<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/further-israeli-sorties-in-syria-will-have-consequences-iran-132171">Further Israeli sorties in Syria will have consequences: Iran</a>

Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-death-penalty-only-for-rape-of-girls-under-12-what-about-14-15--16-year-olds-kamal-haasan-132170">Why death penalty only for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-death-penalty-only-for-rape-of-girls-under-12-what-about-14-15--16-year-olds-kamal-haasan-132170">rape</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-death-penalty-only-for-rape-of-girls-under-12-what-about-14-15--16-year-olds-kamal-haasan-132170"> of girls under 12... what about 14, 15 & 16-year-olds? Kamal Haasan</a>

Actor politician Kamal Haasan Sunday wondered why the ordinance promulgated by the President provided for death penalty for rape of girls under 12 years alone and not for those aged between 14 and 16 and said families should bring up boys to act responsibly.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-to-retire-after-2019-world-cup-132182">Yuvraj Singh to retire after 2019 World Cup?&nbsp;</a>

Flamboyant Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh, who played his last One Day International (ODI) for the country in June 2017, has said that he will take a call on his career after the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpools-salah-named-pfa-player-of-the-year-132168">Liverpool's Mohamed Salah wins PFA Player of the Year award</a>

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah won the PFA Player of the Year award as Manchester City's Leroy Sane picked up the young player's award, the PFA announced early on Monday

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-patron-snatches-rifle-after-naked-gunman-kills-4-at-restaurant-132177">US: Patron snatches rifle after naked gunman kills 4 at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-patron-snatches-rifle-after-naked-gunman-kills-4-at-restaurant-132177">restaurant</a>

A nearly nude gunman killed at least four people at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville, Tennessee early on Sunday and then fled after a patron saved lives by wrestling the assault-style rifle from his hands.

Read the five big stories of the day here

Further Israeli sorties in Syria will have consequences: Iran Iran and Israel traded blame on Sunday for an unprecedented, weeks-long surge in hostilities between their forces over Syria but played down prospects of a spillover into war. Why death penalty only for rape of girls under 12... what about 14, 15 & 16-year-olds? Kamal Haasan Actor politician Kamal Haasan Sunday wondered why the ordinance promulgated by the President provided for death penalty for rape of girls under 12 years alone and not for those aged between 14 and 16 and said families should bring up boys to act responsibly. Yuvraj Singh to retire after 2019 World Cup? Flamboyant Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh, who played his last One Day International (ODI) for the country in June 2017, has said that he will take a call on his career after the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah wins PFA Player of the Year award Liverpool's Mohamed Salah won the PFA Player of the Year award as Manchester City's Leroy Sane picked up the young player's award, the PFA announced early on Monday US: Patron snatches rifle after naked gunman kills 4 at restaurant A nearly nude gunman killed at least four people at a Waffle House restaurant near Nashville, Tennessee early on Sunday and then fled after a patron saved lives by wrestling the assault-style rifle from his hands.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah won the PFA Player of the Year award as Manchester City's Leroy Sane picked up the young player's award, the PFA announced early on Monday (April 23).

The Egyptian international beat off competition from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, David De Gea, Harry Kane, Leroy Sane and David Silva for the top award.

Salah, currently with 31 league goals to his name in his debut season, could break the league scoring record for the most goals in a 38-game season (31) while even surpassing the 34-goal record for a 42-game campaign.

Sane, having missed out on the top award, won the young player award ahead of Harry Kane, Ederson Moraes, Marcus Rashford, Ryan Sessegnon and teammate Raheem Sterling.

Manchester City's Leroy Sane won the young player's award

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah won the PFA Player of the Year award as Manchester City's Leroy Sane picked up the young player's award, the PFA announced early on Monday (April 23). The Egyptian international beat off competition from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, David De Gea, Harry Kane, Leroy Sane and David Silva for the top award. Salah, currently with 31 league goals to his name in his debut season, could break the league scoring record for the most goals in a 38-game season (31) while even surpassing the 34-goal record for a 42-game campaign. Sane, having missed out on the top award, won the young player award ahead of Harry Kane, Ederson Moraes, Marcus Rashford, Ryan Sessegnon and teammate Raheem Sterling.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah wins PFA Player of the Year award

Salomon Rondon completed a remarkable West Bromwich Albion comeback from two goals down against Liverpool although the hard-won point from a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns on Saturday will probably only delay their relegation.

The visitors appeared to have half an eye on Tuesday's Champions League semi-final against AS Roma but still established a comfortable lead through Danny Ings and Mo Salah.

Ings's goal after just four minutes was his first in the Premier League since October 2015. The striker should have had a second soon afterwards and probably been awarded a penalty after being bundled over by Craig Dawson.

With Salah notching up his 31st of the season to equal Luis Suarez's club record for goals in a season, Liverpool appeared to have done enough to take the points.

Albion's caretaker manager Darren Moore has, however, injected resilience into his side and, with Liverpool's defence suddenly displaying their early-season sloppiness, Jake Livermore scrambled a goal from a corner after 79 minutes to give Albion hope.

The equaliser followed another set-piece late on when Chris Brunt delivered a perfect freekick into the area for Rondon to head home.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, who had rested five players going into the game, complained that the pitch was too dry. "It makes a massive difference," said a visibly downbeat Klopp, whose team are still not guaranteed a top-four finish.

Klopp complained they did not get the "right decisions" on the penalty and the foul from Joe Gomez that led to Rondon's goal.

Albion's Livermore accepted that relegation remained almost inevitable with the bottom-of-the-table team eight points off survival with three games to play. "All we can do is keep fighting," he said.

His teammate Ahmed Hegazi may face retrospective action from the FA after television cameras clearly caught him punching Ings after a tackle.

Salomon Rondon completed a remarkable West Bromwich Albion comeback from two goals down against Liverpool

Salomon Rondon completed a remarkable West Bromwich Albion comeback from two goals down against Liverpool although the hard-won point from a 2-2 draw at the Hawthorns on Saturday will probably only delay their relegation. The visitors appeared to have half an eye on Tuesday's Champions League semi-final against AS Roma but still established a comfortable lead through Danny Ings and Mo Salah. Ings's goal after just four minutes was his first in the Premier League since October 2015. The striker should have had a second soon afterwards and probably been awarded a penalty after being bundled over by Craig Dawson. With Salah notching up his 31st of the season to equal Luis Suarez's club record for goals in a season, Liverpool appeared to have done enough to take the points. Albion's caretaker manager Darren Moore has, however, injected resilience into his side and, with Liverpool's defence suddenly displaying their early-season sloppiness, Jake Livermore scrambled a goal from a corner after 79 minutes to give Albion hope. The equaliser followed another set-piece late on when Chris Brunt delivered a perfect freekick into the area for Rondon to head home. Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, who had rested five players going into the game, complained that the pitch was too dry. "It makes a massive difference," said a visibly downbeat Klopp, whose team are still not guaranteed a top-four finish. Klopp complained they did not get the "right decisions" on the penalty and the foul from Joe Gomez that led to Rondon's goal. Albion's Livermore accepted that relegation remained almost inevitable with the bottom-of-the-table team eight points off survival with three games to play. "All we can do is keep fighting," he said. His teammate Ahmed Hegazi may face retrospective action from the FA after television cameras clearly caught him punching Ings after a tackle.

Salomon Rondon's 88th-minute goal helps West Brom to draw against Liverpool

Roma enjoyed a perfect dress rehearsal for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Liverpool when Radja Nainggolan and Patrick Schick struck after a Francesco Vicari own goal to give them a 3-0 win at SPAL in Serie A on Saturday.

The result left Roma third on 67 points from 34 games, three ahead of city rivals Lazio and four ahead of Inter Milan who both have a game in hand in the three-way battle for two Champions League slots.

With one eye on Tuesday’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield, Roma coach Eusebio di Francesco left the bulk of his regular starters on the bench and the makeshift side delivered with a classy performance at relegation-threatened SPAL.

After a cagey opening half-hour, Vicari fired Roma ahead in the 33rd minute when he poked the ball into his own net from seven metres in an attempt to divert a Lorenzo Pellegrini pass to the advancing Kevin Strootman.

SPAL keeper Alex Meret made two fine saves before halftime but was powerless in the 52nd minute, when Nainggolan unleashed a swerving volley into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Pellegrini provided another superb assist in the 59th for Schick to head home from close range as Roma turned on the heat, with Stephan El Shaarawy missing several chances including a diving header which hit the post.&nbsp

Roma keeper Alison Becker was rarely called into action but made two good saves to deny Alberto Paloschi and Mirko Antenucci, leaving SPAL in 17th place on 29 points from 34 games, one ahead of Crotone who have a game in hand.&nbsp

In the day’s other matches, Sassuolo are at home to Fiorentina (1600 GMT) while AC Milan take on bottom team Benevento in the evening kick-off (1845 GMT).

The round’s stand-out fixture is Sunday’s potential title showdown as champions and leaders Juventus (85 points) take on second-placed Napoli (81) at home.

Roma enjoyed a perfect dress rehearsal for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final

Roma enjoyed a perfect dress rehearsal for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Liverpool when Radja Nainggolan and Patrick Schick struck after a Francesco Vicari own goal to give them a 3-0 win at SPAL in Serie A on Saturday. The result left Roma third on 67 points from 34 games, three ahead of city rivals Lazio and four ahead of Inter Milan who both have a game in hand in the three-way battle for two Champions League slots. With one eye on Tuesday’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield, Roma coach Eusebio di Francesco left the bulk of his regular starters on the bench and the makeshift side delivered with a classy performance at relegation-threatened SPAL. After a cagey opening half-hour, Vicari fired Roma ahead in the 33rd minute when he poked the ball into his own net from seven metres in an attempt to divert a Lorenzo Pellegrini pass to the advancing Kevin Strootman. SPAL keeper Alex Meret made two fine saves before halftime but was powerless in the 52nd minute, when Nainggolan unleashed a swerving volley into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area. Pellegrini provided another superb assist in the 59th for Schick to head home from close range as Roma turned on the heat, with Stephan El Shaarawy missing several chances including a diving header which hit the post. Roma keeper Alison Becker was rarely called into action but made two good saves to deny Alberto Paloschi and Mirko Antenucci, leaving SPAL in 17th place on 29 points from 34 games, one ahead of Crotone who have a game in hand. In the day’s other matches, Sassuolo are at home to Fiorentina (1600 GMT) while AC Milan take on bottom team Benevento in the evening kick-off (1845 GMT). The round’s stand-out fixture is Sunday’s potential title showdown as champions and leaders Juventus (85 points) take on second-placed Napoli (81) at home.

Roma warm up for Liverpool clash with 3-0 win at SPAL

Real Madrid will face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the Champions League and on the other hand, Liverpool will clash with AS Roma to book a berth in the finals of Champions League according to the draw made in Nyon, Switzerland on April 13.

Giants-slayer AS Roma stunned FC Barcelona to enter the semi-finals, on the other hand, defending champions Real Madrid edged past Juventus 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in the second leg at the Bernabeu, Madrid.

Liverpool also are chasing a sixth European Cup, will take on Barcelona's conquerors AS Roma, and are hoping to win the trophy for the first time since 2005.

Bayern, who are five-time winners of the competition, have already wrapped up the German title and are eyeing a first Champions League title since 2013.

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The official result of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLdraw?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLdraw</a>!<a href="https://twitter.com/FCBayern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FCBayern</a> v <a href="https://twitter.com/realmadrid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realmadrid</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LFC</a> v <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialASRoma?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialASRoma</a> 
 
?&nbspWho will reach the final in Kyiv? <a href="https://t.co/fHyjIPresp">pic.twitter.com/fHyjIPresp</a>
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&nbsp

Defending champions Real Madrid edged past Juventus 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in the second leg at the Bernabeu to enter the semi-final of Champions League

Real Madrid will face Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the Champions League and on the other hand, Liverpool will clash with AS Roma to book a berth in the finals of Champions League according to the draw made in Nyon, Switzerland on April 13. Giants-slayer AS Roma stunned FC Barcelona to enter the semi-finals, on the other hand, defending champions Real Madrid edged past Juventus 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a late Cristiano Ronaldo penalty in the second leg at the Bernabeu, Madrid. Liverpool also are chasing a sixth European Cup, will take on Barcelona's conquerors AS Roma, and are hoping to win the trophy for the first time since 2005. Bayern, who are five-time winners of the competition, have already wrapped up the German title and are eyeing a first Champions League title since 2013. The official result of the #UCLdraw!@FCBayern v @realmadrid @LFC v @OfficialASRoma ?&nbspWho will reach the final in Kyiv? pic.twitter.com/fHyjIPresp — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 13, 2018 ×

Champions League draw: Defending champions Real Madrid to clash Bayern in semis; Liverpool face Roma

Coach Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool beat Pep Guardiola's Manchester City 2-1 in an all-English encounter at the Etihad&nbspstadium to enter the semi-finals of the Champions League.

City who were already trailing 3-0 from the first leg failed to stop Klopp’s team as Salah and Firmino put the rampant Liverpool team into the&nbspnext stage of Europe's premier league.

"It was quite difficult tonight, especially with the start," Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said.

"This wonderful goal that we served them on a plate. I was expecting something like that but I liked the reaction immediately after that. They could’ve scored two or three goals in the first half but it was 100 percent clear that if we win the ball we’d have an opportunity," an elated Klopp added.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola had a difficult match which was made worse after protests over Sane's disallowed goal resulted in him being sent to the stands for the second half.

"In this competition, the teams are so equal and the influence of refereeing decisions is so important," Pep said after the match. 
&nbsp

City who were already trailing 3-0 from the first leg failed to stop Klopp’s team

Coach Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool beat Pep Guardiola's Manchester City 2-1 in an all-English encounter at the Etihad&nbspstadium to enter the semi-finals of the Champions League. City who were already trailing 3-0 from the first leg failed to stop Klopp’s team as Salah and Firmino put the rampant Liverpool team into the&nbspnext stage of Europe's premier league. "It was quite difficult tonight, especially with the start," Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. "This wonderful goal that we served them on a plate. I was expecting something like that but I liked the reaction immediately after that. They could’ve scored two or three goals in the first half but it was 100 percent clear that if we win the ball we’d have an opportunity," an elated Klopp added. Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola had a difficult match which was made worse after protests over Sane's disallowed goal resulted in him being sent to the stands for the second half. "In this competition, the teams are so equal and the influence of refereeing decisions is so important," Pep said after the match.

