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SportBook Service | Liverpool 7 Spartak Moscow 0: Philippe Coutinho marks first game as captain with a hat-trick as Reds coast through

 Philippe Coutinho bagged a hat-trick tonight as Liverpool thrashed Spartak Moscow

THE Fab Four ensured Englands famous five will remain in the Champions League.

Give Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho time and space and they will absolutely destroy you.

Philippe Coutinho bagged a hat-trick tonight as Liverpool thrashed Spartak MoscowCredit: EPA
Mohamed Salah was fouled in the box with less than five minutes on the clockCredit: AFP
It was a coolly taken penalty that Coutinho netted his first of the nightCredit: EPA

And last night, the Anfield poster boys delivered to take their club into the knockout stages for the first time in nine seasons, when they lost in the quarter-finals to Chelsea.

It is questionable how long all of the Premier Leagues teams remain in the knockout stages.

But for an unprecedented number of our clubs to reach the last 16, regardless of their opponents and ease of the groups, is a bloody good achievement.

Since Chelseas win over Bayern Munich in the final I 2012, the performances of English clubs in this competition have been an embarrassment when you consider the ridiculous sums spent on transfers and wages.

The Brazilian magician then made it 2-0 as Liverpool fired out of the blocksCredit: Reuters
Spartak Moscow simply had nothing to stop Philippe Coutinho from ripping them apartCredit: Reuters

Yet this season, there has been a shift in momentum. Football goes in cycles and we are surely approaching an era of some English success, even though Barcelona, PSG and Real Madrid will have other ideas.

Liverpool ended up winning Group E which was basically a strange set of teams with none of them able to defend properly, hence of string of really weird results.


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But Jurgen Klopps team were the ones who remained unbeaten - despite some odd performances as they were remarkably strong up front.

This was certainly proved in this battering of Spartak which brought their overall tally to 23, the most ever scored by an English team in the Champions League.

Roberto Firmino fired Liverpool into a 3-0 lead and we weren't even at half-time yetCredit: Reuters
Roberto Firmino decided he wanted to get in on the act in the first half tooCredit: Reuters

INTERACTIVE STATS - CLICK on the categories to find out how the teams fared

Whoever Liverpool face in the next round, the opponents will not fancy their chances against Salah, who has arguably been the best player in the Premier League this season.

Coutinho, who scored a hat-trick inside 50 minutes, is returning back to his best after ending his summer sulk after failing to land a move to Barcelona.

Centre-forward Firmino scores more goals than some give him credit for his third goal last night was a 12th of the season.

And Mane, although having slipped out of the team recently, remains a massive goal threat and remains incredibly important to Klopps offensive might.

But there was one negative for Liverpool tonight as Alberto Moreno picked up an injuryCredit: PA:Press Association
The Spanish full-back was in tears as he was replaced by James MilnerCredit: PA:Press Association

He illustrated this by hammering an awesome finish two minutes inside the second half while he also got the sixth.

The problem is Liverpools defence when they face anyone decent. But at least now, Klopp has January to maybe make one decent addition to the back four ahead of the knockout games in February.

Equally, in the short-term, they will go into Sundays Merseyside derby against Everton full of confidence as they look to wipe the smile off Sam Allardyces face at Everton.

Two weeks earlier, Liverpool - who also put seven past Maribor - led Sevilla by three goals after 30 minutes yet due to a display of brainless defending, ended up drawing.

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Sadio Mane forgot about his frustrations of late to fire a fourth for LiverpooCredit: PA:Empics Sport
The Senegalese international is mobbed by his team-mates for putting some gloss onto the scorelineCredit: PA:Empics Sport

INTERACTIVE LINE-UPSCLICK on a players number below to see their stats

But in a breathless and brilliant start, albeit helped by the Russians who appeared as though they had not seen much of Liverpools four key men this season, Liverpool nailed their spot in the last 16.

The fact Coutinho scored twice and Firmino after 19 minutes ensured that, even by Liverpools standards of putting their supporters through the wringer, there was not going to be a ridiculously-nervous second half.

Spartak had lost just once in their subsequent 12 games while Liverpool were unbeaten in eight matches since their massive kick up the backside, the 4-1 loss at Spurs on October 22.

Klopp admitted he wanted his team to attack from the start but even he would not have expected to see his team awarded a penalty after two minutes and 52 seconds.

The night was complete when Philippe Coutinho marked his first game as captain with a hat-trickCredit: AFP
Liverpool's world class player was quick to acknowledge the contribution of his team-matesCredit: EPA
The Liverpool crowd and his team-mates congratulated Philippe CoutinhoCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Coutinhos cross looked harmless but defender Georgi Dzhikiya lost the plot and put his arm around Salah who won the spot-kick.

Dzhikiya was handed a booking by Polish referee Pawel Sokolnicki for his stupid challenge and Coutinho who scored in the draw in Moscow sent keeper Aleksandr Selikhov the wrong way even though the Brazilian star was not even looking at the ball.

Can picked up a needless caution for a slightly high challenge on Luiz Adriano meaning he will miss the next game due to suspension but that minor blow had no effect on Liverpool humiliating Spartak.

Liverpools second goal was absolutely outstanding even though they made it look damn easy.

Sadio Mane had a game to remember too as he finished with two goalsCredit: Reuters

No-one bothered to close down Mane, he found Salah who delivered a first-time pass to an unmarked Firmino.

With Spartaks players expecting a shot, he slid the ball across to Coutinho who side-footed the ball into the corner.

Without even approaching the quarter stage of the match, Liverpool made it 3-0.

Hopeless Spartak once again lost possession. Manes cross hit the arm of Serdar Tasci and it fell to Firmino who used the outside of his boot to drill the ball past Selikhov.

Mohamed Salah made it an impressive 7-0 with his now-customary goalCredit: Getty Images - Getty
Mohamed Salah has proved a revelation this season since he joined Liverpool in the summerCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Substitute James Milner, who had replaced the injured Alberto Moreno just before the break, made an instant impression as Liverpool attacked the Kop, delivering a brilliant cross for Mane to deliver an even finer finish, the best of the game and one of the most powerful in these group stages.

Coutinho made it 5-0 with a less-than-spectacular effort, a deflected shot, while Salah combined with sub Daniel Sturridge for Mane to score from close range to complete another Liverpool goal-fest.

Salah then rounded off Spartak's humiliation to send Liverpool into seventh heaven.

In their last nine games, since losing to Tottenham, Liverpool have scored three or more goals on EIGHT occasions.

Whether Klopps mob win anything remains to be seen but his Fab Four are great entertainers.

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