According to RMC Sport, Manchester United will launch a £26m move for Napoli defender Faouzi Ghoulam in this summer’s transfer window.
The Red Devils are expected to be in the market for a new left-back at the end of the season as speculation surrounding the future of Luke Shaw continues to gather pace.
Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind could also depart Old Trafford in the summer, leaving Jose Mourinho short of options in the left-back position.
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Ghoulam started the 2017-18 campaign in impressive fashion for Napoli – managing two goals and three assists in his first 11 Serie A appearances of the season.
The 27-year-old, who has also been linked with Liverpool and Manchester City, has been on the sidelines since the end of October, however, having suffered a serious knee injury.
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The United fans have been debating the potential arrival of Ghoulam, and it would be fair to say that many would rather Shaw was kept at Old Trafford this summer.
A selection of the Twitter reaction to the transfer rumour can be seen below:
Manchester United’s need for a 20 goal a season striker has been on Louis Van Gaal’s mind. Robin Van Persie is currently injured, Falcao has just four Premier League goals to his name for the season, James Wilson has not featured too heavily, leaving Wayne Rooney as the closest LVG has to a prolific striker.
If it is goals Louis needs, he should look no further than the man he loaned to Real Madrid in the summer – Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez.
The Mexican began to fall out of favour after the signing of Robin Van Persie in 2012. As time went on, Hernandez was a regular feature on Manchester United’s substitute bench, and never really made his way back to the starting eleven.
In his last game for Manchester United – the dreaded fixture against MK Dons – it was clear Hernandez was looking for a way out. He found his exit on Deadline Day to La Liga, joining Real Madrid on loan, with an option to buy at the end of the season.
But what Hernandez called a ‘dream come true’ has quickly become a nightmare for him. He has simply moved from one bench to a much sunnier bench. He has made one start in La Liga, but that has been the height of it.
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Being continually benched at United is what cost him a starting place in the World Cup under Miguel Herrera, and first team football was Chicharito’s priority. The competition for the starting line up at was always going to be much stronger at Real, and Chicharito never truly stood a chance against the likes of the Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
Although first team football may not be calling at Old Trafford, bringing Chicharito back on loan could rack the goals up, which Louis Van Gaal is looking for. When given the opportunity he has often made the difference. Twenty being the magic number, is exactly how many the Little Pea scored in his debut season for Manchester United.
Admittedly, Chicharito would be likely to resume the position of the ‘super sub’ upon his return to Manchester United. But if Falcao can start, so can Hernandez.
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With The Daily Star suggesting the likes of Southampton, Everton and West Ham may be calling on the Mexican’s signature for next season, Louis Van Gaal needs to act fast on wether Chicharito could be a serious option or not for the squad he is hoping to build.
Economically, it makes sense to bring back Chicharito, rather than spending the £43 million for Radamel Falcao.
Despite the poignancy of the occasion, it’s felt all too easy to make a catalogue of sweeping generalisations in the wake of Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal during the weekend.
Andre Villas-Boas’ side could have seen their four-point gap disintegrate to just the one with defeat at White Hart Lane on Sunday, but for them to extend that lead over their neighbours to seven with a victory on derby day, it was always going to be difficult to strip the emotion away from the event.
Does this mean that Spurs have now slain their fierce neighbours and tipped the eternal balance of power in their favour? Not just yet and while they may well be the best team in North London this season – or perhaps the entire capital, should they finish above Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea – we will need to see the trick pulled off a little more sustainably before we start making such durable assumptions.
Yet for however much you choose to read into Sunday’s result, the poignancy of what was on show by the men in white, felt almost undeniable. And it wasn’t necessarily in regards to what they were doing with their feet, either.
The shredded nerve ends and bitten nails of some Tottenham fans may argue to the contrary, although as Villas-Boas’ men entered the final phases of the game with a slender one goal lead, the impending feeling of self-destruction felt almost palpable in its absence. In what has since become the Premier League’s highest ever scoring fixture, the North London derby has served as a shrine to the self-doubt and perennial flakiness that has dogged Spurs over the years.