Champions League: Liverpool's Salah, Firmino outlast Manchester City

Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0 on Wednesday.

Anfield has witnessed many memorable European nights over the years and this will take its place among the most spectacular as a simply devastating, first-half display was crowned with goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane.

The tie may not be over, with 90 minutes remaining at the Etihad on Tuesday, but Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp, who has enjoyed more wins over City counterpart Pep Guardiola than any other manager, will be delighted as his commitment to attacking football was amply rewarded.

Liverpool are the only team to have beaten City in the Premier League this season, with a thrilling 4-3 victory in January, and they repeated the formula of that success by attacking City’s defence from the outset.

Roared on by a particularly vocal home crowd, Liverpool put the Premier League’s champions-elect under intense pressure from the first kick and it took just 12 minutes for City to crack.

After a City corner, James Milner launched the ball forward, Salah broke from the halfway line and played the ball inside to Roberto Firmino.

His shot was blocked by City keeper Ederson but Firmino pounced on the loose ball and slipped it to Salah, who fired home.

City responded with a swift counter-attack of their own but Leroy Sane, who had broken from deep, screwed the ball wide when he could have played in team mate Kevin De Bruyne.

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Enjoy that, Liverpool fans? ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> <a href="https://t.co/S7kWI6JF0J">pic.twitter.com/S7kWI6JF0J</a>
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Unstoppable Drive

Liverpool were rampant though and harrying City off the ball in midfield when Milner won back possession and moved it straight to Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The former Arsenal midfielder unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 metres to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute.

City were now reeling and looked nothing like the team that has marched so convincingly to a 16-point lead in the Premier League and it was not long before Juergen Klopp’s side made it 3-0.

Salah floated a teasing cross from the right towards Mane, who rose above the City defence to power a header past Ederson and send the Anfield crowd into delirium.

City came out brightly after the break though, finally managing to find some composure with their passing.

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Liverpool were unable to get back into their first-half rhythm and they suffered a blow when Salah went off injured in the 52nd minute.

Guardiola’s side were back in their familiar role of controlling possession but were struggling to create chances with Sane wasting a promising opening at the back post, one of a series of frustrations for the German left winger.

A miserable night for Sane, who was superbly handled by young Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, was completed when he was ruled offside as he broke down the left and crossed for Gabriel Jesus to put the ball in the net.

Yet the fact that City’s late pressure was accompanied by audible tension from the Liverpool fans was a reminder that the tie is not over. Few teams could overturn a 3-0 deficit against Liverpool but Guardiola’s side is certainly one of them.

&nbsp

Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0

Liverpool ripped apart Manchester City with three goals inside the opening 31 minutes as they won their Champions League quarter-final, first leg tie 3-0 on Wednesday. Anfield has witnessed many memorable European nights over the years and this will take its place among the most spectacular as a simply devastating, first-half display was crowned with goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane. The tie may not be over, with 90 minutes remaining at the Etihad on Tuesday, but Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp, who has enjoyed more wins over City counterpart Pep Guardiola than any other manager, will be delighted as his commitment to attacking football was amply rewarded. Liverpool are the only team to have beaten City in the Premier League this season, with a thrilling 4-3 victory in January, and they repeated the formula of that success by attacking City’s defence from the outset. Roared on by a particularly vocal home crowd, Liverpool put the Premier League’s champions-elect under intense pressure from the first kick and it took just 12 minutes for City to crack. After a City corner, James Milner launched the ball forward, Salah broke from the halfway line and played the ball inside to Roberto Firmino. His shot was blocked by City keeper Ederson but Firmino pounced on the loose ball and slipped it to Salah, who fired home. City responded with a swift counter-attack of their own but Leroy Sane, who had broken from deep, screwed the ball wide when he could have played in team mate Kevin De Bruyne. Enjoy that, Liverpool fans? ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/S7kWI6JF0J — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 4, 2018 × Unstoppable Drive Liverpool were rampant though and harrying City off the ball in midfield when Milner won back possession and moved it straight to Oxlade-Chamberlain. The former Arsenal midfielder unleashed an unstoppable drive from 25 metres to make it 2-0 in the 20th minute. City were now reeling and looked nothing like the team that has marched so convincingly to a 16-point lead in the Premier League and it was not long before Juergen Klopp’s side made it 3-0. Salah floated a teasing cross from the right towards Mane, who rose above the City defence to power a header past Ederson and send the Anfield crowd into delirium. City came out brightly after the break though, finally managing to find some composure with their passing. ? Liverpool heroes ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/wP5o7GpAaP — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 4, 2018 × Liverpool were unable to get back into their first-half rhythm and they suffered a blow when Salah went off injured in the 52nd minute. Guardiola’s side were back in their familiar role of controlling possession but were struggling to create chances with Sane wasting a promising opening at the back post, one of a series of frustrations for the German left winger. A miserable night for Sane, who was superbly handled by young Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, was completed when he was ruled offside as he broke down the left and crossed for Gabriel Jesus to put the ball in the net. Yet the fact that City’s late pressure was accompanied by audible tension from the Liverpool fans was a reminder that the tie is not over. Few teams could overturn a 3-0 deficit against Liverpool but Guardiola’s side is certainly one of them.

Champions League: Liverpool stun Manchester City with 3-0 win at Anfield

A day after fans threw bottles at Manchester City's team bus ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield, UEFA on Thursday opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool&nbsp

Liverpool have been charged by European soccer's governing body with setting off fireworks, throwing objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances.

The case will be dealt with by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 31.

Fans set off red flares and sang their club's songs before the City coach arrived and beer cans were thrown at the bus.&nbsp

Earlier in the day, &nbspLiverpool apologised to Manchester City for the incident.

The case will be dealt with by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 31

A day after fans threw bottles at Manchester City's team bus ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield, UEFA on Thursday opened disciplinary proceedings against Liverpool Liverpool have been charged by European soccer's governing body with setting off fireworks, throwing objects, acts of damage and crowd disturbances. The case will be dealt with by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on May 31. Fans set off red flares and sang their club's songs before the City coach arrived and beer cans were thrown at the bus. Earlier in the day, &nbspLiverpool apologised to Manchester City for the incident.

UEFA charge Liverpool after bottles thrown at Man City bus

Liverpool forward Mohamed&nbsp;Salah&nbsp;is on his way to reaching the elite level of Lionel Messi but has no interest in being compared to the prodigious Barcelona striker, manager Juergen Klopp has said.

Salah, 25, struck four goals in Liverpool&#39;s 5-0 thrashing of Watford that lifted them back into third place in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Egypt international moved to 28 league goals, four goals clear of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot. He has 36 in all competitions this season, the most by a Liverpool player in a debut campaign for the club.

Asked about the similarities in&nbsp;Salah&nbsp;and Messi&#39;s style of play, Klopp said: &quot;Mo is on the way, that&#39;s good. I don&#39;t think that Mo or anybody else wants to be compared with Lionel Messi.

&quot;He (Messi) has been doing what he&#39;s been doing for what feels like 20 years or so... the last player I know who had the same influence on a team performance was Diego Maradona.&quot;

The last player to score four goals in a Liverpool shirt was Messi&#39;s current strike partner at Barcelona Luis Suarez.

The Uruguay international netted a first-half hat-trick before adding another after the break in a 5-1 league victory over Norwich City in 2013.

&quot;Mo is on a fantastic way... but how it always is in life, if you have the skills then you have to show it constantly,&quot; Klopp added.

&quot;His consistency is good for us. He helps us a lot, the boys love playing with him, he loves playing with them, so it&#39;s good.&quot;

Liverpool moved to 63 points from 31 games, two behind second-placed Manchester United who have a game in hand.

Mohamed Salah is on his way to reaching the elite level of Lionel Messi but has no interest in being compared to the prodigious Barcelona striker

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is on his way to reaching the elite level of Lionel Messi but has no interest in being compared to the prodigious Barcelona striker, manager Juergen Klopp has said. Salah, 25, struck four goals in Liverpool's 5-0 thrashing of Watford that lifted them back into third place in the Premier League on Saturday. The Egypt international moved to 28 league goals, four goals clear of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot. He has 36 in all competitions this season, the most by a Liverpool player in a debut campaign for the club. Asked about the similarities in Salah and Messi's style of play, Klopp said: "Mo is on the way, that's good. I don't think that Mo or anybody else wants to be compared with Lionel Messi. "He (Messi) has been doing what he's been doing for what feels like 20 years or so... the last player I know who had the same influence on a team performance was Diego Maradona." The last player to score four goals in a Liverpool shirt was Messi's current strike partner at Barcelona Luis Suarez. The Uruguay international netted a first-half hat-trick before adding another after the break in a 5-1 league victory over Norwich City in 2013. "Mo is on a fantastic way... but how it always is in life, if you have the skills then you have to show it constantly," Klopp added. "His consistency is good for us. He helps us a lot, the boys love playing with him, he loves playing with them, so it's good." Liverpool moved to 63 points from 31 games, two behind second-placed Manchester United who have a game in hand.

Salah 'on his way' to Messi comparisons: Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp

Liverpool will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal after the draw in Switzerland on Friday.

Juventus take on defending champions Real Madrid while Barcelona - the first team to emerge from the draw - play Serie A side Roma, having won three and lost three of their previous meetings with Italian teams.

Sevilla, who knocked out Manchester United to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time, face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four.

The first legs of the quarterfinal ties will be played on April 3 and 4, with the return games taking place the following week.

The Champions League final takes place in Kiev on May 26.

Sevilla faces Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four

Liverpool will face Manchester City in an all-English Champions League quarterfinal after the draw in Switzerland on Friday. Juventus take on defending champions Real Madrid while Barcelona - the first team to emerge from the draw - play Serie A side Roma, having won three and lost three of their previous meetings with Italian teams. Sevilla, who knocked out Manchester United to reach the quarterfinals of the competition for the first time, face Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich for a place in the last four. The first legs of the quarterfinal ties will be played on April 3 and 4, with the return games taking place the following week. The Champions League final takes place in Kiev on May 26.

Champions League quarterfinals: Liverpool to face City, Juventus to take on Real Madrid

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has suggested that the Manchester United fans will be happiest with his side&#39;s difficult Champions League quarter-final draw against local rivals Manchester City.

City are runaway leaders in the Premier League, with United currently second and Liverpool five points behind them in fourth.

If the Champions League draw hardly delighted Klopp, he suspected City were not too happy either and took a dim view of the likely rescheduling of the Liverpool derby against Everton as a consequence.

&quot;I think it is an absolute dream draw -- for Manchester United fans,&quot; the German told reporters.

&quot;I didn&#39;t expect anything, I didn&#39;t wish anything, I don&#39;t think it&#39;s good in the Champions League if you play against a team from your own country, but at one point it&#39;s pretty clear you will play them,&quot; he added.

&quot;It didn&#39;t matter who we got, I knew it would be difficult. And it&#39;s difficult. Manchester City will be difficult. It doesn&#39;t look like Christmas and Easter in the same day.&quot;

Pep Guardiola&#39;s City side face United in the league in between the two legs of the European tie and could potentially clinch the title against their local foes.

Manchester City&#39;s director of football Txiki Begiristain told the club website (www.mancity.com) that the draw had thrown up difficult opponents, who beat his side at Anfield in January after losing 5-0 at the Etihad last September.

&quot;We like to travel and to go to another country in the Champions League but it is what it is,&quot; he said.

&quot;We know each other very well, they are a very offensive team, the truth is it is going to be a great couple of games and we are going to see good football.&quot;

The first leg will be played at Anfield on April 4, with the return on April 10.

Klopp said he had caught sight of Begiristain&#39;s face after the draw was announced and he &quot;didn&#39;t look like it was Christmas&quot;.

The rescheduling of the Merseyside derby from April 8 to April 7 has yet to be confirmed but Klopp said he had heard that it would be.

&quot;Sometimes, the associations will cancel the fixture to help, but not in this case,&quot; he said. &quot;We play Wednesday night v Man City and then play Everton at 12.30 three days later... Not too cool, but we do it the hard way.&quot;

Pep Guardiola's City side face United in the league in between the two legs of the European tie and could potentially clinch the title against their local foes.

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has suggested that the Manchester United fans will be happiest with his side's difficult Champions League quarter-final draw against local rivals Manchester City. City are runaway leaders in the Premier League, with United currently second and Liverpool five points behind them in fourth. If the Champions League draw hardly delighted Klopp, he suspected City were not too happy either and took a dim view of the likely rescheduling of the Liverpool derby against Everton as a consequence. "I think it is an absolute dream draw -- for Manchester United fans," the German told reporters. "I didn't expect anything, I didn't wish anything, I don't think it's good in the Champions League if you play against a team from your own country, but at one point it's pretty clear you will play them," he added. "It didn't matter who we got, I knew it would be difficult. And it's difficult. Manchester City will be difficult. It doesn't look like Christmas and Easter in the same day." Pep Guardiola's City side face United in the league in between the two legs of the European tie and could potentially clinch the title against their local foes. Manchester City's director of football Txiki Begiristain told the club website (www.mancity.com) that the draw had thrown up difficult opponents, who beat his side at Anfield in January after losing 5-0 at the Etihad last September. "We like to travel and to go to another country in the Champions League but it is what it is," he said. "We know each other very well, they are a very offensive team, the truth is it is going to be a great couple of games and we are going to see good football." The first leg will be played at Anfield on April 4, with the return on April 10. Klopp said he had caught sight of Begiristain's face after the draw was announced and he "didn't look like it was Christmas". The rescheduling of the Merseyside derby from April 8 to April 7 has yet to be confirmed but Klopp said he had heard that it would be. "Sometimes, the associations will cancel the fixture to help, but not in this case," he said. "We play Wednesday night v Man City and then play Everton at 12.30 three days later... Not too cool, but we do it the hard way."

Football: Liverpool v Man City is a dream draw for United fans, say Klopp

British police said Wednesday they were probing a spitting incident involving TV football pundit Jamie Carragher as broadcaster Sky Sports suspended the former Liverpool and England defender for the rest of the season.

Carragher was filmed leaning out of the driver&#39;s window of his Range Rover before spitting at a car containing a Manchester United fan, hitting the driver&#39;s 14-year-old daughter in the face after some goading following Liverpool&#39;s 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Sky Sports on Wednesday suspended Carragher from his job as TV pundit until the end of the season, a role reportedly worth &pound;1 million ($1.4 million) a year.

