Liverpool progressed to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday night with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Inter Milan.
The Reds lost 1-0 on the night due to a Lautaro Martinez second-half strike.
But Alexis Sanchez's red card minutes later realistically stopped any chance of a full Inter comeback as Jurgen Klopp's side made it to the last eight of the competition.
And here’s what the national media, along with ourselves, had to say about Liverpool's performance.
PLAYER RATINGS: Trent Alexander-Arnold outstanding but striker struggles against Inter Milan
SNAP ANALYSIS: Liverpool defeat changed by unlikely source as Anfield reacts differently to Inter Milan
Dave Hynter of the Guardian wrote:
"Inter had hope. Then they had 10 men. Sánchez had been booked at the end of the first half for a horrible lunge at Thiago, raking his studs down the lower leg of his opponent.
"IThe second yellow card was more contentious. Sánchez stretched to play the ball but he then caught Fabinho with his follow-through. According to the letter of the law, he was out of control.
"Liverpool pushed again and, when Sadio Mané crossed, Salah arrived to guide a first-time effort against the post.
"At the death, Arturo Vidal would somehow deny the substitute, Luis Díaz. Liverpool had done enough."
Melissa Reddy of the Independent wrote:
"Liverpool, meanwhile, had scored in 24 of their previous 25 home games in all competitions, but could only connect with the woodwork on Tuesday night.
"Inter had ensured a shutout, which was only the fourth time the Merseysiders had experienced such in the last 51 fixtures.
"They were close to enacting a gameplan, which was ultimately undone by Sanchez’s second yellow on 63 minutes.
"Simone Inzaghi had outlined Inter’s need to score first, preferably early, and so their fast, aggressive approach did not jolt."
Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail wrote:
"So Liverpool are through to the last eight of their favourite competition once again. They largely have their 2-0 first-leg victory at the San Siro thank and now have a first home defeat in a year to reflect on.
"But that is nothing more significant than a statistical anomaly. Liverpool’s momentum in league and across cup competitions remains.
"Jurgen Klopp’s team were not at their best here but there is a resilience about them at the moment and it was largely this that got them through on night when conditions made it difficult to play consistently productive football.
"Across the north-west earlier in the day, it felt very much as though spring was almost with us. Here at Anfield, perched on its hill above the Mersey, winter quickly reminded us that it was not ready to release its grip just yet. It was cold and, more pertinently, windy which did little for the quality of the football."
*RATE THE LIVERPOOL PLAYERS AGAINST INTER MILAN:
Oliver Young-Myles of the I wrote:
"The Dutchman’s [Virgil van Dijk] presence alone seemingly rendered Martinez incapable of moving his feet. A powerful, explosive international calibre striker had been reduced to an unsteady toddler learning how to take their first steps. You could hardly blame Martinez for thinking, 'actually, I don’t really fancy this'.
"Oddly enough, Martinez’s wariness of Van Dijk flipped from negative to positive in the second half. With that moment seemingly still fresh in the memory, Martinez opted against having a run at Van Dijk again and simply decided to spank an unstoppable finish into the top corner from 25 yards out instead. It was some finish, marking his first in the Champions League, and as alternative strategies go, a pretty effective one.
"Inter played well, but only a moment of individual brilliance ensured victory. That’s the only way Liverpool can be ruffled. Van Dijk’s aura has transformed their defence. And not for the first time."
Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo wrote:
"Liverpool failed to sparkle here against the well-drilled and stubborn Serie A champions, but a 2-0 cushion earned in Italy last month was just about sufficient, even without the aid of the away-goals rule.
"It's difficult now at this stage of the campaign to dissect any one particular result without speaking of the wider consequence of how it impacts the chase to become the first team to win all four trophies in a single campaign.
"Into the quarter-finals of another competition, the prospect of a quadruple is still distinct as we move further into the second week of March.
"But in truth, that talk is still premature for Klopp himself as his Liverpool side look up to Manchester City from second in the Premier League, with a six-point buffer between the two great rivals, despite a game in hand for the chasers."
