TLW

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 View full article

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.” View full article

Andy Robertson has given Conor Bradley a major tick of approval as the young Northern Irishman fits in seamlessly into the Liverpool starting line-up. A revelation at League One outfit Bolton Wanderers last season, Bradley has shown that he is not overawed in the big step up in quality, playing in front of packed stadiums and filling the role of a World Class talent in Trent-Alexander-Arnold. Today against Chelsea is the kind of fixture that any Footballer dreams of, a Cup final at Wembley Stadium, let alone an academy graduate that will be making his 17th senior appearance for his club. The usual discussion after the closure of recent transfer windows revolved around the lack of a back-up for Alexander-Arnold who would keep him on his toes and possibly be the catalyst for a full-time midfield role shift for the 25 year-old. Jurgen Klopp implemented the inverted role at the tail end of last season for the England international which has had its successes but also put added pressure on the Reds defence at times. A misfortune in terms of a lingering knee ligament injury for Alexander-Arnold has allowed Bradley to build confidence and the 20 year old has been one of the most and impressive players in the last month as Liverpool aim to keep their pole position atop the Premier League table. One teammate who has been watching on with a level of pride is Robertson, a player who is never shy in handing out advice to the next generation of talent. Like everyone who has watched Bradley this season, he is impressed with every facet of his game as the Echo reported. “For now, Conor has shown he can do it at the highest level. He's got a lot of hype around him but now it's shown he can do it every single week. Before every game he plays and during training, that's what I say to him - it's all good being the new kid on the block and things like that, but with that comes expectation. And he's dealt with that unbelievably well. “His consistency so far has been top class and he has got to keep going like that. That's what makes you a really, really good player, when you can do it week in, week out in every single game. That's what I'm trying to drill home with him, because the skill he has, the ability to play football, the athleticism is there to be seen. But he has got to prove he can be consistent." And Robertson believes that Bradley is far from content with his progress to date. “He is a hard worker, he is a good lad, he listens to all the other lads and takes everything in his stride. He is the perfect young player, always in the gym working hard and working hard on the training ground. I believe he will have an unbelievable career, but from my experience it's about getting the consistency. That's the key message I give him." As a veteran of the Jurgen Klopp era, Robertson is well placed to assess where this squad is placed and is generally excited about those who are coming through the ranks, and that was highlighted on Wednesday evening against Luton. “With what's happened over the last couple of weeks, all of a sudden (someone like) Conor has become one of the more experienced lads in the squad "That's how quickly it can change. “Harvey was making his 100th appearance for the club against Luton on Wednesday, and he has become one of the more experienced players because on the bench there wasn't many appearances between the young lads. We have lost a lot of players but we have to go with the excitement of the young lads. "The lads who came on against Luton looked excited, and it reminded me of when I came on for my debut. You have no fear and are just happy to be there, and you can use that to your advantage, and that's what we are going to have to do." View full article

