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Ibrahima Konate revealed his frustrations with playing alongside Virgil van Dijk as he joked that the Liverpool captain hogs all the limelight.

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Konate revealed frustrations of playing with Van DijkAccused Dutchamn of hogging all the limelightReds face Fulham on SundayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Konate and Van Dijk form one of the most staunch defensive pairs in the Premier League at the moment. The Reds' central defenders have played a crucial role in the club sitting comfortably at the top of the Premier League table as Arne Slot's side have conceded only 27 goals in the 2024-25 campaign – the second fewest number of goals conceded after Arsenal.

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The French defender, however, expressed his frustration at playing alongside a stalwart like Van Dijk as he accused the veteran defender of hogging all the limelight, albeit jokingly. He also heaped praise on the Dutchman while claiming he learnt a lot from his defensive partner.

WHAT IBRAHIMA KONATE SAID

Speaking to , the French defender said: "With Virgil, we know how good he is, how special he is, and what he’s been doing for years. He’s so good. I take a few things from him. He gave me a lot of advice when I came to the club. Like I’ve said previously, I will be better than you one day, that’s why I work very hard every day to achieve this.

"It’s crazy how many Man of the Match [awards] I could get this season. It’s very good to play with Virg because he is a very good player, but sometimes people who watch the game they think it’s only Virgil who plays. No, I am playing as well. I've had a great game as well, but no, but because it's Virgil. I’m not jealous, but watch the game, and it will tell you the truth."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

After competing in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday in the Premier League, Liverpool will be next seen in action on Sunday as they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in a league clash.

She plays pinch-hitter to perfection before taking a wicket in four miserly overs

ECB Reporters Network18-May-2022Issy Wong starred with bat and ball as Central Sparks beat holders South East Stars by 34 runs in the Charlotte Edwards Cup at Guildford.Wong, renowned for her quick bowling, excelled in the role of pinch-hitter with 45 in 28 balls and was well supported by England wicketkeeper Amy Jones with 40 as Sparks rattled up 170 for 6 after being invited to bat, Alice Davidson-Richards the pick of the host’s attack with 2 for 27.Chelsea-born speedster Wong returned to the day job, taking 1 for 14, including three frugal overs at the top of the Stars’ innings. She was ably assisted by Sparks’ spin twins Hannah Baker, who took 2 for 19, and Sarah Glenn (2 for 22), while Grace Potts added 4 for 36 mopping up the tail, meaning that despite 41 from skipper Bryony Smith, Stars finished well short on 136 all out.From the moment Wong clubbed Alice Capsey over the scoreboard at mid-wicket in the first over, Sparks were on the charge.Wong treated Tash Farrant’s bowling with similar disdain and with fellow opener Eve Jones taking a heavy toll on Freya Davies at the other end, the 50-stand came off 30 balls.Davidson-Richards made the breakthrough when Eve Jones top edged to mid-on, but the bowler was out of luck when new batter Amy Jones hoisted her to Emma Jones at deep mid-on only for the fielder to grass the chance.Emma Jones would partially atone when she caught Wong at cover, but the drop proved costly as Amy Jones forged on, driving powerfully to hit six fours before Smith had her caught at cover.Smith and the impressive Davidson-Richards kept some level of control, but impressive cameos from Ami Campbell and Gwen Davies saw Sparks post an imposing target.Smith got the chase off to a rattling start with three boundaries off the first over from Potts and Saturday’s half-centurion Aylish Cranstone caught the mood almost hitting an Emily Arlott delivery into the road.Wong gave Smith a life on 19 when she shelled a catch on the square leg boundary, Arlott the aggrieved bowler, but the boot was on the other foot in the following over when she too dropped Smith off Wong. Wong though wouldn’t be denied, removing Cranstone via a top edge bagged by Amy Jones as Sparks reached 44 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.The fielding lapses continued, Abi Freeborn dropping Capsey off an attempted reverse sweep. However, Baker struck twice in four balls as first Smith skied a catch behind and then Amy Jones stumped Capsey, who had given the bowler the charge.Glenn followed up with two in two to despatch Farrant and Emma Jones before Potts cleaned up.

