In the Premier League, Liverpool and coach Jürgen Klopp are struggling in his seventh year at Anfield. The championship has already been written off before the game against Manchester City next Sunday. In the Champions League, however, the Reds write history, Klopp treats himself to a beer.
Champions League record, great relief and a beer or two. Liverpool FC has gained some self-confidence in the premier class for the duel with Manchester City in the English Premier League. The 7: 1 (1: 1) at the Glasgow Rangers was a mood brightener in dark times for the Reds, where coach Jürgen Klopp had become increasingly thin-skinned in recent weeks.
"It definitely changes the mood - and that's good," said Klopp after the game. "We all know who's coming on Sunday. It's going to be a different game, but it's better to go into the game feeling like we did tonight. If we play to our potential, we're a pretty good football team. That's what we have tonight shown."
Things didn't look good for Liverpool at first, who made a shaky appearance in the first few minutes at the Ibrox and consequently fell behind after 17 minutes through a goal from Scott Arfield. Subsequently, Roberto Firmino turned out to be life insurance. The former Bundesliga star saved the Reds a good starting position for the second half with his header to make it 1-1.
At the beginning of the second half it was Firmino again who gave Liverpool the lead and after another goal by striker Darwin Núñez, who had previously been written off as a flop in the millions, it was up to Egyptian Mo Salah to write Champions League history. The 30-year-old had also struggled with his form in recent weeks and months. After the departure of his longtime offensive partner Sadio Mané to Bayern Munich, he lost his lightness.
At the same time, the story of the well-fed striker had appeared in the ever-excited English press. Salah had extended his contract with Liverpool this summer for significantly improved salaries, but has not yet been able to pay back in goals. He has been without a goal in the Premier League since the 2-1 draw at Manchester United on August 22.
But that evening at the Ibrox he showed his old class again. In just six minutes and twelve seconds, Salah scored the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history between the 75th and 81st minutes. "Special. Typical Mo," commented Klopp. "The whole thing was very important. It's obviously an exceptional result and we all know it and shouldn't do more than that, but it's the best we could have asked for and that's why I'm very happy."
Salah had started the game on the bench and only came on for Nunez in the 68th minute. He only needed nine ball contacts for his three goals. "Mo came onto the field and was immediately on fire," said Klopp, who wanted to treat himself to a beer after the game. "I'm probably drunk after just one," he explained, already looking toward Sunday. Then he will be sober again. Erling Haaland is waiting.
