Jürgen Klopp stressed the need for his Liverpool players to be at their absolute best against Chelsea on Sunday if they're to leave Stamford Bridge with a positive result.

Like the Reds, Frank Lampard's side opened up their 2020-21 Premier League campaign with three points on the board after beating Brighton and Hove Albion 3-1 on Monday night. 

Ahead of a mouthwatering encounter in the capital on Sunday afternoon, Klopp detailed the fierce challenge that awaits the reigning champions. 

He told his pre-match press conference on Friday: "Last year we played Chelsea pretty often and pretty early in the season. All the games were really difficult, so that's what I expect, first and foremost.

"The first game against Brighton was how it looks when you play Brighton. I'm not sure but when you play Brighton we all suffer because they just play good football and you have to be decisive in the key moments and that was the story of the game pretty much. 

"Pretty early it's clear we actually have absolutely no idea who Frank will line up – so many different options. Because we don't know a lot about Chelsea in the moment – during the season that will probably change – we just have to focus on ourselves. There's enough work to do with that for different reasons. 

"We are very early in the season, so we had an intense week of work. [We] worked – how we see it – on decisive stuff. A lot of things were good in the first game, some things were not that good. I know that but it's the first game, so we don't make it less important or more important than necessary, just work with it and use it as one information. 

"All the rest of the week was absolutely good so far. So now we have to make sure that we can transform that on the pitch because we better be at our best otherwise it could be really, really tricky."

Liverpool picked up three points away at Chelsea last season as well-taken goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roberto Firmino secured a 2-1 win. 

It was one of 14 victories the Reds amassed on their travels in the league throughout 2019-20 to set a new club record.

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Asked about his team's success away from home, Klopp commented: "I didn't think last season about it, so why should I now start with it? 

"We don't make a difference between home and away games – it is a difference obviously because of the atmosphere in our stadium usually. 

"We have different ways to play and we had to defend with all we have and sometimes we scored more often than the opponent. 

"We can take the Chelsea game: we scored two wonderful goals, both were after set-pieces, we had more chances but it was a proper fight. That's what we have to be ready for and we should not make a difference between which ground we are playing in at the moment. 

"The pitch is similar long, similar wide, so let's go for it. The goal is in a similar position on all pitches, so we don't make the difference. But, of course, sometimes you can have a positive or negative run and it's not really to explain. 

"We played just consistently competitive, good football. That was the reason for it and that's what we have to do again. We were really in the game, we didn't give the ball away or played with 20 per cent possession away and 80 per cent at home or whatever. 

"We didn't really change. We adapted to the different opponents but we didn't really change and that's another point maybe. 

"But in the end, you need to work for these kind of numbers. We just have to work. We go to Chelsea and that's a tough place with or without supporters, the team they have, the manager they have. 

"It will just be really hardest work again and that's all we need to know."

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Jürgen Klopp stressed the need for his Liverpool players to be at their absolute best against Chelsea on Sunday if they're to leave Stamford Bridge with a positive result.

Jurgen Klopp may have had said little about the imminent arrival of Thiago but his body language spoke volumes as he faced the press ahead of the trip to Chelsea.

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Liverpool supporters were kept in suspense for much of Friday awaiting confirmation of Thiago’s arrival, and the boss only added to the torturous wait having remained relatively tight-lipped on the Spaniard.

It was, of course, the first question of the day and while his body language was screaming elation, his words remained coy as he refused to be the one to officially unveil his new signing – even adding “if it happens” to the mix.

“Nothing really to say,” Klopp told reporters with a smile. “How I learned it, it’s not official until it’s announced!

“I’m not an announcer so I don’t know what I can say but it looks quite promising…but it might be useful to have a look at a few Liverpool channels over the day and we will see whatever happens!”

But he was clear that the arrival of the 29-year-old would not signal the departure of an existing player as has been widely touted throughout the summer – allaying fears that Gini Wijnaldum could leave.

“It has no impact on anybody’s future in a negative way,” he added. “Somebody has to leave because somebody has come in, no. No impact.”

He was eager, however, to discuss the upcoming clash against Chelsea which presents another stern test for his side on matchday two.

“Last season we played them pretty often and it was really difficult, first and foremost,” he continued.

“[Their] first game against Brighton was how it looks when you play them, we all suffer against Brighton and you have to be decisive in the key moments and that was the story of the game pretty much.

“We have no idea who Frank will lineup, they have so many different options. We don’t know a lot about Chelsea in the moment, so we focus on ourselves.

“We’ve had a really intense training week, working on decisive stuff. A lot of things were good in the first game, some were not but it was the first game, we work with it and use it as one [piece of] information.”

The boss also confirmed that there are no new injury concerns and touched on his non-rivalry with Frank Lampard.

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Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Barcelona over a loan move for Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.

