Liverpool on best Anfield run for 34 years following thrilling Salzburg win

Josh Thomas

Liverpool on best Anfield run for 34 years following thrilling Salzburg win image

Liverpool's dramatic 4-3 win over Salzburg in the Champions League has seen them record their best home form in over three decades. 

Jurgen Klopp's side have now won their past 12 matches at Anfield in all competiitons, which is their longest victory streak since 1985 when they claimed 18 consecutive wins. 

The Reds nearly failed to keep that streak alive on Wednesday as they let a three-goal lead slip before Mohamed Salah scored the winner in the 69th minute.

Prior to the Egyptian's decisive effort, Sadio Mane, Andrew Robertson and Salah had handed Liverpool a comfortable lead before Salzburg fought back as Hwang Hee-chan, Takumi Minamino and Erling Haaland set up an entertaining final half hour. 

The Austrian club's impressive attacking performance has seen them become just the fourth club to score three away goals at Anfield in the Champions League. Barcelona, Chelsea and Real Madrid are the only other teams to do so, but Salzburg are the only one that failed to win their game. 

Anfield has in fact seen 47 goals scored in the Champions League since the start of the 2017-18 season - more than any other venue. 

A key man behind that stat has been Reds striker Roberto Firmino, who is the only player during that period to have both scored and assisted 10 goals. The Brazilian claimed another two assists against Salzburg and created a game-high three chances. 

Fellow Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has also become a real asset in front of goal for Klopp's side and after scoring his 15th Champions League goal on Wednesday became just the sixth African player to do so. Achieving the feat in just 26 games, only Didier Drogba managed to score that many goals in fewer matches. 

Mane spent two years at Salzburg before moving to Southampton in 2014 and always knew Jesse Marsch's side wouldn't make it easy for the Reds. 

"Salzburg are a really good team and after we went 3-0 up it was a tough game to try and push - but we deserved the win," Mane told BT Sport post-match.

"To be honest, I knew how good Salzburg were as I was there for two and a half years.

"They never give up and push and they caused us problems, but finally we scored more goals."

Having lost their group opener against Napoli, Liverpool have gotten their Champions League campaign back on track and now sit second in Group E.

Josh Thomas