The third and final international break of the autumn gives Liverpool fans a chance to draw breath and take stock of the Reds’ season so far, before the turbo-charge of 10 games in 32 days once club action resumes.

While many of Jurgen Klopp’s squad are jetting off to represent their countries this week, those remaining on Merseyside will have some welcome down-time, which they may put to use by playing games such as those from Vulkan Vegas.

With roughly a third of the campaign boxed off, let’s review how it’s gone for LFC so far across the three competitions in which they’ve played.

READ MORE: ‘It’s wrong…’ – John Aldridge urges Liverpool to use ‘joke’ situation as ‘motivation’ v Man City

READ MORE: (Video) Darwin Nunez’s tigerish determination saw one opponent floored during Liverpool win

Premier League

Liverpool are in a very healthy position in the Premier League table, sitting just one point behind leaders Manchester City, who they meet next at the Etihad Stadium.

The Reds have 27 points from their first dozen matches, boasting the league’s joint-best defensive record with only 10 goals conceded. That’s 11 points more than we had at the equivalent stage last season, when we were ninth in the table following a 1-2 defeat at home to Leeds.

Six wins out of six at Anfield by an aggregate scoreline of 17-2 have helped to fuel hopes of a prolonged title challenge, but our prospects of being crowned champions are minimal unless we improve upon an away record which has seen us win just two out of six games on the road, and none since mid-September.

City at the Etihad is as tough an assignment as they come, but our three away games in December against Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and Burnley must yield the maximum return of nine points if we’re to be serious about topping the table at the end of the season.

Europa League

Gallingly, an opportunity for Liverpool to wrap up top spot in Group E was squandered last Thursday when they deservedly lost 3-2 to Toulouse. However, the Reds are still well on course to make it into the knockout phase without too much drama.

Victory at home to bottom club LASK in our next game on 30 November would ensure progression, and it’d also seal first place if Toulouse fail to beat Union Saint-Gilloise the same night. Topping the group is paramount, as it’d send us straight into the round of 16 in March, thus avoiding a play-off tie the previous month.

Liverpool’s destiny is in their own hands. Win their final two games and top spot is theirs, irrespective of what happens elsewhere.

Carabao Cup

Liverpool are the only team in the current Premier League top six remaining in the Carabao Cup, which has suddenly opened up as theoretically our easiest route to a trophy this season.

A home tie against West Ham awaits in the quarter-finals, and one of Chelsea or Newcastle will be knocked out at that stage as they face each other.

Klopp will continue to rotate for this competition, especially amid a hectic December, but a much-changed Reds line-up could still get the better of David Moyes’ side, which’d put a late February trip to Wembley within touching distance.

Liverpool’s season won’t be defined by what they do in the Carabao Cup, but the squad will unquestionably have designs on winning it from here.

Anfield Annals: Matt McQueen – the Anfield all-rounder who did everything in 36 years as a Red

The post So far so good for Liverpool this season, but relentless pre-Christmas schedule could be defining appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

It’d be fair to say that, for supporters of clubs like Liverpool whose sights are set on challenging for the Premier League title, the Carabao Cup is often regarded as the lowest trophy on the season’s priority list.

Winning it won’t define the legacy of a campaign, nor does an early knockout place any great dampener if other major silverware is secured domestically or in Europe.

However, as with cup competitions in general, teams who make it to the quarter-finals may change their perspective and see a tremendous opportunity opening up in front of them.

That’s most certainly the case for Liverpool and the Carabao Cup this season.

READ MORE: Journalist claims Liverpool-linked midfielder mightn’t extend current deal after ‘chaotic year’

READ MORE: (Video) Arsenal ace names ‘explosive’ Liverpool tank as his toughest-ever Premier League opponent

A roll call of the eight teams remaining in the tournament has some notable absentees. Both Manchester clubs are gone, as are north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, along with two of the other top seven in the Premier League in Aston Villa and Brighton.

Indeed, the only other clubs currently in the top half of the uppermost tier of English football who can still win the trophy in February are Newcastle and Chelsea, who face each other in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool are the highest-placed team left in the competition. That doesn’t by any means guarantee they’ll go on to triumph at Wembley – just look at the calibre of teams who’ve already been knocked out – but it does leave them with a glorious opportunity to negotiate only four more matches to have something tangible to show for the season before March begins.

A home tie against West Ham will be a tricky one, but the Reds have done a very good job of finding a way to win matches this term without always being at their free-flowing best. Last week’s hard-fought success at the windswept Vitality Stadium – secured by a stupendous Darwin Nunez goal – was proof positive of that.

The timing of that quarter-final tie could be better from an LFC point of view – it falls between the Premier League showdowns against Manchester United and Arsenal – although the impressive selection of players at Klopp’s disposal should allow him to make a plethora of changes without greatly weakening the starting XI.

