Match ends, Liverpool 2, KRC Genk 1.
Liverpool 2-1 Genk: Reds go top of Champions League group with win
- From the section European Football
Champions League holders Liverpool collected another victory in their relentless campaign by sneaking past Genk at a subdued Anfield.
Jürgen Klopp's side lost to Napoli in their opening Group E game - their only loss in any competition this season - but have picked up three straight wins to move towards the knockout stages.
Georginio Wijnaldum stabbed into the roof of the net from close range after captain Sebastian Dewaest made a mess of clearing James Milner's low cross.
With the hosts failing to build on their 14th-minute lead, Genk's Tanzanian striker Mbwana Samatta powerfully headed in the equaliser at the near post from a corner five minutes before half-time.
But having scored twice in Belgium when Genk were beaten 4-1 on 23 October, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the match-winner early in the second half, spinning and converting a low strike into the bottom corner.
Liverpool move top of the group ahead of Serie A side Napoli, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Red Bull Salzburg.
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- From ball boy to facing Liverpool
Signs for Man City to exploit?
Liverpool ultimately edged this test against Genk but know their sternest challenge of the season will come on Sunday against Premier League champions Manchester City.
With that huge clash in mind, Klopp decided to rest some first-team regulars, including captain Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Andy Robertson.
Despite the victory, Liverpool's biggest concern will be a lack of clean sheets - now just one in their past nine games in all competitions - given that their defence provided such a solid base last season as they agonisingly missed out on the title to City, but became champions of Europe for the sixth time.
The Reds lacked their usual fluency and zip at times, and that seemed to permeate into the stands, as the usual fiery Anfield Champions League cauldron was lukewarm for large periods, sporadically bursting into life and after both goals.
The hosts dominated the ball with 72% possession and fired off 28 shots - with Mohamed Salah's low drive from an angle and curling effort both struck wide.
Divock Origi, who scored decisive goals in the semi-final and final for Liverpool last season, dragged a shot off target, while his low, skipping drive was pushed away by 21-year-old goalkeeper Gaetan Coucke at full stretch.
After Oxlade-Chamberlain had made it 2-1, Genk could have equalised for a second time late on, but Bryan Heynen's thumping effort was pushed away by Alisson, extending their run without a victory in the Champions League proper to 16 games - a competition record.
Fixtures piling up for Reds
The biggest talking point a couple of hours before kick-off was Liverpool's decision to play their Carabao Cup quarter-final at Aston Villa and Club World Cup semi-final in Qatar within 24 hours of each other, fielding two separate teams.
Klopp had previously ruled out this possibility but the club said in a statement that although it was "not an ideal scenario" the outcome was reached in "the best interests of the competition".
Liverpool have won 14, drawn three and lost only one of their games in all competitions this season, though that winning habit and squad depth will be severely examined after the international break.
That is the price they have to pay for success.
From 23 November to 2 January, the Reds face an arduous period of 12 games in 37 days across four competitions - the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup and Club World Cup - with an FA Cup third-round tie still to be determined in the first week of 2020.
That suggests there will be plenty more rotation. Of the six players brought into the starting line-up here, Oxlade-Chamberlain was on the scoresheet once more, Naby Keita worked hard in midfield beside him and Joe Gomez contributed four clearances and three interceptions at the back.
More of the same will be required from the fringe players over the coming months.
'We didn't finish our situations'
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp to BT Sport: "We didn't finish our situations in the way we could have done. We had a lot of shots and some really big chances that we usually use. We didn't do that and it kept the game open. That gave them a lot of energy.
"The players came through but you saw after a while it gets hard to get that rhythm and at the end of the game it was not there.
"We got a little bit of trouble but not really. It was job done. If we had scored two or three in the first half, nobody would have thought that couldn't have happened. But it went 1-1 and then it got tricky. Now we are all good."
Man of the match - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Leaky at the back - the best of the stats
- Liverpool remain unbeaten in their past 24 home matches in European competition (W18 D6 L0), since a 0-3 defeat against Real Madrid at Anfield, in October 2014.
