Sadio Mane helps Liverpool seal hard-fought win against Ajax

Liverpool put aside the furore surrounding Virgil van Dijk’s long-term absence by kicking off their Champions League Group D campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory at Ajax.

Jurgen Klopp’s men were playing their first match since their Dutch star was ruled out with an ACL injury, but improved the mood around the club by digging out a hard-fought result in Amsterdam.

The only goal of the game arrived on 35 minutes when brilliance from Sadio Mane was followed by a miss-hit shot that almost confused and bamboozled Nicolas Tagliafico into slotting into his own net.

The hosts had gone close earlier on through substitute Quincy Promes but Adrian, who has come in for plenty of criticism as stand-in for the injured Alisson, thwarted the forward with a point-blank save.

Ajax almost levelled within seconds of the restart but former Everton midfielder, Davy Klaassen’s effort cannoned back off the inside of the post. It was as close as the Dutch giants would come as Liverpool's new-look central defence held firm.

At the end of Matchday One, the result sees Liverpool take second spot in the pool behind Atalanta, who were convincing winners away to FC Midtjylland. Next up in Group G, Liverpool host the Danish minnows while Ajax visit the Italians on Tuesday.

Liverpool respond to van Dijk blow with a mature performance. All of the pre-match talk had centred upon van Dijk’s absence and the Reds players would have perhaps been grateful to get back on to the pitch and the business of winning football matches. This was hardly vintage Liverpool, but they got the job done and picked up the morale-booster of a clean sheet, which was only their second in their last 13 European away games (on an opponent’s ground).

There were plenty of positives for Klopp in terms of the defence, though he may have been slightly disappointed with his attack. He switched his famed front three on the hour mark, but it may have been more to do with keeping them fresh with future battles in mind.

At the back, Fabinho was a colossus while Joe Gomez looked more assured and focused than in recent months. This was the 35th different central defensive pairing under Klopp and it generally clicked well. Joel Matip is expected to come back in to join Gomez going forward, but it remains an untested partnership and this will at least give the Reds boss another option if required.

Fabinho (Liverpool). The Brazilian once again stepped back from midfield to produce the same type of assured display that earned him rave reviews in the Premier League clash at Chelsea. Made a series of important interceptions and tackles with good positioning as well as a supreme goal-line clearance in the first half. Three points, a clean sheet and a man of the match award – it may well be the perfect early birthday present ahead of him turning 27 on Friday.

AJAX: Onana 6, Mazraoui 7, Schurrs 7, Martinez 7, Tagliafico 5, Gravenberch 6, Klaassen 6, Blind 7, Neres 7, Kudus 5, Tadic 7. Subs: Promes 7, Labyad 6, Ekkelenkamp 6, Huntelaar n/a, Traore n/a.

LIVERPOOL: Adrian 7, Alexander-Arnold 7, Fabinho 8, Gomez 7, Robertson 7, Wijnaldum 7, Jones 6, Milner 7, Mane 7, Salah 6, Firmino 6. Subs: Henderson 7, Minamino 6, Jota 7, Shaqiri 6, R.Williams n/a.

34’ – AJAX CHANCE. Adrian stays big to deny Promes with a strong boot from close range after Ajax had opened the visitors up far too easily.

35’ – GOAL! Ajax 0-1 Liverpool. Tagliafico inexplicably flicks Mane's miss-hit shot from the left of the area into the back of his own net.

44’ – AJAX CHANCE. Wow! What a clearance off the line from Fabinho. The Brazilian acrobatically hooks Tadic's lovely lob to safety after the Ajax man had raced on to a long pass in-behind.

47’ – AJAX CHANCE. Davy Klaassen lets rip with a thunderous effort from the edge of the box, but sees it crash back off the inside of the post and fly to safety.

74’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCE. Wijnaldum heads a right-wing corner inches over the bar.

90’ – LIVERPOOL CHANCES. Wijnaldum and Minamino both have chances to slot past Onana, but the Ajax keeper does well to block both attempts. Liverpool should have finished it on the break there.

90+5’ – AJAX CHANCE. Adrian comes to punch a high ball, but flaps it low to Ekkelenkamp who lifts it over the top from the edge of the box.

Ajax conceded an own goal in a home game in the Champions League for the first time in their history, their only previous own goal came 10 years ago, at Real Madrid (Vurnon Anita on Sep 15 2010).