It is the first time ever that five sides from a single country have made it through to the last 16 of the tournament. Liverpool joined the party in style with a 7-0 demolition of Spartak Moscow that confirmed they qualified as Group E winners. The victory meant four Premier League sides topped their Euro groups for the first time since the 2006-07 season. And Philippe Coutinho’s hat-trick helped take Reds’ group goal tally to 23 — beating United’s record of 20 for a Prem side set in their Treble-winning season of 1998-99. Manchester City lost to Shakhtar Donetsk, while Tottenham beat Apollon Limassol, but both Prem sides could relax ahead of their games – already confirmed as group-toppers in F and H respectively.
Philippe Coutinho scored a hat-trick as Liverpool became the fifth English club to qualify for the last 16 of this season’s Champions League with a thumping victory over Spartak Moscow at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s Group E leaders came into the game knowing they needed to avoid defeat to be sure of reaching the knockout stage for the first time since 2008-09 – and Coutinho gave them the lead with a fourth-minute penalty after Mohamed Salah was fouled by Georgi Dzhikiya. They doubled their advantage after a superb move 11 minutes later, Coutinho tapping home from Roberto Firmino’s pass.
Firmino netted himself to make it 3-0 at half-time, and Sadio Mane’s sublime volley extended the lead. Coutinho completed his first hat-trick for the club with a deflected shot, and Mane added the sixth before Salah completed the rout. Liverpool’s victory means this is the first time five English teams have qualified for the Champions League last 16 in the same season. Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham will join the Reds in Monday’s draw at Uefa headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. Asked if his side would be a threat in the last 16, Klopp said: “If we perform like this, if we are that clinical, then yes. “If we perform like this then it is obviously a threat, 100%.”
