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    That was a lot easier than 1-0 makes it seem. Deluded Newcastle fans might kid themselves that this shows their progress and that they’re on the right track to competing with us, but this was an absolute hammering in everything but scoreline.
     
    I actually saw one of their owners tweeting that it shows how far they’re come that they’re disappointing at not beating Liverpool. No, it shows just how fucking deluded some of you are up there.
     
    Eddie Howe has done really well, there’s no denying that, but it’s just pure Newcastle that all of a sudden they’re bouncing around, dicks swinging after beating half a dozen similarly poor sides. Pipe down knobheads. You haven’t won anything in my lifetime and I’m 50 next year. 
     
    This was billed as a tough game for us and I kind of agreed, but only because it was a 12.30 kick off away from home. If we were playing at the Dog & Duck at that time I’d still be thinking it will be a close scoreline because we just don’t do that well in this time slot. I wasn’t at all worried about Newcastle, despite their revival under Howe. 
     
    Just look at their team. Most of them are shite and the ones that aren’t are decent at best. That Bruno fella is the one notable exception and because of the sportswashing they’ll add more like him over the next few years. For now though there was absolutely nothing there that could hurt us, especially given the way we surrounded Saint-Maximin every time he got the ball.
     
    I like him a lot but he was so bad in this game I was embarrassed for him. Did he pass the ball at all? It felt like every time he got it he just tried to take our whole team on. He was like the annoying greedy bastard kid in school who thought he was way better than he actually was. We just kept taking it off him over and over again but he didn’t learn and kept doing it.
     
    The thing is, we’re just so good that for most opponents there really isn’t any way of successfully playing against us when we’re in the mood. When we’re pressing and chasing people down with the intensity we are at the moment, virtually nobody can handle it. Certainly not Newcastle.
     
    The one thing I will say about them is that they had a go. It might not have looked like it, especially in the second half, but their lack of attacking threat wasn’t due to a negative approach. They were just outmatched all over the park. Whenever they did have an opportunity to put a few passes together and get up the park, they pushed numbers forward.
     
    This wasn’t a park the bus effort like we saw from them when Rafa desperately tried to derail our title bid a few years ago. They had a go and we had plenty of space to play in. Thats why we created so many chances, a number of them on the counter attack. You can’t counter attack teams who don’t leave their own half, so that tells you that Howe saw this as a free swing and they tried to win.
     
    Maybe our team selection influenced that. You see Salah, Fab, Trent and Thiago on the bench and even though the replacements are top quality, it still has to be a boost to the opposition as these lads are the best in the world in their respective positions.
     
    Unfortunately for Newcastle, the replacements were probably our best players on the day. Keita was the match winner, Milner was named Man of the Match and Joe Gomez wasn’t far behind him. Jota was superb too, even if his finishing wasn’t up to his usual standard.
     
    Newcastle started brightly enough and I was happy to see that. Why? Because if anyone wants to come and attack us I just think “good luck with that” because it just means that the game will be more open and we’ll beat anyone in an open game.
     
    Newcastle’s bright start didn’t yield any chances and it’s a sign of how dominant we are that an opponent even having a spell of possession in our half is seen as them doing well. 
     
    Newcastle’s tactic was to line that Joelinton bum up on the left wing and fire high balls at him. The old Egil Olsen strategy. As soon as we figured out what they were doing and countered it, that was the end of Newcastle’s ‘good spell’. What a tit that Joelinton was though. Some proper Everton behaviour from him.
     
    After that somewhat uneasy start we took control of the game and played some lovely footy after that. The goal was beautiful and highlights just what we’re about. When Milner’s pass was cut out, he immediately won the ball back and seconds later Keita was playing a one two with Jota and then showing a cool head to put us in front.
     
    BT Sport made a massive deal out of the Milner tackle and kept debating whether it was a foul. It was clear on the first replay that it wasn’t. Eddie Howe and Dan Burn were both asked about it post match as BT continued to try and push this weird narrative for some reason. Both of them said that’s what VAR is for and if they looked at it and said it was fine then it must be.
     
    Yet all game the commentary team kept referencing it. What the fuck? At half time Shay Given was doing his best to cast doubt on it (“in the end I think it’s probably not a foul” whereas a perplexed Rio Ferdinand seemed confused why it was even being discussed as it was never a foul in a million years. Thankfully someone was talking sense.
     
    On the subject of Given though, he referred to the Saudis as “fantastic owners”. Get fucked you soft twat.
     
    But anyway, the Milner tackle was great. Won the ball and didn’t catch anyone with his follow through because he challenged from the side, not the front or back. The contact came about because Schar kicked Milner and then hurt himself. It was clear on multiple angles, but BT kept showing the one angle where it looked inconclusive. They couldn’t show the goal without showing the tackle first, the agenda driven pricks.
     