Multiple reports claim Igor Tudor is to replace Thiago Motta as Juventus boss.

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Bianconeri had been linked with Mancini and ZidaneReports suggest Tudor may have already signed a dealMotta signed on at Juve in June 2024Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Multiple reports appear to suggest ex-Lazio boss Tudor will take the job before Juve's next game against Genoa. Fabrizio Romano believes the ex-Bianconeri defender has agreed a deal which could extend until 2026. Matteo Moretto's reporting appears to back this up, as he believes the Croatian's contract will automatically extend if he leads Juventus to Champions League qualification.

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In recent days, Juve had been linked with two other ex-players. Both Zinedine Zidane and Roberto Mancini were heavily linked with the position, although it now appears Tudor will return to the club. Juve currently sit in 5th place in Serie A.

DID YOU KNOW?

Motta's Juve side have been a tough watch this season. Their back-to-back defeats to Atalanta and Fiorentina were just the second and third in the league this term. However, The Old Lady have drawn 13 of their 29 fixtures, the highest number of stalemates in the league.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

Irrespective of who is in the dugout, Juve will host Genoa next Saturday. Despite their turgid form, they sit just one point behind Motta's previous employer Bologna in fourth. It remains to be seen if that will be enough for Champions League qualification, however.

Celtic lifted their first trophy of the 2024/25 campaign on Sunday after they beat Rangers 5-4 on penalties in the final of the League Cup at Hampden Park.

It was not an easy afternoon for the Hoops in the national stadium as they had to battle from 1-0 down at half-time to take the lead and then were twice pegged back to make it 2-2 and 3-3 before winning on penalties.

Greg Taylor was one player who underperformed, despite scoring, as it was his huge error that led to the opening goal from Nedim Bajrami in the first half.

The Scotland international was criticised for his performance, with fan account ‘Everthing Celtic’ on X hoping for him to be sold next month, and the Hoops may be wishing that they still had Kieran Tierney in their ranks.

Kieran Tierney's time at Celtic

The Arsenal defender came up through the ranks in Glasgow and went straight into the first-team set-up at Celtic without any loan moves elsewhere to develop.

Tierney went on to make 170 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, and contributed with eight goals and 37 assists in that time, winning five Scottish Premiership titles.

As you can see in the graphic above, he was then sold to Arsenal for a fee of £25m in the summer of 2019, which led to Taylor’s arrival from Kilmarnock.

Celtic may have thought they had found their next Kieran Tierney, though, when Adam Montgomery came through the ranks the season after, in the 2020/21 campaign.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Montgomery made two appearances in the Premiership as an 18-year-old, which caught Tierney’s eye. The Gunners full-back described him as a “good talent” that was “good enough” to follow in his footsteps.

Where Adam Montgomery is now

Now 22, the left-back has been out of action since February with a ‘serious’ hamstring injury, that he suffered whilst on loan with Motherwell in the Premiership.

Unfortunately, the Scottish defender has not kicked on in the same way that Tierney, who went straight into the first-team and emerged as a regular starter, did.

Montgomery did make 18 appearances in the first half of the 2021/22 campaign and was hailed by Ange Postecoglou for his “tremendous” composure, but was then sent out on loan to Aberdeen in January.

Postecoglou decided that the academy graduate was not up to the level required to be part of his first-team squad, much less to overtake Taylor, and sent him out on loan to St. Johnstone for the 2022/23 season.

Appearances

28

Starts

26

Goals

0

Assists

1

Dribbled past per game

0.8x

Pass accuracy

72%

As you can see in the table above, Montgomery was a regular in the team at Premiership level but failed to catch the eye with his performances, as he struggled to offer much in possession and was beaten by opposition forwards too often.

He was then sent on loan to Fleetwood Town in League One in England at the start of last season before being recalled after injury issues, before returning to Celtic in January and then suffering his hamstring issue after joining Motherwell.

At the time of writing, Transfermarkt values the young defender at just €500k (£413k) and this illustrates his lack of progression in recent years, with his performances lacking in quality even before his injury issues.