Jurgen Klopp is closing in on his second signing of the summer window, with Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara expected to be confirmed as a Liverpool player shortly.

The Reds had been tracking Thiago for much of the window and finally agreed a £27million deal for the Spain international earlier this week.

Full story: Mirror

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Barcelona over a loan move for Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.

Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Barcelona over a loan move for Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele.

Jurgen Klopp is closing in on his second signing of the summer window, with Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara expected to be confirmed as a Liverpool player shortly.

The Reds had been tracking Thiago for much of the window and finally agreed a £27million deal for the Spain international earlier this week.

Full story: Mirror

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Jurgen Klopp all but confirmed Thiago’s Liverpool arrival and was quick to insist the Spaniard’s place in the squad will not come at the detriment of existing players at the club.

The Spaniard’s arrival is set to be officially confirmed over the coming hours after the Reds agreed to a four-year deal with their new No. 6.

Tongues are rightly wagging at Thiago’s Anfield arrival, with the world-class operator set to provide tactical versatility to the side and shed some of the burden on the full-backs to create.

And while Thiago penned a heartfelt goodbye message to Bayern Munich, who he spent seven years with, earlier on Friday morning confirmation of his place within Liverpool’s squad has yet to be announced, leaving Klopp to act coy in his pre-Chelsea press conference.

The boss was clearly in a good mood when the first question thrown at him was in relation to Thiago, grinning in delight as he looked to dodge an official declaration that his signature is imminent.

“Nothing really to say,” Klopp said with a wry smile. “How I learned it, it’s not official until it’s announced!

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“I’m not an announcer so I don’t know what I can say but it looks quite promising. My hands are tied pretty much but it might be useful to have a look at a few Liverpool channels over the day and we will see whatever happens!

“Nothing is announced, that’s all I can say. I can answer after something is announced…or not,” he added with a laugh.

A myriad of reports throughout the summer as Liverpool chased Thiago was in the context that the Reds would need to see players leave before a deal could be done, with Gini Wijnaldum widely touted as the man to depart.

It has since been claimed that positive talks have taken place with the Dutchman who is expected to remain in place this season, and the boss was eager to insist that Thiago’s arrival will not signal the departure of one of his existing players.

That’s “if it happens”, as Klopp continued to act coy.

“If it happens, it has no impact on anybody’s future in a negative way,” he continued. “Somebody has to leave because somebody has come in, no. No impact.

“It’s about timing, sometimes you buy before you sell and sometimes you sell before you buy. There are different scenarios and sometimes you earn the money back in a different way.

“What is always true for us is that what we earn with football we spend with football, that’s the club. A pretty short summary of our philosophy but it’s one of the key points and we cannot just say we need this and that and cannot afford it.

“I would not insist on it but we work constantly on improvement, sometimes people like it and sometimes they like it later, that’s fact.

“The window itself leaves the window open, so that’s normal and I cannot promise we will do something and I cannot say it’s 100 percent sure we don’t do anything – it’s the situation.

“It’s a developing situation, everything could happen. A player could come to me and say I want to go, I don’t expect that, but it could happen and we have to react – all these things can happen.”

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Jürgen Klopp reported no new fitness concerns as Liverpool build up for Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea.

The Reds travel to Stamford Bridge for their first top-flight away game of the season and the boss has the same group available from the opening-day victory over Leeds United.

“Intense week. A few little things here and there but in the moment should be OK,” Klopp explained at his pre-match press conference.

“Nobody is coming back or whatever, and the rest we have to see. So, still two days to go – two training sessions – but for the moment, we seem OK.”

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Jürgen Klopp reported no new fitness concerns as Liverpool build up for Sunday's Premier League clash with Chelsea.

Liverpool are “keen on taking” Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele on a season-long loan deal, according to a Spanish paper, with a forward seemingly next on the agenda for the Reds.

The Reds had been relatively quiet in the transfer window until earlier this week, with Kostas Tsimikas the only arrival amid widespread reports suggesting outgoings must be made before incomings.

Then, a breakthrough in a deal for Thiago which is set to be announced on Friday and further ties to forwards as the Reds’ next target area becomes apparent.

Watford‘s Ismalia Sarr has been regularly touted, with the Mail‘s Dominic King reporting that the club have made an enquiry into the availability of the winger, but no bid has been made.

The 22-year-old is viewed as a candidate to provide cover for both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and now Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele has been added to the mix by Spanish outlet Sport.

The Frenchman has long been known as a favourite of Klopp’s and they claim the club “have made contact” with Barcelona “about the possibility of taking the France international on loan.”

The deal would reportedly see the Reds “take on his salary and pay a small fee for a one year loan,” but the Catalan side have “not responded” and would be resistant to agreeing to a loan deal.

Dembele’s talent is undeniable, with his pace and skill having led to his €105 million transfer to Camp Nou in the summer of 2017, but a series of injuries has denied him the chance to justify his hefty fee.

