TLW

Trent Alexander-Arnold admits things will be completely different once Jurgen Klopp departs the club but that does not mean that the team cannot challenge for honours next season. For many young players who have come into the Liverpool lineup in the Klopp era, he is the only manager they have had in senior Football. The lessons learnt under the German’s tutelage will keep them in fine stead for the rest of their career, but just like life in general, time waits for no-one and they as individuals and the team in general will soon move onto a new era. It is always an uncertain time when a new manager comes in as they will have their own methods that they want to implement and some players will not suit that system. While it is way too early to predict the incomings and outgoings during the upcoming summer transfer window, Alexander-Arnold is upbeat and optimistic personally about what lays ahead for this squad as he told The Overlap podcast per The Echo. (Previously) I’ve been on the fence with regard to my feelings on a new manager coming in. It’ll be a completely different situation and it’s going to be weird to then turn up to pre-season, having to adopt a new playing style. "Whereas now, without anything getting said to me, I know all the manager wants me to play, and I turn up to pre-season, I know to jump there, I’m to press there, but for this summer, my next preseason will have a completely different message. “It’s going to be strange, but I think I like the idea of a new challenge for the team, the players and the club. The way I look at it is of course the manager is going to come in and change the way we play and it'll be a different type of culture and new messages.” Despite the change in who is on the touch-line, the full-back says there is no reason why the standards would drop amongst the playing group, and that desire to keep pushing themselves to achieve ultimate success is ingrained in their psyche. "As players, the mentality and eagerness to win - not the pressure, but the internal pressure on ourselves and the demands to win things and be in a title race next season no matter who the manager is - that's what we expect from ourselves. "Of course results might not go our way but as long as that mentality is there - not that it doesn't matter who the manager is, but as long as the dressing room has got that desire that we're going to win, we're trying to win things, it's not a 'transition season', the manager comes and within his style of play is that winning mentality - that's how the transition needs to happen." View full article

Mo Salah has detailed how valued Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez are within the Liverpool camp. The two 24 year-old forwards came to the club last season, a campaign which was marked by its inconsistency on a overall team level. Despite the fragile confidence level of the team, both Nunez and Gakpo performed adequately in their debut campaign (Nunez 15 in 42 appearances) while Gakpo arrived midway through the season from PSV when the Reds were suffering a true crisis of confidence and given those circumstances he produced a respectable 7 goals from 26 appearances. Having that sort of introduction to a new league may have been a daunting one for some players, especially when the Jurgen Klopp era has been sprinkled with ultimate success. In a results sense, it has been a much smoother transition for the duo this season as the Reds have all to play for both in the league and in Europe. In terms of personal development Nunez in particular has looked to harness an all-round aspect to his game and has produced 13 assists along with 18 goals in 45 appearances. Meanwhile, Gakpo has scored 14 goals in the same amount of appearances, the main difference being that the Dutchman’s versatility quite often sees him played in various positions and has led to the question being asked just where can Liverpool get the best out of him, and indeed if he fits the way the way that Klopp wants to play. And a fair bit of that impression has to do with personal traits, Nunez the Uruguayan street fighter, ‘captain chaos’ embracing the contest like it is a life or death situation. Meanwhile Gakpo is much more laconic and languid and plays his own game at a much more serene pace, sometimes described as in slow or still motion. But regardless of what we may think of fans, the only thing that matters is the impression he gives to the coaches and teammates. Salah has seen plenty of players come and go during his time at the Reds, and speaking to Astro Supersport (per the Echo), said both of their output is highly regarded. “Cody doesn't get credit because the fans I don't know if they really understand his game or not. But he is a very, very clever player. I admire the way he thinks, it's very, very good. He is young and wants to learn, he asks a lot of questions. “Darwin is a key for us as well. The way he plays, the way he opens space for us, it's very good. But he doesn't get a lot of credit because once he misses a chance, opposition fans start to jump (on him) and Liverpool fans start defending him and he's inside that mess. But for me, he's one of the best players on the team." To achieve the success that this team deserves for their efforts during this season, it has to be a whole lot more clinical in the final third that what we have seen in recent games. And to that extent, the likes of Gakpo and Nunez have pivotal roles to play from now until the end of May. View full article

