Liverpool are among the Premier League outfits surely poised to earn an increase in top-flight revenue following the conclusion of live UK package deals with Sky Sports and TNT Sports.

The agreement in question will see live rights value rise by four per cent as part of a £6.7bn delivery in revenue over a four-year process (from 2025/26 onwards) – the ‘largest sports media rights deals ever concluded in the UK’, according to the Premier League’s official website.

Sky Sports are the ultimate winners of the arrangement, having secured a dominant share of the live rights, snapping up packages B through to D (a minimum of 215 live matches per season).

READ MORE: Liverpool’s 83-touch colossus just posted a 10/10 defensive performance vs LASK

READ MORE: Monstrous: 20-year-old Liverpool speedster welcomed LASK to hell in first-half

The Premier League stays in the green

Despite fears over when the Premier League’s meteoric financial rise will reach its natural apex, the English top-flight continues to pull the big bucks when it comes to live rights.

It remains to be seen how exactly this will affect Liverpool’s revenue numbers, though even a four per cent increase on the prior process’ result will surely be at least reasonably beneficial for our coffers.

It’s not a benefit that will be solely enjoyed by ourselves, of course, though one might imagine our competitors abroad in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 will all be looking over somewhat jealously at the Premier League’s ongoing financial growth.

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post Liverpool poised to bank millions as ‘largest’ ever £6.7bn behind-the-scenes deal agreed appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

No Liverpool fan present at Anfield today will forget what a barnstorming, up-and-down football match they witnessed, one which was finally settled by a Trent Alexander-Arnold wonder strike.

The Reds twice relinquished leads in the first half and found themselves 3-2 down going into the final five minutes of normal time before Wataru Endo struck an equaliser.

Just as we were processing that goal, LFC attacked again and the number 66 got on the ball inside the penalty area, firing to the net to spark pandemonium in the stands.

Liverpool supporter @asim_lfc captured the match-winning moment from the Main Stand, with one spectator bellowing ‘Shoot, Trent!’ and the 25-year-old duly obliging to send Anfield into raptures.

It’s the ecstasy that such moments provide which shows why we love this sport so much!

You can view the fan footage of Trent’s winner below, via @asim_lfc on X (formerly Twitter):

%{+]%{+{*{%{+]^{+]%]+{^{>#Trent #LFC #LIVFUL pic.twitter.com/xPyH2t96Ut

— AsimLFC (@asim_lfc) December 3, 2023

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Alexis Mac Allister scored his first Liverpool goal in some style this afternoon, firing to the net with a 30-yard thunderbolt against Fulham.

Trent Alexander-Arnold had given the Reds an earlier lead with a sumptuous free kick, but even that was outdone by the Argentine midfielder on 39 minutes.

Raul Jimenez paid the price for a misplaced header, with the ball dropping to the Reds’ number 10, and he ran onto it before letting fly with a rocket of a half-volley which gave Bernd Leno absolutely no chance.

If you’re going to score your first goal for Liverpool, then that is exactly how you do it in style!

You can view Mac Allister’s goal below, taken from beIN SPORTS’ match coverage and shared via @d7em10_L on X:

الحساب الأساسي : @d7em10_#LIVFUL #Liverpool #PL pic.twitter.com/6yjiaX7foI

— تابع الحساب الأساسي (@d7em10_L) December 3, 2023

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Jarell Quansah had England caps at every level from U16 to U20 before this season started… He captained Liverpool’s team in the UEFA Youth League and was an automatic starter for us in successful youth teams since his arrival in 2008.

Yet, for some reason, there was little or no hype. No fans were hoping Jurgen Klopp would give him minutes this term. There was no clamour for his promotion to the first-team. Quansah had a fairly mundane loan spell at Bristol Rovers in League One last season under Joey Barton, where he didn’t always start.

There was an incident with a red-card in which Quansah was criticised by an opponent for his recklessness.

Joe Morrell told BBC Radio Solent: “I’ve got up. Maybe he’s started a bit and he’s headbutted me. I think it’s probably [worth] two red cards.

“I haven’t made a tackle like that in my career and I certainly wouldn’t do that.”

Despite then Bristol Rovers manager Barton taking him in and out of the side, he did have big words of praise for the towering defender, which surprised many given the average performances.

“Jarell’s been excellent since he’s come in, he’s gone away with England and done well with them, got a goal and he’s come back and it looks like he’s figured out how to head the ball.

“He would probably be our top scorer if he’d had known that before,” he said in March, cited by TIA.

During the summer, Liverpool fans desperately wanted the club to sanction a deal for a new centre-back, but they refused and that decision has actually allowed Quansah minutes in the cup competitions.

So far, he’s played two full games in the EFL Cup and four in the Europa League. He’s had one start in the Premier League and come off the bench in three more to shore up matches. Without exaggeration, Quansah hasn’t put a foot wrong.

Strong, fast and imposing, he has the physical traits required of any elite centre-half, but he backs it up with composure and technical skills on the ball. It’s obviously a silly comparison right now, but aesthetically, he passes the ball like Virgil van Dijk with his relaxed gait and effortless side-footed balls into midfield.

