A dominating performance from Liverpool against a shallow Toulouse side puts Liverpool one step closer to the next round of the Europa League. It was a night filled with goals and top performances, which created a stage for celebration at Anfield. Liverpool scored five goals past the Toulouse goalkeeper, with Toulouse having a single goal on their hands. Final result Liverpool 5 – 1 Toulouse.
Liverpool with a quick start to the game
Liverpool went straight into attack from the first minute of the game, laying immense pressure on the Toulouse players. The French side was unable to cope with pressure for long as the scorecard went 1-0 for Liverpool with just 9 minutes into the game. Diogo Jota made a sensational dribble into the Toulouse penalty box and took the shot giving no chance for the defenders to attempt for a block.
Toulouse created their best moment in the game shortly as they equalized the score seven minutes after Liverpool’s opener. Thijs Dallinga, the 23-year-old Dane with a moment of inspiration took on the Liverpool defense to make things level.
Five-star performance from Liverpool
The goals came in a flurry since the equalizer from Thijs Dallinga. Liverpool took the lead once again as Wataru Endo slotted the ball inside the goal with a thumping header. Alexander-Arnold provided a peach of a cross into the box, allowing Endo to score his first goal in a Liverpool shirt. The score did not remain idle for much long, as four minutes after Endo’s goal, Darwin Nunez released a thunderbolt into the back of the net giving absolutely no chance for the goalkeeper. A deflected shot from Curtis Jones fell into the path of the Uruguayan striker’s path, who took a touch before hammering the ball into the top corner.
The first half ended with Liverpool leading 3-1. Toulouse hoped to get back into the game in the second half, but a rejuvenated Ryan Gravenberch shattered their dreams. It got even worse for the French side when the star man of Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, who came in as a substitute scored in the 93rd minute of the game.
Top-notch from Ryan Gravenberch
A scintillating display from Gravenberch, who has found his love for football again at his new club. Gravenberch was given the Man of the Match award for his performance against Toulouse. The Dutchman was fantastic with his excellent run-ins and passes. Toulouse players found it difficult to deal with the energy and dynamism of Ryan Gravenberch. The summer signing from German champions Bayern Munich for a reported fee of $43.4 million, might soon prove to be a bargain for the Reds. The 21-year-old scored in the game, giving Liverpool a strong lead. Jurgen Klopp in a post-match interview was full of praise for the player and believes that Gravenberch has the potential to improve his game.
What’s next for Liverpool and Toulouse?
Liverpool will change their attention to the Premier League as they face Nottingham Forest in their next match at Anfield. Then they will head to The Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth in the round of 16 of the EFL cup. They will face Luton Town in the Premier League before heading to France to face Toulouse again in the Europa League.
As for Toulouse, they face Montpellier and Le Havre in Ligue 1 before hosting Liverpool in the Europa League. Toulouse sits third in the league behind Union Saint-Gilloise with 4 points in three games. The home match against Liverpool would be crucial in their Europa League campaign.
Goal scorers: Liverpool vs Toulouse
- Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
- Thijs Dallinga (Toulouse)
- Wataru Endo (Liverpool)
- Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
- Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool, Man of the Match)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
