Surely, Clive, Liverpool’s dynamic front three has the beating of aging former Premier League stalwarts? Benfica’s real threat comes from the crowd, intimation and the dark arts, says Ian Copestake. Keita and Alexander-Arnold now both test Vlachodimos in quick succession. Nunez counters and wants a free-kick on the edge of the box but nothing doing, to the crowd’s fury.
And now Salah *does* reach a wonderful Mane backheel, but Vlachodimos blocks at his near post. Benfica deal with the corner but don’t look so convincing at the back. Now Nunez crosses for Benfica and, although nobody is really on the end of it, Alexander-Arnold is almost caught out belatedly by Everton as he clears.
Luis Diaz, the ex-Porto player, gets some lusty early booing. Liverpool have started sparkily … but then Konate must be sharp to stop an ambitious Rafa Silva burst through. Liverpool are in yellow, Benfica in red. Klopp’s men kick us off and shoot left to right!
Keita and Salah link up nicely down the right. The Egyptian plays Keita in but the No 8 takes an extra step and the space around him was closed down. He still takes a shot but finds it blocked by Verthongen. Keita goes again for Liverpool with an fizzing effort on goal that is well saved by Vlachodimos.
Trent can’t quite wrap it around and in the end it’s simple again for the keeper. Liverpool hit on the attack with all three forwards surging up the pitch. Luis Diaz’s pass is overhit and slightly evades Mane but breaks for Salah but he just couldn’t quite get it right.
The Goal of Ibrahima Konate for Liverpool in video ! ??#SLBLIV #LFC ? pic.twitter.com/ZIlZgH5EWF
— Reds Report (@_RedsReport) April 5, 2022