Liverpool 7-0 Spartak Moscow: Rampant Reds Hit Seven to Secure Top Spot in Group E

Liverpool booked their place into the knockout stages of the Champions League in some style as they hit seven past a sorry Spartak Moscow side.

Three from Philippe Coutinho, two for Sadio Mane and a goal each from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah meant Liverpool qualified from Group E as winners, sending a warning to those teams still left in the competition. 

The Anfield crowd were in full voice on this crucial European night and were soon rewarded with a penalty inside four minutes, as Spartak Moscow's Georgi Dzhikiya was adjudged to have hauled down Mohamed Salah following a cross from Philippe Coutinho. 

The Brazilian, captain for the night, stepped up to calmly slot the penalty away to give the Reds a scoreline that would see them top Group E come the end of the night. 

Clive Brunskill/GettyImages

Jurgen Klopp's men now had their tails up after the early breakthrough, looking devastating every time they ventured into the visitors half, and were soon 2-0 up inside 15 minutes. Salah broke at pace to find Roberto Firmino inside the penalty area, who rolled the ball to his compatriot Coutinho to help himself to his second of the game.  

Two soon became three as Liverpool threatened to run riot. Sadio Mane stole the ball on halfway, before his cross eventually found Firmino, who elegantly stroked the ball home with the outside of his foot for a 3-0 lead, in what was a first 20 minutes of utter dominance from the Premier League side. 

The front four of Salah, Firmino, Coutinho and Mane were causing problems for the Russian side with every attack that Liverpool mustered, while Spartak Moscow, Quincy Promes aside, offered very little as an attacking threat in the first third of the game. 

Liverpool weren't content with the three, as Mane and Salah passed up their opportunities to rub salt into the already deep wounds with five minutes of the first half still to play, while a Ragnar Klavan block from a Ze Luis effort was as good as it got for the Russian side in the first half as the referee's whistle brought an end to the first period, with Liverpool halfway to securing top spot in Group E. 

Liverpool fans would be hoping for a professional job by their players in the second half and not suffer a repeat of their Sevilla capitulation 15 days ago, and their fears were put to rest by a spectacular fourth.

Substitute James Milner fizzed a ball from the left hand side, before Mane smashed his volley home in front of the Kop End for an emphatic 4-0 lead and their progress to the last 16 seemingly assured. 

Four became five moments later as Coutinho grabbed his third and his first ever hat trick for Liverpool, as his effort took a wicked deflection off Salvatore Bocchetti before finding its way past Alexander Selikhov, with Klopp's side intent on scoring more before the night was over. 

The Reds were now enjoying their football with the pressure well and truly alleviated from the final group match, with Liverpool's forwards in particular helping themselves to the space afforded to them, as Salah was denied a brilliant solo goal by a smart save from Selikhov. 

Spartak Moscow almost had a late consolation as Promes flashed his effort wide from the edge of the area, before Liverpool went up the other end to score their sixth. 

Salah broke for Liverpool who played in substitute Daniel Sturridge, before he unselfishly squared to Mane who managed to flick the ball in despite the pass being behind the Senegalese international for his second of the game and a 6-0 scoreline. 

PAUL ELLIS/GettyImages

There was even time for Salah to get in on the act, as Liverpool's top scorer this season controlled Milner's headed pass, before waiting to slot home Liverpool's seventh goal of an incredible performance under the lights at Anfield. 

And that was the final act of a quite spectacular game that secured Liverpool their place as group winners of Group E and will be in the pot for Monday's draw for the knockout stage.