Mohamed Salah scored the Reds opening goal from the penalty spot in under two minutes from kick off.

It is Liverpool’s sixth European Cup title, having last won the competition in 2005 and reaching two finals since then.

This was Tottenham’s first time making it all the way as they overcome to the likes of Manchester City and Ajax in the quarter and semi-finals respectively.

James Pearce, Ian Doyle and Connor Dunn are at the Wanda Metropolitano this evening to bring you live updates, reaction and news from the game.

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“Naby is a good player — you can see that and he’s only going to get better,” said Liverpool veteran James Milner.

England

SADIO MANE (Liverpool)

He scored shortly after being denied by West Ham’s ultra-busy goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. Mane made no mistake from close range after being set up by a terrific run by former England international Milner. The 26-year-old forward added a second early in the second half.

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

Started quickly to set aside the disappointment of the World Cup with Liverpool’s first goal, a finely-taken effort and was unlucky to go in at the break with just one to his name as the outstanding Fabianski saved twice from him. He even earned a hug from a Liverpool fan invading the pitch in the second half, which provoked a beaming smile from the Egyptian star.

NABY KEITA (Liverpool)

The Guinea international is flattered to have been given the number eight shirt that icon Steven Gerrard wore and has not been used since he retired. He certainly did it proud in his first Premier League appearance since arriving from RB Leipzig, settling in well and sparking the move that led to Salah’s first-half goal. The 23-year-old provided an impressive performance at the heart of midfield.

YVES BISSOUMA (Brighton)

The young Mali midfielder came on with half a hour to go in a 2-0 loss at Watford for his Premier League bow for Brighton since moving from Ligue 1 Lille. However, the 21-year-old Ivory Coast-born player, like his team-mates, failed to flourish in what manager Chris Hughton had eyed as a potential victory having bought prudently in the close season.

WILFRIED ZAHA (Crystal Palace)

Palace had already, to a certain extent, secured a victory before the season started in keeping their skilful Ivorian forward and warding off courting rivals. The 25-year-old showed how important he is to Roy Hodgson’s season, whether it be another battle against relegation or somewhat loftier ambitions than that, as he went close with one effort before scoring the second goal, slotting the ball home from Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s pass, in an impressive 2-0 opening win at big-spending London rivals Fulham.

JEAN-MICHAEL SERI (Fulham)

Having spent £100 million (112 mn euros) on new players — the most by a newly promoted Premier League club — with a quarter of that sum splashed on the former Nice midfielder, the ball-winning Ivory Coast star did not disappoint in an impressive debut. Even though the match ended in defeat, 27-year-old Seri’s performance augurs well, even if he tired a little.

France

BERTRAND TRAORE (Lyon)

The Burkina Faso forward made a fine start to his second season in France with an impressive solo goal in Lyon’s 2-0 win over Amiens on the opening weekend. The 22-year-old Traore, who netted 13 times in his debut season in France, drove past a defender and into the penalty area before slotting the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Regis Gurtner from an acute angle.

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“We had to create a squad which is strong enough and wide enough to cope with the Premier League and to be as successful as possible,” said Klopp on Friday.

The club’s business was also done early to give Brazil’s number one Alisson Becker and midfielders Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri time to bed in before their campaign kicks off at home to West Ham on Sunday.

Just as importantly, unlike Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho who were lured away from Anfield to Barcelona in recent years, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino signed new contracts as a statement of intent of what is to come for Klopp’s Liverpool.

Despite not winning a trophy since the charismatic German coach took charge in 2015, the Reds are also building from position of strength.

A run to the Champions League final in May before losing out to Real Madrid showed both how far Liverpool had come in his time in charge, but also where there was room for improvement.

Madrid also outclassed Liverpool in midfield in Kiev, as they have done to most sides in winning three straight Champions League titles thanks to the talent of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

But the additions of Fabinho and Keita significantly improve Liverpool’s quality in that area of the field and crucially fit perfectly into Klopp’s high pressing system.

Despite thrashing Manchester City 5-1 over two legs in the Champions League quarter-finals, Klopp’s men finished 25 points adrift of the record-breaking Premier League champions last season.

