Darwin Nunez’s 27th-minute tap-in propelled Liverpool to a comfortable 1-0 Champions League win over RB Leipzig on Wednesday, continuing their strong start under new coach Arne Slot. Liverpool broke through Leipzig’s early pressure just before the half-hour mark when Mohamed Salah struck a superb header across his body. Nunez rushed forward to nudge the ball into the net, scoring his first Champions League goal since February 2023. Despite a late Leipzig flurry, Liverpool demonstrated the control and resilience that has propelled them to the top of the Premier League standings only days before Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal.
“We’re overjoyed with the triumph. We had a difficult away game. We had complete control of the game except for the last few minutes,” Slot explained. “I asked for a goal.” He (Darwin) scored one, but Cody Gakpo was crucial in the buildup, and Mo Salah assisted. It was a team objective. It’s encouraging to see that Darwin performed an excellent job today.”
Slot has won 11 of his first 12 games in charge in all competitions, the best start in Liverpool history, while Leipzig is now 0-3 in Europe this season. “With a bit of luck, maybe we could have taken a point,” Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi said, adding, “In the Champions League, we’ve had no luck at all.”
Both sides have impressed domestically this season thanks to good defensive records, with Liverpool surrendering three goals in eight Premier League games and Leipzig conceding only two in seven. Slot made three changes to the team that beat Chelsea 2-1 at home on Sunday, benching Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones in favor of Kostas Tsimikas and Alexis MacAllister, and replacing Diogo Jota with Nunez.
Leipzig coach Marco Rose’s starting XI made his intentions apparent, opting for an all-out attack with Lois Openda, Xavi Simons, Benjamin Sesko, and Antonio Nusa.Rose’s formation worked well early on, with Leipzig pushing Liverpool aggressively and counterattacking.
Sesko came near after 19 minutes, pouncing when Caoimhin Kelleher sprinted out of his box and failed to clear, but the huge Slovenian’s long-range shot flew just wide of the post. On the 26th minute, Openda scored from deep outside the box, but the Belgian’s strike was deemed offside.
Liverpool made Leipzig pay quickly, with Nunez tapping in a Salah header, his second goal in nine games this season. Nunez came close to double up shortly after, but Gulacsi saved his point-blank header. With one eye on Sunday’s meeting at Arsenal, Liverpool tried to take the sting out of the contest in the second period.
Salah was irritated when he was substituted with half an hour left, but Slot had already decided on Arsenal. The home side fought late, with Openda having another goal disallowed for blatant offside, but Liverpool held on to make it three from three in the Champions League.