Liverpool

Liverpool fan Adam Doyle gives us his take on all of the latest Reds talking points ahead of a Champions League second-leg meeting against Benfica at ...

It now seems that the deal will finally be signed and see Salah commit the remainder of his career to LFC. They believed no club, who were capable of affording Salah’s wages, were in as good a position as Liverpool to deliver trophies and cement the Egyptian King’s legacy in football. The overload on both full-backs is a tactical issue that was forced upon Liverpool as a result of their own decision to deploy such a high defensive line. Saturday is going to be one hell of a match after the intense affair last weekend in the Premier League. If Liverpool can start better than their counterparts then there’s no reason why they can’t pick up where they left off on Sunday evening. Liverpool will face the same opponent in the FA Cup next Saturday, with a place in the final on the line. I would be beyond shocked to see him in the side against Benfica and equally surprised if he were excluded from the XI on Saturday. When he plays well, Liverpool play well.

A look at the respective fixture lists for Premier League title rivals Liverpool and Man City offers a glimpse of hope for Jürgen Klopp's side, ...

And for Liverpool in particular, it would still mean that they kick-off ahead of City in four of the seven remaining Premier League games, with the final fixture timetabled for the traditional simultaneous start. Of course, further disruption awaits the side that reaches the FA Cup final on May 15, when Liverpool are set to travel to Southampton and Manchester City should be at West Ham. This potential helping hand comes in the form of a fixture list that sees Jürgen Klopp’s men play before City on three occasions in the next four weeks.

Liverpool set up a Champions League semi-final with Spain's Villarreal after Roberto Firmino scored twice in a 3-3 second leg draw with Benfica to ensure a ...

Firmino kicked off the party - in the stands at least - when he side-footed home at the far post from a Tsimikas free-kick 25 minutes from time only for the mood to be dampened when substitute Yaremchuk and Nunez both beat Alisson, both goals courtesy of VAR confirmation. A corner from Kostas Tsimikas, one of the seven changes, was met by Konate who jumped earliest, highest and hung in the air longest to get between former Premier League centre-backs Nicolas Otamendi and Jan Vertonghen and direct a downward header inside the far post. Jurgen Klopp's side have won nine of their 10 matches, scoring 25 goals - drawing a blank in their only one defeat to Inter Milan - and conceding just 10.

Jürgen Klopp's side advanced into the Champions League semi-finals, where they will meet Villarreal, on a fluctuating night when VAR had a hand in all three ...

Naby Keïta instigated the move with a piercing pass into the Benfica area towards Diaz. Vlachodimos got there first but the goalkeeper, impressive in the first leg, fumbled once again and forced Vertonghen into a desperate clearance that he sliced to the unmarked Jota. The Liverpool striker scuffed his shot across goal but Firmino was on hand to convert into an empty net. Liverpool should have restored their lead before the interval when a defensive error by Benfica allowed Firmino to bear down on goal with Díaz unmarked to his right. Darwin Núñez’s cool finish was also disallowed for offside only to be overturned by VAR. Núñez then forced a fine save from Alisson as Benfica went in search of an unlikely winner. A threaded ball through midfield from Jordan Henderson enabled Díaz to exchanges passes with Firmino before darting to the byline and crossing dangerously across the Benfica goalmouth. Liverpool looked to VAR to save them with an offside call against Ramos but Milner, while challenging Diogo Goncalves in central midfield, had inadvertently played the goalscorer through. Benfica salvaged pride at Anfield but Liverpool preserved their dreams of a seventh European crown and unprecedented quadruple.

Recently, I was on a flight heading home from Lisbon, Portugal when I heard two Irish voices behind me. It turned out that the men had just watched...

The city’s iconic Central Library and World Museum were also gifts to Liverpool from William Brown, a Ballymena-born banker and MP who funded their construction at a cost of £40,000. Whatever the results, Liverpool will always have a deep connection to Ireland and its people. Most of the seven and a half miles of the Albert docks in Liverpool were dug by Irish immigrants. By 1913, it was the largest and most militant union in Ireland. That same year, Larkin led a massive unsuccessful strike that lasted some six months and involved 20,000 workers and their 80,000 dependents. It turned out that the men had just watched the Liverpool Football Club defeat Benfica, a Portuguese football club in a Champions League match and we quickly bonded as fans of the club. Irish immigrants in Liverpool initially faced prejudice and discrimination because of their Catholic faith. Florence Nightingale described her as “one of the most valuable lives in England.” Kitty Wilkinson, an Irish migrant from Derry, was called Liverpool’s “Saint of the Slums” for her campaign to educate the city’s poor about health and hygiene. The city elected Athlone-born Thomas Power O’Connor to Parliament in 1885; the Irish nationalist was originally an M.P. for Galway from 1880, but served his English constituency, who represented Liverpool's Scotland Road area continuously through 1929, a full decade after his Irish Parliamentary Party had ceased to exist as a force. Many of the club’s greatest stars have also been Irishmen including Mark Lawrenson, Ronnie Whelan, Steve Heighway, John Aldridge, Steve Staunton, Ray Houghton, and Jason McAteer, to name but a few. The distinctive, melodic Scouse accent that identifies a Liverpudlian also has Irish roots. Agnes Jones, from County Donegal, was the first trained Nursing Superintendent of Liverpool Workhouse Infirmary. Famed for her devotion to the sick, she died at age 35 from typhus. One of the men observed that it was fascinating how many Irish people identify with Liverpool and its famous football club (not to forget Everton FC, just down the road at Goodison Park, another Premier League club with a fan base in Ireland), so I decided to write a piece exploring city’s deep Irish roots.

