Osimhen scores again for Galatasaray- Super Eagles striker sends Liverpool most ominous warning yet

If you are Arne Slot, sitting at home on Saturday night watching footage of tonight's game at RAMS Park, there is one moment in particular that will keep you awake.

Victor Osimhen, clean through on goal, swings his right leg at a cross from Barıs and catches it perfectly, a bicycle kick that flies off the woodwork and back into play.

It didn't go in. But the intent, the audacity, the sheer physical brilliance of the attempt? That is the man Liverpool have to stop at Anfield in four days' time.

Galatasaray made it a professional, business-like evening against İstanbul Basaksehir, winning 3-0 at RAMS Park to extend their lead at the top of the Super Lig to at least four points ahead of Fenerbahce's game tomorrow.

Okan Buruk managed his squad expertly, one eye firmly fixed on Wednesday's Champions League second leg. The scoreline was comfortable. The performance was controlled. And Osimhen, as ever, was the story.

The opening goal came on 28 minutes and had Osimhen's fingerprints all over it, even if his name wasn't on the scoresheet. The Super Eagles striker made a sharp decoy run that dragged two Basaksehir defenders out of position, opening up a corridor for Noa Lang to find Wilfred Singo. Smart, selfless, effective, the kind of movement that only the very best centre-forwards understand.

Osimhen doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half with a predator's finish after Basaksehir's defence switched off, and by the time substitute Renato Nhaga slotted home the third on 84 minutes, with Yunus Akgun providing the assist, this was already a distant memory of a contest.

The substitution at 75 minutes was entirely deliberate. With Anfield looming on Wednesday, Buruk had no interest in risking his most important player for the final quarter of a game that was already settled.

Osimhen walked off to a standing ovation from the RAMS Park faithful and somewhere in Liverpool, Slot will have breathed a very small sigh of relief that he at least came off uninjured. Small comfort, really.

Galatasaray travel to England on Wednesday with a 1-0 lead, a fully fit squad, and a striker who just spent 75 minutes hitting posts with bicycle kicks and scoring for fun. Liverpool need two. Good luck with that.