Category: Liverpool

Liverpool can secure their spot in the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday when they face French club Lille at Anfield.

Currently leading the group stage, Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Girona on December 10 preserved their perfect record of six wins from six matches. Lille, on the other hand, are in eighth place with 13 points, sitting in the final automatic qualification position for the round of 16.

Match Preview

Liverpool were fortunate to keep a clean sheet against Girona, having faced eight shots from inside the box and conceding nearly 1.25 xG. It’s worth mentioning that they produced a lower open-play xG than their Spanish opponents in that match.

The Reds remain the only team in the Champions League to have won all six of their group-stage games and boast the competition’s joint-best defense, having conceded just once.

Arne Slot’s Lille side have already secured a spot in the round of 16 playoffs but need just one more point to secure an automatic qualification position, though they could still advance even with two losses.

In domestic competition, Liverpool are six points ahead of second-placed Arsenal in the Premier League, with a game in hand, after their 2-0 victory over Brentford on Saturday, while Arsenal dropped points against Aston Villa the same day.

Liverpool’s form has been inconsistent in recent weeks, with two wins, two draws, and one loss in their last five matches, scoring nine goals and conceding four.

Lille, who defeated Sturm Graz 3-2 in their last Champions League match on December 11, had to rely on an 81st-minute goal from Hakon Arnar Haraldsson after nearly squandering a 2-0 lead.

In Ligue 1, Lille are third with 32 points from 18 matches and occupy the final automatic Champions League qualification spot for the 2025-26 season.

Bruno Genesio’s team has only lost once in their last six Champions League games and are unbeaten in their past five, winning four. Lille are also on a 21-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, with 12 wins.

Lille have won two and drawn one of their last three away games and are unbeaten on the road since September 2024, a run of 11 matches.

Team News

Liverpool’s only confirmed absentee is Joe Gomez, who will return in early February. It is unlikely that Slot will risk Ibrahima Konate due to his injury history, so Wataru Endo may partner Virgil van Dijk at center-back.

Diogo Jota is a doubt after picking up a knock, and if he is not fit, Luis Diaz may lead the attack with Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa. Harvey Elliott could start in an attacking midfield role after his strong performance against Brentford, with Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch in the midfield.

Lille will be without defender Tiago Santos for the rest of the season, while Samuel Umtiti is expected to return only in late January. Their defense could include Thomas Meunier, Bafode Diakite, Alexsandro Ribeiro, and Ismaily, with Benjamin Andre and Ayyoub Bouaddi in midfield, as Ethan Mbappe and Nabil Bentaleb are unavailable.

Lille’s attack might feature Mitchel Bakker, Remy Cabella, and Osame Sahraoui supporting Jonathan David, as Edon Zhegrova and Mathias Fernandez-Pardo are sidelined.

Liverpool possible lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Endo, Van Dijk, Robertson; Jones, Gravenberch; Salah, Elliott, Chiesa; Diaz

Lille possible lineup:
Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Ribeiro, Ismaily; Andre, Bouaddi; Bakker, Cabella, Sahraoui; David

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Lille
Although Liverpool may look slightly disjointed if they make changes to the team that defeated Brentford, their passionate home support should help them secure a win. Lille will present a tough challenge due to their recent strong form, and they may frustrate the Anfield crowd at times, though they are likely to fall short in the end.

Liverpool need a point against Lille on Tuesday night to secure their place in the Champions League last 16.

The Reds will welcome the French side to Anfield for their seventh match of the current league phase, with an 8pm GMT kick-off.

Arne Slot’s team has been perfect in the competition so far, winning all six of their matches. They are three points ahead at the top of the standings and are assured of at least a spot in the knockout play-offs.

A draw against Lille would guarantee a top-eight finish for Liverpool and automatic progression to the last 16.

Depending on results elsewhere, Liverpool could still advance to the last 16 even with a loss to Lille, as only 11 of the other 35 teams still have a chance to surpass them in the table with two games remaining.

