The best example of a score when you have to be alert is this one. We will have to play the same way we played the first leg in order to win the second leg. The score is okay, but we are not through.
In the last few years, this competition has given us some amazing second legs, including the case of Barcelona, who were thrashed in the first leg but came back to win in the return fixture. It will be the same as the unforgettable night at Anfield in May of last year if the team is knocked out by the team from Spain.
The second leg of the Europa League final is still possible, despite the fact that last season's winners, Villarreal, still have a chance. The Yellow Submarine has ended the European ambitions of five other teams over the past year, so it will not be easy for the Reds to take them lightly.
The danger of Villarreal on the counterattack was not seen by either of the two teams that paid a heavy price, but by the other, who made no mistake in their defensive concentration. By the end of the game, the Reds had 20 attempts on goal compared to the one for the Yellow Submarine. According to the official statistics, Emery&s team had 182 passes compared to 93 for the Reds. In terms of possession, the Reds had a lot of it over the 90 minutes.
They won only 2-0 because of missed chances, as well as the organization and defensive discipline of the other team. In the first half, the Spanish team defused the atmosphere, slowed the game down, and denied the space to play at their usual breathtaking pace. There was always a sense that the dam would break if the home side continued to pour forward, even though the crowd was quietened and the approach frustrated the home side.
It was all about game management and patience, something that was made easier by the presence of Thiago Alcantara in the middle of the park, with the former Barcelona and Bayern player ensuring that nobody in a red shirt panicked at the attempts to suffocate the game. After Fabinho had a goal ruled out for being in the wrong place at the right time, it was clear that the Reds were ready to pounce on the chance to open the scoring.
The goal brought relief and greater urgency, and Sadio Mane doubled the lead two minutes later when he poked the ball underneath Rulli after being set free by Mohamed Salah. In the blink of an eye, they had gone from being firmly in the tie to having to cling on with their fingertips. Andy Robertson's goal was ruled out for being in an area that wasn't in play, and the other two players that went close to adding to the score were denied.
Even though it has conceded seven goals in its past two away ties in the playoffs, this team is too good to give up a two-goal advantage. While Manchester City must defend a one-goal lead against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday following their 4-3 first-leg win,Liverpool's challenge is nothing more than routine.
When nobody gave them a chance against Barcelona, and when nobody gave them a chance to win against Villarreal, he will remind them.
The way in which they were organised was a lesson for the manager. The best way to deal with a 2-0 lead is to ignore it and start again.
There is still defiance and a belief that they can pull off a shock.
Emery said after the game that the Reds are going to suffer more than in tonight's game.
That might be the case, but the reality is that the fans can start planning for Paris.
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