But this time around, you got the impression that you were witnessing a bunch of players that weren’t in the mood for wilting anymore. And for all the tactical evolution, the Gareth Bale thunderbolts and cascade of pressing that we’ve seen Spurs display this season, it could be that galvanized mentality that makes more of a difference above anything else in N17 this season.
Because a large proportion of this squad have, as Spurs fans hardly need reminding, been scorched by failure more than enough times to suggest that a steely, winning mentality might never fully evolve amongst this current crop of players.
In the trio of Aaron Lennon, Michael Dawson and Jermain Defoe, three of Spurs’ most seasoned campaigners at the club, you find an experienced core that’s been rattled not just once, but twice, in their inability to get the job done in the league over Arsenal. Of course, all three of the aforementioned have proved their ability to qualify for the Champions League at the club, but in both 2006 as well as 2012, they failed to finish above the Gunners after leading them for the majority of the season.
But it was within last season’s now infamous implosion that you could attribute the bulk of any real lingering feelings of self-doubt within this Spurs squad. It was just over 12 months ago that Harry Redknapp’s side blew what seemed like an almost unassailable 10-point lead over their North London rivals. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but looking back upon their 5-2 mauling at the Emirates last February and for all their manager’s flirting with the England job and their chairman’s reluctance to spend in January, last season’s team simply couldn’t recover from the blow Wenger’s men inflicted upon them.
As brutal as it sounds, for all the barnstorming wing play and exquisite floods of attack, Spurs simply didn’t have the presence of mind to cope with the pressure or the belief needed to overcome adversity.
We will only find out if they’ve truly rectified that come their placing at the end of the season, although Sunday’s victory over Arsenal and to a similar extent, the 3-2 win over West Ham United, too, suggest that Tottenham may have finally found that vital mental ingredient that’s been missing for a small lifetime at White Hart Lane. And it could just be the key they need to finally supplant the Gunners in the league for the first time since 1995.
How much do you attribute this to Andre Villas-Boas, a change in personnel or simply a newfound maturity within what remains a very young squad?
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Certainly in the influx of new players in N17 such as Hugo Lloris, Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen and Gylfi Sigurdsson, Spurs have attained not just young and gifted talent with a high resale value in fitting with the Daniel Levy model. Most importantly, they’ve acquired players with a genuine hunger and a desire to succeed.
But for all the comparisons between both Redknapp and Villas-Boas that have peppered the Portuguese’s first season with Spurs, a special mention must be given to the ex-Porto man’s own winning mentality. From day one, amongst talk of winning the Europa League and one day challenging for the league title, Villas-Boas made clear that Tottenham have to finish above Arsenal.
The slow adoration that’s built for Villas-Boas has often unnecessarily been adjoined by an incessant need to fire parting shots at the now QPR-boss. But perhaps supporters shouldn’t be too surprised with the difference in mentality from a team that used to ‘go out and give it a good go,’ to one that’s now told they can ‘still pose a threat’ to second-placed Manchester City.
Either way, Tottenham’s new found mentality might just prove to be the defining element of their 2012-13 season. The proof will as ever, be in the pudding. But after nearly a generation of self-doubt, this side may now have just turned the corner.
Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League took a potentially fatal blow on Sunday in the most humbling of fashions, losing to Tottenham at Stamford Bridge for the first time in the top flight since 1990.
Indeed, it was a telling moment for the outgoing champions, who have fallen some way behind the majority of their divisional rivals this season – Arsenal being the only real exception.
While that inevitably adds to the debate over Chelsea’s recruitment process and the speculation over Antonio Conte’s future, let’s not overlook the fact the Blues simply weren’t as good as Spurs on the day.
Alvaro Morata scored early on but his influence continually waned throughout the match, the usually-dependable Cesar Azpilicueta, who Transfermarkt value at £36million, lost concentration for the first goal and Cesc Fabregas struggled for impact in central midfield.
