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KLOPP RATES WIN OVER AJAX AMONG HIS BEST AT LIVERPOOL.

Liverpool boss, Jurgen KLOPP has labelled Tuesday night win against Ajax as one of his best wins since joining the Merseyside

Anfield was empty, the Liverpool team depleted by injury and it was hardly a vintage performance but the 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam on Tuesday still left manager Jurgen Klopp bursting with pride.

Honestly since I was at Liverpool that feels like one of the biggest Champions League nights. Without supporters in, it was the most important, most difficult, most exceptional,” he said.

“With the circumstances, there hasn’t been much to smile about, it’s been tricky, and the boys throw themselves into the game,” said the German after his side secured top spot in Group D.

“Robbo [Andy Robertson] has a proper knock on the ankle and pushes himself through, Hendo [Jordan Henderson] with a sore back, Gini [Georginio Wijnaldum] — I have no words for him. Curtis Jones, what a game, It’s amazing, I’m really proud.”

The 19-year-old Jones got the second-half winner and was one of the brightest players in the midfield battle.

“Curtis is a really good kid, a good player and I am happy to have him around. Sometimes with injuries there is always an opportunity and he has taken it,” he said.

Klopp had another injury headache to contend with before the game, with keeper Alisson Becker ruled out with a hamstring strain, and Irish Under-21 keeper Caoimhin Kelleher was picked ahead of the more experience Adrian.

“I really think Adrian has done a fantastic job for us, he kept a lot of clean sheets, played everywhere. But now we needed the natural football playing ability of Caoimhin Kelleher. He is a good shot stopper as well. We made that decision but you never know how they are going to cope. I am really happy with how calm he was and how good he was,” said Klopp.

Kelleher made a vital save in the closing moments to make sure of the three points.

“That’s what I’m there for, I work every day in training to make sure I am ready and I was able to make a good few saves,” he said.

“It was an amazing one for me, to make my Champions League debut was massive and we got the win and qualified. A great night.”

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LIVERPOOL 1-0 AJAX: CURTIS JONES SECOND HALF GOAL SECURES CRUCIAL WIN FOR KLOPP SIDE.

A fine Curtis Jones goal was enough to give Liverpool a 1-0 win over Ajax with the victory confirming the Reds’ progression into the Champions League knockout stages as group winners.

The game got off to a pulsating start with Jones hitting the post five minutes in. Ajax had several chances of their own in the first half with Champions League debutant Caoimhin Kelleher being kept busy in the Liverpool goal.

After the break, the Reds managed to poke their noses in front with two academy graduates combining; Neco Williams swung in a looping cross and a stranded Andre Onana could only watch as Jones provided a cute finish from the angle to put the Reds 1-0 up.

After substitute Roberto Firmino missed a gilt-edged chance, the Reds had Kelleher to thanks late on with the Irishman, making a point-blank save to deny Klaas- Jan Hunteelar’s header.

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CHRIS WILDER LABELS JURGEN KLOPP “A SELFISH POLITICIAN”

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has once again hit out at Jurgen Klopp – this time over the partial return of fans to matches.

Wilder last week accused Klopp of selfishness over his continued pursuit of reintroducing five substitutes to the Premier League.

The Blades boss now says it is unfair that Liverpool can welcome back 2,000 fans to Anfield when the national lockdown ends by virtue of being in a tier two area whilst 10 Premier League clubs will still play behind closed doors.

Wilder says he is unsurprised Klopp has not called for a return for all fans to matches.

“He’s a world-class manager and a world-class politician, who cares about Liverpool,” he said. “That’s all he cares about.

“He was never going to say what about Sheffield United getting their fans back in or Newcastle or Man City or Man United or anybody else. He’s a world-class politician.

I know his background on support and how much Anfield has been a fortress. The Liverpool support is magnificent, I know it is because my old man is from that part of the world.

