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FORMER LIVERPOOL AND BARCELONA MIDFIELDER, JAVIER MASCHERANO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT.

Former Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has announced his retirement.

The 36-year-old had been playing in his native Argentina for Estudiantes, who he had joined a year ago from Chinese club Hebei China Fortune.

“I want to announce that today I am retiring from soccer professionally,” said Mascherano on Sunday evening.

“I want to thank this club that gave me the opportunity to finish my career in Argentina.”

Mascherano spent more than three years at Liverpool having been snapped up by Rafael Benitez in February 2007 on an initial loan deal from West Ham United that was delayed by a month after an appeal to FIFA to allow the transfer to go through after complications over ownership rights.

The deal was made permanent 12 months later for a fee of £18.6million.

Mascherano went on to make 139 appearances for Liverpool, scoring two goals, and played in the 2007 Champions League final defeat to AC Milan in Athens.

He had wanted to move to Barcelona in 2009 but, with the Reds refusing to entertain a move, stayed for another season before leaving for Camp Nou for £17.5million in mild acrimony after being omitted by Roy Hodgson from a defeat at Manchester City.

Mascherano was transformed into a centre-back at Barcelona and won the Champions League twice, including beating Manchester United at Wembley in 2011.

After the game, he said: “I want to say, I know that Liverpool supporters, after my exit, I know they were a little bit sad with me – this is for them as well.”

In almost eight years at Barcelona he won five La Liga titles, five Copa del Reys, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups. He also won 147 caps for Argentina and featured in their 2014 World Cup final defeat to Germany in Brazil.

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FORMER ENGLAND, LIVERPOOL GOALKEEPER, CLEMENCE DIES AT 72.

Former England, Liverpool and Tottenham goalkeeper Ray Clemence has died aged 72, it was announced on Sunday.

Clemence, who played 61 times for England, began his professional career with Scunthorpe United before joining Liverpool, where he made over 450 appearances in 14 years at Anfield.

“We’re deeply saddened by the passing of one of the greatest-ever goalkeepers, Ray Clemence,” Liverpool said in a statement.

“The thoughts of everyone at Liverpool Football Club are with Ray’s family and many friends.”

He was part of the dominant Liverpool side of the 1970s, winning three European Cups, five English top-flight league titles and two UEFA Cups.

Clemence’s last appearance for Liverpool came in their 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in the 1981 European Cup final after which he joined Spurs and added another UEFA Cup and FA Cup to his trophy cabinet.

Clemence became the first goalkeeper to captain England since Frank Swift when he took the armband in a friendly against Brazil in 1981.

“We are deeply saddened to report the passing of legendary former goalkeeper Ray Clemence,” Spurs said in a statement.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to Ray’s family and many friends throughout the game at this sad time.”

After his retirement as a player, Clemence held coaching positions with England and Spurs.

Spurs also posted a message from Clemence’s family: “After fighting so hard, for such a long time, he’s now at peace and in no more pain.

“The family would like to say a huge thank you for the love and support he’s received over the years. He was loved so much by us all and will never be forgotten.”

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EDERSON TO START AHEAD OF ALLISON FOR BRAZIL IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS.

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson will start Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Venezuela ahead of Liverpool’s Alisson, while Gabriel Menino has been cut from the squad after testing positive for Covid-19.

Tite picked Weverton as his goalkeeper for the opening two qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru, with Ederson an unused substitute as Alisson missed out due to a shoulder injury.

Alisson returned to the squad for Friday’s meeting with Venezuela and Tuesday’s clash with Uruguay, but it is the Manchester City keeper who has got the nod from Tite.

“We have three great goalkeepers. Weverton played last time and comes in after a good sequence at Palmeiras. He played two very good games,” said Tite.

“I spoke with the three of them personally, together with [goalkeeper coach Claudio] Taffarel. Alisson is an excellent goalkeeper. We have Ederson, who is experiencing a great technical and physical moment.”

Tite also confirmed there will be starts for Allan, Everton Ribeiro and Gabriel Jesus, with Casemiro and Philippe Coutinho not in the squad due to coronavirus and injury respectively. Neymar, meanwhile, is being rested in the hope he can recover from a left leg issue to feature in Uruguay.

