Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's
Champions League clash between Liverpool and
Spartak Moscow at Anfield!
It is still all to play for in Group E, with Liverpool, Sevilla and Spartak all vying for the two qualifying positions on this final matchday of the group stages. Liverpool need a win to secure top spot tonight, while only a win will do for Spartak to continue their involvement in the competition, which should hopefully make for an exciting and open game.
We will take a closer look at both clubs momentarily, but let's start by checking out the team news...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Gomez, Klavan, Lovren, Moreno; Can, Wijnaldum, Coutinho; Mane, Salah, Firmino
LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Milner, Henderson, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Solanke, Alexander-Arnold
SPARTAK MOSCOW STARTING XI: Selikhov; Eshchenko, Tasci, Bocchetti, Dzhikiya; Fernando, Glushakov; Zobnin, Adriano, Promes; Ze Luis
SPARTAK MOSCOW SUBS: Rebrov, Kutepov, Samedov, Melgarejo, Pasalic, Popov, Pedro Rocha
What can we make of those two teams, then?
Well, the first thing that jumps out for the Liverpool selection is the strength of the team picked by Jurgen Klopp tonight. He promised a strong team and he has certainly delivered, with the big-hitters of Coutinho, Mane, Salah and Firmino all starting together despite the Merseyside derby coming up on Sunday.
Klopp has rotated in the Premier League recently and was expected to withhold one or two of his star names again tonight, but he is taking no chances against Spartak here.
The star of the show for Liverpool right now is undoubtedly
Mohamed Salah, who has quickly established himself as a key member of the team - and an Anfield favourite - following his summer arrival from Roma.
Indeed, it would not be too far of a stretch to suggest that he is the club's best signing since Luis Suarez, and this season he has already scored more goals than any Liverpool player has managed in a single campaign since Suarez left the club off the back of the 31-goal campaign in 2013-14.
Salah has 17 goals in 22 outings across all competitions for the Reds, including 11 in his last 10.
© Offside
It is by no means a one-man attack for Liverpool, though, with Firmino and Mane more than playing their part in Salah's success - and the frightening prospect for opposition is that that front three has not played with each other as much as you might expect.
Firmino has been lacking on the goal front domestically compared to Salah - despite his brace against Brighton at the weekend - but he has scored five goals and created two more in his five Champions League appearances so far this season, with six of those seven goal contributions coming in the first half.
Of course, it is not just that attacking three which poses a threat for Liverpool, but
Philippe Coutinho in a slightly deeper role as well and the Brazilian - who has been repeatedly linked with a January exit from the club - showed his class again with a cheeky free kick under the wall against Brighton on Saturday.
Both Coutinho and Mane are on the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or incidentally, with that award being dished out tomorrow - although one suspects it will be another straight shootout between messrs Messi and Ronaldo.
Klopp was forced to play Can and Wijnaldum alongside Lovren in a makeshift back three at the weekend, but Ragnar Klavan has recovered from illness to start this match, while Joe Gomez is also back from a virus to replace Alexander-Arnold.
Indeed, there are five changes overall from the team that thrashed the Seagulls on Saturday, with Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Milner, Henderson and Robertson all making way this evening. There is just the one change from their last Champions League outing, though, as Emre Can comes in for captain Henderson.
Spartak, meanwhile, are able to welcome Georgi Dzhikiya back from suspension, restoring him straight back into the defence for tonight's match.
That is one of five changes the Russian outfit have made to their team from the last-gasp weekend win over Arsenal Tula, with Tasci, Fernando, Zobnin, Promes and Ze Luis all returning to the side in place of Kutepov, Melgarejo, Pasalic, Pedro Rocha and Samedov.
Fernando was Spartak's scorer when the two sides met in Moscow a few months ago, but the main attacking threat from the visitors this evening is likely to come from either Quincy Promes or Luiz Adriano.
Promes is the higher scoring of the duo as far as the Russian Premier League is concerned, netting eight times this season to Adrian's seven, but Adriano arrives at Anfield in really good form having scored four times in his last four domestic matches.