“The champions are Manchester City; they didn’t lose any player and they brought in (Riyad) Mahrez, so that doesn’t make them weaker,” warned Klopp, insisting Liverpool are still the underdogs.

“We are still Rocky Balboa and not Ivan Drago. We are the ones who have to do more and fight more -– that must be our attitude.”

But with such a tight turnaround with less than a month between the World Cup final and Premier League kick-off, Klopp’s preparations have also been far less affected than other sides in England’s top six.

Salah and Sadio Mane were able to join the club’s pre-season tour in the United States are being knocked out in the group stages in Russia with Egypt and Senegal, while Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Keita, Fabinho and James Milner had the summer off.

“Liverpool have waited 28 years. Not just for the league title, but for a pre-season where so many pundits and supporters believe they can win it,” wrote former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher in The Telegraph.

Even the legendary Pele jumped on the Liverpool bandwagon on Friday in support of countrymen Alisson and Firmino.

“I think it’s the year of Liverpool, Alisson and Firmino!” tweeted the Brazilian great.

Liverpool have spent nearly three years surpassing expectations under Klopp. Now the pressure is on to meet them.

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“An official announcement should follow in the next 24 to 48 hours,” claimed the Liverpool Echo.

The deal will cost the Anfield giants 75 millions euros (£67million), smashing the amount paid to Benfica by Manchester City for Alisson’s compatriot Ederson last summer.

Liverpool are desperate to sign a new goalkeeper to replace Loris Karius following his calamitous Champions League final performance.

Chelsea have also been linked with Alisson who began his career with Internacional before moving to Roma two years ago.

Italian website Forza Roma, which is affiliated to newspaper La Gazzetta Dello Sport, published a video which it said showed Alisson at Rome’s Ciampino airport.

It said he was preparing to board a private jet to Manchester and was on his way to Liverpool for a medical on Saturday.

Alisson spoke in the video, saying: “Greetings to Roma fans. I’m sorry but I cannot say any more, I’ll say everything later.”

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The Spanish giants are targeting their fourth Champions League title in five years and their third in a row in the game, which kicks off at 1845 GMT.

The last team to win three in a row was Bayern Munich over 40 years ago.

None of Klopp’s players have appeared in a Champions League final before.

The Reds have also enjoyed a memorable continental campaign, scoring a tournament record 46 goals and beating Manchester City and Roma en route to the Ukrainian capital.

“We are Liverpool and we are not just a good team. This club has in its DNA that we can really go for the big things. Nobody expected us to be here but we are here because we are Liverpool.”

– Salah’s ‘fantastic potential’ –

Klopp agreed that his job in the build-up has mainly involved taking the pressure off his players, and that meant playing down suggestions that this was Salah’s chance to break up Lionel Messi and Ronaldo’s grip on the Ballon d’Or.

“It’s not important in the moment, no manager is interested in that. I’m interested in performing.

“Lionel Messi and Ronaldo deserve all the praise they have had in the past because they were constantly all those years on that level.

“Religion is private, that is how I understand it, so nothing to say about that,” he stated.

– Ronaldo targets new landmark –

Meanwhile, Ronaldo could win his fifth Champions League, a landmark reached by only four players before now.

The Portuguese star has found the net 41 times this season, and his coach is confident he will be at his very best again.

“He’s fine. You have to know something, he lives for games like this,” said Zinedine Zidane, who can become the first coach to win three consecutive Champions League titles.

The path to Kiev has also been difficult for fans, due to the exorbitant cost of flights and hotel rooms.

Around 1,000 Real fans handed back tickets, while a number of Liverpool supporters’ flights have been cancelled due to insufficient landing space at Kiev’s Boryspil Airport.

Those who have made it after often arduous journeys will be hoping for an unforgettable occasion.

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Jurgen Klopp’s men built on their Anfield victory with first-half strikes from Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum sandwiching an unfortunate James Milner own goal.

Needing four unanswered goals to force extra time, Roma piled on the pressure in the second half, but failed to repeat their incredible quarter-final comeback against Barcelona despite Edin Dzeko finding the net and a late double from Radja Nainggolan.

