Liverpool sent Champions League warning as Jamie Carragher and Danny Murphy agree

Two former Anfield favourites have tipped their old club to go all the way in UEFA’s top competition this season but one journalist says they still have work to do in their semi-final second leg against Villarreal.
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Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believes Liverpool will go all the way in the UEFA Champions League this season and lift the trophy at the Stade de France on May 28.

He is joined by ex-team mate Jamie Carragher, who also thinks Jurgen Klopp’s side are in prime position to reach the final and win the showpiece event.

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However, they need to get the job done against Villarreal before they can think about the next match and head to Estadio de la Cerámica with a 2-0 aggregate advantage.

Despite dominating the first leg, one Spanish football expert has warned that the Reds should expect to face a ‘different’ side to the one they comfortably saw off at Anfield.

Here is what has been said by the pundit’s ahead of tonight’s UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg:

“They know what it takes” - Murphy backs Liverpool to win Champions League

Liverpool celebrate scoring against Villarreal. Picture: David Ramos/Getty ImagesLiverpool celebrate scoring against Villarreal. Picture: David Ramos/Getty Images
Liverpool celebrate scoring against Villarreal. Picture: David Ramos/Getty Images

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, a UEFA Cup winner with the Reds in 2001, says that Manchester City will likely go on and win the Premier League title but thinks his old club are better placed to lift the Champions League.

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The ex-England international was writing for the Mail on Sunday when he said: “Even though I don’t think City will crack, I still fancy Liverpool for the Champions League. They, like City with the title race, have been there and done it and know what it takes.

“I know everyone is talking about the Quadruple but if Liverpool win the Champions League — they have already won the League Cup and are in the FA Cup final — and miss out to City in the league by a point, as they did in 2019, then that is still a massive achievement.”

Meanwhile, his old teammate Jamie Carragher shares the same opinion when it comes to the outcome of both the Premier League and the Champions League.

The Anfield legend told CBS Sports: “I think Liverpool will win the Champions League.

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“The league I’m not so sure, Manchester City have the slight advantage in that if they win all their games they’ve won the league.

“But the Champions League, it feels like it’s Liverpool’s competition and they’ve got one foot in the final and I don’t think anyone else can say that.”

“We could well see a different Villarreal on Tuesday” - Spanish football expert sends warning

With so many people tipping Liverpool to go all the way, they must be conscious that they still have work to do when it comes to actually reaching the final.

Villarreal didn’t pose much threat at Anfield last week but the Spaniards were missing key players as they went down 2-0.

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Journalist and Spanish football expert Guillem Balagué recently wrote a column for BBC Sport discussing Unai Emery and the opinion some in England hold of him.

In it, he wrote about how Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri and Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann may have underestimated the Spaniards when they faced them in the previous rounds.

He said: “Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp himself was never going to make the mistake made by Allegri and Nagelsmann in underestimating Villarreal and he will not need reminding that, despite their superiority, they only scored twice in that game.

“With Gerard Moreno back in action for the home side, we could well see a different Villarreal on Tuesday.”