David Lynch ep 15

Barney

Hello and welcome to our latest episode talking all things Liverpool. I'm Barney Cork, you're the editor of SportsMile. Delighted to say as always I'm joined by Liverpool expert David Lynch and David we've got a lot to talk about this week.

Sal has been active on social media, again there's been a lot of fallout with Trent Alexander-Arnold and his performance in the Manchester United game and that United game is where we'll start.

Manchester United draw

Barney

A tool draw, a very disappointing result compared to what was expected I think. I think most people would have backed a heavy Liverpool win, maybe another five niller, maybe even over the seven niller, more than you know United coming and getting something out of that game.

But credit to United, they came, they turned up, they were bang up for it more than they have been in other games. Liverpool weren't at the races, it was a really disappointing and underwhelming performance from them I felt. It's just, I mean it's been overblown.

I think it feels like a worse result and it's portrayed as a worse result than it actually is. A home draw against Manchester United when Arsenal and Chelsea also draw on the same weekend. But it didn't really feel a lot of the time like a Liverpool-Manchester United game.

Certainly from the Liverpool point of view it felt to me more like you know the Liverpool-Southampton game where they just turned up and expected to win and I suppose therein maybe lied quite a lot of the problem.

David

Yeah, it was a big surprise. I mean you know, the start of the day it's 14th against a side that's top of the table and absolutely cruising in the title race and so you kind of think it's going to be a straightforward afternoon.

I'm pretty sure I said to you ahead of the game that I thought it was going to be a straightforward game for Liverpool. So it just kind of shows you and to be honest a lot of my kind of feeling around it as well was that Liverpool wouldn't fall into some of the same traps they did last year in not beating United three times. I mean that would obviously, you'd imagine that would have served as a bit of a warning that United can raise the game a little bit for these games.

They can, you know, they've got very good players who should be playing better generally. So you know, they're very capable of turning up and when they put the effort in of making life difficult for you. But Liverpool seemed to be kind of caught by surprise of the fact that United were you know running all over the pitch, closing down, had a good system and a good setup and then were able to kind of you know close all the spaces in the defensive aspect but then be really, really dangerous on the break and yeah just frustrating I guess from Liverpool's perspective that they were caught by surprise by that and you know it did feel a little bit at times during the game and I think this is the worst aspect from Liverpool's perspective is that they were possibly being outworked by Manchester United.

It felt like every second ball was landing to United. It felt at times like they had an extra player on the pitch. Now sometimes that's down to setup and how formations are clashing against each other and I do think that was a factor in this game that Amirim's setup was absolutely perfect.

Did a really, really impressive job but sometimes it's just about covering the ground and if you are a second late in the press sometimes it's because you've not fully committed to it and that's something Slott has spoken about in the past. So I think that was the most frustrating aspect from Liverpool's perspective but as you say I do think in the post-match coverage it's been slightly overblown. It's been kind of talked about as Manchester United completely outplaying Liverpool and it's a travesty almost that they didn't win.

I don't agree with that take at all. For me Liverpool still had the majority and the best of the chances. Obviously United get that late one through Harry Maguire and that sticks in your mind but you know you look at the expected goals numbers it more tallies with what we actually saw in terms of Liverpool creating more chances being generally more dominant but it was still a very, very good performance from Manchester United along with that.

I thought in the end even saying that I thought a draw was a fair result. I thought if United would have nicked it would have been kind of really harsh on Liverpool to be honest. So I guess from Liverpool's perspective they've got to kind of say maybe they take the positive from that in that their floor is not so low and they can still even play poorer than they have in many games this season.

They can still take a draw against a side who play very well and they're big rivals but obviously not a performance that they'll want to repeat and they will be disappointed not to have taken all three points because it would have just added even further pressure onto Arsenal albeit they're still in a very good position.

Barney

Yeah I mean the positives are that I suppose it's a bit of a backhanded compliment isn't it the reaction to this because it's Manchester United. We know they can raise their game for a big game.

