Liverpool

Liverpool are interested in signing Red Bull Leipzig's Timo Werner and Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho but reportedly favour the German striker over the English winger.

According to James Pearce of The Athletic (h/t Darren Wells of the Mirror), Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp might recruit his compatriot because of a favourable release clause. Sancho is reportedly considered too expensive by Liverpool at around £120 million, while Werner could be available at £52 million.

The pair remain two of the hottest players in the Bundesliga.

Liverpool could target both attackers if one of their front three eventually leaves Anfield. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have developed into one of the greatest forward combinations in world football.

Despite their form, Werner or Sancho might struggle to secure a starting role unless the Reds part with one of their star trio.

Werner recently expressed his admiration for Klopp but admitted he would be concerned about the potential of reduced playing time if he moves to England, per Wells:

"At this time in professional soccer there are two different variations. The first is to be part of a team like Liverpool or Manchester City.

"They have a good working team. The teams have also great coaches.

"But this is the question: do you want to go to that kind of team, because the situation is already that hard for each member and you want to be a part of it? That's one point you have to look at."

OptaJoe highlighted Werner's attacking prowess:

13 - Most goal involvements in Europe's top five leagues this season directly following ball carries (travelling 5+ metres with the ball):

13 | Timo Werner
10 | Jadon Sancho
9 | Riyad Mahrez
9 | Sadio Mané
9 | Lionel Messi
9 | Kylian Mbappé

Immediacy. pic.twitter.com/1MameccWZl

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 18, 2020

Sancho experienced a breakout campaign for BVB last term, and he's continued to show his class over the past seven months.

The 19-year-old has scored 14 goals and provided 16 assists in just 23 Bundesliga appearances this season, firing Liverpool's interest in his consistency.

If Salah and Mane remain at Anfield, Werner becomes the natural choice. Firmino has developed into a clinical false No. 9 for Klopp, but the 24-year-old's world-class striking potential is vast.    

John Barnes has said Liverpool shouldn't be given the Premier League title after the season was halted because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The former Anfield legend told Sky Sports News he would rather see next season cancelled so the remaining fixtures of the current campaign have additional time to be fulfilled.

"You have leagues to be finished and I think leagues have to be finished, not just from Liverpool's point of view or any other club in any country.

"It's obviously bigger than that, you are talking about promotion and relegation all the way down the divisions. So I think if the leagues can even be delayed - you don't have to rush back to them - maybe you have to write off a season [...]

"If you are going to give Liverpool the title, then who would get promoted and relegated? You can't just give Liverpool the title because we are so far ahead."

Jurgen Klopp's team are 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, with English football on hold until at least April 4 because of the coronavirus pandemic. FA chairman Greg Clarke said at an emergency meeting there's a possibility the season might be abandoned.

Alan Nixon and Charlie Wyett of The Sun reported Premier League teams are attempting to agree a plan to play all remaining games behind closed doors. Matches might be played at neutral venues, with a condensed schedule put in place. The Premier League will reportedly meet on Thursday in their attempts to find a solution.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has said the European governing body will help domestic competitions to complete their tournaments but would leave the decision up to individual associations, per ESPN FC's Dale Johnson:

Just to be clear, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin did NOT say Liverpool cannot be Premier League champions if the season isn't completed - as reported in places.

He said the opposite, that UEFA will not tell leagues how they must resolve domestic issues.

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) March 18, 2020

The Reds' displays this term should see them crowned as worthy champions of England after a 30-year gap.

Liverpool fans have been patiently waiting for their team to climb the domestic mountain once again, and they'll hope this season can be swiftly completed.    

Liverpool assistant boss Pep Lijnders said the club's success under manager Jurgen Klopp is the result of a collective effort in striving for excellence in all levels.

The Reds are 25 points clear of Manchester City in the Premier League, leaving them on the verge of their first league title in 30 years.

Lijnders told Liverpool's official website:

"The departments, how they evolved over the last four or five years, they all search for perfection knowing that perfection doesn't exist. See how our pitches are prepared each day by our ground staff… these things make us consistent.

"Each department is searching for and has the ambition and passion. I believe that only comes first from your leader and second, that it's trust and everybody wants to give one per cent more, so the team is better prepared for the next game."

Liverpool have enjoyed an incredible season under Klopp, racking up such a considerable lead by winning 27 of the 29 Premier League matches they've played.