Promes will be a particularly familiar figure for Georginio Wijnaldum, who knows the attacker from Netherlands duty, and it is no surprise to see the winger restored to the starting XI after being rested on Friday.
Manager Massimo Carrera has made five changes to the side that were held to a draw by Maribor in their last Champions League outing, though, as the likes of Eshchenko, Bocchetti, Dzhikiya, Glushakov and Zobnin come into the team.
All of them will be relishing the chance of this trip to the hallowed turf of Anfield, but their task tonight is a very tough one as they have no choice other than to win if they are to book their place in the last 16 of this competition.
Victory would guarantee progress, but whether that is at the expense of Liverpool or Sevilla will depend on Sevilla's result against Maribor this evening. Spartak could even still finish top of the standings should they win and Sevilla fail to beat Maribor.
Liverpool's permutations are thankfully pretty straightforward too in that a draw will see them through to the knockout stages and victory would guarantee top spot. Indeed, should Sevilla fail to beat Maribor then a draw would also be enough to progress as Group E winners.
The minor complications start if Liverpool lose, as they would then be eliminated unless Sevilla also lose, as they would be below Spartak in a two-way head to head and third in a three-way head to head should they all finish on nine points.
Liverpool should be confident of picking up all three points tonight, though, but they have already learned the hard way in this competition that you cannot take anything for granted.
Jurgen Klopp's side should really have qualification wrapped up now, but they drew their opening two matches against Sevilla and Spartak when they really should have won and, after wins home and away against Maribor, then threw away a three-goal half-time lead against Sevilla in their last European outing.
Even so, the Reds remain in the driving seat for Group E and go into tonight's match in pretty good form having gone eight matches unbeaten across all competitions, winning six of those.
Indeed, from their last 14 outings Liverpool have lost just once - the 4-1 defeat to Tottenham in October - and their last 10 games have seen them plunder 33 goals. Klopp's side have scored three goals or more in seven of their last eight outings.
Liverpool's attack is certainly their strong point, with only PSG having scored more goals than the Reds in this season's competition, but Spartak will be hoping to get at their defensive weaknesses tonight - although their record at the back at Anfield is significantly better than it is on the road.
Just two of the 19 goals Liverpool have conceded in the Premier League this season - the joint-highest tally in the top seven and more than even bottom-club Swansea - have been let in here at Anfield.
In this competition Liverpool are now unbeaten in their last nine games, including qualifiers, dating back to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid in November 2014.
However, this is only their second appearance in the Champions League group stages for eight years, and they find themselves on the brink of the last 16 for the first time since 2008-09. Domestically it will once again be tough to seal a top-four place with such fierce competition around them, but having had a taste for this competition again they will not want to let it go now.
Liverpool are also unbeaten in their last 12 home outings across all competitions, including all 10 so far this season, winning six and drawing four of those.
As I alluded to earlier, their defensive strength here is impressive too, with the only goal they have conceded in their last five outings at Anfield being that freak Willian equaliser against Chelsea last month.
It has been something of a mixed bag at home in the Champions League this season, kicking off with a 2-2 draw against Sevilla which really should have been three points considering how the game went and following that up with a 3-0 triumph over Maribor - a comfortable win but nothing close to the 7-0 triumph they managed away from home.
Even so, you now have to go back 12 matches to October 2014 for Liverpool's last European defeat on home soil, which came at the hands of Real Madrid.
That is the task in front of Spartak, then, and it is one they have little choice but to throw themselves in to. It will be interesting to see how they approach this game - whether they try to defend deep and nick a goal via a set piece or on the counter, or whether they start on the front foot and look to get an early goal.
The stats suggest that they certainly won't park the bus and hope to nick a win, with Spartak boasting the best attack in the Russian Premier League but the worst defence in the top six and the fifth-worst in the entire division.
Spartak won their 22nd Russian Premier League title last season to return to the Champions League, but things haven't gone quite as well for them on the domestic front this time around and they currently sit fourth ahead of the long winter break.
Eight points separate Spartak from leaders and city rivals Lokomotiv Moscow, but they are just one point off the Champions League spots and would go into the three-month winter break in those places should they beat another city rivals CSKA - who lost to Manchester United last night - in Sunday's derby, which is their final game until March.
