The Empire of The Kop

9 changes made: Nunez benched & Quansah starts v Leicester City – Predicted Liverpool XI

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 10:57:21 +0200

Liverpool are set to take on relegated outfit Leicester City in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

The Foxes have begun their Championship campaign with a near-perfect record, winning all but one of their opening eight second division fixtures to leave them at the top of the table heading into October.

The Merseysiders, on their end, have equally enjoyed an impressive start to the 2023/24 season, with a midfield rebuild already paying dividends.

Ahead of Caoimhin Kelleher in between the sticks, we at Empire of the Kop are backing Jurgen Klopp to go with a centre-back partnership of Joel Matip and Jarell Quansah.

In the middle of the park, Wataru Endo should be given another chance to showcase his talents following his Liverpool move along with fellow summer signing Ryan Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott.

Up top, what we’d now imagine to be our favoured starting trio in Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah will likely be rested in favour of Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Ben Doak.

EOTK’s Predicted XI: Kelleher, Tsimikas, Quansah, Matip, Gomez, Endo, Gravenberch, Elliott, Jota, Gakpo, Doak

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Ex-England winger claims Liverpool player has ‘changed’ his game since ex-teammate’s departure

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 10:32:29 +0200

Shaun Wright-Phillips believes that Mo Salah has ‘changed’ his game at Liverpool since the departure of former teammate Bobby Firmino over the summer.

The Egyptian is now the only member of the famed front three of the Reds’ 2019/20 Premier League-winning season still at the club, with the Brazilian and Sadio Mane now both playing in Saudi Arabia.

The former Chelsea and England winger was speaking on The Kelly & Wrighty Show on Optus Sport when he voiced his belief that the 31-year-old has become less ‘greedy’ since his former attacking partners left Anfield.

Wright-Phillips said of Salah: “That’s where he’s changed a little bit. You go back a few years when Mane and Bobby were there. Everyone used to say he was more greedier. He felt like he could be because Bobby was a creator and Mane did the same as well.

“Now that they’re gone, he’s realised that, ‘right, it’s not just about me now, I have to provide for my teammates’. He’s doing that and scoring goals. I don’t think you can ask for much more from him.”

Firmino played the role of the selfless false 9 to perfection at Liverpool, working tirelessly off the ball to create the openings for Salah and Mane to strike, but it’s not as if the Egyptian routinely eschewed putting in the effort himself to tee up his teammates to score.

We all know about his scarcely believable goal tallies, but the 31-year-old has also hit double digits for assists in all but one of his six Premier League seasons at Anfield (Transfermarkt).

He’s well on his way to doing just that yet again this term, setting up four goals already in addition to the three he’s scored (Transfermarkt), an incredible reliability which has seen him register at least one goal contribution in 13 successive games for the Reds in all competitions.

Salah has faced accusations of selfishness in the past, but any elite forward is consumed by the desire to try and score with every opportunity they get, and the figures are there to show that he’s no mere lounger in the penalty box who waits for teammates to do the hard graft to set him up.

Whatever the Egyptian is doing, and however different it might appear to be from when he had Firmino and Mane alongside him, it’s clearly working wonders considering his current hot streak.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Liverpool-linked prodigy striving for ‘dream’ Premier League move – but not to Anfield

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:57:41 +0200

A teenage talent who’s been linked with Liverpool in recent months has spoken of his ‘dream’ to play in the Premier League – but not at Anfield.

Calciomercato reported in June that the Reds were ready to swoop for Patrick Dorgu after a series of scouting missions, although the Lecce defender has eyes on a different English top-flight club instead.

Speaking to Danish outlet Ekstra Bladet, the 18-year-old said: “Chelsea is my dream to play for. I have been a fan of them for over ten years, so it would be a huge dream to play for them.”

Players snubbing Liverpool for Chelsea was something of a recurring theme during the summer transfer window, with both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia opting for a move to west London rather than Merseyside.

So far, it’s a decision the pair might be regretting. They’ve made only four Premier League appearances between them for a team languishing in 14th place (WhoScored), whereas the Reds are flying high in second as the closest challengers to a thus far flawless Manchester City.

