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    It’s fair to say that Liverpool fans haven’t always been in love with international football. This, after all, is a fanbase that very much puts club over country. The majority of Liverpool fans would prefer their side to win the Premier League than England win the World Cup, after all.
     
    With that being said, though you may feel a greater affinity for Klopp’s boys, that doesn’t mean that you can’t embrace the World Cup. There’s plenty of love to go around! And plus, it’s not as if Liverpool will be playing during the tournament anyway.
     
    In this blog, we’ll run through some useful tips for ensuring that you can make the most of the world’s leading sporting competition. 
     
    Follow Liverpool Players
     
    If you can’t watch Liverpool players perform for the reds, then you can cheer them on for their countries. There will be a handful of Liverpool stars who will be representing their country at the World Cup, with some others in with a chance of selection. Players certain to be there include Jordan Henderson, Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho, Diogo Jota, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Thiago may also receive the call for Spain, which, given his recent form, would be no less than he deserves. 
     
    Fans who are missing Origi and Mane can see them in action at the World Cup, too. Plus, it’ll be a chance to cast your eye over the players that Liverpool have been linked with; let’s just hope the one that Liverpool sign isn’t the 2022 equivalent of El-Hadji Diouf.
     

     
    Extra World Cup Activities
     
    There’ll be plenty for fans to enjoy beyond the many matches of the World Cup. We all know World Cup fever takes over the country during tournament time, and that’ll be no different this year. Get yourself into the spirit by tuning into those yet-to-be-announced nightly World Cup TV shows, challenge yourself to come out on top by participating in BetVictor’s Crack the Code competition, and tune into the many not-so-serious World Cup podcasts that’ll come out daily when the action is taking place.
     
    Host a Party 
     
    If you’re looking for an excuse to host a party for family and friends, then the World Cup provides just that. Grab your loved ones, put a game on a big projector, and sink into all the fun and drama of the World Cup. 
     
    Think of the Impact on Liverpool’s Season
     
    If, for whatever reason, you can’t muster up enthusiasm for the World Cup directly, then you can at least be enthusiastic about how it may impact Liverpool’s season. Liverpool will need all the help they can get if they’re going to finish ahead of Manchester City and claim the title for themselves, and the World Cup might just provide a bit of that help. City have more players than Liverpool at the World Cup, and though it was sad for Salah that Egypt didn’t qualify, him missing out will mean he’s more likely to be fresh come the second half of the domestic campaign. 
     
  • Virgil Van Dijk says that the fact that Mo Salah is able to focus on his own game instead of endless contract negotiations can only be a good thing.
     
    Liverpool had a outstanding season winning two trophies and coming exceptionally close to claiming two more with the Egyptian superstar playing a major part in the success scoring 31 goals which included his third golden boot as the Premier League’s top scorer with 23 goals, an honour he shared with Tottenham’s Son-Heung-min.
     
    The one slight criticism of Salah’s overall game was that he was single focused and didn’t always look for teammates in better scoring positions, but last season he addressed that well and truly by registering the most assists in the league with 13.
     
    The 30 year-old was a tireless competitor not just for the Reds but for his nation Egypt and mid season departed to lead them in the African Cup of Nations where they fell agonisingly short to lifting the trophy falling to Sadio Mane’s Senegal on penalties in the final.
     
    The second half of the campaign was a real gruelling affair for Salah. Not only dealing with that defeat but another heartbreaking loss to the same opposition in World Cup qualifying, along with Liverpool’s campaign and lingering in the background was whether he was going to sign a new deal.
     
    It’s little wonder that it took its toll and his output dropped after returning from the AFCON tournament where Salah scored just eight goals in all competitions.
     
    But the off-season saw the news that all Reds fans were dreaming of but not many were expecting when he signed on the dotted line until the end of the 2024/25 season.
     
    As a senior member of the squad and a astute thinker of the game at large, Van Dijk has no doubt that the burden that Salah carried certainly had a impact on his performance and general well-being and the resolution will only be a good thing ( per the Mail).
     

     
    “He's under the microscope all of the time — he created that himself. He's such a good player and he shows that all the time.At the end of the season, there was a lot of talk about his contract.
     
    “We are all human beings and maybe that affected him a little bit, unfortunately. But he still showed high levels and quality, played with a free mind and he's happy to be here — everyone is happy to be here.'
     
    The Dutchman had some sage advice on his own experience for another teammate in Darwin Nunez, another forward who had attracted plenty of headlines in the off-season, some of which before he had barely kicked a ball in anger.
     
    “For him it's the same as me. The transfer fee is not something you should think about. He just has to keep his head down, work hard and be an important player.
     
    “I don't speak Spanish, so I don't speak with him yet! That's quite difficult at the moment but we have plenty of experienced players who speak to him at any chance that's possible. He learns a lot in training and sees how we want to play, how we defend and attack.
     

     
    'He just has to focus on himself and the team. He has to improve, get settled in as quickly as possible and the way to do that is to learn in training.
     
    “He shouldn't look at what others have to say about his performances. That's the key to success. If you perform then you'll be fine.
     
    "Don't get distracted.”
     
     
  • First let me say that this result means nothing when it comes to the season ahead. Not a thing. It’s completely irrelevant. The last two winners of the Community Shield were Leicester and Arsenal, who both went on to finish eighth. Leicester just weren’t very good and Arsenal spent six months smelling themselves after beating us on pens. The point is, winning this is not any kind of barometer for what lies ahead.
     