” I know he’s been vocal on that and Jurgen isn’t going to say it’s not right that they can have fans in as they’re in tier two and Sheffield United, Leeds, Manchester and all the rest of the north are not allowed in.

It was funny looking at that map, wasn’t it? Shock! I think us in the north were fully expecting us to be in the old tier three as they kindly put us in.”

It comes after Wilder last week accused Klopp of being selfish over his desire to have five substitutes in the Premier League again this season.

Cards on the table, he’s going to look after his own club,” said the Blades boss. “I’ve got incredible respect for these top managers because they produce top results and win things.

“But they’re selfish, they look after their own clubs. They’re not going to be bothered about Sheffield United, they’re not going to be bothered about England.

“They’re going to be bothered about Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, which I understand and respect. I would be the same, but I’m bothered about Sheffield United and it doesn’t help us to have five subs.”

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BRIGHTON 1-1 LIVERPOOL: LATE GROSS PENALTY DENIES REDS THREE POINTS.

Pascal Gross’s stoppage-time penalty earned Brighton & Hove Albion a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, whose away form continued to stutter.

Brighton’s Aaron Connolly put an early shot wide before Neal Maupay missed a 20th-minute penalty.

Mohamed Salah thought he had put Liverpool in front on 33 minutes but VAR ruled he was offside.

Diogo Jota did so in the 60th minute, collecting Salah’s pass to beat three players and find the corner.

With five minutes remaining, a second Liverpool goal was overturned by VAR for offside, this time Sadio Mane’s header.

Brighton’s penalty came after Danny Welbeck had been fouled by Andrew Robertson, adjudged after a referee review.

Liverpool go top on 21 points but are winless from their last four away matches.

Brighton stay 16th with 10 points.

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WIJNALDUM EXPECTING A BETTER ANFIELD OFFER TO STAY AT LIVERPOOL.

According to James Pearce in the Athletic, Wijnaldum is simply not adequately impressed with the deals that have so far been put on the table.

“He believes he merits a contract which reflects his level of contribution and his status. So far that hasn’t been put on the table and so he intends to consider his options carefully,” he writes.

“Wijnaldum’s attitude has been impeccable despite the ongoing uncertainty and there is certainly no chance of him being sold in January. But with every passing week, the chances of Wijnaldum staying on Merseyside beyond this season recede.

“On his return to the club after the September internationals, Wijnaldum held talks with Klopp and made it clear he was fully committed for the season ahead and happy to stay put. That was all Klopp wanted to hear. Their relationship remains strong.”

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Jurgen Klopp has no regrets despite Atalanta BC loss

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had no regrets over the selection gamble which backfired in a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atalanta and insisted he would do it again.

The Reds boss made five changes from Sunday’s victory over Leicester, including altering three of his back four, and paid for it with a first defeat at Anfield in 90 minutes since Chelsea triumphed there in September 2018.

It was Klopp’s heaviest loss in 137 matches at Anfield, the Reds’ worst since losing 3-0 to West Ham in August 2015, and the first time since data began to be collected in 2003 that they failed to record a single shot on target in a home Champions League game.

Even the return of Mohamed Salah after his positive Covid-19 test could not lift the side out of their torpor as second-half goals from Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens ensured there would be no option for Klopp to rest players in both of their final two group games.

“We made five changes, it was very important we did that, and in the end it didn’t work out and that is part of the deal. I would do it again,” he said.

“(We had) no real rhythm, first half was not a good game at all, they were not good as well. We spoke about it but second half it didn’t look like it (would change) and that is why we changed early.

“A second before we could change (Klopp was in the process of making a quadruple substitution) they scored the first goal, in a space which we knew they tried to use and we couldn’t defend in that moment.

“We had better football moments but not good enough. If you don’t have a shot on target that is never a good sign.”

Victory over Ajax next week would still guarantee safe passage and with December’s schedule, Klopp will want to avoid the nightmare scenario of having something to play for with the final game against Midtjylland.

