Liverpool delivered a dominant away performance to beat Marseille 3-0 at the Orange Vélodrome, boosting their hopes of securing a top-eight finish in the Champions League league phase. Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring with a clever free-kick, while an own goal and Cody Gakpo's late strike sealed a comfortable victory for Arne Slot's side in front of over 65,000 spectators.
Mohamed Salah made his return to the Liverpool starting lineup after helping Egypt reach fourth place at the Africa Cup of Nations, but it was Szoboszlai who stole the show with a moment of ingenuity just before halftime. The Hungarian midfielder surprised everyone by striking a low free-kick under the defensive wall, with the ball creeping past Leonardo Balerdi's jump and inside the post to give the Reds a crucial lead at the break.
Marseille pressed for an equalizer after the interval, but Liverpool's defensive organization held firm. The hosts' frustration grew as they struggled to create clear-cut chances against a disciplined visiting backline. The pressure eventually told in the 72nd minute when Liverpool extended their advantage through an unfortunate own goal.
Jeremie Frimpong's cross from the right flank deflected off goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli and into the net, doubling Liverpool's lead and effectively ending the contest. The Argentine shot-stopper could do little to prevent the ball from crossing the line as it ricocheted at an awkward angle off his body.
Cody Gakpo added gloss to the scoreline in the second minute of added time, firing home to complete a convincing 3-0 victory. The Dutch forward's goal secured only Liverpool's second win by three or more goals in an away Champions League match this season, following their 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 3.
The result lifts Liverpool to fourth place in the league phase standings, two points ahead of the team in ninth position as they look to secure automatic qualification to the knockout rounds. Slot's side will host Qarabag at Anfield in their final league phase fixture next week, knowing that a positive result would guarantee their passage without the need for playoff matches. For Marseille, their Champions League campaign continues to struggle as they remain outside the qualification places.
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