TLW

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.”

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.”

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.

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."

Jurgen Klopp believes that whoever takes over from him in the summer is coming at the perfect time to write their own chapter at a wonderful club. Despite being such a transformative figure during his tenure with the Reds, Klopp has never been one to take all the plaudits, insisting that he is just one person playing their part at a club in their quest for ultimate success. When the shock news came that the German would be departing the club in the summer, the obvious questions by the fans was, what comes next, and who would be that person to take over from the iconic figure? A daunting proposition to most, but as the man explained at his regular Friday pre-match press conference (per the Mirror, ) that timing is everything. “I really think it is the perfect moment for a new manager and not the wrong one because we didn’t win everything, we left spaces. Go at City after Pep Guardiola and you need to be champion ten years in a row to achieve the same.” Those who have been in the inner sanctum at Liverpool, be it former managers or players often describe it as a unique and special club. There are many examples of that over the years and Klopp reflected on those who came before him and his own journey. “The people here are different. The people gave Bill Shankly the chance, and what came after Bill Shankly, and they are all bigger than we are, and the people will understand in the end that this was a fantastic time and we all enjoyed it like hell. “What a ride. But I am 100 per cent sure that what they learned over the years is if we trust and we push then everything is possible. This team will attract top class managers, 100 per cent. “I came in at the right moment because it got lost a little bit and maybe I was the one who helped everyone to understand again how important it is. The club is special. Not because of the buildings – other clubs have nice stadiums – but because of the people.”

Michael Edwards is in the frame for a return to Liverpool where he played such a pivotal part in setting up the club on the pathway to success. Edwards left Liverpool in 2022 after 10 years and despite having many offers to join rival clubs including Chelsea, the 44 year-old has instead taken up a role as a consultant at the sports advisory business Ludonautics. Edwards met with FSG in Boston last weekend as they conducted a meeting about what role he could possibly play in the post Jurgen Klopp era. However as the Guardian reports, it will not be a return to the Sporting Director role with Edwards wanting a role that holds more control that covers a lot more areas such as Head of Football Operations. If last summer was pivotal in shaping Liverpool 2.0 as Jurgen Klopp famously referred to it, this summer shapes as even more vital. As we have seen in the modern era, even powerful clubs can quickly fall to insignificant status rather quickly if they do not get the off field appointments spot on. Finding the right replacement for Klopp is naturally is the key job for the top brass, and with Liverpool having a fine season and still with a number of World Class talent and exciting talent coming through, it remains one of the plumb jobs for any manager wanting to challenge themselves at the elite level. If Edwards agrees to a Liverpool return in the Head of Football Operations role, he would be the man that would lead the search for that along with finding a new Sporting director after Jorg Schmadtke filled the role temporarily last summer. Xabi Alonso is the man firmly in the frame to fill the role, but it is believed that Liverpool are playing a much more respectful role in trying to bring him ‘home’ knowing that he still has his full focus in guiding Bayer Leverkusen land their first Bundesliga, this is compared to Bayern Munich who are publicly courting the 42 year-old.

