Liverpool booked their place in the quarter finals of the Europa League after seeing off Manchester United in the return leg of their last 16 clash.

Leading by two goals from last week’s first leg at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp’s side found themselves behind in the return encounter at Old Trafford after Nathaniel Clyne hauled down Anthony Martial in the penalty area.

The United striker’s comfortably dispatched spot kick hand the hosts a lifeline in the tie before Philippe Coutinho redressed the balance on the stroke of half time as he extended the visitor’ advantage and provided the added bonus of an away goal.

Here were the main talking points as the Reds reached the last eight…

More marvel moments from O Magico

 

It’s easy to see why Philippe Coutinho is dubbed ‘O Magico’ – the magic.

But the Brazilian’s latest set of tricks, on Old Trafford’s grand stage, was one truly to savour. Largely anonymous in the opening 45 minutes, his equalising goal on the stroke of half time emphatically sparked his showcase into life.

Getting the better of Guillermo Varela with relative ease as he bore down on David de Gea’s goal, he made the task look even simpler as he dinked the ball past an advancing United goalkeeper from a near-impossible angle.

Coutinho, however, continually refuses to rest on his laurels. He returned after the break even more driven, with a step over-laden routine chief among the exploits, leaving several of Louis van Gaal’s players trailing in his wake.

Seemingly everything he touches turns to splendour and cometh the big game, the 23-year-old continues to deliver. Liverpool need no reminder that they have a truly special player in their armoury.

Clyne exposes his erratic side

 

Just hours after receiving his latest call-up, Nathaniel Clyne offered Roy Hodgson some food for thought ahead of England’s forthcoming friendlies.

To say the full-back has had better games in his fledging Anfield career would be an understatement. United made light work of targeting the former Southampton time as Liverpool’s weak link in this encounter.

Admittedly Clyne offered them more than a helping hand, hauling Anthony Martial down midway through the first half to gift United a much-needed lifeline with a penalty. He proceeded to concede cheap fouls with erratic defending until

Clumsiness continued to reign after the interval as he was cautioned for sending Marcus Rashford tumbling on the edge of the area.

It may have just been a bad day at the office but it was an alarming drop in standards from Clyne after arguably two of his best performances to date, against United in the first leg and Crystal Palace respectively.

Sakho transforms from faulty to formidable

 

As Clyne struggled, one of his defensive cohorts excelled. Rarely has Mamadou Sakho sparked such effusive praise of his Liverpool career this season but the imposing Frenchman bucked the trend at the Theatre of Dreams.

Sakho produced his most formidable display in a Reds shirt as a late United onslaught was comfortably repelled. Well-timed tackles replaced mistimed lunges while shakiness was superseded by stability.

Aided by a flourishing partnership with Dejan Lovren at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, Sakho appeared to have reached a watershed moment against the toil of the Red Devils’ attack.

Of course, one swallow does not make a summer, particularly in the case of the Parisian, but there were encouraging signs that the £18 million defender may finally be coming good with consistency.

Milner remains a reliable shape-shifter

 

James Milner is no stranger to stepping into Old Trafford’s bear pit from his time as a Manchester City player but he would not have envisaged that it would be as a makeshift left-back.

Liverpool’s vice-captain may curse his versatility after moving to Anfield under the false pretences of regular game-time in a more centralised role than he was accustomed at the Etihad Stadium.

But with Alberto Moreno ruled out by injury and Jon Flanagan ineligible for the Europa League knock-out stages, the 30-year-old stepped into the breach to offer Klopp a more calming and experienced head rather than allow a relatively inexperienced Brad Smith to confront the United onslaught.

Inevitably it came with the occasional pitfall; not least when he was overrun by Jesse Lingard in the first half, but few can provide the increased compatibility that Milner offers to a Liverpool side susceptible to injury and other mitigating circumstances.