Klopp’s side are within touching distance of the final after crushing Roma at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah’s brace was followed by goals from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, who also struck twice to leave Liverpool five up by the 68th minute.

Liverpool let their guard down in the closing stages and Roma netted twice to give themselves a slender chance of a second-leg escape act in Italy.

But Klopp admitted he couldn’t have hoped for a more dynamic display from his team.

“It was the perfect performance for pretty much 80 minutes. We made defensively one mistake, then their penalty is not a penalty but that is the situation and now it is 5-2,” he said.

“Of course we would have been more happy with 5-0 or 5-1 but 5-2 is a fantastic result. We go there and try again.

“It is absolutely better than I thought before the game.”

Following Klopp’s game-plan, Liverpool exploited Roma’s creaky defence as Salah and Mane ran them ragged with their pace and movement.

“We had all these runs behind, it changed the game completely and they couldn’t cope with that. We scored these goals and could have scored more,” Klopp said.

“That is all positive, at this moment it doesn’t feel all positive because they scored these two goals but tomorrow I will see the really good part of the game.”

Aside from Roma’s late double, the only problem for Klopp on a memorable evening was the injury to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain that saw him carried off in the first half.

“Oxlade-Chamberlain is probably a really bad injury,” Klopp said.

“That is bad news for us. The squad doesn’t get bigger at the moment so we need to be creative in the next few games.”

Although Liverpool fans will be dreaming of a final showdown with Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, their players are well aware Roma staged a stunning fightback to eliminate Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

The Italians lost the first leg 4-1, but won 3-0 in Rome to go through on away goals.

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson admitted there was frustration at letting Roma back into it and he warned his team-mates not to let down their guard in the return leg.

“It felt as though we were in full control but we basically gave them two goals, you can’t do that in the Champions League,” he said.

“At the same time we played well, we will go there with a three-goal advantage.

“Overall we have got to stay positive. We knew it would not be easy here, we know it will not be easy there.

“It will be a challenge but one we will look forward to and one we will hopefully finish them off.”

A Liverpool supporter was attacked by Roma hooligans before the match, which ended in a 5-2 win for the Premier League club.

Merseyside Police said in a statement: “We can confirm a man has been arrested following an assault near to the Albert public house earlier this evening.

“He has been taken to a police station where he will be interviewed by detectives.

“The 53-year-old victim is currently being treated for his injuries.”

There were clashes between Liverpool and Roma supporters shortly before kick-off.

Around 80 Roma fans are thought to have used a side road to reach an area populated by Liverpool supporters just outside their Anfield stadium.

One man was seen motionless on the road and BBC Sport footage showed another fan carrying a hammer amid reports Roma supporters used belts as weapons.

Sunday Times Football correspondent Jonathan Northcroft tweeted: “Roma fans have just attacked Liverpool supporters with belts, outside the Albert. One guy down getting treatment.

“The Roma group came out of Venmore Street, and attack was sudden.”

Video footage later emerged on social media showing Roma thugs, dressed in black and with hoods and masks over their faces, carrying out their attack on the Liverpool supporters.

There were also clashes between fans in Liverpool city centre before the match, with the Italians again seen to provoke the incident.

Roma fans also have a history of targeting English supporters in the Italian capital, with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United fans both complaining of assaults during their visits in recent years.

The trouble at Anfield followed disturbing scenes during Liverpool’s quarter-final win over Manchester City when fans threw missiles at the visitors’ team bus.

To avoid a repeat of those scenes, extra police were drafted in for the Roma match, while tactical road closures kept fans away from the visitors’ team bus.

Despite those measures, Liverpool fans still let off flares and smoke bombs, while some climbed on top of police vans.

Wenger admitted he stepped aside to unite a fanbase fed up with years of mediocre results having been spoiled by success and silky football in the first decade of the Frenchman’s reign.

Fourteen years on from Arsenal’s last Premier League title, for so long Wenger could defend his record by consistent qualification for the Champions League.

However, a 19-year run in Europe’s premier club competition came to an end this season and Arsenal’s only chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League is by winning the Europa League.

To do so, though, Wenger will need to achieve something that he couldn’t even manage in his peak years in charge — win a European trophy.

His two final losses in the 2000 UEFA Cup to Galatasaray and against Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League, allied to a Cup Winners’ Cup final defeat by Werder Bremen when manager of Monaco in 1992, handed him the ignominy of being the only manager ever to reach the finals of all three European club competitions and lose every one.

Winning three FA Cups in the last four years did little to appease Arsenal fans’ demand for change.

