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OLLIE WATKINS RUINS DAVID MOYES’ RETURN TO GOODISON PARK.

Ollie Watkins ruined David Moyes’ Everton homecoming with the only goal as Aston Villa secured their first away win in six attempts.

There was no dream start to the 61-year-old Scot’s return to the Goodison Park dugout after a gap of almost 12 years as he was unable to make an immediate impact.

Even the emotion of the occasion could not help rectify many of the problems predecessor Sean Dyche had encountered as they failed to score in an 11th Premier League match of the season.

It was perhaps understandable, considering Moyes had only had a couple of coaching sessions, there might be a few mistakes as new ideas were put in place and one of those errors led to the goal.

Not for first time on the night Jarrad Branthwaite carelessly gave away possession on the halfway line and Morgan Rogers punished him with a through ball beyond James Tarkowski which left goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in two minds whether to come or stay.

That brief moment of hesitation probably cost him as Watkins comfortably placed the ball out of his reach to ultimately move Villa level on points with sixth-placed Manchester City.

On the positive side Dominic Calvert-Lewin, without a goal in 16 league matches, was more involved but even so Everton did not manage a shot on target after Villa scored until added time at the end of the second half.

The last Premier League game Moyes failed to win at Goodison as Everton manager was a 3-3 draw with Villa in February 2013 and he then went on to win his final six.

What he would now give for half-a-dozen wins from their remaining 18 fixtures with the team currently just a point above the relegation zone.

Almost 23 years after first walking out at Goodison – and 13 since he left – Moyes played it low-key to begin with as he spent most of the warm up stood, hands in pockets, watching Villa go through their paces.

With limited resources available the Scot made just two changes, one of them enforced with injury to Armando Broja, from Dyche’s last league match in charge – the 1-0 defeat in which they failed to register a shot on target – with Calvert-Lewin and Jack Harrison coming in.

In his pre-match television interview, Moyes said it was “sentiment out the window and down to business” and, after a brief wave to all four sides of the ground, greeted with a huge cheer, straight from kick-off Pickford tried to find Calvert-Lewin.

Finding the out-of-form striker early seemed to be the priority with Calvert-Lewin running the channels and finding some support.

But Villa had the best chances, with Rogers’ early low shot tipped around the post by Pickford, making his 300th appearance for the club, Watkins steering wide from Ashley Young’s errant backpass and Jacob Ramsey missing the target in added time.

Calvert-Lewin looked livelier than recent games and, after a left-footed shot drifted across goal and wide, he had a late effort taken off the line by Boubacar Kamara.

In between, Abdoulaye Doucoure had registered only Everton’s second shot on target in three matches with an outside-of-the-boot stab at Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross.

But six minutes into the second half Watkins struck and, with Everton’s problems in front of goal, that was enough as Calvert-Lewin ballooned over their last chance from six yards in added time.

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ARSENAL TRIUMPH IN COME-BACK LONDON DERBY WIN AGAINST TOTTENHAM.

Arsenal breathed fresh life into their Premier League title chase with a 2-1 comeback win against Tottenham in an electric north London derby.

Following consecutive home cup defeats to Newcastle and Manchester United, Arsenal fell behind at the Emirates after Son Heung-min’s 25th-minute opener for Spurs.

But they were back on level terms with 40 minutes gone when Gabriel’s header from a corner rebounded off Dominic Solanke before Leandro Trossard put them ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Arsenal saw out the second half to move back into second place and within four points of leaders Liverpool, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

For Tottenham, it marked a fourth defeat from their last five league matches to leave them 13th in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone.

In a week where a first-leg Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle was followed by a third-round FA Cup exit to Manchester United, this felt like a win-or-bust fixture for Arsenal’s season.

On the eve of the derby, manager Mikel Arteta demanded the greatest atmosphere the Emirates had ever seen, and the home supporters answered his call with a raucous welcome for their arch-rivals.

