Hoffenheim 1-2 Liverpool: 5 talking points

Liverpool overcame Bundesliga side Hoffenehim 2-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff clash thanks to a wonder-goal free kick from young Trent Alexander-Arnold and a lucky strike from James Milner.

The result sets spectators up for a scintillating second leg that Julian Nagelsmann's side must win if they are to stay in contention for this season's UCL, while the Reds will feel they already have one foot in the group stages.

Read on to find out our key five talking points on a cracking game of football.

Liverpool amazing in attack

Much of the pre-match talk centered on the future of Philippe Coutinho who really looks destined to leave Anfield in the coming days, but watching the front three of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will at least inspire confidence that the club still have plenty of offensive threats.

Producing free-flowing football and incisive moves, Liverpool looked dangerous every time they moved forward in possession, especially in the final third.

Whether it was one-on-one, in combination play or simply with mind-bending passes, those three were very influential throughout.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the first Liverpool player to score a free-kick in a European game since Steven Gerrard in December 2014.? pic.twitter.com/MsIgFrcL0l

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 15, 2017

In saying that, nothing should be taken away from the offensive performances of Emre Can, Alexander-Arnold whose 35th-minute worldie set-piece secured one of the all-important away goals, or Alberto Moreno who was very supportive of Mane down the left flank all night long at the Wirsal Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

Overall, Liverpool played to their strengths and crafted some very good chances that deserved more goals.

The only criticism of their attacking flair was that they didn't produce the number of goals they should have, and against a better side they could have been made to pay for that - they could still if Hoffenheim cause a shock at Anfield.

Liverpool suspect at the back

Lovren didn't cover himself in glory against Hoffenheim

Questions have been asked of Liverpool's defence ever since Jurgen Klopp took over as manager of the club - and they're not going away any time soon.

Nagelsmann is still a developing manager. As the youngest coach in the German Bundesliga, he still has a great deal to learn, and although Hoffenheim are a decent side they are not yet world-beaters.

So, it will be disappointing for Reds fans to see their defence troubled so easily by some rather routine forays forward by them.

In truth, Nagelsmann's troops should have been 1-0 up in the early exchanges when Dejan Lovren fouled Serge Gnabry in the box before Andrej Kramaric produced one of the weakest penalties ever seen on the UCL stage so that Simon Mignolet could comfortably parry to safety.

It was the rash nature of Lovren's challenge, combined with his uncomfortable presence whenever the ball came near him that should really worry Liverpool fans, because while it's not news to them that their side are weak at the back, the likes of Lovern and company should be more competent against a side of Hoffenehim's quality.

Moreover, Alexander-Arnold seemed far more interested in calling for offside for Hoffenehim's consolation than he did in actively attempting to put pressure on the goal-scorer. Not good enough.

Hoffenheim unfortunate to concede second goal

Milner scored Liverpool's second of the night.

At first glance, it looked as if substitute James Milner's goal was a stroke of genius.

Replays, however, confirmed that it took a considerable deflection on the way in, as the England international's attempted cross was turned into the net.

The goal planted a seed of frustration in the German side's mind as the game began to slip away from them in the final quarter hour.

In truth, Die Kraichgauer made life very difficult for themselves at the back, and not even their fluid transition of a three-man defence to a five-man defence could provide them enough cover against the Premier League outfit who simply looked hungrier for the win on the whole.

Having finished the 2016/17 season in fourth place, it's clear that Hoffenheim are a team looking to develop and progress to new heights, but they clearly have a lot of work to do if they are to compete at the highest levels in the future.

Good, but not good enough.

Hosts sucker Pool with consolation

Hoffenheim fans serenade their players

As indicated, Liverpool made life difficult for themselves early on thanks to a suspect defence.

Up against some fairly generic moves forward, Liverpool looked shaky and unsure of themselves - a better and more imaginative team would have punished the Reds more for being so indecisive early on.

A handful of snapshots that either flew wide or were directed straight at Mignolet between the posts saw Hoffenheim create little for large periods of the game until an 87th-minute consolation strike from Mark Uth, after latching onto a great diagonal ball, saw them pull one back.

Lethargic play littered the home team's movements in the key areas around and inside the 18-yard box and so it was little surprise that their best moment of the night came via a clever pass to wrong-foot the entire Pool defence, expertly beating the offside trap, too.

Liverpool are still in the driving seat, but Hoffenheim will certainly be doing all they can to catch up for the return leg. The final 10 minutes proved that they can do damage.

Solanke competitive debut heralds bright future

Solanke could have a bright Liverpool future.

With Daniel Sturridge's injury woes continuing, the arrival of Dominic Solanke's competitive debut for Liverpool should ease fans' worries that they are lacking in attacking options.

Having someone of Solanke's quality on the bench will mean a great deal over the course of a long season - and he will surely have the hunger to push his way into contention for a place on the starting XI.

His contentious transfer from Chelsea to the red-half of Merseyside might well require a tribunal to settle his future, but the fact he now has his first big match behind him for the club should mean a great deal.

He might not have scored a goal on the night, but he was involved in the link-up play and showed immense to desire to get involved.

It all bodes well for his future at the club.