By Daily Sports on March 7, 2018
Liverpool strolled 5-0 into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in nine years despite settling for a goalless draw with Porto, in an uninspiring last 16, second leg at Anfield on Tuesday.
Sadio Mane inflicted most of the first-leg damage on the Portuguese league leaders with a hat-trick and came closest to breaking the deadlock with a first-half effort that came back off the post.
With the job done three weeks ago, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could even afford the luxury of starting top-scorer Mohamed Salah and club-record signing Virgil van Dijk on the bench with one eye on Saturday’s vital visit to Manchester United in the Premier League.
Klopp’s men have made a habit of fast starts in Europe this season, but took time to warm to their task with the German having made five changes in all from the side that beat Newcastle at the weekend.
It took 17 minutes for the hosts to threaten when Joe Gomez’s cross was acrobatically flicked towards goal by Mane, but looped just over the bar.
Speaking after the match, Porto coach Sérgio Conceição said: “Liverpool are definitely one of the teams who can win the Champions League this year. They might not have been at their best this evening, but they’re definitely one of the contenders to win the competition.”
•Photo shows Jurgen Klopp.
Source Daily Sports
Posted March 7, 2018
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