Mauricio Pochettino has looked to gain a psychological blow ahead of the Carabao Cup final by aiming to play the ‘officials ‘card’ and hoping the occasion is not decided by emotion. The Chelsea manager is still clearly aggrieved by what he feels were wrong decisions as his team were convincingly beaten by Liverpool last month. With Jurgen Klopp moving on at the end of the season, there has been a lot of articles written about the legacy of the German and what it will mean for Liverpool moving forward. Pochettino was at pains to explain that this is in no way a criticism of Klopp, but more so decisions be judged fairly for both sides as ESPN reported. " I think what we need to be sure is we are going to compete and be fair in every single decision. I think when we play against Liverpool in Liverpool, I think too many decisions that ... not one key decision was for us. Two penalties were not given. Duels, 50-50, always for another colour. Always red. I want to be treated in a fair way. Of course, we are going to celebrate -- I am the first, I am going to say Liverpool is amazing, Klopp is one of the best coaches in the world. "But I think after my last experience playing there, I think what I want in Wembley is to go there and no one feels the pressure. To play a game at the same level and the best will win, not to feel the pressure, people around or, you know? You understand what I mean. Pochettino seemingly on a roll at this stage and channeling his inner Jose Mourinho kept emphasizing his point and was heading into somewhat dangerous territory. “It is nice. Liverpool is an amazing club. I love Klopp and the way that he is, is amazing. But of course, it is his last season here, you go to compete in the same way, both teams and to give or see the things for both clubs in the same way." It was then that the Argentinian was asked whether there is a wide spread view among the Football community that people wanted Liverpool to win because of the German, something he was quick to refute. “No. I don't say people want that, it is not to be part of the celebration. I would never say that, another part involved in the game, they want Liverpool to win. "But the most important is to go and compete with the same view from different parts because we need to talk. “They were better than us of course but the first decision after five minutes, that was a clear penalty. In the second half, that was penalty on Nkunku. After you see the VAR that interfered in many situations and it is different or maybe similar and gives a penalty, why not? "We are Chelsea, we need to go there, we need to compete with the same tools and of course, if they are better, well done, congratulate them. But, being fair in every single decision. "The pressure is not about delivering the job for Klopp, no. The pressure is not to be part of the ... you know? I cannot talk more." Maybe Mauricio hasn’t seen enough of Liverpool in his absence from English Football in the last few years. The last thing Klopp or anyone associated with the club will be expecting is any favourable emotion coming their way from officials. To the contrary, they more than anyone will be counting the days until Klopp's departure, such has been the fractious relationship. Fair to say the Cup final won’t be decided by decisions, moreso acts of individual quality just like it was at Anfield at the end of January. View full article

Jurgen Klopp is not yet in the frame of mind to think too much about his impending departure at Liverpool, saying that there are a couple of more chapters to write on a fantastic journey. Tomorrow afternoon at Wembley Stadium Liverpool resume their domestic cup final rivalry with Chelsea two years on from a couple of thrilling encounters which the Reds came out on top. There will be quite a few stars that have either moved on, or will be missing through injury from those two showcase fixtures and when it comes to the West London outfit, a different manager too. This will also be the last Carabao Cup final that Klopp will be involved in, although he hopes it is not the last trip to Wembley with the Reds still in the FA Cup. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Klopp said that his mind is truly focussed on what lies ahead at Liverpool and not direction his future career will head in as the Mirror reported . “We wrote and we are still writing a wonderful book and when I leave we close that book and put it on the shelf and then someone else will write a wonderful book. There is space for some (more) chapters. “I am not there and writing the resumé already. Not at all. I am 100 percent in trying to create a few special memories on top of what we have done. We will see what is possible but the basis we created so far … come on, 60 Premier League points is an extraordinary amount of points with all the things that have gone on but we all know it should be 61 or 63. we all know that.” (Klopp reminding the ensembled media he has not forgotten the farce that happened against Tottenham at the end of September.) While Liverpool produced an outstanding display to dismantle Chelsea at Anfield last month, the manager knows all too well that this is a completely different occasion. “Chelsea are a different animal since we (last) played them. They are much more stable. They have had very good results since then. There is no favourite in this final.” Klopp knows the while the team will be missing some key members, the Reds fans will be in full voice to push them over the line. “The red part of Wembley should be rocking. This team deserves it, this team deserves each push. These boys will throw their heart and soul on the pitch and the more we can give them the better it is.” “We have had to prove a few points … that you can miss X, Y, Z players but still win games.” View full article

