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What Liverpool can learn from the first leg - and Barcelona's failings - to avoid a remarkable Roma comeback

Salahis in

The wing-back, Aleksandr Kolarov, has been caught too high up the pitch and Salah has miles to move into. He gets to the box, stays cool and slots the perfect pass for Mane to convert.

 

Liverpoolthird goal vs Roma

By pouncing on mistakes deep in their own half and surging forwards, Liverpool don't give time to the opposition to get back into a defensive shape. This is how they created all those chances and it took until 4-0 down for Roma to change things.

The dynamic midfielders behind the front three tore the defence to shreds, providing a wave for the strikers to ride all the way to the goal. Luis Suarez isn't as quick as the Liverpool three, nor is Lionel Messi, and without that pace and pulsing, electric support, Barcelona just didn't pose the same threat on the counter that Liverpool do.

Where the danger lies

For all the good we saw at Anfield, the same old problems that plague Klopp's defence were evident late into the game.

Roma scored the first goal of their comeback against Barcelona in the sixth minute of the second leg, catching a deep defensive line out with a simple ball over the top. 

DeRossi to Dzeko

The key is Daniele De Rossi, who drops into space behind the midfield to play a quarter-back pass, looking for Dzeko's run in behind. If he times it right and the pass is good, there's a fair chance it'll cause problems.

Dzekoin on goal

Here it did. Dzeko controlled, dribbled past the defender and finished to make it 1-0 and crank up the noise in the Stadio Olimpico. The pressure grew on Barcelona and eventually they crumbled.

Roma's first goal looks ever so familiar.

Dzekogoal

Instead of De Rossi, Radja Nainggolan finds space in the centre circle. Liverpool are out of position, with too many players having shifted to the right from the previous phase of play.

Patrik Schick (the striker near Dzeko) drops back from his position and Virgil Van Dijk follows - this is Dzeko's cue to run in behind.

offsideline

Andy Robertson should be the defensive line guide that Lovren relies on now but, scared by Dazeko's presence, he's broken the offside trap. Alexander-Arnold sprints back to help out.

Lovrencaught out

Nainggolan sends the ball high, Dzeko is played onside by Lovren dropping deeper instead of following Van Dijk's step forward or getting in line with Robertson. Lovren then misjudges the flight of the ball completely.

dzekogoal

Dzeko scores. 

Roma's usual source of goals: the full-backs

Roma really like to attack down the wings. Only Nainggolan has more assists to his name in the Roma squad this season than their two full-backs, Kolarov (eight) and Alessandro Florenzi (five) and with Dzeko constantly looking for space in the box to convert chances, they represent a real threat from these positions.

Liverpool's full-backs provide most of the width in Klopp's team but for this second leg they must keep a lid on their attacking ambitions and only go past the halfway line when play dictates it. Salah and Mane will also have defensive responsibility to track these players and block crosses at source, unless they fancy Lovren and Loris Karius' chances against the heading talents of Dzeko.

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