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    With Thiago sidelined for at least 6 weeks, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jones also on the treatment table and several other midfield options having a history of fairly frequent injury lay offs, many fans believe the Reds need to bolster their midfield options before the transfer deadline.
     
    Chris Smith is joined by Ian Brown and TLW Editor Dave Usher to deal with the burning question of Liverpool's midfield options and to preview the upcoming clash with Crystal Palace at Anfield on Monday night.
     
     
     
  • Football is one of the most popular games in the world. Many people enjoy watching matches regularly, and some take their passion for the game further and become players themselves.
     
    Football is no easy thing. To master the game, you have to train extensively over a long period of time, as well as gain the necessary experience by participating in games. Playing the game can be exciting and exhilarating, however it’s also important to prioritize safety.
     
    As with any sport, athletes are exposed to several possible injuries when on the field. They can range in severity, and while, for the most part the players know how to avoid them, in some instances they are inevitable. Sometimes, injuries can also be the result of chronic stress placed on the muscles and joints.
     
    If you or someone close to you plays football, you should be aware of some of the most common injuries that usually occur in the context of the sport. This way you stand a better chance of preventing them and of identifying and treating them promptly in the event it happens.
     

     
    Ankle injuries
     
    Sprains are one of the most common injuries occurring in any sport, and it is certainly not an unknown problem to football players. Although it may not sound like much, sprains are actually incredibly painful and can leave you immobilized for an extended period of time. The symptoms are usually quite dramatic and generally occur shortly after you’ve twisted your ankle.
     
    Sprains present with sudden-onset pain, bruising, often extensive swelling, and the inability to hold your weight on the damaged joint. This type of injury typically occurs due to an uneven pitch, or twisting your ankle while running. Ankle twists also happen if you fall and injure yourself.
     
    If you’ve been the victim of a slip and fall accident that was due to someone else’s negligence, you are within your rights to hire a personal injury lawyer that can help you. The amount of compensation you are eligible to receive depends on the extent of the wounds you sustained.
     
    In the case of a sprain that resolves completely with no lasting damage, you’ll receive a smaller sum than if you had a complicated fall and suffered additional wounds, such as to your head or ribs. Regardless of how severe your problem, you should seek legal counsel in order to get the justice you receive. If you get in contact with a specialist, you’ll be able to get a clear, realistic picture of what you can expect when you start a legal claim.
     
    Knee injuries
     
    Generally speaking, knee wounds are more serious as well as more difficult to treat than ankle injuries. The knee is a complex joint, made up of several different components, making it more susceptible to injury. The severity of the injury also tends to depend on the part of your knee that was injured. For example, a torn meniscus is one of the most well-known injuries.
     
    The symptoms generally include swelling, stiffness, difficulty straightening the knee, as well as a constant popping sensation. In some instances, bed rest, medication and ice are all that’s needed and the injury heals on its own. In other instances, however, surgery, followed by rehabilitation and physiotherapy, is necessary to regain full mobility. You may also experience a dislocation, which is what happens when the bones shift out of their designated place.
     
    The patella, the bone that is most often injured in knee fractures, can move either partially or entirely. Numbness, tingling, swelling and pain usually accompany this type of injury, but it is usually not a complicated issue and can be solved easily.
     
    The affected joint will feel sore and inflamed for a while afterwards, so it’s important to take your prescribed medication and get all the necessary rest. In some rare instances, however, the patient doesn’t respond to traditional treatment.
     
    Manipulation doesn’t manage to set the bones back in place, and there may also be accompanying blood vessel or nerve damage. The dislocation itself can cause damage to surrounding structures, like muscles and ligaments which will also necessitate repairs. In the case of complex injuries like that, the only viable solution is to undergo surgery.
     
    Hand and wrist injuries
     
    You probably wouldn’t expect this type of injury to occur in football. After all, the athletes use their feet to kick the ball on the pitch. Therefore, the hands should be safe. That is not always the case, and believing this can lead to being careless about your safety.
     
    Hand injuries can occur if you collide with another player, or wound yourself during a fall. Just like in the case of other injuries, your wrists and fingers are vulnerable to sprains and fractures. The bones and ligaments here are usually more delicate than those in the legs, meaning that it’s easier to come down with something serious.
     
    The treatment scheme depends on the type of injury you sustained. In the case of dislocations or fractures you first need to reduce the swelling by applying ice, and try to keep the affected area elevated above the heart to avoid fluid pooling in the tissue.
     
    If you’ve experienced lacerations, you must apply direct pressure until the bleeding subsides, and keep the area clean. Your medical practitioner will prescribe a course of antibiotics, and you may also need sutures, depending on the nature of the cut. Regardless of the type of injury, you must contact a doctor as soon as possible. This is particularly important in the case of an injury that appears quite serious such as fractures in which the bone protrudes through the skin, or if you notice any signs of infection such as redness or fever.
     
    Although most injuries are minor, others can be a matter of life and death, so it’s important to not delay checking in your doctor’s office. When it comes to football injuries, the best thing to do is try and prevent them as much as possible. Make sure you train to increase your flexibility, strength and endurance in order to bypass some of the hazards.
     
    Nevertheless, if an injury does occur, it’s important to get the help you need as soon as possible, so you can get back on the pitch in no time.
  • All votes are in and the Liverpool Way 'Hall of Fame, Class of 2020’ has been decided. In the end it wasn't particularly close and the chosen four were out on their own.
     
    As explained previously, we had a two year hiatus from the Hall of Fame but rather than skip those years we're backdating them so this was for the Class of 2020 and later this year (the break for the World Cup is an ideal time) we'll have the vote for the Class of 2021 and then early next year we'll do 2022, meaning we're back on track for next summer.
     
    So to the voting. Robbie Fowler finally gets in after missing out on three previous occasions and he will be joined by Terry McDermott (who goes in at the second time of asking) and Ron Yeats who goes in at the first attempt. The final spot went to Ray Kennedy who also went in as a first ballot selection. 
     
    The breakdown of the voting was as follows:
     


    As you can see below, the good folk of the TLW forums have spoken and their four selections have all got in. Ray Kennedy just edged out Fowler for top spot in this vote and those two were comfortably clear of McDermott in third. Yeats took the final spot with fifth placed Tommy Smith missing out.
     