Dorgu may understandably find it difficult to resist an opportunity to move to Stamford Bridge given his self-proclaimed status as a boyhood Blues fan, but if he were to decide with his head rather than his heart, he might see Anfield as the smarter destination in terms of career progression.

All but one of the left-back’s appearances for high-flying Lecce this season have been off the bench (Transfermarkt), so he may believe he’s best served by remaining with the Serie A club for now and accruing further experience before trying his luck in England.

If he eventually joins Liverpool, we obviously hope he goes on to be a success. If he pursues his ‘dream’ move to Chelsea instead, best of luck to him. He’d need every bit of it judging by the mess they’ve become there under Todd Boehly’s ownership.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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‘The real deal…’ – Richard Keys has already changed his tune on Liverpool since pre-season

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:28:46 +0200

Seven weeks is all it’s taken Richard Keys to drastically reassess his verdict on Liverpool’s Premier League title credentials.

In the days leading up to the start of the campaign, the former Sky Sports presenter wrote on his eponymous blog that he didn’t think the Reds had ‘a challenge in them’ and would sorely ‘miss’ Jordan Henderson and James Milner.

While those two were tremendous servants at Anfield, their replacements Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both hit the ground running and breathed new life into LFC’s midfield, fuelling an excellent opening few weeks in which we’ve claimed 16 points from a possible 18.

In his latest blog, Keys has since changed his tune on Liverpool, and he even compared them favourably to the troubled start that Manchester United have had to their season.

The 66-year-old wrote: “Liverpool look like the real deal again. Klopp’s rebuild has been a resounding success and from a position where last season’s table told us they were way behind United, they’re now back on their perch – way ahead of them, proving that you don’t always need time – you simply need to know what you’re doing.”

When looking at the first six games of the season prior to the campaign getting underway, it would’ve taken the more optimistic of Liverpool fans to predict that we’d have only dropped two points by this stage, having beaten three of last term’s top seven.

Most of those results haven’t come the easy way, with the Reds frequently needing to come from behind to emerge victorious, but it speaks to the renewed confidence and belief of the team that they’re recovering from losing positions.

The additions of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in particular have galvanised the entire squad, while the previously much-maligned Curtis Jones and Darwin Nunez have both been magnificent in the early weeks of the season, not to mention the ever-reliable brilliance of Mo Salah.

Liverpool have a set of tricky fixtures on the horizon, travelling to two of the current top four in Tottenham and Brighton over the next fortnight. If we can emerge from those games still within touching distance of Manchester City at the summit, talk of a prolonged title challenge could certainly gather legs.

It’s still too early to declare that the Reds will definitely be in the running by the business end of the campaign, but it’s indicative of how well they’ve started that they’re already causing some pundits to reassess their initial predictions from only a few short weeks ago.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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‘Every time…’ – Mo Salah’s greatness summed up by former teammate who faced him recently

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:00:43 +0200

It’s not just Liverpool fans who know all about the true greatness of Mo Salah – many of the defenders charged with facing him in the Premier League can also testify to what an extraordinary footballer he is.

The latest direct opponent tasked with trying to shackle him was West Ham left-back Emerson Palmieri, who was formerly a teammate of the 31-year-old at Roma.

The Italy international came out on the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline against the Reds on Sunday, a game in which the Egyptian broke the deadlock from the penalty spot, and he spoke of just how difficult it is to come up against the legendary LFC number 11.

He told The Kelly & Wrighty Show on Optus Sport: “I know Mo very well. We played together in Roma for two or three years. I played against him a lot of times in the Premier League with Chelsea and now with West Ham. It’s not easy to play against him.

“Everyone knows his qualities, his strengths. He can score every game, every time. He’s so quick, but I try to do my best and to stop him.”

Emerson is speaking from a position of coming up against Salah in training every day during their mutual time at Roma, along with facing him with both Chelsea and West Ham in later years, so he’s better placed than most to speak about the world-class quality of the Liverpool winger.

The 29-year-old actually did quite a decent job of trying to keep Mo quiet on Sunday, winning two tackles, making three interceptions and coming out on top in four duels (Sofascore), but good still wasn’t enough to stop the Egyptian from registering a goal contribution for the 13th game in a row.

