Liverpool are once again trying to bounce back after a defeat and there’s not much time to regroup before the next challenge. Good job the rumour mill is still going strong!
Reds tracking Malen
Liverpool and AC Milan haven’t been involved in a direct confrontation for a while, unless you count those short-lived rumours saying Ralf Rangnick wanted Naby Keita at the Italian side when he joined them.
Which he didn’t.
Anyway, it’s nice to see European royalty coming together again, even if it’s in the market rather than on the pitch: we both want to sign PSV striker Donyell Malen, according to Italian reports.
He’s likely to leave the Eredivisie this year, given PSV have flopped in the Europa League and he’s probably going to play a significant part for his nation at the Euros.
A former Arsenal academy kid, he has 22 goals in all competitions this term. At least it’s not a 50th defender rumour of the week.
Fans back in grounds for last two?
The Premier League are planning to budge up two matches toward the end of the season to allow all teams to welcome back supporters, say the Athletic.
The 36th and 37th games will be shifted so that those played after May 17 can have 10,000 fans inside stadiums, as long as everything goes according to the ‘road map’, of course.
Game 38 was already due to be played after that date, so some teams will have fans for two matches if it goes ahead.
Bank balances boosted, atmospheres improved, players getting backed…and, hopefully, a big step toward proper football rather than the sterile and low-key action we’ve seen all too often in 20/21.
Decisions are still ongoing and a vote has to be taken, but it looks as if tickets for home fans might be available for Liverpool away to Burnley and home to Palace.
Forward focus to Fulham
No point hanging around looking at the Chelsea defeat when there’s another game around the corner to set things right…
- Another defensive change is on the way as Kabak is injured – but Phillips and Davies are back
- Klopp doesn’t want to make a big deal out of the fact he took Mo Salah off against the Blues…
- …but did strangely acknowledge that bringing Naby Keita on would have made more sense than using Milner and Ox
Quickfire LFC news
- Andy Robbo says “too many heads are going down” for the Reds right now (TIA)
- Fans are joking about having to play in the latest and most ridiculous UEFA competition as CL hopes fade (TIA)
- Loris Karius says he can “imagine staying” at Union beyond his loan this season (Bundesliga)
- And you can see all of Klopp’s pre-match press conference here (TIA)
Around the Prem
- Handball rules are being changed again for next season, with a change to accidental offences leading to a goal (TIA)
- Arsenal want Ibrahima Konate from Leipzig in the summer and we’re just wondering if Arsenal still think they’re a top-four-ish side (ES)
- Pep wants Grealish at City but he’s only fourth-choice for summer after a striker, a centre mid and – you guessed it – yet another another another new left-back (Mirror)
- And a few Premier League clubs are keen on Fredi Bobic as sporting director, with Eintracht allowing him to leave if he wants (Bild)
Stupid rumour of the day
The whole Koulibaly saga is going to repeat this coming summer. We suggest you ignore it all.
Today’s update is Bayern heading up the Reds and United for a move, after Napoli dropped their asking price to €45m. Jolly nice of them to hold a half-price sale isn’t it?
Tweet of the day
“Is there a metric that captures the product of reduced pressing alongside losing Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for the season?”
“Yes.” pic.twitter.com/ApO8aB8tAn
— Josh Williams (@DistanceCovered) March 5, 2021
Worth watching tonight
Valencia vs Villarreal in Spain at 8, just for fun and games. High-scoring draw seems probable.
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