Only City have scored more than their 66 goals, and they have the best defensive record in the top flight having shipped just 21.

They've stumbled in recent weeks, losing four of their last six matches in all competitions, resulting in their exit from the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup:

Invincibles ❌
Treble ❌
Back-to-back UCL titles ❌

Liverpool's historic season hit a wall in just 11 days pic.twitter.com/xPyOvMZDYQ

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 12, 2020

Nevertheless, they have enjoyed a period of sustained excellence under Klopp.

They have reached the last two Champions League finals, winning the most recent of those, and earlier this season they won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. The latter was for the first time in their history.

The Reds lost just once in the Premier League last season as they racked up 97 points, so overall they've lost just two league games since May 6, 2018, a run spanning 68 matches.

The Premier League has been suspended until at least April 3 following the outbreak of COVID-19, so they could win the title with a victory in their next scheduled match, per The Athletic's James Pearce:

So as long as a further postponement isn’t required then #LFC’s next game will be Manchester City away on Sunday April 5. If that goes ahead then Klopp’s side would clinch the title if they win at the Etihad.

— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) March 13, 2020

Per ESPN's Dale Johnson, the hiatus is likely to be much longer, however:

Club bosses probably hope football can return, almost certainly behind closed doors, in May. This is a precarious situation which is probably doomed to failure.

The peak of infections is expected from May. To think clubs and squads are not going to get infections is fanciful.

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) March 16, 2020

On Tuesday, UEFA announced their intention to finish domestic competitions by June 30, having postponed the 2020 European Championship until next year.

If and when the season does resume, Liverpool will need just six more points to guarantee themselves the title. If they play closest rivals City in their next fixture, then they'll only need to win that match.

Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk is a more complete defender than Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic, according to former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf.

Van Dijk's consistently superb performances for Liverpool have put him in the conversation about the Premier League's best-ever defenders.

Vidic, who won five Premier League titles with United between 2006 and 2014 and formed a supreme partnership with Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford, is for many one of the defensive benchmarks in modern English top-flight history:

#OnThisDay in 2006, Nemanja Vidic made his debut for Manchester United 💪

The Serbian defender went on to play 300 games and win 15 trophies at the club, as well as forming one of the best defensive partnerships in Premier League history 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/3uUPUtWApB

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 25, 2018

Vidic. Him and Rio the best CB partnership the PL has ever seen.

— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) August 15, 2017

But Leboeuf, who played for Chelsea as a centre-back between 1996 and 2001 and won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 with France, believes Van Dijk has more to his game than Vidic did, per ESPN FC:

"I would go for Van Dijk. I think he's more complete. I loved Vidic, because he was a dog, and a fantastic defender. But Van Dijk can lead the team and has range, long balls. I don't think Vidic was capable of doing that. Hats off to Vidic, though."

Van Dijk has played a key role in the recent transformation of Liverpool from perennial also-rans to UEFA Champions League winners and Premier League champions-elect.

He made his debut for the Merseyside club in January 2018, and Liverpool have since conceded 53 goals in 82 Premier League games at 0.65 goals per game.

First time a Liverpool team including Virgil van Dijk has conceded three goals in a Premier League game. This is Van Dijk's 80th PL game for Liverpool.

— Richard Jolly (@RichJolly) February 29, 2020

In the club's preceding 175 games from the start of the 2013-14 season, they had conceded 218 goals: a rate of 1.25 goals per game.

The recruitment of Alisson, among others, and the diligent coaching of manager Jurgen Klopp have also been crucial to solving Liverpool's long-term defensive issues.

But it is Van Dijk who has been at the heart of it, and it is because of their renewed defensive solidity that Liverpool look set to finally end their 30-year wait for a 19th English league title:

How the table looks ahead of the weekend... pic.twitter.com/Npke6wZ3c4

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 11, 2020

Liverpool have always had attacking flair. Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres were key players in Reds sides that have come close to winning the Premier League previously.

Van Dijk's impact, though, will likely go down in Liverpool history as the key element in propelling them to title glory again.

Liverpool have confirmed their annual memorial for the victims of the Hillsborough disaster has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The event was set to take place on April 15 at Anfield, which is the 31-year anniversary of the date of the tragedy in Sheffield. 