The question about them has been other games more often than not recently. They've beaten City quite a lot recently when City have been at their very best aside from a few Liverpool games generally those games are pretty hard fought. They raise their game for that and as you say when Liverpool drop their game and Manchester United really raise their game to certainly their best I think performance under Amarim and one of their best of the season and to still come away with that with a draw you know that is a positive and that showcases and I think the reaction of both camps you know Manchester United's reaction to getting that door even Manchester United's reaction to getting that first goal when they went crazy in that corner of the ground compared to Liverpool's reaction of being so upset with the draw highlights the sort of difference between the two sides at the moment but then also the other side of that is obviously Liverpool went into that match expecting to win and it is dropped points but as I alluded to earlier you know Arsenal and Chelsea also dropped points so I think Liverpool have been you know they've been excellent this season by any metric you know in any season they'd be up there challenging for the title.

The times where they have dropped points or dropped off performance it seems like Arsenal and Chelsea have also dropped off a bit. I mean we're going to have to throw Forrest into the mix as well we've got them next up in the league and they just keep six wins in a row for them now so we need to include them in the conversation but feels like Liverpool have had things going a bit their way in terms of other teams dropping points when they drop points but also when not at their very best they're still managing to grind out results maybe not wins every single time like this time but they're not losing games.

David

That's it very very difficult to be only one defeat in all competitions this season so it kind of says a lot about the team and as I said it just says a lot about where the floor of this team is which is you know I think an important thing in terms of raising that and making sure that even when you're not at your best you're still at a level where you can get a result against a side who are playing really well and putting absolutely everything into it and I think you spot on really about the reaction of the two teams did feel kind of telling you know felt like at the end that the United kind of at the away end were kind of celebrating you know a great result for them and Liverpool's players were kind of sloping off with the shoulders drooping but you know the reality is that that is only a point for United and a point for Liverpool.

As I say probably could have been and should have been more for Liverpool really and it just reminded me so much of the fact that you know years a few years back when when Liverpool would get the odd decent results against Manchester United and you would think now this is fantastic this is great and then Manchester United would inevitably go on and win the title and Liverpool wouldn't get very much at all so it did feel a little bit like that and just a reminder as well that you know your rivals if you put everything into these kind of games can make them more even they can level things up and United did a brilliant job of that but I also don't think Liverpool should take it as too big a blow or too big of a commentary on where they are up to at the moment it's just kind of one of those games and if they move on now and get back on a winning run then you know I already think there's very little doubt that they will go on and win the league I just think you know you look at all the numbers and the underlying metrics they're in and then the fact that they're six points ahead with a with a game in hand as well they're looking very very in very very good shape and just need to quickly shake this disappointment off.

Barney

Yeah I must say when that ball fell to Maguire I had flashbacks of O'Shea and Ferdinand and those centre backs popping up and scoring winners for United in the last minute but thankfully that didn't happen but it's also I think a good sort of warning shot that you know we are six points clear with a game in hand unbelievable positions being you know every other team would bite your hand off to be in that position but you know you're not out of sight just yet it only takes the bad spell of three or so games for that level that playing field to be leveled and if Maguire does score that you know then that's one of those games that your rivals have made ground on so yeah without too much damage being done it is a warning sign isn't it these types of performances and even these types of results?

David

Yeah I mean I don't think personally that Arsenal are capable of going on this 14-15 game winning run that keeps getting spoken about. I just think there's you know we've seen already there are too many weaknesses in that side and they're already without now their best player for the next two and a half months it's just going to be too big of a miss so I really can't see them showing the sort of form that Liverpool did at the best or Manchester City at the best and already we know this is an Arsenal squad that's never surpassed 90 points anyway.

So you know I'm not too concerned about that being a factor but I think for Liverpool they kind of have to think and play like that is going to happen and you know really get their heads down and because they could you know they could wrap it up quite quickly if they do do that because as I say I think the weaknesses from Arsenal there, City are gone now Chelsea are gone I think it's what is it 10 points with the game in hand for Liverpool so they've only really got one title rival there.