     
     


    The TLW contributors also selected the same four. Their vote broke down like this: 
     
    Jeff Goulding (Scott, R Kennedy, McDermott, Hyypia), Paul Natton (Nicol, Fowler, Kennedy, McDermott), Chris Smith (Yeats, Hyypia, Fowler, McDermott.), John Gallagher (Scott, Kennedy, Yeats, Smith), Julian Richards (Kennedy, Yeats, Scott, McDermott.), Dan Thomas (Scott, Hyypia, Fowler, Kennedy), Stu Montagu (Nicol McDermott Kennedy Yeats). 
     
    Totals: McDermott 6, Kennedy 6, Yeats 4, Fowler 3, Scott 3, Hyypia 3, Nicol 2, Smith 1 

    Note: Hyypia, Fowler and Scott finished tied on three votes so the tie breaker is the public vote above. Robbie got the most votes so he gets the fourth spot in the writers list.
     


     
    Terry McDermott - The perfect all round midfielder and delivered big goals when it mattered. 
     
    Robbie Fowler -  The Kop still call him God. Say no more.
     
    Ron Yeats -  One of Shankly’s rocks upon which the modern LFC was built.
     
    Ray Kennedy -  Arguably most underrated LFC player ever, certainly beyond Anfield.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Robbie Fowler - The most natural finisher I’ve ever seen. It looked effortless but it’s a talent you can’t teach. I only had the chance to play up top with him once, in the glamorous surroundings of a pre-season friendly at Lincoln! Neither of us scored, but at least I get to say I played up front with a man who was one of our best ever strikers.
     
    Steve Nicol - Whenever I speak to players from back in the day they talk about Nicol as being one of the biggest characters in the dressing room and an incredibly reliable performer on the pitch. Except of course when he’s taking a penalty in a shoot out when he wasn’t on the list of takers!
     
    Ron Yeats - A much different era to me but he’s an all time great. I saw him at Melwood on several occasions and even at the age he was he still had a huge presence about him. Very friendly and welcoming but everyone knew what a player he was and don’t mess with him!
     
    Sami Hyypia- Another giant and a beast of a defender. He was always at the front of the runs in pre-season and he was the ultimate professional. Little known fact, he scored in the game when I bagged my last Liverpool goal, against Newcastle.
     
     

     
    Robbie Fowler - He was in the original ten but until now I hadn’t voted for him as there were always other players who just edged him out. It was an easy pick this time around though. An incredible finisher and a football genius. Robbie was just a natural, a street footballer. He played the game with the joy and impudence of a kid having a kick about with his mates and he gave us so many great memories.     
     
    Elisha Scott - These are always tricky because not only did we not see players from this generation but there is virtually no TV footage either. I understand why a lot of others aren’t voting for players they didn’t see but I think it’s important to recognise the massive legends of the past, such as Liddell, Hodgson (Gordon, not Roy!) and Stubbins. Scott comes into that category as well as he was a massive star in his time.
     
    Terry McDermott - I’m kind of fascinated by McDermott and he’s one of the players before my time who I really wish I’d been able to see play. Tales of his stamina are as legendary of those of his drinking. He was one of those naturally fit lads who could run all day even after having a skinful the night before. His style of play would translate well to the modern game. Box to box, scored goals (some of them outrageously good), did a bit of everything.
     
    Chris Lawler - This was an easy pick for me but I’m not surprised he hasn’t had many other votes because he’s probably the most under-rated player in the history of the club. You might be shocked if I tell you he’s 11th on the all time appearances list. You’ll almost certainly be shocked when I tell you he’s 42nd on the goalscorers list even though he was a right back who didn’t take penalties or free kicks. 61 goals from open play from right back!! Like I say, an easy pick.
     
      
    Final Totals: Robbie Fowler 5, Terry McDermott 4, Ron Yeats 4, Ray Kennedy 3. 
     
    Others: Elisha Scott 1, Sami Hyypia 1, Steve Nicol 1, Chris Lawler 1.
     
     
     
    So there you have it, four more legends joining the previous inductees See you later in the year when we'll have four new names (yet to be determined) joining the remaining six from this year to see who goes in as the Class of 2021. 
  • Oooof! Didn’t see that coming. Fucking hell. It’s ok for the likes of me to think we’d go to Fulham and just roll over them, but it’s not good when the players go there with the same attitude. Other than a couple of good spells in which we scored, this was appalling.
     
    Complacency is not something we can often accuse these lads of and I’m usually reluctant to do that. I probably wouldn’t be doing it now if Klopp himself hadn’t come out afterwards and said we started the game with the wrong attitude. Usually they get the benefit of the doubt on that and the rare poor performances can be attributed to just a bad day at the office. This wasn’t that though, we didn’t look ready for the game and seemed flustered by the intensity of Fulham. 
     
    In the first half we were outworked, outfought and for once didn’t seem to relish the hectic nature of the game. Usually we thrive when the game is fast paced and an opponent tries to go toe to toe with us. Fulham pushed up high and tried to play the game in our half. That’s normally suicide but in the first half it worked because we didn't match them.
     
    The thing is though, there was nothing Fulham did that we haven’t faced before, and faced from much better opponents. Let’s not dress it up as something it isn't. Fulham are still shit. Just because we made them look good in this game doesn’t suddenly make them anything other than strong relegation candidates. 
     
    Credit to them for how well they played but this result was almost entirely down to us being shit. And as shit as we were we still had enough chances to still win the game. Had it not been for Klopp’s comments I’d probably have put this down to us being undercooked because of the shortened pre-season, but then if that was the case how could we look so sharp last week against City?
     
    The first 15 minutes of this game were genuinely awful. We kept getting caught in possession and couldn’t get out of our own half. You just never see that, even against good teams. To see it against a newly promoted team was mad and unsettling.
     
    We were lucky to come through that spell unscathed and then we started to play a little bit. Not much, but on the odd occasion when we did put a few passes together we’d end up in their box in promising situations. It wasn’t enough though and it wasn’t a shock when we fell behind. 
     
    There’s plenty of blame to go around on their opening goal, including some for the ref and VAR who missed a clear foul on Hendo in the build up, but the bulk of it for me is with Trent who was too passive on the back post. I know it’s tough being left to deal with the powerful Mitrovic, but this was avoidable it Trent had attacked the ball instead of waiting for it. 
     
