Inter 0-1 Liverpool: The Reds Find Their Nerve in a Night Heavy With Doubt
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A Night That Hinted at a Pulse
Liverpool found something vital in Milan, a steadiness that has deserted them far too often this season. I predicted a loss in my preview and stand by the reasons I gave, but there is nothing better than the Reds proving me wrong. I’ll always take that.
The defence, usually moments away from its next calamity, held shape with a seriousness that has been missing. There were no wild swings at clearances, no lapses in concentration, only a group of players who looked prepared to work for their manager and for one another. It finally felt like a side that had grown tired of folding.
The attack still looked blunt in open play. Crosses drifted without menace, and the movements ahead of the ball rarely disturbed Inter until late on. Alexander Isak had another evening where his role felt cloudy. He drifted, he chased, yet he never carried the look of a forward who knew where the chances would come from. You can feel the confusion around him, and you suspect he feels it too.
What changed the match was the intervention from the bench. Arne Slot has raised eyebrows many times in recent weeks, yet here he found clarity. The introduction of Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley reshaped the contest. Wirtz pressed with purpose and drew defenders into awkward territory. I’ll use ‘street-smart’ as the best description of the soft penalty awarded against Bastoni. Perhaps it was karma for the perfectly good Konate goal chalked off after what seemed like an hour of deliberation by VAR.
Bradley carried the ball with courage and widened the pitch in a way Liverpool had been crying out for. Their energy unsettled Inter and brought a sense of ambition that had been lacking. A word too for Szoboszlai, work-rate is a given these days, but the penalty was struck with a calming confidence that makes him a good choice for any that may come in Salah’s absence.
It was far from a complete performance, but it was a reminder that this team has not lost its instinct to fight. On a ground where they were expected to wilt, they found resolve and a small glimpse of what they might become again.
Post-Match Podcasts
Join Trev Downey, Dave Hendrick and Guy Drinkel on Post-Match RAW as they give their instant reaction to Liverpool’s win against Inter in the San Siro tonight. - Listen Now
Jack McIndoe is here with his instant match reaction to Liverpool’s 1-0 win away to Inter in the Champions League. - Watch Now
Liverpool Head Coach Arne Slot shared his thoughts on the draw with Leeds United- Listen Now
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