Match reportLiverpool put five past Toulouse to maintain perfect Europa League start

Diogo Jota gave the Reds an early lead in the Group E contest, before the French outfit responded quickly and drew level through Thijs Dallinga.

Wataru Endo scored his first goal for the club to put Jürgen Klopp’s men ahead again, with Darwin Nunez, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah also on the scoresheet to ensure it was three wins from three in Europe this season.

Team news

Luke Chambers was handed his full debut at senior level as Klopp opted to make eight changes to his line-up.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gravenberch and Jota were the only players to retain their places following the weekend victory over Everton.

Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold (Quansah, 66), Gomez, Matip, Chambers (Scanlon, 66), Endo, Jones (McConnell, 88), Gravenberch (Salah, 68), Elliott, Jota, Nunez (Gakpo, 66).

Unused subs: Alisson, Jaros, Van Dijk, Diaz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Tsimikas.

First half

The Toulouse backline was breached in the ninth minute courtesy of an excellent run and finish from Jota.

After Joe Gomez beat Dallinga to the ball, Jota pounced on possession around 25 yards out from goal. He drove towards the penalty area, holding off a challenge and evading another, before calmly placing a finish past Guillaume Restes.

It was nearly 2-0 five minutes later but Gomez and Joel Matip had efforts blocked in the aftermath of a free-kick, with Nunez then having a close-range shot saved.

But the scoreline was level again moments later when Dallinga burst through on goal from Aron Donnum’s through ball and held his nerve in front of the Kop.

A scrappy 15-minute period played out after the equaliser, though Liverpool remained an attacking threat as Gravenberch tested Restes with a hit from the edge of the box.

A pair of goals for the hosts then arrived in quick succession.

Endo made it 2-1 when his grand leap in the box allowed him to nod Alexander-Arnold’s whipped cross into the bottom corner.

And after Curtis Jones’ deflected strike fell to Nunez on the left side of the penalty area, the striker drilled the ball into the roof of the net to establish a two-goal cushion for his team.

Second half

Toulouse would have halved the deficit immediately after the restart but Alexander-Arnold produced a vital goalline block to deny Gabriel Suazo after Caoimhin Kelleher’s pass out from the back was intercepted.

As the visitors sprung several breakaways in search of a way back into the game, Gravenberch had two efforts kept out by Restes at the other end.

The Dutchman finally beat the Toulouse goalkeeper in the 65th minute for 4-1 when he followed up a Nunez finish that had struck the post and bounced out.

Jota slipped a pass that sent Nunez charging towards Restes’ net and he rounded the stopper brilliantly before falling to his knees after being denied by the woodwork. Thankfully for the Reds, Gravenberch was in position to place the loose ball in the Kop-end net.

Kelleher snuffed out any chances of a dramatic comeback from Toulouse with a good low save to deny Cesar 11 minutes from time.

And Liverpool still looked to increase their advantage, with Salah’s side-footed finish from inside the area making it 5-1 in the last of the action in the match.

Attendance: 49,338