Jordan Henderson has spoken once again about his departure from Liverpool and has admitted that it was the right time to leave the club. In September last year, the man who captained the Reds to Premier League and Champions League success produced what could only be described as a train-wreck interview which included this eye-raising quote that “at no point did I feel wanted by the club or anyone to stay." Jurgen Klopp produced the perfect response, never one to embarrass a player he thought so highly of, but also putting the truth out there. “Hendo said the truth. That's how it was. We had talks, I told him I wanted him to stay but we talked about maybe not playing regularly. I cannot tell a player they can have 50 games because I don't know. “So, in Hendo's ears and mind, he thought I didn't want him there. If I said Hendo would be the main man for me he would stay but I couldn't. That's why it's better he moved on. Not a bit of bad blood. Captain of best Liverpool team in the Premier League era." Henderson was a player who certainly divided opinion as a player, but one thing couldn’t be doubted in his time at Liverpool was his leadership qualities and statesmanship-like standing on many issues away from the game. That is why his decision to leave the club for the Saudi League went completely against the grain for what we thought we knew about the midfielder, and disappointed so many people in the process, and probably in many fans eyes, tarnished his legacy. After an utterly disastrous move to Saudi Arabia, Henderson made a quick exit to Ajax and speaking ahead of their tie against Aston Villa in the Europa League said he know believes the right move was made as the Mirror reported. “ It was the right time for me as a player but also for them as a team and for them as a club, as much as that hurt at the time. I was very emotional. “Looking back in that period of time, looking back now, it is easy to see that it was the right decision made by the manager and the club. "It was the best decision to freshen things up. If you look at Virgil Van Dijk becoming captain, Trent Alexander-Arnold becoming vice-captain, and how they've stepped up again this season, I think it has given them another lift. “They have been two huge players for the team this season. I think it was the best thing for the club and the team and you can see that in the performances and how they've done, as much as that hurts me." Henderson also offered great praise to the figure that he worked so effectively alongside during this golden era of the Liverpool Football Club. “I'm so happy it's worked out for them so far and I've just got my fingers crossed it can be a fairytale end for Jurgen because he deserves it." While Henderson was shocked like every fan was when the official news first dropped, knowing first hand how much a physical toll the job has taken on someone like Klopp, a man who puts his absolute heart and soul into it, he wasn’t overly surprised. "I have spoken to him a little bit. When I found out, it was quite shocking news for everyone. But at the same time, I probably wasn't as surprised as everyone else was because he has been there a long time and the passion and emotion that he gives teams and the club, to do that for a long time must wear you out. "It will give him an extra energy boost until the end of the season, we have seen that already and from the players as well. Hopefully that will get them over the line on a few trophies over the next few months."

Trent Alexander-Arnold believes that the way that Liverpool have earned their success in the Jurgen Klopp era means more in a personal sense compared to the financial juggernaut that is Man City. For the second time in three seasons, Liverpool are challenging on all four fronts. and having already one cup under their belt, it only gets more challenging from this point on. And on Sunday sees yet another chapter in the great modern day rivalry that is Liverpool vs Man City. And while nothing will be truly decided by the time the final whistle blows on Sunday, a win to either team will most certainly see them claim the favouritism tag for the title-run in. The Reds have a couple of things in their favour, namely that they are playing at Anfield and the fact that they still hold the pole position, thanks to that precious 99th minute winner by Darwin Nunez against Nottingham Forest. For their part Man City are doing what they seemingly do automatically which is click into gear once the new year comes around. It takes a hell of a lot of mental strength to come up against a team with the immense financial power that Man City have in abundance. Now that’s not to say that it money is the only thing that breeds success as you have to have a clear plan in how to spend it and bring in the right players of quality, but in the current landscape it most certainly helps your cause. Liverpool have a different method in how they have gone about their quest to claim honours, and it is something that clearly resonates with the playing group if the words of Alexander-Arnold are to go by as The Mirror reported (per Four Four Two). “It's tough. We're up against a machine that's built to win - that's the simplest way to describe City and their organisation. "Looking back on this era, although they've won more titles than us and have probably been more successful, our trophies will mean more to us and our fanbase because of the situations at both clubs, financially. “How both clubs have built their teams and the manner in which we've done it, probably means more to our fans." The right-back who is currently out with a lateral knee ligament injury knows full well about the overall strength of their title rivals, but sees no reason why the Reds cannot go stride for stride with them and come out on top come May. "From the turn of the year, City switch it on and it's a difficult machine to stop," "But we've shown in the past that we've been able to do it and there's no reason why we can't go and match them this season. We're excited to be involved with City and know we're in a good position. "I'm sure they'll be motivated, as are we. It's going to be an exciting end."

