Liverpool Defeat Marseille and Edge Closer to Champions League Knockout Phase
On Wednesday, Liverpool advanced significantly towards direct entry into the Champions League knockout round with a 3-0 triumph over Marseille, coinciding with Mohamed Salah's return to the lineup.
Dominik Szoboszlai gave the six-time European winners the lead just before the interval, followed by an own goal from Geronimo Rulli and a goal by Cody Gakpo that further emphasised the result in the latter half.
Arne Slot's team, now without a loss in 13 outings, rose to fourth position in the 36-team standings and can lock in a top-eight spot by beating Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag at Anfield in their upcoming fixture.
"We keep mentioning it following victories or strong performances," skipper Virgil van Dijk shared with TNT Sports regarding Liverpool's efforts to gain traction amid a tough campaign thus far for the Premier League title holders.
"Concentrate entirely on recuperation now, then we face Bournemouth on Saturday and they are tough opponents. We must be thoroughly prepared. We return home tomorrow. Next challenge awaits."
Roberto De Zerbi's OM put in an unexpectedly lacklustre performance, leaving them in 19th place and facing a task in their last league encounter against Club Brugge to qualify for the knockout play-off stage.
Salah started for Liverpool for the first time since November, having been benched by Slot prior to aiding Egypt in progressing to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
The Egyptian claimed the club had placed him "under the bus", resulting in his exclusion from the team for their prior Champions League match against Inter Milan.
Szoboszlai Secures the Breakthrough
The Reds began energetically at the Velodrome, as Joe Gomez squandered an opportunity to notch his first senior goal by heading a corner astray.
Alexis Mac Allister also came near for the away side, while Hugo Ekitike saw a goal disallowed for offside.
Marseille were thwarted shortly afterwards when Amine Gouiri prompted a fine diving stop from Alisson, and Salah redirected a shot from a Jeremie Frimpong delivery onto the top of the net at the opposite end.
Liverpool's call for a penalty due to handball on Timothy Weah was dismissed, yet they went ahead in added time of the first half from a free-kick awarded after a foul in the ensuing play.
Szoboszlai, fresh from missing a spot-kick in a Premier League stalemate with Burnley over the weekend, took the kick and curled the ball beneath the leaping defensive wall and beyond Marseille keeper Rulli.
The hosts displayed encouraging moments at the start of the second half, with Alisson making a solid save from a distant effort by Mason Greenwood.
Ekitike hit the bar shortly before the hour with just Rulli ahead, and Weah fired high moments later following a swift Marseille break.
The French forward Ekitike kept passing up openings, blasting another clear chance over the crossbar.
However, Liverpool sealed the match with 18 minutes remaining as Frimpong cleverly manoeuvred to the goalline before his cut-back was turned into his own goal by Rulli.
Salah overlooked a prime chance to net his first goal for the club in seven games towards the end, though replacement Gakpo added Liverpool's third in the dying moments of stoppage time.