The numbers that the 31-year-old accrues for the Reds on a yearly basis are astounding, and the consistency with which he makes his mark shows why the club were steadfast in refusing to bow to a £150m offer from the Saudi Pro League (The Guardian) as the transfer deadline approached.

Emerson tried valiantly to stifle the threat that Salah brings on a weekly basis but still couldn’t prevent him from scoring at the weekend. Such is the life of Premier League left-backs tasked with facing an all-time Liverpool great.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Tottenham sweating on fitness of ‘brilliant’ player ahead of Liverpool clash

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:46:36 +0200

Tottenham could be without the talents of summer signing Brennan Johnson for their upcoming weekend clash with Liverpool.

Ange Postecoglu’s men will play host to the Reds’ visit on Saturday, with the ‘brilliant’ attacker, in the words of Micah Richards (Nottinghamshire Live), being closely monitored according to Spurs insider Paul O Keefe on X.

Initial checks on Brennan Johnson have suggested his issue is more a muscle fatigue / tightness problem. Club will continue to monitor how he responds to treatment #THFC

— Paul O Keefe (@pokeefe1) September 25, 2023

The right-sided winger has yet to open his goalscoring account for the London-based outfit but has been mostly ever-present, playing at least over 60 minutes in all but two games this term.

A hugely exciting prospect for the top four hopefuls, it would be a shame – as it is for any injured player – for the 22-year-old to miss what is sure to be a thrilling encounter between two rejuvenated teams.

It’s unclear yet exactly what heights are within Tottenham’s reach, though there’s no question that fans are riding one hell of a wave at the moment under the guidance of former Celtic boss Postecoglu.

It could, in fact, represent our toughest fixture yet in the English top-flight and a real sign of what our ambitions are in this current campaign.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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£70m+ per year: Liverpool closing in on clinching major behind-the-scenes deal – report

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:29:27 +0200

Liverpool could be closing in on agreeing a major commercial coup which is believed to be potentially worth more than £70m per year to the club.

According to Football Insider, the Reds are close to securing a lucrative new kit deal with Nike and are keen to extend their partnership with the sportswear giant, with the current contract now into its final year.

Indeed, there’s reportedly a mutual desire to keep the relationship going, with talks at an ‘advanced stage’ as LFC hope to strike a deal which’d rival that of the £90m agreement struck between Manchester United and Adidas during the summer.

The 12 kits Nike have produced for Liverpool thus far have elicited varied reactions from the club’s supporters, with some instant classics (e.g. the ecru number of 2021/22) and a few misses (such as that ‘soundwaves’ away shirt of last season in which results were mostly awful).

However, if the Reds can agree a new deal with the manufacturer which’d yield upwards of £70m per annum, that could be significant behind the scenes at Anfield, with LFC making the most of their global reputation and added pulling power from their success under Jurgen Klopp.

As noted by Football Insider, the club already takes a 20% cut of all sales from official merchandise under their existing agreement – a higher portion than most Premier League sides – so their earning potential from an improved contract would be quite sizeable.

It’s looking good for the Liverpool-Nike partnership to be extended, in what’d appear to be a money-spinning coup from the Reds’ commercial team, and let’s hope we have some slick and memorable kits to come from the brand if a new deal is struck.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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‘Always thought’: John Aldridge says mayhem master ripe to explode with Liverpool

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 23:28:52 +0200

John Aldridge has backed Darwin Nunez to get even better for Liverpool over the course of his stay at Anfield.

The Uruguayan has defied his critics of yesteryear with a hugely improved start to the 2023/24 campaign in which he has come away with six goal contributions in seven games.

“Darwin Nunz was great for Liverpool against West Ham – I’ve always thought he was going to come good,” the former striker wrote for the Echo.

“He’s a handful. He missed an easy chance – even that, what a goal it would have been – but he’s just such a handful.

“He’s a workaholic, which I was. You look at Rushy and the players that used to lead the line for the team, they have to work hard. He’ll do that selflessly and that goes a long, long way.