    That said, it feels great doesn’t it? Beating them is always good, whether there’s points at stake or not. Maybe it laid down a marker but I don’t necessarily think so. City know how good we are and this won’t have told them anything new. Except maybe that the King is dead and long live the King. Sadio was great against City so they’ll have been glad to see the back of him. Nunez showed them that life isn’t going to get any easier.
     
    Again though, this doesn’t mean that Nunez is going to be a roaring success or Haaland will be a flop. It’s just first blood to us, that’s all. It feels great though, and while the trophy itself isn’t particularly important, it’s something that Klopp and the lads hadn’t won so it kind of does feel important just for them to complete the set. 
     
    More than anything though it’s just good seeing a performance like that. It wasn’t flawless and we had lulls during the game, but that happens every time we play them. You can’t boss City for 90 minutes as they’re too good. In total we probably bossed two thirds of this game and the other third was relatively even. It never felt like City were on top at any point.
     
    We started the game brilliantly and ended it the same way. That bodes well for the start of the season as it shows we’re pretty sharp despite the shortened pre-season. The starting eleven looked really good and then the subs gave us that extra push in the closing stages. It couldn’t have gone any better could it?
     
    The start of the game reminded me a little of the semi final a few months back. This wasn’t as spectacular but we’re still in pre-season so we’re never going to be at the intensity we were playing at in April. The way the game went though was similar. We started fast and were well on top. We dominated the ball and were moving it around well. 
     
    In the first few minutes Mo hit one into the side netting after dancing his way into the box. I really thought that had gone in at first. Would have been a sensational goal.
     
    Robbo missed a good chance too when he arrived at the back stick to meet a Trent cross but headed horribly wide. Bad decision, he should have headed back across goal, either to try and score himself or to square it to a team-mate. Robbo might be the worst finisher I’ve ever seen, which is mad because he’s such a great player. He does the difficult stuff really well but when it comes to goalscoring he couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo.
     
    We had other openings too. Hendo was within a whisker of picking out an unmarked Diaz in the centre but Ederson just got a hand on it to take it away. Diaz was really lively all day and picked up where he left off last season. Mo, on the other hand, did not pick up where he left off. Thankfully. 
     
    This was the Mo Salah who was the best player on the planet for the first half of last season. He looked fresh, rested and free from the baggage he was carrying around at the back end of last season. 
     
    In between those two we had Bobby, who got the nod to start ahead of Nunez. No surprise, it made sense to ease Darwin into it from the bench and Klopp loves Bobby in games against City. I don’t really know what to say about his performance. He wasn’t bad but he didn’t really do much to catch the eye. That’s kind of his role though isn’t it? He’s rarely one who really stands out as most of what he does doesn’t catch the eye because a lot of it is off the ball and general dirty work.
     
    Klopp judged it perfectly really because as soon as the game got stretched in the second half he introduced Darwin to run in behind them. Bobby doesn’t do that and the difference was huge. That space in behind wasn’t really there in the first half though so Nunez may well not have had anything like the same impact if he’d started. It’s definitely easier coming on for the last half hour than it is doing the hour long shift before the space opens up.
     
    Bobby might start next week against Fulham too. In fact I fully expect that to be the case. Go with the tried and trusted for now until Nunez is fully integrated. It’s only a matter of time before Nunez is leading the line though.
     
    Anyway, our dominance eventually paid off when Trent fired in the opening goal with the help of a slight deflection off Ake. It was a really good build up and although the finish was a little fortunate it was no more than we deserved as we’d been all over them from the start.
     
    City had missed a couple of good chances though. One of them was miles offside but Adrian had to make a save from a powerful Mahrez blast. That was scandalous really. I know they are told not to flag anymore but that was so far offside he was in a different post code. In theory, Adrian could have broken his wrist making a save he should never have had to make.
     
    That wasn’t a legitimate chance but Haaland had two opportunities within a few seconds. The first when he held off Robbo and got a shot away as he was falling down. Adrian made a decent save with his feet, but seconds later the ball was whipped back in and Haaland just had to put his head on it, or even his right foot, and it was an almost certain goal. Instead he tried to go with his left foot. It looked awkward as fuck and he ballooned it well over the bar. Shite that.
     
    That was a rare foray into our final third though as we were generally comfortable. The goal changed things a little though as our intensity dropped a bit and they were able to keep the ball more than they had been able to. They weren’t doing much with it but I just wanted half time to come so we could regroup and then take back control of the game.
     
    It didn’t really happen. The second half started the same way the first had ended, fairly even. Not really anything for us to worry about as we looked fairly comfortable, but all it takes is one moment. Foden coming on concerned me, and not just because it meant we had to now look at his awful face along with Ederson and Haaland.
     
    You won’t find three worse faces anywhere than those. Foden isn’t ugly but he’s got the worst little manc face you’ll ever see. The other two are just fucking gruesome. Remember back in the day on telly if it was before the watershed and there were tits or a knob shot in a TV show they’ve have that pixel thing that would blur it out? Can we not have that brought in for City games?
     
    But yeah, Foden worried me because he’s always a massive threat against us. City looked more dangerous with him on the field. The other lad was getting a lot of love from the commentary team but Foden was the one who gave City the lift they needed. 
     
    City’s equaliser was avoidable though. Initially it was ruled out for offside against Foden but that always seemed dubious to me even from the first view of it in real time. Adrian wanted a free-kick too but that was desperation. Yes, he had two hands on the ball but it’s not like Foden kicked it out of his hands. The ball was at Foden’s feet when Adrian challenged him. Nothing wrong with that.
     