Jurgen Klopp says his squad are a major believer in the power of positivity and were focused on who was playing rather than those who were absent through injury as Liverpool produced a outstanding second half display to overwhelm Luton 4-1 at Anfield on Wednesday night. Already without Alisson, Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold before the weekend, the Reds then lost Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota to injuries that will see them miss weeks and possibly months of action. And with the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday, no risks were taken with Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Ibrahima Konate, the latter being a unused substitute while the two forwards were given the night off to rest any slight niggles they may have had. It meant the front three had an unfamiliar look to normal with Harvey Elliott linking up with Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz. In a further example of Liverpool’s depth being tested, this starting lineup had an average age of 25 years and 68 days - the club's youngest since February 2018 while Liverpool's bench had five players aged 19 or under, with 16-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni among the substitutes. Not surprisingly, it took a period of time to gel and Liverpool as a whole looked far from themselves in a very scratchy first 45 minutes where the visitors led through Chiedozie Ogbene. Klopp has been known throughout his tenure for his ability to truly inspire his players at the half time interval by keeping positive and thinking that they can turn around any deficit if they believe. This was the sixth time during this campaign that they have turned a deficit into all three points. Speaking after the win which restored Liverpool’s four point gap over Man City, Klopp cited an iconic victory which saw those memories personally flooding back (per the Official site.) “I will mention this game quite a few times, to be honest. I promised my team a few months ago probably I will never mention or use the Barcelona game [in 2019] again as an example – and I used it today again, so I broke my promise. Just because before the game it was kind of similar: many players missing, stuff like this. If the team that played that night against Barcelona would have stuck to the knowledge of who was missing. “This team (on that night) ignored the fact who was missing and I want us to ignore the fact [of] who is missing. That’s difficult because the public got the knowledge of the whole amount of players missing only tonight. “It’s like, ‘Oh…’ I needed a few minutes to process it when I got all the news but from the moment on when you know how you can deal with it, how you can sort it for this game now, it feels really good. “That’s what I wanted the boys to show and this is an example tonight, this is now their Barcelona, [it] was against Luton – a difficult situation, plenty of reasons to give up in moments, ‘Yeah, not tonight.’ And I saw only a super group fighting. If you don’t limit yourself with bad thoughts, you can fly. And that’s what the boys did." With the cup final clearly now in the forefront of his mind, Klopp is taking nothing for granted on the injury front. “Obviously for us there are now a lot of super-important games coming up, and we don’t know, we go day by day. I cannot say anything about it and I don’t know. But after Brentford I had no clue the situation would be like it was now. So, let’s see. There’s one phrase that stands: as long as we have 11, we will go for it. That’s all I can promise.” View full article

Jurgen Klopp is highly impressed by the work of Xabi Alonso and in time believes that he will be the leader of the next generation of elite managers. The former Liverpool midfield star has guided Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga where they currently sit five points clear of reigning champions Bayern Munich. The fact that they have done it in such an impressive fashion has certainly caught the eye of many observers, currently unbeaten through 21 games in the league as well as still competing in the Europa League and German Cup. The shock announcement that Klopp would be leaving at the end of this campaign have led many to hope and think that the Spaniard is the natural fit to replace the iconic figure. While Klopp did not directly discuss that prospect, he did praise the work of Alonso in glowing terms as the Mirror reported. “Xabi is doing an incredible job,”. “If there were not the rumours around, that’s completely independent, if you had asked me eight weeks ago about Xabi Alonso, I would have gone ‘Oh my God’. “The dinosaurs if you want, Ancelotti, Mourinho, Guardiola, maybe me, we will not do it - OK maybe Mourinho - but all the rest of us will not do it for the next 20 years. The next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is the stand-out in that department.” “Nobody knows if that’s always the way he wants to play or if it’s the way this team specifically plays. He’s not long enough in the business to tell, but obviously the coaching part is exceptional. That’s clear. Klopp says that having being an esteemed player in his own right in the modern era has been highly beneficial. “He’s a former world-class player, obviously from a coaching family as well, which helps a little bit, he was like a coach already when he was playing. The football he’s playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did, it was all absolutely exceptional.” Another thing that clearly impressed Klopp from afar was the way that Leverkusen single handedly dismantled Bayern 3-0 in emphatic style last week in their quest for their first league title. And refereeing back to his time at Borussia Dortmund, Klopp noted they went about it in a different fashion. “To be honest when we beat Bayern at Dortmund, it was a bit of defending very well, counter-attacking and taking the momentum. But Leverkusen were simply better. That was probably the real surprise given the short time he was there and the fact that it’s a young team. And it is why come the end of the season, Klopp senses that there will be honours coming Alonso’s way. “As they are in the semi-final of the German Cup, there is only one other Bundesliga team in it if Gladbach wins, so Leverkusen have a very good chance to win the Cup,” . “Obviously when you look through the Europa League, Leverkusen are one of the favourites there as well so this could be THE season for Leverkusen. It’s really crazy." View full article

