Liverpool have advanced to the Club World Cup final thanks to a last gasp winner from substitute Roberto Firmino against Monterrey.

Injuries to Dejan Lovren and Fabinho, plus Virgil van Dijk's illness, forced Jurgen Klopp to start Jordan Henderson at centre-back in Qatar.

The Reds makeshift defence allowed the Mexican side to get off 16 shots, with Rogelio Funes Mori finding one of them past Alisson to cancel out Naby Keita's opener.

But Firmino's late intervention meant Liverpool advance to their second Club World Cup final where they will meet Brazilian side Flamengo on Saturday.

Speaking after the game, Klopp said: "I don't think it was possible to be a different way. The hard way we saw now a couple of games here in this tournament and obviously each team is here to represent the country, the continent, whatever, and try everything to be successful.

"The opponent tonight did exactly the same, they fought really hard. We had problems before the game, we knew that we will have some problems in the game as well, it was clear.

"But I really think the boys did exceptionally well because we had so many strange things. It was the most offensive midfield I've probably ever lined up in a competitive game, then Hendo and Joe Gomez together as a centre-half pairing – Hendo's first time at centre-half, what a game.

"We controlled the game for a long period and then they came with the set-piece. With the set-piece, where it was clear that we were not too tall today, I think Funes Mori scored the goal and usually a player in that situation is offside when you play against us. In this case, he was not offside – that's one thing.

"Then counter-attacks, long balls, stuff like this, that's what they had and then we had Ali in these moments, which helps obviously a lot, or we defended in a different way.

"I am really overly-happy with the performance because I knew before the game that it will be really tough and difficult and the boys did really well again."