Defender Conor Bradley says Liverpool want to “win every trophy” possible for departing boss Jurgen Klopp after they thrashed Sparta Prague to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.
Already 5-1 ahead after a dominant first-leg showing in the Czech Republic, Darwin Nunez’s opener was the first of four goals in seven first-half minutes as the Reds overwhelmed their opponents.
And by full-time the hosts had run up their biggest aggregate win in a European competition for over four decades as they equalled the 11-2 success over Finnish side Oulun Palloseura in the first round of the European Cup 1980-81.
“He’s [Klopp] been the only manager I’ve known at this club, so for him to be leaving is sad,” the Northern Ireland full-back told TNT Sports.
“We just want to win every trophy we can for him and give him the best send-off we can.”
Liverpool are also second in the Premier League and face Manchester United in last eight of the FA Cup as they look to add more silverware following their Carabao Cup triumph in February.
Blistering start underpins emphatic win
Dominik Szoboszlai’s precise cut-back allowed Uruguay forward Nunez to start the rout, as he registered his ninth goal in 11 games, by guiding a low effort into the bottom right corner.
And some shambolic attempts to play out from the visitors the back only served to provide further momentum to Liverpool’s blistering start.
Teenager Bobby Clark, the son of former Newcastle midfielder Lee, was the first beneficiary, capping a fine first European start with his first senior goal just 68 seconds later, as he rolled the ball past visiting goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.
Mohamed Salah also capitalised to stroke in a third for Klopp’s side to bring up his 20th goal of the season and in the process become the first player in the club’s history to reach that mark in seven successive campaigns.
“Mo is just delivering and delivering and delivering, his desire doesn’t stop, his quality is there and his desire to score doesn’t stop,” Klopp said.
“He has improved in so many aspects since he started here. That’s how it is, he will not stop. In seven years together with him, the one problem we never had was consistency.”
Egypt international Salah turned provider with a near-post cross for Cody Gakpo for Liverpool’s fourth and while Sparta did briefly stem the tide, with Veljko Birmancevic outpacing Wataru Endo to steer the ball past home goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, the joyous celebrations in the away section were quickly cut short.
An otherwise dismal evening for the Czech champions continued after the break.
Szoboszlai’s deflected put the home side into double figures across the two legs and Gakpo’s improvised flick from substitute Harvey Elliott’s curling shot rounded off a comprehensive win for Liverpool.
Player of the match
van DijkVirgil van Dijk
with an average of 8.57
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Squad number4Player namevan Dijk
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Squad number8Player nameSzoboszlai
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Squad number26Player nameRobertson
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Squad number42Player nameClark
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Squad number19Player nameElliott
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Squad number9Player nameNúñez
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Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah
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Squad number3Player nameEndo
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Squad number84Player nameBradley
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Squad number18Player nameGakpo
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Squad number2Player nameGomez
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Squad number78Player nameQuansah
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Squad number21Player nameTsimikas
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Squad number62Player nameKelleher
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Squad number53Player nameMcConnell
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Squad number92Player nameMusialowski
Sparta Prague
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Squad number26Player nameVydra
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Squad number27Player namePanák
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Squad number14Player nameBirmancevic
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Squad number2Player namePreciado
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Squad number18Player nameSadílek
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Squad number11Player nameTuci
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Squad number1Player nameVindahl
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Squad number22Player nameHaraslín
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Squad number9Player nameKuchta
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Squad number20Player nameLaçi
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Squad number41Player nameVitík
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Squad number4Player nameSolbakken
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Squad number6Player nameKairinen
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Squad number30Player nameZeleny
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Squad number32Player nameRynes
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Squad number37Player nameKrejcí
Line-ups
Liverpool
Formation 4-3-3
- 62Kelleher
- 84Bradley
- 78QuansahBooked at 65minsSubstituted forvan Dijkat 66′minutes
- 2GomezSubstituted forTsimikasat 45′minutes
- 26Robertson
- 8Szoboszlai
- 3EndoSubstituted forMcConnellat 45′minutes
- 42ClarkSubstituted forMusialowskiat 73′minutes
- 11Salah
- 9NúñezSubstituted forElliottat 45′minutes
- 18Gakpo
Substitutes
- 4van Dijk
- 7Díaz
- 10Mac Allister
- 13Adrián
- 19Elliott
- 21Tsimikas
- 49Gordon
- 53McConnell
- 67Koumas
- 76Danns
- 92Musialowski
- 93Mrozek
Sparta Prague
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Vindahl
- 2Preciado
- 41Vitík
- 30Zeleny
- 37Krejcí
- 32RynesSubstituted forPanákat 45′minutes
- 4SolbakkenSubstituted forVydraat 75′minutes
- 6Kairinen
- 20LaçiSubstituted forSadílekat 58′minutes
- 14BirmancevicSubstituted forTuciat 66′minutes
- 9KuchtaSubstituted forHaraslínat 58′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Olatunji
- 10Karabec
- 11Tuci
- 18Sadílek
- 19Mejdr
- 22Haraslín
- 24Vorel
- 26Vydra
- 27Panák
- 28Wiesner
- 29Sevcík
- 44Surovcík
- Referee:
- Artur Manuel Soares Dias
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Liverpool 6, Sparta Prague 1.
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Second Half ends, Liverpool 6, Sparta Prague 1.
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Attempt blocked. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai.
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Offside, Liverpool. Cody Gakpo is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Lukás Haraslín (Sparta Prague) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Filip Panák.
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Mateusz Musialowski (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Martin Vitík (Sparta Prague).
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Peter Vindahl.
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Attempt saved. Harvey Elliott (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mateusz Musialowski.
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Attempt missed. James McConnell (Liverpool) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Virgil van Dijk.
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Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Peter Vindahl.
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Attempt saved. Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Harvey Elliott with a through ball.
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Offside, Sparta Prague. Lukás Sadílek is caught offside.
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Substitution, Sparta Prague. Patrik Vydra replaces Markus Solbakken.
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Foul by James McConnell (Liverpool).
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Lukás Haraslín (Sparta Prague) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Liverpool. Mateusz Musialowski replaces Bobby Clark because of an injury.