In the Champions League, simply being in with a chance of qualifying for the last 16 can be deemed as a success for Spartak Moscow, who have not made it into the last 16 since 2000-01 when they qualified for the second group stage, and have not made it into the knockout rounds since 1995-96.
Last season they failed to even qualify for a competition proper when they were beaten by AEK Larnaca in the Europa League qualifying round, so this has been a major success by their standards even if they do end up settling for third place.
Spartak have only won one of their five group games so far this season, though, and it was surprisingly a huge win against Sevilla too, coming out 5-1 winners in Moscow.
Indeed, the Russian outfit may feel that they could be in an even stronger position - perhaps even top of the group - at this stage, but for draws home and away against a Maribor side who have acted as the group whipping boys for the other two teams in the pool.
Spartak's troubles in this competition stretch back further than this season, though, with just one win from their last eight Champions League games and - looking even further back - only six wins from their last 40, a run which includes 26 defeats.
They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 15 Champions League games, and even including the Europa League they have won just one of their last 12 games in European competition.
You have to go back to December 2010 for Spartak's last away win in this competition when they beat Zilina 2-1, since when they have drawn two and lost six Champions League games on the road - including defeat to Sevilla and a draw with Maribor this season.
Indeed, in European competition as a whole it is 10 away games without a since since the Europa League last 16 in 2011, while they have lost no fewer than 22 of their last 28 matches on the road in the Champions League alone.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Anfield, which means that it is time for a prediction!
This should hopefully be an attacking game with both sides needing to win, although that would surely favour Liverpool and Spartak will be aware of that. If they try to take the game to Liverpool then the hosts could rack up a few goals, and considering they have little choice but to attack at home point, I'm going for a comfortable Liverpool win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Liverpool 3-0 Spartak Moscow
Before this season, these two sides had met on four previous occasions - home and away in the second round of the 1992-93 Cup Winners' Cup and again in the 2002-03 Champions League group stages.
They each won one of those in convincing fashion too, with Spartak running out 6-2 aggregate winners in their first ever tie - including a 2-0 win here at Anfield, whereas Liverpool won both games in the group stages 14 years ago by an aggregate score of 8-1.
Spartak's most recent visit here is one that they will not want to remember in a hurry, with Liverpool running out 5-0 winners in October 2002.
It wasn't as though it was a stellar cast of scorers either, with Heskey netting twice, either side of goals from Bruno Cheyrou, Sami Hyypia and Salif Diao. The current side boasts a lot more attacking threat than those scorers, so Spartak could be in for a long evening tonight.
Spartak have, however, won four of their previous nine visits to England, drawing one and losing four in that time as well - although the most recent of those victories came over Blackburn Rovers in 1995-96. Since then Spartak are winless in five, including all four of their defeats, most recently losing 4-1 to Chelsea in 2010-11.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last five home games against Russian opposition, meanwhile, but their solitary defeat in their six previous such matches came at the hands of Spartak in that 1992 Cup Winners' Cup tie.
The reverse fixture was the first draw between the two sides, meanwhile, with Coutinho cancelling out Fernando's opener in Moscow.
Right, the players are out and we're almost ready to get started at Anfield. A quick reminder of the team news before we get started...
LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Karius; Gomez, Klavan, Lovren, Moreno; Can, Wijnaldum, Coutinho; Mane, Salah, Firmino
SPARTAK MOSCOW STARTING XI: Selikhov; Eshchenko, Tasci, Bocchetti, Dzhikiya; Fernando, Glushakov; Zobnin, Adriano, Promes; Ze Luis
KICKOFF: Spartak Moscow get us underway at Anfield for what will hopefully be a firecracker of a game!
PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!
GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Spartak Moscow (Philippe Coutinho, penalty)
What a start for Liverpool! Captain-for-the-night Philippe Coutinho opens the scoring inside four minutes from the penalty spot, setting the Reds on course for the last 16 in double-quick time!