Caoimhin Kelleher has had to bide his time but he is now showing the footballing public the great qualities he possesses as a goalkeeper on a consistent basis. There is often no middle ground being a keeper, you can either be the hero or the villain. where all fingers are pointed. It is a harsh predicament and for those who are not yet established as a number one option, quite a cutthroat occupation as any mistake could quite easily see them lose their spot in the first team and in some cases there is no way back for them. And for those who serve as backups to the senior keepers, there is lot of sitting idle on the bench on matchdays observing proceedings. For those Liverpool supporters who have closely observed Kelleher since making his senior debut for the club in September of 2019, one thing has clearly stood out which is his unflappable nature. No matter the occasion, be it playing under the bright lights at Anfield, on the European stage or at Wembley Stadium facing a penalty shootout in a Cup final, the emotional state of Kelleher emotional state never seems to change. As the Irishman said (per the Echo) that is just in his nature. “I don’t know why, it’s just my personality. “I am quite relaxed off the pitch and on it, I trust in my ability - and I’ve always believed in the ability I have. “I suppose I take that belief with me and try to show my personality out there. It’s important that you have the ability to stay level-headed as a goalkeeper because you need to make good decisions in a split-second. “You need to be able to stay calm if you are to make those right decisions. I don’t get overly nervous for games. That’s just my personality. I’ve always been quite calm - and it’s worked out well so far.” The hamstring injury to Alisson Becker has allowed Kelleher to get the run of games he has craved and vindicated his decision to stay with the Reds despite many clubs showing interest in the 25 year-old over the recent seasons. “It’s obviously been really good for me to get this run of games. It’s what I have been working for, to get this opportunity to play a run of games and get that rhythm. There’s been the added bonus of winning the Carabao and now going for more trophies. “I am playing football at the highest level, going for the major trophies - and that’s what every player wants to do. I am really enjoying myself. The feedback I get from Ali and the coaching staff has all been quite positive. They know when to talk to me and when to just let me do my own thing. I know they’re always there and always positive with me. They also leave me be.” “There were obviously discussions (last summer) because I wanted to play as much as I can. It was clear that because of the circumstances I was in, that I had to stay. Obviously I got this big opportunity, which can always happen. The manager did say that anything can happen like that” True to the personality of Kelleher, he is not looking too far ahead in terms of the impending departure of the manager who has played such a role in his senior career, or a potential Europa League final in his homeland. Instead his one and only focus is in his words ‘to right the wrongs” of three weeks ago. “It’s nice for us to be going back so we can right the wrong of that defeat. It’s the sooner the better for us. Maybe in the second half we weren’t as clinical as we should have been. We made a lot of chances and should have put the game to bed - and when you don’t do that then anything can happen. “There was a feeling that we should have had it won. We were also a bit disappointed in our overall performance so we want to go back there and do much better. You need to take your chances." View full article

Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk has spoken about the hurt that the squad felt after their heartbreaking extra-time defeat to Man United in the FA Cup. Three weeks down the line and the league leaders are preparing themselves to meet their bitter rivals at Old Trafford once again and very keen to extinguish those bitter memories. The cup defeat will arguably go down as one of the more infuriating in recent times as for most of the game, it seemed like the visitors were in control only for defensive sloppiness and lack of a clinical finish in the final third costing them dearly. What added to the frustration from a fans point of view was that it was another game that this vastly superior outfit failed to clinch a victory at the home of their beleaguered rivals. But the beauty of Football is that it produces an opportunity to correct the record and that will occur tomorrow afternoon. And going by comments from Van Dijk (per the Echo) they will carry that loss with them. “Of course it is still fresh, it was very disappointing, losing is never good. Especially the way we lost that day, it's something that hurt in the 24 hours after the game. “You want to go to Wembley, you want to go and play that semi-final, but we had to quickly switch to the national team. “What do we need to do better? Win the game! They started the game well and got the crowd behind them and it gave them a push. Conceding the goal was disappointing but after that we controlled the game and scored two good goals and could have done better. "But we kept them alive and they made use of it in the best way possible. That's