He has made a total of 74 appearances for Barcelona in three seasons, returning 19 goals and 17 assists, but he has not made a competitive appearance since November last year due to a troublesome hamstring injury.

It would not be out of the realm of possibility that Liverpool would pursue such a move, with the outlay for a permanent signing, regardless of Dembele’s current output, beyond the Reds’ reach.

And a loan spell would make him only the second player Klopp has signed on a temporary basis at Anfield – with Steven Caulker the first back in 2016.

A new attacking option is undoubtedly a need for Liverpool this season and Dembele can play on either flank, the question is if he can get his body back on track after being besieged by injury at the age of just 23.

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Full fixture details for Liverpool FC Women's FA Women's Championship campaign have now been confirmed.

Vicky Jepson’s team have started the season with a win and a draw, making them one of five teams with four points at the top of the Championship table.

The kick-off details for the remaining league fixtures were released today, with matches currently remaining behind closed doors.

All LFC Women league games will take place on Sundays, with home matches at Prenton Park.

After the current international break, the Reds will return to finish the month by hosting Charlton Athletic on September 27.

See an updated fixture list below – please note, these are subject to change.

September

Sunday 27 – Charlton Athletic (H) – 2pm

October

Sunday 4 – Coventry United (A) – 2pm
Sunday 11 – Leicester City (A) – 2pm

November

Sunday 1 – Lewes (A) – 12pm
Sunday 8 – Sheffield United (H) – 2pm
Sunday 15 – Blackburn Rovers (A) – 2pm

December

Sunday 6 – Crystal Palace (H) – 2pm
Sunday 13 – London City Lionesses (A) – 2pm
Sunday 20 – Durham (A) – 12pm

January

Sunday 10 – London Bees (H) – 2pm
Sunday 17 – Leicester City (H) – 2pm

February

Sunday 7 – Charlton Athletic (A) – 2pm
Sunday 14 – Coventry United (H) – 2pm

March

Sunday 7 – Crystal Palace (A) – 2pm
Sunday 28 – Blackburn Rovers (H) – 2pm

April

Sunday 4 – Lewes (H) – 12pm
Sunday 25 – Sheffield United (A) – 2pm

May

Sunday 2 – London City Lionesses (H) – 2pm

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Full fixture details for Liverpool FC Women's FA Women's Championship campaign have now been confirmed.

Liverpool, West Ham and Celtic have all been credited with an interest in Sampdoria centre-back Omar Colley, who is available at something of a bargain price this summer.

The Gambia international, who turns 28 later this month, has a release clause of just £10.8m, which is attracting the attention of a number of clubs in the UK.

Colley signed for Sampdoria in 2018 from Genk and has made over 50 league appearances in Italy, also racking up 13 Europa League appearances at his previous club.

Full story: Metro

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool, West Ham and Celtic have all been credited with an interest in Sampdoria centre-back Omar Colley, who is available at something of a bargain price this summer.

The Gambia international, who turns 28 later this month, has a release clause of just £10.8m, which is attracting the attention of a number of clubs in the UK.

Colley signed for Sampdoria in 2018 from Genk and has made over 50 league appearances in Italy, also racking up 13 Europa League appearances at his previous club.

Full story: Metro

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Liverpool, West Ham and Celtic have all been credited with an interest in Sampdoria centre-back Omar Colley, who is available at something of a bargain price this summer.

Watford will demand at least £40m for Ismaila Sarr.

The Championship club want to keep Sarr to help their push for an immediate return to the Premier League this season.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Sarr ever since the 22-year-old scored twice against Jurgen Klopp’s men at Vicarage Road in February.

Full story: Daily Mirror

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Watford will demand at least £40m for Ismaila Sarr.

The Championship club want to keep Sarr to help their push for an immediate return to the Premier League this season.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Sarr ever since the 22-year-old scored twice against Jurgen Klopp’s men at Vicarage Road in February.

Full story: Daily Mirror

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

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Watford will demand at least £40m for Ismaila Sarr.

Nick Wright

Comment and Analysis @nicholaspwright

Will Mohamed Salah haunt his former club at Stamford Bridge? Watch Chelsea vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League HD from 4pm on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm

Last Updated: 18/09/20 11:16am

For Mohamed Salah, a trip to Stamford Bridge serves as a reminder of how far he has come. The Egyptian has blossomed since he was cut loose by Chelsea as a youngster. As ever, he will be eager to show his former club what they are missing on Super Sunday.

He heads to west London having made an explosive start to the season, his match-winning hat-trick in Liverpool's 4-3 victory over Leeds United on the opening day prompting Gary Neville to say he is performing at "an absolutely different level". "He looks mean, he looks hungry, he looks strong," added the Sky Sports pundit on Monday Night Football.