“If I would think like this then it would be great. It is tricky, sounds easy to beat Ajax but with all the challenges we face in this country on top of the normal challenges we face already,” he added.

“My concern isn’t that I think about Ajax; we go in a few hours to play Brighton. When this game is over we start to think about Ajax.”

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, whose side were beaten 5-0 in the reverse fixture three weeks ago, hailed the win as the club’s most prestigious.

“Obviously this is something which will be written in the pages of history,” he said.

“They haven’t lost a Premier League game in 64 matches. This is perhaps our biggest ever victory in our history, certainly our most prestigious.

“We were more solid in defence this time around because the defence was better protected with more players in midfield.

“This is the solution we opted for as we thought it was appropriate for this game.”

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Champions League roundup: Real Madrid pick up vital win while Liverpool lose at home

Atalanta rebounded from their 5-0 thumping by Liverpool three weeks ago as goals from Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens gave the Serie A side a shock victory over the Reds in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Liverpool were merciless in Bergamo earlier this month and could have guaranteed their passage to the knockout stages with a fourth successive Group D victory, but they were out of sorts at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp made five changes and the gamble backfired as Ilic turned in Papu Gomez’s cross from the left on the hour before Gosens side-footed home a Hans Hateboer header in the 64th minute to give Atalanta a 2-0 win.

They became the first team to win at Anfield in 90 minutes since Chelsea in September 2018 on an evening where Liverpool failed to register a shot on target even though Mohamed Salah returned to the starting line-up.

Atalanta leaving Merseyside with a surprise win threw the group wide open as the Italian side moved to within two points of group-topping Liverpool, with Ajax doing likewise after overcoming pointless FC Midtjylland 3-1.

After a goalless first half, Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui were on-target within five minutes of the restart in Amsterdam before David Neres struck midway through the second period.

The visitors pulled one back through Awer Mabil’s penalty but finished the contest with 10 men following Erik Sviatchenko’s red card in time added-on.

Phil Foden scored the only goal as Manchester City secured their place in the last-16 yet again with a 1-0 victory over Olympiacos in Greece.

The 20-year-old turned home from a Raheem Sterling flick in the 36th minute as City maintained their 100 per cent record in Group C and reached the last 16 with two matches to spare.

The Greek champions were stubborn opponents at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus but City, who created a number of clear-cut opportunities, were never in danger of slipping up.

Porto have one foot in the knockout stage after overcoming Marseille 2-0 in a tempestuous affair in France, where both sides finished the match with 10 men.

Zaidu Sanusi opened the scoring for the visitors by netting a rebound for his first Porto goal six minutes from half-time although Marseille were given a boost when Marko Grujic was sent off midway through the second half.

Moments later though, Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi was given his marching orders after a foul on Moussa Marega in the area, leading to Sergio Oliveira slotting home from the spot in the 72nd minute.

Eden Hazard’s seventh-minute penalty plus Achraf Hakimi’s own goal just before the hour mark gave Real Madrid a 2-0 Group B victory at Inter Milan.

The Serie A side had Arturo Vidal sent off after the Chilean midfielder picked up two yellow cards within seconds of each other, the second after appearing to square up to Premier League referee Anthony Taylor.

Madrid remain one point behind Borussia Monchengladbach, who maintained their place atop the group with a 4-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Lars Stindl’s penalty was followed by goals from Nico Elvedi, Breel Embolo and Oscar Wendt.

Bayern Munich guaranteed they will finish top of Group A as they overcame Red Bull Salzburg 3-1 for their fourth successive win – which came despite the dismissal of Marc Roca.

Robert Lewandowski’s opener and and own goal from Maximilian Wober gave the Bundesliga giants a cushion, and shortly after Roca’s dismissal, Leroy Sane added a third. Mergim Berisha claimed a consolation for Salzburg.

Elsewhere in the group, Atletico Madrid drew a blank against Lokomotiv Moscow.

