The Liver Bird  

The Reds face Leicester twice this week and on both occasions away from home. The first trip on Tuesday night is a League Cup tie with the following fixture in the league on Saturday. 
Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Burnley this weekend once again displayed their defensive frailties and in a cup match when it's all or nothing the Reds will have to be careful at the back.

The last time the two sides met was in February this year. The Foxes won the game 3-1 thanks to goals from Vardy and Drinkwater. The Reds' previous trip in the league to Leicester also ended in a loss when Vardy once again scored twice. The game ended 2-0. 
In their last six trips to the King Power Liverpool have lost on three occasions. There has been one 0-0 draw and the Reds have won he remaining two. 
With all the chopping, changing and resting of players it definitely seems like Klopp is trying to manage his players this season, with one eye on the cups and especially the Champions League, will his tactics com…

What the hell just happened? I genuinely felt confident going into this match and while a loss wouldn't have been such a surprise, a 5-0 loss definitely is. Liverpool's chances against Manchester City capitulated after the sending off of Sadio Mané at 37 minutes.

There's no denying that Ederson came off very badly in that challenge but it was a 50/50, both players were going for the ball, the goalkeeper bravely so, and unfortunately Mané happened to clatter into his face. Mané is not a malicious player and it's clear his eyes were on the ball but he was always running a risk with his studs that high. It's a difficult decision for me, I can totally see why he was sent off but I honestly think if that was between two outfield players he'd of escaped with a yellow.

Prior to the sending off, the Reds were playing really well. City were leaving several gaps at the back, mainly thanks to Otamendi, and Liverpool looked like they were on course for an equaliser after Ser…

Liverpool make the short trip to Manchester on Saturday afternoon as they look to get the better of Pep Guardiola's side. The Reds picked up a massive victory over Arsenal prior to the international break but will the time away from the league affect progress?

The big news for Liverpool this weekend is of course the return of Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian has been back in training but earlier today (I completely missed this news as you'll see from Twitter haha) Klopp announced that Couts would not be in the team for tomorrow's clash. 

It remains to be seen how the whole saga will pan out but to be honest I think it's in everyone's interest to just put it behind us. Coutinho's too good to leave to rot on the bench or in reserves and if he goes next year then so be it, let's squeeze some goals out of him first.

Other team news for the Reds means Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could get his first minutes clocked up in a Liverpool shirt on Saturday. Nathaniel Clyne re…

Liverpool walked away from Anfield on Sunday afternoon with all three points after an emphatic victory over an extremely dire Arsenal side. The Gunners offered absolutely nothing in front of goal leaving Loris Karius with very little to do.
The lack of goalkeeping requirement was perhaps a blessing in disguise for the Reds as Karius looked nervous on occasion stepping in to the role after months without a game. The bizarre decision to entirely drop Simon Mignolet from the side (not even allowing the Belgian to appear on the bench) left many Liverpool fans scratching their heads before kick off.
Jurgen Klopp explained that Migs was simply being "rested" but I wasn't born yesterday. A goalkeeper doesn't need to be "rested" and certainly not this early in the season. Something has happened, I'm not sure what, but you don't just drop a keeper with no real reason behind it. I have no qualms with Karius making an appearance in goal to give Mignolet some com…

Liverpool welcome Arsenal to Anfield on Sunday afternoon as they look to collect another win in the Premier League. The Reds started the season with a draw against Watford but managed to collect all three points against Palace in a 1-0 victory.

On paper, Arsenal should be a difficult side to beat for the Reds but as I mentioned in the Hoffenheim post, Liverpool just seem to perform far better against the bigger, supposedly more threatening sides. Arsenal play in a tactical style that Klopp's side can punish and I fully expect us to find the back of the net on multiple occasions tomorrow. 

Team news for the Reds means they will be without Adam Lallana and Nathaniel Clyne. Trent double A will also be subject to a late fitness test along with Emre Can who has a slight knee issue.

Arsenal have had some good news injury wise as Alexis Sanchez returns while Koscielny also comes back into the side after serving a three match ban. 