The Brazil boss is set to have one fewer option at right-back, however, after Menino was found to have contracted Covid-19, despite testing negative upon his arrival at the Granja Comary base on Monday.

“In the tests carried out yesterday, Gabriel Menino tested positive for Covid-19. All other players in the group tested negative,” Brazil doctor Rodrigo Lasmar explained.

“It is important to note that, on Monday, when the players arrived, all members of the delegation were tested and the results were negative.

“We have already informed the medical department of Palmeiras. The player is asymptomatic, is already isolated and has been cut from the squad.

“All protective measures are being taken. We will perform a new round of tests before our trip to Uruguay, after the game [against Venezuela].”

Menino has played the bulk of the 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro season as a central midfielder and leads Palmeiras in terms of assists (three), duels won (91) and touches (920).

The 20-year-old has made 286 successful passes in the opposition half – the second most among his team-mates – and ranks third at Palmeiras in terms of dribbles completed (22) and tackles (34) this term.

Head coach Tite insisted there is no barrier to Brazil taking the field to face Venezuela and he is unsure whether a replacement for Menino will be drafted in.

Tite said: “The doctor will speed up the other tests. In the meantime there is no problem for us to play. Roughly speaking, the information given to us – for all players and coaching staff – was that.

“These are challenges that all national teams have faced. The selection had a greater number than are actually here, either due to injury or to the Covid-19 problem.

“But opportunities arise. Pedro was called up … but there are also other opportunities for high-level players to come and show themselves.

“The first reaction was to say: ‘Man, what a pity for Gabriel Menino, and we are all at risk.’ The pandemic is not over. That is not an opinion, it is fact. We have to be very careful.”

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JOE GOMEZ UNDERGOES SURGERY ON SERIOUS KNEE INJURY.

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has undergone surgery on his left knee tendon after suffering a serious injury during England training on Wednesday, report Simon Hughes and Caoimhe O’Neill.

Liverpool have said there is no timescale on the 23-year-old’s return although the nature of the injury is likely to rule Gomez out for a considerable period of the season.

Gomez injured his knee while jumping for a header as England prepared for Thursday night’s friendly against the Republic of Ireland. “What was upsetting was to see he was in a fair bit of pain,” England manager Gareth Southgate later said.

Gomez collapsed in considerable pain after his knee gave way under no challenge in England training on Wednesday morning.

He immediately went for scans to determine the severity of the damage.

Fortunately for Liverpool, the scans indicated that Gomez had suffered no ligament damage. He still underwent surgery on his knee tendon, however, with Liverpool confirming on Thursday that “the issue is likely to rule him out for a significant part of the remainder of 2020-21.”

Liverpool have provided no timescale for his return, although the club are hopeful he can still play some part in the 2020-21 campaign.

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MANCITY 1-1 LIVERPOOL: JESUS STRIKE CANCELS OUT SALAH PENALTY IN ETIHAD DRAW.

Gabriel Jesus cancelled out a first-half penalty from Mohamed Salah as Manchester City drew 1-1 with Liverpool and denied the champions a return to the top of the table.

Salah fired Liverpool ahead from the penalty spot on 13 minutes after Sadio Mane drew a foul from Kyle Walker.

But Man City pulled level in the 31st minute with a smart turn and left-foot finish by Jesus from Kevin De Bruyne’s pass.

De Bruyne had the chance to put the home side ahead five minutes before half-time, after a Video Assistant Referee review confirmed a Joe Gomez handball, but the midfielder sent his penalty narrowly wide.

The teams traded chances in the second half, with Jesus’s header from Joao Cancelo’s cross going just wide moments before Roberto Firmino fizzed an effort over for Liverpool, but both sides had to settle for a point.

Man City are 11th on 12 points, six points behind leaders Leicester City, while Liverpool are third and five points above Pep Guardiola’s side.

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DIOGO JOTA NAMED CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE WEEK.

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has won the Champions League Player of the Week award following his hat-trick against Atalanta BC.