Slot’s squad will also travel to the Netherlands to face PSV Eindhoven on January 29 in their final match of the league phase.

Clubs finishing in 9th to 24th place in the final standings will compete in two-legged play-offs to reach the last 16. Teams finishing 25th and lower will be eliminated from European competition for the 2024-25 season.

The knockout play-offs will take place on February 11/12 and February 18/19, with the last-16 ties scheduled for March 4/5 and March 11/12.

The top eight finishers in the league phase will be seeded for the last 16, facing a qualifier from the knockout play-offs. These seeded teams will play the second leg of their last-16 match at home.

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Omar Marmoush comments released as ‘Liverpool target confirms transfer agreement’

In a live update on the potential transfer saga of Omar Marmoush, it appears that the Egyptian forward could be heading to Manchester City this month, although Eintracht Frankfurt has yet to receive an official offer for the player, who is having a stellar season.

Speaking to the press, Frankfurt’s sporting director Markus Krosche confirmed, “There is still no inquiry, no email, no offer. Our intention is to keep the squad together.” This comes amid growing speculation linking Marmoush to top Premier League clubs, with reports from Sky Sports suggesting the 25-year-old has agreed a deal in principle to join Manchester City.

Marmoush has been in sensational form this season, with 18 goals and 12 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions for Frankfurt, making him one of Europe’s standout performers. Only Mohamed Salah has more goal contributions than Marmoush in the top five leagues. The forward, who plays alongside Salah for the Egypt national team, looks more likely to move to Manchester City than Liverpool at this stage.

Negotiations between City and Frankfurt are reportedly set to begin soon, as Marmoush has reportedly agreed to be part of Pep Guardiola’s squad. Frankfurt is believed to value the player at around $82 million, but Manchester City is expected to push for a deal closer to $52 million to $62 million. Frankfurt is likely to reject any offers significantly below their asking price.

City, who are currently without a recognized backup for Erling Haaland after selling Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid last summer, are looking to bolster their attacking options. While Haaland has scored 21 goals in 27 appearances this season, Phil Foden is the next highest scorer for City with just five goals, two of which have come in the Premier League. The addition of Marmoush could provide a valuable alternative, offering more versatility, agility, and a different playing style compared to Haaland—similar to the profile of Alvarez.

Liverpool may have already secured a new contract for one of their key players, although the news has yet to be officially confirmed.

The club has been grappling with concerning off-field issues, with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold all set to be out of contract at the end of the season.

Fans will likely have been anxious about the possibility of losing all three players on free transfers, but it appears there is positive news regarding Van Dijk.

Fichajes reports that the Netherlands international has already agreed to a two-year contract extension with the club, ensuring his future at Anfield.

The report indicates that Liverpool are pleased with this development, and supporters will likely be celebrating once the news is made official.

Virgil van Dijk set to remain at Liverpool, but will they retain their other key players?

While Van Dijk’s future seems secure, Liverpool must now focus on keeping Salah and Alexander-Arnold for the long term.

Salah’s potential move to Saudi Arabia has been suggested by recent reports, with Gianluigi Longari noting that Al Hilal are the frontrunners to sign him.

In addition, El Chiringuito has claimed that Alexander-Arnold’s move to Real Madrid is already finalized for next season.

Losing two out of these three crucial players would undoubtedly be a significant setback for Liverpool, even though securing Van Dijk is certainly a positive development.

It is surprising that the club has found itself in this situation, as it is difficult to recall another team facing such a complex transfer dilemma in recent years.

Liverpool fans will be hoping they can navigate through this challenge and that valuable lessons will be learned to prevent such issues in the future.

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Arne Slot must unleash key player as Liverpool await crucial answer to big question within 24 hours

In a dramatic 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, Liverpool had to fight back after an early deficit, and the key to their second-half resurgence came from an inspired double substitution. The importance of Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota‘s first touches in this match may not be fully realized until later in the season, but their impact was clear.

