Liverpool have beaten Villarreal 2-0 in their Champions League semi-final first leg to keep alive their bid for four titles in a season.
Pervis Estupian deflected captain Jordan Henderson’s cross into his own net in the 53rd minute and Sadio Mane got the second two minutes later in Thursday’s match at Anfield to leave the six-time winners well-placed for the return leg in Spain.
Villarreal, who had stunned Juventus and Bayern Munich in the previous rounds, had frustrated Liverpool in the first half before being well beaten after creating no serious scoring opportunity in the game.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have already won the League Cup, they’re in the FA Cup final against Chelsea and trail Manchester City by one point in a fierce Premier League title duel.
Should they reach the Champions League final on May 28, Pep Guardiola’s City could also be their opponents there after City beat Real Madrid 4-3 in a thrilling other first-leg semi-final on Tuesday.
Liverpool were completely dominant and won rave reviews for their performance.
“This is the best Liverpool team I’ve ever seen,” said former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport.
“They’re relentless with and without the ball. It’s the way they press teams, the energy, effort, application, you marvel at it.
“That [the quadruple] has got to be the aim. They are going to set themselves the target. If they achieve it they’re immortal, they are above anyone that has played the game in this country. Whether they can achieve it remains to be seen. But they’re ticking boxes along the way at the moment.”
Ex Liverpool striker Michael Owen was also in raptures.
“Villarreal have just got a pulse. If Liverpool nicked another one it would have been game, set match. If Villarreal get an early goal in Spain you never know.
“This was total dominance. It’s the best team I’ve ever seen in a red shirt. They swarm you. Villareal must think ‘what’s hit us?’ It’s impossible to stop this unbelievable press. They’re relentless.
“Imagine it[the quadruple]. It’s impossible… but now you’re thinking can it happen? The way they’re playing, the belief, you’re thinking can it happen?”
Liverpool captain Henderson warned the tie remained alive, and Liverpool have conceded three times in their past three away games in the competition.
“They are a very organised team and we knew they would make it difficult. It was just important that we kept going and believe that we would eventually break them down. We did that with two good goals,” said Henderson.
“First one was a bit lucky. Good build up but a bit lucky, in off the defender and keeper I think. But you need a bit of luck when a team plays with a low block. We got that and it lifted the crowd. Majority of the game, the counter-press was really good. It made it difficult for them. But the game is still alive and it will be tough in Villarreal.”
© AAP