In a statement on the club's official website, Margaret Aspinall, the chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said the decision was made with the safety of those wishing to attend in mind:

"In light of recent events, a decision was made collectively by the families to postpone our final memorial service at Anfield. We wish to keep as many people safe as possible and we believe this is the right approach. We hope to provide an update in the near future on a rescheduled date for the service.

"On behalf of the HFSG, I would like to thank everyone for their understanding in this matter. I would also ask that you join us in our prayers on April 15 to remember the 96 and keep the families and everyone who has been affected in your thoughts at this difficult time."

In 1989, 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives on the Leppings Lane Terrace at the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

In 2016, it was ruled that the supporters at Hillsborough were unlawfully killed as a result of failings from the police and emergency services. In November, David Duckenfield, who was the match commander on the day, was cleared of any wrongdoing in the deaths of 95 of the supporters.

It was confirmed in February that the 31st anniversary service was to be the last to be held at Anfield, a decision that was made by the HFSG.

The spread of COVID-19 has led to mass cancellations across the sporting world, with Liverpool's own Premier League campaign put on hold. Per CNN, the coronavirus has infected more than 182,000 people worldwide, with over 7,100 deaths.

The CIES Football Observatory has rated Liverpool's squad as the most valuable in European football. 

According to CIES (h/t BBC Sport), the aggregated value of Jurgen Klopp's group of players is £1.27 billion, with Premier League rivals Manchester City in second place on £1.24 billion.

Barcelona and Real Madrid occupy third and fourth, respectively, in the list, with the former's group valued at £1.06 billion and the latter's at £1 billion. Three more Premier League clubs—Chelsea (fifth), Manchester United (sixth) and Tottenham Hotspur (ninth)—are in the top 10, while Paris Saint-Germain sit seventh and Juventus are 10th.

Given Liverpool didn't spend as much as a number of these huge European names to assemble their squad, the figures are a testament to the club's recruitment team and the manner in which Klopp has been able to develop his charges.

In the previous season, Liverpool accumulated 97 points in the Premier League and won the UEFA Champions League. 

In the 2019-20 season, the Reds are on course to win the top-flight title; before the recent postponement of the campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic, Liverpool were two wins away from their first domestic championship in 30 years, having accumulated a whopping 25-point lead over City.

Klopp's side is blessed with a mix of big-name acquisitions and players who have kicked on since arriving at Liverpool. The attacking trio of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino all came in for relatively modest fees but have each developed into some of the best forwards on the planet.

Per Sky Sports, Mane and Salah have been particularly prolific since arriving at Anfield:

👑Most goals in first 100 @premierleague apps for Liverpool

7⃣0⃣ Mohamed Salah
6⃣3⃣ Fernando Torres
6⃣2⃣ Luis Suarez
6⃣2⃣ Robbie Fowler
5⃣4⃣ Michael Owen
5⃣0⃣ Sadio Mane pic.twitter.com/CBtcjkWcSI

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 7, 2020

Elsewhere, the club's two biggest signings, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, have added value to what were lofty transfer fees. The defender and the goalkeeper respectively are arguably the best two players in the world in their positions.

Liverpool also have outstanding full-backs. Andy Robertson arrived for a small fee from Hull City, while Trent Alexander-Arnold has shone since progressing through the club's academy setup. Scouted Football summed up how productive the pair have been:

Most assists in the Premier League since the start of the 2018-2019 season:

24 • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Trent Alexander-Arnold
18 • 🇧🇪 Kevin de Bruyne
18 • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Andrew Robertson
17 • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Ryan Fraser
15 • 🇧🇪 Eden Hazard
15 • 🇪🇸 David Silva
14 • 🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah
14 • 🇵🇹 João Moutinho pic.twitter.com/qplv2qZMoX

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) February 25, 2020

While the Reds were eliminated from the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League by Atletico Madrid before the recent suspension of action, they remain the model to follow in European football at the moment.

Crucially for Liverpool, a number of their star men are tied down to long-term deals. It means if the Merseyside giants were to cash in on any of their big-name players, they would be in an excellent position to be handsomely compensated.

Former Liverpool defender and coach Phil Thompson said he thinks the Reds need to bring in a player like Philippe Coutinho to give the side more creativity.

Liverpool sold Coutinho to Barcelona in January 2018 for an initial fee of £105 million.