His performance on Thursday night against LASK was again, faultless. Check out the highlights of his outing in the video, below. His passing and interceptions are good, but I especially like the recovery pace and timing of the last ditch tackles you see in the second-half.

Liverpool will always give other teams chances due to our ultra-attacking style, so you need defenders and goalkeepers who can get you out of jail when big moments arrive. He did exactly that.

Quansah vs Lask pic.twitter.com/9YfwhBTGUg

— 1947 (@1947production) November 30, 2023

Klopp was very keen to laud Quansah post-match and spoke about his new defender in length, referencing the decision not to buy a centre-back before the season as a good one.

“For us it was absolutely perfect. Jarell played a super game,” Klopp said, cited by Anfield Watch.

“There couldn’t be better news for the club, to be honest. Before this season, people told us we should buy a centre-half. We knew we had Jarell. Did we know that he would show up like this? Not exactly, but we were pretty hopeful. So the future’s bright. He is our own boy, calm on the ball, good in the challenges, quick, ruthless in the right moments.

“Besides Caoimh he had the most spectacular defensive situations when he saved our backside in some moments, so that’s really top news for us.”

“That couldn’t be better news for the club, to be honest. I think before this season a lot of people told us we should buy a centre-half. “We knew we had Jarell. Did we know that he will show up like this? No, not exactly, but we were pretty hopeful, so the future is bright. “It’s cool. Our own boy, calm on the ball, good in the challenge, quick, ruthless in the right moments and besides Caoimhin, who had one or two saves, [he] probably had the most spectacular defensive situations when he saved our backside in some moments. So, that’s really good. [It’s] top news for us.”

The great thing about our defensive situation is that it’s not only Quansah who is playing above expectations.

Joel Matip is enjoying a brilliant season. So much so, he’s arguably climbed above Ibrahima Konate in the pecking order, who himself hasn’t done anything wrong other than picking up a few niggling injuries.

Van Dijk is back to his absolute best, which helps tenfold. The Dutchman is oozing the confidence that made him stand head and shoulders above any centre-back on the planet and is clearly relishing the full-time captaincy.

Joe Gomez is showing he can play the inverted right-back position but also cover in central defence, too. What a squad player he is, capable of both.

Even at fullback, Kostas Tsimikas has found form while deputising for Andy Robertson.

With our attack always firing and our midfield finding its feet, should Liverpool find a way to become ultra-solid defensively, we really do have a chance in all four competitions this season.

Klopp will prioritise the Premier League, but don’t be surprised to see the Reds pick up at least one cup, too, with Quansah likely to be in the side for any run.

The post Editor’s Column: Jarell Quansah, from League One head-butt to Liverpool’s next centre-back superstar appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Much has been made of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s defensive limitations, with a vocal number of critics perhaps failing to give credit where credit’s due.

Paul Merson may be counted amongst the opposing camp, highlighting the No.66’s passing capabilities and strength on the ball.

“Credit has to go to Trent Alexander-Arnold. I think he is the best passer in the Premier League,” the former Arsenal star wrote for Sportskeeda in his pre-match preview of the Reds’ clash with Fulham.

“A lot has been said about him but he went and got the equalizer against the best team in the land last weekend.

“He might not be the best in the world at his position because there are players who are better than him defensively. But on the ball, few come close.”

Whilst debate continues to rage over where the Academy graduate is best placed on the pitch (ask Gareth Southgate and Jurgen Klopp and expect different answers), few can argue over the fullback’s offensive prowess.

READ MORE: Fabrizio Romano finally answers Liverpool transfer question fans keep asking him about

READ MORE: Confirmed Liverpool lineup vs LASK: 9 changes as Tsimikas retains place

Some fine-tuning required but Trent’s still phenomenal

The pundit brought up our right-back’s passing, so let’s see what the stats have to say on the matter.

Alexander-Arnold, rather predictably, stacks up well against the globe’s elite – ranking in the 99th percentile for passes attempted, according to FBref.

The most critical thing to observe, however, is how this contributes to the creative machine. Trent also ranks in the 99th percentile for xAG (expected assisted goals) and shot-creating actions.

How does Trent compare?

To put this into the context of raw numbers, the 25-year-old is registering a comparable number of creative actions per 90 to the league’s top midfield creators.

Bruno Fernandes, for instance, only registers roughly two more shot-creating actions (5.99) per 90 and has a slightly higher xAG rate (0.50) compared to Trent (4.05 and 0.34 respectively).

Against James Maddison, the England international isn’t far off either, coming close to the Tottenham man’s xAG of 0.37.

Martin Odegaard? Almost double the Norwegian’s xAG of 0.19 and comparable to his rate of 4.55 shot-creating actions per 90.

For a defender, those are absolutely ludicrous numbers and are more than worthy of praise.

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post ‘Few come close’: Paul Merson says 25-y/o Liverpool player is absolutely unstoppable on the ball appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

The worry which was etched across Jurgen Klopp’s face during stoppage time in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Saturday may well have masked an underlying sense of enormous relief.

Along with every Reds supporter, the manager was grimacing at the sight of Alisson Becker grasping his hamstring in obvious discomfort, playing through the pain barrier to help see out a deserved point for his team.

We’ve yet to discover the full extent of any injury the 31-year-old may have incurred, but there have been educated suggestions that he may have played his last match of 2023.