&quot;Jamie has taken full responsibility for what has happened and we will ensure he gets the help he needs to guarantee something like this never happens again,&quot; said a Sky Sports statement.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: &quot;A police investigation has been launched and the owner of the footage has been spoken to. Attempts are being made to speak to all parties involved.&quot;

Sky, which holds the bulk of British television rights to Premier League matches, hinted that Carragher could return to TV screens next season.

&quot;Before the start of the next season we will sit down with Jamie to discuss whether he is ready to return to his role,&quot; the statement said.

Carragher, 40, apologised to the family and described his behaviour as a &quot;moment of madness&quot;, although he said he had not seen the girl in the front of the car.

&quot;I have already said I take responsibility for what happened. It was a moment of madness and I&#39;m going to speak to the relevant people to ensure something like this never happens again. Again apologies all round,&quot; Carragher posted on Twitter on Wednesday.

Carragher has also been backed by high-profile colleagues, including former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, who has formed a highly regarded punditry team with Carragher at Sky.&nbsp;

&quot;He&#39;s massively passionate about football and he&#39;s overstepped the mark and shouldn&#39;t have reacted,&quot; Neville tweeted.

&quot;I&#39;ve been on TV for 3 years with him and this isolated incident shouldn&#39;t stop us working together.&quot;

Sky Sports on Wednesday suspended Carragher from his job as TV pundit until the end of the season, a role reportedly worth £1 million ($1.4 million) a year.

British police said Wednesday they were probing a spitting incident involving TV football pundit Jamie Carragher as broadcaster Sky Sports suspended the former Liverpool and England defender for the rest of the season. Carragher was filmed leaning out of the driver's window of his Range Rover before spitting at a car containing a Manchester United fan, hitting the driver's 14-year-old daughter in the face after some goading following Liverpool's 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford on Saturday. Sky Sports on Wednesday suspended Carragher from his job as TV pundit until the end of the season, a role reportedly worth £1 million ($1.4 million) a year. "Jamie has taken full responsibility for what has happened and we will ensure he gets the help he needs to guarantee something like this never happens again," said a Sky Sports statement. A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "A police investigation has been launched and the owner of the footage has been spoken to. Attempts are being made to speak to all parties involved." Sky, which holds the bulk of British television rights to Premier League matches, hinted that Carragher could return to TV screens next season. "Before the start of the next season we will sit down with Jamie to discuss whether he is ready to return to his role," the statement said. Carragher, 40, apologised to the family and described his behaviour as a "moment of madness", although he said he had not seen the girl in the front of the car. "I have already said I take responsibility for what happened. It was a moment of madness and I'm going to speak to the relevant people to ensure something like this never happens again. Again apologies all round," Carragher posted on Twitter on Wednesday. Carragher has also been backed by high-profile colleagues, including former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, who has formed a highly regarded punditry team with Carragher at Sky. "He's massively passionate about football and he's overstepped the mark and shouldn't have reacted," Neville tweeted. "I've been on TV for 3 years with him and this isolated incident shouldn't stop us working together."

British Police probe Jamie Carragher spitting incident

&quot;Perfect result. I wouldn&#39;t go so far as saying it was a perfect performance.&quot;

&quot;In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win,&quot; United manager Jose Mourinho said after registering a 2-1 victory against arch-rivals Liverpool.

The reason behind &quot;perfect performance&quot; could be the secret notes that Mourinho was making during the first half of the match.

Yes, secret notes!!! The Portuguese manager of the &quot;red devils&quot; was spotted scribbling something in his notebook.

The language was so difficult to comprehend that now the Twitterati are coming up with all possible decoding tools to understand what Jose Mourinho was actually writing.

Here are some twitter reactions:

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Mourinho&lsquo;s note taking is paying dividend...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUNLIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUNLIV</a> <a href="https://t.co/oMTB3zJ2yF">pic.twitter.com/oMTB3zJ2yF</a>
&mdash; ONSIDEVIEW.COM (@theonsideview) <a href="https://twitter.com/theonsideview/status/972461237606010881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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???? Mourinho&#39;s notes reveal all <a href="https://t.co/QaCEMZIT9p">pic.twitter.com/QaCEMZIT9p</a>
&mdash; CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) <a href="https://twitter.com/caughtoffside/status/972468081971916800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jose Mourinho&rsquo;s notes ???? what does it say? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/munliv?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#munliv</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qk76LWqhfm">pic.twitter.com/Qk76LWqhfm</a>
&mdash; 433 Formation (@433FormationX) <a href="https://twitter.com/433FormationX/status/972453020725211136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jose Mourinho taking notes from the game against Liverpool yesterday hahaha <a href="https://t.co/qXllul3cL2">pic.twitter.com/qXllul3cL2</a>
&mdash; Reece (@_RH67) <a href="https://twitter.com/_RH67/status/972653155342221312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Mourinho taking notes like <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MUNLIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MUNLIV</a> <a href="https://t.co/eYEahRIptY">pic.twitter.com/eYEahRIptY</a>
&mdash; ???? (@wowfulls_) <a href="https://twitter.com/wowfulls_/status/972455329257672705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table.

With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool.

&nbsp;

The Portuguese manager of the "red devils" was spotted scribbling something in his notebook

"Perfect result. I wouldn't go so far as saying it was a perfect performance." "In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win," United manager Jose Mourinho said after registering a 2-1 victory against arch-rivals Liverpool. The reason behind "perfect performance" could be the secret notes that Mourinho was making during the first half of the match. Yes, secret notes!!! The Portuguese manager of the "red devils" was spotted scribbling something in his notebook. The language was so difficult to comprehend that now the Twitterati are coming up with all possible decoding tools to understand what Jose Mourinho was actually writing. Here are some twitter reactions: Mourinho‘s note taking is paying dividend...#MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/oMTB3zJ2yF — ONSIDEVIEW.COM (@theonsideview) March 10, 2018 × ???? Mourinho's notes reveal all pic.twitter.com/QaCEMZIT9p — CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) March 10, 2018 × Jose Mourinho’s notes ???? what does it say? #munliv pic.twitter.com/Qk76LWqhfm — 433 Formation (@433FormationX) March 10, 2018 × Jose Mourinho taking notes from the game against Liverpool yesterday hahaha pic.twitter.com/qXllul3cL2 — Reece (@_RH67) March 11, 2018 × Mourinho taking notes like #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/eYEahRIptY — ???? (@wowfulls_) March 10, 2018 × Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table. With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho's 'secret notes' goes viral

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table.

With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool.

United stifled Liverpool&#39;s exhilarating attack early on and raced into a two-goal lead with 24 minutes on the clock after a double from Rashford.

Eric Bailly&#39;s bizarre own goal gave Liverpool hope in the second half, but United held on for the first victory over their North West rivals since January 2016.

&quot;Perfect result. I wouldn&#39;t go so far as saying it was a perfect performance. In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win,&quot; United manager Jose Mourinho said.

It was an important afternoon at the bottom of the table too, with West Ham United slipping to a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Burnley to leave them three points above the relegation zone.

There were unsavoury scenes at London Stadium where pitch invasions and mass protests in the stands forced owners David Sullivan and David Gold to leave the director&#39;s box, with police brought in to restore order.

&quot;We want the supporters behind us, since I&#39;ve been here they&#39;ve been really good. But you can&#39;t cross the line and come on the pitch,&quot; West Ham manager David Moyes said.

Matters on the pitch added to the vitriolic mood, with Ashley Barnes and a Chris Wood double steering Burnley to a second win in a week, closing the gap on sixth-placed Arsenal, who host Watford on Sunday, to two points.

Rashford Double

Much of the pre-match talk centred around how United were going to cope with Liverpool&#39;s in-form front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and the league&#39;s joint-top scorer Mohamed Salah.

However, even without the injured Paul Pogba, it was United who started on the front foot, adopting a more direct style with Romelu Lukaku the target and the Belgium striker was influential in both Rashford goals.

Rashford&#39;s double - on his first Premier League start since Boxing Day - proved decisive, as Liverpool couldn&#39;t add to the Bailly own goal as they slipped to a first defeat in eight games in all competitions.

&quot;It didn&#39;t go our way because of the two goals we conceded,&quot; Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said.

&quot;We have to defend these situations better. You can always lose a header or tackle with (Romelu) Lukaku but you need to close the gap in behind.&quot;

In the North East, Newcastle United secured a 3-0 victory over Southampton to move five points clear of the bottom three, piling the pressure on Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino.

Two goals from Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea, and a Matt Ritchie strike were enough for a second successive Premier League home win for Rafael Benitez&#39;s side.

West Bromwich Albion&#39;s woes continued as they slipped to a 4-1 home defeat by Leicester City. Salomon Rondon gave West Brom the lead at The Hawthorns, but four Leicester goals without reply ensured West Brom stayed bottom, eight points from safety.

Swansea City, who had Jordan Ayew sent off in the 11th minute, held Huddersfield Town to a 0-0 draw at the John Smith&#39;s Stadium while Wayne Rooney&#39;s penalty miss mattered little as Everton beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table

Marcus Rashford scored twice as Manchester United beat their arch-rivals Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday to consolidate second place in the Premier League table. With runaway leaders, Manchester City on course for a third Premier League title, second place is the best the chasing pack can hope for and United moved five points ahead of Liverpool. United stifled Liverpool's exhilarating attack early on and raced into a two-goal lead with 24 minutes on the clock after a double from Rashford. Eric Bailly's bizarre own goal gave Liverpool hope in the second half, but United held on for the first victory over their North West rivals since January 2016. "Perfect result. I wouldn't go so far as saying it was a perfect performance. In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. We were worth the win," United manager Jose Mourinho said. It was an important afternoon at the bottom of the table too, with West Ham United slipping to a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Burnley to leave them three points above the relegation zone. There were unsavoury scenes at London Stadium where pitch invasions and mass protests in the stands forced owners David Sullivan and David Gold to leave the director's box, with police brought in to restore order. "We want the supporters behind us, since I've been here they've been really good. But you can't cross the line and come on the pitch," West Ham manager David Moyes said. Matters on the pitch added to the vitriolic mood, with Ashley Barnes and a Chris Wood double steering Burnley to a second win in a week, closing the gap on sixth-placed Arsenal, who host Watford on Sunday, to two points. Rashford Double Much of the pre-match talk centred around how United were going to cope with Liverpool's in-form front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and the league's joint-top scorer Mohamed Salah. However, even without the injured Paul Pogba, it was United who started on the front foot, adopting a more direct style with Romelu Lukaku the target and the Belgium striker was influential in both Rashford goals. Rashford's double - on his first Premier League start since Boxing Day - proved decisive, as Liverpool couldn't add to the Bailly own goal as they slipped to a first defeat in eight games in all competitions. "It didn't go our way because of the two goals we conceded," Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. "We have to defend these situations better. You can always lose a header or tackle with (Romelu) Lukaku but you need to close the gap in behind." In the North East, Newcastle United secured a 3-0 victory over Southampton to move five points clear of the bottom three, piling the pressure on Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino. Two goals from Kenedy, on loan from Chelsea, and a Matt Ritchie strike were enough for a second successive Premier League home win for Rafael Benitez's side. West Bromwich Albion's woes continued as they slipped to a 4-1 home defeat by Leicester City. Salomon Rondon gave West Brom the lead at The Hawthorns, but four Leicester goals without reply ensured West Brom stayed bottom, eight points from safety. Swansea City, who had Jordan Ayew sent off in the 11th minute, held Huddersfield Town to a 0-0 draw at the John Smith's Stadium while Wayne Rooney's penalty miss mattered little as Everton beat Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Rashford shines as Man United sink Liverpool

Jose Mourinho admits he has not got the best out of Alexis Sanchez since his January transfer because the former Arsenal forward moved to Manchester United at the &quot;wrong&quot; time.

Sanchez was signed in a swap deal that reportedly made him the Premier League&#39;s best-paid player but the Chile international has scored just one goal in eight United appearances, well below his career strike rate.

Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form.

&quot;What is wrong is that he came at the worst moment of the season, in the winter market,&quot; said the Manchester United boss. &quot;That&#39;s why I don&#39;t like the winter market very much.

&quot;I think this was a chance that we didn&#39;t want to lose and we made. But we don&#39;t believe a lot in the winter market.

&quot;And for sure next season will be better for him. But of course he is learning how to play with us and we are learning how to get the best out of him.&quot;

Pundits have suggested integrating Sanchez in mid-season has had an adverse effect on the form of teammates, in particular midfielder Paul Pogba.

But despite the obvious teething problems, Mourinho does not see Sanchez as a weakness in the United team.

&quot;No. That&#39;s something that we can develop and we&#39;re going to develop with time, with experience and living these experiences together,&quot; said the manager.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t consider that a weakness, I consider that a huge potential to be developed.

&quot;He&#39;s fit and if he is trying too hard, that&#39;s great. He is not afraid to take responsibilities, not afraid to try things.&quot;

Sanchez&#39;s eight appearances have included two defeats, at Tottenham and Newcastle, which all but ended United&#39;s lingering hopes of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title.

Sanchez happy

But despite an underwhelming start to Sanchez&#39;s United career, Mourinho said the player remains happy.

&quot;He&#39;s fine,&quot; said the United boss. &quot;He&#39;s happy that the team is getting results -- lately he was unhappy when we lost matches with him but he&#39;s a guy with great maturity and attitude and we couldn&#39;t be happier.&quot;

United&#39;s eagerly awaited league encounter with rivals Liverpool comes with both clubs chasing second spot behind champions-elect City.

And, at the start of a week in which Mourinho is also looking to progress in the Champions League and FA Cup, the United manager believes he and opposite number Jurgen Klopp are at similar stages in terms of developing their clubs.

&quot;They have qualities and they have weaknesses,&quot; he said. &quot;We have qualities, and we have weaknesses.

&quot;And one of my good qualities as coach was always to know my team&#39;s weaknesses very well and sometimes I tried to hide them and sometimes I have to try to compensate them with other things.

