” We just want to win every trophy we can for him and we want to give him the best send-off we can. “
Conor Bradley Northern Ireland full-back
Liverpool want to “win every trophy” possible for departing boss Jurgen Klopp after they thrashed Sparta Prague to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.
And they mean business with four goals in seven first-half minutes as the Reds overwhelmed their opponents.
Already 5-1 ahead after a dominant first-leg, and by full-time the hosts had run up their biggest aggregate win in a European competition for over four decades as they equalled the 11-2 success over Finnish side Oulun Palloseura in the first round of the European Cup 1980-81.
Four goals in seven first-half minutes
Liverpool got-off to a blistering start with four goals in seven minutes, starting with Dominik Szoboszlai’s precise cut-back allowed Uruguay forward Nunez by guiding a low effort into the bottom right corner.
Sparta Prague didn’t help themselves, with some shambolic attempts to play out from the visitors the back only served to provide further momentum to Liverpool’s blistering start. Something you can’t do at Anfield, even the great Man City team will testify to that.
Liverpool press is the best in the business
Teenager Bobby Clark, the son of former Newcastle midfielder Lee, after Liverpool’s press won the ball back just outside the area. The young boy did not hesitate and capped a fine first European start with his first senior goal just 68 seconds later, as he rolled the ball past visiting goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.
The Liverpool press is the best in the business, it is the ferocity and directness of the team, to win the ball back and score, which is overwhelming for so many opposition players.
Mohamed Salah also capitalised to stroke in a third for Klopp’s side to bring up his 20th goal of the season and in the process become the first player in the club’s history to reach that mark in seven successive campaigns.
Egypt international Salah turned provider with a near-post cross for Cody Gakpo for Liverpool’s fourth and while Sparta did briefly stem the tide, with Veljko Birmancevic outpacing Wataru Endo to steer the ball past home goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, the joyous celebrations in the away section were quickly cut short.
We want to give him the best send-off we can
An otherwise dismal evening for the Czech champions continued after the break. This Liverpool team are purring at the moment, they are making decent technical players look average or even below par. That is the Klopp factor.
Szoboszlai’s deflected put the home side into double figures across the two legs and Gakpo’s improvised flick from substitute Harvey Elliott’s curling shot rounded off a comprehensive win for Liverpool.
Everyone linked to Liverpool football club shares Connor Bradley’s sentiment ‘we want to give him the best send-off we can