Andoni Iraola's words confirm Liverpool have a new Roberto Firmino.
The Brazilian is one of the most underappreciated club icons in recent memory. Firmino never really sought the acclaim of the Anfield crowd.
He was more like a cog in a machine. He kept Jurgen Klopp's side running and he helped provide the stamina and fuel for Sadio Mane and Mo Salah to play at their very best.
Firmino was unselfish. Yet he was capable of doing magnificent things. He worked tirelessly and embraced Klopp's philosophy of gegenpressing to the max.
Without him, who knows whether the Reds would have been able to achieve everything they did. That's how essential the Brazilian was to the operations at Anfield.

#andoni #roberto #salah

Two Premier League matches at Anfield. Two draws.
For just the third time in 63 years, Liverpool have failed to win both of their opening home games of a league season - not exactly the flying start new boss Andoni Iraola would have been dreaming of.
After such an encouraging midweek performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, full of urgency, Saturday's goalless draw against Fulham was a flat follow-up, especially with the Cottagers lacking in confidence and having conceded seven goals in their first three league games.
The Reds looked physically and mentally tired and, to put it bluntly, like an entirely different team to the one that won against a Diego Simeone side that made it to the Champions League semi-finals last season.
On the first real look at how Iraola's style will cope with two games a week, this was certainly not what the Liverpool head coach, nor the Anfield crowd, would have wanted to see.

#league #games #champions #premier

If part of the challenge for Andoni Iraola when he took the Liverpool job was mastering the art of winning Premier League games after midweek Champions League dates, he failed his first test. An Anfield afternoon against a side with the wrong sort of 100 percent record ought to have been the ideal introduction to such ******* ignments.
Instead, Fulham got their first point of the season. A Spanish manager with a playing career at right-back had much to savour; but it was Alvaro Arbeloa, not Iraola. A terrific defender under Rafa Benitez, Arbeloa contributed to many a clean sheet in his time at Liverpool. Now Fulham have a first in the Premier League in his reign. Having conceded three goals to left wing-backs against Crystal Palace last week, they conceded none to Liverpool's three £100m men.
Alvaro Arbeloa could celebrate a first point in the Premier League with Fulham (Getty)
"Happy with the point and more happy with the performance," said Arbeloa. "We were more balanced today. We defended so well." He had made the bold decision to give the Austrian centre-back David Affengruber a debut at Anfield. "He proved how good he is," Arbeloa said.
But Iraola's side delivered a disjointed display, failing to touch the heights they reached in their comeback against Atletico Madrid and failing to score for the first time under him. "What was lacking was quite clear. It is the first game we had problems to create chances and score goals," he admitted.

#first #league #point #alvaro

Liverpool still have a fair few things to sort out this season.
The Anfield outfit are still nowhere near ready to start challenging for the Premier League **** le despite their almost £200 million spend in the summer.
Many players have their futures hanging in the balance with some even already looking for potential ways to exit L4 in January.
However, it's not only the potential exit of players that Liverpool need to worry about.
Virgil van Dijk is still one of Liverpool's most important players.

#league

Diego Simeone says Atlético Madrid must improve at the back to start winning again.
Atlético have had a difficult week with Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League defeat at Liverpool following the 3-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao last weekend.
They return to La Liga action at Real Sociedad on Saturday seeking to rediscover the form that brought them seven points from their first three matches.
"We have room for improvement, but the team has done some very good things," Atlético boss Simeone said ahead of his side's trip to San Sebastián.
"We need to improve defensively to keep clean sheets and have more opportunities to improve because we've scored in every match except one.

#madrid #league #bilbao

| Saturday, September 12th |
Premier League | Anfield
3PM BST/10AM EST
A couple of words maybe a single short para serving as a micro preview for the match, why it's important, what the main concerns are, or whatever. Mostly it's to make sure the word count gets up to 170 so that the story gets picked up by search.
PREVIEW & HOW TO WATCH
Full Match Preview: Liverpool vs. Fulham
Television & Streaming: No Legal Coverage Still in 2026 (UK); NBCSN & Peacock (USA); Stan Sport (Australia); FuboTV (Canada); Star Sports 3 Asia (India); Astro Premier League (Malaysia); SuperSport Maximo 2 (Nigeria); StarHub TV+ (Singapore); SuperSport Maximo 2 (South Africa); other listings at LiveSoccerTV

