Liverpool have a foot and four toes in the last eight of the Europa League as they blew away Sparta Prague, largely thanks to Darwin Nunez.

Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring in the Czech capital with a coolly taken penalty after he was tripped in the box in just the sixth minute, before Nunez blasted home two fine finishes to put Jurgen Klopp’s side three up by the break.

Substitute Conor Bradley then knocked the ball into his own net in the opening moments of the second half, before defender Ibrahima Konate pulled up with appeared to be an injury and was forced off.

Luis Diaz added a fourth soon after Konate had to be replaced by skipper Virgil van Dijk, and after returning substitute Mo Salah had a goal ruled out by VAR following a tight offside decision, fellow sub Dominik Szoboszlai added a fifth late on. Here are the game’s main talking points.

1. Alexis Mac Allister steps up in another way
Mac Allister both won and scored the penalty which gave Liverpool the lead

Mac Allister both won and scored the penalty which gave Liverpool the lead ( Image: AFP via Getty Images)
In amongst the chaos and largely manufactured fume that accompanied Nunez’s late, late winner at Nottingham Forest there was one thing that was missed by many, namely the superb assist from Mac Allister.

It was another sign of the World Cup winner’s growing authority in this side and influence upon it, with that £35million signing from Brighton, which already looked a bargain, looking an even better deal game by game.

The Argentinean is already Jurgen Klopp’s most important midfielder, and his game intelligence is a wonderful thing to behold as he bends the game to his will. His pressing was on show as he nicked the ball off Asger Sorensen to win the penalty, and up he stepped – again showing authority – to open the scoring from the spot, again demonstrating how quickly he has become a senior player in this side.

2. Darwin Nunez at his belligerent best
Dawrin Nunez turned in a superb display in attack

Dawrin Nunez turned in a superb display in attack ( Image: Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)
Look at ball, see ball, smash ball towards goal. It is an approach which has got Darwin Nunez this far in his career and he isn’t going to change it now.

This was a superb first half cameo from the Uruguayan forward, with his two fearsome strikes underlining the difference in quality between the two attacks, with Sparta often passing up golden opportunities and Nunez simply grasping them with both hands.

With a dwindling number of substitution windows left Klopp withdrew him early in the second period knowing that he will be vital against City on Sunday, and you just know he’s going to have a say in proceedings.

3. Liverpool a little too open
Kelleher was needed to be at his best for Liverpool

Kelleher was needed to be at his best for Liverpool ( Image: Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)
Despite midweek social media rumours that he was injured, Caoimhin Kelleher was back in goal for Liverpool in Prague and he was certainly needed. The Irishman had to be at his agile best to keep out Lukas Haraslin’s early effort, and he was kept on his toes by a vibrant home side who certainly looked like they had goals in them.

They were cutting through Liverpool at times in the first half, with Wataru Endo not exactly looking at his best in midfield and their pressing game gone awry, and Liverpool looked fairly open in a manner which is sure to give City something to think about. Pep Guardiola’s side aren’t ever really a counter-attacking one, but that could be the way home for them at the weekend on this evidence.

4. The last thing Jurgen Klopp wanted
Konate limped off early in the second half

Konate limped off early in the second half ( Image: Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)