MO SALAH claimed his 50th European goal for Liverpool as Arne Slot's side put a red flag at the top of the Champions League.
Match report
Harvey Elliott continued an astonishing first campaign for the Dutchman who succeeded Jurgen Klopp.
Because although the German will always be seen as one of Anfield's true icons, history so far suggests that Slot may become at least as revered over time. At this rate anyway.
Elliott's 67th goal against a side reduced to ten men early in the second half means Slot's men equal the club's best – ever run of seven consecutive league wins, a run of course from Klopp.
But while so many within the Kop feared that his departure last summer could signal a downsizing of intentions, the current squad is just getting better and better.
They also sit at the top of the Prem. No one would suggest that they won't be there eventually. However things go in Europe, no one can say becoming the continent's No. 1 team – and following Klopp's success in 2019 – is beyond them either.
The most impressive aspect of Liverpool's approach to this game was their control.
This didn't have to be a raucous evening. It was really just about ensuring progress and especially against opponents who were anything but sulks.
Say what you like about French football and how soft it is compared to the Premier League, but Bruno Grensio's side landed a club record 21 games unbeaten.
Like Slot's machine, they had also defeated the mighty Real Madrid and for over half an hour they threatened, probed and gave no impression whatsoever of being intimidated in their hallowed environment.
The Ligue 1 team plays real football and got the respect they deserved.
Slot made four changes from the side that beat Brentford 2-0 thanks to added time on the double, which proved Darwen Nunez can actually finish.
The erratic Uruguayan, who often struggles to hit barn doors, was rewarded with a starting place, but there was no barn – he charged at him in a cagey first third of the match.
This was about cat and mouse. Precision. No gung-ho demands, especially as Lille stroked the ball around confidently in possession.
Then Curtis Jones dropped a bombshell.
Kostas Tsimikas robbed striker Jonathon David and the blossoming England midfielder collapsed.
In a flash he delivered a fantastic fifty-yard pass into the path of Salah, who drove forward, as he does, and as Lucas Chevalier moved forward, the Anfield icon kept his cool and bent a trademark left foot around him .
Amazingly, that was his first goal from open play in 440 minutes. You would never have known he was gone for so long.
As far as results go for Liverpool's all-time European top scorer, things have been about as good as ever for him.
Shortly after that game-changing opener came another for the team that Brentford manager Thomas Frank described this weekend as the best team in the world.
They topped the first 36 minutes to set a new club record, beating 572 under Rafa Benitez without conceding a goal in 2005–06 season as Miracle of Istanbul Champions League holders.
Here was a team that, while not at the peak of its powers, was a team confident it could make the most history.
In their previous six games in this Champions League campaign they had only conceded once.
They were now aiming for another major milestone: they wanted to become only the second team, after Leeds United, in the entire history of Europe's premier competition, to win six games in a row without the goalkeeper picking a single one from his net.
Things also seemed to get more comfortable in the 59th minute after Alissa Mandi was given his marching orders.
His challenge on Luis Diaz had already been booked and was as stupid as it was cynical given the circumstances, and German referee Felix Swayer had no choice but to give him a yellow and red.
Three minutes later, Slot's team became sloppy. A low cross was not dealt with and Jakan Haraldsson was the first to make the ball.
Alisson parried that effort but had no chance afterwards as David fired home the rebound to claim his 18th goal in a campaign with five in Europe, who are bigger fish than Lille in the whole of Europe, mind you.
Yet there was no real panic. Slot had replaced Jones and Ryan Gravenberch for Alex Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott at the start of the second stage.
Those fresher legs also counted, as Mac Allister immediately got to work and pulled his midfielders into a tighter, more aggressive unit.
Elliott got the reward in the 67th minute after that revival pushed the French into retreat mode.
He scored his first European goal at Anfield from about 25 yards into the Lille half, clearing a corner.
It wasn't the biggest attack, deflecting a swinging Lille leg, but that didn't matter.
But it still meant the job was done. And then some more.
Competition events
0' The match is about to start!
1' Gudmundsson immediately bullied Conor Bradley and opened his left foot!
7' Mo Salah cuts in on his left, but lacks the strength to bend the ball into the top corner!
26' Szoboszlai plays a short ball to Salah and his cross is shot horribly too high!
31' Mo Salah can't get his feet right and ends up kneeling wide!
34' GOAL! Mo Salah slides into the bottom corner! Liverpool 1-0 Lille
39' Nunez finds Salah on his right and his trivela cross is deflected behind for a corner!
44' Salah uses body to get to the goal end, but his finish is on the wrong side of the post!
58' Nunez's times run well through the middle, but Tsimikas' pass is simply too hard!
59' Red card! Felix Zwayer has no choice but to hand out a second yellow card!
62' GOAL! Jonathan David reacts first and finishes past Alisson! Liverpool 1-1 Lille
67' GOAL! Harvey Elliott is getting ready to fly! Liverpool 2-1 Lille
Setups
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Salah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz, Nunez, Curtis Jones, Gravenberch, Quansah, Conor Bradley
Subs: Endo, Robertson, Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Gakpo, Chiesa, Mac Allister, Jaros, Elliott, Morton, Jayden Danns
Lille XI: André, Cabella, Mandi, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Bakker, Jonathan David, Bafodé Diakité, Alexsandro, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, Lucas Chevalier, Ngal'ayel Mukau
Subs: Vito Mannone, Ismaily, Meunier, Marc-Aurèle Caillard, Angel Gomes, Mohamed Bayo, Osame Sahraoui, Ethan Mbappé, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Isaac Cossier
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