Liverpool booked their place in the Champions League’s last 16 with a win over Ajax.
A cagey encounter was settled in the 58th minute when Curtis Jones seized on Andre Onana’s misjudging of a Neco Williams cross to turn the ball home.
Jurgen Klopp handed third-choice goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher his European debut for the Reds in place of Alisson, who missed the game as a precaution.
Here were the key talking points from Anfield:
Kelleher makes a case for new no.2
Injury to Alisson often provides Liverpool with cause for consternation.
Adrian’s erratic displays have done little to inspire confidence that the goalkeeping position is in capable hands whenever his superior is absent.
But in Caoimhin Kelleher, a reliable understudy may finally be emerging.
Making his European debut against an Ajax team who had scored 38 goals in their last eight games since losing to the Reds had the potential to backfire.
Yet the 22-year-old acquitted himself well in his latest Anfield outing through a succession of good stops in either half, with some that truly caught the eye.
Noussair Mazraoui’s swerving effort appeared destined for The Kop’s top right-hand corner until Kelleher palmed it away with a right-handed save.
When Klaas-Jan Huntelaar fired a header at Liverpool’s rookie stopper from point-blank range in the final minutes, it was also comfortably repelled.
More than shot-stopping, though, Kelleher’s self-assuredness is an encouraging trait in his distribution and general command of his area.
On this evidence, Liverpool’s no.3 stopper should be moving up the pecking order.
A goal made in Liverpool
Step by step, Jurgen Klopp’s vision of a homegrown team is falling into place.
Liverpool named seven academy graduates in the match day squad to take on the Eredivise leaders with three enjoying starring roles in the game itself.
Besides Kelleher’s clean sheet, another benefit of the extensive development undertaken at the Kirkby nerve centre emerged shortly before the hour mark.
Neco Williams’ floated cross deceived Andre Onana, who misjudged the ball’s path and was left stranded, allowed Curtis Jones to pounce at the far post.
It went down in the history books, too, as the first time two teenagers have combined for a goal scoring move in Liverpool’s Champions League history.
Klopp’s youth revolution has been borne out of necessity not luxury but those called to the front line have shown that the future already looks very bright indeed.
Reds finally home and dry
A point was all Liverpool needed to reach the Champions League’s last 16.
With two games remaining, the task appeared destined to go down to the wire for yet another season in next week’s group finale against Midtjylland.
But this narrow victory over Erik ten Haag’s side in a game that was as cold as the winter temperature at Anfield finally managed to get the job done.
Signs that a more familiar Liverpool team could soon be about to return were on display as they pressed the visitors relentlessly throughout the 90 minutes.
Europe, much like the Premier League, has seen the best and worst of Klopp’s side as they adjust to the strange world in which football now finds itself.
Finally securing a place in the first knockout round of Europe’s elite club competition, however, is an indicator a sense of normality may be imminent.
No more silence of the fans
Sunday will mark a new chapter in the new normal, with some Liverpool supporters making their long-awaited return to Anfield for the visit of Wolves.
The nine months since any noises last rang out from The Kop have seen matches played out in a highly sterile and even detatched fashion.
Ajax’s visit, set to be the last behind closed doors fixture on Merseyside, was no different and highlighted what will not be missed when lockdown is ended.
There may be only 2,000 fans making their socially distanced way into Anfield this weekend but the silence which predeced it will certainly not be missed.