So, Chelsea fans, who do you think let the side down most vs Tottenham? Let us know by taking part below and giving each player a performance rating out of ten…
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Lionel Messi at Stamford Bridge. The globally coveted South American making his debut in the Premier League, playing away on cold mid-week winter matches, speaking to Gary Lineker in post-match Match of the Day interviews…
The majority of the footballing community could just never imagine any of those situations ever becoming reality within English football, but if several sensational, yet nevertheless reaction-provoking reports are anything to go by, the four-time Ballon d’Or winner could well be on his way to the Premier League sooner rather than later.
While discussion surrounding Lionel Messi feels as if it has to be more sensible and more structured than for anybody else, rumours linking arguably the world’s best player with a move to Stamford Bridge remain high on the agenda. Could such a deal ever take place, and what would happen to football as we know it if Messi actually signed for Chelsea?
Although all this may seem a bit sensational and more dramatic than necessary, Lionel Messi’s ability simply has that effect on anyone that watches him play. He moves in a different way to any other player, finds passes that no one else can find, and simply finishes off chances that most would deem impossible.
Yes, some of the more pessimistic people within the footballing community have been bold enough to class Messi as too ‘lightweight’ to make it in England, with the physicality of the Premier League certainly looking more of a task than it perhaps is in La Liga for instance, but the Argentinean forward would likely not be phased by such hypothetical debate.
Alongside the likes of Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, Messi would certainly shine in Mourinho’s team and become the same stand-out player he currently is at Barca. His signing would, by most accounts, turn Chelsea into a force that would simply be unstoppable in their quest to land silverware every season.
While winning domestic titles and impressing in Europe has been a hallmark of Chelsea’s success since the Abramovich era was ushered in, the signing of Lionel Messi would produce a special response never before seen at the Bridge, and would have its own untouchable spot in the Blues’ history book for many years to come.
Again though, would this deal actually ever happen? The reported £200million pricetag that is currently being touted in the news would seemingly knock Chelsea back in their attempts, as even for their renowned chairman, such a substantial purchase would be a big ask. Coupled with his wages, Messi may simply be unable to leave Barcelona any time soon on a financial basis alone.
The 27-year-old’s apparent row with Barca manager, Luis Enrique, may get Blues’ fans feeling optimistic no less, but as is mostly the case with high-profile fallings out within Europe’s big clubs, this supposed scandal seems no more than mere paper talk and idle gossip. If his reported clash with Enrique truly has any solid foundations, it would be the newly installed Barca boss that receives his marching orders long before Messi gets his.
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Lionel Messi is Barcelona. He is an embodiment of the way they play football, the way they excite fans, and the way they win silverware. The Argentinean star suits Catalonia down to the ground, and likely to the disappointment of Chelsea fans throughout the land, the same just couldn’t be said of Messi turning up in rainy West London.
Ultimately it’s just too hard to imagine the no. 10 in anything other than a Barcelona shirt. It’s hard to think of el Clasico with Cristiano Ronaldo but not Messi. It’s hard to fathom the global star facing the likes of Stoke, Hull and QPR, as opposed to Espanyol, Malaga or Valencia.
But if any of this were to happen, it would simply be a momentous day for everybody involved with Chelsea and indeed everyone in the Premier League. Here’s hoping…
Manchester United finally completed a deal to bring Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha to Old Trafford in the summer after he signed a five-and-a-half-year-contract which will come into effect at the start of next season after he finishes off the current campaign in south London, but the timing of the switch itself strikes me as odd – is manager Sir Alex Ferguson simply legacy shopping now?
The 20-year-old England international, born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, has been linked with practically every top club in the Premier League over the course of the past year or so. That’s what the newspaper rumour mill does, it identifies one player and then starts off its own ‘saga’, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all involved at one point or another. It’s both tiresome and dull but it distorts the truth too as it misleads whether there was ever any genuine concrete interest in the player, which as far as I can see, apart from United’s bid this January, there wasn’t.