    By waiting for it to come to him he brought Mitrovic into play and as soon as that happened there was only going to be one winner. In that position you have to go and meet the ball at the highest point you can reach it and glance it away from danger. Trent is usually good at that but on this occasion he was too passive and it cost us.
     
    It was symptomatic of his and the team's performance though. I was just shocked at how bad the whole team were to that point. Matip aside, no-one was doing anything. It was woeful all over the park. Klopp said the problem was we kept playing into their press and because the pitch was dry that made it easy for Fulham to nip in and win it back. That’s predictably been interpreted by outsiders as Klopp blaming a dry pitch for our performance when that is nothing like what he said or meant.
     
    He was criticising his own team, not the fucking pitch! His point was that on a wet, zippy pitch you can knock the ball around quickly but when the ball is rolling more slowly then you have to be smarter and we weren’t. Even I could see that what we were doing was fucking stupid. Not so much the whole ‘don’t play it into midfield on a dry pitch’ thing, that isn’t what I was thinking. My problem was that everything we were doing was in front of Fulham and we were not turning them around and getting behind them. It amounts to the same thing really though.
     
    Tim Ream is one of the worst defenders I’ve ever seen and the last couple of times Fulham were in the top flight he was getting ruined every fucking week. He’s shite and he can’t run. Mo should be having him on toast, but in that first half Mo was facing his own goal virtually every time the ball was played to him, and Ream was able to just get as tight to him as he wanted, especially knowing the left back was there as extra cover.
     
    We needed to get Mo running at them but we were not able to do that at all until after Nunez (and Harvey) came on in the second half. Bobby made zero impact on this game but he’s only partly to blame for that. He wasn’t good and he lost the ball a fucking shitload (including there times in 10 seconds at one point), but the wider issue for me isn’t his actual performances, it’s more about the role he fills and how I wonder if it’s now redundant because opponents seem to have figured it out.
     
    With Bobby on the pitch the idea is that he comes short, hopefully dragging a centre back with him and leaving space behind for the two wide forwards to run into. You also have the added bonus of him pressing, picking up loose balls and generally knitting things together and giving us an extra body in the middle of the park. It worked brilliantly for a few years but his impact has been on the wane for some time.
     
    Much of the focus for that has been on Bobby’s own form and how it’s not what it was. That’s definitely a factor as it feels like he gives the ball away much more frequently and needlessly than he used to. But I think the bigger reason for his diminishing effectiveness is how opponents have adapted to deal with him.
     
    Fulham let him drop deep and the centre backs didn’t concern themselves with him. Why would they? He isn’t causing any damage when he’s got the ball on halfway, especially as too often these days a midfielder is able to just nick it from him anyway. Without a number nine to worry about, Ream was up Mo’s arse the entire first half. 
     
    When Nunez came on and was running in behind and generally bustling about being a nuisance in the box, Ream had to play as an actual centre back instead of just following Salah everywhere. As a result Mo was then able to get the ball in space and get running at them more. Harvey helped with that too, I’ll get to that in a bit.
     
    Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not blaming Bobby for the team’s poor performance as he was only a part of the problem. It’s an undeniable fact though that in the last two games we’ve looked massively more threatening when Nunez has been on the pitch. As I say, that’s as much down to the role Bobby plays as it is to do with his own form and I have some sympathy for him as in some respects there’s not much he can do about it, especially when the team play as fucking horribly as this. 
     
    Bottom line though, my feeling now is that Bobby is generally only going to look like Bobby in games where the opponent is a bit clueless and aren’t well set up tactically (so Everton and United for example). Against everyone else we need Nunez (or even Jota).
     
    As I say though, when the rest of the team plays they way they did Bobby had no chance to really do anything. It’s easier for Darwin to make an impact because his role is different. He is expected to run behind, offer an outlet ball over the top and generally make sure he’s in the box causing havoc. Bobby isn’t asked to do any of that, he’s there to do the dirty stuff. The question I’d have is what do we need more against shite like Fulham? It’s fairly obvious isn’t it?
     
    I thought the change should have been made at half time, but I could also have made a strong argument for Elliott coming on for any of the three midfielders, who were all poor. Thiago was marginally the least shit of the three but he wasn’t doing much. Hendo was poor and Fabinho just wasn’t really in it.
     
    As bad as we’d played in that half though we did have good moments and could easily have scored when Diaz hit the post with a brilliant strike. We had other situations too when Robbo was able to get behind them. He hit a weak shot straight at the keeper (he was miles offside anyway) and then he blasted one across the face when it just needed some composure to pick out a team-mate. Not sure if that was a cross or shot, but it was shite either way.
     
    At least he was doing something though. Trent was really out of form on the other flank. Very sloppy. He tends to have four or five of these games every season, and then the rest of the time he’s sensational. I expect he’ll run the show against Palace next week.
     
    So there were no changes at half time but five minutes into the second half we saw a double change. Thiago pulled up lame (see you in January then I guess, if your previous history is anything to go by) so on came Harvey. But Darwin also got the nod as Bobby was hooked too. What’s the point in giving Bobby five minutes? Either make that change at half time or on the hour.
     
    I can only assume it’s because of the rule that says you can use five subs but can only stop the game three times to do it. There’s no other explanation that makes any real sense. 
     
    The changes didn’t pay off instantly as I can remember thinking at one point (probably around the hour mark) that the second half was somehow even worse than the first. Fulham were now playing on the break rather than pressing us high, but they still posed a threat and they hit the inside of the post with Alisson well beaten. 
     
    Slowly but surely we started to claw our way back though and Elliott’s presence on the right and his ability to find little pockets of space that allow him to link up with Trent and Mo really gave us another dimension. It helped that Ream was now having to help out his partner in the middle against the bustling Nunez. Now Mo was mostly up against the left back rather than having two of them following him everywhere.
     
    His influence grew and he once again showed that string he’s added to his bow with a couple of quality right footed crosses. Last week he put one on Darwin’s head that led to a penalty. This time he whipped across two perfect balls in as many minutes to pick out near post runs from the new boy.
     