You know as I say if they can win five or six on the bounce I think you're in a position where you're already putting Arsenal out the race even at this early stage because you know they've not even won four Premier League games on the bounce this season so that that's got to be the aim for Liverpool now is you know you can I think there's been a few mitigating factors around some of the more disappointing results and they've all been draws really haven't they recently you know red cards injuries that they've had difficult weather all these sort of aspects thrown together but I think now you know you've got to look forward to this run that's coming up and think you know no matter what the mitigation is there you know let's get our heads down and kind of show that we can we can get at least quite near to 90 points and if we do that I think they'll they'll win the title comfortably.

Barney

Yeah I was surprised to hear after the Forest game last night that Forest are the first team to win six in a row in the Premier League this season which is is incredible but that's good news for Liverpool because it shows that the other teams chasing them you know those are the runs they need to go on more than six wins in a row to really catch Liverpool so yeah that's good news unless Forest go and do it which still surely surely is impossible but you know they're demanding that they're in the conversation at this stage.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Barney

Okay the I mean probably the main narrative coming out of that Manchester United game is Trent Alexander-Arnold and his performance there's no getting around that it was it was a poor performance his worst under slot for me so far certainly defensively it just seemed you know one of the worst Trent performances from pre-slot you know not really interested not chasing back I'm always reluctant to go for knee-jerk reactions or to draw jump to conclusions really but obviously it does come in that same week as the the Real Madrid offer got rejected and news of that broke what do you make of it do you make of it as a distracted performance or we have seen performances like from from Trent like this before do you is it just a coincidence what do you make of it?

David

To be honest for me I thought possibly the worst I've ever seen him play for Liverpool to me I would genuinely go that far I mean you know I felt I felt that in the ground watching him didn't he just didn't feel like he was coming out on top of any battle and then he was you know and then you look at the numbers and zero out of five duels won, he doesn't win a single tackle in the match.

Then you know sometimes okay if he's not going to be great defensively you think about all that upside that he offers on the ball and yet it creates one chance I think he doesn't succeed with a single cross that he puts into the box out of six attempts so you know and that's looking at the numbers after knowing you know watching it and feeling it in the ground that he didn't play very well at all.

So as I say I think it was for me the worst performance he's put into Liverpool and so you know you immediately then your mind goes to well why is this happening, why has he put it in now you know particularly in a game where he'd be so desperate to play well as a Liverpool fan against Manchester United the biggest game in the Premier League for me, and you know what why is this happening and you know you have to make that jump that you know it's inevitable that you will think it's something to do with these bids going in the interest from Real Madrid.

The fact he for me clearly hasn't made a decision on what he wants to do yet you know you will make that link and interestingly actually you know that's the first time I've ever seen the crowd in Anfield sort of make that jump and you know take that perception on board. You know I've seen it on social media so many times he's had maybe rough moments at any point in this season that people have oh his head's been turned, but it's the first time I've heard the crowd around me in the press box suggest it and it did at times you know get a little bit toxic.

Now I feel for Trent in that regard and you know it's probably not his fault that Real Madrid are creating all the fuss and you know his initial aim was to kind of keep it in-house he didn't want it played out in public was the phrase he used wasn't it but I think we're getting to the point where that it's no longer his chutz and you know I think what he's wanted to do is kind of leave himself, you know, this option open of Real Madrid so that he can use it as leverage as leveraging contract talks but also it is there as a potential option if he can't agree with Liverpool or if he just essentially decides okay I'm actually going to do this at the end of the season.

But in doing that and playing both sides off against each other he's allowed Real Madrid the kind of agency to step in and create a narrative and use marker and the Spanish dailies to kind of whip up a storm a little bit and then also start popping bids in in January. You know, I don't think that's because Trent definitely wants to go in January I don't think he's made his mind up about what he wants to do but he's left that option open so for me it's no longer kind of it's no longer available to him as an option to to remain silent on this.

I think he pretty much has to make a decision soon because I think we saw the first signs in that game that if if he puts in any poor performances things are going to turn because people are like well why haven't you come out in the way that Van Dijk and Salah have you know why haven't you said something about this and yeah as much as it's I think it's about wanting to keep it in-house I also think it's because he wants to kind of have his cake and eat it and leave both options open and as I say if the crowd starts turning against you in those situations and we have I have not heard a peep about that outside of social media up until Sunday but if that starts to turn it starts to get toxic, it becomes very very difficult.

