Liverpool News LIVE updates: Man Utd can ruin season, Klopp to Bayern, Everton hijack
THE international break is in full swing but the Liverpool news keeps coming, and Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest gossip coming out of Anfield.
20:00: John Aldridge says Manchester United can end Liverpool title dreams for another season with a win over their rivals next week.
Manchester United travel to Liverpool in the first Saturday back after the international break.
The league leaders are already seven points ahead of their rivals.
And Aldridge fears a 10-point gap would be too much for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
“I’m not Jose Mourinho’s biggest fan for a variety of reasons,” ex-Liverpool star Aldridge told the Irish Independent.
“But he gets his teams winning if you give him time and with Romelu Lukaku scoring goals for fun and his defence looking like the best in the Premier League, United are ready to push for the title for the first time since Alex Ferguson’s retirement as their manager.
“It may still be too early to write off teams like Chelsea and Tottenham, but if United were to win at Anfield and open up a ten-point lead over Klopp’s side, the game would already be up for Liverpool.
“That would be very hard to take for a team that continues to make the same mistakes week-after-week, with Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Newcastle the latest example of the frustrating story we watch every time they take to the field now.”
De Bruyne worth more than Coutinho
19:12: Barcelona should be prioritising a move for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne over Liverpool ace Philippe Coutinho, according to former Reds striker-turned-pundit Stan Collymore.
“If I was in charge of recruitment at Barcelona I’d be looking to take Kevin De Bruyne over Philippe Coutinho all day long,” said Collymore in his Mirror column.
“It’s not even a contest.
“If the Brazilian is worth £140m in the Catalan club’s eyes, then the Belgian is more like £180m or £190m.”
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Is Philippe Coutinho worth more than Kevin De Bruyne?
Gerrard backs Klopp
17:28: Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool are in capable hands with Jurgen Klopp in charge and the Reds can enjoy a successful season.
"I love the manager. I think he has taken this team and the club forward. There is a lot of excitement about,” Gerrard said.
"I can see Jurgen is a little bit frustrated at the moment but so are we all.
"But we are seven games in and Liverpool are capable of going on a long run of winning games.
"With one good result or a couple of good results, they will find themselves back in the top four.”
Klopp the ideal Bayern boss - Metzelder
14:30: Jurgen Klopp is the man to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich, according to Sky Sports Germany pundit Christoph Metzelder.
The 58-year-old Italian left Bundesliga champions Bayern last week, following a heavy Champions League defeat to Paris St-Germain.
And Metzelder thinks Liverpool’s German tactician Klopp would be the ideal choice to fill the vacancy at the Allianz Arena.
"From my point of view, Jurgen Klopp would be ready. He is a top man-manager and could make the complex power relationship work wonderfully,” Metzelder told Sky Sports Germany.
"He is a top man-manager and could make the complex power relationship work wonderfully. Julian Nagelsmann is an outstanding trainer, but FC Bayern is of course a different size club to Hoffenheim."
Klopp would sign VVD in a heartbeat
13:45: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would sign Virgil van Dijk ‘in a heartbeat’ if Southampton decided to sell.
The Reds were strongly linked with Van Dijk during the transfer window but were put off when Southampton reported them to the Premier League for an alleged illegal approach.
Critics have called on Klopp to make additions to his defence in the January transfer window to bolster their chances of winning a trophy this year.
And the Daily Mail claim Liverpool would move quickly to sign Van Dijk if Southampton were willing to sell.
Sturridge must leave - Goodman
12:50: Daniel Sturridge must leave Liverpool if he continues to be overlooked by Jurgen Klopp, according to Don Goodman.
The England international was handed an opportunity to impress in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle but failed to catch the eye.
And Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman thinks if he continues to be a bit-part player under Jurgen Klopp then he has to leave.
“You listen to some of the interviews that Jurgen Klopp has given and you wonder if Daniel works as hard as the other front four in those forward areas,” Goodman said.
“Is he a Jurgen Klopp type of player? We had this same debate about Sergio Aguero when Pep Guardiola decided to leave him out but you look at him now and the workrate seems to have increased.
“So there’s no reason why Daniel Sturrridge can’t do the same, but if that is the reason [not being a Klopp player] then a player like him will have to leave to get a regular game of football week in week out.
