Liverpool v RB Leipzig player ratings: Fabinho outstanding, class from Mohamed Salah

Reds ease through to Champions League quarter-finals despite terrible form in the Premier League

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker 6 - The Brazilian made a great save from Olmo at a time Leipzig could have clawed their way back into the game. Used the ball well and directed the defence capably. EPA

Trent Alexander-Arnold 6 - Leipzig had some joy down the full back’s flank in the first half but he was more secure defensively in the second period. He supplied plenty of crosses for the strikers but the quality was mixed. Getty

Nathaniel Phillips 7 - The 23-year-old was towering in the air. He was a bit less certain when the ball was on the ground but was rarely in any serious trouble. EPA

Ozan Kabak 7 - The Turk was quietly efficient. He tackled well and took up good positions, although the German side did not put him under severe pressure. AFP

Andrew Robertson 6 - The Scot was not as bold as usual but that was understandable because protecting the two-goal advantage from the first leg was the priority. He gave the ball away too much. Substituted for Tsimikas in the final minute. Getty

Fabinho 9 - The Brazilian was superb. His presence in the midfield allowed his colleagues much more freedom. This performance showed how much he is wasted in defence. Reuters

Georginio Wijnaldum 7 - The Dutchman had the latitude to get upfield and was more inventive with Fabinho alongside him. His energy gave the high press extra impact. Substituted for Milner with eight minutes to go. Reuters

Thiago Alcantara 8 - Perhaps his best display in a Liverpool shirt. His passing was excellent, the highlight being a brilliant scissor-kick that freed Salah. The 29-year-old worked back, too, and was another beneficiary of the Fabinho effect. Replaced by Keita with 18 minutes to go. EPA

Sadio Mane 7 - Despite his goal, the Senegalese has not fully emerged from his slump in form. He worked hard pressing the defence but was uncertain on the ball. Taken off in the final minute for Oxlade-Chamberlain. PA

Mohamed Salah 7 - Should have scored when released by Thiago and he skied a chance in the box. It looked like the Egyptian was heading for a wasteful night until his clinically-taken goal. Class triumphed eventually. Reuters

Diogo Jota 6 - Tested the goalkeeper with a shot and a header and missed a simple chance on the stroke of half time. The Portuguese is getting sharper after his return from injury and he set up Salah to score before being replaced by Jota after 72 minutes. AFP

SUBS: Divock Origi 7 - Replaced Jota for the last 18 minutes and supplied a great ball for Mane to score. The Belgian’s best nights have come in this competition and this was another one of them. AP

Naby Keita 7 - Sent on when Thiago was withdrawn in the 72nd minute. He linked nicely with Origi in the build up to the second goal and enjoyed the reunion with his former club. Reuters

James Milner 5 - Given the last eight minutes when Wijnaldum was replaced and did what was asked of him. The 35-year-old took the armband and oversaw the closing minutes. AFP

Konstantinos Tsimikas 5 - Introduced for Robertson in the final minute and fired off a shot with his first touch. The Greek made the most of his short involvement. AFP

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 5 - Played out stoppage time after replacing Mane in the final minute. The midfielder needs more playing time to have an impact. AFP

LEIPZIG RATINGS: Peter Gulacsi 6 - The former Liverpool goalkeeper did well in the opening period, making a great save from Jota’s header. He was let down by defenders in a repeat of the first leg. Reuters

Nordi Mukiele 5 - The Frenchman showed his strength when competing for the ball but was less confident when passing out from the back. He did not shirk any challenges

Dayot Upamecano 4 - Yet again the 22-year-old failed to enhance his reputation. One error just before half time was almost catastrophic and the defending for Salah’s goal was poor. EPA

Lukas Klostermann 5 - The German has the height and power to anchor a back line but is not quick enough to deal with the likes of Salah, who escaped too often. A little clumsy on the ball. Getty

Kevin Kampl 4 - Bent in a rather tame shot that Alisson handled with ease and that was the best of his attacking influence. The Slovenian’s main job was to disrupt the opposition midfield, something he was unable to achieve. Taken off at the break for Sorloth. Reuters

Tyler Adams 5 - The American provided lots of energy but little real output. He was deployed further up the field than usual but caused the defence few worries

Emil Forsberg 4 - The Swede screwed a shot wide before half-time and kept running but his team needed more than good movement. Replaced by Kluivert on the hour and Leipzig were immediately more dynamic. EPA

Marcel Sabitzer 5 - The Austrian lacked subtlety and craft. He gave the ball away too often and was unable to disrupt Liverpool’s passing lanes. PA

Christopher Nkunku 6 - Saw lots of the ball in dangerous positions but his tendency to cut back on to his right foot reduced his impact. The Frenchman needed to be more precise with the final ball. Reuters

Dani Olmo 5 - The Spaniard had one good opportunity and then faded from the game. Withdrawn for Haidara with 18 minutes to go after a flat outing. EPA

Yussuf Poulsen 4 - Lasted an hour before being replaced by Hwang. During that time the Dane did a lot of pointless running. Reuters

SUBS: Alexander Sorloth 5 - Replaced Kampl at half time and hit the bar with a headed effort. Looked threatening during his team’s short attacking flurry in the second half. AFP

Justin Kluivert 6 - Sent on for Forsberg after an hour and briefly posed a threat on the left wing. Got lost as the game ran away from Leipzig. Getty

Hwang Hee-chan 6 - Introduced for Poulsen with 30 minutes left and the South Korean’s pace momentarily disconcerted Liverpool. He faded as the match petered out. EPA

Amadou Haidara 4 - Came on for Olmo in the 72nd minute. Never got into the game but by then the substitutions had completely unbalanced Leipzig

Liverpool eased past RB Leipzig into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win in Budapest that coach Jurgen Klopp said helps his side put their Premier League woes to one side.

Repeating their rapid-fire double act from the first leg, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane again struck within four second-half minutes to give the Reds a 4-0 aggregate win and keep alive Liverpool's hopes of rescuing their miserable domestic season with European glory.

After six successive defeats at Anfield and dropping to eighth place in the Premier League, Klopp's men looked relieved to be away from home, with the second leg also played in the Hungarian capital due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

"They were outstanding. We had to switch off the Premier League stuff to get here and to try. To give it a proper try," Klopp said. "The boys really enjoyed themselves tonight which is important."

"It is a big result for us," said Salah. "We lost a few games in the Premier League, the team is not in the best shape but we want to fight in the Champions League.

"It's been tough in the Premier League, everybody can see that. The last couple of years we were winning, we were flying. This year we had a couple of injuries so we were unlucky, we are trying to fix that but it is hard."

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