So I just don't think he can delay making a decision any longer or speaking about this publicly because it's it is starting to turn and it's I know for a fact it's going to be something that manager talks about in his press conference today and again it's becoming a big storm so yeah I think he has to say something soon or just just make that decision either way.

Barney

Yeah I mean the fact that the crowd did start to turn is pretty indicative of how bad the performance was because he I mean he's been great this season and the counter argument to you know the suggestion that his head's been turned is that this well-rounded speculation has been there for years certainly months certainly all season while his contract's out obviously the the update of the you know the deal being the offer being rejected is a big update and there's that direct correlation but you know is that he would have known that is that big enough of an update to to suddenly see him his levels drop that much is is that direct correlation enough?

David

We can't really know outside you know outside of getting inside his head and and as I say it almost doesn't matter whether it actually was that that's caused the performance because it's all about the perception and he's left that avenue open for that perception to be created whereby it's, you know, like I said you know guys around me sort of shouting you know you know if you want to go then go things like that

So you know, it might not be true he might it but this is the problem as well is that he is definitely leaving the Real Madrid auction open because he hasn't told them no. We know that for a fact if he told them no there wouldn't be all this noise, there wouldn't be bids going in because as much as it's not maybe him inviting the bid, he's definitely not told them that he doesn't want the bid to go in because if he told them that Real Madrid would drop away and and start looking at alternative targets.

So he is leaving the option open and that as I say you know in doing that it is almost like having your cake and eating it and he's and he's creating the the opportunity for that perception to be created so I just think he he has to make the decision now. He has to do something.

You know I've been a big supporter almost of the idea that he would remain silent on it because you know not everything does have to be played out in public but Real Madrid are taking that away from him now - they are playing it out in public - and it's becoming a big issue and it might it might become a bigger issue and certainly if his form continues in that way and we see more performances like that then it will be a huge issue.

So yeah I think it's just something he has to address now and not necessarily even has to address it publicly but he has to say to Real Madrid whether he's going or not he has to bring an end to this circus and he has to give Liverpool a good idea of what he wants to do because I just this this can't continue it's not sustainable because that was that was as poor as I've ever seen him in Liverpool's shirt and you know whether it was linked to this or not as I say the perception is there

Barney

And he needs a reaction on the pitch as well you know this is one one bad game one really poor game but as you as you say he's now seen a glimpse and only a small glimpse from only one game of what will happen if he puts in substandard performances stay or go you know if he puts on substandard performances for the rest of the season it's going to tarnish his Liverpool legacy that's you know it's an unfortunate fact that if he you know takes his eye off the ball you know god forbid Liverpool miss out on trophy but partially because of that form as well it will definitely tarnish his legacy so the thing he needs more than anything now is I think is a good performance on the pitch to put that one to bed show it was a one-off just a blip and maybe it's the kick he needs to show okay I can't get away with this even in one game okay big game against biggest rivals if you're going to pick one game not to do that it's that game but it's sort of showing him he won't be able to get away with it won't be able to get away with it the fans I felt maybe he got away with it slightly with Arnie Slott I think he should have taken him off earlier we praised Arnie Slott a lot um for his in-game management but I think he got that one wrong and I do wonder this is a speculation I wonder whether he was thinking of the the situation as a whole if you bring Alexander-Arnold off at half time or even 60 minutes I know that's when the goal started going in but you know that then becomes an even bigger story Trent's not going to be happy about that maybe even nudges him a bit closer to the exit door I wonder if that came into his thinking rather than you know this is the best to win this match I wonder if that came into Slott's thinking um but I don't think his patience is going to last too many more performances with that especially with Conor Bradley waiting in the wings as well.