Alexis Mac Allister says he has grown into the holding midfield role as the season has progressed and is more than happy that it is playing a part in the success of the team. The Argentinian moved to Liverpool from Brighton where he was one of the creative architects of their top six finish in the league and reaching the semi-final of the FA Cup. With Liverpool’s midfield in desperate need of regeneration and some attacking impetus, it was thought the 25 year-old would play a big role in that. But after a failed bid to bring Mac Allister’s former teammate Moises Caicedo to the club and with Romeo Lavia also knocking back the chance to become a Liverpool player, it meant that there was a big void to fill in the holding midfield role and with options on the market limited, it meant Jurgen Klopp looked internally. Mac Allister discussed the challenges in learning a different role but also outlined his enjoyment as the Mirror reported. “At the beginning of the season, we didn't have a proper No 6 so I had to do the job - and Jurgen likes it! So I try to do my best and it's all about helping the team. It's quite different, because as a normal No 8 you need to be able to carry the ball more and use it more further forward. “I like the way I am playing. I like that I'm helping my team-mates if they need any protection. In the position I am playing now, it's more about the defensive things. But at that same time, I'm able to get on the ball a lot and I really like it. I always said it was a position I really like and I think I can do it very well." That level of confidence is spread throughout the team with no better example than the outstanding midweek performance against Chelsea. But there is no time to dwell on that success with another major test against Arsenal today. “We expect a very hard game at Arsenal, like it was in the FA Cup. It was a very tough game, they have very good players, they know what they want to do and have a clear idea of what they need to do. “They want to win the game, just like we do. It's clear that we have improved a lot now as a team since the beginning of the season. You can see that every player who comes into the team knows exactly what they have to do. ‌“We are really pleased with our performances so far but we know that we've only just gone past the halfway mark in the season. We need to keep going. We know the potential of this team. If we keep playing like we are and did against Chelsea, then we can achieve something this season.” Mac Allister said that quest has been aided by Klopp announcing that this season will be his last at the club. “The manager saying he is leaving has given us a greater incentive. “I don't know if that was his idea when he made the announcement, but it's definitely become an incentive. “We all know what Jurgen means to this club and the fans - and we want the best for him. We really understand and respect his decision and now we want to do our best to give him a very good season before he leaves.” View full article

Jurgen Klopp has gone out of his way to calm any fears that his exit from Liverpool will lead to a player exodus. The shock news that the German will end his tenure come the end of this season naturally saw its fair share of headlines, but along with that came some tenuous links that senior players may also be considering their future. None more so than captain Virgil Van Dijk who in the the aftermath of the announcement discussed how different the club landscape will look next season, and when the question was put to him whether he will be a mainstay of the future, he replied ‘ That’s a big question. I don’t know.” But the Dutchman clarified that comment yesterday and ended any doubts of his commitment by saying: "Let’s make it clear. I am 100% committed to the club, I love the fans. It is fully taken out if context. It’s not about me, it’s about us. Five days ago we weren’t even talking about my contract (which has another 18 months to run), so it’s a bit silly!” While Klopp has plenty on his plate regarding upcoming fixtures and keeping the title quest on track, that doesn’t mean he isn’t aware of what has been said about his players and their future. As any Reds fan knows, there is no manager presently in the game that provides as much support to his players than Klopp. And once again he left no one in any doubt to what he thought of the speculation per the Echo. “Nobody has to worry. That's why I say this team, the majority is exactly like it is. If you want to find someone who isn't safe and doesn't have a contract in 2025, you will find it. "I knew this (speculation) was going to happen because you (the media) can’t wait with these questions. Virgil didn't go out of his way to say it. It is always about the questions. We always need to answer. Write what you want - this club is stable, 100%. “Everything will be fine, I'm 100% sure. We have to get through this, through your questions and give answers. I people I would recommend to stay calm in this department, massively." Klopp went further and believed that the fanbase at large see through this kind of hysteria that is whipped up with the presence of social media platforms and is basically a 24-hour football news cycle. “Very often the fans concerns aren't as big as the media might think. You underestimate the IQ of our supporters, I think. They know these things come up. It's completely normal - there's nothing to worry about. “All these talks could be part of a possible destruction about this season, and that's the same in all seasons whether you know the manager is staying or not. It's human the boys have to think about things, whenever you make a decision about something then you think.” And he lastly reminded everyone that the players themselves have a special bond with the club. “There is enough time to do everything. These players love to be here, don’t forget that. It is not that they have one foot out. They want to know a little bit of perspective but that is there and will happen, especially behind the scenes. “The only annoying part is you (the media). Because everything is fine, just because we constantly answer questions it feels like 'What's going on there? Why don't they do that?'. Things – especially important things - need time. Don’t worry. You (media) can worry for you at home, don't worry. It is all fine. The boys love this place: I know that for a fact and when will what happen we will see." View full article