Liverpool are set for another battle with the Egyptian FA after officially asking them to exclude Mo Salah from the March friendlies. Salah had his African Cup of Nations tournament ended early after suffering a hamstring injury, and after a lay-off he returned to Liverpool action against Brentford on the 17th of February playing the second 45 minutes where he scored and produced a assist in the 4-1 victory. However bad news was to come in the aftermath of that game when the winger sustained a muscular injury which was apparently linked to his original ailment. There was always apprehension and caution attached in regards to how to bring Salah back to the playing fold, given how vital he is to the fortunes of Liverpool battling for honours on all four fronts. It seems remarkable to think in the modern day of high-octane Football and especially the way that Salah plays the game, that this was his first setback with any sort of muscle strain or tear that he has had since being at the club. But it is to his utmost credit in the professional way he prepares himself, that the 31 year-old has almost been an omnipresent fixture on the team sheet of Jurgen Klopp. To highlight that further, in his first six seasons on Merseyside, Salah has averaged 36.33 Premier League appearances per season, and extending that to all competitions he has averaged 50.83 appearances per season, only once not passing the half century which was in 2019/20. This campaign will be the second time, as even if he plays every possible game from here on in (currently on 28) he will fall one game short of the mark. But by far the most important thing is getting Salah back on the pitch and in top shape once the big games come around, which basically starts this week with a Round- of-16 clash with Sparta Prague in the Europa League followed by a visit from reigning league champions Man City. And hence why the letter was written to Egyptian officials, however the response gives the impression that they will make the decision and not Liverpool as the Echo reported. “We have already received a letter from Liverpool to exempt Mohamed Salah from the upcoming camp due to his injury. We sent the name of Mohamed Salah among the professional players that we are requesting to include in the next camp a few days ago. "It is our right to include any professional player as long as it is at the time of the international agenda, and the issue of whether or not to include him is in the hands of the national team’s technical staff, led by captain Hossam Hassan. "It is still too early to decide the matter, and if Mohamed Salah plays any match in the time before the start of the camp, we will adhere to his inclusion, and he will be examined and his readiness determined by the medical staff of the Egyptian national team." In 2021, Liverpool won the battle of wills with the Egyptian FA when they refused to release him for duty for the Olympic Games which they had every right not to given it was a non-FIFA sanctioned event. But it is clear given that wording that there is no love lost and the Egyptian FA are determined to chalk up any win they can. But let us hope the bigger picture is not lost in all this, and that is the fitness of one of the most important players in modern day Football.

Jurgen Klopp has admitted that there is no time scale regarding a return to first team action for Alisson. The Brazilian keeper last played for the Reds exactly a month ago in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. He then missed the next game against Burnley with the flu before recovering from that and was set to play against Brentford on the 17th of February before injuring his hamstring at the last training session. From the moment he sustained that injury, Klopp indicated to say that it would not be a quick return from this setback, and speaking ahead of the fixture against Nottingham Forest, the manager went into a bit more detail as the Mirror reported. “There is no real timescale on it, but it is a proper muscle injury. Different players recover differently. That is it pretty much. It is not a short one. "It is not that he will be in contention for next week or something like that. We have to wait a few more weeks, definitely, for him. He is working in the gym, not on the pitch, it is a rather serious one but not a season-ending injury." If there is a silver lining to losing the best goalkeeper in World Football, it means that it is giving an opportunity to Caoimhin Kelleher to get a number of games under his belt on a consistent basis. The 25 year-old has made 17 appearances during this campaign which is already double the next highest amount of eight which came during the 2021/22 campaign. There has often been speculation regarding the future of Kelleher and when he would decide the time is right for him to become a No 1 goalkeeper in his own right. There is no question that he would be a major asset to most teams in the top flight with the latest example of that being in the past week with outstanding performances against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup win and again in midweek against Southampton in the FA Cup 5th round tie. For a long time Klopp has spoken about the natural talent of Kelleher and has often said how lucky he is that the Irishman has decided to stick around as backup to Alisson. And while there has been confirmed interest including today’s opponent Nottingham Forest, the German said the club was never interested in selling a valued asset. “For me it was never a discussion, we spoke about it but for me there was no chance of him leaving so I was not interested in who was asking. “It would have had to be proper price to give us a chance of doing something in a difficult market. It is not like other goalkeepers moving from A to B for £15m or £20m, that is totally unrealistic and nonsense in how I understood.” Klopp says that Kelleher is the consummate team man and has never agitated for a move. “With a goalkeeper it is slightly different, but it never reached a point where we had a discussion whereby it was, ‘you have to stay, shut up.’ “You would have to ask him exactly what he thought, but I think now he would be pretty happy with the decision he made in the summer.”

