Liverpool 2-1 Monterrey

Roberto Firmino came off the bench to score a last-minute winner as Liverpool booked their place in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday night.

Naby Keita put the Reds 1-0 up after 11 minutes of their semi-final at the Khalifa International Stadium but CONCACAF champions Monterrey hit back through Rogelio Funes Mori moments later.

It looked set for 30 minutes of extra-time in Doha, but then Trent Alexander-Arnold picked out Firmino's near-post run with a threaded through-ball in injury time and the Brazilian steered a cool finish past Marcelo Barovero.

Here are five talking points from a closely fought semi-final....

Exceptional Alisson

Firmino's winning strike might grab the headlines but the performance of fellow Brazilian Alisson Becker between the posts was also worthy of note.

The goalkeeper may have been denied a fourth consecutive clean sheet, but he made series of important saves to keep the scores level.

Monterrey skipper Dorlan Pavon must have been particularly sick of the sight of Liverpool's No.1, who palmed away his arrowed drive that look destined for the bottom corner and then flew across his goal to claw out a whipped free-kick from under his bar.

The Reds stopper made seven saves altogether and was an all-round assured presence throughout.

Hendo at centre-back

With Virgil van Dijk missing due to illness and Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Fabinho all out injured, captain Jordan Henderson stepped in as an emergency centre-back on Wednesday.

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It may have been the first time the midfielder had started in the role for the Reds, but the adaptable 29-year-old delivered an accomplished performance and grew into the game alongside Joe Gomez.

Henderson's touch map

Playing almost as a Libero as the game went on, the skipper was more than comfortable bringing the ball out from defence and distributing from midfield.

He made the second-most passes in team with 116, with 42 of those coming in the opposition’s half, and ended the game with a 92.2 per cent pass completion rate.

Keita's golden touch

Keita's recent goalscoring form continued at the Khalifa International Stadium as he gave his side the perfect start, netting in his third successive Liverpool appearance to put the Reds ahead after just 11 minutes.

The way the No.8 anticipated Mohamed Salah's reverse through-ball for the opener showed just why he has scored six goals in his last 13 starts for the Reds.

He timed his runs into the box brilliantly and one such dart almost brought another goal on the stroke of half-time when he broke through the defensive line to gather Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's through-ball, only to be denied by a smothering save from Barovero.

Keita's ability on the ball was evident too as he embarked on a slaloming run into the box after the break but fired his shot straight at the keeper.

The 24-year-old ended the game with a team leading two shots on target, one key pass and, of course, one goal.

Milner hits his double century

It was perhaps fitting that versatile midfielder James Milner made his 200th appearance for the Reds at right-back, having filled a variety of positions during his four-and-a-half years at Anfield.

Bombing on down the flank to provide attacking width, providing cover for his inexperienced central-defensive partnership and nearly grabbing a goal from Salah's backheeled through-ball only to be denied by Barovero: all in an evening's work for the vice-captain.

Milner's heat map

Milner was taken off on 75 minutes after covering every blade of grass down the right flank.

The boys from Brazil

Liverpool will face Flamengo in the final of the Club World Cup on Saturday after the Brazilian side came from behind to beat Al Hilal 3-1 in Tuesday's semi-final.

The two sides also met in the final of the competition - in one of its previous guises as the Intercontinental Cup - back in 1981, when Bob Paisley's Reds lost 3-0 to a side featuring Zico.

The clash at the Khalifa International Stadium will be the fourth time the Reds have reached the showpiece match of the tournament and the third time they have faced Brazilian opposition in it.

Rafa Benitez's European champions lost 1-0 to Sao Paulo in Liverpool's last Club World Cup final in 2005.
Ref:LIVERPOOLFC.COM