    What a finish by Naby though. So cool. He had a really good game and was just gliding about the pitch showing some silky touches. There was one first time cushioned volley lay off to Gomez in the second half that was just glorious.
     
    Milner was equally impressive, albeit it in a different way. Milner doesn’t glide anywhere and he isn’t especially silky. He was terrific though. Combative, clever, influential. His best game in some time this.
     
    Right across the pitch we were really good but we just couldn’t put our chances away.
     
    Sadio missed some good chances, so did Jota and Diaz could have done more with certain situations he had. All three looked really sharp until it came to putting the ball in the net, and it was no surprise when Salah was eventually summoned from the bench as we looked to get the second goal that would give us breathing room.
     
    Mo was the same as the other three though. Looked sharp, caused problems, couldn’t finish.
     
    Fabinho also came on and he was outstanding. Thiago got on as well as Klopp went all out to kill the game. Somehow we didn’t do it despite having enough chances to win half a dozen games.
     
    In the end it didn’t matter because we defended so well. Virtually any sight of goal they had was because they were offside. There was only one chance really, when Bruno had a shot from just outside the box that Alisson saved comfortably. On another day he catches that shot better and it becomes panic stations for us, and it would have been solely down to the shite finishing.
     
    On this day though it didn’t matter and it was as comfortable a 1-0 as you’re likely to see really. Making five changes and still being able to play like this, in a 12.30 kick off at a hostile away ground, it’s just yet another mark of how great this team of ours is.
     
    The unfortunate thing is that City don’t look like dropping any points and all of this may end up being for nothing. All we can do is keep winning and hoping though.
     
    I’m happy for Milner getting Man of the Match on BT but for me it had to be Naby. He’s making valuable contributions now most of the time he plays and it’s about fucking time. Klopp always says the only thing that has held Keita back is injuries, and it’s interesting that so many of the injury prone players have been available for selection for pretty much the whole season. That fitness guy they brought in last season has really earned his money.
     
    I want to single out Gomez too. He actually looks like a right back now. Not a Trent clone, obviously, but he doesn’t look like someone playing out of position. He’s improved his attacking play a lot and he creates chances now every time he plays. We don’t need to sign anyone for that spot now as he’s a more than capable back up.
     
    So on we go to the second leg. Klopp will probably go very strong and then hopefully be able to use the five subs to get players a rest if and when the tie is safe. I’d like to see Diaz add more goals because everything else about him is fucking great. Jota could do with a goal or two as well to get him firing again.
     
    It seems churlish even saying stuff like that when the team is just piling up win after win after win, but the finishing often doesn’t match the approach play and games are a closer then they should be because of that.
     
    This game in midweek should already be well over and we could have given all the big names the night off, but then again I always say we play better when we’re playing every three or four days, so maybe that’s not a bad thing.
     
    Oh wait, I need to mention Robbo's turbo charged run in stoppage time. What a man. 
     
     
    Team: Alisson; Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson (Fabinho), Milner (Thiago), Keita; Diaz, Jota, Mané (Salah):
  • On we plod, towards the inevitable. A recurring dream: the narrow Liverpool victory, the pointless expectation of a City lapse that lasts barely 10 minutes. A nightmare continually fuelled by the three cruellest words in football; you never know…
     
    Newcastle was strangely a more convincing win than Everton, yet they still have to put you through it. Such a creative team just can’t seem to put anyone away early these days, but the games come thick and fast and it’s a wonder they’re still standing, never mind winning.
     
    As with Houllier’s treble bid, you can see Klopp beginning to persevere with key players and hope they can last out a while longer. There’s always been a fear that rotation would do for us eventually, but it hasn’t happened yet. You’ve seen certain names in the side and assumed the manager’s taking the opposition for granted. Gomez, Milner, even Keita. It must have been gratifying to see those players competing for man of the match.
     
    The main doubt over Naby has always been fitness, and I still can’t believe the usual bone-crumble isn’t due soon, but he was brilliant on Saturday. Milner looked ragged against Benfica but towered above everyone else at St James Park. The man’s a force of nature. Of course, his tackle had the usual conspiracists frothing on social media. The worse they get, the funnier too.
     
    I still can’t help being alarmed by the number of chances to settle the nerves we needlessly squandered. That must scream of my usual pessimistic doom-mongery. It’s important to point out that this isn’t based on the reds, certainly not these reds, but football’s caprices and its eternal vow to annihilate us all. The key moments are scars that still seep. Sanchez, Thomas, Pardew, Cantona, Demba Ba, Bale/Karius. Not that many in the scheme of things, but there are other pinpricks that still itch.
     