David

To be honest the only reason I think that he held off making that substitution early was the fact that Conor Bradley was just back and that he was just back from a hamstring injury specifically. You know the risk of re-injury there is quite high they're very very cautious from my experience this kind of football staff in terms of returns from muscle injuries they're very very careful about that so I just think he didn't want to throw Conor Bradley in but again I don't think Conor Bradley's performance did Trent any favors as well. He was on the pitch for around 10 minutes I think he wins three out of three duels, he just looked more committed he looked like someone who wanted to be there which is not, you know rightly or wrongly, it's not the vibe that you got from Trent was it either.

So um yeah just just not a helpful day for him in all really, and you know I did think some of the stuff from fans kind of went too far but one thing I would say is that they've actually been quite patient about this. Really like I said I haven't heard anything out of them regarding this at all this season or you know even prior to this season or any suggestions of kind of discord about it or unhappiness um but you know if you are leaving the door open to go into Real Madrid that that in itself says something doesn't it.

It kind of you know if you're a die-hard Liverpool fan it's maybe not something you would necessarily do and so you know the fact that they've kind of cracked was inevitable really and as I say it just speaks to the fact that I think a decision just has to be made and this has to be put to the bed because you you know he's possibly going to have more poor games to see now in the end of season that is football maybe not hopefully not as bad as that but he might have a game where it just doesn't work out for him for whatever reason and if that happens then we have to listen to that again it becomes a bigger story again it just it's just toxic and it's absolutely what not what Liverpool need and as much as Liverpool themselves are responsible for this contract situation the fact it's got here you know the change in sporting directors the power that Jurgen Klopp was given these are all factors and I do think that the player himself has played a role as well so he's not entirely without blame.

Mohamed Salah

Barney

Yeah okay on to another one of the contract three Mo Salah again of course we speak about him every week I'm about to reel off some more incredible stats he didn't actually have his very best game against Manchester United but still on the score sheet quick pop quiz for you can can you remember the last time he didn't either score or get an assist in a Premier League game?

David

A couple of years ago I'm not sure it feels like a long time ago now!

Barney

October 5th unbelievable every game for the last three months in the Premier League he's either scored or assisted that is unbelievable I know I'd be interested to see what the record is for consecutive games in the Premier League with a goal or assist because he must be nearing that if he hasn't broken it already every game for three months that's unbelievable and there's only four games in all competitions all season where he hasn't registered either a goal or assist the last one in all competitions was Real Madrid November 27th only two in the Premier League and then two in other competitions as well it's just staggering for him he's not got the same number of family goals as Thierry Henry the penalty against Manchester United means he's broken Luis Suarez's record for most goal contributions in half a season and that's Suarez season I always regard as maybe the best ever individually in Premier League history so he's right up there in that conversation if he carries on I mean it's been an incredible first half of the season if he does the same over the second half of the season he'll finish it fourth on the all-time scorers list third on the all-time list of goal contributions for Premier League I mean you'll probably keep it short because we've whacked Liverpool we've said everything there is to say about him but just every single week these seem to crop up these incredible statistics.

David

Yeah he should probably sign a new contract to be honest he's uh he's pretty special isn't he yeah it just yeah this is it the whole debate around his contract was about you know this this decline that's coming and you know it will come we've got to acknowledge that that will happen at some point but when you're performing at the level of someone who's as you say almost best Premier League individual season you ever seen I would agree with that as well when you when you're matching those levels at this point you still think you're going to get at least another couple of good seasons out of Osala I would say just it just takes out all the risk element around his contracts for me particularly if kind of a couple of years is what they're looking at which I think will be probably the length and it just seems like an absolute no-brainer to get it done so yeah special player and I think you know he's so desperate to stay and you look at the way he looks at the fans and the celebrations after the goal he he just loves it and he wants to stay and I think when you've got arguably the best player in the world at the moment you know wanting to stay then Liverpool will surely get this one done.

Barney

Yeah and after the game another cheeky Instagram post from him captionless this time but with those three out of contract players in it and we tell you as editor of a sports news website who's been trying to find an image of those three together for articles about this for a long time they're very hard to find he's gone digging for that one so he knows exactly what he's doing uh but I mean what did you make of that just another little nudge towards the club isn't it?

