Arsene Wenger hails Jurgen Klopp''s "unbelievable" unsung heroes at Liverpool

Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hailed the "unbelievable" unsung heroes at Liverpool after the Reds put one foot in the Champions League semi-finals.

Jurgen Klopp's side secured a 3-1 win in the first leg of their quarter-final tie against Benfica. It was a mixed performance from the Premier League title challengers though, who remain in the frame to win a historic quadruple of trophies.

Goals from Ibrahima Konate, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz were enough for Klopp's men to claim a commanding lead ahead of next week's second leg. Konate headed the Reds in front from a corner 17 minutes in before Mane tapped in from Diaz's header.

But Benfica fought back after the break and deservedly cut Liverpool's lead in half within four minutes. Darwin Nunez capitalised on a mistake by Konate to take a touch and fire beyond Alisson.

Arguably, the hosts deserved more than just a solitary goal for their second-half efforts. But it was Liverpool who struck next, when Diaz raced onto a through ball, rounded the keeper and fired in his side's third goal of the night.

Diaz's strike meant that two of Liverpool's three goals were scored by players who had been bought within this season's transfer windows. The Colombian was bought from Porto in January, while Konate arrived from RB Leipzig last summer.

Mane was also brought in from an outside club, rather than being a product of Liverpool's academy. And that successful recruitment was hailed by Wenger, who praised the efforts of the Reds' scouting department, led by sporting director Michael Edwards.

"I would give 10 out of 10 to the scouts. Nothing was wrong there, from [Mohamed] Salah and Mane to [Virgl] Van Dijk. Now Diaz - Diaz looks special. Unbelievable what they’ve