    Thank God all of our nemesises (nemesisi?) are footballers, and not referees. Imagine how bleak that existence would be. Actually, we don’t have to imagine it. We just have to listen to family, friends, and workmates in our own city. It’s been a week of incessant Blue complaint, with another letter sent – written in blood, perhaps, or one of those newspaper & paste efforts that kidnappers send. This isn’t Point Of View, dickheads. Why oh why oh why oh why…
     
    Discussion is futile with anybody who begins with Anthony Gordon doesn’t dive, or it was a blatant penalty or there is a referee/VAR conspiracy to hand Liverpool every trophy and relegate Everton for a succulent bonus. You don’t argue with the madman on the bus who says he’s Napoleon. “You look good for 450” “How’s Josephine?” “Where’s your funny hat?” – you just go “riiiiight” and move.
     
    No argument back means they believe there isn’t one, and the insanity becomes entrenched. “Stop being a gimp” stopped working a long time ago, if it ever did. Enough about them.
     
    We are on the verge of avenging their failed, lonely Champions League campaign for them, but would they be grateful? Would they fuck. We focussed too much on Emery’s extraordinary European record, but in truth they did little to hurt us. Again, Liverpool could have done more to ease the tension, but I think they get a kick out of torturing us.
     
    We’d have been far happier if the away goals rule still applied, with the home clean sheet fortifying the two we scored. We’ll be straight into it after Newcastle, and the big fear is the possibility of one calamitous, tired night when everything that can go wrong does. These players have been giants - but big enough to circumnavigate exhaustion and fate? We shall see.
     
    Villarreal will come out of their shell at home, they must, and that should suit us down to the ground. Saturday’s finishing is the only thing that makes you pause for thought. No matter what happens for the rest of May, we luxuriate in the knowledge Jurgen is hanging around for a while longer than expected. That’s great, obviously, although a tiny sentimental part of me would have preferred him leaving on his own terms in a blaze of glory.
     
    He still might, of course, and his wish to embed a boot room mindset deep into the core of modern Liverpool has to be welcomed, given what’s happened to United after neither of their titans were replaced properly. There won’t be another season like this one, of that I’m (almost) certain.
     
    It’s incredible how the signing of Diaz completely altered the landscape. It’s like we went from wonderful team/questionable depth to best squad on the planet with just one (admittedly excellent) player. The fervent, realistic hope of more excellent recruits to come can give us all a semblance of calm for our current trophy hunt. Yes, even me. This isn’t an all or nothing season. It’s only the latest chapter.
     
    Steve Kelly
    @stekelly198586
  • The Reds won again as a solitary Naby Keita goal was enough to see off Newcastle in a game completed dominated by Liverpool. 
     
    TLW Editor Dave Usher is joined by Julian Richards and Paul Natton to look back on another impressive display in which Klopp rang the changes and saw the players who came in deliver star performances.
     
    The lads also preview thew Villarreal game, discuss Everton's plight at the bottom and also address "sportswashing" and how it's been welcomed with open arms by Newcastle fans.
     
     
     
  • Liverpool is currently blessed to have a high quality of central defenders in their ranks at this point of time with the latest addition Ibrahima Konate making a major impression.
     
    The injury turmoil that the central defence went through during the 2020/21 season meant that a reinforcement in this position was imperative.
     
    The Frenchman was the sort of signing that the club during the tenure of Jurgen Klopp have made an art form of.
     
    Despite being slightly unheralded and under the radar, there was something that certainly made the 22 year-old stand out to the key decision makers.
     
    As is the way with Klopp he never throws any new signing to the wolves, and that planning has served many players well during the reign of the German.
     
    Konate is another example of this and as Liverpool fans do so well, they make their appreciation for the players well known.
     
    The defender was unaware that the chant of  ‘Ibooouuu’  has swept around Anfield in recent times.
     
    Speaking to the Official site, he was generally touched.
     
    “To hear that and to learn that from you, I am a bit embarrassed to be honest! I hadn’t noticed it but thinking about it, it is a dream comes true. To have Anfield chanting your name, it’s really a dream come true. 
     
    “You will have to show me the footage and I will listen out for it! I don’t want to shed tears on the pitch about it, but it is a big thing.”
     
    With an imposing build, Konate has proved to be a real asset not just in a defensive sense, but at set prices. He has scored three goals in his last four appearances and says it something he has been working on at training.
     

     
    “I’ve been doing some work on corners, usually in the final training session on the day before a match. Let’s be honest about it, it’s not my key job! But I have been quite successful at getting on the end of some of these crosses coming in from the corners – and why not!"
     
    Despite the intensity of the campaign at this stage of the season, Konate who is yet to lose in his Liverpool career to date (23 appearances), said this is the reason why playing for a club like Liverpool is such a exciting challenge. 
     
    “It’s not only the intensity of the play towards the end of the season, it’s the whole thing about Liverpool that captured my attention when the opportunity came to move here: the fans, the great coach, the team itself. 
     