    The first time Darwin met it with a clever flick that the keeper saved with his foot. Terrific effort, really unlucky. The second one was a carbon copy, only this time the defender challenged as Nunez flicked the ball and there was a double ricochet that sent the ball flying into the top corner.
     
    I love that. Trademark Usher finishes those were. Darwin reminds me of me, only he’s a little bit quicker, with slightly inferior hair and has more toned abs than I had in my prime. By that I mean he actually has abs. Those flicked finishes though, like looking in a mirror for me that.
     
    Having got back on level terms we were well on top now and the sense of panic I’d been feeling dissipated. It was only a matter of time now before we went ahead. And then out of fucking nowhere Virgil dangled out a leg and Mitrovic went tumbling. Blatant dive, he was only ever playing for a penalty and if anything he initiated what contact there was. If you're the ref though, you see Virgil dangling out a leg and not getting the ball so it's going to look like a foul. 
     
    Virgil was clumsy and fell into the trap. I’ve never seen him do that before. Ever. Had the ref not given it there’s no way VAR would have overturned and said it was a pen, because the contact was absolutely minimal and initiated by the forward. But the ref did give it and because there was contact and because Virgil did dangle out a leg, that’s never getting overturned because the bar is set ridiculously high on overturns now. I just can’t believe Virgil did it. It was so needless too as Trent had got back around on the cover and was dealing with the situation.
     
    Mitrovic picked himself up and buried the pen. Now we were back to square one again. Unbelievable. 
     
    We drew level again when Darwin caused mayhem in the box and although he mis-controlled with the goal gaping, Mo was on hand to finish it off. Nunez is still a bit unpolished but he’s a handful and we wouldn’t have scored that goal if Bobby was on the pitch because he wouldn’t have been in that position. That’s not a criticism of Bobby, it’s just a fact. They play the position differently.
     
    In the time Darwin was on the pitch he had the two flicked efforts (one of which went in), he had another cleared off the line after he outmuscled a defender when challenging for a nothing high ball, he shot wide after running in behind in the inside right channel, put one on a place for Diaz with a lovely knock down at the back post and his presence in the box resulted in the second goal. In the 55 minutes Bobby was on the pitch he offered zero goal threat whatsoever. You can come up with whatever explanation you like for that and I'm open to them, but nothing can change the fact that in the last two games we've been massively more threatening when Nunez was there instead of Bobby. 
     
    I think what followed that goal was perhaps the most disappointing part about the whole game for me though. We’ve had games before when we’ve stunk the place out but as soon as we got back in it we’d find a way to win. There was enough time left after we equalised but we were unable to get a head of steam up and other than a wonder strike from Hendo that hit the bar, we rarely threatened.
     
    Fulham were able to break the game up with a lot of diving. They were at it all day but in the first half the ref wasn’t having it. The crowd were getting pissed off with him as were the Fulham players, and it just felt like the longer it went the more he just decided he couldn’t be arsed dealing with them and he just started blowing for fouls all the time. 
     
    That isn't an excuse though as I’m much more disappointed with our performance than I am with the antics of Fulham’s players or the decisions made by the ref. We’ve just got to do better. We shouldn’t need Milner to come on and show everyone how it’s done. Good for him that he can still do it, but it’s a damning indictment on how the others played that we were miles better after he came on. Elliott as well to some extent. 
     
    Our first choice line up was shite and this result is genuinely dreadful and and a massive shock to the system. This is the kind of thing 90s Liverpool did all the time and it never gets any less infuriating. Dropping points to newly promoted / soon to be relegated sides isn’t a winning habit. We did it at Brentford last season and one shit result like that can be the difference between first and second. 
     
    You just can’t have results like this if you want to win the league. Anything less than maximum points against the dregs of the league is potentially catastrophic because there are games where dropping points is much more likely. It's like playing Jumanji. You've got your three lives, and if you lose one by being thrown off a bridge by crazed monkeys then fair enough, you'll accept that and move on as there's not much you could do about it. If you explode after eating cake though, you can't help but think it's a stupid waste of a life and that you may come to regret it.
     
    The season we won it I think we took maximum points against the bottom ten, or at least something really close to it. That’s how you win titles. I guarantee City won’t drop any points to Fulham or anyone like them so we've basically lost a life here by stuffing ourselves with cake. If you haven't seen Jumanji none of this will make sense, so just ignore it and move on.
     
    I’m not going down the road of saying this result will cost us the title because we’re only one game into the season and there’s so much football to be played. It would be fucking stupid and incredibly defeatist taking that stance after one game. At the same time though you can't dismiss this as nothing.
     
    We’ve had four title battles with City (three under Klopp and one under Rodgers) and we’ve lost three of them by a combined total of four points. So every fucking stupid result like this really matters. We can’t do anything about it now of course, the points are gone and they aren’t coming back.
     
    What it does mean is that we now have to make those points up elsewhere. So if we take last season as an example, a shitty result like this means that six draws out of six with City, Chelsea and Spurs is just not good enough this time (it wasn't good enough last time either because of the silly points dropped elsewhere). We have to be winning some of those games because the margin for error is so small and we’ve already fucked up once.
     
    The days when you could shrug off a result like this as “one of those games” and not worry because “the title race doesn’t start until Easter” are long fucking gone. Klopp knows this more than anyone. That’s why he was so pissed off. The plan was to get off to a flying start and ride that momentum until the break for the world cup comes. That plan has already gone up in smoke because we couldn’t beat FUCKING FULHAM.
     
    I’m fuming to be honest. Having to play catch up already despite playing a newly promoted side? It’s just incredibly frustrating. We’ve recently developed a really bad habit of starting slow and conceding first in games. Go back to the back end of last season and it happened a lot. And here we go again. It’s the exact opposite of what Klopp has been drumming into them in pre-season. Start fast, get the game won, then we can make the subs and rest those who need it. 
     
    Instead we started slow, had to chase the game and the subs were being brought on to try and salvage something. That shit needs to stop here and now because City will just carry on doing what they do and we need to stop giving ourselves mountains to climb in games. We've got a great record of coming back to win from being a goal down but you don't want to keep having to do it because it will catch up with you, like it did here. 
     
    Next week against Palace I want to see us fucking fly out of the traps and get a couple of early goals. Stop making things needlessly difficult for ourselves.
     
