Liverpool FC Thread #144:- 2017-18 PL Campaign

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On-loan Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi marked his first appearance for Royal Excel Mouscron with a goal on Saturday.

The Nigerian hit the target on 23 minutes to help his side to a 2-0 victory against Lokeren in the Belgian top flight.

Elsewhere, Connor Randall played the whole game for Hearts, who claimed a 1-0 success on the road at Kilmarnock for their first Scottish Premiership win of the season.

Shamal George was an unused substitute for Carlisle United as they defeated Cambridge United 2-1 away from home in League Two.

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Philippe Coutinho 's removal from the shop window of Liverpool FC 's club store is not linked to a potential move to Barcelona.

Social media was awash with speculation on Sunday after footage of the Reds star's image being taken down from the Williamson Square shop window emerged on Twitter.

The Brazil international handed in a transfer request on Friday after seeing two bids from Barca turned down , with Liverpool insisting last season's 14-goal top scorer won't be sold.

Many fans drew their own conclusions on Sunday after seeing the video of the huge Coutinho picture being removed from the city-centre store.

However the ECHO understands that all players, as well as manager Jurgen Klopp, were taken down from the store window in preparation for their Autumn fashion launch which begins on Monday.

Liverpool have so far rejected bids of £72m and £90m for their No.10, but were rocked by Friday's transfer request, which was submitted to sporting director Michael Edwards at around 1pm via email.

Liverpool's stance hasn't changed however, and the Reds have no intention of selling a player Klopp sees as vital to his plans for the current season.

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Coutinho missed Saturday's Premier League curtain-raiser with Watford with a back injury, and is a doubt for Tuesday's Champions League playoff clash with Hoffenheim.

Speaking about Coutinho after Saturday's 3-3 draw , Klopp said: "If I was upset, I'd tell the player himself. I didn't get it (the transfer request) but I can say something that's more important.

"As a manager of a football club, I have bosses. That decide, for example, just in general, if we sell a player or we don't sell him. Then I have to accept it.

"If they don't sell him, then I am not involved any more. I'm responsible for all of our players, not just one or two or three, but all of them.

"I can't say anything about it, the only thing is I work with the players I have. That's what I'm always doing."

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Gerrard - Cou owe us another year

Steven Gerrard was on BT Sport as part of their coverage of Manchester City’s win over Brighton.

No guesses what came up in the conversation.

The problem here are Barcelona, because they will be saying to Coutinho’s representatives: ‘It’s now or never. If he doesn’t come now, we’re never coming back for him ever again.’ So they’re piling the pressure on and that’s why Philippe’s reacted.

This kid who’s come from South America has always had a dream of playing for Barcelona, and he’s panicking thinking that if he doesn’t do it now it’ll never happen again.

I know the kid, I know he’s not a bad person, I know he doesn’t want to cause a war to come out. But at the end of the day he’s just signed a five-year deal, the club have been superb to him and made him the player he is.

You remember he was struggling at Inter. We gave him the chance, we built this player up. The least he can do is give the club another year.

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European nights, heavyweight opponents, and the chance to watch some of the world's best players in action.

For Liverpool supporters, the prospect of qualification to the Champions League group stage is one littered with possibilities.

But the football and that famed Anfield atmosphere aren't the only reasons for the Reds to seek victory over Hoffenheim in their play-off.

There's the money. Lots and lots and lots of money.

How much, though, could Liverpool stand to make just from beating the Bundesliga side?

UEFA haven't yet officially confirmed this season's revenue distribution, with the following figures based on last term. However, they are not expected to alter by any great degree.

Every team in the qualifying rounds is given prize money, and Liverpool will be handed £1.8million should they eliminate Hoffenheim.

And with a participation bonus of £11.5m for the 32 clubs who reach the Champions League group stage, it means the Reds will have earned £13.3m before kicking a ball in the competition proper.

Should Liverpool lose the play-off, they'll be handed £2.7m and asked to proceed straight to the Europa League, where the prize money pot is significantly smaller.

However, each point earned in the Champions League group stage and round reached provides additional prize money.

And then there's the share of the market pool which is distributed according to the proportional value of each television market.

For comparison, Leicester City reached the quarter-finals last season and took home a total of £66.15m.

Arsenal and Manchester City earned £52.86m and £40.85m respectively after losing in the round of 16 while Tottenham Hotspur were handed £35.42m having failed to reach the knockout stages.

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Jurgen Klopp on solving Liverpool's defensive issues – and why new signings are needed

Jurgen Klopp believes a new signing won't instantly cure Liverpool's defensive frailties – but admits his squad needs strengthening before the transfer window closes.

The Reds' defending came in for strong criticism after a series of blunders helped Watford snatch a 3-3 draw in Saturday's Premier League opener at Vicarage Road.

Liverpool have yet to move for a new centre-back this summer having placed earlier interest in Southampton's Virgil van Dijk on hold.

And while Klopp insists the key to defensive improvement is on the training ground, he accepts recent absences have underlined more new signings are necessary.

“It's not about a player,” he said. “It's not as though one player can sort all the set-piece problems for Liverpool.

“Of course, it's about positioning. Do the right thing, at the right moment, in the right position.

“It's not like it happened to us last year and now we say 'this will not happen any more'.

