Jurgen Klopp speaks: “First and foremost the most important thing is the result,” says Liverpool’s manager in an interview with BT Sport. It is a massive one away at Porto. Winning, and the way we won, makes it better.
“It was good in lots of moments. We could see Porto watched our last game at Brentford. They started direct. I wanted to get it sorted on the pitch and that’s what we did step-by-step.
“We scored maybe not the most amazing goals but important ones in the first half. In the second-half we controlled the game. Porto had massive problems. One centre-half out with a red card and the other, Pepe, not being able to play before the game.
“We played wonderful football between the lines, we lost the ball in a situation we should not have. Defensively we played a super game. Goals happen so I am not too concerned. I am happy that Diogo Jota didn’t score, he keeps the goals for games we need them. We did not need his goals in the end tonight.
“It was a really good night for us. After the international break we play Atletico [Madrid] so we will see what the boys coming back are like. It is a good start.”
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Match report: Porto 1-5 Liverpool
Champions League: Mo Salah and his second half replacement Roberto Firmino were both on the double at the Estadio Dragao on a night to forget for Porto generally and their goalkeeper Diogo Costa in particular. Andy Hunter was there for the Guardian and this is how he saw the action unfold ...
Elsewhere in the Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Manchester City 2-0 in the French capital, while Moldovan “minnows” Sheriff Tiraspol have stunned Real Madrid by beating them at the Bernabeu.
Jordan Henderson speaks: “It’s definitely not job done because there’s another four games to play and it is a very difficult group,” says Liverpool’s captain, when it’s put to him that Liverpool have as good as qualified for the knockout staghes already. “We’ve had two very good performances. It’s a good start but far from over.
“We’ll be a little bit disappointed to concede a goal having been so dominant throughout the game. At the same time I thought our overall performance was very good. We scored some brilliant goals so we’ve got to be pleased.”
On Curtis Jones: “Curtis has been fantastic. I know on paper he’s young but he’s been around the first team for a few years now and I feel as though he’s settled in really well, he’s matured really well and now you’re starting to see what a good player he is over the past few weeks. He’s had to be a little bit patient but he’s come in and he’s done fantastically well. You can see he’s got all the attributes to be a top player.”
Curtis Jones: It’s a big season for the young Liverpool midfielder, who has been given the responsibility of filling Gini Wijnaldum’s big boots following the Dutchman’s move to PSG. He showed no signs of being over-awed by the responsibility this evening and played an integral part in four of Liverpool’s five goals. Diogo Costa chipped in with three assists for Liverpool but won’t be as pleased with his contribution seeing as he plays in goal for Porto.
Elsewhere in Group B: Luis Suarez has just scored a late, late, late winner from the penalty spot for Atletico Madrid against AC Milan. In the seventh minute of added time, he tried a panenka and made a mess of it but the ball went in anyway. Lucky boy! Liverpool lead Group B with six points, two points ahead of Atletico Madrid. Milan are third with three points while Porto whip them in with just one.
Full time: Porto 1-5 Liverpool
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over at the Estadio Dragao, where Porto have been walloped by Liverpool for the third time in a row. Liverpool were rampant against a side who offered little and were helped in no small part by a truly dreadful performance from Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who gifted them three goals.
Mo Salah and his replacement Roberto Firmino bagged a brace each, while Sadio helped himself to one. Liverpool have six points from two games and are in the Group B box-seat after two games.
89 min: Liverpool have now scored 14 goals in their past three games away to Porto, conceding just two in the process. Elsewhere in this group, it’s AC Milan 1-1 Atletico Madrid – which will be a decent result for the English side if it stays that way.
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88 min: Liverpool substitution: Divock Origi on for Diogo Jota. A local lad, he’ll be gutted he didn’t score tonight, having missed several decent opportunities on his old stomping ground.
84 min: Let’s go back to Firmino’s first goal, in which Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa played a decidedly comedic role. Curtis Jones, who has been involved in all five goals, played a long ball into the left channel for Firmino to chase. Haring out of his box, Costa got nowhere near the ball and Firmino sent it rolling goalwards from at least 30 yards. The goalkeeper chased it and seemed to claw it away from his line with a despairing lunge, but it had gone in. The goalkeeper has had an absolute shocker tonight.
