Liverpool

The Liverpool team bus has been blocked on the road ahead of the club’s scheduled match against Manchester United at Old Trafford Thursday.

Cars have blocked Liverpool's coach from arriving at Old Trafford #mulive [@RedIssue, @DTathletic] pic.twitter.com/igNhOwy3aj

— utdreport (@utdreport) May 13, 2021

There is another bus at team hotel but this is official one (and the tyres have just been let down) pic.twitter.com/w7CeeEXV06

— Daniel Taylor (@DTathletic) May 13, 2021

The match had already been rescheduled from its original May 2 date when Manchester United supporters held a protest against the club's ownership, with some fans breaking into Old Trafford stadium.

There was a heavy security presence outside the ground Thursday in preparation for more protests:

Scenes are pretty calm outside Old Trafford at the moment ahead of Manchester United V Liverpool #MUNLIV pic.twitter.com/4USNAaZAn2

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 13, 2021

Manchester United fans protesting against the club’s ownership outside Old Trafford ahead of the Premier League game against Liverpool https://t.co/fpQvvHL837 pic.twitter.com/6XRtbYliWf

— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) May 13, 2021

Daniel Taylor of The Athletic reported police have begun clearing the road where an estimated 50 fans had gathered.

The protests are directed towards the Glazer family, which have owned the Premier League club since 2005.

Manchester United fans storm Old Trafford ahead of the match against Liverpool in protest of the club’s ownership 📸 pic.twitter.com/kfTJJ3MgD6

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 2, 2021

While the fanbase has long been frustrated with the club's ownership, United's brief inclusion in the European Super League—which was heavily criticized before the team withdrew from the league two days after the initial launch—was one of the factors behind the May 2 protest.

It saw the match against Liverpool postponed, creating a tight schedule for both clubs to complete before the end of the Premier League season on May 23.

This will be the third match in five days for Manchester United, which defeated Aston Villa Sunday before losing to Leicester City Tuesday with a lineup filled with mostly reserves. 

"To play Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday is a crime," Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said of the fixtures, per BBC Sport.

Liverpool at least has an extra day of rest before facing West Bromwich Albion in its next match Sunday.

Of course, if the game is postponed again on Thursday, there will be few opportunities to rearrange it.

The matchup is an important one in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League, with Liverpool seven points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with two games in hand. 

Editor's note: Updated to reflect ongoing reporting.

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah called for peace Tuesday amid ongoing violence in Jerusalem that has drawn international concern. Last Friday, Israeli police and Palestinian demonstrators clashed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and people across the region saw conflict escalate over the weekend.

As the violence continued Monday, CNN reported, "Videos from early morning showed Israeli police inside the mosque firing stun grenades. Palestinians were filmed throwing rocks." The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency medical service said 520 people were injured by the end of the day.

According to CNN, "Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians escalated further on Tuesday as Palestinian militants in Gaza fired hundreds of rockets into Israel, which in turn ramped up airstrikes on the coastal enclave, as unrest spread to cities and towns beyond Jerusalem." As of Tuesday, 6 p.m. ET, CNN had reported that "at least 32 people, including 10 children, according to Palestinian health officials" had been killed in Gaza and that three people in Israel had been killed after rocket fire and rocket attacks.

In a tweet, Salah urged "all the world leaders," including British prime minister Boris Johnson, "to do everything in their power to make sure the violence and killing of innocent people stops immediately."

I’m calling on all the world leaders including on the Prime Minister of the country that has been my home for the past 4 years to do everything in their power to make sure the violence and killing of innocent people stops immediately. Enough is enough. @BorisJohnson

— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) May 11, 2021

Per CNN, "One of the main sources of growing unrest in recent days has been the possible eviction of several Palestinian families from their homes in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. On Sunday, Israel's Supreme Court postponed an appeal hearing on the decades-long legal case." Noting that the dispute is decades-long may help in contextualizing the current conflict as not triggered by a single event, with the recent violence in and around the city of Jerusalem also occurring during national and religious days—Jerusalem Day and Ramadan, respectively—important to Israelis and Palestinians.

With both militants and civilians reportedly killed and injured in the ongoing attacks, Salah is not alone in calls for an end to the violence, with White House officials also urging deescalation across the region.

Continue following CNN for updates on the conflict.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said Friday he didn't speak with club owner John Henry about the failed Super League efforts.

