5 reasons why Liverpool should be taken seriously in the Champions League

In this season's UEFA Champions League, Liverpool have been one of the most dominant sides. Jurgen Klopp's side have displayed tremendous energy in Europe this term and their desire to succeed makes the Reds a deadly force, who could potentially go all the way and win the trophy this year.

They are definitely the tournament's dark horses and judging by recent performances, it could be possible.

Having started the knockout stages off to a flyer, it seems almost impossible for Portuguese giants FC Porto to recover from a whopping 5-0 aggregate deficit ahead of the second leg in a fortnight's time. If they continue to cause the same level of dominance in the final third, who knows?

With that in mind, here are five reasons why Liverpool should be taken seriously in the Champions League this term.

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#1 They are producing results

In their last group stage fixture, Liverpool put seven past Spartak at home in December

If you're a neutral or simply a lover of action-packed football, you're definitely enjoying Liverpool decimate their opponents in Europe this term. They have been on a roll from the group stages - where, despite three draws, they remained unbeaten and netted an eyewatering 23 goals during their six matches before Christmas.

This attack-heavy mindset has undoubtedly helped them in the knockout stages thus far, having managed to prevail with a 5-0 thrashing away from home against Porto in midweek.

While there are conflicted opinions in regards to their playing style against various opposition in the Premier League, they have approached Champions League competition with a different mindset, one which continues to pay off at present.

#2 Mohamed Salah is in the form of his life

Salah celebrating one of his goals in the Champions League group stages

Having played a prominent role in catapulting Liverpool to justify such high aspirations, Mohamed Salah has produced results when his side has needed him most this term.

Currently considered one of the Premier League's best players, he has a lot of goals to justify the hype and expectation surrounding his arrival from Serie A side AS Roma last summer.

The Egyptian's ability and blistering speed help him to flourish in Liverpool's playing style, while his desire and commitment to win trophies on Merseyside are clear to see. With 30 goals across all competitions this term already, it'd not be a surprise if the 25-year-old continues to excel on all fronts in 2018.

#3 They continue to improve as a team

Liverpool players celebrate one of their five goals against Porto during their first leg clash in midweek

Despite continuous criticism, Liverpool managed to effectively coordinate the whole side - considering just how porous their backline has been in recent months. They have gradually improved their level of defensive stability while focusing more on man-marking, which they struggled with against teams who utilised set-pieces to their advantage.

As players like Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have continued to develop under Klopp's guidance, their defensive capabilities have also improved. Against Porto, Robertson displayed control on the ball and also created chances aplenty for the Reds in their first leg victory.

James Milner meanwhile, has proved an invaluable asset to Liverpool since his free transfer from Manchester City three years ago. He's already created six assists among Europe's elite this term - more than any other player.

The team are continuing to improve and if they're able to maintain this level of consistency with tougher fixtures ahead, they can continue to surprise many critics.

#4 Their counter attack is deadly

Between the trio, Mané, Salah and Firmino have scored 63 and created more 29 across all comps this term

A significant reason for Liverpool's success thus far in the Champions League is their deadly counter-attacking style, which has embarrassed plenty of defenders and left teams devastated in their wake.

The ability to soak up pressure, contain opponents and hit them on the counter with blistering speed and purpose too makes it tough for teams to defend against - even when they are expecting this.

Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and the aforementioned Salah have excelled in the final third as their combination play has helped create plenty of goalscoring opportunities, which have in turn seen the Reds break records along the way.

#5 Their desire is on full display

Given their season so far, all things considered, Liverpool players have shown a tremendous level of desire and hunger - especially following Philippe Coutinho's big-money switch to Barcelona last month.

Centre-back Dejan Lovren recently said that he and the rest of his team-mates are confident that they could win the Champions League this season. It's obvious that although no-one genuinely fancies them to progress after this current round-of-16 given the quality of opposition, they'll embrace the challenge that awaits and look to defeat tougher opposition when they arrive.

The Premier League title race was long over from the Reds' perspective with Manchester City currently running away with it, but they're clearly pulling out all the stops to try and win one piece of silverware this term after six seasons without.