Following his Sunday goal for Gremio, Luis Suarez shared a message of support for Lucas Leiva.
Even though he joined Gremio in December, Suarez was reunited with his former Liverpool teammate but was unable to play alongside the Brazilian midfielder.
After a routine screening revealed a heart condition, Lucas had already been forced to withdraw from training earlier that month.
The 36-year-old revealed at a press conference on Friday that he had made the decision to end his playing career on the advice of doctors after taking some time to assess and undergo additional testing.
Suarez – who played for Liverpool alongside Lucas between 2011 and 2014 – paid tribute to him after opening the scoring for Gremio at Ypiranga by revealing a written message on his under-shirt which read: “Lucas, our heart is with you, we are together”.
Gremio’s players also wore shirts with Lucas’ name on the back, while head coach Renato Portaluppi adorned a t-shirt with the player’s name.
Ypiranga went on to win 2-1 in the first leg of theirCampeonato Gaucho semi-final through a 96th-minute penalty from Erick, with the second leg due to take place at Arena do Gremio on Saturday.
Stefan Bajcetic, a midfielder for Liverpool, has announced that he will not play again this season.
The 18-year-old Spaniard sat out last night’s 1-0 defeat at the Bernabeu as Liverpool were defeated 6-2 on aggregate by Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16.
Before the game, Klopp revealed that Bajcetic’s absence was due to a stress response around his abductor.
And the player took to Instagram earlier today to announce that his season had been cut short due to injury.
He said: “Unfortunately, I’ve picked up an injury that will keep me out until the end of the season.
“It’s very sad to say goodbye to this amazing season for me but I understand this is part of football and will only make me stronger physically and mentally.
“I would also like to say thank you to you Reds for all the support through the season and I assure you I will do my best to be back stronger than ever.”
Speaking prior to the defeat in Spain, Klopp said: “With Stefan, it is a stress response, which is absolutely bad.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp must do without Stefan Bajcetic for the rest of the campaign
“So he doesn’t feel a lot, it’s only a little bit but he is now out for I don’t know exactly how long.
“We have just to let it settle then and we will see when he can come back.”
Due to Fulham’s involvement in the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend and the international break, Liverpool will not return to action until they head to Premier League champions Manchester City on April 1.
Chelsea are prepared to put its interest inParis Saint-Germain star Neymar on hold in order to concentrate on signing Josko Gvardiol to the team in the summer.
The Premier League team has been linked with the Brazilian in recent months, but Sky Sports Germany reports that no talks have taken place and that a deal is currently unlikely.
Instead, Graham Potter has focused on Gvardiol, who was a member of the RB Leipzig team that conceded seven goals to Manchester City this past week in the Champions League.
The 21-year-old made an impression for Croatia during the World Cup in Qatar, and Thomas Tuchel reportedly tried to sign him to Stamford Bridge last summer but the German club reportedly blocked the move.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the West Londoners are well in the hunt when it comes to signing the defensive powerhouse but will face a battle with other top clubs including Manchester City and Liverpool.
Croatia’s 19-cap international is contracted to Leipzig until 2027, meaning there is a possibility of a bidding war that could exceed the £80million offer reportedly tabled by Chelsea last summer.
With Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly both over 30, Potter is keen to invest in a long-term solution for his backline.
Karim Benzema has recovered from an injury in time for Wednesday’s Champions League match between Real Madrid and Liverpool, but Carlo Ancelotti has warned Los Blancos to forget their victory at Anfield earlier this month.
Benzema and Vinicius Junior both scored twice when Madrid thrashed Jurgen Klopp’s team 5-2 in the first leg of the round of 16 in February, but the striker’s form has dipped since then.
The Madrid captain has gone three games without scoring in all competitions, and this season, injuries have only allowed him to play in 15 LaLiga games.
Ancelotti claims that Benzema is ready to go for Liverpool’s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu despite missing Saturday’s 3-1 victory against Espanyol due to an ankle injury.
“Benzema is 100 per cent recovered. He has done good work in training sessions since Sunday,” Ancelotti said at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“He has great enthusiasm for this game. For me, for the players, for the club and for Karim, this is a massive competition.”
Asked about Benzema’s lack of form in recent weeks, Ancelotti said: “We’re not talking about criticism. We’re talking about his condition, how he’s doing… I see him looking good, motivated and excited for tomorrow’s game.”
Madrid became the first visiting team to score five goals in a European fixture at Anfield last month, and they have progressed from 26 of their 27 European Cup/Champions League ties when winning on the road in the first leg.
However, with Liverpool one of just four sides to have overturned a first-leg deficit of three goals or more to win a Champions League tie, Ancelotti remains wary of their threat.
“We have to work on our defence and what we do in the final third. We’re not focused on that first leg,” he said.
“We’ve got our game plan, which we’re going to stick to. We’ll try to start off strongly, play with plenty of tempo and look to win the match.
“We’re going to approach this match like its just 90 minutes, we’re not going to get the calculator out and work out how many goals we need. We can’t focus purely on defending.”
Madrid were involved in several dramatic Champions League ties last term, including when they squandered a 3-1 first-leg lead over Chelsea before sealing a 5-4 aggregate win in the last eight in extra time in the home leg.
Ancelotti is determined to enjoy a smoother passage to the next stage on Wednesday, saying: “Maybe people don’t see me that stressed, but of course I suffer a lot and against Chelsea, I did!
“Everyone played their part on that day and it was a remarkable victory. We’ve got to make sure it’s a very different game this time.
“That’s why I said we’re not going to get our calculator out. We’re going to make sure we book our place in the next round.”
Several managers picked up much-needed victories in yet another exciting Premier League round, while other managers found themselves in even more danger.
After a shocking 1-0 victory over Liverpool, Bournemouth under Gary O’Neil climbed off the bottom of the standings, and Tottenham under Antonio Conte also picked up three points at home.
But Brendan Rodgers, Patrick Vieira, and David Moyes all fell short of orchestrating a victory at home.
We examine the five strategists most likely to be fired before the season is through.
David Moyes (West Ham)
A tough season at West Ham continued when they were held to a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Hammers only sit above the relegation zone on goal difference and despite a promising 4-0 victory over Nottingham Forest last month, they have since been knocked out of the FA Cup and thumped 4-0 at Brighton.
That inconsistency is a frustration for Moyes and may ultimately result in London Stadium chiefs deciding to dispense with the Scot.
After the draw with the Villans, the Scot said: “At the moment, I have to say we’re a bit flaky and I have to make sure that that’s not there.
“This season we have shown bits of that, which I don’t like.”
Antonio Conte (Tottenham)
Antonio Conte could turn his back on Tottenham
Conte looked close to the exit door at Tottenham when his team were dumped out of the Champions League by AC Milan last week.
A number of off-field issues have complicated the Italian’s tenure this term, with the FA Cup exit at Sheffield United further complicating matters for the North Londoners.
But a 3-1 home win over Forest on Saturday calmed the storm at Spurs and Conte is seemingly happy to now continue the fight, if only until the end of the season.
The ex-Chelsea and Inter Milan boss, 53, said: “I see the right spirit and desire to get the three points.
“In my players, I have seen the fire in their eyes.
“For us to finish in the top four is like winning the Premier League. It happened last season and I spoke about a miracle.”
Patrick Vieira (Crystal Palace)
Patrick Vieira has struggled to get Crystal Palace firing this season
Palace have been awful in the final third this term.
In Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to City, they became the first team on record (since 2003-04) to fail to have a single shot on target in three consecutive Premier League matches.
Palace remain winless in their 10 league outings in 2023 (five draws, five defeats) and are now only three points from the drop.
An angry Vieira said after the loss to City: “It’s happened too many times when I’ve mentioned we should have got something from the game. I’m really frustrated.
“We want to play in a better way, to create more chances and score goals, but the process is taking time.”
Brendan Rodgers (Leicester)
Leicester fans have turned on manager Brendan Rodgers
Saturday’s 3-1 home loss to Chelsea was Leicester’s 16th defeat of the season — the joint-worst record in the division with Southampton — and the first time Rodgers has suffered as many in a single league season.
And although only Claudio Ranieri has a better win percentage (44%) than Rodgers (43%) in his 150 top-flight games in charge of the Foxes, the 50-year-old’s time in the East Midlands looks to be almost up.
A disappointing summer of transfer activity was followed by a poor start to the season and despite an upturn before the World Cup, four defeats on the bounce have resulted in fans turning against the 16th-placed outfit.
After the latest setback, Rodgers said: “The chanting doesn’t affect me. My focus is on the team and I will give my very best while I’m here.
“The supporters are clearly disappointed. You want the crowd to be behind the team but this how it has been since the summer.
“One thing we have shown is that we can fight and have resilience and that’s what is going to be needed in these next 12 games.”
Gary O’Neil (Bournemouth)
Gary O’Neil received a huge boost on Saturday
Bournemouth’s 9-0 loss at Liverpool last August resulted in former boss Scott Parker receiving the boot, with O’Neil installed as caretaker.
O’Neil earned the position on a permanent basis following 13 points from 11 games and although there was a drop-off in results after the World Cup, a 1-0 win in the reverse fixture against the Reds has given the Cherries renewed hope of beating the drop.
They are now level with West Ham in the table but O’Neil still has his work cut out.
He said: “The performances in the last three games have been very good against top opposition.
“Fine margins can’t always go against you like they had been. We have to just keep going. I know the boys still believe.”
Following a call from Liverpool owner John W Henry for stricter regulations on clubs, Eddie Howe claims that additional spending restrictions would hinder Newcastle’s success plan.
Henry, who had previously backed the defunct European Super League, this week expressed his support for additional restrictions on Premier League clubs in order to maintain healthy competition.
However, Magpies manager Howe, who has made significant purchases since taking over at St James’ Park in November 2021, said he would not appreciate additional restrictions on top of the already-existing rules.
“I wouldn’t want to see any more restrictions on spending,” he said on Friday. “We have spent money, don’t get me wrong, but future restrictions would certainly deny our ability to improve as quickly as we want to.”
Newcastle’s sizeable investment since a Saudi-led takeover in 2021 has enabled them to mount a challenge to finish in the top four of the English top flight this season.
They are currently sixth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand despite a poor recent run.
Howe’s team also reached last month’s League Cup final, which they lost to Manchester United.
Newcastle, who host Wolves on Sunday, have won just one of their past eight league games and scored only three goals in the process.
“There’s a belief that we can win again and we need, very quickly, to fulfil that aim,” Howe said. “I’ve never sat here and talked us up in terms of targets, top four.
But I have talked us up in terms of what I believe we can achieve and the quality we have in our group and I’m not going to change now.”
Newcastle’s recent lack of goals has increased the clamour for record-signing Alexander Isak to start in place of England international Callum Wilson, who has scored only once in his past 14 appearances for the club.
But Howe issued a note of caution over a player who has missed a significant chunk of the season with a thigh injury.
He said: “He wants to play, like every player. I feel he is there, but is he 100 percent ready to play 90 minutes on a consistent basis? Probably not. I have been delighted by his attitude. I think he’s in a good place.”
Regardless of the situation, Pierluigi Collina has urged referees to add the appropriate amount of stoppage time at the conclusion of games.
The match between Liverpool and Manchester United on Sunday at Anfield was discussed byFIFA’s head of refereeing. Only three minutes were added to the game’s final score, which resulted in a 7-0 victory for the hosts despite the fact that six goals were scored in a second half that also featured 10 substitutions and a VAR delay.
Although games at the World Cup in Qatar were extended by additional time that was meant to reflect actual time lost during the 90 minutes, this trend has largely not continued in club football.
“Last weekend in the Premier League, there were 10 matches,” Collina told reporters. “Four had additional time of 10 minutes or more [across the first half and second half], and two should have been higher but weren’t only because they had scores of 7-0 and 4-0.
“In the game at Liverpool, there was four minutes added, one in the first half and three in the second. But there were six goals in the second half.
“Maybe at some point in the future we will have a rule which says: if the difference between the two sides is big, the additional time is not to be given. But this would be in the laws of the game.
“Now it is common sense, but it is [only] common sense when it doesn’t affect someone.
