Liverpool, who were halted at Anfield by Julen Lopetegui’s visitors, will play in a rematch at Molineux thanks to goals from Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan.
Although the Reds dominated possession of the ball, defensive miscues prevented them from advancing to the fourth round despite goals from Salah and Darwin Nunez.
Gakpo, who believed the Reds occasionally displayed intelligence, was not overly discouraged.
He added: “I think we played, in phases, really good football.
“We didn’t score enough, so that’s a pity. But I think we showed what we could do. We can still improve on some points, [so] let’s work on that.
“I think we showed real team spirited, so that’s good. We have to go there [to Molineux] with great determination and just go for the win.”
The Brazilian was responsible for Wolves’ first goal because he let Goncalo Guedes an easy finish with a direct ball and also let Hwang Hee-chan score a facile second.
Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez both scored to keep the holders from suffering a shocking third-round elimination, but their combined efforts fell short of averting a rematch at Molineux.
However, in his postgame remarks, Klopp did not place the blame for their issues on his goalie, instead complimenting the contributions Wolves made in an exciting game that lasted the entire time at Anfield.
“The goal should not happen, but we all know how often Ali saves our backsides,” he told ITV Sport. “They had counter-attacks before then [too].
“It is always dangerous when [Adama] Traore gets the ball, we could see that. We came back with a fantastic equaliser. They got a foot in the game, and they caused us massive problems.”
When Toti Gomes’ goal was controversially disallowed by the linesman’s flag, Liverpool came the closest to losing when VAR was unable to provide enough angles to determine if Gomes was onside.
Julen Lopetegui was incensed by the choice, and Klopp agreed that it was not a good position for either team.
“I’m not sure about their third goal,” he added. “We have one picture where it may look offside.
“I can understand why they are angry about it. We don’t want the VAR to just have one angle.”
Cody Gakpo enjoyed a solid debut following his arrival from PSV, and Klopp was warm in his praise for the Dutchman.
“He fitted into the game,” he added. “It was not easy for a first step. We cannot expect it to be perfect.
“He showed good signs. We have to get him in better positions, but that will come, no doubt.”
Following a 2-2 tie in their FA Cup third-round match against Liverpool, Julen Lopetegui referred to Wolves’ disallowed goal as “impossible.”
Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan scored goals, and Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah also scored in a chaotic match on Merseyside.
However, a linesman’s call determined that the corner taker was offside in the lead-up, disqualifying Tote Gomes from scoring a late winner for the visitors.
In a call that enraged Lopetegui, who expressed his rage later, VAR was unable to find a good angle to reverse the decision and instead left it stand.
“We have seen it, and the offside doesn’t exist,” he told ITV. “It’s impossible, but someone has told him that it is offside. We have seen the image, and it doesn’t exist.
“The decision is wrong. I make mistakes every day, and sometimes they do too. Today we have the help of VAR, and it is a pity, because I’m sorry, it’s not offside.”
A valiant effort but we couldn't quite come away with the win.
A big thank you for your support at Anfield this evening. We'll need you again on Wednesday night 💛 pic.twitter.com/5cNLWHI2gg
Lopetegui was complimentary towards referee Andy Madley, telling BBC’s Match of the Day he was “very polite” when he and captain Bruno Neves took the decision up after the final whistle.
“That is a good thing for me, that is not usual in Spain,” he added “I love talking, only to show him the offside doesn’t exist. It is very clear.”
The call to cancel out the goal rankled harder for Lopetegui after Salah was effectively played onside for his own strike by a botched clearance attempt by Tote Gomes earlier on.
Lopetegui sought to draw a line under it however, adding to ITV: “It has happened now. We have to accept it. It is a pity because deserved to win against a fantastic team like Liverpool.”
Liverpool have made the first significant move in the January sales, confirming the signing of winger Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for an initial fee of £35million.
The versatile Dutch forward, 23, has signed a long-term deal that runs from January 1 to the summer of 2028.
Gakpo caught the eye during the Qatar World Cup, scoring in all three of the Netherlands’ group games while being utilised as a striker.
He has also been a standout performer in the Eredivisie this season, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists for PSV in just 14 league games.
West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Wolves are among others who have started shopping early as clubs look to get their business done before the 11pm deadline on Tuesday, January 31.
The Irons have confirmed a deal is in place to sign Brazilian defender Luizao, 20, from Sao Paulo.
The promising young centre-back’s move is subject to international clearance, with a contract agreed up to the summer of 2026.
It is likely he will spend the rest of this season finding his feet in the development squad under Mark Robson.
Forest fans have already had a sneak peek of another Brazilian import, Gustavo Scarpa, who has flown in from Palmeiras.
The attacking midfielder, who turns 29 in January, made some cameo appearances in Forest’s mid-season friendlies and set up the winning goal for Emmanuel Dennis in a 2-1 victory over Valencia.
Wolves have also dipped their toe into the market by taking forward Matheus Cunha on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Subject to a work permit, 23-year-old Cunha is the first signing for new manager Julen Lopetegui at Molineux.
Should certain clauses be triggered, the Brazil international’s switch will be made permanent and run until 2027.
The addition of a new forward may be just what Liverpool needs to turn the season around in the second half.
The Reds had a sluggish start to the season and are currently sixth in the Premier League, four points behind fifth-place Manchester United and seven points behind fourth-place Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopp will hope to bring in attacking reinforcements in order to breathe new life into his side, who seem to have regressed after a strong 2021-22.
Ahead of the Merseysiders’ clash with Aston Villa on Boxing Day, we take a look at some of their possible transfer targets.
Current options
Liverpool’s preferred front three so far this season has seen Roberto Firmino play through the middle flanked by Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
Darwin Nunez, the big-money summer signing, has missed games through injury and suspension but he will be expected to kick on.
Klopp has lost Diaz to injury, however, and did not hide his disappointment at being without the Colombian.
He said: “It is clear it is a big disappointment for all of us, for [Diaz] as well. It was a non-situation in training, honestly. Nothing [and then he] felt something.
“[He] did not feel a lot [the] next day but we wanted to be really cautious and said: ‘OK, come on, let us have a look.’
“Then the news came and it was a proper smash in the face. But that is it now.”
Balancing the budget
Realistically, Liverpool will need to bring in another attacker in January if they are serious about securing a place in next season’s Champions League — but there are other areas of the pitch that also need improvement.
Reports suggest the Reds are focused on strengthening their midfield — which will be a costly endeavour.
Two names frequently mentioned as serious targets are Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund and Enzo Fernandez of Benfica, who both starred at the World Cup.
That could mean Liverpool will have limited funds as they seek to strengthen in the final third.
Enzo Fernandez covers the middle of the pitch for Benfica
Marcus Thuram
Marcus Thuram — son of legendary full-back Lillian — is Borussia Monchengladbach’s star centre forward.
The 25-year-old Frenchman could be a low-cost option given he is in the final year of his contract.
Thuram came through the youth system at Sochaux before a two-year spell with Guingamp. He then joined Monchengladbach in the summer of 2019.
The nine-cap international has been in fine form in the Bundesliga, contributing 10 goals and three assists in 15 games.
That — coupled with an impressive showing in Qatar that saw him deliver two assists — could prompt Anfield chiefs to make a January move.
Marcus Thuram is in fine goalscoring form for Borussia Monchengladbach
Jhon Duran
Colombian forward Jhon Duran, 19, could be a bold choice.
The teenager is able to play out wide as well as through the middle and plies his trade in MLS with Chicago Fire, having joined them in 2022 from Colombian side Envigado.
Since then, Duran has gone on to make his senior debut for the Colombia national team — earning three caps to date — and has developed into one of the most promising talents in South America.
He contributed eight goals and five assists in 27 MLS games this year.
Joao Felix
Joao Felix could operate as a false nine under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool
Joao Felix is the biggest name linked with Liverpool this January transfer window.
But he would not come cheap. The 23-year-old Portuguese ace has failed to settle at Atletico Madrid since joining from Benfica in July 2019 and it is accepted that the time has come for him to move on.
A dynamic forward, Felix has never quite convinced pragmatic coach Diego Simeone but his performances for his country during the World Cup have reminded many of his talent.
The big question, however, is whether Liverpool have the financial capacity to sanction a move for Felix alongside their plans for a midfield revamp next summer.
A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was fatally shot at a pub near Liverpool on Christmas Eve.
Merseyside Police officers were called to the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village at about 23:50 GMT on Saturday.
Three men and the female victim were taken to hospital suffering gunshot wounds – the woman later died.
Det Supt Dave McCaughrean said the shooting happened at a “busy venue full of young people”.
He added: “We believe that the gunman left the pub car park in a dark coloured vehicle – possibly a dark coloured Mercedes shortly after the shooting.”
The force said a “number of others” were also injured in the shooting, which was described as despicable by the chief constable.
Det Supt McCaughrean appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.
“This investigation is in the very early stages and we understand that this is a truly shocking and devastating incident that has happened just before Christmas Day,” he added.
“We have a number of officers at Wallasey Village who are carrying out extensive inquiries to understand exactly what has taken place and take immediate action.
“A woman has tragically lost her life at Christmas whilst several people are being treated in hospital and our thoughts and condolences are with the victim’s family.”
Police added the woman’s next of kin had been informed and her family were being supported by specially trained officers.
According to assistant manager Pep Lijnders, Liverpool is prepared for a “new start” before their return to action against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.
Early on in the season, Jurgen Klopp’s team struggled, as they entered the World Cup in sixth place in the Premier League standings, 15 points behind league leaders Arsenal and seven points behind fourth place.
With performances like back-to-back victories over Tottenham and Southampton, Lijnders believes good indicators were displayed before the tournament in Qatar, leaving Liverpool among those in need of a big improvement heading into the rest of the season.
“We see it as a new start. The boys are hungry, they are passionate, they want to show this on the pitch,” Lijnders said.
“We know we have to be committed. Against City there will be moments where it will not be easy, but all our boys have this experience. It will be a top show for sure.
“I think we were on our way back, to be honest, I felt that we got momentum, and then it was the World Cup. You have to take life as it is, a lot of things you cannot change, you have to make the best out of it.
“That’s what we always tried to do, we used this time to not only train the lungs, the legs, the heart, but to train the eyes and the mind with video meetings.
“We know we can be successful, there are many things left to play for.”
Liverpool and other sides competing in Europe have previously shuffled their deck for Carabao Cup encounters, using them as an opportunity to hand experience to younger players within the squad, and Lijnders says the World Cup showed why rotation is key.
“If there’s one thing this World Cup proves, it is that you need your whole squad. The teams that became successful needed their whole squad,” he said.
“When we play League Cup it’s always in a busy schedule, and we know we have to be top to win these games. We cannot rest players. The boys have to be on top in games, and it’s a perfect time to use the squad.
“Age is just a number, we still believe we need to give our talents chances, not just younger players against lower-league oppositions but against Premier League sides too.
“We want them to have challenges and make them struggle because that’s how they improve. It’s my job and Klopp’s job to improve our players and to improve the team, and that’s what we try to do.”
