Neil Atkinson’s post-match review for The Anfield Wrap after Liverpool 6 Qarabag 0 in the 2025-2026 Champions League at Anfield…
Taking off tight shoes.
Liverpool face a side at Anfield that they should beat comfortably and they just beat them comfortably.
It became a bit more than that. It became players enjoying themselves. What’s been hard on top of everything being hard has been watching these lads who we adore look like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Even tonight there were a couple of moments looking at faces and demeanours where things still seemed a teeny bit heavy; seeing Jeremie Frimpong waving with nothing on the clock wasn’t a barrel of laughs.
But the dam breaks when Dominik Szoboszlai backheels to Mo Salah and from the second
it leaves Salah’s foot, the ball is in the back of the net and then everything is downhill for every Liverpool player on the pitch.
The side we face have travelled the greatest distance of any ever to play against Liverpool at Anfield. I love this – what the game should be, a reason to travel, to live, to enjoy. But our opponents have sportingly gone on a massive journey as well and before our eyes, after Salah’s ball hits the net we get to see the scale of that journey. They look suddenly shattered. Everything they have done looks so hard and all of a sudden their entire fate rests in the other games.
The other games are fascinating. Qarabag remain in the competition and I am delighted for them and their travelling supporters. As the results come in you are staggered by the sheer chaos and you should be impressed with The Reds.
There has not been much of a reason to be impressed with The Reds recently but they have navigated their way to third place in this system when everyone said we had a tough draw. We did have a tough draw but here we are.
I am of the view 1st to 4th is pretty much the same in terms of seeding, and we’ve nailed that down. The manager and his players deserve massive credit for getting themselves through it. On this evening Liverpool ease through and Real Madrid fall to 9th, conceding last minute goals to goalkeepers.
It’s to Liverpool’s credit this evening becomes about matters happening elsewhere. This is rare, most of the time in the ground all that matters is what is in front of your eyes but for the last thirty minutes elsewhere is more compelling.
Hugo Ekitike gets himself an excellent goal and an excellent assist. The goal is inevitable and that is to his credit – you just back him. Van Dijk has sent the ball to him and he will get his third assist of the evening when he squares to Federico Chiesa who for all the world looks offside.
Virgil though. The reason Liverpool can win the Champions League – and Liverpool have as much chance as anyone – is because Virgil van Dijk is capable of this sort of night. Because Mo Salah remains Mo Salah. Because Dominik Szoboszlai, because Alisson Becker, because Andy Robertson.
Because Florian Wirtz. You’re watching one of the most exciting young talents on the planet. The young bit is worth pointing out because he looks so, so mature and this is part of the promise. He looks smarter than anyone else on the pitch and he hasn’t got 300 appearances yet. He looks like he has a glorious understanding with Ekitike, but he looks like he can find an understanding with anyone.
It’s a very good night for The Reds. Nobody should be getting carried away – I say this knowing I have said that Liverpool have as much chance of anyone of winning the biggest club trophy in the world. But that isn’t getting carried away. That is just the fact of the matter.
The other fact of the matter is that Liverpool have fifteen league games to win the right to play in the biggest club competition in the world next season and that will take winning, fighting for and nothing much we have seen tonight adds to the prospect of that.
Corners won’t be turned. Trophies can be won. Magic can happen. This season is just one of them now and we all understand that.
We’ll be back in March having won the right not to play. Have a little faith, there’s magic in the night. Especially in the House Of The Champions.
Nice to remember that.
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