    I don’t blame Adrian for the goal but what I would say is I don’t think that happens if Alisson is between the sticks. It’s not a knock on Adrian, he is what he is. A decent third choice keeper who is nowhere near as good as Alisson. No shame in that, the big, bearded Brazilian is the best in the world. The drop off between the world’s best and his number three is always going to be significant as third choice keepers aren’t going to be any better than Adrian really.
     
    One thing I did notice about that goal was that Trent stopped playing when he saw the flag had gone up. He’s on the line and could have maybe blocked the shot, but he turned his back and stopped playing because he saw the flag up. He’s not even looking when the lad hits the shot.
     
    The goal set up a tense finale. I expected it to go to pens because our Community Shield game always do. I also worried that maybe we’d lost the momentum and City would finish stronger. Klopp had made several changes so it was no longer our best line up. Milner had come on at right back, Harvey took Hendo’s spot and Darwin was up top for Bobby.
     
    We took control again after we conceded though and it wasn’t long until we were ahead again. Quite how Craig Pawson missed that handball in the first place I have no idea. I can only assume refs know they have the VAR safety net now so they aren’t making decisions. I knew immediately that was a penalty even before seeing the replay.
     
    I don’t think the header from Darwin was going in though. It might have been a deceptive camera angle and sometimes those headers back across goal bend inwards, but it looked like it was drifting wide. Doesn’t matter though really, the defender handled it so it’s a pen.
     
    City tried to put Mo off by protesting about the decision for ages. Ederson tried to flash his ugly mug in front of Mo to put him off too. Not just put him off the penalty, but put him off his food for a week. No-one wants to eat after seeing that close up. Urgh. Thiago did a great job getting himself in between them, making sure he had his back to Ederson so he didn’t need to look at him.
     
    Mo kept his cool and buried the pen to get us ahead again. Klopp then send on Keita for the magnificent Thiago, while Carvalho replaced Diaz. The changes didn’t weaken us as all of the subs made a positive impact.
     
    Nunez was a handful from the moment he set foot on the pitch. Within seconds he went through and was denied by Ederson, but he was offside anyway. He went clean through again not long after but couldn’t get enough loft on his attempted dink and it hit Ederson in his ugly grid.
     
    He won the pen with the header and also had another header drift just wide. Things happened when he was on the pitch, he looks like one of those players who is going to be on the end of a lot of things. He’s always on the move, always trying to run in behind and he pops up on the end of things.
     
    He capped a dream debut with a goal in stoppage time when Mo picked out Robbo on the back post and this time he did the right thing and nodded it back across goal for Darwin to head home. His celebration was pure South American. He was so fired up, I love that. This was a big deal for him as he wants to make his mark quickly, especially because of the fee and the daft amount of attention it attracted.
     
    That goal gave the scoreline a more accurate look. The game wasn’t that close, we were comfortably better than them and 3-1 was about right. It should have been 3-2 but Haaland missed an open goal. That was on his strong foot too. No excuse for that it was just woeful. Adrian was at fault there, he made a hash of dealing with a well manufactured effort by Foden.
     
    It was a great moment though as our fans were in the middle of chanting for Nunez when Haaland missed, and the chant just got louder after that. It was nice to see Nunez outshine Haaland but both of them are going to score loads this season. They’re quite similar players and they’re both totally different to what ourselves and City have had, so the dynamic of both teams is going to change to some degree.
     
    I feel as though we’re better equipped to deal with the change because we evolve every season anyway whereas Guardiola is much more rigid in how he wants his team to play. In the tougher games maybe that’s where City might suffer a little, at least initially, but Haaland will fill his boots against the likes of Bournemouth, Everton and the rest of the dregs. I’ll call it here and now, there will be a game this season against some bum team where Haaland scores five. Probably Everton.
     
    What will be interesting is if he picks up one of the regular muscle injuries he’s had each season. If Nunez is missing for us we’ve still got Firmino and Jota to choose from. Take Haaland out and City no longer have Jesus or Sterling. That might cost them.
     
    We’ve got a better starting eleven and a better squad. But then we did last season too and they still pipped us to the league. It’ll probably be neck and neck again this season, but I do have a gut feeling we might blow them away early by going on  big winning run to start the season. 
     
    The only weakness I see with us is the occasional wastefulness that has cost us from time to time in games we’ve dominated. The Champions League final being a case in point, although we wasted loads of chances in both domestic finals too.
     
    If Nunez can help with that, and if Mo can do what he was doing pre-Afcon then I think we’re in for another memorable campaign.
     
    Star man is Mo but Thiago ran him close while he was on. Mo though, fucking hell. I said this on the post match pod but it’s not just that he was doing the things we’ve come to expect from him, he was doing other shit too. Like the whipped right footed cross onto the head of Nunez for the pen. Since when has he had that in his locker?
     
    He’s so much more than a goalscorer now. He’s so creative. He played the pass for Trent to open the scoring. He played the cross that Nunez won the pen from and then it was his vision and perfectly flighted ball that allowed Robbo to tee up Nunez for the third. He looks ready. They all do.
     
    Roll on next week.
     
    Team: Adrian; Alexander-Arnold (Milner), Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson (Elliott), Thiago (Keita); Salah(Jones), Firmino (Nunez), Diaz (Carvalho):
     
     
  • The first silverware of the season is in the cabinet and Darwin Nunez is off the mark as the Reds struck the first blow in what will surely be another epic season long battle with Manchester City.
     
