Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland is aiming to get the better of Liverpool on Saturday.

The England international, who will be expecting to travel to Russia for the World Cup this Summer, has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield and will be out to show his best form when he visits at the weekend.

“We need wins now, it really is as simple as that.” he told StokeCityFC.com

“It was a real kick in the teeth at the weekend, especially having been in front again.

“We are trying everything we can to get the results we need, but for whatever reason it simply isn’t happening for us and we aren’t getting the luck of the draw.

“The time for talking is done, we have to keep fighting – it’s emotional for everyone and a really tough time of year – we’re all trying to do our bit.

“We have to dust ourselves down and go again at Anfield. I am not going to sugar-coat it, we know that we have to go there and we have to get the three points. It’s as simple as that.” he finished.

Butland is rumoured to be a Summer target for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, with a move worth around £20m being touted as a possibility for the stopper.

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has urged his team-mates to be positive in Rome next week.

The Dutchman will be part of the squad which travels to Italy to take on Roma in the second leg of the Champions League final tie.

He came off the bench to help the team to a 5-2 victory over the Serie A outfit – but is wary of avoiding a similar fate to that which Barcelona suffered in the quarter finals.

“Of course the last ten minutes we didn’t do 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.” he is quoted by The Independent.

“We know we still have ninety minutes to go so we have to remain concentrated. We have to be happy we scored five goals.

“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 in 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.

“The first fifteen to twenty minutes were a little bit difficult and they had the possibility to score with a shot from the edge of the area but after that I think we dominated the game and in the second half we dominated until the last ten minutes.

“It just happens in a game. We were just trying to play our own game and even if it didn’t go well we were still trying to do it because we know we can create chances with it.

“At the end Mo scored the first one, the second one, it’s a pleasure.” he finished.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said that Mohamed Salah needs to show his current form over a longer period to be considered the best in the world.

Many pundits and fans have heralded the Egypt international as the top player in the game after his latest man of the match performance against former club Roma this week.

But his manager feels that his star man needs to keep his feet on the ground and not get carried away with the fanfare in order to keep his focus on doing what he does best.

“To be the best in the world maybe you have to do it for a longer period.” he said.

“His first goal is a genius strike, he’s scored a couple like that.

“The second goal was also great play.

“He is in outstandingly good shape.

“He is a fantastic player that we are really happy to have. What a player!” he finished.

Klopp will be keen to keep Salah fit for the rest of the season and so may decide to leave him out of the starting side to face Stoke City on Saturday.

Former Premier League midfielder Robbie Savage has backed Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah to claim the coveted Ballon d’Or this year.

The ex-Wales international was speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live following the Egyptians’ stunning performance in the 5-2 win over Roma on Tuesday evening.

“You’ve got to give him the Ballon d’Or,” he said.

“He is that good. Never mind the PFA Player of the Year, just give him the Ballon d’Or.

“Salah has been the best player on the park. Two massive goals, a couple of assists. A standing ovation against his former side, what a player, what a man.

“Looks like he has put one foot in the final for Liverpool.” he finished.

Salah scored two more goals to take his tally for the season to forty-three in all competitions, and includes thirty-one Premier League strikes.

Few could have anticipated such a return from the former Chelsea man when he arrived at Anfield from Roma almost a year ago in a deal worth around £35m.

But he has wowed the supporters and media alike and looks on course to end the season as the top scorer in England and potentially Europe too.

Few Liverpool fans would disagree with Savage’s assertion.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted his surprise at seeing Roma playing with such a high line on Tuesday evening.

His side took command of the tie thanks to a 5-2 victory at Anfield ahead of next week’s second leg in Italy on Wednesday evening.

And the German has admitted that he did not expect the Serie A club to give his team the kind of space behind their defence that saw them do so much damage.

“We thought they would play the other system.” he said.

“It was not a system problem or whatever, we did really well.

“We prepared these passes in behind and we made these runs in behind – they are difficult to defend with our speed. So it was not easy, it was a lot of work.

“I thought the boys played a brilliant game over a very long period and even the last few minutes when we conceded, Dejan Lovren played a world-class game and was outstandingly good.” he added.