Pep Guardiola has echoed his previous claim that Jurgen Klopp is his best rival in Football. Speaking in the aftermath of the shock news that the Liverpool manager will be standing down at the end of this season (Per ESPN), Guardiola said that no one has come close to challenging him as a manager than the German and that he has helped to shape an era in Football. “I will sleep better [when Klopp goes]. The games we play before against Liverpool were almost a nightmare. Of course he will be missed. It was a shock [to hear the news]. I felt when I heard it that a part of Man City … we will lose something. We cannot define our period here without him … without Liverpool. Impossible. “They have been our biggest rivals. And personally he [Klopp] has been the best rival I ever had in my life – in Dortmund when I was in Bayern, then here. I think the Premier League are going to miss him – the charisma, the personality and especially the way his teams play. Klopp did not discuss his future plans, but Guardiola was adamant that we will see him on a touch line again. “Maybe it’s my opinion and he will not admit it but he will be back. I know it. Football needs managers and personalities like him. And I hope … it was our dream when we were together … hopefully now from next season we can have time to go to dinner together. Or have the drink that we deserve to take. “He loves the game but it is nine years in the same place, the demand is so high. Every moment you think I need to breathe. I didn’t speak with Jürgen but maybe he feels that. Take a break, take a step back and take a perspective on everything. I understand completely. I don’t want to compare with him but at Barcelona I had that feeling. I needed the time to find myself.” View full article

The Metropolitan Police have requested that the Carabao Cup Final between Liverpool and Chelsea on the 25th of February be moved forward to an earlier timeslot due from its current 4:30pm timeslot due to it sitting in the ‘high risk’ category. The two teams met in a couple of showcase finals two years ago with the Carabao Cup final kicking off at 4:30pm while the FA Cup final kicked off 15 minutes later. The Met released a statement (per the Echo) which outlined the process. “Preparations for the EFL Cup policing operation are underway following the conclusion of the two semi-finals and we are working with partners including the Wembley Stadium, local authority and EFL on agreeing the kick off time. “Our partners are aware this match qualifies as a ‘high-risk’ fixture and in accordance with national guidance from the UK Football Policing Unit, this fixture should kick off no later than 3pm.” It is thought that the EFL were initially standing by their preference for a 4:30pm kick off due to their contract with Sky Sports, but sources on both sides have indicated that a compromise is likely with the game being brought forward. It also has to be noted that when Liverpool and Chelsea met in the two cup finals that no major disturbances were reported, but on a wider scale, incidents are said to be up in the last few years which has led to the more conservative approach in these matters. There is a recent precedent for authorities requesting a showcase fixture to be moved from its proposed kick-off time with last years FA Cup final between the two Manchester clubs being moved to a 3pm kick-off, the first time it had been in that timeslot since 2011. And Liverpool’s clash with City at the Etihad Stadium on November 25th was switched from a 5:30pm KO to a 12:30pm start due to objections from Greater Manchester Police citing previous incidents between the two sets of fans. View full article