Liverpool are ready for a “new start” ahead of their return to action in the Carabao Cup against Manchester City, assistant manager Pep Lijnders has said.
Jurgen Klopp’s side endured a poor showing in the early months of the season, heading into the World Cup break sixth in the Premier League standings – seven points behind fourth place and 15 adrift of leaders Arsenal.
That left Liverpool among those needing a significant improvement heading into the remainder of the season, though Lijnders believes positive signs were shown ahead of the tournament in Qatar, with results including back-to-back wins against Tottenham and Southampton.
“We see it as a new start. The boys are hungry, they are passionate, they want to show this on the pitch,” Lijnders said.
“We know we have to be committed. Against City there will be moments where it will not be easy, but all our boys have this experience. It will be a top show for sure.
“I think we were on our way back, to be honest, I felt that we got momentum, and then it was the World Cup. You have to take life as it is, a lot of things you cannot change, you have to make the best out of it.
“That’s what we always tried to do, we used this time to not only train the lungs, the legs, the heart, but to train the eyes and the mind with video meetings.
“We know we can be successful, there are many things left to play for.”
Liverpool and other sides competing in Europe have previously shuffled their deck for Carabao Cup encounters, using them as an opportunity to hand experience to younger players within the squad, and Lijnders says the World Cup showed why rotation is key.
“If there’s one thing this World Cup proves, it is that you need your whole squad. The teams that became successful needed their whole squad,” he said.
“When we play League Cup it’s always in a busy schedule, and we know we have to be top to win these games. We cannot rest players. The boys have to be on top in games, and it’s a perfect time to use the squad.
“Age is just a number, we still believe we need to give our talents chances, not just younger players against lower-league oppositions but against Premier League sides too.
“We want them to have challenges and make them struggle because that’s how they improve. It’s my job and Klopp’s job to improve our players and to improve the team, and that’s what we try to do.”
The murder of Olivia, who was fatally shot by a gunman who chased a convicted burglar into herLiverpool home, was charged against Thomas Cashman, 34, at Liverpool Crown Court.
The accused killer of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel entered a not-guilty plea.
On Wednesday, 34-year-old Thomas Cashman made a videolink appearance at Liverpool Crown Court.
A shooter who chased Joseph Nee, a convicted burglar, into Olivia’s Dovecot, Liverpool, home in August fatally shot Nee.
Image:Thomas Cashman
The victim’s mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was also injured in the shooting.
Cashman, from West Derby, entered not guilty pleas to Olivia’s murder, the attempted murder of Nee, the wounding with intent of Ms Korbel, as well as two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Ms Korbel was in court along with other family members, some of whom shook their heads as the not-guilty pleas were entered.
Following examinations in which a heart issue was discovered, Lucas Leiva was told to take a break from football for at least two to three months.
It was revealed this week during a routine test, and the former Liverpooland Lazio midfielder was forced to miss the start of Gremio’s Brazilian league season.
On Thursday, Gremio’s medical division provided an update to the announcement it had made on Tuesday that he would be evaluated. This was done by posting a new statement on Lucas’ Twitter page.
“The Medical Department of Gremio communicates that, after alterations were diagnosed in one of the routine pre-season exams of the athlete Lucas Leiva, he was submitted to complementary evaluations and referred to specialists,” the statement read.
“Once the evaluations were completed, conducted by doctors Leandro Zimerman and Ricardo Stein, it was determined that the athlete should stay away from high-performance physical activities for a period of two to three months, during which he will be accompanied, monitored and guided by the club’s medical team and the aforementioned specialists.
“After this period, Lucas Leiva will undergo further examinations and evaluations to determine the evolution of his clinical condition.”
O Departamento Médico do Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense comunica que, após serem diagnosticadas alterações em um dos exames de rotina de pré-temporada do atleta Lucas Leiva, ele foi submetido a avaliações complementares e encaminhado a especialistas… pic.twitter.com/PFBksizadC
Jurgen Klopp has announced that Liverpool winger Luis Diaz will undergo testing after encountering a setback in his effort to recover from a knee injury.
Diaz has been sidelined ever since the injury he suffered in Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Premier League champions Arsenal in October, but he was recently added to their team for a training camp in Dubai.
The Colombian winger, who has made 12 appearances for Liverpool this season and has contributed two assists and four goals, wasn’t initially anticipated to take part fully in team practice before to the start of the Premier League later this month.
However, according to a statement issued by Liverpool on Friday, Diaz had to skip two training sessions and will also be absent for the Reds’ friendly match against Lyon on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Diaz would reportedly return to England after feeling pain in the same knee, and the club stated that Diaz’s ailment would need additional evaluation.
“It’s all good with the boys who are here,” manager Jurgen Klopp said. “What’s not good is we have to see with Lucho.
“He felt something and we need to have further assessment there, but apart from that they all look really, really good.”
Before returning to competitive play on December 22 against Manchester City in the EFL Cup last-16, Liverpool will play friendlies against Lyon and Milan.
Prior to their next match in the top flight against Aston Villa on December 26, the Reds are now sixth in the Premier League, seven points outside of the Champions League spots.
Jürgen Klopp has confirmed Luis Diaz is to undergo further assessment on an issue sustained in training during Liverpool’s Dubai camp.
Liverpool are reportedly keeping a close eye on Declan Rice’s performances for England at the World Cup, and will prepare a move for the West Ham midfielder if they feel he handles the pressure of the big stage.
Rice, 23, played in all seven games for England in their run to the Euro 2020 final, and he has played in every minute of West Ham’s 15 fixtures this Premier League season.
The defensive midfielder is a favourite of manager David Moyes, who declared in April that his price had risen to such an extent that “£150m just now would be minimum” – but his contract situation could force the club’s hand.
TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL WATCHING IF RICE CAN RISE TO THE CHALLENGE
According to Football Insider, Liverpoolboss Jurgen Klopp is a “huge admirer” of the man with 35 international caps already under his belt, but he still wants to see more.
The report claims Liverpool will be paying attention to “how Rice copes with the type of scrutiny and huge-game pressure he does not get at West Ham, who do not compete in the Champions League or challenge for trophies”.
Rice’s contract ties him to the club until 2024, although there is a club-option to extend the contract for an extra year.
He turned down a bumper new deal earlier this year that would have paid him £200,000 per week, indicating this will likely be his last contract with West Ham, and that factor will drive his price down the longer the club waits.
ROUND-UP
– Sport are reporting Manchester City are close to locking up Pep Guardiola on a new contract through 2025.
– According to 90min, Tottenham are eyeing Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Brentford’s David Raya and Brighton’s Robert Sanchez as potential replacements for 35-year-old club captain Hugo Lloris.
– Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic will likely be headed to the Serie A, per Fichajes, with Inter and Juventus said to be competing for his signature in January.
– AS are reporting Atletico Madrid will loan out Joao Felix in January after a lack of transfer interest.
– Newcastle United will make another run at 21-year-old Watford forward Joao Pedro, according to Football Insider, after having a £30m offer rejected before the season.
Virgil van Dijk was saddened to hear his former Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane would miss the World Cup but he hopes the Netherlands will profit from the Senegal star’s absence on Monday.
Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal suffered a huge blow on Thursday, when it was confirmed Mane would not recover from a fibula injury in time to feature at the tournament.
Mane has been directly involved in 12 of the last 25 goals scored by Senegal players at either the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup, leading coach Aliou Cisse to concede the Lions of Teranga would have to cope without their best player in Qatar.
Although Van Dijkacknowledges Mane’s woes could benefit the Netherlands in Monday’s Group A meeting, he has been in touch with the Bayern Munich attacker and pities his misfortune.
“I called him the next day. I wanted to know how he was, first and foremost, because there were so many rumours that he was out for a while,” Van Dijk said of his reaction to Mane’s injury.
“As a friend, I wanted to know how he was. Unfortunately, at the time, he’d already not had the best of news, but there was a little bit of hope, everyone thought.
“Unfortunately, he won’t be able to make this tournament and I feel sad for him. I know how hard he worked for this. He wants to be important for Senegal and he has been important for them, in the last couple of years especially.
“It’s tough. Obviously he’s going to be a big miss for them, and hopefully we can benefit from that a little bit as well.”
Although the Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia, they have won 11 of their last 14 World Cup matches (D2 L1), with their only loss during that run coming in 2010’s final against Spain.
Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has confirmed the Reds’ owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are “exploring” a sale of the club but says there is “no urgency” for a deal to be completed soon.
Reports suggested last week that Liverpool had been put up for sale by FSG, who acquired the club from Tom Hicks and George Gillett in 2010.
The club’s ownership group consequently released a statement saying it was seeking outside investment but remained “fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch”.
On Wednesday, FSGpartner Sam Kennedy, who is also the president and chief executive of the Boston Red Sox, revealed there has been “a lot of interest” in the club since that announcement but said it was “early days” in terms of a deal being struck.
While Kennedy said he was unsure whether FSG would sanction a full sale of the club, Liverpool chairman Werner has revealed that is being discussed.
“We’re exploring a sale, but there’s no urgency, no timeframe for us, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s business as usual,” Werner told the Boston Globe.
“One outcome could be our continued stewardship for quite a while.”
FSG’s ownership has coincided with one of the most successful periods in Liverpool’s recent history, with the club winning eight trophies – including the Premier League and Champions League — since the group took charge.
Curtis Jones has committed his long-term future to Liverpool after signing a new deal with the Premier League club.
The 21-year-old has amassed 81 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side since his debut in January 2019, scoring eight goals and recording nine assists.
Jones has made just seven appearances (two starts) so far this season due to injury.
Speaking to the club’s website after the news was confirmed, the Liverpool-born midfielder said: “First of all, I want to thank the coaching staff for having the belief in me as always, for giving me the chance.
We’re delighted to announce that @curtisjr_10 has signed a new long-term contract with the Reds! 🙌
“And of course for me, I’m over the moon, I’m buzzing. It was an easy thing [to decide to renew].
“It’s my boyhood club, I’m a Scouser, I’ve supported the club for the whole of my life, so yeah, I’m buzzing and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
“I think if I was at a different club as well, my goal and aim and dream would always be to come here and play. But I’m here now, I’ve been here since I was six, I’ve gone all the way through.”
Jones has won the Premier League, the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the Community Shield since making his first-team debut.
He also became Liverpool’s youngest ever captain when he took the armband in the FA Cup win against Shrewsbury Town in February 2020, aged just 19 years and five days.
His goal against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in February 2021 also made him the youngest Liverpool player to score away from Anfield in the Premier League since Raheem Sterling against Burnley in December 2014.
There has been “a lot of interest” in Liverpool since owners Fenway Sports Group confirmed it was looking for investment in the Premier League club.
That is the claim from FSG partner Sam Kennedy, who is also the president and CEO of the Boston Red Sox and chief executive of Fenway Sports Management.
Liverpool’s ownership group recently released a statement saying it was seeking outside investment, but remained “fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch.”
