LIVERPOOL: Liverpool maintained their perfect Champions League record to guarantee a top-two finish in the league phase and automatic last-16 qualification with a 2-1 win over Lille at Anfield on Tuesday.
Harvey Elliott’s deflected strike secured a seventh consecutive Champions League victory for Arne Slot’s men after Jonathan David canceled out Mohamed Salah’s opener.
Liverpool remain three points clear of Barcelona, who came from 4-2 down to beat Benfica 5-4.
Lille’s first defeat in 22 games in all competitions leaves the French side 11th.
Liverpool will welcome direct progress to the last 16, without the need for a play-off round, with the Premier League leaders still involved in four competitions.
Slot took the chance to rotate with the Reds already all but assured of progress to the next round.
Jarell Quansah, Conor Bradley, Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez, fresh from his match-winning contribution, came in from the side that beat Brentford 2-0 on Saturday to open up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Lille arrived on Merseyside full of confidence with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid among the notable scalps on their long unbeaten run.
The visitors were far from overawed early on as they started impressively without ever seriously threatening Alisson Becker’s goal.
Liverpool had struggled to get going until one defense-splitting pass from Jones freed Salah to gallop clear and coolly slot in his 50th European goal for the club on 34 minutes.
Jones had to be replaced at half-time in an injury concern for Slot, who also took the chance to rest Ryan Gravenberch for the second 45 minutes as Elliot and Alexis Mac Allister were introduced.
Lille’s task looked to be an impossible one when Aissa Mandi was sent off for a second bookable offense for chopping down Luis Diaz.
Yet, within three minutes, Liverpool’s club-record European run without conceding was brought to an end.
David swept home the rebound after Hakon Arnar Haraldsson’s effort had been blocked by Kostas Tsimikas.
Liverpool had not conceded for one minute shy of 10 hours since Christian Pulisic struck for AC Milan inside the first three minutes of their opening Champions League game of the season.
Yet, not for the first time this season, Liverpool’s strength in depth made the difference with another winner from a substitute.
There was an element of fortune about this one as Elliott’s strike from the edge of the area took a huge deflection off Ngal’ayel Mukau to wrongfoot Lucas Chevalier.
The Lille ‘keeper denied Federico Chiesa a third in stoppage time, before Nunez was flagged offside as he swept in the rebound.

MONACO: Monaco ground out a 1-0 home win against Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday, denying the Premier League side the chance to all but book their spot in the round of 16.
Wilfried Singo’s early header was the difference between the teams as Villa tasted defeat for the first time in six outings in all competitions.
Monaco had only won two of their last 11 matches, including back-to-back defeats in the Champions League, but now have their eyes on securing progress to the knock-outs.
The defeat dropped Villa from fifth to seventh provisionally. They can qualify automatically for the last-16 with a top-eight finish.
“We started the Champions League not being favorites to finish in the top eight, and we still aren’t. Tonight we are disappointed,” said Villa manager Unai Emery.
Emery’s side host 21st-placed Celtic in their final league phase match next week.
Villa and Monaco are among nine teams on 13 points, ahead of the rest of this week’s matches, a pack headed by Arsenal in fourth place in the table with Monaco in ninth
Monaco conclude their league phase campaign with a visit to Italian champions Inter Milan — also on 13 points ahead of a visit to Prague on Wednesday — knowing nothing but a win will do to avoid a play-off spot.
“We have one match remaining which will be very difficult. We are going to go to Milan next week with a lot of ambition and to win,” said Singo.
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s every touch was booed by the home support in the early stages — the crowd had not forgotten his role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final victory over France.
To the delight of their fans, Monaco’s opener came after the Argentinian parried Thilo Kehrer’s header from a corner up into the air. Singo pounced to nod home from close range on eight minutes.
Martinez showed his class with a sprawling dive to claw away Maghnes Akliouche’s whipped effort shortly afterwards.
Villa came within inches of levelling in first-half added time following excellent build-up play by Emiliano Buendia, but Radoslaw Majecki got down quickly to deny Ollie Watkins.
At the start of the second period, Morgan Rogers flashed a strike narrowly wide, before Akliouche had a strike disallowed for offside.
Emery turned to Jhon Duran from the bench to give his side a spark, sending on the Colombian 11 minutes after the interval in place of winger Bailey.
With Watkins and Duran on the pitch together, Villa boasted a striking duo with 22 goals between in all competitions this term.
Rogers and Matty Cash combined to create Villa’s next chance, the right-back dragging his effort across goal and wide on 69 minutes.
Monaco looked the more likely to score in the final 20 minutes.
Aleksandr Golovin rippled the side netting from a tight angle in the 88th minute.
Duran then attempted a bicycle-kick in the crowded box in the 92nd minute, but his ambitious effort flew well over the bar as Monaco held firm.
“It was an important win,” said Monaco coach Adi Huetter. “I give compliments and praise to my team for how they fought.”