Thompson told Sky Sports (h/t Goal's James Westwood): "I don't think the Philippe Coutinho one would ever come off again, to get him back, but it's that sort of player that we actually need to unlock packed defences."

"I still think we need another striker and maybe a little bit more back-up for Andy Robertson," he added. "We're not too bad at centre-back, and I would like to think we are well-blessed in midfield."

The Reds have won 27 of their 29 Premier League games this season, leaving them on the verge of their first league title since 1990, so there's not too much room for improvement at Anfield. However, they perhaps could do with more creativity in the side.

Since Coutinho left, the Reds get the majority of their creativity from full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, as well as centre-forward Roberto Firmino.

As their results this season attest, that typically serves them well, but in all competitions, 20 of their wins have been by a one-goal margin. Per WhoScored.com, their most creative midfielder is Jordan Henderson, who has five Premier League assists this season and averages one key pass per game.

Goal's Jack Sear suggested Liverpool could use more creativity after their 1-0 UEFA Champions League defeat at Atletico Madrid in February:

Liverpool find ways to win pretty much every week. They have proved time and time again in the last couple of years that they can break down teams that sit deep. But if there’s one thing Klopp will want to work on, it’s improving that European away record.

— Jack Sear (@JackSear) February 19, 2020

So too did Reds legend Jamie Carragher:

🗣 Jamie Carragher: "Liverpool didn’t get too frustrated but they couldn’t create anything.

"They don’t have real creativity, certainly in midfield. That’s always been a problem."

Should Liverpool be worried? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/doAHdxxxOu

— GOAL (@goal) February 19, 2020

As for Thompson's suggestion that Liverpool could do with another striker, only Manchester City have scored more than their 66 goals in the Premier League.

Between them, Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are a potent attacking trident. That said, while Firmino brings much more to the team than just goals—he has 12 assists in all competitions—he isn't particularly prolific outside of the 27 goals he notched in the 2017-18 season.

The Brazilian has 11 goals in all competitions this season, averaging one every 304 minutes he's been on the pitch, and only one of them has come at Anfield.

Liverpool's only alternative is Divock Origi, but football writer Graham Ruthven suggested the club could do better:

https://twitter.com/grahamruthven/status/1236296706167357442

The 24-year-old scored some vital goals for the Reds last season, including a goal in the Champions League final and a brace in the second leg of the competition's semi-final.

This season, he has five goals and four assists in 36 appearances. Only 12 of those games have been starts, but the Reds would likely have little trouble attracting a more impactful squad player to serve as Firmino's cover.

Virgil van Dijk has said he will be "gutted" for fans if they do not get to see Liverpool win their first league title in three decades due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

The Reds are just two wins away from winning the Premier League for the first time:

How the table looks ahead of the weekend... pic.twitter.com/Npke6wZ3c4

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 11, 2020

Their coronation has been inevitable for some time, but there are now major doubts about when the Reds will be crowned champions after football was postponed in the UK until April 3 at the earliest:

BREAKING: The Premier League has been suspended until April 3 at the earliest pic.twitter.com/lC603q2EEz

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 13, 2020

That is an ambitious target, with the shutdown likely to last longer than just a few weeks, per David Conn in the Guardian.

If and when the 2019-20 Premier League season does resume, it is possible games could be played behind closed doors, meaning Liverpool may be crowned champions without any fans watching live.

For Van Dijk, that would be a disappointing way to break a title drought stretching back to 1990, per Dutch media (h/t Sky Sports):

"If we won it in an empty stadium and the fans weren't there, I'd be gutted for them. Obviously, if there are no fans at Anfield, then it will be a bit of a blow—no one wants to play games without the fans. Until a decision is made on how we go on from here, then we just have to deal with it. But when it happens, we are still bringing the title to our fans, definitely."

Liverpool's remarkable campaign has been slightly derailed in recent weeks.

At the end of February, Jurgen Klopp's side lost their first Premier League game of 2019-20, dashing their hopes of matching Arsenal's unbeaten season in 2003-04.

Three days later, a 2-0 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup ended Liverpool's chances of matching Manchester United's 1998-99 treble winners.

