Little magician casts spell to seal gloriously emphatic progress

Nerves and self-doubt instantly evaporated. A testing assignment in the lion's den suddenly turned into a procession.

In their hour of need Philippe Coutinho delivered at Old Trafford to book the Reds' passage into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

The little Brazilian's stunning individual goal on the brink of half-time didn't just cancel out Anthony Martial's opener from the penalty spot.

It effectively ended the tie as Manchester United's fightback was stopped in its tracks.

Nerves and self-doubt instantly evaporated. A testing assignment in the lion's den suddenly turned into a procession.

In their hour of need Philippe Coutinho delivered at Old Trafford to book the Reds' passage into the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

The little Brazilian's stunning individual goal on the brink of half-time didn't just cancel out Anthony Martial's opener from the penalty spot.

It effectively ended the tie as Manchester United's fightback was stopped in its tracks.

On Liverpool's last visit to Old Trafford last September they were humbled 3-1. There was no hope. Brendan Rodgers' reign was lurching towards a sorry conclusion.

Since then a season which was going nowhere and a squad derided as lacking sufficient quality or backbone has been transformed.

Having come agonisingly close to lifting a trophy in the Capital One Cup, Klopp is now plotting the Reds' route to another final in Basel in May. They will await Friday's draw with eager anticipation.

Coutinho was ultimately the hero but Liverpool also owed much to the efforts of the rock-solid centre-back duo of Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren.

Both were outstanding as they sensed danger and dealt with it. What was once a glaring Achilles heel for the Reds is now starting to look like a real strength.

It has taken time but Klopp has moulded Liverpool into a cohesive unit and the manner in which they bossed proceedings so coolly in the second half was testament to that.

Where once Liverpool capitulated when the going got tough, now they dig deep. That was certainly the case after they made a nightmare start at Old Trafford.

Klopp had urged his players to be brave, he had urged them to be bold but there was little sign of either during an error-strewn opening half hour as they gifted United the initiative.

Rather than relish walking into such a hostile environment, Klopp's men looked like a bag of nerves.

United were first to everything. Coutinho repeatedly got his pocket picked but he wasn't the only one to flounder. There was little control in midfield as Emre Can and Jordan Henderson tossed possession away cheaply.

Neither was there a focal point in attack as Daniel Sturridge struggled to hold it up and bring others into play.

Klopp cut an animated figure on the touchline as he pleaded for a greater show of composure. The message took a long time to get through.

Simon Mignolet hesitated when he should have claimed Marcos Rojo's cross but redeemed himself with a fine save to keep out Jesse Lingard's header.

The chances kept on coming. Juan Mata volleyed wide before Martial blazed over. Liverpool remained under the cosh. It was all too frenetic.

As United committed players forward, there was space for the Reds to exploit on the counter but poor decision making let them down.

Lovren surged forward and teed up Coutinho but his first touch was awful and the opening disappeared.

David de Gea produced a sprawling save to thwart the Brazilian soon after but United's pressure eventually told.

Nathaniel Clyne carelessly tripped Martial, who picked himself up to slot home from the spot.

Suddenly, the tie was alive and Liverpool looked rattled. The travelling Kop did their best to provoke a response and to their credit the Reds rallied.

They started to move the ball quicker and with more purpose. Sturridge's audacious free-kick smacked against the bar before Henderson blazed over after a classy one-two with Coutinho had carved United open.

It was a bad miss and Klopp placed his hands on his head in disbelief.

There was a let-off when Rojo fired wide but on the cusp of half-time United's bubble was burst.

A pass from the improving Can sent Coutinho scampering away down the left. There appeared to be little danger but he burst past Guillermo Varela and dinked an exquisite finish past De Gea for his eighth goal of the campaign.

Klopp's manic celebrations saw him set off towards the jubilant travelling Kop before delivering a fist pump in their direction.

It was game over and everyone inside Old Trafford knew it.

The home fans were silenced and the party in the away end continued right through the break and the second half.

Liverpool's cause should have helped by a numerical advantage after the hapless Fellaini swung an elbow into Lovren's head.

The Belgian, who somehow escaped with only a yellow, had already got away with clobbering Firmino in similar fashion.

In truth Fellaini's continued presence assisted Liverpool such was the paucity of his contribution. United fans spent more time heckling him than those in black.

James Milner, who slotted in brilliantly at left-back in place of the injured Alberto Moreno, was alert to block Michael Carrick's goal-bound free-kick at the near post.

As United grew ever desperate, Liverpool broke away menacingly.

The hosts were bedazzled by the twinkle toes of Coutinho. But the move didn't get the finish it deserved as the ineffective Sturridge sliced wide.

Sturridge soon made way for Divock Origi and Joe Allen followed for the tiring Henderson.

Liverpool could and should have rubbed salt into gaping wounds. Coutinho latched on to Can's backheel but fired tamely straight at De Gea.
It mattered little. United had been swatted aside with ease.

Liverpool march on in search of glory.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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