Liverpool - News

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Report by Luke Reddy, BBC Sport journalist.
Luis Diaz, just like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ray Clemence, Roger Hunt and more, has his image painted into walls just a few metres from the stadium where he hopes he will get his hands on the Premier League title in a few weeks' time.

The Colombian, who endured stresses of an unimaginable kind when his father was kidnapped during the season, has in recent weeks rediscovered his form and tenacious style, finding the net against Chelsea, Burnley, Luton Town and, latterly, Brighton.

But is there more to come? Or perhaps, to be critical, is more needed?

Diaz has delivered seven league goals and three assists across 28 games. He has created or scored a goal every 193 minutes.

On the opposite flank, Mohamed Salah has 25 goals or assists in 23 matches. He scores or creates a goal every 76 minutes.

Darwin Nunez – on 10 goals and seven assists – has out-contributed Diaz. As has Diogo Jota, who is on nine goals and three assists - and the Portugal international has played a little over half the minutes that Diaz has in the league.

So does Diaz need to improve his end product in the key weeks to come? Few fans will question his desire or application. His lung-busting dribble the length of the Anfield pitch against Manchester City showcased his fight. However, when opportunity knocked in the same fixture when clean through against Stefan Ortega, he fluffed his lines.

Using Opta data, Diaz has found the target with 52% of his shots this season. Jota (68%), Salah (59%), Bukayo Saka (58%), Erling Haaland (57%), Julian Alvarez (54%), Nunez (53%) and Gabriel Martinelli (53%) all sit above him from those clubs chasing the title.

He has created 36 chances in the campaign. That trails Martinelli, Salah, Alvarez and Saka, who is on an astonishing 68 in the same number of games. Interestingly, Jeremy Doku has created only two chances fewer than Diaz, who has featured in seven more matches.

It could be argued Liverpool's choice of forwards means no one player needs to post astonishing numbers when options can emerge from the bench to overwhelm opponents.

Diaz can also look around him at players who can become a little more ruthless. Liverpool have found the target with 49% of shots this season if we exclude shots blocked. That is 12th in the Premier League's rankings, with Manchester City top on 56% and Arsenal fifth on 52.1%.

During these weeks when glory and agony are likely to be separated by small margins, Jurgen Klopp's side will surely prosper if they can find tiny percentage points of improvement in the final third, and seeing Diaz's name in the goal or assist column could prove hugely significant.

We are nearing the end. End product will be everything.

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Are Liverpool passing up the chance to hold a more dominant position in terms of maybe points and certainly goal difference in the title race?

Data shows the Reds are 12th in the Premier League for shooting accuracy this season, with just under half of their efforts hitting the target.

And if we dig in a little deeper, Opta's numbers say of their "big chances" created, Liverpool convert 41.67%. That rate of conversion is 10th in the division.

What a difference a few ruthless finishes could make between now and the season's end.

Thursday 4th April 2024 - Premier League

Liverpool 3 (Nunez 17, MacAllister 76, Gakpo 90) Sheffield Utd 1 (Bradley 58 og)

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Darwin Nunez's goal for Liverpool was his 18th in all competitions for the Reds this season

Report By Michael Emons, BBC Sport at Anfield.
Liverpool battled to victory over bottom-placed Sheffield United to move back to the top of the Premier League and maintain control of the title race.

The hosts were gifted a 17th-minute lead when Darwin Nunez charged down goalkeeper Ivo Grbic's clearance with the ball rebounding into the net.

Despite having 84% of possession in the first half and wasting numerous chances, Liverpool conceded a 58th-minute equaliser as Gustavo Hamer's header bounced off Conor Bradley and into his own net.

But Argentina's World Cup-winning Alexis Mac Allister - nominated for March's Premier League Player of the Month award - produced a stunning 20-yard strike which flew into the top corner to put the hosts back in front with 14 minutes left.

Mac Allister nearly grabbed a wonderful second but saw his curling free-kick bounce off the crossbar.

But it did not matter as substitute Cody Gakpo headed in Liverpool's third in the 90th minute to seal the victory.

The result takes the Reds two points clear of Arsenal and three ahead of reigning champions Manchester City, with each side having eight league matches left.

More importantly, it keeps Liverpool's title destiny in their own hands.

They know if they beat Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Everton, West Ham, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Wolves, it will secure their second Premier League title and confirm them as top-flight English champions for a 20th time.

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We asked for your thoughts on Thursday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Sheffield United.

Here are some of your responses:

Liverpool fans

Manicred: Far too pedestrian for the first 75 minutes of the match. Liverpool's class told in the end, but the worrying thing is how many chances we need to create to score a goal.

Bobby: We made that game hard work. Thanks to Mac Allister the team spirit lifted. Roll on Manchester United on Sunday. This game is more important than the FA Cup loss.

Karen: Another win, but again, made hard work of it. So much possession, but too many wasted opportunities. We must pad out the goal difference because it would be catastrophic to lose the title on goal difference.

Leonard: What a goal from Mac Allister! What a player! Liverpool still have a knack of playing below their best and still coming out on top. Fair play to Sheffield United. They put it up to them, but in the end Liverpool had the firepower to get over the line. If that firepower is more clinical (than they were in FA Cup) against Man Utd on Sunday then we should win.

Andy: I would like to see Endo and Elliott starting at Old Trafford. After a brilliant start to the season, sadly Szoboszlai has run out of energy while Elliott is a Duracell bunny. Endo is the signing of the season. He gives us real solidity in front of the back four.


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Liverpool have opened discussions with 39-year-old Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Atalanta say they have not received any direct contact from Liverpool about their Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, with the Reds reportedly interested in the 26-year-old.

