Merseyside giants Liverpool suffered a rare defeat this season with the 1-0 home loss to Italian champions Inter Milan earlier this week in what was the second leg of their round of 16 tie in the Champions League. Liverpool came into their second meeting with Inter Milan in three weeks in a strong position, but they almost threw it away with an average performance especially in the second half.

Goals from substitute Roberto Firmino and star man Mohamed Salah ensured that Liverpool established a 2-0 lead in the tie from the first leg. They suffered a major scare when Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez scored for the Italian champions just past the hour mark in the second leg, but him and his teammates could not find the second goal that might have forced extra time and possibly penalties. Inter Milan were not helped by the red card to Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez two minutes after the Martinez goal. The former Arsenal and Manchester United star was sent off for two yellow cards due to the fouls on the same player, Thiago Alcantara either side of the half-time break.

Before the Inter Milan game at Anfield on Tuesday night, Liverpool had only suffered two defeats over the course of the season and they have been in the league. In Champions League terms, Liverpool had a perfect record of seven wins from seven games before the home defeat to the Italian Serie A champions.

Liverpool can bounce back from the rare defeat suffered at the hands of the Nerazzuri this week when they face Graham Potter and his Brighton and Hove Albion players at the Amex Stadium in the first game of this weekend in the Premier League. The Reds need a win from the game to put pressure on leaders Manchester City in the Premier League title race.