A “lesson in efficiency”, is how Hugo Lloris described Liverpool’s win over Tottenham in Madrid, and while the Frenchman cannot be sure if he will play in another Champions League final, he maintains Spurs are learning all the time.

Things we learned from Saturday's Champions League final.

So there was not to be one last comeback, another dramatic late goal to keep Tottenham in the cup, which did not have their name written on it after all.

Liverpool's final performance never hit the heights of earlier in the competition, but few Reds fans will care after an early Mo Salah penalty and late Divock Origi strike saw Tottenham beaten 2-0 in Saturday evening’s far from classico Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.

Belgium are currently the number one ranked side in world football, overtaking superpowers like Brazil who they eliminated from last year’s World Cup. Simply put, no country per capita is remotely producing as many top footballers as they are. So what’s their secret?

There may have been only one fair way to settle the Premier League this season: A Liverpool v Manchester City play-off on the final day.

Here’s a quote from Monday’s Irish Examiner: “There’s a mental scrapbook of past experiences that may half-convince some to fantasise, but realism will strike tomorrow whether you want it to or not.”

A modest proposal: Uefa should now do the decent thing and cancel this year’s Champions League final.

The one word uppermost in the minds of all Barcelona players, fans and pundits throughout this season was ‘Roma’.

Think about the greatest atmospheres and greatest occasions you have ever seen or experienced at Anfield since the day Bill Shankly walked into the famous old ground 60 years ago and vowed to turn it into a bastion of invincibility.

Liverpool are through to the Champions League final after beating Barcelona 4-0 in the semi-final second leg at Anfield to win 4-3 on aggregate.

It would have been a crying shame if, after such supreme consistency from the top two, the Premier League title race had been decided before the final day. Having witnessed a battle without any of the typical twists and turns, anything but a final shootout would have been anticlimactic.

Jurgen Klopp is closing in on an historic season for Liverpool, as he again steered his side into the semi-finals of the Champions League. Only this time he returns to Premier League action this weekend top of the table and in a position to make a mockery of the fantastical claims surrounding Pep Guardiola brilliant Manchester City side.

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 halfway point of the Premier League campaign dovetails nicely with Christmas so the time has come to provide a little festive cheer by handing out some imaginary mid-season awards, writes Darren Norris

So little about this Manchester United season has been extreme. This is a team with rounded edges, who send watching supporters and journalists into an slumber.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has accepted his FA misconduct charge for running on the pitch after conceding it was a mistake.

Ingenious banter!

Ten-man Hamburg were relegated from the Bundesliga for the first time today, sparking angry fan demonstrations.

Liverpool have announced striker Divock Origi has joined Bundesliga side Wolfsburg on loan until the end of the season.

Alexis Sanchez, Diego Costa and Philippe Coutinho could all seal big-money moves on what promises to be a dramatic final day of the Premier League transfer window.

What it says in the papers and online.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger described his side's performance in the 4-0 loss at Liverpool as "not acceptable" and admitted they had been an "easy opponent" for the Reds.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has reiterated his stance Barcelona target Philippe Coutinho is not for sale.

Philippe Coutinho kept Liverpool's Champions League challenge in their own hands by destroying West Ham at the London Stadium.

Liverpool surrendered their advantage in the race for Champions League football once again after failing to score in a goalless draw against bogey side Southampton for the fourth time this season.

A moment of magic from Emre Can illuminated an otherwise poor quality game and fired Liverpool a huge stride closer to securing Champions League football next season.

Talking points from the weekend of Premier League football

Stoke City 1 Liverpool 2: Liverpool’s Champions League challenge is taking their players to their absolute limits — but manager Jurgen Klopp admitted he played his ‘get out of jail’ card at Stoke City.

Ragnar Klavan vows a perceived vulnerability at set-pieces won’t cost Liverpool a Champions League place and claims Jurgen Klopp’s side has the team spirit to overcome minor blips such as Wednesday’s draw with Bournemouth.

Liverpool 2 Bournemouth 2: Divock Origi provided the proof that Liverpool can prosper in attack without Sadio Mane. The problem for manager Jurgen Klopp is that his team remain so vulnerable defensively.

Liverpool let a lead slip away late on to draw 2-2 against Bournemouth and miss the chance to strengthen their grip on third place.

Everton's 18-year wait for a victory at Anfield continues after today's Merseyside derby.

There is a theory that playing for England isn’t the draw it used to be, given the pressure that comes with it, and the ever-increasing rewards that are now the norm at the higher end of the club game, but there are no signs of it gaining currency on this side of the water.

Liverpool 2 Burnley 1: With one casual, but extremely accurate, swing of his right boot, Emre Can settled this unpredictable game and possibly shifted the momentum of Liverpool’s troublingly inconsistent season.

Liverpool consolidated fourth spot in the Premier League with a come-from-behind 2-1 home victory over Burnley.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits it is not possible to get any lower after a second cup exit in the space of three days.

And we still have Southampton v Arsenal to come….

Jurgen Klopp was at a loss to explain Liverpool's performance in the shock 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Wolves at Anfield.

Liverpool 2 Swansea 3

Is this where we begin to stutter? Are those new year swearing resolutions broken already?