Mane scores hat-trick, Liverpool crush Porto away

A trip to the Dragao Stadium is never an easy task for English teams but Liverpool had a night of celebration as they continued their impressive run of Champions League victories. Klopp's side scored five goals against Porto, taking their tally to 28, making it the joint-highest scorer in Europe's premier competition this season.

Porto were the first to threaten, with Otavio's shot going over the bar. However, Liverpool quickly sealed the game with two goals between the 25th and 29th minutes from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. The two players were in the right place to collect the rebound from Wijnaldum and James Milner's shots and finish. For Salah, it was his 30th goal of the season for Liverpool.

The second half continued to go smoothly for Liverpool with Mane scoring early. The Senegalese star completed a quick counter-attack with a rebound after the goalkeeper had pushed the ball away from Firmino's shot.

The Brazilian striker did not have to wait long for his own goal, finishing with one touch from Milner's cross to reach the milestone of his seventh Champions League goal this season, equalling Steven Gerrard's record in 2008-09. Firmino is well on his way to overtaking Gerrard as Liverpool's all-time leading scorer in a single Champions League campaign, with at least three more games remaining, with the team almost through to the quarter-finals.

Mane rounded off the scoring with a fine strike from outside the box, becoming only the second player to score a hat-trick away from home for Liverpool in European competition since Michael Owen in 2002.

A 5-0 victory is too safe for Liverpool because they will play the second leg at home at Anfield on March 6.

Porto had lost just two games in all competitions this season before the Liverpool clash but were helpless against the trio of Sane, Firmino and Salah. While the defence was torn apart, Porto’s attack could not share the pressure. The hosts’ best chances came in the first half and fell to attacking midfielder Otavio, whose shot went just wide of the post.

This was Liverpool's first time in the Champions League knockout stages since losing to Chelsea in the quarter-finals in 2009. But it was as if they had never been apart, as Liverpool crushed Porto to show their status as five-time European champions.

This was the 17th time Liverpool have scored more than three goals in a game this season, and the 10th time they have done it away from home. After the Porto game, Liverpool also have the top two Champions League records this season: most assists for James Milner (6) and most clean sheets for Karius (5).