Liverpool-Toulouse: Unstoppable Gravenberch, clumsy Suazo... the tops and the flops

Tops

Recruited from Bayern Munich this summer, the Dutch midfielder dominated the debates in the midfield against Toulouse. His breakthroughs with the ball really hurt the TFC who could only see the damage. At the origin of the third goal scored by Nunez, the Dutchman sealed the fate of the match in the second period, on the lookout after the miss of his Uruguayan attacker. Constantly pushed forward, the 21-year-old is the man of the match. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai substitutes, Gravenberch took care of everything until his exit, to the ovation of Anfield, twenty minutes from the end.

If the Uruguayan missed the double alone against the empty goal, his combativeness and his movements allowed the Reds to multiply the opportunities. The three-way central hinge of Téfécé got lost in his duel with Nunez and Jota. Scorer in force for the 3-1, the number 9 of the Scousers put his team in orbit before ending his meeting all smiles, after his improbable miss following a 30-meter race and two players eliminated including the goalkeeper Remains. Klopp will undoubtedly see the glass half full in the performance of his attacker, who cannot be blamed for the number of kilometers traveled.

A sensation at the start of the season in the Toulouse cage, the French international hopeful lost five times but has nothing to be ashamed of with his performance. Author of several saves, including one against Nunez before Dallinga's equalizer, the 18-year-old goalkeeper rose to the occasion despite his very little experience at European level. He can't do much about the goals for Liverpool, who shot 19 times this evening. Like all of his teammates, Remains will have to learn the positive lessons from this evening despite the magnitude of the defeat.

Flops

The score was 3-1 in the 47th minute when the Chilean left piston from Téfécé distinguished himself with a huge opportunity harvested in front of his supporters. Ideally shifted by Dallinga after Kelleher's approximate restart, Suazo tried to get the shot on target... but did not see Alexander-Arnold, who had returned to the line. The Liverpool full-back saved his side to prevent the Violets from regaining hope. The Toulouse resident will be able to blame himself. He let slip away the lovely memory of a goal in the legendary Anfield enclosure while his team could have experienced a completely different second half if the nets had shaken.

TFC coach Martinez Novell expected to suffer and aligned a pattern with five defenders, as against PSG (1-1) on the 2nd day of Ligue 1. Except that this time, the Occitan building quickly collapsed under the incessant blows of the Reds. The three central players, Costa, Nicolaisen and Diarra, suffered for 90 minutes, both in the restart and in the duels. Even without Diaz or Salah, substitutes at kick-off, the English attack enjoyed itself. And the bill is steep on arrival for the 10th in the French championship, voluntary but too naive without a ball.