Jurgen Klopp stressed the need for Liverpool s attackers to step up in the absence of Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane, ahead of their Premier League clash with Brentford at Anfield.
With Salah and Mane featuring at the Africa Cup of Nations, Klopp s side struggled to create clear-cut opportunities last time out, in a goalless draw with Arsenal in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
Following a six-game winning run in November and December, Liverpool are also winless in their last three Premier League games, throwing away a lead to draw two of those games.
Speaking ahead of Brentford s first trip to Anfield since March 1989, Klopp praised the contribution of Roberto Firmino, before calling for other players in his Reds squad to step up.
He [Firmi…
West Ham United are interested in signing Rob Holding from London and Premier League rivals Arsenal in the summer transfer window, according to . It has been reported that the Hammers want to sign the central defender on a loan deal and are willing to pay the Gunners a loan fee of £5 million.
The Hammers reportedly want a new centre-back this summer, and they have identified Holding a potential transfer target. Although the former Bolton Wanderers man played for Arsenal in their opening Premier League game of the season against Fulham at the weekend, the North London club could let him leave once all of their players are back to full fitness.
Holding has been at Arsenal since 2016, but the 24-year-old has had injury issues and has failed to establish himself as a regul…
Mohamed Salah is back in the Liverpool starting line-up to take on Genk in the Champions League.
Salah missed out on Sunday s 1-1 Premier League draw against Manchester United due to an ankle injury but returns to complete Jurgen Klopp s familiar front three alongside Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
The Egypt star comes in as one of five changes to the XI from Old Trafford, with James Millner in for Trent Alexander-Arnold (virus) at right-back and Dejan Lovren partnering Virgil van Dijk instead of Joel Matip (knee).
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita both start in midfield, with Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum the men to make way.
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How we line-up tonight
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It is Oxlade-Chamberlain s fir…
Former Spain Under-21 coach Albert Celades has been appointed Julen Lopetegui s assistant at Real Madrid.
Celades left his post with the Under-21s last month, bringing a five-year association with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to an end, reportedly due to the disappointment of being overlooked to replace Lopetegui in charge of Spain s senior side at the World Cup.
Lopetegui was dismissed two days prior to Spain s Russia 2018 campaign starting as a result of agreeing to become Zinedine Zidane s successor at Madrid.
Celades was an assistant to Fernando Hierro as Spain were eliminated by the hosts in the last 16, before opting to sever ties completely with the RFEF after the tournament.
Albert Celades se incorpora al como técnico asistente d…
Kylian Mbappe assisted two goals and scored the other as France eased to a 3-0 victory over Luxembourg in Wednesday s international friendly at Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz.
In a game in which Olivier Giroud came on to become Les Blues oldest-ever player aged 37 years and 249 days, new Real Madrid superstar Mbappe stole the show as France kicked off their preparations for Euro 2024 in a serene manner.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward crossed for Randal Kolo Muani to head home the opener two minutes before half-time after a jinking run down the left, before fizzing in a delivery for Jonathan Clauss to settle himself and flash home a second in the 70th minute.
Mbappe was not finished there as he was teed up by former club-mate Bradley Barcola to slide in th…
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Looking to mark their return to Premier League action on Boxing Day night, Arsenal will welcome West Ham to the Emirates.
Arsenal
Starting with the hosts, while Arsenal might have just missed out on a Champions League return last season, the Gunners have only continued on a remarkable purple patch since opening the 2022/23 campaign. With the mood around the Emirates at a red-hot high, Mikel Arteta s side mark their return to Premier League duties on Monday night holding a commanding five-point buffer at the top of the table. Now firmly at the heart of a shock title charge, the one-time Manchester City coach has only seen his youngsters gain a string of plaudits from across Europe. Looking to lay down another top-flight marker on Boxing…
Brazil head coach Tite has praised superstar Neymar for his show of sportsmanship to Lionel Messi after his side s 1-0 Copa America final defeat to Argentina on Saturday.
Neymar s Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Angel Di Maria scored the winner in the 22nd minute at the Maracana as Argentina lifted its first Copa since 1993 as Brazil relinquished the crown it won in 2019.
The Brazil boss was clearly disappointment with the result but spoke positively about Neymar s grace after acknowledging Messi s achievement in winning his maiden piece of silverware with Argentina.
The superstar pair are close friends from their four years together at Barcelona.
There is greatness in defeat and in recognising the rival, Tite said.
Perhaps, the image that was see…
Monaco were on the wrong end of a shock on Wednesday as Guingamp won 3-1 after extra time to book a place in the Coupe de France final.
Claudio Ranieri s men were strong favourites to progress to the Stade de France showpiece in their last-four meeting with a Guingamp side who are just five points above the relegation zone in the league.
But the principality club were completely outplayed by their hosts, who deservedly progressed after the additional period to set up a final with Brittany rivals Rennes, who they defeated in the 2009 final.
Mustapha Yatabare gave Guingamp the lead early on, before Dimitar Berbatov equalised for Monaco late in the first half.
Ranieri s side then held on for extra time despite struggling to cope with determined Guingamp s pressure.<…
Goals from Joao Felix and Alvaro Morata handed Atletico Madrid a much-needed LaLiga victory as they secured a 2-0 win against rock-bottom Elche on Thursday.
There were three red cards in the contest, with Elche captain Gonzalo Verdu dismissed late in the first half before Mario Hermoso was sent off for the hosts early in the second.
Joao Felix and Morata struck after that to seal the win, with Elche substitute Domingos Quina also seeing red in stoppage time as the Rojiblancos eased to three points at the Metropolitano.
After a three-game winless streak ahead of the mid-season World Cup break checked their momentum, Diego Simeone s side will be relieved to get back to winning ways.
Chances were few and far between for Atletico in the first half, and it was…
Rio Ferdinand thinks Harry Maguire should be looking to leave Manchester United in January.
The Red Devils defender has made only three Premier League starts this season, with Luke Shaw preferred to him at centre-back in the wins over Nottingham Forest and Wolves following the World Cup.
Maguire was impressive for his country in Qatar, but remains out of favour with United boss Erik ten Hag
Former United defender Ferdinand believes the former Leicester City man needs a new challenge.
If I m Harry Maguire, I d be looking for a new club right now, he told BT Sport. You ve seen what he s done with England, he s [been] impeccable.
He s faultless for them, the way he plays. He puts in good, solid performances. [But] at Manchester United, it hasn t wo…