“I can understand that showing the right amount of time when it is 7-0 is difficult to understand. But in some competitions, the goal difference in the entire competition may be decisive at the end for the ranking.
“So, even one goal scored or not scored could make the difference.”
Former referee Collina believes adding on as much time as necessary would eventually stamp out time-wasting, much like the introduction of VAR appeared to reduce the amount of simulation in the game.
“It’s time to compensate time that was not played during the match,” he said. “We are not considering to go from 70 to 75. No, we want to avoid just playing 43 minutes.
“The effective time at Aston Villa vs Brentford [earlier this season] was 43 minutes. I don’t think someone wants to pay to watch a match that lasts 43 minutes.
“We have seen implementing VAR has reduced simulation. How many cards are now given for simulation? Very little because the players know it is meaningless to try.
Real Madrid has criticised UEFA’s “inadequate” plan to reimburse some fans who attended the Champions League final in May, and has demanded that the governing body take responsibility for the chaos that surrounded the game.
A recent independent investigation concluded that UEFA was “primarily responsible” for the “numerous near misses that almost resulted in disaster” at the Stade de France.
French authorities initially placed the blame on Liverpool fans during chaotic scenes that put fans at risk of crushes as the start time in Paris was delayed.
Only a portion of the Madrid supporters will be affected by the UEFA’s plans to refund all 19,618 Liverpool fans who purchased tickets to the championship game on Tuesday.
However, a response issued by the European champions on Thursday called on UEFA to extend the offer to all attendees, describing overall conditions at the game as “unacceptable”.
“Given the conclusiveness of the experts’ findings and the seriousness of the events described, Real Madrid has been holding talks with UEFA with the aim of assessing the compensation that will be offered to fans,” the statement read.
“Our club was entirely confident that these solutions would be in line with the seriousness of the events, the extent of the damage caused and UEFA’s responsibility for them.
“Regrettably, our club believes that UEFA’s proposal, officially announced last Tuesday, is insufficient.
“The content of the report stresses that all fans attending the final were victims of its inadequate organisation and their safety and security were compromised.
“The fact is that all the fans experienced an unacceptable delay in the start of the match. In addition, there was unacceptable insecurity both in accessing and leaving the stadium, as well as additional harm such as theft, assaults and threats.
“For this reason, Real Madrid has decided not to cooperate in the restricted compensation procedure proposed by UEFA, which we ask to redress the situation and assume full responsibility.”
Following the chaos that ruined last May’s championship game in Paris,Liverpool supporters will receive a full refund for their Champions League final tickets from UEFA.
The “large number of near misses that almost led to disaster” at the Stade de France were “primarily responsible” for, according to an independent report published last month, by UEFA.
Authorities initially placed the blame on Liverpool fans during chaotic scenes that saw police use tear gas and others crowded in perilous bottlenecks outside the stadium.
After taking responsibility for a number of administrative errors that occurred prior to Liverpool’s 1-0 loss to Real Madrid, UEFA has now decided to reimburse all 19,618 Liverpool ticket holders.
UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said: “We have taken into account a huge number of views expressed both publicly and privately, and we believe we have devised a scheme that is comprehensive and fair.
“We value the input from the Liverpool FC supporter organisations Spirit of Shankly and Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association as well as the open and transparent dialogue throughout this period.
“We recognise the negative experiences of those supporters on the day and with this scheme we will refund fans who had bought tickets and who were the most affected by the difficulties in accessing the stadium.”
UEFA announces special refund scheme for fans following the 2022 Champions League Final in Paris.
We will refund fans who had bought tickets and were the most affected by the difficulties in accessing the stadium.
“This unprecedented move is the result of tireless work, alongside FSE [Football Supporters Europe] and Ian Byrne MP, to hold those responsible for the catastrophic events in Paris.
“With a promise to reimburse supporters, UEFA have gone some way to acknowledging their part in the fiasco.
“But it does not excuse UEFA, exempt them from criticism or lessen the need for them to implement all of the recommendations made by the independent inquiry.
“We will work alongside Liverpool and publish details once we know how and when refunds will be processed.”
The cost of refunding nearly 20,000 supporters is expected to be in the region of £3million (€3.4m), according to reports.
After Liverpool’s dominating 7-0 victory overManchester United, Jordan Henderson has cautioned his teammates not to overestimate their abilities.
In Sunday’s lopsided match at Anfield, the Reds handed their fierce rivals a record Premier League defeat and their joint-heaviest loss ever.
While Liverpool took particular pleasure in humiliating United, the outcome also brought them closer to fourth-place Tottenham with a game remaining by three points.
Newcastle, meanwhile, has two games remaining to catch Spurs and is four points outside of the Champions League spots.
Although Liverpool has now taken 13 of the last 15 available points, Henderson does not want his teammates to get too confident.
“Hopefully we can use it in the right way but you can’t get too confident or overconfident, for sure,” he told Liverpool’s official website.
“There are different tests along the way from now until the end of the season that will come and you need to stay positive, stay ready and stay hungry like we were [on Sunday].
“That will give us a good chance to finish the season well.”
Henderson made his 400th start for Liverpool in all competitions in their memorable victory over United, 20 of those coming in the 2022-23 campaign.
It has been a disappointing season for the Reds on the whole, but captain Henderson is pleased to have seen the Liverpool of old against United.
“The performance for the whole game was really good. Intensity and energy levels were high, and something that we have been missing for a while this season,” he said.
“I thought we performed to the levels we are capable of and when you do that you get your rewards with the goals.”
Liverpool scored from seven of their eight shots on target in a ruthless display, scoring as many goals as they managed in their previous eight league games combined.
“Everything seemed to go in,” Henderson added. “There was some great finishing, some great runs, movement and the delivery was good, so everything seemed to work.
“Hopefully this gives everyone the confidence to keep building, keep working and keep going right until the end of the season and see where we can get to.”
Liverpool return to action on Saturday with a trip to bottom side Bournemouth, before facing Real Madrid in the second leg of a Champions League last-16 tie they trail 5-2.
The two contend that it is impossible to display weakness at Anfield, but Manchester United misunderstood the venue and as a result, they were humiliated by their fiercest rivals.
On March 5, 2023, Manchester United, the newly crowned Carabao Cup champions, were humiliated and reduced to nothing at Anfield as Liverpool defeated their longtime rivals Manchester United with a crushing victory.
United has suffered its joint-heaviest defeat ever in competitive play since the club was founded in 1878 after conceding seven goals without a response.
Reacting to the defeat, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand revealed that Sir Alex Ferguson used to blacklist them for more than two weeks if they lose to Liverpool at Anfield so they were always afraid to disappoint him at the venue.
“Until you go to Anfield and play as a Man United player, you will never know what it is. It’s a cauldron and it’s fire. Ferguson used to rest players before our games at Anfield and it was not because those players were tied but was to prepare them mentally.
“Winning at Anfield is the best feeling and losing there is the worst feeling ever. Sometimes when we lose at Anfield, Fergusson won’t talk to us for two weeks,” the duo said in a podcast.
Marcus Rashford is urging his teammates to “trust the process” in order to prevent Manchester United’s 7-0 loss to Liverpool from being the season’s defining moment.
A week after ending their six-year trophy drought in the EFL Cup final, Erik ten Hag’s team was brutally destroyed at Anfield.
In this match, Liverpool handed United their biggest-ever defeat, and the manner of the collapse was reminiscent of United’s awful performances from last season.
Rashford, who was instrumental in steering a United comeback before Sunday’s game, now wants to make sure their season doesn’t get derailed.
“I wish we could play a game today to try and put things right,” Rashford wrote on Twitter. “The result is the result, and we can’t see past that!
“We must not let it define our season. We have to trust the process and stick together.”
I wish we could play a game today to try and put things right. The result is the result, and we can’t see past that! We must not let it define our season. We have to trust the process and stick together.
In Sunday’s 7-0 victory over Manchester United, Liverpool’s players collided with a pitch invader who is being sought out and barred from the stadium.
On a spectacular day at Anfield, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, and Mohamed Salah all scored hat tricks as Jurgen Klopp’s team defeated their opponents in a record-breaking triumph.
Nevertheless, a spectator went onto the field to join the players during the celebrations following Roberto Firmino’s seventh goal of the match, slid, and hit Andy Robertson.
Left-back for Liverpool As Robertson was knocked to the ground, Klopp became incensed and was seen yelling at the perpetrator as he was taken away by security.
The club stated in a statement on Monday that more action will be taken.
Liverpool FC has begun an immediate investigation to identify and ban the individual pitch runner from Sunday's Premier League fixture against Manchester United at Anfield.
“Liverpool FC has begun an immediate investigation to identify and ban the individual pitch runner from Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Manchester United at Anfield,” it read.
“The offender ran onto the pitch and collided with Liverpool players, risking injury, as they celebrated the seventh goal in front of the Main Stand.
“There is no excuse for this unacceptable and dangerous behaviour. The safety and security of players, colleagues and supporters is paramount.
“The club will now follow its formal sanctions process and has suspended the alleged offender’s account until the process is complete.
“If found guilty of the offence of entering the pitch without permission, the offender could face a criminal record and a lifetime ban from Anfield and all Premier League stadiums.
“These acts are dangerous, illegal and have severe consequences.”
The 7-0 loss to Liverpool for Manchester United, according to David de Gea, was “a disastrous moment,” but he promises that they will turn things around out of loyalty to the club.
In their Premier League match at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp’s hosts ran riot, handing Erik ten Hag’s team its joint-heaviest defeat in history.
Such a defeat was in stark contrast to the strides United had made this season, which included winning the EFL Cup final, which broke their six-year trophy drought.
De Gea promised fans on Twitter that he and his teammates will reply because he was all too aware of the significance of the outcome.
“I know these messages don’t sit well on such a day,” he wrote.
“This was a disastrous moment for us and these results shouldn’t happen, especially with the journey we are all on.
“We have a duty to this club, a responsibility to represent the badge, but we have many opportunities to look ahead.
“[We have] many games coming fast, and we have to lock our focus on these.”
Having played a key role at Wembley last month, De Gea turned in one of his roughest performances of the season, saving just one of eight attempts on target throughout.
Braces for Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, plus a Roberto Firmino finish, helped Liverpool extend their winning run over United.
The latter will look to promptly bounce back with the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad to come on Wednesday.
With a humiliating and historic 7-0 thrashing at Anfield, Liverpool eliminated Manchester United’s chances of joining the title race as Mohamed Salah broke the record for Premier League goals scored.
Darwin Nunez and Gakpo both scored twice as the Reds destroyed their arch-rivals for the biggest triumph in the series’ 211-match history, paving the way for the future of their forward line.
The visitors, who have not triumphed at this venue since Jurgen Klopp’s first match against them in January 2016, were in disarray after three of their goals came in a seven-minute span either side of halftime.
The soon-to-be the last man standing of Liverpool’s famed front three Salah then provided a timely reminder of the standards that pair have to meet with two goals of his own – either side of a Nunez header – to go past Robbie Fowler as the club’s record Premier League scorer with his 128th and 129th goals.
Substitute Roberto Firmino, who on Friday told the club he would not be seeking a contract extension and would end his eight-year stay in the summer, applied the finishing touches with the seventh.
Last season Liverpool won 5-0 at Old Trafford and 4-0 at home but that was a side who were competing for an unprecedented quadruple.
This version has struggled for most of the season but appear to be gathering ominous momentum at just the right time.
Even overturning a 5-2 Champions League first-leg deficit to Real Madrid next week now does not seem as impossible.
Erik ten Hag’s side had lost just three of their last 22 league matches and their haul of 23 points since the World Cup resumption was the most of any team but by the end, with chants of ‘Ole’ rolling off the Kop, former United defender Gary Neville said they had played like schoolboys.
They had arrived looking to force their way into the reckoning at the top but defeat left them nine points behind second-placed Manchester City and 14 adrift of leaders Arsenal and even with a match in hand talk of a title bid now looks fanciful.
Liverpool, however, are upwardly mobile as 13 points from the last 15 and a fifth successive clean sheet has them breathing down the neck of fourth-placed Tottenham, just three points behind with a match in hand and Spurs still to visit Anfield.