Jurgen Klopp says Joe Gomez has been an unsung hero in his ability to deputise for injured teammates in the back four. Versatility has been a trademark of Jurgen Klopp’s spell as manager, asking players to play in a non-preferred position, but the sacrifice has then led to overall success. That trait is what led to James Milner earning the respect from everyone at the club, whether the midfielder filled in at Left or Right Back, he did it with a minimum of fuss. And Gomez shares that same quality. It is sometimes easy to forget that he is still only 26, but it is clear he is highly regarded from the coaching staff and teammates alike. The defender has been through plenty of ups and downs on a personal level through his nine seasons at the Reds but it is his strength of character which is so noteworthy, after every injury setback he has set his goal to return a better player. Those forced absences and then the subsequent return to match fitness has seen Gomez only surpass 20 Premier League appearances in a season on three occasions (2017/18, 2019/20 and 2022/23.. He is already sitting on 18 for this season. A sign that luck is finally luck is shining on Gomez is that he has made 60 of his 202 appearances for the club in the last season and a half (just under 30%) and with plenty of games on the horizon this campaign, that percentage will surely grow. A sidenote is that he has played the full 90 minutes for the last six fixtures, once again illustrating the confidence he has in his body. Gomez has had to fill in for Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas and Trent Alexander-Arnold in recent times, no easy task by any means, but speaking after the Reds booked their ticket for another Carabao Cup final showdown against Chelsea, the manager waxed lyrical about Gomez as the Official Website reported. “Without Joe nothing would've happened in the last pretty much 13 [or] 14 weeks since Robbo [Andy Robertson] is out. Yes, because he could play there, but the things we could do with Trent [Alexander-Arnold] when we brought Joey on, I don't exactly [know] how many games [he] played now this year, but I would say 20-something already. “He is a life-saver, to be honest, that he was here, that he could play, and people forget how important Joey was in the best years we had. I don't know how many games he played in the year when we became champions and how many games he played when we won the Champions League. A lot and rightly so because he's a top-class player.” With Liverpool still fighting on all four fronts this season and key players set to return to action,, competition for spots all over the pitch is set to be intense. And that along with a team in fine form is all what a manager could ask for. View full article

A South American football expert has been surprised by the lack of concrete bids for a midfielder who has been likened to a former Liverpool star. Andre Trindade has been a name which has been circulating for a number of months with a number of Premier League clubs believed to be interested with Liverpool apparently at the front of the queue. Coming off a season that was imminently forgettable, the optimism in the fanbase for a successful campaign was not helped just before the season kickoff in August when the Reds interest in Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia was rebuffed with both players opting to join Chelsea. With Liverpool desperately needing a holding midfielder after the departure of Fabinho to the Saudi league, Stefan Bajcetic still learning his trade in the senior ranks and dealing with a injury setback, and with Trindade staying with his club until the end of the South American season in December, Jurgen Klopp turned to a largely unknown player in Wataru Endo. With Liverpool looking to completely revamp their midfield with younger and more dynamic players, signing a 30 year-old seemed to go completely against that mould. But while taking time to find his feet in a new league, the Japanese captain has ticked every box and passed every challenge asked of him and before leaving for the Asian Cup he was growing into a pivotal pice of the starting midfield. Tim Vickery is the font of all knowledge when it comes to South American footballing talent be it emerging or established. And given that the transfer window is well.and truly open, speaking to Sky Sports News (per the Echo), Vickery is somewhat at a loss to explain why a club has not come in for him. “ I'm absolutely baffled. Even Fulham - who have been closest recently - I think that they seem to think that signing this player is not a priority. Liverpool were the club who were closest to signing him in the summer. We understand that a big money offer came in. “Since then (Andre's) only grown, he's won the Copa Libertadores, he's played well in a bad Brazil side, did well in a losing cause against Manchester City in the final of the Club World Cup. "He's a central midfielder who brings you so much. He does remind me of a young Javier Mascherano “Given the success of a number of Brazilian central midfielders in English football recently, Joao Gomes or Douglas Luiz, this is the best of the bunch and it is surprising to me that there hasn't been more interest for him this window." It is abundantly clear that there will be no incomings during this month, and in truth that makes sense, when you see the team currently operating like a well oiled machine. While there are absentees through injury and international commitments, all the key players should be firmly in place again by mid February at the latest. The only long term injury being Joel Matip but his role has been expertly filled by Jarrell Quansah, meanwhile it remains to be seen if, or indeed when Thiago Alcantara will play for the club again. Endo and Alexis Mac Allister will continue to share the holding midfield role until the end of the season and it remains to be seen come the summer whether the interest for Andre is still there or if they look to focus on other parts of the pitch. View full article