“He’s scoring goals, creating mayhem and he’ll only get better. He’s 24, you know? Good now but that’s really young in striker’s terms. The experience he’s going to gain with Liverpool in the Premier League – he’ll get better.”

As expected, the 24-year-old is thriving ahead of an increasingly well-balanced and dynamic midfield – a far cry from the dysfunctional mess that had fans pulling their hair out from the roots last term.

The stage is set for Darwin Nunez to thrive

We don’t necessarily expect Nunez to maintain his ludicrous goal contribution rate of one every 51.83 minutes, however, you’d be ill-advised to not back the former Benfica hitman to seriously improve on a tally of 19 goals and assists in 2022/23.

The real frightening possibility that’s worth contemplating is the striker overcoming his bizarre tendency to miss the sitters before scoring technically demanding goals.

Accomplish that and it won’t be long before the old comparisons to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland are dragged out – this time in a more serious, respectful manner.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

The post ‘Always thought’: John Aldridge says mayhem master ripe to explode with Liverpool appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

(Video) Kostas Tsimikas’ cheeky reply perfectly encapsulates how much he loves Liverpool

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 22:32:59 +0200

Kostas Tsimikas has made no secret in the past of his love for Liverpool, dubbing himself the ‘Scouser from Greece‘, and a cheeky reply to one question which was put to him recently shows just how much he’s taken to life on Merseyside.

The 27-year-old signed a new contract on Monday and subsequently partook in a quickfire question-and-answers session as part of a video for the club’s social media channels.

When quizzed about what he loved most about living in Liverpool, he cited going out and about to meet the locals, as well as walking his dogs. He also noted how the people of the city are ‘very friendly’ and ‘kind’ and always ‘want the best for you’.

As if Tsimikas hadn’t already endeared himself enough to the fan base at that point, the coup de grace came when he was asked to name ‘the most Scouse player’ in Jurgen Klopp’s squad, replying with a smile: ‘I think, me!’.

The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones might have something to say about that, but the Greek Scouser’s reply perfectly sums up his love for the club and the city, and shows why we love him just as much in return!

You can view Tsimikas’ answers below, via @LFC on Twitter/X:

Loving life as a Red pic.twitter.com/ztteoBG121

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 25, 2023

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£90k-p/w player is desperate to earn a start v Liverpool; scored against the Reds 3 times before

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 22:15:10 +0200

One Tottenham player in particular is yearning to force his way into Ange Postecoglou’s starting line-up for next Saturday’s clash against Liverpool.

Richarlison has had to be content with coming off the bench in his last three games (WhoScored), but having netted in the dramatic recent win over Sheffield United after openly admitting to experiencing ‘a turbulent time off the pitch’ this year (BBC).

The 26-year-old was speaking to ESPN Brazil when he stated his intentions to try and reclaim a starting berth when the Reds go to north London next weekend.

Richarlison said: “What I was suffering from wasn’t on the field, in training, it was the bad people around me. Thank God these people left, there’s everything to improve. Now it’s time to train as hard as I can this week to be a starter (against Liverpool).”

The £90,000-per-week Spurs striker (Capology) has previously infuriated Liverpool fans with some of his social media antics, not least after the Reds lost the 2022 Champions League final.

He’s also netted against us three times in the past, twice with Everton and once with his only Premier League goal of last season (Transfermarkt), which briefly drew Tottenham level at Anfield to cap a comeback from 3-0 before Diogo Jota struck a dramatic stoppage time winner.

Given his track record against Jurgen Klopp’s side, and his absence from Postecoglou’s starting line-up since the end of August, it’s no wonder the Brazil international is especially craving to be selected for Saturday’s encounter.

Whoever is picked to start for Spurs at the weekend, Liverpool will need to be wary of a team who look vastly improved from last term despite selling Harry Kane over the summer.

