After picking up an impressive point at Jurgen Klopp's former side Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, Liverpool took on Stoke City at Anfield as they returned to Premier League action.
They had only won one of their previous seven league games directly after a European fixture, but convincingly put away the Potters 4-1 to leapfrog Mark Hughes' side in the table.
Read how it all unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
3.01pmAfternoon everyone! One of two 4pm kickoffs this afternoon in the Premier League takes place at Anfield as Liverpool host Stoke City.
3.03pmFirst things first, let's get to the team news, which has just been announced and there's some interesting selections from Klopp for the home side...
3.05pmLIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Toure, Skrtel, Moreno; Allen, Milner; Stewart, Ojo, Firmino; Sturridge
Subs: Ward, Lovren, Coutinho, Lallana, Lucas, Origi, Smith
Subs: Ward, Lovren, Coutinho, Lallana, Lucas, Origi, Smith
3.07pmSTOKE XI: Haugaard; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Imbula, Cameron; Afellay, Bojan, Shaqiri; Crouch
Subs: Given, Muniesa, Ireland, Joselu, Adam, Diouf, Teixeira
Subs: Given, Muniesa, Ireland, Joselu, Adam, Diouf, Teixeira
3.09pm
It's a fine afternoon in Liverpool, and Anfield looks all set as City go for three points this afternoon #GoArnStoke pic.twitter.com/OJiTfO8rtH
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) April 10, 2016
3.11pmBefore we take a closer look at those two teams, let me just point you in the direction of our live updates on the other match between Spurs and Man United. It was meant to be a 4pm kickoff as well, but the game has been delayed by 15 minutes because the United bus is stuck in traffic. No such problems here at Anfield!
3.13pmIn the first match today, leaders Leicester are unsurprisingly winning again and amazingly the scoreline is 1-0 again! They lead Sunderland in the closing stages thanks to a Jamie Vardy goal, his 20th of the season.
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© Getty Images3.15pmAnyway, to the team news. As you can see, Klopp has rung the changes after Liverpool secured a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund on Thursday night. He clearly has this week's return leg in mind as he has made seven changes from the game three days ago.
3.17pmSimon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Alberto Moreno and James Milner are the only ones to keep their places as Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel, Joe Allen, Kevin Stewart, Joe Allen, Sheyi Ojo, Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge come in.
3.19pmFour of the seven to drop out are on the bench, but Emre Can is suspended for the Reds' next two games domestically and Jordan Henderson is out for the rest of the season with a knee ligament problem that could also jeopardise his chances of going to Euro 2016 with England. Mamadou Sakho is not in the squad at all, so maybe he's getting a rest.
3.21pmAs for Stoke, Mark Hughes has also tinkered with his lineup. The Welshman makes three changes from the 2-2 draw with Swansea City last weekend, with Ryan Shawcross, Xherdan Shaqiri and Peter Crouch in for Glenn Whelan, Marko Arnautovic and Joselu.
3.24pmALL OVER at the Stadium of Light and Leicester have gone 10 points clear at the top thanks to a double from Jamie Vardy against Sunderland. What an amazing season it has been for the Foxes! Here's our match report.
3.27pmClick here to see the latest Premier League table after that win for Leicester, who now have 72 points with five matches of the season to go. Another clean sheet for them, what an amazing run. As you can see, these two sides are eighth and ninth. Stoke are two points better off, but they have a worse goal difference and have played two games more, so you would probably still expect Liverpool to finish above them. Southampton in seventh are five points above Liverpool, but they've played three games more.
3.30pmEven though they have games in hand on everyone around them, Liverpool have not won in four games, including two in the Premier League after three straight league wins. Their record at home under Klopp does not read too well either. Although the Reds have suffered just one defeat in their last eight Premier League games at Anfield, they have drawn more than they have won in that time and of Klopp's 10 league games at home, the Reds have won just three.
3.33pmThe Reds' last two results – both 1-1 draws – were both considered decent ones against the second-placed sides in England (Spurs) and Germany (Dortmund), but in both games they threw away the lead. In fact, Liverpool have now dropped a Premier League-high 17 points from winning positions and 13 of those have come since Klopp took charge.
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© Getty Images3.36pmSpeaking of giving leads away, Stoke enter this match having lost just one of their last seven matches, all in the top flight, but they would have been disappointed to not pick up three points on matchday 32 after Swansea fought back for a point from 2-0 down at the Britannia.
3.38pmSTAT: Stoke's opening goal against the Swans came in the 13th minute from birthday boy Ibrahim Afellay and the Potters have now netted a joint league-high eight goals in the first 15 minutes of their games this season, which equates to an outright high 22% of their total goal haul.
3.40pmStoke are unbeaten in three on the road after losing each of their previous three league games, but they have not been able to keep teams out recently, managing just one clean sheet in their last 10 league games. The return of skipper Shawcross should help today.