Zaha was named the Football League Young Player of the Year last season and this prompted United to ‘enter the race’ and seal a deal that will see them pay approximately £10m up front and a further £5m with add-ons. Ferguson sounded somewhat reserved on the signing, most likely because the fans won’t get to see him up close right away, telling reporters: “We like to sign players with potential. We develop players and that’s been proven many times. Hopefully the boy enjoys it here.”
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Given that Arsene Wenger stated that Arsenal were looking at Zaha but denied ever making a bid, while Liverpool are firmly after Tom Ince and neither Chelsea or Manchester City showed a sniff in months, you have to question why Ferguson felt the need to tie up a deal right now – is it because if they run the danger of Palace getting promoted, his price doubles? That would seem to be the only logical explanation, and this way they get the best of both worlds.
The form of the club’s wingers this term, though, will have worried Ferguson no end and it seems as if Nani’s time at Old Trafford may finally be coming to an end. The 26-year-old has made just seven league appearances, only four of them from the start so far, featuring in just 12 games across all competitions. It seems as if the 71-year-old boss has grown weary of the Portuguese’s inconsistencies, ranging from the brilliant to the abject with consummate ease.
It would seem a shame if Nani is discarded to the scrapheap because when fit and on form, he offers an end product both in terms of goals and assists that neither Antonio Valencia or Ashley Young can match, but it’s got to that stage in the season where a catch-22 situation has developed – Nani needs games to get match fit to be of any use, but an extended run is out of the question at the moment given that the club are chasing silverware at both home and abroad, and now is not the time to tinker. He’s lost the manager’s faith and it could be a simple one in, one out deal in the summer.
It’s not as if Valencia has inspired any confidence either, and the 27-year-old Ecuadorian seems to be enjoying a crisis of form and his worst spell out wide since joining the club. Unsure of when to take on and beat his man or come inside and look for the pass, Valencia has been well below par, looking every bit the one-dimensional attacker his critics say he is, with Young on the other flank only being saved by his versatility.
First with Chris Smalling, then Phil Jones and now Wilfried Zaha, Manchester United appear to be taking the old Old Firm’s approach to transfers now, namely buying up young players of real potential so that their rivals cannot get near them. At the moment, there is no real need for him, but that could swiftly change in the future come May, with Ferguson set to reshuffle his pack and freshen up an ageing squad in several key areas.
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The purchase of Robin van Persie in the summer was a rare indulgence on his behalf, but the Zaha deal shows that the Scot still has an eye on the future and the smooth handing over of the baton to his successor and while it might look strange to move for Zaha now given the lack of competition for his signature, in the long-term, it could save them millions.
West Ham United striker Jordan Hugill has sent a warning to Southampton on whufc.com ahead of their potentially season-defining clash against the south coast outfit at the London Stadium on March 31.
The £10m January addition from Preston North End – who the fans have already labelled as a pointless signing – has only played 12 minutes of Premier League football for the Irons so far, but he opened his goalscoring account for the club with a goal in the 3-1 friendly win against Dagenham & Redbridge on Wednesday night after starting the game in the absence of Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez, who are both on international duty.
The 17th-placed Hammers – who have slipped down the standings following three successive defeats by a three-goal margin – host the 18th-placed Saints next in what is a massive six-pointer for both clubs.
David Moyes’ men know that a fourth successive Premier League defeat would leave them in the relegation zone with just seven matches of the campaign remaining, and they will be keen to avoid the trouble on and off the pitch that further marred their 3-0 reverse against Burnley at home earlier this month.
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Speaking following his goal and looking ahead to the game against Mark Hughes’ side, the 25-year-old centre-forward told whufc.com: “I’ll keep plugging away and plugging away and, when my time comes, I’ll be ready for it.
“I’m really excited for the Southampton game, which is a massive game for the club and one that, if I play my part in it, I’d be delighted.
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“It’s a massive game so hopefully we can come out on top.”
Southampton will be looking to pick up just their second win in 18 top flight matches when they make the trip to east London, although they would have been buoyed by the 2-0 triumph against Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium last weekend that saw them set up a FA Cup semi-final clash with Chelsea at Wembley next month.
