As the PA news agency’s Liverpool correspondent for more than a decade I’ve had the privilege of seeing the Jurgen Klopp era close up. Three Champions League finals (and one victory) in five years, a first league title in 30, too many top one-liners to count, a few admonishments from the man himself for a line of questioning he thought obvious or facile but also frequent comedic exchanges have meant there has never been a dull moment. He will be missed when he’s gone.

Seismic. There is no other word for Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool.

Everyone knew this day would come – his contract was for another two years but he had already stayed longer than any of his previous jobs and showed no huge appetite to extend again – but it lands so hard in this, of all seasons, with emerging talk of another another potential quadruple bid.

For fans – and the players – it is heart-wrenching. Even rival clubs may be sad to see the charismatic German leave.

From the moment he walked through the doors of the press conference room in Anfield’s Sir Kenny Dalglish stand in October 2015 and charmed the world by announcing himself as “the normal one” before pledging to win a title in the first four years of his reign (he was one year out as it came in 2020) Klopp’s impact has been immense.

Perhaps only Bill Shankly and Dalglish can claim to enjoy as much adoration as the 56-year-old. For a generation of fans who missed the heydays of the 1970s and 1980s he is the undisputed hero, the man who built a new Anfield bastion and not only won a sixth European Cup but finally brought home that long-awaited 19th league title.

Of course, Klopp is perfectly capable of rubbing people up the wrong way with his outspoken views on various topics or staunch defence of the club but at least you know when he says what he says it is genuine and not some phoney psychological ploy, even if he is not always perceived to be in the right.

He does not suffer fools and sees through attempts to use him as a means to generate headlines. Ask him a facile question or one which has a glaringly obvious answer – and I have plenty of experience of this – and be prepared to face a testy response. Not in a nasty, demeaning way. He just cuts through the nonsense (Klopp would use an expletive here).

But he is always genuine, warm, likeable and carries an aura before him that only a few in the game do. He also has a God-given talent for saying the right thing at the right time, whether it be talking about the sensitive subject of Hillsborough or in a post-match interview.

His video message for the ‘This Means More’ campaign in April 2018 was played on the big screen before the Champions League final against Real Madrid a few weeks later in Kiev.

The packed stadium quietened down to listen. At the end of his two-minute speech even I felt I could go out on the pitch and put in a shift for him. Klopp’s ability to elevate people beyond their perceived limitations is one of the things which makes him great.

It is why he is loved by his players, adored by fans and, let’s be honest, even begrudgingly admired by rival supporters (perhaps excluding those of City, United and Chelsea) for his forthright approach to the game and life in general.

However, his high-energy football is not only draining for his squad, the intensity of gearing up for a fight seemingly every three days eventually takes its toll and many observers were surprised he made it past the seven-year itch stage which ended his tenure at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.

He looked physically and mentally shot during last season’s struggle to fifth place but insisted he had returned re-energised and refreshed and he has certainly transmitted that to his team as they currently top the Premier League, having reached one final and still competing in two other cups.

But even the great Jurgen Klopp has to succumb at some point and that point is now.

One thing is for sure, he will – to use one of his favourite sayings – “go for it and give it 100 per cent” for the remainder of what will be a landmark season and the Kop will sing their “I’m so glad that that Jurgen is a Red” song with more emotion than ever before.

It’s could be one hell of a send-off.

Jurgen Klopp will stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.

The 56-year-old has informed the club’s ownership of his shock decision after a hugely successful spell in charge which has – so far – yielded six major trophies, including the Premier League in 2020 and 2019 Champions League.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the possible contenders to succeed Klopp at Anfield.

Gerrard looked a potential Liverpool manager in waiting after starting his coaching career with the youth teams at Anfield and then enjoying success at Rangers, leading the Scottish giants to their first league title for 10 years. However, he failed to repeat such success at Aston Villa and was sacked after just two wins in the first 12 league games of the 2022-23 season and subsequently made a controversial move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

Another former Anfield favourite, Alonso began his coaching career with a Real Madrid youth team before being appointed Real Sociedad B boss in 2019. Alonso guided the club to promotion in his second season in charge, but left the following season with relegation guaranteed with a game to spare. The 42-year-old is currently in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, who are unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season and top the table by four points from Bayern Munich.