3.42pm
The atmosphere is building around Anfield... pic.twitter.com/faFq05ODIQ
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 10, 2016
3.45pmH2H: This will be the fourth meeting this season between the two and each of the previous three has ended 1-0 to the away team. They also met in the semi-finals of the League Cup, with Liverpool winning on penalties to reach the final, where they eventually lost to Man City.
3.47pmThe reverse league game on the opening weekend of the season last August went Liverpool's way thanks to a sublime strike from Philippe Coutinho. In fact, the Reds have won four of their last five league meetings against Stoke, with the other game being a 6-1 loss on the final day of last season.
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© Getty Images3.50pmPREDICTION: With all those changes, Klopp is clearly keen to keep some key players fresh for Thursday's visit of Dortmund. Stoke should provide stiff competition today and I reckon they'll take a point back to the Potteries - 1-1.
3.53pmThe other scheduled 4pm kickoff between Spurs and Man United has now been put back to 4.30pm because the United team bus did not arrive at White Hart Lane until just a few minutes ago. Remember, live coverage of that one here if you want to follow it as well.
3.56pmThe two teams are out of the tunnel at Anfield! Stoke in their all-black and green sash away kit today.
3.59pmSTAT: Stoke have won just three times at Anfield in 60 league attempts - none of them in the top flight. Surely there's a good chance they can end that run today with several key Liverpool players missing?
0 minKICKOFF! And off we go at Anfield. Bright spring day it is in Liverpool too.
2 minBright start from Stoke as they ping the ball around nicely before Bojan has an early try from 25 yards. The former Barcelona man cut across it too much and Mignolet was able to watch it drift wide.
3 minReally good from the visitors early on. Shaqiri has just whipped in a dangerous cross from the right that didn't have quite enough on it for big-man Crouch up top. After another former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll scored a memorable hat-trick yesterday to cause talk of an England call-up, could Crouch do the same?!
4 minYes, I'm joking.
8 minGOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-0 STOKE (ALBERTO MORENO)
8 minGoodness me, where did that come from?! Liverpool had started quite slowly, but a quick free kick from Milner on the left wing teed up Moreno and he unleashed a fierce drive from 20 yards that flew past Haugaard in the Potters' goal.
11 minMoreno in again for Liverpool but the offside flag was up. The left-back's in the mood today!
12 minThat early Moreno goal means that it's now just one clean sheet in 11 league games for Stoke. Not what we'd usually associate with the Potters.
15 minPerfect start then for Liverpool, but remember some of those trends I highlighted before kickoff. The Reds have dropped more points from winning positions than anyone else and Klopp's Anfield record does not read too well.
16 min
1 – Alberto Moreno has scored his first Premier League goal since December 2014 (vs Swansea), ending a run of 42 games without one. Rarity.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 10, 2016
16 minAnd here's the Spaniard celebrating his rocket of a strike
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© AFP17 minChance for Liverpool on the counter-attack as Firmino charges away down the right, but the Brazilian can't pick out Sturridge in the middle.
20 minBetter from Stoke. Shaqiri produces a lovely dinked ball to Bardsley which takes two Liverpool defenders out of the game. The right-back crosses low, but no-one had made the near-post run he anticipated.
22 minGOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-1 STOKE (BOJAN KRKIC)
22 minAll square! Far too easy for the visitors as Shaqiri's free kick is glanced home by the unmarked Bojan. It was a superb ball in, but no-one was anywhere near Bojan.
24 minGood response from Liverpool as Moreno whips over a fierce cross from the left that Pieters deals brilliantly with at the back post under pressure. That could have gone anywhere!
25 minReplays show that Bojan would have been offside for the goal had Toure not stepped back and played him onside.
26 minBOOKING! First yellow card of the contest for Stoke left-back Pieters after a late tackle on Ojo, who was racing away down the right.
27 minDISALLOWED! Crouch thinks he's scored against his old team, but the offside flag is up. Great header and a fine cross from Pieters, but it won't count!
28 minCLOSE! Boom! Sturridge takes aim from 25 yards and fizzes a shot just wide of the target. Replays show that Crouch's goal was correctly disallowed, by the way.
31 minThe flag is up again as Crouch heads over, but this time it's the wrong call as the lanky frontman was level with Skrtel. He lets the linesman know too, furious he is.
32 minGOAL! LIVERPOOL 2-1 STOKE (DANIEL STURRIDGE)
32 minThe Reds are back in front! It's brilliant down the left from Ojo as he skips past his man and then crosses for Sturridge, who can't miss from close range.
34 minSturridge now has four goals and three assists in his last seven league games against Stoke.
37 minThis season, Sturridge has five goals in nine Premier League appearances this term. Clinical when he plays, but injured far too often for Reds' fans liking.
39 minCLOSE! Stoke cause problems from another free kick as Shaqiri whips over another belter. This time it's Shawcross who gets up to meet it, but he can only flick wide.
41 minStoke win another free kick, but this one is a bit more central and Shaqiri opts to shoot, but blazes it well over the top.