However, Wenger’s legacy will be looked on far more kindly if be could bow out in his homeland next month in Lyon by guaranteeing Champions League football for his successor.

“I’m happy now we can all talk about his legacy and let’s not forget that we still have to win the Europa League,” said Arsenal’s all-time top goalscorer Thierry Henry on the day Wenger announced his departure.

“Let’s not get lost in celebrating the end of his era. The team has to win the Europa League. It would be an amazing achievement and Arsene never won in Europe before so it would be a great way to give him a good exit.”

Hopes that Wenger’s announcement would galvanise the support for the final few weeks of his reign were confounded by a subdued atmosphere for Sunday’s 4-1 win over West Ham at the Emirates.

But Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted there will be “an electric atmosphere” on Thursday night with far more at stake for the club.

The hosts are likely to need to feed off some positive energy from the stands to build a lead to take to Madrid in a week’s time against European specialists Atletico.

Since Diego Simeone took charge seven years ago, Atletico have reached five European semi-finals, and have only been eliminated by bitter rivals Real Madrid for the past four seasons in the Champions League.

With Atletico sitting comfortably in second in La Liga and already assured of Champions League football next season, Simeone was able to ease the physical toil on a small squad by resting a number of key players for Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Real Betis.

That was Atletico’s 11th straight clean sheet at the Wanda Metropolitano to emphasise Arsenal’s need to take a first-leg lead to Spain.

However, the Gunners’ chances were not aided by the inclusion of an old foe in Diego Costa in the Atletico squad as he looks set to shrug off a hamstring injury.

Costa scored four goals in six previous appearances against Arsenal in three years at Chelsea.

The 15-year-old prodigy, who made history as the youngest Ladies European Tour winner in Chon Buri last year, will represent Thailand alongside Tundara Piddon 17, and Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, 15, in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Golf Team competition.

“It’s an honour to be given another chance to represent Thailand in this tournament. I finished third in the individual event and fourth in the team last year,” said Atthaya, who further enhanced her standing by winning the Amateur Asia Pacific Championship in Singapore in February.

Atthaya will be making her third appearance in tournament where she missed the cut in her first attempt in 2016. She hoped it would be “Third time lucky.”

“I hope to win this year because it is taking place on home soil. We have Tundara, who has a good short game, while Natthakritta is a big hitter, which makes us a strong team,” the teenager added.

A total of 14 nations: Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Philippines, Japan, South Korea and Thailand will take part in the event.

This will be the fifth time that Thailand has hosted the event after 1975, 1988, 1996, and 2005.

The Kingdom never won the team title and Suppamas Sangchan was the only individual

City became just the latest victims of a famous European night at Anfield on the pitch three weeks ago as Liverpool raced into a 3-0 first leg lead that laid the foundations for their 5-1 aggregate victory over the English champions in the quarter-finals.

However, Klopp wants to retain the passion inside the stadium without the ugly scenes outside, which are the subject of a UEFA investigation.

“In the stadium do it again and better. Outside the stadium, please show the respect we have to show,” said Klopp on Monday.

“This is such an outstanding football club, an outstanding football family, known for fantastic atmospheres all over the world, so we don’t need to throw whatever at the bus of the opposing team.”

The Italians will be greeted by at least one familiar face in Mohamed Salah, but it is the Egyptian who poses the biggest threat to their dream of returning to the final for the first time since they lost to Liverpool on home soil in 1984.

Salah made the move from the Italian capital to Anfield just 10 months ago, and has surpassed all expectations since with an incredible 41 goals in 46 Liverpool appearances to already net more times than he did in two years for Roma.

The 25-year-old was rewarded for his brilliant campaign by winning the Premier League’s Players’ Player of the Year award on Sunday evening, beating off stiff competition from Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne to the prize.

“I’m really happy for him, really proud of that, it is a fantastic achievement. I think if all the other players vote for you it means most to all players,” added Klopp.

“In a season like this, when Kevin De Bruyne played a season like he did, it made it even more special.”

– Start of something special-

Despite their rich heritage in the competition as five-time winners, Liverpool haven’t been in the last four of the Champions League for a decade.

And captain Jordan Henderson believes this season’s run to the semis can be the start of something special under Klopp.

“Hopefully this is the start of something special with this squad,” said the England international.

“The manager has been brilliant since he has come to the club. We’ve improved every season and done brilliant this season to get this stage.”

However, even Klopp’s men’s 5-1 thrashing of Premier League champions City over two legs in the last eight was upstaged by Roma coming from 4-1 down in the first leg of their quarter-final with Barcelona to progress on away goals thanks to a famous 3-0 second-leg win.