Trying to predict the line-up for a match which is still six weeks away is foolhardy at best, but for argument’s sake in assuming that we have a full squad on 20 December aside from the long-term absentees, the Liverpool XI to face West Ham could look something like this:

Kelleher – Gomez, Matip, Quansah, Tsimikas – Endo, Jones, Elliott – Doak, Gakpo, Jota

Obviously there are some big names missing from that hypothetical line-up, but you’d probably still back that team to get the job done against the Irons. Of course, there could also be the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Conor Bradley back fit by then.

Without being disingenuous to the other seven teams who could still win the Carabao Cup, Liverpool could legitimately view themselves as the favourites to go all the way at this point. Right now it represents the lowest-hanging fruit in terms of lifting silverware this season, so why not go for it when we’re this close?

Even with the United and Arsenal games on either side of the quarter-final, there’s a strong possibility that the Reds could have first place in their Europa League group sewn up by the time they travel to face Union Saint-Gilloise the previous week.

That’d be Klopp’s perfect opportunity to give all his first-team regulars a night off and ensure he has adequate squad depth to negotiate the pre-Christmas triple header at Anfield.

Liverpool fans, players and management celebrated unreservedly when we won the Carabao Cup two seasons ago, even when there was a firm possibility of adding three more trophies by the campaign’s end.

Why wouldn’t we go all-out to enjoy that feeling once more at the end of February, especially when so many of the big guns have already been taken out?

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Andre ticks a box, Liverpool have a ‘real top player’ with Kevin De Bruyne gift, unfair treatment of Nunez and much more!

The post Huge Carabao Cup opportunity has opened up for Liverpool and they must take advantage appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are being tipped by the bookies to lift the Carabao Cup this season, with Chelsea and Newcastle close behind.

It is always tricky trying to judge whether a team will put out a weakened line-up if they are still involved in other competitions. Jurgen Klopp will certainly see the Premier League as a priority, and the opportunity for European silverware is also a good possibility with their inclusion in this season’s Europa League.

At present, Liverpool sit just three points behind Manchester City in the top flight. According to many bookies listed on this site, the Reds are currently the favourites for the Europa League and second favourites for the FA Cup.

Even with a weakened team, Liverpool are still a great shout for the Carabao Cup this term, and comparing the best prices and sign-up bonuses could help you enhance your odds or increase your stake at no extra risk.

READ MORE: ‘He’s a great player’ – Alexis Mac Allister wowed by 19y/o who Liverpool could sign for a snip

READ MORE: ‘Something was not right’ – Bobby Firmino admits momentous Liverpool occasion had one huge flaw

Liverpool’s last Carabao Cup game saw them defeat Bournemouth a week ago. While the likes of Joel Matip, Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah played, there was also scope for Klopp to field Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah and Wataru Endo before bringing on Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota to guarantee the result.

Goals from Gakpo and Nunez saw Liverpool beat the Cherries, who put up a dogged performance and equalised through Justin Kluivert. Klopp’s negotiation of the fourth-round tie puts Liverpool in a strong position to lift the trophy, and fielding youngsters, squad players and those coming back from injury seems to have worked well so far.

While Chelsea have had a couple of seasons to forget, it’s worth noting that they lifted the Champions League as recently as 2021. Of course, there have been a lot of comings and goings since then, but the Blues still pose a threat.

Newcastle have surprised a lot of people under Eddie Howe. When the Saudi investors came in, many people thought he might be pushed aside for a bigger-name manager, but he has crafted a team which finished in fourth place last season and saw them return to the Champion’s League for the first time since 2002/03.

A draw against AC Milan and a blistering 4-1 defeat of Paris Saint-Germain is better than what a lot of people would’ve expected for Newcastle in this season’s ‘Group of Death’, although two defeats to Borussia Dortmund have left them with an uphill task to reach the last 16. Silverware will be Howe’s priority this season, and he may see the Carabao Cup as his best opportunity.

Last season’s Europa Conference League winners West Ham could also surprise a lot of people if they continue to field a strong team in the domestic up. Everton, Fulham, Middlesbrough and Port Vale are also still in the competition, with the non-Premier League duo facing each other on 19 December.

Everton meet Fulham on the same night, while Chelsea host Newcastle. Liverpool fans will have to wait until the following night before the Reds take on West Ham at Anfield.

Of those fixtures, Chelsea v Newcastle and Liverpool v West Ham look most likely to hold the eventual winners of the 2023/24 Carabao Cup.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 11 Review : The Fantasy week from HELL, the Doku & Jackson show & xG paying off

The post Will Liverpool win the 2023/24 Carabao Cup? appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Virgil van Dijk was a ball of energy in the tunnel at the Vitality Stadium after Liverpool got the better of Bournemouth and the weather in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

The match was played in hugely challenging conditions brought upon by Storm Ciaran, but the Reds prevailed by the narrowest of margins against a Cherries side whose performance belied their position just outside the Premier League relegation zone.

Those who were involved on the pitch couldn’t get back to the dressing rooms quickly enough, looking understandably drained following the exertions of the game itself and the stormy weather.

However, as seen in footage uploaded to Liverpool’s official YouTube channel, Van Dijk sprinted down the tunnel and shouted ‘Come on!’, with the Reds skipper absolutely buzzing over the result.