In an almost symbolic handing over of the baton Gakpo, now occupying a similar deeper-lying forward role to Firmino but with potentially more goal threat, seized the occasion with the important opening goal. And what a brilliant one it was.
Just two minutes before half-time Andy Robertson’s through-ball inside Fred allowed the Netherlands international to cut inside Raphael Varane and chop back onto his right foot to caress a shot past David De Gea.
It was Liverpool’s first shot on target but would not be their last as two minutes after the break 19-year-old Harvey Elliott started the move which led to his assist for the second goal.
Having intercepted a pass deep in United territory the ball was moved on to Fabinho who chipped over the back four to Salah and while his cross was blocked by Luke Shaw, Elliott reacted quickest to whip a cross for Nunez to head home from close range.
Three minutes later the game was over as a contest as Jordan Henderson collected Bruno Fernandes’ poor cross aimed at no one, Gakpo then picked up the ball just outside his own penalty area and released Salah.
The Egypt international teased Lisandro Martinez, eventually putting the World Cup winner on the turf, as he played in the on-rushing Gakpo to clip over De Gea.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s mis-control briefly gave Fernandes the hope of pulling one back quickly but the ball was scrambled clear and when Nunez broke in a four-on-three there was only likely to be one outcome.
The Uruguay international’s first attempt at a pass was blocked by Scott McTominay but he picked out Salah with the rebound, deflected off the United midfielder, and he lashed home off the underside of the crossbar with his weaker right foot.
He was the first Liverpool player to score in six consecutive appearances in all competitions against Manchester United but he was not finished there and with visiting fans heading for the exit Nunez’s clever backwards header from Henderson’s cross had the crowd demanding demanding “We want six.”
Salah duly delivered with his record-breaking goal, courtesy of a fortunate rebound off Firmino before the substitute had the final say in the 88th minute to inflict United’s heaviest defeat since losing 7-0 to Wolves on Boxing Day 1931.
Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Luis Diaz won’t be ready for Liverpool’s Champions League second-leg trip to Real Madrid.
Since sustaining a knee injury during the Reds’ 3-2 Premier League loss to Arsenal in October, Diaz has been sidelined.
In an interview with Sky Sports two weeks ago, the Colombia international seemed to hint at the last-16 second leg on March 15 being a possible return date, saying: “Let’s wait a little to see when I can come back to the pitch, and if it’s the [Santiago] Bernabeu, it will be no problem.”
The winger has not yet returned to training, according to Klopp, and will miss that critical game. Liverpool is trying to pull off the unbelievable after losing 5-2 to Madrid in the first leg at Anfield last week.
Despite the 26-year-old’s long absence, Klopp is confident he can have a big influence on the team when he does return, adding to reporters: “It’s estimated that maybe next week he will be warming up with the team and then maybe a week later being in team training.
“I’m positive about him that there’s a good chance to have a real impact in 10, 11, 12 games, maybe. We will see how long it exactly takes.
“When he is back, he will be really good and very impactful, of course. That is clear. How quickly, I don’t know. We have to see.
“That’s the big challenge in these moments. There’s no time for being patient, but you have to be patient.
“But you always have to wait. On Tuesday, I saw a very intense session, a lot of change of direction and stuff like this. If there is no reaction from that, then he can make the next step.”
Nicolo Barella, a star for Inter Milan, has been a target for Liverpool this summer as they look to improve their midfield options.
Jurgen Klopp is said to be desperate for fresh faces in the middle of the park with Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho all struggling to maintain a high level for the Merseyside club.
Since joining from Cagliari in 2020, Barella, 26, has played a crucial role for Simone Inzaghi and has gone on to win four prestigious awards with the Nerazzurri.
In blue and black this year, the box-to-box midfielder has contributed five goals and five assists, helping Inter to 47 points overall in Serie A and a comfortable second place.
But according to Italian sources, the 42-cap Italian international could be on the move after just three seasons in the capital.
Liverpool have reportedly sent scouts to watch the Scudetto winner and Klopp is said to have been a fan of the anchor for many years.
But any deal with the Premier League club would have to involve a significant fee with Barella valued at over £60million due to him having a contract that runs until 2026.
The midfield maestro’s arrival at Anfield would be in addition to another central reinforcement, with the German head coach looking to completely overhaul his squad at the end of the campaign.
In light of his team’s struggles this year, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp asserts that “it is clear we have to do something in the summer.”
Tuesday’s first leg of theirChampions League match in the round of 16 saw Real Madrid defeat the Reds 5-2.
Despite having games in hand on some of their rivals, Liverpool is eighth in the Premier League despite having an erratic season.
“We know we have to improve and change things, and we will,” said Klopp.
“We cannot do it now but it’s already clear that we have to do something in the summer. For now, we just have to go through this and fight back.”
Liverpool midfielders James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be out of contract in the summer along with forward Roberto Firmino.
A number of players have also been struggling for form this season, with Klopp’s side seven points off a top-four spot in the Premier League heading into a game at Crystal Palace (19:45 GMT) on Saturday.
‘A few people are speeding up a little bit and you can’t ignore that’
Liverpool have played in the Champions League for the past five seasons, during which time they won it in 2018-19, while losing to Real Madrid in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 finals.
“It’s not helpful [if we don’t get in the Champions League],” said Klopp.
“We have to start doing work earlier before we know where we will end up position wise and European competition wise. These things are clear.
“We played five years in a row in the Champions League and went through to the final three times, which is massive from a money point of view.
“We built a stand and training ground – the club is in a really good place – but around us a few people are speeding up a little bit and you can’t ignore that. You cannot ignore these kinds of things.
“It’s still about finding in the right players. It’s not about bringing a lot, it’s about right [players].”
Injuries have also had an impact for the Reds during the current campaign but their exploits are in stark contrast to last season when they played every game possible, making 63 outings in pursuit of the quadruple.
They won the FA Cup and League Cup – competitions they exited at the fourth-round stage this season – but missed out on winning the Champions League and Premier League.
And, while Klopp said “this team has a wonderful history”, he added “one of the main reasons” he signed new contract until 2026 was because he knew there would be a period of transition.
“The way that this club is led is by not splashing the money. Our transfers always have to be on point. That makes it really tricky,” he said.
“We cannot make four transfers before we know who will leave the club and these kind of things.
“Last year was not a season for a big change. We played until the last moment and, if you want to change at this club, we cannot just bring in players and realise later that no-one wants to leave. It doesn’t work like that.
“It’s not possible to start it early because we have final after final, played the season until the last minute, played the Champions League final, then we had a short break, then a lot of injuries, and then the World Cup.”
Klopp’s comments follow Liverpool owner John Henry’s statement that he is not selling the Merseyside club.
“We have to make our own plans, and that’s what we do, but based on the way this club is led,” said Klopp.
“It’s obviously different to other clubs, that’s how it is. It worked out so far and we have to see if it will work still or if we have to adapt.
“That’s something for us in the offices when we are not on the training pitch and for my conversations with the owners and all these kinds of things.”
Football Insider claims that Kylian Mbappe’s situation is being watched by Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
The 24-year-old is allegedly dissatisfied at Paris Saint-Germain, and the Premier League trio is said to be aware that any potential deal will be difficult to execute.
The difficulties the triumvirate faces in trying to sign the forward this summer are highlighted by the French superstar’s contract with PSG, which runs through 2025, and his reported salary of more than £1.2 million per week.
Josko Gvardiol, a sought-after player across Europe, increased his profile on Wednesday by scoring the equaliser in RB Leipzig’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
The 21-year-old centre back is under contract with Leipzig until 2027, but his contract reportedly includes a €110 million exit clause.
Following Wednesday’s game, Leipzig head coach Marco Rose was adamant that Gvardiol would play for the team again the following year.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Liverpool will try to improve their defensive options by bringing in Gvardiol.
The Croatian international has been targetted byChelsea, and he only enhanced his reputation during the 2022 World Cup. He has also been linked with City and Real Madrid.
Gvardiol has previously indicated he would love to join the Reds, potentially offering Jurgen Klopp’s side an edge in the race to sign him.
ROUND-UP
– Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keeping tabs on Kylian Mbappe’s situation at Paris Saint-Germain, claims Football Insider. Speculation continues to swirl that Mbappe, who is contracted through the end of the 2024–25 season, is unhappy at PSG.
–Chelsea are interested in a move for Dinamo Moscow’s 19-year-old midfielder Arsen Zakharyan, according to CaughtOffside.
– According to Fichajes, Juventus is considering a move for Real Betis forward Borja Iglesias, amid concerns that Dusan Vlahovic may leave at the end of the season.
– Napoliwill challenge PSG in the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani, according to CalcioMercato.
–Manchester Unitedare plotting a double swoop for Leicester City midfield duo James Maddison and Youri Tielemans, according to Football Transfers.
Liverpool’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League are over after a shocking 5-2 home loss to Real Madrid.
The Reds watched a two-goal lead vanish in front of a boisterous home crowd as the defending champions went on the rampage.
Here, we examine the Merseysiders’ six worst losses at Anfield.
2010 Liverpool-Northampton draw (2-2 overall, 2-4 on penalties) This was one of Liverpool’s darkest days, even taking into account how awful Roy Hodgson’s miserable brief tenure at the club was.
Visitors Northampton, who are currently 17th in League Two, outplayed the hosts, who fielded a depleted team, and prevailed in this Carling Cup third-round match.
David Ngog thought he had saved the Merseysiders’ blushes when he notched a 116th-minute equaliser, before the Frenchman and teenage substitute Nathan Eccleston missed their penalties in the shootout.
Liverpool were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Northampton in 2010 Liverpool were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Northampton in 2010 Liverpool 0-6 Sunderland, 1930 Division One strugglers Sunderland arrived at Anfield but never looked back from Bobby Gurney opening the scoring in the first minute.
The former miner went on to score four and was disappointed he did not make it five after putting a close-range finish over the crossbar.
George Lawley and Albert Wood scored the others in a result that remains Liverpool’s heaviest home defeat.
Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal, 2007 Julio Baptista scored four goals to silence Anfield in 2007 Julio Baptista scored four goals to silence Anfield in 2007 Seventy-seven years later, Arsenal striker Julio Baptista repeated Gurney’s feat with two goals in each half of this Carling Cup quarterfinal.
The hosts were 4-1 down at the break thanks to other goals from Jeremie Aliadiere and Alex Song and only late consolations from Steven Gerrard and Sami Hyypia prevented a heavier loss.
A stunned boss Rafael Benitez said after the game: “It is a bad night for us and all we can say is sorry to the supporters.
“Now is not the time to point the finger or look to blame people. We win together and we lose together.”
Liverpool 0-0 Grimsby (1-2 aet), 2001 Grimsby recorded an extra-time victory over Liverpool in 2001 Grimsby recorded an extra-time victory over Liverpool in 2001 League Cup holders Liverpool were knocked out by Championship strugglers Grimsby thanks to former Evertonian Phil Jevons’ 30-yard strike seconds from the end of extra-time.
Gary McAllister’s 101st-minute penalty broke the deadlock but Marlon Broomes’ equaliser set up the visitors’ first win at the ground in 24 visits.
The shock result brought to an end Liverpool’s unbeaten run in cup competitions since January 2000, having secured a League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup treble in the 2000-01 season.
Liverpool 0-1 Bristol City, 1994 With their first meeting at Ashton Gate ending in a 1-1 draw after an abandonment and rearrangement due to floodlight failure, Liverpool welcomed Bristol City to Anfield for a FA Cup third-round replay in 1994.
Brian Tinnion’s 66th-minute strike for the second-tier opposition not only knocked out a Reds team featuring the likes of John Barnes, Ian Rush, Steve McManaman and Jamie Redknapp but also prompted the resignation of manager Graeme Souness days later.
The game epitomised a difficult season for the Anfield faithful, with their team finishing eighth in the Premier League, their lowest league position since the 1962-63 campaign.
Brian Tinnion was Bristol City’s hero at Anfield in 1994 Brian Tinnion was Bristol City’s hero at Anfield in 1994 Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid (2023) Fresh from 2-0 victories over Everton and Newcastle, Liverpool came into this Champions League last-16 tie buoyed by renewed optimism.
But braces from Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema either side of Eder Militao’s goal resulted in a 5-2 scoreline and a humbling loss for the 2019 champions.
Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah gave the Reds an electrifying start to the last-16 match with two quickfire goals, giving Los Blancos a lot of trouble early on.
But a brilliant performance from Vinicius Junior launched a powerful Real Madrid comeback.
All the records Real Madrid broke during Tuesday’s eventual 5-2 victory are examined at GOAL.
First visiting European team to score five at Anfield
Actually, Real Madrid became the first visiting club to put four goals past Liverpool at Anfield when Karim Benzema’s shot was deflected in off Joe Gomez, and then they added another for good measure with Benzema rounding Alisson and shooting into an open net.
It was also the second time this campaign that the Reds conceded at least four times in the Champions League after doing so against Napoli on September 7.
Benzema first to score six in European career vs Reds
With his brace at Anfield on Tuesday night, Benzema has now scored more goals against Liverpool in European Cup and Champions League history than any other player (6). He entered play level with Didier Drogba for the record.
Meanwhile, with his pair of strikes earlier in the game, team-mate Vinicius Junior is now in second place in that category (5).
Vinicius Junior youngest since Cruyff to score twice as Anfield visitor in Europe
Vinicius Junior broke Liverpool hearts last year with his winner in the Champions League final, and he hurt the Reds again in the first leg on Tuesday.
At 22 years old, he became the youngest player since Johan Cruyff to score at least twice as a visitor in a European match at Anfield.
Benzema equals Messi for consecutive UCLs scored in
The French forward was injured for much of the group stage, but after breaking through with his first goals of the European season, he has now netted in 18 consecutive Champions League campaigns.
That’s level with Lionel Messi for the all-time record.
Real Madrid first to turn two-goal deficit into three-goal UCL win
Carlo Ancelotti’s men, revered for their ability to stage dramatic comebacks, became the first team to win a Champions League match by three goals after trailing by at least two. The record applies to both home and away fixtures.
Their five goals came between the 21st and 67th minutes – a remarkable average of a goal every nine minutes.
Vinicius Junior second-youngest Madrid player to score in three straight UCL games
He added two goals on Tuesday after also scoring against Celtic and RB Leipzig, with his streak of three Champions League games in a row the best in Real Madrid history after Raul.
Only 14 minutes into Tuesday’s thrilling first leg of the round of 16 match, Darwin Nunez’s exquisite flick and Mohamed Salah’s goal after a mistake by Thibaut Courtois gave the Reds a two-goal lead.
That turned out to be a false dawn as the champions came roaring back in a repeat of last year’s final. Vinicius pulled one back with a beautiful finish before Alisson made a costly error that allowed him to score twice in an exciting first half.
Eder Militao headed Madrid in front early in the second half before Benzema’s double gave Carlo Ancelotti’s ruthless side a commanding advantage to take back to the Spanish capital for the second leg on March 15.
Nunez produced a moment of magic in the fourth minute to put the hosts in front, meeting Salah’s whipped ball with an audacious right-foot flick that flashed past Courtois.
Chelsea fans saying I’m the problem are wrong. – Potter
Courtois endured a nightmare 10 minutes later, controlling a back pass onto his chest before the ball bounced off his knee to present Salah with a simple chance to double Liverpool’s lead.
Madrid looked like they did not know what had hit them, but Vinicius halved the deficit in the 21st minute by showing excellent close control in the box before bending a sumptuous right-foot finish into the bottom corner.
The winger was celebrating in front of The Kop again nine minutes before the break after Alisson’s terrible attempted pass struck his Brazil team-mate and looped into the net.
Madrid lost David Alaba to injury during a pulsating first half which they would have ended with a lead had Andy Robertson not shown great awareness to deny Rodrygo a tap-in.
Los Blancos were in front two minutes into the second half, though, when an unmarked Militao capitalised on terrible defending to head in the influential Luka Modric’s free-kick.
An evening that had started well then took another turn for the worse for Liverpool, with Benzema’s shot striking Joe Gomez and giving a wrong-footed Alisson no chance.
Liverpool were opened up again after 67 minutes, Modric and Vinicius combining before Benzema sat Alisson down and demonstrated great composure to finish with his left foot.
What does it mean? Masterful Madrid stun fragile Reds
Liverpool could hardly have had a better start, but they were taught at harsh lesson by the newly crowned Club World Cup winners and paid the price for being so vulnerable at the back.
Los Blancos beat Jurgen Klopp’s side 1-0 in the 2022 Champions League final at Parc des Princes and blew them away as Liverpool became the first team in the history of the competition to lose by a three-goal margin after being 2-0 up.
Liverpool had never conceded four goals at home in Europe, let alone five, and are in great danger of missing out on Champions League football next season given they are eighth in the Premier League.
He and Benzema both took their goal tallies for the season to 18 and must be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of facing the Reds again after tearing them apart on Merseyside with Modric pulling the strings behind them.
Salah’s record strike in vain
Salah became Liverpool’s record goalscorer in Europe with 42 when he was on target early on.
He will be in no mood to celebrate breaking Steven Gerrard’s record after 14-time European champions Madrid rocked the Reds in devastating fashion.
Key Opta Facts
– Liverpool conceded five goals in a European game at Anfield for the first time, while it was just third time this century they shipped five or more goals in a home game in all competitions, also doing so in January 2007 (6-3 defeat to Arsenal) and October 2019 (5-5 draw with Arsenal).
– Real Madrid are the first team in Champions League history to come from two goals down and win by a three-goal margin.
– This was only the fourth time a Jurgen Klopp side conceded five or goals in a home game in all competitions, after Mainz in 2006 (6-1 v Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga), Borussia Dortmund in 2009 (5-1 v Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga) and Liverpool in 2019 (5-5 v Arsenal).
– Darwin Nunez’s opener (three minutes 10 seconds) was Liverpool’s earliest ever Champions League goal at Anfield.
What’s next?
Klopp’s side travel to Crystal Palace for aPremier League encounter on Saturday, when Los Blancos face Atletico Madrid at home in a LaLiga derby.
Jurgen Klopp’s team is currently sitting in eighth place in the Premier League and has been eliminated from both domestic cups.
With Real Madrid, whom they haven’t defeated in their last six European meetings, including two agonising final losses in 2018 and 2022, they now face a daunting two-legged Champions League knockout match.
Although returning defender Virgil van Dijk suggested the Reds had turned a corner after Saturday’s impressive 2-0 win at Newcastle, expectations are appropriately muted ahead of tonight’s match at Anfield.
We put the influential Dutchman under the microscope ahead of his latest battle with Los Blancos.
Liverpool legend
Alongside the attacking brilliance of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk has been one of the leading figures of the Klopp era.
Almost immediately after arriving from Southampton for £75million in 2018, his domineering presence in the Reds’ backline transformed an already exciting side into a well-oiled machine.
With his crisp passing range, immense composure, and natural leadership, Van Dijk was the final piece of the jigsaw that helped Liverpool enjoy their most trophy-laden period for many decades.
He has won it all on Merseyside. Premier League, Champions League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup medals are all in his trophy cabinet, while he has also lifted both domestic cups.
If he was to leave this summer, the Netherlands international would already be assured iconic status at Liverpool — though the 31-year-old appears to have no intention of exiting Anfield.
Virgil van Dijk tasted Champions League glory with Liverpool in 2019
Injury woes
However, injuries have undoubtedly hampered Van Dijk’s influence in recent years.
Having started 94 straight Premier League games for the Reds in a stunning run between February 2018 and October 2020, the Dutch colossus sustained a catastrophic knee injury against Merseyside rivals Everton.
Challenging for a ball with England stopper Jordan Pickford, the resulting ACL rupture would sideline Van Dijk for the remainder of 2020-21.
He impressively returned to play 51 times in all competitions last term as the Reds agonisingly missed out on the Premier League title by a point, while also losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
Having missed seven games across all competitions, Van Dijk made a timely return to action on Saturday as the Reds overcame high-flying Newcastle at St James’ Park.
The 2-0 success keeps Liverpool within reach of a top-four spot and the influential defender was quick to point out how crucial the victory could be in kick-starting a frustrating campaign.
Van Dijk said: “We’ve had results in the season where we have felt like this is the time to kick on. But this feels a little bit different.
“Coming away from the big win against Everton, it was important to keep going and find a way to win. There is a reason why we are the only team to win here.
“It feels very good [to be back from injury]. Being healthy is the most important thing in the world.
“It was a tough six weeks but I’m back, hopefully I will do everything in my power to recover and be ready for the Champions League game, it is massive for us.”
Waning influence
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has been one of several pundits to suggest Van Dijk has been a different player since his ACL injury.
Murphy, 45, told talkSPORT earlier this season: “He’s not up to his level. Before his injury, he was arguably looking like one of the best centre-halves we’ve ever seen.
“The injury, which is a huge one and he’s come back from, although he’s not had problems in missing games, I think psychologically he’s not in the same place.”
While there may be some credence to Murphy’s observation, the Reds undoubtedly remain a stronger team for their No4’s presence on the field.
As well as his defensive nous, Van Dijk still ranks inside the Premier League’s top 10 centre-backs this term for touches, completed passes and aerial duels per 90 minutes.
He is crucial to the Reds’ build-up play — while 18 shots and two goals show him to be a serious attacking threat in his own right.
Virgil van Dijk offers far more to Liverpool than an average centre-half
Silencing critics
Liverpool’s issues have been widespread this season but with Van Dijk back in the heart of their defence, business could be about to pick up.
Of the 24 games he has completed 90 minutes in this season in all competitions, the Meresysiders have won on 15 occasions, drawing four and losing five times.
Conversely, the 10 games he has not featured or completed have resulted in only two wins, three draws and five defeats.
Regardless of whether his very best days are behind him or not, Van Dijk is key to revivinga wretched Reds campaign.
The first four league games of 2023 saw Liverpool go winless, earning Klopp the harshest criticism of his time as manager at Anfield thus far. However, back-to-back victories have lifted the spirits in Merseyside.
Last week, Gakpo scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2-0 victory over Everton, and on Saturday, he added another goal in a 2-0 triumph over Newcastle, another team competing for a spot in the top four.
Before Real Madrid and Liverpool’s first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday, Gakpo made the case that Liverpool’s mini-revival may have occurred at the ideal time.
“I think it’s difficult to put your finger on something that has really changed, but everyone knows when you’re not winning the games, it’s difficult,” Gakpo said.
“I think the games we won, we played better than in the games before, and the result is maybe the outcome of the greater intensity we had in those games.”
“As a newcomer, I sense that the group is really good, we come together and stay together in difficult moments. It was difficult to try to stay positive and keep helping each other, it has helped us go on to better things.
“When it’s difficult, a real team shows up. This is one of those times. We really stuck together and stayed positive and tried to help each other in the difficult moments.
“Just in time, we started winning games again, and now we have a big opportunity to show we are back on track.”
Despite spending the majority of his time with former club PSV stationed on the left flank,Gakpo has largely been used as a central striker since his arrival at Liverpool.
However, the Netherlands international feels comfortable playing either role, adding: “I played the last three years on the left side, but at the World Cup under Louis van Gaal I already played in the centre.
“I already tried to adapt to that, and when I came here the coach said it was possible for me to play on the left or in the centre, so I’ll try to adapt quickly to that position and improve.”
Tuesday’s Champions League round of 16 match between Liverpool and Real Madrid will be the latest encounter between Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti.
Their individual histories could have been very dissimilar.
In October 2015, after Everton and Liverpool drew 1-1 at Goodison Park, Thierry Henry reached across and put his hand on a perplexed Jamie Carragher’s knee in the Sky Sports studio as it was announced that Brendan Rodgers had been fired as the manager of the Reds.
In a matter of minutes, the front-runner Klopp was being discussed as the candidate most likely to take the club back to the pinnacle of European and English football.
The second favourite had been Ancelotti, out of work at the time following his exit from his first spell at Madrid, and Carragher argued that while the Italian had the more impressive CV, Klopp was the more suitable choice for the Anfield hotseat after his success at Borussia Dortmund.
“I think with either of those coming to Liverpool, the supporters would be ecstatic,” he said at the time. “If it were me, I would go for Klopp ahead of Ancelotti.” I think he’s got more to prove. Ancelotti is a great manager, of course, but he’s gone to clubs where you would expect to win trophies.
