Jurgen Klopp insists 'job not done' after Liverpool battle past Inter

Mohamed Salah continues fine form in 2-0 Champions League last-16 victory

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his side's second goal in their Champions League last-16 first-leg clash with Inter Milan at the San Siro Stadium on Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Getty

Liverpool's Mo Salah celebrates his goal. AP

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino scores his side's opening goal against Inter. AP

Liverpool's Roberto Firmino celebrates after scoring his side's opener. AP

Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker collects a high ball watched by Inter's Lautaro Martinez. EPA

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool controls the ball. Getty

Liverpool's Sadio Mane battles with Inter Milan's Edin Dzeko. Reuters

Inter's Marcelo Brozovic passes under pressure from Liverpool's Harvey Elliott. AP

Liverpool's Harvey Elliott.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah on the burst.

Inter's Denzel Dumfries challenges Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. Reuters

Inter's Edin Dzeko is marshalled by Fabinho of Liverpool. Getty

Liverpool's Andrew Robertson clears the ball from Inter's Denzel Dumfries. AP

Inter's Milan Skriniar is hustled by Liverpool's Sadio Mane. AP

Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold shoots against Inter. PA

Liverpool's Diogo Jota tries to bring the ball under control. PA

Sadio Mane of Liverpool attempts an overhead kick. Getty

Inter's Edin Dzeko is challenged by Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. AP

Inter's Ivan Perisic tries a block as Liverpool's Sadio attempts an overhead kick. EPA

Liverpool's Fabinho and Inter's Hakan Calhanoglu tangle. EPA

Inter's Lautaro Martinez challenges Liverpool keeper Alisson. Reuters

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Inter's Arturo Vidal. EPA

Inter's Marcelo Brozovic challenges Liverpool's Roberto Firmino. AP

Liverpool's Jordan Henderson and Inter's Denzel Dumfries. Reuters

Liverpool's Luis Diaz reacts after missing a chance. AP

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said the 2-0 win over Inter Milan in their Champions League last-16 clash does not mean the job will get easier in the home leg.

The Reds were far from their best at the San Siro on Wednesday and required late goals from Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah to seal victory.

"It is still dangerous," Klopp said. "It is only halftime. We don't feel like we are halfway through and can cruise. We will have to be ready for them again. Inter are a good side. I don't say 'job done, put your feet on the table' in the past so why should I think different about it now?

"They are a very physical team. They played real smart balls. They have this deep last line and in the beginning we did very well. I was not surprised – they are good. We know that. We have to be ready for the second half."

The goal that broke the deadlock came via a Firmino header from a corner - something Klopp insisted was not a fluke. "Peter Krawietz [one of Liverpool's coaches] and our analysts are responsible for that [a set piece goal]," Klopp added.

"We didn't have a lot of time to train but we trained set pieces yesterday. You cannot do it without intensity, so it is all credit to Pete and his boys."

Inter v Liverpool ratings

INTER RATINGS: Samir Handanovic - 5. The Slovenian might have anticipated Firmino’s header and seemed rooted to the spot. He had no chance for the second goal. Reuters

Milan Skriniar - 7. The Slovak made an important block from Diaz and was quick to cut out danger. He did not allow Mane space. EPA

Stefan de Vrij - 6. The Dutchman took a blow to the head which appeared to affect his game. Perhaps he should have cleared before the second goal. Replaced by Ranocchia with three minutes left. EPA

Alessandro Bastoni - 5. The Italian started shakily but improved and appeared composed until Firmino’s goal, when he lost the forward. He was taken off in stoppage time for Dimaraco. EPA

Denzil Dumfries - 5. The Dutchman produced a fine crossfield ball early in the second half and glanced a header wide from a corner. Inter needed more from him but Robertson kept him quiet. AFP

Arturo Vidal - 5. The Chilean made his presence felt but he favours brawn over brains. He needs to be better on the ball. He was replaced by Gagliardini with three minutes to go. EPA

Marcelo Brozovic - 6, The Croat did well to break up Liverpool attacks but was less effective in propelling Inter forward. He wasted a rare chance early in the second half. AFP

Hakan Calhanoglu - 5. The Turk was unlucky to hit the bar with a sharp shot in the first half but he was unable to carve out any more chances and lacked the wit to trouble the defence. EPA

Ivan Perisic - 7. The Croat got plenty of joy down the right and raced behind Alexander-Arnold. He clipped a shot just over the bar and was his team’s most dangerous player. Reuters

