Champions League I The tops and flops of Lille – Liverpool: The inevitable Salah, the Mandi ball

It is simply inevitable. Mo Salah is walking on water this season and Lille has not been able to draw any other conclusions. The Egyptian once again made the difference in an action of which he has the secret, with a perfectly felt call to receive a caviar from Curtis Jones, precise ball control to present himself in front of Lucas Chevalier and a clinical finish to put the ball out of reach of the Lille goalkeeper (22nd). The Pharaoh had some flashes elsewhere, he could have added one or two goals to his tally (44th, 79th), without delivering an exceptional performance. But he is always there to tip the scales in favor of the Reds.

• Chevalier did not deserve

He can do nothing about the two goals conceded, whether in his duel against Salah or on Harvey Elliott's shot deflected by the unfortunate Ngal'ayel Mukau. But that does not detract from the quality of a still remarkable performance. Without Lucas Chevalier, Lille's defeat would certainly have been greater as its goalkeeper multiplied the saves (58th, 79th, 82nd, 90th+1) to keep LOSC alive. Despite the defeat, the Dogues goalkeeper confirmed his remarkable season in general, and in particular in the Champions League.

They are far from having been flamboyant. But the Reds signed a seventh victory in seven Champions League matches and this owes nothing to chance. Arne Slot's team showed remarkable consistency in all aspects of the game, particularly in collective coherence and defensive involvement. An argument far from negligible, and which largely explains why the Reds are at the top of the rankings of their championship and that of the Champions League.

However, he seemed to have taken the match in the right direction with two duels won against Luis Diaz. But what followed was catastrophic for Aïssa Mandi. There was first an unnecessary dispute over Mo Salah's goal which earned him a yellow card (35th). Then a rather gross foul on Luis Diaz to stop a counter attack from the Reds, which cost him a second warning synonymous with expulsion just before the hour mark (59th). Even if LOSC equalized just after, the Algerian side finally ruined his side by leaving them numerically inferior.

Liverpool are truly a remarkable team and LOSC really have nothing to be ashamed of for their defeat. But the Mastiffs have held back for too long. They showed realism, but Jonathan David's goal on their first shot on target (and their only one of the match) after the hour mark says a lot about the poverty of Lille's offensive production, which suffered greatly from a lack of spontaneity. There was improvement in the last half hour, again paradoxically since Bruno Genesio's men were outnumbered. Initially shy, Lille ended up letting go. But a little too late.

He had to be valuable in a technical leadership role, capable of retaining the ball and ventilating the Lille game in the hell of Anfield through the accuracy of his transmissions. But Rémy Cabella never managed to take it on. Too light in the physical impact, uninspired in his choices, he never really got into his match and was logically one of the first to give up his place shortly after the hour mark.