“Getting Liverpool back into the top four is now a difficult task.” Forget talking about the title. And I think it needs someone with that energy and drive to get Liverpool back to where it wants to be, and I think Jurgen Klopp’s that man.”
Of course, Carragher proved to be right about Klopp.
It will never be known what would have happened had Ancelotti been hired instead, but he has gone on to enjoy success at other clubs since, with spells at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton before heading back to the Santiago Bernabeu in December 2021.
The two have faced off numerous times in opposing dugouts, with the upcoming two-legged Champions League tie set to be their 12th and 13th meetings.
It is interesting how frequently Klopp and Ancelotti have come up against one another, especially considering the Italian’s 18-month spell at Everton was the only time they have managed in the same league.
They clashed on four occasions in Merseyside derbies – coincidentally after that had been the fixture that led to their names being linked with the Liverpool job back in 2015 – with two draws at Goodison Park in the Premier League and a 1-0 Liverpool win in an FA Cup third round game at Anfield.
The most notable encounter also came at Anfield in February 2021, with no fans in due to COVID-19 restrictions, where Ancelotti masterminded Everton’s first win at the home of their neighbours since the turn of the century.
Their other seven meetings have come in the Champions League, Klopp coming up against Ancelotti for the first time during his penultimate season at Borussia Dortmund as they took on Madrid in the last eight, losing 3-0 in the Spanish capital before a spirited but unsuccessful 2-0 reverse back in Dortmund.
Two goals from Marco Reus in the first half had given the German side hope of a comeback, but Ancelotti’s men put up the defences and managed to see the game out, a tactic that the Los Blancos head coach has used to good effect against Klopp on numerous occasions since.
He also frustrated Klopp in their first meeting as Liverpool and Napoli bosses respectively, with the Serie A side winning 1-0 at home in the 2018-19 group stage, restricting the Reds to just four shots – none on which were on target – as Lorenzo Insigne struck a late winner.
A Mohamed Salah goal in the reverse fixture was enough to send Liverpool through to the knockout stage with a 1-0 win at Anfield at Napoli’s expense, with the Reds going on to lift the trophy in Madrid that season.
The two teams were drawn together again in the group stage the following year, with Napoli again defeating Liverpool in Naples, 2-0 this time, while they played out a 1-1 draw back on Merseyside.
Klopp and Ancelotti would not meet again in the Champions League until after their brief Merseyside derby rivalry, somewhat appropriately in the final as Liverpool faced Madrid in Paris last season.
While the game was heavily distracted by the chaos outside prior to kick-off that an independent investigation has since claimed was the fault of UEFA and the French authorities, on the pitch it had a feel of Klopp’s previous struggles with Ancelotti.
Liverpool dominated large parts of the contest, but Madrid were largely able to contain them, though goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois still had to put in an outstanding performance to keep a clean sheet.
Ancelotti suggested after the 1-0 win thanks to a Vinicius Junior goal that Klopp’s team were “more decipherable” than others he had faced, but ahead of their next clash, the German coach lavished praise on his opposite number.
“Carlo is the most relaxed manager I ever met in my life,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference. “One of the best people you can meet, fantastic person, a humble person, super smart and nice, and obviously his man management is at a completely different level to all of us, and I respect that a lot and admire it a lot.”
Ancelotti reciprocated at his press conference, saying: “I have a good relationship with Klopp. We stayed for a year and a half in Liverpool during the pandemic, and we used to text each other and exchange gifts. He’s a really lovely person.”
There is clear mutual respect there, strengthened by the duo’s personal achievements as well as how difficult they both find games against one another.
Klopp’s teams have only managed to find the net seven times against Ancelotti’s in 11 games, despite having 153 shots, suggesting the former Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss knows how to restrict them to low-quality chances.
Ancelotti has relied on his team’s defensive solidity more often than not, and boasts the superior record with five wins to three defeats and three draws, but he has never been able to beat a Klopp team in an away game when fans have been in attendance, with a noisy Anfield on Tuesday a near certainty.
He surely takes slightly more pleasure in besting Liverpool than he does most other foes following one of his most painful defeats as a coach when his Milan side was beaten on penalties in the iconic 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, despite leading 3-0 at half-time.
This season’s final will also be in the Turkish capital, but at least one of Liverpool or Ancelotti will not be there this time.
Klopp v Ancelotti. Germany v Italy. Beard v eyebrow. It is one of the great modern coaching rivalries, and round 12 should be another fascinating contest.
Real Madrid will go to Anfield on Tuesday to rematch the 2022Champions League championship with the goal of inflicting more damage on Liverpool in the round of 16.
Madrid won the coveted trophy in Paris last May, but despite Liverpool’s struggles in the Premier League this year, their recent European performance would indicate that they should present a stiff challenge for a team that has had Madrid’s number in recent years.
While Napoli, the lopsided Serie A leaders, roll into town, reigning Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt will try to keep up their impressive European form.
This season, Napoli has faced off against everyone, establishing itself as a major force in Europe and dominating Serie A.
Courtesy of Stats Perform: here are some of the key statistics and facts to be aware of ahead of the ties.
The Spanish giants lifted the top prize in European club football for a 14th time after defeating Liverpool 1-0, leaving the English side winless in their past six meetings between the clubs.
That is the longest winless streak Liverpool have suffered against any team in their Champions League history, with five losses and one draw dating back to 2009.
However, England has not been a happy hunting ground for Madrid in recent years, with only one victory – against Chelsea in 2022 – from their past seven away fixtures in the country (D2 L4).
Also in the hosts’ favour is their terrific European form this season, having rattled off five consecutive wins in the competition since losing their opener against Napoli.
A key for the Reds will be figuring out how to stop Vinicius Junior, who has directly contributed to seven goals – scoring five and producing two assists – in his past eight Champions League fixtures.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah could join Chelsea legend Didier Drogba as Africa’s all-time leading scorer in the competition with one more goal, which would be his 44th.
Napoli will be dreaming of their first Champions League and Serie A double as they hit the road for their first leg against Frankfurt.
They will face a German side who have excelled in European competition under head coach Oliver Glasner, with only two losses from 19 matches (W10 D7), including a triumph in last season’s Europa League final against Rangers.
Frankfurt have won their past four meetings with Italian sides since a loss to Palermo back in 2006, while Napoli have just two wins from their 12 away dates in Germany (D5 L5).
But Napoli have been a different beast this campaign, leading all teams with 20 group stage goals. They are averaging 3.3 goals per game in the competition under Luciano Spalletti.
Breakout star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is at the centre of Napoli’s success, joining Dries Mertens (2017-18 season) as the only players in the history of the club to record multiple games with a goal and an assist in the same Champions League campaign. He has the potential to write his own history, as no Napoli player has done it three times.
Meanwhile, Frankfurt have a pair of in-form goalscorers. Daichi Kamada has scored in each of his side’s past three Champions League matches this season, while Randal Kolo Muani has found the back of the net in their past two.
Nick Pope’s hopes of competing in the Carabao Cup final were dashed as Liverpool defeated Newcastle 2-0 to reclaim fourth-place contention.
The England goalkeeper was sent off for handling outside of his penalty area 22 minutes into a thrilling Premier League game at St. James’ Park, and he will be sidelined for Sunday’s match at Wembley against Manchester United.
With Karl Darlow on loan at Hull and Martin Dubravka already having played for United in the tournament during his loan stint earlier this season, former Liverpool keeper Loris Karius appears set to have a debut he never could have imagined.
However, the Magpies’ hopes of extending their unbeaten league run to a club-record 18 games had already been fatally wounded by goals from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo inside the opening 17 minutes as the visitors – the only side to beat Newcastle in the league this season – ruthlessly exploited the space behind central defenders Fabian Schar and Sven Botman to run out 2-0 winners.
Referee Anthony Taylor’s whistle signalled a breathless start by the home side in which Miguel Almiron’s poor first touch from Alexander Isak’s well-weighted pass allowed keeper Alisson Becker to smother his attempt before Allan Saint-Maximin slashed a shot across the face of goal after his initial cross had been repelled.
But it was Liverpool who took the lead after 10 minutes when Nunez controlled Trent Alexander-Arnold’s superb ball over the top and fired past the stranded Pope with his strike surviving a VAR check for offside.
They doubled their lead seven minutes later when Gakpo timed his run to meet Mohamed Salah’s ball over the top to perfection and beat the stranded Pope with the Magpies’ hopes of a reprieve at the hands of the video assistant once again coming to nothing.
A bad evening for Eddie Howe’s men took a disastrous turn after 22 minutes when Pope raced from his goal in an attempt to prevent Salah from reaching Alisson’s clearance and having misjudged the flight, dived to head clear but diverted the ball on to his arm.
The referee had little option but to produce a red card which ended the keeper’s Wembley dreams as well as any realistic chance of recovery in the game.
Dubravka was called from the bench in place of Elliot Anderson, whose first Premier League start had lasted just 24 minutes, but it was opposite number Alisson who had to be at his best to tip Saint-Maximin’s 31st-minute shot at the end of a superb solo run on to his crossbar.
The bar came to the Reds’ rescue once again three minutes before the break when Dan Burn’s header from a Kieran Trippier corner cannoned back off it to safety.
Liverpool retained possession with ease for long periods after the restart knowing their job was all but done against the 10 men.
But Saint-Maximin, in his best form for some time, ensured the Reds could not relax too much with the Frenchman feeding Isak to shoot over on the turn with 52 minutes gone.
Schar headed wide from another Trippier corner, but Dubravka had to dive full-length to turn away Nunez’s 57th-minute attempt as Jurgen Klopp prepared a quadruple substitution.
Alisson denied Newcastle Callum Wilson with eight minutes remaining, before the Reds almost added to their lead in a late flurry of chances.
The 20-year-old centre-back has caught the eye under the tutelage of ex-United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Branthwaite has made 20 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch giants and netted an impressive brace in his side’s 3-1 KNVB Cup last-16 win against FC Emmen on Wednesday.
The Mail say PSV made two bids, the last believed to be £15million, to sign the Carlisle academy product permanently in January but both were rejected by the Toffees.
Sean Dyche’s men now look set to have to stave off interest from Merseyside rivals Liverpool as well as United, both of whom are keen to add an English player to their ranks.
Roma are another side to be regularly checking Branthwaite’s progress, with Everton seemingly open to selling for the right price due to their wealth of options at the back.
The towering defender was handed his debut for the Goodison Park outfit by Carlo Ancelotti in July 2020 but failed to make an impact under Rafael Benitez and Frank Lampard — and it remains to be seen where he stands with new boss Dyche.
Mohamed Salah’s talent is undeniable, and Jurgen Klopp thinks Liverpool can do “something special” this year with the help of the forward.
In the race for a Champions League spot, Liverpool will start Saturday’s match at Wolves in tenth place in the Premier League, 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.
Salah has not been at his spectacular best for the Reds this season, who are also eliminated from both domestic cups and play Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Salah has scored seven goals in 19 games despite being Liverpool’s joint-top scorer in the league this year. In his first five seasons at Anfield, he scored 118 goals in the top league.
This comes after a close-season in which Salah signed a lucrative new Liverpool contract as team-mate Sadio Mane was allowed to leave.
But Klopp came to the defence of his star man ahead of the Wolves game, telling reporters: “That attitude and these kind of things are not Mo’s problem.
“Mo’s a world-class athlete, so he’s the first in, last out, trains hard. Now he’s not scoring, but there’s people out there that think, ‘why did they give Klopp a contract?’, so that’s how it is in our world.
“It’s completely fine. If we don’t deliver in the moments, if there’s criticism, it’s no problem.
“You can question character, knowledge, ability, everything. You have the right to do everything, but you cannot score the amount of goals Mo scored if you are not an outstanding, world-class football player.”
He added: “There are moments when Mo of course would have scored last year. You think that had something to do with the new contract or whatever?
“That’s just not right. Things are like they are and the only way we can stop all these questions and discussions is by performing to our top, top level and that’s what we have to do and what we will work on.
“We are really on it, and we are still straight, positive, we want to play in the games and we believe in our chances to reach something special even this year.
