Jurgen Klopp gives bleak assessment of Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes

Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool need to ‘play better football’ if they are to finish this season as Premier League champions, but still need a ‘crisis’ at both Manchester City and Arsenal too.

Having led the league from December until early April, Liverpool have stumbled at the wrong time, taking only four points from the last 12 available to them – including damaging defeats at the hands of both Crystal Palace and Everton.

Within the last five weeks they have also been knocked out of both the FA Cup and Europa League, leaving once optimistic hopes of a potential quadruple for Klopp’s final season in tatters.

The Reds trail current Premier League leaders Arsenal by three points, while they could be as manay as five behind City once a game in comes into play next month. With only four games left for Klopp’s side, time is quickly running out and momentum is not on their side.

Speaking to media after the Merseyside derby loss, Klopp revealed the ‘crisis’ needed at rival clubs in order to savour the Reds’ chances.

“We need a crisis at City and Arsenal, and need to win football games, because if they start now losing all the games and we do what we did [against Everton], nothing changed,” the boss said.

“And we are not safe in the Champions League as well so we should just play better football.”

Dominic Calvert-LewinDominic Calvert-Lewin

Dominic Calvert-Lewin & Everton condemned Liverpool to defeat on Wednesday / Michael Regan/GettyImages

Klopp’s claim that Liverpool could be at risk of dropping out of the four, while not incorrect, is unlikely to become a problem. Fifth place Tottenham Hotspur are 14 points behind and, despite having two games in hand, only have 18 left to play for.

It would take a near perfect run from them and a spectacular collapse at Anfield to make up that gap in what is left of the season.

But the Reds have still lost four of their last nine games in all competitions, compared to four defeats in their previous 45 games – stretching back to the start of the season in August.

“There are different aspects [behind the dip in form], definitely,” Klopp said. “Players who played all the games are not that fresh, but that is for other teams the same. I don’t want to use that as an excuse, really – as long as the boys are fit, not injured, that helps.”

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NE Revolution boss Caleb Porter previews Inter Miami and defending Lionel Messi

The Inter Miami show will make its way up the East Coast of the United States as the Herons take on New England Revolution on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.

Lionel Messi and co. are aiming to extend their winning streak to three straight games against a struggling Revs side seated at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. A win for the Herons would also extend their stay at the top of the East ahead of New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati.

Speaking to the media, New England head coach Caleb Porter believes that Miami’s No. 10 will feature despite the the hosts playing on an artificial turf surface — which has deterred previous stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic from playing due to a potential injury.

“I do. Yeah, that’s our mindset, is that he will play. They haven’t played on turf this year, but he played last year in Charlotte. So, our mindset is that he is going to play,” Porter said.

Porter — who’s in his first year in charge of the Revs — praised the Miami squad for their quality and noted that Messi and Luis Suarez are responsible for Miami’s success, which isn’t a new discovery by any means.

“It has to be, because obviously he [Lionel Messi] is so crucial to how they play – him, [Luis] Suarez. It’s funny, because Suarez actually has more goals than him at this point, so everybody forgets about Suarez, who is a world class player as well, and [Jordi] Alba and [Sergio] Busquets. They have a very talented team. We know how they play.”

Even though New England face a daunting challenge of taking on the Miami superteam and defending the legendary Messi, Porter emphasized that his side will have to limit — not stop — Messi by defending by “committee.”

“We’ll continue to improve ourselves and how we want to play, and we will factor in, for sure, how they play and put together what we feel is a good plan for the game. It will include trying to – you don’t stop Messi, but can you limit his touches in key areas? Because when he’s in key areas around the box, he is lethal,” said Porter.

“He is unstoppable in some ways, so we just have to do it by committee. We’re not going to man-mark him. We have to do it by committee in the zones. He floats everywhere, so wherever he floats, be aware. Can we get guys around him and make it a game where he’s not where he wants to be?”

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X reacts as Dominic Calvert-Lewin bullies Liverpool in Merseyside derby

Everton won their first Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in more than 13 years on Wednesday night, putting a huge dent in Liverpool’s Premier League title credentials in the process.

It was Jurgen Klopp’s last derby ahead of his impending Liverpool departure at the end of this season, but it won’t be one that he remembers fondly given how his team were second best.

