Liverpool welcome Villarreal to Anfield for this season's Champions League semi-final.
The Spanish side, coached by Unai Emery who has an extraordinary European record, may be 25 points behind Real Madrid in La Liga but they have had an excellent European campaign.
They dumped Juventus out of the last 16 before dumping 10 time Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich out in the Quarter Finals.
Liverpool have enjoyed a wonderful week and will be keen to build on it with an important first leg here at Anfield.
The reds are without Firmino who is slowly returning to training. Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas are also unavailable due to illness.
The return leg is next Tuesday. Can Liverpool take a sizeable advantage to Spain next week?
Follow tonight's game with us here.
As it happened...
Three changes from the Everton game. Konate, Henderson and Luis Diaz back in the starting XI.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Alcantara, Diaz, Mane, Salah
Subs: Adrián, Kelleher, Keïta, Gomez, Milner, Minamino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jota, Williams, Matip, Origi, Elliott
Unai Emery sends out the Yellow Submarine of Villarreal like this
Rulli, Estupiñán, Torres, Albiol, Foyth, Chukwueze, Parejo, Capoue, Coquelin, Danjuma, Lo Celso
Subs: Jörgensen, Asenjo, Pedraza, Mandi, Gaspar, Aurier, Peña, Gómez, Iborra
We understand the former Liverpool defender is here in the stadium with his Villarreal team but unfortunately not available in the matchday squad for Villarreal.
He took a lot of flak for the Europa League loss to Unai Emery's Sevilla back in 2016, but has been passionate on his social media during Liverpool's successes in recent years.
"If I see him at Anfield tomorrow, I'll go over and give him a massive hug." ❤️
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 27, 2022
He may be an opponent this evening, but Alberto Moreno can't wait to see his former manager! ????#UCL pic.twitter.com/ByBtV7eVdf
Here's what Jurgen had to say:
"We know that when we go to Villarreal, whichever result we get tomorrow night, there will be an incredibly emotional atmosphere there and that is what we have to create.
"It’s nice if you play first away and you have a result you can fight for at home, with your crowd - but who cares? That’s not how it is.
"We have to make sure we are really completely on top of our game - everybody in the stadium.
"Our supporters are smart supporters. They watch football and they know Villarreal are strong. There are moments where we will suffer tomorrow night, definitely. I know that now already, and that’s what we have to be ready for - there is no need to get nervous. But we can make them suffer as well, and we have to do that all together.
"This advantage at home, we have to use. I don’t know which result we will get, but we will work with it and fight at Villarreal, because it means everything to us to reach the Champions League final."
The Egyptian King has scored 33 times in this competition for Liverpool.
That's just 3 behind the Premier League sides record set by Didier Drogba (Chelsea) and Sergio Aguero (Man City).
Can he break the record this season?
Liverpool are kicking towards the Kop in the first half after Villarreal won the toss and switched sides.
3' Luis Diaz is straight into Juan Foyth to charge down a clearance. The crowd love that.
4' Lovely long ball by Thiago but it's a bit too hot for Salah to handle before it goes over the touchline.
8' Robertson sends in the corner, of course Konate gets there and heads down but Sadio Mane can't control it from about 6 yards out!
And another corner - headed over by Mo Salah.
12' Great chance for the reds. Salah works the ball well and sends in an excellent cross but Mane's header is not on target.
He could have two already.
14' There was some power behind that. Luis Diaz from outside the area hits a powerful curler that the keeper manages to parry just in front of him and then dives on.
Good effort from the Colombian.
22' Henderson has a dig that hits the outside of the post. Think he was trying to cross that back to the six yard box.
27' Mane and Salah combine to fashion a chance in the area. Left footed curler from Salah - just over the bar.
29' Trent smashes a free kick into the wall. That was a decent free kick position for the Liverpool right back.
31' The Villarreal keeper is not enjoying these Luis Diaz shots. He deals with that but it's not convincing.
34' Foul by big Virgil. I would not want to have been on the end of that shoulder barge.
Yellow card.
33' It's another one for Mane. Collects the ball at the edge of the area, spins, and hits a shot that takes a deflection for a corner.
34' Lo Celso blocks a Salah volley.
Villarreal getting through their nine lives here!
36' Robertson pings it from left to right side of the pitch.
Trent sends it back in with a first time cross but Salah shins it over the crossbar.
That would have been a very special goal.
41' Thiago smashes one from some distance that hits the post.
A huge number of shots from the reds in this half.
HT: Liverpool 0-0 Villarreal
A little reminscent of the derby. Villarreal with plenty of men behind the ball.
It's been almost all Liverpool - the post has been rattled three times and Mane could have had a hat-trick.
But it's goalless.
Liverpool had 13 shots in that half to Villarreal's one.
Seven different Liverpool players having an attempt at goal.
It was mighty close!
Liverpool fans knew just how close that was... ????#UCL pic.twitter.com/YB3pSnzCnB
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 27, 2022
Back underway for the second half.
No half time subs.
47' Pervis Estupiñán goes into the book for a foul on Mo Salah.
49' Fabinho puts the ball in the Villarreal net but its offside. Van Dijk had nodded the ball down to him from an offside position.
53' The reds have the ball in the net again.
This time it counts!
Jordan Henderson collects at the edge of the area from Trent - attempts a cross - deflected off a defenders boot and the keeper can only flap that into the net.
1-0.
56' A quickfire second from Liverpool who have taken control of this game.
Mo Salah lays it through for Sadio Mane to poke the ball home.
What a change for the reds.
Anfield is bouncing ❤#UCL | #LIVVIL pic.twitter.com/jzGCQOIDRX
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 27, 2022
???? pic.twitter.com/goZh1T5ArD
— Steve Hothersall (@stevehothersall) April 27, 2022
62' Lo Celso goes into the book for a foul on Robertson.
64' Andy Robertson thought he'd scored. Great ball in from Trent, Robbo lashes it in from the edge of the six yard box but he is offside.
68' Liverpool hungry for more. Van Dijk shot beaten away and then Luis Diaz has a shot deflected wide.
72' Diogo Jota replaces Mane. Naby Keita replaces Jordan Henderson.
72' Serge Aurier, Trigueros and Dia all on for the away side.
80' Divock Origi on for Luis Diaz, Joe Gomez on for Trent.
Liverpool still searching for a third.
85' Alcacer on for Villarreal for the last five minutes.
85' Excellent work from Jota there who slipped but managed to keep control of the ball and even supply Naby Keita with an opportunity.
Liverpool 2-0 up but still grafting hard - looking for more.
We've got another two minutes at Anfield.
Liverpool 2-0 up in this first leg.
FT: Liverpool 2-0 Villarreal
An excellent dominant performance from the reds. They also had two goals ruled out for offside and hit the post three times in the first half alone.
Wonderful display from the reds.
Liverpool have a big advantage for the second leg where Villarreal will have to be more adventurous.
That should be a cracker.
Both Man City and Liverpool head to Spain next midweek for the second legs. Will they both be heading to the final in Paris at the end of May?
Tue: Villarreal v Liverpool (0-2)
Wed: Real Madrid v Man City (3-4)