David

Yeah and you know he is kind of wanting to you know take the very opposite kind of tactic to Trent really isn't he in terms of playing this out in public slightly and piling the pressure on it I think he's just using the love the supporters have for him as leverage which he's entitled to do I mean I kind of agree with what Jamie Carragher said which I know Salah himself reacted to in the I think the best way to go about these sorts of things is the way Van Dijk has yet also these are very different characters aren't they and you've got to kind of acknowledge that fact and kind of that's what makes football and life in general interesting that they do approach these things in completely different ways and we've seen that with all three of the the lads who are out of contract and so if you know you almost can't begrudge Salah leveraging his relationship with fans because he's earned it through being an absolute phenom since he since he joined Liverpool and he still is playing it at that level possibly even higher than he ever has at the moment so yeah I guess fair play to him you gotta say and then yeah just just hope and pray that he does sign that contract eventually.

January transfer window

Barney

Okay and a quick roundup of some of the other January transfer window points because obviously those contract situations are dominating things but there has been some news and rumors coming out Federico Chiesa's agent has come out and pretty much said he's staying at Liverpool no real surprise there is there?

David

Yeah I think we spoke about it last time in the you know it would be madness really for Liverpool to put so much work into to getting him fit and ready and then kind of jettison him particularly when there are so many opportunities coming up for him now I mean you look at you know the League Cup doubleheader that's coming up maybe chances for him there or particularly in the second leg maybe that one the FA Cup game that's coming as well and you know you'd expect Liverpool to get through that so again there's another round there that Liverpool should be able to use him in so there's just opportunities to use him and you know you'd like to think he can have an impact in the Premier League and the Champions League as well in the second half of the season I mean again that's two games I didn't mention there the two kind of dead rubbers coming up in the Champions League as well so you need him I think you need that rotational option you know Salah hasn't had many rests so far this season and Chiesa's the real obvious replacement for him on that right hand side so yeah I think I think that's kind of the aim is to make use of him now and he does you know you see the clips from training he looks happy he looks like he's enjoying himself he will be absolutely chomping at the bit to play more frequently but I expect now that Liverpool have got him fit and ready that that will be the plan for him and we will see a lot more of him over the next couple of months which is exciting because it's you know he was an exciting signing and we haven't seen an awful lot of him but he's you know got real potential and he can have an impact so yeah very much looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

Barney

Yeah there's also been speculation over Ben Doak, Crystal Palace rumoured to be very interested in him and rumoured to be thinking of an improved £20 million bid. The reports are that Liverpool are holding out for £30 million currently on loan at Middlesbrough of course doing well there had a great couple of international breaks with Scotland towards the back end of last year which really raised his profile even more and probably added a bit of money to that asking if I'd Liverpool want from him. Ipswich also been interested what do you make of that I mean looks to me like it would be a pretty good deal all round if they can come to terms on a fee.

David

Yeah I mean they might struggle to get the top end of that valuation £30 million maybe it would be kind of in the the high 20s or something like that if they can but you can get that it's a great deal because the fact is that I think the dive's kind of cast on this over the summer that I expected that he would leave in the next two windows. I maybe didn't think it would be in January actually I thought because he'd got that season-long loan and it was good for his development that he'd maybe stay there but it's obviously a real possibility he goes now and but he's clearly going to leave in the next couple of windows. I don't shy away from that that fact because you know I think Liverpool had decided that you know he's obviously clearly a big talent they were right to sign him from Celtic he has developed since then he's showing what he's all about the championship but there's just no pathway for him at Liverpool.

I mean to you know you think of the current six forwards that they've got you know they've got Chiesa fit now so he's the obvious replacement for Salah on the right hand side. Dope doesn't really play in the centre forward role but if he could there's two there Nunes and Jota and obviously that left hand side is completely locked down by Diaz and Gakpo so it's just hard to see where you would you know even going into next season where you would give him the minutes to develop to reach his potential so he has to go elsewhere to do that and so it does make sense and he's not kind of a you know maybe Harvey Elliott's level when he's been in and around the first team for such a long time but has been of the level and ready to do that. I don't think Dope is quite there as impressive as he's been in the championship so yeah it makes sense to kind of move them on now and make a big profit on him.