The No.20 continued his stellar form in front of goal with a treble in the Group D tie to help the Reds to a 5-0 win that maintained their 100 per cent record.

Jota won an online poll for the prize, seeing off competition from Alassane Plea (Borussia Monchengladbach), Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) and Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla).

The Portugal international has four goals in total in this season’s tournament.

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JOTA BAGS HATRICK AS LIVERPOOL THRASH ATALANTA 5-0 IN ITALY.

Diogo Jota took his tally to six goals in 10 days with a Champions League hat-trick as Liverpool hammered Atalanta 5-0 to put themselves within touching distance of the knockout stages already.

The Portugal international’s recent scoring spree persuaded Jurgen Klopp to start him ahead of Roberto Firmino in Bergamo and he fully justified the manager’s decision with only the club’s fourth European treble away from Anfield.

He is in elevated company as Michael Owen (two) and Sadio Mane scored the others and what he has achieved already since his move from Wolves in mid-September suggests there could be more to come.

Jota, who could have had a first-half hat-trick but squandered possibly his easiest chance in the second minute, has now scored for a fourth successive match.

He is only the second man to find the net in his first two Champions League appearances for the club, after Robbie Keane in 2008, and already has more goals for the club in 2020 (seven) than Firmino (five) despite having arrived less than two months ago.

Finally Klopp has someone to not only challenge his established front three of Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Mane – the latter pair also both scoring within a couple of minutes of each other at the start of the second half – but to improve the much-vaunted unit and his £41million transfer already looks good value.

Jota’s impressive performance allowed Liverpool to win their opening three group matches for the first time and they have already established a five-point lead at the halfway stage with two home matches to come next.

Early qualification would be a major boost for Klopp in this most congested of seasons as it would give him the chance to offer some much-needed respite to his major players.

With Manchester City up next in the Premier League on Sunday he even took the opportunity here, removing Jota, who sparked an injury scare by hobbling off, Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson from the fray with 25 minutes to go and later resting Trent Alexander-Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum – all likely to be key figures at the Etihad Stadium.

Joel Matip returned to the squad after a four-match absence but Klopp opted to hand 19-year-old Rhys Williams – who a year ago was playing for Kidderminster against Curzon Ashton in National League North – his full Champions League debut at centre-back with Joe Gomez against a side featuring eight players who reached last season’s quarter-finals.

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DIOGO JOTA FEARED INJURED AFTER LIMPING OFF IN LIVERPOOL WIN AT ATALANTA.

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota was forced to hobble off after an hour of the Reds’ Champions League tie with Atalanta after suffering an injury in the second-half. Jota had scored his first hat-trick for the club in the match prior to his injury.

Jota appeared to take a knock before going off against Atalanta.

The Portuguese ace was on fire in Italy, and grabbed an impressive hat-trick having been given his second start in the competition.

But his evening was cut short just after the hour mark as he was taken off for Roberto Firmino, and appeared to be clutching his leg.

He was escorted off the pitch by a member of Liverpool’s medical staff, sparking fears he had suffered an injury rather than just being tired.

Jota got the rout underway for Liverpool in the opening 15 minutes as he raced through on goal and beat Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello with a delicate chip.

After baring down on goal, the Portuguese ace lofted the ball over Sportiello and followed the ball through to the net.

His second was emphatic, as he called for the ball from Joe Gomez, who played a cross over the top of the Atalanta defence.

Jota brought the ball down perfectly on his left foot and switched to his right before firing into the bottom corner of the net.

His third, which came shortly after half-time, was the simplest of the lot.

Jota raced past the Atalanta defence and latched onto a through ball before rounding the goalkeeper and slot home.

He made a significant statement with his performance and will be hoping to have done enough to warrant a start against Manchester City this weekend.

But he suffered what appeared to be a slight setback at the hour mark as he was substituted off.

As he hobbled off the pitch, he appeared to be clutching his leg, sparking fears he could have a dead leg.

Klopp will be hoping it’s nothing more serious than that, as he prepares to take his side to face City this weekend.

