All the latest off-diary Reds news as Paul Gorst brings you the titbits from around Anfield in his Liverpool Notebook
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp speaks to the media
Having shipped nine goals in just three successive Premier League away games, Liverpool would usually welcome a home match against a relegation-threatened side at Anfield.
But given it is a resurgent Everton who will arrive on Monday night, fresh from beating league leaders Arsenal in Sean Dyche’s first fixture as manager, perhaps the upcoming derby holds more jeopardy than opportunity for Jurgen Klopp?
Everton won at Anfield in February 2021 during the behind-closed-doors campaign, but they are without a victory in front of an Anfield crowd since way back in September 1999. With Liverpool horribly, woefully out of sorts, however, Monday night’s game represents a great chance for the Blues to end that wretched run and Dyche’s has an immediate route to hero status at Goodison Park.
On the flip side, Liverpool can give their failing season a sizable shot in the arm with a triumph against their fierce local rivals. As part of the build-up to Monday’s game, here are all the latest off-diary titbits and gossip of what has been happening around Anfield of late…
Klopp’s press conference will be appointment viewing
It will be fascinating to hear from Jurgen Klopp on Friday morning at the AXA Centre. The ECHO, as ever, will be there to hear from the Reds boss as he discusses just what he and his players can do to turn around what has, frankly, been a shocker of a season to date.
After some somewhat terse exchanges with the media following the 3-0 loss at Wolves, it will be interesting to see how different the manager’s demeanour will be having had the best part of a week to reflect on that miserable Molinuex loss.
And with Everton to come too, Klopp will be keen to present a united Liverpool front as they look to perhaps kick-start their campaign at the expense of their local rivals on Monday night. His relationship with Blues boss Sean Dyche will also come under the spotlight you would imagine and the pair have not always seen totally eye to eye it must be said.
But maybe the biggest issue will be the Premier League charges against Manchester City. It is alleged the champions have breached over 100 financial regulations going back nine seasons and given that Klopp’s Liverpool have been their closest challengers in recent years, it will be interesting to see what he makes of what is the major storyline in English football just now.
Klopp has never shied away from the financial advantages enjoyed by those at the Etihad so it promises to be a hugely intriguing press conference.
Liverpool are lost for words
Not for the first time this season, Liverpool’s players were not feeling too talkative after a Premier League game.
It’s become something of a running theme for many in the Reds squad to shun the post-match requests from the media in the mixed zone to chat about the game, with pretty much every member of the team walking past with heads bowed after last weekend’s defeat at Wolves.
Virgil van Dijk, to his credit, has been the one who has regularly fronted up to the post-match questions but with the Dutch defender out injured, no-one has seemingly stepped up in his absence.
Andy Robertson is someone who can usually be relied upon to speak but even the Scotland captain has been lost for words of late. But, for Liverpool fans, they will want to see more actions than soundbites going forward anyway, you suspect.
The social media posts have all hit the right notes but supporters need to see performances going forward. Liverpool have conceded three goals in three successive away games for the first time since late 1993, which underlines just how desperate it is right now.
Maybe on Monday night we will be able to speak to some Liverpool players reflecting on a much-improved performance and result.
Gakpo checks out
It’s fair to say it’s not been an ideal opening month for Cody Gakpo as a Liverpool player.
Six appearances into his career on Merseyside and the Dutch forward has only been able to celebrate one win so far – in the third-round replay at Wolves. Coming into a team that is without so many of its key performers and so bereft of confidence has inevitably had an impact on the Netherlands international’s ability to perform to his best.
Gakpo has flitted in between two positions so far too, leading the line at times down the middle while also performing on the left of the front three also. His adaptation off the field, at least, is likely to be aided by him moving out of a hotel he has lived in since he moved to England at the turn of the year and into his brand new home.
Sometimes supporters don’t get to see the hidden impact of such off-the-pitch aspects but with Gakpo now in his own home, it will surely help aid him as he attempts to get to grips with Liverpool life.
With Luis Diaz and Roberto Firmino still out injured and Diogo Jota slowly feeling his way back into the action after four months out, Gakpo will be expected to once more show what he can do at Everton on Monday night.
source: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
