Konaté growing into Liverpool role and partnership with Van Dijk

Simone Inzaghi tried to remain upbeat throughout his post-match press conference but, in keeping with Internazionale’s entire night against Liverpool at San Siro, a positive performance came with a sting at the end.

Inter’s coach described their display as “probably our best game of the season” considering they were facing “one of the best teams in Europe” and stated several times that he was proud of the Italian champions’ tireless shift. Only the fine margins had gone against them, he continued, with Roberto Firmino’s glancing 75th-minute header the decisive detail. And then came the sting, or perhaps just the reality.

“We don’t have much hope now,” Inzaghi admitted. It has been drained by Liverpool’s ruthlessness, their set-piece prowess, the impact of Jürgen Klopp’s high-calibre substitutes and the commanding partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté in the heart of the visitors’ defence. The growing understanding between the pair provided a platform for Liverpool’s late victory and Inter’s understandable lament.

It seems a statistical error that, after an open and hugely entertaining game in which Ivan Perisic wreaked havoc down Liverpool’s right for a sustained spell after half-time, neither Alisson nor his Inter counterpart Samir Handanovic made a save between them. Liverpool scored with their two attempts on target, from 12 overall, while the hosts failed to find the target from nine attempts. The determined, organised and intelligent defending in front of Alisson had a greater influence on his clean sheet than any profligacy on Inter’s part.

Wednesday was only the eighth time that Van Dijk and Konaté have started together since the latter’s £36m arrival from RB Leipzig last summer. Their partnership is