Liverpool beat Genk 2-1 at Anfield last night, but with over 70% possession and 27 shots [UEFA], it should have been far more comprehensive.
Mo Salah missed a few chances to play a team-mate in on goal in the second-half, while there were plenty of blocked shots in the frantic penalty box in front of the Kop in the second 45.
But Genk’s boss Felice Mazzu, who masterminded his side to a 4-1 defeat to Liverpool at home two weeks ago, thinks he got the better of Jurgen Klopp tactically – thanks to a five-man defence utilised by both Sheffield United and Manchester United in recent weeks.
“In league games against Sheffield and Manchester United, we had noticed that Liverpool were struggling against a five-man defence, so we started the match with a similar plan,” Mazzu told Voetbal Primeur.
“We could have grabbed a point, (Bryan) Heynen and (Joakim) Maehle were close (to scoring). We played an intelligent match.”
It has to be said that Liverpool beat the Blades, Genk and were the dominant side v United at Old Trafford – so a wing-back formation is by no means our achilles heel!
Theoretically, it restricts the space our marauding fullbacks want to get into, but Trent Alexander-Arnold was still a constant threat last night – and James Milner (in place of Andy Robertson at left-back) – assisted Gini Wijnaldum’s opener.
Genk did better last night than they did at their own place, but we did actually rest half of the team.
If they exit the Champions League, we’re not sure they’ll be much of a threat in the Europa League, although they’re very unlikely to qualify for that anyway with Rb Salzburg third place on four points.