Inter Milan vs Liverpool live: Dominik Szoboszlai scores late penalty to seal much-needed win for Reds
Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool: Reds respond to Mohamed Salah drama with composed performance and crucial Champions League win courtesy of late Dominik Szoboszlai penalty
Liverpool bounced back from a turbulent week dominated by an explosive interview by star man Mohamed Salah with a much-needed win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.
The Egyptian was omitted from the Reds’ travelling squad after claiming he had been thrown under the bus at Anfield and stating that he no longer had a relationship with manager Arne Slot.
Those comments dominated the build-up to Liverpool’s tough test at the San Siro, but Slot’s side did their talking on the pitch with a much-improved performance.
Ibrahima Konate nodded in the opening goal just after the half hour mark but had it ruled out following a lengthy VAR check for handball. But Liverpool had VAR to thank rather than curse later on as Alessandro Bastoni was penalised for a shirt-pull on Florian Wirtz in the box, with Dominik Szoboszlai - deputising for the absent penalty-taker Salah - coolly converting the spot-kick to seal a crucial three points.
The Reds moved up to eighth in the league phase table, level on points with Inter, who dropped to fifth after a first European defeat at home in three years.
Follow all the updates from the San Siro below:
Mohamed Salah must take initiative for Liverpool reconciliation, suggests Arne Slot
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has suggested any attempts to repair his relationship with Mohamed Salah should come from the player himself.
Slot was able to smile and joke with the Amazon Prime panel, including former Inter player Clarence Seedorf, who quizzed him repeatedly on the Salah debacle.
“That’s your opinion,” he smiled when Seedorf suggested it should be the club making the first overture to the player after a dispute.
“Everyone makes mistakes in life but does the player know he’s made a mistake?
“I haven’t said that I’m not going to talk to him. But then you have to ask should the initiative come from me? That’s another question,” Slot posited as Seedorf continued to press.
Mohamed Salah must take initiative for Liverpool reconciliation, suggests Arne Slot
Pragmatic Liverpool prove that Arne Slot is the true winner in the Mohamed Salah saga
Dominik Szoboszlai’s winning goal justified Slot’s decision to leave Salah out of the squad following his media outburst last weekend, says Richard Jolly.
Full report from our man in Milan:
Pragmatic Liverpool prove that Arne Slot is the true winner in the Mohamed Salah saga
Andy Robertson: 'We're all together in the changing room'
On the Salah debacle, he says: “Yeah, look, it’s a tough situation. We’re talking about one of the greatest players ever to play for this club, he’s been unbelievable for us. I signed in the same window as him and we’ve been through so many highs, so many lows.
“Whatever happens now will happen internally. We’re all together in the changing room, that’s the main thing, and I think you saw that today.”
Can it be resolved? “That’ll be up to other people; it’s not up to me. But I love playing with Mo Salah and I hope to continue playing with him.”
Andy Robertson: 'A perfect night for us'
Andy Robertson chats to Amazon Prime now. “Huge result. We knew we were coming to a tough place, to a team that's in a good moment. We had to show fight, determination, we had to dig in at times. The clean sheet was crucial for us tonight, and then we go and score the goal. A perfect night for us and a big three points.
“The handball for me, I think it took seven or eight minutes. If you do that, then you have to stick to the on-field decision. You have to stick to the decision. It can’t be taking that long, everyone hanging around. The penalty did look soft but that’s given anywhere else on the pitch.
“We all needed it. We know the results and performances aren't good enough. When you’re not in the best moment, t’s important this club is in the Champions League, people that support us expect us to go far in it. It was a huge result for all of us.”
No Salah, no problem?
Four games without Salah, four games unbeaten. Liverpool certainly looked better structurally tonight than they have in a while: more compact, better in defence. Advantage Slot in that particular duel after this win, you’d have to say.
Liverpool into Champions League top eight
Not only was that a rare win and a rare clean sheet, Liverpool also moved into the Champions League top eight with that result.
That puts them in line for automatic qualification to the quarter-finals.
Three teams have a game in hand on them but the picture is looking much rosier nevertheless, with games against Marseille and Qarabag to come.
Inter drop to fifth, level on points with the Reds on 12.
Liverpool beat Inter Milan
FULL-TIME! Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool
Exactly what Liverpool, and Arne Slot, needed. With Mohamed Salah left at home Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up to take that penalty, and stepped up in style.
Much more solid from Liverpool, if not exactly spectacular, after a turbulent few weeks.
They are the first team to beat Inter at the San Siro in the Champions League in three years, quite amazingly.
FULL-TIME! Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool
‘90+6: Luis Henrique concedes the ball cheaply. Jones releases Ekitike but Inter steal it back... and that’s it!
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