&quot;But we are very similar in terms of points in the Premier League. Liverpool have already qualified for the (Champions League) quarter-final and we still have 90 minutes or two hours of a big fight to try to be there.&quot;

Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form

Jose Mourinho admits he has not got the best out of Alexis Sanchez since his January transfer because the former Arsenal forward moved to Manchester United at the "wrong" time. Sanchez was signed in a swap deal that reportedly made him the Premier League's best-paid player but the Chile international has scored just one goal in eight United appearances, well below his career strike rate. Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form. "What is wrong is that he came at the worst moment of the season, in the winter market," said the Manchester United boss. "That's why I don't like the winter market very much. "I think this was a chance that we didn't want to lose and we made. But we don't believe a lot in the winter market. "And for sure next season will be better for him. But of course he is learning how to play with us and we are learning how to get the best out of him." Pundits have suggested integrating Sanchez in mid-season has had an adverse effect on the form of teammates, in particular midfielder Paul Pogba. But despite the obvious teething problems, Mourinho does not see Sanchez as a weakness in the United team. "No. That's something that we can develop and we're going to develop with time, with experience and living these experiences together," said the manager. "I don't consider that a weakness, I consider that a huge potential to be developed. "He's fit and if he is trying too hard, that's great. He is not afraid to take responsibilities, not afraid to try things." Sanchez's eight appearances have included two defeats, at Tottenham and Newcastle, which all but ended United's lingering hopes of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title. Sanchez happy But despite an underwhelming start to Sanchez's United career, Mourinho said the player remains happy. "He's fine," said the United boss. "He's happy that the team is getting results -- lately he was unhappy when we lost matches with him but he's a guy with great maturity and attitude and we couldn't be happier." United's eagerly awaited league encounter with rivals Liverpool comes with both clubs chasing second spot behind champions-elect City. And, at the start of a week in which Mourinho is also looking to progress in the Champions League and FA Cup, the United manager believes he and opposite number Jurgen Klopp are at similar stages in terms of developing their clubs. "They have qualities and they have weaknesses," he said. "We have qualities, and we have weaknesses. "And one of my good qualities as coach was always to know my team's weaknesses very well and sometimes I tried to hide them and sometimes I have to try to compensate them with other things. "But we are very similar in terms of points in the Premier League. Liverpool have already qualified for the (Champions League) quarter-final and we still have 90 minutes or two hours of a big fight to try to be there."

Sanchez transferred to Manchester United at 'wrong' time: Jose Mourinho

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley on Wednesday.

Needing to score twice in the second half, the Italians appeared to be heading out until goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in the 64th and 67th minutes cancelled out Son Heung-min&#39;s opener for Tottenham, ending a poor run against English clubs in two-legged European ties.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea had all beaten Juventus in the knockout phase of the Champions League and they lost to Fulham in the Europa League.

But Massimiliano Allegri&#39;s side are made of sterner stuff, as they have proved by reaching two of the last three Champions League finals and now going on a 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season.

&quot;We weren&#39;t in a great position after the 2-2 at home. We knew we could score here, we did that,&quot; 30-year-old Frenchman Matuidi, who missed the first leg, told reporters.

&quot;We were up against a very very good team that has super players and plays good football. They finished top of their group. It was a challenge, one that we faced with heart and a warrior spirit and that made the difference.&quot;

No one typifies that more than 36-year-old Andrea Barzagli, a rugged no-nonsense pillar in a back four with more than 170 Champions League appearances between them.

When Tottenham threw everything at Juve in a desperate late assault to salvage their dream, he along with Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Alex Sandro stood firm in the storm.

Barzagli believes it is their kindred spirit that will make Juve feared quarter-final opponents.

&quot;We can really achieve anything with this great character, we played badly for over one hour and than turned everything around with two great goals,&quot; he said.

&quot;We were also lucky, but I think you deserve luck when you are ready to fight and sacrifice as we did tonight.&quot;

Chiellini said a calmness under pressure had allowed Juve to reach the quarter-final for the third time in their last five appearances in the competition.

&quot;At halftime we told ourselves that we had to remain calm despite suffering so much because our chances would come,&quot; he said.

&quot;Tottenham proved to be a great team, I think they are missing very little in becoming one of the best teams in Europe, maybe some experience.

&quot;A few years ago we were in the same place, and reaching two finals in the last three seasons helped us to better handle these kinds of games.&quot;

Allegri, whose decision to send on fresh legs in the shape of Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour proved a masterstroke, praised his side&#39;s durability.

&quot;The lads were patient to wait for the right moment to hit them,&quot; he said. &quot;Considering the whole 180 minutes, I think our qualification was deserved.

&quot;In the first half we suffered a lot against a team with great quality. I decided that we needed fresh legs on the flanks, so I put Asamoah and Lichtsteiner in. I&#39;m happy it paid off.&quot;

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley

Juventus relied on their warrior instincts, according to midfielder Blaise Matuidi, as they stunned Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate at Wembley on Wednesday. Needing to score twice in the second half, the Italians appeared to be heading out until goals by Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala in the 64th and 67th minutes cancelled out Son Heung-min's opener for Tottenham, ending a poor run against English clubs in two-legged European ties. Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea had all beaten Juventus in the knockout phase of the Champions League and they lost to Fulham in the Europa League. But Massimiliano Allegri's side are made of sterner stuff, as they have proved by reaching two of the last three Champions League finals and now going on a 21-match unbeaten run in all competitions this season. "We weren't in a great position after the 2-2 at home. We knew we could score here, we did that," 30-year-old Frenchman Matuidi, who missed the first leg, told reporters. "We were up against a very very good team that has super players and plays good football. They finished top of their group. It was a challenge, one that we faced with heart and a warrior spirit and that made the difference." No one typifies that more than 36-year-old Andrea Barzagli, a rugged no-nonsense pillar in a back four with more than 170 Champions League appearances between them. When Tottenham threw everything at Juve in a desperate late assault to salvage their dream, he along with Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Alex Sandro stood firm in the storm. Barzagli believes it is their kindred spirit that will make Juve feared quarter-final opponents. "We can really achieve anything with this great character, we played badly for over one hour and than turned everything around with two great goals," he said. "We were also lucky, but I think you deserve luck when you are ready to fight and sacrifice as we did tonight." Chiellini said a calmness under pressure had allowed Juve to reach the quarter-final for the third time in their last five appearances in the competition. "At halftime we told ourselves that we had to remain calm despite suffering so much because our chances would come," he said. "Tottenham proved to be a great team, I think they are missing very little in becoming one of the best teams in Europe, maybe some experience. "A few years ago we were in the same place, and reaching two finals in the last three seasons helped us to better handle these kinds of games." Allegri, whose decision to send on fresh legs in the shape of Kwadwo Asamoah and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the hour proved a masterstroke, praised his side's durability. "The lads were patient to wait for the right moment to hit them," he said. "Considering the whole 180 minutes, I think our qualification was deserved. "In the first half we suffered a lot against a team with great quality. I decided that we needed fresh legs on the flanks, so I put Asamoah and Lichtsteiner in. I'm happy it paid off."

Champions league: Matuidi praises Juventus's warrior spirit after victory over Spurs

Liverpool reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in nine years on Tuesday, with a 0-0 second leg draw at Anfield earning them a 5-0 aggregate win over Porto, and manager Juergen Klopp said the club were back where they belong.

The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe&#39;s elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat.

&quot;It feels good to be honest, feels really good. I cannot feel like people who waited so long for it, but it feels good,&quot; said Klopp, who made clear that he expected more.

&quot;Last eight is cool. (But) we&#39;re not a little bit satisfied to be honest. I think it was time that we showed up again,&quot; he said.

Klopp, who took his previous club Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012, losing to Bayern Munich, said reaching the last eight highlighted the progress at Anfield.

&quot;There is a good development in Liverpool at the moment, it is a nice moment, but if you don&rsquo;t show up in a competition like the Champions League then no-one realises it,&quot; he said.

&quot;So I am happy for all the people involved that we made that step. It&#39;s done, it&#39;s good and now let&#39;s go and carry on.&quot;

Klopp is in his third season at the Merseyside club and said this year&#39;s progress in Europe was about in line with his expectations for the team&#39;s improvement.

&quot;I never had a time schedule in my mind. I don&rsquo;t want to make it smaller than it is but, on the other hand, I don&rsquo;t want to make it bigger than it is.

&quot;This year we belong there to be honest, it should not be a big surprise and the next round will be very difficult, there are seven other very good teams involved, so maybe five or four are from England, it doesn&#39;t make it easier to be honest.

&quot;But I think we will have a chance for sure to go to the semis, that is of course the target. I think we are in time.&quot;

Porto manager Sergio Conceicao feels Liverpool, who last won the Champions League in 2005, have what it takes to go all the way again.

&quot;Liverpool are definitely one of the teams that can win this year, they are really strong and everyone knows that,&quot; said the former Portugal winger.

The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe's elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat.

Liverpool reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in nine years on Tuesday, with a 0-0 second leg draw at Anfield earning them a 5-0 aggregate win over Porto, and manager Juergen Klopp said the club were back where they belong. The last time the five times European champions reached this stage of Europe's elite club competition was in 2009 when they went out to Chelsea in a dramatic 7-5 aggregate defeat. "It feels good to be honest, feels really good. I cannot feel like people who waited so long for it, but it feels good," said Klopp, who made clear that he expected more. "Last eight is cool. (But) we're not a little bit satisfied to be honest. I think it was time that we showed up again," he said. Klopp, who took his previous club Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2012, losing to Bayern Munich, said reaching the last eight highlighted the progress at Anfield. "There is a good development in Liverpool at the moment, it is a nice moment, but if you don’t show up in a competition like the Champions League then no-one realises it," he said. "So I am happy for all the people involved that we made that step. It's done, it's good and now let's go and carry on." Klopp is in his third season at the Merseyside club and said this year's progress in Europe was about in line with his expectations for the team's improvement. "I never had a time schedule in my mind. I don’t want to make it smaller than it is but, on the other hand, I don’t want to make it bigger than it is. "This year we belong there to be honest, it should not be a big surprise and the next round will be very difficult, there are seven other very good teams involved, so maybe five or four are from England, it doesn't make it easier to be honest. "But I think we will have a chance for sure to go to the semis, that is of course the target. I think we are in time." Porto manager Sergio Conceicao feels Liverpool, who last won the Champions League in 2005, have what it takes to go all the way again. "Liverpool are definitely one of the teams that can win this year, they are really strong and everyone knows that," said the former Portugal winger.

Football: Liverpool are back where they belong, says Klopp after Champions League quarter-finals spot

Mohamed Salah was inevitably on the scoresheet as Liverpool took full advantage of the inactivity of their top-four rivals to thrash West Ham United 4-1 at Anfield and provisionally move into second in the Premier League.

With leaders, Manchester City facing Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday, when Manchester United host Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur travel to Crystal Palace in the league, Juergen Klopp&#39;s free scorers topped 100 goals for the season in their 40th match.

Emre Can, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane also netted in another Liverpool goal rush that moved them 15 points behind Pep Guardiola&#39;s City.

At the bottom of the table, the future of West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew looks increasingly bleak after their 2-1 defeat at home to relegation rivals Huddersfield Town.

Swansea City crashed 4-1 at Brighton &amp; Hove Albion and Bournemouth came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Newcastle United.

Liverpool&#39;s win was not quite as routine as the scoreline suggested with West Ham occasionally threatening on another nerve-tingling Anfield afternoon although David Moyes&#39; long wait for a first win at the ground continues.

Salah scored for the sixth successive game in all competitions and his goal took him level with Harry Kane at the top of the Premier League scoring charts with 23 this season.

But Can was equally influential in Liverpool&#39;s win, heading the opener and laying on a superb through pass for Firmino to score Liverpool&#39;s third before Mane chipped in with a fourth goal in two games.

&quot;It is difficult to be top, Manchester City is too far away, but of course we want to finish second,&quot; said the German, whose six league goals represent the best haul of his Liverpool career which could be in its final season as his contract expires at the end of the campaign.

Pressure on Padrew

Elsewhere, West Brom&#39;s defeat will add to the pressure on manager Pardew whose side are now seven points off safety. Rajiv van La Parra and Steve Mounie scored for Huddersfield, whose win moved them three points up the table, one point ahead of Newcastle.

Rafa Benitez&#39;s side looked to be guaranteed back-to-back victories for the first time since September after Dwight Gayle ended his recent goal drought by scoring twice before the interval.

Yet Adam Smith and former Newcastle midfielder Dan Gosling completed an astonishing comeback by one of the league&#39;s never-say-die specialists.

&quot;It&#39;s another point that nudges us towards where we want to be -- everyone could be vital at the end of the season,&quot; said Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe.

Swansea also scored late at Brighton but Lewis Dunk&#39;s own goal proved academic with the home side already 3-0 up. Dutchman Juergen Locadia&#39;s goal on his Premier League debut completed the rout.

Swansea drops back into the relegation zone just ahead of Stoke City, who drew 1-1 with Leicester City.

It would have been better for Paul Lambert&#39;s side had keeper Jack Butland not parried the ball into his own net when under no obvious pressure, a howler made all the more embarrassing by the presence of former Stoke, Leicester and England legend Peter Shilton in the stands.

Manager Lambert refused to criticise his keeper, whom he described as &quot;the best in Britain&quot; although such an obvious howler will do little to help Butland secure the England jersey for the World Cup.

At Turf Moor, Southampton&#39;s Manolo Gabbiadini scored a 90th-minute equaliser as the visitors secured a nerve-jangling 1-1 draw at Burnley, who still await their first win of the year.

Watford was due to play Everton in Saturday&#39;s late kickoff.

Swansea City crashed 4-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Newcastle United

Mohamed Salah was inevitably on the scoresheet as Liverpool took full advantage of the inactivity of their top-four rivals to thrash West Ham United 4-1 at Anfield and provisionally move into second in the Premier League. With leaders, Manchester City facing Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday, when Manchester United host Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur travel to Crystal Palace in the league, Juergen Klopp's free scorers topped 100 goals for the season in their 40th match. Emre Can, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane also netted in another Liverpool goal rush that moved them 15 points behind Pep Guardiola's City. At the bottom of the table, the future of West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew looks increasingly bleak after their 2-1 defeat at home to relegation rivals Huddersfield Town. Swansea City crashed 4-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Newcastle United. Liverpool's win was not quite as routine as the scoreline suggested with West Ham occasionally threatening on another nerve-tingling Anfield afternoon although David Moyes' long wait for a first win at the ground continues. Salah scored for the sixth successive game in all competitions and his goal took him level with Harry Kane at the top of the Premier League scoring charts with 23 this season. But Can was equally influential in Liverpool's win, heading the opener and laying on a superb through pass for Firmino to score Liverpool's third before Mane chipped in with a fourth goal in two games. "It is difficult to be top, Manchester City is too far away, but of course we want to finish second," said the German, whose six league goals represent the best haul of his Liverpool career which could be in its final season as his contract expires at the end of the campaign. Pressure on Padrew Elsewhere, West Brom's defeat will add to the pressure on manager Pardew whose side are now seven points off safety. Rajiv van La Parra and Steve Mounie scored for Huddersfield, whose win moved them three points up the table, one point ahead of Newcastle. Rafa Benitez's side looked to be guaranteed back-to-back victories for the first time since September after Dwight Gayle ended his recent goal drought by scoring twice before the interval. Yet Adam Smith and former Newcastle midfielder Dan Gosling completed an astonishing comeback by one of the league's never-say-die specialists. "It's another point that nudges us towards where we want to be -- everyone could be vital at the end of the season," said Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe. Swansea also scored late at Brighton but Lewis Dunk's own goal proved academic with the home side already 3-0 up. Dutchman Juergen Locadia's goal on his Premier League debut completed the rout. Swansea drops back into the relegation zone just ahead of Stoke City, who drew 1-1 with Leicester City. It would have been better for Paul Lambert's side had keeper Jack Butland not parried the ball into his own net when under no obvious pressure, a howler made all the more embarrassing by the presence of former Stoke, Leicester and England legend Peter Shilton in the stands. Manager Lambert refused to criticise his keeper, whom he described as "the best in Britain" although such an obvious howler will do little to help Butland secure the England jersey for the World Cup. At Turf Moor, Southampton's Manolo Gabbiadini scored a 90th-minute equaliser as the visitors secured a nerve-jangling 1-1 draw at Burnley, who still await their first win of the year. Watford was due to play Everton in Saturday's late kickoff.