There might be only 34 days left in the calendar year (including today), but the trouble is that Liverpool play nine more times before New Year’s revellers blast out Auld Lang Syne.

While watching Alisson struggle through the final few minutes at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Klopp might also have been thanking himself over his stance on Caoimhin Kelleher during the summer.

READ MORE: Phil Thompson salutes ‘perfect call’ from Klopp as Liverpool duo lead notable in-house change

READ MORE: (Video) Dominik Szoboszlai had a warm greeting for one Liverpool player during surprise visit

Klopp could easily have sold Kelleher in the summer

It would’ve been no great surprise if the Republic of Ireland international moved on from Anfield during the off-season, with his Brazilian teammate a virtually immovable object in the starting XI and other Premier League clubs reportedly showing an interest in our number 62.

The Cork native is no longer a prodigious youngster who can afford to think long-term. He turned 25 last Thursday, the same age at which Alisson joined Liverpool and slightly older than Steven Gerrard was when he captained the club to Champions League glory in 2005.

His status as second choice on Merseyside was also hampering him at international level, with Gavin Bazunu starting all eight of Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifiers despite playing in the Championship with Southampton. However, ‘playing’ is the word on which emphasis is to be placed.

It would’ve been impossible to begrudge Kelleher a move away from the Reds, such was Alisson’s unshakable status as number one, but the top-heavy workload that elite clubs must negotiate in the modern era has made football more of a squad game than ever before.

The Irishman will always get opportunities at Liverpool, particularly this season with the Europa League the continental diet being served up at Anfield, but he now looks set to be thrust into the limelight to a more sustained degree.

His tally of senior Reds appearances is only one greater than his age, but the 25-year-old has never let Klopp down when given the nod to start.

Klopp’s praise for ‘exceptional’ Kelleher

His clean sheet record is 10 out of 26 (38.5%), with Alisson’s clocking in at 108 out of 245 (44.1%), via Transfermarkt. No goalkeeper in Liverpool’s history has made more saves in penalty shoot-outs, with Kelleher making numerous vital contributions en route to our Carabao Cup triumph in 2022.

It was after that final against Chelsea that Klopp dubbed the Irishman ‘the best number-two goalie in the world’, also labelling him ‘exceptional‘ following his latest bout of penalty heroics in that competition against Derby County just over a year ago.

It’s a testament to the 25-year-old’s attitude that while he’s been prepared to leave Liverpool in search for more regular action rather than simply coasting as a backup ‘keeper, he’s never publicly moaned about being kept out of the starting XI by his Brazilian teammate for several years.

Goalkeepers know that they can often go for months without playing unless an opportunity presents itself through a colleague getting injured or suspended, but always need to be ready to step in at any moment incase the window to a starting berth opens.

With Alisson now looking set for a spell on the sidelines, Reds fans can take comfort in knowing that the very capable Kelleher is ready and waiting to come into the team.

With no disrespect intended to Adrian, he wouldn’t inspire the same confidence if he’d been first in line to replace the Brazilian, with flashbacks to those horrific performances against Atletico Madrid and Aston Villa in 2020 still likely to give Kopites nightmares.

Klopp made the right call

Klopp and Liverpool made it clear during the summer that they’d no intention of selling the Ireland international, unless a massive bid came in to persuade them otherwise.

It’s a stance that the manager – and indeed many Reds supporters – must be delighted he took, and he’ll now feel vindicated for recognising Kelleher’s true value to the squad, when other bosses or clubs could well have blinked and cashed in on the 25-year-old.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 13 Review : Trippier OUT & Zinchenko IN? Gordon the ultimate differential? Haaland & Salah must-haves

The post Klopp will now feel vindicated over ‘exceptional’ Liverpool summer transfer call – opinion appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool have received a timely injury boost ahead of Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City.

Jurgen Klopp will need his players to be at their very best at the Etihad if the Reds are to come away with all three points and the German tactician has now been boosted by the return of a number of key players to training ahead of the weekend.

The ECHO’s Ian Doyle, speaking on his X page, has confirmed Curtis Jones, Ibou Konate, Joe Gomez and Ryan Gravenberch all featured at the AXA Training Centre while those players from Klopp’s squad who travelled to South American to represent their respective nations during the recent international break were also involved.

#LFC quartet Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Ryan Gravenberch all in contention for visit to #MCFC on Saturday as they take part in training today. South American returnees Alexis Mac Allister, Alisson Becker, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez also involved

— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) November 23, 2023

READ MORE: ‘I fancy…’ – Ian Wright predicts the winner of Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash between Man City and Liverpool

Jones, Konate, Gomez and Gravenberch were all absent from the 3-0 defeat of Brentford before the international break through injury while the South American members of our squad have been vitally important during our strong start to the campaign.

Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Andy Robertson were not involved as their comebacks from injury continue.

Klopp now has a number of decisions to make regarding the XI he opts to start at the Etihad while Pep Guardiola could be without a number of key players for the game.

Rodri, Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne were just a few of the City players who didn’t join up with their respective nations during the recent international break due to injury while Erling Haaland missed Norway’s game with Scotland on Sunday due to a knock to his ankle.