He was drier and fresher than most given that he was an unused substitute on the night, but nonetheless it showed an enthusiasm which’ll further endear the 32-year-old to the fans who already adore him!

You can view the footage of Van Dijk below (from 11:15), via Liverpool FC on YouTube:

The post (Video) Virgil van Dijk was absolutely buzzing after Liverpool cleared tricky Bournemouth hurdle appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

One West Ham supporter is already dreading his team’s visit to Anfield in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals just before Christmas.

Liverpool will play host to the Irons in the last eight on 20 December, and history suggests that the east Londoners will need a big performance to emerge triumphant, having won on just four of 72 previous visits (lfchistory.net).

Reacting sardonically to the cup draw on talkSPORT Breakfast [2 November, 6:40am], Hammers fan Ian Abrahams said: “What’s the point? Honestly, I’d love to know why it is that every single time West Ham [reach a quarter-final], it’s either Man United away, Man City away…

“Port Vale at home would have been lovely. Liverpool away – really? West Ham’s record at Liverpool is absolutely lamentable.”

READ MORE: Journalist claims Liverpool-linked midfielder mightn’t extend current deal after ‘chaotic year’

READ MORE: ‘Anything feels possible’ – Neil Jones shares extraordinary stat about Liverpool’s season so far

West Ham certainly represent one of Liverpool’s favourite opponents at Anfield, where we’ve beaten the Irons on each of their last seven visits since a 2-2 draw in the Premier League in December 2016 (lfchistory.net).

With the Reds also boasting a 100% record on their own patch so far this season, the form book is absolutely pointing in the direction of Jurgen Klopp’s side progressing to a second Carabao Cup semi-final in three years.

However, the Hammers can take heart from dumping out Arsenal last night, and the quarter-final clash also falls squarely in between two massive league games for LFC against Manchester United and the Gunners.

Liverpool will need a strong performance to get the better of Moyes’ men, but all the evidence from the campaign thus far is that they’ll rise to the task and send their fans home happy from Anfield once again.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Andre ticks a box, Liverpool have a ‘real top player’ with Kevin De Bruyne gift, unfair treatment of Nunez and much more!

The post West Ham fan sardonically suggests Liverpool may already have one foot in Carabao Cup last four appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

The biblical weather conditions in which Bournemouth and Liverpool played on Wednesday night could’ve made some players shirk, but Jarell Quansah most certainly didn’t.

Not even Storm Ciaran could quell the 20-year-old colossus at the Vitality Stadium, with the young centre-back being named man of the match, and with good reason.

As per Sofascore, he completed a team-high 86 passes, won four duels, completed two dribbles and made a whopping seven clearances, repelling a number of attacks from the home side on the south coast.

A compilation of Quansah’s best moments against the Cherries has now been shared by X user @reupss19319, and it encapsulates just why the Liverpool defender ended the night being affectionately dubbed ‘Quannavaro‘ in some quarters.

On numerous occasions he got his head firmly to the ball, while he mixed it up nicely between tidy ground passes and midfield-splitting long balls.

Two standout moments were his backflick to escape under pressure from Justin Kluivert, and his late headed clearance to deny what would likely have been a simple finish for Kieffer Moore at the back post.

Can he do it on a wet Wednesday night at Bournemouth? We certainly got our answer!

You can view Quansah’s best bits below, via @reupss19319 on Twitter/X:

pic.twitter.com/AXw2totg6H

— reupss (@reupss19319) November 1, 2023

The post (Video) Not even Storm Ciaran could quell Jarell Quansah in colossal performance v Bournemouth appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool might’ve advanced to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, but not quite everything went to plan for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The 2-1 triumph away to Bournemouth will be recalled for Darwin Nunez’s sensational curled winner and the monsoon weather conditions in which the game was played.

The effects of Storm Ciaran were evident not just to the hardy souls who attended but to anyone watching the match, and as relayed by Paul Gorst on social media, it led to a late change of plan in terms of the Reds’ itinerary.

Shortly before 10pm last night, the journalist posted: “Told Liverpool’s flight back to Merseyside has been cancelled this evening due to Storm Ciaran”, with a subsequent update just after 11pm of: “Liverpool have had to drive home tonight as a result of the weather”.

Told Liverpool’s flight back to Merseyside has been cancelled this evening due to Storm Ciaran.

— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) November 1, 2023

Liverpool have had to drive home tonight as a result of the weather and I reckon they'll be past The Rocket before this draw is done.

— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) November 1, 2023

READ MORE: (Video) Watch confident Nunez dishing out orders during Liverpool win vs Bournemouth

READ MORE: (Video) Darwin Nunez worldie goal even more stunning from new angle

With the journey between Bournemouth and Liverpool taking nearly five hours by road even before allowing for adverse weather conditions, Klopp and his squad will understandably have been very weary by the time they returned home.

The 11th-hour change of plan (literally and figuratively) would also have had a disruptive sense, but with the storm clearly making flying too dangerous, safety had to be prioritised.

