Liverpool end poor run with 5-1 thrashing of Frankfurt

KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike scored a ruthless breakaway goal against his former team in a 5-1 Champions League thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt that ended the Reds' woeful streak of four consecutive losses across all competitions.

Arne Slot's side finally found some form after a dismal run of results with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai also finding the net in a one-sided encounter.

The Liverpool coach rang the changes, with Mohamed Salah starting on the bench, and they looked much improved on their recent displays with summer signing Florian Wirtz providing two assists on his return to Germany.

Liverpool had 14 shots on target to Frankfurt's one, keeping Zetterer on his toes all night.

The goalkeeper made a terrific save off a shot from Salah, who came off the bench for the second consecutive Champions League game, in the dying minutes.

The decisive victory was a much-needed confidence boost for Arne Slot's reigning Premier League champions, who had lost four straight games for the first time since November 2014.

One negative on the night for Liverpool was that their British record signing Alexander Isak did not start the second half due to what Slot said was groin soreness.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich outclassed visitors Club Brugge 4-0 with three goals in the first 34 minutes to maintain their flawless start to the season and make it three wins from three matches in the competition.

The German champions have now won all 12 matches across all competitions this season while also staking an early claim for a Champions League knockout stage spot with a maximum nine points.

Juventus coach Igor Tudor lamented his side’s inability to capitalise on their chances in a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid, a result that left the Italian side winless in seven matches across all competitions.

Speaking after the clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, Tudor felt his side's performance warranted at least a point.

Jude Bellingham’s solo effort in the second half proved decisive, maintaining Real Madrid’s 100 per cent record in this season’s competition while leaving Juventus rooted to two points from three matches.

A youthful Chelsea hammered Ajax Amsterdam 5-1 in an eventful game that included three goals from teenagers, three penalties and a red card, under pouring rain at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca put out a side with an average age of 22 and made 10 changes from the team that beat Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at the weekend.

Monaco’s poor start to their Champions League campaign continued when they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Tottenham Hotspur in new coach Sebastien Pocognoli’s first game in charge in the competition.

The Ligue 1 side, who have two points from three games, had the clearest chances but Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario proved decisive between the posts.

Geny Catamo and Alisson Santos came off the bench in the second half to inspire hosts Sporting to a late 2-1 comeback win over Olympique de Marseille while Atalanta were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Slavia Prague, Galatasaray made the most of a litany of errors by Norwegian visitors Bodo/Glimt as they cruised to a 3-1 home win and Athletic Bilbao conceded an opening-minute goal but came back to beat Qarabag 3-1 at home, earning their first points of this season's Champions League against the Azerbaijani side which had won their opening two games.

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