Still on the hunt for four trophies, Liverpool hosted Villarreal at Anfield.
Jürgen Klopp made three changes to the side that beat Everton in the Merseyside derby, with Ibrahima Konaté, Jordan Henderson and Luis Diaz replacing Joël Matip, Naby Keïta and Diogo Jota. Liverpool set up in their usual 4-3-3 formation.
Unai Emery also made three changes to the team that beat Copa del Rey finalists Valencia last week, as Pau Torres, Francis Coquelin and Samuel Chukwueze replaced Aïssa Mandi, Yéremy Pino and Manu Trigueros. Villarreal lined up in their usual 4-4-2 shape.
Villarreal set up to be solid defensively, sitting back in a narrow 4-4-2 to block up the centre, making Liverpool work to break them down.
With Villarreal congesting the middle, Liverpool played wide, where the away side would then move out and attempt to trap them against the touchline.
Villarreal moving wide to defend would leave gaps for Liverpool to exploit though. Their full-backs moving out to the touchline to defend would open up space between them and the centre-back that Liverpool could take advantage of.
Typically though Dani Parejo or Etienne Capoue would drop back into defence to plug this gap, which ensured there was no space in defence, but would open up space inside in the midfield for Liverpool to exploit. Liverpool would still have to get past the defenders though, meaning they could often get the ball into attacking areas in the first half, however struggled to create real chances as Villarreal remained solid.
Chukwueze would also drop back to help out defensively, keeping an eye on Thiago Alcântara to stop the Spaniard from having free rein.
Villarreal themselves started the game simply trying to play quick straight balls in behind the Liverpool defence for the forwards to chase, attacking in a 4-2-2-2 shape.
Slowly they began to attempt passing out from the back instead, spreading out across the pitch, however this had limited effectiveness, with Liverpool frequently winning the ball back in Villarreal’s half.
Shortly after half-time Liverpool took the lead. Liverpool played down the left, pulling Villarreal across, then switched play to the right. Mohamed Salah and Henderson doubled up on Pervis Estupiñan, and the captain’s cross deflected off of the full-back, sending it looping over Geronimo Rulli as the goalkeeper stepped out to deal with the initial cross.
Minutes later they doubled their lead. Liverpool again played wide to Salah, who dribbled inside, seeing Parejo drop into defence, before laying off the ball to Sadio Mané. The Senegalese played back to Henderson, who passed inside to Trent Alexander-Arnold, in space thanks to Parejo dropping deep. Parejo stepped out again to meet him but Alexander-Arnold had space to play a pass forward into Salah, who was given time to turn due to Torres not getting tight to him, perhaps wary of the run of Mané. Salah dribbled forward though, forcing Torres into engaging him then poking the ball through to Mané to finish.
Having taken a comfortable lead, Liverpool simply looked to see the game out in preparation for the return leg.
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