We look set for a thrilling encounter on Saturday lunchtime – let’s hope we can come out on top to continue our fine start to the campaign.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 12 Review : Tsimikas benching frustration, Palmer bargain? Time to sell Heung-min Son?

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The two best teams in the country will play each other on Saturday lunchtime, in a match which will see the victor top the Premier League table and put down a marker for the season.

Liverpool have dropped silly points at Luton and Brighton, while being robbed at Spurs, but are still in a very strong position, thanks largely to our unrivalled home form.

Manchester City look ominous. They’re top of the table with their best player Kevin de Bruyne injured, but they have a few top players also racing to get fit for for the blockbuster clash.

Ederson, Rodri and Erling Haaland missed their national teams’ fixtures due to fitness concerns, but no doubt Pep Guardiola was exaggerating the extent of their issues so he could get them a rest before our trip to the Etihad.

Liverpool’s players scored goals and shone during the international break, but played lots of football. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Alexis Mac Allister, Dom Szoboszlai and Diogo Jota all played twice, much to Jurgen Klopp’s likely annoyance.

Hopefully our South Americans will be ready… Nunez, Mac Allister and Alisson all played in the hours of Wednesday morning and will only have one session on Friday before the game.

Tactically, Klopp needs to win the transition battle with City, who are lethal when the ball is turned over. They have pace down the flanks and Jeremy Doku will be hoping to exploit the space Alexander-Arnold leaves at right-back when he drifts into midfield. Haaland is obviously lethal and will be constantly running in behind to exploit a line which will is always high, no matter where or who we’re playing.

City though will also deploy a high-line and our best chance to create chances is by using the pace of Nunez in behind. The Uruguayan is flying at the moment. He scored three times for his country and is oozing confidence. He was Liverpool’s best player last time out versus Brentford, registering an assist and having two goals disallowed. It’s admirable how he’s got over the open-goal miss against Luton, which was a real shocker.

Nunez is extremely fast and physical. Salah’s creativity will provide him opportunities to run, with Trent also capable of putting in longer balls past the defence, too.

It’ll be interesting to see who Klopp picks on the left. Jota has been in better form than Cody Gakpo or Luis Diaz and is the best finisher of the three. He can fight and press, which may be beneficial, but rest assured, all five will feature at some point.

That’s the benefit of having five elite attackers. Klopp is spoiled and our offensive options are potentially the best of any side in Europe. They complement each other well. Diaz needs to return to his swashbuckling, dribbling best, when he loved taking on the right-back and Nunez needs to get better at finishing his easier chances – but there really isn’t much to complain about.

It’ll be interesting who Klopp picks in midfield. Hopefully Curtis Jones will be fit and can take his place alongside Mac Allister and Szoboszlai. That is our best midfield right now. Gravenberch is also hoping to be fit, but whoever Klopp picks will be a slight risk given the intensity of the game and the fact they’re coming off the back off injuries. Wataru Endo simply hasn’t got the pace or ball-retention skills to anchor the midfield against City, while Harvey Elliott has proved himself to be a brilliant sub but not yet a consistent starter.

Kostas Tsimikas will keep his place at left-back, you’d assume, with either Joel Matip or the hopefully returning Ibou Konate alongside van Dijk.

We’ll need the Dutchman at his very best to deal with Haaland’s strength and movement. This season, van Dijk has been the best centre-back in the Premier League and it’s fantastic to see how confident he looks again. At his best, nobody comes close.

As always, we may need Alisson to pull off a few saves in one-on-one situations, as even at our vest best, Klopp’s Liverpool teams always give up a few chances.

It’s going to be a belter. Strap yourselves in, Reds.

The post Editor’s Column: Liverpool must counter-attack v Manchester City and take chances when they come appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Darwin Nunez is truly savouring the limelight at the moment with another stellar performance recorded during the international break.

‘La Pantera’, as he is affectionately known, was on target twice against Bolivia in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying win.

His latest outing had national media purring, with Spanish outlet AS (via El Observador) describing the 24-year-old as ‘unstoppable’ and adding: “The Liverpool striker fleeces Bolivia and confirms his exceptional moment of form.”

Bolivian paper La Razon (via El Observador) said: “The Bolivian team was surpassed by the best team in South America today. The eyes were taken by La Verde’s top scorer.”

READ MORE: Surprise twist as report suggests Liverpool could now sell another midfielder in January

READ MORE: Liverpool learn result of Premier League vote over associated party transactions

Luis Suarez put it best

To think that only a year ago the former Benfica striker was subjected to an endless stream of abuse over his opening season in England.

How quickly things can change!

Luis Suarez ultimately put it best when he described the Liverpool forward as ‘one of the best No.9s in the world up front’, adding ‘I have to applaud and enjoy him’, in comments relayed by El Observador.

Nunez’s timing couldn’t be better either only a few days ahead of our crunch league meeting with incumbent champions Manchester City.

Bring it on, we say.

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The post ‘Unstoppable’: What national media said about 24-year-old Liverpool player’s display last night appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are planning to go big this season by offering Jurgen Klopp his fourth contract at the club.

This update comes courtesy of Steve Kay at Football Transfers, with it understood that the club is also targeting a new contract for Virgil van Dijk and a big 2024 summer window.

