Liverpool ended their four-game losing streak in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday. Former Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike opened his account for Liverpool by equalizing early on, before Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Cody Gakpo, and Dominik Szoboszlai added further goals to seal a dominant victory. The result brought relief to the English champions, who had been on the brink of their worst run since 1953–54, the season they were relegated from the top flight.
Manager Arne Slot expressed satisfaction with the performance but remained grounded about the team’s response to recent struggles. “We’re Liverpool, so we won’t celebrate until tomorrow, but I’m pleased with how we bounced back,” he said. Notably, Slot made a bold decision to leave the struggling Mohamed Salah on the bench. However, the night didn’t start smoothly, as Rasmus Kristensen put Frankfurt ahead on a counterattack — marking the fifth consecutive game in which Liverpool conceded first.
Liverpool’s response was swift and ruthless. Within a 10-minute span, they netted three times to flip the scoreline to 3-1 before halftime. The team’s attacking intensity and fluid movement overwhelmed Frankfurt’s defense, rekindling glimpses of Liverpool’s trademark aggression and efficiency. Van Dijk’s header and Konate’s close-range strike set the tone before Ekitike’s earlier goal energized the comeback effort.
The standout performer of the night was Florian Wirtz, who provided assists for Gakpo and Szoboszlai in the second half. It was a much-needed breakout for the German playmaker, who had yet to register a goal or assist for Liverpool since his high-profile move from Leverkusen. Meanwhile, forward Alexander Isak’s struggles with fitness continued, as he was substituted at halftime due to a groin concern. Slot lamented the situation, acknowledging the difficulty in managing a player recovering from a lengthy three-month absence.
The win provides a crucial morale boost for Slot’s squad, who will need to carry this momentum into tougher fixtures ahead. Despite Frankfurt’s poor defensive form — conceding 23 goals in their last six matches — the performance restored belief within the Liverpool camp. “We know the quality we have — world-class players,” Wirtz said after the match. “We didn’t start well, but we came together and turned it around.”
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