    Chris Smith and Dave Usher look back on a quality performance and richly deserved win by Klopp's men. Thiago dazzled, Mo was magical and Darwin has arrived. Up the Reds!
     
     
  • Monday Jul 25:
     
    Didn’t do one of these last week because there wasn’t anything happening. Then as the week drew to a close loads went down. David Moores died. I don’t really have anything to say about that other than to offer condolences to his family. His house is about 2 minutes from mine but I’ve never seen him out and about which I always thought was weird. Maybe he’s been in poor health for a while. RIP anyway.
     
    Also last week, we had a 5-0 friendly win in Leipzig in which Nunez scored four. I do have things to say about that. Only one of the goals actually impressed me. Three of them were very much in the “Darren Bent finishes” category. The keeper should have saved two of them (one from the spot) and Darwin almost missed the easiest of the chances and it went in off the post. His second goal was a lovely finish though. My point here isn’t to downplay what he did though. It’s more a case of showing the folly of this judging players on pre-season stuff. 
     
    He was being ripped by rival fans for not scoring in a couple of short appearances. That was ridiculous. Now he scored four in a half there’s a temptation to go overboard and read way too much into that. Don’t do it. It means fuck all. Let’s wait and see how he does when the real stuff starts and then we can judge. These games mean nothing.
     
    That said, I’ve seen enough of Carvalho to know he’s going to be a fucking superstar and I’m also really struggling to hold off on declaring Stefan Bajcetic the next big thing. He looks really good so far for 17. I don’t think he’s even played in the 21s yet. Looks to be some prospect though. 
     
    Staying with the pre-season theme and how results mean nothing, look at Everton. Last week their fans were laughing at us for losing 4-0 to Manchester United. A few days ago they lost 4-0 to… Minnesota United. You just can't write this shit. That might just be the most Everton thing ever. 
     
    It was their strongest line up too. Pre-season results mean fuck all but there’s still something about this one that sets off alarm bells. 4-0 to an MLS team isn’t good. They’re fucked aren’t they? The only thing that can save them this season is if the newly promoted clubs really stink. If one or two of them are decent, then it’s bye bye Everton.
     
    Tuesday Jul 26:
     
    The lads are enjoying themselves in Austria. The videos of all the latinos (plus Kostas) fishing was great. Better than the photos anyway, which were misleading to say the least. Nunez and Diaz both posing with a fish that Alisson caught was some sneaky shit. The glory was Alisson’s but the forwards were being typical forwards. What they did was akin to chasing a goal bound shot and getting a touch as it went over the line.
     
    This picture of Alisson though might be the most dripping with testosterone thing I’ve ever seen. It’s got everything. The mountains and the lake in the backdrop, the shirtless, bearded macho man handling a huge fish that he’d caught. In years gone by he’d have been doing that to provide food for his family, but knowing Alisson he will have given that sturgeon a little kiss on the nose and sent it swimming on its merry way. What a man he is.
     
    He’s got some serious competition in the most rugged man at the club stakes though, as Milner has been growing a beard. He really suits it too. He’s only been growing it a week or two but it’s already thicker than if I’d went unshaven for six months. By the time the season starts he’ll look like he could be in ZZ Top.
     
    Great to see Darwin letting his hair down too. Literally. That stupid man bun thing he has during games does him no favours. When his hair is free flowing, wow. Spectacular. Ditch the man bun and go with an alice band, lad.
     
    Meanwhile, these extracts from Ljinders book have got me way too excited. I honestly this might be the best footy book ever written and I’m basing that in a couple of extracts and what Ljinders himself is telling us its about. I’ve never looked forward to a book coming as much as this. All the behind the scenes stuff we don’t know about, his tactical analysis of different games we’ve played and all the insight he’ll give us into how Klopp operates, this is going to be like nothing we’ve ever seen before and I can’t fucking wait.
     
    Wednesday Jul 27:
     
    Salzburg 1 L 0 The performance was quite good, especially the second half, but we couldn’t score. We were sloppy in the first half and wide open to counter attacks, and their goal was brilliant. Really good football that. They were decent, they’re a really young team and chances are one or two of them will play for us one day as we seem to do a lot of business with the Red Bull clubs.
     
    Our finishing was a bit shit but at least we played well enough to create the openings. I’m sure Diaz is eventually going to click in front of goal and have a 30 goal season (like Suarez did), but who knows if that will be this year or if it will take longer. When that happens we’ll probably win the league because Mo will also be hitting 30.
     
    It’s weird that we can beat the real Red Bull team 5-0 and then lose 1-0 to the sugar free one, but it means fuck all. We’ve lost two games already in pre-season now but it has no bearing on what will happen this weekend or the week after when the official stuff begins. We didn’t look sharp tonight but that’s probably due to Klopp running them into the ground the day before. Shit, for all we know they might have even had a gruelling session a few hours before the game. It wouldn’t be the first time. 
     
    It does seem like a bit of a rushed pre-season this time. I might be wrong but it feels like it’s all starting too quickly and we haven’t had enough time to prepare. Don’t we usually play six or seven games? We’ve had four this time. There’s a game planned for the day after we play City, which is a great idea as it means the squad players will get the minutes they need. Apparently there’s a friendly arranged for the day after we play Fulham too, which again has to be to get minutes for the likes of Gomez, Milner, Jones, Kostas etc
     
    We don’t usually do this so it all just seems a bit rushed. This season is gonna be weird because of that stupid fucking world cup.
     
