A common perception in 2020-21 was that Liverpool s struggles at home were partly down to playing in an empty Anfield, with their raucous support not there to get the Reds over the line.
How important that actually was is difficult – or maybe even impossible – to quantify, though Liverpool did endure a club-record run of six successive league defeats last term.
But Anfield was full on Saturday and rocking for their first big match of the season with Chelsea on Merseyside, and once again Liverpool looked a shadow of the inventive side that won the 2019-20 Premier League season so impressively.
They were even given the boost of seeing Reece James sent off, yet Jurgen Klopp s side failed to make the most of that advantage in their 1-1 draw.
So much of th…
Ross Barkley was decisive with two goals and an assist as England thrashed Montenegro 5-1 in Podgorica on Monday to make it two wins from as many games in Euro 2020 qualifying.
Barkley – like full debutants Declan Rice and Callum Hudson-Odoi – was starting due to injuries, and he took full advantage of his opportunity, inspiring the rampant Three Lions by having a hand in three goals.
Marko Vesovic s well-taken opener had England on the back foot early on, but they went into the break ahead thanks to Michael Keane s first international goal and an instinctive finish from Barkley, who set up the equaliser.
England s play became sloppy at times early in the second period but Barkley effectively ended Montenegro s chances just before the hour, before Harry Kane …
Serie A champions have set their sights on the 25-year-ol FC Porto midfielder Danilo Pereira, according to reports from the Portuguese media outlet Abola.
Pereira was born in Guinea-Bissau but moved to Portugal at the age of five and has moved through all selections of the Portuguese national team. He made his senior Portugal debut in 2015 and has so far amassed 22 appearances for the reigning European champions.
Having begun his career at Parma in 2010, Pereira is a familiar name in Serie A and it comes as little surprise that the biggest club in Italy have placed the Portuguese international on the radar this summer.
Abola claims that Juventus identified the FC Porto man as an ideal addition to their squad as Allegri looks to bolster the Bianconeri ranks for …
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted his team were still enjoying the pressure of chasing a double late in the season.
While Manchester City hold a game in hand, Liverpool are two points clear atop the Premier League and have just four matches left to play.
Despite being close to capturing the club s first league title since 1990 – while also preparing for a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona – Klopp said the pressure was being embraced.
We still don t feel the pressure. We see and feel it as an opportunity. We are used to the challenge, playing a season like we played – it s usually pretty positive, he told UK newspapers.
They are massive games, such an interesting period and so positive. We are really enjoying it. It s good that yo…
Viktoria Plzen head coach Pavel Vrba criticised his defenders after a CSKA Moscow equaliser deep in second-half stoppage time denied the Czech team a long-awaited victory in the Champions League.
Nikola Vlasic converted a penalty in the 95th minute to make the final score at Doosan Arena 2-2 but the game looked very different after 45 minutes.
Michael Krmencik scored two first-half goals to put Plzen on course for their first Champions League group-stage victory since they beat CSKA 2-1 in December 2013, but Fedor Chalov narrowed their advantage shortly after half-time.
Rather than blaming the referee, who disallowed two CSKA goals before awarding the late penalty, Vrba pointed the finger at his own players for gifting the visitors such a late chance to claim a s…
According to reports in Italy, Liverpool are interested in signing Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne. The 27 year old has been with the club ever since the age of 15, and in that time he s been able to establish himself as a firm fan favourite. Alas, there s always going to interest from elsewhere if you re making noise in a league like Serie A, and that has certainly been the case with a host of European clubs wanting to sign him.
Insigne has been on good form thus far this season, with one of his goals actually being a last minute winner against Liverpool in the Champions League. Jurgen Klopp clearly took notice and appears to be very invested in the idea of signing the Italian, who has made a series of appearances for the Italian national team too since debuting back in 2012.
Saudi Arabia remain top of World Cup qualifying Group B after they held second-placed Australia to a goalless draw in a feisty contest at the Western Sydney Stadium.
Playing their first home game since October 2019 and backed by an expectant crowd in driving rain on Thursday, the Socceroos were devoid of quality in the final third as they had to settle for a point.
Herve Renard s men lost their 100 per cent record, but remain three points clear of Australia and on course to secure their place in the World Cup in Qatar next year.
The Socceroos missing Tom Rogic, Aaron Mooy and Adam Taggart made a strong start but lacked a cutting edge as Ajdin Hrustic was off target before Awer Mabil fired wide.
Graham Arnold s side continued to dictate the play after the …
European champions Italy missed out on automatic qualification for the 2022 World Cup as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Northern Ireland.
Jorginho s penalty miss against Switzerland last time out meant Italy headed into their final Group C game at Windsor Park level on points with the Swiss, ahead only on goal difference.
And while Switzerland managed to beat Bulgaria on Monday, Italy were frustrated by Ian Baraclough s side in Belfast.
A star of the Euro 2020 success, Federico Chiesa went closest to breaking the deadlock for Roberto Mancini s side as Italy – who failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup – had to settle for a place in the play-offs.
Lorenzo Insigne s sublime pass put Giovanni Di Lorenzo through inside the opening 10 minutes, th…
Argentina are one of the first options on everyone’s mouth when talking about some of the biggest countries in the world when it comes to footballing history. La Albiceleste have won the World Cup twice, reached the Finals in 1990 and 2014, and currently own the best player in the world in Lionel Messi. With that track record, what could possibly go wrong?
Well a lot of things. First of all, La Albiceleste have not won a title since the 1993 Copa America. And they have been on a negative run of results in recent years. They lost the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final against Germany, and both the 2015 and 2016 Copa America Finals against Chile through penalties. Plus, they couldn’t lift any title despite having a star-studded squad with names such as Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio A…
In what was billed as a battle between two of Europe s heavyweights on Tuesday night, Real Madrid signed off their Group D adventure with an eye-catching 2-0 win against Inter Milan.
While the Spanish giants might have been forced to play their midweek meeting in front of a marginally full Bernabéu, Los Blancos found the net on either side of the break to wrap up a dominant group stage run.
Managing to make it back-to-back victories against the defending Italian champions after landing a 1-0 win at the San Siro back in August, we have taken a look at the main talking points following Tuesday s victory in the capital.
Los Blancos go marching on
Already booking their spot in the knockout stage of this year s Champions League with time to spare, it was clear that…