    Star man is Nunez, with honourable mentions to Matip, Milner and Elliott. Mo was good in the last half an hour or so too.
     
     
    Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho (Milner), Henderson, Thiago (Elliott); Salah, Firmino (Nunez), Diaz (Carvalho):
     
     

  • Sepp van den Berg is set to be loaned out for another season with newly relegated Burnley likely to be his destination.
     
    The Dutchman has spent the last season and a half at Preston North End making 61 appearances for the Championship club, and returned to his parent club in the summer making the bench in the opening game of the season against Fulham.
     
    The 20 year-old has made four appearances for Liverpool which have all come in domestic cup competitions but is yet to make his league debut.
     
    And with the quality of depth that the Reds have in the central defensive position, that is unlikely to change in the near future and like Rhys Williams at Blackpool, the best pathway forward is for him to continue his Football education at another club for now.
     
    Lancs Live reports that the Burnley have stolen a march over their bitter Lancashire rivals Blackburn and are in the box seat to get the deal done with Liverpool apparently happy for that to be the case.
     

     
    The Clarets have had a complete change of approach in the summer from the dogged and backs to the wall resistance of Sean Dyche to former Man City captain Vincent Kompany who favours giving youth a chance and wanting his team to dominate position.
     
    And being a defender who is comfortable with the ball at his feet and an eye for a pass, if this loan does go ahead it could be beneficial for all parties.
     
    The Dutch U/21 international is under contract at the Reds until 2024.
     
  • It was a surprisingly lacklustre display from the Reds at Craven Cottage as they had to twice come from behind to salvage a point against a lively Fulham side.
     
    TLW Editor Dave Usher was joined by Stu Montagu and Paul Natton shortly after the final whistle to go through all the main talking points from the game. How can we play that badly? What was wrong with the midfield? Did Trent have someone else's boots on? Is Bobby done as a regular starter? What the hell was Virg doing for the penalty? All that and much more is covered in a lively post match chat.
     
     
  • Monday Aug 1:
     
    The England women won the Euros yesterday so good for them. I didn’t watch any of the tournament before this and wasn’t going to watch any of the final either, for no other reason than I don’t give much a fuck about it. Not because it’s women, but because I’m just not interested. I’ve got nothing derogatory to say about women’s footy at all, any time I've watched it I've thought the standard was good, it's just that I don’t really care about it. It’s the same reason I wouldn’t watch the Scottish Cup final or a Serie A game. Nothing against it, I’d just rather spend my time doing something else.
     
    But Adrianna decided to put it on (she hadn't watched any of it prior to the final either) and because I was in the room I got to see a decent chunk of the game. I didn’t cheer when they scored but I was pleased for them and posted in the group chat about what a boss finish it was and that “Nunez should have done that with his chance yesterday”.
     
    When Germany equalised I felt something approaching disappointment. Had that been the men I’d have been laughing my head off. Clearly my disdain for England does not extend to the women’s team or the fans of it. I had to go out so didn’t see extra time but I’m glad they won. 
     
    You know what’s funny though? All of a sudden you’ve got people trying to make out this is the same as the men winning something. Not because they see women’s footy as equal to the men’s game, but because they’re so desperate to hitch themselves to any trophy laden English wagon. “The 56 year wait is over!!” I kept hearing on Talksport and on the news last night. Is it fuck! Don’t be piggy backing on the success of the women just because the men are shit. 
     
    Let them enjoy their own success without patronisingly trying to put them on equal footing with the men’s game and making out this is like 1966. It isn’t and trying to suggest otherwise just demeans what they achieved and makes those who talk it down rebel against it even more. Just celebrate it for what it is. The English women are European Champions, it's has nothing to do with the men's game though. Hopefully it gives their league a boost because the attendances are pretty shite. 
     
    Meanwhile, we had a friendly yesterday. It was essentially a reserve game even though it was played at Anfield in front of fans. We lost 3-0 to Strasbourg so I’m not bothering with any catch up of it either. I did see some complaining on twitter about the team and some were even saying the game was sold to fans on ‘false pretences’. 
     
    Fuck off. If you bought a ticket for this thinking that Salah and Van Dijk and Nunez etc would be playing then more fool you. It’s the day after the Community Shield. The only players who were going to feature in this were the ones who missed out against City. In other words, the squad players and kids.
     
    What made the line up weaker was the number of injuries we have. Jones and Keita pulled out of this one, while Jota, Alisson and Kostas are all out too. Calvin Ramsay hasn’t kicked a ball for us yet as he’s injured too, so the team was as strong as Klopp could have picked. I doubt anyone who actually paid to go had any problem as they knew the situation. It’s the fucking internet cry babies complaining on their behalf. Always have to have something to moan about.
     
    As for today’s news, there were some quite revealing quote from Nunez about how hard he found it when he first got here. Basically to paraphrase, he was shit in his early training sessions and couldn’t do anything right because he was trying too hard to impress and justify his fee. He said the lads helped him and a chat with Mo was the main turning point.
     
    I found this interesting because I was only thinking yesterday that whenever any of the lads have spoken about him it’s been carefully worded and not particularly effusive. They haven’t been saying how incredible he is, it’s all been about how he needs to work hard, learn how we play and that his quality will shine through. It kind of makes sense now if he was shite in his first week or two. I bet he’s fucking flying now though.
     
    Tuesday Aug 2:
     
    New deal for Jota. Sound. Well deserved. He’s almost become the forgotten man recently because he didn’t end last season very well and he’s been injured ever since. I have to remind myself sometimes just how ace he was in the middle part of last season especially. 
     
    He was really good before that too, but I think back to how he destroyed Arsenal in that league cup semi and it’s a good reminder of what a talent he is. Jota in that form can force his way into any starting line up. The Jota we’ve seen since will spend a lot of time on the bench I think.
     
    On the subject of Arsenal though. Fuck me. That Amazon show is going to be a train wreck and much as I have no problem mocking Arsenal I think it’s going to be too much even for me. That clip they put out today prior to us leathering them 4-0 made me want to die of cringe. If you haven’t seen it, I don’t know if you’re lucky or if you’ve missed out. It’s really something though.
     