credit to them but we are going there on Sunday to turn it around and make sure we get the three points.” While the general consistency of Liverpool this season has been impressive, one thing they do need to rectify if they want to lift the league trophy is May is their record against other members of the current top six. It currently sits at one win ( vs Aston Villa in Early September) four draws and two defeats. With the fixture tomorrow along with games against Tottenham and Villa to come, it presents an opportunity to rectify that. And you sense that is what Van Dijk is referring to when he mentions not focussing on the one opponent as to him and the team in general it is just one more hurdle on the way to potential glory. “We want to win every game, that's the focus at Liverpool. We know how much it (Man United fixture) means and how big it is for the outside world but for us we are in a phase that we can't lose points so we are going there in order to get the three points. “We have only one goal going there, to try and win the game, and we're going to give everything and we need everyone at their best. I think [composure] is key. In nervous moments, the crowd could get nervous, you want to rush things, that can be part of the game. "The difference-maker will be being calm and making the right choices but still be full of aggression and going for it. I think we've been showing it already for a very long time that we have that quality and we have to keep doing it." View full article

Conor Bradley believes that his versatility is a reason why he can stay in the team once Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to full fitness. The Northern Irishman has been one of the revelations of the campaign for the Reds making 18 appearances in all competitions to date this season and not looking out of place one but, be it at a packed Anfield, in the Europa League or at Wembley in a League Cup final. While the brilliance of Alexander-Arnold is undisputed, there had been a fear that if he was out for a sustained period through injury, the field of back-ups in the squad was quite shallow. Joe Gomez has shown to be a dependable figure when asked to play that role but he is a central defender by trade. Calvin Ramsey was thought to be someone that could blossom into the role but unfortunately for him, successive knee injuries put pay to any momentum he would have wanted to build and presently he is barely making the bench on loan at Bolton. Misfortune for one player is an opportunity for another and Bradley has grabbed his with aplomb from an outstanding season on loan at Bolton last season. So well has his progress been that Bradley is now seen a very important member of the first team set-up. The question was posed to the 20 year-old (per The Echo) whether there is a way he can keep his spot in the starting X1 once Alexander-Arnold returns from his own knee injury. Yes, possibly,” . “Trent is an unbelievable footballer and I think he could play pretty much anywhere. It is a difficult one (vying for the same position). It is a blessing in a way because I can learn so much off Trent. He has had a similar pathway to me coming through the academy. “There are so many things I can take from him, the way he plays football, the way he conducts himself everyday and how hard he works. “It’s difficult obviously coming into one of the best teams in the world and trying to break through and prove that you’re good enough to play every week.” The academy graduate knows you have to be flexible enough to make the grade and he outlined where he thinks he could be of additional use to Jurgen Klopp in this pivotal time of the season. “I think it is massive to be versatile. It helps the manager to pick you when he knows you can play in certain positions . “I played as a winger all the way up through youth football and when I was deployed to play there the other night for Northern Ireland, I really enjoyed it. “It took me some time (to adapt). I was Under-18s when I got moved back and I didn’t really know what I was doing to be honest, but I think I’ve learned quite quickly how to play the full-back role. “Obviously when you’re playing for Liverpool, you may as well be a winger when you’re playing full-back. You get so much of the ball, in so many attacking scenarios. You get a lot of joy playing higher up. “I’m still learning my trade, but I think I’m a bit better than I was (at full-back), definitely. I enjoy the challenge of playing new positions and learning about them. It is really good and really important to learn about them and be good at them too.” There seems to always be a certain time in a mind of a young player when he reaches that moment that sees him undaunted and unaffected by the big stage, where they deserve to stand alongside the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Mo Salah among others. Bradley talked about that exact moment for himself. “It was probably that (Chelsea at Anfield) game where I thought, ‘Right, I can do this’. I just need to be consistent with it and try and do things like that as much as I can. That was a big moment for me where I realised that this is possible for me and I can do it. “My friends were over for the game so they were back at my apartment after the game and I just remember saying to them, ‘What’s just happened?’ It was like crazy. I just couldn’t believe what was happening to be honest with you.” There are sacrifices you have to make especially when you graduate from the academy and aim to progress into senior Football. For many young players, that means going on loan, and it can go one of two ways. While many struggle to adjust the highly physical nature of the Championship and League One, for others like Bradley, they thrive and it sets them on their way. "That time (at Bolton) moulded me as a player. It is a tough, gruelling league, League One and for me to get 53 games under my belt was really good for me. To get a couple of goals and a couple of assists, too, was good for my confidence. “It helped me to know I could play ‘men’s football’ and so coming back to Liverpool I was ready to go. It was just unfortunate that I got the injury, but when I came back, I was just focused on trying to do my best and luckily I have had some opportunities.” View full article

After our midweek stop at Wigan to check in on the excellent progress of Luke Chambers, TLW heads to Yorkshire to see how Fabio Carvalho is coming along at Hull City. There is little doubt that the Portuguese U21 international has natural flair and talent, but for him it has been all about putting that together consistently. It is something that the attacking midfielder was able to do during the 2021/22 season with Fulham where he played a major part in their promotion to the Premier League and was a member of the PFA Championship Team of the Year. A move to Liverpool then eventuated and after a positive start highlighted by a dramatic late winner against Newcastle, it only went downhill from that point, so much so that he only made four appearances once the calendar ticked over into 2023. That lack of momentum continued into the new campaign which can only be described as a horror loan spell at RB Leipzig where he made just 14 appearances with three starts. Indeed the biggest headlines he caused was when he claimed in a interview that Jurgen Klopp “had used him in a wrong position on the left hand side instead of his preferred role as a Number 10”. So a mid-season return Liverpool eventuated and the 21 year-old was then sent to Hull where he joined Reds teammate Tyler Morton. It has been a decision that has proven dividends with Carvalho thriving under the management of Liam Rosenior. In recent days, Carvalho has mentioned that he will be back at Liverpool for pre-season training which will be under a new manager but also wanted to publicly state that there was no issue with Klopp saying that the manager “ Didn't have the greatest confidence in me, but he always helped me a lot and pointed out what I needed to do better and what I shouldn't do.” Just like he did for Tyler a few months back, Ant Northgraves from @Hull_and Back provides an expert analysis on how Fabio has been progressing. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Fabio has been a fantastic addition to the Hull City squad. It was clear when he first arrived that he hadn’t played much football, but soon got up to speed with the style of play and formed some strong connections with the attacking players in our squad. I believe we’re still yet to see the best that Fabio has to offer, but considering that he has 4 goals in 11 games and isn’t at his best yet is only promising for us. He loves to pick up space in that “number 10” role, linking up with his teammates with clean, intricate passing and a keen eye for a shot. We are asking a lot from him at the moment, as we’re struggling to play with a natural striker so Carvalho is often used as a “false 9” to occupy that focal point and score goals. However, he is playing that role very well at the moment. If I was to be critical, he should have more assists to his name. 0 assists in all 11 games is a surprising stat, but I feel like it’s only a matter of time before he gets a few. Perhaps not having a striker to feed the ball to is the issue, but as long as he’s scoring goals then it isn’t particularly a concern. Overall, in the short time that Fabio has been here he has been an absolute delight. He is more than happy to join in with the club’s community efforts, speaks well in interviews and seems to be really enjoying the atmosphere here at Hull City, seemingly forming some good friendships. He’s already been a big part of our play-off push and fingers crossed he is a part of a potential Wembley visit come the end of the season. And a question to finish, Would you consider loaning him back next season? View full article

The latest edition of A View To the Future takes TLW to Wigan to check in on the progress of academy graduate Luke Chambers. The 19 year-old left-back may be only early in his senior career but he has already impressed many observers with his maturity and adaptability to play in various positions across the back four. Chambers spent the second half of last season north of the border at Kilmarnock where he played a role in helping the Scottish Premiership club avoid relegation. At the start of this campaign, the youngster got an invaluable taste of senior Football at Liverpool where he made four appearances including two starts in the Europa League against Toulouse and Union St Gilloise. The youngster has also a deal of international experience at youth levels representing England from Under-15s all the way to Under-20 level which included being part of the being part of the U-19s squad that won the European Championship