Liverpool and Manchester City are taking it in turns to blink in the title race but Jurgen Klopp’s side face slipping back down to second place tomorrow night after taking their eyes off the ball altogether against West Ham.

Manuel Pellegrini wants to get West Ham’s season back on course while at the same time doing his old club a favour.

Liverpool bowed out of the FA Cup on an evening when Jurgen Klopp, via his 21st century boys, signalled that this season it is one competition too many.

The pace and intensity of City’s front three was so impressive, so ferocious, that this time they looked a step ahead of Liverpool’s equivalent.

Ger McCarthy picks out the key moments from Manchester City's 2-1 win over Liverpool.

It may not have been quite as dramatic or memorable as that Steven Gerrard goal almost 14 years ago to the day but, as Mohamed Salah clinched Liverpool’s place in the Champions League knockout stages, this important victory certainly carried echoes of that famous night.

Manchester City can consider themselves highly unfortunate not to beat Wolves. They hit the woodwork three times, Rui Patricio made a world-class save from Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus missed a simple chance, and the Wolves’ goal should have been disallowed for handball.

We’ve bought four players, folks. Four, and one of them will usually be a sub.

Your lunchtime headlines:

Argentina 0 Croatia 3: Not the end. But the beginning of it.

There will be 100 Premier League players in action at the World Cup, spread across 25 international teams.

Brazil boast more recent Champions League experience than even the leading European nations at this summer’s World Cup.

TWO MINDS: Chris Kamara made the most of a rare seat on the ‘Soccer Saturday’ panel:

Liverpool 4 Brighton 0

Liverpool shouldn’t really be anyone’s idea of plucky underdogs.

Twelve months ago Virgil van Dijk watched the Champions League final and could only dream, as a Southampton player, what it would be like to play in one.

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren believes Mohamed Salah has elevated himself into the same bracket as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo this season.

As Liverpool fans come back down to earth, from somewhere over the blue moon, there is a rising opinion in football that after countless false dawns and near misses their current heroes may just be the real thing.

Here are our player ratings from the Merseyside derby stalemate.

Irish defender Conor Masterson is in line for a call-up to the Liverpool bench for tonight's Champions League quarter-final clash with Manchester City.

Here was one of Jose Mourinho’s finest Manchester United hours, certainly of this season, and one that could have far-reaching implications for his club, and perhaps, England.

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane believes his season is back on track after a Champions League hat-trick.

Porto 0 Liverpool 5

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists club-record signing Virgil van Dijk is not overweight and his fitness is not an issue.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had Huddersfield Town counterpart David Wagner as the best man at his wedding but the German word for sentiment — gefuhl — did not enter his mind for a moment last night.

Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan has welcomed the arrival of Virgil van Dijk despite the fact the £75m signing is likely to reduce his own chances.

Do you remember who said: “That five years as an electrician probably just grounded myself”?

Mohamed Salah struck his 14th goal of the Premier League campaign as Liverpool thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 at Dean Court to climb to fourth place.

The dive itself is an unsophisticated relic relied upon only when there has been a gross failure of imagination, writes Larry Ryan.

A first ever Merseyside derby goal for Wayne Rooney earned a grizzly Everton side a dogged draw, but Liverpool fans were left wondering what might have been had Jurgen Klopp stuck with the ‘Fab Four’.

Wayne Rooney's first Merseyside derby goal earned Everton a draw at Anfield as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's selection gamble backfired.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp refuses to concede the Premier League title is out of their reach but admits no-one will have a chance if Manchester City maintain their current form.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expects Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk to endure a difficult time at Anfield today.

Ireland U21 star Declan Rice believes West Ham United’s fans will see the best of Slaven Bilic if they get behind their manager.

Dejan Lovren has branded death threats made against his family as "disgusting".

Jurgen Klopp said he would have made a better fist of defending Tottenham's first goal in Sunday's 4-1 Premier League defeat at Wembley than his Liverpool side managed.

Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1: In London’s West End tonight, Fifa will name their World Player of the Year at a glitzy ceremony at the capital’s Palladium.

Our man inside the game turned up at Wembley yesterday and that was also as much as Liverpool managed.