Liverpool thrash Maribor 7-0 to boost hopes of progressing

Liverpool rampaged to their biggest away victory in Europe as they crushed Maribor 7-0 in Slovenia to move top of Champions League Group E.

The Merseysiders came into the contest on a run of just one win in their last eight matches in all competitions, but quelled the growing murmurs of their doubters with a clinical display of finishing that many of their supporters felt had been coming.

The Reds were three up inside 20 minutes as their front trio of Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah ran riot.

Salah, who has been a revelation since his big money summer move from Roma, added his second prior to the break before Firmino joined him in the two-goal club shortly after the restart.

Substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coolly tucked away his first for the club to ensure it would be a record-breaking night while Trent Alexander-Arnold's deflected strike rubbed salt in the home team's wounds at the death.

The result means Liverpool are first in the pool, level on five points with second-placed Spartak Moscow who stunned Sevilla.

The Merseysiders will now host Maribor at Anfield on November 1, knowing another victory would put them well on course to make the knockout stage for the first time since 2008-09.

Liverpool needed that. Jurgen Klopp had the last laugh in Slovenia after Liverpool's recent travails led a journalist to pose a pre-match question he summed up as suggesting he is a 'charismatic, funny loser'. The German has come under fire for his summer transfer policy and not having a 'plan B' in the past few weeks, but the reality is that Liverpool remain a side with real talent and great potential who can still have a strong season.

A clean sheet, plenty of goals, a record and a fine all-round display will do their confidence the world of good - but they won't get too carried away. A sterner test of their revival will come when they visit Tottenham this weekend.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool). The Egyptian's lightning pace has seen him make an instant impact at Anfield with eight goals from 13 outings so far. Maribor had no answer to his dangerous surges down the right as he linked up with Coutinho and Firmino for fun. The forward was replaced just before the hour, but by then the damage had been done.

MARIBOR: Handanovic 6, Milec 5, Rajcevic 5, Suler 5, Viler 5, Kabha 5, Vrhovec 5, Bohar 5, Ahmedi 5, Kramaric 5, Tavares 5. Subs: Hotic 5, Pihler 5, Mesanovic n/a.

LIVERPOOL: Karius 6, Alexander-Arnold 7, Matip 7, Lovren 6, Moreno 7, Milner 7, Wijnaldum 7, Can 8, Salah 9, Coutinho 9, Firmino 9. Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Sturridge 7, Solanke 6.

4' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-1 Liverpool. Firmino taps home from close range after Salah had pounced on a short pass and surged free down the right before putting it on a plate for the Brazilian.

13' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-2 Liverpool. Coutinho scuffs a volley into the corner of the net after a lovely move ended with Milner crossing from the right.

19' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-3 Liverpool. Salah makes it three with a clinical finish after a superb run and pass from Firmino sent the Egyptian clear inside the area.

40' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-4 Liverpool. Salah beats Firmino to the tap-in to easily convert Moreno's low cross to make it four.

54' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-5 Liverpool. It's five! Coutinho's free kick from the left flank is glanced into the far corner by Firmino.

86' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-6 Liverpool. Oxlade-Chamberlain races onto Sturridge's lovely pass to coolly stroke home his first the club.

90' GOAL! MK Maribor 0-7 Liverpool. It's seventh heaven! Alexander-Arnold sees his 25-yard strike deflect off a defender's arm and fly into the opposite corner.

Maribor 0-7 Liverpool is the biggest margin of victory for an English club away from home in the European Cup/Champions League.

Liverpool are the first English club to score four first half goals away from home in the Champions League.

Coutinho is the first Reds player to net in a fourth successive away game since Steven Gerrard did it in March 2014.