I don't think it's one that Liverpool will necessarily regret either because of the options they need and the quality level they are looking for. Dope isn't quite there but he could be a very, very good player and it'll be interesting to see how he gets on when he does move but as I say don't know for a fact if that will be in January but I expect if it's not in January he'll definitely move on in the summer.

Barney

Yeah and final rumour to run by you, I mean this is probably never going to happen in January but Nunes there's been a asking price apparently placed on his head and then rumours towards Alexander Isak.

I mean we've spoken about Nunes before I think we both sort of would advocate for a move away and replacing him with someone and Isak I mean he's been incredible for them that would be a big upgrade. What do you see from those rumours?

David

Yeah, so with Nunes, I think we've spoke before about the fact that they expect him to move on in the summer. I think Liverpool, even if he got a decent offer in January, might be a little wary just because they'll think we're in four competitions at the moment. You want to kind of keep that going and he is an option, even though he's struggled a little bit.

I didn't think he was great at the weekend, by the way. But, you know, I think keeping a body around is probably seen as important. So he might be a little bit reluctant to do that deal in January.

But I've heard talk about, you know, Liverpool will be willing to sell for around £55-60 million. I think it would absolutely snap your hand off if he got anything close to that. I think it's going to be lower than that.

But I do think they're definitely gearing up to sell him in the summer. It just clearly hasn't worked out. And I also think the player himself wants to play more frequently than he is doing.

So I would expect that he'd move on in the summer, more so probably than the January. But interesting that there's already rumours about interest in him. And, you know, I think there will be a market for him because as disappointing as he's been for Liverpool, he's still got a decent number of goals, decent number of assists.

And I think it could work out for him in a kind of slightly weaker league. So I think there will be a market for him. But I think it's quite clear now that he will be moved on in the summer at the latest, albeit I think Liverpool will be reluctant in January, as I say, for the reasons of just keeping an extra body around.

Tottenham Hotspur

Barney

OK, looking ahead quickly to Tottenham, the League Cup semi-final first leg coming up in midweek, less than three weeks since that incredible 6-3 win at the same ground. Poster Coggley, who's made it pretty clear throughout the season that he's not been a change.

So can we expect another one of those 6-3, like, spectaculars?

David

Yeah, I mean, you've got every chance, haven't you? I don't think Tottenham's defence is going to be looking any better in terms of personnel. They've got real fitness issues there, haven't they? I think I feel a bit fringed, actually, because I don't think that's been talked about enough as one of the reasons they are so bad at the moment. It's so makeshift, that defence, isn't it? And that's a big part of the problem.

And for me, you know, I kind of saw the League Cup as, you know, it's a competition where Liverpool should continue to rotate, you know, to make sure that they don't drive the players into the ground. But actually, the way this has fallen now with the FA Cup game at the weekend, I actually think Liverpool should go full strength to kind of keep the rhythm up. And then those players come back in for the Nottingham Forest game that the following week, you know, I think that's the way they should go about it and then heavily rotate for the FA Cup.

So I think Liverpool could go full strength for this one. And, you know, even if it doesn't end up in kind of a 6-3 hammering, should still be extremely confident of winning this. Spurs still have all the same issues.

You know exactly how they're going to approach it. And I think Liverpool should be able to get at them. And if you can build up a decent first leg lead, maybe even gives you a chance to make, you know, not full rotation for the second leg, but a few changes for that one and maybe mix it up a little bit, particularly with the Anfield factor there.

So, yeah, it's one that Liverpool should be kind of looking forward to, and especially to get the United game out of the system as well. So they should have every confidence to get the result there. Well, speaking about United game out of the system, would you start Trent or bring Bradley in for this one? It's just, I mean, the problem Slott has got here is that if he does go relatively full strength or, you know, as close to that as possible, and then Trent isn't in that team, it's not a great look, is it? It kind of is a commentary on his performance.

And I've no doubt he will defend him again in the press conference today. So it's, you know, I probably don't think he can do that, to be honest. I think he'll look at the Atherington game as a chance to give Connor Bradley minutes as well.