Celtic chiefs now pushing for January signing who would be third choice

The Scottish champions are thinking about strengthening their squad this winter.

1 ByDominic Lund Dec 16, 2024

Whilst he still has time to turn his career around, at the age of 22, Montgomery does not seem likely to emerge as the next Tierney for Celtic, despite his early promise after breaking through.

Parkinson takes all three host wickets after Qadri’s six-wicket haul has Lancashire all out for 506

Paul Edwards15-Apr-2022The sensible folk who suggest that we shouldn’t play first-class cricket beyond the margins of summer will have to reckon with the April we are enjoying. When Phil Salt eased Jackson Bird’s first ball of the morning to deep square-leg for a single, only the barely leafed trees would have convinced a stranger that this game was not taking place in high summer.The sky was little more than wisped with cloud and you needed to be a belt-and-braces cove to wear a coat. Within ten minutes of the second day beginning at the Spitfire Ground, Steven Croft had taken both Bird and Matt Milnes for off-side boundaries and pragmatic Kent supporters became reconciled to the probability of their batsmen facing a tall score for the second successive game.Nothing to churn the bowels there, of course. Last week, Ollie Robinson’s batsmen piled up 581 for 9 declared in reply to Essex’s 514 in a game that was not only drawn but also hung and quartered. Such totals were not unusual in the first round of matches and nor were draws. Some in the crowd reckoned this match would have the same outcome when Kent’s openers put on 109 in reply to Lancashire’s 506, but the atmosphere changed in a last hour during which Matt Parkinson took three prime wickets, among them that of Zak Crawley for 54 lovely runs. Yet one wondered where those early-season, seaming pitches had gone, along with the 70mph bowlers salivating at the thought of them. Lancashire’s batsmen played Darren Stevens with a broomstick on the first day here, albeit a very straight one.The mileposts of acquisition came and went this morning, some more noticeable than others: Salt passed fifty in his first Lancashire innings; the century partnership came up; then the 400; then Croft’s 150. The batsmen walked many of their singles and felt the season’s young sun on their backs. On the other hand, the report of Salt’s square cut off Nathan Gilchrist would not have shamed a grouse moor. Lancashire’s bowlers relaxed in the pavilion and reflected that the best moment of the match was when Dane Vilas won the toss. Then Robinson switched Hamidullah Qadri to the Pavilion End and Croft edged his first ball to the Kent keeper behind the stumps. He departed for 155, which was one short of his career-best.Half an hour later, Salt lunched on 97, an arrangement which allowed the Lancastrian statisticians some 273 miles away to prepare a mighty array of statistics on the county’s debut centurions. Alack, they went unquoted. Qadri’s second ball of the afternoon was a squalid long-hop but Salt thrashed it straight to Daniel Bell-Drummond and thus became the first of four batsmen to be dismissed by the Afghanistan-born spinner in 16 balls. Hasan Ali was the last of these and his dismissal left Parkinson facing the hat-trick delivery, a situation which often makes the bowler favourite. But Bolton’s finest squirted the thing through gully and Lancashire had 500 up before Qadri knocked out Lamb’s middle peg to complete a career-best 6 for 129.Kent’s reply followed the pattern of the previous two days. The only change seemed to be that instead of wickets falling infrequently, they wouldn’t fall at all. Hasan’s first spell for Lancashire was more successful than his first innings and Crawley needed good judgement to let a few balls go. The Pakistani seamer has a whippy action and his left arm does so little work that a batsman might be disconcerted when the ball is delivered. But Crawley followed his checked drive off Tom Bailey in the third over with an even more conclusive stroke through mid-off when Lancashire’s new signing over-pitched. Later the opener would play a back-foot force through the covers off Danny Lamb and a brace of cuts off Luke Wood. These bowlers are not poor players; whatever Kevin Pietersen may say, they are entitled to professional careers. But they were mastered this Good Friday afternoon by a Test match cricketer.At the other end Ben Compton was batting with comparable assurance and offered further evidence of his determination to make the most of his chance at Canterbury. His century at Chelmsford has not sated his appetite. When Kent came in for tea on 51 without loss after 21 overs, Lancashire’s bowlers surely thought that a day or so of hard pounding for slight reward might lie ahead, even if they left such views unexpressed.As in the visitors’ innings, leg spin offered the greatest threat. Perhaps guided by Robinson’s late change, Vilas brought Parkinson on from the Pavilion End and Kent’s openers paid him due respects. Quite apart from his two wickets, Parkinson conceded only 39 runs off his 20 overs on this second day; like Liam Patterson-White, he is finding that the demise of spin bowling in April has been rather over-egged.His long spell was broken only by tea and his willingness to vary his flight while maintaining good lengths to batsmen of different heights was admirable. So it was pleasing when he gained his rewards in the final hour of play when what seemed to be a top spinner defeated Crawley’s only inelegant stroke of the day and wrecked his stumps.There was further grief for Kent when Bell-Drummond, having survived two full-throated lbw appeals from Hasan, was bowled by a lovely leg-spinner from Parkinson for 2. Four overs later, Tawanda Muyeye, having picked up Bailey for two assured leg-side fours was lbw to Parkinson when playing no shot. Lancashire thus collected their first point for bowling before Kent picked up theirs for batting. An hour earlier it had seemed a remote prospect.And still, it had been a day for light rollers and light hearts. You might have thought it a July evening and at least one spectator called it paradise. But then, he had sat in the Frank Woolley Stand and watched Crawley hit boundaries; he knew there were afternoons when poems write themselves.

