Jurgen Klopp hailed Liverpool's "best game for a long time" after the Reds thrashed Leeds United 6-1 in Monday's Premier League clash.

Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored braces, either side of Cody Gakpo's opener and Darwin Nunez's late strike at Elland Road.

Victory ended a five-game winless run for Liverpool in all competitions as Klopp's men moved within six points of Europa League qualification, still with a game in hand over fifth-placed Tottenham.

The Liverpool manager pinpointed his side's intensity as a key factor in arresting their previously poor form.

"I think it's the best game we've played this season from all different perspectives and aspects of the game," Klopp told Sky Sports. 

"I think we forced a lot of errors, but it was a really good game, sensational goals and counter-pressing – it was the best game for a long time.

"My favourite part was in the 92nd minute we chased the poor boy on the ball from Leeds. I am really happy with that game."

Klopp elaborated further as he suggested Liverpool have started to click, with a pivotal moment in their season coming after fighting back from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Arsenal on April 9 at Anfield.

He added: "It's a general thing. To play good football you need stability, the stability you only get from defending, but when you are in this kind of negative flow then you make wrong decisions.

"You think to play better you have to be foremost concerned with the offensive stuff. We can be super offensive-orientated, if we react in the right moment.

"I can't explain why our counter-pressing didn't work, but tonight it clicked. It clicked in the second half against Arsenal.

"Tonight I'm not sure how many goals we scored after we won the ball back – that makes all the difference and I think we know that.

"But there is always a bit of difference from knowing and understanding and really feeling it."

Liverpool are nine points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United and an unlikely Champions League qualification, with Klopp acknowledging a top-four push may be out of the Reds' reach.

"Where we end up I don't know, but it will go on after the season, so we need all the games to understand," he continued.

"The games are super important. If we can't get anything this season, then we have to build on good performances from this last part of the season.

"I have no clue if we can get close, but I don't think it's too important. I would like to see us with the same desire, the same passion, the same understanding that we showed tonight."

Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a 6-1 hammering of Leeds United on Monday.

Jurgen Klopp's side had not tasted victory in any competition since the March 5 thrashing of Manchester United but ended a five-game winless streak at their relegation-threatened hosts.

Liverpool took control through a quickfire first-half double from Cody Gakpo and Salah, although Luis Sinisterra pulled one back two minutes into the second half at Elland Road.

There was to be no dramatic turnaround as a Jota brace, either side of Salah's second, made sure of three points that moved the Reds to within six of Europa League qualification, before Darwin Nunez completed the scoring off the bench.

Leeds should have taken the lead against the run of play when Rodrigo headed a glorious seventh-minute chance straight at Alisson from Jack Harrison's free-kick.

But Liverpool were in front when Trent Alexander-Arnold dispossessed Junior Firpo before playing a one-two with Salah and teeing up a simple Gakpo finish for the 35th-minute opener.

Salah doubled Liverpool's lead just four minutes later with a rasping drive past Illan Meslier after Jota's delicate offload.

An Ibrahima Konate mistake allowed Sinisterra to race through and chip Alisson, but Leeds' momentum was soon halted when Curtis Jones found Jota to curl past the onrushing Meslier.

Brenden Aaronson struck the upright with a whipped long-range attempt, before a selfless Gakpo pass rolled in Salah for a cool left-footed finish into the bottom-left corner.

Jota found the same corner from Jordan Henderson's pass, with Nunez then capping the rout by latching onto Alexander Arnold's dinked ball and dispatching past Meslier.

What does it mean? Reds atone for away struggles with much-needed win

Klopp's side had recorded just 13 points in their 15 Premier League away games this season prior to this trip, but Leeds remains a happy hunting ground for the Reds.

Liverpool have not lost any of their last six league visits to Elland Road, dating back to a 4-3 defeat in November 2000 when Mark Viduka scored all four Leeds goals.

While out of the running for any silverware this term, Klopp will want his team to produce similar away performances across the remainder of the season as they bid for European qualification.  

Super Salah

This has been a slightly quiet season for Salah compared to his usual lofty standards, having scored 13 times in 29 league outings before this clash, but the Liverpool man again came to the fore against Leeds.

The forward has scored nine times against Leeds in the Premier League, with no Reds player managing more – only Gordon Hodgson can match that tally in Liverpool's entire league history.

Leeds defensive woes continue

Leeds were thrashed 5-1 at home by Crystal Palace last time out and have now shipped 16 goals in their four league games in April, more than any other team this month.