#league #match #september

Liverpool head into another Premier League test with momentum building, and Virgil van Dijk has made the message clear. Good performances matter, results matter more, but consistency is what separates serious sides from the rest.
After a comeback win over Atletico Madrid in midweek and a 2-0 league victory against Ipswich Town before that, Liverpool now have the chance to make it three wins on the bounce at Anfield against Fulham. The captain is not interested in noise or sentiment. He is focused on standards.
In his programme notes, Van Dijk said: "After an important and, in my opinion, well-deserved win over Atletico Madrid, it is great to be back at Anfield again this afternoon as we return to Premier League action against Fulham.
"I thought the atmosphere on Wednesday night was exceptional, particularly in the second half as we chased the victory.
"I have said many times that we are at our best when everyone is pushing together, and I hope you can see how hard we are all working to give you a team to be proud of."

#premier #dijk #fulham

A fourth nine-figure signing? One club has slapped enormous valuations on their players - and that will hit Liverpool.
Liverpool have spent unprecedented amounts of cash in the last two summers. They've gone from zero nine-figure signings to three a little over a year, completely reshaping their attack with elite talent.
Now, it should be said that the transfers haven't quite delivered yet. Liverpool took a giant step backwards last season and are trying to get back on track in this campaign under Andoni Iraola.
And we should stress that the squad building process is not done. Richard Hughes has left behind a very imbalanced squad, one which lacks a right-winger as well as midfield depth.
The Reds must re-enter the market in 2027 to correct things, then, and they've naturally had a look at three players from Iraola's former club, Bournemouth. However, none of those players are coming cheap.

#they 've #figure #last #andoni

Alexander Isak is excited to build an understanding with Bradley Barcola and has hailed the winger as a 'big signing' for Liverpool.
Barcola became Liverpool's latest marquee signing after arriving from Paris Saint-Germain for an initial £106m at the end of the summer transfer window.
The France international made his full debut during Liverpool's 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in midweek, featuring for an hour at Anfield.
Barcola has won theChampions League in each of the last two seasons and Isak said there has been excitement in the squad at his arrival. Speaking to liverpoolfc.com, he said he was confident Barcola could have a big impact.
"Of course, it's a big signing for us and he's a great player that we all know very well from what he's done previously," said Isak.

#isak #Paris

Liverpool have made a lot of changes to their squad this summer.
Some players such as Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones have been moved on, while others, such as Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet have been brought in.
It's not just their playing staff what have changed either with a decent chunk of the Reds' backroom staff also being re-jigged.
Richard Hughes is now Al-Hilal's sporting director and Michael Edwards just decided to quit after Fenway Sports Group's multi-club model was thrown in the bin.
Even though all these changes have been made, it still feels like more needs to be done before Liverpool are ready to be seen as genuine contenders for the Premier League ******* le again.

#Liverpool #jones #victor

Richarlison still has suitors despite failed move, Philippe Coutinho agrees Santos deal and Manchester United monitor Adrien Truffert.
Clubs remain interested in Brazil forward Richarlison, 29, after the collapse of his proposed move from Tottenham to Vasco da Gama. (UOL - in Portuguese)
Former Brazil forward Philippe Coutinho has agreed to spend three months with Santos as the 34-year-old, once of Liverpool and Aston Villa, decides whether he wants to keep playing having been a free agent since February when he left Vasco da Gama. (Globo - in Portuguese)
Manchester United are closely monitoring Bournemouth's Adrien Truffert, the 24-year-old France left-back who is valued at £60m. (Teamtalk)
Liverpool remain keen on Inter Milan's Aleksandar Stankovic after making an enquiry about the 21-year-old Serbia midfielder this summer. (Teamtalk)

#truffert

Arsenal have brought in outside consultants to evaluate the club's internal operations and identify areas for improvement.
Mikel Arteta's squad claimed the Premier League ****** le last season, setting off a wave of celebrations throughout North London, as per football.london.
The Gunners then came within a penalty shootout of lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy for the first time in their storied history, falling narrowly to Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
5 reasons to back Phil Parkinson when the going gets tough - a cut out and keep guide for fans
Bradley Barcola breaks silence after completing $166.6 million Liverpool transfer

#mikel

There's a new Sadio Mane on the scene, and he's incredible.
Liverpool fans will forever remember the memories of that incredible trio under Jurgen Klopp. Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino were unplayable on their day.
They could do whatever they wanted. Defenders were terrified of facing them.
It was a spectacular era. One of the best periods of many supporters' lives. Witnessing their magic at Anfield was truly an indelible experience.
Liverpool are now trying to recreate that with a new exciting trio. In Bradley Barcola and Alexander Isak they have two of the three attackers they need.

