Liverpool won the UEFA Super Cup 5-4 on penalties against Chelsea on Wednesday, after the match finished 2-2 after extra-time.
Summer signing Adrian was ultimately the match-winner for the Reds, saving the decisive penalty from Tammy Abraham.
A brace from Sadio Mane was cancelled out by goals from Olivier Giroud and Jorginho, as the Super Cup went deep into the early hours in Istanbul.
Liverpool produced a rather underwhelming performance but ultimately came out on top against an impressive Chelsea side.
In what was an uncharacteristic display from Jurgen Klopp’s men, very few of the starting XI failed to make an impression on the game.
A lack of dominance in the Reds’ midfield, combined with an aggressive Chelsea team, would have left Klopp very unhappy, despite the shootout win.
The introduction of Roberto Firmino at half-time saw the Reds vastly improve in the second half, however, even though they were still nowhere near their best.
Despite an indifferent display from Liverpool in Istanbul, they clinched another trophy – we pick out three players who starred in the win.
Roberto Firmino
In what was an underwhelming first half, the half-time introduction of Firmino brought this game into life.
The Brazilian’s ability to craft an opportunity out of nothing was clear to see for both of Mane’s goals.
For the first, the striker was able to selflessly bring the ball down and set up his teammate, while his second assist highlighted the movement and awareness within Liverpool’s front-three.
The difference in Liverpool’s performance with Firmino on the pitch showed just how important he is to this side.
Arguably no other striker in the world is better at what he does – he is an irreplaceable figure.
Sadio Mane
In the pre-match press conference, Mane pointed towards his head after being asked about potential fatigue going into this game.
After a prolonged stint at the Africa Cup of Nations, he’d be forgiven for needing to be steadily embedded back into the Liverpool starting XI.
The Senegalese forward showed his worth with a brace in Istanbul, however, and while not at his best for the entire game, he showed attacking instinct for both goals.
Mane’s second embodied his development under Klopp, getting into an advanced attacking position to finish clinically into the top right-hand corner.
Without the 27-year-old’s contributions, Liverpool may well have struggled to beat Kepa Arrizabalaga in Chelsea’s goal.
Adrian
The new summer signing would not have been expecting to contribute to winning the UEFA Super Cup a couple of weeks ago, but that’s the unpredictable nature of football.
His decisive save in the shootout gave him the perfect start to his Liverpool career.
As well as a match-winning penalty save, the Spanish goalkeeper was able to stamp his authority on the game with a number of good stops.
Most notably, a save deep into extra-time from Mason Mount ultimately took the game to penalties.
While Adrian will have to improve on his distribution within Liverpool’s system, this was an ideal start to his time at Anfield.
