Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Liverpool (aggregate: 1-5)

Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Liverpool (aggregate: 1-5)



Liverpool are through to the
Champions League semi-finals for the first time in a decade.



They deserved it overall, even if the emphatic aggregate scoreline flatters them. City were extremely good tonight until the moment Mo Salah produced the most savage plot twist with a brilliant equaliser in the 56th minute.




City jacked it in after that, their hearts broken into a thousand tiny pieces. Liverpool were nervous as hell in the first half but they got the job done and have a serious chance of winning this competition.




 Their front three is as good as anything in Europe, and Virgil Van Dijk has made a huge difference to their defence. Thanks for your company, night.




89 min “Small margins indeed,” says Niall Mullen. “As a Liverpool fan I’m happy that we’re finally in a position to take advantage when they go our way.




As it happens I thought it was a foul on Van Dijk for the opener (but I guess I would say that wouldn’t I?)”




I thought it was too, though obviously it was nowhere near as clear cut as the disallowed goal. It does go both ways: Pep Guardiola’s first Champions League victory came in no small part because that Norwegian referee turned down 12 clear penalties for Chelsea.





 9.32pm 21:32
89 min A Liverpool change. Danny Ings replaces the truly, madly, deeply magnificent Mo Salah.





Share 9.30pm 21:30
88 min “Only now able to catch up on tonight’s events,” says Matt Dony. “I’m fairly relieved that I didn’t sit through that first half. I’m rather attached to having fingernails. Still nervous (comes with the territory), but ever thankful for Salah. What a player. What a bargain!”
The best thing about that goal was the calm awareness. While everyone else was skidding around all over the place, he looked like he was able to press the pause button and decide what to do before each touch.





 “I am old enough,” says Arthur Tee, “to remember when Pep’s City was the best team we’d ever seen in the Premier League.”
Arf. This reminds me of that week in April 2004 when Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup and
Champions League . Folk still remember that team, and I’m sure it’ll be the same with City, especially if they set a new points record.






Share 9.25pm 21:25
Updated at 9.26pm BST
83 min Nathaniel Clyne replaces Trent Alexander-Arnold. Meanwhile, it’s Roma 3-0 Barcelona - as things stand, Barcelona are out! Bugger off







Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Liverpool (aggregate: 1-5)