Benfica may not be as big of a name as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United but Anfield hero Patrik Berger warned Liverpool of the "tough" challenge they face in the Champions League quarter-final.
Liverpool edged past Inter 2-1 on aggregate in their last-16 clash, while Benfica knocked out Ajax to set up the last-eight meeting between the two sides, with the first leg set for Estadio Da Luz on Tuesday.
Despite the Reds appearing strong favourites, Benfica will be no pushovers given they have won their last three home meetings with Liverpool.
However, Jurgen Klopp has assembled a formidable winning machine as his team aim for victory in five consecutive away games in the European Cup and Champions League for just the second time, having last done so between 1983 and 1984 under Joe Fagan.
Liverpool also remain in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple, the Reds in contention in Europe, the Premier League and FA Cup after lifting the EFL Cup earlier in the season, but Berger urged caution from his former club against Benfica.
"Benfica are a good side, in the last 16 of the Champions League all the teams are good," he told Stats Perform. "Maybe some of them don't have a name like Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United, but they are good team and they have good players.
"It's a tough opponent, they are playing well and it seems easy but it won't be easy they are a good side."
Former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia also echoed Berger's sentiments as he called on the Reds to take each game as it comes.
"You can't underestimate any opposition," he told Stats Perform. "You have to go to every game with 100 per cent, and I think Klopp knows that as well so he will motivate the team to go 100 per cent in the next game."
Liverpool will look to continue their eight-game unbeaten run in the Champions League against Portuguese opposition, winning each of the last four, before hosting Benfica at Anfield in the return leg on April 13.
Football rumours: Chelsea seeking new Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk deals
What the papers say
The Sun reports that Chelsea are seeking contract extensions for midfielder Enzo Fernandez and winger Mykhailo Mudryk. The two 23-year-olds’ previous long-term deals would be extended by another year.
The Daily Mail reports that Liverpool are considering Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as a potential replacement for Caoimhin Kelleher.
According to the Telegraph, ex-Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard has dropped out of the running to become the new head coach of Canada’s national team.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Tosin Adarabioyo: Tottenham have made an offer to the Fulham defender, says Teamtalk, as they try to beat Manchester United in the race to sign the 26-year-old.
Viktor Gyokeres: Manchester United are keen on the Sweden striker from Sporting Lisbon but fear Liverpool may scupper their signing chances, reports HITC.
Djed Spence: Tottenham’s 23-year-old right-back is one of several senior players expected to leave the club this summer, claims Football Insider.
Premier League title race state of play as Manchester City gain upper hand
Manchester City took the initiative in the Premier League title race by hammering Luton on Saturday before rivals Liverpool and Arsenal both lost on Sunday.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the state of play with six games remaining.
Momentum shift
While City took only a two-point lead in what remains a close race, the momentum swing felt significant as they jumped from third to first.
The manner of their 5-1 win also sounded a warning, while Arsenal were outplayed in the second half as they lost 2-0 to Aston Villa and Liverpool missed a hatful of chances as Crystal Palace held on for a 1-0 upset.
Commitments in other competitions mean City do not play their next league game until April 25 at Brighton, by which point their rivals will both have played twice more knowing they need wins to put the pressure back on Pep Guardiola’s side.
Arsenal have the first chance to get back on track, away at Wolves late on Saturday evening, with Liverpool travelling to Fulham the following day.
Both are back in action three days on with eye-catching fixtures, Arsenal hosting Chelsea a week on Tuesday before the Wednesday brings a Merseyside derby at Everton’s Goodison Park, with City playing on the Thursday.
City’s trip to Tottenham has been put back to May 14, the Tuesday before the season ends on Sunday, May 19, meaning from this weekend on they will have a game in hand.
Course and distance winners
Another reason for City’s psychological edge is their title-winning pedigree under Guardiola.
They have finished first in five of the last six seasons, and second to Liverpool in the other, and have been noted for their strong finishes in that time.
Of the final 18 points available to them in each of the last six seasons, City have won 16, 18, 15, 12, 16 and 13 – an average of 15 which, if repeated this term, would require either Liverpool or Arsenal to win all six of their remaining games.
Arsenal, under Guardiola’s former assistant Mikel Arteta, put themselves in prime position last season but faltered by taking only 12 points from their final nine games, and nine in the last six including successive defeats to Brighton and Nottingham Forest, as they finished five points behind City.
Liverpool have previous achievements of their own to fall back on after winning the 2019-20 title, the only interruption to City’s run of dominance.
They had done their work earlier that season, though they still won four and drew one of their last six to ease home with an 18-point winning margin.
The previous season they won their last nine games in succession to push City all the way, finishing a point behind with their total of 97 the highest ever for a team who did not win the title.
They have taken 16, 16 and 14 points from their last six games in the three seasons since their title win but know they will need something similar, allied to an unfamiliar City slip-up, if they are to provide a glorious finale to Jurgen Klopp’s managerial reign.
Liverpool will never stop fighting – Andy Robertson demands perfection from now
Andy Robertson vowed to keep fighting after Liverpool lost more ground in the title race over the weekend.
The Reds, who topped the Premier League a fortnight ago, have slipped to third after damaging results in their last two outings.
Following on from a frustrating draw at Manchester United, Jurgen Klopp’s side suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The blow was softened a little as second-placed Arsenal were also beaten later in the day, but Liverpool still trail favourites Manchester City by two points with six games remaining.
Robertson told the club’s website: “This group of lads will never stop fighting.
“It’s hugely frustrating to be in the position we’re in now, being third and relying on two teams dropping points.
“This time last week, we shouldn’t have been in that position. That’s where the frustration comes from.
“But that’s where we are, it is what it is. We need to be perfect from here on in, that’s for sure. We can’t drop any more points and let’s see what the other two teams do.”
The Palace loss, secured by Eberechi Eze’s 14th-minute strike, capped a dismal week for Liverpool in which they were also thrashed 3-0 by Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
They now head to Italy for the second leg on Thursday before successive Premier League away games at Fulham, Everton and West Ham.
“We have to stay positive,” said left-back Robertson, who produced a superb goal-line clearance to prevent Liverpool falling 2-0 behind soon after Eze’s opener.
“We have to pick everyone up in the changing room because there’s a lot of people who are down, whether they missed a chance, gave the ball away or whatever it is.
“We pick up, we go again on Thursday and we give everything we’ve got.”
Palace’s victory – only their second under new manager Oliver Glasner – eased their fears of getting dragged into the relegation battle.
The Eagles, in 14th, now have an eight-point cushion over 18th-placed Luton and have a game in hand over most of the teams below them.
Glasner said: “I don’t look at the table every day because I know we will get our points when we perform well.
“I am really concentrating on our performance, what we have to improve, what are the strengths of our players and how can we combine them to be compact in defence and create chances in offence.
“I know if we perform well we will get enough points to stay in the league. Our full focus is on that.”
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