Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk admits Liverpool face an “almost impossible” task to keep their Champions League hopes alive after a 5-2 hammering in the first leg of their ...

It sounds pretty easy but it isn’t — that’s the hard reality. “We have almost an impossible job in Madrid in three weeks’ time, but when the time is right, we’ll focus and we’ll give everything to represent the club as good as we can,” said defender Van Dijk. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP)

Plus: Real Madrid once again show they are the comeback kings as Vinicius Junior breaks Johan Cruyffs record, while Pep Guardiola defends Manchester Citys ...

He cut an exasperated figure for much of their 1-1 draw, regularly making runs only to find that the ball did not arrive. The debate about his role in the side will continue. Pep Guardiola was prickly with the press after Manchester City's 1-1 draw away to RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie. Striker is the glory position but in this Manchester City team it requires plenty of patience too. But the feeling persists that City would be winning these games at their very best. Failing to find Erling Haaland as often as he would like has been a feature of Manchester City's season despite his prolific scoring record. That alone demonstrates the calibre of player the Real Madrid star has become. The now 14-time champions of Europe had won against a better version of Liverpool than this in Paris in May. The list of teams beaten includes Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid. Marco Rose won his first eight home games upon taking over at the start of September. The Kop were defiant at the end but not daft. They are an opponent capable of exposing fragilities, able to leave Anfield facing up to the chastening reality that the revival was just an illusion.

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has urged manager Jurgen Klopp to get rid of half a dozen players in a drastic Anfield shake-up.The Premier L.

[losing 5-2 against Real Madrid](https://talksport.com/football/1339400/liverpool-real-madrid-nightmare-champions-league/) in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday night. [Klopp](https://talksport.com/who/jurgen-klopp/)‘s side are eighth in the Premier League table – seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. Some who will be on big money? We will have to wait and see. [Murphy](https://talksport.com/who/danny-murphy/) believes a squad overhaul is needed at [Anfield](https://talksport.com/sport/football/team/113209/liverpool/), with James Milner, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, James Milner and Robert Firmino all yet to extend their stay beyond the summer. [Premier League side](https://talksport.com/sport/football/team/113209/liverpool/) have struggled for consistency this season and are in real danger of missing out on qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Real Madrid came back from two goals down to defeat Liverpool 5-2 at Anfield on Tuesday in a historic Champions League performance.

Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid produced another stunning Champions League fightback from 2-0 down to thrash Liverpool 5-2 in the ...

“In three weeks we will get to the game and take our chances. Liverpool’s leaky defence was breached again at the start of the second period as Militao was afforded a free header to turn in Luka Modric’s free-kick. But the defending champions again showed remarkable powers of recovery to turn the tie around in little over 30 minutes of play. “Up front today we were very efficient. The Liverpool support responded by drowning out the Champions League anthem with a chorus of boos, while a series of banners in the Kop stand took aim at UEFA and the French authorities. Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah had given the hosts a perfect start in a repeat of last season’s Champions League final.

Former Liverpool star, Danny Murphy, has urged manager Jurgen Klopp to sell six players in his squad after Tuesday's UEFA Champions League round of 16.

“Matip has been there seven or eight years. Matip has been great by the way, it is not a criticism of him, but there is a time when the squad has to evolve. Murphy told talkSPORT: “I think it is time for a big reset, I think there are going to be five or six gone in the summer.