Former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk manager De Zerbi would certainly match Klopp’s passion on the touchline, the 44-year-old serving two bans last season and admitting in November he does not like “80 per cent of English referees”. On the pitch, De Zerbi guided Brighton into Europe for the first time in their history and they topped Group B of the Europa League to reach the last 16.

News of Klopp’s departure was quickly linked with the future of Germany head coach Nagelsmann, whose short-term contract with the national team ends after this summer’s European Championships. Could the pair simply swap roles? Nagelsmann made his name at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig before winning the Bundesliga title and DFL-Supercup in his first season at Bayern Munich.

The former Porto, Chelsea and Manchester United manager is out of work after being sacked by Roma earlier this month with the side ninth in Serie A. Mourinho won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup and three League Cups during two spells in charge of Chelsea after winning the Champions League with Porto. The 61-year-old also won the Champions League as manager of Inter Milan and claimed the LaLiga title with Real Madrid, but would have plenty of work to do to win over Liverpool fans.

Jurgen Klopp is to leave Liverpool at the end of the season after almost 500 games in charge and a host of trophies.

The German has won seven different honours including the Premier League and Champions League with the club and here, the PA news agency takes a statistical look at his time in charge.

Klopp arrived in October 2015 as Brendan Rodgers’ replacement and while he made a low-key start in a goalless draw with Tottenham, and draws in his first three games overall, it was the precursor to one of the club’s most successful eras.

He has won more than 60 per cent of his 466 games in charge – with a minimum of 21 remaining this season – and provided Liverpool’s greatest Premier League performances since the competition’s rebranding.

They won the 2019-20 title with 99 points, just one fewer than Manchester City’s record 100 two years earlier, while their 97 as runners-up in 2018-19 is a record for any team who did not finish as champions. They lead this season’s standings, five points clear of City having played one game more.

Klopp’s next Premier League win will be his 200th, with his record currently standing at 199 out of 317 games. In all competitions he has won 283, drawn 105 and lost 78 and the club have scored 972 goals on his watch, a number that will surely hit four figures before the season is out.

That league title and the 2018-19 Champions League stand out as the highlights of Klopp’s Anfield reign but success has come in all competitions.

Victory over Tottenham in Madrid, following a spectacular semi-final fightback against Barcelona, brought his first trophy with the club and the following season saw Liverpool win the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup and then the Premier League.

A domestic cup double in 2021-22, winning both finals in penalty shoot-outs against Chelsea, allowed them to add the 2022 Community Shield.

An eighth different trophy could come in this season’s Europa League, a competition in which Liverpool lost the 2015-16 final to Sevilla at the end of Klopp’s debut season.

Klopp could finish with the highest win percentage of any manager in Liverpool’s history and still has the chance to climb from fourth place in terms of trophies won with the club.

As of the announcement of the German’s imminent departure he has won 60.7 per cent of matches, trailing only Sir Kenny Dalglish’s 60.9 per cent across two spells and narrowly ahead of the club’s formative managerial partnership William Edward Barclay and John McKenna who won 60.6 per cent from 1892 to 1896.

Only Bob Paisley, with 20 trophies including six league titles, Bill Shankly (11) and Dalglish (nine) rank ahead of Klopp’s trophy count with the club.

With Liverpool still competing on four fronts this season – top of the league and in another Carabao Cup final, as well as the Europa League knockout stages and this Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round clash with Norwich – he has the opportunity to match or pass Dalglish and even potentially catch Shankly with a perfect finish to the season.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher hopes Jurgen Klopp can “go out with a bang” after the German manager announced he will leave the club at the end of the season.

The 56-year-old has admitted he is “running out of energy” having led the club to six major trophies since taking charge in October 2015.