    Arteta is an embarrassing bastard. If he wasn’t Spanish and a housewives favourite he’d be getting slaughtered in the same way Brendan was after we did one of these fly on the wall things. Today’s offering is incredible. It’s bad enough that he admitted one time when he played at Anfield he kind of blacked out and couldn’t focus because of what the atmosphere did to him, but he then put that phobia onto his players by making them train while YNWA was being blasted out on speakers.
     
    That’s some David Brent style shit that. One of the club employees who he spoke to about it was kissing his arse saying what an interesting, clever idea it was. He must have been thinking ‘what’s this fucking clown doing?’.
     
    There’s maybe 1% of this that kind of makes sense. By that I mean if there was something that could be done to genuinely prepare his players for playing at Anfield then it would maybe make sense to do it, but even then it’s probably not smart because you’re making the occasion bigger than it is. It’s a league game at Anfield. 19 Premier League teams face this every year, and most of Arsenal’s team had already experienced it.
     
    The thing is though, YNWA isn’t playing when the game is on so why does he have his players training as it’s blasting out? It almost felt like a wind up. Seriously embarrassing shit this.
     
    Wednesday Aug 3:
     
    More Arsenal documentary nonsense. I saw something on twitter from someone saying how fantastic this was, and I can see why from an Arsenal fans point of view it was. Arteta brought in the club photographer to give a pep talk to the players before a game. He’s a massive fan and has been in the job for 30 years. His speech was good, not exactly one of those inspirational, make you want to run through a brick wall kind of things but not far off it.
     
    When he’d finished his speech you’d have liked to see players frothing at the mouth and yelling, just wanting to get out there and get stuck in. Instead you see Aubamayeng dancing a jig and doing a stupid handshake with another player. He was their captain. That is what you fail, Arsenal. That is why you fail.
     
    In other news the players won’t be taking the knee anymore. I have no strong opinion on this and it’s a minefield I’m not walking into. As I’ve said before, I don’t feel like I have any right to an opinion on it. I’m happy to just let those who are on the end of racial abuse decide what they want to do and then I’ll support whatever it is. If that’s taking the knee, sound. If it’s something else, cool.
     
    I made the mistake of dipping my toe into the replies to the PL tweet on this. Jesus Christ it was even worse than I expected. Just shite being thrown around by people on all sides. Some complaining it should never have been a thing to begin with, and then others complaining that it’s been stopped. One loon said it’s been scrapped because 90% of PL captains are white. Like I said, absolute minefield. There is no right or wrong solution here, it’s impossible.
     
    On the transfer front, Chelsea are trying to hijack City’s move for my boy Cucurella (who obviously won’t be my boy for much longer if he joins City or Chelsea) and they’re also meant to be going for De Jong, which frankly, (or if you prefer, frenkly) would be hilarious after United chased him all summer. It all seems a bit scattergun at Chelsea right now. They’re throwing in bids for loads of players but it’s treading water because they’re replacing ones who have either left (Rudiger, Christensen etc) or want to leave (Azpilacueta and Alonso).
     
    I don’t think Chelsea are going to be much of a threat this season. They won’t be shit, but they aren’t going to kick on because there’s too much flux there at the moment.
     
    As for United, they will be shit. How shit I’m not sure because Ten Hag is an unknown quantity really. If he knows what he’s doing they’ll improve from last season but they’ll still be shit because most of the players are crap. If Ten Hag is no good then they’ll do well to get top six. They look like a team that will finish somewhere between 8th -10th to me.
     
    Thursday Aug 4:
     
    Curtis is going to be out for a few weeks. Not good this, it reminds me of last season when a similar thing happened. He really needed an uninterrupted run where he could stake his claim. Stop start is not going to help him in what is a really important year for him. It doesn’t seem like this is a bad injury but we’ve got five games in August and he’ll probably miss all of them. It’s frustrating.
     
    Ox is out, Keita is probably out this weekend too. We’ve got enough depth for it not to matter but for Curtis this is bad timing. Great news for Harvey and Carvalho though, they’re going to get good minutes this month I think and if they do well it gives them a leg up on the absentees.
     
    Meanwhile, bit late to this but I’ve been away for a few days this week and hadn’t had a chance to fully catch up on the coverage from last weekend. I’m just watching ‘Inside Leicester’ and it’s really interesting seeing the way Klopp reacts with opponents. He’s the main reason this rivalry with City has never spilled over into seriously bad blood. With another manager this would have turned nasty a long time ago, we’re talking Wenger / Ferguson levels of feuding here.
     
    It hasn’t happened because of Klopp, and to some extent Guardiola too, who for all of his weirdness and occasional snide hasn’t ever really gone looking to start a war. Watching this and you see Klopp in the tunnel talking to his old mate Gundogan, but then De Bruyne comes over for a handshake and Haaland greets him with a big smile. Klopp responds with a trademark grin and says “WELCOME!”. Most managers don’t have that kind of relationship with opposing players, but they all love him because he just has massive respect for everyone and doesn’t bear grudges.
     
    A few times him and Guardiola have had little snipes at eachother in press conferences but they always seem to be on good terms whenever you see them interacting. Before this one Guardiola comes over to him and asks “how was the summer?” and then, somewhat bizarrely “do you play golf?”. Jurgen doesn’t play golf, but Guardiola has become a golf nut. I wouldn’t play with the cunt though as I can imagine him any time he has a bad lie just moving his ball into the best possible position. He’s shown throughout his career he doesn’t like playing by the same rules as everyone else, he just wants to make things as easy for himself as possible. Bet he plays off the red tees just to make the course shorter too.
     
    Other things I picked up on were just how happy Mo looks. I might be reading too much into that (because he signed the new deal) but he looked absolutely beaming every time the camera was on him. He seems so relaxed and comfortable, he was having a fucking great time. There was also a shot of Harvey and Fabio with the trophy, and then Curtis joined them. All three were on the pitch in the closing stages of the game and I don’t think that was a co-incidence. Klopp wants this generation of kids to come through and form the basis of the next great team alongside Trent, Konate and (hopefully) Darwin.
     
    Tyler Morton finally joined Blackburn on loan about a month after it was agreed. I like that we wanted him to spend pre-season with us before going there and Klopp has been gushing in his praise of him. Could be a big year for him if he does well there. His unveiling press conference was great. “Did you have other offers, and if so why did you choose Blackburn?” “I wanted to come here because it’s a boss league and a boss club”. Hahaha!
     