Thankfully, the Reds don’t play again until 4:30pm on Sunday, so at least they’ve avoided one of the numerous quick turnarounds to which they’ve already been subjected this season.

Both the match itself and the travel plans afterwards were far from straightforward due to the weather, but at least now Liverpool can switch their attention towards keeping the winning run going in the Premier League when they face Luton at the weekend.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Andre ticks a box, Liverpool have a ‘real top player’ with Kevin De Bruyne gift, unfair treatment of Nunez and much more!

The post Liverpool forced to adopt Plan B following Wednesday night’s win at Bournemouth appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

After securing their first Premier League victory this season, Bournemouth face a challenging Carabao Cup fixture as they welcome Liverpool to the Vitality Stadium in the fourth round on Wednesday.

The Cherries sailed past Stoke City in their previous EFL Cup clash with a comfortable 2-0 win. Meanwhile, Liverpool showed their resilience by coming from behind to defeat Leicester City 3-1, a pattern seen throughout their campaign.

The journey to victory was not an easy one for Bournemouth’s under-pressure head coach Andoni Iraola, as they faced Burnley in their most recent Premier League fixture. The Clarets’ Charlie Taylor found the net with a powerful volley in the 11th minute, making it seem like it’d be another difficult day for the Cherries. However, Antoine Semenyo’s composed finish across the goal brought hope and left the basement battle finely poised.

Bournemouth goalkeeper Ionut Radu played a crucial role in keeping Burnley in check, but a long-range stunner from Philip Billing – followed by a VAR controversy surrounding Jay Rodriguez’s goal being disallowed for offside – ultimately favored Bournemouth.

This victory allowed them to escape the relegation zone and claim 17th place in the Premier League, leaving Sheffield United as the sole team without a win this season. With their run of form, Bournemouth is expected to have a low winning odds in the Top 10 Betting Sites.

Prior to this Premier League win, Iraola had masterminded Carabao Cup victories over Championship opponents Swansea City and Stoke City, reaching the fourth round for the second consecutive year. However, their journey ended at this stage last year against eventual runners-up Newcastle United.

Bournemouth had previously reached the quarter-finals in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, succumbing to Chelsea on both occasions. With a daunting clash against Manchester City looming in the top flight next weekend, a victory in the EFL Cup would be ideal preparation.

In a poignant moment on Sunday, Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota paid tribute to his teammate Luis Diaz after the kidnapping of his parents in their native Colombia. Liverpool faced a determined Nottingham Forest side, with Jota breaking their resistance to open the scoring. Goals from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sealed a convincing victory, but manager Jurgen Klopp emphasised that football took a back seat on this sombre occasion.

Liverpool are currently fourth in the Premier League thanks to their fifth consecutive home win at the weekend. In their Carabao Cup opener against Leicester City, they fell behind early but responded to claim a 3-1 victory.

Their defence of the trophy their won in 2022 was halted by Manchester City at this stage last season. However, with four wins and a draw in their last five matches, including scoring at least two goals in each game, Liverpool’s attacking prowess puts them in a strong position for this year’s EFL Cup.

Interestingly, Liverpool had to come from behind in their previous meeting with Bournemouth earlier this season, ultimately winning 3-1. However, on the Reds’ last visit to the Vitality Stadium in March, the Cherries got their revenge for a 9-0 defeat at Anfield earlier in the campaign with a solitary Philip Billing goal.

As for the team news, Bournemouth are dealing with injuries to several key players, including Tyler Adams, Emiliano Marcondes, Ryan Fredericks and Neto. Lewis Cook is serving a suspension, and Marcos Senesi is doubtful due to a muscular issue.

Liverpool will be without several players due to injuries, including Andrew Robertson, Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara and Ben Doak. However, Curtis Jones is back from suspension, and Luke Chambers is expected to get his second senior start. Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah and the returning Cody Gakpo are also likely to feature.

Bournemouth are expected to play without fear, but Liverpool’s in-form attackers are likely to make the difference. A 3-1 victory for the Reds is anticipated, as they have the firepower to overcome the Cherries.

In conclusion, this Carabao Cup clash promises excitement, and both teams are determined to make progress in the competition. Bournemouth’s new=found confidence and Liverpool’s attacking prowess make this fixture one to watch.

The post Bournemouth v Liverpool Carabao Cup Round Four: Expectations, team updates and prediction appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

There is always the debate as to whether the EFL Cup is beneficial to some of the so-called ‘big teams’ in the Premier League, with the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola voicing their concerns over the busy scheduling of fixtures in previous years.

At times, we’ve seen some key players featuring in the competition, which has been somewhat of a risk for managers who would have preferred to originally rest their star men ahead of the league campaign. 

Liverpool endured a frustrating Premier League campaign last term as they finished fifth in the top-flight table, which means that they’re not playing Champions League football this term. That will be of obvious frustration to the Anfield faithful, who have seen some memorable nights in that tournament over the years. 