"I know the owners, I know there have been moments they didn't make the right decisions, this time, for sure," Klopp told reporters. "I will speak to them. I will tell them, 'if you'd asked me, I would have said no.' They made a decision for some reasons. I don't know them. I don't need the explanation. I have so much to talk about with them. This won't be part of it. We have to plan our future."

The German added that while he's happy the Reds won't be involved in the Super League, there are still questions related to the proposed restructure of the UEFA Champions League.

"Everyone knows my opinion on more games," Klopp said. "Yes, the Super League is off the table. Good. Very good. But it's not the case that the new Champions League is great. UEFA showed me the idea, and I said I don't like it, 10 games rather than six. No idea where to put them in."

Henry issued an apology to Liverpool supporters Wednesday, saying Klopp and the players held no responsibility for the "disruption" caused by the owners:

John W Henry's message to Liverpool supporters. pic.twitter.com/pHW3RbOcKu

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 21, 2021

The short-lived Super League plans called for 15 permanent clubs, including Liverpool and five Premier League rivals, and five additional qualifying berths to create an annual tournament that would have threatened the existence of the Champions League.

It sparked massive fan outrage aimed at the apparent greed shown by Europe's top clubs, and UEFA cautioned clubs that it would work with FIFA to ban players from international competitions, including the World Cup, if they took part in future ESL matches.

The Super League suspended operations Tuesday after several of the founding clubs backed out.

The Champions League, meanwhile, announced a plan to reform its competition, including an increase in the number of matches for the 36 qualifying clubs from six to 10 beginning in 2024.

Instead of a group format, the tournament would begin with the teams placed into a table. The top eight would advance to the knockout rounds, and the next 16 in the standings would compete in head-to-head fixtures for an opportunity to reach the knockout stages.

Questions have been raised about whether there's enough space in the schedule for at least four additional matches as managers juggle domestic leagues and cups in addition to the UCL.

The debates about how to move forward come as clubs around Europe struggle with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. French Ligue 1 club Bordeaux was placed into administration earlier Friday when its owners pulled out of their financial commitment.

Meanwhile, the 2020-21 season moves forward with Liverpool set to host Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday in the Premier League.

Klopp provided an update on forward Diogo Jota, saying he's "fine" despite not appearing on the training field Thursday, which had raised concerns about his availability.

The Reds are seventh in the Premier League table with six matches to play, but a top-four finish is still within reach.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is expected to have a voice in the running of Liverpool.

In an interview with Joe Vardon, Simon Hughes and James Pearce of The Athletic, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said he thinks the four-time NBA MVP will "weigh in" on decisions for the English Premier League club.

Per Michael Silverman of The Boston Globe, James and his business partner, Maverick Carter, finalized a deal on Wednesday to purchase a stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool.

“I would welcome [James' and Carter's] thoughts,” Werner added.

            

James has been a part-owner of Liverpool since 2011, when he purchased a 2 percent stake in the club.

Per AFP (via The Score), James' stake in the Reds has increased with his new role as a partner in Fenway Sports Group.

The AFP reported that the $750 million investment from James, Carter, Paul Wachter and another group, RedBird Capital Partners, "is expected to allow Liverpool to recover from the financial pressures of the coronavirus pandemic."

Vardon, Hughes and Pearce added that Liverpool's top brass has been looking to "strengthen its ties with LeBron in the knowledge that his immense global appeal can help reach new audiences, especially in the Far East."

Per Freddie Keighley of The Mirror, one market-leading report estimates that Liverpool lost £42 million because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Reds won their 19th top-flight title last season—their first for 30 years—with a 32-3-3 record.

Jose Becker, the father of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker, was found dead Wednesday in a lake near his home in southern Brazil. He was 57.

According to ESPN Brazil, the Cacapava do Sul fire department said it located Becker's body just before midnight after he was declared missing around 5 p.m. local time after he went swimming in Rincao do Inferno. No foul play is suspected by authorities.

Alisson joined Liverpool in July 2018 after previous stints with Internacional (2013-16) in his native Brazil and Roma (2016-18) in Italy.

He most recently played in Saturday's 2-0 Premier League loss to Everton. The Reds' next scheduled match is an away fixture against Sheffield United on Sunday at Bramall Lane.

The club posted condolences on Twitter:

You’ll Never Walk Alone, @Alissonbecker ❤️ pic.twitter.com/58Uf4bcKAB

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 25, 2021

Alisson won the Best FIFA Goalkeeper Award in 2019, and he played a key role in Liverpool winning the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020.