“It’s not great to be not leader of the pack, but we are in a position where we can improve a lot the situation in the table and we have to start tomorrow and continue from there.”
The Northern Ireland international, 34, joined the Reds from Reading in 2019 and went on to score 19 goals in 64 appearances.
But she is now looking for a new club as a free agent, with the BBC claiming Women’s Championship side Bristol City are ready to swoop.
Liverpool boss Matt Beard said: “It’s always tough when you lose senior players. She’s a fantastic person and has been a great servant for the football club and we’re going to miss her.
“There were a lot of clubs interested. There was a role here for her but at the end of the day the opportunity arose for her to probably get regular football and I think she went down the path that was best for her.”
Liverpool is living in very unfamiliar times. Barely eight months ago, they were chasing an unprecedented quadruple.
They ended up with two domestic trophies, took Manchester City to within a point of the Premier League title and narrowly lost the Champions League title to a Thibaut Courtois-inspired Real Madrid.
Fast forward, things are looking bleak in the red side of Merseyside. Not that the blue side has better fortunes anyway. Sunday’s loss to Brighton saw Liverpool exit the FA Cup.
They were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester City immediately after the World Cup break and are currently 9th on the EPL table. Their only realistic chance at a trophy and redemption this season remains in the Champions League. But first, they will have to dispatch the defending champions in the round of 16.
So poor were Liverpool against Brighton that the Seagulls skipper Lewis Dunk admitted that his side didn’t have to be at their absolute best to beat them.
Klopp has struggled to answer questions about Liverpool’s form this season. Sports Brief attempts to put meaning into what has gone wrong.
1. Injuries to key players
This is the go-to logical and straightforward reason. Virgil Van Dijk, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino are some of the key players who Liverpool have terribly missed this season. There is no telling the kind of impact any of the aforementioned players would have on the team if fit.
2. Sadio Mane’s exit
By Klopp’s own admission, Liverpool didn’t realise how big of a loss it would be to sell the Senegalese talisman to Bayern Munich.
Mane’s lung-bursting runs, quick feet and a keen eye for goal have been missed in the Premier League this season. And Liverpool have borne the full brunt.
3. New signings struggles
The FSG ownership, despite their modest approach to the transfer market, responded to Manchester City’s acquisition of Erling Haaland by signing Darwin Nunez.
In all fairness, Nunez’s 10 goals so far in all competitions isn’t a bad return but it is the big chances that he has missed that have been his major undoing.
FSG dug deep once again and bought one of Qatar World Cup 2022 brightest prospects Cody Gakpo. The Dutch forward was having a blistering season with PSV Eindhoven but so far, the Kop is yet to see what he is made of.
4. Mohamed Salah’s loss of form
The Egyptian King has always dug out Klopp during his stickiest times. But this season, Salah has struggled to turn in even the simplest of chances.
Perhaps he has joined the list of the big players who lost their form after being handed a new bumper contract. His clear lack of understanding with his new strike partners has been a major issue for Klopp.
The reigning Golden Boot winner will be counting the days to when he can have either Firmino, Jota or Diaz back by his side; now that Mane is gone forever.
5. Lethargic midfield
We might not be professional scouts or managers, but no way FSG and Klopp saw the deep underlying issues in Liverpool’s midfield but still decided that Gakpo was the answer to their problems.
Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita have all struggled this season. Thiago Alcantara has had his good days and has been forced to anchor the midfield alongside the young Harvey Elliot.
Harvey Elliot has been one of Liverpool’s better players this season. Photo by Andrew Powell. Source: Getty Images
Arthur, who wasn’t a regular starter at Juventus, was supposed to be the saviour, but a knee injury has kept him out of the squad. Talks of Jude Bellingham and Moises Caicedo have been rife but as it stands, Klopp will finish the season with the same crop of midfield he has.
Apart from the midfield, Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn’t shown his creative side this season. That, compounded with his known defensive frailties, has really exposed Liverpool’s creativity, or lack thereof.
6. Klopp’s tactics
In football jargon, Klopp plays heavy metal football called the gegenpressing. What if his energy-sapping tactics have finally gotten to his players?
In a busy football schedule, running all over the pitch might have an effect on your players. In contrast with Manchester City who keep passing the ball around, Liverpool relies heavily on pressing down the opponent. And with the hectic programs come the rampant injuries the side has witnessed this season. Or maybe, it’s Jurgen Klopp’s seventh-season curse.
It doesn’t bode well for you when your best player is your goalkeeper. Klopp needs answers and he needs them soon. Otherwise even the Europa Conference League will be a tall order.
Liverpool desired a new beginning in 2023, but according to Andrew Robertson, the Reds “nowhere near good enough” good enough this season and have actually played “worse” since the World Cup.
The FA Cup holders were eliminated in the fourth round at Brighton and Hove Albion thanks to a last-second goal from Kauro Mitoma, who captained Jurgen Klopp’s team.
Harvey Elliot had given Liverpool the lead, but Lewis Dunk’s fortunate equalizer in the first half opened the door for Mitoma’s well-earned late winner in Sunday’s 2-1 victory.
Having won just eight of their first 19 games in the top division, Klopp’s team has been eliminated from both domestic cups and is currently ninth in the Premier League.
Having lost nine times already in 31 outings across all competitions this campaign, Robertson bemoaned Liverpool’s abject performances that have continued after the World Cup break.
“This season has been nowhere near good enough,” Robertson told ITV Sport.
“At the start of the year, we wanted a fresh start, but that hasn’t happened – we’ve been worse. In the league, we haven’t been good enough and now we’re out of both cups.”
The Reds’ downfall may have appeared somewhat of a surprise after falling narrowly short of an unprecedented quadruple last term.
Liverpool missed out in the Champions League final to Real Madrid and saw Manchester City secure the Premier League title on the last day of the season, though they lifted the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Sadio Mane’s sale to Bayern Munich and Roberto Firmino’s diminishing role should be factored in, while Mohamed Salah has failed to hit his usual lofty heights after scoring just nine goals in 19 league games.
Luis Diaz has been out injured after a promising first campaign at Anfield and signings Darwin Nunez and Cody Gapko are still settling in, yet Robertson struggled to explain why Liverpool continue to falter.
he left-back added: “It’s really disappointing. You can’t put your finger on one thing that’s gone wrong. It’s more than that. It’s about trying to put a performance together where all these things click and that’s proving difficult right now.
“You can tell we’re not as confident in front of goal, and defensively we’re still a wee bit open in certain areas.
“We were on the back of two clean sheets, which was positive, but today, two disappointing goals and they had a couple of big chances as well.
“We need to try and get the confidence back. It’s easier said than done but that’s the only way we can pick up results. You have to be able to score goals and you have to be able to keep clean sheets.
“We’re not managing that just now and we need to do it. We keep saying that and it doesn’t help the fans. I feel sorry for them, the way we’re putting on a show for them just now.
“We let them down again and we’re obviously disappointed to be falling out of the cup.”
Liverpool‘s teenager midfielder Stefan Bajcetic has signed a new long-term contract with the club.
The 18-year-old arrived from Celta Vigo in late 2020 and has worked his way through to the first-team picture at Anfield.
Having trained with the senior team ahead of the 2022-23 season, Bajcetic has 10 appearances to his name this term.
His breakthrough performances have seen him earn a fresh deal with Jurgen Klopp’s men, and Bajcetic acknowledges he is enjoying a campaign that has outperformed his expectations.
“It’s crazy [how quickly things have happened],” he told the club’s official website. “A year ago I was playing Under-18s football, and now I’ve started some games [and] made my debut.
“[I have] even scored a goal. That was something I never expected to happen this year. It’s amazing to see how fast it went.
Bajcetic made his senior debut in late August during the Reds’ 9-0 rout over Bournemouth in the Premier League.
He has gone on to make several more appearances in the top flight for Liverpool, while he was also a goalscorer in their Boxing Day win over Aston Villa.
His renewal marks the latest piece of business for Klopp’s side, who signed Cody Gakpo from PSV in their only major transfer of the mid-season window.
Liverpool will be in FA Cup action this weekend with a fourth-round trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Stefan Bajcetic, a midfielder for Liverpool, has agreed to a new, long-term contract with the team.
The 18-year-old moved to Liverpool from Celta Vigo in late 2020 and has since made it to the first team.
Prior to the 2022–23 season, Bajcetic trained with the senior team, and he has made 10 appearances thus far.
With Jurgen Klopp’s team, his remarkable performances have earned him a new contract, and Bajcetic admits he is enjoying a season that has beyond his expectations.
“It’s crazy [how quickly things have happened],” he told the club’s official website. “A year ago I was playing Under-18s football, and now I’ve started some games [and] made my debut.
“[I have] even scored a goal. That was something I never expected to happen this year. It’s amazing to see how fast it went.
Late in August, following the Reds’ 9-0 thrashing of Bournemouth in the Premier League, Bajcetic made his senior debut.
He has since made numerous more Premier League appearances for Liverpool and scored a goal in their Boxing Day victory over Aston Villa.
His extension is the most recent deal for Klopp’s team, who only made one significant signing during the midseason window when they acquired Cody Gakpo from PSV.
This weekend’s FA Cup action for Liverpool includes a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round on Saturday.
In order to avoid suffering following their comeback victory over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey by a score of 3-1, Karim Benzema advises Real Madrid to score goals sooner in games.
Until Rodrygo canceled out Alvaro Morata’s opening goal in the closing 15 minutes of regular time at the Santiago Bernabeu, Los Blancos were unable to score.
His outstanding solo goal on Thursday’s quarterfinal match forced extra time, and subsequent goals from Benzema and Vinicius Junior solidified the reversal for the home team.
The current Ballon d’Or winner notes that his team struggled at times to earn a berth in the final four, but emphasizes that they always had the ability to rebound.
“It was a very difficult and complicated game,” the France international reflected afterwards. “But with the players and talent we have, we knew we could make a comeback of it.
“Perhaps we need to score goals sooner, because we don’t like to suffer. Atletico positioned themselves well, got in behind, and that cost us. Rodrygo’s response was a great goal.”
Vinicius’s goal provided a happy ending to a trying day that saw an effigy of the Brazilian winger being hanging from a bridge close to Real Madrid’s training facility ahead of the derby.
In his post-game remarks, coach Carlo Ancelotti congratulated the 22-year-old and said there was never any question he would miss the game despite the incident.
“Vinicius has always wanted to play and was very focused on the game,” he said. “He played a great game. What happened elsewhere today has been very regrettable.”
Jurgen Klopp claims that one of the main factors in his decision to extend his contract last year was the opportunity to oversee a “required” renovation at Liverpool.
With the Reds, with whom he has won seven titles, including the Premier League and Champions League, Klopp pledged his future until 2026 when he signed a new contract in April.
After coming dangerously close to capturing an unheard-of quadruple last season, Liverpool has underperformed this year, finishing ninth in the Premier League and 10 points below the top four.
Many observers have stated that the Liverpool Reds’ team needs to be rejuvenated as a result of Liverpool mainstays like Jordan Henderson and Fabinho underperforming this season, and Klopp agrees.
“I’m not saying it’s the biggest challenge, but it’s a challenge, and it was one of the main reasons why I signed a new contract, because I knew it was necessary [to rebuild],” Klopp said during an appearance on BT Sport’s Football People podcast.
“It will not go overnight, and imagine the situation now with another coach in the chair. I would be somewhere on holiday and everybody would shout my name, ‘with him it would not have happened!’
“I’m obviously not a miracle worker. That’s why it’s good how it is, because of all the problems you have in a transitional period – we have an awful lot of injuries and that makes life really complicated.
“I have no problem with that because obviously I know the majority of the outside world are just interested in the short term, but we have to be long-term focused as well.”
Jürgen Klopp felt we demonstrated ‘a little step’ forward in terms of our performance levels following the goalless draw with Chelsea ⤵️
Liverpool are not the only giant marooned in mid-table this season, with Chelsea below them on goal difference after the sides played out a dismal goalless draw on Saturday.
While Chelsea have spent big to attract Mykhaylo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile in the current transfer window, Klopp insists Liverpool cannot afford to conduct business in the same way.
“There are obviously plenty of different ways you can do it, but it’s all based on the situation you are in,” he said.