It has been suggested that a potential sale of Mo Salah in the summer could be added to funds FSG is allegedly prepared to arm the manager with at the end of the campaign.

READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp’s private comments prove Liverpool have already replaced ‘insane’ ex-Red

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Liverpool 2.0 and a brand new era

It looks like we have absolutely no intention of taking things lying down after an appalling season last year.

We certainly have already gone some way to proving our credentials with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch – additions that have revitalised a waning midfield.

Whilst we’re certainly a fan of the business that has recently taken place, however, few could deny that the most important piece of the puzzle remains Jurgen Klopp.

Take any player out of this Liverpool side – none of them could hold a candle to the potential devastation that would follow the departure of our German tactician.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 12 Review : Tsimikas benching frustration, Palmer bargain? Time to sell Heung-min Son?

The post Liverpool want Klopp to sign fourth contract extension as bumper summer 2024 window targeted – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Remember a few years back, during our title season, when Mo Salah refused to square to Sadio Mane against Burnley?

Mane was raging and kicked off on the touchline. Then, in the tunnel while walking into the dressing room, Roberto Firmino smirked at the camera as our two brilliant wingers blanked each other. It made a great viral clip, but actually, it never mattered that Salah and Mane weren’t very close… That season we romped the title. Their rivalry actually spurred each other on, even if there were some awkward moments between the pair. It may well have resulted in Mane’s eventual exit, which was sad and unexpectedly unemotional, but his subsequent failure at Bayern Munich proved it was a smart Liverpool sale.

Throughout their entire time together, Mane assisted Salah 13 times. Salah assisted Mane 17 times, slightly more often, but not an enormous amount considering the goals both scored and the fact they were basically ever-present for five seasons together.

Darwin Nunez, in one season and a bit, has assisted Salah nine times already. In fact, every one of Nunez’s assists has been to his partner in crime. Salah has made two goals for Nunez, but it would likely be plenty more if Darwin didn’t have such a habit of missing sitters!

But I’d much rather focus on the positives. Opta state that Salah and Nunez have made more chances for each other (19) than any other duo in the Premier League this season.

They clearly have a good relationship off the pitch and there seems to be no issue between the pair in terms of who’s scoring more. Salah and Mane were in a silent battle to be considered the main man, whereas there is obvious hierarchy now with Salah above all the other attackers in Liverpool’s roster in terms of age, status, productivity and ability. This suits Mo. He likes playing with Nunez and the Uruguayan’s immense physicality benefits Salah’s creative attributes.

The Egyptian, who has lost some of his pace, likes now to cut in from his right-wing and play intricate through-balls or lofted passes behind the defence. Nunez can run onto these thanks to his incredible speed and the pair seem to have a an increasingly telepathic relationship, where Nunez begins his run early and Salah knows where he’s heading. Salah used to be a cold-blooded goalscorer first, second and third, but while he’s still an insanely good finisher, he seems more happy to make chances for team-mates than simply get himself into the box. His evolution will see him remain world-class for many years to come.

Nunez is not world-class yet. He simply lacks the composure in front of goal to be regarded as one of the best, but his overall contribution is so, so much better than last season.

His pressing has gone through the roof and his work-rate is arguably the best of any of our attackers. Jurgen Klopp made sure to voice this after our 3-0 win against Brentford, in which Nunez had two goals disallowed.

“Outstanding! Outstanding,’ he said. ‘Everyone can see; look at him how he kept the ball for us, who would have thought he could do that for us last year?” Klopp told the Metro.

“[The] standout was Darwin because Brentford wanted long balls so he started the pressing. [His] work-rate was insane.

“In all the moments we could keep the ball on the ground and we could play football, with Darwin [Nunez] connecting the game for us exceptionally, we were super dangerous,” Klopp added.

Nunez now holds the ball up better, is consistently making great runs and is always involved in our offensive moments. If he had the calmness in front of goal Diogo Jota is currently showing, we’d be talking about one of the best strikers on the planet, but his improvement is enormous and his catalogue of shocking misses demonstrates an ability to be in the right place at the right time, as well a mental-block to score these chances.

Can he change this? Well, he’s learned to hold the ball up from a situation last term where it was bouncing off him, which is surely a trickier task than putting the ball into an open net from six yards out – so I’m holding out hope!

Salah clearly loves playing with Nunez. He provides energy, strength, speed and excitement. He gets his team and the fans going. The relationship between the pair is blossoming and will continue to do so now Nunez has staked his claim as a Premier League starter above Cody Gakpo in the central attacking role.

Gakpo is a lovely player in the buildup and a great option to have, but right now, he’ll have to wait his turn.

Nunez should start against Manchester City after the international break. The fact they’ll play a high-line and dominate possession will actually suit him on the transition. No doubt Salah will provide moments of class to feed his friend, too. It would be a mighty handy time for the 24-year-old to find his finishing boots!

The post Editor’s Column: Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez’s partnership benefits everyone appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Kieran Maguire has warned that a potential rise in Premier League broadcasting revenue will not be at ‘staggering levels’ previously seen in 2014 and 2017.

The University of Liverpool lecturer went on to point out that increased revenue in the English top-flight does tend to go towards increased wages – a tangible positive that would benefit Liverpool’s operations.