Cole Palmer has been left out of Chelsea's matchday squad to take on Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.

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Blues travel to GunnersPalmer unexpectedly absentChelsea lost 5-0 at Emirates last yearFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Palmer was expected to be involved for the Blues' trip across London to the Emirates Stadium this weekend, but his name was not on the team-sheet when the lineups were announced 75 minutes before their 13:30 GMT kick-off. Instead, head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to use Enzo Fernandez in an advanced midfield role, with Reece James and Moises Caicedo in deeper positions.

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This is the second-season running that Palmer has missed out on Chelsea's trip to Arsenal, having sat out last year's visit due to a cold. The Blues, then managed by current USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino, were thrashed 5-0 on that occasion.

WHAT ENZO MARESCA SAID

Explaining Palmer's absence, Blues boss Maresca said: "He's not in the toilet, for sure! He had, or as we know, last week some problems [with illness]. And unfortunately yesterday he had a very small problem. We think, after the international break, he will be back with us.

"He had an injury yesterday during the session. It was a very light session. That's why we think it is nothing important. But we wait and the feeling is he will be back after the next international break."

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Palmer is currently on a run of 10 games without a goal and uncharacteristically missed a penalty in last week's win against Leicester City. However, he will have to wait a few more weeks to end that drought.

It’s a fool’s notion to claim that a football team, however well they are playing, are bankers for a title before reaching the midpoint of a campaign.

However, Liverpool fans should rightly celebrate the way in which Arne Slot has taken to life in Jurgen Klopp’s old chair. While things are going well for the Reds at the moment, a lot can change in the business months of the season.

But Liverpool should still stand proud as one of the most exciting and impressive clubs of the 2024/25 campaign so far, top of the Premier League and Champions League tables and firing on all cylinders, with the defence imperious, the midfield industrious and the attack deliciously potent.

Most of the attack, anyway…

Liverpool's frontline in 2024/25

Obviously, Liverpool’s attacking success leans heavily into one third of the frontline, with Mohamed Salah currently riding the crest of one of the biggest waves of his career – and there have been many, many waves.

Mohamed Salah

22 (20)

16

12

Cody Gakpo

22 (11)

8

2

Luis Diaz

21 (14)

9

2

Darwin Nunez

19 (11)

3

2

Diogo Jota

10 (9)

4

2

Federico Chiesa

3 (1)

0

1

With Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz both principally playing at left wing this term, rotating, it’s rather concerning that Liverpool’s central striking position is the area most notably lacking in goals.

