Liverpool: Mohamed Salah came back to haunt former club Roma in spectacular style with two goals and two assists as Liverpool stormed towards the Champions League final with a 5-2 semi-final, first-leg win at Anfield last night.
Roberto Firmino also scored twice and Sadio Mane netted Liverpool’s other goal to make up for missing a series of gilt-edged chances as the scoreline did anything but flatter the hosts.
Roma produced one of the finest comebacks in Champions League history by overturning a 4-1 first-leg deficit against Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
They will need to do the same in the return leg on May 2, but the visitors were at least given a lifeline when Edin Dzeko and Diego Perotti grabbed two vital away goals in the final 10 minutes.
Liverpool will rue their missed chances and poor late defending, but remain well on course for a first final in 11 years.
The hosts’ early rhythm was disrupted when Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain was stretchered off with a nasty-looking knee injury, which could threaten his World Cup dreams with England.
Moments later, the visitors were inches away from the opener when Aleksandar Kolarov’s long-range strike slipped through the grasp of Loris Karius and came back off the crossbar.
However, Liverpool soon settled and should have put the tie beyond doubt before half-time.
Mane blazed over when clean through on goal and then skewed wide when teed up by Firmino.
Salah’s first sight of goal then brought a smart save from Alisson before Mane’s frustrating night continued as he was flagged offside when he did put the ball in the net from Andrew Robertson’s low cross.
Roma have now lost their last four Champions League away games – shipping 13 goals in the process – and were punished by the man they sold to Liverpool for what now seems a bargain 42 million euros ($52m) last year.
Meanwhile, police are investigating “a serious assault” following reports a Liverpool fan was attacked ahead of the match.
Merseyside Police posted a message yesterday evening, confirming an incident had taken place and appealing for video footage.