EPL: Salah scores again as Liverpool thrash West Ham

When the whole world is celebrating valentines day, football fanatics will definitely ditch their dates as it is Champions League night.

Now, if the boy chooses to watch this clash over his girl then he might get dumped by his girlfriend.

But this football match is worth that, believe me, there is no way to miss the Neymar-Ronaldo rivalry tonight as it is impossible not to&nbsp;see this tie as a confrontation between the global superstars on each side in Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.

The biggest clash of 2018 till now is set to start. Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain and Liverpool vs Porto.

Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain

Champions league is back and Zinedine Zidane is hoping the Champions League will again bring out the best in Real Madrid.

The defending champions are set to face the formidable Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday&#39;s last 16, first leg.

Although, Real Madrid are floundering in La Liga this season, sitting in fourth place, 17 points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

The current performance has even called into question Zidane&#39;s future as coach. Zidane has been going through the toughest period of his short managerial career.

On the other hand, PSG will look forward to winning the contest with a revenge hypothesis as they will never forget the 6-1 humiliation they suffered in Barcelona at the same stage of last year&#39;s Champions League.

PSG fans are hoping there can be no repeat of such an embarrassing defeat, especially with Neymar -- who masterminded that Barcelona comeback -- now in their ranks.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Kylian Mbapp&eacute;, Edinson Cavani &amp; Neymar have scored 16 of Paris&#39; 25 goals in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> this season... 
 
Best trio in the competition? ???????????? <a href="https://t.co/poIkc5dn5t">pic.twitter.com/poIkc5dn5t</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/963752586967945217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Real Madrid 1 PSG 0 - 2015/16 Champions League group stage

PSG 0 Real Madrid 0 - 2015/16 Champions League group stage

PSG 1 Real Madrid 1 - 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners&#39; Cup quarter-final second leg

Real Madrid 0 PSG 1 - 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners&#39; Cup quarter-final first leg

PSG 4 Real Madrid 1 - 1992/93 UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg

Real Madrid 3 PSG 1 - 1992/93 UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg

As many as 1,800 police officers will be on duty to look out for trouble on what has been classified a &quot;high risk&quot; occasion.

Liverpool vs FC Porto

Also, Liverpool will face FC Porto in the&nbsp;first leg of an intriguing Champions League knockout on&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;at the Estadio do Dragao, Portugal.

Porto had never won against Liverpool in the previous four Champions League clashes and they are looking forward to create history tonight.

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Manchester City have now won 34 games in all competitions this season. ???????????? 
 
2017/18 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCL</a> favourites? ???? <a href="https://t.co/bgSGQmyD76">pic.twitter.com/bgSGQmyD76</a>
&mdash; UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/963535576426336259?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Previous meetings:

Liverpool 4 Porto 1 - 2007/08 Champions League group stage

Porto 1 Liverpool 1 - 2007/08 Champions League group stage

Liverpool 2 Porto 0 - 2000/01 UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg

Porto 0 Liverpool 0 - 2000/01 UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg

Porto is currently standing at number two in the Group G behind Besiktas and Liverpool are winners of Group E ahead of Sevilla.

&nbsp;

Liverpool will face FC Porto and Real Madrid will face Paris Saint Germain in the first leg of Champions League

When the whole world is celebrating valentines day, football fanatics will definitely ditch their dates as it is Champions League night. Now, if the boy chooses to watch this clash over his girl then he might get dumped by his girlfriend. But this football match is worth that, believe me, there is no way to miss the Neymar-Ronaldo rivalry tonight as it is impossible not to see this tie as a confrontation between the global superstars on each side in Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. The biggest clash of 2018 till now is set to start. Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain and Liverpool vs Porto. Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain Champions league is back and Zinedine Zidane is hoping the Champions League will again bring out the best in Real Madrid. The defending champions are set to face the formidable Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday's last 16, first leg. Although, Real Madrid are floundering in La Liga this season, sitting in fourth place, 17 points adrift of leaders Barcelona. The current performance has even called into question Zidane's future as coach. Zidane has been going through the toughest period of his short managerial career. On the other hand, PSG will look forward to winning the contest with a revenge hypothesis as they will never forget the 6-1 humiliation they suffered in Barcelona at the same stage of last year's Champions League. PSG fans are hoping there can be no repeat of such an embarrassing defeat, especially with Neymar -- who masterminded that Barcelona comeback -- now in their ranks. Kylian Mbappé, Edinson Cavani & Neymar have scored 16 of Paris' 25 goals in the #UCL this season... Best trio in the competition? ???????????? pic.twitter.com/poIkc5dn5t — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2018 × Real Madrid 1 PSG 0 - 2015/16 Champions League group stage PSG 0 Real Madrid 0 - 2015/16 Champions League group stage PSG 1 Real Madrid 1 - 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final second leg Real Madrid 0 PSG 1 - 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final first leg PSG 4 Real Madrid 1 - 1992/93 UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg Real Madrid 3 PSG 1 - 1992/93 UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg As many as 1,800 police officers will be on duty to look out for trouble on what has been classified a "high risk" occasion. Liverpool vs FC Porto Also, Liverpool will face FC Porto in the first leg of an intriguing Champions League knockout on Wednesday at the Estadio do Dragao, Portugal. Porto had never won against Liverpool in the previous four Champions League clashes and they are looking forward to create history tonight. Manchester City have now won 34 games in all competitions this season. ???????????? 2017/18 #UCL favourites? ???? pic.twitter.com/bgSGQmyD76 — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 13, 2018 × Previous meetings: Liverpool 4 Porto 1 - 2007/08 Champions League group stage Porto 1 Liverpool 1 - 2007/08 Champions League group stage Liverpool 2 Porto 0 - 2000/01 UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg Porto 0 Liverpool 0 - 2000/01 UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg Porto is currently standing at number two in the Group G behind Besiktas and Liverpool are winners of Group E ahead of Sevilla.

Champions League: These football clashes might make you break up

Jay Rodriguez scored twice as West Bromwich Albion stunned&nbsp;Liverpool&nbsp;with a 3-2 FA Cup fourth-round win at Anfield on Saturday in a tie overshadowed by the Video Assistant Referee, after Harry Kane spared Tottenham a shock defeat by lowly Newport.

A remarkable first half on Merseyside saw the Baggies, second-bottom in the top flight, race into a 2-1 lead inside 11 minutes against a&nbsp;Liverpool&nbsp;team pushing for a place in the Champions League.

Roberto Firmino put&nbsp;Liverpool&nbsp;ahead in the fifth minute after a mix-up, only for Rodriguez to hit back with two well-taken goals.

VAR, being trialled in English cup competitions this season, then took centre stage.

Referee Craig Pawson denied West Brom a third goal after ruling out Craig Dawson&#39;s effort by using VAR to determine that Gareth Barry was offside.

Pawson then becomes the first English referee to consult a touchline monitor himself before awarding&nbsp;Liverpool&nbsp;a penalty for a foul on Mohamed Salah by Jake Livermore.&nbsp;

That prompted furious protests by the visitors, with Barry booked for dissent, only for Firmino&#39;s spot-kick to hit the crossbar.

There was yet another VAR review prior to the break, before a Joel Matip own goal that put West Brom 3-1 up was allowed.

&#39;Mockery&#39;&nbsp;

Egypt striker Salah gave seven-time FA Cup winners&nbsp;Liverpool&nbsp;hope in the 78th minute with his 25th goal in just 32 appearances for the Reds, but Alan Pardew&#39;s Premier League strugglers still booked their place in the last 16.

&quot;I thought we deserved what we got today,&quot; West Brom manager Alan Pardew told BT Sport.&nbsp;

Pardew, reflecting on the VAR stoppages, said: &quot;I don&#39;t know, it was just weird. We waited so long for the decisions, the stadium was flat and every goal was becoming a sort of mockery with the delayed decision.&quot;

Meanwhile beaten&nbsp;Liverpool&nbsp;manager Jurgen Klopp insisted: &quot;West Brom deserved it, they scored three goals, us only two, and we have to blame ourselves.&quot;

Earlier, fourth-tier Newport eyed one of the all-time great upsets against eight-time FA Cup winners Tottenham thanks to Padraig Amond&#39;s first-half goal.

But eight minutes from time, England striker Kane equalised when he tapped in from close range following Son Heung-Min&#39;s flick-on for his 30th goal this season.

And 1-1 was how it finished as League Two Newport survived four minutes of injury-time to hold out for a lucrative replay at Wembley, Spurs&#39; temporary home.

Welsh side Newport, a massive 72 places behind a Spurs side who are fifth in the Premier League, sparked delirious scenes at Rodney Parade when Amond headed them into a 38th-minute lead.

&#39;Spurs need to fight&#39;

&quot;I&#39;m gutted... We were nearly there,&quot; Newport manager Mike Flynn told the BBC.&nbsp;

Meanwhile frustrated Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino questioned his side&#39;s desire to lift trophies.

&quot;I hope we have learned today that we have to fight to win things,&quot; he said.

West Ham manager David Moyes labelled Arthur Masuaku &quot;despicable&quot; after the midfielder was sent off for spitting in a 2-0 defeat by 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan.

Premier League West Ham, already 1-0 down to the first of two goals from Will Grigg, were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Masuaku saw red for spitting at third-tier Wigan&#39;s Nick Powell.

&quot;It was despicable,&quot; said Moyes. &quot;If you do that, then you&#39;re going to get the punishment in any walk of life.&quot;

Southampton beat fellow Premier League strugglers Watford 1-0 as Jack Stephens marked his 24th birthday with a goal to ensure Javi Gracia&#39;s reign as Hornets manager started with a defeat.

Nottingham Forest&#39;s FA Cup run ended just one round after they knocked out holders Arsenal courtesy of a 2-1 defeat by Championship rivals Hull.

Chelsea faces Newcastle in another all top-flight clash on Sunday when league leaders Manchester City continue their bid for an unprecedented &#39;quadruple&#39; away to second-tier Cardiff.

Manchester United eased into the fourth round on Friday, with new signing Alexis Sanchez impressing on debut in a 4-0 win at lowly Yeovil.

&nbsp;

Referee Craig Pawson denied West Brom a third goal after ruling out Craig Dawson's effort by using VAR to determine that Gareth Barry was offside

Jay Rodriguez scored twice as West Bromwich Albion stunned Liverpool with a 3-2 FA Cup fourth-round win at Anfield on Saturday in a tie overshadowed by the Video Assistant Referee, after Harry Kane spared Tottenham a shock defeat by lowly Newport. A remarkable first half on Merseyside saw the Baggies, second-bottom in the top flight, race into a 2-1 lead inside 11 minutes against a Liverpool team pushing for a place in the Champions League. Roberto Firmino put Liverpool ahead in the fifth minute after a mix-up, only for Rodriguez to hit back with two well-taken goals. VAR, being trialled in English cup competitions this season, then took centre stage. Referee Craig Pawson denied West Brom a third goal after ruling out Craig Dawson's effort by using VAR to determine that Gareth Barry was offside. Pawson then becomes the first English referee to consult a touchline monitor himself before awarding Liverpool a penalty for a foul on Mohamed Salah by Jake Livermore. That prompted furious protests by the visitors, with Barry booked for dissent, only for Firmino's spot-kick to hit the crossbar. There was yet another VAR review prior to the break, before a Joel Matip own goal that put West Brom 3-1 up was allowed. 'Mockery' Egypt striker Salah gave seven-time FA Cup winners Liverpool hope in the 78th minute with his 25th goal in just 32 appearances for the Reds, but Alan Pardew's Premier League strugglers still booked their place in the last 16. "I thought we deserved what we got today," West Brom manager Alan Pardew told BT Sport. Pardew, reflecting on the VAR stoppages, said: "I don't know, it was just weird. We waited so long for the decisions, the stadium was flat and every goal was becoming a sort of mockery with the delayed decision." Meanwhile beaten Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted: "West Brom deserved it, they scored three goals, us only two, and we have to blame ourselves." Earlier, fourth-tier Newport eyed one of the all-time great upsets against eight-time FA Cup winners Tottenham thanks to Padraig Amond's first-half goal. But eight minutes from time, England striker Kane equalised when he tapped in from close range following Son Heung-Min's flick-on for his 30th goal this season. And 1-1 was how it finished as League Two Newport survived four minutes of injury-time to hold out for a lucrative replay at Wembley, Spurs' temporary home. Welsh side Newport, a massive 72 places behind a Spurs side who are fifth in the Premier League, sparked delirious scenes at Rodney Parade when Amond headed them into a 38th-minute lead. 'Spurs need to fight' "I'm gutted... We were nearly there," Newport manager Mike Flynn told the BBC. Meanwhile frustrated Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino questioned his side's desire to lift trophies. "I hope we have learned today that we have to fight to win things," he said. West Ham manager David Moyes labelled Arthur Masuaku "despicable" after the midfielder was sent off for spitting in a 2-0 defeat by 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan. Premier League West Ham, already 1-0 down to the first of two goals from Will Grigg, were reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Masuaku saw red for spitting at third-tier Wigan's Nick Powell. "It was despicable," said Moyes. "If you do that, then you're going to get the punishment in any walk of life." Southampton beat fellow Premier League strugglers Watford 1-0 as Jack Stephens marked his 24th birthday with a goal to ensure Javi Gracia's reign as Hornets manager started with a defeat. Nottingham Forest's FA Cup run ended just one round after they knocked out holders Arsenal courtesy of a 2-1 defeat by Championship rivals Hull. Chelsea faces Newcastle in another all top-flight clash on Sunday when league leaders Manchester City continue their bid for an unprecedented 'quadruple' away to second-tier Cardiff. Manchester United eased into the fourth round on Friday, with new signing Alexis Sanchez impressing on debut in a 4-0 win at lowly Yeovil.