Klopp did not feel that being too attacking was the reason for Roma snatching two late goals to give themselves a glimmer of hope in the return game.

“No, we were completely solid in the defence.” he continued.

“It happened one time, they played a long ball in the box that we defended before and it was not even a chance.

“We didn’t give any space away. It wasn’t that we were completely open because we’re all offensive and then they had one chance after another.

“We controlled the game in a very nice football way.” he finished.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that his team can go to Italy and beat Roma in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final.

The German oversaw a 5-2 victory at Anfield in Tuesday’s first leg and believes that his players are capable of sealing progress to next month’s final in the return fixture.

“What I learned is that we can win the second game as well even when it will be different, but Roma need to score goals against us.” he said.

“It should not sound like a warning or whatever but we are not Barcelona.

“Barcelona is one of the two or three best teams in the world and they won so many things in the last few years and we didn’t.

“We will fight with all we have for that result again. It is so much better than I could have expected before the game but now in the moment I feel the two goals we conceded.

“We have to work again in Rome – that is no problem.

“There would have been work for us to do if we had won 5-0 because Roma would have tried everything to strike back anyway so that is not a big difference.” he finished.

The second leg kicks off at 19:45 on Wednesday 2nd May at the Stadio Olimpico.

It is being claimed that the Liverpool starting eleven for tonight’s game against AS Roma has been leaked.

Anfield Edition are reporting the team in an “exclusive” article ahead of the 19:45 kick-off of the Champions League semi-final first leg tie tonight.

They are claiming that the team manager Jurgen Klopp has selected is as follows:

Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner Oxlade-Chamberlain; Salah, Firmino, Mané

It is the side which many supporters have picked as their preferred team, with James Milner looking likely to get the nod ahead of Georginio Wijnaldum in midfield.

The team will be officially announced in the coming hour.

Former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise has made Roma the favourites to win the semi final tie between the two clubs.

The ex-Norway international full-back played for both sides during his career and reckons that the Italians have the advantage thanks to play at home in the second leg.

“Roma are slight favourites because they will play the return game at the Olimpico.” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I will be there to watch it and it will be a show.

“But winning at Anfield is an impossible deed, European nights there are special.

“Liverpool are Champions League animals.’

“Di Francesco will need an antidote to Liverpool’s attacking trio.

“I don’t think Pep Guardiola did anything wrong – I just think some nights it’s impossible to stop Salah, Mané and Firmino.” he finished.

Liverpool supporters will hope that he is wrong and that the Reds progress to the final in Kiev next month.

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has admitted that it will be “difficult” for him to face his old team Roma tonight – but he is “excited” at the prospect.

The Egyptian will line up at Anfield against the Italian side – who he left last Summer in order to become a part of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

And he has admitted that he will have mixed emotions about helping his current club to beat his old one to a place in the Champions League final.

“I’m very excited to play against Roma and every day I talk to some of my former teammates, like Francesco Totti who I spoke to the other day.” he told Sky Sports.

“It certainly won’t be easy for me, it is going to be difficult because I love the club, I love the city.

“I know that the fans love me so for those reasons, it won’t be an easy experience.

“I feel a lot of emotions. I know Roma so well.

“I was there for two years and emotionally, it will not be an easy game as I said but now I have to face them and I’m focused on helping my team reach the final.” he finished.

Liverpool supporters will be hoping that he can get over any emotions and help score the goals to take the club to Kiev.

Former Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva has thrown his support behind the club ahead of the Champions League semi final tie with Roma.

The Brazil international now plays for Roma’s bitter city rivals Lazio and has admitted that he will be looking to get a seat in the away end of the Stadio Olimpico next week for the second leg.

“It will be a great night, for sure.” he told Liverpoolfc.com

“For the players, a good experience. It’s a big game, a semi-final.

“It maybe won’t be that different from some games that I experienced with Liverpool – the Europa League, that game against Dortmund and then Villarreal.

“I’m looking forward to it and I’ll be supporting Liverpool for sure.

“I’m hoping I can go to the Liverpool end and watch the game – and maybe take some of my friends and my son.

“We still follow Liverpool a lot, we watch every game and I hope they can get to the final.” he finished.

Liverpool supporters will welcome the cult hero with open arms should he make his way to the game next week.