Liverpool booked their spot in the Champions League quarter-finals as they held out to beat Inter Milan on 2-1 aggregate.
The Reds were defeat 1-0 in the last-16 second-leg tie by the Serie A champions - which was their first loss at Anfield for a year.
But Jurgen Klopp’s side’s 2-0 victory at the San Siro last month ensured they had enough to advance into the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition.
Liverpool had the better chances in the first half. Joel Matip smashed the bar with a header while Trent Alexander-Arnold sent a free-kick just wide with the final kick of the opening 45 minutes.
The Reds then hit the woodwork in the 52nd minute when Mo Salah steered an effort onto the post with the goal at his mercy.
Inter gave themselves a huge lifeline on 62 minutes when Lautaro Martínez fizzed home an effort from outside the box into the top corner.
But any hope was quickly surrendered when Alexis Sanchez was sent off for a second bookable offence just a minute later.
Liverpool almost got themselves level on the night but Salah hit the post again.
And the Reds held on to win the tie on aggregate as their quadruple hopes remain firmly alive.
The heroes
- Liverpool medical staff: quickly alert to deal with an incident in the Kop during the first half. Club doctor Jim Moxon and physio Chris Morgan sprinted to the situation. Anyone else who helped must be given a huge mention.
- Jurgen Klopp: the Liverpool boss played a key role in getting the game stopped so the supporter could receive the treatment required.
- Thiago Alcantara: an excellent performance from the midfielder on his comeback from injury. Really grew into the game and showed his class. If he can stay fit, it will boost the Reds’ ambitions markedly.
The villains
-Alexis Sanchez: two moments of madness from the Inter forward - and was given his marching orders. Sanchez could not complain as he gave the referee a decision to make and aspirations of Inter going through were swiftly snatched away.
- Antonio Matheu Lahoz: the referee was poor throughout. Several iffy decisions, allowed the game to flow when it needed to be stopped in the first half then vice versa after the break. There was a case to be made Sanchez was trying to pull out of his tackle.
- Joel Matip: a sloppy pass down the right flank led to Inter’s goal which briefly made things nervous.
1. Alisson Becker - 6
Did everything he needed to do with authority. Made a decent stop from Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s free-kick in the first half. No chance with the goal. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7
Made a couple of important interceptions in the first half. Set-pieces also led to Matip and van Dijk’s chances. Photo: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
3. Joel Matip - 5
So unlucky not to have scored in the first half. Then his sloppy pass led to Martinez’s goal. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
4. Virgil van Dijk - 6
Unlucky to have a goal-bound header thwarted in the first half. Far too casual for Martinez’s goal, though, and should have put his body on the fine. Then had a header just wide in the closing stages. Photo: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images