Liverpool v Huddersfield Town: Live matchday blog
Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League table with an emphatic win over Huddersfield Town on the night Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his long-awaited return from injury. Naby Keita struck after just 15 seconds and Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah scored twice each at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah is leading the race for the Premier League's Golden Boot...
And here's how the table looks after tonight's game, with Manchester City not in action until Sunday at Burnley
The story of the game in Opta stats...
Full Time
Liverpool 5-0 Huddersfield Town
Liverpool return to the top of the Premier League table after an emphatic victory over Huddersfield Town at Anfield.
Naby Keita set the Reds on their way to victory by scoring after just 15 seconds.
Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah then struck a goal each in both halves to seal the win.
On a night of many positives, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his long-awaited return from injury as a second-half substitute.
Three minutes of added time to be played...
Substitution
Joe Gomez is on for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Stats...
No defender has assisted more goals in a Premier League season than Andy Robertson in 2018-19 so far (11).
Jordan Henderson has assisted four goals in his last six games in all competitions. He hadn't assisted a single goal in his previous 61 games before this run.
Goal
GOAL! MOHAMED SALAH!
Another assist for Robertson, who slides the ball across the face of goal and Salah taps in.
5-0 now at Anfield.
Substitution
Huddersfield change - Stankovic off, Pritchard on.
Off the post!
Mane cracks a header against the post from Shaqiri's cross.
That was almost the moment that would have taken Anfield's roof off...
Salah slides Oxlade-Chamberlain in, he side-steps Durm and shoots... but Lossl gets a boot to it
Substitution
And here they come - to a standing ovation - as Oxlade-Chamberlain and Shaqiri replace Sturridge and Wijnaldum.
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Shaqiri are being prepared to come on here..
Stat
With 20 each, Salah and Mane are the Premier League's joint-top scorers
Goal
GOAL! SADIO MANE!
And it's four - and it's another Mane header.
Henderson collects a ball from Alexander-Arnold and hoists it towards the back post, where our No.10 is positioned to nod it in.
Substitution
Huddersfield change - Mounie off, Lowe on.
What a goal that would have been!
Salah touches a ball beyond a Huddersfield defender and strikes it goalwards on the bounce, but it skims the side netting.
Unlucky.
Keita strides towards the box and arrows one wide of the far post.
Bacuna takes aim from distance and Alisson needs to beat it away to safety.
Chance
The visitors almost get one back as the ball ricohets across Liverpool's six-yard box, but Grant cannot reach it to turn it in unmarked.
Mane and Sturridge both go for Wijnaldum's ball forward, with the former side-footing over the bar with Lossl off his line.
Kick-Off
Back under way...
Liverpool re-start the game at Anfield.
Stat
Mohamed Salah's goal was his 68th for Liverpool in his 100th appearance in all competitions, equalling the club record also held by Sam Raybould and Roger Hunt.
Stat
Mohamed Salah has become only the third Liverpool player to score 20+ Premier League goals in consecutive seasons for the club, after Robbie Fowler (1994-95 and 1995-96) and Luis Suarez (2012-13 and 2013-14).
The story of the first half, as told by Opta stats...
Half Time
Liverpool 3-0 Huddersfield Town
The Reds are well in command at the half-way stage thanks to goals from Naby Keita (after just 15 seconds), Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
Goal
GOAL! MOHAMED SALAH!
The Egyptian King is on the scoresheet - and Alexander-Arnold claims an assist.
The full-back's ball forward is inch perfect and allows Salah to run in behind, beat Lossl to it and then loft it over the advancing goalkeeper's head.
3-0.
Lovren makes a vital interception to thwart an attempted ball into Liverpool's six-yard box.
Chance!
Liverpool break at speed, but Henderson hoists over - left-footed - after Robertson's attempted cross is deflected into his path.
Baby Keith...
Stat
Sadio Mane has scored nine goals in his last 10 league games at Anfield
Salah takes aim... too high.
Goal
GOAL! SADIO MANE!
Liverpool have a second goal - and it's brilliantly worked.
Van Dijk elegantly pushes a pass forward with his first touch, strides into the Huddersfield half and plays it wide for Robertson. He takes a touch, looks up, crosses and finds the head of Mane, who doesn't miss from 10 yards out.
2-0 at Anfield. Lovely.
Van Dijk stoops 15 yards from goal to head over from Alexander-Arnold's corner.
Salah prods into the side netting after a powerful and mazy run into the area.
Update
We're now informed the goal was officially recorded at 15 seconds.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield have forced three corners since falling behind.
Stat
The goal time was actually 14 seconds - and it's quickest ever in the history of the Premier League.
Stankovic has a drive deflect off Alexander-Arnold and onto the roof of Alisson's net.
Chance!
It's almost 2-0 but Lossl does well to keep out Salah's stinging drive.
Goal
GOAL! NABY KEITA!
Wow, what a start.
Liverpool are in front after just 15 seconds - yes, 15 seconds - at Anfield.
Huddersfield concede the ball to Salah just outside their own box, he slides a pass through for Keita, who steers beyond Lossl.
1-0. Get in.
Kick-Off
And we're off!
Huddersfield start the game at Anfield.
Come on you Reds!
RIP, Tommy Smith
A minute's silence is observed ahead of kick-off in memory of former LFC captain Tommy Smith, who sadly passed away earlier this month.
Here come the teams...
The formations
Opta predicts the teams will shape up like so...
It's good to be back
A very happy face returns to our usual arrival and dressing room pictures...