Carragher, who made 737 appearances for the Reds, posted on X, formerly Twitter: “This news was always going to be a body blow to the club whenever it came.

“I just thought it would be another few years away. What a manager, what a man, let’s go out with a bang Jurgen!”

Former Liverpool midfielder Ray Houghton said Klopp’s Anfield achievements were “phenomenal”.

“There was no sign whatsoever that he was going to make the decision that he’s made and obviously, it’s absolutely huge. What he’s done for this club and his time being in charge, nothing short of phenomenal,” Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“To get them back winning the league, getting them to major finals, getting that pride back in the football club, the joy of playing for Liverpool. It’s been absolutely incredible and the football they’ve played has been a joy to watch. It’s going to be one hell of a pair of shoes to fill.”

Jurgen Klopp has announced he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, a moment which will bring to an end another successful chapter in the club’s history.

Klopp arrived at Anfield late in 2015, tasked with bringing trophies back to the club.

With four still to play for in this campaign there is every chance he could add to those he has already won, which the PA news agency lists here.

2019/20 – Premier League

Perhaps the one which matters the most to Liverpool fans, Klopp returned the first league title in 30 years as his side finished 17 points clear of Manchester City. The sadness for the supporters was that, as it came during lockdown, no fans were present in the stadium to celebrate the success, which was confirmed when nearest rivals City lost at Chelsea. Klopp’s men won 32 of their 38 games that season.

2021/22 – FA Cup

Liverpool’s run to the final saw them beat Shrewsbury, Cardiff, Norwich and Nottingham Forest, before an all-the-more difficult semi-final assignment against Manchester City. Two goals from Sadio Mane secured a somewhat unexpected win, before beating Chelsea 6-5 on penalties in the final.

2021-22 – League Cup

Beating Chelsea on penalties in the FA Cup final may have felt familiar to Klopp for some three months earlier his side had done the same thing to beat the same opposition and win the League Cup. This time it was a lengthier shoot-out, going all the way to the goalkeepers, with Liverpool’s regular reserve, Caoimhin Kelleher, scoring the decisive penalty for an 11-10 success.

2022 – Community Shield

Liverpool’s FA Cup success meant another showdown with Manchester City, this time in the Community Shield, a match played at Leicester due to the Women’s Euro 2022 final at Wembley. Big-money summer signing Darwin Nunez capped a 3-1 victory and another piece of silverware for Klopp, whose men ran out 3-1 winners.

2019 – Champions League

This one ranks alongside the 2020 Premier League as Klopp’s crowing glory; a sixth European title for Liverpool coming thanks to a 2-0 win over Tottenham in an all-English final played in Madrid. Liverpool booked their place in the final with an improbable come-from-behind semi-final win over Lionel Messi’s all-conquering Barcelona team, while on the night goals from Mo Salah and Divock Origi earned them the Champions League title. The Reds enjoyed great success and consistency in the competition under Klopp too, being losing finalists in 2018 and 2022, while they were also runners-up in the 2016 Europa League.

2019 – UEFA Super Cup

Another final, another penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea, this one coming in Istanbul after a 2-2 draw following extra time between the winners of the Champions and Europa Leagues. Mane scored a brace in the match, before Tammy Abraham’s missed penalty gave Liverpool the title.

2019 – Club World Cup

Roberto Firmino ensured Klopp was able to end 2019 with three non-domestic trophies, with the Club World Cup going alongside the Super Cup and Champions League. The Brazilian scored an injury-time winner in a 2-1 semi-final win over Monterrey in Qatar, before his extra-time winner saw off Flamengo to win the final 1-0.

Jurgen Klopp will stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the German’s career at Anfield in pictures over the years.

Jurgen Klopp has shocked the world of football by announcing he will stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season after admitting he is “running out of energy”.

The 56-year-old German, who has led the Reds to six major trophies since taking charge in October 2015, said he informed the club’s bosses of his decision to leave back in November.