We certainly don’t want to see Richarlison scoring against us yet again and dancing a pigeon jig of delight, but on a more serious note, we wish him well as he seeks to put his recent mental health difficulties behind him. Ultimately, some things are more important than football.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Declan Rice example could see Liverpool land Mo Salah clone – journalist

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:48:28 +0200

Dean Jones has suggested that Jarrod Bowen could follow ex-West Ham man Declan Rice’s example by potentially joining Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

The English attacker has been heavily linked with the Reds in recent years and could be considered a potential option to replace Mo Salah should the Egyptian part ways with the Reds in the coming windows.

“There’s going to come a time when Bowen will have options to leave West Ham and I think you’ll consider it as well,” the reporter told GIVEMESPORT (via West Ham Zone).

“It’s not that he will want to leave, but he’ll see for example, what’s happened to Declan Rice and the rise in profile that he’s just had since leaving West Ham.

“You can just see the aura around Rice since leaving that he felt ready for something a bit bigger. And while West Ham is a big club, it’s not as big as an Arsenal or a Liverpool or a Man United. And at some point, Bowen is going to have that opportunity.

“I think that Liverpool will continue monitoring Bowen, as they’ve admired him for quite a while and knowing that the Salah exit probably isn’t too far away, now they should still be looking at it.”

Few expect such an eventuality to come to pass in January, especially in light of the 31-year-old’s scintillating start to the 2023/24 campaign.

The ‘if’ question continues to persist, however, and one might imagine that our recruitment team has already begun plugging away, searching for potential solutions to what would be a cosmic Liverpool problem.

The boat has surely sailed for Jarrod Bowen…

An in-depth look at possible replacements over at The Athletic saw Mark Carey and Andy Jones suggest the ‘outstanding’ (FouFourTwo) Hammers ace as a ‘Premier League-ready replacement’.

Posting numbers that compare well to Salah’s metrics ‘within a far less possession-dominant side’, we’d be surprised if the wide man didn’t feature somewhere on the shortlist.

Could Jarrod Bowen replace Mo Salah? – (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

That said, we struggle to see a world in which we seriously contemplate a 27-year-old – the age Bowen will turn next summer – as a top-of-the-list option to fill our No.11’s boots.

As brilliant as we feel the Englishman is, we fear, should our Egyptian King indeed in 2024, that the boat has sailed for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Agent of reported Liverpool target shares cryptic social media post after 25y/o’s goal on Sunday

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 21:29:23 +0200

The agent of one player who’s been linked with Liverpool recently took to social media with a cryptic post regarding his client.

The Reds had reportedly sent a proposal to Newcastle towards the end of the summer transfer window regarding Bruno Guimaraes, but it was rejected by the Magpies, who are now understood to be closing in on agreeing a new contract with the 25-year-old, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The midfielder’s representative Alexis Malavolta seemed to further hint that the player is set to stay at St James’ Park, having taken to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to share a clip of the Brazilian in action.

The caption displayed a writing hand emoji, with Guimaraes and Newcastle both tagged, as if to suggest that he’s about to pen fresh terms on Tyneside.

@brunoog97 @NUFC pic.twitter.com/8BWzNfSDL9

— Alexis Malavolta (@AlexisMalavolt) September 25, 2023

The 25-year-old was one of eight Magpies players to find the net in their emphatic victory over Sheffield United on Sunday, with the Daily Express reporting that he shouted ‘I’m staying’ while celebrating his goal at Bramall Lane.

It seems increasingly as if Guimaraes will shrug off the reported interest of Liverpool and other suitors to remain at Newcastle, but while he’s been a fine addition to Eddie Howe’s side, the Reds need not be too concerned.

Our own midfield rebuild over the summer is already paying dividends, with Dominik Szoboszlai enjoying a scintillating start to life at Anfield and Alexis Mac Allister getting his first assist for LFC in style yesterday with a sumptuous pass to pick out Darwin Nunez.

That’s before we even mention Ryan Gravenberch, who’s gradually integrating into the fold after his deadline day move from Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Curtis Jones has begun the season in flying form, keeping the Dutchman and Wataru Endo out of the Premier League starting XI for the time being.

Liverpool could potentially eye up another potential raid on Newcastle for Guimaraes further down the line, but for now Jurgen Klopp must be delighted with how his current midfielders are performing.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Lucas Leiva aims brilliant retort at Michail Antonio after Liverpool’s win over West Ham

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:49:42 +0200

Lucas Leiva took a cheeky swipe at Michail Antonio following Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over West Ham on Sunday.