two years ago. In January Chambers was sent to Wigan to get some consistent minutes under his belt and the outcome has been a truly positive one. Jason Ford from Wigan Latics fan forum gives TLW readers a first-hand insight into the progress that Luke has made so far. When Wigan Athletic secured the loan signing of Liverpool defender Luke Chambers in the January 2024 transfer window, it represented a coup for our League One survival ambitions. The 19-year-old left-back arrived at the DW Stadium with a burgeoning reputation after starring for England's youth sides. Chambers joined the Latics looking to gain valuable first-team experience after making just four senior appearances for the Reds this season. But in the two months since, the teenager has grasped his opportunity with both hands through a series of mature, accomplished performances. From his Wigan debut against Northampton Town, Chambers looked every bit the Premier League prospect. His positional discipline, reading of the game and defensive awareness quickly solidified a previously shaky backline. The England youth international also provided an attacking threat, making marauding overlapping runs and delivering quality crosses. But it is Chambers' mentality that has truly captured fans' admiration. He plays each game with the tenacity of a time served player - throwing himself into crunching tackles, attacking every aerial duel, and demanding the utmost from teammates. His passion and determination are an inspiration. That indefatigable spirit produced an instant heroic moment when he powerfully headed home a last-gasp equaliser to rescue a vital point in a crunch promotion clash against Bolton in March. It encapsulated Chambers' endless courage and character. The teenager has seamlessly embraced the fabled resilience ingrained in Wigan's identity. With him patrolling the left flank, the Latics always feel they have a chance no matter the deficit or opponent. Chambers' meteoric rise is testament to his exceptional talent and mentality. His long-term future undoubtedly lies at Anfield, where he has been tipped for big things after earning a new contract in 2022. But the youngster is already crafting legendary cult hero status among Wigan's fanbase with his tireless, warrior-like displays this season. If Luke maintains this upward trajectory, tales of his heroics and impact during this loan spell will be forever etched into the folklore of this proud club. For now, he is simply seizing his chance to shine. View full article

Wataru Endo hopes he can be an example for the next generation of Japanese Footballers after realising his own Footballing dream. The 31 year-old midfielder arrived in England with little fanfare as not much was known about him in this country despite plying his trade in his homeland and in Europe for well over a decade. Last summer shaped as being transitional with a number of high profile senior departures with the emphasis on bringing in young talent. When Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia turned down the Reds for Chelsea on the verge of the season kicking off, morale was pretty low among the fanbase and that didn’t improve much when Endo was signed not too long after. By viewing his Footballing resume, it was clear he had talent and a level of responsibility attached to his name by being captain of his country, but the fact that Jordan Henderson and Fabinho had departed and another player in their early thirties was brought in as a replacement raised some questions. It has been a common theme for new signings under Jurgen Klopp to take their time to adjust and this was certainly the case with Endo. But once the defensive midfielder adjusted to the tempo, he has been one of the surprise packets of not only Liverpool’s season but the league in general, becoming a very important member of the starting lineup and he has become a fan favourite along the way. Speaking as part of the Premier League series: Greatness comes from Everywhere’ Endo outlined his footballing dream per the Official site. “To see someone like me come from a small club and play in the Premier League means a lot to the Japanese football world. “ I dreamed of it, but I never thought I’d play for a team like Liverpool. “It was nothing concrete, just a simple dream. I just knew I wanted to play in the Premier League someday, but now I find myself living that dream. “I’m really pleased that I followed my dream and continued to work hard and that I was able to succeed in making it here, because I hope that my story will influence other children to do so in the future.” Endo also spoke about how he developed his love for Football. “I watched my father play football a lot, so that also inspired me to play, and I liked playing with my friends. “As well as the J.League, I started watching a lot of Premier League matches and that is when I started to dream of playing in the Premier League one day. “I believed in myself and my determination to succeed never waned. “My father definitely inspired me the most. He’s not very talkative, but he always told me to think for myself and to act on my decisions, and to choose my own path in life.” But despite the great strides he has taken on a personal level throughout his career Endo still has boxes he wants to tick. “Even when I achieve good results, I’m never satisfied, because I still want to improve as a professional footballer.” View full article