Reports suggested FSGwas also open to the idea of a full sale, something that Kennedy also alluded to in comments to The Boston Globe.
“There has been a lot of interest from numerous potential partners considering investment into the club,” Kennedy said on Wednesday, the first time anyone from FSG has spoken publicly on the matter since reports of a potential sale emerged.
FSG has employed financial services Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to assist with any possible deal, but Kennedy insisted it is not a process that will come to a conclusion quickly.
“It is early days in terms of exploring possibilities for investment into Liverpool,” he said.
“[FSG president and Liverpool director] Mike Gordon has done an extraordinary job of leading the club for the past decade-plus. He will be taking a step back from that role and [CEO] Billy Hogan will be taking on more and more. Billy’s someone we’re particularly proud of in the Red Sox front office, he grew up in our organisation.”
Speculation has been rife as to who could invest in or even purchase Liverpool, with the club having an estimated value of £3.78billion ($4.45bn) according to Forbes.
“Great companies grow by adding value to their business,” added Kennedy. “One way to increase that value from time to time is to sell assets or add investors.
“Does that mean FSG is going to sell Liverpool? I do not know. It’s [principal owner] John Henry’s, [chairman] Tom Werner’s and Mike Gordon’s job to responsibly run Fenway Sports Group and they felt this was an ideal time to explore possible opportunities for investment into the club.”
Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool “never doubted” the quality of Darwin Nunez following the striker’s recent upturn in fortunes.
Nunez endured a frustrating start to life at Anfield following his big-money move from Benfica, receiving a straight card against Crystal Palace in just his third appearance under Jurgen Klopp.
However, the Uruguay international is starting to hit his stride in English football; his two goals in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton taking his tally for the season to nine.
“We never doubted his quality but obviously, when you have a price tag like that and the goals are not flowing like you want, it’s good [he has shown character] and I think he’s done very well,” Van Dijk said.
“He has all the qualities for a modern-day striker. There is a reason why we bought him, and he’s maturing, he’s stayed patient, kept his head down and played and that’s a credit to him. Hopefully, he can keep scoring and stay important for the group.
“Obviously, he learns how we want to play, he learns what we expect from him, he plays a little bit on the left, but also has a free role coming into the middle.
“It takes time. It is a new team, new environment, new country, new language, so it is absolutely normal for him to take a little bit more time [to settle in], but there is no doubt the qualities are there, and the goals will follow.”
Van Dijk also heaped praise on goalkeeper Alisson, who made a string of impressive saves to keep Southampton at bay during the victory at Anfield.
The Netherlands skipper additionally highlighted Roberto Firmino’s character, with the forward opening the scoring against the Saints after being left out of Brazil’s World Cup squad.
“[Alisson is] important for the group on and off the pitch,” Van Dijk added. “We don’t want him to have to make saves, first and foremost. He had to do so [against Southampton] and he was outstanding.
“Brazil are a very good team, they have two of their best goalkeepers in their squad and in my opinion, the best goalie in the world is Alisson.
“I think Bobby [Firmino] should be in, but who am I to say that? He took it on the chin, all you can do is recover and be ready for the rest of the season and I think he will do that.”
Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool“never doubted” the quality of Darwin Nunez following the striker’s recent upturn in fortunes.
Nunez endured a frustrating start to life at Anfield following his big-money move from Benfica, receiving a straight card against Crystal Palace in just his third appearance under Jurgen Klopp.
However, the Uruguay international is starting to hit his stride in English football; his two goals in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton taking his tally for the season to nine.
“We never doubted his quality but obviously, when you have a price tag like that and the goals are not flowing like you want, it’s good [he has shown character] and I think he’s done very well,” Van Dijk said.
“He has all the qualities for a modern-day striker. There is a reason why we bought him, and he’s maturing, he’s stayed patient, kept his head down and played and that’s a credit to him. Hopefully, he can keep scoring and stay important for the group.
“Obviously, he learns how we want to play, he learns what we expect from him, he plays a little bit on the left, but also has a free role coming into the middle.
“It takes time. It is a new team, new environment, new country, new language, so it is absolutely normal for him to take a little bit more time [to settle in], but there is no doubt the qualities are there, and the goals will follow.”
Van Dijk also heaped praise on goalkeeper Alisson, who made a string of impressive saves to keep Southampton at bay during the victory at Anfield.
The Netherlands skipper additionally highlighted Roberto Firmino’s character, with the forward opening the scoring against the Saints after being left out of Brazil’s World Cup squad.
“[Alisson is] important for the group on and off the pitch,” Van Dijk added. “We don’t want him to have to make saves, first and foremost. He had to do so [against Southampton] and he was outstanding.
“Brazil are a very good team, they have two of their best goalkeepers in their squad and in my opinion, the best goalie in the world is Alisson.
“I think Bobby [Firmino] should be in, but who am I to say that? He took it on the chin, all you can do is recover and be ready for the rest of the season and I think he will do that.”
Jamie Carragher is backing Liverpool to spend “up to £200million” to rejuvenate their midfield at the end of the season and believes Jude Bellingham is the “perfect fit”.
The 19-year-old England international has excelled with Borussia Dortmund since joining the Bundesliga side in 2019 from Birmingham City and has been touted for a lucrative return to the Premier League.
Liverpool have long been seen as contenders for his services, though recent reports indicate Manchester City are leading the chase. Real Madrid are also said to hold a firm interest.
Landing Bellingham will take a substantial fee, likely one that would exceed Liverpool’s club-record of £75m spent on Virgil van Dijk in 2018, but Carragher believes that figure will be a “bargain” after he continues to develop.
“The issue is that the players don’t have the energy to play a full game at the intensity they’ve played at in previous seasons. Teams are now matching their energy, but this isn’t something that Liverpool has adapted,” he said on Sky Sports’ The Overlap.
“The Arsenal game was a fine example of this – when they played Liverpool off the pitch in the second half – and that is why I can see Liverpool spending up to £200m on their midfield in the summer.
“Jude Bellingham would be the perfect fit, but he would be a lot of money.
“When Liverpool have spent big money in the past, it’s been on the goalkeeper [Alisson Becker] and Virgil van Dijk, who were bought in at great age profiles.
“Signing Jude Bellingham would be for a lot of money, but it would get to two years down the line and people would see it as a bargain.
“At his age, you’d have him for at least five seasons before he’d move on, which is a great investment for the club.”
Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League, 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal and seven short of Tottenham in fourth.
Owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have stated they are “fully committed to the success of Liverpool” following reports they want to sell the Premier League club.
The Athletic on Monday reported that the Boston-based FSG are “inviting offers” for a takeover of the Reds.
FSG, who bought Liverpool in 2010, responded by clarifying that they would consider new shareholders, but are not looking to sell up.
An FSG statement said: “There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool.
“FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.
“FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch.”
Liverpool have made strides under the ownership of FSG, led by John W. Henry, with the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager 2015 proving to be a masterstroke.
They Merseyside club won the Champions League in 2019 and celebrated crowned champions of England for the first time in 30 years in 2020 before pulling off an FA Cup and League Cup double last season.
Liverpool have made a poor start to the Premier League season, but beat Tottenham to go move into eighth place on Sunday and will face holders Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
Liverpool FC‘s owners have stated that they are open to offers, raising the possibility of the club being sold.
The club was purchased in 2010 by the Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which also owns the Boston Red Sox, and went on to win the Premier League and the Champions League.
In a statement FSG said: “There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool.
“FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.
“FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool,both on and off the pitch.”
The Football Association (FA) will appeal against the sanction imposed on Jurgen Klopp for his red card during Liverpool’s win over Manchester City last month.
Klopp was shown a red card for furiously charging towards assistant referee Gary Beswick and berating the official late in a 1-0 Premier League win for the Reds at Anfield on October 16.
The Liverpool manager admitted he “lost it” after he also confronted referee Anthony Taylor for not awarding a foul for a challenge on Mohamed Salah by Bernardo Silva.
Klopp was fined £30,000 by an independent regulatory commission but avoided a touchline ban.
He apologised for his actions and accepted the initial FA charge before discovering what his punishment would be, but the governing body on Friday revealed it will appeal against the commission’s decision.
“The FA can confirm that it is appealing against the independent regulatory commission’s sanction in relation to the recent case involving Jurgen Klopp after reviewing its written reasons,” an FA spokesperson said.
“The independent regulatory commission fined Jurgen Klopp £30,000 for breaching FA rule E3 during Liverpool’s Premier League game on Sunday 16 October 2022 against Manchester City.”
Antonio Conte accused football’s organisers of demonstrating a lack of care for players after Heung-Min Son joined Tottenham’s mounting injury list ahead of the World Cup.
Tottenham have the chance to move 13 points ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League table when they host the Reds on Sunday, but have been beset by fitness concerns in recent weeks.
With Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski already sidelined, Spurs suffered a huge blow on Tuesday when Son sustained a fracture around his left eye in their Champions League win at Marseille, throwing his chances of featuring in Qatar into doubt.
Defender Cristian Romero, meanwhile, has missed Tottenham’s last two games with a calf problem, and will not be fit to return against Liverpool.
Speaking at Friday’s pre-match news conference, Conte said the game’s organisers were paying lip service to concerns over player welfare.
“It’s better to start with a smile. We need to face this situation, we need to try to finish these three games in the best possible way,” Conte said.
“We have these injuries; Richarlison is not available for the game, it’s the same for Romero.
“About Romero, I can tell you if he has the possibility to play with one leg, he will play with one leg. I tell the fans that we have players really committed to the club.
“Maybe Romero has an injury because he wanted to take a risk, but for sure, many teams are having big injuries, because we are playing every three days.
“We are seeing this situation is impossible for the future. Many times, I hear about the welfare of the players, but [talking] is only a polite way of showing they care.
We can confirm that Heung-Min Son will undergo surgery to stabilise a fracture around his left eye.
“They’re not really worried about the welfare of the players if the schedule is this, if the most important thing is that the show must go on.
“In the future, I don’t want to hear or speak about the welfare of the players, because this is not true.”
Conte offered more positive updates on the conditions of Rodrigo Bentancur and Kulusevski – the latter having not featured since September after sustaining a hamstring injury – but Lucas Moura’s participation against Liverpool appears uncertain.
“Bentancur is much better and was part of a training session,” Conte said. “It was the same for Kulusevski, he had half a training session with us.
“The problem is Lucas Moura is having different phases with his pain. Today it was really bad, and they told me he was really worried about this. I asked him to try to be available.”
Sunday’s match will represent the first time Tottenham have hosted Liverpool while above them in the Premier League table since October 2017, when they posted a 4-1 win over the Reds.
That, however, remains Spurs’ most recent league victory against Liverpool, who are unbeaten in the teams’ nine subsequent meetings in the competition (W6 D3).
Jurgen Klopp acknowledges Liverpool cannot afford to “be picky” after a slow start in the Premier League, meaning they are ready to fight again against a Tottenham side he never relishes facing.
Liverpool head into the weekend in ninth place, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal, 13 shy of champions Manchester City and 10 off opponents Spurs, who are third.
