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Love is in the air where Liverpool’s centre-backs are concerned.

Dejan Lovren’s post-match interview at Old Trafford on Thursday evening was interrupted by a beaming Mamadou Sakho who planted a smacker on his cheek.

Moments earlier the defensive duo had shared a warm embrace on the turf as they accepted the applause from the 3,000-strong travelling Kop.Both had good reason to bask in the glory of Liverpool’s progress to the last eight of the Europa League.

Lovren and Sakho were the Reds’ standout performers across both legs against Manchester United.

The fact that United only had Anthony Martial’s penalty to show for their efforts over three hours of football was testament to Liverpool’s defensive organisation.

After all the chopping and changing due to injuries over the course of this season, Jurgen Klopp appears to have finally got himself a centre-back partnership to help spearhead the club’s push to finish this season with a flourish.

Time and time again Lovren and Sakho were in the right place to repel United’s advances. Sakho’s contribution was the more eye-catching with the array of blocks and perfectly last-ditch tackles, but Lovren was equally effective.

The understanding between them was clear. Both were combative and refused to be bullied. There was leadership too as they barked orders to those around them.

With Martin Skrtel back fit after three months out and the ever reliable Kolo Toure available, Klopp isn’t short of options at centre-back.

However, the Lovren-Sakho axis, which has served Liverpool so well over the past three games, has to be persevered with.

Lovren and Sakho have much in common.

Both have faced respective battles to live up to their price tags following big money moves to Anfield. Both have been hampered by injuries and crises of confidence.

Both have been liable to dropping a clanger. Lovren admitted this week that he “couldn’t go any deeper” after a wretched first season at Anfield following his £20million move from Southampton.

Back in September he lost his place in the side in the wake of a blunder against West Ham which left him wanting to “hide under the table” and another below-par display at Old Trafford. He didn’t start in the league for two months.

Twice this term he’s been stretchered off at Anfield with ankle, knee and hamstring injuries all hampering his progress.

But under Klopp there have been clear signs of him getting back to the levels which convinced Liverpool to sign him in the first place. It’s ironic that while Brendan Rodgers was the driving force behind landing Lovren, it’s taken the appointment of Klopp for him to finally look like he belongs at Liverpool.

His mind now looks less cluttered. He no longer panics. His concentration levels have improved markedly.

Sakho’s fight for acceptance among supporters has been more straightforward. The Frenchman has long since enjoyed cult hero status on the Kop, who repeatedly chant his name. They have embraced his unique style.

However, winning over his manager has been more problematic for the centre-back who cost £18million from his boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain in 2013.

Thursday night was his 28th appearance of the campaign - more than he managed in either of his first two seasons at the club.#It’s been a bumpy ride. He struggled to hold down a place in the title challenging campaign and was out of favour at the start of 2014/15 – famously storming off after discovering he hadn’t made the bench for the Anfield derby.

It was a similar story at the start of this season with Rodgers unimpressed with his efforts in pre-season. He played no part in Liverpool’s first five matches before finally earning a recall away to Bordeaux. He penned a new long-term contract but it took the arrival of Klopp for him to become a regular again.

A knee injury in November kept him sidelined for six weeks but when fit he’s been selected by the German who clearly has much greater faith in him that his predecessor.

Both Lovren and Sakho have benefited greatly from working with Klopp.

Kopites can only hope that romance continues to blossom.

Dortmund draw is one to relish not fear

Jurgen Klopp was asked in the bowels of Old Trafford on Thursday night about whether he would welcome the prospect of facing his former club in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.“Dortmund? Of course not!” he said. “Why should I want the strongest team in the tournament in the next round? I’m not that silly!”

Less than 14 hours later that scenario had become a reality. Liverpool have been handed the toughest possible assignment in the last eight as they prepare to do battle with Thomas Tuchel’s classy Bundesliga high-flyers next month.

If they are going to make it to Basel on May 18 the Reds are going to have to do it the hard way.

Unsurprisingly, Klopp quickly changed his tune when the news filtered through. “I am really happy with the draw,” he said. “If you want to win the Europa League then you have to beat the strongest teams.

“It’s a story only football can write. It’s two games that I think the whole world will watch.”

It promises to be an emotional return to the Westfalenstadion for Klopp who transformed Dortmund into one of the most exciting teams in Europe during his trophy-laden seven-year tenure.

But Klopp is right - it’s a tie to approach with relish rather than fear.

Having the second leg at Anfield on April 14 is certainly an advantage for Liverpool. Under Klopp, the bigger the occasion, the better the Reds have tended to perform.

And the fact that Klopp knows Dortmund so well has to play into Liverpool’s hands. They promise to be two titanic battles.