And then last week, before the widespread postponement of football across Europe, the Reds' defence of their UEFA Champions League title was ended by Atletico Madrid:

Invincibles ❌
Treble ❌
Back-to-back UCL titles ❌

Liverpool's historic season hit a wall in just 11 days pic.twitter.com/xPyOvMZDYQ

— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 12, 2020

Assuming Liverpool do go on to win their 19th English league title, the 2019-20 season will go down in the club's history as one of their most successful in the modern era.

As well as being champions elect, Liverpool are well set to break Manchester City's record points tally of 100 set in 2017-18.

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has said his "personal journey" means any Premier League title success for the team will "mean more."

Van Dijk has established himself as arguably the best centre-back in football since arriving at Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018. Before Saints, he had spells at Celtic in Scotland and Groningen in the Netherlands.

Speaking about his progression, Van Dijk said working hard to get to this point will make success sweeter, per Steve Bates of the Sunday Mirror:

"I don't take my personal journey for granted at all and it makes it special for me and my family and it will always be. It is why it is easy for me to deal with pressure. When I first came here I wanted to win everything. As a player at such a club like Liverpool you want to compete for all the trophies, whether it's the League Cup, FA Cup.

"But obviously you want to deliver the Premier League to this club. It has been so long I wasn't even born and is something the club is definitely hungry for. But also for the Champions League, which was a dream come true for me, and so if winning the league happens it will also be a dream come true."

Squawka Football recently summed up how consistent the Reds have been at the back since Van Dijk arrived:

Liverpool have conceded 2+ goals in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since Virgil Van Dijk joined the club.

Klopp's side are in shock. pic.twitter.com/CPjCQLd1mk

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 29, 2020

Van Dijk was inspirational for Liverpool on their way to UEFA Champions League glory last term and has been a colossal presence at the back this season too. The Reds have a 25-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table.

When Liverpool paid £75 million—then a world-record for a defender—to sign Van Dijk, there were a few eyebrows raised. However, the Dutchman has rewarded manager Jurgen Klopp's faith.

In addition to Van Dijk being a decisive presence in defence, he is excellent on the ball. The 28-year-old recently set up Sadio Mane's goal against Bournemouth with a pinpoint through ball:

Comeback complete!

Sadio Mane completes the turnaround with an ice-cool finish!

League leaders back on track 👊 pic.twitter.com/JPc7X5onSm

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 7, 2020

The defender is also prone to chipping in with goals, as BBC's Match of the Day highlighted:

Matt Doherty has netted eight Premier League goals for Wolves since the start of last season.

That's the joint-most of all defenders in the competition. Only Virgil Van Dijk can match him.

Watch #MOTD2 👉 https://t.co/lj2snjdGYo pic.twitter.com/MVz9ME3tkB

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 1, 2020

It's not entirely clear when the Premier League season will resume. The competition has been suspended until at least April 4 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic; should matches resume that weekend, the Reds can clinch the title with a win over Manchester City.

According to the Daily Telegraph, discussions have been held with a view to cancelling the season but awarding the title to Liverpool despite the fact that they have yet to clinch the prize mathematically.

Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber has said it would be "really unjust" if runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool were not awarded the title for 2019-20.

The English top flight has been suspended until April 4 becuase of the coronavirus outbreak, raising doubts over whether the season can be completed.

Barber told the BBC's Football Focus that ending the league as it stands would be unfair for teams at the top and bottom, but he is hopeful the season can be completed:

"Every league starts with an expectation of completing all 38 fixtures, as it is in the Premier League, and we want to be able to do that.

"Our intention must be to play the fixtures, but it's really hard to imagine putting on a football game in the Premier League in two or three weeks' time given the scenario we are in.

"If we were to freeze the league it would be incredibly unjust for Liverpool to not be awarded the title, because everybody in the game appreciates what a fantastic season they have had. Equally it would be unjust for teams to be relegated with nine or 10 games to go in the Premier League."

The Daily Telegraph has reported that Liverpool "are still likely to be crowned Premier League champions" even if the 2019-20 season is cancelled.

The Brighton chief also said it was "difficult to think about" the Premier League resuming on April 4 because a number of teams now have players in self-isolation.

Arsenal have announced the full first-team squad is in self-isolation after manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the coronavirus, while Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi has also been diagnosed with the virus.

Leicester City, Everton and Bournemouth have also confirmed they are taking precautionary measures and have players in self-isolation.

The Premier League is due to hold an "emergency meeting" on Thursday with clubs to discuss plans for the rest of the season, according to Sky Sports.