“Chelsea with the new ownership obviously… nobody knows exactly how they do it, how they can spend this much money.
“Nobody likes me talking about other teams, but transition needs time if you don’t have endless money, otherwise you can change it overnight pretty much, by bringing in 10 players.”
While Klopp will have spent 11 years at Anfield if he sees out the remainder of his contract, he does not believe he will stay in the game as long as some other coaches have.
“I know I dream of football, so that’s not cool… the job is incredibly demanding, it is, but it’s great as well,” Klopp added.
“When Roy Hodgson came back again [to Watford last season], I saw him and asked him, ‘do you have a wet flat? You go again?’ He says, ‘no, I love it’.
“I cannot see myself beyond 70 and still standing in the dugout in every weather, and especially each weather for training, two hours standing there in the wind. I can’t see that.
“I hope other things are that interesting to me that I am really fine with not being involved anymore.”
When Liverpool plays Chelsea on Saturday, Jurgen Klopp will have managed 1,000 games as a head coach and manager. It’s been quite the journey.
Klopp has accomplished more than anyone anticipated of a man whose playing career was clearly humble, from a relegation struggle with Mainz in the German second division to the heights of Champions League triumph with Liverpool.
Although it would be a stretch to say the indications were present from day one, they were unquestionably present by day two.
One day later, Klopp made his debut as a coach in the second tier of the Bundesliga. He had been a player in the team until that point, but this marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Club president Harald Strutz, quoted in the Rheinische Post at the time, voiced the suggestion the interim boss could stake a claim for the full-time job.
“Maybe that will be a permanent solution,” Strutz said, presciently.
Midfielder Christof Babatz, who would be a significant figure in Mainz’s rise to the Bundesliga under Klopp, then said after the first game resulted in a 1-0 win over Duisburg: “The coach teased that certain something out of us.”
And so began the story of Klopp’s touchline career, one centred on teasing out the very best from the talent at his disposal, nurturing prospects into polished performers, and tallying trophies along the way. From Mainz, to Borussia Dortmund, and eventually to Liverpool, Klopp has delivered on that initial leap of faith.
There have been league titles, cup triumphs and big European final nights with Liverpool and Dortmund, plus promotion and even a relegation during his formative Mainz days.
Here, Stats Perform looks at those first 999 games, as Opta data shows some essential numbers behind one of the 21st century’s great coaching careers.
Pep, Howe, Hecking and Magath – Klopp’s rivalries
Klopp has faced Pep Guardiola more than any other rival manager, going head-to-head with the Catalan 27 times across their careers.
There have been notable defeats along the way, including the 2014 DFB-Pokal final, when Klopp’s Dortmund went down 2-0 to Guardiola’s Bayern, and the 5-0 and 4-0 thrashings meted out by Manchester City to Liverpool in September 2017 and July 2020, both of which rank among the top nine heaviest defeats Klopp has had to stomach.
However, Klopp has the overall upper hand across their meetings, winning 11, drawing seven and losing nine of those games.
He has faced only one other boss more than 20 times: German Dieter Hecking, against whom Klopp pitted his wits 21 times, winning 11, drawing five and losing five. Hecking bossed Lubeck, Alemannia Aachen, Hannover, Nurnberg and Wolfsburg during Klopp’s time in the German leagues.
Klopp certainly has a happy record against Newcastle United’s former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, achieving 11 wins from their 13 meetings.
This shows the most wins Klopp has had against any boss is 11, against Guardiola, Hecking and Howe, while it can be revealed the team he has beaten the most are Freiburg (13 times), followed by Crystal Palace, Nurnberg and Arsenal (all 12).
His real nemesis appears to have been Felix Magath, the former Stuttgart, Bayern, Wolfsburg and Schalke coach. In 14 games against Magath teams, Klopp won only three times, losing eight.
Bayern have had the most wins against Klopp, with 16. No other team have reached double figures, with Hamburg, Schalke and Wolfsburg (all nine) next on the list.
The milestones, the biggest and the best… and the games he’d rather forget
Klopp won that first match of his career against Duisburg, and to date he has never lost on each 100th game on his way towards 1,000 as a boss.
There have been wins against the way against Bochum (200th game), Werder Bremen (300th), his old club Mainz (400th), Freiburg (500th) and Southampton (600th), and draws on his 700th, 800th and 900th games, against Newcastle, Chelsea and Real Madrid, respectively. Klopp’s 100th game was also a draw, against Unterhaching with Mainz.
His biggest win was the 9-0 trouncing that Liverpool dished out to Bournemouth in August of this season, and his Liverpool team have also hit seven in a game five times (Maribor, Spartak Moscow, Crystal Palace, Lincoln City and Rangers), while his biggest win as a boss in Germany was Dortmund’s 6-0 crushing of Arminia Bielefeld in May 2009.
Klopp has suffered four defeats by five-goal margins, the worst he has had to endure, with Aston Villa inflicting two of those: 7-2 in October 2020 and 5-0 in December 2019 – albeit the latter with Klopp and his frontline Liverpool stars out of the country on Club World Cup duty. There was also a 6-1 torching for Mainz at the hands of Werder Bremen in October 2006, and Liverpool’s 5-0 whipping by Guardiola’s City.
When it comes to promoting young talent, Klopp has rarely hesitated. His youngest player was Harvey Elliott, now a first-team squad regular at Liverpool, who faced MK Dons in the EFL Cup at the age of 16 years and 174 days in September 2019.
Klopp has fielded five 16-year-olds for Liverpool, plus seven 17-year-olds, while he also gave chances to the 17-year-old Mario Gotze at Dortmund, and Mario Vrancic, also 17, during his time at Mainz. Gotze went on to become a World Cup final match-winner.
His oldest player was Peter Neustadter, a Kazakh defender who was older than Klopp himself, aged 37 years and 176 days, when he turned out for Mainz against Alemannia Aachen in the Bundesliga’s second tier in August 2003.
Warhorse midfielder James Milner could yet break that record as the oldest Liverpool player to have appeared for Klopp, aged 37 years and 13 days when he played in the recent FA Cup replay win against Wolves this week.
James Woodburn remains the youngest scorer for Klopp after hitting the net against Leeds in an EFL Cup clash in November 2016 at the age of 17 years and 45 days, while Sebastian Kehl ranks as his oldest scorer – 35 years and 53 days old when he bagged for Dortmund against Hoffenheim in a DFB-Pokal quarter-final in April 2015.
Newcastle United have extended Loris Karius’ contract until the end of the season.
The former Liverpool goalkeeper joined on a short-term contract in September following an injury to back-up Karl Darlow.
Martin Dubravka’s return from a brief loan at Manchester United might have suggested Karius would depart again upon the conclusion of his initial deal.
But Newcastle announced on Thursday that the German – who is yet to make a competitive appearance – will be kept around until June.
The news comes after speculation began linking Darlow with several Championship clubs.
As a significantly altered team defeated Wolves 1-0 in a replay of the FA Cup third round at Molineux, Jurgen Klopp praised the return of the “passion” Liverpool had been missing.
Following an unexpected 3-0 Premier League loss at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, Reds manager Klopp made eight changes to his starting lineup.
One of the newcomers was Harvey Elliott, who ended up becoming the match-winner by scoring the lone goal with a breath-taking long-range shot in the 13th minute.
The holders will have the chance to take revenge on Brighton in a fourth-round meeting at the Amex Stadium with their first victory in four games.
It was anything but a classic all-Premier League tie after a 2-2 draw at Anfield ensured the two sides had to do battle again, but Klopp was not concerned about entertainment value.
He told BBC Sport: “It feels like ages ago we had a feeling of winning and playing well. We had to fight hard at the end, which we controlled for long periods. It is great and the reaction we wanted to see.”
Klopp vowed he would not quit after the defeat to Brighton and urged his players to go “back to basics”.
The German was impressed with the way they responded to a painful loss last weekend.
“From the passion we showed, yes,” he said. “It is my job to help the boys and find the formation where they feel good from the start.
“Stefan Bajcetic and the whole midfield was really compact, so it was difficult for Wolves to find the key players like Joao Moutinho. I liked the game a lot.”
Elliott was named man of the match, but Klopp felt several of his players were candidates for the award.
He added: “It was good from Harvey Elliott, especially after an early knock to the ankle. He fought through, and the goal was exceptional.
“I had a few man of the match performances today. We played a really good first half, had good periods in the second, and in the end it was just passion to block the shots. A cup game, great.”
According to Jurgen Klopp, he is not “too loyal” to his players and will only quit Liverpool if necessary.
The Reds’ season has been underwhelming thus far, which was made worse by recent sloppy Premier League losses against Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Despite claims that there has been insufficient replenishing of a team that has been one of the most successful in Europe in recent seasons, Liverpool has a number of key players who have been with the club for most of Klopp’s seven years on Merseyside.
“I heard I’m too loyal, but I am not too loyal. The problem is too complex. If you can then go out and bring in another player to replace him, then it makes sense,” manager Klopp said at a press conference. “But if you cannot bring anyone in, you cannot take anyone out.
“I am not too loyal. At [Borussia] Dortmund, it was clear when I left [in 2015], I said ‘something has to change here’. It is a different situation.
“Either the manager’s position changes or a lot of other things change. So, as far as I am concerned unless someone tells me, I will not go.
“I will be here for as long as I am wanted. If no one tells me to go, I will not go. So that means maybe there is a point where we have to change other stuff. We will see that, but that is something for the future. Like summer or whatever. Not now.
“I have space and time to think about it, we have to play better football now.”
Tuesday’s FA Cup third-round replay between Liverpool and Wolves at Molineux is a crucial matchup for Klopp’s club, which won the cup the previous year.
Klopp acknowledged that although it is doubtful Liverpool would make another move in the January transfer window after acquiring Dutch forward Cody Gakpo from PSV, it is not for lack of ambition.
The club’s supporters have been clamoring to recruit another midfielder, as Thiago Alcantara is the only one who has been signed on a permanent basis since 2018.
“We look outside as well,” Klopp said. “It’s not that we are stubborn and think that’s it, we’ll go with these boys until 2050 or whatever. That’s not how we see it, it’s all about what we can do and these kind of things – and what you want to do. More important is what you can do. It’s always the same, each year.
“I cannot change my answers – if the solutions are out there for us, available and doable, of course we would bring in players to help. But we have an existing squad as well and we are underperforming, definitely, I know that. But I cannot sit here and blame everyone else, the players, all the time. It is my responsibility.
“We have limited options, but we have players with contracts here, they are not available. But if we bring in players, we cannot bring them all in the Premier League and Champions League list.”
Eight months after Liverpool came dangerously close to a historically rare quadruple, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is fighting to prevent his team’s problematic season from collapsing.
After suffering a humiliating 3-0 loss at Brighton on Saturday, Klopp’s team is now languishing in ninth place in the Premier League, which has caused some soul-searching at Anfield.
In advance of Tuesday’s FA Cup third-round rematch between Liverpool and Wolves, AFP Sport examines the causes of the slump.
Liverpool’s quest for four titles last season came to a disappointing end as Real Madrid won the Champions League final and Manchester City won the Premier League crown.
And this season, Liverpool is still paying for that historic bid, which helped the club win the FA and League Cup finals.
Following a 63-game season in which the Reds played every possible match in all four competitions, Klopp acknowledged on Friday that Liverpool had displayed signs of being mentally and physically fatigued.
“It must have (had an effect). We can say that now,” Klopp said when asked about Liverpool’s fatigue.
“There was no book written about it, there was no data about it, because nobody played that many games before.”
The most visible sign of the debilitating effect of Liverpool’s marathon season has been in the Anfield treatment room – crammed with injured stars throughout this term.
Klopp’s forward line for the match at Brighton was missing a host of stars with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino all absent, while centre-back Virgil van Dijk was also sidelined.
AGEING MIDFIELD
Klopp’s desire for a frenetic game-plan based on relentlessly pressing Liverpool’s opponents into submission is best suited to a midfield packed with energetic workaholics.
For most of his reign at Liverpool that is exactly what he got from Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and James Milner as his “heavy metal” philosophy delivered Premier League and Champions League glory.
Now, however, Liverpool are beginning to pay the price for failing to freshen up a midfield that is showing its age.
