Liverpool 2 FC Midtjylland 0 – Reds labour to a 2-0 win against rookies Midtjylland Updated for April 2024

Updated: 13 September

UEFA Champions' League Group D – Anfield – Tuesday, 28 October 2020 – Matchday 2 of 6 report

Liverpool 2 FC Midtjylland 0

Liverpool added two more points to move to the top in their Champions' League campaign as they laboured to a 2-0 win over minions FC Midtjylland  at Anfield on Tuesday night.

The Reds' win was overshadowed by the injury to Fabinho when the Brazilian pulled a hamstring with just half-an-hour of the game gone.

Fabinho was seen slumping to the ground and had to be replaced by the inexperienced 19-year-old Rhys Williams, who came on as a last-minute substitute in the 0-1 away win over Ajax last week.

Given the lowly caliber of their opponents, Jurgen Klopp left out the front trio of Roberto Firmino, Salah and Sadio Mane and started with Diogo Jota, Takumi Minamino and David Origi upfront.

But no breakthrough came as the game surprisingly went into halftime at 0-0.

In fact, Midtjylland could have gone ahead early in the game but for Alisson's save from Anders Dreyer following a ball over the top.

Midtjylland who were thrashed 0-4 by Italian side Atalanta in their Group opener, almost made Liverpool pay for the lackadaisical display when substitute Evander fired just wide before Anders Dreyer went even closer late on.

This was after Salah and Sadio Mane being introduced by Klopp on the stroke of the hour.

Salah eventually doubled the hosts' lead only in stoppage-time courtesy of a penalty after he was brought down by Paulinho inside the area.

Albeit unconvincing, the Reds are off to a good start having earned six points from their two wins so far but with Van Dijk set to miss the majority of the season, Fabinho and Joel Matip unsure to return to defensive duties soon.

Klopp will be a worried man ahead of the a tough outing against Atalanta away in Italy next week.

Liverpool starting XI:

Alisson (goal), Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Fabinho, Robertson, Milner, Henderson, Shaqiri, Minamino, Origi, Jota.

Subs: Rhys Williams, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Firmino.

Midtjylland starting XI:

Andersen (goal), Andersson, Sviatchenko, Scholz, Paulinho, Onyeka, Cajuste, Dreyer, Sisto, Mabil, Kaba.

Subs: Anderson, Evander, Kraev, Pfeiffer

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