    “Obviously as a player you come to a club to win things and that was the standout feature of a move to Liverpool, of course. 
     
    "But over the course of your career you are going to have big moments, some of them very positive and some perhaps negative, but big ones and I would hope that I will be able to stay here for a long time and hopefully with lots of continuing success.”
     
     
     
  • Liverpool is a place that has plenty of really impressive casinos that can be visited as part of a night out. The best ones found within the city and wider Merseyside area include the Genting Casino, which is right in the heart of Liverpool, on Queen Square, and the Grosvenor Casino Leo.
     
    The options are not restricted to bricks and mortar venues like those though, as visiting a casino these days can just as easily mean logging into an online one. But whichever option you happen to pick, safety remains something that needs to be considered.
     
    These are some tips for staying safe during a casino visit. 
     
     
    Bricks and Mortar Casino Safety
     
    Both online and bricks and mortar casinos are increasingly popular among football fans, but using the latter involves a different set of safety issues.
     
    Avoid Flashing Your Money Around
     
    If you have a good night and a few drinks at a casino it can be easy to get cocky and let everyone know about your winnings. That will be a temptation to thieves though and will put your safety at real risk.
     
    Try to keep a clear enough head to remember that flashing the cash in this way in public is always a risky move. Put any money you win safely away in your wallet and keep it there.
     
    Take a Taxi Home
     
    Booking a taxi to pick you up right outside the casino and take you straight home with your money is another simple step that will help to keep you safe. It is well worth paying the cost of it out of any cash you win to avoid the potential dangers of walking through the city at night with cash on your person.
     
    Get Your Winnings Paid into Your Account
     
    Another way to stay safe when visiting a bricks and mortar casino is just to not take any money you might win away with you. Many casinos will have the option of getting winnings paid straight into your bank account instead.
     
    That will ensure that both the money and you are safe when you leave at the end of the night.
     
    Online Casino Safety
     
    Using an online casino can be safer than a bricks and mortar one in some ways, because you do not have to leave your own home. However, there are still some risks involved that you should take simple steps to mitigate.
     
    Pick a Reputable Online Casino
     
    The popularity of playing casino online means that hundreds of these sites have sprung up during the past decade or so. The more dubious ones often try to attract unsuspecting players with unrealistic prizes and bonuses.
     
    Instead of being swayed by that, you should look to make sure that sites have valid gambling certification and that the payment options are properly secure. You can stay safe online with the trusted online casino reviews that are available at scams.info.
     
    Always Opt for Secure Payment Methods
     
    Properly licensed online casinos will offer users a range of secure ways to deposit and withdraw money and the safest option is always to opt for one of them. Good examples of secure payment methods include debit cards and e-payment sites such as Neteller and PayPal. 
     
    Things that distinguish these options from less reliable ones include the ability to put in and take out cash quickly and easily and the fact that they will not charge large sums before you can use them. 
     
    Check Out the Contact Options
     
    A good online casino site will have several different ways for customers to contact them if there is a problem. The contact options should include a phone number, email and live chat and anything less than this is very suspect.
     
    It can also be a smart move to get in touch with customer service at a casino site before you actually start to play. That way you can test out how responsive and helpful the service team are before any money is involved.
     
    Read the Safety Guides
     
    There are places online that have detailed guides to casino safety. The advice on offer ranges from how to protect your personal safety to making sure your money is secure and how to avoid developing a problem with gambling.
     
    Taking a bit of time before actually paying a visit to a casino to read a guide of this sort will ensure that you have all of the information you need. It might feel like a chore, but you only have to do it once and it will be well worth it to have fun without putting your health, safety or finances in danger.
     
    Gambling is all about risk and that is central to its basic appeal. The thrill of putting money on the line and wondering whether you will win or lose with each bet is uniquely exciting. 
     
    There are limits to the desirable risk level though and they stop at the point where your safety comes in. Follow these tips to play casino for fun without risking your health or happiness. 
  • Of all the great days this season has served up, this is the best yet! Jurgen Klopp has extended his Liverpool contract until 2026.
     
    Chris Smith is joined by the delighted trio of TLW Editor Dave Usher, Ian Brown and Paul Natton with their instant reaction to Thursday's announcement.
     
    The lads weigh in on Liverpool's ceiling with Klopp around for four more years (at least?) Can the reds get even better and build another all-time great team? What makes the man himself so special? And does this news give us an added boost for the critical last stage of this remarkable season?
     
     
  • It’s not meant to look that easy. It’s a Champions League semi final, and you only have to think back to some of the epics we’ve had at this stage before to know how hard these things are. Yet this looked so, so easy.
     
    It wasn’t though. Villarreal are a tough opponent but we were so good that this game just looked totally one sided. Villarreal didn’t offer any kind of attacking threat but that was only partially down to their defensive set up. The main reason they didn’t threaten was because they couldn’t. They weren’t allowed to.
     