Lautaro Martinez - 4. The Argentinian whipped an early shot just wide but did not threaten afterwards. He left the game in the 70th minute when Sanchez came on. EPA

Edin Dzeko - 5. The Bosnian dropped deep to link play but it did not work. When he moved upfield, the 35-year-old slowed down the attack. EPA

SUBS: Alexis Sanchez - 5. The Chilean entered the game in the 70th minute for Martinez. He brought plenty of energy but no threat. AFP

Matteo Darmian - 6. The 32-year-old was given the last three minutes at the expense of Dumfries. He fired in one cross. Getty

Roberto Gagliardini - 5. The 27-year-old came on for Vidal in the 87th minute. It was a thankless task and he did not make an impact. AFP

Andrea Ranocchia - 5. Joined the action with three minutes to go for De Vrij. By that time the crowd were leaving and thoughts were turning to Anfield. AP

Federico Dimarco - 5. Replaced Bastoni in stoppage-time and was the last of a clutch of pointless Inter substitutions. Reuters

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 6. The Brazilian is a reassuring presence for the defence but sometimes his confidence on the ball causes alarm and twice he caused the team to hold their breath. He was hardly troubled by the Inter attack. Getty

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 5. The 23-year-old was given a difficult time by Perisic and was pinned back. His distribution was not as precise as usual. PA

Ibrahima Konate - 7. The Frenchman appears ungainly at times but his blocks proved important when Inter threatened. He was wise enough to get out of Salah’s way for the second goal. Getty

Virgil van Dijk - 8. The Dutchman held his position when Dzeko dropped deep and gave the striker no room when he got forward. He was calm when Inter piled on the pressure. Getty

Andrew Robertson - 6. Inter limited the Scot’s production going forward but he pinged in the corner for the opening goal. He kept Dumfries out of the game. AP

Fabinho - 7. The Brazilian controlled the midfield in the first half but was over-run after the break. Even so, his substitution for Henderson in the 59th minute raised eyebrows. Getty

Thiago Alcantara - 6. The 30-year-old was influential before half time but was put on the back foot when Inter were on top. He made way for Milner with four minutes left. Getty

Harvey Elliott - 4. The 18-year-old showed his potential with a couple of deft touches but he never looked comfortable in a frantic midfield. He was taken off in the 59th minute for Keita but will improve for the experience. AP

Mohamed Salah - 7. Found space hard to come by against a swarming back line but kept at the job. His reward came with the second goal, when the massed ranks of defenders worked in his favour to unsight the goalkeeper. Getty

Diogo Jota - 5. The Portuguese saw plenty of the ball but was crowded out by the Inter defence. He made way for Firmino at the break. PA

Sadio Mane - 5. The Senegalese should have done better with a first-half header and his early promise evaporated. Diaz replaced him after 59 minutes. AP

SUBS: Roberto Firmino - 7. The Brazilian replaced Jota at the break and had not shown much before scoring the opening goal. His run and flicked header were superb. Getty

Jordan Henderson - 7. The 31-year-old joined the action in the 59th minute for Fabinho and immediately took the armband from Van Dijk. He showed his leadership with a series of sharp tackles. Getty

Naby Keita - 7. The Guinean came on for Elliott just before the hour and improved the midfield right away. He kept possession and harried the opposition. Reuters

Luis Diaz - 6. The Colombian entered the game for Mane in the 59th minute. He was bright and had a shot blocked. Getty

James Milner - 6. The 36-year-old was sent on for Thiago with four minutes left. This cameo was his 800th first-team appearance and he popped up in some advanced positions. Reuters

Salah had already scored in the San Siro against AC Milan in December and an eighth successive European away match with a goal took his tally to 10 in his last 12 Champions League appearances.

It puts him seven short of Steven Gerrard's club European record of 41 and just one away from equaling his best Champions League season on their run to the 2018 final.

It was also a night when Trent Alexander-Arnold lost his place in the Liverpool record books as the team’s youngest-ever Champions League player as Harvey Elliott was handed his first appearance in the competition at 18 years, 318 days.

Elliott played for the first 59 minutes, during which Liverpool were largely underwhelming and came closest to scoring when Sadio Mane headed over in the first half.

Inter suffered their first home defeat to an English side in European competition since March 2008, when they also lost to Liverpool in the Champions League (0-1), ending a six-game unbeaten run at home to English opposition.

Manager Simone Inzaghi felt things could have gone differently this time around.

"We don't have much hope now but we will go Anfield to play the best possible match and we will see," he said. "We knew that they were going to press us, but we also did it well and I think we deserved a different result."