The Whites' defensive struggles continued here, although they may have felt aggrieved with Gakpo's opener after it appeared Alexander-Arnold handled when dispossessing Firpo in the build-up.

What's next?

Liverpool host strugglers Nottingham Forest on Saturday, when Leeds visit Fulham.

Kepa Arrizabalaga does not see any problem in Todd Boehly coming into the dressing room after games, revealing Chelsea's co-owner often does so.

Reports emerged following Chelsea's home loss to Brighton and Hove Albion that Boehly had spent around an hour in the team's dressing room.

Boehly is said to have declared that Chelsea's results have been "embarrassing". The Blues have lost all three games under interim boss Frank Lampard, who took over after Graham Potter was sacked earlier in April.

Kepa, however, sees no issue with Boehly having his say or visiting the dressing room.

"Todd comes to the changing room in every game," the goalkeeper said at a press conference ahead of Chelsea's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

"He had different chats with us after different games. I am not going to say what he said.

"It is normal when he came into the changing room."

Lampard, too, has no problem with it.

"I'm comfortable with that," said Lampard. "When an owner is very invested, it's their prerogative to have the input they want, it shows passion."

Kepa has kept his place in the team since Lampard took over from Potter, despite the Chelsea great having dropped him during his first stint as head coach and Edouard Mendy having returned from a hand injury that had kept him out since the World Cup.

The 28-year-old shrugged off any suggestion there is lingering animosity between Lampard and himself.

"It was three years ago, it was a different situation and different everything," Kepa said.

"Now I am playing, Frank is the manager, and he is taking his decision in every game, and when he picks me in the starting XI, I am doing my best.

"It's been my home for five years now. I am very happy to be here. I am feeling like I am at home. I am enjoying this journey that we have had in the last few years.

"In the last two seasons, I played 15 games, but now I am playing, and I am playing well. I feel confident and enjoy it out on the pitch. I think that's the most important thing.

"Obviously, the season, in general, is not the best, but I am personally happy with my season."

Chelsea trail Madrid 2-0 heading into Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona have confirmed Sergi Roberto is facing a spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.

The versatile 31-year-old was replaced by Eric Garcia just 15 minutes into a goalless LaLiga draw at Getafe after doing damage to his left leg.

Sergi Roberto had a scan on Monday and Barca revealed he has done damage to his biceps femoral muscle.

The loss of the club stalwart is a blow ahead of the leaders' clash with third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

There was good news for the Catalan giants, though, with Ousmane Dembele, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong able to take part in the training.

Xavi bemoaned the state of the Coliseum Alfonso Perez pitch after his side failed to score for a third consecutive game in the stalemate at Getafe.

The Blaugrana are 11 points clear of fierce rivals Real Madrid with nine games to play.

Frank Lampard has refuted suggestions Chelsea are "broken" as they prepare for their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid.

The Blues welcome the defending European champions to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday after suffering a 2-0 loss in the away fixture last week.

Chelsea head into that game on the back of another defeat, losing at home to Brighton and Hove Albion to extend their winless Premier League run to five matches.

Lampard's side are 11th in the table – well below expectations, he acknowledged – but he does not believe they are beyond repair.

"We are not where we want to be, [but] I think the word 'broken' is a bit much," he said. "The league position is reality, and we are 2-0 down in this game. We have to work against that.

"I'm big on personal responsibility as a player and as a group. I'm not blaming anyone else. We have to address things now and going forward. It is a big part of the game.

"You do a lot of work and delve into data, statistics and output of games. This is not a question of player commitment; my job is to find ways we can get better to compete at this level."

Lampard was a player when Chelsea defied the odds with a remarkable run to Champions League glory under Roberto Di Matteo, another interim boss, in 2012.

But the idea of an upset against Madrid ranking alongside that triumph was swatted away by Lampard.

"I don't think anything that happens tomorrow will be better than when we won the Champions League," he said. "We had many difficult moments on that run.

"Considering the moment we are in and the team we are facing here, of course it would be special. I have no doubt it'll be positive [to play at home].

"I've been here too many times on a Champions League night at Stamford Bridge not to understand that the atmosphere is going to be great. It is down to us to engage the crowd. They can help us."

Christian Eriksen expects Manchester United can battle all the way through the rest of a busy season following his full return from injury.

The Denmark international made his first start since January during Sunday's 2-0 win in the Premier League over Nottingham Forest.