His brother, Muriel Becker, is also a goalkeeper for Fluminense in Brazil.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday while with the Egypt national team, according to James Whaling of the Mirror.

The Egyptian Football Association said Salah is self-isolating and has not displayed any symptoms.

However, per Emma Smith of Goal, there is some confusion over whether Salah tested positive, after the Egyptian FA deleted the tweet about its talismanic star, replacing it with one stating three unnamed players tested positive for the virus. 

Adding to the confusion, the national team's tweet announcing Salah's positive test is still up, per Middle East Eye.

The winger had been set to play for Egypt on Saturday in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Togo.

Salah, 28, has been Egypt's top player for the past several years. In 68 appearances for the Egyptian senior national team, he has scored 43 goals, placing him second on the country's all-time list behind Hossam Hassan.

Egypt have two draws in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, so Saturday's match against Togo is key. Egypt will also face Togo again Tuesday in an away match, which Salah is unlikely to be able to play in.

He is also a key player for a Liverpool club coming off a dominant Premier League title win last season when they accrued 99 points and were 18 points clear of second place.

The speedy Salah played a massive role in Liverpool's success, as he scored 19 times in 34 league matches.

His play has carried over to the 2020-21 campaign, and it can be argued he has been even better with eight goals in eight EPL matches.

With five wins, two draws and one loss, Liverpool are third in the Premier League standings. Leicester City are first with 18 points, and Tottenham Hotspur are second with 17. The Reds also have 17 points, but Tottenham lead 10-2 in goal differential.

Liverpool's next match is Nov. 21 against Leicester City, which could have a major impact on the top of the table if either side is able to pull off a victory.

If Liverpool do not have Salah available to them in that match, it will provide a significant boost to Leicester City and give them a huge opportunity to extend their first-place lead.

Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk will have surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his knee after getting injured in Saturday's 2-2 draw against Everton.

The club confirmed it has no timetable for when Van Dijk will return to the pitch.

Virgil van Dijk will undergo surgery on the knee injury sustained during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at @Everton.

Following surgery, Virgil will begin a rehabilitation programme to enable him to reach full fitness as soon as possible.

You'll come back stronger, @VirgilvDijk 💪

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 18, 2020

BeIN Sports reported the central defender could miss seven to eight months after suffering a significant ACL injury.

Van Dijk was subbed off in the 11th minute after being on the receiving end of a tough challenge from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Pickford went to make a play on the ball and instead slid into Van Dijk's right knee.

The tackle looked bad, and subsequent replays raised concern about a significant injury given how his knee bent.

Not even a yellow for this from Pickford on Van Dijk

That’s an ACL-inducing horror foul. VVD will be lucky to escape with only minor ligament damage

What do you expect from the ‘dustbin for a heart’ ref? #EVELIV pic.twitter.com/9ggIs0BeqZ

— Carlo Garganese (@carlogarganese) October 17, 2020

Compounding matters, Pickford avoided any punishment despite the fact replay officials looked over the play to see whether Van Dijk was onside. Professional Game Match Officials Limited later said Pickford's tackle wasn't subject to video review.

Van Dijk might be the single most important player for Liverpool. From the moment he arrived from Southampton, the 29-year-old has been the domineering presence at the back the Reds lacked following the departure of Sami Hyypia in 2009 and retirement of Jamie Carragher in 2013.

Virgil van Dijk had played every minute in the Premier League for Liverpool since January 2018.

Get well soon 🙏 pic.twitter.com/BfAPEEYfW4

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 18, 2020

Liverpool aren't lacking in talent all around the pitch, but their Champions League and Premier League triumphs probably don't happen without Van Dijk's contributions.

Van Dijk's injury raises further questions as to why Liverpool didn't sign a center back following Dejan Lovren's transfer to Zenit St. Petersburg.

The reigning PL champions couldn't have expected the Dutch defender to be out for this long, but injuries are an inevitability. Now, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are the only natural center backs with senior-level experience. Fabinho will probably have to feature more regularly in the back four, and manager Jurgen Klopp may need to count on Sepp van den Berg more than he expected until the transfer window opens again in January.

Liverpool announced Friday Sadio Mane has tested positive for COVID-19. 