“I was contacted personally. Arsenal are interested,
“But for now, there is still no contact with Saint-Etienne.”
Could Arsenal finally be about to address their defensive concerns? The words of Loic Perrin appear to suggest that Arsene Wenger is keen on the Saint Etienne captain, who is known for his versatility. Able to play at centre-back, his main role, as well as right-back and in a deep lying midfield role, the 29-year-old appears to be a good fit for the Gunners, and the deal looks even sweeter when the fact that he’ll be eligible for the Champions League is thrown in, too.
But, is he the best option out there? Perrin is relatively unknown outside of France and is now edging towards the back end of his career, and with younger and better suited players around, maybe Wenger should be aiming a little higher…
Winston Reid
Aside from Perrin, Reid looks to be the favourite to arrive at Arsenal before the month is out. The New Zealand centre-back’s contract at West Ham is set to expire at the end of the season, and the Hammers’ move for Doneil Henry suggests that Sam Allardyce is actually preparing for life without his Oceanic star.
One of the Irons’ top performers in what has been an excellent start to the season, a move in the region of £6m-£8m would be a wise one for the Gunners, who have been lacking a player of Reid’s qualities at the back this term.
Fabian Schar
Another soon to be out of contract centre-back on Wenger’s radar is Schar. Interest in the Swiss ace from north London has cooled of late, but he remains on Arsenal’s agenda with his situation at Basel yet to be resolved. The 23-year-old is believed to be holding out to assess his options, and with a good World Cup behind him, there are rumoured to be many suitors out there.
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Valued at less than £10m due to the prospect of a free transfer looming, the youngster offers a good long-term defensive solution for Wenger to consider, with Per Mertesacker edging towards the latter stages of his career.
Virgil van Dijk
Scottish football’s top defender, Van Dijk is being tipped for a 2015 move south of the border, despite claims from Celtic boss Ronny Deila that he will be able to keep his man. The Dutch ace has been a revelation since his switch from Groningen last year, and has been lauded for his all-round defensive qualities as well as ability on the ball.
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These attributes would suggest that he’s an ideal fit at Arsenal, and his status as somewhat of a newcomer are likely to see him content with an understudy role to Laurent Koscielny and Mertesacker. A fee of £10m-ish is rumoured to be enough to convince Celtic to sell, making him an option for Wenger.
Benedikt Howedes
A little above the budget options Wenger seems to be considering, a £15m+ move for Howedes may be a wise one. The Schalke ace was a key member of Germany’s World Cup-winning side over the summer, playing admirably as a left-back. A central defender by trade, his performances in the Bundesliga with Schalke have attracted much praise for some time, and his versatility is likely to appeal to Wenger with injuries an almost constant issue in the red half of north London.
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Tyrone Mings
Dubbed the ‘new John Terry’, Ipswich’s Mings has been earning rave reviews for his showings in the Championship this term. Currently filling the role left by now West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell, the 21-year-old’s long-term position is believed to be at centre-back, with his towering 6ft. 3” frame and ferocious pace the building blocks for a top Premier League enforcer.
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Wenger is already thought to be interested in Mings, and it’s fair to say that he would certainly be a better option for the future than Perrin. The Tractor Boys are in no hurry to get rid of their man, but a tempting January offer may be enough to alter their stance.
Defeat is written on the faces of the Real Madrid players, it’s in their body language and in their lack of fight to see out winning positions. Jose Mourinho has battled and fought his way to glory wherever he’s been, however largely his methods haven’t been well received. The Portuguese has also written off Real’s chances at the title, as they currently sit 13-points behind Barcelona.
Is his head in England? Not necessarily, but it’s certainly not in Spain. He wants it to be done his way and he’ll fight whoever stands in his way. He’s drawn swords against Alberto Toril, the Castilla coach, and his expression told most of the story the last time he was pictured next to Florentino Perez.
Which one comes first? Mourinho forcing his way out or Mourinho being forced out? Is this a master plan or is he sailing with the tide, a tide that wants nothing more than for him to be removed?