“There's no chance it isn't going to happen again. All over the world in football, you'll concede from set-pieces.”

Asked if he was in the market for a new centre-back, Klopp responded: “We are still working on all parts. We cannot build them. We have to have talks, we're looking at all parts of the team.

“The squad at the moment is not too wide for a lot of games because decisive players are not available. But that's our situation.”

Liverpool's lack of options were exposed at the weekend with Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne, Daniel Sturridge and the wantaway Philippe Coutinho all injured.

The Reds have spent almost £50million this summer, but while club record signing Mohamed Salah made a goalscoring debut at the weekend, Dominic Solanke was an unused substitute and Andy Robertson didn't make the bench.

Klopp, who revealed last week he was in the market for a new midfielder, further spoke on Liverpool's defensive issues and how they can be resolved.

“Yes, we did wrong, and what do I want to do to sort it?” he said.

“People will say I need to buy a new player in the position. I don't know if that makes real sense.

“We did well in the pre-season in this situation. We conceded goals, but we also did good things. We can't only focus on one thing, but we know it's an important thing, of course.

“I don't feel comfortable because I can't change it at the moment. But I know what to do.”

Sturridge is expected to be available for Tuesday's Champions League play-off first leg against Hoffenheim, with the squad flying out on Monday to Germany.

However, it's unlikely Coutinho will be involved.

The Brazilian, who was at Melwood over the weekend for treatment on a back problem, handed in a transfer request on Friday after two failed bids from Barcelona.

The Catalans are musing over a third offer, despite Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group releasing a statement Coutinho will not be sold this summer.

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Liverpool have taken a 22-man squad to Hoffenheim for the first leg of their Champions League play-off with the Bundesliga side.

The Reds depart for Germany this afternoon ahead of the opening meeting of two between the clubs to decide a place in the tournament’s group stages.

The first leg at Rhein-Neckar-Arena on Tuesday night will be followed by a return clash at Anfield next Wednesday.

Liverpool squad: Alexander-Arnold, Moreno, Lovren, Milner, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Can, Mane, Salah, Firmino, Kent, Solanke, Origi, Gomez, Klavan, Flanagan, Robertson, Matip, Grujic, Mignolet, Karius, Ward.

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Daniel Sturridge is in line for a return to action against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Liverpool striker has been unavailable since sustaining a thigh injury in scoring against Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup on August 1.

Sturridge did not travel with the Reds squad for the Champions League qualifying play-off with Hoffenheim, but should be in contention when the Eagles visit Anfield this coming weekend.

“He is in a good way,” Klopp said at his pre-match press conference.

“We had a talk this morning and he was really close, he looked good yesterday. Two more sessions and he will be available for the weekend.”

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Jürgen Klopp provided an update on Philippe Coutinho's fitness on Monday evening.

The Liverpool manager was asked about the Brazilian – who is currently sidelined with a back injury – at his pre-match press conference in Hoffenheim.

“Nothing has changed in the last few days, not on the one side, not on the other side,” said Klopp.

“He is not available for us in the moment, that’s the main issue if you want.
He cannot play for Liverpool in this moment and, how everybody can imagine, that’s quite a blow for us.

“We’ve known for a few days about it so we can prepare this game without him, like we have to prepare the game without Adam Lallana and Daniel Sturridge.”

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Southampton have confirmed a change to their ownership structure – but insist it will be business as usual at St Mary's.

Club owner Katharina Liebherr announced the deal with Chinese father-daughter duo Jisheng Gao and Nelly Gao, with reports suggesting they will take an 80% stake in the club worth £230million.

But despite the movement at the highest level on the South Coast, Swiss owner Liebherr has detailed how chairman Ralph Krueger and his management team – which includes Les Reed, pivotal to the club's negotiations over transfers – retain full trust of both herself and the Gao family.

That seems to dampen hopes of boardroom instability at St Mary's surrounding the investment, which could have aided Liverpool's pursuit of Virgil van Dijk.

Southampton had threatened to report the Reds to the Premier League over the summer because of an alleged illegal approach to their Dutch defender.

Liverpool remain keen to sign van Dijk and are waiting for an indication Southampton are willing to sell.

The Saints insist van Dijk is not for sale despite the player's transfer request last week.

In a statement announcing the deal, Liebherr also reiterated the club's intention to build, rather than dismantle, the current side.

“I am pleased to confirm that talks to bring in a new partner to our club have been concluded,” it reads.

“Following extensive and fruitful work, we are entering into a partnership with the Gao family and I am excited about what we will achieve together.

“Today is the start of a new and exciting chapter for our club. Mr Jisheng Gao and his daughter, Mrs Nelly Gao, with whom I have built a close relationship, share our values and ambitions.

“As a team, we will strive to build upon the strong foundation that is in place towards sustainable long-term success.

“Mr Gao, Nelly and I have full trust in Ralph Krueger and his management team. We wholeheartedly support their plans to follow the Southampton Way in the years ahead.

“But for now it is business as usual at Southampton Football Club and we must allow everyone at the club to focus on the first few weeks of the new season.

“I would like to thank the passionate supporters of the club for their ongoing loyalty and faith, and I look forward to seeing you soon at St Mary's.”

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The Reds train at the Rhein-Neckar Arena