The Irons attacker had claimed in the days leading up to the fixture that his side would finish ahead of the Reds in the Premier League this season, but was made to eat his words by yesterday’s result.

Fan site Liverpool Goals also reminded the Jamaica international of his bold prediction in the wake of LFC’s sixth win in a row in all competitions with a post on Instagram, and the former Anfield midfielder chimed in by commenting ‘Unlucky’, accompanied by a crying with laughter emoji.

Antonio had the perfect opportunity to back up his words when West Ham took on Jurgen Klopp’s side at the weekend, but the 33-year-old had a day to forget.

He was the Hammers’ second lowest-rated player by Sofascore, failing to land a shot on target, touching the ball 24 times (fewest of any starter for David Moyes’ team), giving away possession 11 times, completing only five passes and losing 12 of his 16 duels before he was substituted on 74 minutes.

In light of those returns, he may well be wishing he could turn back the clock and stop himself from giving Liverpool further motivation to get one over on their opponents yesterday, not that it was needed.

West Ham sit six points behind us in the table already and, while they could yet enjoy a good season, it seems very unlikely considering the Reds’ current form that the east Londoners will be looking down at us in the final reckoning.

Lucas couldn’t help but take aim at Antonio following his recent remarks, with the Brazilian further endearing himself to his former club’s supporters in the process!

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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‘Super’ Liverpool player set for long stay on the bench after what happened yesterday afternoon

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:39:38 +0200

Jurgen Klopp has suggested that Wataru Endo could be due for an extended stay on the bench, at the very least as far as Liverpool’s league campaign is currently concerned.

The 55-year-old was questioned about the Japan skipper after the Reds recorded a 3-1 win over West Ham, with the former explaining that his summer signing should be considered a long-term project after only emerging for an extremely brief cameo at Anfield.

“He needs to get used to things here. Wataru is a super guy, very calm and very polite,” the German told reporters in comments shared on Empire’s X account.

“That cost him the first two weeks maybe. That’s now getting there. He’s not dirty or whatever and wants to get people out of the way to get into the team but he’s every day improving.

“You saw that today, he’s there and he will help us a lot. He will play games, start games and all these kinds of things. All good.

“He had already three or four games for us in a very short period. That’s the only thing that counts, it’s not a short-term project.”

At 30 years of age, that statement may inspire a few comical smiles from the fanbase, especially given the existence of notably younger operators on Merseyside of the likes of Curtis Jones (22) and Alexis Mac Allister (24).

Regardless, that shouldn’t set off alarm bells just yet over the player’s future in the squad.

We’re sure many a supporter will recall just how long it took former No.6 Fabinho to bed in at Liverpool, with Klopp known for taking his time with certain players where he feels it’s a requirement.

Still, we can understand why there might be a few raised eyebrows after the manager was spotted on camera speaking to Endo about how greatly he was needed at L4 to play a defensive role in an incredibly top-heavy side.

We’ve admittedly got by pretty well without a natural holding midfielder in place, though one has to imagine that the former Stuttgart man will surely have a more important role to play in the side as the season progresses.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Eddie Howe suggests Liverpool ‘hurt’ had affected Newcastle’s season before 8-0 win on Sunday

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:23:08 +0200

Eddie Howe has spoken of how Newcastle’s late defeat to Liverpool last month ‘really hurt’ his team and had a knock-on effect in their subsequent game.

The Magpies began the season in buoyant mood after their top-four finish last term, starting the campaign with a 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa, but their loss to the Reds was sandwiched by defeats at Manchester City and Brighton, leaving them with just three points from their first four games.

They’ve bounced back since the international break with two wins in the Premier League, the latest of which was an 8-0 drubbing of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, a result the 45-year-old felt was a statement response from his side after their slow start to 2023/24.

As per Liverpool Echo, Howe said: “The Liverpool game really hurt us, which I think in part played into the Brighton performance – which was disappointing. But what a response from the players in the last week; three big wins, three massive clean sheets.”

