Liverpool 2-0 FC Midtjylland: Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah score in Reds win

Liverpool moved two points clear at the top of Group D with victory over Champions League rookies FC Midtjylland on a night their defensive problems mounted with the loss of Fabinho to injury.

Starting without influential forwards Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, Liverpool failed to register an attempt on target in the first half.

They broke the deadlock after Trent Alexander-Arnold played a neat one-two with Xherdan Shaqiri, the former teeing-up Diogo Jota to tap home in front of an empty Kop.

Midtjylland went close to equalising after a clever shot on-the-turn by Brazilian substitute Evander.

In the end, Liverpool finished with Salah, Mane and Firmino on the pitch, Salah doubling the lead with a stoppage-time penalty after the Egypt forward was brought down by Paulinho.

With group rivals Atalanta and Ajax drawing 2-2 in Italy, Liverpool have six points from two games, two more than second-placed Atalanta, who they visit next Tuesday.

• How two rivals merged to upset the odds - the story of Midtjylland

Liverpool labour to three points

This was Liverpool's first game since August 2015 that none of their famed front three started, yet the Reds failed to manage a single first-half shot on target for the first time in 51 home games.

Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino and Xherdan Shaqiri all struggled to make an impact during a flat home performance as Jurgen Klopp looked to rest Mane, Salah and Firmino during a hectic run of fixtures.

Instead, the Liverpool boss was forced to send all three on to ensure Liverpool sealed the points.

The loss of Fabinho is a big worry with the Brazilian having performed well in Van Dijk's absence.

Liverpool's number three pulled up off the ball and slumped to the ground before being replaced by 19-year-old Rhys Williams, who came on as an 89th-minute substitute in the 1-0 win away to Ajax last week.

With Van Dijk set to miss the majority of the season and games coming thick and fast, Klopp will be hoping Fabinho's injury is not serious particularly as Joel Matip is also out injured.

Rookies give Reds a scare

Danish champions Midtjylland were only formed in 1999 and are playing in their first Champions League group campaign.

Having been beaten 4-0 at home to Atalanta last week, they put up a much better fight against the six-time champions of Europe.

One of European football's feel-good stories, Midtjylland almost took a shock early lead only for Alisson to save Liverpool's blushes to keep out former Brighton player Anders Dreyer following a ball over the top.

Moments before Salah doubled the lead in stoppage time Dreyer went close to equalising, going past Gomez but dinking over Alisson and into the side-netting.

Assist king - the best of the stats

• Since his Liverpool debut in October 2016, Trent Alexander-Arnold has registered 35 assists in all competitions, with no Premier League defender managing more in that time.
• Midtjylland became the 17th team to play their first ever Champions League away game against an English side - with all 17 failing to win and 15 losing.
• Courtesy of his first Champions League goal since December 2016 (for Porto v Leicester), Diogo Jota has now scored in three of his four appearances for Liverpool at Anfield in all competitions.
• Excluding qualifiers, Midtjylland have lost eight of their 10 away games in European competition (W1 D1).
• Mohamed Salah has been involved in 10 goals in 10 Champions League group stage games at Anfield (9 goals, 1 assist).

What's next?

Liverpool are back in action at Anfield on Saturday when West Ham are the visitors (17:30 GMT).

Player of the match

Alexander-ArnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold

with an average of 7.68

• LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool
• FC MidtjyllandFC MidtjyllandFC Midtjylland

Liverpool

Avg

1. Squad number66Player nameAlexander-Arnold

   Average rating

   7.68
2. Squad number20Player nameDiogo Jota

   Average rating

   7.33
3. Squad number46Player nameR Williams

   Average rating

   7.13
4. Squad number1Player nameAlisson

   Average rating

   6.98
5. Squad number11Player nameMohamed Salah

   Average rating

   6.85
6. Squad number26Player nameRobertson

   Average rating

   6.72
7. Squad number23Player nameShaqiri

   Average rating

   6.51
8. Squad number12Player nameGomez

   Average rating

   6.37
9. Squad number7Player nameMilner

   Average rating

   6.34
10. Squad number10Player nameMané

    Average rating

    6.30
11. Squad number5Player nameWijnaldum

    Average rating

    6.29
12. Squad number14Player nameHenderson

    Average rating

    6.26
13. Squad number3Player nameFabinho

    Average rating

    5.98
14. Squad number9Player nameRoberto Firmino

    Average rating

    5.77
15. Squad number18Player nameMinamino

    Average rating

    5.40
16. Squad number27Player nameOrigi

    Average rating

    4.66

FC Midtjylland

Avg

1. Squad number36Player nameDreyer

   Average rating

   5.72
2. Squad number31Player nameAndersen

   Average rating

   5.64
3. Squad number28Player nameSviatchenko

   Average rating

   5.51
4. Squad number14Player nameScholz

   Average rating

   5.49
5. Squad number10Player nameEvander

   Average rating

   5.44
6. Squad number6Player nameAndersson

   Average rating

   5.43
7. Squad number9Player nameKaba

   Average rating

   5.38
8. Squad number7Player nameSisto

   Average rating

   5.35
9. Squad number29Player namePaulinho

   Average rating

   5.34
10. Squad number38Player nameOgochukwu Onyeka

    Average rating

    5.33
11. Squad number15Player nameKraev

    Average rating

    5.29
12. Squad number11Player nameMabil

    Average rating

    5.18
13. Squad number34Player nameAnderson

    Average rating

    5.15
14. Squad number33Player namePfeiffer

    Average rating

    5.15
15. Squad number40Player nameCajuste

    Average rating

    5.12

• New - The Rap Game UK: The search for a new British rap star is on
• MOTDx is back: The very latest on fashion, music and culture from the Premier League