    Friday Aug 5:
     
    Nat Phillips isn’t leaving this window because Konate has an injury. Hmmm, not sure I believe that. We’ll probably keep him until just before the deadline and then let him leave. Unless Konate’s injury is worse than they are letting on, which wouldn’t be the first time they’ve blagged us on something like that. Klopp just said he’d be out ‘a while’ which is so vague it worries me. On the plus side, I’m all for Gomez getting more minutes this season so every cloud and that.
     
    Also today, Martin Tyler caused a storm with an unfortunate choice of words. Maybe I’m too kind, but I don’t think for a second he was implying that Hillsborough was “hooligan related” as 1) he knows it wasn’t, and 2) why the fuck would he want to bring that kind of heat on himself?
     
    I can’t stand the fella and if he was never allowed anywhere near our games in future no-one would be happier than me, but not because of this. I’m not grabbing my pitch fork and going after him on this as it was an unintentional error that he apologised for. If people want to hold a grudge against him for it then that’s their choice, but I’d rather focus my disdain on those who say shit like this and actually mean it, which is not Tyler.
     
    There are plenty of other reasons for me to hate on Martin Tyler so I’m not dwelling on this. The club are meeting with Sky and BBC which is a good idea. Not to kick off about Tyler and demand punishment, but to ensure that all media personnel are aware of this shit and the next time someone makes an error like Tyler they can immediately correct it.
     
    Chelsea are paying £65m for Cucurella!! Fucking hell, what’s going on! And people were making out we paid a lot for Nunez. Unless Chilwell’s knee hasn’t mended properly this seems mental, but at the same time I’m all for City being gazumped on a player. Speaking of City, Bernardo Silva is being heavily linked with a move to Barca. 
     
    It seems that the only thing stopping it is Barca being so fucked they aren’t allowed to register any of the signings they’ve already made, let alone any new ones. If they get that sorted though then Silva could be headed there, which is baffling to me because other than De Bruyne he’s probably their best player. I feel like they’re up to something. It’s like that old movie trope. “It’s quiet. Too quiet.” I don’t trust them and there’s no way they’d just continue to weaken their squad the way they have been. 
     
    Sterling, Jesus, Zinchenko and maybe Silva too? They’ve got something mad in the works, like Messi or Neymar. Or Ronaldo. Fucking hell imagine that. I’d probably die laughing at the reaction of United fans. Mind you, United are reportedly willing to let him leave on loan and then come back next season if they’re good enough for him. The fucking bad cucks.  
     
    Sky Sports have a poll on who will win the league. The options are City, us and ‘other’. ‘Other’ is leading the way. Arsenal won at Palace tonight. These two things are not unrelated. Smelling themselves already, the pricks.
     
     
    ….and that was the week that was
     
  • After running Pep Guardiola's Manchester City as close as we possibly could last season and reducing our one time 14 point deficit to them, right down to a single point in the battle for the Premier League title, manager Jurgen Klopp can still be proud of our double domestic cup successes in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

    With the big kick off to the 2022/23 campaign nearing and build up well underway to Friday evenings opening game as Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira welcomes Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side to Selhurst Park, Liverpool's preparations for Saturdays early afternoon clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage continue at pace and fans will now find it incredibly difficult to get football tickets Liverpool for the game this late on.
     
    Despite our moves in the summer transfer market so far (the arrivals of Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez, and numerous departures including Divock Origi and Neco Williams), our business clearly is not done yet and one of the main pieces of speculation right now concerns another player leaving, with 25-year-old centre back Nat Phillips expected to depart Anfield again, but this time on a permanent basis.

    Speculation about his future has been around for a while, with newly promoted top flight sides Bournemouth and Fulham very heavily linked with him - however, the potential sticking point appears to be that Liverpool themselves seem to want around the £10 million mark for his services.
     

    Having come through Liverpool's Academy set up, Phillips spent a two year loan spell out with German Bundesliga side Stuttgart, making a total of 17 starting appearances in total, with a further five showings from the substitutes bench. Having spent the second half of last season out on loan at Dean Court, making a further 18 starting appearances - Liverpool's valuation seems incredibly high for someone of his experience and overall game time, and even during his time with us, he has only featured 24 times in total.

    That is certainly the opinion of journalist Luke Edwards. Having recently appeared on BBC Sounds Transfer Gossip Daily podcast, he explained.

    "He’s 25 and he’s only made 17 first-team appearances for Liverpool. He seems to have been on the fringes of their first team for a while. He was on loan at Bournemouth last season and did really well, and I think they would like to sign him permanently. Fulham are also interested. Both of those clubs are looking for players who are good enough to keep them in the Premier League and probably not much else. They are looking for players who are top six in the Championship, bottom six in the Premier League."

    Edwards did acknowledge that Phillips' time at the club was most certainly over, and he felt that ultimately a compromise would be made that saw him leave for significantly less before the transfer window slams shut.

    "His time is over at Liverpool, I think he would be the first to accept that. Liverpool have been trying to sell him for a while now, which suggests to me that the £10m asking price is too much. But I think we will see him move on this window before the deadline."

    With so many departures so far, Phillips will almost certainly join that list at some point before we tick into September, but fans will naturally keep a closer eye on further potential incomings as we look to end Guardiola's chase for three successive titles.
  • Mohamed Salah finally reaching an agreement with Liverpool was probably the best news every Liverpool ticket holder wanted to hear before the new season. 
     
    It was a long time coming, and there was much speculation surrounding the Egyptian king and his future in a Red shirt. Finally, everything is put to bed - Salah is a Liverpool player until 2025 (and hopefully beyond). 
     
    With several transfer rumours that got almost all who purchased Liverpool tickets for the upcoming season on the edge of their seats, Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool owners confirmed that Salah is here to stay. 
     
    In an official statement by the club, Liverpool announced the long-term deal with the forward, as he looks to continue his form and what he does best. 
     
    It was an all-important move for the club, with the speculation finally ending and the club and Jurgen Klopp understanding their priorities. This announcement came after growing concerns among the supporters, with a heightened worry after the loss of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich in June. 
     
    To lose one of the club's leading forwards was a big blow, but to lose both would have left the Anfield club in turmoil. 
     