For now, Arne Slot will be left reflecting on several missed opportunities, as Forest goalkeeper Mats Sels was in outstanding form, denying Liverpool a crucial victory. Sels was superb, keeping out efforts from Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Jota, while Ola Aina also made a crucial clearance off the line. This resilience from Forest is exactly why they currently sit second in the league, showing their ability to withstand intense pressure from Liverpool’s attacking waves.

Though Forest may not challenge Liverpool for the Premier League title come May, their defense is proving formidable, and a top-four finish looks very attainable, especially with rivals like Chelsea and Manchester City faltering after their own 2-2 draws earlier this week. If Arne Slot truly believes those teams are still title contenders, then no ground was lost here for Liverpool.

In terms of defensive solidity, Forest certainly deserve recognition. Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo were exceptional, exemplifying why Forest have conceded only 20 goals in 21 games—matching Liverpool‘s defensive record. Only Arsenal have conceded fewer.

From the outset, Liverpool controlled the game, dominating possession against a Forest side that opted to sit back rather than press. The hosts were content to invite Liverpool forward and defend deep, but, as in their previous meeting in September, a sharp counterattack caught Liverpool off guard. Chris Wood capitalized on the hosts’ first shot on target, finding the net after just eight minutes.

Darwin Nunez rescued Liverpool on a frustrating afternoon against Brentford, scoring a late brace to secure three crucial points for the team.

It hasn’t been the January Arne Slot and his Liverpool side had hoped for, leaving room for their Premier League title challengers to close the gap.

Nunez eased the disappointment for Liverpool with two goals in stoppage time, following a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest earlier in the week.

Heading into the Brentford match, Liverpool were four points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand over second-place Arsenal. Kostas Tsimikas was tasked with countering Brentford’s counter-attacks, but he found himself on a tightrope after receiving a booking early in the second half.

The Reds seemed to have misplaced their shooting boots until Nunez made his impact. They managed 30 shots over the course of the game but couldn’t convert, despite clear chances from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz. Dominik Szoboszlai also hit the crossbar.

Mohamed Salah’s contract situation continues to be a talking point, and the Egyptian was largely quiet in this match. While he provided some quality passes, he struggled to find space for goal-scoring opportunities.

Nunez eventually broke the deadlock late in the match, scoring twice in quick succession to give Liverpool a vital win. Still, Slot and his team have work to do as Arsenal remain in hot pursuit.

The Left-Back Problem

Although Liverpool sit atop the Premier League and rarely lose, a defensive issue persists, particularly at left-back. While Andy Robertson has been a loyal and effective player, age is catching up with him, and backup Kostas Tsimikas has yet to impress significantly.

Liverpool have been linked with Milos Kerkez, a 21-year-old Hungarian international from Bournemouth. Kerkez offers both solid defensive and attacking contributions. As a teammate of Reds’ midfielder Szoboszlai, his potential move could work in Liverpool’s favor. However, Kerkez won’t come cheap, and Bournemouth will likely demand a hefty fee for their rising star.

Missed Chances

Liverpool recorded 19 shots in the first half and a total of 30 by the final whistle at the G-Tech. The Reds have struggled to find consistent goal-scorers beyond Salah, with Diaz, Gakpo, and Nunez being inconsistent.

While they remain top of the table, their lack of finishing could hinder their Premier League title aspirations. They managed to get the win this time, but such luck may not hold in future matches.

Konate’s Importance

Ibrahima Konate was a standout performer for Liverpool. The pace of Brentford’s attack, combined with Liverpool’s high defensive line, put pressure on the team, but Konate handled the situation admirably. Despite injury issues in his Liverpool career, Konate’s impact is clear when fit.

Nunez’s Moment

Darwin Nunez thrives in chaotic situations, and this game was no exception. Despite being jeered by Brentford fans when he entered, Nunez silenced them with two quick goals in stoppage time.

Though often criticized for his finishing, Nunez delivered at the crucial moment. The Liverpool fans showed their appreciation, and he fully deserved the praise.