Joe Gomez has spoken about his overall pride in being recalled to an England squad for the first time in over three years. The Liverpool defender has become one of the most versatile and dependable members of Jurgen Klopp’s squad this season, filling in across the back four and at times even in midfield. With a number of senior departures last season Gomez is the longest serving member of this squad, and the 26 year-old’s Liverpool’s journey has been littered with euphoric highs and crippling lows. International friendlies have a stigma of being somewhat unnecessary to the everyday fan, especially when you take into account the already overcrowding of the Football calendar. But for someone like Gomez these upcoming fixtures against Brazil and Belgium hold a great deal of significance and satisfaction that is a true example of his mental strength. It was an accident at an England training session in November 2020 that saw his career cruelly halted once again after previously overcoming his share of injury setbacks. An honest and raw Gomez spoke about what it meant to walk out onto that same training pitch where he sustained that season-ending knee tendon injury as the Mirror reported. “Getting out in the warm-up (today) it was nice to close that chapter. “It was the same pitch. We were doing an 11 v 11 when I got the injury. It was quite unique, it was a patella tendon rupture. I was by myself. I just went to play a pass. I planted my foot and then … it ruptured, it was quite gruesome. My kneecap was halfway up my leg. A lot of it is a blur because it was a bit painful. “I left the training pitch in an ambulance. Leaving and not getting a chance to come back was tough to deal with. “From that point, it was a massive part of my life, probably the hardest point in my career - just that moment because of how it happened. The last time I saw Gareth I was on the bed waiting for the ambulance. It was tough and it is a big part of my journey that I wouldn’t shy away from because it has shaped me into who I am. “I can always lean on it to keep perspective and see the positives. It’s definitely changed my application in terms of everything – recovery, gym work and so on. I’m at peace with what happened.” There is every reason to think that the central defender by trade is having his best season of his career and while he wouldn’t say that for certain, Gomez is just enjoying playing a significant role in a successful side. “ I’m really enjoying my football. Obviously we had a good phase at the club when we won the league and so on. But obviously this year has been different for me, playing in different places. It’s hard for me to judge. I was obviously younger and enjoying it then, playing centre-half mostly. “I’m definitely enjoying it. It helps when the team is doing well and when we’re winning games – that plays a big part. Personally, I don’t know, I’m just appreciating the moment, I’m not really worrying about where I’ve been or where I’ve got to go, just being here now and embracing it is the main thing.” He has been a player in the current Liverpool squad that you just want good fortune to come his way given his injury misfortune. And it seems that has finally occurred as Gomez is on the cusp of playing his most games in a season, a mark set in the 2019/ 20 season (43) and he is now just three appearances away from surpassing that. One individual that the defender is forever grateful for is his manager, not only for making him a better player but a better person as well and always stating his case for higher honours too. “I definitely didn’t ask him to do it (mention his name for a international recall). “The gaffer at the club is the gaffer. He is one of a kind. I owe a lot to him. He has been probably the biggest influence on my career. It is nice to have that support from your manager. He has been a massive influence on me, not just as a player but as a person. It is special to play under him.” View full article

Jurgen Klopp knew he had a major job to do when he first arrived at Liverpool and was more focused on building a pathway to success than reclaiming the mantle of most successful club in English Football. That he has managed to do both is just another testament to the remarkable job that the German has done since coming to the club when it was clearly at the crossroads in October 2015. A student of the game, Klopp knew all about the fierce rivalry between Liverpool and Man United and Alex Ferguson’s phrase when he first joined the Red Devils. but he was much more interested in starting the process of building a successful team rather than focusing on the past as the Mirror reported. “I know the famous phrase about the perch, but I had other stuff to do when I arrived here rather than think about Manchester United, to be honest. “In my first year, Leicester won the league. In my second year, Chelsea won the league. Then Man City started winning the league. But there was nothing with Manchester United. That is not me. I don’t think about anybody else. “If we face them, then yes. If we don’t face them, they can do what they want and I have nothing to do with that influence. I was made aware that Liverpool have now won most trophies because I was told about it - but then I forgot it!