Liverpool eased into a Champions League semi-final against Villarreal as even a sloppy 3-3 draw with Benfica saw them progress 6-4 on aggregate.

Firmino kicked off the party - in the stands at least - when he side-footed home at the far post from a Tsimikas free-kick 25 minutes from time only for the mood to be dampened when substitute Yaremchuk and Nunez both beat Alisson, both goals courtesy of VAR confirmation. A corner from Kostas Tsimikas, one of the seven changes, was met by Konate who jumped earliest, highest and hung in the air longest to get between former Premier League centre-backs Nicolas Otamendi and Jan Vertonghen and direct a downward header inside the far post. Jurgen Klopp's side have won eight of their 10 matches, scoring 25 goals - drawing a blank in their only defeat to Inter Milan - and conceding just 11.

Liverpool hold a commanding 3-1 lead in their Champions League quarter-final tie with Benfica ahead of the second leg at Anfield. Follow all the updates ...

As he was in the first leg, Darwin Nunez is likely to be the key man for the visitors, with the forward netting an impressive hat-trick at the weekend. Liverpool have been going through the gears in the last couple of minutes, and they're rewarded with a corner from the left. Gilberto has certainly had a lot to deal with so far, while Luis Diaz hasn't seen much of the ball on the right. It ends up with Everton in the right half space, just outside the area. 31st min: The Liverpool pressure continues to mount, with a series of corners. It looks set for the Colombian to tap in, but Grimaldo slides in just in time, to take the ball off the attacker's foot. The assistant's flag is up, and VAR shows the decision to be correct. 46th min: A Keita shot from outside the arrow fizzes just wide of the post, he hit across the ball slightly as a Jota cross was cleared to him. 25th min: Darwin Nunez has the ball in the back of the net, running into space behind Liverpool's defence before chipping Alisson in no man's land. Nelson Verissimo's side are way off the pace in the league and were knocked out of both domestic cups by Porto and Sporting CP, meaning they have little left to play for other than going as far in Europe as they can. Jurgen Klopp's side were in control for the first half in Lisbon during the first leg of the quarter-final, with goals from Ibrahima Konate and Sadio Mane no less than they deserved. Liverpool have been comfortable enough in the first five minutes of this half.

Liverpool reached the last four of the Champions League after an entertaining 3-3 draw with Benfica in the second leg of the quarter-final at Anfield.

Naby Keïta instigated the move with a piercing pass into the Benfica area towards Díaz. Vlachodimos got there first but the goalkeeper, impressive in the first leg, fumbled once again and forced Vertonghen into a desperate clearance that he sliced to the unmarked Jota. The Liverpool striker scuffed his shot across goal but Firmino was on hand to convert into an empty net. Liverpool should have restored their lead before the interval when a defensive error by Benfica allowed Firmino to bear down on goal with Díaz unmarked to his right. Díaz drew a fine save from Vlachodimos and teed up Firmino for a header that was deflected over by Vertonghen when another Tsimikas corner spread uncertainty in the Benfica area. With Mohamed Salah rested on the bench for the first time in a Champions League game this season Klopp tasked Luis Díaz with troubling Benfica from the right. A 12th European Cup/Champions League semi-final awaits Liverpool, who have equalled Manchester United’s record for an English club, and they remain in sight of a third Champions League final appearance in five seasons under Klopp. On the two previous occasions Liverpool defeated Benfica in the quarter-finals – in 1978 and 1984 – they went on to lift the trophy. Ibrahima Konaté and a brace from Roberto Firmino put Liverpool on a comfortable course for the last four before VAR intervened in the form of two late Benfica goals.

Liverpool have been linked with a transfer for Benfica forward Darwin Núñez. Jürgen Klopp's players are set to face him again this evening in the Champions ...