Football: West Brom beat Liverpool amid VAR chaos, Spurs avoid upset

Liverpool&#39;s poor first-half display against Premier League bottom side Swansea City left manager Juergen Klopp angry and frustrated as they lost 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium on Monday.

Swansea went ahead five minutes before the break when an attempt to clear by Liverpool&#39;s 75 million pounds ($104.88 million) defender Virgil Van Dijk landed at the feet of Mawson who swept the ball home for his sixth league goal this season.

Van Dijk, playing in his first league game since signing from Southampton, had earlier flashed over a header from a first-half corner, while Mohamed Salah blazed the Dutch defender&#39;s lofted pass over the bar on the half-hour mark.

Liverpool upped the tempo in the second half, dominating possession and attacking from all angles, and Roberto Firmino saw his late header come back off the post, but Swansea managed to hold on for only their fifth league win of the season.

Liverpool had not lost in 18 games, having just ended the unbeaten league record of runaway leaders Manchester City, but they fluffed their lines in the face of some stout defending.

The loss leaves the Reds on 47 points, three behind Chelsea and six off Manchester United, with Tottenham Hotspur two points outside the top four after a draw at Southampton on Sunday.

Manchester City leads the way with 65 points from 24 games.

Klopp criticised his players for not sticking to their positions in the first half, allowing Swansea to score after a poor clearance by Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool's poor first-half display against Premier League bottom side Swansea City left manager Juergen Klopp angry and frustrated as they lost 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium on Monday. Swansea went ahead five minutes before the break when an attempt to clear by Liverpool's 75 million pounds ($104.88 million) defender Virgil Van Dijk landed at the feet of Mawson who swept the ball home for his sixth league goal this season. Van Dijk, playing in his first league game since signing from Southampton, had earlier flashed over a header from a first-half corner, while Mohamed Salah blazed the Dutch defender's lofted pass over the bar on the half-hour mark. Liverpool upped the tempo in the second half, dominating possession and attacking from all angles, and Roberto Firmino saw his late header come back off the post, but Swansea managed to hold on for only their fifth league win of the season. Liverpool had not lost in 18 games, having just ended the unbeaten league record of runaway leaders Manchester City, but they fluffed their lines in the face of some stout defending. The loss leaves the Reds on 47 points, three behind Chelsea and six off Manchester United, with Tottenham Hotspur two points outside the top four after a draw at Southampton on Sunday. Manchester City leads the way with 65 points from 24 games.

EPL: Liverpool suffers surprise defeat against Swansea

Jurgen Klopp blamed his players for becoming embroiled in a fight at Swansea City as they lost their unbeaten 18-match run to the Premier League&#39;s bottom club.

It was Liverpool&#39;s first defeat since October, but the points were priceless for Swansea, who cut the gap between themselves and those above the relegation places to just three points.

He said, &quot;I am more frustrated about the performance than the result.

&quot;We were just not good enough, especially in the first half. We didn&rsquo;t play how we wanted to play.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/epl-liverpool-suffers-surprise-defeat-against-swansea-30417" target="_blank">EPL: Liverpool suffers surprise defeat against Swansea</a>

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-five-facts-on-alexis-sanchez-647">In pictures: Five facts on Alexis Sanchez</a>

&quot;We didn&#39;t keep the right positions we needed to, to cause them problems and didn&rsquo;t stretch them.

&quot;We gave them the opportunity to score and then we did exactly what Swansea wanted.

&quot;They didn&rsquo;t need to play, they needed to fight and we did exactly what they wanted and their confidence grew.&quot;

Klopp added: &quot;Swansea knew that to win today they needed our help and unfortunately we gave it to them.

&ldquo;They did the right things to deserve to win a game like this tonight and we didn&rsquo;t deserve it.

We could have equalised at the end, but didn&rsquo;t have that luck.&quot;

&nbsp;

Jurgen Klopp: "We were just not good enough, especially in the first half. We didn’t play how we wanted to play"

Jurgen Klopp blamed his players for becoming embroiled in a fight at Swansea City as they lost their unbeaten 18-match run to the Premier League's bottom club. It was Liverpool's first defeat since October, but the points were priceless for Swansea, who cut the gap between themselves and those above the relegation places to just three points. He said, "I am more frustrated about the performance than the result. "We were just not good enough, especially in the first half. We didn’t play how we wanted to play." EPL: Liverpool suffers surprise defeat against Swansea In pictures: Five facts on Alexis Sanchez "We didn't keep the right positions we needed to, to cause them problems and didn’t stretch them. "We gave them the opportunity to score and then we did exactly what Swansea wanted. "They didn’t need to play, they needed to fight and we did exactly what they wanted and their confidence grew." Klopp added: "Swansea knew that to win today they needed our help and unfortunately we gave it to them. “They did the right things to deserve to win a game like this tonight and we didn’t deserve it. We could have equalised at the end, but didn’t have that luck."

'Frustrated about performance,' says Jurgen Klopp

Harry Kane is happy at Tottenham Hotspur but only the England striker himself can answer questions regarding his long-term commitment to the Premier League club, manager Mauricio Pochettino said.

Kane has excelled at his boyhood club in recent seasons and scored his 100th Premier League goal in the 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday, but the forward has made it clear that winning trophies was his priority.

The 24-year-old signed a deal to remain at Tottenham until 2022 but former England international team-mate Wayne Rooney told Sky Sports on Monday that Kane could contemplate his future if fifth-placed Tottenham do not start winning trophies.

Asked about Kane&#39;s long-term future, Pochettino said: &quot;That is a question for him, not me. Of course, he wants to score goals and win titles but I cannot say anything more about this.&quot;

Kane has attracted interest from major European clubs in recent seasons, with Real Madrid&#39;s former president Ramon Calderon stating in October that he expected the Spanish club to try to sign the forward.

&quot;He is so happy here and he loves Tottenham but this is a personal question, regarding what he thinks and how he feels. I cannot answer for him,&quot; Pochettino added.

Meanwhile, Pochettino said that the increasing scrutiny of refereeing decisions, including through the use of the video assistant referee (VAR), was not helping the game.

Tottenham were awarded two penalties including one in the 95th minute of their draw at Liverpool, while midfielder Dele Alli was booked for simulation.

Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp fumed at the penalty decisions while Pochettino was much more positive about referee Jon Moss and his assistants.

&quot;Now we are so focused on minimal details. I am worried. It&#39;s a sport that we love, a passionate sport that people love to watch around the world,&quot; the Argentine added.

&quot;We will be pushing that sport into a very rigid structure with VAR, with being focused too much on the small actions like this,&quot; he added.

Tottenham host north London rivals Arsenal in a league match at Wembley on Saturday.

Kane has attracted interest from major European clubs in recent seasons, with Real Madrid's former president Ramon Calderon stating in October that he expected the Spanish club to try to sign the forward.

Harry Kane is happy at Tottenham Hotspur but only the England striker himself can answer questions regarding his long-term commitment to the Premier League club, manager Mauricio Pochettino said. Kane has excelled at his boyhood club in recent seasons and scored his 100th Premier League goal in the 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday, but the forward has made it clear that winning trophies was his priority. The 24-year-old signed a deal to remain at Tottenham until 2022 but former England international team-mate Wayne Rooney told Sky Sports on Monday that Kane could contemplate his future if fifth-placed Tottenham do not start winning trophies. Asked about Kane's long-term future, Pochettino said: "That is a question for him, not me. Of course, he wants to score goals and win titles but I cannot say anything more about this." Kane has attracted interest from major European clubs in recent seasons, with Real Madrid's former president Ramon Calderon stating in October that he expected the Spanish club to try to sign the forward. "He is so happy here and he loves Tottenham but this is a personal question, regarding what he thinks and how he feels. I cannot answer for him," Pochettino added. Meanwhile, Pochettino said that the increasing scrutiny of refereeing decisions, including through the use of the video assistant referee (VAR), was not helping the game. Tottenham were awarded two penalties including one in the 95th minute of their draw at Liverpool, while midfielder Dele Alli was booked for simulation. Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp fumed at the penalty decisions while Pochettino was much more positive about referee Jon Moss and his assistants. "Now we are so focused on minimal details. I am worried. It's a sport that we love, a passionate sport that people love to watch around the world," the Argentine added. "We will be pushing that sport into a very rigid structure with VAR, with being focused too much on the small actions like this," he added. Tottenham host north London rivals Arsenal in a league match at Wembley on Saturday.

Football: Only Kane can answer questions on Spurs future, says Pochettino

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City&#39;s waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp&#39;s &quot;fab four&quot; up front is now just a three.

Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50.

Klopp&#39;s side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino.

Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola&#39;s side at the back.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City&#39;s defence.

&quot;We know Manchester City&#39;s quality, we know that they&#39;re running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody,&quot; McAteer told the Liverpool website.

&quot;They&#39;re so good going forward. You&#39;ve got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they&#39;ve got but there are areas of weakness.

&quot;If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there.&quot;

City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day.

This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton.

Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory.

City&#39;s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance.

&quot;We go there to win the game,&quot; he said. &quot;They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places).

&quot;We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens.&quot;

Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City.

Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho&#39;s side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City.

The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second.

Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.

Klopp's side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22.

The form table suggests Liverpool have realistic hopes of disrupting Manchester City's waltz towards the Premier League title when they meet on Sunday, although they must quickly learn how to cope without Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian playmaker completed a 142 million-pound ($192 million) move to Barcelona on Monday, meaning Juergen Klopp's "fab four" up front is now just a three. Unbeaten City are 15 points clear at the top of the table, having scored more goals than anybody with 64, but fourth-placed Liverpool come second on that count with 50. Klopp's side are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions since they were thrashed 4-1 by Tottenham on Oct. 22. Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah is set to return from injury and he and Sadio Mane are likely to play either side of striker Roberto Firmino. Although Coutinho will no longer be able to provide the trio with ammunition, they still have the speed and guile to trouble Pep Guardiola's side at the back. Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer believes the Reds can get at City's defence. "We know Manchester City's quality, we know that they're running away with (the league) at the minute, but I think, on their day, Liverpool can match anybody," McAteer told the Liverpool website. "They're so good going forward. You've got to be (wary) of the attacking prowess that they've got but there are areas of weakness. "If you can get in between the lines and at the two centre-halves, which I feel we can, then there are chances and goals there." City, however, will look to repeat their dominant 5-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad in September, although they will be without injured striker Gabriel Jesus, who scored a brace that day. This time they will have Virgil van Dijk in their way with the Liverpool defender set to make his Premier League debut after his move from Southampton. Van Dijk enjoyed a dramatic debut for his new team in the FA Cup, scoring late on against Everton to earn Liverpool a derby victory. City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said his team would just focus on their own performance. "We go there to win the game," he said. "They will have a very strong team and they want to be there for the Champions League (places). "We just try to do the things that we do well and then we will see what happens." Second-placed Manchester United host Stoke City on Monday, the visitors currently without a coach after sacking Mark Hughes following their FA Cup defeat by League Two Coventry City. Coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is in temporary charge of the team for the trip to Old Trafford, with Jose Mourinho's side anxious to keep ahead of the chasing pack behind Manchester City. The Portuguese has been embroiled in a war of words with Chelsea coach Antonio Conte, whose side host Leicester City on Saturday when a victory would see them provisionally move above United into second. Tottenham host Everton on Saturday and Arsenal travel to Bournemouth on Sunday. Crystal Palace face Burnley, Huddersfield meet West Ham United and Newcastle United entertain Swansea City in other weekend matches.

Football: Liverpool, without Philippe Coutinho, out to halt Manchester City march

Goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence, part of the first great Liverpool side under Bill Shankly, has died aged 77, the club announced on Wednesday.

LFC posted on Twitter, &quot;The club is&nbsp;deeply saddened by the passing of former goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence. RIP Tommy.&quot;

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We&#39;re deeply saddened by the passing of former goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence. 
 
RIP Tommy. <a href="https://t.co/Truq1x0CvV">pic.twitter.com/Truq1x0CvV</a>
&mdash; Liverpool FC (@LFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC/status/951039424783101952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Lawrence, affectionately known as &#39;The Flying Pig&#39; for his acrobatic saves despite being of portly build, was a member of the side that won two league titles in 1964 and 1966, not missing a match in the latter campaign.

He also won the FA Cup in 1965.

Capped three times by Scotland, Lawrence only missed four league matches from 1963 to 1969. He conceded only 24 goals in the 1968/69 season, which was a record for the lowest conceded at the time in the old First Division.

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In memory of Tommy Lawrence, LFC Legend... <a href="https://t.co/uDcF9o4vNq">pic.twitter.com/uDcF9o4vNq</a>
&mdash; Liverpool FC (@LFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC/status/951063881622933504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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However, the emergence of Ray Clemence in the late 1960&#39;s heralded the end of his tenure as the first choice, and after being dropped for an FA Cup tie in the 1970/71 season he left for nearby Tranmere Rovers, managed by his former Liverpool team-mate Ron Yeats.

He made a total of 390 appearances for Liverpool.

Lawrence finished his playing career at non-league Chorley. After hanging up his boots, he returned to the same factory he had worked in prior to playing for Liverpool, remaining there until he retired.

Tommy affectionately nicknamed 'The Flying Pig' due to his ability to make spectacular saves despite his size

Goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence, part of the first great Liverpool side under Bill Shankly, has died aged 77, the club announced on Wednesday. LFC posted on Twitter, "The club is deeply saddened by the passing of former goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence. RIP Tommy." We're deeply saddened by the passing of former goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence. RIP Tommy. pic.twitter.com/Truq1x0CvV — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 10, 2018 × Lawrence, affectionately known as 'The Flying Pig' for his acrobatic saves despite being of portly build, was a member of the side that won two league titles in 1964 and 1966, not missing a match in the latter campaign. He also won the FA Cup in 1965. Capped three times by Scotland, Lawrence only missed four league matches from 1963 to 1969. He conceded only 24 goals in the 1968/69 season, which was a record for the lowest conceded at the time in the old First Division. In memory of Tommy Lawrence, LFC Legend... pic.twitter.com/uDcF9o4vNq — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 10, 2018 × However, the emergence of Ray Clemence in the late 1960's heralded the end of his tenure as the first choice, and after being dropped for an FA Cup tie in the 1970/71 season he left for nearby Tranmere Rovers, managed by his former Liverpool team-mate Ron Yeats. He made a total of 390 appearances for Liverpool. Lawrence finished his playing career at non-league Chorley. After hanging up his boots, he returned to the same factory he had worked in prior to playing for Liverpool, remaining there until he retired.

