Liverpool are almost at the verge of reaching Champions League final after an emphatic 2-0 victory over Villarreal at Anfield.
Similar to their Merseyside derby victory over Everton last weekend, the Reds had the chances to take command early but were just a tad off, coming to life in the second half.
Fans at Anfield had to wait for nearly an hour of play to see the first goal, but it finally came via an own goal from Pervis Estupinan off a cross from Jordan Henderson in the 53rd minute.
The home side dominated throughout, overwhelming Villarreal with their speed, intensity and quality.
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Villarreal’s defensive excellence frustrated Liverpool at times in the first half, even though Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara hit the post. But the dam burst after the break.
Henderson’s cross deflected in off Pervis Estupinan in the 53rd minute, and two minutes later Sadio Mane poked Mo Salah’s clever pass into the net from close range.
Villarreal, who didn’t have a single shot on target, were happy to get away from Anfield without further damage.
Unai Emery’s side did not threaten once, failing to record a shot on goal while finishing with just one shot overall.
The tie is not over, but Liverpool are strong favourites to reach the final in Paris.
Jurgen Klopp responded “It was a brilliant game. The first half I liked a lot – the only problem was that we didn’t score. But we kept them quiet and controlled their counter-attacking threat. I was really proud of the first half, and in the second half we finished things off. Both goals were outstanding.
“In football it’s always the same: you show respect for the opponent by the way you defend against them, and I liked what we did a lot. The counter-press was outstanding.
“It’s half-time, nothing else, but it’s better than before the game. This is not over, we know that. It’s all fine.”