Liverpool want to sign 25-year-old Real Madrid and Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde.

Bologna and Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee has been targeted by Liverpool and Manchester United, but he has told his agent he would prefer a move to AC Milan.

Premier League clubs are pushing to scrap points deductions in favour of a new luxury tax fine system.

Sunday 7th April 2024 - Premier League - Old Trafford

Manchester United 2 (Bruno Fernandes 50, Mainoo 67) Liverpool 2 (Diaz 23, Salah 84 pen)

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Mohamed Salah is the first player to score in four consecutive Premier League away appearances against Manchester United

By Phil McNulty, Chief football writer at Old Trafford.
Liverpool squandered the opportunity to return to the top of the Premier League as they were held to a draw in another Old Trafford thriller with Manchester United.
Manager Jurgen Klopp and his players will wonder how they failed to avenge the FA Cup quarter-final loss here last month as they paid the price for missing numerous chances, having overrun the hosts for long periods.
Liverpool only had a Luis Diaz strike to show for almost total first-half superiority in which they had 15 shots to none from United, whose manager Erik ten Hag was thankful for the visitors' wastefulness and saves from keeper Andre Onana.
United, almost unbelievably, were gifted a lifeline five minutes after the break when Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah passed straight to Bruno Fernandes, who lifted a finish over stranded keeper Caoimhin Kelleher from inside the centre circle.
Kobbie Mainoo then put them ahead after 67 minutes with a superb curling finish at the Stretford End for his first home goal.
But Liverpool salvaged the draw, which was the least they deserved, when Mohamed Salah scored from the spot with six minutes of normal time left after Aaron Wan-Bissaka lunged in late on Harvey Elliott.
Liverpool now lie second behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference, with Manchester City a point further back in third place.

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to Sky Sports: "We should have won the game, that is clear. We should have had other goals in the first half already. No shots in the first half and 1-0 is the lowest we could expect. Really well done from Bruno. Then the stadium is coming and we needed a few minutes to settle again and they scored another screamer. We had big chances before and after they scored. As far as I'm concerned, we have a point more than we did before. They put an extra shift in, that's how it is. We will face that again against Everton. Fully deserved equaliser.

"I think the Dom Szoboszlai chance was an incredible save from Onana. The other ones, we were in a bit of a rush, I would have loved us to take an extra touch. We have to be calm in the whole journey. The goals we scored brought us to where we are right now. We have Europa League on Thursday and then it's Crystal Palace. Games are coming thick and fast, that is good for us. I'm not over the moon but it's OK.

"I'm not angry at all with the boys but in the game I'm not just going to let things happen. We dropped too deep. There were plenty of situations where we could have defended the ball. You need to be proactive.

"We play now at home against Atalanta, difficult game but at home and then another. We don't have many home games left. The team who wins the league in the end should deserve it. We are in the race and I'm absolutely fine with it."

More from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to BBC MOTD: "I am already 10-15 minutes after the game, I am OK with it. There were a lot of moments we could have turned and pushed it in the right direction.

"I thought we could have scored with Dom's [Dominik Szoboszlai] shot, but Andre Onana made an incredible save.

"In the second half with the mistake [Jarell Quansah's pass to Bruno Fernandes] we make which is no problem, these things happen.

"They score with a good finish [Kobbie Mainoo], then a great atmosphere but before that we did calm the situation down.

"These boys bring us here on 71 points and now we cannot speak about things we didn't do.

"As far as I know we are still in the race so it is fine."

On derby games: "Absolutely this game and the Everton game are different for us than others in the league.

"These games are specifically difficult, so I thought in a lot of moments we did really well.

"Creating is good, but finishing off is not as good.

"The whole Liverpool community just stay calm. We are where we are and we keep giving it a proper go. Do I wish we had 10 points difference? Of course.

"We take what we got and keep going."

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Mohamed Salah is set to be targeted by Saudi Pro League clubs again this summer with Al-Ittihad prepared to offer £70m for the 31-year-old Liverpool and Egypt forward.

Liverpool have offered Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim a three-year contract to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Liverpool have joined Liverpool, West Ham, Tottenham and AC Milan in the race to sign Fulham's 26-year-old centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, who is out of contract in the summer.

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Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott says the club's players "want to give everything back" to outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp by winning the Europa League.

If the Reds reach the final on 22nd May it will be the German's final match in charge of the club, and he will have a chance to win the only trophy he is yet to lift in England.

"With the gaffer leaving at the end of the season, winning it would be the best possible way for that to end," Elliott said in his pre-match news conference before Thursday's quarter final first leg against Atalanta.

"We as players will be doing everything we can for that to happen and we want to give everything back to him.

"He's been so influential in all our careers."

Elliott has featured largely as a substitute in the Premier League this season - with 21 of his 27 appearances from the bench - but has started seven of the Reds' eight Europa League games so far and is keen to force his way in Klopp's starting XI.

"It's just about making sure I'm analysing the game and working out where I can exploit different teams," he added.

"I look for areas I can get myself into and attack that way. But frankly, I want to be starting games. I want to be the player that's walking out, not coming on.

"It doesn't mean I'm not grateful. I'm always grateful for every opportunity in the shirt but it's about kicking on and getting myself a starting place in that team and I'm working very hard to make that happen for myself.

"I know I'm still young but I'm not a kid, I'm a man. I've had to grow up quickly so I am taking that responsibility into my own hands. If that means knocking on the gaffer's door then I'll do it.

"But at the same time I know I need to be patient and wait my turn but when I get those chances, I will take them."