#sadio #trio #jurgen #roberto

Andoni Iraola has sent a message to Liverpool across his first few games in charge. It's puts the Reds in a difficult position.
We've now seen what Andoni Iraola is about over his first four matches in charge of Liverpool. The Spaniard has tried to develop the team quickly, hoping to get them pressing higher and playing with more energy than last season.
That was very apparent in the wins over Ipswich Town and Atlético Madrid. The latter was a particularly impressive win in the UEFA Champions League and it was the Reds' high press that made it happen.
What Iraola needs, then, is to get a hold of the right players for the right roles. That includes figuring who in this current bunch are capable of delivering what he needs.
And one decision he appears to have made on that puts Liverpool in a very tricky position.

#andoni #first

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O'Rourke claimed that Liverpool are keen on recruiting Bournemouth winger Rayan. O'Rourke said,
"There's obvious links between Rayan and the Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola.
"Iraola was at Bournemouth when they signed him, and obviously he made a massive impact there, he got seven goal contributions in 15 games which is pretty good going.
"Obviously, links with Liverpool are pretty easy to come up with in that respect because of who the manager is.
"Iraola is a big fan of his, having worked with him before, so of course it is a possibility and Liverpool will be keeping a close eye on his performances for Bournemouth this season.

#rayan #manager #pretty #speaking

Princess Kate made a deeply meaningful jewelry choice as she joined Prince William for a surprise appearance in Liverpool on Thursday.
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#kate #prince #Liverpool

Liverpool still have a lot of work that needs to be done on their team.
The Anfield outfit's depth outside of their starting XI isn't the best with players such as Lewis Koumas and Trey Nyoni taking up prominent places in their squad.
Indeed, the fact that youngsters are being used as regular first-team players is obviously a breath of fresh air from Arne Slot's time in charge of the club but, for a team of Liverpool's calibre, they shouldn't have to be relying on players such as Koumas to play regular roles.
In the future, he could obviously come good and meet his potential but, at the moment, it's not ideal for the Reds to be using him week-in and week-out.
Obviously, some additions need to be made to Liverpool's attack before they're on the same level as some of their ***** le rivals but, there are also other areas among their ranks that could do with another upgrade or two.

#obviously

Enzo Maresca faces his first major test since stepping into Pep Guardiola's shoes as City visit United in the Manchester derby on Sunday, while ******* nal aim to extend their flawless start at Sunderland.
Alongside last season's top two, only newly-promoted Hull remain unbeaten but their brilliant start faces an acid test against Xabi Alonso's free-scoring Chelsea.
At the other end of the table, Fulham have yet to register a point under Alvaro Arbeloa ahead of their tough trip to Liverpool.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the weekend's action:
Haaland hungry for more

#enzo

Great Britain's Neal Skupski and his American partner Christian Harrison are through to the US Open men's doubles final after beating top seeds Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara.
The Australian Open champions secured a 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 win in an hour and 23 minutes and are yet to drop a set at this year's tournament.
Liverpool-born Skupski, 36, is hoping to claim his fifth Grand Slam **** le and third in the men's doubles.
After success at Wimbledon in 2023 with Wesley Koolhof and in Australia earlier this year alongside Harrison, Skupski once again has a maiden triumph at Flushing Meadows in his sights.
He and fellow Briton Joe Salisbury missed three championship points when they lost last year's final.

#neal #christian

Kate Middleton made a surprise appearance with Prince William on Thursday, Sept. 10
The Prince and Princess of Wales joined sports stars to talk about mental health care on World Suicide Prevention Day
Princess Kate wore a pair of earrings that were gifted to her in 2023 by a mother whose daughter died by suicide
Kate Middleton sent a meaningful message with her accessories during a surprise appearance with Prince William on Thursday, Sept. 10.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 44, joined sports stars at Hill ****** inson Stadium in Liverpool to help launch a new mental health guide as they marked World Suicide Prevention Day.

