Anticipated as a challenging away trip to the southern French port city, Arne Slot's squad proved otherwise. A precise free-kick from the Hungarian midfielder, an own goal from the opponent following a pass by Jeremie Frimpong, and a neat finish from substitute Cody Gakpo secured a convincing victory for Liverpool over Marseille.

This win also marked Liverpool's 9th away victory in 11 Champions League matches under Slot. While the scoreline could have been wider, the Dutch coach expressed satisfaction with his players' sharp and effective performance, especially after recent struggles to convert possession into chances.

Frimpong’s shot led to goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli’s own goal, as Liverpool extended their lead to 2-0 in their 3-0 victory over Marseille at Velodrome stadium, Marseille, France on 21/1. Photo: Reuters

The Velodrome stadium welcomed Liverpool with a giant tifo depicting The Beatles reading a Marseille newspaper, La Provence, a recreation of the band reading the British Daily Mirror in 1963. The headline on the newspaper, "Que l’histoire se repete" (Let history repeat itself), referenced Didier Drogba’s celebration during Marseille's last home victory against Liverpool in the UEFA cup 2004, round 4.

Below, lyrics from The Beatles' 1965 song "Michelle" were adapted to feature Marseille: "Marseille, ma belle. Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble. Tres bien ensemble" (Marseille, my beautiful. These words go very well together. Very well together). French fans, particularly those of Marseille, are known for their creativity, but Roberto De Zerbi's players lacked that on the pitch.

The large tifo displayed by home team Marseille before the Liverpool match.

In Ligue 1, Marseille boasts the strongest offense, having scored 41 goals in 18 matches. Since the new year, they have scored 16 goals across all competitions, including a dominant 9-0 win over sixth-tier Bayeux in the French cup. Only Bayern Munich among Europe's 5 top leagues can match this figure.

After one and a half years at Marseille, De Zerbi has finally implemented his familiar tactical ideas: ball control, high-speed transitions through quick passes or third- and fourth-man runs. While this squad has high potential, their floor remains low. Inconsistency has been a persistent challenge for the Italian strategist at a club marked by constant changes over a decade.

On a brilliant day, Marseille can challenge top teams, as shown in their performance against PSG in the French super cup (despite losing on penalties). However, they can also falter easily, like their 0-2 loss to Nantes. The latter scenario unfolded against Liverpool.

Before the match, Slot told TNT Sports: "Sometimes too much possession can be a disadvantage, as people will expect more from our ability to convert it into attack." Employing a 4-2-2-2 system against the hosts, Liverpool allowed Marseille to hold more possession, at 58%.

In return, Liverpool set a high or mid-block man-to-man pressing trap: if the French team attempted to circulate the ball through the middle, De Zerbi’s preferred approach, Liverpool’s midfield quartet of Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz, Gravenberch, and Mac Allister would immediately intervene, aiming to cut passing lanes and initiate transitions.

Hugo Ekitike found the back of Marseille's net once after a cross from Szoboszlai in the 23rd minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Liverpool's intense pressure exposed the inherent risks in Marseille's build-up play, leading to errors. Home center-backs like Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina often mishandled the ball, creating quick counter-attacking opportunities for the visitors.

Szoboszlai scores a free-kick goal...

...then celebrates with his teammates in the victory over Marseille.

On a day Mohamed Salah returned for Liverpool, the brightest star was not him, but his close friend Szoboszlai. After a foul by Balerdi on Gravenberch near the penalty area at the end of the first half, a free-kick was awarded to the Merseyside team, while VAR checked for a handball by Timothy Weah inside the box. When the answer was no, Szoboszlai demonstrated that the visitors did not need a penalty.

Unlike his thunderous strike against Arsenal in August 2025, this time the Hungarian star opted for a clever approach. Marseille’s failure to place a player lying behind the wall proved costly. Szoboszlai clearly noticed this gap, and with careful planning, his low shot made goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli's attempt to parry the ball only add to the goal's finesse.

While the midfielder, born in the homeland of legend Ferenc Puskas, was Liverpool's most prominent player, Mason Greenwood's creativity, dribbling, and finishing provided a spark for Marseille. The English player forced Alisson Becker into a save in the 52nd minute and also initiated a one-on-one chance for Hamed Traore, whose shot went over the bar.

Between Greenwood's two moments of brilliance, Ekitike missed an opportunity to double the lead after a through ball from Szoboszlai carved open the defense, hitting the post. Slot may have feared a draw scenario similar to the Burnley match when Wirtz's shot was saved by Rulli, and Ekitike continued to miss another clear chance.

However, all worries vanished when Frimpong "cooled down" the Velodrome cauldron. Wirtz and Ekitike combined beautifully before finding Mac Allister. The Argentine midfielder threaded the ball to Frimpong on the right wing. His dribbling effort paid off when his low cross deflected off Medina and goalkeeper Rulli, slowly rolling into the net. The goal was credited as an own goal by the Argentine goalkeeper.

Salah shoots in the victory over Marseille on 21/1. Photo: Reuters

Liverpool concluded their successful night with Cody Gakpo's injury-time goal, set up by Gravenberch. Throughout the match, the visitors had 11 shots compared to Marseille's 15, with three on target, all resulting in goals.

The victory in France gives Slot's team 15 points, moving them to 4th position. This means that by defeating Qarabag at Anfield one week from now, Slot's team will officially secure a spot in the top 8, which guarantees direct qualification to the knockout stage without needing a play-off.

Should they only earn one point in the final matchday, Liverpool will face intense pressure. There are 9 teams currently holding 14 points (Tottenham) or 13 points (PSG, Newcastle, Chelsea...) who could equal or surpass Liverpool's 16-point mark. Goal difference will also be a key factor. Liverpool currently has a +6 goal difference, equal to Chelsea but still behind Tottenham (+8), Newcastle (+10), and PSG (+10).

In the worst-case scenario of losing to the Azerbaijani representative, Liverpool will have to anxiously await other teams to slip up to maintain their current position.

Hoang Thong

Hoang Thong