Liverpool booked their place in the final of the Europa League with a 3-1 aggregate win over Villarreal after yet another famous turnaround under the Anfield lights.
Villarreal held a one-goal lead heading to Merseyside but an own-goal and strikes from Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana sealed the Reds’ sport in the last two with an imperious performance in the first match at Anfield since the Hillsborough inquest verdict ruled that 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed.
The visitors made two changes from the first leg after resting 10 first-team players at the weekend for a 2-0 win against Valencia which sealed qualification to next year’s Champions League, but the Spanish team were still hungry for success.
They boast the third-best defence in La Liga this season having conceded just 31 goals, while Liverpool have struggled at the back and have recorded more defensive errors than any other side across Europe’s top five leagues in 2015/16 (30).
There was no margin for slip-ups though and the hosts’ task was almost made even more difficult inside five minutes when right-back Mario tested Simon Mignolet in the Reds goal.
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Roberto Soldado chested into the defender’s path inside the box, only for his deflected effort to be pushed away by Mignolet.
It would remain Villarreal’s only genuine opening of the early exchanges as Liverpool instead took the initiative to level the tie on aggregate, with the returning Emre Can pivotal in the build-up to the opening goal.
Can proved his fitness ahead of kick-off to make a miraculous recovery from an ankle ligament issue sustained in the last round against Borussia Dortmund and the German drove his side forward in a move which saw Bruno turn into his own net under pressure from Daniel Sturridge.
Roberto Firmino created three chances against Villarreal, including one assist.
Liverpool were in the driving seat and looking relatively untroubled but a warning sign put them on red alert just seconds after the half-time break, Cedric Bakambu breaking in behind only to see his effort blocked by the impressive Dejan Lovren.
It proved vital as the Reds pulled ahead for the first time in the tie when Sturridge, named in the starting line-up despite his apparent dejection against Swansea on Sunday, broke in behind to fire underneath Alphonse Areola and put Klopp’s men on the road to the final.
Despite the cushion a single Villarreal strike still would have sent the visitors through on away goals but the Yellow Submarine’s hopes quickly sunk when Victor Ruiz was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence, with Adam Lallana then making the most of the advantage to make it 3-0.
Lallana turned home from close range but it was Roberto Firmino who was the architect, bursting clear of his man on the left flank to create the opening and seal a memorable win. The Reds will now meet back-to-back Europa League champions Sevilla in the final and to see how each individual player fared tonight, click on the gallery above.
Kick Football News
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