Klopp admitted he thought it was a joke when he was first informed of Roma’s result against Barca, but insists both sides should believe they can be European champions despite the presence of powerhouses Bayern Munich and 12-time winners Real Madrid in the other semi-final.

“If anyone thinks we two are the underdogs, who cares? We are in the semi-final and can go to the final.”

However, Roma coach Eusebio di Francesco warned that the pace of Liverpool’s prolific front three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino — who have combined for 83 goals this season — offers a very different threat to Barca’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

“We are facing a different rival from Barcelona and we need to be ready for that different challenge,” said Di Francesco.

“We have to play our football, impose our style and make the most of Liverpool’s weaknesses.

“We showed in the last league game we have progressed in our mentality and we need to show that again.”

The 23-year-old from Bangkok triumphed in one of the biggest events on the women’s tour, the Los Angeles Open, fully six years after turning professional and five years after being named 2013 Rookie of the Year.

In doing so Moriya and her younger Ariya have joined Annika Sorenstam, the former world No 1, and Charlotta as the only sisters to have ever won on the LPGA, the toughest tour in women’s golf. Her victory sparked an outpouring of emotion and jubilation.

Ariya herself had also been competing in Los Angeles and rushed to embrace her sister by the side of the 18th green. Thailand’s top male golfer, world No 31 Kiradech Aphibarnran, who has been home for an extended Songkran holiday and watched a live broadcast of Moriya’s final round, immediately took to social media to offer his wholehearted congratulations.

“Congrats to my lovely sister @mo_moriya – she has finally won on the LPGA tour. Well done, great work, [I’m] very happy for you and your whole family,” he enthused. Moriya has not only had to bide her time in the face of the doubters, she has had to watch her younger sister lap up all the praise and headlines. When Ariya played her first LPGA event at home as a qualifier aged 11 in 2007 Moriya, 13 months her elder, dutifully acted as caddie for her younger sister, who even then seemed destined to hog the limelight. Sure enough, by the end of 2017 she had already bagged seven LPGA victories, while Moriya had only two runners-up finishes to her name.

Moriya Jutanugarn of Thailand is presented the winner’s check by, President and CEO JTBC Plus, Seon Gwan Hong.

Two years ago Ariya also became the first Thai player of either gender to win a major tournament – the British Open – and last year rose to world No 1. She is now world No 6, 11 places higher than Moriya.

Described by her father Somboon as the more prudent and pensive of the two, Moriya should have gained recognition earlier, but too much thinking slowed her down – until yesterday. There was no trace of any mental lapse in the final round in LA where she remained calm throughout the 18 holes despite being chased by the two South Korean stars, Inbee Park, the former world No 1, and Ko Jin-young. She eventually saw them off by two strokes.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time,” said Moriya. “I surely wouldn’t have been able to do it without my sister and my mother Narumon Tiwattanasuk,” she posted on her Facebook. A tearful Ariya said she was thankful to have been there for her sister and thus returned the favour to Moriya, who watched her win seven times before her own breakthrough.

“I think my mother and sister were more excited and cried more than I did,” Moriya added. “I knew my time would come. I just had to be patient and keep on working hard. It all worked out pretty good this week,” added Moriya. Although it took her so much longer to win, Moriya was never bothered by her slower path to success or by the fact that people tried to compare her with Ariya.

“People are different. Some people take longer [to achieve things]. I have my own way of doing things and she has hers,” added Moriya, who is US$225,000 richer for her success.

Ariya said she was so proud to see her sister’s hard work finally pay off. “It’s been the goal of the family to see us win on the LPGA. I’ve learned a lot from her. But the most important thing is we never compare each other. We just keep working hard and let the results speak for themselves,” she said.

Ariya Jutanugarn when she won her first title in 2016

Moriya moves to her career highest at No 11 in the world this week following the victory. She and Ariya are now in San Francisco for another LPGA tournament.

According to reports on Monday, shareholders will discuss extending the delay for repayment of part of a 50 million-euro ($63 million) loan by a few months.

The deadline could be pushed back until June 2019 for the repayment of 10 million euros while the remainder of a 303 million-euro bridge loan provided by the US fund must be repaid by October this year.

The change in the terms would give Milan greater financial acceptability to meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

Representatives of the Italian club met for the third time with UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary body at European football’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.

Milan CEO Marco Fassone has said that despite reassuring UEFA on their financial situation they expected sanctions for violating FFP rules.

UEFA have voiced concerns over the financial stability of the club, which was purchased by a Chinese-led consortium from Silvio Berlusconi for 740 million euros ($918m) last April, spending more than 200 million euros on new players in the summer.

