Owen hail Liverpool for remarkable second half turnaround vs Villarreal

Michael Owen has hailed Liverpool for their unexpected and remarkable second-half turnaround vs Spanish side Villarreal in the UCL on Tuesday night.

Liverpool went into the game with a 2-0 lead from last week’s first leg at Anfield, but Villarreal started in a 2-0 lead on Tuesday night through Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin in the first half.

The Reds seems to have been struggling to gain a foothold in the first half but the Reds improved massively in the second half, with Fabinho netting from close range in the 62nd minute, and substitute Luis Diaz then made it 2-2 on the night with a header.

Sadio Mane made it 3-2 as the Reds won 5-2 on aggregate.

Liverpool will now play either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the final in Paris on 28 May.

Speaking immediately after the final whistle on BT Sport, former England star Owen praised the Reds for the way they performed in the second half.

Owen said: “The difference between the first and second half from both teams… They certainly earned it, they showed their class. I mean, they absolutely battered Villarreal in the second half.

“Tactically it was a very strange game. I’d love to know what Jurgen Klopp said differently at half-time. It was such a different second half and it was more like what we expected.”