Gini talks
Georginio Wijnaldum takes care of the pre-match media obligations at Anfield.
Boss on Ox return
Klopp also described his delight at naming Oxlade-Chamberlain in a matchday squad for the first time in over a year.
“[It’s] unbelievable," he said. "We had to think about when we wrote the names on the teamsheet today how we call him. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, there are a lot of options obviously – Alex, Ox, Chambo, whatever! It’s that long ago.
“It’s really nice, it’s really good news that he’s back. He has been back for a while and now today back in the squad, so it’s cool – really cool.”
Klopp explains Firmino absence
Roberto Firmino misses this evening's clash with Huddersfield due to a muscle injury, Jürgen Klopp has confirmed.
The Reds boss told Sky Sports: "Actually, yesterday after training he mentioned a little muscle issue.
“We assess it obviously. It’s not a big thing but was enough to leave him out today, that’s all.”
TEAM NEWS
Two changes for Liverpool as Daniel Sturridge and Dejan Lovren come in for Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip.
Firmino is ruled out due to a slight muscle issue. However, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is named in the matchday squad for the first time in a year following injury.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita, Mane, Salah, Sturridge.
Subs: Mignolet, Milner, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Shaqiri, Origi, Matip.
Breaking news
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is in the Liverpool matchday squad for tonight's meeting with Huddersfield.
The midfielder is included in the Reds' 18 for the first time in one year and two days.
Friday night lights
Well, they're not on fully yet, but you get the point.
What are the odds?
Here are the match prices offered by BetVictor...
Liverpool - 1/14
Draw - 16/1
Huddersfield - 35/1
Click here for more details and other markets.
Weather
*drum roll*
We never let you down here at Liverpoolfc.com.
Friday night football of course includes a Friday night weather update.
It has been a blustery, rainy day in Liverpool for the most part and nothing has changed ahead of kick-off. Coat recommended if you're heading to the stadium in the next few hours.
Anfield awaits
Mo Salah was the difference last time the Reds played the Terriers...
Did you know?
A few pre-match stats to get your teeth into...
- Liverpool are unbeaten in the last 12 league meetings with Huddersfield home and away.
- The Reds have recorded six victories and a draw in the last seven league clashes with the Terriers, keeping a clean sheet each time.
- Virgil van Dijk's next league appearance will be his 50th for the club. Liverpool have conceded 30 goals in that sequence and have kept 26 clean sheets, winning 34 times and losing just four.
- Alisson Becker needs one more clean sheet to equal the club record of 20 in a single Premier League season - set by Pepe Reina in 2005-06 and again in 2008-09.
Missing Men: Retro edition
Last season's Premier League clash with Huddersfield Town would be far too easy for Missing Men, so it's time to head back to 1971 for the Terriers' previous trip to Anfield in the top flight.
Bill Shankly was the manager of a Liverpool team littered with future legends, but can you name the XI that beat Huddersfield 2-0 that day?
Click here if you need a clue, and click the image below to reveal the answer.
Fancy winning a signed Liverpool home shirt?
Correctly predict the score of tonight's match and you could do just that.
Entering our competition is easy: simply tell us your guess for the final result at Anfield this evening and provide some basic details to be in with a chance of taking the prize.
Click the image below for more details and to enter.
Last time out...
Remembering a legend
The recent passing of the great Tommy Smith will be marked at Anfield tonight.
There will be a minute's silence before kick-off and Liverpool's players will wear black armbands in honour of the former Reds captain, known affectionately as the Anfield Iron.
Meanwhile, the Scouser - who made 638 appearances for the club and won nine major trophies between 1960 and 1978 - is also on the cover of the matchday programme.
Switching our attention away from the first team briefly, Liverpool's U18s enjoyed a night to remember on Thursday.
Barry Lewtas' side overcame Manchester City on penalties to win the club's first FA Youth Cup since 2007.
Watch the best bits of a brilliant evening for the young Reds below...
Salah returned to Melwood yesterday after attending the TIME 100 Gala in New York City earlier in the week, with the magazine recognising him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
That trip Stateside will not affect the No.11's availability tonight, though.
Jürgen Klopp said on Thursday: "We always say football is not the most important thing in the world, but in moments when you have to prove it, then you have to be there, and that means of course he can miss one session.
"If he would have asked me, maybe I would have joined him, but he didn’t!
"It was obviously a very interesting and very good experience. Now he’s back and everything will be fine."
Ton up for Mo?
Mohamed Salah will make his 100th appearance for Liverpool if selected tonight. He's scored 67 goals in his previous 99 games for the Reds.
The Egyptian King.
It's (very, very) tight at the top...
Team news
We'll bring you confirmed team news from Anfield an hour before kick-off, of course, but we already know a little about who might be in the Reds' side tonight.
Dejan Lovren is expected to be fit after missing the last two games, but Fabinho and Adam Lallana remain doubts.
Klopp has also ruled out making sweeping changes ahead of next Wednesday's trip to Barcelona.
“We had enough time to recover after the last game, we have enough time to recover for the next game. Barcelona has nothing to do with the game on Friday night,” said the boss.
Catch up with Jürgen Klopp's pre-match press conference...
It's fair to say Liverpool and the Terriers' seasons have been somewhat contrasting, as the stats below show...
It's matchday!
And you know what that means, don't you?
That Liverpoolfc.com will keep you abreast of all the build-up, action and reaction live from Anfield throughout the day of the Reds' penultimate home Premier League game of the season against Huddersfield Town, of course.