Former Liverpool legend Tommy Lawrence dies

Barcelona and Liverpool have agreed on a 5-year deal to allow Philippe Coutinho to move to FC Barcelona.

&quot;It&#39;s an honour for me, a great honour, but also a dream to be here,&quot; said Coutinho after he was officially unveiled as a Barca player.

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???? <a href="https://twitter.com/Phil_Coutinho?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phil_Coutinho</a> meets some of his new Bar&ccedil;a team-mates! 
???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/For%C3%A7aBar%C3%A7a?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#For&ccedil;aBar&ccedil;a</a> <a href="https://t.co/DV5fL85ihu">pic.twitter.com/DV5fL85ihu</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/950677710799556608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Coutinho has already had connections with the Barcelona line-up. The 25 year old has another Brazilian buddy in Barca, Paulinho, and&nbsp;has played with Luis Suarez for 18 months at Liverpool, about which Coutinho said, &quot;It&#39;s an honour to be able to play with him (Suarez) again.&quot;

&quot;He&#39;s helped me a lot, wrote to me a lot and explained to me about the club and city... He even visited a few houses for me! He&#39;s a very close friend&quot; said Coutinho.

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde had been eyeing Coutinho for some time, since Barca&#39;s the current legends -- Messi, Saurez and Iniesta -- are already in their 30&#39;s.

Valverde also predicted that Coutinho will fit comfortably into his star-studded team.

&quot;He has a very different role to play for the betterment of the team, he is not here to replace Neymar or Iniesta,&quot; Valverde&nbsp;said in a statement.

Valverde however&nbsp;added&nbsp;that it would be a challenge to find a position for Coutinho.

&quot;I have seen him play in various positions -- on the right, the left, in the middle, on the wings,&quot; said Valverde

Coutinho is likely to be used to give Iniesta some rest so that the captain can prepare for the Champions League as Barcelona seek to wrest the trophy back from bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/camp-nou-and-fans-welcome-coutinho-28899">Camp Nou, fans welcome Coutinho</a>

Barcelona made three bids for Coutinho last year, but Liverpool stood firm but finally, the deal has been cracked with an amount of 120 million euros.

Rio-born Coutinho scored 54 goals for Liverpool in all competitions, although he won no silverware during his five-year stay at Anfield.

Coutinho&nbsp;is likely to make his debut at home to Alaves on January 28.

&nbsp;

Coutinho is likely to be used to give captain Andre Iniesta a rest, keeping the veteran midfielder fresh for the Champions League

Barcelona and Liverpool have agreed on a 5-year deal to allow Philippe Coutinho to move to FC Barcelona. "It's an honour for me, a great honour, but also a dream to be here," said Coutinho after he was officially unveiled as a Barca player. ???? @Phil_Coutinho meets some of his new Barça team-mates! ???????? #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/DV5fL85ihu — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 9, 2018 × Coutinho has already had connections with the Barcelona line-up. The 25 year old has another Brazilian buddy in Barca, Paulinho, and has played with Luis Suarez for 18 months at Liverpool, about which Coutinho said, "It's an honour to be able to play with him (Suarez) again." "He's helped me a lot, wrote to me a lot and explained to me about the club and city... He even visited a few houses for me! He's a very close friend" said Coutinho. Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde had been eyeing Coutinho for some time, since Barca's the current legends -- Messi, Saurez and Iniesta -- are already in their 30's. Valverde also predicted that Coutinho will fit comfortably into his star-studded team. "He has a very different role to play for the betterment of the team, he is not here to replace Neymar or Iniesta," Valverde said in a statement. Valverde however added that it would be a challenge to find a position for Coutinho. "I have seen him play in various positions -- on the right, the left, in the middle, on the wings," said Valverde Coutinho is likely to be used to give Iniesta some rest so that the captain can prepare for the Champions League as Barcelona seek to wrest the trophy back from bitter rivals Real Madrid. Also read: Camp Nou, fans welcome Coutinho Barcelona made three bids for Coutinho last year, but Liverpool stood firm but finally, the deal has been cracked with an amount of 120 million euros. Rio-born Coutinho scored 54 goals for Liverpool in all competitions, although he won no silverware during his five-year stay at Anfield. Coutinho is likely to make his debut at home to Alaves on January 28.

Barcelona coach: Coutinho good fit for team but will be challenge to find position for him

Philippe Coutinho is to be officially unveiled as a Barcelona player on Monday as he completes a 160-million-euro ($192 million) move the third richest in history that he described as &quot;a dream come true&quot;.

The 25-year-old former Liverpool playmaker will be officially presented to the world&#39;s media after Barca coach Ernesto Valverde predicted the Brazilian would comfortably fit into a team already containing global superstar Lionel Messi.

In a video message on Sunday showing Coutinho posing for photographers at the Camp Nou wearing a Barcelona jacket, he said: &quot;I want to play, win trophies and make the supporters happy. Those are my objectives.

&quot;Barca fans, I&#39;m here now. It&#39;s a dream come true!&quot;

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???? Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/Phil_Coutinho?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phil_Coutinho</a>&#39;s unveiling as a Bar&ccedil;a player - LIVE! 
???? <a href="https://t.co/WYp1O1DkYa">https://t.co/WYp1O1DkYa</a> ???? 
???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoutinhoDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoutinhoDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/OMQ0dNCNwI">pic.twitter.com/OMQ0dNCNwI</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/950329428818657281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Coutinho has agreed to a deal through to 2023 and is looking forward to playing alongside Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta.

He described them as well as club stalwarts Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets as &quot;idols&quot;.

Coutinho has already lined up alongside Suarez for 18 months at Liverpool before the Uruguayan made the same move to&nbsp;FC Barcelona in 2014.

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???? Fans are beginning to fill Camp Nou as they wait to see <a href="https://twitter.com/Phil_Coutinho?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phil_Coutinho</a> in a Bar&ccedil;a shirt for the first time... ???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoutinhoDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoutinhoDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/sigOrJtixF">pic.twitter.com/sigOrJtixF</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/950338150626463752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Everybody knows about his quality. He has been playing at the highest level for years now and that is important,&quot; said Suarez.

&quot;Now we need to make sure he feels at home because we know that changing club is always difficult, but I think he is the type of player who will fit well into the team.&quot;

Valverde admitted that it would be a challenge shoehorning his new recruit into a squad already running away with the Spanish league title.

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???? Done deal! <a href="https://twitter.com/Phil_Coutinho?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Phil_Coutinho</a> 
???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoutinhoDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoutinhoDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/8djvhmytAO">pic.twitter.com/8djvhmytAO</a>
&mdash; FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCBarcelona/status/950340408818749440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Coutinho is a player who I think can bring a lot to us,&quot; said Valverde. &quot;He&#39;s an important signing.&quot;

&quot;I have seen him play in various positions -- on the right, the left, in the middle, on the wings. We will evaluate all of this... but, of course, I don&#39;t think he will play as a goalkeeper!&quot;&nbsp;

The timing of Barca&#39;s move for Coutinho has been questioned because he will not be able to play in the Champions League having already played in the competition for Liverpool this season.

But he is likely to be used to give 33-year-old Iniesta a rest, keeping the veteran midfielder fresh for the Champions League.

&nbsp;

Coutinho has agreed to a 5-year deal and is looking forward to playing alongside Messi, Andres Iniesta

Philippe Coutinho is to be officially unveiled as a Barcelona player on Monday as he completes a 160-million-euro ($192 million) move the third richest in history that he described as "a dream come true". The 25-year-old former Liverpool playmaker will be officially presented to the world's media after Barca coach Ernesto Valverde predicted the Brazilian would comfortably fit into a team already containing global superstar Lionel Messi. In a video message on Sunday showing Coutinho posing for photographers at the Camp Nou wearing a Barcelona jacket, he said: "I want to play, win trophies and make the supporters happy. Those are my objectives. "Barca fans, I'm here now. It's a dream come true!" ???? Watch @Phil_Coutinho's unveiling as a Barça player - LIVE! ???? https://t.co/WYp1O1DkYa ???? ???????? #CoutinhoDay pic.twitter.com/OMQ0dNCNwI — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 8, 2018 × Coutinho has agreed to a deal through to 2023 and is looking forward to playing alongside Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta. He described them as well as club stalwarts Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets as "idols". Coutinho has already lined up alongside Suarez for 18 months at Liverpool before the Uruguayan made the same move to FC Barcelona in 2014. ???? Fans are beginning to fill Camp Nou as they wait to see @Phil_Coutinho in a Barça shirt for the first time... ???????? #CoutinhoDay pic.twitter.com/sigOrJtixF — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 8, 2018 × "Everybody knows about his quality. He has been playing at the highest level for years now and that is important," said Suarez. "Now we need to make sure he feels at home because we know that changing club is always difficult, but I think he is the type of player who will fit well into the team." Valverde admitted that it would be a challenge shoehorning his new recruit into a squad already running away with the Spanish league title. ???? Done deal! @Phil_Coutinho ???????? #CoutinhoDay pic.twitter.com/8djvhmytAO — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 8, 2018 × "Coutinho is a player who I think can bring a lot to us," said Valverde. "He's an important signing." "I have seen him play in various positions -- on the right, the left, in the middle, on the wings. We will evaluate all of this... but, of course, I don't think he will play as a goalkeeper!" The timing of Barca's move for Coutinho has been questioned because he will not be able to play in the Champions League having already played in the competition for Liverpool this season. But he is likely to be used to give 33-year-old Iniesta a rest, keeping the veteran midfielder fresh for the Champions League.

Camp Nou, fans welcome Coutinho

Barcelona and Liverpool have agreed on a deal in principle to allow Philippe Coutinho to move to the Spanish giants FC Barcelona.Coutinho&#39;s move is almost final with a transfer amount of 160 million euros in total, 120 million guaranteed and rest will be made up in achievable clauses.

Recently, Coutinho&#39;s agents were seen at Barca&#39;s camp and also the representatives from both the sides were present in Liverpool to settle the deal. There are rumours that the agreement between Liverpool and Barca is close now.

Barcelona-based sports newspaper said Coutinho would join Barca this month on a deal for five seasons, although it said the details of the deal were still to be finalised.

Coutinho&#39;s departure would be a blow to Liverpool, but it would allow Barcelona to move on from the bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate Neymar last summer to Qatar-backed Paris Saint-Germain for a world record 222 million euros.

Coutinho&#39;s age&nbsp;is 25&nbsp;is also attractive to Barca, whose three main stars, Lionel, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta are all in their thirties.

French sport daily L&#39;Equipe reported on Saturday that Liverpool was lining up Leicester&#39;s Riyad Mahrez to replace Coutinho, although other reports have indicated that the Merseyside club would prefer to acquire Thomas Lemar from Monaco.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Coutinho's move is almost final with a transfer amount of 160 million euros in total, 120 million guaranteed and rest in variables

Barcelona and Liverpool have agreed on a deal in principle to allow Philippe Coutinho to move to the Spanish giants FC Barcelona.Coutinho's move is almost final with a transfer amount of 160 million euros in total, 120 million guaranteed and rest will be made up in achievable clauses. Recently, Coutinho's agents were seen at Barca's camp and also the representatives from both the sides were present in Liverpool to settle the deal. There are rumours that the agreement between Liverpool and Barca is close now. Barcelona-based sports newspaper said Coutinho would join Barca this month on a deal for five seasons, although it said the details of the deal were still to be finalised. Coutinho's departure would be a blow to Liverpool, but it would allow Barcelona to move on from the bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate Neymar last summer to Qatar-backed Paris Saint-Germain for a world record 222 million euros. Coutinho's age is 25 is also attractive to Barca, whose three main stars, Lionel, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta are all in their thirties. French sport daily L'Equipe reported on Saturday that Liverpool was lining up Leicester's Riyad Mahrez to replace Coutinho, although other reports have indicated that the Merseyside club would prefer to acquire Thomas Lemar from Monaco.

Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho set to join FC Barcelona

Manchester United put a smile back on Jose Mourinho&#39;s face as fine goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard sealed a 2-0 win over Everton, while Liverpool left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory at Burnley.

Martial started in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku and the United forward broke the deadlock in the 57th minute at Goodison Park.

Paul Pogba teed up Martial on the edge of the area and he stroked a sublime finish into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season.

Having struggled towards the end of 2017, United were more commanding in their first match of the new year and Lingard wrapped up the points with a superb solo strike in the 81st minute.

The winger beat several Everton players before curling home from 20 yards for his fourth goal in his last five appearances.

It was a welcome tonic for Mourinho amid reports the United manager is beginning to lose the support of his players after branding them &quot;childish&quot; and &quot;immature&quot; and admitting the squad needs major investment to catch City.

United moved back into second place in the Premier League after ending a frustrating run of three successive draws during the congested Christmas period.

&quot;Our pride, our effort, everything was top class and on top of it we played very well. It wasn&#39;t a performance of tired boys, with the worst possible calendar,&quot; Mourinho said.

&quot;Jesse is more consistent, he is adaptable, he is going in a good direction.&quot;

United are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Watford on Tuesday, and two points ahead of third placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal tomorrow.

With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool&#39;s &#39;Fab Four&#39; to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor.

Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute, hammering home from the edge of the area for his eighth club goal this season.

Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home.

But Liverpool&#39;s Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan poked home from close-range.

Liverpool&#39;s third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four.

&quot;A very difficult game, the weather made it so hard, windy, rainy,&quot; Klopp said.

&quot;This is one of the toughest places to play all season. Did we deserve to win? I don&#39;t care. We got the three points.&quot;

Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle.

Stoke&#39;s latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday&#39;s 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move.

Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range.

That triggered chants for Hughes&#39;s dismissal from Stoke fans, with a &#39;Hughes out&#39; banner held aloft in the stands.

Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone.

High standards

Asked if he feared the sack, a defiant Hughes said: &quot;Who else is going to do it?

