Barcelona 3-0 Liverpool: 5 Talking Points

#3 Tale of two halves for Mohamed Salah

Salah was a livewire in the first-half and caused Barca all sorts of problems, but waned after the break

Mohamed Salah was playing like a man possessed - in a good way - during an intriguing first-half. He caused both Jordi Alba and Clement Lenglet all sorts of problems with his movement and close-control dribbling. The latter was also booked after leaving him for dead in a one-on-one duel down the far side. Threatening and ever-present in his attempts to propel Liverpool forward, he was a nuisance and often looked like scoring whenever advancing towards the box.

In the second-half however, that had completely shifted. He found himself on the periphery too often as Barca held a slender lead, though his curling low strike which ter Stegen tipped past the post was hopefully a sign of things to come - he'd return to his purposeful, tenacious self in the final third.

Instead he was more wasteful: decision-making was skewed, not making the same runs nor enjoying as much success against a wiser Lenglet. Additionally, he hit the post with the goal gaping late on after Barcelona's third goal.

It typified the Egyptian's struggles this season: we've seen him at his free-flowing best but equally at his worst, where he misses great chances, rushes decisions or makes poor choices when pressure is at its highest. Despite an excellent first-half, he wilted when it mattered most and Liverpool find themselves a mountain to climb at Anfield next week now, courtesy of poor finishing.