The last time the two sides met was in March this year. The g…

Same old problems, same old Liverpool. The 3-3 draw with Watford has only highlighted our pre-existing issues which don't appear to be anywhere near solved. With a defence looking completely lost and a midfield struggling to pass freely it was a frustrating outing a Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon for the Reds.
1) Mo Salah looks a good buyDespite the many, many negatives from that fixture it has to be said that Salah was one of the positives. He put on a good display in his pre-season matches and has proved against Watford that he can tough it in the Premier League. His clever play to force the penalty was quickly followed by a goal of his own (that Firmino shot wasn't going in so it's a good job he continued his run).

He made a real impact I felt, certainly in the second half and if anything, scoring on your debut, whatever the result is going to work wonders for your confidence. Keep an eye on this lad.
2) The midfield three need to stamp their authorityThere were sever…

Yes I know, this post is ridiculously late on the blog but better late than never ay? Below I provide you with a quick rundown of each month of the 2016/2017 season. 

Was 4th place good enough? Why do I think Klopp can often be as stubborn as hell? Why did 2017 contain one of the worst matches I have ever watched as a Liverpool fan? Read on to find out.
AugustLiverpool kicked off Jurgen Klopp's full season as manager in a game away to Arsenal. The Reds have had some interesting fixtures with Arsene Wenger's side over recent years and this opening tie was no different.

Seven goals were scored in the game, four of which came from Liverpool. I was left with a strange sense of disappointment at the result though after I bet 50p on a 4-4 scoreline for a hundred quid haha.
The Reds also picked up a draw with Spurs this month but famously were beaten 2-0 by Burnley.  A 5-0 win over Burton Albion in the second round of the League Cup completed the month of August.
SeptemberLiverpool kicked…

Oh Gini Wijnaldum, how much do I love you? I was on the edge of a football breakdown at 45 minutes so thank god he stepped up with that cracking goal in the 46th!
That first half was agonising on Sunday and while you kind of expect that Liverpool these days need time to build themselves up into a game, time is something we didn't really have this weekend. Not when Manchester City are romping home and a Arsenal are somehow still ahead despite having a man sent off!
Thankfully, none of that mattered as in the end Liverpool did find their stride and it was plain sailing from there. The Reds are back in Europe and deservedly so I think. 
We've had our ups and downs this season but overall I feel we've had a respectable campaign. Our record against teams in the traditional top four for example was nothing short of phenomenal. Our pitfall of course was against the smaller teams, teams who were extremely hard to break down, we just didn't appear to have a Plan B. When push came …

Granted, being a Liverpool fan isn't the toughest of tasks, we've had our fair share of glory over the years but even when that glory has arrived, it's never been an easy process has it?!
If the Reds had beaten Southampton earlier this month or managed to beat Bournemouth in April or if they didn't lose to Hull at home in February! Things could have been so different. But they aren't, so here we are on the final day of the season feeling massively nervous about a game that on paper should be a victory for Liverpool.
There are just three points separating Manchester City in third from Arsenal in fifth meaning a multitude of outcomes could happen on Sunday. City just need to avoid defeat to stay in the Champions League places. Similarly, if Liverpool win their European dreams are alive, a draw could be enough but it's a dangerous line to be treading with Arsenal right behind. The Gunners are very much reliant on results around them to make it into the top four on t…

Liverpool took a huge three points from Watford on Bank Holiday Monday thanks to a wonder strike from Emre Can. The German international performed some insane acrobatics to reach Lucas Leiva's cross and scissor kick home the Reds' only goal of the night. 
As the race for the top four continues to be too close to call, Jurgen Klopp simply had to steer his side to victory against Watford.  
The plan didn't start very well though after Philippe Coutinho was forced to leave the field early on. Replaced by Adam Lallana to cheers from the travelling Kop it was still a real concern as Lallana himself had only just returned to fitness. 
Lallana however looked completely match fit and had an instant impact on the game including an awesome volley in the first half which smashed out off the bar. Most fans thought that would be the only stroke of magic for the evening but Emre Can had other plans. 
I tried to explain that goal in the intro but I don't think words do it justice. Just w…

Liverpool travel to Watford on Bank Holiday Monday as they aim to pick up three points and continue their quest for Champions League football. The last time the Reds faced Watford they scored six, will it be another confident victory away from home?

Injuries for Liverpool mean they are unable to call upon Mane, Henderson and Klavan while doubts also hang over the fitness of Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana. The latter of the two is rumoured to be close to full health but it is not known at the time of writing whether he will make the cut.

For Watford, they are likely to be without Kaboul who has a hamstring injury. Zarate and Pereyra are also unavailable.

