Tag: liverpool

Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah scored the goals as Arne Slot’s reign as Liverpool head coach began with a hard-fought victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town at a boisterous Portman Road.

Portuguese forward Jota finished off a flowing Liverpool move involving Salah and the impressive Trent Alexander-Arnold shortly after the hour mark, side-footing the Egyptian’s low cross past Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.

And it was 2-0 just five minutes later, Salah scoring from Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass for his ninth opening-day goal – a Premier League record.

Playing their first top-flight game in 22 years, Ipswich were more than a match for Slot’s team in the first half and went closest to opening the scoring before half-time, first through Jacob Greaves’ downward header and then Omar Hutchinson’s low drive.

Read Also: Liverpool look at move for midfielder Zubimendi

But Liverpool were much improved after the restart and should have taken the lead when Jota nodded Alexander-Arnold’s inch-perfect cross narrowly wide of the far post early in the second half.

The 27-year-old made amends for that miss moments later, before Salah put the seal on a narrow win and condemned Ipswich to their first home defeat in nearly 12 months.

Liverpool are exploring a move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi as they look to make their first signing under new manager Arne Slot.

Zubimendi was part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2024 and came on as a second-half substitute for Manchester City’s Rodri when his country beat England 2-1 in the final.

The 25-year-old has been at Sociedad since 2011 and has a release clause worth €60m (£51.5m).

Zubimendi helped Sociedad finish sixth in La Liga last season, scoring four times in 31 league appearances.

The Spanish club also reached the last 16 of the Champions League in 2023-24 before they were beaten by Paris St-Germain.

Read Also: EPL: Ipswich host Liverpool on Premier League opening weekend

Zubimendi would be the first arrival under Slot, who took over at the Anfield club following the departure of Jurgen Klopp.

Zubimendi has previously spoken, external of his admiration for ex-Spain international Xabi Alonso and occupies the same holding midfield position his fellow countryman did.

Alonso also came through the ranks as a player at Sociedad before joining Liverpool in 2004.

More recently, Alonso was in charge of Sociedad’s B team before going on to become manager of German club Bayer Leverkusen.

BBC

Arne Slot says the opportunity to work at one of the “biggest clubs in the world” was “difficult to ignore” as he was confirmed as Liverpool’s new head coach.

The Reds agreed a compensation deal worth £9.4m with Feyenoord in April after the 45-year-old was identified as the man to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Klopp, who had been in charge of Liverpool since October 2015, left the club following their season-finale win against Wolves on Sunday.

After the game, the 56-year-old German called on Liverpool fans to get behind their new boss, chanting “Arne Slot, na na na na na”.

Slot’s three-year contract at Liverpool will officially start on 1 June, subject to a work permit.

“It is certainly not an easy decision to close the door behind you at a club where you have experienced so many wonderful moments and worked successfully with so many wonderful people,” Slot told Feyenoord’s club website. “But as a sportsman, an opportunity to become a head coach in the Premier League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is difficult to ignore.”

The Dutchman led Feyenoord to the 2022-23 Eredivisie title, while this season they have won the Dutch Cup and finished second in the league.

The club’s general manager Dennis te Kloese said: “At Feyenoord you don’t like to let go of a trainer who has meant as much to the club as Arne.

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“At the same time, we understand very well that working at a club like Liverpool is a special and unique opportunity for him. With that in mind, we started the conversation to see if we could find a solution together, and in the end we succeeded.”

It is believed that the attacking style of Slot’s teams, his personality and his ability to develop players were key factors in making him Liverpool’s top choice for the job.

Slot took over as Feyenoord manager in 2021 and confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League when he was linked with Tottenham in 2023.

Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who guided Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title this season, was also linked with the position at Anfield.

But the 42-year-old Spaniard ended speculation in March when he said he would remain with Leverkusen for the time being.

Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim was also reported to have been a contender to take over from Klopp, who announced in January he would leave Anfield at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

Jurgen Klopp hailed Liverpool’s fans as the “superpower of world football” after his final match as manager ended in a 2-0 win at home to Wolves on an emotional day at Anfield on Sunday.