    Thursday Jul 28:
     
    Everton have signed Dwight McNeill hahahahahaha. Fucking hell, I’ve been saying how shit he is for years so this has made my day. £20m they’ve paid. For a winger who scores one or two goals a season. I dubbed him Dwight Downing in the round ups but that was well harsh on Stewy as he’d normally score five or six a season. 
     
    I think one of the things I hate most about football is wingers who never score. Absolutely stealing a living they are, the fucking shysters. If you play that high up the pitch you have to be getting double figures or you’re basically a passenger in my eyes.
     
    For a club with massive debts and struggling to stay within the constrains of FFP I’m not sure how they’ve been allowed to squander half the Richarlison cash on this chump, but I’m not complaining. McNeill and Tarkowski are going to be relegated in consecutive seasons, the pair of dickheads. 
     
    United have made a signing too. A centre half who is about the same size as Harvey Elliott. I’m sure that’s going to go well for them.
     
    Where’s all this Bobby to Juve talk coming from? There’s just no way this is happening. If he was leaving the summer it would have happened already. He’s still here because he isn’t leaving until his contract is up. He might even get a new one depending how this year goes, but I knew he was staying as soon as Nunez kept name-checking him in his first interview after signing. If Bobby was leaving, Nunez would have been given a heads up on that and wouldn’t have been saying how much he’s looking forward to playing with him and learning from him.
     
    Friday July 29:
     
    Klopp shits all over the Bobby leaving talk. He didn’t say anything about a new contract but he’s defo here for this year and Klopp called him ‘the heart and soul’ of everything we do. Hey Jurgen, 2019 called, it wants its Firmino description back. How cool would it be if he did have a renaissance though?
     
    Ox is going to be out until October. It’s the first injury he’s had in about two years but he’s got that reputation for always being crocked so it feels like “not again”. The bad news for him is he’s going to miss the early rounds of the League Cup and that was basically the only chance he had of getting a game. I doubt we’ll see him in the league at all.            
     
    How can Robbo and Harvey train every day in vest tops yet still have golf tans? It’s mad, they’ve got normal, tanned arms up the elbow and then somehow they’re still translucent when you get above that. They must be hammering the factor 50.
     
    Finally, the Wagatha Christie case verdict is in and as expected, Rebekah Vardy lost. I still can’t get my head around how this ended up in court. She was actually the one who wanted this to go to court even though she literally had no fucking case and was never going to win. Every single bit of evidence that was heard made her look a cunt. 
     
    She’s squandered a shitload of cash on this and embarrassed her husband in the process. He’s going to get shit at every stadium he goes to now. All because she was a busy, greedy cunt on social media. What the fuck is wrong with people?
     
     
    ….and that was the week that was
  • Jurgen Klopp has emphasised the importance of Roberto Firmino as speculation grows regarding his future with Liverpool.
     
    The iconic front three was split up earlier in the summer when Sadio Mane left to join Bayern Munich.
     
    While that was an end of a tremendous and memorable era in so many ways, Klopp has been first to say that ‘nothing lasts forever’ and that squad changes are a part of Football.
     
    The individual brilliance of Mo Salah and Mane have been clearly evident during their Reds careers, but it is fair to say supporters have a special part in their hearts for the Brazilian.
     
    Firmino is the pure definition of a selfless Footballer, prepared to do the ‘dirty work’ in tracking back and winning possession and is just as happy to set up a teammate for a goal than score one himself.
     

     
    The 30 year-old is one of the more senior members of the current squad having made 327 appearances (98 goals) but is in the last year of his current deal and with no word of a new one on the table, it has led to speculation that Juventus are extremely keen and preparing a bid.
     
    Speaking ahead of the Community Shield fixture against Man City (per the Official site), Klopp did not directly address the rumour, but made no secret on how important Firmino is to the team.
     
    “Bobby is crucial for us,” he is [the] heart and soul of this team.
     
    “The way we played in the last few years was only possible because of Bobby. That’s why I’m really happy he could train the majority of the time here in the pre-season so far and everything looks really good.
     
    “I am absolutely fine and, for me, there’s no doubt about his quality. All the rest, we will see how this year goes, but yes, he is essential for us.”
     
    With Darwin Nunez new to the Premier League and essentially still very young in his Football career, the presence of someone like Firmino could be extremely important in getting the best out of the Uruguayan at Liverpool.
     
    In many ways, he couldn’t ask to learn from anyone better.
     
     
     
  • Who is Liverpool's best ever signing? Is it the King, or perhaps the Egyptian King? Van Dijk or Hyypia? Maybe it's Barnes or Rush?
     
    From the players who changed the direction of the club to those who were just incredible value for money, we run the rule over all of them and attempt to come up with a top three. In the interest of balance we also voted on the worst signing.
     
    That was a much easier choice. Spoiler; he's the only number nine to play an entire season without scoring a league goal.
     
     
     
  • We’re just weeks away from the start of the new Premier League season with Liverpool scheduled to take on Fulham away on Saturday 6th August. Klopp will be hoping that this will be an easy warm-up game for his men to ease their way back into another gruelling campaign. 
     
    After coming painfully close to another Premier League title, the reds will be eager to take another step up this season. 
     
    Of course, they’ll face all the usual challenges, including a strong and powerful competitor from just a few junctions down the M62. Manchester City have dominated domestic English football for close to a decade now and they don’t look like they’ll be any different this year. 
     
