Anfield was rocking as Liverpool tore through Qarabag with a 6-0 win in their final UEFA Champions League league stage game on January 28, 2026. Arne Slot’s team parked recent Premier League frustration to one side and put on a sharp, ruthless display.
The result locked up automatic passage to the round of 16, with Liverpool finishing third on 18 points. It was the kind of European night that reminded everyone what the Reds can do when they click.
Anfield Start Gives Liverpool Full Control
Liverpool set the pace early and never let go. In the 15th minute, Alexis Mac Allister broke the deadlock, powering a header home from a well-placed corner. Qarabag barely had time to settle, and the lead doubled six minutes later. Florian Wirtz met a crisp pass, then guided a cool finish beyond keeper Kochalski for his first Champions League goal for Liverpool since his move from Bayer Leverkusen.
The Reds took a 2-0 lead into halftime, and they came out with the same intent. In the 50th minute, Mohamed Salah ended his Liverpool scoring drought, dating back to early November, with a free-kick that bent over the wall and into the top corner.
Relentless Second Half Turns It Into a Rout
Liverpool kept the pressure on, and the goals kept coming. In the 57th minute, Hugo Ekitike surged forward from midfield and finished neatly to make it 4-0. Just four minutes later, Mac Allister struck again, prodding the ball in after a smart move to complete his brace and cap another strong display in midfield.
The last word arrived in stoppage time. Substitute Federico Chiesa took his chance and drilled the ball past the exposed Qarabag goalkeeper to seal a commanding 6-0 win. When the whistle went, the Anfield crowd rose to applaud, and the score matched the flow of the game. Liverpool created chance after chance and gave Qarabag almost nothing going forward.
Liverpool Team Overview
Slot’s lineup mixed proven leaders with younger legs, and it worked.
| Position | Player | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Alisson | Steady, clean sheet |
| Defenders | Frimpong (injured early), Gravenberch, Van Dijk, Robertson | Van Dijk drove play from the back |
| Midfielders | Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz | Mac Allister brace, Wirtz goal |
| Forwards | Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike | Salah’s free-kick, Ekitike’s finish |
| Substitutes | Chiesa (goal) | Scored late |
Set pieces caused problems, and Liverpool moved the ball quickly in transition, with Virgil van Dijk involved in several key phases.
Qarabag Overrun at Anfield
Qarabag worked hard but couldn’t live with Liverpool’s speed and quality. The Azerbaijani side still did enough across the group phase to claim a play-off place, but this match got away from them fast. They created little, and most of the night was spent defending wave after wave of attacks.
| Position | Player | Key Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Kochalski | Faced constant pressure, conceded six |
| Defenders | Silva, Mustafazade, Medina, Jafarguliyev | Struggled with Liverpool’s pace |
| Midfielders | Jankovic, Pedro Bicalho, Leandro Andrade, Montiel | Couldn’t keep the ball |
| Forwards | Zoubir (noted post-match) | Little influence |
Their back line was pulled apart repeatedly, and Kochalski was kept busy for the full 90 minutes.
A Big Night for Slot and Liverpool
This was a clear statement from Slot’s Liverpool, and it came at the right time. Slot praised the team’s focus and finishing after the match, while also pointing out the frustration of losing Jeremie Frimpong early to injury. With the round of 16 now secured, Liverpool can turn their attention to the knockout stage and try to carry this form forward.
Mac Allister, Wirtz, and Salah stood out, and Salah’s goal felt like a turning point for him. After a night like this, confidence in the squad should be high heading into the next round.
