Barney Ronay, Guardian
It is no secret this Liverpool team play in surges, moments when the day seems to turn a shade of deep red and when the front three become a whirl of malevolent action. But this was something new. Liverpool and Salah did not just accelerate away from Roma, they eviscerated them, almost but not quite killing a semi-final that remains, somehow, in the balance. Liverpool were relentless in those periods, shaking and ragging Roma in their jaws like a terrier with an old leather slipper. Of five Liverpool goals in the space of 35 minutes Salah scored two and provided three assists for Roberto Firmino, twice, and Sadio Mané. Salah was that rare thing, an athlete at the top of his profession finding new heights, new levels. There may be a more breathtakingly brilliant attacking performance in Europe this season but, given the game and the stage, there has not been one yet. In the event the Salah Spring just keeps rolling, with 22 goals and nine assists in his past 19 starts since Boxing Day. More significant than the numbers is the spectacle, the basic joy in Salah’s free-running interpretation of the inside-forward role, a combination of preternatural quick feet, a computer of a creative brain and the rare ability in modern football simply to make the game up in front of him. Salah was too much for Roma as he has been for so many others this season. Defensive jitters may have let Roma back in towards the end but Liverpool will travel to Rome with confidence. Jürgen Klopp has spoken about the need for everyone to join “the train”, for the whole team to push it along together. The Olympic Stadium will be a moment to yank the throttle hard once again, to keep that machine driving on right to the end.