GOAL! Porto 1-5 Liverpool (Firmino 82)
After a long, long consultation with his German Video Assistant Referee, Sergei Karasev blows his whistle and points to the spot.
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82 min: Curtis Jones shot from distance and his effort was blocked. Firmino pounced on the loose ball, fired home from close range and the flag went up. Was he offside? It’s tight. There’s also a possible penalty for a Cardoso handball from Jones’s original shot.
80 min: Firminho is denied a second goal by the linesman’s flag but we’re going to have a VAR consultation.
GOAL! porto 1-4 Liverpool (Firmino 77)
Another howler from Diogo Costa in the Porto goal allows Roberto Firmino to roll the ball home 30 or more yards out. Except the goalkeeper wasn’t anywhere near his goal, he was caught in no man’s land well outside his penalty area as he came for a long ball he had no business trying to claim. With Costa sprinting in hot pursuit, the ball trundles over the line before the hapless keeper can keep it out with a despairing dive.
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76 min: Liverpool substitution just before the Porto goal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on for Jordan Henderson.
GOAL! Porto 1-3 Liverpool (Taremi 75)
Hmmmm. Taremi scores with an excellent near post bullet-header, getting in front of Joe Gomez to convert a fizzing cross from Vieira. He picks the ball out of the net, jogs back to the centre-circle and places it on the spot.
71 min: Liverpool continue to dominate possession inside the final 20 minutes, with the three points safely in the bag. With a game to come against Manchester City on Sunday, they couldn’t have asked for an easier game tonight. They’ve now scored three goals in six consecutive games.
69 min: Porto substitution: Pepe (not that one) on for Sergio Oliveira. This particular Pepe is a winger who joined from Brazilian club Gremio in July.
67 min: Liverpool triple-substitution: Joe Gomez, Bobby Firmino and Takumi Minamino on for James Milner, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.
65 min: Tarmei plays the ball wide to Corona, whose cross to the back post is dealt with by the very capable James Milner.
63 min: Now Robertson does much the same, getting to the byline and pulling the ball back to Jota. He shoots wide when he really should have hit the target, if not scored. He’s missed a few good chances tonight, has Mr Jota.
62 min: Luis Diaz drives forward, gets in behind the Liverpool defence and pulls the ball back to Vitinha, whose low drive isn’t good enough to beat Alisson.
GOAL! Porto 0-3 Liverpool (Salah 60)
Liverpool attack in another wave and the move ends with an unmarked Mo Salah passing the ball past Costa and into the net after having it played into his path by the hugely impressive Curtis Jones.
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58 min: Liverpool are absolutely mullering Porto in this second half and only their own poor finishing is keeping the score down. Mane sends a very inviting cross in from the left but there’s no one on hand to convert.
57 min: Porto double-substitution: Wendell and Vitinha on for Zaidu and Uribe. Yes, that Vitinha. The one who had a spell on loan at Wolves.
54 min: Van Dijk hoofs the ball long in behind the Porto defence. Diogo Jota latches on to it and shoots straight at Costa from 20 yards.
51 min: An awful defensive header by Corona drops kindly for Diogo Jota a couple of feet in front of Porto goalkeeper Costa. Instead of hitting it first time with his left foot, the Liverpool striker takes a touch and allows Costa to get himself in a position to block the shot when the trigger is eventually pulled.
49 min: On the overlap, Robertson runs on to a pass from Sadio Mane and brings a smart save out of Diogo Costa with his first time diagonal drive.
48 min: Luis Diaz goes down looking for a free-kick after a “challenge” from Fabinho but doesn’t get one. KLnowing he wasn’t going to get the ball the Brazilian had pulled out of the tackle and there was zero contact. Good refereeing.
47 min: Fabio Vieira attempts to drill a cross into the Liverpool penalty area from the right but Virgil van Dijk is on hand to intercept and clear.
