Liverpool are currently taking on Maribor in the Champions League as they look to record their first win in the group stage.Jurgen Klopp’s side were held to draws in their opening two games by Sevilla and Spartak Moscow, despite dominating the chances in both matches.Liverpool’s inability to turn their superiority into three points has been an issue that hasn’t just appeared in Europe, but in the Premier League too.And yet any fears Klopp might have had about his team in front of goal were erased when Roberto Firmino opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the match.The Brazilian turned Mohamed Salah’s cross home from six yards out to give Liverpool an early lead in Slovenia.Just what Klopp wanted.
Liverpool cruised to a 3-0 lead
It got even better for the Reds when, in the 13th minute, Philippe Coutinho doubled the lead with a fine volley following James Milner’s cross.
It was 3-0 shortly after, Salah getting in on the act, pretty much securing all three points in the first half.
Firmino was refused entry
Liverpool’s talent shone through in the early stages of the contest, although the evening got off to a rather peculiar start for Firmino.
The forward was turned away from entering Maribor’s Ljudski vrt stadium after he forgot his ID.
Firmino had left his pass on the team bus and, rather sheepishly, returned to pick it up.
Watch the video below.
Just imagine if Firmino had given the assistant the ‘do you not know who I am?’ treatment…
What Klopp said before the match
Liverpool's start to the match made Klopp's comments before kick-off seem rather silly.
The German had heaped praise on Maribor, insisting they would give his side a challenge.
"I know what people are thinking," Klopp said in Monday's press conference, per Sky Sports. "Maribor is the place they [Liverpool] should rotate. No chance.
"It is the last place I would do things like this. Yes we will make maybe one or two changes but the first job is not to think the same thing as a lot of you think already and under-estimate the opponent.
"They have had nine Champions League games so far (including qualification rounds) and that is quality and mentality.
"We want to go to the next round and we know we now play Maribor twice. We have already wasted points even though the performances were good.
"We need to be good again and take the result, not think we have it already. We need to be strong and concentrated against a typically, top European team."