Liverpool overcame another frustrating first half and struck twice after the break to take full control of their Champions League semi-final tie against Villarreal, winning 2-0.
It was a similar tale to Sunday's Merseyside derby, as the visitors came with the intention of defending from the off, and it worked in the first half, just as it did for Everton. They sat 11 men behind the ball, and looked to frustrate Jurgen Klopp's side, and the vast majority of the Anfield crowd.
But it's almost impossible to keep Liverpool quiet, and Jordan Henderson's deflected effort shortly after the break gave the hosts the breakthrough that they craved. And it opened the floodgates, as Sadio Mane added a quickfire second following a threaded pass from Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool themselves backed off slightly, as they expected a response from Villarreal, but they've done exactly what Klopp would have wanted. The Reds will now travel to Spain with a two-goal advantage, and their opposition will not be able to sit back like they did at Anfield.
It wasn't quite the thriller that fans were treated too last night as Manchester City edged Real Madrid, but Liverpool will be the happier of all four sides left in the competition. Here Mirror Football assess the winners and losers from the clash between Liverpool and Villarreal at Anfield...
Winners...
Trent Alexander-Arnold
It's not often that Trent Alexander-Arnold has a bad game for Liverpool, but the right-back starred for the Reds yet again during their win against Villarreal. Although the visitors didn't pose much of a threat, Alexander-Arnold did have the dangerous Arnaut Danjuma to deal with, and he did so with ease.
The right-back gets some criticism for his defensive work on occasions, but he held his own against the Dutchman, and a clever tactical tweak also led to the first goal. Alexander-Arnold is usually the main threat down the right flank, but Villarreal tracked him all the way.
So Alexander-Arnold held back and allowed Henderson to venture forward, but the visitors remained worried about the right-back. However, Henderson's effort was deflected in while Villarreal regrettably underestimated the Liverpool captain.
Jordan Henderson
Henderson has been subject to rotation in recent weeks, but the Liverpool skipper proved how valuable his experience can be in the vital moments. Liverpool were frustrated in the first-half, but just like how the Reds used to count on Steven Gerrard to make a difference, Henderson did just that.
The skipper broke through down the right and found acres of space in behind Villarreal, and his effort was deflected in for the opening goal, and then the floodgates opened. Henderson was a frustrated figure himself in the first-half, but he kept his cool as a leader and trusted in his side.
Henderson was already a vital part of the Champions League winning side in 2019, and the skipper may be dreaming of lifting the European Cup once again. It was a brilliant captain's performance, and Liverpool now have a healthy lead in the tie.
Juan Foyth
Villarreal may have lost 2-0, but former Tottenham star Juan Foyth starred in a compact back-line. The Argentine was handed the rather daunting task of marking Luis Diaz, and he handled the threat well.
Diaz may have registered more shots than any other player in the match, but they came from wild areas as Foyth gave him little room. Not many players have dealt with Diaz since his move to Liverpool, but Foyth can leave Anfield feeling positive.
It's expected that Foyth will be planted on Diaz for the second leg too, and Tottenham may be starting to regret letting the defender go. They've been handed a blow in the right-back position, and Emerson Royal has flopped.
Losers...
Raul Albiol
Raul Albiol will be battered and bruised after attempting to block everything against Liverpool, but two key moments from the Spaniard changed the first leg. Straight from the kick-off toss, Albiol upset the Anfield crowd by switching sides, meaning that Liverpool were attacking the Kop in the first half, rather than the second.
But after the Reds took the lead early in the second, Villarreal were then very far from their own supporters, when they needed them most. And after the first went in, the second shortly followed, and Albiol was the one that kept Mane onside.
Albiol may be experienced, but his is one of the slower movers at the back, and his positioning kept Mane onside, who fired Liverpool's second. 1-0 wouldn't have been the worst result for Villarreal, but 2-0 gives them a mountain to climb.
Pervis Estupinan
Pervis Estupinan had a great first half for Villarreal, but like the rest of his team-mates, it all went wrong in the second. The left-back picked up a yellow card that majorly altered his approach, and the first goal came from his side as a result.
Estupinan then had Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Mane running at him, and there were a few close moments were a second yellow may have beckoned. But he remained on the field, luckily for Emery.
It was a huge wake-up call for a defender that went into half-time with a lot of confidence. And he will be wary in the second leg of putting a foot wrong.