Salah's brilliance can be taken for granted at times. Jamie Carragher said his achievements were "underappreciated" after a 3-2 win over West Ham in February. But his devastating performance at Anfield on Saturday was a reminder that he is on track to achieve Premier League greatness.

Raising expectations for himself 3:59 Gary Neville believes Mohamed Salah's performance against Leeds shows that he's playing at a different level to most players in the world Gary Neville believes Mohamed Salah's performance against Leeds shows that he's playing at a different level to most players in the world

Salah is a victim of the extraordinarily high standards he set himself during his first season at Anfield. He sent records tumbling that year, hitting a total of 44 goals in all competitions, including 32 in the Premier League - breaking the record set by Luis Suarez four years earlier.

Salah has not hit those numbers since. In fact, his goal totals have trended downwards. He scored 22 in the Premier League in 2018/19, followed by 19 last season.

But examine his time at Liverpool as a whole and it becomes clear that his output is unmatched.

Since his arrival at Anfield from Roma in the summer of 2017, Salah has scored 11 more goals than any other Premier League player, leaving Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Sergio Aguero trailing in his wake. He has hit 26 more than Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane in the same timeframe.

To score 76 goals in just 109 Premier League appearances is a remarkable feat. And even after adding the 13 appearances he made for Chelsea - during which he scored twice - there are only four players who can better his record.

Salah boasts more goals after 122 Premier League appearance than Thierry Henry.

It is all the more impressive when you consider that, unlike the rest of the names in that distinguished list, Salah operates from the flank rather than as a central striker.

While his goal totals may have dipped in the last two seasons, there is little in his underlying numbers to cause alarm. Salah has averaged around four shots per 90 minutes every season at Liverpool and his numbers for touches in the opposition box have in fact risen from year to year.

The difference is that he has not finished his chances quite as clinically in the last two seasons as in the one before that, but his hat-trick against Leeds was a reminder of what he is capable of. It might also hint that he is primed for another goalscoring campaign like his first one.

'Selfish' streak but creative too Salah celebrates scoring his second goal with Roberto Firmino

Neville touched on Salah's mentality as well as his ability on Monday Night Football, saying the 28-year-old's hunger for goals reminds him of his former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Mane is likeable… he'll do the selfless thing for the team," said Neville. "Then you look at Salah on the other side. He sometimes doesn't pass to his team-mates. He is a little bit more selfish and a little bit less likeable because of that, probably to the fans and to his own team-mates."

Chelsea vs Liverpool

September 20, 2020, 4:00pm

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Neville believes that selfish streak will elevate Salah into the group of players vying to be considered the best in the world in the years ahead and that side of his character is no secret. It even caused tensions to boil over in August of last year, when Mane reacted angrily to his refusal to pass to him during a 3-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

It would be unfair, though, to suggest that Salah is only out for himself. In addition to the 76 Premier League goals he has scored since his arrival at Liverpool, there have been 28 assists. Across the division since then, only Andrew Robertson, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne have provided more.

The statistics suggest Salah's perceived selfishness may in fact be overplayed.

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If his numbers for assists are not impressive enough, consider the fact that only De Bruyne has created more open-play chances since the start of the 2017/18 season. Salah's total stands at 175 - an average of almost two per 90 minutes played. Salah is a goal creator as well as a goal scorer.

Thiago to provide another lift 1:51 Sky Sports News reporter Kaveh Solhekol says Liverpool's £25m deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara is 'incredible business' Sky Sports News reporter Kaveh Solhekol says Liverpool's £25m deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara is 'incredible business'

The worry for Liverpool's Premier League rivals is that, with Thiago Alcantara finally on his way to Anfield, Salah is about to get even better.

Thiago, who is due to complete his £25m move from Bayern Munich imminently, will bring a new dimension to Jurgen Klopp's side. His passing ability and technical skill will allow them to play through midfield rather than bypass it. He will offer Salah a new source of ammunition.

The 29-year-old is not an assists-machine in the mould of Kevin De Bruyne. He plays deeper than the Belgian, controlling the game and orchestrating attacks from the base of midfield and most commonly providing the pass before the pass, as he did in the build-up to Kingsley Coman's winning goal in last month's Champions League final.

2:59 Highlights from Liverpool's 4-3 win over Leeds in the Premier League Highlights from Liverpool's 4-3 win over Leeds in the Premier League

But he still excels at picking out runners in front of him and that's good news for Salah, who is at his most dangerous when running in behind the opposition's defence. The kind of passes he needs rarely come from Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and the rest. But, as Carragher puts it: "Thiago would bring something different".

Salah will be licking his lips at the prospect of feeding off Thiago's passes. He has started the season in the most emphatic style possible, but it seems the best is yet to come from a player already destined for Premier League greatness.

Watch Chelsea vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports Premier League HD from 4pm on Sunday; kick-off 4.30pm

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