To his defence, Diogo Jota has been injured for the past few months and bagged four goals from just nine starts beforehand, but Darwin Nunez has now played plenty of football under Slot’s wing and is yet to prove himself as a high-class focal frontman, even if he has some neat attributes.

Why Darwin Nunez could still succeed at Liverpool

It’s beginning to feel like Nunez will never be the kind of assured goalscoring presence that Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is, but that’s okay.

He’s still got a wealth of qualities that make for a high-class footballer, it’s just whether Liverpool can continue to operate with him as their central talisman, especially if Salah leaves at the end of the season, meaning that the need for goals from other areas will be heightened.

This season, for example, Nunez might have only posted three goals and two assists across 19 outings, but he’s also succeeding with a Liverpool-career-high 55% of his dribbles in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, while also winning more duels on average than across either of his first two seasons.

For all his issues, Nunez still manages to provide some underlying data that speaks of his capacity for a brighter future, ranking among the top 4% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 17% for progressive carries and the top 6% for tackles, as per FBref.

But is this enough? As per The Athletic’s James Pearce, it’s possible that Slot prioritises the signing of a new striker in the coming windows, for Nunez, talented as they come, can’t seem to harness and focus his own quality.

To be honest, it might be that the Uruguayan needs to be sold, with suitors sure to circle from various circles of the footballing world. Reading between the lines, it feels like Slot wouldn’t be wholly against the idea, were the right offer to arrive.

Why Slot should sell Darwin Nunez

Nunez is certainly a divisive member of the Liverpool squad. Many fans adore the 25-year-old for his work rate, personality and multi-dimensionality in attack, but others are frustrated by an unending search for consistency in front of goal.

Unfortunately, unless Nunez showcases a whole new level of potency and consistency at the front of the Liverpool line-up, it’s going to be hard for him to stake a claim for a fourth successive term at the club as the designated number one at number nine.

Some might claim that Nunez requires a certain system to flourish, operating as the spearhead of a frenetic, high-intensity line that allows him to capitalise and rise chaotic phases, but Klopp and now Slot have both tried to bring the best out of the Uruguayan, who has failed to hit the desired heights on both accounts.

Last season, Liverpool-focused writer Sam McGuire called the South American a bit of a “problem” within the Merseyside squad, and for all his ability, if he can’t finish his dinner, then it is indeed an issue going forward.

Especially when considering that Gakpo and Diaz both earn less than him, with the former on £120k-per-week and Diaz taking home just £55k-per-week, as per reports. Nunez, meanwhile, rakes in a reported £140k-per-week.

Both wingers have enjoyed a rich vein of form this season and they are jockeying with each other for a starting berth on the left flank, though that is to the detriment of neither, which makes an interesting comment on the regard that Liverpool fans have for the respective stars.

Nunez, conversely, feels like he’s only occupying the striker’s position because Jota has been sidelined with an injury.

Slot featured the Portugal international prominently throughout the opening months of the campaign and you’d wager that he will do so again once he has returned to full fitness.

Jota has returned to training as he strives to hit full match fitness in the coming weeks. Nunez will be eyeing the forthcoming Premier League fixture at home to Fulham, who are missing key defenders through injury, with an air of suppressed desperation.

He knows that an upswing is needed quickly if he is to finally reach the heights that Klopp envisaged when bringing him to Merseyside for a record fee.

Slot's own Firmino: Liverpool ready to sign "magical" £54m Nunez upgrade

Liverpool are growing frustrated with the misfiring Darwin Nunez.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 12, 2024

The match, which is set to be Virat Kohli’s 100th Test, was initially scheduled to be played behind closed doors

