NYON: A superb display from Liverpool’s ‘Fab Four’ saw Jurgen Klopp’s side blaze their way into the Champions League knockout phase with a 7-0 victory over Spartak Moscow.

English football has thus set a record by progressing all its five clubs to the knockout stage.

A first Reds hat-trick for Philippe Coutinho stole the show but the quality of all the goals – particularly Sadio Mane’s volley for the fourth – proved once again when this team click into gear they are irrepressible.

Needing only a draw to progress the Reds, who last time out blew a three-goal half-time lead to draw against Sevilla, left no room for doubt with the damage done by Coutinho (two) and Roberto Firmino inside 20 minutes.

Mane produced a superb volley and tumbling tap-in to sandwich Coutinho’s deflected shot for his treble – the first by a Liverpool player in the Champions League since Yossi Benayoun in 2007 – before top scorer Mohamed Salah scored his 18th of the season late on.

Finishing as Group E winners meant avoiding the likes of Paris Saint-Germain – the only team to outscore them in the pool stage – Barcelona and Roma.

Manchester City slumped to their first defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in their final Group F game.

First-half goals from Brazilian pair Bernard and Ismaily stunned Pep Guardiola’s side on a freezing night at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv, with Sergio Aguero’s injury-time penalty too late to affect the outcome.

The result mattered little for City, with top place in the group already assured, but the tame end to their dazzling 20-game winning streak was hardly the ideal preparation for this weekend’s Manchester derby.

For Shakhtar the win prompted jubilant celebrations, with a place in the last 16 now secured. Their supporters can now look forward to seeing coach Paulo Fonseca fulfil a promise to wear a Zorro mask to a press conference if they qualified.

Fernando Llorente and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou scored their first goals for Tottenham goal as Spurs strolled into the last 16 by beating APOEL Nicosia.

Llorente had gone 16 games without hitting the net since his summer switch from Swansea but the 32-year-old scored one before setting up a second for Son Heung-min. Nkoudou completed the 3-0 rout late on.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men had secured first place in Group H regardless of this result and they now go through with a spring in their step, after collecting 16 points from a possible 18 in a pool that included Real Madrid who took second spot after beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in SpaIn with Cristiano Ronaldo back on target.

Ronaldo thus set a record for scoring in every Champions League group game. Dortmund took third place and a spot in the Europa League while APOEL finished bottom of the standings.

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nd-up from Wednesday’s action in the Champions League as A round-up from Tuesday’s action in the Champions League as Liverpool topped their group after thrashing Spartak Moscow 7-0.
A scintillating display of football from Liverpool’s ‘Fab Four’ saw Jurgen Klopp’s side blaze their way into the Champions League knockout phase with a 7-0 victory over Spartak Moscow.
A first Reds hat-trick for Philippe Coutinho stole the show but the quality of all the goals – particularly Sadio Mane’s volley for the fourth – proved once again when this team click into gear they are irrepressible.
Needing only a draw to progress the Reds, who last time out blew a three-goal half-time lead to draw against Sevilla, left no room for doubt with the damage done by Coutinho (two) and Roberto Firmino inside 20 minutes.
Mane produced a superb volley and tumbling tap-in to sandwich Coutinho’s deflected shot for his treble – the first by a Liverpool player in the Champions League since Yossi Benayoun in 2007 – before top scorer Mohamed Salah scored his 18th of the season late on.
Finishing as Group E winners means avoiding the likes of Paris St Germain – the only team to outscore them in the pool stage – Barcelona and Roma.
Philippe Coutinho scored a hat-trick at AnfieldPhilippe Coutinho scored a hat-trick at AnfieldManchester City slumped to their first defeat of the season with a 2-1 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in their final Group F game.
First-half goals from Brazilian pair Bernard and Ismaily stunned Pep Guardiola’s side on a freezing night at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv, with Sergio Aguero’s injury-time penalty too late to affect the outcome.
The result mattered little for City, with top place in the group already assured, but the tame end to their dazzling 20-game winning streak was hardly the ideal preparation for this weekend’s Manchester derby.
For Shakhtar the win prompted jubilant celebrations, with a place in the last 16 now secured. Their supporters can now look forward to seeing coach Paulo Fonseca fulfil a promise to wear a Zorro mask to a press conference if they qualified.
Shakhtar brought an end to Man City’s unbeaten runShakhtar brought an end to Man City’s unbeaten runFernando Llorente and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou scored their first goals for Tottenham goal as Spurs strolled into the last 16 by beating Apoel Nicosia.
Llorente had gone 16 games without hitting the net since his summer switch from Swansea but the 32-year-old scored one before setting up a second for Son Heung-min. Nkoudou completed the 3-0 rout late on.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men had secured first place in Group H regardless of this result and they now go through with a spring in their step, after collecting 16 points from a possible 18 in a pool that included Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
Defeat for Apoel means they finish bottom of the standings, while Dortmund take third and a spot in the Europa League.
Tottenham celebrate their opener against ApoelTottenham celebrate their opener against ApoelRelated links
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