Liverpool had ‘heroes all over the pitch’, claims Frank Lampard

Praise has poured in for Liverpool after an emphatic win over Manchester City put them on the brink of reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane scored in a first-half blitz that saw Jurgen Klopp’s side take complete control of the tie.

And Frank Lampard believes the Reds had heroes ‘all over the pitch’ at Anfield on Wednesday night.

The Liverpool players celebrate after Sadio Mane scored the third after half-an-hour

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored with a stunning long-range strike to double their advantage

‘Credit to Liverpool because they’ve got heroes all over the pitch tonight’, he said on BT Sport after the game.

‘This isn’t the City we are used to seeing this season. They approached it less than they would a regular game. 

‘You have to do the nasty stuff, and they couldn’t match Liverpool in that first half for hard work.’

Rio Ferdinand hailed it as a ‘perfect night’ for the hosts: ‘You have to give Liverpool the utmost credit tonight. They went out and executed a perfect gameplan.

Mohamed Salah celebrates in front of the Kop after putting Liverpool ahead early on

‘To pull that off you have to have quick, durable, intelligent players and Liverpool have them in abundance.’

Steven Gerrard added: ‘I think we’ve seen both sides of Liverpool today, the pressing side when they’re aggressive on the front foot and excellent on the regain.  

‘In the second half they were excellent to a man defensively and they forced City to run out of ideas.’

The two sides meet again next Tuesday in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium,

Liverpool have one foot in the quarter-finals of the competition after Wednesday night’s win