Liverpool comeback sinks Manchester City

Liverpool advanced to the last four with a 5-1 aggregate victory against Manchester City thanks to second-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

• THE MATCH AS IT HAPPENED

Roberto Firmino enjoys his winning goal©Getty Images

Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, City made the early inroad they needed when Raheem Sterling burst away and crossed for Gabriel Jesus to sweep past Loris Karius inside two minutes. Josep Guardiola's charges dominated the remainder of the half and came close to making it two when Bernardo Silva's deflected drive struck a post.

Liverpool weathered the storm, however, and pounced to equalise when Salah rounded Ederson and clipped in after Sadio Mané's piercing run has been halted in the box. Any lingering doubts for the visitors were dismissed 13 minutes from time when Firmino robbed Nicolás Otamendi and fired in off the post.

Key player: Sadio Mané (Liverpool)

It was Salah – who else – who grabbed Liverpool's crucial first away goal, but City couldn't deal with Mané's pace and tenacity in the build-up to the Egyptian's equaliser. After a quiet first half the 26-year-old was much more lively in the second, causing the City rearguard all sorts of problems down the right flank.

Reporter talking points

Gabriel Jesus had given City hope with his early goal©Getty Images

Simon Hart, Manchester City: For City this capped the worst week of their season – a third straight defeat and the very worst time to hit a blip. It might, just might, have been different had they got a second goal before the break. Pep Guardiola had set them up in a bold formation and after the excitement of their early goal, they were close to making it 2-0 in the final minutes of the half with Sané's offside goal and Bernardo Silva striking a post. It was impossible to sustain their high tempo in the second half, though. They were not at their incisive best, and as the belief ebbed and energy levels dropped, Liverpool picked them off.

Matthew Howarth, Liverpool: They were run ragged by City in the first half and were perhaps fortunate not to be two goals down at the interval, but to their credit Liverpool kept their composure after the break. The Reds thoroughly deserve their place in the last four and will fancy their chances against any of the remaining teams in the competition.

Key stats

Liverpool applaud their fans after progressing©Getty Images

• Liverpool's 33 goals in this season's #UCL is the most ever by an English club
• This was the fourth successive away #UCL game in which Firmino has scored
• Salah joins Samuel Eto'o as only African players to score eight #UCL goals in a season
• Liverpool are the first team to beat a Guardiola-managed side three times in one season
• Liverpool have scored in all but one of their ten #UCL games since matchday one