Liverpool will take on holders Real in the final at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium on May 26 in a repeat of the 1981 decider which the English side won 1-0.

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Liverpool return to the scene of two of their most famous European triumphs amid tight security ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final, second leg clash in Rome.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are on the brink of reaching the final of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 2007 as they look to defend a three-goal advantage against AS Roma in the Italian capital.

But off-pitch tensions are high as Liverpool supporter Sean Cox lies in a coma after being attacked before last week’s first leg in Anfield.

Two Roma supporters were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and club legend Francesco Totti has appealed for “fair play, hospitality and respect for our opponents”.

Former Roma striker Mohamed Salah scored two brilliant goals and set up two more as Liverpool went five up at Anfield before two late goals gave Roma hope of a potential fightback.

Klopp’s side are bidding for a sixth European title having won two, in 1977 and 1984, at the Stadio Olimpico — the latter on penalties against Roma.

Both teams are third in their domestic leagues and in the running for Champions League football next season.

But Liverpool have suffered serious disruption in the buildup after Klopp’s right-hand man, Zeljko Buvac, dubbed “the brain” by the German, stepped aside for personal reasons this week.

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The England forward’s thunderous drive fired United into the lead on 14 minutes – his first Premier League goal since December 10 – and he doubled his tally with a deflected second 10 minutes later.

Eric Bailly’s 66th-minute own goal handed an improved Liverpool a route back into the game but United withstood a late onslaught to secure their first victory over their rivals since January 2016.

The victory sees Jose Mourinho’s men extend their unbeaten league run against Liverpool to eight games and opens up a five-point lead over Jurgen Klopp’s side in the race for second.

Rashford fires United ahead on 14 minutes with a thunderous effort

There was a subdued start to the 200th meeting between England’s two most-decorated clubs, but Rashford, making his first league start since Boxing Day, ignited the contest.

Romelu Lukaku bullied Dejan Lovren to flick a David de Gea punt into the path of Rashford, who cut inside Trent Alexander-Arnold before ruthlessly rifling the ball into the far corner.

Virgil van Dijk should have drawn Liverpool level on 23 minutes but he headed James Milner’s corner wide from five yards – and Rashford made him pay for the miss a minute later.

After Lukaku got the better of Lovren in the air again, Juan Mata’s attempted shot was blocked into Rashford’s path and his low effort took a nick off Alexander-Arnold on its way past Karius.

United so nearly had a third on 39 minutes but Mata’s overhead kick flashed wide, moments before Ashley Young brilliantly denied Liverpool a lifeline, preventing Andrew Robertson’s cross from setting up Mohamed Salah for a tap-in.

There was a stark improvement from Liverpool after the break. Van Dijk steered a header onto the roof of the United goal within four minutes of the restart before a combination of Chris Smalling and Young denied Salah from converting Roberto Firmino’s lofted pass.

The visitors had a strong penalty appeal declined on 57 minutes when Robertson’s drilled cross appeared to strike Antonio Valencia’s arm, but they were back in the game nine minutes later when Bailly clumsily turned Sadio Mane’s cross into his own net.

David de Gea picks the ball out of his net after being beaten by Eric Bailly

In a pulsating finale, substitute Georginio Wijnaldum’s rasping 18-yard drive deflected inches wide, a last-gasp Bailly tackle halted a dangerous Mane run into the area and, into the sixth-minute of stoppage time, Salah blazed a volley over as Liverpool’s hopes of a comeback failed to materialise.

Opta stats

• Man Utd defeated Liverpool for the 68th time in league competition; this is the most defeats that Liverpool have suffered against a single side.
• Liverpool have won only one of their seven Premier League games on the weekends immediately following playing a Champions League game this season (W1 D4 L2).
• Man Utd have won 20 of their 30 Premier League games this season, already surpassing their totals in both 2016-17 (18) and 2015-16 (19) and equalling their number of league wins in 2014-15 (20).
• Only Man Utd (67) have profited from more own goals in the Premier League than Liverpool (58).
• Marcus Rashford has scored seven of his 16 Premier League goals against teams in the ‘big six’ (44%).
• Marcus Rashford has scored with 29% of his shots in the Premier League against ‘big six’ clubs, compared to a 10% ratio against the other teams.
• Romelu Lukaku now has seven Premier League assists this season; more than he has in any previous campaign.