Klopp admitted he expected those outside the club to “laugh about” his exit and use it as an excuse to “disturb” Liverpool, but called on everyone connected to the Reds to rally around for a glorious finale.

His departure has immediately led to speculation over who will succeed him in the Anfield hotseat.

Former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is one of the hottest coaching properties in the world after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga, is the early bookmakers’ favourite while former captain Steven Gerrard is also sure to be in contention.

“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff,” Klopp told his club’s official website.

“I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.

“It is that I am – how can I say it? – running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.”

Klopp joined Liverpool as the successor to Brendan Rodgers, and arrived with a strong CV having taken Borussia Dortmund to successive Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, and to the 2013 Champions League final.

His greatest achievements to date with the Reds are the Premier League title in 2020, when they became the only club other than Manchester City to secure the top-flight crown in the last five seasons, and winning the Champions League in 2019.

The Reds have also won the FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup during his time in charge.

Liverpool are still in the hunt in four competitions this season and Klopp is determined the club can shut out the chatter and the sniping from outside and end his era on a high.

“Let’s now really go for it. The outside world want to use this decision, laugh about it, want to disturb us,” he said.

“We are Liverpool, we went through harder things together. And you went through harder things before me. Let’s make a strength of it. That would be really cool. Let’s squeeze everything out of this season and have another thing to smile about when we look back in the future.”

Mike Gordon, the president of the Fenway Sports Group which owns Liverpool, said the club would take a “business as usual” approach to Klopp’s exit.

Gordon said: “It goes without saying that we will be hugely saddened to lose not just a manager of such calibre, but a person and leader for whom we have enormous respect, gratitude and affection.

“At the same time, we fully respect his wishes and the reasons why he has decided the current season will be his last at Liverpool.

“In keeping with Jurgen’s expressed wishes, we will save the comprehensive tributes for a more appropriate time but, nevertheless, we would be remiss if we did not take this opportunity to reaffirm that his appointment remains one of the greatest blessings of our time as owners.

“The incredible achievements of the intervening years speak for themselves, so too does the joy that Jurgen and his team have brought to all of us supporters. His many accomplishments will never be taken for granted.”

Jurgen Klopp will stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, the German has announced.

The 56-year-old has informed the club’s ownership of his decision to stand down, having taken charge at Liverpool in 2015.

Klopp has won six trophies with the Reds, including the Premier League title in 2020 and the Champions League trophy the year before.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp joked his close friend David Wagner asked him to make major changes for Norwich’s visit to Anfield in the FA Cup.

Klopp and Wagner have known each other more than 25 years – Wagner was best man at his wedding – after being team-mates at Mainz but more recently have found themselves on opposite sides of the technical area.

Wagner was manager for Huddersfield’s brief stay in the Premier League but lost all three matches against Liverpool.

Now he brings the Canaries to Anfield for a fourth-round tie on Sunday looking for a favour he knows he will not get from his long-time friend.

“We had already conversations about it. He asked me for massive rotation. I told him that doesn’t help, obviously,” said Klopp of Wagner’s request to face a weakened team.

“It’s cool to have the game. When he worked at Huddersfield, he watched a lot of games here in the stadium, when they didn’t play he was here, and now he’s back.

“We didn’t see each other for a long time, the next time probably would have been in the summer, so now it’s good to catch up and to lock horns again.”

Wagner has a 40 per cent win ratio since taking over at Carrow Road last January but, after a sticky patch between September and November when his side won just twice, he has got them back in form.

Wednesday’s defeat to fellow Championship promotion-chasers Leeds was only their fourth loss in 16 matches.

“(He did a) really good job but a really difficult job. I think the start of the season was really good and then they lose more or less their offensive department and that’s when they struggled a bit,” said Klopp.

“Now they are in touching distance of the play-off spots and they obviously have big games coming up.

“The Championship season itself is already pretty intense but if you have a longer FA Cup run in it, it’s obviously very similar to a very successful Premier League season with international football or something like that, because of the amount of teams in the league and the amount of games you have.