The Reds have lost their past two league matches to Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, both of whom were in the bottom three heading into those games.
For that reason, Klopp cannot write off a meeting with “a confident, strong opponent” at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
“It’s a big game for us, a massive game for us – difficult as well, Spurs away,” he said.
“I didn’t count the points distance between us and them, but we cannot be picky with opponents and games where we want to get points. We have to go for it, definitely, but it’s difficult.”
Klopp is aware of the scrutinyaround his every word while Liverpool are struggling, but he insists there is no alternative to talking up the “fighting” mood required to rescue their season.
That attitude will be needed again in a fixture of which Klopp has never been “1,000 per cent convinced”, even if Tottenham are winless in nine in the league against Liverpool going back to 2017.
A positive, the manager accepted, is the way Liverpool have risen to the challenge of facing elite opposition this season, advancing in the Champions League and beating Napoli in midweek.
On hand to tap home after @VirgilvDijk‘s powerful header 😅
“To explain wins is really easy, because nobody listens really,” the manager said. “Everybody is in a great mood, you’re just smiling and ‘it’s in good shape’.
“When you lose, it’s much more difficult; now, each word is really important. But I don’t have five million different words for it.
“If you want to get out of something, you first have to get through it. That’s where we are.
“It might take time, but it’s not that we say now Tottenham is too early for us to really show up already. No, it’s not; we go there and want to be at our best, 100 per cent.
“But sitting here now, being 1,000 per cent convinced ‘yes, we will’? What I can tell you: it never was [easy] before going to Tottenham. I never thought ‘good moment to face Tottenham; let’s smash them’. That was never the case.
“It’s a difficult place to go, a really good team, extremely well coached, and a real fighting unit. There are no friendly games against them. Antonio’s on his toes on the sidelines, the players are in challenges, all these kinds of things, so it will be a tough one.
“But that’s actually what we all want; it’s like a Champions League game in the Premier League. That’s how we will approach it.
“I can imagine in a phase like this it takes a bit longer [talking about defeats]. ‘Always the same: fighting, doing this, oh, again’ – these kinds of things.
“Sorry. Without fighting, we shouldn’t even try. Yes, we have to fight through this; that’s the case, that’s how it is.
“You cannot play through it, you cannot say now to forget the defending stuff, ‘let’s just circle around them, pass the ball through them, nutmegs here, backheels there’. That’s not how it works. That’s why we’re in the mood we are. It’s absolutely okay.
“It’s rather good that in between… you lose against Leeds, and I couldn’t have felt worse, no chance, but then you play a good game against a team in form, and it gives you a lift. That’s normal. Here we go.
“Now, we play against Tottenham and try to feel like we did after the Napoli game.”
Jurgen Klopp does not know how the protocol around concussions in football can be improved, but he is sure temporary substitutions are not the answer.
The issue of head injuries has come to prominence again in the past week, most notably after Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez initially played on in the 4-0 defeat to Newcastle United having collided with Tyrone Mings’ knee.
Liverpool themselves had to use a concussion substitute – a sixth permanent change, which also grants the opposition another switch – in the Champions League win over Napoli in midweek.
James Milner went down early in the second half, having previously thought, like Martinez, he would be able to continue.
The idea of a temporary substitution, giving medical professionals further time to assess potential concussions, has been floated as a possible solution.
But Klopp, speaking in his news conference on Friday, pointed out the signs of some injuries can be delayed so long players would still be allowed to return to the pitch with a concussion.
“What else shall we do? I know you say ‘temporary subs’; I am fine with the concussion sub, absolutely fine,” he said before Sunday’s match against Tottenham.
“Take him off and bring another player – it means you can still change five times after that, and the other team has an extra sub. I think that’s the best we can do.
“You say it takes quite a while between getting the concussion and it really kicking in; I’m not sure then 15 minutes is really the time to wait for it.
“People will tell you after an hour it kicks in. I think how we do it is the right way.
“And it doesn’t happen that often, to be 100 per cent honest. I can’t remember one before [at Liverpool]. It was the first time with the way Milly got hit, but when did we have a concussion before? I can’t remember it.
“We can talk about it like it happens all the time and the boys are constantly in danger. They are not. They are well-trained athletes and it doesn’t happen that often.
“But if it happens, we have a solution for it, which is much better than ever before in football’s history.
“Is there space for improvement? Probably, but I don’t know how.”
Milner will not play against Spurs but can return to non-contact training on Monday and a full session on Tuesday “if everything goes well”.
Liverpool are at least boosted by Jordan Henderson’s recovery from injury and Fabinho’s return to form against Napoli.
“The game was a clear sign of Fabinho how we know him,” Klopp said of his struggling star. “It was a good game and we defended in all positions on a different level to the week before. It felt good.
“For him, it was very important to realise that that’s possible. It was a good start in the right direction.”
Darwin Nunezcan be a “scary” presence for Liverpool but still needs to grow his overall game, says Reds great Jamie Carragher.
The Uruguay international got on the scoresheet in the Premier League side’s 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday, for his sixth goal of the season across all competitions.
Nunez had a tough start to life at Anfield with a red card against Crystal Palace seeing him serve an early season ban, but is starting to show his potential on Merseyside.
With more attempts on a per-90-minute basis (6.7) in the English top-flight this term than anyone else, Carraghersuggests the stats back the influence the 23-year-old can have on matches.
“It’s really interesting watching Nunez,” he told CBS. “He comes on and he makes a huge impact. He hasn’t set the world alight, he hasn’t done what [Erling] Haaland’s done and people would’ve expected more for the price-tag.
“But when you look at his minutes on the pitch and how many goals he’s scored per minute, his numbers are scary. He’s actually made a huge impact.”
Carragher feels that Nunez is yet to fully master his all-around game though, adding: “But there’s still something not quite there, where Jurgen Klopp is going to play him every single game.
“I think he’s got [similarities to] Fernando Torres. He’s got that power, physically, to knock defenders off, that blistering pace. But at times, maybe technically, [he is] not the best in terms of general play.”
Nunez has posted a 0.6 goal yield every 90 minutes in the Premier League this term, a ratio bettered by just seven players, while only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has a superior non-penalty xG than his 0.76.
Luciano Spalletti says Napoli will “not be fooled” by Liverpool’s recent struggles, nor by Jurgen Klopp suggesting the Reds cannot record an emphatic victory to top their Champions League group.
Klopp’s side must defeat Napoli by four goals at Anfield on Tuesday to win Group A, having been thrashed 4-1 by Napoli on matchday one in the reverse fixture before recovering with four successive wins.
While Liverpool progressed to the knockout stages with a game to spare, the Reds have struggled in the Premier League this season, sitting ninth in the table – some 15 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Klopp heralded the potential of Napoli on Monday, suggesting a four-goal victory would be near-impossible as he backed the Serie A side to reach the final, though Spalletti took the praise with a pinch of salt.
“I think I’ve read that he said they don’t think about winning 4-0 … I think he said it seriously,” the Napoli coach said in a jovial manner.
“If he said it seriously that he can’t win 4-0 if he wants to, let’s talk about it! Excessive compliments sometimes serve to lift you up and then smash you down.
“[Klopp] made the last two Champions League finals, so he is better than everyone, he and his team. We accept compliments if they are sincere, but compliments do not make results and standings.
“We know the game will be very hard. We will have to be the same as always, as in the first leg, and it is almost impossible to repeat that match.
“To finish first or second, everything changes, it seems stupid to answer whether we want to win or not – we came here with the best intentions possible.
“Then there is a stage like Anfield, against those players there, and we will have to prove that we are up to it.”
Jurgen Klopp thinks Napoli can go all the way to the Champions League final if they can maintain their current level of performance.
The Liverpool manager has already felt the force of Luciano Spalletti’s in-form side this season, losing 4-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on matchday one of the Champions League group stage.
Napoli sit top of Group A with five wins from five games, and also lead Serie A by five points after beating Sassuolo 4-0 on Saturday.
When questioned at a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s return fixture at Anfield whether Napoli can reach the Champions League final, Klopp said: “I think if they can play like they play at the moment, they have a good chance to go to the final… I think Napoli is the team in form in Europe, they play really well.
“Spalletti is a very experienced coach, has worked everywhere pretty much, and it looks like all his experience and a few really good signings and good decisions, he brought a group together which works on an exceptionally high level together.”
Napoli have not lost since April, and have won a staggering 13 consecutive matches.
Liverpool have had a comparatively poor start to their season, sitting ninth in the Premier League with just four wins from 12 games.
They have fared well in the Champions League, though, winning four of their five group games to qualify along with Napoli for the last 16 with one game to go.
In order to leapfrog the Italians and top the group, Liverpool will need to win by at least four clear goals on Merseyside.
Klopp is not “scared” of facing Napoli again three days after his team were beaten 2-1 at home by Leeds United.
“When I speak about the positive aspects of Napoli at the moment it is because I am a football lover,” he said.
“I’m not afraid or scared [of playing them] it’s just a tough challenge, that’s all. I really respect what they are doing and I know Luciano respects what we have done the last few years.”
Liverpool fans will say their team is like a box of chocolates at the moment in that you never know what you’re going to get, and also they can be hazardous to your health.
A wobbly start to the campaign looked to have got back on track after wins against Manchester City and West Ham, only for an insipid defeat at Nottingham Forest last week to send Jurgen Klopp’s men back into crisis.
A 3-0 win at Ajax on Wednesday to secure their place in the last 16 of the Champions League should boost confidence again, but it is still anyone’s guess as to which version of the Reds will turn up when they host Leeds United on Saturday.
Jesse Marsch heads to Anfield under serious pressure himself, with Leeds having not won in eight Premier League games (D2, L6) since beating Chelsea 3-0 at Elland Road in August.
Stats Perform has taken a look behind the numbers heading into this clash to try and get to the bottom of what can be expected.
Home comforts can calm Reds nerves
They may have not had the best start to the campaign domestically, having not won any of their five Premier League away games (D2 L3), but Liverpool remain a force to be reckoned with at Anfield.
Klopp’s side are unbeaten 29 league home games (W22 D7), scoring 73 goals and conceding just 16 in that run.
It has not all been plain sailing, having fallen behind in five of their previous six at Anfield prior to back-to-back 1-0 wins against City and West Ham, but more often than not they get the job done.
Virgil van Dijk is still yet to suffer a Premier League defeat in his home stadium since his move from Southampton in January 2018 (70 games – W59 D11).
You’ve lost that winning feeling
When Leeds were celebrating a well-earned victory against Chelsea on August 21, few would have thought they would not have experienced another by late October.
As mentioned, the Whites are winless in their last eight league games, which is the longest current run of any team in the Premier League.
Leeds have also lost each of their past four away games, last losing five in a row on the road in the top flight between January and March 2003 – the fifth game of which was at Liverpool, where they were beaten 3-1.
They will also be missing several players through injury, with Rodrigo Moreno’s likely absence a blow as the Spaniard has scored five goals in 10 Premier League games this season, just one fewer than he netted in 31 appearances last season, and just two less than he managed in his best scoring season in the competition in 2020-21 (seven in 26 games).