#princess #middleton #thursday #sept

Arsenal are among the clubs keeping a close watch on AIK teenager Kevin Filling, with the 17-year-old increasingly viewed as one of the more intriguing young attacking prospects in Sweden.
According to Caught Offside, **** nal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Juventus have all tracked the forward in recent weeks, with scouts reported to have attended AIK matches in Stockholm. The interest centres on a player described as a potential "project signing", a label that feels particularly relevant in **** nal's case.
Filling has already stepped into senior football and is drawing attention for a profile that clubs value highly. His blend of size, pace and adaptability makes him an attractive option in a market where elite teenage talent can become significantly more expensive in a short **** e of time. Standing at around 1.85m, he can play through the middle or from the left as an inverted winger, while his "physical strength, acceleration and versatility" are understood to be among the key reasons for the growing demand.
There is a clear logic to **** nal's interest. The report states that **** nal "view Filling as a long-term project signing" and that he could be "developed carefully and potentially become part of the first-team picture over the next few seasons". That aligns with a recruitment approach focused on securing premium young talent before it fully explodes in value.
Photo: IMAGO

#filling #young #become

| Wednesday, September 9th |
Champions League | Anfield
8PM BST/3PM EST
Liverpool kick off the league phase of their 2026-27 Champions League campaign on Wednesday night under the lights at Anfield and while reality might always play out differently, on paper at least it seems likely to be the toughest test they will face before the knockout rounds—assuming, of course, that they make it that far.
It's also the first time new head coach Andoni Iraola will manage in the Champions League, having previously only managed AEK Larnaca in the Europa League in 2018-19, which required him to navigate six qualification matches before finishing third in their group behind Bayer Leverkusen and FC Zürich.
Wednesday, then, will be a much sterner test than he's faced before, at least in Europe. The Premier League though is no walk in the park, and Iraola has played and managed against Diego Simeone sides from his time as a player at Athletic Bilbao and then as a manager at Rayo Vallecano. One wouldn't expect, then, for anything he does see on Wednesday night to be truly unexpected or beyond his ability to prepare for.
Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1)

#least

How to watch Champions League: Live streams, TV channels and latest fixtures for 2026/27 season schedule originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The return of the UEFA Champions League has fans anticipating a thrilling competition from start to finish, as the most prestigious knockout soccer tournament in the world soldiers on seeking to crown a new champion for the 2026/27 season.
Two-time defending ***** le-holders Paris Saint-Germain are now looking to become just the third club ever to win three consecutive European championships.
They will look to hold off last year's finalists ***** nal as well as fellow Premier League giants Man City and Liverpool. Other top contenders include Real Madrid helmed by Champions League icon Jose Mourinho, their Clasico rivals Barcelona, German giants Bayern Munich, and many other massive European brands.
All roads lead to the final on June 5, 2027 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

#live

Liverpool have signed a "milestone" new shirt sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines, understood to be worth more than £60million ($81.2 million) a year.
The company, which has signed a five-year contract, becomes only the sixth in the club's history to have its name on the front of the shirt.
Liverpool believe it could be the most lucrative deal in Premier League history, although Manchester United's agreement with Snapdragon is claimed to be worth a similar amount.
Turkish Airlines will replace Standard Chartered, which has sponsored the club since 2010, with the current deal estimated to be worth in the region of £50m a season. The bank will become a global partner from next term.
"This is a milestone announcement for us and we are delighted to welcome Turkish Airlines as our main club partner from June 2027," chief commercial officer Ben Latty said.

#shirt

Alexis Mac Allister has revealed that Liverpool told him the club were not in a position to renew his contract and that he had options to leave in the summer.
Mac Allister's current contract at Liverpool is set to expire in 2028 and discussions over a renewal have failed to reach an agreement.
The failed talks leave the Argentine in an uncertain situation, after teammates Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch signed new long-term deals.
Mac Allister has revealed that Liverpool told his agents that the club were 'not in a position to renew' and has expressed his disappointment at the outcome of the talks.
Speaking to the media ahead of Liverpool'sChampions League clash with Atletico Madrid, Mac Allister said it was 'sad' that renewal talks did not lead to fresh terms.