This comes amid one report from the Telegraph claiming that online retailer giant Amazon are looking to potentially submit a bid for broadcasting rights in the league.

“There is huge interest in the Premier League rights,” the finance expert told Football Insider.

“We’ve seen other leagues plateau or decrease when it comes to broadcast rights, but I think broadcasters have realised that the Premier League sets a standard of engagement with fans which dissuades them from cutting the cord or cancelling the subscription.

“Therefore it is very much the go-to, and as a consequence of that, there is still upward potential with regards to the value of the broadcast rights.

“It will not be staggering levels like when we had a 70 percent increase in 2014 and 2017.

“The rise is magnificent for Premier League clubs, although they only proceed to blow it on wages.

“If you take a look at the history of the Premier League, revenue has increased by 2600 percent since it started and wages have increased by 3600 percent.”

Maguire went on to add that the Merseysiders could take advantage of further fringe benefits when it comes to ‘merit payments and higher facility payments’.

READ MORE: Liverpool line up January signing despite contradicting reports; can sign him for roughly £30m – report

READ MORE: Liverpool will need Xabi Alonso favour to move on from Andre transfer disappointment

More money on wages is good news for Liverpool

Obviously, it goes without saying that increased wage capabilities would benefit all in the Premier League – not just Liverpool.

However, even in a sustainable model, it should help us remain competitive when it comes to financially enticing players to Anfield in competition with our fellow footballing behemoths across Europe.

Judging by how the club has been operated of late, we’re pretty confident that it’ll be money well spent!

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There seems to be – or at the very least has been – a consensus of sorts regarding Alexis Mac Allister’s ability to play the No.6 role.

Some fans have suggested that the Argentine simply doesn’t have the tools to be Liverpool’s first-choice holding midfield for the foreseeable future.

Running in tandem with reports around the Reds’ perceived interest in Andre Trindade of Fluminense, the expectation was that Jurgen Klopp’s men would land a new signing in January to free ‘Macca’.

But has our No.10 really been so poor as to justify the club’s recruitment team searching for a new No.6?

What do the numbers say?

Comparing Mac Allister’s numbers to those of Manchester City’s Rodri – arguably the league’s current premier holding midfielder – the former Brighton man isn’t being completely shown up by the stats.

Liverpool are conceding at a rate of 0.8 goals a game when the 24-year-old is on the pitch compared to City’s 0.6 this term when his Sky Blues counterpart is available, as per Transfermarkt.

◉ Bruno Fernandes – 7
◉ Casemiro – 6
◉ Mason Mount – 4
◎ Conor Gallagher – 3
◎ Alexis Mac Allister – 3
◎ Yves Bissouma – 2
◎ Declan Rice – 2
◎ Rodri – 1

Selected midfielders that have been dribbled past in the Premier League this season. pic.twitter.com/tdmWhkGcPW

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 22, 2023

There are, of course, stats available that go somewhat deeper into each player’s relative importance in the holding midfield role.

Our summer signing contributes more tackles (2.76), blocks (2.35) and interceptions (1.43) per 90 this season than either Rodri or, indeed, Declan Rice, and comes a close second with 7.35 recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

Where the numbers do critically differ to support the aforementioned consensus, however, is in the realm of possession – a key area, it has to be said, for a side transitioning to more possession-based football.

Whilst carrying the ball, Mac Allister has seen himself dispossessed a whopping 11 times in the Premier League this season. That’s three more than Rice (8) and almost double Rodri’s tally (6).

Interestingly, though the £35m signing does appear a more successful challenger out of possession, our World Cup winner completes double the number of unsuccessful attempts to challenge a dribbler (1.94) than his City (0.88) and Gunners (0.88) counterparts.

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What alternatives could Liverpool pursue in the market?

Fluminense’s Andre has been touted as a potential solution in the January market, though it remains to be seen whether that remains the case following reports that the club is considering alternative options.

If not the Copa Libertadores winner, then who?

To answer that question, Liverpool may need to ask a favour from one of their beloved former players in Xabi Alonso.

Mac Allister will be familiar with our next suggestion in his international teammate, and Bayer Leverkusen star, Exequiel Palacios.

The 25-year-old isn’t as reliable a duel-winner as Andre, though certainly appears the superior option in that regard to our own resident holding midfielder.

It explains, in part, Leverkusen’s remarkable defensive record in 2023/24, with Alonso’s side having conceded only once more (10) than the German top-flight’s best defence in Bayern Munich (9), joint with RB Leipzig.

The Bundesliga midfielder boasts a higher pass completion rate this term (91.9% vs 87.7%) from a higher total attempted per 90 (100.3 vs 72.8).

Intriguingly, Palacios has only been dispossessed on three occasions compared to Mac Allister’s 11.

A feasible transfer?

We said Liverpool would have to call in a favour, didn’t we? And boy oh boy, would that be a FAVOUR and a half!

The German top-flight outfit has very recently agreed a contract extension with their star midfielder to keep him at the club until the summer of 2028.

Whilst we’re on the subject, reliable Bundesliga reporter Christian Falk said this about the player back in September (via CaughtOffside’s Daily Briefing): “At Leverkusen they’re very clear that they don’t want any more exits from the club – and that includes Exequiel Palacios despite rumours around Liverpool. Piero Hincapie is another player considered ‘not for sale’.

