Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk reveal half-time team talk that inspired Liverpool turnaround

The Reds got a first-half scare towards Villarreal on Tuesday (Image: Getty)

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk have credited supervisor Jurgen Klopp’s half-time crew speak for serving to Liverpool see off Villarreal in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg.

The Merseysiders, who're pursuing the quadruple, noticed their two-goal first-leg lead worn out within the first half in Spain, with Boulaye Dia netting after simply three minutes earlier than Francis Coquelin levelled the scores on mixture shortly earlier than half-time.

Liverpool seemed sloppy and lacklustre within the first 45 minutes however got here out for the second half fired up, delivering an outstanding show to e book their place within the Champions League closing.

Villarreal gave Liverpool an enormous scare within the first half (Image: Getty)

Fabinho fired previous Geronimo Rulli’s legs to re-take the lead on the hour mark earlier than objectives from Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane sealed a 5-2 mixture win.

Now Alexander-Arnold has revealed that Klopp was removed from comfortable along with his aspect’s efficiency within the first half and inspired the aspect to get again to enjoying their typical soccer.

Requested what was mentioned at half-time, Alexander-Arnold advised BT Sport: ‘We simply wanted to play the best way we needed to play. We by no means performed soccer that first half.

‘We by no means picked up any of the second balls in any respect and so they type of performed the sport that they needed to – and we allowed them to do this.

‘It was troublesome for us, like I say we didn’t play any soccer, however second half we got here out, we performed the best way we would have liked to play, managed the sport lots higher.

‘One dangerous half for us over the 2 legs, we are able to concede that so long as we get the job performed and we did that right this moment.’

Klopp was longing for Liverpool to get in behind extra (Image: Getty)

Van Dijk additionally praised Klopp’s half-time changes, and when requested what the Liverpool boss mentioned at half-time he replied: ‘Play extra, play soccer, play the Liverpool method, how we’ve been enjoying mainly the entire season.

‘Get on the ball, have a number of actions within the ball but additionally behind the final line, they've a excessive line, so with the pace we've we've to combine that up as effectively.

‘But additionally we've to point out a lot we actually wish to go to the ultimate, and that’s the way it begins. And second half we dominated and performed so effectively.’

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