    Our play without the ball in this game was just next level. Better teams than Villarreal would have struggled. Hell, better teams than Villarreal HAVE struggled. Just ask Messi.
     
    The 2-0 scoreline doesn’t tell the story of this game as it was completely one sided. We should have won by more but in fairness it’s not like we missed loads of gilt edged chances. For all of our dominance I thought Villarreal hung in there and defended valiantly. They couldn’t do anything when they got the ball back but by and large they defended as well as anyone could have in the face of that relentless assault on them. 
     
    Even though we didn’t score in the first half I wasn’t concerned and I thought we’d been brilliant. We didn’t create loads of chances but that was because they defended really well. We looked right at it all over the park though and if we kept that up we were always going to win.
     
    Klopp went really strong with his starting line up and you can make an argument this is our best eleven. Personally I’m still saying Matip is in our best team but Konate has been so impressive that it’s a toss of coin now. Doesn’t really matter which one plays as they’re both boss.
     
    To me that’s our best midfield three even though Twitter would disagree, and the front three right now is Mo and Sadio plus one, and it’s not easy leaving Diaz out is it? So yeah, really strong starting line up and we were quick out of the traps.
     
    The tempo was great and lesser teams would have wilted. Lesser teams have wilted, just look at how we swept the mancs aside for example. 
     
    Salah, Mané and Diaz looked electric. Sadio should have scored when Konate nodded a corner down to him but he seemed to be caught on his heels and the chance was gone. Then he headed wide after being brilliantly picked out by Mo. It looked a bad miss initially but he just got up a bit early and couldn’t arch his neck to direct it back on target. They linked up again soon after but this time Mo’s shot curled just over.
     
    Sadio then had a volley deflected inches wide by Albiol. Great football by us but heroic defending too. The same thing happened with Mo soon after. He hit a goal bound volley but a Villarreal defender came from nowhere to make a block.
     
    Mo had another volley that flew over. That would have been the greatest goal of all time if he’d buried that. Robbo played a fifty yard cross field ball to Trent who met it on the run and volleyed it back to Mo. Ridiculous. These players do stuff every game that just take my breath away.
     
    Diaz had two shots parried by the keeper and Thiago smashed one against the angle of post and bar from 35 yards. What a goal that would have been.
     
    So half time and 0-0 but aside from the ball not going in the net that was a fucking impressive half. One way traffic, a swarming press and loads of quick, incisive footy.
     
    The second half continued in the same manner. Fabinho had a goal disallowed for offside against Van Dijk and Diaz could have done better with a header he put straight at the keeper. We had all the momentum and it seemed inevitable that it would pay off. 
     
    Sure enough, it did. The goal was lucky but the move that led to it was superb. Thiago skipped away down the left with a shimmy of the hips, he fed it inside to Diaz who dummied for Mané. He touched it on to Hendo, who laid it off to Mo before collecting a return pass on the overlap. We had four players in the middle waiting for the cross but a defender got a foot to it and sent the ball looping up towards the far post. The keeper got a hand on it but couldn’t keep it out and Hendo wheeled off in celebration. 
     
    He said he’s claiming it “because Mo would” but that’s an own goal.Doesn’t matter who scored, we were ahead and Villarreal’s dogged resistance had been broken.
     
     
    Anfield was bouncing and within two minutes we’d scored again. Brilliant goal. Outstanding play by Mo to slip Sadio in, and he’s just so quick eating up the ground over five yards. Initially it looked like he might not reach it but he’s incredible in those situations. He got there with plenty to spare and poked it past the keeper.
     
    I thought he might have been offside and it was as tight as you can get without it being ruled out. Robbo wasn’t so lucky a couple of minutes later when he converted a Trent cross but was denied by the linesman’s flag. Interesting that the lino flagged for that but not on Sadio’s. As I often say, they’re really fucking good at their jobs.
     
    The ref was more of a mixed bag. I didn’t think he was that bad but there were some strange decisions. Virgil was booked for a nothing challenge but Coquelin (now there’s a blast from the past) escaped a booking for hauling back Trent when he was about to shoot.
     
    He didn’t do anything about the keeper’s time wasting either, which was irritating. It was the old “pretend to play out from the back before kicking it long thing. It happens all the time these days. You only need to see that two or three times to know what they’re doing. If they don’t pass it out in the first few occasions and they hit it long, then that’s what they’re going to do all day so if the centre backs keep performing the charade of coming short before being waved away by the keeper, you need to get your card out and that will stop it sharpish. They never do though do they?
     
    I thought in the period just after we got the two goals that there was a chance for us to end the tie there and then. 
     