“Leverkusen are doing very well in the Bundesliga and Palacios is a part of Xabi Alonso’s plans for the campaign.”

Leverkusen will, of course, demand top, top dollar for his services, even if the player’s head were to be turned by the possibility of a January move.

Football Transfers’ transfer valuation system puts Palacios’ value at between £19.1m-£31.9m. Frankly, though, we’d be astonished if the actual price tag wasn’t at least double the highest end of that range.

£60m-plus is a serious amount of money for us to spend after forking out £145.7m for Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Wataru Endo in the summer.

Ultimately, our very own Argentine sensation isn’t performing poorly despite a handful of instances this season exposing his limited recovery pace.

It’s worth highlighting too that it’s remarkable how strong his numbers are despite finding himself in a brand-new midfield at times when Curtis Jones has been unavailable.

It suggests that we shouldn’t be sharpening our pitchforks in a bid to push our coaching staff to shove Mac Allister higher up the pitch just yet (even if his abilities would lend well to a more advanced role).

That said, if the club still remains keen on the prospect of bolstering the midfield once more in January, they could do far worse than going all out for the potentially uber-pricey option of Exequiel Palacios.

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We’re at the midway point in November and already the transfer rumour mill has begun to creak back into life ahead of the January transfer window.

You’ve seen the likes of Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly to Sao Paulo’s Lucas Beraldo linked with a switch to Anfield amid Liverpool’s ongoing search for a left-footed centre-back.

In an attempt to build a potential list of feasible options, we at Empire of the Kop turned to ChatGPT for answers.

Following several attempts to regenerate answers to the same question (and find appropriate answers that met, or came close to meeting, the parameters) we came across the following list of footballers that (sort of) fit the bill for left-footed centre-backs under the age of 24:

1) Jean-Clair Todibo (23) (right-footed, sorry ChatGPT, but we’ll consider)

2) Perr Schuurs (23) (right-footed, sorry ChatGPT, but we’ll consider as a long-linked target)

3) Dan-Axel Zagadou (24)

4) Strahinja Pavlovic (22)

As a potential successor to Virgil van Dijk, a few key traits worth bearing in mind are:

• Positioning (difficult to statistically represent, though it explains why the Dutchman makes so few tackles, registering in the 19th percentile compared to his centre-back peers, according to FBref)
• Aerial dominance
• Leadership capabilities
• Strong passer

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A look at the competition

Due to the limited data available for Pavlovic, we considered Schuurs, Zagadou and Todibo in direct comparison with our skipper.

The latter of the trio was, perhaps, more closely comparable to the Dutchman as far as his creative capabilities are concerned (78th percentile for shot-creating actions), proving an accomplished passer of the ball. However, the total lack of aerial prowess (15th percentile) will no doubt raise eyebrows amongst Liverpool’s data merchants.

Van Dijk’s Dutch counterpart in Torino likewise appears a reliable passer of the ball, though his limited number of passes per game is perhaps more of a reflection of his side’s style of play than an indication of limitations.

That said, Schuurs is surprisingly poor in the air (38th percentile for aerials won) despite being a sizeable 6’3″.

Dan-Axel Zagadou’s stats are perhaps the most intriguing of the lot. The 6’5″ Stuttgart defender is an aerial monster (with a capital ‘M’), surpassing our No.4 by registering in the 99th percentile for aerials won (4.61 per 90 compared to Van Dijk’s 3.99).

Of major concern, however, is the 24-year-old’s passing capabilities, the Frenchman attempts plenty of passes per game (93rd percentile) but has a completion rate of 85.6% per 90 (56th percentile). Likewise, we’d have some concerns over whether the player could replicate our Dutch colossus’ creative prowess (ranking in 34th percentile for shot-creating actions).

Who should Liverpool keep a close eye on?

We should stress that links to Dan-Axel Zagadou have been rather limited beyond 2022, following the centre-back’s switch away from Borussia Dortmund.

Though at 24 years of age (we’re pushing it with “young” here), one might wonder whether the former Signal Iduna Park operator would be the best fit – or even be open to the prospect of far less regular minutes at Anfield. Regardless, he’s arguably the standout pick of the aforementioned bunch.

Able to play both as a left-sided centre-back and as a backup left-back (a position he’s filled on 12 occasions, according to Transfermarkt), the Frenchman would solve more than one problem for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

That said, a series of injury struggles and niggles has seen Zagadou’s spend an inordinate amount of time in the treatment room, sending his value plummeting through the floor.

The Stuttgart man missed only seven games in 2022/23 and six the season prior, however – a distinct improvement on 47 games missed in 2020/21 for Dortmund.

It’s one potential gamble too far, perhaps, in light of the current issues Liverpool are having to deal with when it comes to Ibrahima Konate’s seesawing fitness.

This article has partly relied on information supplied by AI chatbot ChatGPT, which has been verified after use.

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The November international break is upon us, which gives Liverpool fans a chance to draw breath ahead of a manic end to 2023 which sees the Reds play 10 times in the space of just 32 days.