But for now, Liverpool have to stop him scoring at Anfield rather than encourage him to do it for them on a regular basis. One of those clubs is said to be Liverpool, while Brighton looked at him last summer but would now appear to have missed their chance. Benfica have a history of producing top-class forwards, with Atlético Madrid having spent £113m on João Félix in 2019.

LIVERPOOL 3-3 BENFICA: The Reds will face Villarreal in the Champions League semi finals after earning an aggregate victory over Benfica following a ...

This may have been a vastly different back four, but it was a Liverpool defence struggling with the same issue that City managed to exploit in Sunday’s titanic title clash. Benfica were just beginning to grow in confidence when he opened his account, while his second ended the tie as a competitive contest. Being able to rotate his squad felt like a pipe dream last season, such was the extent of their chronic injury issues. “Of course, it is,” the Reds boss replied when asked last month if the current Liverpool squad was the strongest in his time at the club. And the goal seemed to briefly give the visitors a dose of confidence that they could yet turn the tie on its head. But right from the first whistle the Reds looked desperate to put the tie out of their opponents’ hands with an early goal.

Liverpool host Benfica this evening as the Reds look to confirm their place in the Champions League semi-finals.Jurgen Klopp's side beat Benfica 3-1.

Atletico Madrid 0 Man City 0 (0-1) Atletico Madrid 0 Man City 0 (0-1) Atletico Madrid 0 Man City 0 (0-1) Atletico Madrid 0 Man City 0 (0-1) A horrible man. A hair pull.

Two Roberto Firmino goals set Liverpool on course for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, but the Reds were made to work to the end as Benfica pulled two ...

Darwin Núñez, Benfica forward: "Benfica proved that we are great; we left everything out on the pitch. Liverpool will face Villarreal in the semi-finals. Benfica were much more competitive against an admittedly weakened Liverpool line-up, giving the home side a few things to think about, but ultimately the English side were just a class above. The Reds confirmed their last-four spot with relative ease on a night when Jürgen Klopp was able to rest several first-team regulars. "The defender had a great game. Liverpool had already done the hard work, though.

Jürgen Klopp could afford to make seven Liverpool changes against Benfica in their Champions League meeting, highlighting a strength he has never had ...

It is why Klopp has already lifted silverware, and it is why the Carabao Cup should not be the only trophy Liverpool add to their cabinet come the end of May. So it's time for this team to put their name down into the record books, and after a night like that at Anfield, that feels like a tangible possibility. The squad depth at Klopp's disposal is truly remarkable and something he has never truly had during his tenure at Anfield. For the first time, Klopp can rely on not one, but at least two competent and world-class players in almost every position on the pitch. As the Reds' opposition this weekend played out a laborious and physically challenging tie in Madrid, Liverpool's core players earned a well-deserved rest ahead of the club's crucial trip to Wembley. Not only that, but Liverpool have also secured their place in the Champions League semi-final, just two games away from another final this season. Klopp himself will know that all too well and to defy it with such boldness by fielding a side that was essentially made up largely of Liverpool's second string players was an evident risk.

Liverpool's second-leg draw ensured an aggregate win over Benfica while Manchester City edge out Atletico Madrid.

Brazilian Firmino scored twice after the break as Liverpool looked to make sure of a place in the semi-finals for the third time in five seasons. Juergen Klopp’s side had been 3-1 up on the night before Benfica struck twice late in the game on Wednesday to create a jittery finale to what had appeared to be a comfortable passage. Liverpool set up a Champions League semi-final with Spain’s Villarreal after Roberto Firmino scored twice in a 3-3 second-leg draw with Benfica to ensure a 6-4 aggregate win.

Jurgen Klopp has never included Naby Keita in his starting XI for a match against Manchester City, but is it time to do so?

For instance, Liverpool took on Leicester in the Carabao Cup and league in successive matches last December, but the starting XI for the former was far weaker than it will be at Wembley this weekend. When Liverpool faced Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final match in Spain last season, the Reds’ boss included Keita in the starting XI. “You need dribblers who can turn and make the next situation a big advantage. Should Klopp select the same starting XI he utilised for the 2-2 draw at the Etihad, or present Pep Guardiola with a new challenge?

MANCHESTER CITY and Liverpool meet for a second time in two weeks as they face off at Wembley.Pep Guardiola's men got the point they needed to remain.

- Man City vs Liverpool is live on BBC One. What TV channel is Man City vs Liverpool on and can I live stream it? - Man City vs Liverpool takes place on Saturday, April 16.

Jürgen Klopp said he would never take reaching the Champions League semi-finals for granted after a 3-3 draw with Benfica put Liverpool in the last four.

