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Liverpool welcomed Inter Milan to Anfield for the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash on Tuesday night. Jurgen Klopp's team bagged a 2-0 win in the first leg at the San Siro last month.
The Reds were expected to take the game by the scruff of the neck to clinch another win. Unfortunately for them, it was Inter who came through, securing a 0-1 win on the night.
Despite enduring their first defeat in the Champions League this season, the Merseyside giants progressed to the quarter-finals with a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.
The first big chance fell to the hosts in the 30th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s impeccable free-kick picked out Joel Matip in the box. The centre-back headed the ball brilliantly but was denied by the crossbar.
A couple of minutes later, Virgil van Dijk came close to breaking the deadlock, but his goalbound header was ultimately blocked by Milan Skriniar. Inter called Liverpool keeper Alisson into action in the 41st minute, courtesy of Hakan Calhanoglu’s deceptively low free-kick. The Brazilian was up to the task and parried the ball away to safety.
The Reds dominated proceedings early in the second half, but it was Inter who took the lead out of the blue. Lautaro Martinez found some space outside the Liverpool box and unleashed a right-footed rocket to beat Alisson comprehensively.
Unfortunately for the visitors, their hopes of a comeback took a massive hit just a couple of minutes later as Alexis Sanchez received his marching orders. The Chilean's challenge on Fabinho was reckless and was completely deserving of the second yellow he received on the night.
Jurgen Klopp’s men didn’t have much trouble against a 10-man Inter but failed to get back on level terms.
Here are five Liverpool stars who could not quite live up to the billing on Tuesday night:
#5 Fabinho
Fabinho did not necessarily have the worst game on Tuesday night but his distribution left a lot to be desired. He rarely popped up with forward passes and was outmuscled early in the match.
Inter Milan players needed little effort to bypass him, which is hardly desirable from a player tasked with shielding the defense.
The Brazilian grew in confidence in the second half and played a lot better after Naby Keita and Jordan Henderson came on for Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara respectively.
Inter's Alexis Sanchez was sent off in a crucial phase following his challenge on Fabinho, resulting in a second yellow.
#5 Mohamed Salah
Premier League's leading goalscorer Mohamed Salah was successfully kept quiet by the Inter Milan defenders in the first half.
He only sprung to life in the second half when spaces started to open up.
He hit the woodwork twice, the first of which came early in the second half. With the keeper out of position, all the Egyptian had to do was keep his cool and find the back of the net.
Unfortunately, he fluffed his lines and ended up hitting the left post of Samir Handanovic’s goal.
Salah's second effort, which rattled the post in the 75th minute, was sublime, and the star forward was extremely unfortunate not to score.
#3 Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool's towering centre-back Virgil van Dijk is widely lauded as one of the best players in the world.
Since the start of the season, he has been immense at the back, sniffing out danger and closing down spaces with immaculate precision. Last night, however, his danger-sensing radar was not quite at its best.
He started the game brightly and did ever so well to nullify Lautaro Martinez’s advances in the final third. Offensively, too, he proved his mettle, coming agonizingly close to hitting the back of the net with a thumping header in the 32nd minute.
Overall, Van Dijk was decent at duels, long-ball distribution, and recoveries. Unluckily, he was still culpable for his side’s defeat on Tuesday.
Had it not been for the Dutchman’s momentary lapse in concentration in the second half, Martinez would not have had the space to shoot.
A player of Van Dijk’s quality should have read the situation and closed down the Argentine a lot sooner.
#2 Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane was the most mobile of the Liverpool front three on Tuesday night. He was putting the work in, trying to get into dangerous areas, and was trying to create goalscoring opportunities.
Unfortunately, except for his chipped through-ball for Salah in the second half, rarely anything came off for Mane in the match.
The Senegalese forward could not establish himself as a goal threat, failing to get even a single effort on target, with his only shot on Tuesday being well off the mark.
He also lost five duels, provided only a single key pass, and ceded possession eight times over the course of the 90.
Surely a night to forget for the AFCON winner, who was also booked on the night.
#1 Diogo Jota
Jurgen Klopp decided to leave Luis Diaz on the bench against Inter on Tuesday night, allowing Diogo Jota to lead the line. The Portuguese forward was once again a livewire on the pitch, pressing until his leg gave out.
Sadly, his work rate was his only notable contribution in the second leg at Anfield, as he failed miserably on all other fronts.
Not only did Jota fail to register a single shot on Tuesday, but he also could not create a single chance for his teammates. He attempted five dribbles but was unsuccessful in four of them.
The Portugal international was also outmuscled rather easily, losing five of his six ground duels. Additionally, he was rather wasteful in possession, losing the ball a whopping 13 times.
Failing to make an impact, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man was taken off for Diaz in the 83rd minute.