Second half: Porto 0-2 Liverpool
46 min: Porto get the second half under way, having brought on Marco Grujic for Toni Martinez. There are no changes in personnel for Liverpool ... yet.
Elsewhere in Group B: It’s AC Milan 1-0 Atletico Madrid at the San Siro.
And in League One: Sunderland are 3-0 up against Cheltenham Town in the game all of Europe is talking about. With Wigan losing against Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland are top of the table in running.
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Corrections and clarifications: It was James Milner, not Andy Robertson who curled the low ball into the path of Mane for Liverpool’s second goal after Curtis Jones had performed heroics to keep it in play. Porto’s defenders stood like statues, perhaps working on the assumption their goalkeeper might come to claim the ball, allowing the ball to make its way to Sadio Mane, for the tap-in.
Half-time: Porto 0-2 Liverpool
Peep! Liverpool look home and hosed already with 45 minutes to go. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane were both quick to take advantage of some very unconvincing goalkeeping to put them two up at half-time. Porto have offered very little while struggling badly to get a foothold in the game. They look beaten already.
GOAL! Porto 0-2 Liverpool (Mane 45)
Andy Robertson curls a low cross in from the right flank, Costa could scarcely have been more indecisive and the ball arcs into the path of Sadio Mane, who sweeps it home from close range.
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44 min: Liverpool attack down the left flank again, with Curtis Jones on the ball ... oh, hold on.
42 min: Mane is chopped down on the edge of the Porto penalty area by the striker Toni Martinez. Free-kick for Liverpool, almost in line with the left edge of the penalty area. Jordan Henderson tries to curl the ball into the top right-hand corner and it’s a fine effort. Diogo Costa saves brilliantly, tipping the ball over the bar.
40 min: Liverpool work the ball from left-to-right, with Henderson picking out Salah. He cuts inside and tries to get the ball on to his left foot but is unable to get a decent shot off.
38 min: A very weak shot towards the far corner from Luis Diaz is saved easily by Alisson after a rare period of sustained pressure from Porto.
36 min: Liverpool are attacking in waves and could very well finish this match as a contest before half-time. Their final balls are letting them down at key moments and on this occasion Jota’s failure to thread a ball accurately into the path of Mane lets Porto off the hook.
34 min: Meanwhile back at the match I’m actually supposed to be watching, Liverpool are in complete control and playing very well indeed. Another sweeping move finishes when Jota plays the ball wide to Milner on the inside right but his cross/shot is gathered easily by Diogo Costa in the Porto goal.
31 min: I’m keeping half an eye on PSG v Manchester City, where Bernardo Silva has just been responsible for one of the most astonishing misses in front of an open goal that I have ever seen. Check it out if you get a chance – I suspect it will be all over social media.
29 min: Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane combine down the left and the Senegalese international tries to drill a low cross towards Diogo Jota. It’s intercepted and the ball is put out for a corner. Nothing comes of it.
28 min: Porto were struggling to lay a glove on Liverpool before the opening goal and have looked incredibly deflated since it went in.
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26 min: Diogo Jota tries to shoot on the turn when the ball is pulled his way in the Porto penalty area but his effort is blocked. He has another go and his effort is tipped over the bar by his namesake Diogo Costa.
24 min: Jordan Hendserson appeals in vain for a penalty after the ball is walloped against the upper arm of Porto defender Ivan Marcano. He doesn’t get one and it’s the correct decision.
22 min: Meanwhile at the San Siro, AC Milan have taken a first-half Group B lead against Atletico Madrid. Rafael Leao with the goal there.
19 min: Mo Salah is gifted a goal by Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who parried a low drive from Jones on to the legs of his teammate Zaidu. It cannoned into the path of Salah, who prodded it home from three or four yards out. A tip of the hat to Jones, who cut in from the left before unleashing his shot. It was poor goalkeeping from Costa, who should have parried the ball far away from any Liverpool poachers.
GOAL! Porto 0-1 Liverpool (Salah 18)
Liverpool lead after Salah bundles the ball home following good work from Curtis Jones.