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SALAH SETS FOR LIVERPOOL RETURN AFTER TESTING NEGATIVE TO CORONA VIRUS.

Mohamed Salah could return for Liverpool when they host Atalanta on Wednesday after returning a negative result from a COVID-19 test.

The Reds were without their 10-goal top scorer for the 3-0 win over Leicester on Sunday after he tested positive for the illness three times during the recent international break in Egypt.

Salah was forced to sit out the African Cup of Nations qualifying double-header with Togo after the diagnosis earlier this month.

After initially testing positive on Friday November 13, Salah was tested upon his return to the United Kingdom on Friday when he and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny flew back to London from Hurghada International Airport.

That test has now come back negative, freeing up Salah to return to training under Premier League protocols that say a 10-day isolation period is needed after the first positive test.

Egypt’s health ministry have confirmed that Salah’s latest test was negative, theoretically enabling him to return to the fold with Jurgen Klopp’s side in midweek.

“Salah’s latest test returned a negative result,” health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed told local media.

He has received a week-long treatment in accordance with the Egyptian protocol until he fully recovered.”

With the Reds hosting Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday, the forward may be available for selection once again.

Manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed Salah’s return in his post-Leicester press conference.

He said: “Is Mo negative? That is what I have heard.

“Yes, it is a negative today. I think from now on he is pretty normal with all the testings.

“We have tomorrow the UEFA testing for the Champions League and he can now train with us tomorrow.

“I don’t know about the second test the day after [for the Premier League], but there could be a Premier League test already again.

“He has two tests in the next two days so yes he will be tested like all of us.”

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LIVERPOOL 3-0 LEICESTER: JOTA SETS CLUB RECORD AS REDS BEAT THE FOXES AT ANFIELD.

Diogo Jota became the first player to score in his first four top-flight home matches for Liverpool as the champions earned an impressive 3-0 win over Leicester City.

They went ahead in the 21st minute when Leicester defender Jonny Evans headed a James Milner corner into his own net.

Jota headed the second from Andrew Robertson’s perfect left-wing cross four minutes before half-time.

Roberto Firmino hit the post twice in the second half, the latter of which came before he had his rebounded effort cleared off the line.

But the Brazilian striker’s persistence was rewarded as he made it 3-0 with a towering header from another Milner corner.

The win takes Liverpool’s unbeaten Premier League run at Anfield to 64 matches, a club record in the top flight.

They move up to second place on 20 points, behind Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference.

Leicester drop to fourth position on 18 points.

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LIVERPOOL OFFER WIJNALDUM NEW CONTRACT TO WARD OFF BARCELONA INTEREST.

Liverpool have reportedly tabled a new three-year contract for Georginio Wijnaldum to fend off interest from Barcelona.

The Dutchman was closely linked with a move to the Spanish giants during the summer.

Barca manager Ronald Koeman is a big fan of the player and has managed him through the national team.

It involves a three-year contract extension and a big increase in wages.

They’re willing to improve his weekly wage from £75,000 to around £115,000 in a bid to keep him at Anfield.

The midfielder is yet to respond to the offer but he is expected to do so in the coming days.

The news is a big revelation in the ongoing Wijnaldum transfer saga.

He was thought to have begun negotiations with Barca officials during the summer.

Those talks never materialised into a transfer which is why he remains in England.

The signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich was widely seen as manager Jurgen Klopp preparing for life without the 30-year-old.

Due to the current injury crisis at Liverpool, Klopp will now need to keep hold of the player.

He is missing Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk. Teammates Fabinho and Andy Robertson are also out through injury.

Liverpool face a new threat from continental Europe to keep Wijnaldum. Apparently Inter Milan have enquired about the player’s availability.

They’re now set to challenge Barca for the player’s signature, as he is seen as a great all-round midfielder.

It remains to be seen whether a new contract is enough to keep Wijnaldum at Anfield.

Liverpool’s next fixture is against Leicester City on Sunday 22nd November.