LIVERPOOL: Liverpool eased into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a goalless draw against Porto on Tuesday, completing a routine aggregate victory after their 5-0 first-leg win in Portugal. Despite facing old rivals Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp fielded a strong side although top scorer Mohamed Salah and record signing Virgil van Dijk both started on the bench. In a predictably low-key game, Liverpool striker Sadio Mane, whose hat-trick in Porto helped ensure there was little at stake at Anfield, came closest to breaking the deadlock. Mane was off target with an effort at full-stretch from a Joe Gomez cross in the 18th minute and then hit the post in the 31st minute after taking down a ball from James Milner and releasing a low diagonal drive. While the night lacked drama, the passion was brought by Porto’s supporters who, despite the heavy loss from two weeks ago, travelled to Merseyside to fill the away section and sang their hearts out all night. Published in Daily Times, March 8th 2018.