Liverpool 1-0 Ajax: 5 talking points as Reds top Group D after hard-fought win | UEFA Champions League 2020-21

#3 Ajax still have one of the best youth academies in world football

Ajax continue to produce stellar prospects

Ajax's starting XI against Liverpool today included six players from their youth academy, with their bench boasting even more of these young prospects. The Amsterdam club's fabled youth academy has given us some of the greatest football players of all time and it does not look like it's slowing down production. Ajax played with complete freedom, and the pace of their counter attacks and passing sequences were a joy to watch.

"It's not a big secret. It's just giving young players a chance." Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar explains just how the Amsterdam club's footballing philosophy works ✨✨Four minutes of fascinating insight 🙌🎙 @TheDesKelly pic.twitter.com/EmO2r2HV4M

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 1, 2020

It comes as no surprise that Europe's top clubs come in for these Ajax prodigies every transfer window, and the current crop of players will be treated no different. Watch out for players like Perr Schuurs, Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch to be pursued by Europe's elite in the near future.

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#4 Both teams were wasteful on the night

Great chances wasted by both sides tonight

Today was a lesson on how not to finish by both teams. Both Liverpool and Ajax created a plethora of chances but couldn't find the back of the net. Even the goal that Liverpool eventually scored came largely in part by Andre Onana's howler.

Liverpool created thirteen chances to Ajax's ten. Both teams hit the woodwork once and had multiple one on one chances against each goalkeeper.

Davy Klaassen and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar both had point blank headers but somehow failed to score. Klaassen missed the target completely while Huntelaar was denied by a great stop from Liverpool's Kelleher. For Liverpool, their front line seemed to have forgotten to wear their shooting boots, as Salah, Mane, Jota and Firmino later on, wasted chances to score by either overcomplicating things or overplaying the ball. Salah and Firmino, in particular, had two golden opportunities to put the game to bed towards the end. Firmino really should have scored, but Onana pulled off a good save, and Salah blasted his chance over the bar.

All in all, this match had the makings of a classic, but the wastefulness from both teams made sure it wasn't.

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#5 Matchday 6 implications for Liverpool and Ajax

Liverpool can relax while Ajax must win against Atalanta

The win today guaranteed Liverpool the top spot in Group D as they qualified for the round of 16. Ajax, however, have it all to play for, as they host Atalanta at the Johan Cryuff Arena on Matchday 6. Erik ten Hag's men go into the fixture knowing that nothing less than a win will help them secure qualification into the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Our unbeaten run of 17 away games in the @ChampionsLeague has come to an end. What a streak it was... 🙏#UCL #livaja pic.twitter.com/wwn3YT0GqB

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) December 1, 2020

Ajax were handed a lifeline, as Atalanta failed to seal the win that would secure their own qualification against bottom of the group Midtjylland.

It's set up to be a tense final matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage. Who do you think will join Liverpool in the next round?