Alexis Mac Allister and Jarell Quansah scored the goals, but the game was largely a sideshow as supporters paid tribute to the German they have taken to their hearts.

The charismatic 56-year-old, who announced in January he was leaving the club, has forged a strong bond with the Anfield faithful, who gave him a rousing welcome as he emerged from the famous tunnel.

The fans used cards to create giant mosaics, one simply reading “Jurgen” and another saying “Danke”, with many holding scarves aloft bearing Klopp’s name during a rousing rendition of the club’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

After full-time he returned to the pitch through a guard of honour from the players to address the crowd wearing a red top bearing the words “Thank You” on the front and “I’ll Never Walk Alone Again” on the back.

Read Also: Klopp sets new Liverpool target for season

A stage was set up in the centre of the pitch and the club’s owners, directors and ambassadors, including Anfield great Kenny Dalglish, all welcomed Klopp onto the field, with fans chanting his name.

 “It doesn’t feel like an end,” said Klopp, who arrived at Anfield in 2015 with the club at a low ebb. “It just feels like a start. Today I saw a football team play full of talent, youth, creativity, desire, greed. That’s one part of development, that’s what you need, obviously.

Liverpool fans hold a banner reading “Jurgen Lives Forever”

 “People say I turned them from doubters into believers. That’s not true. You did it. Nobody tells you to stop believing. This club is in a better moment than for a long time.

 “We have this wonderful stadium, training centre and you – the superpower of world football. Wow.”

Klopp added: “We decide if we are worried or excited. We decide if we believe. We decide if we trust or don’t trust. Today I am one of you and I keep believing. I stay believing 100 percent.

“Obviously I saw a lot of people crying and I will tonight too because I will miss people but change is good. Everything will be fine because the basics are 100 percent there.

“You welcome the new manager (Arne Slot) like you welcomed me. You go all in from the first day. You keep believing. You push the team. I’m one of you now. I love you to bits.

 “Thank you. You are the best team in the world. Thank you.”

Klopp then also adopted the song Liverpool fans had created for him to lead the crowd in a chant of “Arne Slot, na, na, na, na”.

The German led the club to Champions League glory in 2019 – the sixth time they had been crowned European champions.

The following season he secured his place as a Liverpool great by winning their first Premier League title for 30 years, the 19th time they had been crowned English champions.

He also lifted the FA Cup and won two League Cups in his spell.

When Klopp made the shock announcement that he was leaving earlier this year, Liverpool were chasing a quadruple.

They won the League Cup final against Chelsea in February but crashed out of the FA Cup against Manchester United and the Europa League against Atalanta.

Their Premier League title bid also faded quickly, but by finishing third Liverpool have qualified for next season’s Champions League.

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Premier League champions Manchester City, paid a warm tribute to his long-time rival, saying Klopp deserved to be ranked alongside such outstanding Liverpool bosses as Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

 “He has been a huge competitor in my life,” Guardiola said after guiding City to an unprecedented fourth straight English title.

 “It’s not just about titles won and who won the most. There are personalities that when they arrive in one place they stay forever and Jurgen will depart in the level of Shankly, Paisley, these incredible legends.”

Liverpool Manager Juergen Klopp Expects To Be Out Of The Premier League Title Race Before His Side visit Aston Villa on Monday, but he has set his team a new target of reaching 80 points as they look to finish strongly.

Third-placed Liverpool had their hopes of winning the title shredded after a run of bad results last month and while they are mathematically still in with a chance, that might not be the case when they arrive at Villa Park.

Manchester City, in second place, face Fulham today  while league leaders Arsenal play Manchester United tomorrow  and if either of the top two picks up three points then Liverpool’s slim hopes will be extinguished.

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Klopp, who will leave Anfield at the end of the season and will manage his last Liverpool away game at Villa, is not expecting any slip ups.

“We can all read the table and see the situation,” he said with Liverpool on 78 points, five behind Arsenal and four adrift of City who have a game in hand. “City has to lose three games. Difficult to see that, but you never know. Arsenal has to lose two games. Difficult. They both play before us, so let’s talk on Monday if they both lose, but I do not expect that.

“I think we have enough to do. We have the chance to go above 80 points again; like pretty much everything in life, you never should take things like this for granted.”