The first leg of Liverpool Roma lived up to the billing. After a cagey first half hour where Roma had the better chances, Mo Salah took over. His goal in the 35th minute sparked a Liverpool blitzkrieg.

It's getting silly, folks.

Mo Salah AGAIN. His 43rd goal in all competitions this season. pic.twitter.com/ng4fkRt5Ol

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 24, 2018

The atmosphere outside Anfield is full of smoke, fire and exactly what you'd expect from Liverpool fans. Before the first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Roma and Liverpool, at least this time around Liverpool fans have allowed the opposing players to enter the stadium without incurring significant safety risks. At least off the field.

The scenes outside Anfield looked like B roll footage from a post-apocalyptic Michael Bay movie. 

Mo Salah is on another planet. After a tense first half hour of the match in which Roma had the game's best chances, Liverpool began to threaten with attacks over the top. After a few Sadio Mane missed chances, the PFA Player of the Year stepped up in a big way. Two vintage Mo Salah goals have spotted the Reds with a significant advantage at the half.

In the outpouring of eulogies surrounding the end of Arsene Wenger’s time at Arsenal, you’re going to read two popular refrains: (1) the beginning was better than the end and (2) there’s some degree of face-saving in his decision to walk with a year yet to go on his current contract.