READ MORE: (Video) Pundit urges Liverpool to raid EPL rivals for £45m tank who could free up Mac Allister

READ MORE: ‘Could actually go and do it…’ – Journalist makes bold prediction regarding Ben Doak at Liverpool

However, with their participation in this year’s Europa League already underway, the schedule still looks a packed one for Klopp’s side. It’ll be interesting to see how he manages certain players in his first-team squad heading towards the festive period, which can be an unforgiving period of time, with injuries a regularity. 

Participation in the Premier League and Europe aren’t the only commitments that some managers have to deal with though, as Liverpool are still competing in the 2023/24 EFL Cup. It could prove to be another distraction ahead of their league campaign, which holds more importance to both supporters and Klopp.

VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards OR on X with Empire’s one-click X link with: I am voting in @The_FCAs for @empireofthekop in Best Club Content Creator (Premier League)

The Reds won the 2021/22 EFL Cup with a dramatic triumph on penalties against Chelsea at Wembley, but were knocked out of the competition by Manchester City last term after a narrow 3-2 defeat against Guardiola’s side. With a Champions League campaign to prioritise in that season, though, Liverpool supporters won’t have been too disheartened to have exited the competition at the fourth round stage. 

With Liverpool’s focus being set on finishing in the top four this term to reclaim their place back in the Champions League, it wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to see Klopp resting some key players in their EFL Cup campaign.

With the sometimes season-defining festive period gradually edging closer, you have to question whether it’s worth the manager naming a squad which features the likes of Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, key players without whom Liverpool would likely struggle for a significant period of time. 

Of course, if the Reds were to reach the latter stages of, or even win, the EFL Cup, that would be a real fillip for the club’s supporters and the players who feature during the campaign in terms of boosting morale for all involved.

Liverpool have some promising youngsters coming through their academy, and the tournament presents the ideal opportunity for them to be involved in the first-team squad and gain valuable experience in senior football. The likes of Ben Doak and Jarell Quansah are just some of the younger players who have already been involved in the senior setup this season. 

If you’re a betting person, then you’ll get odds of 3/1 on Sky Bet for Liverpool to win the 2023/24 EFL Cup. Below, it’s been revealed by bonuscodebets.co.uk the odds on Sky Bet for the rest of the expected contenders for this year’s EFL Cup. 

• Arsenal @ 7/2
• Manchester United @ 4/1
• Chelsea @ 5/1
• Newcastle United @ 5/1
• West Ham United @ 14/1

Odds displayed are correct as of 4:30 pm, Thursday 28th September 2023. Odds are subject to change. 

EOTK FPL Gameweek 6 Review : Botman the difference-maker? Son now a must-have? You’re a fool if you don’t pick Salah…

The post Opinion: Is a Carabao Cup run much of a priority for Liverpool this season? appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool fans’ frustration at conceding an early goal in tonight’s Carabao Cup clash against Leicester was exacerbated when Ben Doak had a strong penalty appeal turned down shortly afterwards.

In the eighth minute at Anfield, the 17-year-old latched into Harvey Elliott’s pass and cut the ball back inside the visitors’ box before being floored by a robust challenge from James Justin.

The Scottish teenager vocally appealed for a spot kick but referee Tim Robinson wasn’t interested and, with no VAR at this stage of the competition, the match continued apace.

Liverpool Echo reporter Paul Gorst, who’s posting live updates of the game on X, made note of ‘loud boos around Anfield’ when no foul was given, although he admitted to being ‘nowhere near close enough to see if it was penalty or not’.

Sky Sports’ live web commentary declared (19:53): ‘Doak is screaming for a penalty but nothing given. It was a robust challenge by Justin.’

Ben Doak goes down under a challenge in the area, referee waves it away. Loud boos around Anfield. I'm nowhere near close enough to see if it was penalty or not.

— Paul Gorst (@ptgorst) September 27, 2023

READ MORE: (Video) Carragher recounts moment when he was forced to apologise in front of Liverpool teammates

READ MORE: ‘That says it all…’ – Michail Antonio’s podcast pal rubs it in after ill-fated Liverpool boast

On initial glance it seemed as if Doak had a strong case for a penalty, and subsequent TV replays appeared to back up that point of view. Unfortunately, the only person whose opinion matters is Robinson, and he was unmoved by the appeals of the Liverpool attacker and the home fans at Anfield.

Had VAR been available, the Reds might have ultimately got the decision in their favour, but we don’t have recourse to such technological input tonight.

VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards
OR on X with Empire’s one-click X link with: I am voting in @The_FCAs for @empireofthekop in Best Club Content Creator (Premier League)

Nevertheless, Jurgen Klopp will be irritated by yet another instance of his team conceding the first goal in a match this season, even if we’ve shown an encouraging tendency to battle back from adversity and emerge victorious in recent weeks.

The hope will be that Liverpool fans, players and management aren’t looking back at the potential penalty on Doak as a costly moment in the final reckoning.

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

The post One moment v Leicester sparked ‘loud boos’ around Anfield, it left Liverpool player ‘screaming’ appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

The Carabao Cup mightn’t be at the top of too many Liverpool fans’ priority lists at the start of a season, but Diogo Jota explained to Pep Lijnders why the tournament is still very important for the Reds.