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2022The first India-Sri Lanka Test match in Mohali will now be open to spectators, who will be allowed to fill the PCA Stadium to 50% capacity.The match – which is set to be Virat Kohli’s 100th Test – was initially scheduled to be played behind closed doors due to Covid-19 restrictions. Three days before the start of the match, however, the BCCI has confirmed that spectators will be allowed to attend it.”The first Test between India and Sri Lanka to be played at the Punjab Cricket Stadium in Mohali will not be held behind closed doors,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement. “The decision to allow spectators into the ground is one taken by the State Cricketing Associations and in the present circumstances, is based on various factors. I have spoken with the PCA office bearers and they have confirmed that cricket fans will be able to witness the historic moment of Virat Kohli playing his 100th Test match.”The statement suggested the decision was taken based on the decline in Covid-19 cases around the country. The third wave of the pandemic peaked in January in India, and the three-match ODI series against West Indies in early February was played behind closed doors in Ahmedabad. The T20I leg of the series in Kolkata, however, was opened up to crowds, as were the second and third T20Is against Sri Lanka in Dharamsala. The first T20I in Lucknow, however, was played behind closed doors because of the state elections that were taking place in Uttar Pradesh.”While we started off the West Indies Tour of India behind closed doors, the encouraging dip in COVID-19 cases allowed the hosting associations to permit crowds,” Shah’s statement said. “Based on the advisories by the State Health Authorities fans were able to witness the games in Kolkata and Dharamsala while UPCA had Lucknow T20I without crowds owing to polling a day before the match.”I am really looking forward to Virat Kohli’s 100th Test and wish our champion cricketer the very best. This is an occasion for our fans to savour. May he continue to represent the country in many more matches to come.”RP Singhla, the treasurer of the PCA, told the that online ticket sales would open on Wednesday.”We got the communication from BCCI about the allowing of fans at 50% capacity for the first Test match between India and Sri Lanka at Mohali starting March 4,” Singhla said. “So far, we will allow online sale of tickets from Wednesday onwards as it becomes crowded at the ticket counters at the stadium. Fans will be there to watch Virat Kohli play his 100th Test match and PCA will ensure that all Covid-19 protocols are followed.”

Paulo Fonseca cut a defiant figure after managing Lyon to a 3-1 win over FCSB, a day after he was banned for nine months for a clash with a referee.

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Fonseca insists he will 'never give up' Cried as Lyon scored Celebrated with his players Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Just 24 hours after receiving a nine-month ban for his encounter with the referee during Lyon's clash with Brest, Fonseca managed his side to a 3-1 victory over FCSB, and emotion poured out of him when Nicolas Tagliafico scored and the squad rushed to the head coach to celebrate.

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Fonseca's wife has publicly come to his defence, insisting his ban is akin to a "political execution", and he has now insisted that he has the support of his players, as he vowed to fight the suspension, which bans him from both the dugout and the dressing room for Ligue 1 fixtures. He has maintained his innocence.

WHAT FONSECA SAID

Fonseca told reporters: "I am ready. I will never give up. We have the possibility of appealing to obtain justice. I have the support of my president [John Textor]. I just want to say one thing: I [took] a nine-month suspension for a situation for which I apologised. I see the media circus that continues to say that I committed an assault on the referee. There are the images. I did not touch the referee. I verbally assaulted the referee. But I never committed a physical assault and I had no intention of doing so."

He added: "I think that the people who decided on this sanction thought about the general situation of French football. I am the person who must pay. I saw what happened in France [for other situations]. The sanctions were different. It's not fair. No one can say otherwise."

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AFPWHAT NEXT?

Lyon play Nice on Sunday before the second leg against FCSB. Fonseca will not be on the bench this weekend.

Liverpool scrambled back from the fear of a Premier League upset on Sunday afternoon to extend their lead at the summit to eight points, following Manchester City’s shock defeat against Tottenham Hotspur the day before.

Things couldn’t be going better for Arne Slot’s side, who are the clear favourites for the title even at a point of the campaign when many observers would scoff at claims of title contention.

They say to judge the league table after Christmas, but it would take a dramatic nosedive in form for Liverpool to plummet below first place in that timeframe.

Anyway. The Merseysiders are not only competing in the top flight. Indeed, Slot’s squad sit atop the newly-formatted, 36-team Champions League group at the midpoint, but now face Real Madrid, who are in solemn need of three points at Anfield on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool's recent record vs Real Madrid

Liverpool’s recent record against Real Madrid has left plenty to be desired. In fact, it’s left everything. Two Champions League final defeats, two knockout stage exits and one beaten-twice group stage struggle, under Brendan Rodgers in 2014/15, have shaped the Spaniards into Liverpool’s most despised foe.