And the players delivered, too, with a high-tempo opening 20 minutes where the Gunners had Spurs firmly on the ropes.

Trossard and Thomas Partey both had shots blocked before Kai Havertz charged down Antonin Kinsky’s clearance only for the Spurs stopper to rescue his own blunder.

However, for all their possession, Arsenal failed to create a clear-cut opening, and midway through the first half, Gabriel was required to poke the ball off Solanke’s toes with the former Bournemouth man poised to pull the trigger.

From the ensuing corner, David Raya forked out a fine reaction save to deny Dejan Kulusevski but the warning signs were there, and, less than a minute later, the visitors were ahead.

Arsenal failed to clear their lines and Son, hovering on the edge of the penalty area, guided a side-footed volley – with the help of a deflection off William Saliba and through Partey’s legs – into the Arsenal net. Raya had no chance and Ange Postecoglou held his left arm aloft in celebration.

Arteta would have been desperate for a response before the interval and, crucially for the Spaniard, it arrived with five minutes of the first half left.

Kinsky had dealt with all of Arsenal’s previous six corners but, at the seventh time of asking, he couldn’t get near Declan Rice’s delivery. Gabriel got the better of Radu Dragusin at the back post to get his head on the cross, hitting Solanke’s stomach en route to the back of the net. Gabriel led the celebrations but it went down as a Solanke own goal.

Spurs were rightly furious because it should not have been a corner in the first place – Trossard’s cross clearly ricocheting back off the Belgian.

The Emirates crowd did not care and four minutes later Arsenal were ahead. Partey robbed Yves Bissouma on the half-way line, with Martin Odegaard switching the play to Trossard on Arsenal’s left. Trossard drove at the Spurs goal before unleashing his effort on target.

A diving Kinsky got his left glove to the ball but the Tottenham goalkeeper did not do enough and Trossard’s stinging strike flew in.

James Maddison was introduced by Postecoglou to perform a rescue act. Raheem Sterling might have provided daylight but for an air kick on the hour mark and Solanke then saw his shot blocked by Gabriel before Rice slammed his effort at Kinsky’s chest. It remained a breathless affair.

Arsenal were desperate to kill the game but Spurs remained in the contest and, when Gabriel thwarted an attack with 10 minutes left, he celebrated it like his equaliser, beating his chest and conducting the crowd to respond.

Odegaard should have put the game to bed with six minutes left but another opportunity passed by when he shot wide.

Five minutes of injury time were signalled and Pedro Porro’s shot nearly caught Raya off guard when it thudded off his post.

Whistles reverberated round the Emirates before referee Simon Hooper called time on a pulsating fixture that keeps Arsenal in the Premier League hunt.

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FOREST BEAT WOLVES 3-0 TO MOVE WITHIN SIX POINTS OF LEAGUE LEADERS LIVERPOOL

Nottingham Forest opened the door to a surprise Premier League title challenge after a sixth win in a row with a 3-0 victory at Wolves.

A brilliant season under Nuno Espirito Santo continued at Molineux thanks to first-half goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi’s strike at the death.

It meant they racked up six top-flight wins for the first time since 1979 when Brian Clough was in charge – a fitting achievement as Monday marked 50 years since the Forest great was appointed at the City Ground.

Nuno could be about to rekindle the magic Clough produced as Forest moved six points behind leaders Liverpool, who visit the City Ground next week in a clash which could decide whether they really are title contenders.

It was an especially good night for former Wolves player Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi, who gave watching England manager Thomas Tuchel food for thought with a goal and an assist respectively.

Wolves, missing talisman Matheus Cunha, remain in trouble at the other end of the table, losing under new boss Vitor Pereira for the first time, with three missed chances in the first half proving costly.

Moments after being goaded by the Wolves fans, Gibbs-White shut them up in the best possible way by scoring in front of the home end in just the seventh minute.

Elliot Anderson set Gibbs-White free to break at pace, he played in Anthony Elanga and got the ball back to sweep home from 14 yards, with the aid of a slight deflection.