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16 min: Mateus Uribe tries a low, first time pile-driver from distance after the ball is cleared his way from a Luis Diaz cross. It’s blocked.
15 min: Fabio Cardoso, who is making his debut for Porto tonight in place of Pepe, goes down holding his face after an airborne collision with Sadio Mane. He’s fine.
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13 min: Porto corner. Liverpool clear at the near post. Having lost Pepe in the warm-up, Porto are now bringing off Otavio, who appears to have torn a hamstring and is now cutting a very forlorn figure on the bench. He’s replaced in midfield by Fabio Vieira.
12 min: Sergio Conceicao is looking very animated on the Porto bench and it looks like he might be preparing a substitute already. One of his troops out on the field must have shipped an early knock.
11 min: Liverpool win a throw-in down by the corner flag, the ball going out off Zaidu. Nothing comes of it.
9 min: Sadio Mane tries to tee up Jordan Henderson with a pull-back to the edge of the Porto penalty area but rushes his pass, which goes astray. Porto set off on the counter.
7 min: Luis Diaz takes the first shot of the game for Porto from distance. It takes a slight deflection off Virgil van Dijk’sd heel which lessens the velocity and Alisson gets down to save comfortably.
6 min: Liverpool are having the better of things in these very early stages but have yet to create anything in the way of a goalscoring opportiunity. Porto are struggling to get the ball out of their own half.
5 min: Good defending from Zaidu, who dives low to head an Andy Robertson cross towards the far post out for a throw-in, as Mo Salah lurked behind him with menacing intent.
4 min: Joel Matip beats Mehdi Teremi in the air to send a long ball from Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa back into the the opposition half.
3 min: Joel Matip plays a long diagonal towards Mane in the corner but the ball’s put out for a Liverpool throw-in by Jesus Corona.
1 min: Virgil van Dijk tries to send Andy Robertson on his way down the left wing but sends a long ball out of play.
Porto v Liverpool is go ...
1 min: The players take a knee before kick-off and Liverpool get the ball rolling.
A late change for Porto: A major injury doubt before the game, Pepe was selected but didn’t make it through the warm-up and has been replaced by Fabio Cardoso in the starting line-up.
Not long now: Referee Sergei Karasev and his linesmen lead the players out on to the pitch, with the players of Liverpool wearing black armbands as a tribute to their World Cup-winning former striker Roger Hunt, whose death was announced today.
Group B: Elsewhere in this group, AC Milan host an out-of-sorts Atletico Madrid at the San Siro tonight, so we’ll be keeping an eye on the score there.
More pre-match chat: “Regarding retirement and never watching a CL group game again, you raise an interesting point,” writes Espen Bommen. “As a Liverpool fan I’m obviously going to watch their games. As most football fans would probably watch PSG v Man City today because it’s a big game.
“Problem with that game though is it really doesn’t matter. No matter the result we all know those are the two teams that will go through from that group. And maybe with the exception of Liverpool group, we pretty much know, as soon as the draw is made, who will go through and who will not, so group games are mostly meaningless.
“Then again, look on the bright side. By the time you retire the Super League will be here so football will be saved and there will be no more boring group games right? Right??” Hmmm. For anyone who is interested – and you’d need to be seriously incurious not to be – you can not watch PSG v Manchester City with Scott Murray here ...
Champions League results: Group C: Ajax 2-0 Besiktas, Group D: Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0 Inter.
An email: “As a diversion from the inevitable progression of the Super Leaguers to the knockout stages you could surreptitiously substitute an MBM of Sunderland v. Cheltenham for this match, which is sure to be at least as entertaining,” writes Chad Saunders. More entertaining, Chad. And far more important.
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Tonight’s early kick-offs: It’s scoreless between Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter in a reasonably entertaining game at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, where Inter striker Edin Dzeko was hauled off not too long into the second half after a fairly underwhelming display.
Meanwhile in Amstardam, Ajax lead Turkish side Besiktas 2-0 with 10 minutes to go. Steven Berghuis and Sebastien Haller got the goals there and it’s heartwarming to see Ajax remembered to register Haller for European competition this season.