It was a bizarre challenge from the returning Dzhikiya in the box as he clumsily bundled into Salah inside the box before dragging him to ground for good measure, and the referee has no hesitation to point to the spot. Coutinho does the rest, sending the keeper the wrong way, and Liverpool lead.
YELLOW CARD! Dzhikiya was booked for that challenge too, and he has now been joined in the book by Can for a crunching challenge in midfield. Can will now be suspended for Liverpool's next match in this competition.
Better from CSKA as Ze Luis flicks the ball into the path of Promes on the edge of the box, but his effort is blocked behind for a corner.
UPDATE: More good news for Liverpool - and indeed Spartak - as Maribor have taken the lead against Sevilla in Slovenia.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid are ahead against Dortmund, Porto lead Monaco and Napoli scored the first goal of the night - before even Liverpool - away to Feyenoord.
CHANCE! Half a chance for Liverpool as a poor clearance only finds Coutinho, who lifts his pass over the defence for Mane. The angle is against Mane and he has men in the middle, but he chooses to go for goal himself and slams his effort into the side-netting.
Coutinho has taken a sore one here, with Tasci clattering into the Brazilian, who seemed to follow through with his arm. Only a free kick given by the ref, though.
Coutinho's goal was also Liverpool fastest ever at Anfield in the Champions League...
SAVE! Karius is called into action for the first time tonight, getting down well to keep out a low strike from Ze Luis.
SAVE! At the other end Coutinho looks to double his personal tally, taking a touch just outside the area before curling an effort towards the top corner which is comfortably saved.
GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Spartak Moscow (Philippe Coutinho)
Coutinho does have his second, and it is a lovely team goal which is finished off by the Brazilian!
All of the dangerous front four are involved as Mane slides a pass in to Salah, who in turn knocks it out to Firmino. Firmino could go for goal himself, but he instead lays it on a plate for Coutinho to stroke home. Like a hot knife through butter.
Liverpool will know all too well that this is not game over just yet - they have been stung before in this season's competition after all - but this has been a dream start for the host. It looks like there are more goals out there for them too.
GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Spartak Moscow (Roberto Firmino)
Alright, now it is game over. Spartak could be in for a battering here as Firmino makes it 3-0 inside 20 minutes with a composed finish with the outside of his foot.
Dzhikiya is again to blame as he loses the ball to Mane down the right, sending the winger clean through. Mane's cross is cut out, but the attempted clearance is poor and only falls to Firmino, who fires it into the far corner.
Liverpool come pouring forward again here, but if any Mane has too many options and this time tries to go for goal himself, seeing a deflected effort bounce wide.
Here is that Liverpool second, which is the pick of the bunch so far. We may have a hatful to choose from at the end of this match if it carries on like this, though...
UPDATE: Unlike last night, the goals are flying in in the first half this evening. Besiktas have taken the lead against RB Leipzig, Tottenham have broken the deadlock at home to APOEL and Cristiano Ronaldo has made history by becoming the first player to ever score in all six Champions League group games.
Good, and important, defending from Luiz Adriano of all people. He tracks all the way back to get a crucial toe to the ball before Coutinho, who ended up inadvertently kicking the Spartak man. Coutinho is now limping, but it looks like only an impact injury so he should be fine to continue.
SAVE! Liverpool are not content with three here. They are getting through this Spartak defence far too easily and, despite there being plenty of white shirts back there, Mane is still able to slide a pass into the feet of Salah, who works space to shot and forces a save from the keeper.
SHOT! Much better from Spartak as Liverpool are caught napping at the back, allowing Promes to turn into a good shooting position and seeing his deflected effort go a yard or so wide.
Another comfortable save for Karius to make from the resulting corner as Glushakov beats Salah before seeing another deflected effort gathered by the keeper.
UPDATE: Could Man City's winning streak be coming to an end this evening? They have fallen behind to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.
UPDATE: City's streak is in big trouble! Shakhtar have doubled their lead in Ukraine, while elsewhere Porto are also 2-0 up against Monaco and Feyenoord have levelled the scores against Napoli.
The possession has actually been shared 50-50 in this match so far, but Liverpool have dominated this game. They look capable of scoring every time they come forward, whereas Spartak are yet to really pose a serious threat.
