Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's
Champions League Group E clash between Liverpool and
Red Bull Salzburg!
The hosts and defending champions come into this match having continued their faultless domestic form at the weekend, but their opening game of their European title defence ended in a late defeat at Napoli last month. A goalless draw between Genk and Napoli in an earlier kickoff means that the Italians now top the group, although Red Bull Salzburg had that honour going into the day courtesy of their 6-2 thrashing of the Belgian outfit on matchday one.
Kickoff is just five minutes away in what promises to be an intriguing affair, so let's waste no time and start by looking at the team news...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
SUBS: Kelleher, Lovren, Keita, Milner, Origi, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana
SALZBURG STARTING XI: Stankovic; Kristensen, Onguene, Wober, Ulmer; Minamino, Mwepu, Junuzovic, Szoboszlai; Daka, Hwang
SUBS: Kohn, Farkas, Ramalho, Ashimeru, Okugawa, Koita, Haaland
KICKOFF: Here we go! Salzburg get us underway at Anfield!
SHOT! It is the visitors who have the first sight of goal on the night as Minamino finds a bit of space just outside the area. He takes his shot on early and drills it towards goal, but it ends up a couple of yards wide.
Much has been made of Red Bull Salzburg's goal threat - and rightly so - but their main man
Erling Haaland has not made the starting lineup tonight due to illness. He is only deemed fit enough for the bench.
UPDATE: The first goal of the 8pm kickoffs has gone in, and it is a notable one too with Inter Milan taking the lead against Barcelona at the Camp Nou through Martinez.
Almost a golden opportunity for Liverpool as Alexander-Arnold whips a trademark pass in behind the defence which looks destined to find Firmino. However, Onguene is at full stretch to get a slight but vital touch on it.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-0 RED BULL SALZBURG (SADIO MANE)
GOAL! Liverpool get the breakthrough within 10 minutes, and it is
Sadio Mane who has scored against his former club! It is a brilliant one as well from the winger, who jinks inside one defender before playing a deadly one-two with Firmino and sliding his finish underneath the goalkeeper!
UPDATE: A couple of other goals to update you on from around Europe - Ajax have taken the lead against Chelsea's conquerors Valencia at the Mestalla, while Lyon lead RB Leipzig in Germany.
That opener was Liverpool's first real chance of the game, but they had made quite a few bright breaks forward which were just a pass or two away from opening up the visitors. I suspect that will not be the last goal we see tonight.
Here is that beautiful opening goal for Liverpool, with Mane the main man but Firmino playing a huge role to chalk up another assist...
Not bad company to be keeping for Sadio Mane...
Liverpool are in control of this game right now, seeing the lion's share of possession and just probing for a way through this Salzburg defence. The visitors began full of gusto, but that Liverpool goal seems to have taken a bit of the wind out of their sails.
Speaking of good company and Mane, check out this stat. Note that even messrs Ronaldo and Messi are missing...
Liverpool have had almost 70% possession in the opening 20 minutes or so, which is an indication of the control they have over this game. They will still want that second goal - particularly with Salzburg's attacking threat - but they look much more likely to get it right now.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 2-0 RED BULL SALZBURG (ANDREW ROBERTSON)
GOAL! Liverpool have their second as the two full-backs combine - an assist for Alexander-Arnold in their friendly competition, but this time it is Robertson who is on the end of it!
The full-back comes forward but this time decides to carry on into the box himself, and it is a good job too. Alexander-Arnold drills a low cross into the box and Robertson shows a striker's instinct by getting across the defender at the near post and passing the ball home!
Robertson tries to resume his role as provider now with a low cross into the box which fizzes between defence and goalkeeper, but there are no red shirts to tap it home. This looks like it could end up being a long night for Salzburg!
UPDATE: The other English team in action tonight are also winning, with Tammy Abraham's first Champions League goal giving Chelsea the lead away to Lille. Elsewhere, Zenit have also broken the deadlock against Benfica.
CHANCE! It should be three! Fabinho clips a long pass over the top for Salah to race on to and the winger gets the wrong side of defence before going for power with his half-volley, rather than trying to lift it over the keeper. He doesn't catch it perfectly, though, and the ball flashes wide of the post. The keeper would have been helpless had that been on target!
