26 October 2023 , 20:52
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Liverpool's perfect start to their Europa League campaign continued as they beat Toulouse 5-1 at Anfield.
Having already defeated LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise, Liverpool swept aside Toulouse thanks to goals from Diogo Jota, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah. After Jota gave Jurgen Klopp's side the lead with an impressive solo effort, Thijs Dallinga drew Toulouse level after an excellent counter-attack.
However, Liverpool quickly hit back through Endo and Nunez to go into half-time 3-1 up, before Gravenberch and Salah wrapped up a deserved win in the second half to send the Reds five points clear at the top of their group. Here, Mirror Football looks at five talking points from Liverpool's victory.
Jota's stunning Europa League record
When Jota opened the scoring after just nine minutes with an excellent run and finish, the goal was the forward's eighth in Europa League football.
He has made just ten appearances in the competition for Wolves and Liverpool and only five of them have been starts. Jota netted two hat-tricks for Wolves as they reached the quarter-finals in 2020 and has now scored twice for Liverpool this season, with his goal against Toulouse particularly impressive.
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"It's a brilliant goal, such a good individual goal," former England striker Eni Aluko said on TNT Sports. "He's such a good player, we know what he can do in front of goal. He takes the ball, spins off with the first touch and he's away, a nice little nutmeg and the finish. He's so good in those tight areas, jinxes into that space and it was a great start for Liverpool."
Thijs Dallinga scores for Toulouse (James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)Toulouse exploit high line
Just seven minutes after Jota gave Liverpool the lead, Toulouse hit back through Dallinga as they looked to exploit the Reds' high line.
In an excellent counter-attacking move, Aron Donnum set Dallinga through on goal after Trent Alexander-Arnold played the Dutchman onside. Alexander-Arnold was too slow pushing up and Dallinga made the most of his opportunity, firing the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher.
Kelleher really should have done better in his attempt to save Dallinga's effort and the goalkeeper was lucky not to gift Toulouse another goal in the second half. After his pass was blocked and the ball was squared to Gabriel Suazo with the goal gaping, Alexander-Arnold spared Kelleher's blushes with a goal-line block.
Wataru Endo celebrates his first goal for Liverpool (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)Endo's first Liverpool goal
Of the four new midfielders Liverpool signed this summer, Endo was the least high-profile addition and he has taken a bit of time to get up to speed when compared to the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Endo has only started once in the Premier League so far, but has been a mainstay for Liverpool in the Europa League and netted his first goal for the Reds against Toulouse. After a well-worked move from a corner, Endo latched onto an excellent cross from Alexander-Arnold and produced a brilliant header to beat Guillaume Restes.
Aside from the goal, Endo looked assured in the centre of the park and helped Gravenberch in particular to flourish alongside him. His positioning and distribution was impressive and it was good to see him play 90 minutes for just the second time since signing.
Darwin Nunez is in brilliant form (James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)Nunez continues his excellent form
Since coming off the bench against Newcastle two months ago, Nunez has had nine goal involvements in ten games for Liverpool.
He scored two late goals that day against Newcastle to secure a remarkable comeback win and has been in excellent form ever since. Nunez looked particularly sharp against Toulouse and made it 3-1 in emphatic fashion after the ball fell to him in the penalty area and really should have scored at least once more.
"I absolutely love Darwin Nunez as a player," former Liverpool player Joe Cole said on TNT Sports. "The ball drops to Nunez after Jones tries the shot and he just lifts it - he doesn't try and smash it. He thoroughly deserves that because he's been fantastic so far."
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Ryan Gravenberch was outstanding for Liverpool (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Gravenberch impresses again
Much like Endo, Gravenberch has taken a while to get up to speed since joining Liverpool this summer due to a lack of minutes at former club Bayern Munich.
The 21-year-old only made his first Premier League start in last weekend's Merseyside derby win over Everton and he was particularly superb in the first-half of that game. Gravenberch then picked up where he left off against Toulouse, causing them problems throughout with his pinpoint passing and willingness to run at defenders.
He capped off another impressive display with a well-deserved goal, firing home after Nunez inexplicably hit the post following a brilliant individual run. "Gravenberch who has been absolutely outstanding tonight," former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis said on TNT Sports. "He has the presence of mind to follow it up, to be in the right place at the right time... and (it was) good composure."