Liverpool vs Inter Milan result: Five things we learned as Reds progress in Champions League

Liverpool were beaten 1-0 by Inter Milan on the night, but two goals on the road in the first leg proved the difference.

The Reds were fairly reserved from the outset, given their two-goal lead from the first half, but they still went closest in the first half as Joel Matip hit the crossbar, with Mohamed Salah then striking the post with an almost open goal to aim at after the restart.

Lautaro Martinez then suddenly turned the momentum of the game on the hour with a rifled strike into the top corner – but just one minute later, Alexis Sanchez was sent-off for a second yellow card.

Salah then rattled the post again and Luis Diaz saw an effort blocked on the line as the ball refused to go in and the Reds progressed on aggregate.

Here are five things we learned from the game at Anfield.

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Control the name of the game

Liverpool were nowhere near as offensive-minded and all-out-attack in the first half as they can be after growing into matches domestically, with the onus on the visitors to produce something special to change the aggregate score.

The Reds were very comfortable in possession, created the better efforts on goal – albeit from set plays – and were perfectly content to let inter decide to take risks and start to open up gaps behind.

That approach had to change slightly after Inter’s unexpected opener, but even with Liverpool creating more openings – those for Salah and Diaz in particular – there was rarely any need for panic or extreme stress, given the remaining lead.

It could have been a better showing on the ball and a much better 90-minute result, but it’s job done by keeping Inter mostly at bay.

Jota needs to up his level

The Portuguese forward was free-scoring prior to his injury earlier in the campaign but has struggled for top gear since then.

Here he was well on the fringes of the game for the most part, and when he did get involved it was regularly detrimental to the team’s progression: missed control, wayward passes and a number of fouls against him, including one which saw Hakan Calhanoglu hit the target with a free-kick.

The problem isn’t so much a minor loss of form, as the potential to lose his place: Roberto Firmino is back to full fitness and new signing Luis Diaz has hit the ground running, very quickly a fan favourite and a player who is making the team tick in attack.

Jones takes his latest chance

While the No20 struggled, the No17 impressed. Curtis Jones has recently been either in the XI or not in the squad at all, with the depth in midfield a big feature for Liverpool of late.

He was, for an hour, the most impressive on-the-ball player for the Reds – lots of carries into dangerous areas, several impressive defensive recoveries and a lot more energy than any of the front three.

It’s a very competitive area of the park right now and Jurgen Klopp can rotate at will, but Jones certainly put on enough of a show to stake his claim for upcoming games.

His 68th first-team appearance means only current teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold (and the signed-at-15 Raheem Sterling) has made more senior appearances for the Reds out of the youth academy since Steven Gerrard’s breakthrough – he overtook Stephen Warnock here.

Sudden silverware struggles

Inter Milan were looking for a treble of their own, but suddenly face a real fight to land any kind of trophy at all this season.

They’re now out of Europe, have a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against rivals AC Milan after a 0-0 first-leg draw, and have been displaced at the top of Serie A by the same team.

Inter do still have another game in hand in league play, but a run of five games without a win across all competitions has quickly proven costly – and even victory here does nothing to improve their situation after an aggregate defeat.

Inter the quarters for the Reds

So Liverpool’s unbeaten run is over, but the trophy charge remains very much on.

Into the last eight they progress in Europe, just as is the case in the FA Cup – and the other domestic trophy is already in the bag.

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Few sides will be keen to draw Klopp’s team in the quarter-finals, even with this surprise result, and even if they are not speaking out loud about it, the Anfield staff and players will doubtless be targetting another European Cup this season.

They won it three seasons ago and are among the biggest favourites to do so this year – perhaps they’ll feel only a domestic rival can seriously oppose them right now.

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