SAVE! Just a warning shot for Liverpool as the ball is poked through to Minamino, who finds himself with only the keeper to beat. The angle is slightly against him, though, and that helps Adrian to parry the ball behind for a corner.
Some more high-profile company being kept by the current crop!
Another long ball forward almost releases Firmino down the left flank, but for once the Brazilian cannot find the right pass as his attempt to get it to Salah is easily cut out.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-0 RED BULL SALZBURG (MOHAMED SALAH)
GOAL! That is surely game over with just under 10 minutes of the first half remaining! Salah gets his name on the scoresheet, and all of the front three are involved.
Mane gets down the left and puts a cross into the box which Firmino glances golwards with his head. The keeper needs to make the save, but he should hold on to it and instead parries it straight out to Salah, who is left with a simple finish.
Liverpool are in cruise control at the moment, and they haven't even got out of second gear. This could be anything they want if they really pushed for more goals tonight.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-1 RED BULL SALZBURG (HWANG HEE-CHAN)
GOAL! Moments after Daka fires an effort well off target, Salzburg do have a goal back through a fine goal from Hwang!
The Korean picks the ball up inside the box and does something we all thought impossible - skins Van Dijk with a lovely bit of skill to leave the Liverpool defender on the ground. From there he smashes his finish into the far corner, leaving Adrian no chance whatsoever.
Perhaps it is not quite game over after all!
Klopp will want to see his side grab some control back over this game, with Salzburg enjoying a good end to the half here. Ulmer has just tried his luck from range, but fired his effort wide of the target.
The visitors are not going to abandon their attacking principles tonight. They are looking to get forward in numbers as quickly as possible whenever they get the ball back, although Liverpool are now seeing the majority of possession again.
HALF TIME: LIVERPOOL 3-1 RED BULL SALZBURG
Liverpool seem to have their swagger back in Europe in that opening 45 minutes and they are in complete control at half time with a 3-1 lead over Red Bull Salzburg.
Klopp may be annoyed at having given Salzburg a glimmer of hope with a goal late in the half - ending Liverpool's five-match clean sheet run at home in this competition - but you'd fancy the hosts to go on and get more in the second half here.
The opening goal arrived after nine minutes when Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino combining to devastating effect.
The former cut past one defender before exchanging passes with Firmino on his way to the area and then sliding his finish past the keeper. It was a move the defence simply had no answer to, with the pace and precision of the attack leaving them helpless.
Liverpool's second goal was arguably even better as the two full-backs combined -
Andrew Robertson continuing a surging run into the box to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold's low cross at the near post, steering his finish beyond the keeper.
Two became three 11 minutes later as Mohamed Salah got in on the act, although that goal was less a thing of beauty and more a mistake from the keeper. Stankovic parried Firmino's header straight back out to Salah, who was left with a simple finish to seemingly put the game to bed.
It is not quite all over just yet, though, with Salzburg offering themselves a glimmer of hope by pulling a goal back within three minutes of Liverpool's third.
Hwang Hee-Chan was the man who got it, beating Virgil van Dijk all ends up with a lovely cutback and then slamming his finish into the far corner - a goal at Anfield which he will never forget.
KICKOFF: Liverpool get us back underway for the second half at Anfield!
Erling Haaland was warming up rigorously during half time and we may well see the teenage scoring sensation in this second half, particularly if Salzburg are still in this game.
Adrian certainly does have a mistake in him! Not for the first time in his Liverpool career the keeper tries to play out from the back and sees his pass cut out, and this time he gets away with it as the ball rebounds off Daka and goes wide.
Liverpool are yet to really settle into this second half, certainly in terms of regaining control over the game. They were in complete command during the first 35 minutes or so, but have gone off the boil a little since Salah's third goal.
CHANCE! Salzburg are looking capable of scoring another here, and Liverpool just need to make sure they don't give anything cheap away. Another decent move from the visitors sees the ball eventual end up at the feet of Hwang, but he drags his effort from the edge of the box and it goes comfortably wide. Had he hit that like he did his shot for the goal, Liverpool would have been in trouble!
CHANCE! Liverpool respond with a chance of their own at the other end, with Mane spinning his man when it looked like nothing was on and advancing into the box down the byline. He eventually pulls the ball back for Wijnaldum, who steers his finish off target.