‌ “It’s important, absolutely. But as long as we can still win something, I don’t count trophies.” On that point, the Reds currently have the edge in terms of overall trophies won (71-69) and will level Man United’s total of 20 league titles if they lift the trophy in May. Reflecting on the first meeting, Klopp knew that he had build from the ground up. “I think we lost our first game against United. Was it a goal by Wayne Rooney? I thought we were better but they won the game. I do remember that.‌ But, for me, I can’t start the development (of a club) by thinking who is up there who I want to reach. “I can only do it step by step - and they were probably far away. It didn’t ever hinder me because it wasn’t even in my mind. He (Ferguson) came from Scotland, I came from Germany, so it was a different place and different times.” Moving on the present moment and Klopp says while his team will be deep in enemy territory as he prepares to take his side to Old Trafford for the penultimate time as Liverpool manager, they will have plenty of support with them for the FA Cup Quarter final clash. “I always prefer home games but if we play away I have always preferred to do it in the FA Cup because you can take more people. “The away crowd is a real crowd. Our fans will be on their toes and that’s important because we know Old Trafford can create quite a special atmosphere. "In general it (Old Trafford) is a good place to go. It’s real football. It’s all or nothing because it’s the Cup and it will be decided that day. “I am really happy that we aren’t going there with people saying ‘they have no chance.’ We have a chance but we must be really good.” View full article

Sparta Prague manager Brian Priske conceded that his team were nowhere near the standard required to compete with Liverpool. Already out of the tie after losing 5-1 at home last week, it was all about respectability for the Czech outfit heading into the second leg, however they were blitzed in the opening 15 minutes at Anfield conceding four goals in the opening 14 minutes and Football. historians scrambling for their record books for the greatest aggregate scoreline in European club competition. While the 21-0 scoreline registered by Chelsea against Jeunesse Hautcharage in the first round of the 1971/72 Cup Winners Cup and a year later by Feyenoord against Rumelage in the 1st round of the UEFA Cup was never threatened, this 11-2 aggregate win for the Reds was their biggest in over four decades equalling their result against Finnish side Oulun Palloseura in the first round of the European Cup in the 1980-81 season. Just like last week, this tie served as the perfect tune-up for another big game on the weekend, this time it is against Manchester United in the quarter finals of the FA Cup. Before that at lunchtime today comes the quarter-final draw for the Europa League which could see the Reds draw familiar foes in West Ham, Roma, AC Milan or intriguingly a clash with a team and manager that is taking all before them in Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. But according to the former Danish international and Portsmouth defender, there is no doubt in his mind about who they should be fearing the most as the Echo reported. “We faced a world-class team, big respect to Liverpool how they played these two legs, how they approached the game,” he said. “They put in the pure quality they have. We are disappointed in the personal mistakes that we made both in the first game and definitely also here in first 20 minutes. But we faced a world-class team here again. “We have never faced anything like this. Liverpool is a Champions League team and should be in the Champions League. They may be Premier League winners in two months. Big respect to the players of Liverpool and the coaching staff.” While Sporta are certainly not without their own European pedigree, being part of this competition frequently over the past decade, Priske was unequivocal in not wanting to compare previous opponents to this Reds outfit. “I hope people don’t measure the team on these two games – it’s a completely different level to what we’ve played against this season. We’ve played good teams like Rangers and Galatasaray but to Liverpool is just a complete new different level.” View full article

Ian Wright believes that the discussion surrounding the modern day success of Man City comes with an important caveat attached, that being the 115 charges that they have to answer to for alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules. Liverpool and Man City engaged in another chapter of their storied rivalry on Sunday afternoon, and as happens after so many of these games, there was plenty of talking points to come out of it. Despite being undermanned, the Reds ability to put the reigning champions for a sustained period of time surprised and impressed many observers in equal measure, not least the Liverpool manager himself who said “there is no higher scale than playing the best football you can play against Man City, causing City the problems we caused them today.” Then there was the dramatic finale when a seemingly stone-cold penalty appeal was denied when Michael Oliver did not view Jeremy Doku’s high challenge on Alexis Mac Allister to be worthy of one. So while the fixture ended all square for the second time this season and we are no clearer to knowing what it means in terms of the title race, another question has started to emerge. With Jurgen Klopp departing at the end of this season, the clash on Sunday was the