    One thing that will be different, however, is the fact that the FIFA World Cup, which would normally be held in June and July, won’t be taking place until late November and will run up until just a week before Christmas. 
    For top-flight teams like Liverpool, this could have a major influence on the outcome of the season for several reasons. Here are the main factors that are going to be at play. 
     
    Fixture Congestion
     
    Fixture congestion is not going to be a new problem for Liverpool and other clubs in the Premier League this season. It is something that they have had to contend with for many years, though it is generally believed that the problem has got worse more recently. 
     
    As this has happened, the talk of how fixture congestion could be having a negative effect on elite footballers has intensified. In particular, Jose Mourinho was very outspoken on the issue back in 2020-21 when he was the manager of Tottenham Hotspur, complaining that he had to sacrifice competitions due to the volume of games his players had to play in quick succession. 
     
    Liverpool’s Klopp has also been very vocal about the issue on numerous occasions. As recently as May, he was complaining about UEFA’s scheduling.
     
    But with the World Cup taking place in November, teams in the Premier League are going to have even more trouble. 
    There will be a break that begins following the weekend games of 12th and 13th November. The pause in the fixtures will last for six weeks with the next matches scheduled for Boxing Day. 
     
    To accommodate this, the Premier League has extended the calendar at both ends, starting a week earlier and ending a week later. There will also be no winter break, so players will be likely far more fatigued than usual. 
     
    How teams will accommodate this is yet to be seen and how managers can adapt will likely have an impact on the outcome of the season. 
     

     
    Risk of Injury
     
    It’s not just player fatigue that is an issue. The World Cup is a high-stakes competition with a winner-takes-all knockout phase that sees players fighting for the pride and glory that comes from helping their nation win the biggest prize in football. 
     
    As a result, some players get caught up in the moment and take things a little too far. The result is that either they, their teammates, or their opponents pick up some unfortunate injuries. 
     
    At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, there was an average of 1.68 injuries per match, totalling 104 over the entire tournament with 63.4% coming from contact with another player. 
     
    Between 2002 and 2014, the number of injuries fell slightly, but the impact on the players and their league teams can still be huge. 
     
    Of course, many injuries are only minor and players can recover for the next game, but others can leave them out of action for weeks, months, or even an entire season. 
     
    In 2020-21, Liverpool learned first-hand the effects of losing a key player to injury and the risk of this happening again increases in tournaments like the World Cup. Had it taken place in the summer, like usual, then players would have had time to recover, but since it’s taking place right in the middle of the season, the impact could derail a league campaign. 
  • After losing to Manchester City in the Premier League last season, and narrowly missing out on the Champions League, Liverpool isn’t starting off on the best foot. But they did manage to bring home the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, showing that Jurgen Klopp is doing most things right.
     
    If they’re your team of choice and you want to get your sports bets on early, you’re probably wondering how things are looking going into the new season. Midnite Betting is a great online sportsbook that you can utilise when placing your bets too, hopefully giving you the best shot at winning big. So, if you’re looking to find out more about Liverpool in the upcoming season, keep reading… 
     
    Transfers And New Contracts
     
    Every season there are rumours of all the transfers, but some of them have already been completed. For instance, Liverpool has just transferred Ben Davies to Rangers in a £4m deal and Neco Williams has joined Nottingham Forest for £16m. However, top defender Joe Gomez has agreed to remain with the team and is thought to have signed a 5-year deal.
     
    Rumours of Mohamed Salah leaving have been circulated for a few months, but all of that has now been quashed with him signing a 3-year contract. He’s also the highest paid player that Liverpool has ever had, topping the other high earners with a staggering £350,000 a week. Hopefully, with this strong team including Gomez and Salah, we can hope to see further glory for Liverpool in the new season. 
     
    Important Games
     
    There are some games that will be more important than others in the new season, with Liverpool striving to win them all. The month where they will be tested the most is April as they face teams like Manchester City and Arsenal. With their recent losing game against Manchester City and the deep-rooted history between Liverpool and Arsenal,
     
    it’s no wonder that these games are going to be nail-biters for fans. Arsenal has done pretty well for themselves last season, so if they play the same or better in the next, then their match against Liverpool will be crucial. Liverpool is playing a total of 38 games over the 10-month period, and a lot can change. All it takes is one game for the tables to completely turn and put them at the top or bottom of the league. 
     
    Although there have been some tough times for Liverpool last season, they should be able to dust themselves off and fight back. With any luck, we’ll see them bring home another trophy and reclaim their victory. Whatever the outcome is this season, we can be sure that all the players did their utmost best to rise up to the challenges they faced. Liverpool FC is one team that won’t back down and will always strive to be at the top of their game. Here’s to the new season and Liverpool bringing home more trophies than ever before! 
  • Summer is coming to an end, and you still haven't started running in the morning? Or have you started and finished quickly? Whether an advanced athlete or a novice runner, this material will give you tips: how to start running and not spend, how to make training safe, and most importantly - not dull! Spoiler: it takes fancy intelligent gadgets. 
     
    You can do without a coach if you do not have the task to run a marathon and want to keep yourself toned. But, first, study the body's physiology when running yourself, watch videos on YouTube, and read sports physicians' and cardiologists' lectures. It is essential to understand how your body works, the heart rate zones, which muscles work when running, and how to make your workouts safe. For sports, intelligent gadgets are delicate. Some of them even support play Teen Patti and other games.
     