He was happy to remind the Wolves fans of their early barbing by celebrating with his hands in his ears in front of them.

Forest should have surrendered their lead soon after but two heroic acts denied Wolves.

First, Murillo produced a fine goal-line clearance after Hwang Hee-chan had burst into the area and teed up Jorgen Strand Larsen, who looked primed to score from a few yards out.

Then goalkeeper Matz Sels, one of Forest’s players of the season, produced a magnificent flying save to tip over Rodrigo Gomes’ fierce volley.

The visitors were living dangerously and Sels denied a certain goal in the 28th minute as he did well to block Strand Larsen’s close-range header from Gomes’ wicked cross.

Forest were under the cosh but thought they should have had a penalty in the 33rd minute when Ola Aina’s cross hit the partly-outstretched arm of Rayan Ait-Nouri, but referee Peter Bankes waved away protests and VAR Alex Chilowicz did not see it differently.

They did not sulk at that decision and doubled their lead in the 44th minute.

Hudson-Odoi made it, skinning Matt Doherty on the left and cutting back to Wood, who swept home into an empty net for his 12th of the season.

The second half was played on Forest’s terms, happy to give up possession and look to counter, and Wolves were unable to put their visitors under any sustained pressure.

The nearest they came to getting back into the game was in the 67th minute when Strand Larsen was again denied by Sels, who turned a deflected effort around the post.

Awoniyi made it 3-0 with the final act, tapping in from James Ward-Prowse’s tee up.

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WESTHAM HOLD TALKS WITH GRAHAM POTTER WITH JULEN LOPETEGUI FUTURE IN BALANCE.

West Ham United have held talks with Graham Potter about the managerial position in the event Julen Lopetegui leaves the club. Sky Sports News have confirmed.

Lopetegui remains in situ for now, but the club have been discussing his future following a run that has seen West Ham pick up eight points from their last eight games.

Reports say Lopetegui will be sacked once they have an agreement in principle with a preferred target – understood to be Potter.

Julen Loptegui

As it stands, there is no agreement with Potter or any other manager.

Another source revealed that Everton is interested in Potter, should they decide to replace Sean Dyche.

Potter has been out of work since he was sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 after a seven-month spell with the club, despite signing a five-year deal to replace Thomas Tuchel.

The 49-year-old was previously with Brighton for three years, helping them to a ninth-place Premier League finish in 2021/22, their highest-ever finish at that time.

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CARLO ANCELOTTI TIGHT-LIPPED ON ALEXANDER-ARNOLD MOVE

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti refused to be drawn on the club’s pursuit of Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Champions League holders were rebuffed when they made an initial enquiry about the England right-back’s availability a few days ago.

Liverpool are determined to hang on to the 26-year-old, whose contract expires in the summer, and a reported potential second approach from the Spanish club, this time backed by a firm cash offer in the region of £20million, is unlikely to sway their resolve.

Ancelotti, asked about January signings, told a press conference: “It is difficult for me to talk about that in this context. But we are going to have to wait and see.

“We are focused on all these games in January and the game tomorrow (against Valencia) and I’ve got nothing more to say. It’s not sensible for me to speak about the market right now.

“I’m not going to speak about it because right now, here, is not the place to talk about it.

“We will see what will happen but I have a great squad. We have got injuries and problems with that but we are also able to overcome them.”

When Madrid first made contact it is understood they were told there was no inclination to sell Alexander-Arnold and and no intention of discussing the matter further as Liverpool are purely focused on the dual challenge of the Premier League and Champions League, both of which they currently top of the table in.

That stance will not change despite the inevitable increased speculation during the January transfer window, heightened by the fact the player is now free to sign a pre-contract agreement.

In fact, Liverpool are still hoping to broker a deal which keeps the academy graduate at the club.

Dialogue with the player and his representatives – his brother Tyler looks after his interests – over a new contract has been ongoing for several months and the club have been given no indication Alexander-Arnold would like to leave.

