Liverpool vs Villarreal player ratings: Mane 8, Salah 8; Danjuma 3, Capoue 4

Sadio Mane on target as Liverpool win Champions League semi-final first leg at Anfield 2-0

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker – 6. The Brazilian had one of the quietest nights of his career. Villarreal barely came into his penalty area. Getty

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6. The 23-year-old had the latitude to get forward at will because the opposition sat so deep. His crossing was not as effective as usual and he was substituted for Gomez with nine minutes left. Reuters

Ibrahima Konate – 7. The Frenchman miscued a header early on but did not put a foot wrong after that. He was not placed under pressure. EPA

Virgil van Dijk – 7. The Dutchman was not unduly tested and was in control for the majority of the game. A very comfortable performance. Getty Images

Andrew Robertson – 7. The Scot could afford to forget about his defensive duties and push forward. He was always available as an outlet ball and sent in some probing passes. AP Photo

Jordan Henderson – 8. The captain may not have the finesse of his midfield partners but his appetite for work was impressive. His deflected shot gave Liverpool the breakthrough before he made way for Keita in the 72rd minute. Getty Images

Fabinho – 8. The Brazilian’s pressing unnerved the Villarreal midfield. His distribution was good and he was not afraid to tackle. Reuters

Thiago Alcantara – 8. The 31-year-old was prominent as Liverpool dominated the middle. His quick passing kept the team on the move and his pressing was superb. AP Photo

Mohamed Salah – 8. The Egyptian had to work to find space in the crowded defence but he managed to fire in a couple of threatening efforts. His astute pass set up the second goal. EPA

Sadio Mane – 8. The Senegalese never gave Villarreal the chance to relax. He should have done better with a first-half header but he more than made up for that with the second goal. Jota came on for him with 17 minutes left. Getty Images

Luis Diaz – 7. The Colombian engaged in a compelling battle with Foyth and came out on top. He produced a couple of shots that were too close to the goalkeeper. Origi replaced him with nine minutes left. Reuters

SUBS: Naby Keita – 7. The Guinean replaced Henderson in the 72rd minute. He made sure the pressing remained effective until the final whistle. AP

Diogo Jota – 6. The Portuguese joined the action at Mane’s expense in the 73rd minute. He kept the defence honest without threatening too much. Getty

Divock Origi – 6. The Belgian came on for the last nine minutes when Diaz was substituted. He offered himself as a target man and held the ball up well. AP

Joe Gomez – 6. The 24-year-old entered the fray for Alexander-Arnold with nine minutes to go. His short cameo was efficient and secure. Getty Images

VILLARREAL RATINGS: Geronimo Rulli – 5. The Argentine displayed a tendency to punch the ball and was insecure in his handling. He did not inspire a sense of security in the defence. Action Images

Juan Foyth – 6. The Argentine got tied up in a tussle with Diaz. He did well in the first half but looked weary as the game went on. Getty Images

Raul Albiol – 7. The 36-year-old used all of his experience to keep Liverpool at bay. But for his presence, the scoreline could have been much uglier. AFP

Pau Torres – 6. The Spaniard made a sharp early clearance and continued in that vein. He was not afraid of bringing the ball out when under pressure but he might have done better for the second goal. Reuters

Pervis Estupinan – 4. The Ecuadorian was given a severe examination by Salah and the strain began to tell on him in the second half. He was replaced by Munoz in the 72nd minute after deflecting the first goal into the net. EPA

Giovani Lo Celso – 6. The Argentine was let down by his control when a clear chance looked possible. He got back and helped out in his own area and made a good block from a Salah shot. AFP

Etienne Capoue – 4. The Frenchman allowed the Liverpool midfield to dominate. He was bypassed by the play much too often. Getty Images

Dani Parejo – 4. The Spaniard struggled against the Liverpool press. He found Lo Celso behind the defence from a long free kick but the Argentine could not control the ball. Aurier came on for him in the 72nd minute. EPA

Francis Coquelin – 4. The Frenchman could not stamp his mark on the game. Ineffective throughout, he made way for Pedraza in the 57th minute. PA

Samuel Chukwueze – 3. The Nigerian could not get on the ball and surrendered possession when the defence needed respite. The climax of a peripheral performance came when he was taken off in the 72nd minute for Dia. Getty Images

Arnaut Danjuma – 3. The 25-year-old played a slack pass with his team threatening to open up the defence on one of the rare occasions he got support. He offered little and was substituted for Alcacer with four minutes left. AFP

SUBS: Alfonso Pedraza – 5. The winger replaced Coquelin in the 57th minute. It was difficult for him to get involved because Liverpool were in control. AFP

Serge Aurier – 5. The Ivorian entered the game for Parejo in the 72nd minute. He could do little to change the course of the game. AFP

Manu Trigueros – 4. The 30-year-old came on for Estupinan in the 72nd minute. He barely saw the ball. AP Photo

Boulaye Dia – 5. The 25-year-old replaced Chukwueze in the 72nd minute. He offered options up front but not a cutting edge. Reuters

Paco Alcacer – 4. The 28-year-old was Villarreal’s final substitute, for Danjuma, with four minutes left. The striker hardly got a touch. AFP

An own goal and a Sadio Mane strike earned Liverpool a 2-0 victory in their Champions League semi-final first-leg against Villarreal on Wednesday, putting Jurgen Klopp's side on course for their third European Cup final in five seasons.

Villarreal defended in numbers in the first half to frustrate the six-time European Cup winners, with Thiago Alcantara going closest to breaking the deadlock with a thunderous strike from distance that hit the post.

Liverpool turned it up a notch after the break and moments after Brazilian midfielder Fabinho had seen one effort ruled out for offside, Jordan Henderson's cross was deflected into his own net by Pervis Estupinan to break Villarreal's resistance.

Able to express themselves with the deadlock broken, Mohamed Salah threaded a sublime pass through for Mane to put the game beyond the visitors 133 seconds later.

To read Tony Evans' player ratings from the match simply scroll through the picture gallery above.

Liverpool had chances to make the result more comprehensive, but will be firm favourites to finish the job in next week's second leg in Spain.