After minutes off the bench against Everton and Sevilla, Eriksen is back to help United contend for further silverware in the FA Cup and Europa League.

But he says it is imperative Erik ten Hag's side do not neglect the league, as they aim to secure Champions League football for next season.

"Every game now until the end is going to be very important," he told MUTV. "Someone is going to drop down, [and] someone's going to go in front.

"So if we stay on the front foot like we are now, we're going to be in a very good position and be safe for the Champions League before the season is done."

A post-EFL Cup wobble looks to be behind United, though they conceded twice late on against Sevilla in Thursday's Europa League quarter-final first leg.

Victory over Forest, particularly with several key stars on the sidelines, emphasised what Eriksen feels to be a strong squad ethos over recent months.

"They've impressed me," he added. "They've kept the intensity, they've kept the level for how they play. The games, everything, even from the outside, has been looking good.

"If you take into account how we started [the season], it's a completely different feeling around the club and also on the pitch. The feeling around the boys is really good."

Manchester United legend Gary Neville declared Manchester City are "far too close for comfort" to matching their rivals' famous treble.

Alex Ferguson's side made history in the 1998-99 season by winning the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League, a feat not achieved by any other English side.

However, City remain in the hunt on all three fronts this season and, while manager Pep Guardiola has played down talk of a potential treble, the fight is on.

City hold a 3-0 advantage over Bayern Munich ahead of Wednesday's second leg of their Champions League quarter-final, and face second-tier Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on Saturday.

In the Premier League, City sit four points behind Arsenal with a game in hand and take on Mikel Arteta's side a week on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium.

As a result, Neville has admitted his concern that United's arch-rivals could match his club's historic achievement.

"I thought their Bayern Munich game was sensational. Bayern Munich were fantastic in the game in the first half and when Pep Guardiola said after the game he was worried, I could feel that as Bayern looked dangerous and sharp," he said on the Gary Neville podcast.

"He was resting players against Leicester because he knows he has to go to the Allianz Arena and it will be tough and he knows that. If Bayern get a goal, it is a bit like Anfield where they can go and get two or three.

"They've had a brilliant week, City. To win that game 3-0 and beat Liverpool 4-1, they're purring, they're playing well. They're serious now about it and they're in great form now.

"Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan in midfield, the best midfield you can get. Up front, Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez are really settled now. They're hitting the home straight.

"The treble was mentioned last week, it's definitely on. They can win the European Cup, FA Cup and the Premier League.

"There's a long way to go, they can come up against a team that does them on the way: Real Madrid in the Champions League, Manchester United or Brighton in the FA Cup or they could lose to Arsenal at the Etihad, but they're very close to it. Far too close for comfort."

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool will try to be "smart" with their recruitment in the upcoming transfer window and insists he is motivated to get the Reds firing again.

Liverpool have endured a torrid season, sitting in eighth place in the Premier League with nine games remaining, with Champions League qualification looking unlikely, and out of all cup competitions.

Fans were further agitated by reports last week that the club had ended their pursuit of Jude Bellingham due to Borussia Dortmund's asking price.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Liverpool's trip to Leeds United on Monday, Klopp said people will just have to "wait and see" when it comes to their transfer plans.

"There's really nothing to say. You have to wait until we finish our business and then you will see what we did," he said.

"We have to be ready for praise or criticism. We'll work from the first day of the new season with the boys and we'll really go for it – that's much more important.

"All the rest is speculation from the media. We have nothing to do with that."

Liverpool have been linked with players such as Mason Mount, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch in recent weeks, and Klopp expressed his belief that those in charge of transfers at the club are well-placed to solve their issues.

"We always try to be smart in our recruitment," Klopp said. "I am 100 per cent sure that if you gave the power stick to a few people, then next season we'd bring in 20 new players.

"If you gave it to a few others, then we'd bring old players back when we were successful before and stuff like this. We are in charge, that's what we decided on and let's go from there.

"It's an interesting period, very interesting and we always try to be smart in the transfer market, so it's not completely new to us."

Klopp is coming to the end of his eighth season in charge at Anfield, with three more years left on his contract, and he remains as driven as ever despite this season's difficulties.

"Yes, I am still motivated," he said. "Maybe even more, because now I know everybody here and I feel even more responsible for everything.

"I've said it a couple of times, it's a little bit strange when you have to say 'I'm fully in' because maybe people from the outside question it. But no, motivation is absolutely not my problem."

