Liverpool ended their dire recent run with a confidence-boosting victory over RB Leipzig to give themselves a superb chance of reaching the last eight of the Champions League.
Match Report
Playing the away leg in Budapest's Puskas Arena because of Covid-19 restrictions, the Reds struck twice in five minutes near the start of the second half, in both cases following defensive errors from the German side.
Mohamed Salah showed superb awareness to quickly latch on to a loose back-pass before finishing neatly.
Sadio Mane was then equally alert to take advantage of a fluffed attempted clearance from Nordi Mukiele to charge through and side-foot past Peter Gulacsi.
In what had been a fast-paced match between two high-pressing sides, the Reds' greater experience and quality had started to tell before the break.
However, they were fortunate not to fall behind inside five minutes when Dani Olmo's header from an Angelino cross struck the base of the post.
Having managed the game well after going 2-0 up, Jurgen Klopp's side will defend their advantage at Anfield on 10 March, when they will be firm favourites to go one round further than they managed last season.
Match Events
0' Players are warming up before the game
0' The match is about to start!
5' OFF THE POST! Olmo nearly scores
15' CLOSE! Salah's shot denied by Gulacsi
24' CHANCE! Mane's header over the bar
32' Mane's shot denied and Robertson's long shot over the bar
36' Disallowed! Firmino scores but the ball out of bound early
47' CHANCE! Alisson denies Nkunku's effort
51' Yellow Card! Nkunku booked
52' GOAL! Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool (Salah)
57' GOAL! Leipzig 0-2 Liverpool (Mane)
64' Yellow Card! Angelino booked
67' Yellow Card! Kabak booked
71' MISS! Mane misses a good chance
75' Yellow Card! Olmo booked
80' Yellow Card! Henderson booked
Line-ups
Leipzig XI: Gulacsi, Kampl, Sabitzer, Klostermann, Angelino, Mukiele, Nkunku, Upamecano, Olmo, Adams, Haidara
Subs: Poulsen, Halstenberg, Orban, A. Sørloth, Henrichs, Hwang Hee-Chan, Konate, Kluivert, Josep Martínez, Hartmann, L. Samardžić
Liverpool XI: Wijnaldum, Henderson, Thiago, Alisson, Firmino, Salah, Mane, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, O. Kabak, Curtis Jones
Subs: Adrian, Shaqiri, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi, B. Davies, Tsimikas, Kelleher, N. Phillips, R. Williams, J. Cain, L. Clarkson, Neco Williams