    We had chances to add to our lead. Virgil stung the keeper’s palms from 30 yards and Diaz had a couple of chances he couldn’t quite convert. The first was deflected inches wide and the second he dragged across goal. I think the keeper might have got a foot on it though.
     
    Diaz was electric all night though. What a player he is. He just brings dynamism and energy. When he loses the ball he fights like mad to go and get it back and he just fucking loves it doesn’t he? His enthusiasm and passion is infectious. Not that the other lads are lacking that or need him to bring it out of them, but he definitely helps. With the crowd as much as anything. He’s just lifted everything since he got here.
     
    Another goal or two would have killed them completely, but we didn’t add to the two we had and eventually Klopp started making changes with the weekend in mind. 
     
    First Keita replaced Hendo and Jota came on for Mané. Neither looked happy going off, which makes me laugh. Trent looked pissed when he got the hook a bit later. Diaz is just too happy to be here to get annoyed by anything though.
     
    I did think with Divock coming on we’d get another goal but the problem there is it wasn’t really enough of a desperate situation for Div. He doesn’t waste his goals on irrelevant moments. I’m happy he got on though, this will almost certainly be his last European game at Anfield, which makes me sad.
     
    All in all though a great night. Such a dominant display and although there is still some work to be done we’ve got one foot in the final now. 
     
    There has been a fair bit of derogatory stuff about Villarreal in our media. It ranges from mild criticism of how they performed to the completely hysterical over the top nonsense spouted by Jason Cundy on Talksport. I don’t know if it’s all an act with him or if he is just that much of a dickhead, but anyone who can make Jamie O’Hara seem like the rational, intelligent one really is a bit special.
     
    Cundy called them a “disgrace”. He said we could have dragged a fan out of the crowd and stuck them next to Van Dijk and Villarreal still wouldn’t have caused us any problems and he said that UEFA will be looking at that game and will be panicking about the state of their competition. 
     
    Where to even start with that? I’ll deal with the fan thing first, which is clearly nonsense. Konate played alongside Van Dijk and he stood out even though Villarreal barely managed any kind of attack. A fan couldn’t have done what Konate did. Had he used Alisson as the example then fair enough! I don’t think Ali touched the ball with his hands all night, which must be some sort of record I would have though.
     
    I doubt UEFA are the slightest bit arsed about how the game went. Sure, it’s not great when a game is as one sided as that but Villarreal beat Juventus and Bayern Munich to get here. They’re a good side. A year ago they knocked out Arsenal and beat Manchester United in the final. Funny how no-one was talking them down then. 
     
    They were without their best player in this game and they were playing against the best team in the world, in the most difficult away venue in the world. The last time we played a European semi here we twatted Barcelona 4-0, Messi, Suarez, Busquets, Pique, Alba and all.
     
    Villarreal were just completely outgunned and there’s no shame in that. They had no chance and in this form we would have strangled 99.9% of football teams on the planet in a similar way to what we did to Villarreal. In fact, they did better than because they actually defended really well. They just couldn’t attack because any time they had the ball we just smothered them.
     
    I’m not sure what people were expecting them to do. It’s like putting me in a boxing ring with Tyson Fury and screaming at me to “fucking hit him”. I’d be trying, but I wouldn’t lay a glove on him because he’s too big, too strong, too fast and too good for me. All of that applies with us and Villarreal. 
     
    At least half of the players in our team are the best in the world in their positions and the other half aren’t far off it. Villarreal have half a dozen players who couldn’t cut it at Spurs and Arsenal, but Unai Emery has them all punching well above their weight and other than City and Chelsea I wouldn’t back any other Premier League team to beat them. The disrespect being shown to them after they were dominated by the best team on the planet is out of order.
     
    Their fans are boss too, but we knew that already. They’ve always been supportive about Hillsborough and they buzz off the Beatles. Playing teams like that are what European football should be all about. Not coming up against wankstains like Man City.
     
    I expect they’ll give a better account of themselves next week because it isn’t at Anfield and they probably won’t run into a Liverpool side as fired up and focused as we were in this game. They’ll have chances next week, but if they open up and try to play more then we’ll probably run all over them.
     
    I don’t see any way they can survive if they try to be more expansive, but stranger things have happened and we do need to be on our guard in case something mad happens like we get an early red card or something.
     
    Ultimately though, we should come through that game and book our spot in the final, which would be our third in five years. If we win it then that stands comparison with anything we did in our 70s and 80s heyday really. Not that I think this is even any kind of yardstick anymore as this team is just the best we’ve ever had.
     
    More silverware would shut down any argument against it, but the points totals this team are picking up each year while also being dominant in the Champions League speaks for itself.
     
    Star man is Thiago but the whole team were excellent. Special mention to Fabinho who is never going to be as eye catching as Thiago but was just as dominant in his own fashion. They just couldn’t get through him, he was everywhere. Konate looked boss as well, which is impressive considering we hardly had to do any defending. 
     