While Liverpool’s 3-0 thrashing of Aston Villa was our best performance of the season so far, the highlight for many Reds would’ve been the dramatic late double from Darwin Nunez to salvage victory at St James’ Park.

That’s not meant as a slight at Newcastle – if anything, it ought to be taken as a compliment that we were so ecstatic at coming from behind with 10 men to win away to a team who had finished ahead of us last term.

It felt like than just three points on the board at the time and would’ve been a sucker punch for the Magpies, especially considering Howe’s admission that the pain of that result appeared to seep into their comprehensive defeat at Brighton the following week.

They certainly won’t be lacking for motivation to get one over on us when they come to Anfield at the end of December, but Liverpool’s home record is imperious, and Klopp’s team won’t be in the mood to grant any early New Year cheer to the Tynesiders, especially if the two sides are neck-and-neck in the table at that stage.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Kostas Tsimikas targeting ‘more’ of three things after penning new Liverpool contract

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:45:52 +0200

Liverpool have had an excellent September so far, winning every match they’ve played this month, and it got even better for them on Monday evening with the news that Kostas Tsimikas has penned a contract extension at Anfield.

The club confirmed the news on their official website, and upon agreeing to extend his stay on Merseyside, the 27-year-old outlined his three main aims for the remainder of his time with the Reds.

The man affectionately dubbed the ‘Greek Scouser’ replied: “More success, more work and more trophies. For me it is the most important thing, to win trophies, to be committed in every situation, to be part of all of this.

“I think this team has very big potential to win more trophies and we will go for it. Everybody, I think, is 100 per cent there [and] focused for the next games and everybody is ready to achieve big things in the future.”

Although Tsimikas hasn’t been a regular presence in Jurgen Klopp’s preferred XI, starting only 18 of Liverpool’s 120 Premier League matches since coming to the club in 2020 (WhoScored), he’s long since ensured cult hero status at Anfield.

It was his penalty against Chelsea which sealed FA Cup glory at Wembley 16 months ago, and he further endeared himself to Reds fans by self-proclaiming to be the ‘Scouser from Greece’ following his heroics that day (GOAL).

He wasn’t at the club for the Premier League title triumph, coming in a few weeks after domestic glory was sealed, but has contributed towards three pieces of silverware in his time with us and played his part in the quadruple charge of 2021/22.

That has given the 27-year-old a thirst to add to that list with Liverpool, and supporters will absolutely approve of his clear desire to achieve bigger and better things with us than what he’s done so far.

Even if he continues to find Andy Robertson difficult to displace, fans will be thrilled to see Tsimikas committing his future to the Reds, and hopefully his loyalty will be rewarded with a few more major honours to add to his CV.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Curtis Jones lifts lid on Klopp’s HT team talk that inspired West Ham victory

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:27:03 +0200

Jurgen Klopp was often left at a loss for words to explain repeatedly poor performances last term, each more inexplicable than the last.

The German tactician has discovered no such issues thus far in this campaign and, if anything, has found his powers of encouragement fully restored if Curtis Jones’ unveiling of the 55-year-old’s half-time team talk is any indication.

“It was a strange one. When we came inside, we were a little bit quiet because they scored at the end of the first half, so it felt like a bit of a sting, but the gaffer just came in, got up the clips of where we were playing well and playing through them and we had chances where we could have scored,” the Scouser told the club’s official website. “There was my one when I scored and I was offside, so he was just saying to go out there and to play the same way.”

Jarrod Bowen had levelled the playing field late in the first-half of Liverpool’s 3-1 win over West Ham to offer a fair reflection of the balance of play before Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota capitalised on the momentum the hosts’ had then built up.

Liverpool 2.0 could be Jurgen Klopp’s most frightening yet

Second-half resurgences are becoming a common theme with this Liverpool side, albeit at the cost of exposing our ongoing struggles to assert control in the opening stages.

It’s worth bearing in mind that Klopp’s ‘reloaded’ outfit has barely got off the ground, let alone reached its fullest potential. Despite that, we’re already second with a whopping 16 points secured from a possible 18 in the league.