Jurgen Klopp has pleaded for Liverpool’s next generation of talent to be able to focus on their own game and grow in an organic sense. Jayden Danns continued the week of his dreams on Wednesday evening when he scored two goals while his academy teammate. Lewis Koumas scored on his first-team debut as Liverpool registered a 3-0 win against Southampton to move into the Quarter-Final of the FA Cup where they will meet Man United at Old Trafford. Following the euphoria of Sunday’s dramatic Carabao Cup Final win against Chelsea, attention turned to this midweek tie, and just what sort of line-up the manager would be able to field. Some of the heroes of that epic encounter were given the night off to recuperate, while the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate shared central defensive duties with the captain starting and replaced by the Frenchman at half time. Harvey Elliott who has made a name for himself as a impact-sub this season made his third start in a week and was tireless worker throughout, while Joe Gomez has taken over the James Milner tag of “Mr Fixit” this season and after being deployed across the back four, the 26 year- old played in central midfleld against the Championship outfit. Speaking after the game, Klopp firstly wanted to address the discussion of his talented teens, and while being extremely proud of their rapid progress, wanted to emphasise that they are still on a learning curve as the Official Site reported. “I understand 100 per cent but it's a little bit like with the new darts sensation (Luke Littler). It's fine for tonight, absolutely, but from tomorrow on leave the boys in the corner please and don't ask where are they now, where are they now, where are they now. They have a lot to improve, a lot to learn. “They will have their moments and in the moment, with our squad situation, they will have more moments than they ever have expected probably, so that's one thing. The other this is their exceptional talents. Of course it's not natural that a boy, 18 years old, comes in that situation and he's just calm as you like and chips the balls there." Klopp said there was never any timeline drawn up for the pathway to first team action for the academy players and the way it has panned out opportunity has come out of necessity and paid full credit to the coaches for having the likes of Danns, Koumas, Bobby Clark and James McConnell cherry ripe for their moment on the big stage. “We were not involved in the timing, to be honest, too much because we had to use them because we don't have other players. I would like to say we waited five years and I saw them first time when they were 13 and I said, 'In February 2024, we will bring them.' "We have a very, very good and a very close relationship with the Academy for the obvious reasons, you all know that – Vitor Matos. Alex [Inglethorpe], Barry [Lewtas], Marc [Bridge-Wilkinson], we have a really close relationship, we actually work in the same building, just on different sides. “The way Liverpool wants to play is clear as well. On a specific day a few years ago, it was probably set up by me but the club needs to agree on that. I cannot stand in the Academy every day on the training pitch and say we do that in training. “Everybody bought into that. It's the best news because it's not about how you play, because there might be different styles, different ways, but you have to make sure that these exceptional talents understand that a football game starts with defending.” And in all of the years of being a manager and in his last few months of being Liverpool boss in particular, Klopp says he has experienced a first. “It is for me strange as well, I never had that before – that you play with that many kids and still can win football games. It's a really interesting experience, to be honest. Close before the finishing line, I saw that as well, so I'm really thankful for that.” And whoever takes over as manager, let’s hope this legacy which has been put in place so specifically and expertly goes on to replicate many more nights like this.

Bayern Munich have identified Andy Robertson as a prime transfer target as it is believed that Alphonso Davies will move to Real Madrid. The Canadian left-back has reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Spanish giants to join them either at the end of this season or when his contract expires in 2025. Bayern have their work cut out in retaining their Bundesliga title this season as the Xabi Alonso led Bayer Leverkusen is currently eight points clear. Losing a key member of their squad will come as a major blow, but they have a drawn up a number of options and as the Daily Mail reports, the Liverpool left-back has been earmarked as a key option. Robertson is a club favourite with players and fans alike, one of those players that is the true heart and soul of the club that identifies with everyone. Not only is he incredibly respected, the Scottish captain has proven to be one of the most dependable and durable players of the Klopp era. The only substantial injury that the 30 year-old has suffered during his seven seasons on Merseyside was this season which ironically occurred on international duty when he collided with Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon dislocating his shoulder in the process. Robertson missed the best part of three months and over 20 games, by far his longest forced lay-off in Liverpool colours. Jurgen Klopp has looked to not overburden the left-back since his return to full fitness, knowing that he is such a whole hearted competitor who goes 100 miles a hour from the first whistle. The outstanding body of work that Robertson has produced for the Reds is the reason that Bayern see him as the perfect replacement for Davies. Despite being seven years older, they are hoping that with Klopp calling time and possibly other long term players possibly considering their futures, Robertson may fancy a change of scenery. However this prevailing view from the outside that this outstanding squad built by Klopp will follow their manager quickly out the exit door is certainly not seen by the man himself. Klopp recently said “ Write what you want. This club is stable, 100%. Everything will be fine, I'm 100% sure." The current contract of Robertson runs out in 2026, and what we know about the man it is hard to see him play for any other club until his latter years as a professional when a move to boyhood club Celtic could possibly be on the cards. But the Football landscape has rarely been more unpredictable as this present time. Who ever believed that captain Jordan Henderson would depart to play in a Saudi League or Jurgen Klopp announce that he will be moving on at the conclusion of this season when we thought we had many more years together. Liverpool without Andy Robertson will almost be as hard to contemplate as Jurgen departing and fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that just yet. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13130787/Liverpool-Andy-Robertson-transfer-Bayern-Munich-Alphonso-Davies-Real-Madrid.html