Our participation in the 2023/24 edition commences in the third round against Leicester on Wednesday night, ahead of which Jurgen Klopp’s assistant took the pre-match press conference.

There will likely be numerous changes in personnel when it comes to the starting line-up, and the Dutchman outlined why the Merseysiders will be striving for a repeat of two seasons ago, when they lifted the trophy at Wembley.

As per Liverpool Echo, Lijnders said: “Normally in the cups we give debuts but we’re not here just for that. Players need to develop.

“I really feel – and Jota said it to me – the best thing in the 2021/22 season when we went [for] four trophies was [that] we stayed in [the] League Cup so long. Everyone gets a game, a healthy squad [is needed].”

READ MORE: Pep Lijnders relieved that ‘world-class’ Liverpool ace didn’t leave in the summer – it’s not Salah

READ MORE: Klopp called him: Liverpool were on the brink of landing Man Utd ace before late change of heart

Even though Liverpool’s season won’t be defined by what happens in the Carabao Cup, you can be sure that anyone who plays for the Reds in the tournament this season will be desperate to try and help the team to win it for a 10th time.

Jota makes a hugely valid point in terms of not only squad rotation to give first-team regulars a welcome breather, but also to ensure that those who don’t start many Premier League matches are given ample game-time so that they don’t feel excluded by Jurgen Klopp.

If we go on to have a marathon campaign similar to the quadruple assault of 2021/22, the importance of keeping the squad fresh and utilising every player available can’t be understated.

VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards
OR on X with Empire’s one-click X link with: I am voting in @The_FCAs for @empireofthekop in Best Club Content Creator (Premier League)

The likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Kostas Tsimikas, Ryan Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott would walk into almost any top-flight line-up – even Darwin Nunez has only made two league starts so far this term (WhoScored) – and they could comfortably step into the Liverpool starting XI.

For up-and-coming talents like Ben Doak and Jarell Quansah, the Carabao Cup may also offer a platform for valuable senior game-time to enhance their development.

Reds fans derived plenty of enjoyment from winning the final against Chelsea two seasons ago, and even if other tournaments may feel more important to some supporters, this competition isn’t to be dismissed.

As Jota pointed out to Lijnders, progression to the latter stages could give less regular starters some vital first-team minutes, keeping them involved and other players fresh.

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

The post Diogo Jota’s message to Pep Lijnders hints why Carabao Cup still means a lot to Liverpool appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

It’s been a case of so far, so good for Liverpool in the early weeks of 2023/24, with 10 points gleaned from a possible 12 to leave the Reds third in the Premier League table.

It marks a welcome contrast to the equivalent stage of last season, when Jurgen Klopp’s side had picked up only five points and were already playing a catch-up battle they couldn’t quite win by the campaign’s end.

The mood music is much happier now than 12 months ago, but the tone for the remainder of this term could be set in the next four weeks, with the Merseysiders facing no fewer than seven games in a 23-day period, having had just four matches in a similar timeframe prior to the international break.

In addition to trying to maintain their lofty top-flight position, Liverpool also get their Europa League and Carabao Cup campaigns underway before the next pause to the club season.

We’ve already come out the right side of some tricky-looking early fixtures, winning against Newcastle and Aston Villa, but three of the Premier League’s current top six await over the next month, two of those away from Anfield.

Let’s have a look at our next seven games, along with a comparison to this period of last season and how we fared in corresponding fixtures in 2022/23 (where applicable).

READ MORE: ‘I’ve got you…’ – Troy Deeney mocks former Liverpool tank over incident from 2015 clash

READ MORE: Liverpool gem who Klopp dubbed a ‘top boy’ could soon get first appearance of the season – report

Liverpool’s results from corresponding games in 2022/23

The seven-match run begins with a Premier League visit to Wolves next Saturday, and surely it can’t be any worse than we last visited Molineux in February. On that occasion, a 3-0 hammering left us with only one point from four top-flight matches at the start of 2023 and marked our fourth loss in seven games inside the first 35 days of the calendar year.

On 21 September, Liverpool begin their Europa League campaign with a trip to Austria to face LASK, with that being the first-ever meeting of the two clubs. Klopp will be hoping for a better result than the one with which we commenced our European run last season, a 4-1 thrashing away to Napoli in the Champions League group stage.

Three days later, the Reds are back at Anfield to welcome West Ham, and a repeat of the 1-0 win over David Moyes’ side from last October (courtesy of a Darwin Nunez header) would do nicely.

Next up is our entry into the Carabao Cup and another home clash, with Leicester making the trip to Merseyside, just as they did in that competition two seasons ago, when a thrilling 3-3 draw ended with the Reds triumphing on penalties and going on to lift the trophy. The Foxes’ last visit to L4 saw them beaten 2-1 in the Premier League at the end of 2022.

September ends with Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong being awoken from his slumber and Liverpool heading to London to take on Tottenham. It was a fixture we won 2-1 on our previous trip to that part of the capital, a first-half double from Mo Salah last November ensuring that we took the points home.

