Match report and highlights as Liverpool tear Leeds apart, scoring twice in the first half and four after the break; Cody Gakpo opens the scoring, before Mo Salah and Diogo Jota both net impressive doubles; Darwin Nunez adds a sixth from the bench
Tuesday 18 April 2023 14:34, UK
Liverpool overcame their away-day troubles in impressive style to run out 6-1 winners over ailing Leeds at Elland Road, leaving the Yorkshire side in the thick of one of the most open relegation scraps in recent seasons with only seven league games remaining.
Jurgen Klopp's side, hoping to spark a late push for an unlikely top-four finish, had failed to score against a bottom-six team in their last six attempts, but there was no danger of history repeating itself after racing into a two-goal lead before the game's halfway point.
Doubles from Mo Salah and Diogo Jota helped them move within three points of sixth-placed Aston Villa, while Leeds remain just two points above the relegation places having shipped 11 goals in their past two home outings.
"I think it is the best game we played this season," manager Klopp told Sky Sports post-match. "We forced a lot of errors, scored sensational goals, counter-pressing-wise it was the best for, I want to say, decades."
There was an element of controversy about Liverpool's opener, with creator Trent Alexander-Arnold appearing to use an arm to control the ball in the preamble, but VAR declined to intervene as the full-back laid the ball on a plate for Cody Gakpo to tap home at the back post (35).
Operating in a hybrid midfield role, Alexander-Arnold enjoyed 153 touches of the ball across the 90 minutes - the second-most of any player all season. "Trent is providing quality. Watching him in this role, he's doing it perfectly. There is only Kevin de Bruyne who is better," Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher eulogised at full-time.
Salah, scoring his eighth goal in six appearances against Leeds, then collected Jota's incisive pass, using clever movement to escape the clutches of Pascal Struijk, before rifling emphatically beyond a helpless Illan Meslier (39).
Luis Sinisterra netted what turned out to be merely a consolation shortly after the interval (47), paving the way for a second-half Liverpool onslaught, spearheaded by the brilliance of Salah.
The Egyptian scored a majestic fourth (64) shortly after Jota netted his first goal in over a year (52), with the Portuguese forward adding an impressive second to his personal tally in the 73rd minute.
"It was a special second half, we played really well," Jota commented after breaking his 12 month goal drought. "We scored some great goals. It has been a hard season for me and the team so it is a relief for me to score."
The visitors wrapped up a stylish performance with a concluding goal in the final minute of normal time when Alexander-Arnold slipped in substitute Darwin Nunez, who finished neatly for his ninth Premier League strike of the campaign.
The victory was Liverpool's first in all competitions since they thumped Manchester United 7-0 in early March, but will serve as another damaging blow to Leeds' survival hopes after also conceding five on home turf against Crystal Palace eight days ago.
Only a second away win of 2023, but take nothing away from the efficiency of Liverpool's forward play as they swept a disconsolate Leeds side away with a masterful show of ruthless finishing.
Lowly Leeds had half-chances in the opening exchanges but ultimately repeated the same mistakes that led to a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Palace last time out, undone by individual mistakes and shoddy defending.
Once Gakpo put Liverpool in front they began to cut Leeds open at will, with Jota robbing Weston McKennie on the halfway line, which led to a counter-attack that saw Salah score the visitors' second.
A blunder from Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate allowed Sinisterra to momentarily reduce arrears but celebrations were short-lived as Jota restored the Reds' two-goal advantage five minutes later, latching onto a superb pass from Curtis Jones to sweep past Meslier.
As Elland Road emptied, Salah put the result beyond doubt when Andy Robertson's raid down the left found Gakpo well placed, and he helped the ball onto Salah, who curled his 15th league strike of the season into the far corner.
Not to be outdone, Jota's scuffed finish from Jordan Henderson's cross then rubber-stamped his return to form, having not scored in 32 appearances before tonight, while Nunez completed the rout by converting another instinctive Alexander-Arnold pass.
"The second half against Arsenal (when Liverpool came from behind to draw 2-2 with the leaders) was super important for all of us," Klopp added. "There are still eight games to come and we have to do what we did tonight again and again.
"I hope these one-and-a-half games gives us a right sign for the end of the season."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp:
"Best game we played this season, from many different aspects. Controlling the game, we caused a lot of mistakes from Leeds. Sensational goals. We counter-pressed the best we have for long ago.
"In the 92nd minute, we lose the ball and four players chase the ball. It was outstanding and exactly what we wanted.
"I can't explain why our counter-pressing has not been there as we've been asking for it but tonight it clicked. It actually clicked in the second half against Arsenal. The direction we had in that game was because we won balls back.
"Where will we end up, I don't know. But it will go on after the season. That's why we need all the results and performances to build on and understand, so we can build something new, something slightly different.
"I would like to see us with the same desire, passion and understanding that we showed tonight. It's our job to find that consistency."
Leeds manager Javi Gracia:
"Very disappointed because we didn't expect this result. It's something we have to work on. Conceding these mistakes, it's not easy to get good results. We need to improve as quick as possible.
"Maybe the first goal is coming through handball, but after that we conceded many chances. We didn't let ourselves compete again [after scoring].
"We felt like we could improve the game, but as I told you, after scoring we conceded another goal. It was impossible for us. We knew before these games, it's not easy to manage in these moments. We try to work and improve.
"It's hard. But I know there is only one way to achieve our objective - to stay together in good and bad moments."
Leeds face a trip to Fulham on Saturday April 22: kick-off 12.30pm. Meanwhile, Liverpool host Nottingham Forest, also on Saturday April 22; kick-off 3pm.
April 22: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
April 25: Leicester City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
April 30: Bournemouth (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm
May 7: Man City (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Newcastle (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: West Ham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Tottenham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
April 22: Nottingham Forest (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 26: West Ham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Tottenham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 6: Brentford (H) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Leicester (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Aston Villa (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Southampton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
