Mo Salah and Sadio Mane were on target as Liverpool put their Premier League struggles to one side and booked their spot in the last eight of the Champions League with a 2-0 win against RB Leipzig in Budapest.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were playing the home leg of the tie at the Puskas Arena in Hungary due to COVID travel restrictions but never looked like needing the Anfield factor in Europe as they eased to a 4-0 victory on aggregate.
Liverpool looked lively throughout the first half but could not find a way past their former stopper, Peter Gulacsi who produced a string of fine saves to deny Diogo Jota and Salah. Leipzig’s best opportunity fell to Dani Olmo but he couldn’t find a way past Alisson.
The German outfit hit the bar through Alexander Sorloth in the second half before the Merseysiders finally made the breakthrough when Salah claimed his 25th goal of the season 20 minutes from time.
The Reds then put the seal on their progress when Mane arrived on cue to touch home substitute Divock Origi’s cross four minutes later. It was their 100th goal in the competition under Klopp.
Liverpool will now turn their attention to their fight to get back into the top four race when they visit Wolves on Monday. Leipzig host Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