However, for 16 members of Jurgen Klopp’s first-team squad, the pause to the club season brings no respite, with national team duty beckoning across four different continents. That number would be even higher if injuries hadn’t ruled out the likes of Andy Robertson, Ryan Gravenberch and Ibrahima Konate.

The attention of LFC fans will be divided across the conclusion of the Euro 2024 qualifying groups, two more confederations seeing their heavyweights take the first steps towards the 2026 World Cup, and a handful of British youngsters with eyes on playing at the European Under-21 finals the summer after next.

When can we see Liverpool’s international stars in action over the coming days? We’ve marked your card below!

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Thursday 16th

Wataru Endo is the first Liverpool player on international duty over the coming week, set to lead out Japan for their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier at home to Myanmar, who are 140 places lower in the current FIFA world rankings. That game kicks off at 10am UK time.

Thursday also sees the first steps on the road towards the pan-Americas showcase in 2026 for Mo Salah and Egypt, who begin their qualifying campaign by hosting Djibouti, Africa’s third lowest-ranked nation, at 4pm UK time.

Dominik Szoboszlai‘s Hungary need just a point away to Group G whipping boys Bulgaria to secure their place at Euro 2024 (5pm), while Diogo Jota can already look forward to playing at the tournament with Portugal, who should preserve their 100% group record away to Liechtenstein at 7:45pm.

At midnight in the UK (Thursday night in South America with time difference), the four Liverpool players from that continent will be concentrated across two head-to-heads.

The old-age rivalry of Argentina and Uruguay pits Alexis Mac Allister against Darwin Nunez. Elsewhere, Luis Diaz‘s first match in Colombia since the kidnapping and subsequent release of his parents sees them take on Brazil, for whom Alisson Becker is set to start after Ederson withdrew from the squad through injury.

Friday 17th

Just the three Liverpool players in action on Friday night, with the headline act between Trent Alexander-Arnold and England looking ahead to Euro 2024, with Gareth Southgate’s team already qualified as they play host to Malta at 7:45pm.

At 7pm, Ben Doak will be in action for Scotland’s under-21s away to Belgium in a European qualifier. Earlier in the evening, Kostas Tsimikas may feature for Greece in their friendly against New Zealand at 5pm, but Klopp and Reds fans wouldn’t mind seeing him rested for that inconsequential fixture.

Saturday 18th

Three Liverpool players will be in Amsterdam on Saturday night for the Euro 2024 qualifier between Netherlands and Republic of Ireland (7:45pm). Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo will be striving for the win which’d see their nation book their place at the finals of the tournament, while Caoimhin Kelleher is back in the Irish squad after missing their October double header due to injury.

In the European under-21 qualifiers, defending champions England are in Serbia for a 4pm kick-off. Reds duo Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah are in the squad for that fixture, as is Tyler Morton, who’s on loan at Hull City from Anfield.

Sunday 19th

There are three international matches involving Liverpool players on Sunday, all with staggered kick-offs so that Reds fans won’t have to pick and choose.

At 2pm, Szoboszlai and Hungary will be hoping that their concluding Euro 2024 qualifier at home to Montenegro is effectively a chance to celebrate with their fans in the knowledge that their place at the finals had been secured in Bulgaria three days previously.

While their campaign comes to a close, the second step of Egypt’s path towards what they hope will be qualification for the 2026 World Cup sees them travel to Sierra Leone (4pm). Salah might fancy his chances of filling his boots against the team ranked 122nd in the world.

Finally, at 7:45pm, Jota‘s Portugal will aim to finish their Euro 2024 qualification group with a 100% record as they host Iceland, who are likely to be eliminated before then.

Monday 20th

Trent is the only Liverpool player on international duty next Monday night, when England round off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign away to North Macedonia, against whom the 25-year-old conjured a sublime assist for Bukayo Saka in a 7-0 win for the Three Lions in June.

Tuesday 21st

Having already raged against a third successive Saturday 12:30pm kick-off immediately after an international break, Klopp won’t be overly enthused by the scheduling of the fixtures involving Liverpool players either, with no fewer than a dozen potentially in action on the preceding Tuesday.

Endo is first up as Japan’s second 2026 World Cup qualifier takes them to Syria (2:45pm UK time), which at least means he’ll have a sizeable portion of the journey back to Merseyside already behind him.

If Netherlands haven’t already secured their place at Euro 2024 by Tuesday, Van Dijk, Gakpo and co will surely get the job done away to Gibraltar at 7:45pm. At the same time in the same group, Tsimikas and Greece will be seeking to pounce on any shock slip-ups for the Dutch at home to France.

Two other games kicking off at 7:45 are Ireland’s friendly against New Zealand, when Kelleher may start in place of Gavin Bazunu, and England under-21s’ European qualifier at home to Northern Ireland, with Elliott and Quansah hoping to feature.

Also in the European Under-21 qualifiers, Doak‘s Scotland are away to Hungary with a 7pm kick-off.

In South America, Diaz‘s Colombia are away to Paraguay at 11pm UK time, with Nunez and Uruguay hosting Bolivia half an hour later. Lastly, at 12:30 UK time on Wednesday morning, the eternal rivalry of Brazil and Argentina is renewed, with Alisson going up against Mac Allister.

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