Liverpool surprisingly defeated Manchester City, 3-0, in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg at Anfield Wednesday night. The Premier League’s second highest scoring team took an early lead through Mohamed Salah before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s thunderous strike made it 2-0. Sadio Mane added a third before halftime as the Reds’ defence held Manchester City. The Reds’ win now takes them into the second leg with the possibility of an away goal putting the tie to bed.
Liverpool’s clean sheet was the most surprising aspect of the team’s win. The Reds have been hit by injury recently and were without Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Adam Lallana due to injury. However, the back four of Virgil van Dijk, Dejan Lovren, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson didn’t put a foot wrong all night.
Manchester City greatly missed star striker Sergio Aguero, who sat out due to a knee injury. Aguero’s replacement, Gabriel Jesus, struggled to get into the game throughout the 90 minutes. Jesus had jut 25 touches of the ball during the night while Manchester City failed to register a shot on goal.
Liverpool ace Salah did go off in the 53rd minute. He looked to have suffered a groin injury and his removal may have been precautionary. Although the game ended in a Reds’ win, the team’s attack looked far different in the second half without the Egyptian.
The tie was explosive from the moment the busses arrived at Anfield, and Twitter exploded before, during and after the Reds’ win.
Liverpool 3-0 Manchester City: How did Twitter react to Reds’ win?
https://twitter.com/Saints_Forum/status/981701022505676801
So….let me get this straight, Mourinho can go to Anfield, shutdown Liverpool & his tactics are declared finished but Guardiola can go there, lose 3-0 with no shot on target for 90 minutes but he is the one changing football because his CBs pass the ball to themselves 500 times?
— Babanla (@biolakazeem) April 5, 2018
I was too young to remember the last time liverpool in the quater finals of the ucl but ive heard all about the stories and i have been wishing for a day like this to happen. Thank you jurgen and the bois for making my wish come true #YNWA #AllezAllezAllez @LFC
— Arif Fauzi (@ArifFauzzi) April 5, 2018
The view from the Liverpool team bus yesterday before @LFC v @ManCity #LIVMCY
— Football Away Days (@sportingawayday) April 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/Nicoleseaton_x/status/981778915910971392
https://twitter.com/konyo_amos/status/981777865049018368
https://twitter.com/ceejayonlyne/status/981760172346486784
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain:
Spent 8 years in the round of 16 with Arsenal.
Spends 8 months at Liverpool and he's scoring rockets in the quarter finals. pic.twitter.com/4Srq6FhpfU— Soccer Memes (@SoccerMemes) April 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/MJ_MOLOI/status/981770587549945856
Liverpool will travel to the Etihad next Tuesday for the return leg. Manchester City must not only at least three goals, but the club must keep Liverpool from registering an away goal.
