Final Thoughts: Liverpool bounce back with crucial Eintracht Frankfurt victory | OneFootball

Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 5 Liverpool – Champions League Postmortem

With Liverpool arriving on the back of four straight defeats, the need to avoid another loss—and the worst run in over seventy years—was paramount for the reigning Premier League champions. In a stadium brimming with energy and expectation, Arne Slot’s men delivered a night of redemption and reassurance, dismantling Eintracht Frankfurt with ruthless precision and renewed confidence.

The Starting Eleven

Liverpool XI

• GK – Giorgi Mamardashvili

• RB – Jeremie Frimpong

• CB – Ibrahima Konaté

• CB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

• LB – Andy Robertson

• CM – Curtis Jones

• CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

• RW – Florian Wirtz

• CF – Alexander Isak

• SS – Hugo Ekitike

• LW – Cody Gakpo

Substitutes

Conor Bradley ↔ Jeremie Frimpong (18’)

Federico Chiesa ↔ Alexander Isak (45’)

Joe Gomez ↔ Ibrahima Konaté (74’)

Mohamed Salah ↔ Cody Gakpo (74’)

Alexis Mac Allister ↔ Hugo Ekitike (74’)

Goals (Assisted by):

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 Liverpool – Rasmus Kristensen (Mario Götze) – 26’

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Liverpool – Hugo Ekitike (Andy Robertson) – 35’

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 Liverpool – Virgil van Dijk (Cody Gakpo) – 39’

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-3 Liverpool – Ibrahima Konaté (Dominik Szoboszlai) – 44’

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-4 Liverpool – Cody Gakpo (Florian Wirtz) – 66’

Eintracht Frankfurt 1-5 Liverpool – Dominik Szoboszlai (Florian Wirtz) – 70’

Match Statistics

• Possession – Eintracht Frankfurt 35% | Liverpool 65%

• XG – Eintracht Frankfurt 0.23 | Liverpool 3.26

• Total Shots – Eintracht Frankfurt 4 | Liverpool 18

• Fouls – Eintracht Frankfurt 4 | Liverpool 5

• Corners – Eintracht Frankfurt 2 | Liverpool 10

• Saves – Eintracht Frankfurt 9 | Liverpool 0

First Half

The entertainers of the Bundesliga lived up to their attacking reputations early on, taking the lead through Rasmus Kristensen’s well-placed strike. Yet that advantage merely woke a sleeping giant. Liverpool’s response was measured, structured, and emphatic.

Andy Robertson, reinstated to bring familiarity and leadership, delivered a delightful ball for Hugo Ekitike to level the score—his first major statement in Europe for the Reds. From there, the tone shifted. Set-piece dominance, composure, and authority took over as Virgil van Dijk and Ibou rolled back the years with two commanding headers before the break, assisted by an industrious Cody Gakpo and the ferocious Dominik Szoboszlai.

The half ended with Liverpool in full control, their tempo restored, and their swagger rediscovered.

Second Half

Liverpool began the second period with even greater urgency, moving the ball with precision and committing numbers forward. The midfield pairing of Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlaiorchestrated proceedings—Jones dictating rhythm and controlling transitions, while Szoboszlai drove forward relentlessly, linking with Florian Wirtz in devastating fashion.

The returning German playmaker was the evening’s standout performer. Florian Wirtz looked liberated on home soil, crafting two assists and pulling the strings between the lines with an artistry Liverpool fans had long anticipated.

Gakpo’s poacher’s finish extended the lead, before Szoboszlai’s thunderous strike from distance sealed a five-star display. Frankfurt’s resistance collapsed under Liverpool’s renewed hunger, as the Reds produced their most complete performance of the season.

Final Thoughts

This was a statement victory—clinical, composed, and cathartic. After weeks of disjointed displays and growing unease, Arne Slot’s Liverpool finally looked like a team aligned in purpose and execution.

Florian Wirtz dazzled with vision and creativity, Curtis Jones impressed with maturity and control, and Dominik Szoboszlai reminded Europe of his power and influence. The captain led, the defence held firm, and the attack found its rhythm again.

The hope, now, is that this wasn’t an anomaly—but the beginning of Liverpool’s return to order.

Man of the Match: Florian Wirtz (Liverpool FC)

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction: Eintracht Frankfurt 2 – 2 Liverpool

Full-Time Result: Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 5 Liverpool