He didn’t appear to go straight down the tunnel, which could indicate the injury isn’t as severe as some feared.

After the full-time whistle blew, he was spotted hugging the match ball and smiling as he left the bench, so Reds fans can probably breathe easy over his condition.

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“SALAH DIDN’T DIVE”: KLOPP DEFENDS EGYPYTIAN FOR PENALTY INCIDENT AGAINST WESTHAM, SAYS STAR HAS MARKS TO SHOW FOR IT.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hit back at accusations Mohamed Salah dived to win a penalty in Saturday’s 2-1 win over West Ham United. Salah came under criticism from West Ham manager David Moyes for his role in winning the spot kick which helped Liverpool record a victory in the Premier League.

Salah went down in the penalty area after a clumsy challenge from Arthur Masuaku. He then stepped up to score the penalty that drew Liverpool level.

West Ham manager David Moyes was upset with the decision to award a penalty but Klopp was in no doubt Salah had been fouled.

“Pretty much everyone who saw the situation thought it was a foul,” Klopp told British media, adding that he had spoken to the striker about his fitness.

“He has exactly three proper knocks on the foot and one of them is from the penalty situation,” added Klopp.

“We don’t talk much about the penalties we don’t get but now two days after we are talking about this. There was clear contact. I don’t understand the criticism.”

Liverpool face Italian side Atalanta in the Champions League later on Tuesday.

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AGUERO COULD BE FIT FOR LIVERPOOL CLASH – GUARDIOLA.

Pep Guardiola has not ruled out Sergio Agüero returning early from a hamstring injury for Manchester City’s match at home to Liverpool on Sunday and could have Gabriel Jesus back for Tuesday’s Champions League game with Olympiakos.

Agüero was injured in the draw at West Ham on October 24th. Guardiola’s initial view was that the club’s record goalscorer could be out for up to a month but there is a chance the 32-year-old could face Liverpool in a pivotal early-season fixture. If City beat the champions they will move two points behind Liverpool with a match in hand.

Asked about Agüero’s prospects the manager said: “We don’t want to make a step back again [by rushing him] but he’s getting better. It’s not so [bad] as we believed when he felt something in the last game, against West Ham. He’s getting better – I don’t know about Liverpool. After the international break for sure he’ll be ready.”

Jesus suffered a muscle problem after playing all of City’s season-opening win at Wolves on September 21st, and Guardiola has fielded Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres as deputy No 9s in the absence of Jesus and Agüero. The Brazilian could return for the visit of Olympiakos in City’s third Group C game.

“We’ll see the last training [before the match],” Guardiola said. ”He did one with the team yesterday [Sunday]. We are happy he’s back but we’ve been happy with Ferran so we have an alternative.”

Torres has scored in each of City’s previous two Champions League wins, against Porto and Marseille, operating at centre forward in the latter match. Sterling has played in the position numerous times under Guardiola. The manager has previously said Agüero will be close to impossible to replace and was asked on Monday whether Sterling might be a long-term solution.

“He can play there when the opponents are defending a lot of spaces in behind; when teams come to press he can do it,” he said. “When teams settle in the box for 90 minutes he’s better down the sides than in the middle.”

In the transfer window Nathan Aké and Rúben Dias were bought to strengthen City’s centre back options, with Aymeric Laporte, Eric García and John Stones already at the club. Guardiola is content with this new depth after Vincent Kompany’s departure in summer 2019 and Laporte’s serious injury blighted his previous campaign.

“Definitely I am pleased,” he said. “We struggled a lot last season, with the problems we had: Vincent went to Belgium [to Anderlecht] and there was a serious injury for Laporte. We were damaged, but we’ve new players coming and we have alternatives to use in the position.”

Guardiola warned against complacency when playing Olympiakos, the Greek champions. “You cannot make a false step in the Champions League because after that you struggle,” he said.

“We know to qualify you have to secure your games at home and win at least one away. We did it winning in Marseille but now we have to be sure we can keep the points at home. That’s why tomorrow we have an incredible opportunity to make a huge step to qualify for the next round. Olympiakos have to win every game and when you play with this mentality it’s difficult to face.”