The seven-time European champions have a massive loan for repayment and are working to refinance more than 300 million euros in high-interest loans from US hedge fund Elliott Management.

Meanwhile, on the pitch the club is struggling, falling to seventh and outside the berths for money-spinning European football next season, after a shock 1-0 defeat at San Siro to bottom club Benevento at the weekend.

They have just four matches to try and rekindle their Europa League hopes with Sampdoria and Fiorentina just three points behind them.

Milan will also play Juventus in the Italian Cup final on May 9, when a win would earn them a place in the Europa League.

The 2013 Rookie of the Year carded a final round 68 for a total 12 under-par-272 to win the par 71 US$1.5 million tournament.

In the past, Moriya came close to winning several times but would come short on the final day. However, the elder Jutanugarn , who finished second at the LPGA Thailand in Pattaya in February, did not show any signs of nerves on Sunday as she appeared in solid concentration despite having late bogey on the 16^th.

Ariya, left, hugs her sister Moriya Jutanugarn after she saves a par putt for her first LPGA title.

The 23-year-old from Bangkok became the second Thai to win an LPGA title after her sister and former world No 1 Ariya Jutanuagrn won the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Alabama in May 2016.

Moriya and Ariya now join Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam as the only sisters to have won on the LPGA.

Pogba, who has even been linked with a summer move away from Old Trafford, said that he always accepts Mourinho’s decisions and that the best response he can make to being snubbed is to improve on the pitch.

“I have no problem with Mourinho,” Pogba told Canal+ on Sunday.

“I also believe that he has no problem with me. He is the coach, he makes the decisions. Me, I am a player, I accept it and I have to respond on the pitch, that’s all.”

Midfield star Pogba revealed that Mourinho never explains why he is getting dropped or substituted in a match.

“No, it all depends on the coach. There are some who like to talk to the players. Mourinho, when he makes a choice, you have to accept it.”

Pogba has been in and out of the United team as Mourinho sought to chase down rivals Manchester City, who ran away with the Premier League title.

Eyebrows were raised when he started both legs of the Champions League last-16 tie against Sevilla on the bench, and could not prevent United from being eliminated when he did come on.

He was then widely criticised for a lacklustre display in a 1-0 home loss to West Bromwich Albion which handed the title to City — the latest in a long line of disappointing efforts from the former Juventus star since his move to United two years ago.

There was even talk that Mourinho has told United to put Pogba up for sale, just days after City manager Pep Guardiola said he had been offered the chance to sign the midfielder by his agent in January.

But Pogba said he understood Mourinho’s decision to tinker with his line-up.

“There is a system. Sometimes, if you have to defend, you must defend. Mourinho has made me captain, he gave me the keys, the responsibilities at a great club like Manchester United,” added Pogba.

“For the time being, I am at Manchester United and I am only thinking about the present. We are in the FA Cup final, I have a World Cup to come.

“Transfers, all that sort of thing, are not on my mind.”

Second-placed United trail City by 16 points with four games of the league season to go after Guardiola’s men kept up their chase of a series of Premier League records by thrashing Swansea 5-0 on Sunday.

Mourinho believes United let crucial points slip away in defeats to West Brom, Huddersfield and Newcastle.

However, the Portuguese coach reckons even if those errors are eradicated next season, it will be difficult to challenge for the title if free-spending City bolster their squad once more over the summer.

“I think we should have eight, nine or 10 points more than we had,” said Mourinho after reaching the FA Cup final by beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Saturday.

“It was not acceptable the last defeat (to West Brom), not acceptable the performance at Huddersfield, not acceptable the performance at Newcastle, so we lost a few matches where we should do better.

“Can we improve next season? Let’s try. Can Manchester City keep this level or improve this level? Only they can say.

“If they have the team they have, and they are going to invest on the top of the team they have, of course it’s going to be difficult.”

United have spent hundreds of millions themselves since Mourinho took charge just under two years ago, splashing a then world record £89 million fee for Paul Pogba in 2016 and beating City to the signature of Alexis Sanchez in January by reportedly making the Chilean the highest paid player in Premier League history.

However, Mourinho hinted at only minor alterations to his squad this summer to replace the retiring Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini, whose contract expires in June.

“We are going to improve the basics to improve our squad. We need to find a replacement for Michal Carrick, if Felliani leaves, we need to find a replacement for Felliani,” added Mourinho.

“We believe that more than spend, spend, spend (it) is more (about) the evolution of our players.

“We have some young players who need to get with both hands opportunities for their evolution.”