Darwin Nunez&rsquo;s brace lifted <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/no-discussion-please-klopp-23338168" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Liverpool</a> within sight of the Europa League quarter-finals as they swept to a 5-1 win in the last 16 first leg at Sparta Prague on Thursday.&nbsp;
Star striker Mohamed Salah returned to the squad as a second-half substitute from an injury that had restrained him to only play 46 minutes for Liverpool since his early retreat from the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/cricket/article/destiny-in-our-hands-23339015" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">&lsquo;Destiny in our hands&rsquo;</a>
<img title="Jurgen Klopp" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2024/mar/darwine-a_e.jpg" alt="Jurgen Klopp" width="1280" height="720" />Jurgen Klopp
&ldquo;Sparta took risks, we punished them for that,&rdquo; said <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/liverpools-young-stars-shine-chelsea-score-late-23337711" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Liverpool</a> manager Jurgen Klopp.&nbsp;
<h2>&lsquo;Wonderful goals&rsquo;</h2>
&ldquo;We scored wonderful goals and we had really good moments in the game.&rdquo;
Alexis Mac Allister opened the score against the reigning Czech champions and top flight leaders with a sixth minute penalty after being brought down by Asger Sorensen in the box.
Nunez added a second with a long-range shot from outside the box over diving Sparta goalkeeper Peter Vindahl in the 25th minute.&nbsp;
The Uruguay striker made it 3-0 in first half stoppage time with a low blast from just inside the box to the far post. &ldquo;He has the most important attitude a striker needs to have in these chances,&rdquo; said Klopp. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s just a constant threat and he gives us some spaces and areas and options.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Conor Bradley came on as a half-time substitute and the game turned sour for him 40 seconds later as he slammed Sparta winger Veljko Birmancevic&rsquo;s cross into his own net.&nbsp;
Luis Diaz, however, made it 4-1 on 53 minutes, beating Vindahl with a deflected shot and Dominik Szoboszlai, also returning from injury as a second-half substitute, rounded off the score in the stoppage time.&nbsp;
<h2>Salah&rsquo;s goal disallowed</h2>
Salah found the net six minutes from time but his goal was disallowed as VAR caught him offside. Liverpool have all but secured a place in the March 15 draw for the quarter-finals, which will also reveal their potential semi-final opponents.&nbsp;
The Reds controlled much of the game while Sparta relied largely on breaks. The hosts came close several times but goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher stopped unmarked Lukas Haraslin&rsquo;s close-range effort with his fingertips and Birmancevic then missed a gaping net.&nbsp;
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hails striker Nunez’s strategic positioning and attitude as Uruguayan scores brace in 5-1 win over Sparta Prague

Darwin's theory!

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