Liverpool marked their return to the Champions League with a convincing 3-1 victory over AC Milan as head coach Arne Slot produced a strong response to questions over his selection policy.
Goals from centre-backs Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk overturned Christian Pulisic’s third-minute opener for the hosts and Dominik Szoboszlai’s first club goal since March secured the result midway through the second half.
The unfortunate Mohamed Salah hit the crossbar twice in the opening 45 minutes but it was one of the players Slot brought in – fellow Dutchman Cody Gakpo – who caught the eye.
Trent 🅰️Ibou ⚽
Kostas 🅰️Virgil ⚽ pic.twitter.com/3YMS2oP0hT
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 17, 2024
After suggestions a virtually unchanged side this season looked jaded in the shock defeat to Nottingham Forest, Slot made just two alterations – but while Gakpo fully justified his inclusion ahead of Luis Diaz, Kostas Tsimikas still has some way to go to challenge left-back Andy Robertson for his regular place.
And while much has been made of how Slot wants to pass opponents into submission with a more patient approach, Liverpool’s biggest weapon in San Siro was set-pieces.
In Van Dijk and Konate they have two defenders who are good in the air and the latter powered home a header from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s inswinging free-kick midway through the first half.
Defender Strahinja Pavlovic was culpable for the second goal as he lost touch with Van Dijk, who casually nodded in Tsimikas’ corner from the right flank.
It was no more than Liverpool deserved after a shaky start and it was fitting Gakpo got the assist for their third.
Before kick-off representatives of both clubs placed flowers on the seat of Liverpool fan Philip Dooley, who died in a road accident in nearby Bergamo in the early hours, and Slot and his players wore black armbands as a mark of respect.
For all the criticism about not freshening things up, it was one of the players Slot brought in who was responsible for Milan’s goal.
Van Dijk had only just cleared Rafael Leao’s cross from almost under his own crossbar – before a delayed offside flag went up – when Tsimikas charged forward to intercept Maignan’s pass but failed to win the header.
It left a two-man overload behind him but Pulisic needed no assistance as he blasted past Alisson Becker from a tight angle.
It took a while for Liverpool to settle but Salah blasting against the crossbar, after quickly shifting his body shape to unleash right-footed from Diogo Jota’s 17th-minute through-ball, was the encouragement they needed.
Gakpo showed he had retained his Netherlands form from Euro 2024 on his first start for Slot and won the free-kick for Konate’s 23rd-minute equaliser.
The Dutch forward then teed up Jota, who fired wide with only the goalkeeper to beat, before his cross was parried by Maignan for Salah to hit the crossbar for a second time.
And it was Gakpo who launched the counter-attack which ended with Maignan tipping behind Salah’s shot, allowing Tsimikas to redeem his earlier error by picking out Van Dijk’s forehead at the near post.
Liverpool’s second-choice left-back remained in the thick of it, with Pulisic appealing for a penalty after the defender prevented him reaching Leao’s cross.
Gakpo tested the goalkeeper from distance as Liverpool finished the first half strongly and maintained it after the interval with Jota having a close-range shot smothered by Maignan, the keeper’s last action as team-mate Fikayo Tomori clattered into him and forced him off.
But Gakpo’s final contribution was the most decisive, racing down the left in the 67th minute to cross for Szoboszlai to volley home, affording Slot the luxury of giving a late debut to former Juventus forward Federico Chiesa.
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