Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League despite coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Basel this evening.
The Reds needed a victory to progress, but Fabian Frei drilled in to give the visitors the lead.
On the hour mark Liverpool were reduced to 10 men when Lazar Markovic picked up a straight red card.
A late free kick from Steven Gerrard gave them hope, but it was not enough as Basel held on to go through to the last 16.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at Anfield.
Match Statistics:
LIVERPOOL:
Shots 16
On Target 5
Possession 62%
Corners 4
Fouls 12
BASEL:
Shots 17
On Target 4
Possession 38%
Corners 4
Fouls 10
Was the result fair?
Despite a strong finish to the night by Liverpool, they can have no complaints about the final result. Basel provided much more of a threat and by the time that they went ahead, they had already had some decent opportunities to score. The game continued in the same vein after the break and the Swiss side had even more chances to score on the break once Markovic was sent off. Gerrard's wonderful free kick gave his side hope as the game entered the final 10 minutes, but a second goal would have flattered them as Basel deservedly booked their place in the knockout stages.
Liverpool's performance
In the first half, Liverpool struggled to create any clear-cut chances and their build-up play was laboured. Although they saw plenty of the ball, they never got in behind the Basel defence and they lacked a real cutting edge. Lone striker Rickie Lambert looked stranded on his own and he was barely given any support.
They improved after the break with the introductions of Alberto Moreno and Markovic, but following the Serbian's dismissal, a comeback looked even more unlikely. Liverpool did manage to find the net with a moment of inspiration from their captain and they came close to levelling the scores in injury time with efforts from Martin Skrtel and Jordan Henderson. However, a second goal eluded them, and they will now play in the Europa League when the competition resumes in February.
Basel's performance
The Swiss champions can be delighted with their performance this evening. They only needed a draw to go through, but they were clearly confident of getting all three points. Paulo Sousa's side provided a real threat going forward and they looked extremely dangerous on the counter-attack. It was no surprise to see them take the lead, with Frei clinically finishing into the corner.
They had further chances to score a second, but were not able to find the net and they were almost made to pay as Liverpool piled on the pressure late on. However, they managed to hold on following a nervous four minutes of stoppage time to reach the last 16. Having proven themselves this evening, not many teams will want to face them when the draw for the knockout stage is made.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Fabian Schar: There were a number of good displays from Basel this evening, but Fabian Schar was a reliable presence in the centre of the defence. He kept Lambert quiet, and along with the rest of the defence, he helped to repel the late threat from Liverpool.
Biggest gaffe
Markovic must get the blame for his red card this evening. Liverpool will complain that his sending-off for catching Behrang Safari with an arm was harsh, as there seemed to be very little contact with the Basel player. However, he should never have put the referee in a position to make the decision and it did not help his side's cause.
Referee's performance
Bjorn Kuipers will get plenty of stick from Liverpool fans for sending off Markovic, but as mentioned, the winger gave him very little option. The reaction of Safari was excessive and that probably forced the official into making the controversial decision.
What next?
Liverpool: The Reds face a tough match on Sunday afternoon as they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
Basel: Basel will not be in action until the beginning of February as the Swiss Super League takes its annual winter break.
Alex Meyers