Perez may look to bring in a number of new faces for the squad during the summer, but it’s so much easier to just replace the manager if the team aren’t winning. But it’s never his fault, of course. Mourinho will pass the buck down to any number of his players and lay the blame squarely at their feet. More often than not he’ll start with the senior Spanish players and their closest allies.
Is that why we saw such a slump in Mesut Ozil’s production up until the past few weeks? Sergio Ramos, who belongs in that circle of Spanish seniors, is close with Ozil and deemed his action to be an act of friendship. Wearing the German’s shirt under his own, Ramos may be forgiven for simply looking to dedicate his next goal to his comrade. In the eyes of Mourinho, it was an act of rebellion.
This isn’t the all-conquering Real Madrid that swept through the second half of last season with near ease. There were problems then, but they were somehow pushed to the side. Overcoming Barcelona and putting Pep Guardiola’s team to the sword would take greater precedence than internal squabbles.
The media hate it but they sort of love it, too. They’ve apparently been given license to go to work on Mourinho and help facilitate his removal. The English press, on the other hand, can’t get enough of the manager. He’s box office. So who’s wrong? The Italians didn’t fancy him either, and yet so many of Inter Milan’s players spoke incredibly highly of their once leader.
Would Mourinho be a success again in England? Unquestionably, but at what price? Barcelona opted against appointing Mourinho prior to handing Guardiola the job, and there’s plenty of reason to understand why. Where’s the evidence? Look at the current storm hanging over the Bernabeu. I’ve said it before, Mourinho has been handed the keys to the stadium but it will never be enough.
Most major clubs would fall over themselves to sign Mourinho when (not if) he leaves Real. There’s the siege mentality and then there’s a number of laughable and even irritating actions. The decision to stand up against the supporters at 9:20pm in an almost empty Bernabeu ahead of the Madrid derby was laughed off by his players. What’s to take seriously from that?
Other fans and specifically those of one club will look down on the idea of playing a ‘destroyer’ in the middle of the pitch to stop the tide. Pepe isn’t the most likeable character in football, but he’s one of Mourinho’s.
And that’s what you get, the success will come but you lose something in the process. This is not the Real Madrid way. The football hasn’t always been to their liking. Why invest around £200 million on four players alone if you’re going to have a divided dressing room, one which has Mourinho’s allies sitting on opposite sides to those who champion the values and traditions of the club?
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Mourinho may return to England in 2013, he may look to another project in France. But at this stage the ties between himself and the La Liga champions—his La Liga champions—have been broken.
Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren says the Reds are ready for their huge showdown with Manchester United this Saturday.
Jürgen Klopp’s side travel to Old Trafford on Saturday in fine form, having secured qualification to the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
The Reds are currently two points behind their old foe, but would of course leapfrog the Red Devils with a win on Saturday. Lovren insists they are up to the challenge.
“At the moment, when you see the run we’re on – we’ve had fantastic results over the last six or seven games with four or five clean sheets – I think everyone within the squad feels comfortable and full of confidence,” the 28 year-old said on Liverpool’s official website.
“It’s a massive game for us, for the fans, for everyone. We will maybe not have so many chances [as other games], but when we have the chances we need to score them.
“We also need to be patient – we don’t need to score in the first five minutes, of course everyone would like to but we have 90 minutes.”
Liverpool have been criticised in the past for not being able to break down deep lying teams, a tactic Jose Mourinho may well employ on Saturday even at Old Trafford. But Lovren is confident the Reds can do the business.
“We will not go there and just sit back. We are an attacking team and I am really confident we can take something.”
The Croatia international has endured plenty of criticism since joining Liverpool from Southampton, but seems to have formed a real understanding with new signing Virgil Van Dijk, and is expected to partner the Dutchman on Saturday.
“It’s always a big game, so you never know what to expect, but at the moment we feel ready.”
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Liverpool’s confidence is sky-high going into the clash at Old Trafford, and a win for either side would have massive implications in the top four race.
Liverpool fans, do you think you can win on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…