All in all, Liverpool trail Arsenal by three points with four games left and could be five points worse off than Manchester City once their games in hand fully unravel.

Is the league title now too far out of reach?

Jurgen Klopp’s sunset quadruple might end up being a lonely Carabao Cup.

Everton took a deserved lead in the first half through Jarrad Branthwaite.

Calvert-Lewin touched the ball into the net…after it was already over the line.

…but his time would soon come.

He was too much for Liverpool’s centre-back pairing.

It was not a night for Mohamed Salah, who continues to look off his game since a January injury.

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Barcelona vice-president reveals Xavi’s terms for extending manager stay

Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste has revealed Xavi has not demanded any big-money signings to continue his stay as manager and instead simply wants the chance to continue developing young players.

Despite publicly vowing to step down this summer, Xavi agreed to stay for at least one more season during a meeting with Yuste, president Joan Laporta and a handful of high-ranking officials on Wednesday evening.

Reports had claimed Xavi had demanded Barcelona break the bank and splash out on the likes of Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva if they wanted to retain his services, but Yuste has now shot those suggestions down.

“I am delighted because I have always defended the continuity of the model that we started two-and-a-half years ago,” Yuste told the media. “It was a friendly meeting, we talked about the club in the hope of making history again, which we will.

“We did not talk about changes at all. It was not difficult to convince anyone because Xavi has shown his enthusiasm. We must give him and his staff the support needed to continue with this project.

“Xavi is very excited about the project. He continues out of enthusiasm, because he is a Cule and because he loves us. There is a project that he wants to develop and continue. It is based on youth.”

Xavi HernandezXavi Hernandez

Xavi will speak to the press on Thursday / Pedro Salado/GettyImages

Yuste added: “We are improving the team’s game and generating enthusiasm with young people like [Pau] Cubarsi, Lamine [Yamal], Fermin [Lopez]…For me, this gives a big plus and Xavi has achieved it.”

Further stressing the absence of transfer talks, Yuste insisted Barcelona are prioritising balancing their finances to a point where they can spend all the money they generate this summer.

“First of all we have to work to achieve the 1-1 formula,” Yuste explained.

Xavi is expected to speak to the press on Thursday afternoon to confirm his decision to remain manager.

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Football transfer rumours: Man Utd eye Onana replacement; Grealish wanted by European giants

90min rounds up the latest transfer news, rumours and gossip circulating around the world…

Manchester United are eyeing a summer move for Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin as a replacement for Andre Onana, but will have to fend off competition from Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain for the 25-year-old’s signature. (Eduardo Inda – Spain)

Also potentially coming in at Man Utd is Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong, with talks between the two clubs stepping up in recent days. (SPORT BILD – Germany)

Chelsea have joined the race to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich at the end of the season. (Fichajes – Spain)

Arsenal have agreed a fee of £51.6m to sign Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee, with talks now on with his agent over personal terms. (Tuttosport – Italy)

Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy is wanted by Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Newcastle as the Spanish side prepare to replace him with Alphonso Davies. (L’Equipe – France)

Arsenal will accept bids worth close to £25m for midfielder Thomas Partey this summer and could reinvest that money in Aston Villa‘s Douglas Luiz. (Football Insider)

Victor Osimhen is close to joining PSG from Napoli but Chelsea remain keen to hijack the transfer. (Il Mattino – Italy)

Victor OsimhenVictor Osimhen

Osimhen is reportedly close to PSG / Gabriele Maltinti/GettyImages

Atletico Madrid are readying an ambitious bid to try and lure Jack Grealish away from Manchester City this summer. (Trigger The Press)

Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande is closest to joining Newcastle at this point despite significant interest from the Premier League’s elite sides. (A BOLA – Portugal)

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to offer Genoa the chance to sign on-loan defender Djed Spence permanently as part of a deal which would bring Iceland striker Albert Gudmundsson over in exchange. (Calciomercato – Italy)

Bayern Munich want to sign Jonathan Tah from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, who plan to offer the centre-back a new contract. (Sky Sports Germany)

Another German centre-back, Malick Thiaw of AC Milan, is of serious interest to Real Madrid. (BILD – Germany)

Barcelona are tracking the progress of 25-year-old Valencia midfielder Pepelu, who recently met with Xavi for a discussion about his form this season. (MARCA – Spain)

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