    We might make several changes now for the weekend trip to Newcastle but who knows. Klopp isn’t changing things as much as I thought he would and you can only marvel at the fitness levels of these players. They should be goosed at this stage of the season given all the games they’ve played. They’re not though, if anything they’re getting stronger.
     
    Carra said recently that in 2001 when we did the cup treble we got over the line just on the mental strength of the squad because they were out on their feet. This squad has that same mental strength but also look fresh as daisies too.
     
    We’ll still need luck to win even one more trophy, let alone three, but so far we’ve not really needed it have we? In the Champions League it’s been a fairly smooth passage with very little drama. We’ve had a few anxious moments in the league but it’s not like we’ve needed last minute winners every week. We might do at some point over the next few weeks, but that’s why you have Divock.
     
    Of the games we have left, Saturday looks to be one of the trickiest, not least because of the early kick off time. Winning that and then forcing City to go to Leeds and win could make this a pivotal weekend, but we just have to take care of our own business and hope for the best.
     
     
    Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Gomez), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson (Keita), Thiago; Salah, Mané (Origi), Diaz (Jota):
     
  • Halfway there. The Reds are almost in another European Cup Final after an utterly dominant performance against Villarreal at Anfield that will see them take a 2-0 lead over to Spain next week for the 2nd leg.
     
    Chris Smith and TLW Editor Dave Usher break down yet another mightily impressive display from Jurgen's Reds and also take a look ahead to the weekend's fixture away at Newcastle.
     
     
     
  • When we say top slot games, what we meant is the best slot games that are being played by gamblers.
     
    The popularity of a slot game or even games in general depends on some few factors. For slot game to attract popularity, it has to possess qualities such as graphic qualities along with a colourful background, interesting plot story and immersive gameplay.
    Here are the top 5 casino Canada slot games to play this year.
     
    1. 9 Masks of fire.
     
    Established 2019, the video slot game has one of the highest number of customers on the base and it can be played on all mobile devices. The game is developed by Microgaming and gameburger.
     
    2. Star burst.
     
    Established 2013, it is among the tops slot games with the largest fans. Its simplicity is one of its greatest features. Platform like Stakers.com has multiple slot games which are available for gambler to choose from.
     
    3. 88 Fortune.
     
    The game as its name is titled, is connected to the beautiful Asian culture considering the fact that the number 8 means luck in the Chinese culture.
    The game is developed by SHFL.
     
    4. Book of dead.
     
    Established 2016, the game boost the largest number of customer base around the world ranging close to a million.by genre, it considered an adventurous which will definitely add some needed spice to gamblers looking for something much more interesting. The game is developed by Play’ n Go.
     
    5. Gonzo quest.
     
    Established 2013, some notable features include free-spins, multiplier, and the wildness, the game is adventurous by genre which absolutely makes it quite intriguing. The game is developed by NETENT. 
     
    So, if you are into slot games, you should definitely check these games out.
  • There are different sports, and every person has their own best sport; some could be rugby, NBA, baseball, or even playing casino games from reputable sites like NetBet Casino, but football has a huge range of entertainment. From real football to fantasy premier league.
     
    Fantasy sports, including those based on the Premier LeaNetBet casinogue, are a major business now. Football's most popular league has spawned many fantasy football games based on the 'EPL.'
     
    This tutorial will teach you to choose the greatest fantasy Premier League squad.
     
    How to Play Fantasy Premier League
     
    If you are new to FPL, use FanDuel and DraftKings Sportsbook. It couldn't be simpler. You can create a free account on both sites and build your fantasy team in minutes.
     
    FanDuel offers two sorts of games. In 'Full Roster,' you must choose a seven-man squad with four strikers or midfielders, two defenders, and one goalie. You may choose just five players on a $50 salary cap: three strikers or midfielders, one defense, and one captain.
     
    DraftKings Sportsbook offers two alternatives. A $50,000 salary limit enables you to build your club from one Premier League game. In ‘Classic,' you must assemble an eight-man team with a $50,000 budget.
     
    Once you've chosen your game, it's time to choose your fantasy Premier League squad. Coming up are some suggestions to bear in mind.
     
    Check out this comparison if you can't decide between DraftKings and FanDuel.
    Start your Premier League Fantasy squad with these five steps:
     
    1. Pick Ever-Present Stars
     
    The most costly players are the same regardless of the platform. The salary cap is essential in fantasy soccer because it stops participants from overloading their squad with superstars. To succeed, you must delve deeper to identify underrated players.
     
    But be careful not to overdo it. When healthy, players like Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane, and Kevin De Bruyne can pile up hundreds of points. The players named above are most productive in scoring goals and assists.
     
    If you're playing a full season of fantasy Premier League, you should avoid chopping and swapping too many stars. Choose a reliable scorer like Kane or Salah and stay with him until injured.
     
