Quansah of solace for Liverpool

This was a big evening in the continued rebuilding of confidence for Jarell Quansah. While Ibrahima Konate fronted media duties the day before the game, it was Quansah who partnered Virgil van Dijk in the heart of Liverpool’s defence.

After an impressive debut campaign last term, Quansah has struggled to produce his best since being hauled off at half-time of the Premier League opener at Ipswich Town back in August.

Indeed, this was just his seventh subsequent start, while Quansah’s only previous Champions League experience had been a couple of minutes from the bench late on in the 4-0 home romp over Bayer Leverkusen.

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But the 21-year-old responded with an impressively solid performance that will have done much to restore self-belief, particularly with talk growing over the need for defensive reinforcement this month.

While Jonathan David’s fortunate equaliser continued a recent trend of opponents appearing ruthless in front of goal – Lille had no other shots on target – it was only the second goal Liverpool had shipped in Europe this season.

And that it came in the 62nd minute meant the Reds had earlier surpassed the previous club record of 572 minutes without conceding in Europe which had been set during the 2005/06 campaign.

Diaz frustrated as Nunez grasps chance

Luis Diaz was back home. For the first time since Liverpool’s most recent Champions League game at Girona in early December, the Colombia international started a game on the left flank.

After his explosive introduction down the centre of the attack with a hat-trick in the win over Leverkusen earlier in the competition, Diaz has cut a somewhat frustrated figure in recent outings against Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and, on Saturday, at Brentford.

With Cody Gakpo having deservedly nailed down the left flank role in recent months, this was a chance for Diaz to remind Slot of his wing credentials.

It didn’t quite go according to plan. While Diaz created a first-half chance for Salah with an excellent pass and drew the foul from Aissa Mandi that saw the Lille full-back given a second yellow card and subsequent red, the wide man too often found himself on the periphery.

Elsewhere in the attack, Darwin Nunez was rewarded for his brace from the bench at Brentford with a fifth start in seven Champions League games this season.

Not everything came off for the Uruguayan, but he was denied by a good save from Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier while his endeavour and attitude, and the rekindling of his understanding with Mohamed Salah, were genuine reasons for encouragement the second half of the season can be better for him. With Diogo Jota sidelined for the foreseeable, Liverpool are going to need Nunez.

Elliott and Endo deliver

So continues the re-emergence of Harvey Elliott. Having played a part in the dramatic two late goals at the weekend, here the youngster took matters into his own hands.

When, midway through the second half, a Liverpool corner from the left was only partially cleared, the loitering Elliott reacted quickest to rattle home the winner from the edge of the area.

Yes, it was helped by a massive deflection off Ngalayel Mukua. But if there’s one Liverpool player who merits a change in fortune, it’s Elliott after a campaign predominantly of frustration.

With the schedule intensifying and rotation becoming increasingly imperative, the depth of Slot’s squad is now being properly tested. And Wataru Endo is another to have answered the call in recent weeks, here producing a trademark, all-action cameo.

Greater rotation can perhaps be anticipated in Holland next week with the clash at PSV Eindhoven, while not quite a dead rubber, certainly having now fallen down the list of priorities for Slot. The door, then, could open for the likes of Elliott and Endo to stake their claims in a starting role.