9 – Leeds have collected just nine points from their 11 games in the Premier League this season – this is their fewest at this stage of a league campaign since 2003-04 (8), when the Whites were last relegated from the Premier League. Ominous. pic.twitter.com/2S6Uf7UZsO
Mohamed Salah has been the subject of much debate this season, seemingly not hitting his usual heights.
Last season’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League seemingly enjoys facing Leeds, though, having been involved in six goals in two home appearances against them (five goals, one assist).
Salah has 10 goals in 17 games in all competitions, and is coming off another fine finish to open the scoring in Liverpool’s victory in Amsterdam on Wednesday.
The Egypt forward has also created more chances from open play than any other player in the Premier League this season (28). He is creating 2.6 chances per 90 minutes on average this season, his best rate in a single campaign in the competition.
No more bottom feeding
While they have dropped some sloppy points this season, Liverpool could at least take some comfort in the fact their only Premier League defeats had been against fellow big fish Manchester United and Arsenal.
That was until last week when they handed three points to bottom club Forest, and they will be looking to avoid a similar story this time around.
Liverpool have not lost consecutive Premier League games against sides in the relegation zone since March 2012, when a defeat at QPR was followed by a home loss to Wigan Athletic.
They have already lost more league games this season (three) than they did in the whole of 2021-22 (two), while their 16 points from 11 games is their worst return at this stage of a campaign since 2014-15 (14).
Leeds might smell blood, or arguably more likely, face the wrath of a wounded beast.
3 – Liverpool have lost three of their 11 Premier League games in 2022-23, one more than they’d lost in the whole of the 2021-22 campaign (2 of 38). Regression. pic.twitter.com/H8p5X2U7UR
Jurgen Klopp has “no idea” how good Darwin Nunez could become but believes the Liverpool forward’s output so far has been “incredible” considering the “knock” of his early suspension.
Nunez was Liverpool’s big-money pre-season signing, arriving from Benfica for a fee that could reportedly reach £85million (€100m).
The 23-year-old enjoyed a flying start to life in England, scoring from the bench against both Manchester City and Fulham, but his first appearance in the starting XI was cut short by a red card against Crystal Palace that prompted a three-match ban.
As a result, Nunez has still only played 636 minutes for Liverpool in late October, although he has been in the thick of the action when he has been on the pitch.
The Uruguay forward has six goals and an assist, and he might have added more; he is averaging 6.4 shots per 90 in open play, almost double second-placed Liverpool star Mohamed Salah’s 3.3.
Including chances created and contributions to build-up play, Nunez has been involved in 8.1 attacking sequences per 90 in open play – another leading mark among Liverpool players.
Liverpool in 2022-23 🔴
Players with most attacking open play sequence involvements (taking a shot, creating a shot or being involved in the build up to a shot). pic.twitter.com/YJBaLy3TOp
He has marginally underperformed his 6.4 expected goals, even if his expected goals on target value – calculated from the quality of the attempt rather than the quality of the chance – of 6.6 suggests his finishing has not largely been at fault.
Those numbers might easily be ignored in the face of some of the more eye-catching misses, as Nunez has converted only four of his 14 ‘big chances’, from which Opta would expect a player to score.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s game against Leeds United, Klopp listed a range of factors that would suggest a tough first season for Nunez, meaning he is willing to forgive those occasional failings in front of goal.
“Darwin came here after a short break in the summer, arriving in Asia, doesn’t speak a word [of English], and he’s young, and Liverpool’s a big club, and it’s a big step for him, and he was expensive,” Klopp said. “All these kinds of things.
“It’s like everybody’s looking at you – the whole place is dark and there’s one light that’s a spot on you. You have to deal with that, but we don’t expect them to deal immediately. If you cause it, then you have to be prepared, but he did not.”
After the red card, Klopp said: “He feels embarrassed for himself, definitely – that’s how everybody would react.
“From not being 100 per cent confident, getting a knock like this is not cool. He can blame nobody else. Then he has to start new.”
However, his manager added: “For all these things, his numbers are incredible, to be absolutely honest.
“You talk about the xG of Leeds, I’m pretty sure his xG is high as well. He had a few chances, which he missed, but he scored as well. He’s involved in a lot of finishing moments.
“The steps he’s made are really big, and that means automatically that he settles in more and more.”
With Nunez so impactful even while passing up such opportunities, his potential with a little more work is “so exciting”.
“Nobody knows [how good he can be]; he doesn’t know,” Klopp said. “That is so exciting.
“He has to stay fit and be available all the time, and he wasn’t against Nottingham [Forest]. That’s all important in the life of a professional football player.
“We have to work on all different areas. The potential is incredible. It’s not only speed; the attitude is really good, he’s a real worker.
“There are people out there who, technically, not sure, first touch… it’s incredible. He does not bring it on the pitch in the moment all the time. His first touch might be here or there sometimes, but it’s nothing to do with technique. It’s just a bit too late, awareness, orientation, all these kinds of things.
“It’s all possible to develop and learn, and that’s where we are at. It’s really exciting. But where it could go? I have no idea.”
Jurgen Klopp emphasised the importance of the three Premier League matches Liverpool will play before the World Cup break as they look to recover ground on their rivals.
Liverpool took the title fight all the way to the final day of the 2021-22 season, narrowly losing out to Manchester City, but they enter this weekend down in eighth, 12 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Ahead of the season pausing next month, the Reds will face Leeds United on Saturday, before visiting Tottenham after a Champions League clash with Napoli and hosting Southampton following an EFL Cup tie against Derby County.
Klopp’s side at least head into the Leeds game on a high, having secured their progress in Europe with a 3-0 win at Ajax.
Since losing 4-1 at Napoli, Liverpool have been flawless in the Champions League, although they have only won one of the three domestic matches that have followed directly after European successes.
Asked about the prospect of taking confidence from the win in Amsterdam, Klopp replied: “I think we’ve had this conversation or a similar conversation after all the games we won or won convincingly – Bournemouth, Rangers, Ajax.”
But he added: “We have to. It’s a better feeling. Of course, I sit here with a different feeling than if we’d lost to Ajax and we had to play Leeds and then we have a final against Napoli.
“I would feel different, I can tell you. At the moment, it’s not too important.
“We have to see who we can use again. The situation is it’s a tough five games until the World Cupbreak; for us, they’re all super important.
“Then there’s a long break and we’ll see how we come back and how others come back.
“We have to create the basis for the time after, and we have three games in the league, which are all difficult. I can’t find an easy one. After the World Cup break, we are the first to face Unai Emery with Aston Villa, and we have no idea what they will do then. Great.
“That’s our situation. Yes, the moment is okay, we are ready to fight again, I hope the people are ready to fight again.
“It’s 19:45, Saturday night, a great time to play a football game. Everybody is in the right shape, and let’s go for it.”
For opponents Leeds, Klopp has seen “a massive difference between the results they got and the performance they put in”.
It was suggested Leeds’ struggles might be evidence of a highly competitive Premier League, and Klopp answered: “City is not running away, which makes it already more competitive.
“There is not only two teams or one team up front; there are three, four, five teams up front. My problem with that is only that we are not one of them.”
Five points behind Newcastle United in fourth, let alone the title contenders, Klopp is looking to swiftly get Liverpool back on track.
He should at least be boosted by the presence of Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson in midfield. Thiago is back, while Henderson should “be okay” after he was substituted at Ajax.
Ghanaian youngster Keenan Appiah-Forson believes solidarity, togetherness and a fighting spirit will help West Ham United U21s return to winning ways in Premier League 2.
The Hammer’s youth side are yet to win a game this season in the league football.
West Ham U21 side lost 3-2 against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Appiah-Forson has urged his teammates to keep fighting, stick together and play for each other as a win is not far away.
“We know the first half against Brighton was unacceptable, in terms of our level of performance,” the midfielder told whufc.com. “We stepped up the tempo in the second half and gave it a good go. We were just struggling to find the goal. We gave a better account of ourselves though, played better, and next time we have to do that throughout the whole game.
“It’s another tough loss to take. We’re all obviously so disappointed with the result and, right now, we’re struggling to get a win in the league. We need to keep fighting, stick together and keep playing for each other. We need to demand more from each other and I’m sure, if we do that, we’ll find our way very soon.
“There are no easy games in this division. Every team brings different qualities, but we’ve seen first-hand this season just how tough the level of competition is. We need to stop letting sides take points from us. We are desperate to get a win in the next game and show our quality.”
“We’ve had a good few matches. We beat Cheltenham Town and we came back against Blackburn Rovers too, so our recent performances have been okay. There were a lot of positives to take from those games but it just didn’t happen against Brighton.
“We won’t let that match know us down though. We’ll pick ourselves back up and go again against Liverpool on Saturday.”
The 21-year-old has made 10 appearances in the Premier League 2 this season for the club.
The Football Association (FA) is to take no disciplinary action after investigating a comment alleged to have been made by a player in the Premier League match between Arsenaland Liverpool.
A complaint was made regarding an exchange between two players in Arsenal’s 3-2 win at Emirates Stadium on October 9.
However, following the conclusion of a “full and thorough investigation” – in which the accused player “strenuously denied the allegation throughout” – the FA announced on Wednesday the matter had been closed.
The FA added in a statement: “Whilst The FA is entirely satisfied that the allegation was made in good faith, it is equally satisfied that there is no case to answer.”
It explained: “The investigation included taking witness statements from the complainant and accused, along with an additional six players who were within proximity of the alleged incident, reviewing multiple angles of video footage, and seeking independent linguistics experts evidence.
“None of the witnesses heard the alleged comment, and the player accused strenuously denied the allegation throughout.”
The statement added: “The FA continues to take all allegations received extremely seriously and would encourage anyone who believes that they have been the subject of or witness to abuse to report this through the appropriate channels.
“The FA receives a number of complaints in any one season and thoroughly investigates each one that it receives. Following consideration of all of the evidence received, not all cases will result in a charge being issued.”
Following an investigation into an allegation received by The FA in the Premier League fixture between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC on Sunday 9 October 2022, The FA can confirm that it will not be taking any disciplinary action.
Pep Guardiola has apologised after Manchester City fans sang chants referencing football stadium tragedies against Liverpool, but he does not feel the rivalry between the clubs has become “toxic”.
City suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season at Anfield on Sunday, with Mohamed Salah’s second-half goal enough to secure a 1-0 win for the Reds.
However, the game was overshadowed by several off-pitch incidents.
Guardiola alleged home fans threw coins at him; police said they were investigating an apparent attack on City’s team bus; and Liverpool criticised the conduct of some away supporters.
The Reds accused City fans of singing “vile chants relating to football stadium tragedies” and vandalising the concourse with graffiti of a similar nature.
Liverpool FC has released a statement following today’s match against Manchester City at Anfield.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Brighton and Hove Albion, Guardiola said those responsible did not represent City and insisted the club’s recently established rivalry with Liverpool is not out of control.
