Inter Milan 0-2 Liverpool: 5 talking points as Reds take lead to Anfield | UEFA Champions League 2021-22
It's advantage Liverpool after the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 game against Inter Milan after the Premier League side recorded a 2-0 win at the San Siro.
Late goals from second-half substitute Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah put the Reds firmly in the ascendancy. Liverpool were the better side for most of the game, and that told as the Inter defence crumbled in the second half.
First-leg results this week. Predict which four will go through 👇
#UCL https://t.co/JtzaDN4fBa
It was an open game for the first 45 minutes, with both sides attacking on the counter. The visitors grew into the game in the second half as their high press pegged Inter in their own half.
As Liverpool take a giant step towards a place in the quarter-finals, we take a look at the five talking points from their first-leg clash:
#5 Harvey Elliott becomes Liverpool's youngest player in the Champions League
Harvey Elliot was given the nod to start in midfield by Jurgen Klopp against the Serie A leaders, and the 18-year-old did not disappoint. In the process, the English teenager became the youngest Reds player to feature in the continental competition.
18 - Aged 18 years and 318 days, Harvey Elliott is the youngest player ever to start a European Cup/Champions League match for Liverpool (excl. qualifiers), overtaking teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold (18y 354d v Spartak Moscow in 2017). Stage. https://t.co/gIXvm6nm89
He broke the record, previously held by Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was 18 years and 354 days when he made his competition debut against Spartak Moscow in 2017.
Elliot had a decent debut, and in his 59 minutes of action, he linked well with the forwards, but he lacked a bit defensively. He failed to mark Hakan Calhanoglu, who hit the crossbar in the first half.
#4 Reds implement their press flawlessly against Inter Milan
The visitors played a highline throughout the game. They were quick to latch onto free balls, and their close marking denied any chances of forward passing to Inter.
The Serie A giants could not pass the ball into the final third, as the Reds pressed high and forced them into moving the ball in the defensive third. Almost every move by the hosts eventually cooled down as the players passed the ball all the way back to goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.