistent. There are a few occasions when he looks very good, but there have also been a number of matches when he’s looked very much the opposite. Wednesday night was one such game.
The Uruguayan had a goal disallowed for offside – shocking, right? – and could only complete four of his 12 attempted passes before being substituted in the 61st minute for the more efficient Diogo Jota. The £64m they gave to Benfica a little over two years ago is looking more and more like wasted transfer funds.
Dishonourable mention
Andy Robertson – 5/10
Andy Robertson is as experienced as they come and his confidence won’t take too much of a battering after one difficult game in the Champions League. That said, neither the Scot nor right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold were that comfortable in the win against Bologna.
Robertson couldn’t find the target with any of his four crosses and was dribbled past three times in defence, though it didn’t end up costing his side in any way come full-time.