A reflective Jurgen Klopp has described Liverpool’s thrilling 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final as the most special trophy in his career. Liverpool arrived at Wembley Stadlum with a patched-up squad already missing quite a few first team regulars and with the confirmation that Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez would take no part in the showcase final it was an added blow. But if we know anything about this Liverpool team under the German, it is that they thrive on adversity, if someone is missing, another player steps up to the mark and play their role with aplomb. This was taken to extreme levels in the closing 20 minutes of regular time when youth players Bobby Clark, Jayden Danns and James McConnell were all brought on with their senior teammates literally running themselves into the ground. The trio made they boyhood dreams a reality as they stepped out onto the hallowed turf in front of close to 90,000 people watching their every move and many millions more watching on from home, let alone coming up against players with much more experience and reputation. However to their great credit, they did not take a backward step and the experience would be worth its weight in gold for their development. Klopp has seen many things in his decades long tenure in the game, but even he was at a loss to explain what he had just witnessed as the Echo reported. “Come on, what we see here today is so exceptional. “We might never see it again. Not because I’m on the sidelines but because these things don’t happen in football. I got told there’s an English phrase you don’t win trophies with kids. I didn’t know that. Yeah… “In more than 20 years it is easily the most special trophy I have ever won. It is absolutely exceptional. Sometimes people ask me if I’m proud of things and it’s really tricky, I wish I could feel pride more often. But tonight is an overwhelming feeling... Oh my god, what’s going on? "I was proud of everyone involved in everything here, I was proud of our people for the way they pushed us, I was proud of the staff for creating this kind of atmosphere surrounding where these boys can just do what they are best at. I was proud of our Academy, I was proud of my coaches, I was proud of so many things. It was completely overwhelming.” The unique factor of the academy kids playing their role in the Cup final really struck a chord with the German. “Seeing the faces after the game of the kids, Jayden Danns... Can you create in football stories which definitely nobody will ever forget? It’s so difficult because this happened before, this happened before... this tonight, if you find the same story with Academy players coming on against a top, top side and still winning it, I’ve never heard of it.” Mauricio Pochettino created headlines and raised plenty of eyebrows with his pre-match comments imploring officials not to fall for the narrative of Jurgen Klopp leaving Liverpool. Anyone that watched this game would have said that the Argentinian had nothing to worry about on that front, and Klopp did not mince his words about what he thought about Chris Kavanagh’s performance. “We had a ref who was not up to the level of the game, that didn’t help one team or the other, it was just ‘what did he see? What is that?’. There was no common sense again, for refs it’s something I’m not sure they teach or ask for it, it’s just not there.” After such an emotional high, there is not much time to celebrate this phenomenal triumph with a home midweek FA Cup tie against Southampton, and Klopp says he has some thinking to do regarding who exactly plays. “You see tired players. I have no clue who can play on Wednesday (at home to Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round) because we have players on the pitch until the end of the game who had problems. We asked Harvey and Lucho to stay up front and not go back any more. “I have no idea who can play on Wednesday but for tonight it is a night I will never forget. If nobody else sees it like that no problem apart from me. It’s a really nice memory forever.”