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Liverpool 's attacking trio helped themselves to four goals against a beleaguered Red Star Belgrade at Anfield .
Mo Salah scored his 50th goal for Liverpool and Roberto Firmino ended his goal drought but it was diminutive Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri who lit up proceedings.
The free-roaming midfielder opened up Red Star's defence to break the deadlock and his cute flick put Mo Salah clean through for the second.
All too often the Switzerland star seems to labour towards the end of games due to his stocky physique, however, it might just be that he won Jurgen Klopp's approval, who withdrew him on the 68th minute so he's fresh for when Liverpool host Cardiff on Saturday.
Check out our player ratings from the game:
Show all 22 1 /22Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Alisson - 6 Literally nothing to do for the Brazilian save-wise. The visitors failed to produce a shot on target. One excellent throw to spark a counter attack.
EPA
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6 Curiously tempestuous as the game ebbed to an inevitable close. Solid, if unspectacular, as much of Liverpool’s play came down the opposite side.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Joe Gomez - 7 Effective with the ball at his feet be it passing or running, Gomez stood out in that regard. Untested defensively.
Action Images via Reuters
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Virgil van Dijk - 7 Captained the side from the beginning for the first time. A quiet night, but excellent using the ball, as per usual.
AP
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Andrew Robertson - 7 On another night Robertson would have had a goal, and squandered a couple of chances to find a teammate or the net himself. A constant threat, however, and an assist for Firmino’s goal
EPA
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Fabinho - 8 Not the quality of opposition on which to judge the holding midfielder, but Fabinho was a standout against Red Star. Several crunching challenges and some classy passes. Married nicely with Wijnaldum.
AFP/Getty Images
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Georginio Wijnaldum - 7 Busy, and very accomplished on the ball. Fabinho and Wijnaldum looks like a potential long-term midfield partnership, and they worked well together in Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Xherdan Shaqiri - 8 An excellent showing. Shaqiri showed his range of passing, incisive qualities and ability to beat players. He’s becoming a difference maker for this Liverpool team.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Mohamed Salah - 7 Back in goalscoring form, Salah notched his 49th and 50th Liverpool goals. In truth, he could and perhaps should have had more on the night, but his play was otherwise superb.
PA
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Roberto Firmino - 7 Deployed as a true number 10, Firmino seemed to relish the role. The Brazilian always looked to play forward and took his goal nicely.
Getty Images
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Sadio Mane - 7 Mane would earn higher marks were it not for his penalty miss and another late mis-step in front of goal. Instrumental as Liverpool began to carve Red Star apart in the first half.
Getty Images
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Milan Borjan - 6 Entertaining performance, with a certain flair about his goalkeeping. Made the saves he had to and could do little about any of the goals. Magnificent save from Mane’s penalty
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Filip Stojkovic - 5 Unfortunate to have a soft penalty given against him. Andrew Robertson tore down his channel time and again.
AFP/Getty Images
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Milos Degenek - 6 Maybe Red Star’s best on the night. The Australian stood up and was counted on several occasions, making blocks, interceptions and heading the ball away with greater regularity than the rest of the visiting team.
Action Images via Reuters
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Srdan Babic - 5 Mohamed Salah seemed to get in behind Babic on numerous occasions. The centre-half also missed Red Star’s best chance, arriving well from a corner but failing to volley the ball on goal.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Marko Gobeljic - 5 Xherdan Shaqiri and Mohamed Salah had plenty of joy against the left side of the Red Star defence, and Gobeljic could do little to disrupt their partnership.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Branko Jovicic - 5 Showed some passion, drive and perhaps a little bit of a temper just prior to his substitution, which may have come just in time to prevent Jovicic being sent off. Bypassed otherwise.
Action Images via Reuters
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Lorenzo Ebecilio - 6 Substituted after 64 minutes. Perhaps Red Star’s liveliest individual as they came out relatively strongly, but faded after that.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings El Fardou Ben Nabouhane - 5 Nearly latched on to a fizzed cross in, but otherwise virtually anonymous.
EPA
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Nenad Krsticic - 5 Some good tackles in defensive midfield, but another who added little as Red Star failed to influence the game.
EPA
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Lorenzo Ebecilio Was overrun by Liverpool's dynamic midfield.
REUTERS
Liverpool vs Red Star – Champions League player ratings Richmond Boakye - 5 Completely isolated. A wild long-range shot that was still rising as it nestled in Row Z characterized a frustrating night.
Action Images via Reuters
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