The managers

Jose Mourinho: “Is it a perfect result? Yes. Three points is very important. I wouldn’t go so far as saying it was a perfect performance. In the first half, the game gave us the opportunity to be direct, fast and score goals, more than we did. A third goal from Mata would’ve been fantastic.”

Jurgen Klopp: “Nobody could have had an argument if it was a draw. But the situations around the two goals cannot happen. They scored twice and it was a big influence, it was a big boost for them and a big blow for us. We needed luck but we cannot say we do not deserve the defeat because of the two goals.”

It’s been a difficult few months for Marcus Rashford. Starts in Jose Mourinho’s preferred starting line-ups have been at a premium and, as a result, goals have been hard to come by. But the local lad answered some of his critics and gave his manager food for thought with a match-winning performance against his club’s fiercest rivals.

What’s next?

United face a season-defining week as Sevilla and Brighton travel to Old Trafford in the Champions League and FA Cup respectively. Liverpool look to return to winning ways when they host Watford in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday.

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Prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah was named African Player of the Year in Ghanaian capital Accra on Thursday, the first Egyptian to win the award since Mahmoud al Khatib in 1983.

The 25-year-old has scored 23 goals in 29 matches in all competitions this season for the Premier League outfit after moving from AS Roma in the summer.

He also starred for resurgent Egypt, who last year finished runners-up to Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations and secured a first World Cup appearance since 1990.

In the penultimate round of World Cup qualifying, Salah scored the brace that edged Congo Brazzaville in Alexandria, including the stoppage-time winner from a penalty that sealed a trip to Russia.

Salah’s Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane, of Senegal, was runner-up and 2015 winner, Gabon and Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang third after a 30-player list had been trimmed to three.

National coaches, Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials, journalists and the public were involved in the voting.

“Winning this award is a dream come true — 2017 was an unbelievable year for me I had a fantastic time with the national team,” said Salah after receiving the trophy.

“This is a big award for me, a special moment in my career. I would like to dedicate it to all the kids in Africa and Egypt.

“I want to tell them to never stop dreaming, never stop believing.”

The Egyptian succeeds Algerian Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City as holder of the most prized CAF individual award.

It is the first time since 1986 that stars from the north of the continent, which along with the west is the strongest football region, have won successive titles.

Victory on Thursday completed an awards hat-trick for Salah, who was named BBC African Footballer of the Year in December and Arab Player of the Year earlier this week.

Mane was voted 2016-2017 Liverpool Player of the Season, but the 25-year-old has since been overshadowed at Anfield by Salah’s scoring exploits.

He did stand out for Senegal, however, as they secured a first World Cup appearance since 2002, providing much of the creativity in a team stacked with physically formidable footballers.

Aubameyang was Bundesliga top scorer with 31 goals last season, holding off Bayern Munich and Poland ace Robert Lewandowski.

He flopped with Gabon, though, failing to take the 2017 Cup of Nations hosts past the first round and shunning several World Cup call-ups as Gabon failed to qualify.

Other award winners included Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria and Youth Player of the Year Patson Daka of Zambia.

Argentine Egypt manager Hector Cuper was named Coach of Year and other honours went to Egypt (national team), South Africa (women’s national team) and Wydad Casablanca (club).

Ahead of the awards ceremony, CAF president Ahmad Ahmad told a media conference why the Africa-based Player of the Year and Referee of the Year awards had been scrapped.

“When a footballer aims for excellence, they must rise to the highest standards, irrespective of where they play. We hope one day the best player will be based in Africa.

“Referees already have their rewards and marks of recognition. They are evaluated after every match and the best are designated matches like the CAF Champions League final.”

Shortlists had been drawn up for both awards when the CAF executive committee decided to dump them, initially without offering any explanations.

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