The Reds have to wait until Monday evening for this fixture meaning Manchester City could be on 68 points and Manchester United on 67 points (depending on their own results on Sunday) by the time they kick off. Liverpool currently sit in third on 66 points so a win would take them up to 69 points, once again giving them some air.

The le…

Without getting too tied down in football cliches it certainly was a scrappy game at The Hawthorns for Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. The Reds walked away with all three points thanks to a single goal from Roberto Firmino but it wasn't exactly plain sailing.

West Brom are notoriously hard to break down, Tony Pulis' sides pride themselves on defence and it's no surprise that this is the first time in Premier League history that the Reds have picked up a win away from home against a Pulis team.

Firmino's goal came right at the end of a dire first half. The Reds had topped the possession stats but with little to show in front of the net. It was ironic then when the Reds found their chance from a set piece. A free kick flicked into the box was knocked on by the tiny Lucas Leiva to Firmino who headed home past Ben Foster. For set piece specialists the Baggies looked rather deflated after conceding on the stroke of half time but they weren't out of the game.

The second half…

Liverpool travel to the West Midlands on Easter Sunday as they prepare to face Tony Pulis' West Brom. The Baggies come in to this game on the back of two defeats compared to Liverpool's six match unbeaten run. Pulis' side however are certainly one to contend with and the Reds may struggle with West Brom's style.

Injuries for Liverpool mean they are unable to call upon Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana and Jordan Henderson. Jurgen Klopp is hoping the latter two players will return to the squad before the end of April. 

For West Brom, manager Tony Pulis has a full strength squad to choose from aside from a mystery couple of players who are apparently nursing minor knocks.

The last time the two sides met was in October last year. Both Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino were on the scoresheet for a 2-1 Liverpool win that day. The Brazilian pairing have proved vital for the Reds so far this season and it is expected both with start on Sunday after only making the bench and being cal…

Liverpool welcome Bournemouth to Anfield on Wednesday evening but could this be the cherry on top of the cake after a very good week for the Reds?
The big sides around Jurgen Klopp's all dropped points at the weekend aside from Tottenham and last night Manchester United could only muster a draw in the dying moments against Everton. 
Taking note that some of the teams have games in hand that still leaves Liverpool in a very good position for the top four race. The Reds are currently in third on 59 points. A win against Bournemouth would put them on 62. 
The last time the two sides met was in December 2016. I remember the result well, not because I'd watched the match but because I'd been travelling for close to 24 hours the day before and had woken in a daze in a hotel in the mountains in Whistler thinking oh I best see how much we beat Bournemouth by... 4-3?! What the actual?! 
Unbelievable, I was pissed off but it wasn't even like I knew what had happened the only informa…

1.The Reds still have itThe 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday afternoon showed that the Reds haven't lost it. When push comes to shove Liverpool have one of the most exciting attacks in the Premier League and while there have been some lacklustre performances of late against smaller sides, this victory highlighted all the positives.
As a Derby it had everything you would expect: goals, crunching tackles and heated moments from players, managers and fans. A cracking performance from Jurgen Klopp's side has put them safely in the mix for the top four.  2.Anybody seen Lukaku?Genuinely, did he even do anything? For a top goalscorer who believes he deserves a better deal than Goodison Park he's going to have to prove he can perform against top opposition to convince everyone. 
He went completely missing on Saturday, utterly silenced by a combination of Dejan Lovren, Joel Matip and the tenacious Lucas Leiva.  3.Great goals The three goals from Mane, Coutinho and Origi were all fantas…

1) Good to grind out a resultLiverpool's 2-1 win over Burnley on Sunday afternoon may not have been the most emphatic of victories but it was a win that proved the Reds do have the ability to grind out a result.

Going 1-0 down after seven minutes seemed far too familiar for Jurgen Klopp's side. Liverpool have seriously struggled against teams like Burnley all season, the Reds need a team to play openly to stand any real chance of a win but on Sunday they somehow managed to break through the barrier. 

A lovely goal from Gini Wijnaldum brought the game level and a cracking strike from Emre Can soon followed, much to the dismay of several Kopites who had been slating the German for the whole match on Twitter.

In all seriousness though, if Liverpool can collect three points when they aren't at their best then that is most definitely a sign of improvement.

2) Gary Neville can't make his mind upGary Neville has always done my head in but he did so especially on Sunday. To be fai…