Asked whether contests between Liverpool and City had become “toxic” on Friday, Guardiola said: “I don’t think so, [not] from our side, I’m pretty sure of that.
“I didn’t hear the chants. If it happened, I’m so sorry. It does not represent what we are as a team or as a club if this happened.
“We can behave perfectly and [correct] our mistakes, without a problem.”
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is a “goal machine” and will only improve as he grows in confidence, according to team-mate Kostas Tsimikas.
Nunez scored his second goal in his last two Premier League starts to guide Liverpool to a 1-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday, a result which moved Jurgen Klopp’s men to within four points of the top four.
The Uruguay striker was criticised by some for starting slowly following his big-money move from Benfica, but he has now hit five goals for Liverpool in all competitions this season.
That tally has only been bettered by two of his team-mates: Mohamed Salah (nine) and Roberto Firmino (eight).
Asked about Nunez’s qualities, Tsimikas said: “He’s always there. He can score with the left, with the right, with the head – he’s a goal machine.
“He needs confidence, [which] is coming, and I hope for him all the best [to] score more and more goals to help the team, to give us more wins. For us, he is a very, very important player.”
Tsimikas teed up Nunez’s headed winner with a pinpoint delivery from the left flank, and has now provided five assists in all competitions this season – a tally only matched by Diogo Jota among fellow Liverpool players.
The Greece international was particularly pleased to have laid on a goal for Nunez, adding: “It’s a very good moment for me. Especially because it was a cross for Darwin, because I wanted to assist him.”
Tsimikas, quoted on Liverpool’s website, said: “I’m very, very happy for him because I know he wanted to score also. Obviously he would [want] to score more goals but hopefully he keeps his energy and his goals for the next games.
“I’m very, very happy for that. Every day, I work to make better crosses and to have better performances. So, I’m very happy for that.”
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 29 Premier League games at Anfield (W22 D7), and have scored 100 goals against West Ham in the competition, making the Irons the fourth side they have reached a century of goals against, after Newcastle United, Arsenal and Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopphas insisted his comments about Manchester City’s ownership were not in any way xenophobic.
Last week, ahead of Liverpool’s meeting with the reigning Premier League champions at Anfield – which finished 1-0 to the Reds – Klopp claimed his side were unable to compete with City due to the financial might of their owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group, which bought the club in 2008.
City have gone from Premier League also-rans to a dominant force in English football, having won the title six times since 2012.
Indeed, four of the last five Premier League titles have gone City’s way, with Liverpool pushing them hard in two of those seasons as well as winning the top flight themselves in 2020.
Klopp said: “There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially.”
This was thought to be aimed at City, Paris Saint-Germain – owned by Qatar Sports Investments – and Newcastle United, who are majority owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
When it was put to Klopp in a press conference that his comments were seen by some as xenophobic, the Liverpool manager replied: “I know myself. And you cannot hit with something which is miles away from my personality.
“If I was – I cannot remember the word – like this I would hate it. I would hate myself for being like this.
“I have said a lot of times things that were a little bit open for misunderstanding. I know that.
“It was not intentional, just sometimes you say things and you think, ‘Oh my God, it can be interpreted like this’, but this is not one of these moments. Absolutely.
“It started with a question [about how to compete with City] and I answered it and all the rest was made of it.
“I know what I thought and put it in perspective and said how much I respect what they are doing, and it was still not right for some.”
It has been reported City’s hierarchy believe Klopp’s pre-match comments increased tensions ahead of Sunday’s game on Merseyside, during which visiting fans sang chants referencing stadium disasters – later condemned by Liverpool – while Pep Guardiola claimed to have had coins thrown at him as his club said he was targeted by missiles from home supporters.
Klopp was sent off after furiously confronting an official and is now facing a Football Association charge for his behaviour on the touchline.
Klopp said Jota would not require surgery on the injury but that “we’re talking about months” in terms of his lay-off.
“I don’t want to put a number on it. Yes, it will be long,” Klopp said.
He explained Jota had taken the news phlegmatically.
“It’s Diogo and he’s surprisingly OK, so far. He’s an incredibly smart boy and very reflective. I think he knew it when we carried him off the pitch,” Klopp added.
“When I came out we passed each other after the game and he expected what happened. I think in that moment he knew it was a serious one and could be pretty impactful on his World Cup dreams.”
Jota’s injury also leaves Liverpool short of another key attacking player, with Luis Diaz already sidelined until after the World Cup.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been charged by the Football Association following his sending-off during his side’s 1-0 win against Manchester City.
Klopp was dismissed after berating a referee’s assistant when a foul was not given for a challenge on Mohamed Salah.
The incident came on a weekend where Merseyside Youth League games were postponed amid ongoing issues with refereeabuse.
Klopp apologised for his reaction in his post-match comments.
“Something snapped in that situation, I’m not proud of that. I deserved a red card, and the way I looked in this moment is not right,” the German admitted.
Klopp has been charged with a breach of FA rule E3, which covers “comments which are improper, which bring the game into disrepute, which are threatening, abusive, indecent or insulting”.
🟡INSIZA: These are images of some of the victims of yesterday’s violence. Zanu PF thugs beat up our Insiza campaign team. This is a response to our victory in Bulilima. The violence taking place in Matabeleland must be condemned by all progressive Zimbabweans. #NoToViolencepic.twitter.com/BzAtAremfL
The 55-year-old has until Friday to respond to the charge and will be allowed to take his place in the dugout for Liverpool’s home game against West Ham on Wednesday.
Following the win over City, Klopp said he went to see to referee Anthony Taylor and “spoke completely calmly” about how he felt the match unfolded.
He added: “The whole game led to that a little bit. It was a very, very intense gamewith a lot of decisions we didn’t understand on both sides.
Jurgen Klopp expects to be on the Liverpool bench for the visit of West Ham on Wednesday, which is just where David Moyes wants him.
Hammers boss Moyes said he would want a fair fight at Anfield by being pitched head to head against the Liverpool boss, who is facing a touchline ban.
Klopp raged so hard at assistant referee Gary Beswick in Liverpool’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Sunday that he was sent off by Anthony Taylor.
He had been furious when no foul was given against Bernardo Silva for a challenge on Mohamed Salah, after finding fault with a number of earlier decisions.
According to Moyes, a former Everton boss, referees would do well to understand that managers “sometimes lose our heads here or there”.
Moyes also said that Klopp had a strong argument in this case, adding: “I think if you look at the incident why he got angry, he was correct, wasn’t he?”
Klopp indicated the disciplinary process had barely begun when he spoke in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
For that reason, he cannot see why he would not be at pitchside for the Premier League game.
“I think I will be there because there’s nothing really happened yet,” Klopp said. “But I don’t think something will happen…a few hours before the game.
“I know where David is coming from. I still think I shou”This was then for me like, in Germany we would say one drop will let the bucket overflow. Does that make sense somehow? I’m not happy with my reaction, but that’s the way it was. Everybody saw it.
“I was sitting after the game in the office of Anthony Taylor and spoke completely calm about the situations, how he saw the game and how I saw the game. It was a fair and calm discussion, but anyway that’s the situation. I got the red card, and now we wait for the process pretty much.”
Klopp compared the rising tensions in Sunday’s game to the fiery London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham in August that finished 2-2 and ended with red cards for bosses Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte.
“No excuses,” he added. “I don’t use that as an excuse for me.”
ld have dealt differently with the situation, which I actually do usually.
“The whole game led to that maybe a little bit, the way it went. It was a very intense game with a lot of decisions the managers didn’t understand, on both sides.
Jurgen Klopp says there is no reason for Liverpool and Manchester City to be “best friends” after tensions ignited at the weekend.
Liverpool manager Klopp insisted he did not mean to inflame the rivalry between the clubs by referencing the wealth of Premier League champions City ahead of their game on Sunday, in which his team snatched a 1-0 win.
“There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially,” Klopp said, two days ahead of the City clash.
That has been widely taken as a reference to City, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain, each with wealthy Middle East owners.
City were reported to have considered the comments from Klopp to be almost xenophobic, and the Anfield tussle between the teams became an explosive affair, with Klopp sent off after snapping at assistant referee Gary Beswick.
There was trouble in the stands, too, with Pep Guardiola pelted with coins, while a number of City fans sang offensive songs about the Hillsborough and Heysel stadium disasters.
“I’m not sure we have to be best friends with other clubs, to be honest,” Klopp said in a press conference on Tuesday.
“I don’t think anybody wants to be best friends with us. I never heard about that at least. It’s a completely normal competition.
“But apart from that, it started here with a question and I answered it, and all the rest was made of it.
“I know what I thought when I said it. I thought I had put it all in perspective and said how much I respect all that they are doing, and obviously it was still not right for some.
“But the most important thing, as a club and as a team together with our supporters, we showed an incredible performance on Sunday.”
Klopp added: “It’s not the first time I’ve been misunderstood.”
He said supporters would be held to account if they stepped out of line. As well as incidents in the stadium, City complained their team bus was attacked as it left Anfield.
“If something happens, if one guy throws a coin, it’s one fan and it’s a massive mistake, definitely, and will get punished,” Klopp said. “And after the game, if something happens, it’s one supporter or maybe two supporters and not all of them.”
Liverpool host David Moyes’ West Ham on Wednesday, looking to back up what Klopp called a “massive” win over City, which came after a rocky start to the season for the Reds.
They remain 14 points behind leaders Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand, so Klopp says the Hammers clash is another huge fixture.
“We’re at the moment in the season when you realise from now on they’re all finals,” Klopp said. “I’m not sure you can give games more importance than we already put in. It’s very important absolutely.
“We respect them a lot. They’ve caused us a lot of problems here and there as well. David is doing an incredible job.”
Mohamed Salah insisted Liverpool’s win against Manchester City does not mean they are back in the title race, despite a hard-fought victory over the Premier League champions at Anfield on Sunday.
The Egyptian scored the only goal of a typically fast-paced encounter between the two rivals, racing on to a long pass from Alisson before slotting past Ederson with 14 minutes remaining.
The loss was City’s first in the league this season, but was also just Liverpool’s third win from nine league outings, and Jurgen Klopp’s men remain down in eighth place, 14 points behind leaders Arsenal and 10 behind City and Tottenham with a game in hand.
Salah said he and his team-mates are still “far away” from the top, but will try to get themselves back into it over time.
“No, we are still far away from [the title race],” he told Sky Sports. “We just need to focus on each game and take it one at a time, we don’t have to think about the title at the moment.
“Of course, personally I always love to play for a title and in my head we are going to fight for it… we don’t have to feel pressure because there is still a gap to first and second.
“You can see everybody here [is] unbelievable, and we should be in a better position than we are. The players are excited to win again and I think that will give us a good push for the next games.”
Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the Liverpool backline did a solid job of keeping Erling Haalandquiet, with the Norwegian still getting off six shots but being denied by Reds stopper Alisson.
“It takes a lot to get three points [against City],” the Dutchman told Sky Sports. “It was always going to be very intense.”
