Say what you want about Jurgen Klopp but he simply does not do convention. What other manager would have risked his team’s crown jewel in a game of no consequence?
Liverpool versus Porto was never going to be the club’s biggest collision in March. No. That label was attached to March 10. Old Trafford and the shootout, most likely, to determine which Reds at either ends of the M62 will finish best of the rest.
Here was an opportunity, then, for Klopp to give Mohamed Salah the night off and a chance to rest his legs; get him cherry ripe to run at Manchester United’s defence, never mind running at a Porto team that was resigned to elimination from the Champions League.
Liverpool left-back Alberot Moreno challenges for a header alongside Porto winger Jesus Corona in the early stages
Porto striker Vincent Aboubakar, who missed the first leg last month, beats Joe Gomez and Joel Matip to the ball in the air
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson applies pressure on Porto forward Bruno Costa in a quiet opening on Tuesday night
Adam Lallana takes the ball past Andre Andre on his first start for Liverpool since January’s FA Cup win over Everton
Liverpool’s Spanish left-back Alberto Moreno challenges for the loose ball alongside Porto’s Maximiliano Pereira
Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius gets off his line and down low to claim the ball from the feet of Porto’s Majeed Waris
All seemed to be going to plan. Salah was the on bench and for 74 minutes, he had been a spectator. But then, from nowhere, Klopp turned to his right and invited his No 11 into the action. It was a decision gleefully received by the crowd but it was clearly a gamble.
Fortunately for Klopp, in a game of little drama, Salah never saw too much of the ball and all attentions can now be turned to the High Noon meeting in Manchester. Saying that, attentions had been there for most of the night.
The teams were much changed from the first meeting and the standout selection from the visitors was their decision to give Iker Casillas what, potentially, could be the final appearance in the Champions League of what has been a remarkable career decorated with 21 trophies
Casillas will leave Porto when his contract expires in the summer and, given that he will be 37 in May, it remains to be seen whether another elite club will offer an opportunity. If this was to be the end, then, he wanted one final clean sheet.
What he didn’t want was an experience similar to the one when he first played here in March 2009. Casillas played well that night but he couldn’t stop a Liverpool tornado obliterating Real Madrid 4-0. After what happened in Oporto three weeks ago, many would have envisaged a similar score here.
A 5-0 advantage from the first meeting, however, meant this could not be the kind of game you associate with Anfield on European night, when the stadium hums with noise and expectation. It was a box-ticking exercise, the tie having been decided in a torrent of goals in Portugal.
Porto striker Vincent Aboubakar came closest for the visitors but failed to get a proper connection on a swivel shot
Sadio Mane comes close to giving Liverpool the lead but his improvised effort from Joe Gomez’s cross goes just over the bar
Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren aims a header towards goal but it lands on the roof of Iker Casillas’ net
Sadio Mane strikes a crisp effort with his right foot against the base of the post as Liverpool go in search of an opening goal
Liverpool star Roberto Firmino was sent through on goal in the second-half but his effort was well blocked by Porto’s Felipe
Danny Ings came on for his second European appearance of the season in place of Roberto Firmino in the second-half
With Liverpool five goals up from the first-leg, top goalscorer Mohamed Salah was left on the bench by Jurgen Klopp
Mohamed Salah was afforded a run out for the final 20 minutes by Jurgen Klopp in place of team-mate Sadio Mane
You could tell that by looking at Klopp. His programme notes anticipated that Liverpool, the Champions League’s highest scorers so far, would attack when he wrote: ‘they cannot ease off the accelerator even for one second.’
There was no windmill-like waving of his arms; no screeching, no sign of the piercing dog-whistle that he deploys when he wants his team to get back into position. He has been more animated in pre-season contests than he was on the touchline here.
It ensured the opening half was resembled the opening exchanges of boxing match when neither fighter wants to get hurt, as both sides danced around, bobbing and weaving, but never threatening to throw a meaningful blow.
Belated, Liverpool began to find some rhythm and purpose. The first proper sight of goal arrived in the 17th minute, when Joe Gomez scampered down the right and his cross, while too high for Roberto Firmino, was met by Sadio Mane but his acrobatic effort whizzed over the bar.
You anticipated that Liverpool would step up a gear and begin to hem Porto in but the anticipation was misplaced. Liverpool would only threaten twice more before the interval, Mane striking the base of the post with a thumping drive and Dejan Lovren heading over from six yards.
Come half-time, the thoughts of many within the stadium had begun to drift to Old Trafford on Saturday with the main question being: how long would Firmino and Mane be allowed to continue when there was a chance to give them rest?
Salah aims a shot at goal after coming on but Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas got down to his left to save well
Egyptian forward Salah reacts after being denied by Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas in front of the Kop end at Anfield
Porto forward Oliver Torres came close to nicking victory in the second-leg for Porto but Dejan Lovren was able to block
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson clears the ball upfield after Torres had come close to breaking the deadlock late on
Danny Ings looks dejected after being denied his first goal in over two years by a quick reaction save from Iker Casillas
A minute’s silence was held before kick-off to mark the sudden death of Fiorentina captain Davide Astori on Sunday
Klopp, though, was in no hurry to give them a breather despite the match ambling towards its inevitable conclusion. Firmino, too, was in no hurry to come off, given he is one goal away from equalling the club record for most goals (nine) scored by one player in a European campaign.
There was one chance to draw alongside Dean Saunders, whose haul came in the 1991-92 UEFA Cup, but Firmino’s attempt was blocked in the 59th minute by the outstretched leg of Porto captain Felipe after Jordan Henderson ushered him forward.
Klopp decided at that point enough was enough and ended Firmino’s evening. Henderson, for differing reasons, could also have made an early exit for a heavy tackle on Jesus Corona but referee Felix Zwayer showed a yellow card. A more impetus official may have deemed otherwise.
From that point, it became clear there would not be a goal. Substitute Danny Ings did his best but Casillas stood firm and earned his ovation at the end. For Liverpool bigger tests – starting Saturday – await.
Jurgen Klopp embraces Porto boss Sergio Conceicao on the touchline before kick-off at Anfield on Tuesday night
MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE
Liverpool: Karius, Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Can (Klavan 80), Henderson, Milner, Mane (Salah 74), Firmino (Ings 62), Lallana
Subs not used: Mignolet, van Dijk, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexander-Arnold
Booked: Henderson
Porto: Casillas, Maxi Pereira, Felipe, Reyes, Dalot, Costa, Torres, Andre Andre (Oliveira 62), Corona, Aboubakar (Paciencia 80), Waris (Ricardo 68)
Subs not used: Jose Sa, Brahimi, Otavio, Mata
Booked: Andre, Dalot
Referee: Felix Zwayer
James Milner provided constant energy in midfield for Liverpool. CLICK HERE for more from MATCH ZONE.