It is unbelievable what he is doing.” “It was not exactly what we wanted but it is absolutely not important because if we played the best game of the season it wouldn’t have made it more likely to get to the final,” he said. They have probably the most successful cup competition manager in world football so he knows what he is doing.

The supporter, who was in his 60's, was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment but sadly died soon after.

While the specific cause of death currently remains unclear, it has been revealed that the supporter was in his 60's and was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment but sadly died soon after. It's difficult to keep 100 per cent concentrated, the opposition will celebrate that they got a draw, a result here, but we didn't have the perfect mindset in that moment. A spokesperson for the Reds has already issued a statement on behalf of the club expressing their sorrow at the news.

The club confirmed the tragic news in a statement this morning.

The club tweeted: "It is with great regret that we can confirm that a supporter who was taken ill ahead of last night’s fixture against Benfica has sadly passed away. The ECHO understands the man fell ill just 20 minutes before kick-off and was taken to hospital. Emergency services rushed to the man's aid on Wednesday as stewards and fellow supporters desperately tried to help him.

Ahead of Liverpool's UEFA Champions League semi-final against Villarreal, we revisit their previous European semi which came back in 2016.

Firmino and Milner played in both legs of Liverpool's quarter-final win over Benfica earlier this month. From Liverpool - Roberto Firmino and James Milner Six-time European champions Liverpool and reigning Europa League winners Villarreal have met in a semi-final once before.

Benfica star Darwin Nunez was left stunned by what Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson did in the 3-3 draw at Anfield.

Shortly after scoring Benfica's third goal of the night, the Uruguay international was in once again and he struck a forceful volley aimed at the bottom corner of the goal. They may well have done, if not for a sensational save from goalkeeper Alisson. Liverpool got the job done with a 6-4 aggregate win, but only managed a 3-3 draw on the night as the Portuguese outfit went toe-to-toe with Jurgen Klopp's heavily rotated side.

The Reds announced the heart-breaking news on Thursday morning by making the announcement to their millions of social media followers and paying tribute to ...

While the specific cause of death currently remains unclear, it has been revealed that the supporter was in his 60's and was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment but sadly died soon after. It's difficult to keep 100 per cent concentrated, the opposition will celebrate that they got a draw, a result here, but we didn't have the perfect mindset in that moment. A spokesperson for the Reds has already issued a statement on behalf of the club expressing their sorrow at the news.

Roberto Firmino became only the fourth player in history to score 20+ goals in the Champions League for Liverpool, who beat Benfica 6-4 on aggregate.

Liverpool will play Villarreal for a place in the final. Firmino became only the fourth player in history to score 20+ goals in the Champions League for Liverpool, who beat Benfica 6-4 on aggregate after a 3-3 draw in Wednesday's quarter-final second leg at Anfield. But he improved his already excellent Champions League goals record as Liverpool booked their place in the semi-finals.

Media Digest: Liverpool are busy enough trying to beat Manchester City on the pitch, but now they may have to battle Pep Guardiola in the transfer market ...

However, a transfer battle with Manchester City is not a fun situation. According to Football Insider, Aurélien Tchouaméni has been earmarked as the top priority target. Despite splashing £100m on Jack Grealish last year, they apparently still need to spend in order to keep up with Liverpool. Such a transfer would not come cheap, but Núñez has certainly left a lasting impression at Anfield. Credible, incredible and anything in between: we round it all up in one place here, taking a sideways look at the day’s media goings-on from around the world. “What the Liverpool coach said…

Fellow fans and stewards went to help when the supporter fell ill before the match against Benfica.

The club also thanked the emergency crews, stewards and supporters "for their heroic efforts". One fan said he had been sitting opposite and wanted to give "full credit" to the paramedics and support team "as you could see them trying everything". It said: "The condolences and thoughts of everyone at the club are with the supporter's family, loved ones and friends."

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool will face Unai Emery's Villarreal in the semi-finals of this season's Champions League after both teams enjoyed a successful week ...

Ironically, Klopp's side went on to lose to Emery's Sevilla in the final. Liverpool comfortably reached the last four of the Champions League thanks to a 3-3 draw at Anfield on Wednesday evening. "I only picked up pieces but to beat Juventus and Bayern Munich they deserve to be in the Champions League semi-finals. "The one thing we knew is it will be hard as the last line never played together. the situation was the last line had never played together and it was about details, staying 100 per cent concentrated. They stunned Manchester United to win the Europa League last season and are now aiming to reach their first Champions League final.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted he hopes his side can return to their best ahead of their FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City.

“The FA Cup is a massive competition. Struggling to get a player? Speaking in his press-conference ahead of the game, the German said: “We think a lot about these games. You're against the clock so get going! See a tick? Read the match details and when ready, hit 'Play Now'.