After that run of four matches in 10 days comes a welcome five-day breather until our Europa League clash against Union Saint-Gilloise at Anfield. It marks the second season in a row in which our first European home game pits us against opposition from the Low Countries, having beaten Ajax 2-1 (thanks to Joel Matip’s late winner) this time last year.

Our final game before the October international break is a Premier League trip to Brighton. Our most recent top-flight visit to the Amex Stadium was calamitous, losing 3-0 in January. Then the FA Cup draw sent us back there a fortnight later to be beaten again. Thanks, chaps!

Liverpool’s results from corresponding period in 2022/23

Due to the winter World Cup playing havoc with the club schedule for 2022/23, there wasn’t an October international break last autumn, so instead we’ll look at our fifth to eighth Premier League games, Carabao Cup third round clash and first two European matches.

Following the first four top-flight assignments of the campaign, our subsequent four games also saw us having to settle for five points. The last-gasp win over Newcastle at Anfield (Fabio Carvalho in the 98th minute and all that) was followed by draws away to Everton and – with postponements arising from the royal funeral seeing us not play a league match for nearly a month – at home to Brighton, before a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal.

We’ve already touched upon Liverpool’s first two European games from last season, the hammering by Napoli and late home win over Ajax.

At the third round stage of the Carabao Cup in autumn 2022, we were also at home to Football League opposition. On that occasion in November, shortly before the World Cup, we needed a penalty shootout to see off Derby Country, with Caoimhin Kelleher yet again proving our spot-kick saviour in the tournament he absolutely loves.

Concluding thoughts

In the equivalent period last season (matches five to 11 in all competitions), Liverpool won three games (Newcastle, Ajax, Rangers), drew two (Everton, Brighton) and lost two (Napoli, Arsenal), claiming six points from the first nine on offer in Europe but collecting only five points from a possible 12 in the Premier League.

If the Reds’ results from corresponding fixtures (or the equivalent stages for the cup competitions) last term are to be mirrored over the coming weeks, we will win twice and lose twice in the top flight, bounce back from a losing start in the Europa League and scrape through in the Carabao Cup.

That return would take the wind out of our sails after a bright start to this season, especially if we were to lose heavily at Wolves and Brighton again and suffer defeat in our first European match, with no disrespect to LASK.

Saturday’s trip to Molineux is a must-win, with the following three league games all looking difficult on paper. Still, the manner in which we’ve started the campaign means we should be striving towards maximum points, and anything less than eight from those four matches would undoubtedly mark a disappointing return.

Even a heavily-rotated line-up should have enough to get past Leicester, who we thrashed 4-0 in pre-season, as well as LASK and Union SG in Europe. Nonetheless, every opponent must be treated with the utmost respect, and the sudden surge of games will likely test our squad depth to near its limit.

The period between now and 8 October could potentially set the tone for the rest of the campaign. Slip-ups could see us lose pace with league leaders Manchester City and give ourselves a mountain to climb in the Europa League.

Conversely, a return of 10 or 12 points in the top flight and winning starts to the two cups could set us up nicely to attack the remainder of the season from a position of great strength.

#Ep89 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post 23 days, 7 matches: Liverpool could set the tone for the rest for their season in the next month appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool mightn’t have been in action on Tuesday night, but their fans may have been paying close attention to one Carabao Cup game in particular.

Amid the Reds’ ongoing links with Cheick Doucoure, for whom a contract offer has reportedly been tabled, supporters will have noted with intrigue that the midfielder had no part to play in Crystal Palace’s comeback victory against Plymouth Argyle.

Indeed, as per cpfc.co.uk, the Mali international wasn’t even in the matchday squad for the Eagles’ trip to Home Park, a potentially telling omission given the context of the Anfield rumours and the proximity to the close of the summer transfer window.

READ MORE: ‘They have to find someone’ – Journalist urges Liverpool to avoid ‘unforgivable’ transfer scenario

READ MORE: Liverpool offered chance to sign £50k-p/w pass master from ‘big 6’ Premier League rivals – report

On the one hand, it probably came as no surprise that the 23-year-old wasn’t in Roy Hodgson’s starting XI last night, with Premier League clubs often fielding much-changed line-ups in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup.

The Palace boss made seven changes from last weekend’s top-flight clash against Brentford, but of the 11 players to have started every league game for the Eagles so far this term (WhoScored), only two weren’t in the matchday squad against Argyle (cpfc.co.uk).

Doucoure was one of those (alongside Joachim Andersen), so it’s not as if Hodgson completely eschewed his regular starters for the cup tie. Indeed, Jefferson Lerma and Tyrick Mitchell started last night, while Jordan Ayew, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi all came off the bench.

VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards OR on X with Empire’s one-click X link with:
I am voting in @The_FCAs for @empireofthekop in Best Club Content Creator (Premier League)

There may be an entirely different reason for the Mali midfielder not to have made the trip to Devon, but in the context of his ongoing links with Liverpool, speculation will inevitably intensify in the wake of his absence from the south Londoners’ squad on Tuesday.