Another email: “I’m debating going out and grabbing a couple of beers to watch this match,” writes Paul. “On the one hand it will make it more enjoyable, on the other hand it’s Tuesday. What do you think?” Working on the assumption that you’re over 18 years of age and not in recovery, I’d say go for it.
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An email: “The best part of being a football-loving retiree here in the Midwest is the ability to watch midday, midweek Champions League matches from the comfort of my couch with the company of a glass of wine,” writes Joe Pearson in Indianapolis. “Had to get a Paramount+ subscription to see them in English, but it’s worth it.”
It’s boring old orange cordial and sparkling water for me, Joe. And I have to say that one of the benefits of retirement I’m looking forward to is never having to watch Champions League group games again.
As a fan of a team who has never played in the European Cup and is unlikely to trouble the group stages any time soon, the lack of meaningful jeopardy means I find it difficult to get particularly revved up for the early stages of this competition, which doesn’t really get going until February in my book.
For all that, they do throw up some entertaining ding-dongs, even if football finance ensures that apart from the odd exception, the “haves” invariably progress at the expense of the comparative “have nots” after all the group games have been concluded. Here’s hoping we get served up a treat tonight.
Porto v Liverpool line-ups
FC Porto: Diogo Costa, Corona, Kleper Pepe, Marcano, Sanusi, Otavio, Sergio Oliveira, Uribe, Diaz, Taremi, Martinez.
Subs: Marchesin, Fabio Cardoso, Francisco Conceicao, Eduardo Pepe, Grujic, Manafa, Vitinha, Wendell, Joao Mario, Bruno Costa, Evanilson, Vieira.
Liverpool: Alisson, Milner, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Fabinho, Henderson, Salah, Jota, Mane.
Subs: Konate, Keita, Firmino, Gomez, Adrian, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Tsimikas, Origi, Phillips, Kelleher, Williams.
Team news: It looks like James Milner will start at right-back for Liverpool, while Andy Robertson gets the nod ahead of Kostas Tsimikas at left-back. Curtis Jones starts in a midfield three alongside Fabinho and Jordan Henderson. Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane are up front. Pepe has been passed fit for Porto and will captain the side.
Roger Hunt: The World Cup-winner and former Liverpool striker, two times a league champion with the club, has died aged 83.
Jurgen Klopp speaks: “Porto have had players coming out and in but have the same manager,” said Liverpool’s manager in his pre-match press conference. “It’s not an advantage to have won the last two games there. We think about this game and they have different opportunities to set up and we have to prepare for that.
“We don’t count on points we don’t have already, it’s a tough group so we should not waste time to get points. Atletico versus Porto was a tough one and if someone deserved to win it, it was Porto, so that says a lot.”
Tonight’s match officials
- Referee: Sergei Karasev
- Assistant referees: Igor Demeshko and Maksim Gavrilin
- Fourth official: Vladimir Moskalev
- Video Assistant Referee: Bastian Dankert
Early team news
Sergio Concaiceo must plan without centre-half Chancel Mbemba, who is suspended following the red card waved in his general direction two weeks ago in Madrid. Pantomime villain Pepe is also a doubt.
For Liverpool, midfielder Harvey Elliott remains sidelined for the foreseeable future, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago Alcantara also miss this game. Either Neco Williams or James Milner are expected to deputise for Alexander-Arnold, although Joe Gomez also has experience playing at right-back.
With a Premier League game against Manchester City looming on the horizon, Jurgen Klopp could rest some of his more experienced players.
Champions League: Porto v Liverpool
The Estadio de Dragao is the venue for tonight’s Group B game between Porto and Liverpool. The hosts were perhaps a mite unlucky to only draw their opening game against Atletico Madrid, while Liverpool got off to a flier with their 3-2 win over AC Milan at Anfield.
This particular Portuguese patch has been a happy hunting ground for them in the past – they are unbeaten in four visits and won their past two games away to Porto by an aggregate score of 9-1. Kick-off is at 8pm but stay tunded in the meantime for team news and build-up.
