Sparta Prague 1-5 Liverpool: Darwin Nunez hits brilliant brace as Jurgen Klopp’s side net big first-leg lead

Darwin Nunez grabbed a brilliant brace as Liverpool took a commanding grip of their UEFA Europa League last-16 tie courtesy of a 5-1 win at Sparta Prague.

Jurgen Klopp named a strong starting XI despite the looming shadow of Sunday’s crunch Premier League showdown with Manchester City, and they took just six minutes to open the scoring through Alexis Mac Allister’s penalty.

Nunez then scored the 1000th goal of Klopp’s reign with a sumptuous curler on 25 minutes before an even better 20-yard volley from the Uruguayan made it three on the stroke of half-time.

Sparta had plenty of chances of their own but were thwarted by some heroics from Caoimhín Kelleher until substitute Conor Bradley put through his own net within seconds of the restart.

Luis Diaz’s deflected finish restored the three-goal advantage on 53 minutes and Mo Salah returned from his hamstring problem as a substitute, but the withdrawal of Ibrahima Konate with a possible injury slightly dampened Liverpool’s otherwise excellent night.

Dominik Szoboszlai added a fifth in stoppage time as the Merseysiders put one foot in the last eight ahead of the second leg at Anfield next Thursday.

The fact Klopp named a strong team with such a mammoth clash with Manchester City just three days away says much about his desire to end his reign with another European trophy.

There were so many positives too, with Mo Salah returning from injury for a 15-minute cameo from the bench while Dominik Szoboszlai also got more minutes to add to his match fitness - and a goal.

However, a potential injury to Konate as well as ascertaining whether the withdrawals of Joe Gomez and Nunez were planned or precautionary for niggles, will determine how Liverpool shape up for the City clash.

If all three are fit for the weekend then this victory could be very significant in easing the burden on his injury-hit squad in a key period. The second leg of this match next Thursday is followed by the FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester United, but given this Europa tie is effectively over barring a minor miracle, then Klopp may be able to use more youngsters to ensure his side’s push on all fronts continues with his big stars fresh to face their rivals from down the M62.

It was a toss up between the striker and the excellent Kelleher, but the forward gets the nod for two stunning strikes that effectively put the game beyond the Czech league leaders.

SPARTA PRAGUE: Vindahl 7, Preciado 7, Solbakken 6, Kairinen 6, Kutcha 6, Birmancevic 6, Haraslin 6, Sorensen 6, Zeleny 6, Krejci 6, Vitik 6. Subs: Rynes 6, Laci 6, Tuci 6, Karabec 6, Olatinji 6.

LIVERPOOL: Kelleher 9, Gomez 7, Robertson 7, Konate 7, Quansah 7, Endo 7, Mac Allister 8, Elliott 7, Gakpo 7, Nunez 9*, Diaz 7. Subs: Bradley 6, Van Dijk 7, Szoboszlai 7, Clark 6, Salah 7.

06’ – GOAL! – Sparta Prague 0-1 Liverpool: (Mac Allister penalty). It's a clinical spot kick from the Argentine as he rolls the ball into the bottom corner with Peter Vindahl diving in the opposite direction.

25’ – GOAL! – Sparta Prague 0-2 Liverpool: (Nunez). The Merseysiders double their advantage as Nunez curls a 25-yard effort beyond the flailing hand of Vindahl.

45+3’ – GOAL! – Sparta Prague 0-3 Liverpool: (Nunez). Nunez scampers after Mac Allister's lovely diagonal ball and volleys an audacious 20-yard strike into the far corner.

46’ – GOAL! – Sparta Prague 1-3 Liverpool: (Bradley own goal). That's not the start the substitute would have wanted. The hosts raid down the right and it's crossed into the middle where Bradley surges in and inexplicably slams his attempted clearance into the top corner.

53’ – GOAL! – Sparta Prague 1-4 Liverpool: (Diaz). Bradley and Elliot combine on the right to tee up Diaz to force a deflected shot home from close-in.

90+3’ – GOAL! – Sparta Prague 1-5 Liverpool: (Szoboszlai). An error by Preciado allows Szoboszlai to surge towards goal from the left flank and fire a shot beyond Vindahl.

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