Liverpool are into the FA Cup final for the first time in a decade after a dominant first-half performance proved enough to stave off a subsequent Manchester City fightback at Wembley Stadium in Saturday's 3-2 semi-final victory.
A double for Sadio Mane, coupled with Ibrahima Konate's header, ensured a three-goal lead at the break for Jurgen Klopp's side under the north London sunshine, setting up what looked to be a comfortable cruise to the final whistle at first glance.
But a quickfire response after the interval from Jack Grealish, coupled with Bernardo Silva's injury-time strike, set up a frantic finale as Pep Guardiola's side came up just shy against their Premier League title rivals in a thrilling encounter.
Liverpool end decade-long exodus from FA Cup final
With Premier League, Champions League, League Cup and FIFA Club World Cup successes all assembled since Klopp took the reins at Anfield in 2015, the Reds have not been lacking for silverware under the German.
But the FA Cup is the one major honour that has eluded them during that period, with Liverpool unable to even reach the final at Wembley during their manager's first six seasons in charge, extending a barren run back to a 2012 loss to Chelsea under Sir Kenny Dalglish.
Now, however, the Merseyside outfit can dream of a first triumph in football's oldest knockout competition since 2006, when Rafa Benítez's Reds beat West Ham on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
City suffer third successive last-four exit
Wembley in FA Cup games is starting to become an unhappy hunting ground for Guardiola, despite his side's prior hold on the League Cup.
While City racked up four successive triumphs in the latter competition before Liverpool deposed them as holders earlier this year, they have not been to the FA Cup final for three years now, since their only triumph in the tournament under the Spaniard against Watford.
They have now suffered three consecutive exits at the semi-final stage, having lost to Chelsea last year and Arsenal the year before.
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