The Anfield crowd was at its best as the home fans roared Liverpool on to victory, and Van Dijk acknowledged their contribution.
“It’s always like that [the atmosphere] and when certain moments happened in the game it added fuel to the fire,” he said.
“It started with the hard work we put on the pitch, and that’s the minimum that’s expected here at this beautiful football club.
“That’s what we gave, and the energy we had back today [from the fans] was definitely needed in order to push us forward and keep hold of the 1-0 advantage.
“They played a big part and that’s what we need for the rest of the season, especially after a difficult start.”
Liverpoolhave condemned a group of Manchester City fans for singing “vile” chants relating to tragedies at football stadiums during Sunday’s game at Anfield.
The Reds were 1-0 victors thanks to a Mohamed Salah goal in the second half of a thrilling match.
But the encounter left a sour taste for Liverpool, with some City fans’ grim songs audible during the match.
Liverpool also claim the concourse of the away end was vandalised with graffiti centred on a similar subject.
“We are deeply disappointed to hear vile chants relating to football stadium tragedies from the away section during today’s game at Anfield,” a Reds statement read.
“The concourse in the away section was also vandalised with graffiti of a similar nature.
“We know the impact such behaviour has on the families, survivors and all those associated with such disasters.
“We are working with the relevant authorities, and we will also work with Manchester Cityin order to do our utmost to ensure these chants are eradicated from football altogether.”
LiverpoolWomen defender Gilly Flaherty has revealed her heartbreak at being targeted for abuse on social media by disgruntled Reds fans, saying it “hits on another level”.
The former Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham player, who also played for the England national team earlier in her career, moved to Liverpool in July.
Flaherty, 31, says she has been “slaughtered on social media” after matches in the Women’s Super League by fans of her own team.
Her comments drew a largely sympathetic response, with some Liverpool supporters insisting such critics were in the minority.
Flaherty wrote on Twitter after Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat at Tottenham on Sunday: “Joining a new team is hard in the first place but to not be approved of by the fans & to just get slaughtered on social media after most games by your own fans is [heartbreaking].
“I’ve never cared about opposition fans doing it but when it’s your own fans it hits on another level.”
Jamie Carragher has told Liverpool to focus on stopping Kevin De Bruyne in Sunday’s clash against Manchester City, which he believes would cut the supply to Erling Haaland.
Jurgen Klopp’s side welcome City to Anfield after a disappointing start to their Premier League campaign, sitting 13 points behind their opponents following a defeat to Arsenal last week.
Stopping City from extending that gap will be tough, particularly with Haalandin such incredible goalscoring form. The former Borussia Dortmund has already scored 15 league goals, only eight fewer than the 23 managed by Golden Boot winners Son Heung-min and Mohamed Salah last season.
While that may encourage Liverpool to pay special attention to the 22-year-old, former Reds defender Carragher believes the key factor will be limiting De Bruyne’s influence on the game.
“I’d almost be more focused on De Bruyne rather than Haaland in this game,” he told Sky Sports’ Essential Football podcast.
“If you stop De Bruyne, you take 50 per cent away from Haaland as well as the connection the two have got is there already. And for me, De Bruyne is the best midfielder in the world.
10 – In five appearances this season, Erling Haaland has scored as many Premier League goals at the Etihad as the entire Manchester City squad during the 2006-07 campaign (10). Frightening. pic.twitter.com/D4EqigbTty
“Yes, Haaland has been an absolute sensation in the Premier League but he needs servicing and you can’t get anyone better than De Bruyne.
“When you’ve got the best passer of the ball that the Premier League has ever seen, it certainly helps when you have Haaland up front.
“If Haaland was playing for Liverpool right now, there’s no way he would have scored the number of goals he has now as he wouldn’t have had that quality behind him, plus the way Liverpool are playing right now.”
City’s creator in chief
The data supports Carragher’s argument. De Bruyne has created a league-leading 30 goalscoring chances for team-mates this season, four clear of second-ranked Salah, while Ilkay Gundogan (16) is the team-mate closest to his total in that regard.
Of those opportunities, 11 class as “big chances”, where a player would reasonably be expected to score. That is again a league high, with Haaland next on six.
From his nine league appearances, De Bruyne has assisted nine goals, five more than any other player. His expected assists (xA) value of 3.9 has been greatly exceeded, however, showing the players that have finished off those chances have outperformed what would be expected of them, based on the quality of the opportunities De Bruyne has crafted.
On average, De Bruyne creates 3.9 chances and 0.5 xA per 90 minutes. Essentially, he is providing an opportunity worthy of an assist every two matches.
Kieran Tierney was “gutted” to be overlooked for Arsenal’s win over Liverpool last weekend but says “I’m not going to be angry.”
Takehiro Tomiyasu got the nod at left-back over Tierney in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has made an impressive start to his Gunners career after his move from Manchester City.
Japan international Tomiyasu kept Reds forward Mohamed Salah quiet in a 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium that put Mikel Arteta’s side back on top of the Premier League.
Scotland international Tierney has vowed to try and earn his place back rather than feel sorry for himself.
“I’m gutted, that’s all it is,” he told Sky Sports. “I’m not going to be angry, I’m not going to try hard, I’m gutted because I want to play every opportunity I can.
“Especially in the big games, you want to play and soak in the atmosphere. There’s nothing I can say. We went out and won and Tomiyasu played amazing and the game plan worked.
“I’m learning, I’m dealing with it, but it is tough, football is what I want to play. Unfortunately, I’ve not played too many but every time I get a chance to play, I’m so grateful. I work as hard as I possibly can for the team.
“I’ll just try and get my head down, work hard. I can’t change anything other than how I approach training, how I work. So I’m just trying as hard as I possibly trying to work my way back in.”
Arsenal travel to Leeds United on Sunday looking for a seventh consecutive win.
Pep Guardiolais ignoring Liverpool’s below-par start to the Premier League season ahead of Manchester City’s trip to Anfield on Sunday, declaring: “Nothing changes what I feel about Liverpool.”
City and Liverpool have finished as the Premier League’s top two teams in three of the last four seasons, but the Reds trail the champions by 13 points after a poor start to the new campaign.
Liverpool’s tally of 10 points is their lowest at this stage of a season since 2012-13 (nine), and Jurgen Klopp’s team have already lost as many league games this campaign as they did throughout the entirety of last term (two).
That form represents quite the drop-off for a side who went tantalisingly close to a stunning quadruple in 2021-22, but Guardiola believes City will still face a stern test.
“I had the feeling at Anfield we have played really well [in the past],” Guardiola said on Friday. “It’s different circumstances, but you have to behave at a top, top level.
“In Anfield, winning or losing, we have behaved with an incredible personality. It’s a football game, Liverpool is important because of the quality they have.
“Liverpool were going for a prestigious achievement of four titles. For two little details, they didn’t achieve what no English team has done.
“I pay zero attention to them being in a good moment or bad moment. They know in the last years, we have fought for most of the competitions and titles, and it’s been really close.
“We were a bit better, especially in the Premier League, but nothing changes what I feel about Liverpool.”
Pushed on whether Liverpool remain title contenders, Guardiola said: “Liverpool have always been our biggest challengers, and they will be now. Being in the position that we are, with the World Cup, anything can happen.”
City have picked up four points from their last two league trips to Anfield, just one fewer than they earned in their previous 17 visits to Liverpool (D5 L12).
Should Guardiola’s men avoid defeat on Sunday, it will represent the first time they have done so in three consecutive away league games against Liverpool since December 1992.
City’s efforts could be hampered by the absences of England trio Kalvin Phillips, John Stones and Kyle Walker, but Guardiola says Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva are raring to go after being rested at Copenhagen on Tuesday.
“John Stones will be back in, I don’t know, maybe one week or 10 days. Kalvin is doing really well, but Kyle is out,” Guardiola said.
“We have a lot of games, like all the teams. Players are recovering better. Erling could not play all the games last season. Bernardo was tired, but they feel good and are ready for Sunday.”
Haaland has only played nine Premier League games for City, but he has already broken the records for most goals (15) and goal involvements (18) in a player’s first 10 outings in the competition.
The Norwegian is just one goal away from matching the record for most goals scored by a player across any 10-game stint in Premier League history, set by former Liverpool attacker Luis Suarez – who from October to December 2013 scored 16 goals for the Reds.
Ajax could exit this season’s UEFA Champions League at the end of the group stages following a run of three matches without a win.
The Dutch giants starter this season’s campaign with a big win against Rangers. Since that game, the team has lost once to Liverpool and twice to SSC Napoli.
In the first meeting with Napoli, Ajax suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat at home before going on to lose 4-2 in the reverse fixture at in Italy.
Speaking after the second game, striker Brian Brobbey has admitted that his Ajax side lost to a Napoli side that was better.
“If you look at the last game, I thought we were much better than in the other game. But Napoli is a good team,” the young striker shared.
Meanwhile, Brian Brobbey also felt he should have been introduced earlier in the second meeting of the Napoli game.
“Of course I’ll start on the couch. I also prefer to be in the base. I thought I should have come in much earlier today, at the 2-1,” the forward added.
After the two defeats to Napoli, Ajax are now oh rye brink of elimination from the UEFA Champions League as the team sits third on the log.
Jurgen Klopp became aware of Erling Haaland’s “insane” potential when he faced Liverpool with Salzburg, and the Reds boss believes the striker has found “a perfect fit” at Manchester City.
Liverpool were drawn into the same Champions League group as Haaland’s Salzburg in the 2019-20 season.
Then 19, having hit a hat-trick against Genk on his Champions League debut, Haaland netted in a 4-3 defeat at Anfield.
The Norway international has scarcely stopped scoring since, earning moves to Klopp’s former club Borussia Dortmund and then City, where he has an astonishing 20 goals in 13 games in all competitions.
Ahead of facing Haaland again on Sunday in the Premier League, Klopp was asked for his take on the dominant forward.
“Even when he was very young, younger than he is now, you could see the potential was insane,” Klopp said.
Erling Braut Haaland becomes 4th player in history to score 4 goals in his first 2 #UCL games 👏 pic.twitter.com/jI2ZWORacK
“Physically, he sets new standards. The combination of being really physical and technical and [having] sensational awareness, his orientation on the pitch is exceptional, he is barely offside, he resets really well – there are so many things that make him a striker.
“Now, at City, he has some of the best players around him in the world in setting up goals and finding the right moment for the passes, with Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, [Riyad] Mahrez, whoever. They all are really good at that.
“It’s a perfect fit, there is no doubt about that.”
Asked how Haaland might compare to other elite forwards, with Robert Lewandowski name-checked as a player Klopp worked with previously, the Liverpool manager said: “For Erling, I think it’s that he combines so many things, and it’s rare.
“His finishing skills are exceptional, but he also moves really smart. You can only use the speed if you use it in a smart way, because just running is not helpful if you forget the ball or whatever. Especially behind the line, you need to make sure that you are patient enough in not being offside.
“The package makes him special.”