Henderson (32), Milner (37), Thiago Alcantara (31) and Fabinho (29) are unable to consistently carry out Klopp’s demands, while the younger Naby Keita and Curtis Jones have been sidelined by injuries.
“It’s a real low point for us as a team,” Liverpool captain Henderson said. “We are low on confidence. You can see that when we’re playing, the energy levels are low. We need to stay together.”
Sadio Mane’s value to Liverpool was never in doubt but it is still surprising how much the Senegal star has been missed since joining Bayern Munich last year.
With Mane roaming across Liverpool’s front line there was more than one dangerman for opponents to focus on, allowing acres of space for Mohamed Salah to exploit.
Mane’s lethal finishing, creativity and work-rate made him indispensable and Klopp has yet to replace his output despite bringing in Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo in the past 12 months.
Netherlands forward Gakpo arrived from PSV Eindhoven earlier this month despite interest from Manchester United after shining at the World Cup.
The 23-year-old is without a goal in his first two appearances, but Klopp will hope he can fill Mane’s boots in time.
TROUBLE AT THE TOP
Klopp has been coy when asked about the impact of the Fenway Sports Group’s decision to put Liverpool up for sale in November, but there is no doubt the potential for a boardroom change has created uncertainty at Anfield.
Although US-based FSG sanctioned Klopp’s £40-million move for Gakpo, it was notable that the German has quietly grumbled about Liverpool’s transfer investment compared with their main Premier League rivals.
Klopp reportedly wanted Aurelien Tchouameni in the close season but the France midfielder went to Real Madrid instead, while Borussia Dortmund’s England star Jude Bellingham is understood to be another top target.
Midfielder Tyler Morton, who is currently on loan at Blackburn Rovers and making an impression, has been given a new long-term contract by Liverpool.
The 20-year-old participated in nine games for Liverpool in 2021–2022 and made notable appearances in games against Milan and Arsenal.
Morton then received a loan to Blackburn in order to gain more consistent first-team experience, and he has since made 28 appearances for the squad under Jon Dahl Tomasson, who is currently third in the Championship.
As Rovers attempt to gain promotion to the Premier League, he has so far appeared in every league game.
Morton revealed his pleasure on Wednesday after agreeing to new terms with Liverpool.
“I’m absolutely buzzing,” he said. “The little dream is coming true, so I couldn’t be happier.
“I’ve known for a little while and it’s been ongoing, and I couldn’t wait to get it over the line because this is the place I want to be and this is the club I want to be at.
“I’m absolutely buzzing and I can’t wait for the future.
“I’ve been extremely proud of myself for how I’ve handled the loan so far. Hopefully I carry that on and take it into the next half of the season.
“I feel like I’m progressing every day and learning new things on and off the pitch.
“It’s a lovely environment to learn and turn myself into a professional – and I think I’m doing that quite well. Hopefully it sets me up for what’s to come in the future.”
Liverpool, who were halted at Anfield by Julen Lopetegui’s visitors, will play in a rematch at Molineux thanks to goals from Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan.
Although the Reds dominated possession of the ball, defensive miscues prevented them from advancing to the fourth round despite goals from Salah and Darwin Nunez.
Gakpo, who believed the Reds occasionally displayed intelligence, was not overly discouraged.
He added: “I think we played, in phases, really good football.
“We didn’t score enough, so that’s a pity. But I think we showed what we could do. We can still improve on some points, [so] let’s work on that.
“I think we showed real team spirited, so that’s good. We have to go there [to Molineux] with great determination and just go for the win.”
The Brazilian was responsible for Wolves’ first goal because he let Goncalo Guedes an easy finish with a direct ball and also let Hwang Hee-chan score a facile second.
Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez both scored to keep the holders from suffering a shocking third-round elimination, but their combined efforts fell short of averting a rematch at Molineux.
However, in his postgame remarks, Klopp did not place the blame for their issues on his goalie, instead complimenting the contributions Wolves made in an exciting game that lasted the entire time at Anfield.
“The goal should not happen, but we all know how often Ali saves our backsides,” he told ITV Sport. “They had counter-attacks before then [too].
“It is always dangerous when [Adama] Traore gets the ball, we could see that. We came back with a fantastic equaliser. They got a foot in the game, and they caused us massive problems.”
When Toti Gomes’ goal was controversially disallowed by the linesman’s flag, Liverpool came the closest to losing when VAR was unable to provide enough angles to determine if Gomes was onside.
Julen Lopetegui was incensed by the choice, and Klopp agreed that it was not a good position for either team.
“I’m not sure about their third goal,” he added. “We have one picture where it may look offside.
“I can understand why they are angry about it. We don’t want the VAR to just have one angle.”
Cody Gakpo enjoyed a solid debut following his arrival from PSV, and Klopp was warm in his praise for the Dutchman.
“He fitted into the game,” he added. “It was not easy for a first step. We cannot expect it to be perfect.
“He showed good signs. We have to get him in better positions, but that will come, no doubt.”
Following a 2-2 tie in their FA Cup third-round match against Liverpool, Julen Lopetegui referred to Wolves’ disallowed goal as “impossible.”
Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-chan scored goals, and Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah also scored in a chaotic match on Merseyside.
However, a linesman’s call determined that the corner taker was offside in the lead-up, disqualifying Tote Gomes from scoring a late winner for the visitors.
In a call that enraged Lopetegui, who expressed his rage later, VAR was unable to find a good angle to reverse the decision and instead left it stand.
“We have seen it, and the offside doesn’t exist,” he told ITV. “It’s impossible, but someone has told him that it is offside. We have seen the image, and it doesn’t exist.
“The decision is wrong. I make mistakes every day, and sometimes they do too. Today we have the help of VAR, and it is a pity, because I’m sorry, it’s not offside.”
A valiant effort but we couldn't quite come away with the win.
A big thank you for your support at Anfield this evening. We'll need you again on Wednesday night 💛 pic.twitter.com/5cNLWHI2gg
Lopetegui was complimentary towards referee Andy Madley, telling BBC’s Match of the Day he was “very polite” when he and captain Bruno Neves took the decision up after the final whistle.
“That is a good thing for me, that is not usual in Spain,” he added “I love talking, only to show him the offside doesn’t exist. It is very clear.”
The call to cancel out the goal rankled harder for Lopetegui after Salah was effectively played onside for his own strike by a botched clearance attempt by Tote Gomes earlier on.
Lopetegui sought to draw a line under it however, adding to ITV: “It has happened now. We have to accept it. It is a pity because deserved to win against a fantastic team like Liverpool.”
Liverpool have made the first significant move in the January sales, confirming the signing of winger Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for an initial fee of £35million.
The versatile Dutch forward, 23, has signed a long-term deal that runs from January 1 to the summer of 2028.
Gakpo caught the eye during the Qatar World Cup, scoring in all three of the Netherlands’ group games while being utilised as a striker.
He has also been a standout performer in the Eredivisie this season, scoring nine goals and providing 12 assists for PSV in just 14 league games.
West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Wolves are among others who have started shopping early as clubs look to get their business done before the 11pm deadline on Tuesday, January 31.
The Irons have confirmed a deal is in place to sign Brazilian defender Luizao, 20, from Sao Paulo.
The promising young centre-back’s move is subject to international clearance, with a contract agreed up to the summer of 2026.
It is likely he will spend the rest of this season finding his feet in the development squad under Mark Robson.
Forest fans have already had a sneak peek of another Brazilian import, Gustavo Scarpa, who has flown in from Palmeiras.
The attacking midfielder, who turns 29 in January, made some cameo appearances in Forest’s mid-season friendlies and set up the winning goal for Emmanuel Dennis in a 2-1 victory over Valencia.
Wolves have also dipped their toe into the market by taking forward Matheus Cunha on loan from Atletico Madrid.
Subject to a work permit, 23-year-old Cunha is the first signing for new manager Julen Lopetegui at Molineux.
Should certain clauses be triggered, the Brazil international’s switch will be made permanent and run until 2027.
The addition of a new forward may be just what Liverpool needs to turn the season around in the second half.
The Reds had a sluggish start to the season and are currently sixth in the Premier League, four points behind fifth-place Manchester United and seven points behind fourth-place Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopp will hope to bring in attacking reinforcements in order to breathe new life into his side, who seem to have regressed after a strong 2021-22.
Ahead of the Merseysiders’ clash with Aston Villa on Boxing Day, we take a look at some of their possible transfer targets.
Current options
Liverpool’s preferred front three so far this season has seen Roberto Firmino play through the middle flanked by Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
Darwin Nunez, the big-money summer signing, has missed games through injury and suspension but he will be expected to kick on.
Klopp has lost Diaz to injury, however, and did not hide his disappointment at being without the Colombian.
He said: “It is clear it is a big disappointment for all of us, for [Diaz] as well. It was a non-situation in training, honestly. Nothing [and then he] felt something.
“[He] did not feel a lot [the] next day but we wanted to be really cautious and said: ‘OK, come on, let us have a look.’
“Then the news came and it was a proper smash in the face. But that is it now.”
Balancing the budget
Realistically, Liverpool will need to bring in another attacker in January if they are serious about securing a place in next season’s Champions League — but there are other areas of the pitch that also need improvement.
Reports suggest the Reds are focused on strengthening their midfield — which will be a costly endeavour.
Two names frequently mentioned as serious targets are Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund and Enzo Fernandez of Benfica, who both starred at the World Cup.
That could mean Liverpool will have limited funds as they seek to strengthen in the final third.
Enzo Fernandez covers the middle of the pitch for Benfica
Marcus Thuram
Marcus Thuram — son of legendary full-back Lillian — is Borussia Monchengladbach’s star centre forward.
The 25-year-old Frenchman could be a low-cost option given he is in the final year of his contract.
Thuram came through the youth system at Sochaux before a two-year spell with Guingamp. He then joined Monchengladbach in the summer of 2019.
The nine-cap international has been in fine form in the Bundesliga, contributing 10 goals and three assists in 15 games.
That — coupled with an impressive showing in Qatar that saw him deliver two assists — could prompt Anfield chiefs to make a January move.
Marcus Thuram is in fine goalscoring form for Borussia Monchengladbach
Jhon Duran
Colombian forward Jhon Duran, 19, could be a bold choice.
The teenager is able to play out wide as well as through the middle and plies his trade in MLS with Chicago Fire, having joined them in 2022 from Colombian side Envigado.
Since then, Duran has gone on to make his senior debut for the Colombia national team — earning three caps to date — and has developed into one of the most promising talents in South America.
He contributed eight goals and five assists in 27 MLS games this year.
Joao Felix
Joao Felix could operate as a false nine under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool
Joao Felix is the biggest name linked with Liverpool this January transfer window.
But he would not come cheap. The 23-year-old Portuguese ace has failed to settle at Atletico Madrid since joining from Benfica in July 2019 and it is accepted that the time has come for him to move on.
A dynamic forward, Felix has never quite convinced pragmatic coach Diego Simeone but his performances for his country during the World Cup have reminded many of his talent.
The big question, however, is whether Liverpool have the financial capacity to sanction a move for Felix alongside their plans for a midfield revamp next summer.
A murder investigation has been launched after a woman was fatally shot at a pub near Liverpool on Christmas Eve.
Merseyside Police officers were called to the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village at about 23:50 GMT on Saturday.
Three men and the female victim were taken to hospital suffering gunshot wounds – the woman later died.
Det Supt Dave McCaughrean said the shooting happened at a “busy venue full of young people”.
He added: “We believe that the gunman left the pub car park in a dark coloured vehicle – possibly a dark coloured Mercedes shortly after the shooting.”
The force said a “number of others” were also injured in the shooting, which was described as despicable by the chief constable.
Det Supt McCaughrean appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.
“This investigation is in the very early stages and we understand that this is a truly shocking and devastating incident that has happened just before Christmas Day,” he added.
“We have a number of officers at Wallasey Village who are carrying out extensive inquiries to understand exactly what has taken place and take immediate action.
“A woman has tragically lost her life at Christmas whilst several people are being treated in hospital and our thoughts and condolences are with the victim’s family.”
Police added the woman’s next of kin had been informed and her family were being supported by specially trained officers.
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