The German believes he has identified the problems he must solve, and is "looking forward" to the challenge, adding: "The way we defend, that must be much clearer.

"We also have to work on the way we attack and how we control games. It's a big job, but it's something I'm looking forward to."

Keylor Navas believes he could help Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League next season and feels capable of playing for "any team."

The 36-year-old Costa Rica international swapped life in the French capital for a Premier League relegation battle by joining Nottingham Forest on loan for the rest of the season in January.

Navas would relish another opportunity with the Ligue 1 leaders after Gianluigi Donnarumma took over as PSG's first-choice keeper.

He told Canal+ "I have one year left on my contract in Paris. If I have to go back there and play, I feel capable of winning the Champions League with PSG.

"I didn't like the situation I was experiencing in Paris. I wanted to feel that the team loved me. I always felt in good condition to play.

"When I was at PSG nobody could say that I was causing problems, that I wasn't training or that I wasn't working well On the contrary, I wanted to train even more and show that I could play. But unfortunately I didn't have the chance."

Navas has no idea where he will be playing next season and is keeping his options open.

He added: "I feel capable of playing for any team. We'll see what happens in the future. I would like, when I finish my loan here, to see the club's intentions. Then we can make decisions."

Joan Laporta claimed Real Madrid have always been favoured by referees as he labelled the capital club "the team of the regime".

Barca's president spoke at a press conference on Monday to robustly defend the club amid allegations they made payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the technical committee of referees.

The club are subject to a UEFA investigation with prosecutors in Spain pursuing charges for alleged corruption. Barca are accused of having paid over €7million to a company owned by Negreira.

Laporta, though, has insisted Barca have no case to answer, as he looked to turn the spotlight onto rivals Madrid.

"I want to mention a club which decided, on its own, to appear in court when the trial happens," Laporta said.

"A club saying that they feel wronged. A club, Real Madrid, which has historically been favoured by arbitration decisions. Historically and currently. A team that has been considered the team of the regime of the day due to its proximity to the power of the day. 

"They were the team of the system because they were close to the political and financial power. I think it's worth mentioning that for seven decades the big majority of the presidents of the technical committee of referees have been former members or players of Real Madrid.

"For 70 years the people who assigned the referees were former members or former Real Madrid players. In some cases, all of those at the same time.

"For this club to appear in trial and say they feel wronged for the best period in Barcelona's history, this trial will be used to take their masks off. It's an unprecedented exercise of impudence."

Laporta, who said the allegations represented "one of the most ferocious attacks in our history" reiterated Barca's innocence.

"Throughout our 123-year history, Barcelona has always been a model of fair play, both on and off the field," he said.

"If we have won for so many decades, it has undoubtedly been a result of effort, talent and knowledge.

"No campaign to discredit us will prevent us from continuing to be an organisation of reference in the world of sports that is beloved and admired by millions of Catalans and by many more millions of people around the world.

"I am fully convinced that Barcelona has never performed any act with the intention of altering the competition to gain an advantage.

"If there were any person or private entity outside Barcelona that had taken advantage of this context to commit irregularities, the club would be the first to fully investigate. Our image is at stake.

"Accusations must be proven. We live by the rule of law, which guarantees among its basic principles the presumption of innocence. I reiterate with all my resolve, I am convinced that Barcelona has not committed any crime of sports-related corruption. I hope that sooner rather than later, the club is fully exonerated.

"Consulting on technical-refereeing issues does not constitute any type of illegal act. Consulting – as is done by the big clubs – that was carried out transparently, with the corresponding invoices, at least in my first mandate as president."

Barca were held to a 0-0 draw by Getafe on Sunday, though they hold an 11-point lead at the top of LaLiga with nine games remaining.

Pep Guardiola hailed Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne's "special connection" after their eighth Premier League goal combination of the season.

The pair were key once again as City beat lowly Leicester City 3-1 on Saturday.

Haaland scored twice to take his goal tally in the league to 32, matching Mohamed Salah's record for a 38-game season. 

His second goal came when he latched onto a precise De Bruyne throughball, marking the eighth time the Belgium international has teed up a Haaland strike in the top flight this term.

That is one off the joint record of nine, shared by Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and ex-Liverpool forwards Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler.

"I think the connection between Erling and Kevin is obvious," Guardiola said. "I think Kevin needs the runners to do his biggest quality.

"Erling needs an assist player to make his positive runs. It's a natural way. We talk a lot about 'take a look at him when he runs and put the ball there'.