“I follow it as much as I can because I’m just interested in everything he is doing.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been quick to play down early talk of another quadruple bid after booking their place in the Carabao Cup final.

The Reds were chasing four trophies two years ago when they beat Chelsea – who they will again face in next month’s final – at Wembley.

In that season Klopp’s side played every match they were eligible for but finished with only a domestic cup double after being pipped to the Premier League title on the last day by Manchester City and losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

This time around they again have their sights on a four-trophy haul, sitting top of the Premier League having reached the last 16 of the Europa League and face Championship opponents Norwich in the FA Cup on Sunday.

“I didn’t think about it to be honest because we are far off having ‘four finals’,” said Klopp, less than 24 hours after their 3-2 semi-final aggregate win over Fulham.

“We have qualified for one. It makes no sense to plan the next one before you have played the first one.

“The competitions are not made so that someone wins all of them. It’s just the number of games. I saw that the final is on February 25 and if we win on Sunday then the next round of the FA Cup will be three days later.

“It’s very unlikely we reach all three finals, it’s just the nature of it.”

The disquiet continues over the decision for Mohamed Salah to leave Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations base in Ivory Coast to return to Merseyside for treatment on a hamstring injury.

Egypt’s doctor Mohamed Abou El-Ela reportedly told African media Salah did not want to come back and claimed Klopp revealing he would be leaving before the national team had chance to announce it had caused problems.

While Klopp apologised if he spoke out of turn he stressed both parties wanted the best for their prized asset.

“Most people in Egypt understand the situation because we have exactly the same target as Egypt – make Mo fit as quick as possible,” he added.

“That’s all we want and that’s how it always is. If a player is injured we try everything to help him to get fit as quick as possible.

“All parties agreed that it makes sense he is doing rehab here. We have a season to play so we want him fit but if he is fit earlier then as long as Egypt is still in the tournament he will go back, that is clear. Then it’s a win-win.

“If I said something too early – I knew there were discussions that he might come home but I didn’t know if that was already sorted – and then someone tells me ‘How can you say that?’ then I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentionally wrong.”

Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to return from a hamstring injury at the weekend after four matches out but Klopp does not yet know if right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee) will be available for training on Friday.

Jurgen Klopp hailed Liverpool’s game plan and admitted his players “understood” the occasion better than Fulham after Wednesday night’s 1-1 Carabao Cup semi-final draw booked their place in the final thanks to a 3-2 aggregate win.

Luiz Diaz’s first-half strike was cancelled out by Issa Diop’s 76th-minute equaliser but the Cottagers could not find another at Craven Cottage as the Reds set up a Wembley showdown with Chelsea.

Klopp praised Liverpool’s second-half performance, where they soaked up pressure and frustrated Marco Silva’s men.

“They came out and they pressed for a while, but we understood the game slightly better,” Klopp said.

“I liked the second half as well. We should’ve scored, there were two situations.

“I think the counter-attack, everything was perfect and then Lucho (Diaz) doesn’t find the right player – which was a little bit of a shame – and when Harvey (Elliott) could shoot with his slightly-weaker right foot, we could’ve put the game to bed, but we didn’t.”

Liverpool were far from their best on the night and missed the presence of Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Klopp knew the occasion would not be an easy one against their Premier League rivals but a solid team performance saw the visitors capitalise on their 2-1 first-leg advantage at Anfield.

“It was just a good game, a good cup game,” Klopp added.

“Whoever expected tonight that we just show quality and we get through and this will be a walk in the park doesn’t understand the game and doesn’t understand the importance of the occasion.

“Both teams wanted to go to Wembley – and we qualified and that’s all we could wish for.”

Joe Gomez continued to feature at left-back in place of the injured Andy Robertson and rarely put a foot wrong against Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

Klopp added: “He played exceptional today again. He’s a real defender and he comes inside. He’s doing that really well.

“He is a life-saver, to be honest, that he was here, that he could play and people forget how important Joey (Gomez) was in the best years we had.