#allister

Liverpool's Champions League campaign begins at Anfield on Wednesday, with Atletico Madrid providing an immediate test for Andoni Iraola and a squad still adjusting to life under their new head coach.
Iraola arrives at his first European fixture with some momentum. Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Ipswich Town on Friday ended a run of two successive 2-2 draws, with Alexander Isak scoring twice and Cody Gakpo supplying both ****** ists. It was the sort of result that gives a new manager some breathing room, although Atletico Madrid will represent a very different proposition.
Alexis Mac Allister was the first Liverpool player to face the media at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday, and inevitably, his future was one of the main talking points.
The Argentina international confirmed there had been a genuine possibility of leaving Liverpool during the summer, following uncertainty over a new contract.
"There was a chance, of course," Mac Allister said. "I received the news that the club wasn't in a position to offer me a new contract, which made me sad."

#atletico #allister #Liverpool

Alexis Mac Allister has admitted he was left "very, very sad" after being told Liverpool were not in a position to offer him a new contract.
The midfielder ultimately decided to remain at Anfield this summer despite having opportunities to leave, and insists he will continue to give everything for the club.
But he says seeing team-mates Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch sign new deals has made his own situation more difficult.
"There was a chance [I could have left the club in the summer]," Mac Allister said.
"As everyone knows, I received the news that the club was not in a position to offer me a new contract, which makes me very, very sad.

#allister #offer #contract #alexis

Inter are ready to take center stage in the Champions League once again. After the League Phase draw, the Nerazzurri discovered their path in Europe's top competition, which has already thrown up at least a couple of thrilling matchups!
The Italian champions are heading back to the Bernabeu, the stadium where in May 2010 captain Zanetti and his teammates lifted the third Champions League ******* le in the Nerazzurri's history, 45 years after their second. Back then, José Mourinho was in charge of Inter, but this time he will be on the other side, in the Real dugout.
But Chivu's team will also face two tough games against Liverpool and Dortmund, which will in all likelihood play a major role in their chances of direct qualification.
Matchday 1 (September 8, 2026, 9:00 PM): Real Madrid vs Inter.
Matchday 2 (October 13, 2026, 9:00 PM): Inter vs Club Brugge.

#Inter #league #real #phase

At the end of the 2026-27 season, Liverpool will have had Standard Chartered as their primary shirt sponsor for 17 years. For the 18 years before that, Carlsberg were the shirt sponsor. Both sponsors crossed managerial eras, saw badge changes, and became **** ociated with the front of a Liverpool kit to the point they almost faded into the background.
Next season, for the first time in 35 years, there will be a new one, with the club announcing today that Turkish Airlines had agreed a five-year deal reportedly worth upwards of £300M that will see them become the club's new primary shirt sponsor.
Though some sponsorship deals have a higher total value, those include stadium and other naming rights and Liverpool's new deal is said to be the must lucrative in the Premier League for a front of shirt sponsor. In addition to being the first new sponsor in 35 years, Turkish Airlines will become just the sixth shirt sponsor in the club's history.
Liverpool got their first with Hitachi (1979-1982) before moving to Crown Paints (1982-1988), Candy (1988-1992), Carlsberg (1992-2010), and then Standard Chartered (2010-2027) .
"This is a milestone announcement for us and we are delighted to welcome Turkish Airlines from June 2027," said Liverpool Chief Commercial Officer Ben Latty in a press release. "The front of the Liverpool shirt holds a special place in the history of our Club, and we look forward to building a strong relationship—with already strong foundations built from those special memories back in 2005.

#shirt #turkish #chartered

Turkish Airlines will become Liverpool's new front-of-shirt sponsor from the start of the 2027/28 season, the Premier League giants announced on Tuesday.
No fee was disclosed by the club, but the BBC reported that the five-year deal was worth £300 million ($406 million) in total.
A contract worth more than £60 million a season, would represent an increase on the current £50 million-per-season deal with retail bank Standard Chartered, who have been the Reds' front-of-shirt sponsor since 2010.
Liverpool's new deal is believed to be the most lucrative purely front-of-shirt agreement in Premier League history, with **** nal and Manchester City's agreements with Emirates and Etihad Airways respectively also involving stadium naming rights.
By contrast, six-time European champions Liverpool's home ground is still solely known by its original name of Anfield.

#million #front #sponsor #worth