- Genk have played more matches in the history of the European Cup/Champions League without winning than any other club (16 - W0 D8 L8),
- Liverpool have conceded in eight consecutive matches in all competitions, last going longer without a clean sheet between September and October 2014, under Brendan Rodgers (a run of nine).
- Salah has been directly involved in 68 goals in 59 appearances for Liverpool at Anfield across all competitions (50 goals and 18 assists).
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored four goals in his last four games for Liverpool, as many as in his previous 45 appearances for the Reds across all competitions.
- Three of Georginio Wijnaldum's past four goals for Liverpool have come in the Champions League at Anfield (also netting two against Barcelona in May).
What's next?
Liverpool host Premier League rivals Manchester City in a huge game at Anfield on Sunday, 10 November (16:30 GMT). They take on Napoli in their next Champions League game on 27 November, also at home.
Line-ups
Liverpool
- 1Alisson
- 66Alexander-Arnold
- 12Gomez
- 4van Dijk
- 7Milner
- 5Wijnaldum
- 3Fabinho
- 8KeitaSubstituted forRobertsonat 74'minutes
- 11Salah
- 15Oxlade-ChamberlainSubstituted forManéat 75'minutes
- 27OrigiSubstituted forFirminoat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Lovren
- 9Firmino
- 10Mané
- 13Adrián
- 20Lallana
- 26Robertson
- 48Jones
KRC Genk
- 28Coucke
- 46Cuesta
- 6Dewaest
- 33LucumíBooked at 22mins
- 31Maehle
- 17HrosovskySubstituted forBongonda Mbul'Ofeko Batomboat 85'minutes
- 25Berge
- 8Heynen
- 2de NorreBooked at 83minsSubstituted forOnuachuat 85'minutes
- 7ItoSubstituted forNdongalaat 68'minutes
- 10Samatta
Substitutes
- 4Wouters
- 18Onuachu
- 19Piotrowski
- 23Hagi
- 26Vandevoordt
- 27Bongonda Mbul'Ofeko Batombo
- 77Ndongala
- Referee:
- Ivan Kruzliak
- Attendance:
- 52,611
Match Stats
Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamKRC Genk
- Possession
- Home72%
- Away28%
- Shots
- Home27
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away3
- Corners
- Home9
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away4
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Liverpool 2, KRC Genk 1.
Attempt missed. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Roberto Firmino replaces Divock Origi.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Jhon Lucumí.
Attempt blocked. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum.
Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Sadio Mané.
Attempt missed. Dieumerci Ndongala (KRC Genk) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
Substitution
Substitution, KRC Genk. Paul Onuachu replaces Casper de Norre.
Substitution
Substitution, KRC Genk. Theo Bongonda replaces Patrik Hrosovsky.
Foul by Divock Origi (Liverpool).
Bryan Heynen (KRC Genk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Casper de Norre (KRC Genk) is shown the yellow card.
Joseph Gomez (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dieumerci Ndongala (KRC Genk).
Attempt missed. Casper de Norre (KRC Genk) header from the centre of the box is too high.
Attempt saved. Bryan Heynen (KRC Genk) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Casper de Norre.
Foul by Divock Origi (Liverpool).
Sebastian Dewaest (KRC Genk) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sadio Mané (Liverpool).
Patrik Hrosovsky (KRC Genk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Mbwana Samatta.
James Milner (Liverpool) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Carlos Cuesta (KRC Genk).
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Sadio Mané replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool. Andrew Robertson replaces Naby Keita.
Offside, KRC Genk. Sebastian Dewaest tries a through ball, but Casper de Norre is caught offside.
Foul by Naby Keita (Liverpool).
Joakim Maehle (KRC Genk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Substitution
Substitution, KRC Genk. Dieumerci Ndongala replaces Junya Ito.
Attempt missed. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by James Milner.
Attempt saved. Fabinho (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by James Milner with a cross.
Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Carlos Cuesta.
Attempt blocked. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Attempt blocked. Divock Origi (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Virgil van Dijk.
Attempt blocked. Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mohamed Salah.
Attempt saved. Sebastian Dewaest (KRC Genk) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bryan Heynen with a cross.
Foul by Joseph Gomez (Liverpool).
Junya Ito (KRC Genk) wins a free kick on the left wing.