SAVE! There is a semblance of a threat from the visitors as Promes collects a loose pass and cuts inside, but his strike is straight at Karius, who gathers it easily.
CHANCE! Liverpool burst right up the other end in the blink of an eye, with Firmino spinning away from his marker and giving the ball to Salah, who flicks it delightfully into path of Mane. Mane finds himself clean through on goal, but his finish is really poor as he blazes the ball well over the crossbar.
CHANCE! Yet another chance for Liverpool as Salah looks to get in on the act, spinning towards goal before cutting onto his left foot and curling an effort narrowly past the top corner.
Liverpool should be even further ahead in this match, but Klopp will still be delighted with what he has seen from his side tonight. Could he be considering some half-time changes with one eye on the derby now?
There is some concern for Moreno here, who looks to be in real pain after blocking a shot from Zobnin. Right now it doesn't look like he will be able to continue here.
Well, Moreno is going to try to battle on here. He is still not moving freely at all, but they will try to get him through to half time.
Moreno is really struggling here. He goes back down at the next stoppage in play, and that looks like it will be his evening over.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Sure enough there is the change as a teary Moreno is replaced by James Milner.
HALF TIME: Liverpool 3-0 Spartak Moscow
The referee brings an end to the first half at Anfield, and it has been a very satisfactory opening 45 minutes for Liverpool.
Many will be quick to bring up Liverpool's collapse from three goals up against Sevilla in their last Champions League outing, but surely that cannot happen again and the Reds look to be cruising to the last 16. It could well be significantly more than the three goals Liverpool have.
The Reds took the lead from the penalty spot after only four minutes, with Philippe Coutinho sending the keeper the wrong way after Salah had been dragged to ground inside the area.
It was really clumsy defending from the returning Dzhikiya as he bundled into Salah before pulling him to ground as a lofted ball was arriving into the box, gifting the Reds a perfect start to the game.
Liverpool and Coutinho had their second just over 10 minutes later, and the front four - who have ripped Spartak apart at times tonight - were all involved as Mane and Salah combined to give the ball out to Firmino.
Firmino could have gone for goal himself, but he instead laid the ball on a plate for Coutinho to stroke home his finish into the bottom corner, capping off a really slick team move.
The game was over as a contest inside 20 minutes when Liverpool added a quickfire third, with Firmino getting his own name on the scoresheet this time.
It was poor defending from the hosts as they first gave the ball away on the halfway line before failing to deal with Mane's subsequent cross into the box, and the ball dropped right at the feet of Firmino who found the far corner with a stylish outside-of-the-boot finish.
KICKOFF: Liverpool get us back underway at Anfield for the second half. Jurgen Klopp will want more of the same from his side. No changes at the break.
GOAL! Liverpool 4-0 Spartak Moscow (Sadio Mane)
Will Liverpool hold back in the second half. Not a chance. What a goal this is from Mane to make it 4-0 right at the start of this second half!
Milner got down the left flank and whipped a beauty of a cross into the middle, but Mane still has a lot to do. He is also falling over when going for the volley, but that doesn't stop him blasting a stunner past a helpless Selikhov. Brilliant finish.
SAVE! Promes has looked most likely for Spartak tonight, and he threatens again here having worked space to shoot just outside the area only to fire his effort straight at Karius.
GOAL! Liverpool 5-0 Spartak Moscow (Philippe Coutinho)
Liverpool are not letting up here! They have a quickfire second, and a fifth for the night as Coutinho completes his hat-trick.
Again Milner gets down the left before playing a ball into the box for Coutinho, whose snapshot finish takes a big deflection on its way past Selikhov.
SPARTAK MOSCOW SUB: The visitors made a change in the immediate aftermath of that goal, with Ze Luis being replaced by Lorenzo Melgarejo.
They may have left it until the final matchday to clinch qualification, but it has been a record-breaking performance in this group stage from Liverpool...
Here is that stunning volley from Mane in all its glory. Enjoy...
There is movement on the Liverpool bench now, which will be bittersweet for the home fans. They will want this front four to be in tip-top shape for the derby on Sunday, of course, but they won't want to see the end of this hammering.
