Thierry Henry was impressed by Liverpool’s ‘proper’ performance against Inter Milan but said certainly one of Arne Slot’s key summer signings continues to be ‘not on the races’.
Liverpool boosted their hopes of automatic qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a narrow 1-0 win in Milan on Tuesday night.
The victory not only propelled Liverpool as much as eighth within the Champions League group phase but calmed among the noise surrounding the club and Arne Slot within the aftermath of Mohamed Salah’s explosive interview.
The sport looked set to finish goalless after Ibrahima Konate’s first-half header was ruled out for a handball following a lengthy VAR check.
However the reigning Premier League champions were gifted an excellent likelihood to interrupt the deadlock with just minutes remaining when Alessandro Bastoni was adjudged, following one other VAR review, to have fouled Florian Wirtz.
Get your football fix
Punchy evaluation, transfer talk and more from Metro’s football experts sent straight to your inbox – join, it’s an open goal.
Dominik Szoboszlai rifled home from the penalty spot to present Liverpool a vital win and extend the club’s unbeaten run to 4 games.
Henry described the display as a ‘proper Liverpool performance’ and said it will encourage Anfield supporters that the team were on their way back following a dismal run of nine defeats in 12 games.
The Arsenal legend was particularly impressed by ‘magnificent’ Szoboszlai but was less complimentary about Liverpool record signing Alexander Isak.
‘For me it wasn’t a penalty but you continue to need need to bury it and Szoboszlai did that,’ Henry said on CBS Sports.
‘He’s been certainly one of Liverpool’s best players this season, I even have to say. He was magnificent and [Alexis] Mac Allister was also excellent.
‘I liked the best way Liverpool played and the way Arne Slot stopped Inter from playing, his tactics were on point.
‘Isak, you possibly can see he’s still not on the races by way of playing an entire game, but that was a correct Liverpool performance.
‘That’s the way you play away from home and stop your opponent from playing, I didn’t know they’d it of their locker.
‘Whatever the controversial penalty, that might have been a reassuring performance for Liverpool fans to observe.’
Isak began the match before being subbed off with around 25 minutes remaining and replaced by Wirtz, who won Liverpool’s penalty.
Much was expected of £125m Liverpool signing Isak but he has scored just two goals this season and still looks to be battling to get match fit after missing Newcastle United’s pre-season.
Despite an important win in Milan, Slot believes his Liverpool team might want to take a minimum of three points from their last two Champions League group games to go straight through to the knockout stages.
Liverpool visit Ligue 1 side Marseille next up in Europe before ending their Champions League group campaign at home to Qarabag.
‘We were three points behind Inter and should you want top eight, 15 is the minimum you wish,’ Slot said.
‘The very best you possibly can do is win over here. They’ve a very good team. But overall, a superb performance from us.’
Slot’s Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk added: ‘It’s a superb feeling of winning. Especially in a period we’re in, trying to seek out consistency and something to construct on.
‘Hopefully, tonight is certainly one of those performances. It was all the time going to be tough. We handled the sport well. It might have been a 0-0 game ultimately but it surely ended positively for us ultimately.
‘It doesn’t change anything. There’s obviously a lot noise from the skin world, which is normal once you don’t perform. It’s deserved as well.
‘We wish to enhance, we wish to be consistent and win games. We’re not doing it as much as we like. We’ve got to stay together and be a unit as we have now been. That’s what Liverpool stands for.’
On Salah’s uncertain future on the club, Van Dijk said: ‘It’s difficult but it surely’s a collective difficult situation that we’re all in.
‘Between Mo and the club, things are happening and he’s not here today, that’s the fact. I don’t think anything has modified by way of our focus and determination.’
Liverpool’s next project is a Premier League fixture against Brighton on Saturday.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the most recent news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Rio Ferdinand reveals two concerns for Arsenal in title race and makes prediction
MORE: Enzo Maresca responds to Estevao criticism after Chelsea’s defeat to Atalanta
MORE: Joe Cole sends transfer message to Chelsea board after Atalanta defeat