    Why do you lose interest in running after a few workouts?
    You watched some videos, read some medical journals, did three workouts, and told me about your successes in social networks. And that was it. Interest began to fade, new athletic shorts are now not so pretty, routes for running are not so interesting, and you are already well pumped up and in shape.
     
    Often beginners give up running after a few workouts because it's just not their sport. So instead, they train through sheer force - at once running fast, with a heavy load and "tongue on their shoulder. That's the kind of training the Soviet school taught. But their effectiveness is questionable.
     
    The right thing is to gain speed gradually. Start with a fast stride and progressively move to a smooth run. It may seem tedious, but do not give up. For the first 1-2 months, you need to strengthen your heart and prepare the foundation for the future. And then you can increase the speed and do long-distance runs.
    How to stay motivated
    The correct motivation is to set small goals. The goal of "running a marathon in 2.5 hours in 15 years" does not work. After a couple of months, you will realize that it is too distant and blurry a goal and impossible to achieve. The motivation will be gone. Act differently. Set a plan today to run for 15 minutes, for example.
     
    The day after tomorrow - 20 minutes. And so gradually increase the load. Everything is individual. You will start hearing your body and understanding what you can do. The main thing is not to overdo it! After a while, you will desire to run 5 kilometers, for example, in 30 minutes. It is a clear and concrete goal. You have done it - raise the bar.
     
    A good assistant for motivation is tracker apps. They are usually built into smartwatches or downloaded to your phone. True, things are changing too fast now, and many apps work poorly or don't work at all. So the most reliable option is to trust your smartwatch. Such programs accumulate a history of your routes and kilometers. At the end of the first month of training, see how much you ran in the beginning and what you're capable of now. Tracking your progress will help you believe in yourself and run toward new goals.
    Safety Rules
    Take control of your health. We should understand that the body is much brighter than we think. And about all the problems, it warns. Unlike other sports like wrestling, where injuries can happen instantly, injuries in the running are cumulative. 
    The Right Sneakers. Many people neglect good running shoes. And in vain. They protect against improper movements and injuries. Running shoes should have to cushion - on the heel or toe. The sole should be flexible and soft. 
    Orthopedic insoles. Flat feet have almost every second inhabitant of the planet. And even if you refer to "every first," you need orthopedic insoles, too. The feet of even one person differ from each other. That is, finding a second foot that is the same is impossible. Manufacturers of even the most comfortable sneakers cannot provide for all the anatomical features of their customers. But custom orthopedic insoles can. They are made on an impression of your foot, so they cope with their compensatory function and make running and walking as comfortable as possible.
    What devices make running more comfortable?
    Fitness bracelet
    It is the most convenient device. The bracelet is lightweight, almost does not feel on the hand, and looks stylish. For example, HUAWEI BAND 7 allows you to monitor your heart rate and blood oxygen levels, monitor your sleep, and vibrate to warn you if any indicators are out of the norm.
     
    The watch also keeps track of your fitness - activity time, recovery time, and stress levels; it reminds you to drink water and shows you breathing exercises to calm you down. The bracelet offers 96 types of workouts - from regular exercise and running to cycling and horseback riding. You can also use it to answer calls and messages and listen to music.
     
    It's the same as a fitness bracelet, only with an expanded range of functions. The watch is stylish, lightweight, waterproof, and, most importantly, very smart. For example, Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has eight built-in sensors: geomagnetic, pulse oximeter, light, pulsometer, atmospheric pressure, accelerometer, pedometer, and gyroscope. If any of these words are unfamiliar to you, there will be a reason to learn the word and essential indicators of your health and the environment with this watch.
     
    The control of these indicators is significant during workouts because the body is under stress, and the main thing is not to go overboard.
     
    If you choose not to play sports but online roulette games, you are more suitable smartwatch because some of them support such games.
    Wireless Headphones
    Wireless in-ear headphones are one of the best solutions for runners. They hold securely in your ear, do not interfere with active movement, last long without charging, and give high-quality surround sound. That description fits the Philips TAT1215BK/00 perfectly. Moreover, these headphones have a built-in microphone, so you can quickly answer calls or talk to a trainer on the run.
     
    You can turn the volume up or down or switch the song you don't like with the earmuffs' buttons. If you run on the promenade, do not be afraid of splashing - the headphones and the case are protected. The Philips TAT1215BK/00 will last 3 hours.
     
    Another good model - JBL C115 Mint - works for 5 hours without interruption. If even five hours is not enough, then look at the model Sony WI-C310 Black. The headphones are wired together - so you won't lose them!
     

    MP3 Player
    If you don't want to be distracted by calls or figure out where to attach your smartphone while running, look into regular MP3 players—an old comrade, which even today does not lose its relevance. The Sony NWZ-B183F/BC 4Gb Black of today's attractive models. Very compact and self-contained - it holds a charge for 20 hours. You can download music through the USB port. Four gigabytes of internal memory should be enough for a few favorite playlists.
    Heart rate monitor
    The wrist strap fits comfortably on your body while you run. It counts your heartbeats. But a separate device may not be helpful if you have a smartwatch or fitness bracelet.
  • Liverpool Football Club is the most popular English team in Britain. It was founded in 1892 by John Houlding. Within a few years, the team broke into the First Division and won it at the beginning of the XX century in the season 1900/01; until the mid-1920s, Liverpool remained a formidable force in English football. 
     
    In addition to football, other sports are popularized in Britain. For example, cricket betting sites are worth watching.
     

