Ranking Liverpool's performances against every Champions League opponent

#6 vs 1899 Hoffenheim (Play-offs)

1899 Hoffenheim v Liverpool FC - UEFA Champions League Qualifying Play-Offs Round: First Leg

Liverpool did not have much of a problem in qualifying for the Champions League group stage, as they saw out 1899 Hoffenheim pretty comfortably. An effective pair of results, if not the prettiest.

The first leg was pretty tight as Liverpool claimed a narrow 2-1 victory thanks to 19-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold, who scored a great free-kick. A host of chances for both sides could have swung the game in any direction, as indicated by an early penalty save from Simon Mignolet. Failure to keep a clean sheet raised some concerns for the second leg, but it would not really matter.

The first twenty minutes against Hoffenheim at Anfield were as good as any by Liverpool, from an attacking perspective in Europe this season. The Reds won 4-2 with Roberto Firmino, in particular, bringing the fire against his former club. However, the defence was shaky throughout the tie, as it had been during the opening months of the 2017-18 season.

Effective, but not the prettiest.