While team-mates Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, also both out of contract in the summer, have spoken out about their personal situations in recent months, Alexander-Arnold has remained tight-lipped.

When asked about his future last month he said: “I have been at the club 20 years now and I have signed four or five contract extensions… and none of those have been played out in public. This one won’t be either.”

However, that will not stop the ongoing speculation or Madrid escalating their charm offensive.

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MAN CITY PROBLEM ‘NOT ABOUT ONE PLAYER’ – PEP GUARDIOLA DEFENDS ERLING HAALAND

Pep Guardiola has stressed Manchester City’s current malaise is not down to one player as he again defended Erling Haaland.

City’s 2-1 loss at Aston Villa on Saturday, the Premier League champions’ ninth defeat in 12 matches in all competitions, saw Haaland fail to score for the fifth time in six outings.

After the game the Norway striker told TNT Sports: “First I’m looking at myself. I haven’t been scoring my chances. I have to do better, I haven’t been good enough.”

City boss Guardiola subsequently stuck up for Haaland, who has netted 108 times for the club since joining in 2022, saying that “without him we will be even worse” and that “he needs to be delivered the right balls in the right spots”.

And speaking on Christmas Eve at his press conference ahead of the Boxing Day home clash with Everton, Guardiola said: “It’s about us, not just one player.

“When in the past we score goals and Erling was so prolific, helping us, it was because of the team.

“And when you have problems at the back, in the middle, it is for everyone, it is a team, it is not about one player. It would be easy, if it was just one player, the reason why. It’s not about that.

“Erling is so important for us, will be so important for us, has been. (We have to) try to do things better, to use him better.”

He added: “In this situation, this tendency for all of us (is to say) ‘the reason why is this one, and this one and this one’. It’s about us, about everyone.

“The guys are running, making effort more than ever. All the tendency ‘it’s because we don’t run, because we don’t fight, the reason why is this situation or this player or this manager’… It’s not about that.

“It’s many little details or big details that make all together not as good as we were. But we have another opportunity on Boxing Day.”

City have a sidelined list that includes key midfielder Rodri, recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in September, and Ruben Dias, who was ruled out for up to four weeks after sustaining a muscular problem in the 2-1 loss to Manchester United on December 15.

Fellow defender John Stones made his return to action in the Villa game after a foot issue, only to be substituted at half-time. City have been assessing him, along with goalkeeper Ederson and midfielder Matheus Nunes, both of whom were absent on Saturday.

What is an unprecedented slump in results in Guardiola’s managerial career has featured six losses in eight in the league.

And City, who had gone into the season targeting a fifth successive title under the 53-year-old, head into Christmas lying seventh in the table, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool having played a game more.

Their next five league fixtures are all against sides currently in the bottom half, with Everton sat 15th.

Guardiola emphasised the Toffees should not be regarded as the “perfect opponent”, and added: “It’s about us, to come back at our best. We will take time because we don’t have players, but we have to get results as quick as possible.”

Ahead of the 12.30pm kick-off, City’s players are set to train on Christmas Day before staying at the training ground that night, and Guardiola said: “Today they will be at home with the families, tomorrow (they will be) in the morning and in the night they will be here – hopefully they want to be here, because it’s our job and our duty.”

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ENZO MARESCA UNBOTHERED ABOUT CHELSEA’S TITLE CHANCES, BELIEVES MAN CITY CAN STILL COMPETE

Enzo Maresca has backed Manchester City to bounce back into Premier League title contention and said it is “just reality” that Chelsea are not in the hunt themselves.

Maresca’s Blues host Fulham on Boxing Day lying second in the table, and are only four points adrift of leaders Liverpool, having played one match more.

City have won the league for the past four seasons but they have been cast 12 points adrift of the summit following a miserable run which has seen them lose nine times in their previous 12 outings.

However, Maresca, who worked alongside Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, said: “Manchester City at the end will be there. They are in a moment that has never happened before.

