It's Liverpool who have the advantage in their historic Europa League tie with Manchester United, as they roared to a 2-0 win at Anfield in the first leg on Thursday.
Daniel Sturridge put Liverpool ahead from the penalty spot in the 20th minute, and had it not been for a string of saves from David De Gea in the Red Devils goal, the hosts could have been out of sight before half-time. With 15 minutes remaining, Roberto Firmino deservedly doubled the home side's lead.
As the Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce relayed, ahead of the first-ever meeting between the two sides in European competition, there was a brilliant atmosphere at the iconic stadium:
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) March 10, 2016
The fiery mood in the stands manifested on the field as the game kicked off, although referee Carlos Velasco Carballo calmed things down quickly, booking Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson inside two minutes for a rash foul.