Liverpool FC news recap: Liverpool's HUGE win, Slot hung out to dry by FSG
By
George James
George James
Here's your daily Liverpool news recap from Tuesday 5 November as
Liverpool 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Following a slow first half against Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds stepped up their game in the second half.
Curtis Jones, who played a brilliant game, sent the ball through to Luis Diaz who dinked the ball over Hradecky and into the back of the net to break the deadlock in the 61st minute.
It was only two minutes later than that Cody Gakpo doubled Liverpool's lead, nodding home a Mo Salah cross from short range.
It was once again a Salah cross that led to the Reds' third goal, but this time it was Diaz on the end of it.
The Colombian topped off the night with a hattrick, his first for Liverpool, when he scored in the 92nd minute.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is going to feast and the data proves it
Trent Alexander-Arnold should fancy his chances tonight as Liverpool host Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League. The data proves it.
Liverpool take on Bayer Leverkusen tonight in a massive UEFA Champions League clash. It's Arne Slot vs Xabi Alonso, for one - two men linked with the job at Anfield this year.
Slot got the gig, with Alonso opting to remain with Leverkusen for another year. Now we get to see who's working more magic.
But while the managers are key here, it's the players who ultimately decide it and any stars who can get an advantage may prove decisive. And we think Trent Alexander-Arnold may have such an advantage.
The Scouser could feast against the Bundesliga champions - if the data holds up.
Firmino makes strong statement amid Saudi criticism
Roberto Firmino moved to Saudi Arabia on a free transfer in 2023, a firm Anfield favourite and a winner of the Champions League, Premier League and Club World Cup among other honours for Liverpool.
He is a striker for Al-Ahli and also club captain but he too has been experiencing a difficult spell in Jeddah.
He had been on an eight-match goalless streak, losing his striking berth to new signing Ivan Toney, and recently faced calls from a club legend to be replaced as skipper.
Al-Ahli are having a rough season in league competition, currently ninth, and Firmino seems to be bearing the responsibility of the team’s misfortunes.
Arne Slot being hung out to dry by FSG
Barely a week goes by without Liverpool coach Arne Slot being asked about the contract situations around three of his star players.
Captain Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah are ALL out of contract in 2025, a nightmare scenario for the club.
Losing any of of those would be bad enough but with less than two months before a window opens for interested overseas parties to open talks over free transfers, there remains the distinct possibility that ALL THREE walk out the door for nothing next summer.
The problem?
Renewals don’t come cheap. And in the case of Van Dijk and Salah in particular there is their age situations to factor in. Can Liverpool really afford a significant outlay for the next two to three years on each of them?
Liverpool prodigy ready to replace Szoboszlai
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot laid down a challenge earlier in the season to Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian captain was signed in the summer of 2023 from RB Leipzig for a sizeable £60m fee, initially taking to life at Anfield with great aplomb in the early part of Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge.
However, his Liverpool career slowed towards the midpoint of the campaign before an injury affected the second half of his maiden season.
Although still a regular starter for new coach Slot, the 24-year-old has perhaps not had the desired effect when it comes to chance creation and goal scoring.
This season for example Szoboszlai only has ONE goal to his name and none scored in the Premier League. And that relative lack of output led to Slot to query Szoboszlai ahead of Liverpool’s recent Champions League game against AC Milan.
Liverpool wonderkid is ready for first-team debut
There's an exciting wonderkid at Liverpool who is getting closer and closer to making his first team debut.
Chances have come more sparsely for young players under Arne Slot, but there is one player in the academy who is becoming hard to ignore at the moment.
And it's probably not one of the names you will have heard of. Trey Nyoni is catching the eye and so is Rio Ngumoha but there is someone else in the team who is currently performing at the same level but perhaps hasn't quite yet gotten the same opportunities just yet.
His time, though, could be soon, with games coming thick and fast in the calendar for Slot and his team following the November international break.
The player in question is of course Kieran Morrison who is quietly becoming the biggest gem in the academy at the moment.
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