“Every time they play a game, they have an injury, and they don’t have enough players at this moment. And the ones they have are not 100 per cent because they have just come back from injury, so it is a very bad situation.

“We are ahead of our expectations, in terms of the way we are playing, and the points we have, but the main focus is how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team.”

Maresca, who has continually played down his side’s aspirations for glory, added: “It is not about the (title) pressure for the players or for the club or for me, it is just the reality.

“I would like to have that kind of pressure and hopefully soon we can, but the reason why I said we are not there yet, is because the reality is that we are not.”

Liverpool are ready to capitalise on City’s demise, while Arsenal, who are six points off top spot, are set to be without star man Bukayo Saka for a sustained period after he suffered a hamstring tear.

Asked if it was Liverpool’s title to lose, Maresca said: “No, the reality says we are second at the halfway point, so the table does reflect the teams.

“But Liverpool have done a fantastic job since the first day, and the squad has lived that kind of moment, winning a trophy, which is important.

“Last year, when Liverpool faced Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final I saw the amount of finals that Liverpool players had played in, and the number of finals Chelsea players had played in, and there was a huge difference. So it shows the experience you need, but we are happy to be where we are.”

Chelsea will continue to be without winger Mykhailo Mudryk after he returned a positive drug test.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian, who has not played for a month, was spotted ringside for compatriot Oleksandr Usyk’s heavyweight title victory over Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia at the weekend.

“In this moment it is good that he can disconnect a little bit from the situation,” said Maresca. “The last time I spoke with him, we try to support him, and now we are just waiting.”

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REFEREE DAVID COOTE WILL NOT APPEAL AGAINST TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

David Coote will not appeal against the termination of his contract by the referees’ body PGMOL, reports have say.

Coote was sacked earlier this month after the emergence of a video in which he made derogatory remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said a thorough investigation had concluded he was “in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable”.

“Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare,” PGMOL’s statement on December 9 added.

Coote had the right to appeal against the decision but PA understands the Nottinghamshire referee has decided not to.

The video which triggered PGMOL’s investigation into Coote’s conduct first came to public attention on November 11.

In it, Coote is asked for his views on a Liverpool match where he has just been fourth official, and describes them as “s***”.

He then describes Klopp as a “c***”, and, asked why he felt that way, Coote says the German had “a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown” and had accused him of lying.

“I have got no interest in speaking to someone who’s f***g arrogant, so I do my best not to speak to him,” Coote said.

Later in the video, Coote again refers to Klopp, this time as a “German c***”.

The Football Association opened its own investigation into that video, understood to be centred on that last comment and whether Coote’s reference to Klopp’s nationality constituted an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules.

The investigation by PGMOL which led to Coote’s contract being terminated is also understood to have looked at another video which appeared to show Coote snorting a white powder, purportedly during Euro 2024 where he was one of the assistant VARs for the tournament.

European football’s governing body UEFA also appointed an ethics investigator to look into the matter.

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MAN CITY NOT STRONG ENOUGH AT THE MOMENT – GUNDOGAN

Ilkay Gundogan admits Manchester City are “not strong enough right now” and cannot find the switch to turn their season around.

City’s torrid spell continued as they suffered a damaging 2-0 loss at Juventus on Wednesday that left them in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

It was their seventh defeat in 10 games in all competitions – a dramatic and uncharacteristic loss of form for a side that have swept all before them in recent seasons.

Midfield veteran Gundogan said: “It just feels like we are not strong enough right now and we have to work on that. The situation is not easy.

“It’s about trying to find the switch to turn things around. We have to do the simple things.

“If we don’t find that click, it’s going to be tough. Every single player has to push themselves individually to be better.

“Individually and collectively – everyone now has to question themselves and try to figure out what to change and what to do to contribute to the team in the best possible way.”

City’s slump has seen them fall well off the pace in their quest to win an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title.