CHANCE! Chances at both ends here as this game really begins to open up! At one end Szoboszlai finds himself completely unmarked in the box and only a crucial last-gasp tackle from Gomez denies him a clear chance, and within the blink of an eye Liverpool are at the other end with Firmino slipping a pass through to Mane, who is thwarted by Kristensen.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-2 RED BULL SALZBURG (TAKUMI MINAMINO)
GOAL! Now then! Could would be seeing an upset on the cards?! An IstanRedBull?!
The visitors pull a second goal back as the ball is floated over to Minamino, who meets it with a fine volley which bounces into the corner past Adrian. Game on here!
SALZBURG SUB: As if the visitors weren't posing enough of a threat, on comes Erling Haaland in place of Daka.
CHANCE! My word, Salzburg should be level here! Again Hwang is central to it with a lovely chop back past one defender before sliding the ball in to Szoboszlai. The rumoured Arsenal target simply has to hit it first time, but he takes a touch and that allows a Liverpool defender to get a foot in and the eventual effort ripples the side-netting.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-3 RED BULL SALZBURG (ERLING HAALAND)
GOAL! Oh my word, what is happening here?! Salzburg complete the comeback at Anfield, recovering from three goals down!
Minamino gets to the byline down the right channel and cuts a low ball into the box, past Van Dijk and into the path of Haaland, who is left with the simplest of tap-ins from close range!
LIVERPOOL SUB: Klopp has seen enough - he makes a change here as James Milner replaces Henderson.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Another change for the hosts sees Divock Origi replace Wijnaldum.
Well, Liverpool finally seem to have been shocked back into gear here. They have been poor in this second half but the pressure is now arriving from the holders rather than from Salzburg, who would of course be delighted with a draw here.
The attacking zip seems to have gone from Liverpool right now, though - it seemed a question of how many they would score when the third went in, but now Salzburg are holding firm.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 4-3 RED BULL SALZBURG (MOHAMED SALAH)
GOAL! A big, big goal for Liverpool as they regain the lead after finally reacting to being shell-shocked by Salzburg's comeback!
Fabinho hoists a ball back into the area after Salzburg fail to clear their lines and Firmino glances it on for Salah, who volleys his finish past the keeper.
SALZBURG SUB: Another change for the visitors sees Szoboszlai replaced by Okugawa.
CHANCE! Robertson almost catches a team out with a corner much like the famous Barcelona one last season, whipping it in early to the near post. Mane is the man there this time, but he just misses it with a stooping header.
Just over 15 minutes remaining in this madcap game now, and I would certainly not rule out more goals flying in during that time. This one remains on a knife edge!
SAVE! As if to emphasise that point, Okugawa works himself a bit of shooting space just outside the area and duly goes for goal, but his effort lacks power and is easily gathered by Adrian.
RED BULL SALZBURG SUB: A third and final change for the visitors sees Majeed Ashimeru replace Junuzovic.
Just 10 minutes remaining now! Liverpool will want that two-goal cushion back as they have looked far from solid in defence tonight, while Salzburg are always capable of scoring.
For all of the defensive lapses tonight, Firmino has once again been influential for the hosts...
Regardless of whether they come away with anything points-wise tonight, Salzburg can hold their heads up high. They have come to the home of the European champions and given them a tougher time than most have recently, and they are certainly looking like they could be a force in this group.
YELLOW CARD! We have had almost everything tonight, but here is our first card - Fabinho is the recipient.
Liverpool do seem to be managing the game better here, and indeed since Milner and Origi came on the pitch. They have been calming presences when Liverpool dearly needed it.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Speaking of Liverpool changes - off comes Mohamed Salah to be replaced by Naby Keita, another former Salzburg player.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: LIVERPOOL 4-3 RED BULL SALZBURG
And breathe! Another dramatic night of Champions League action ends with Liverpool just about edging a seven-goal thriller against Red Bull Salzburg, but they did not make it easy for themselves!
The hosts played some beautiful football in the first 35 minutes or so as they stormed to a 3-0 lead, at which stage it looked to be a question of just how many they would get.
However, Salzburg pulled off an astonishing comeback to level things back up at 3-3 before Mohamed Salah got his second of the night to ultimately secure the three points.
Right, that is all we have time for tonight! The Champions League simply keeps on delivering with seven more goals in this match alone tonight, so be sure to stick around to reaction on site.
I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to check back in tomorrow night for some live Europa League action.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
