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SAN SIRO, MILAN // Dominik Szoboszlai broke the deadlock for Liverpool after a contentious penalty decision against Inter Milan, handing Arne Slot a huge boost after a difficult few days.
Slot tried to force a winner with Florian Wirtz substituted on from the sidelines but the stalemate didn't look like it would be broken. Liverpool, missing Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa, didn't have much more to throw at the fixture.
In the end, Wirtz's jersey was adjudged to have been pulled by Alessandro Bastoni, with Szoboszlai stepping up from 12 yards. Here are the four things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.
Mohamed Salah not missed
Heading into the game, there was only one story, really: Salah. After his bombshell interview at Elland Road, he was the main focus in training and in the pre-match press conference, even though he wasn't on the plane to Milan.
The rest of the Liverpool players managed to put that to one side here, putting in a good showing. They proved they are playing for their manager and looked more cohesive than they have for a good while.
It remains to be seen whether Salah returns for the weekend's visit of Brighton — or even at all, frankly — but there were positive signs elsewhere nonetheless. For an under-pressure Slot, that was vital.
New system pays off
Without Salah (and the injured Gakpo and Chiesa), Liverpool looked to switch things up in attack, going with a diamond in midfield and a front two. It is, in theory at least, something that could work moving forward.
Salah, whether he plays against Brighton or not, will be at AFCON for a few weeks. According to the man himself, he might never return properly to Liverpool when his commitments in Morocco are done.
If Salah is to leave mid-season — or even just while he is away — then a 4-4-2 formation could offer some more stability at the back, the chance to play Ekitike and Isak together, and a more obvious role for Wirtz as a number 10 with legs around him.
Width would need to come from the full-backs long term, but that shouldn't be an issue for Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, in particular, though neither was involved here.
Front two need more
Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike were paired together from the off for just the second time (the first being the 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt) and they clearly still have work to do on starring alongside one another.
"It's normal that they need to find a certain connection — the more they play together, the more that will happen," Slot said before the game kicked off.
There wasn't much in the way of chances for either player, however, with Isak, in particular, looking well off the pace. Florian Wirtz, after he started three games in a week, was on the bench and that extra bit of class in the final third was missing.
It was the German playmaker who won the penalty and made the difference. It must be said, with him being a fully firing Isak and Ekitike would be a mouthwatering prospect.
Arne Slot gets some luck
Kicking off in ninth spot in the Champions League group phase, Liverpool had left itself with work to do in Europe. It has beaten both Madrid clubs and smashed Eintracht Frankfurt, but the defeats against Galatasaray and PSV have been bruising.
A win here then was a big result in the context of the season, Slot's future and the progression to the knockout phase. There is more work to be done, yes, but Slot's name was sung loudly by the traveling fans.
In time, the attacking elements should improve as Isak gets fitter and Ekitike gets used to playing with him. This is an Inter side averaging more than 2.2 goals per game in Serie A and unbeaten in 18 Champions League games at the San Siro, though, and Liverpool kept it quiet.
Considering some of the recent defensive showings against Nottingham Forest, PSV and Leeds, that has to be a big positive. If you stay in the game, you might just get a bit of luck that Liverpool can argue has been a long time coming.
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