Liverpool 5-0 Huddersfield: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Reds Thrash Terriers to Go Top Once Again

Liverpool put the pressure back on Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title after they thrashed Huddersfield 5-0 on Friday night.

Taking on the league's bottom side at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp's men allayed any fears of complacency with a lightning-fast start. Straight from kickoff, the Reds' high-press saw Naby Keita pinch the ball off a dilly-dallying Huddersfield midfielder, before firing home from a return pass from Mohamed Salah after just 15 seconds. 

Sadio Mane then notched his 19th league goal of the season when he met Andrew Robertson's cross with a powerful downward header to make it 2-0, before Mohamed Salah's chipped finish saw the Reds go in at the break three to the good. 

Mane then made it four with his second headed goal of the game, before the Anfield crowd gave a rousing reception for the returning Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had been out for over a year with a knee injury.

Things then went from bad to worse for Huddersfield as Mohamed Salah tapped in from close range late on to make it 5-0, with the win taking the Reds back to the top of the Premier League for now. 

​Liverpool

Key Talking Point

After seeing Manchester City take all three points against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, it was imperative Jurgen Klopp's side set the right tone on Friday and make sure they did what was needed of them. And in remarkable fashion, the Reds opened the scoring within the first 15 seconds of the game, with any fears of complacency quickly brushed away.

​​​Liverpool were dangerous going forward at every moment and simply eased to victory against an already relegated Huddersfield, and perhaps more importantly, put the pressure back on City ahead of their clash against Burnley. 

With Roberto Firmino missing through injury, both ​Mane and Salah stepped up to ensure the Reds didn't miss the Brazilian striker, with the duo both moving on to 20 Premier League goals for the season. 

Whilst Guardiola's men may be in the driving seat for the moment, all the Reds can do is just keep winning their own games, and on a comfortable Friday night, they did just that. 

Player Ratings

Starting XI: Alisson (6); Alexander-Arnold (7), Lovren (6), Van Dijk (7), Robertson (8); Henderson (7), Wijnaldum (6), Keita (7); Salah (8*), Sturridge (6), Mane (8).

Substitutes: Shaqiri (6), Oxlade-Chamberlain (6), Gomez (N/A)

STAR MAN - Just how did ​Mohamed Salah miss out on the PFA Team of the Year? Possibly a victim of his own unbelievable success from last year, the Egyptian once again provided another reminder of his supreme talents with a wonderful chip over Jonas Lossl in the first half to net his 20th Premier League goal of the season. 

The former AS Roma star was electric on the counter for the Reds, and got his deserved second of the game when he tapped home from a cross from the superb Andrew Robertson. Salah's goals now mean he is the frontrunner for the Golden Boot with 21 strikes, and it would be no surprise to see him pick up that award for the second season in a row.  

Huddersfield

​Key Talking Point

With their relegation already confirmed a long while ago, the Huddersfield​ farewell tour never really looked like getting something from the game against a professional Liverpool side. Jan Siewert's men to their credit, huffed and puffed, and showed a rather admirable attacking intent, but were picked apart with relative ease at Anfield.

With two away games against Manchester United and Southampton to come, it is difficult to see the Terriers claiming anything out of those fixtures either, but if they can show the same level of desire as they did on Friday, then there is no doubt that they will be competitive in the Championship next season.

Player Ratings

​Starting XI: Lossl (6); Smith (6), Schindler (6), Kongolo (5), Durm (5); Stankovic (6), Hogg (6), Bacuna (7*), Mbenza (7), Grant (7); Mounie (6).

Substitutes: Lowe (6), Pritchard (N/A), Kachunga (N/A)

STAR MAN - Despite once again not scoring in the Premier League (their 19th without doing so), this was Huddersfield's more promising games going forward. 

The Terriers looked far more creative, and played with more belief, with no-one perhaps epitomising that more than Juninho Bacuna. The midfielder was willing to get forward and join up in the build-up play, and was direct with his running with the ball at every opportunity. Potentially a key figure in the side's attempt to get back to the top flight next year. 

​Looking Ahead 

With business taken care of in the Premier League, Liverpool return to Champions League action when they take on Barcelona in the semi-finals at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

Huddersfield meanwhile travel to Old Trafford to face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United next Sunday, with just two games remaining of their ​Premier League stay.