Tottenham vs Brighton LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Trossard scores late winner

Liverpool will go “all in” and treat their trip to Wembley to face Manchester City like a final because manager Jurgen Klopp believes that is what they have been doing with all their games since the turn of the year.

The Reds have lost just once since late December – to Inter Milan in a Champions League second leg from which they still progressed on aggregate – and have built momentum ahead of the final part of the season.

In January they were 14 points behind Premier League leaders City and that is when the ‘final’ mentality kicked in as they knew they could not realistically afford to lose again.

Pep Guardiola spoke about why he has made seven changes to the Manchester City team that faced Atletico Madrid during the week. He said:

“We have no alternative other than to make changes - we have injuries and we have had incredibly mentally and physically demanding fixtures, not just Atletico Madrid but Liverpool and Atletico again before that.

“We had no choice - we have to have fresh legs.

“We don’t choose competitions, we don’t choose games, we try every game to do our best.”

Man City boss, Pep Guardiola, says it is a great feeling to still be competing for glory in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup but acknowledges that today’s semi-final with Liverpool will be difficult. He said:

“We are incredibly happy to be here. We are going to try and perform well against Liverpool which is not easy. We will try to do our game.

“Always I have the feeling we arrive one and half months to the end of the season and we are in two semi-finals in the FA Cup and Champions League.

“We are top of the Premier League and in two semis. It is so great.”

Jurgen Klopp on the decision to rest Mo Salah against Benfica during the week: "The reason to rest Mo is easy. We hopefully have 12 games [left to play]. We had the opportunity to that’s all. Even if Mo would have scored four goals in the last game, he wouldn’t have started. There’s no story, just a necessity.

"In January and February Mo played 120 minutes six times. Even he is just a human being and there will be games where he is taken out or is taken off and he hates that - that’s clear.

"I think the game proved it 100%. There we some moments of bad defending. Some of the defending was a bit flat-footed. But in general, the intensity of the game showed it was right to make seven changes.

"I just hope my players can be at their highest level as often as possible."

Despite the difficult travel conditions there are plenty of fans arriving on Wembley way. The sun is shining and the atmosphere is building nicely.

Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live ahead of kick off: “Circumstances are obviously different today, it’s 50/50 supporter-wise and the summer is introducing itself to England! It will again be intense but we will be ready.

“I have said to the boys this is my seventh season in England - and I have never said ‘welcome to the semi-final of the FA Cup’. It is big for us, it is our first chance and hopefully it won’t be our last.

“It will be difficult today [in the heat] - we all love Liverpool but it is not famous for the best weather in England. It will be different but for both teams as we are both from the north west.”

On the way back from taxing Champions League games, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola could have allowed themselves the time to relax, but that’s just not in their nature. The Manchester City manager was already on the laptop on the way home from Madrid. There was something to be figured out.

If there has been any sense that Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final is a fixture they could have really done without – a game against exactly the wrong opponents at the wrong time – it was quickly pushed back. The brief build-up has instead inspired an enthusiasm in both managers. It reminded them this is what they live for.

The very fact they have big games in such quick succession actually makes it all the better, because it brings out the best in them.

Manchester City and Liverpool have met twice before at Wembley, with both games ending in 1-1 draws before going to penalties.

City eventually emerged victorious on both occasions - in 2016 (League Cup final) and 2019 (Community Shield).

Jurgen Klopp spoke about the importance of the FA Cup and whether his Liverpool team had practiced penalties in case of another shootout at Wembley today. He said:

"The FA Cup is a massive competition. So far we couldn’t even get to the semis, so it’s our first experience of a semi-final at Wembley, but better late than never.

“Now we are there is means everything to us. I hope the fans can get to London, I think the trains have stopped, and we have the atmosphere a semi-final between Manchester City v Liverpool deserves.

"We do that [practice penalties] Quite frequently around cup games. It could have gone to penalties last night so the boys should remember which corner to choose."

The Premier League’s two best sides have already faced each other twice this season with neither team getting the advantage over the other. Both league games have ended 2-2 but there has to be a result at Wembley today as Man City and Liverpool are seeking to reach the FA Cup final.

Liverpool still have the possibilty of a quadruple winning season while Man City themselves are on for a treble. One of these possibilites will definitely end today.

The Reds have good memories of Wembley already this season having won the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout against Chelsea.