His omission could give Reds fans increased hope that their club will sign the 23-year-old before Friday night’s deadline, giving Jurgen Klopp a most welcome Premier League-proven defensive midfield addition.

In terms of what happens with Doucoure, it promises to be a fascinating 60 hours or so until the transfer window closes.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Arthur Theate to Liverpool? Gravenberch latest, the Caicedo transfer budget, the ‘unforgivable’ Liverpool scenario and much more!

The post Liverpool fans may have further hope over potential midfield coup after Tuesday teamsheet hint appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

It’s only been two days since the 2022/23 season ended for Liverpool, but many Reds fans are already turning their attention towards the forthcoming campaign, one which sees us competing in the Europa League for the first time in eight years.

The last nine months have been largely forgettable for Jurgen Klopp’s side, with supporters quickly focusing on the club’s prospective transfer business over the summer in the hope that LFC can get back to competing for major silverware by the time May 2024 rolls around.

If you’re making plans for the next 12 months, here are the important dates you need to know in terms of the transfer windows and the tournaments in which we’ll be competing next season:

Transfer windows

While the rumour mill continues at a frenetic pace, no transfer can officially go through until the summer window commences on Wednesday 14 June. It will then remain open until deadline day on Friday 1 September, with Premier League clubs having until 11pm that night to get deals done.

Liverpool’s next opportunity to sign players comes on Monday 1 January, with the winter transfer window closing on Thursday 1 February, again with an 11pm cutoff.

Premier League & international breaks

The 2023/24 Premier League season won’t begin quite as early or run quite as late as in 2022/23, as this time there’s no World Cup to shoehorn into the middle of it.

The domestic campaign begins for Jurgen Klopp’s side on the weekend of 12/13 August, with the action all coming to a crescendo on Sunday 19 May. The fixture list will be announced at 9am on Thursday 15 June.

As with some recent campaigns, there will be a scheduled winter break between 13 and 20 January, with no two rounds of fixtures taking place within 48 hours of each other during that time.

There are four international windows during the 2023/24 season, with the weekends of 9/10 September, 14/15 October, 18/19 November and 23/24 March given over to national team action. Those might be a good time to plan a little getaway in the knowledge that you won’t miss any Liverpool games!

FA Cup and Carabao Cup

The Reds didn’t progress too far in either competition in 2022/23, having gone the full distance in both during the campaign prior.

If we make it to the Carabao Cup final again, it takes place on Sunday 25 February, three days after a potential Europa League tie (more on that below).

The date for the FA Cup final has yet to be announced, but if it follows this season’s pattern of falling on the weekend in between the conclusion of the Premier League and the Champions League decider, it’d be projected to take place on Saturday 25 May.

Europa League

Liverpool go straight into the group stage for the Europa League, with the draw for that round of the competition taking place on Friday 1 September.

Our six group games will be held on the Thursdays of 21 September, 5 October, 26 October, 9 November, 30 November and 14 December, which in turn will mean our subsequent Premier League games will be on either the following Sunday or Monday in each instance.

Therefore, if for example you’re off to a wedding on 23 September, fear not as the Reds won’t be playing that day, so you won’t be missing out!

If Liverpool come second in their group, they’ll need to negotiate a play-off round on 15 and 22 February. If we get through that, or bypass it by topping our group, the round of 16 takes place on 7 and 14 March.

The quarter-finals are on 11 and 18 April, with the semi-finals on 2 and 9 May, and hopefully we’ll be off to Dublin for the 2024 Europa League final on Wednesday 22 May.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions 

The post Transfer window, Premier League, Europa League – The 2023/24 dates Liverpool fans need to know appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are set to compete in our first domestic cup game of the campaign and Pep Lijnders was given press conference duty, also providing a five-man fitness update for our supporters.

Speaking with the media, the 39-year-old said: “Naby [Keita] will be difficult, he’s still training individually. Let’s see for Southampton.

“Millie [James Milner] will definitely be ready for Southampton but this game [against Derby] comes too early for tomorrow.

READ MORE: Bellingham could ‘go to Liverpool as early as January’ but ‘he’s having some doubts’ – report

“Then we have of course Joel [Matip], who is getting closer to team training but will not make Southampton probably.

“The longer injuries, Luis Diaz is running for the first time on Thursday. That’s good news because we all know how important he was last year and in the second half of the season.

“And [Diogo] Jota will take longer.”

It seems as though at least five players will then be missing for the visit of Paul Warne’s side to Anfield and it’s likely that Jurgen Klopp will be shuffling his deck, as we begin our defence of the Carabao Cup.

All eyes seem to be on the final Premier League fixture against Southampton this weekend but there awaits a chance for many young players to impress in front of a waiting Anfield crowd first.

You can watch Lijnders’ fitness update (from 9:00) via Liverpool FC on YouTube:

EOTK INSIDER : FSG want to sell Liverpool? What’s actually going to happen?… and more

The post (Video) Pep Lijnders provides five-man pre-Derby injury update with news that ‘Diaz is running for the first time’ appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.