“Your football career goes like that and you really don’t want to miss any of it if you can help it.”
Klopp turned down Sanchez & Koulibaly
12:00: Liverpool reportedly looked at signing Davinson Sanchez after failing in their bid to sign Virgil van Dijk.
They even pondered the possibility of signing Kalidou Koulibaly too - but passed up the chance of getting the pair of them.
Liverpool’s failure to sign a central defender has come to roost with just two clean sheets in all competitions so far this season.
In Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle, centre backs Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren were at fault as Joselu ran through to score an equaliser following Philippe Coutinho’s stunning opener.
After the match, Klopp attempted to deflect attention on his defence and the Daily Mail says the German is confident a solution will be found, but the report adds that Liverpool considered alternatives to Van Dijk but did not go through with the moves.
Liverpool are said to have been ‘happy’ to let Sanchez leave Ajax and join Tottenham.
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Liverpool Transfer News: Jurgen Klopp's side have won once in their last seven games
Barca: It’s too soon for Goretzka deal
11:25: Barcelona scout Ariedo Braida says the La Liga giants aren’t looking to sign Leon Goretzka anytime soon.
The Schalke midfielder is considered to be one of the hottest prospects in world football after a number of dazzling displays in the Bundesliga.
Premier League quartet Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been linked with his services, and their chances of securing his signature have significantly improved after Braida denied a swoop.
“He is certainly a great player, but for Barcelona it is too soon,” Braida said. “I travel around the world in search of great talent, but our demands are extremely high.”
Keita arrival could trigger Can exit
10:30: Naby Keita’s early arrival at Liverpool could see Emre Can leave Anfield in January.
Keita has agreed to join Liverpool next summer but reports have claimed Jurgen Klopp may look to bring him in early.
While Can is out of contract in the summer and has attracted interest from Juventus.
And Italian publication Tuttosport claim Juve could nab the Liverpool midfielder before the end of his contract if Keita heads to Anfield early.
Last week the Liverpool Echo claimed Klopp would ‘almost certainly’ make a play to get Keita in January.
Although it is uncertain if RB Leipzig would allow him to leave before next summer.
Reds battle Everton for Brooks
08:15: Liverpool are reportedly ready to step up their interest in Sheffield United youngster David Brooks.
Brooks made a handful of cup appearances for Sheffield United last season but has burst onto the scene for Chris Wilder’s side this term.
The 20-year-old has made 11 appearances across all competitions - starting five of those - and chipping in with three assists.
And according to The Sun, Brooks’ performances for the Blades have caught the attention of a number of Premier League clubs.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is said to be an admirer of the former England Under-20 international, who has now declared himself legible for Wales.
The Reds are said to be ready to accelerate their interest in Brooks, but face competition from Merseyside rivals Everton.
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Wright questions Robertson deal
08:10: Ian Wright has questioned whether or not Jurgen Klopp really wanted to sign Andy Robertson for Liverpool.
Robertson joined Liverpool from Hull over the summer for a fee of £8million, with Klopp desperate to shore up the left-hand side of his defence.
The 23-year-old has made just three starts this term for the Reds, with two of those coming in the Premier League, and Wright has doubted whether Robertson was Klopp’s signing.
“Liverpool have also had huge problems at left-back but in Andy Robertson they have a man who can do the job, yet he has hardly played,” Wright told The Sun.
“What is that supposed to tell us? Was he not Klopp’s buy?”
Gerrard expects Man United turning point
08:00: Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool can turn their season around when they return to action against Manchester United after the international break.
"I cannot wait for those two games because watching Liverpool since Jurgen has come in - they are the games where Liverpool seem to prove everyone wrong and put in top-class performances," Gerrard told Sky Sports News.
"I think their record against the top sides is the best so if I was a Liverpool player or the Liverpool manager those games can't come quick enough.
"The frustrating thing for Liverpool at the moment is the international break after a couple of games where they feel they should have done better. I think Liverpool will be itching once the international break is over and really relishing those games.
"As a fan, I am looking forward to watching them in those games because I think they can bounce back. With one good result or a couple of good results they will find themselves back in the top four."