So, you know, maybe that nudges him closer to that becoming a genuine competition at right back. But, yeah, with Trent, I think he's going to have to start because he does need to get it out of his system. He does need to play better than he did.

And I'm sure he will. We can't always sort of be focused on the last game is how it's always going to be. You know, we do that too much in football.

Trent's a brilliant player and has been brilliant this season. So I'm sure if he does play, and I expect him to play, that he'll be back to his best or at least close to it.

Barney

Yeah, and especially as you mentioned earlier, Bradley, only just coming back from injury, he might not be ready to start a high-intensity game, which is going to be back and forth all game.

And I think we will learn a lot about Trent's situation and mindset if he does start this game. If he puts in another shock of a performance, then I'd really start to worry. If he fights back and, you know, takes the criticism and uses it as fuel to get better and puts in a great performance, then I don't think there's too much to worry about.

So, yeah, I would start Trent in this game with Bradley against Accrington.

Accrington FA Cup

Barney

And mentioning Accrington very quickly, obviously a huge game for them, but for Liverpool, a very nice game, isn't it? To have at home their 19th in League Two, should be able to put out a very second-string side and still progress in the tournament with this one.

David

Yeah, absolutely.

And as I said, it's just an opportunity. I mean, if you'd have got a draw like Manchester United did, get an Arsenal away, it makes this week so tricky in terms of how do you go about it. Whereas a League Two side at home, it's just too perfect, really.

You know, it allows Slott to go full strength against Spurs and have no worries then that he can completely mix things up. And no matter what sort of side he puts out against Accrington, it's a side that you would expect to get through. And it's also a really good opportunity to know as well, you've got so many fringe players we haven't seen an awful lot of, and you need to keep sharp.

You need to keep them involved. You know, the likes of Butaru Endo, Jerelle Quantz would be great for him to get minutes. You know, Darwin Nunes, try and get him a goal.

It's a really good opportunity to kind of mix things up. So I'm sure that's how Slott will see it as well. And wholesale changes, do you think? Or do you think one or two senior players? I mean, Salah seems to play as a game, but you can't play that one, surely? Yeah, I don't think we'll be seeing Salah.

I don't think we'll be seeing Gravenberg. No chance of Virgil van Dijk either. He might not even... With it being a home game, maybe there'll be in the squad, but I can't see them really being anywhere near this one, because there's no need.

And, you know, quietly, and again, touch wood, don't want to curse them with that, but Liverpool are kind of close to a full-strength squad at the moment as well. So only Joe Gomez injured at the moment, which is, you think about last season, how disastrous that was in terms of injuries. They're in a really good position with that.

So that bodes well for the season. But it also means, you know, you can maybe leave Gravenberg out entirely. You know, he's not been in any league cup squad so far this season, and I do expect him to be in the Spurs one.

He can't miss the FA Cup game entirely then. You've got options like Chiesa to come in. And, yeah, you're in a really good position to go full rotation for that one.

And no matter what side you put out, they should be winning this one comfortably.

Barney

Yeah, they should be, but just the one sort of wary thing is they've still got to get the job done. Because, you know, if you're playing a Man United or an Arsenal, it's not the worst thing to go out in a season like this, in the third round.

But going out to an Atkinson-Stanley at home could be a big enough shock to have a bit of a destabilising. So they do still... It's important they still get the job done this weekend, isn't it?

David

Yeah, but I mean, you think of the quality of the squad, and even if it is 11 changes, I mean, you're bringing in players like Anendo, who's a top-class international, brilliant player, was brilliant for Liverpool last season. Has been very good when he's come on this season.

Someone like Federico Chiesi you're bringing in as a fringe option. Quivine Kelleher in goal. Jharrel Kwan, so as I said, Conor Bradley will get a start.

It's going to be a very, very good team. So it will be the shock of the century if Liverpool were to slip up in that one. So I really don't expect it.

Barney

OK, well teed up. Thank you, David. Thank you, everyone, for watching and listening.

We will be back again, same time, same place next week. See you then.