Win or lose, Liverpool are only show in town

Salah and Co are just a joy to watch under Klopp

Deputy Editor Sports

For Aguero read Salah, for De Bruyne read Henderson, for Jesus read Firmino and (to make it rhyme) for Sane read Mane.

Sorry Manchester City but you have been out Manchester City-ed.

Another masterclass by PFA Player of the Year Mohammad Salah put Liverpool in command of their Uefa Champions League semi-final against Roma in the first leg on Tuesday night as they won an exhilarating match 5-2.

And in true Liverpool fashion.

All the talk earlier this season — as recently as four weeks ago, actually — was how City have lit up the Premier League in England and further afield in Europe where they were installed as favourites for the Champions League title ahead of the mighty Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Fast forward to the end of April and it’s all about the edge-of-your-seat Anfield show.

Sorry City. And sorry Pep. You have been out-Pep-ed by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool dispensed with Guardiola’s City in the Champions League quarter-finals with apparent ease by out-attacking the so-called attacking force of Europe.

Salah and Co swept them aside to book their place in the semis against Roma, and then went and did it again. But this time even better.

Five goals without reply in 68 minutes was beyond the wildest dreams of any top club at this stage of Europe’s elite tournament, yet with the King

Five goals without reply in 68 minutes was beyond the wildest dreams of any top club at this stage of the elite tournament.

of Egypt pulling the strings, it was almost inevitable, if a little sublime, magical and blinkand-you-miss-it unbelievable all at once.

Marvel after the mayhem

Not to be outdone by City’s aplomb for a debatable defence, the Reds also kept the tie interesting by allowing two late away goals (let’s not forget what Roma did to Barca in the quarter-finals when all looked lost). But that cannot take the sheen off a truly wonderful match in a tournament that we thought had seen it all in the mayhem of the last eight.

And the majority of the plaudits must go to Klopp, Salah and the rest of the unlikely lads from Anfield for making this one of the most memorable competitions we are likely to see for a long time.

Real and Bayern better be doing their homework, because give them an inch over 90 minutes and Liverpool will destroy you.