David Lynch Provides Instant Match Reaction as Liverpool Beat Inter Milan

Going to the San Siro had all the hallmarks of another bleak chapter in Liverpool’s season. Inter had not lost a home Champions League tie for three years. Liverpool had forgotten how to look convincing. Yet Arne Slot’s side delivered a performance built on steel and nerve, earning a 1-0 win that not only shocked many supporters but also offered a hint of a route out of the gloom.

This reaction draws on the excellent post match review by David Lynch on his YouTube channel, who broke down the victory with clarity and honesty. What follows expands on his themes and gives credit where it is due.

Back to Basics Pays Off

Supporters have heard plenty about going back to basics in recent weeks, but here, at last, was the clearest evidence that Slot’s pragmatic shift is starting to provide something solid. Lynch summed up the shift well, noting that Liverpool have been “a little bit boring, a little bit low event” but far harder to break down.

The Nottingham Forest and PSV collapses had threatened to send the season into freefall. Instead, Slot simplified everything. The shape tightened, the distances improved and the wild openness disappeared. Liverpool restricted Inter to small chances, edging the non penalty expected goals 0.68 to 0.43. That alone felt remarkable given how porous they have looked at times.

The important detail is that this defensive resolve allowed Liverpool to be in position to benefit from late game luck. A month ago they would have been behind long before a penalty decision mattered.

Champions League Know How Returns

This was the sort of continental away performance that used to feel second nature. Lynch even described it as “reminiscent really of a kind of Rafa Benitez away performance” and he was right. Liverpool quietened the crowd, managed the tempo and refused to give Inter anything to feed off.

The shot count told the story. Liverpool took 12 shots to Inter’s 9, with five on target compared with Inter’s two. Not dominant, but controlled in a way that suits knockout football. Slot may be under pressure, but this tactical display showed he can still adapt and read the demands of a European tie.

This result also puts Liverpool back into the Champions League top eight picture, a scenario that looked incredibly unlikely after the PSV defeat. Lynch is right to argue that avoiding the playoff round could define how manageable the second half of the season becomes.

Midfield Trio Sets the Tone

If anything summed up why Liverpool deserved their win, it was the midfield. Lynch highlighted how Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai stitched the entire performance together.

Gravenberch, described as “hugely impressive”, dominated with five interceptions, six recoveries and the kind of long legged interventions that once made him such a talked about talent. His defensive positioning was night and day compared with recent weeks.

Jones produced a masterclass in ball retention and progression. “96 percent passing accuracy” and “three out of three dribbles” do not do justice to the calm authority he showed. In hostile environments he thrives, and this was another such night.

Szoboszlai took the responsibility of the penalty with “nerves of steel” and continued to lead Liverpool’s press. His reading of danger, even when not producing big defensive numbers, was vital.

Luck, Decisions and Mentality

Lynch was honest in acknowledging the fine margins. Liverpool were “a little bit lucky to get the penalty” but also unlucky to see Ibrahima Konate’s goal ruled out. What mattered most was that Liverpool were in the contest, alive and deserving of the moment that won it.

This has not been true for far too much of the season. A team that has been passive suddenly looked sharper in duels, braver in the press and willing to grind. This was the “foundations” Lynch referred to, and they were badly needed.

A Result Slot Desperately Needed

Let there be no doubt, Slot walked into this game under serious pressure. Lynch even admitted he “did not see this coming at all”. But the players delivered for their manager. The improvement was clear, the approach was correct and the win offers breathing room before Brighton at the weekend.

There is still a creativity issue to solve, and no one should pretend otherwise. But this was not a smash and grab. It was a proper European away performance built on grit, structure and belief.

Liverpool have something to build on at last. Whether they do is down to Slot, his players and the consistency that has eluded them all season.