Liverpool made it two wins from two in the new Champions League format as goals in either half from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah secured a routine 2-0 win over Bologna at Anfield.
Mac Allister converted Salah’s cross from close range after 11 minutes to put the hosts ahead, but the visitors had their chances before the interval as Alisson denied Kacper Urbanski while Dan Ndoye struck the base of the post.
But Salah settled any nerves in the second period as he notched for the fifth successive Champions League home game, collecting Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass before cutting inside Juan Miranda to thunder his strike into the top corner (76).
Liverpool manager Arne Slot celebrates at the end of the Champions League match against Bologna at Anfield
It is a measure of how well Arne Slot has settled in that this result means he has become the first Liverpool boss in history to win eight of his first nine matches in charge.
Slot said: “I don’t draw many conclusions from that but it is nice. So, so many incredible managers have worked here, doing so many special things.
“The only thing is I don’t hope the only thing people remember me for in one, two or three years – you never know how long I’ll be here – they only say, ‘that is the manager who only won eight of his nine games’.
“I’m hoping to do more special things than winning eight out of nine games.”
Saturday’s victory at Wolves demonstrated they can win when not at their very best, an important quality amid such a hectic fixture schedule, and this latest triumph was again achieved with minimum fuss ahead of this weekend’s trip to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
The result moves them up to fifth place in the nascent league table with Bologna down in 26th position. The Reds face a trip to RB Leipzig on October 23 in their next European outing.
Bologna will be back in England again in just under three weeks as their next game in this competition is at Villa Park a day earlier.
An early kick-off at Palace on Saturday will provide another tough test, but Liverpool will go into the game top of the table and with another away victory on their minds.
Against Bologna, they had to survive some nervous moments in a hard-fought clash. Thijs Dallinga and Darwin Nunez both had efforts ruled out for offside, and the Italians – in their first ever Champions League campaign – acquitted themselves very well.
Ndoye struck the post moments before Bologna capitalised on an error in his own penalty area from Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Alisson – on his 32nd birthday – saved to deny Urbanski.
Riccardo Orsolini was also denied by the Brazilian on his 50th European appearance for Liverpool before Salah inevitably had his say.
The Egyptian’s sumptuous strike was his 49th Champions League goal, as he cut in onto his left and curled his shot into the top corner to ensure Slot continued his fine start to his tenure.
The Dutchman added: “They worked really hard to keep a clean sheet again today, though we also needed our goalkeeper on a few occasions.
“We scored two very good goals, especially the second one. It is always difficult to play a team takes that much risk and is constantly on top of you. Overall, a good result, but I wouldn’t use the word delighted myself today.”