It’s going to be tough, and while the stakes aren’t quite as high as in recent years, there is still a burning desire to score payback and reinforce Slot’s incredible start to life as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

This is as good a time as ever to defeat Los Blancos, though. Vinicius Junior’s false dawn in the Ballon d’Or does not detract from the Brazilian being one of the deadliest forwards in the world, and it is fortuitous for the Anfield side that he has picked up a hamstring injury that will rule him out this week.

Of course, the flip side is that Kylian Mbappe will get his wish and move into his favoured left-flanking role. Trent Alexander-Arnold has returned to training but may not be fit, meaning Conor Bradley may deputise once again.

Real have an awe-inspiring team of galacticos, but it’s not an infallible construction. In fact, Liverpool have some stars of their own would could walk right into the La Liga giants’ 11.

Mohamed Salah being one, for the 32-year-old is probably the best forward in the world right now, with 12 goals and ten assists from 18 matches in all competitions and an insatiable hunger for the biggest prizes.

He’s not the only one, though, with Ryan Gravenberch enjoying a spectacular season. Believe it or not, the Dutchman might just have hit the level that would see him establish a nailed-down starting berth at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Liverpool star who'd be perfect for Carlo's Real Madrid

Liverpool signed Bayern Munich’s Gravenberch for a £34m fee in August 2023 in what proved to be Klopp’s final transfer move as the Anfield side’s manager.

He only managed 13 Premier League starts last season but has gone from strength to strength under Slot’s wing, levelling up and maturing a skillset that was blessed with patent quality but lacking in temperament and direction.

Yet to miss a minute in the top flight this term, the many-faceted qualities of this burgeoning midfielder have seen him rise to the fore, and he might just be the perfect piece for this Real Madrid team. After all, he’s actually outshining the La Liga side’s first-choice middleman Aurelien Tchouameni.

Matches (starts)

12 (12)

10 (10)

Goals

0

0

Assists

1

0

Touches*

76.3

76.6

Pass completion

89%

93%

Key passes*

0.6

0.3

Dribbles*

1.1

0.3

Ball recoveries*

5.7

4.4

Tackles + interceptions*

3.7

4.3

Total duels (won)*

5.8 (65%)

4.9 (63%)

The respective anchors are both clearly at the top of their game, but Gravenberch, praised by Steve Nicol for his “sensational” form, is proving to be more active, mobile and combative, on the whole.

Tchouameni yields a slightly higher average in regard to his tackling and intercepting numbers, while he is also the crisper passer, but this latter metric is upheld through the ceding of creativity, something that Gravenberch excels in, with double the key pass creation rate and a far superior ball-carrying average.

Ancelotti’s tactical identity is steeped in ball retention but also fast transitional play and flexibility. It’s a well-known fact that, in a world of tactical sagaciousness, Don Carlo employs a looser, less scripted style.

Gravenberch has demonstrated his dynamism and then some this season, slotting into a deeper-sitting, more defence-focused midfield role that has seen him breaking away from the confines of up-and-down prospect to superstar. Football scout Miguel Ruiz has recently pronounced the Dutchman as “the linchpin” of Liverpool’s engine room.

Not only is Gravenberch outstripping Tchouameni, but statistical analysis conducted by FBref has seen him likened to the versatile Federico Valverde too, only deepening the claim that this might be the perfect midfielder for Ancelotti’s Real team.

Ranking among the top 6% of Champions League midfielders this season for pass completion and the top 10% for progressive carries per 90 (FBref), the £150k-per-week talent could truly be the difference-maker, controlling and nullifying Liverpool’s opponents.

Naturally, his performances for the Reds this season have led to rogue transfer rumours surfacing that the Spaniards are interested in completing a deal in 2025, but you’d have to say that FSG would demand astronomical figures.

In any case, he’ll be one to watch under the European lights.

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