Jürgen Klopp Hails 'Deserved' Liverpool Win Over Manchester City As Reds Advance to UCL Last 4

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has insisted that his side were worthy winners over Manchester City in the all-English UEFA Champions League quarter final, after the Reds won 2-1 at the Etihad on Tuesday to earn a 5-1 aggregate victory.

Speaking after the game, and quoted on Liverpool's website, Klopp said: "Over two legs and two games I really think we are deservedly in the next round. We scored five goals against Man City and we conceded one – these numbers are usually not possible."

The German was also full of praise for Sadio Mané, although the Senegal star was the only one of the Reds' front three not to score in the second leg: "He is in an outstanding moment. It was his birthday today and he gave himself the best present with a fantastic performance."

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Klopp was delighted with his side's improvement in the second half against City, after being dominated in the opening 45 minutes:

"I knew we’d have to change a little bit from the first half. We had to be more compact, win more second balls – to be more compact and then because of that winning more second balls – and then playing more and better football in the moments where we got the ball.

"That was much better in the second half and we were then really difficult."

Klopp also hinted that his side have nothing to fear from the other sides left in the Champions League:

"I really think [City] are the best team in the world at the moment. But I knew we could beat them. But that doesn’t make us the better team, it’s football. It’s the cool thing in the game, that it’s still possible."

By beating Manchester City, Liverpool have reached the Champions League semi finals for the first time since 2008. It will also be Klopp's first semi final in the tournament since he guided Borussia Dortmund to victory over Real Madrid in 2013.