    The history of the club from the beginning
    The team won several more league titles and reached the final of the National Cup several times. However, in the second half of the 1920-ies, the club's results deteriorate. He finds himself unable to impose fight the main favorites of the time. Having won one of the first post-war championships in 1947, the team's results gradually deteriorated. As a result, the team was relegated to the Second Division, which was formalized in the 1953/54 season. That was the start of the worst period in the history of the club, which lasted until the arrival of the head coach Bill Shankly.
     
    Under his leadership, Liverpool FC not only returned to the elite of English football but also managed to regain the league title in 1963/64. At the same time, the team gradually began to turn into a grandee on a European scale. Under the Scottish leader "red," three times won the championship, two more times - the English Cup and, in 1973, the UEFA Cup. When he was replaced by Bob Paisley, who had worked exclusively as an assistant, many feared it would deteriorate Liverpool's results. However, the reality was quite the opposite. It was under the leadership of a good specialist team 6 times became the strongest in England and another three times won the European Cup.
     
    Paisley is the most successful mentor in the history of the Reds. However, after his departure as head coach, the team gradually began to lose its position. So, Liverpool still won the European Cup in 1984 and reached the final of the tournament in 1985, but the Heysel Stadium disaster saw the team suspended from European Cups for six years. Liverpool's last championship title came in 1990, after which it began a black streak.
    Millennium in the history of Liverpool
    Over the next decade, the team was only a few Cups. However, the situation improved slightly when Frenchman Gerard Houllier arrived on Merseyside. With him, in one season the team managed to win the FA Cup, the League Cup and also the UEFA Cup. Also, the Reds finished in the second position in the championship. However, neither Houllier nor Rafa Benitez, who replaced him, managed to win the Premier League.
     
    In 2005 Liverpool defeated AC Milan in the legendary Istanbul final of the Champions League, winning the tournament for the first time in 21 years. However, the beginning of the new decade was not the best for the club. Several times the team did not even make it to the top 4. In the 2013/14 season, the club was only a couple of points behind Manchester City in the fight for the title and was in the lead for much of the race.
     
    It seemed that Brendan Rodgers had a prosperous future with the team but he was unconvincing the following season after the departure of Luis Suarez, and at the beginning of the 2015/16 campaign, he was dismissed altogether. He was replaced by German coach Jürgen Klopp, who immediately fell in love with the club and the fans.
     
    In his first season, he managed to take the team to the Europa League and League Cup finals. Two years after that, Liverpool unexpectedly managed to reach the final of the Champions League. In the 2018/19 season, the Reds were the favourite for the Champions League. They managed to justify their status and lifted the coveted trophy over their heads for the sixth time in their history (a record for British teams). The following season they finally managed to end the 30 year wait for the Premier League, while also adding a World Club Cup and European Super Cup to the list of honours.
     
    The club's achievements
    The team is one of the most decorated teams not only in England but also in the world. For a long time, FC Liverpool held the record for the number of championships won. Only Alex Ferguson, together with Manchester United, could surpass this result. However, now the Reds have an excellent opportunity to catch up and overtake their eternal opponent. Among the main achievements of the club can be highlighted the winning of the following titles:
     
    Champion of England - 19 times.
    FA Cup - 8 times.
    League Cup - 9 times.
    Charity Shield - 15 times.
    Champions League - 6 times.
    Cup Winners' Cup - 1 time.
    UEFA Cup - 3 times.
    UEFA Super Cup - 4 times.
    Intercontinental Cup - 2 times.
    Club World Cup - 1 time.
     
    Many awards make the Reds one of the most titled clubs in the world. And in the recent history of the team, there have been almost no breaks when it could not win a single cup for an extended period.
     
    It should be noted that cricket betting sites online are also available for viewing, as well as football. But, at the same time, they are not changing fascinating!
    Home stadium
    The home arena is the team's actual fortress. "Liverpool" has been playing at Anfield since the club's founding in 1892. Many legendary victories were scored here. Among the last ones, we can mention the 4-0 defeat of Barcelona, which allowed the Reds to reach the Champions League final. The main feature of the home arena is the traditional choral singing of the song. You'll Never Walk Alone, which takes place before every match. This way, the fans tune up their favorites for the most important games.
     
    The song, popular in England in the 1950s, has become a real anthem for Liverpool. The team's fans sing it not only at the home stadium but also away. Anfield has excellent acoustics, which only enhances the effect of the choral singing. History demonstrates that it was possible to demoralize many opponents in this way. To play under the pressure of the crowded stands is always very difficult. "Anfield, on the other hand, seats just over 54,000 spectators. 
     
    The rivals
    When we talk about Liverpool, we are inevitably faced with the fact that the most famous club in England also has a lot of detractors.
     
    Everton
     
    The first principal opponent arose in the time of Liverpool's founding. Liverpool originally had a team, "Everton," which in 1892 moved to a new stadium due to a rent dispute. John Houlding formed his own team to play at Anfield and the rest is history.
     

     
    Since then, the matches between the two clubs (and they play regularly) have been moral. However, statistics show that the full advantage is on the side of "red." Yes, Everton also has several championship titles won, but in general, if you take the long distance, it is Liverpool who can safely be called the leading team in town.
     
    Manchester United
     
    The Reds traditionally lead a struggle with Manchester United for the title of the strongest in England. The confrontation between the two cities was well known in the pre-football era. With the emergence of the sport, however, it has moved to another plane. For a long time, Liverpool and Manchester United were teams of approximately the same level. It only fueled the competition between them. Despite the painful periods in the history of each group, their encounters are always a fight to the last second.
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