last time that the German and Pep Guardiola will come up against each other in the Premier League. In terms of that competition, City won five, Liverpool four and there were eight draws, and in a overall sense with also covers their time in Germany it is Klopp that edges it with 11 wins to 10. As those figures state, there is certainly not a lot that separates them, however it is simplistic to go on wins and losses alone. The vast riches that Guardiola has had at his disposal courtesy of the Man City ownership differs greatly to the way FSG does business and the way that Klopp has had to build his team basically from the ground up. The matter of the pending breaches that Man City have to face is something that the mainstream football media have almost looked to tiptoe around and close their eye to and it has been left to investigative journalists to keep the topic in the forefront of people’s minds. Ian Wright is one of the very few pundits to really address it in a public setting as he was speaking on the Sky Sports Monday Night Football program (per the Echo). “I think when you look at the trophy cabinet that Pep [Guardiola] has done very well, but then you look at what Klopp has done to try and catch Manchester City and the way he has built that team to get them there. “You have to say, yes, it’s been easier for Pep with what he’s done. But, Klopp has a lot of love, but it’s there for everyone to see in respect to the amount of trophies. "But, we can’t speak about City without talking about the 115 charges around them. The one thing I would like more than anything else is for that to be gone so you can give the team and the manager the flowers they deserve because when you speak about them, it’s like there is an elephant in the room." Wright went on to say on his record of trophies won as a basic measuring stick alone, he would say that Guardiola has done better. While opinions will differ on ‘who is better, who has done better’, what is pleasing is that Wright has shone a light on this matter. Man City may be focussed on winning more honours, but their ultimate judgement is still to come, and this one will be away from the pitch. View full article

Mo Salah has admitted that there will come a time when he will leave Liverpool but he has not reached that point just yet. It has been widely speculated over the last 12 months that the 31 year-old will join the list of big names that headed to the Saudi League. Despite their unrelenting persistence, that has not transpired just yet although when Jurgen Klopp made the shock announcement in January that he was stepping down as Liverpool manager come the end of this campaign there was a prevailing view that would be the catalyst for a Salah move to eventuate sooner rather than later. Speaking with Sky Sports, Salah admitted that player movement is a natural part of Football, however said at this point of time he is focused on the present and that the decision by Klopp has no direct impact on him. “No, It's part of life now, that everything moves. Players have left already, very important players. The manager is also very important for the club and is leaving. "One day I will leave the club, but no [Klopp leaving doesn't affect my future]." The Egyptian superstar took us into the inner sanctum on that fateful day and said that it was as big a shock to the playing group as it was to the football community at large. “ Usually we don't do meetings at 10.30am, as 10.30 is the report time," Salah added. "It's normally a 10.30 meet time and then 12 noon training. Then they said there was a meeting at 10.30am. I was like: 'What?' “The manager's agent was there at the training ground and I thought: 'Oh, he's renewing his contract. "And five minutes before the meeting, Virgil [van Dijk] said: 'Do you know what the meeting is about?' "I said no. He said: 'The manager is leaving'. "I said: 'Really, the manager is leaving? You serious? Why?' “He said: 'No idea'. “Then the manager came in and he just said it and it was weird because no-one knew before. There was nothing in the media. He didn't even prepare us for that, he just said it. That was a weird day for us and for the club." There is a great level of positivity surrounding their fortunes of the club for the rest of the season despite the list of absentees through injury. One of those players that has returned to full fitness just in time for the showcase fixture against Man City at Anfield today is Salah, and in keeping with the quality of the opposition, Salah often saves his best for them scoring 11 in 19 games (seven which have come in the Premier League.) Salah spoke about what it takes to rise to the occasion in a fixture such as this. "I just feel myself in that game, in the big games you just want to play and enjoy. “I usually just have one defender against me, not two or three. “The game is open and I just love the games where I can feel myself. The big players have to step up in the big games and show quality. "It [City] is an unbelievable team and an unbelievable coach. They have dominated the league for a few years and we have always fought with them. “You go to the game and you just feel like it's a six points game, not just a three points game. "We have a good chance, we play at home, everybody will be excited, the atmosphere will be unbelievable as usual. We just have to focus on our game and try to win the game." View full article