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Mohamed Salah eclipsed Steven Gerrard as Liverpool\u2019s top scorer in the Champions League with his double record-breaking goal in a 1-1 draw against Midtjylland.<\/p>\nMohamed Salah eclipsed Steven Gerrard as Liverpool\u2019s top scorer in the Champions League with his double record-breaking goal in a 1-1 draw against Midtjylland.<\/p>\n
The Egypt international struck after just 55 seconds as his 22nd goal in the competition also proved to be the club\u2019s fastest.<\/p>\n
However, Alexander Scholz\u2019s VAR-awarded 62nd-minute penalty denied Jurgen Klopp\u2019s side victory and their best return from the group stage.<\/p>\n
The game was not the best advert for video technology with long delays over three second-half goal incidents which contributed to eight minutes of added time and plenty of additional frustration.<\/p>\n
Klopp may have named Liverpool\u2019s youngest Champions League starting XI with an average age of just 24 years and 26 days but it would have been considerably lower had it not been for the surprise inclusion of Salah (28) and Fabinho (27).<\/p>\n
In a dead rubber it seemed reckless to risk injury to two key men but there was method in Klopp\u2019s motive as the only three players who featured in Sunday\u2019s victory over Wolves \u2013 Salah, Fabinho and Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher \u2013 all played a significant part.<\/p>\n
Salah\u2019s early opener came courtesy of a mistake from Midtjylland, who became the first side to concede two first-minute Champions League goals in the same season.<\/p>\n
Scholz\u2019s attempted backpass got stuck under the feet of center-back Dion Cools and was seized upon by Salah who raced clear to trickle a shot past the goalkeeper.<\/p>\n
Fabinho\u2019s major contribution came in the 33rd minute when he hooked Sory Kaba\u2019s header off the goal line, the second time he had made such a clearance having done similar in their opening fixture against Ajax.<\/p>\n
And on the stroke of half-time Kelleher stood up strong to block Awer Mabil\u2019s close-range drive, producing an even better save from Erik Sviatchenko in the last five minutes.<\/p>\n
Diogo Jota and Naby Keita both had good chances saved by Jesper Hansen but in another disappointing showing Divock Origi missed the target with only the goalkeeper to beat having been teed up by Salah when he could have gone it alone in a two-on-one.<\/p>\n
Aside from Salah\u2019s goal it was a night of landmarks with 22-year-old Scouser Trent Alexander-Arnold becoming the club\u2019s third-youngest captain and their youngest in Europe.<\/p>\n
By comparison Gerrard was 23 when he took the armband, although that was on a permanent basis.<\/p>\n
Another academy graduate Leighton Clarkson, who Klopp described as one of the biggest talents in the club, made his European debut having previously only featured in two domestic cup ties last season.<\/p>\n
Another bow came at the start of the second half when the highly-rated center-back Billy Koumetio replaced Fabinho, becoming Liverpool\u2019s youngest player in the European Cup\/Champions League at the age of 18 and 25 days.<\/p>\n
Slotting in alongside Rhys Williams, Liverpool\u2019s central defensive partnership now had a combined age of 37 and Midtjylland almost took advantage of that inexperience with Evander smashing a shot against the crossbar.<\/p>\n
With Kostas Tsimikas off the pitch receiving treatment, Midtjylland equalized in controversial circumstances.<\/p>\n
Anders Dreyer was brought down by Kelleher but referee Francois Letexier spotted an offside flag and blew for the free-kick.<\/p>\n
However, a VAR review advised the official to go to the pitchside monitor and the Frenchman subsequently awarded a spot-kick from which Scholz scored.<\/p>\n
Scholz had a second goal ruled out for a legitimate offside flag as the arrival of Andy Robertson, Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino failed to get the game back under the Reds\u2019 control.<\/p>\n
Liverpool\u2019s players, somewhat understandably, spent the last 10 minutes trying to avoid over-exertion or injury which only encouraged their hosts with Kelleher and then Henderson, with a sliding block on Evander after a breakaway, denying them a winner.<\/p>\n
There was still time for Takumi Minamino to have a goal ruled out for a Sadio Mane handball as VAR continued to confound and confuse.<\/p>\n