So, do Liverpool have any special plans for dealing with Haaland? That is tricky, Klopp said, when he plays for a side as good as City.
“When you play against, at the moment, the best striker in the world, you have to make sure he doesn’t get that many balls,” Klopp explained.
“That’s what we will try, but against City, obviously the problem is if you close Haaland down with too many players then you open up gaps for all the other world-class players, so that will not make life easier.
“It’s a challenge, a football problem. We will try to find solutions.”
The best two sides of recent Premier League seasons do battle on Sunday afternoon when Manchester City travel to Liverpool.
But before they bring the curtain down on the footballing weekend, there are plenty of tasty clashes elsewhere.
Manchester United meet Newcastle, leaders Arsenal are at Leeds and we have every game previewed.
Brentford vs Brighton (Friday, 8pm, Sky Sports)
Brentford host Brighton hoping their impressive Friday night record ends their eight-year wait for a home win over the Seagulls.
The Bees have not lost on a Friday in nine attempts and secured victories against both Arsenal and Watford last term, but they have only beaten the Seagulls once at home in their last seven meetings.
They also enter this game after a club record 5-1 Premier League defeat at Newcastle and are looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since February.
Brighton were beaten by Tottenham last time out but have won eight and drawn three of their past 13 games.
Leicester vs Crystal Palace (Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport 1)
Brendan Rodgers is under increasing pressure at Leicester, who face Crystal Palace on Saturday
Brendan Rodgers continues to hang on to his job at Leicester and will know anything other than a win against Crystal Palace could see him axed.
The bottom-placed Foxes lost at Bournemouth last time out and their 24 goals conceded through nine games is the joint-worst in their history.
They have already lost four times this term when scoring first and the fact both of Palace’s league wins have come from 1-0 down will worry Rodgers.
The Eagles picked up a much-needed three points at home to Leeds last Sunday and will want to end their run of three consecutive defeats at the King Power Stadium.
Fulham vs Bournemouth (Saturday, 3pm)
Among the favourites for relegation before a ball was kicked, Fulham and Bournemouth head into this game in the top half of the table.
But the Cottagers will be keen to avoid a third successive defeat and beat the Cherries for just the second time in 11 meetings.
In fact, not since April 1992 have Bournemouth lost at Craven Cottage, though they have been defeated in seven of their past eight top-flight games in London.
After netting in both games against Fulham in the Championship last term, Dominic Solanke is one away from his 50th goal in English league football.
Wolves vs Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 3pm)
A battle of two expensively assembled but struggling squads takes place as Wolves welcome Nottingham Forest to Molineux.
It is the first time since March 1984 that the two sides have met in the top tier, though both sit in the relegation zone after nine games.
Wolves have netted just three times in the league this term and have already drawn 0-0 with the other two promoted sides Fulham and Bournemouth.
Forest, meanwhile, have lost three of their four away league games this term, including the last two by an aggregate of 10-0.
Tottenham vs Everton (Saturday, 5.30pm, Sky Sports)
Richarlison is still looking for his first Premier League goal for Tottenham
Tottenham are aiming for a 10th successive home victory when Everton make the trip to the capital.
Spurs also have an imperious record against the Toffees, losing only one of their past 19 meetings (nine wins, nine draws).
Frank Lampard’s Toffees were on a seven-game unbeaten run before losing to Manchester United last Sunday, though they did win their last away game at Southampton.
It will mark Richarlison’s first game against his former side after he scored 53 goals in 152 matches for them.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea (Sunday, 2pm, Sky Sports)
Boyhood Aston Villa fan Graham Potter takes Chelsea to Villa Park looking to continue his strong start to life as the Blues boss.
The West Londoners have won four consecutive games and are eyeing back-to-back clean sheets in the top flight for the first time since March after beating Wolves 3-0 last weekend.
Villa have only beaten Chelsea once in their past 11 meetings and are struggling with boss Steven Gerrard under increasing scrutiny.
Only Wolves (three) have netted fewer times than Gerrard’s side (four) and despite a four-game unbeaten run, fans who witnessed Monday’s tepid 1-1 draw at Forest on Monday were calling for him to go.
Leeds vs Arsenal (Sunday, 2pm)
Arsenal will look for their 12th win in 13 games when they visit Leeds on Sunday
Early season pacesetters Arsenal travel north to Leeds looking to maintain their spot at the top of the Premier League.
Victory at Elland Road would mean the Gunners win nine of their opening 10 league games for the first time since the 1903-04 season.
In fact, the past four teams to have achieved this feat have all gone on to win the league, with Liverpool being the most recent in the 2019-20 campaign.
But Leeds are unbeaten at Elland Road with three wins and two draws this season, though they are on a five-game winless run.
Manchester United vs Newcastle (Sunday, 2pm)
After smashing four past Fulham and five past Brentford, Newcastle go on the hunt for a first victory at Manchester United in nine years.
In fact, the Magpies have only won on one of their past 37 league trips to United and have conceded more Premier League goals against them than any other opponent (113).
The Red Devils have netted three or more goals in each of their past five home games with Newcastle, only against Luton between 1899 and 1957 have they managed that feat in six consecutive games.
Under Erik ten Hag, the hosts have turned their league form around with five wins in six games, as many as they had managed in their previous 18.
Southampton vs West Ham (Sunday, 2pm)
Struggling Southampton are out to avoid a fifth successive defeat when West Ham visit the South Coast.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints are on a seemingly unstoppable downward spiral with just two wins in their past 15 league games and two in their last 10 at home.
Despite losing 3-1 in last season’s FA Cup fifth round, the Hammers have enjoyed recent league trips to St Mary’s, taking eight points from their past four away meetings.
After netting against Wolves and Fulham, Gianluca Scamacca will be the first Italian to score in three Premier League games in a row since Manolo Gabbiadini did it for Southampton in 2017.
Gianluca Scamacca is looking for a third goal in three Premier League games
Liverpool vs Manchester City (Sunday, 4.30pm, Sky Sports)
Perennial challengers Liverpool face Manchester City knowing defeat would leave them 16 points off the champions and their title hopes in tatters.
The Reds are enduring their worst start to a campaign since 2012-13 with just 10 points from their opening eight games.
And Jurgen Klopp’s side are winless in their past five league meetings with City, but secured 3-2 victories in both last season’s FA Cup semi-final and July’s Community Shield clash.
Erling Haaland can break another record at Anfield — if he scores two goals he will beat Luis Suarez’s Premier League record for most goals in a 10-game period, set back in December 2013.
Roberto Firmino was not supposed to be Liverpool’s go-to man this season. If widespread reports were anything to go by, Firmino himself did not even envisage himself being at Anfield this campaign.
And yet here we are, midway through October, and no Liverpool player – not even the £350,000-a-week Mohamed Salah, despite his record-breaking six-minute hat-trick against Rangers – has played a part in more goals in all competitions this season than Firmino’s eight.
Far from being the odd man out following the arrivals of Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez this year, Firmino has regularly stepped up for the Reds this season and is surely in contention to start Sunday’s Premier League showdown against Manchester City.
Liverpool quite simply have to win at Anfield, where Firmino will come face-to-face with Europe’s hottest striker in Erling Haaland, a player boasting 20 goals – six more than anyone else in Europe’s top-five leagues – from his 13 appearances for City and feeling refreshed after a midweek rest.
Ahead of the meeting between the Premier League’s two most dominant forces over the past four seasons, we look at Firmino’s figures in more detail and just why he may hold the key to Liverpool getting the better of the champions.
KLOPP’S FAITH PAYS OFF
Amid all the noise surrounding Firmino’s future heading into the 2022-23 campaign, with Juventus said to be in advanced talks to sign him, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp branded the forward “the heart and soul” of the team.
No wonder the German thinks so highly of the 31-year-old, with no Liverpool player playing more games (332), featuring for more minutes (23,899) or registering more assists (70) during Klopp’s seven years in charge.
The arrivals of Diaz and Nunez, plus the impressive form of Diogo Jota, looked as though it would curtail Firmino’s playing time, but he started three of Liverpool’s opening four matches of the campaign, including the Community Shield win over City.
Firmino failed to register a single goal or assist in any of those matches, yet he retained the faith of Klopp – albeit helped by Jota being injured and Nunez suspended – and truly kick-started his campaign in the 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth at the end of August.
In that game, a joint-record winning margin for a side in Premier League history, Firmino became the first Liverpool player to be directly involved in four goals in the first half of a match in the competition en route to scoring two and assisting three. If a reminder was needed of Firmino’s qualities, this was very much it.
An important equaliser followed in Liverpool’s next match, a late 2-1 win over Newcastle United; two goals to drag Liverpool back from two goals down in a 3-3 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion; another equaliser, this time in defeat to Arsenal; and then another two-goal and an assist showing in the 7-1 midweek Champions League rout of Rangers.
Those 12 goals and assists in all competitions is level with Salah’s tally for the season, and double that of next-best Diaz, who has started three games more than the Brazil international. Per minute, no Liverpool player is performing better this season in an attacking sense.
FIRMINO THE FOCAL POINT
Perhaps most remarkable of all as focus turns to Liverpool’s meeting with City, Firmino is only one goal short of Haaland’s tally for October (five goals compared to six). Across clubs from Europe’s top-five leagues, when taking all competitions into account, Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder is the only other player with five or more goals this month.
Firmino’s five goals have come from an expected goals (xG) value of 1.43, incidentally, compared to six from an xG of 3.03 for Haaland – a difference of 3.57 and 2.97 respectively, suggesting the quality of Firmino’s chances have been lower than those teed up for Haaland.
That is not to say Firmino is in the same league as Haaland right now – who is? – but on a personal level this is by some way his best start to a campaign for Liverpool. His eight goals after 11 games is at least two more than he has managed in his previous seven seasons at Anfield, while only in 2019-20 has he had more assists than his four this term.
But exactly why is that? Playing against a Bournemouth side unable to defend any balls into the box has admittedly skewed the figures somewhat, though it is clear to see that Firmino’s game has also changed this season compared to last.
Just under 11 per cent of his touches of the ball in the Premier League this season have come within the width of the goal inside the penalty area, which is an increase on a figure of six per cent last time out. It was further back last season, and more towards the right, that he more occasionally touched the ball.
Indeed, all eight of his goals this season have come from that central zone inside the box – one via his head, three with his left foot and four with his right.
Another interesting aspect of Firmino’s game this season has been his movement, or more specifically his off-the-ball runs into the penalty area. He has made 89 of them in the Premier League in his 468 minutes on the field, which is the most per 90 minutes (17.1) of any player, followed by Haaland (14.1).
That may well be a tactic Liverpool will aim to take full advantage of against City, a side in which Firmino has scored or assisted against seven times in 14 top-flight appearances – only versus Arsenal (13 combined) does he have a better record against among top-five clubs.
So while plenty of the build-up to Sunday’s showdown will – justifiably – be centred around Haaland and his remarkable scoring run, Liverpool will have born-again Bobby to call upon in a game they simply must win if they are to keep alive any hopes of challenging for the title.
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