"The forward, who started and scored in Monday's 3-1 victory over Arsenal, has displayed minor symptoms of the virus but feels in good health overall," the club said.

Mane is the second Liverpool player to test positive, joining midfielder Thiago Alcantara. The 28-year-old will now enter self-isolation for the Premier League-mandated 10 days.

At the very least, Mane will miss Liverpool's match against Aston Villa on Sunday. The Reds don't return to the pitch again until Oct. 17, when they play Merseyside rivals Everton. He could be back for that fixture, but a recurrence of any COVID-19-related symptoms means restarting the 10-day isolation period.

The Senegalese attacker was one of Liverpool's best players as they captured their first Premier League title in emphatic fashion. He finished with 18 goals and seven assists in 35 appearances.

His form has carried over into the 2020-21 campaign. He scored both goals in LFC's 2-0 win over Chelsea and had another in a 3-1 win over Arsenal.

Mane didn't play in Liverpool's defeat Carabao Cup defeat to the Gunners on Thursday.

Diogo Jota will likely move into the starting lineup in place of Mane for Sunday. The 23-year-old, who officially signed on Sept. 19, already looks like a great fit in Jurgen Klopp's system, scoring in the 88th minute in win over Arsenal.

Liverpool FC announced Saturday that they reached a long-term agreement with Portuguese forward Diogo Jota.

Jota said the following regarding the decision to join the reigning EPL champions:

"It's just a really exciting moment for me and my family. All of my path since I was a kid and now, to join a club like Liverpool—the world champions—is just unbelievable. I just want to get started.

"It is one of the best teams in the world—the best at the moment because they are world champions. When you look at the Premier League, you always see Liverpool as one of the biggest teams in the country, so it's impossible to say no. So we just want to come [here], to give our best and hopefully I can become a good option for Liverpool in the future."

The 23-year-old Jota spent the past three seasons with Wolverhampton, including the past two in the Premier League.

Jota began his professional career in 2014 with Pacos de Ferreira of Primeira Liga in Portugal. After two years with that club, he signed a five-year deal with La Liga's Atletico Madrid.

Atletico loaned Jota to FC Porto in Portugal for the 2016-17 season, and he made a significant impact with eight league goals in 27 appearances.

Jota was then loaned to Wolves for the 2017-18 season in the English Football League Championship, and he enjoyed his best season to date with 17 goals, as Wolverhampton earned an EPL spot.

After that performance, Jota signed a permanent deal with Wolves and scored 16 league goals and 26 goals across all competitions over the next two seasons combined.

With Jota leading the way, Wolves finished a respectable seventh in the Premier League table in each of the past two seasons.

In Liverpool, Jota joins the class of the EPL, as the Reds won the league title by 18 points over Manchester City last season.

He is the second major addition for Liverpool this week, as they also landed veteran midfielder Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich.

With talented players joining an already formidable roster, Liverpool are well-positioned to repeat as champions in 2020-21. 

Liverpool announced the signing of midfielder Thiago Alcantara on Friday to complete his transfer from fellow European champions Bayern Munich.

The moment you’ve all been waiting for…#ThiagoFriday 🤩 pic.twitter.com/s2tOCvnHta

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 18, 2020

Thiago discussed his excitement with the club's official website:

"I think it's an amazing feeling. I was waiting for this moment for a long time and I am very, very happy to be here.

"When the years are passing, you are trying to win as much as you can – and when you win, you want to win more. I think this club describes what I am as well; I want to achieve all of the goals, win as many trophies as possible.

"It also [has] this kind of family [feeling] that I need because we [like to] have a very close relationship with the club and I think I will feel this, I will have this feeling, with this club as well."

👀💪🏾 #YNWA @LFC pic.twitter.com/Tfv1IbSqJN

— Thiago Alcantara (@Thiago6) September 18, 2020

Thiago spent the past seven years with Bayern after starting his senior club career with Barcelona in 2009.

The 29-year-old Spanish international remained a key cog in the German side's lineup last season, including a start in the UEFA Champions League final win over Paris Saint-Germain to complete a treble. He recorded three goals and two assists in 34 appearances between the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Sky Sports reported Liverpool paid Bayern £20 million to complete the transfer with the potential for £5 million more in add-ons.

The Reds opened their Premier League title defense with a 4-3 victory over Leeds United on Saturday. Their next match comes Sunday with a high-profile clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, although Thiago will not be registered in time to feature.