42 minImbula next to have a go for Stoke, with his low drive well-hit but beaten out fairly easily by Mignolet. Would have needed something special to score from there.
44 minKlopp will be pretty happy, but Hughes's side are not out of this game yet. Half time just a couple of minutes away now.
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© Getty Images45+1 minJust after one minute of added time is signalled, Haugaard is called into action to stop a pretty weak effort from Clyne. That's probably the half's last action.
45+2 minHALF-TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 STOKE
4.47pmLiverpool in front at the break then, with Moreno and Sturridge scoring either side of Bojan's equaliser. All set for a cracking second half and we'll be back soon for it.
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© Getty Images46 minLIVERPOOL SUB: Right then. Time for the second half at Anfield and Klopp has made a change - Origi on for Ojo because of an injury to the latter.
46 minKICKOFF! Back underway. That's unlucky for Ojo because he had been bright and did so well to set up the second for Sturridge.
48 minCareless from Stoke as they give the ball away to Sturridge, but the latter fails to find Firmino with a ball over the top.
50 minGOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-1 STOKE (DIVOCK ORIGI)
50 minJust five minutes after coming on, Origi gets himself on the scoresheet! Milner with the cross from the left, another assist for him, and Origi is unmarked about five yards out to head home. Haugaard maybe could have come out and claimed that.
52 minCLOSE! What a freak goal this would have been! Pieters tries to be clever and turn away from Firmino, who makes the tackle and the ball almost loops up into the net, just landing on the top of the goal.
53 min
10 - James Milner has provided more assists than any other Liverpool player in all competitions this season (10). Creator.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 10, 2016
54 minSAVE! What a stop from Mignolet! Again it's Toure who plays everyone onside from a Shaqiri free kick, with Cameron looping a header goalwards that Mignolet tips over acrobatically. That looked in for a second there.
57 minIt's going well on the pitch, but here's a sight Liverpool fans won't like seeing: Jordan Henderson with crutches in the crowd
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© Getty Images57 minSHOT! Liverpool are playing very confidently at the moment. Slick passing results in Firmino picking it up on the right and he shifts the ball before unleashing a near-post shot that Haugaard beats out.
59 minWhen Liverpool are on song they absolutely love closing teams down and their pressure has just forced the most unlikely of corners. Klopp will love that.
61 minMISS! Oh my word, what a miss! Sturridge with a lovely bit of skill to set Moreno away down the left and he crosses into the middle for Origi, who somehow heads wide with half of the goal to aim at. It was a wicked cross and quite difficult to control, but Origi should have got that on target.
63 minLIVERPOOL SUB: Second Reds change as Firmino is replaced by Lallana.
65 minGOAL! LIVERPOOL 4-1 STOKE (DIVOCK ORIGI)
65 minGame over as Origi curls one into the far corner from a tight angle. I reckon that was a cross meant for Sturridge, but it didn't get a touch and flew into the far corner.
66 minCLOSE! Stoke have been all over the place the last few minutes, but Shaqiri almost gives them a lifeline with an audacious looped effort from about 30 yards that beats Mignolet but drops just wide of the upright.
69 minSo as it stands, Liverpool are leapfrogging Stoke to go eighth and within six points of Manchester United in fifth with a game in had. The Red Devils are goalless with Spurs at the break.
71 minSTOKE SUBS: Two Stoke changes as Shaqiri and Bojan are replaced by Joselu and Diouf. Too little, too late I'm afraid for the Potters.
73 minHere's Origi heading home his first of the afternoon:
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© AFP76 minThis feels like a much-needed win for Klopp and Liverpool. Before this match, they had only been victorious in one of their seven league games directly after a European match this season, but no such problems today.
78 minLIVERPOOL SUB: Final change for the hosts as Allen is replaced by Lucas. Huge standing ovation for the former, who was solid in the middle.
81 minJust going through the motions in this match now. It's been over for a little while and it'll be Liverpool getting the three points today, their first win in five.
81 minBOOKING! Silly from Shawcross as he kicks out a little at Origi after the striker beat him to the ball in the corner. Easy decision that for Mark Clattenburg.
82 minSTOKE SUB: Last change for the visitors. Pieters off, Muniesa on.
86 minVery little to report in the last few minutes. Both sides know the game is up and just want to hear that final whistle.
88 minLiverpool have plenty forward on the counter but Lallana decides to shoot from 20 yards. Well-struck, but it hit Shawcross and looped out for a corner.
90+1 minJust the two minutes of added time at Anfield.
90+2 minFULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 4-1 STOKE
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© Getty Images5.50pmComfortable win for Liverpool today and a good way to back up the positive result in Dortmund on Thursday. Attention now turns to the German side's visit for the return leg on Thursday.
5.52pmThe Reds move up to eighth and leapfrog Stoke with three points. They are nine behind the top four, but do have a game in hand on Man City in fourth.
5.53pmTime up on this commentary, but why not now click here to catch the final half hour or so of Spurs 0-0 Man United. See ya!