"When the ball is correct, and he has this space, he is unstoppable. We know it. But they have a special connection and you can see this.

"But what I like about that second goal is Kevin won the duel. I love that. He won the duel and after that, the run and finish from Erling was fantastic."

De Bruyne's eight assists to Haaland is three more than any other Premier League player has managed to a team-mate this term, with Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes having set up Marcus Rashford on five occasions.

Victory over Leicester, combined with Arsenal's 2-2 draw against West Ham, means City are just four points off the Gunners with a game in hand.

The title rivals will meet on April 26, in what looks set to be the decisive clash.

Ciro Immobile "feared for his daughters" and feels he had a lucky escape after the Lazio captain's car was hit by a tram on Sunday.

The Italy striker sustained a distortion trauma of the spine and a compound fracture of his rib when his vehicle was struck in Rome.

He was taken to the Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital following the crash, which occurred while his two daughters were travelling with him.

Video footage showed substantial damage to the front of Immobile's car and the 33-year-old is relieved he was not driving a smaller vehicle.

He is quoting as saying in the Corriere dello Sport: "An incredible blow. I only thought about protecting my girls. A nightmare, I feared for them. Luckily both we and the tram driver are here to talk about it. With another car I don't know what would have happened."

Lazio president Claudio Lotito said: "Ciro is part of our family, he is a champion to whom I am particularly attached also from a human point of view. 

"We are with him and we hope he will return soon, but now he must have the utmost serenity to think about his health and to that of his daughters."

Immobile scored his 12th goal of the season from the penalty spot in second-placed Lazio's 3-0 win over Spezia last Friday.

Gabriel Jesus says Arsenal must raise their levels to remain on top of their Premier League title charge after dropping points for the second game in a row.

The Gunners blew a 2-0 lead against West Ham on Sunday, slipping to a 2-2 draw that has seen their gap at the summit shrink to just four points - the second game in a row a two-goal advantage was let slip.

Jesus and Martin Odegaard had put the visitors in cruise control at London Stadium inside 10 minutes, before Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen clawed back equilibrium.

With Manchester City, who have a game in hand, hot on their heels, Jesus has called upon his team-mates to ensure their standards do not slip again this term.

"Once again, the three points were in our hands," he told the club's website. "Obviously, the game is 90 minutes. It's not 20, [or] in this case 30 minutes.

"As a team, we have to raise the level and come back to our principles. We know our strength, we know what we can do.

"Where we want to attack the opponent, in the first 10 to 20 minutes we did so good. After that we dropped our level and that obviously cannot happen if you want to fight for the title.

"As a team, it's no time to blame [ourselves]. We have to raise the level again, come back to our principles and win the games. That's the only way we can fight for the title again."

Arsenal face City a week on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium, in what is shaping up to be the pivotal encounter in their title fight.

Before then though, they will hope to return to winning ways against rock-bottom Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.

Real Madrid are eager to rejuvenate their squad for coming seasons with investment set to come in the off season.

Los Blancos are set to finish second in the LaLiga title race to Barcelona who hold an 11-point lead with nine games to play.

The depth of the reigning European champions, who are in this season's quarter-finals, has been tested at times this term.

TOP STORY – MADRID BOSS TO SWOOP ON CHELSEA TALENT

Fichajes claims Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has identified Chelsea quartet Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic as potential targets.

The latter three are all out of contract in 2024, meaning Los Blancos could sign them for free if they do not re-sign.

Perez is plotting to capitalise on Chelsea's downfall this term, with the club to miss next season's Champions League.

Kovacic previously spent three seasons at Santiago Bernabeu, while Mount has attracted interest from several top clubs given his quality and contract status.

ROUND-UP

– Lionel Messi wants to return to Barcelona when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expire at the end of this season, reports Fichajes. Messi will overlook offers from Saudi Arabia and MLS club Inter Miami to return to his former club.

– Manchester United are in pole position to sign French defender Axel Disasi from Monaco in the off season, claims Football Insider. Disasi is out of contract in 2025, with Chelsea and Manchester City also said to be interested.

– Liverpool have turned to Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch as an alternative to Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, claims The Times.

– Calciomercatoweb claims Arsenal are still in the race to sign Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, despite stiff competition from Madrid and PSG .

– Toni Kroos is set to accept a contract extension offer from Madrid and re-commit to the club for another 12 months, reports Marca.

– Chelsea have met with ex-Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann as they look for their next permanent manager, according to The Times.