Match reportMac Allister and Salah net as Liverpool defeat Bologna

Alexis Mac Allister put the Reds in front on 11 minutes when his dart into the area was picked out by a sublime Mohamed Salah delivery, enabling him to steer in from close range with one touch.

In a hard-fought contest, Bologna struck the woodwork twice in the first half, but Salah made certain of the outcome when he rasped a curling finish into the top corner in the final quarter and made certain a 100 per cent start to the new-look format.

• Stat: Five in five for record-setting Mohamed Salah in UCL at Anfield

Team news

Liverpool’s teamsheet showed just one change from the starting line-up deployed at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday as Darwin Nunez replaced Diogo Jota, who dropped to the bench after a minor fitness concern.

Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Diaz (Gakpo, 71), Szoboszlai (Jones, 85), Nunez (Jota, 60), Mac Allister, Salah, Robertson (Tsimikas, 71), Gravenberch, Alexander-Arnold (Bradley, 85).

Unused subs: Jaros, Kelleher, Gomez, Endo, Quansah, Morton, Nyoni.

First half

Liverpool’s first home game after a one-season absence from the Champions League almost began with a goal inside the opening two minutes at a lively Anfield – with the attendance of 59,816 a record in European competition for the stadium.

Ryan Gravenberch slid a low ball across the face of goal after collecting a reverse pass from Salah. Dominik Szoboszlai attempted to backheel the ball over the line but couldn’t make the necessary contact.

However, Bologna thought they’d pinched a ninth-minute lead when Thijs Dallinga ran in behind before flicking the ball beyond Alisson Becker. His celebrations were instantly cut short by the sight of a raised flag on the far side, with the forward in an offside position when receiving possession.

The visitors’ disappointment was compounded a minute later when the Reds broke the deadlock.

Mac Allister was heavily involved in the build-up before Nunez switched play towards the right corner of the box, where Salah collected. The No.11 clipped a delicious ball right into the path of Mac Allister’s continued run – and he made no mistake with a first-time finish from around four yards out.

Next, though, it was Liverpool’s turn to be thwarted by an offside when Nunez’s finish from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ball in behind was chalked off.

Szoboszlai then shaved the outside of the far post with a placed shot across goal from Salah’s touch off as Arne Slot’s side threatened to strengthen their grip on the opening exchanges.

Nevertheless, Bologna gave further cause for concern with 28 minutes on the clock when Remo Freuler’s drive looped up off Ibrahima Konate’s attempts to block and struck the top of the crossbar.

It was the trigger for the Italian side to manufacture a succession of good openings in quick succession as a dangerous set-piece towards the back post was met by Riccardo Orsolini, whose close-range header inadvertently struck the grounded Stefan Posch in front of goal.

Dan Ndoye cracked a low shot against the outside of the post moments later after a scramble in the area, before Alisson had to produce a fine reflex stop to thwart Kacper Urbanski’s drive inside the box to keep the home team’s lead intact at the break.

Second half

Alisson was called upon once more in the opening stages of the second period when he was required to block a crisp first-time shot from Orsolini at his near post following a set-piece.

Bologna were probing in search of a leveller, prompting Slot to dispatch Jota from the bench in place of Nunez on the hour mark.

Salah was fractions away from extending Liverpool’s lead soon after, curling just wide after excellent play by Gravenberch to find him inside the area from the right.

But, as the game entered the final 15 minutes, the No.11 made no mistake with his next chance.

Collecting possession from Szoboszlai on the right after Jota had broken through the centre, Salah used Alexander-Arnold’s run on the outside as a decoy to dummy his way into space beyond two defenders before dispatching an unerring shot into the top corner, doubling the Reds’ lead.

It was the decisive blow in an absorbing encounter – and ultimately ensured Liverpool started the competition with six points out of six on their return to the Champions League.

Attendance: 59,816