Liverpool travel to Budapest, Hungary again tonight. This time for the home leg of the last 16 clash with RB Leipzig.
The reds lead 2-0 from the first leg, a rare bright spot in a winter of discontent for the Champions.
Fabinho came off the bench into midfield at the weekend, and there will be hopes he could play there again tonight - although defensive injuries are still on the periphery of this Liverpool team.
After this game the reds have just one more match in March - away at Wolves on the coming Monday evening.
Can the reds give supporters a lift by progressing to the last 8 of the European Cup? Let's go.
As it happened...
Let's finish the job, lads ????#LFCRBL | #UCL pic.twitter.com/QGjxbhHYMA
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 10, 2021
Fabinho, Thiago and Wijnaldum in midfield.
Kabak and Phillips are centre defence.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Kabak, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Thiago, Mane, Salah, Jota.
Subs: Adrian, H. Davies, Milner, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Tsimikas, Shaqiri, Origi, B. Davies, R. Williams, N. Williams.
Oh the luxury - exact same collection of players named for them as in the first leg with one or two alterations in the first XI.
Don't they have injuries in Germany?
Gulacsi, Upamecano, Klostermann, Mukiele, Kampl, Adams, Olmo, Nkunku, Forsberg, Poulsen, Sabitzer
Subs: Haidara, Martinez, Orbán, Konaté, Hwang, Sørloth, Samardžić, Kluivert, Halstenberg
Players in the tunnel.
The Puskas Stadium was good for us last time. Will it be again?
Underway!
4' Thiago with an opportunity - he chose the pass when perhaps the shot would have been better.
6' CHANCE!
Mane fires over from inside the area. He was offside anyway.
19' This has been a fairly confident start from the reds.
24' Big chance for the reds. Thiago lays it forward.
Salah's effort is saved and Mane with the follow up sees his shot blocked.
This is promising.
32' Couple of chances now for Leipzig. Forsberg drills a shot wide from just inside the area.
45' Diogo Jota with a couple of chances in these final five minutes.
Very lively.
It's Liverpool 0-0 RB Leipzig at the break.
Glimpses of a better LFC performance but boy, we are cursed in front of goal at the minute!
Back underway.
Liverpool deserve some goals.
2-0 up from the first leg.
55' More excellent opportunities for the reds.
Absolutely cursed!
The reds so much brighter with Fabinho back in midfield after literally months of playing at central defence.
70' THE DAM HAS BROKEN!
Liverpool have gone 1-0 up on the night, 3-0 on aggregate.
It's Mo Salah!
71' Thiago and Jota replaced by Origi and Keita.
73' SADIO MANE makes it two nil.
I believe that was a Divock Origi assist!
Back to a much better performance. Should have been more than 2 really.
Liverpool move in to the Quarter Finals.
FT: Liverpool 2-0 RB Leipzig (4-0 on aggregate)
Goals from Salah and Mane! Just like the good old days.
Here's what Klopp had to say after the game.
“We created a lot of chances. That’s us at the moment – first half massive chances and couldn’t score. Again, the biggest and best thing the boys did is let nobody see how good Leipzig can be. They are a monster usually, they are so powerful and you saw all the runs in behind, but we defended that really well. Big compliment to the boys.
"We had to switch off that Premier League stuff, to get here and to give it a proper try. The boys really enjoyed themselves tonight, which is important. We were doing the hardest and the dirtiest work because it was a big defending challenge.”
He was also asked about Fabinho:
“I asked him afterwards: ‘You like the position No6 more than the other one and he said ‘Yes!’. He could not have been more clear.”
"It is a big result for us. We came here after losing a few games in the Premier League. The team is not in the best shape but we want to fight in the Champions League and also fight in the Premier League and see what can happen.
"I would love to score more. I am happy I scored today and the team won, that is the most important thing.
"We have had a few injuries this season, we have been unlucky but the most important thing is we have to keep fighting. We just have to take each game at a time and not look to the big picture because if you look to the big picture there can be too much pressure."
"It has been tough in the Premier League, we don't want it to be tough. It is part of the game. The last couple of years we were winning and flying, this year we have had injuries, it is hard. Hopefully, now we have two or three or four centre backs we can keep winning."
Liverpool now return from Hungary and must prepare for Wolves away on Monday night.