They trail leaders Liverpool by eight points having played a game more and face a further test of their resolve as they host derby rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

“I feel we are not playing that bad, but something is missing,” said 2023 treble-winning captain Gundogan, who rejoined the club in the summer after a year at Barcelona.

“It’s not the time to give away the whole season because there are so many games still to play, which is an opportunity on one side, but we have to turn things around quite quickly.”
City had plenty of possession against Juve but lacked creativity against a side set up to soak up pressure.

Kevin De Bruyne did create a gilt-edged chance for Erling Haaland before the break but he was thwarted by a fine save by goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie then struck in the second half to leave City languishing in 22nd place in the league standings and facing a crucial trip to another struggling giant, Paris St Germain, next month.

City defender Ruben Dias said: “Essentially we were not good enough. Our biggest problem will always be ourselves not being at the best level.

“Juventus are a very strong side but the main focus is on ourselves – we have to be better.

“A moment like this for us at this club doesn’t come very often. Obviously difficult periods always come but we have to look forward, be positive and try and be better every day. That’s the only way to get through it.”

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THE ‘MISPEPING’ OF CITY AND JURGEN KLOPP’S FOOTPRINT IN LIVERPOOL’S PERFORMANCES.

This short piece is, in my opinion, not necessarily backed up by Opta or one football statistic authority. I’ll urge you to read with a neutral mind.

Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the greatest Managers of the last two decades. But why has he lost five games in a row, making an unpopular record for himself?

Bar injuries of Rodri, Stones and Ruben Dias, Pep used to execute games with Akanji, Ake and/or Stones. In the midfield too, Gundogan has been playing alongside Rico Lewis. The latter is a young lad who has proven to be worth the hype in the last few seasons. While these two may not be the favourite midfield combination for City, they have worked very well for them in the past. So, what changed?

In my opinion, most of the City players who are pivotal to their yester victories are now older and getting close to the point of diminishing. Don’t get me wrong, they are not diminishing yet, but they are getting close to that point. Using a set of players to win multiple trophies for four years or more will come with consequences. What would make the difference is a succession plan. And this is why Klopp is in this story.

Liverpool Coach, Arne Slot.

Yes! It takes a good Manager to pick up quality players and deploy them well to win games and stay competitive. But Klopp’s succession plan for Liverpool was the beginning of the success of whoever succeeds him as Liverpool Boss.

The idea of letting Liverpool’s top midfielders go, all at the same time seemed horrendous to some Liverpool fans, but it was a necessary step at rebuilding the Liverpool team. Jordan Henderson, Fabinho Tavares, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain were all released at the same time, paving the way for the arrivals of Dominic Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo. It is on this new foundation that Arne Slot is now continuing the competitiveness of the Liverpool team across competitions.

Klopp did the same with the Liverpool attack. We all enjoyed the fluidity and effectiveness of the trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino but Klopp understands we cannot have that forever, hence, the introduction of Jota, Nunez, Diaz and then Gakpo. Recall that Mane and Firmino (Firmino especially) were still at Mersey side when most of these players arrived. This points to an excellent succession plan.

But is Pep not doing this too?

Since the run of defeats, many have criticised Guardiola for not replacing Alvarez, as if Erling Haaland is no longer the goal machine of the blue half of Manchester. What they forget is Jeremy Doku and the newly added Savinho and James Mc Atee. Manchester City has midfield options too. Aside from Mateo Kovacic who just recently got injured, there is Matheus Nunes and Oscar Bobb. Having all these options, most of whom were integrated into the team before this season, and losing five games in a row, gives a suspicious smell beyond the lack of Rodri and Ruben Dias.

But Liverpool should be worried too. Ryan Gravenberch has proven to be one of the key players driving the team’s success this season. Leading the English and Champions League table with the best Goal difference has a lot to do with how the midfield is anchored. Should Gravy get injured sometimes during this season, can Liverpool remain as good as they are now using alternative combinations from the mix of Endo, Mac Allister, Jones and Szobo? Food for thought.