“I don’t know how many games he played in the year when we became champions and how many games he played when we won the Champions League. A lot and rightly so because he’s a top-class player.”

Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City have all slipped down the rankings in the latest Deloitte Football Money League as clubs from continental Europe gained ground.

Liverpool have had the biggest fall of any club in the top 20, from third place down to seventh, after Deloitte found their revenue had dropped slightly from £594.3million to £593.8m.

Deloitte attributed that fall to the Reds’ on-field performance, with the club finishing fifth in the Premier League last season and bowing out in the Champions League last 16.

Manchester United dropped one place to fifth despite a healthier revenue figure than the season before, while treble winners City were leapfrogged by Real Madrid and now sit second, despite posting a record Premier League revenue figure in their most recent accounts.

The Money League looks at revenue figures reported in clubs’ annual accounts for the 2022-23 season and does not look at operating costs.

Tottenham and Chelsea switched places compared to last year, with Spurs up one place to eighth, while Arsenal held on to 10th position.

Real led the way with revenue of £723m in 2022-23, demonstrating the club are doing well out of European football’s current ecosystem, despite their president Florentino Perez being arguably the most staunch advocate for a Super League.

Paris St Germain enter the top three for the first time, while Barcelona moved up three places to seventh with a revenue figure of £696m.

Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, told the PA news agency: “There is a point in time, a moment here, where you’ve got Real Madrid and Barcelona redeveloping their stadiums, they have made moves towards controlling much more of their operations, particularly merchandising and licensing, so those revenue figures are a result of direct changes they have made to their business model.

“When we look at the Premier League holistically we’re not 100 per cent certain the days of significant domestic growth in media rights is over, but what we can say is, without significant competition coming into that market, then single-figure percentage growth is the likely outcome in that domestic market. Therefore the focus is on what can be done in the international market.

“What has always underpinned the fact there have been 10 or 11 Premier League clubs in the Money League has been that the media rights growth has given them significant distributions. Other leagues have caught up and there has been a slight plateauing of Premier League rights.”

Deloitte said the top 20 clubs had earned 10.5billion euros (£9bn) collectively, a 14 per cent increase on the previous season.

Barcelona Femeni were the top-earning women’s club in the world, with revenue rising by 74 per cent to £11.6m.

Jurgen Klopp was delighted his Liverpool side matched Fulham’s desire to reach the Carabao Cup final after the Reds secured their place at Wembley with a spirited 1-1 second-leg draw at Craven Cottage.

Luis Diaz put the Reds in the driving seat in the first half and despite Issa Diop’s 76th minute equaliser giving Fulham late hope, Liverpool sealed a 3-2 aggregate win after their 2-1 victory at Anfield earlier this month.

Klopp lauded his side’s spirit in the late stages as they now ready themselves for a repeat of the 2022 final against Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea.

“We were just ready for this game and that’s the most important thing. I saw Marco Silva’s press conference and we know what this game meant to them and so I told the boys we have to also show it,” Klopp said.

“We had to show it to the outside world that we wanted it as much as them and I saw that.

“We had to get over the line and we did. It feels great, we are really happy, the boys wanted it and they got it and so we have 10 games to play before the final in four weeks or so. We are looking forward to Wembley.”

Liverpool defeated Chelsea in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals two years ago and Klopp believes the Blues will be motivated to get their revenge.

He added: “It will be a big one but we all know it’s against Chelsea. They will want to put history right after playing us twice two years ago.”

Diaz was quick to react and beat Timothy Castagne in the air before a deflected strike got past Bernd Leno at his near post.

The Liverpool boss talked up the winger’s impact after his standout performance on the night.

Klopp said: “He was very good. He’s a fantastic player and I have absolutely no criticism of him but I wish he set up the second and scored the third.

“The speed and the power he can generate, the technique and the combination of that is outstanding so I’m really happy.”

Fulham dug deep to try and force the game into extra-time but their earlier missed opportunities frustrated Silva come full time.

