Liverpool got back to winning ways in the Premier League with a third successive league win at Stoke. The Reds ran out 3-0 winners after Sadio Mane’s opener was followed by two more customary Mo Salah goals after the Egyptian had come on from the bench.
Stoke gave Liverpool something to think towards the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, but the Reds’ quality eventually shone through.
SIMON MIGNOLET – 5/10
He should’ve seen red for a stupid challenge on MameDiouf. That apart, he made some authoritative punches and largely dealt well with set-plays.
JOE GOMEZ – 7/10
Another solid outing for Gomez. He seemed to be in the right place at the right time and gave Choupo-Moting no joy. He even got forward a little more and put in the cross that led to Mane’s opener.
JOEL MATIP – 6/10
It was his error that led to Mignolet having to tackle Diouf in that contentious moment. But that aside, he dealt well with the threat of Peter Crouch.
DEJAN LOVREN – 6/10
Another uneventful game for Lovren, which means he did what he had to. And that is probably acceptable from him at this stage.
ALBERTO MORENO – 6/10
His positioning was woeful in the first half, and Stoke kept catching him out with the balls over the top. Tightened up considerably after half-time.
EMRE CAN – 6/10
Not a standout performance, but Can did well in the heart of midfield. He kept the ball moving and rode the pressure applied to him by Allen and Fletcher. Had a couple of nervy moments but in the end, all’s well that ends well.
GINI WIJNALDUM – 6/10
He slowed the game down a little too often in the first half, but a much better away performance from Wijnaldum.
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN – 6/10
Chamberlain was lively, but it was a performance large;y bereft of quality. It was a good battle between him and Erik Pieters, and more often than not, it was the Stoke man who came out on top. Was taken off immediately after an altercation with Bruno Martins Indi.
SADIO MANE – 8/10
For a man who looked like he was at 50% intensity, a goal, an assist and a missed sitter is not a bad night’s work. It was a brilliant burst of pace to pounce on the loose ball to set up Salah’s first goal that effectively killed off the game.
ROBERTO FIRMINO – 7/10
Yet again, no goal or assist but the engine of the team was well and truly in smooth flow. Needed a little more help with the pressing, but some of those touches were classy. He showed some neat link-up play with Solanke too.
DOMINIC SOLANKE – 7/10
He had a few very good touches of the ball in the first half. He got the assist for Mane’s opener, and then set up another chance for Mane to hit the post. He should have also scored with a chance of his own though. Very encouraging first Premier League start.
SUBSTITUTES
JAMES MILNER – 6/10
Milner came, Milner ran, and Milner ran a little more.
MOHAMED SALAH – 9/10
What more can you say about the King of Egypt? 25 minutes on the pitch, one smashing volley, one goal made by himself and two more goals to take him further away at the top of the Premier League goalscorers’ ranking.
JORDAN HENDERSON – N/A
He probably came on because Klopp had had enough of seeing Mignolet have the armband on.