&quot;In terms of the knowledge of the group and the progress in my time here, I&#39;m the best person to do it.&quot;

Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester&#39;s 3-0 win over Huddersfield.

Claude Puel&#39;s side took the lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton&#39;s cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season.

With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute.

Albrighton&#39;s 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run.

Callum Wilson&#39;s second goal in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.&nbsp;

Manchester United beat Everton 2-0, Liverpool beat Burnley 2-1

Manchester United put a smile back on Jose Mourinho's face as fine goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard sealed a 2-0 win over Everton, while Liverpool left it late to snatch a 2-1 victory at Burnley. Martial started in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku and the United forward broke the deadlock in the 57th minute at Goodison Park. Paul Pogba teed up Martial on the edge of the area and he stroked a sublime finish into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season. Having struggled towards the end of 2017, United were more commanding in their first match of the new year and Lingard wrapped up the points with a superb solo strike in the 81st minute. The winger beat several Everton players before curling home from 20 yards for his fourth goal in his last five appearances. It was a welcome tonic for Mourinho amid reports the United manager is beginning to lose the support of his players after branding them "childish" and "immature" and admitting the squad needs major investment to catch City. United moved back into second place in the Premier League after ending a frustrating run of three successive draws during the congested Christmas period. "Our pride, our effort, everything was top class and on top of it we played very well. It wasn't a performance of tired boys, with the worst possible calendar," Mourinho said. "Jesse is more consistent, he is adaptable, he is going in a good direction." United are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who host Watford on Tuesday, and two points ahead of third placed Chelsea, who play Arsenal tomorrow. With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool's 'Fab Four' to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor. Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute, hammering home from the edge of the area for his eighth club goal this season. Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home. But Liverpool's Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan poked home from close-range. Liverpool's third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four. "A very difficult game, the weather made it so hard, windy, rainy," Klopp said. "This is one of the toughest places to play all season. Did we deserve to win? I don't care. We got the three points." Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle. Stoke's latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday's 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move. Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range. That triggered chants for Hughes's dismissal from Stoke fans, with a 'Hughes out' banner held aloft in the stands. Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone. High standards Asked if he feared the sack, a defiant Hughes said: "Who else is going to do it? "In terms of the knowledge of the group and the progress in my time here, I'm the best person to do it." Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester's 3-0 win over Huddersfield. Claude Puel's side took the lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton's cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season. With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute. Albrighton's 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run. Callum Wilson's second goal in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.

EPL roundup: United lift Mourinho, Liverpool leave it late

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he is not interested in the individual goal tallies of his attacking players because they will all get opportunities to find the net.

Two goals from Roberto Firmino and one each from Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain helped Liverpool to an emphatic 5-0 win over Swansea City at Anfield.

The victory ensured Liverpool remain in the thick of the battle for the Champions League places in fourth spot &ndash; five points behind second-placed Manchester United.

Brazilian duo Coutinho and Firmino were both particularly influential in the Boxing Day win at Anfield.

However, Klopp preferred to extol the virtues of the collective efforts of his players rather than single out individuals.

Klopp said: &ldquo;I am happy for all the boys when they score but I couldn&rsquo;t say how many he has, or how many he has, I don&rsquo;t care.

&ldquo;That is not in my interest. If we play like we play in our good moments then the boys will be in good situations. They will all score.

&ldquo;Sadio Mane didn&rsquo;t play here but he will score if we play like this, if we bring the different players in the different moments in the different situations.

&ldquo;When you see the result is 5-0 that it was an easy game but it wasn&rsquo;t an easy game. It was really hard work, I&rsquo;ve no problem with that.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really happy with what we learned from the game. It is a perfect result for us, nobody injured I don&rsquo;t think. Important three points, five goals, clean sheet so it&rsquo;s all good.&rdquo;

Klopp withdrew Firmino in the 68th minute and the German explained that he did so with one eye on a hectic period of games over the festive period even though Firmino, who has scored six in in his last seven games, wanted to remain on the pitch.

&ldquo;You could see he wasn&rsquo;t the happiest in the stadium when I took him off but at least I have to stay reasonable or serious because there are a lot of games to come,&rdquo; Klopp said

&ldquo;I appreciate Roberto&rsquo;s effort and performance always and I am happy that he scored twice but I could not say how many he has scored so far in the season.

&ldquo;I feel he is always involved and always in and around the dangerous situations for the opponents. In the first half he was right full back, he was left full back, he was everywhere. At the end he scored two goals so that&rsquo;s nice, very nice.&rdquo;

Klopp also revealed that captain Jordan Henderson and left-back Alberto Moreno, both absent from the win over Swansea through injury, will miss forthcoming fixtures against Leicester City and Burnley.

Swansea caretaker manager Leon Brittan, who expects to be in charge for their next game with Watford as no managerial appointment is imminent, felt his players were guilty of making fundamental errors at Anfield.

&ldquo;The second half after conceding a goal all belief and confidence drained from the players,&rdquo; he said.

&ldquo;We made a lot of errors, basic mistakes, and you do it against a team of Liverpool&#39;s quality you get punished. We are bottom of the league and confidence is low. It&#39;s unacceptable.&quot; 
&nbsp;

Jurgen Klopp preferred to extol the virtues of the collective efforts of his players rather than single out individuals

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he is not interested in the individual goal tallies of his attacking players because they will all get opportunities to find the net. Two goals from Roberto Firmino and one each from Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain helped Liverpool to an emphatic 5-0 win over Swansea City at Anfield. The victory ensured Liverpool remain in the thick of the battle for the Champions League places in fourth spot – five points behind second-placed Manchester United. Brazilian duo Coutinho and Firmino were both particularly influential in the Boxing Day win at Anfield. However, Klopp preferred to extol the virtues of the collective efforts of his players rather than single out individuals. Klopp said: “I am happy for all the boys when they score but I couldn’t say how many he has, or how many he has, I don’t care. “That is not in my interest. If we play like we play in our good moments then the boys will be in good situations. They will all score. “Sadio Mane didn’t play here but he will score if we play like this, if we bring the different players in the different moments in the different situations. “When you see the result is 5-0 that it was an easy game but it wasn’t an easy game. It was really hard work, I’ve no problem with that. “I’m really happy with what we learned from the game. It is a perfect result for us, nobody injured I don’t think. Important three points, five goals, clean sheet so it’s all good.” Klopp withdrew Firmino in the 68th minute and the German explained that he did so with one eye on a hectic period of games over the festive period even though Firmino, who has scored six in in his last seven games, wanted to remain on the pitch. “You could see he wasn’t the happiest in the stadium when I took him off but at least I have to stay reasonable or serious because there are a lot of games to come,” Klopp said “I appreciate Roberto’s effort and performance always and I am happy that he scored twice but I could not say how many he has scored so far in the season. “I feel he is always involved and always in and around the dangerous situations for the opponents. In the first half he was right full back, he was left full back, he was everywhere. At the end he scored two goals so that’s nice, very nice.” Klopp also revealed that captain Jordan Henderson and left-back Alberto Moreno, both absent from the win over Swansea through injury, will miss forthcoming fixtures against Leicester City and Burnley. Swansea caretaker manager Leon Brittan, who expects to be in charge for their next game with Watford as no managerial appointment is imminent, felt his players were guilty of making fundamental errors at Anfield. “The second half after conceding a goal all belief and confidence drained from the players,” he said. “We made a lot of errors, basic mistakes, and you do it against a team of Liverpool's quality you get punished. We are bottom of the league and confidence is low. It's unacceptable."

Klopp refuses to be star struck at Liverpool

Tottenham Hotspur&#39;s Harry Kane became Europe&#39;s most lethal marksman of 2017 with a second hat-trick in four days to break a 22-year-old Premier League record as his side thumped Southampton 5-2 on Tuesday.

Another young England striker was also among the goals as Jesse Lingard struck twice, the second in stoppage time, as Manchester United hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Burnley and deny the visitors a first win at Old Trafford since 1962.

Second-placed United&#39;s second consecutive 2-2 draw left them 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City, who play Newcastle United on Wednesday. United&#39;s result allowed Chelsea to close to within a point of Jose Mourinho&#39;s side with a laboured 2-0 home win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Liverpool slipped below Tottenham for a few hours but reclaimed fourth spot in emphatic fashion in the late Boxing Day kickoff by hammering bottom club Swansea City 5-0.

Roberto Firmino scored twice for Liverpool with Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also on target for Juergen Klopp&#39;s side.

There was no doubt who the spotlight was on though as England striker Kane eclipsed Alan Shearer&#39;s record 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year, taking his tally to 39 in 2017.

He is also the Premier League&#39;s leading scorer this season with 18, having won the Golden Boot for the past two seasons.

Two close-range efforts and a superb dinked finish from fellow goalscorer Dele Alli&#39;s pass took his tally in all competitions in the calendar year for club and country to 56, lifting him ahead of Lionel Messi who hit 54 for Barcelona and Argentina in the past 12 months.

Kane is the first player apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi to finish the year as top scorer in Europe since 2009.

&quot;I&#39;m very proud of it. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for so long, they&#39;re two of the world&#39;s greatest players ever,&quot; Kane said.

&quot;I said to the lads before the game to try and set me up and they all did that, so I&#39;ll have to take them out to dinner or something.&quot;

With runaway leaders Manchester City not in action it was a chance for United to close the gap to 10 points but they ended the day 12 behind as Burnley came close to a shock.

Ashley Barnes gave Burnley a third-minute lead and the visitors went further ahead when Belgian midfielder Steven Defour curled a 36th-minute free-kick past David De Gea.

Mourinho put Lingard on in the second half in place of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, after missing a sitter, he reduced the arrears with a back-heel flick. Burnley hung on desperately but Lingard drove home the equaliser in stoppage time.

&quot;We should have won, yes. I take satisfaction by the way the team played, by the way the team reacted, to try to recover from 2-0 down,&quot; Mourinho said.

Chelsea were uninspired at Stamford Bridge but Alvaro Morata and Spanish compatriot Marcos Alonso scored after the break to earn the win and move Chelsea to 42 points from 20 games.

Liverpool have 38 with Tottenham on 37 and Arsenal, who play at Crystal Palace on Thursday, on 34.

A fierce relegation battle on the south coast led to Bournemouth snatching a point at the death with a 3-3 draw against West Ham United - Callum Wilson&#39;s controversial goal denying the visitors a victory.

Wilson&#39;s effort, after Marko Arnautovic&#39;s two late goals had turned the game on its head to give West Ham a 3-2 lead, was initially disallowed for offside but was deemed legal by referee Bobby Madley.

&quot;The mistake was the referee went to the linesman. He knows he made a mistake, but we all make mistakes,&quot; Arnautovic said.

The result left Bournemouth third from bottom, a point and a place below West Ham.

Watford snapped a four-game losing streak as they came back to beat Leicester City 2-1 thanks to an own goal by Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Huddersfield drew 1-1 at home to Stoke City and second-bottom West Bromwich Albion did little to ease their relegation fears with a 0-0 draw at home to Everton.

Liverpool slipped below Tottenham for a few hours but reclaimed fourth spot in emphatic fashion in the late Boxing Day kickoff by hammering bottom club Swansea City 5-0

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane became Europe's most lethal marksman of 2017 with a second hat-trick in four days to break a 22-year-old Premier League record as his side thumped Southampton 5-2 on Tuesday. Another young England striker was also among the goals as Jesse Lingard struck twice, the second in stoppage time, as Manchester United hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Burnley and deny the visitors a first win at Old Trafford since 1962. Second-placed United's second consecutive 2-2 draw left them 12 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City, who play Newcastle United on Wednesday. United's result allowed Chelsea to close to within a point of Jose Mourinho's side with a laboured 2-0 home win over Brighton and Hove Albion. Liverpool slipped below Tottenham for a few hours but reclaimed fourth spot in emphatic fashion in the late Boxing Day kickoff by hammering bottom club Swansea City 5-0. Roberto Firmino scored twice for Liverpool with Philippe Coutinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also on target for Juergen Klopp's side. There was no doubt who the spotlight was on though as England striker Kane eclipsed Alan Shearer's record 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year, taking his tally to 39 in 2017. He is also the Premier League's leading scorer this season with 18, having won the Golden Boot for the past two seasons. Two close-range efforts and a superb dinked finish from fellow goalscorer Dele Alli's pass took his tally in all competitions in the calendar year for club and country to 56, lifting him ahead of Lionel Messi who hit 54 for Barcelona and Argentina in the past 12 months. Kane is the first player apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi to finish the year as top scorer in Europe since 2009. "I'm very proud of it. Messi and Ronaldo have dominated football for so long, they're two of the world's greatest players ever," Kane said. "I said to the lads before the game to try and set me up and they all did that, so I'll have to take them out to dinner or something." With runaway leaders Manchester City not in action it was a chance for United to close the gap to 10 points but they ended the day 12 behind as Burnley came close to a shock. Ashley Barnes gave Burnley a third-minute lead and the visitors went further ahead when Belgian midfielder Steven Defour curled a 36th-minute free-kick past David De Gea. Mourinho put Lingard on in the second half in place of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, after missing a sitter, he reduced the arrears with a back-heel flick. Burnley hung on desperately but Lingard drove home the equaliser in stoppage time. "We should have won, yes. I take satisfaction by the way the team played, by the way the team reacted, to try to recover from 2-0 down," Mourinho said. Chelsea were uninspired at Stamford Bridge but Alvaro Morata and Spanish compatriot Marcos Alonso scored after the break to earn the win and move Chelsea to 42 points from 20 games. Liverpool have 38 with Tottenham on 37 and Arsenal, who play at Crystal Palace on Thursday, on 34. A fierce relegation battle on the south coast led to Bournemouth snatching a point at the death with a 3-3 draw against West Ham United - Callum Wilson's controversial goal denying the visitors a victory. Wilson's effort, after Marko Arnautovic's two late goals had turned the game on its head to give West Ham a 3-2 lead, was initially disallowed for offside but was deemed legal by referee Bobby Madley. "The mistake was the referee went to the linesman. He knows he made a mistake, but we all make mistakes," Arnautovic said. The result left Bournemouth third from bottom, a point and a place below West Ham. Watford snapped a four-game losing streak as they came back to beat Leicester City 2-1 thanks to an own goal by Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel. Huddersfield drew 1-1 at home to Stoke City and second-bottom West Bromwich Albion did little to ease their relegation fears with a 0-0 draw at home to Everton.

EPL: Liverpool thump Tottenham, Man United come back from two goals down

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