Liverpool have started the season with a 100 per cent Premier League record, but it’s clear they are yet to hit the heights expected of them after a very busy transfer window
Despite a number of high-profile acquisitions in the summer transfer window, Liverpool haven’t quite hit the ground running this season. In spite of this, Arne Slot would contest that his side are four out of four, with a perfect record in the Premier League. Their performances, however, have left much to be desired.
The Reds left it very late against Burnley, who operated with a tough low block for the entirety of the match. Nevertheless, Liverpool were expected to beat the newly-promoted outfit, and relied on a handball in the closing stages to secure their win, with Mohamed Salah slotting an emphatic penalty. By his own stands, Salah has not been at his best, and will be hoping both his fortunes, and Liverpool’s, change soon.
After the match, captain Virgil van Dijk was questioned about Liverpool relying on late goals in recent games. The talismanic central defender explained that their determination in finding the three points is what should be praised.
“Yeah, but that shows the mentality,” he said. “Obviously no-one wants to find a way only in the last 10 minutes but it’s about repeating the right patterns, keep going and create chances. There were not many clear-cut chances but obviously we didn’t give anything away either, so we have to keep going and keep the belief, and I think we just did that.
The Anfield outfit played in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but now attentions turn to the Premier League, where they will be facing Everton on Saturday. Here’s the latest news on the club, courtesy of Mirror Football.
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Alvarez’s agent addresses transfer links
Julian Alvarez’s agent has confirmed that Liverpool did not make an approach for the Atletico Madrid forward during the summer transfer window.
It was claimed the Reds were pursuing the former Manchester City star at the start of the summer before turning their attention to other targets.
Liverpool landed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal that could reach £79million and the French striker has made a strong start to life at Anfield.
The rumours connecting Alvarez to Anfield came before the Reds’ eventual signing of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for a club-record fee of £125million.
Now the forward’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, has addressed suggestions that Arne Slot’s side were pursuing his client.
“There were no official offers from Liverpool to sign Julian last season, and everything that has been said in this regard is false,” Hidalgo told Erem News.
“Last summer there were no offers because Atletico de Madrid didn’t want to sell the player, so negotiations didn’t take place.”
Liverpool get big cash injection
Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are among the clubs that will benefit from a share of £259million thanks to the FIFA Club Benefits Programme. The scheme is tied with the 2026 World Cup, and it will also involved FIFA paying clubs for releasing their players for World Cup qualifiers.
FIFA has expanded the original cash injection involved with this initiative, up from the £153million on offer following the World Cup in the Middle East three years ago. Only nations who made the finals of that tournament were compensated, but things are different this time around.
Aiming to create a more diverse system for football worldwide, FIFA president Gianni Infantino says the project will help to drive towards a “groundbreaking” 2026 World Cup.
“The enhanced edition of the FIFA Club Benefits Programme for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is going a step further by recognising financially the huge contribution that so many clubs and their players around the world make to the staging of both the qualifiers and the final tournament,” he said.
“A record USD 355 million will be distributed to clubs for the release of their players, and this reinforces our solid collaboration with the European Club Association and clubs worldwide as we all look forward to a groundbreaking and globally inclusive edition of the FIFA World Cup next year.”
According to FIFA stats, England were most-compensated through the scheme in 2022, with £32.6million going to clubs. Spain, Germany, Italy and France were the other nations to benefit from it.
Trent Alexander-Arnold dealt crushing blow
Former Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is out for six weeks, after suffering a hamstring injury against Marseilles in the Champions League.
The 26-year-old defender started for the Galacticos against the French side on Tuesday night, but left the field after only five minutes, injuring his left leg. He joined the Spanish club in June after his Liverpool contract came to an end – Real actually paid the Merseyside outfit £10m to release him early.
He was not included in the England squad for upcoming games against Andorra and Serbia. But he is now a major doubt for next month’s international fixtures against Wales and Latvia.
Real are due to play Liverpool in the Champions League on November 4, which means he could miss out on facing his old club. It would be the first return to Anfield as a Real Madrid player.
Alexander-Arnold will also be in a race against time to make it back to face Barcelona on October 26. If he doesn’t get game time for England, his World Cup hopes will be hugely impacted.
“Will be back as soon as possible stronger than before. See you soon Madridistas,” wrote Alexander-Arnold on social media. Madrid wrote: “Following tests carried out today by the Real Madrid medical services on our player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg. Further updates will follow.”
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