SPARTAK SUB: Another change for the visitors here as Mario Pasalic replaces the hapless Dzhikiya.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Liverpool also make a change, but it isn't any of the front four who come off, rather Lovren being replaced by Joe Gomez.
SAVE! Salah so nearly joins his fellow attackers on the scoresheet with a brilliant turn on the edge of the box and a subsequent shot towards the bottom corner, but Selikhov gets a crucial fingertip to the ball.
YELLOW CARD! Fernando goes into the book for a sliding challenge on Milner.
We should give credit to Jurgen Klopp for his rotation policy in recent weeks. The Liverpool boss was questioned for resting the likes of Salah, Firmino, Coutinho and Mane in recent games, but they all seem to be firing on all cylinders now.
SHOT! Pasalic tries his luck from range after working space to shoot with a nice turn, but his powerful drive is always rising and never troubling Karius.
UPDATE: There have been plenty of goals elsewhere this evening too, with Porto now 401 up against Monaco, and Dortmund having coming from two goals down at the Bernabeu to level things up at 2-2 against Real Madrid.
Some of the intensity of Liverpool's play has just dipped a little, which is understandable considering the position they find themselves in with Everton to come on Sunday too. This match has been wrapped up for some time.
Less than 20 minutes remaining in this match now and, while Spartak would have been happy with the final whistle about 50 minutes ago, Liverpool won't want this game to end. They are enjoying themselves out there.
LIVERPOOL SUB: Firmino's performances sometimes go under the radar, but he has been brilliant tonight. He will not see the game out, though, as Daniel Sturridge replaces him.
CLOSE! Spartak are very close to pulling a goal back as Promes looks to pick out the far corner, but his curling effort goes a whisker wide. Indeed, it may have even clipped the post on its way behind.
SPARTAK SUB: That will be the last action for Promes, who is replaced by Samedov.
GOAL! Liverpool 6-0 Spartak Moscow (Sadio Mane)
This Liverpool attack is so devastating. Spartak lose the ball in midfield again, and within the blink of an eye the ball is in the back of their net.
Salah collects a pass before threading the ball through for Sturridge, who in turn puts it into the middle for Mane. The ball is actually behind Mane, but he does really well to stick out a leg and hook the ball home from close range.
Almost a glorious chance for a seventh as again Spartak give the ball away, but Salah is offside when Coutinho gives the ball to him!
SHOT! Melgarejo is the latest to try his luck for a consolation goal, but his powerful drive goes narrowly past the far post.
Liverpool want a second penalty here as Sturridge breaks in behind the defence and goes down under the challenge of the keeper. It looked like a messy one, but the referee waves away the claims!
Sturridge got the ball first there and there was definite contact from the keeper. At 0-0, that may well have been given.
CHANCE! Chance for a seventh as Mane plays a lovely ball in for Alexander-Arnold, who fires a firm low cross into the box. Sturridge gets there first, but it arrives to him too quickly and he can't control his finish.
GOAL! Liverpool 7-0 Spartak Moscow (Mohamed Salah)
Liverpool do have their seventh of the evening, and Mohamed Salah gets in on the act!
Again Milner is instrumental, nodding Can's lofted pass back across into the middle. Sturridge misses it, but Salah collects it, takes his time and then buries his finish into the top corner.
Another routine save for Karius to make as he collects a curling free kick from a tight angle at his near post.
FULL TIME: Liverpool 7-0 Spartak Moscow
Wow. Talk about sending a message ahead of the Merseyside derby on Sunday! Liverpool were in irresistible form this evening as they put Spartak Moscow to the sword in ruthless fashion, thrashing the Russian outfit 7-0 at Anfield.
Philippe Coutinho will take the match ball home courtesy of his first career hat-trick, but it was a stunning display from all of that front four and Salah's goal at the death means that they all got on the scoresheet too, with Mane helping himself to a brace.
That is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's exhibition from Liverpool as they rip Spartak Moscow to shreds in a 7-0 drubbing at Anfield, clinching top spot in Group E as a result. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