    2. Watch the Fixtures
     
    Not every Premier League game is equal. Before selecting the best fantasy Premier League squad, the match calendar should be considered since it may greatly affect your performance.
     
    Like Liverpool, Manchester United, or Manchester City, the big giants aren't easy to choose against. A home game against a relegation challenger would entice players like Zaha. Do your homework before picking.
     
    3. Group vs. Individual
     
    Goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and strikers are common positions on fantasy football sites. To design the finest fantasy Premier League squad, treat the first two as collective players and the subsequent two as individuals.
     
    Real-life soccer is more complicated than that, but it holds in the fantasy Premier League. Defenders and goalkeepers gain points for clean sheets; however, goalkeepers may earn points for saves. However, his team generally maintains more clean sheets, making him more important.
     
    On the other hand, midfielders and attackers score largely via goals and assists. Even if they play for a team that loses more games than wins, these players may accumulate points if they perform well individually.
     
    4. Beware Misclassified Players
     
    Soccer is a fluid game, and assigning players to roles is not always straightforward. But that is precisely what fantasy platforms must do — and you can use it to your advantage.
     
    Some publications rank Mohamed Salah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for their wide-opening style. In truth, the two players are their teams' main goal threats. Salah is undoubtedly the Premier League's most lethal attacker.
     
    Player categories in fantasy Premier League seldom alter mid-season. A defensive player moved to midfield might help you. If a defender scores a goal, they get more points than a midfielder, so watch their real-world placement and their fantasy Premier League classification.
     
    5. Follow Team News
     
    Pre-match press conferences are common in the Premier League. These generally show who is available for selection and who is injured.
     
    If your chosen player does not appear on the field, you will lose points, so stay up with team news. There's nothing sadder than narrowly losing against your buddies due to preventable blunders.
     
    Pay attention to real-life managers while selecting your fantasy Premier League club.
     
    Takeaway
     
    The aforementioned ideas and tactics will assist you in putting together the greatest fantasy football squad possible. So, what are you holding out for?
  • Jordan Henderson has recalled the night when the winning mentally of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp was born.
     
    It was ironically on the back of a heartbreaking defeat, the 2016 Europa League final against Sevilla.
     
    Klopp had worked wonders in getting a squad which had finished sixth the previous season under Brendan Rodgers and had regressed further in the early stages of the 2015/6 season into a European final.
     
    Hopes were high for the club to add their first piece of European silverware since the unforgettable triumph in Istanbul eleven years prior, but it was not to be as the Spanish outfit outplayed the Reds and won the final 3-1.
     
    Understandably the playing group was shattered in the aftermath as European finals do not come around every day and as a side who were looking to write their own piece of history, it was a setback that could have easily derailed any confidence they had built. 
     
    Liverpool come up against Villarreal in the first leg of the Champions League semi final where the Reds will come up against the winning manager on that night in Basel in Unai Emery.
     
    Speaking ahead of the game (per the Mirror),  Henderson said that Jurgen Klopp had a clear sense of belief in the aftermath. 
     

     
    “Going back to the hotel, all the lads were disappointed, you want to go back to your room, not see anybody, get your head down. But the gaffer was very different from what I had ever seen before. It always sticks in my mind. He had everyone together in the bar. I felt as though he knew it was the start of something special to come.
     
    “As a player it is very difficult to think that when you’ve just lost a final. Yet he sort of knew what was coming in the next few years - and he has proven it was the start of something special.
     
    “We didn’t see it, because we had just lost the final, we were devastated so it was more difficult as players to see past that moment. But that is why it stuck out because the manager was different, his mentality was different. 
     
    “Yes he was disappointed, but I felt he knew it was the start, and I felt that confidence transmitted to the players and we used that as motivation to try and get better. That day always sticks out for us for sure and it has been pretty eventful since then! Hopefully that can carry on."
     
    The words of Klopp in his initial press conference saying that he wanted to ‘turn doubters into believers’ has gone into club folklore. It was his way of bringing positivity into a fanbase that was wondering just when they would be truly great once again.
     
    Henderson is one of a handful of players still at the club from that time  and said those words really struck a chord with him.
     

     
    “I felt there was something special as soon as the manager came in, to be honest. Everyone did. The whole lift he gave to the club, the team, the players. You felt it then. The manager had a very good way of seeing the bigger picture and using that experience to our benefit going forward.”
     
    As a European and league winning captain, Henderson knows all about this time of the season when the pressure is at its highest and one bad night at the office could spell the end of title hopes.
     
    That is why the focus needs to be razor sharp.
     
    “People will talk about all the things we can win, but I know with a couple of bad games it can all be over. It’s a massive, massive few weeks, and we need to keep the mentality, the focus, because this is huge now.”
     
     
     
     
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