Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum insists they are happy with their 5-2 win over Roma despite failing to finish off the tie by conceding two late goals.
Cruising at 5-0 with nine minutes remaining a trip to next month’s Champions League final in Kiev looked a certainty for Jurgen Klopp’s side but lapses in concentration have offered their Serie A opponents a glimmer of hope for the second leg.
Last time out at the Stadio Olimpico Roma turned around a three-goal deficit to knock out Barcelona with the benefit of one away goal in the Nou Camp.
On the flip side Liverpool took a 3-0 lead to Man City, arguably Europe’s form team, and won 2-1 and Wijnaldum believes they have enough quality to finish things off next week.
“It’s a great result. Of course the last 10 minutes we didn’t do it well but if someone had said before the game ‘Would you be happy with a 5-2?’ everyone would have been happy with the result.
“We know we still have 90 minutes to go so we have to remain concentrated.
“We know we can score goals but we have to do it there and we must try not to concede because that will give them more confidence.
“I think those two goals have given them much more encouragement because their last result against Barcelona was 4-1 and they scored three goals at home so that will give them confidence.
“We also know what happened there so we have to be aware that it doesn’t happen to us.
“But our last game against City was 3-0 and we were all satisfied and it is the same situation we are all in now.”
Aside from the two away goals conceded the other blemish on a thrilling night was the loss of midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to a potentially serious knee injury which looks likely to end his season and scupper his World Cup participation.
Assessments will be carried out on the England international over the next 24 hours before the club’s medical staff can make any sort of prognosis but with Emre Can (back) and Adam Lallana (hamstring) also sidelined it leaves Klopp with just three fit senior midfielders.
Having rested five players for the 2-2 draw at West Brom Klopp has a dilemma ahead of Saturday’s visit of Stoke as Liverpool still need four points from their remaining three matches to effectively guarantee Champions League football next season.
It could offer a chance to youngsters Ben Woodburn, Curtis Jones and Rafael Camacho—in the squad for the first time as unused substitutes for the Merseyside derby—and Herbie Kane.
However, victory over the relegation-threatened Potters would leave them needing only a draw the following weekend at fifth-placed Chelsea, the only team who could benefit from them slipping up, to wrap things up.
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