Silva believes Liverpool’s experience in big games was the difference maker between the two sides.

He said: “Tonight I felt like they were much calmer than us and to them it was just another game. With most of our players it is new to them to play in a semi-final of this competition and it is what it is.

“I think the club is going to grow in these type of moments and the players as well.”

Liverpool booked their place in the Carabao Cup final as they capitalised on their first-leg advantage and held a spirited Fulham to a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.

Luis Diaz’s opener was cancelled out by Issa Diop but the Red’s dug deep in the second leg to claim a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Liverpool will face Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea at Wembley on February 25, two years after defeating the Blues in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals.

A fired up Fulham came out of the blocks fighting as they looked to overturn a 2-1 deficit.

After Joao Palhinha’s first-time volley from Andreas Pereira’s corner sailed over, the hosts continued to push through the overlapping Antonee Robinson whose dangerous delivery failed to connect with a white shirt.

But a moment of complacency saw Liverpool strike the first blow in the 11th minute.

Jarell Quansah sent a long ball forward which appeared routine for Timothy Castagne to claim but the full-back was caught napping by Diaz.

The winger reacted quickly to beat him in the air before he drove into the box and scored past Bernd Leno at his near post.

Diaz had the ball in the back of the net again after Darwin Nunez exploited large gaps between centre-backs Tosin Adarabioyo and Diop but the goal was ruled offside after the striker naively moved too soon.

The Cottagers sought inspiration through Raul Jimenez and the Mexico international’s long-range shot forced Caoimhin Kelleher into action when he tipped the ball wide for a corner.

The hosts, now galvanised, enjoyed a five-minute flurry but despite Willian’s attempt from distance and Tom Cairney finding promising pockets, Marco Silva’s men failed to get the goal they desperately needed.

Fulham’s momentum continued after the break but so did their poor day in front of goal. Second-choice keeper Kelleher failed to collect a high ball, losing out to Bobby Decordova-Reid before Pereira found the post from a tight angle instead of the open net.

Liverpool appeared to have rode the storm and began to turn the screw themselves. After Nunez’s effort whistled past Leno’s left post in the 63rd minute, powerful midfielder Ryan Gravenberch did well to get the ball out of his feet before producing a driven strike which missed the target, much to the delight of Leno who would have been well-beaten.

Fulham blew the tie wide open when they scored in the 77th minute.

Harry Wilson drove down the left and curved a cross into the area where he found Diop, who had galloped forward from the back and expertly claimed the leveller with a neat finish past the keeper.

The west Londoners pushed for a dramatic ending and to take the tie into extra-time but a stubborn Liverpool held on through four added minutes.

Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Lijnders has insisted Mohamed Salah’s commitment should never be doubted after his imminent return from the Africa Cup of Nations to have treatment on a hamstring injury provoked criticism.

The Egypt captain will fly back from the Ivory Coast on Wednesday so the club’s medical staff can take care of his rehabilitation, with the hope he could rejoin the national team should they reach the latter stages of the tournament.

That move has drawn criticism from Egypt’s record caps-holder Ahmed Hassan, who said Salah should have stayed with the team “even if he only had one leg to stand on”, but Lijnders has sprung to the 31-year-old’s defence.

“The one you should never doubt the commitment of is Mo Salah,” he said.

“I never met a guy, a player but also a human being, who is more committed to the life of being a professional football player.

“I know the country is devastated to lose him. We were devastated to hear he got injured.

“He played the first game, scores, assists, (he’s) captain and massively important, of course, but the only reason our medical team and their medical team decided for him to come back is to give the best possible chance to be available if Egypt make the final.

“What I’m really happy about is the medical team of Egypt and Liverpool Football Club worked together, were really in close contact and they made this decision together.

“It is an example of how international football and club football should co-operate to put the player in the centre and not the targets of everyone because it is a conflict of interest.

“All of us made the decision which is best for him and for him the best is having a stable environment, knowing the people and having people who are committed and have the time to focus on his rehab process and we know how it will go here in this facility.”