INTER MILAN V LIVERPOOL PLAYER RATINGS: Virgil van Dijk put on a defensive masterclass for visitors

Liverpool took a major step towards the quarter-finals of the Champions League after beating Inter Milan 2-0 at San Siro.

The two sides were well matched until Roberto Firmino smartly headed home from Andy Robertson’s corner, before a quiet Mohamed Salah scored his 149th Liverpool goal.

Here, Sportsmail assesses how both sets of players got on in the round of 16 Champions League first leg tie.

Liverpool took a huge step towards the Champions League last eight by beating Inter Milan

Inter Milan 

Samir Handanovic – 6

A virtual spectator for most of the game and had no chance with Firmino’s header or Salah’s effort. 

Milan Skriniar – 7

Had a header from a corner which went wide but then showed his defensive quality by making a crucial block from a close-range Luis Diaz shot.

Stefan de Vrij – 6

Couple of crucial early blocks from Salah and Fabinho. Suffered a blow to the head in the first half and appeared to play with some discomfort. Could perhaps raise questions about head injury protocols after he was allowed to continue.

Alessandro Bastoni – 8

Excellent performance marshalling Salah well for the majority as well as making a number of key blocks. Epitomised Inter’s bodies-on-the-line approach to defending, particularly in the first half. 

Alessandro Bastoni (right) epitomised Inter’s resolute defending in the first half against Reds

Denzel Dumfries – 5

Won the ball high up a couple of times but failed to try and stretch the Liverpool defence in the first half down the right. Missed a good chance with a header in the second half.

Arturo Vidal – 6

Showed his experience and put himself about but there was still the odd unnecessary challenge from the Chilean. 

Marcelo Brozovic – 6

Mixed performance. Won the ball back well but also conceded possession cheaply. Scuffed a good early chance in the second half after play had opened up for him. 

Hakan Calhanoglu – 5.5

Hit the bar with Inter’s best chance of the night and there was very little else from the former AC Milan star in terms of end product.

Turkey international Hakan Calhanoglu hit the bar with Inter’s best chance of the night

Ivan Perisic – 7

Faded in the first half after a good start but caused problems in the second half before Liverpool’s first goal, including with a cross that was just too far ahead of Martinez. Terrific effort which just also went just over the bar in the second half.

Lautaro Martinez – 4

Curled a decent opening outside the box early on wide, and while being lively wasted a couple of good opportunities to create chances for Inter. Failed to show the undoubted quality he possesses. 

Edin Dzeko – 5

The 35-year-old’s age showed tonight. Slowed attacks down when out wide and was easily dealt with by van Dijk in the middle. Could not continue his 100 per cent scoring record against the Reds in the Champions League.  

Lautaro Martinez had a night to forget at San Siro and failed to show his undoubted quality

Subs

Alexis Sanchez (for Martinez 70) 6. Zippy when he got on the ball and nearly found Dzeko in the box with a quick pass.

Roberto Gagliardini (for Vidal 87) 5.

Matteo Darmian (for Dumfries 87) 5.

Andrea Ranocchia (for de Vrij 87) 5.

Federico Dimarco (for Bastoni 90+1). 

Subs not used: Sangalli, Cordaz, D’Ambrosio, Carboni, Caicedo, Radu. 

Manager: Simone Inzaghi 5

Liverpool 

Alisson – 6

The same as Handanovic when it comes to shots saved but nearly played himself and his team intro trouble with his feet on a couple of occasions. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6.5

Quiet first half and was sometimes wasteful but looked to have Handanovic beaten with a free-kick had it been on target.  

Ibrahima Konate – 8

Nice and strong to shield a ball back to Alisson under pressure from Perisic and made a crucial intervention to stop Dzeko having a tap-in. Held firm with van Dijk to help Liverpool through tough patch. 

Virgil van Dijk – 9

Brilliant defending to ensure 1v1 against Martinez did not lead to anything, and saw off danger from Dzeko with brilliant recovery pace. Led Liverpool through their shaky start to the second half.

Virgil van Dijk showed his excellent recovery pace and reading of the game in visitors’ defence

Andy Robertson – 7

Well-timed tackle to stop Martinez on a fast Inter break but was sloppy on occasion in possession. However, he delivered the brilliant delivery from which Firmino scored.

Thiago – 7

Made a more meaningful impact on the game heading back towards his own goal than posing any threat to Inter’s goal, but was solid in the unheralded part of his game and made a crucial intervention from a Sanchez pass. 

Fabinho – 6.5

Won the ball very well with brilliant timing and was tidy in possession. Exactly what Liverpool have come to expect from the Brazilian over the years, but their open start to the second half saw him hooked.  

Harvey Elliott – 5

The youngest player in Liverpool’s history to start a Champions League match but suffered faced with the experience of Vidal on the opposing side. 

Thiago (left) showed the unheralded defensive side of his game with some fine interceptions

Mohamed Salah – 6.5

Got into some nice positions but Bastoni snuffed out a lot of the danger he posed in the first half, but scored his 10th goal in his last 12 Champions League games. Not his best game but he did what he does best to take his tally to 24 goals this term.

Diogo Jota – 5

Some nice runs and got into some decent positions in the box, but couldn’t find a way to fathom a chance and was brought off at half-time.

Sadio Mane – 4

Missed a big chance with a header early in the first half from Robertson’s free-kick and went close with an overhead kick, and was subbed before the hour mark. 

Mohamed Salah had a quite game but scored the goal that really dented Inter’s hopes

Subs

Roberto Firmino (for Jota 46) 6. Hadn’t seemed to make too much of an impact but as he has so often in his Reds career popped up with the crucial goal from a well-worked corner. 

Naby Keita (for Elliott 59) 7. Helped settle Liverpool back down after that open start to the half. 

Luis Diaz ( for Mane 59) 7. Added some much missing verve, had one shot blocked and was a livewire following his introduction

Jordan Henderson (for Fabinho 59) 7. Again helped to shore Liverpool up in midfield.

James Milner (for Thiago 86) 5. Just the 800th game for him as a professional but not enough time to make any impact.

Roberto Firmino did not make too much of an impact before scoring a crucial, smart header

Subs not used: Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Tsimikas, Origi, Matip, Kelleher

Manager – Jurgen Klopp 7.5 

Saw the open start to the half and made the changes necessary to shore things up to allow his side to go on to win the game. 

Referee – Szymon Marciniak 7 

Let the game flow well and managed to control a high-intensity game well.