    The new Salah deal 
     
    In 2017, one of the first signings in the Klopp era was the arrival of Salah from AS Roma. He was sensational in the first season, netting on 44 occasions. 32 out of the 44 came in the Premier League as he set the Premier League record for the most goals scored in a single season. 
     
    Since then, he has been unstoppable and was the driving force in Liverpool's road back to supremacy. 
     
    The previous contract was expected to run out in June 2023, and his new terms ensure that he has a fair remuneration for his efforts at the club. The newly signed contract that keeps him focused with Liverpool will see him make an excess of 350,000 a week and makes him the highest-paid player in the club's history. 
     
    Earlier, Salah was capped at $200,000 a week, and with this signing, he is expected to make over 400,000 a week with the added incentives. 
     
    Now a three-time Golden Boot winner, he is currently the fourth highest earning player in the league behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Kevin De Bruyne, and David De Gea. 
     
    As Salah took to social media to announce his extension, it felt like everything was falling into place again for the side.
     
    "I feel great and excited to win trophies…."
     
    "It is a happy day for everyone," Salah added. 
     
    The deal was finalised while the Egyptian was on holiday, speaking volumes of the deal's importance. Sporting director for Liverpool, Julian Ward, jetted to meet Salah with the confirmation from FSG president Mike Gordon. 
     
    The Team is Excited to Have Salah - Fabinho 
     
    Since his arrival at the club, Liverpool hasn't stooped down in their playing style. Much of the credit goes to Jurgen Klopp, but the team had a great combination with Mane and Salah.
     
    Speaking about his teammate, Fabinho adds that his teammate is happier, and after Sadio left, the contract agreement was crucial. 
     
    "That was really important, especially after losing Sadio," Fabinho added. 
     
    Speaking to The Athletic's James Pearce, Fabinho wasn't too shy to state that Salah was undoubtedly the side's best player in the last few years. 
     
    "He's (Salah) been maybe the best player in this team, and he's shown how important he is…." 
     
    And Fabinho isn't wrong - the numbers speak for themselves. 
     
    Since he moved borders, Salah has scored 156 goals for the side in the 254. He also won six trophies with the recent FA Cup and the EFL League club in the previous season. Salah was pivotal in ensuring that Liverpool won their first Premier League title in the 2020-21 season after nearly two decades. 
     
    In the earlier season, Liverpool won the Champions League defeating Tottenham Hotspur in the final. 
     
    The Egyptian is in 9th place in the all-time goalscorers list for Liverpool in such a short time and provided he replicates his 31-goal run from last season, he will be overtraining Liverpool legends Kenny Dalglish, Robbie Fowler, and Steven Gerrard to fifth. 
     
    Re-signing Salah might be Liverpool's biggest signing this season, but there will be a search for a replacement for his strike partner Sadio Mane to continue the success story. 
     
    Liverpool missed out on a possible back-to-back league title in the concluded season - a season that went down to the wire. City came out on top on the final day, anchoring a memorable comeback against Aston Villa despite the Salah heroics to win the title. 
     
    Still, ambition is strong with the Reds for the upcoming season. 
     
    Liverpool will commence their new season run with the re-promoted Fulham in August. It will be the 4th season that the team will start a new season with a newcomer. Crystal will follow up the opening fixture, and the decisive game in the first few games would be the one against Manchester United at Old Trafford on the 20th of August. 
     
    Last time around, when Liverpool went to Old Trafford, they came back with a 5-0 win, with Salah scoring a hat-trick. 
     
    September will be a challenge with trips to Everton and Chelsea, which will follow crucial clashes against Arsenal and Manchester City. 
     
    The final game before club action halts for the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be against Southampton at home. 
     
    The return fixture after the world cup is Aston Villa, expected to be held on Boxing Day. 
     
    The Egyptian failed to make it to the FIFA World Cup this year with his national side after losing the AFCON title to Senegal, which Sadio Mane led. 
     
    Hype is on 
     
    After a long hiatus of disappointment and regret, Liverpool is again season favourites for a 5th successive season. In the last five seasons, they've almost won the league title on two occasions but couldn't overthrow City. 
     
    The Salah signing and Liverpool's playing level have also amplified the demand for Liverpool tickets. Tickets for the upcoming season were already in demand, and the chances are that you've already passed the deadline.
     
    With Liverpool tickets available for four tournaments - the Premier League, the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, and the UEFA Champions League- you might still have a chance at securing a few. 
     
    But, the official sources can disappoint you and end your hunt for tickets. Instead, an ideal option would be to search for available options on a certified reseller website. The reseller website would consist of verified sellers that list authentic Liverpool tickets for anyone to purchase. 
     
    Do note that all tickets undergo a strict verification process to ensure that every fan can start making plans for their match days. 
  • Another new season is upon us so that means predictions. Can we go one better than last season or will we be pipped to the post by City yet again? What about the rest of the top four, and will Everton finally stop circling the drain and be sucked down?
     
    Chris Smith is joined by Julian Richards, Ian Brown and TLW Editor Dave Usher to look ahead to the upcoming season, while we also get predictions from the rest of the team before we preview the opening day trip to Fulham.
     
     
     
  • Diogo Jota will be the next Liverpool star to extend their current deal according to a new report.
     
    The former Porto and Wolves player has been with the Reds for two seasons and in that time he has proven to be a very important piece of Jurgen Klopp’s frontline rotation scoring 34 goals in 85 appearances in all competitions.
     
    Jurgen Klopp and the other key decision makers have made a concerted decision to start the evolution of the squad bit by bit.
     
    Additions like Harvey Elliott, Ibrahima Konate, Luis Diaz, Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez and Jota himself will undoubtedly play their role in the present period of time, but in many ways they will carry the fortunes of the club well into the future.
     
    We have seen many times over the years certain clubs ride the wave of success thinking it will never end and then end up in a whole world of hurt as they have not pre-planned for the next phase. This will certainly not be the case at Liverpool.
     

     
    The existing deal of Jota expires in 2025 but according to the Telegraph negotiations have stepped up in recent times and it is speculated that the Portuguese international will receive a significant pay rise with the contract extension.
     
    While he will miss the first Premier League fixture of the season against Fulham with a hamstring injury, it is hoped he will return to the matchday squad shortly after.
     
     
     
     
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