Jurgen Klopp sealed his 50th European win with Liverpool after beating LASK and has won every other game this term barring a draw at Stamford Bridge – (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Can you imagine just how frightening we’ll be once every new signing has settled in and we’ve reached a state of coherency across the pitch?

There’s so much more to come from Liverpool 2.0.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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(Video) ‘Here to stay’: Beloved Liverpool star just announced his own contract extension

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 18:13:24 +0200

Kostas Tsimikas has officially extended his stay at Anfield, announcing the news in a video shared by Liverpool’s official X account.

The left-back, lovingly dubbed the ‘Greek Scouser’, shared his adoration for his home in Merseyside in a heartwarming clip released on Monday afternoon.

It’s a new long-term contract that will take the former Olympiakos star beyond his 2025 stay at Anfield – a decision that’s sure to go down well with the fanbase at large.

You can catch the clip below, courtesy of @LFC:

Our Greek Scouser pic.twitter.com/RkUbYu0jpW

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 25, 2023

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(Image) Manchester-based fan’s jibe at Mac Allister hugely backfires with West Ham assist

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 17:49:52 +0200

In the fickle world of football fans on social media, it’s easy for many rival supporters to poke fun at opposition players and delete posts when they’re no longer relevant but one attack on Alexis Mac Allister has been called out.

Ahead of his seventh appearance for the club, Manchester-based graphic designer @LewVisualss mocked up an image of ‘007’ – where the former Brighton man was quoted as having played seven times and providing no assists or goals.

However, the Argentinian delivered an assist to West Ham in his seventh game and the Tweet was mysteriously deleted but thankfully a screenshot has ensured it hasn’t been lost and now we can have the last laugh.

It’s a risky game to throw some bait out to our supporters and not expect backlash when it goes wrong!

You can view the Mac Allister image courtesy of @LewVisualss (via @TheKopWatch on X):

HOLD THAT @LewVisualss pic.twitter.com/o8COMf0UxO

— The Kop Watch (@TheKopWatch) September 24, 2023

EOTK FPL Gameweek 5 Review : The big Salah/Haaland question, Nott. Forest man one to watch? Injuries galore…

The post (Image) Manchester-based fan’s jibe at Mac Allister hugely backfires with West Ham assist appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

2 assists in 3 games: Forgotten Liverpool man Klopp called ‘incredible’ is simply killing it on loan

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 17:29:06 +0200

With Liverpool starting their league season in devastatingly superb fashion with five wins in a row, all the attention will understandably be on Jurgen Klopp’s ‘reloaded’ XI.

That doesn’t mean we should ignore the progress being made on the pitch beyond Merseyside’s borders, with Liverpool.com’s Bence Bocsak highlighting on X the remarkable start Tyler Morton has made to life on loan with Hull City.

Nice to see Tyler Morton settling in well at Hull City.

2 assists in 3 games in about 160 minutes played so far.

In his first start at the weekend he played in a double pivot, made 5 interceptions, 7 recoveries and won 2/3 defensive duels.

He’s also averaging 67.64… pic.twitter.com/lKEaN94Wah

— Bence Bocsák (@BenBocsak) September 25, 2023

The Tigers now find themselves in fourth place in the Championship thanks in no small part to the Englishman’s recent efforts on the pitch.

Is there a future at Liverpool for Tyler Morton?

Reds fans may, of course, be wondering how on earth the Academy graduate could manage to break into a first-XI containing Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and the rejuvenated Curtis Jones – that’s without considering those waiting in the wings!

At 20 years of age, however, it would be utterly foolish to state that the ‘incredible’ (as once described by our head coach, as relayed by the Times) Morton’s future is written simply because of the mouth-watering abundance of midfield talent now available to Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool’s Tyler Morton previously enjoyed a loan spell with Blackburn Rovers – (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Harvey Elliott will be the first to tell you just how pivotal a loan spell in the Championship can be when it comes to establishing a footing at Liverpool.

If the Wallasey-born midfielder can build on his recent impressive displays in East Yorkshire, we don’t see any reason why the manager won’t give him his chance to impress come pre-season next summer.

All bets are off at that point!

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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