Naby Keita returns to the starting line-up for tonight’s Premier League clash with Sheffield United at Anfield.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has won the 2019 Samba Gold award for the best Brazilian player in Europe.

Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs with the Reds sandwiched Copa America glory for his country for the stopper last year, earning him of a series of individual honours.

And Alisson has now become the first goalkeeper to win the Samba Gold prize – selected by a combined poll of fans, journalists and former players – with 35.54 per cent of the vote.

He finished ahead of teammate Roberto Firmino, the 2018 winner, in second (23.48 per cent) and Thiago Silva in third (10.46 per cent). Liverpool midfielder Fabinho was fourth.

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Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has won the 2019 Samba Gold award for the best Brazilian player in Europe.

Liverpool are reportedly keeping close watch on Norwich duo Emiliano Buendia and Jamal Lewis with a view to a double transfer.

The pair have been regular performers for their side in the Canaries' first season back in the Premier League.

As reported by the Athletic, Liverpool are keen on both players and are considering a move in the summer.

Left-back Lewis, 21, is seen as a potential back-up to current first-choice Andy Robertson, with midfielder James Milner the current go-to deputy in the Scot's absence.

Buendia meanwhile has attracted attention for his creativity, having provided more chances than any other player in the top flight, apart from Man City's Kevin de Bruyne.

The Argentine has also racked up the second highest number of assists - again behind de Bruyne - setting up seven goals for his team.

His impressive start to his debut season in the Premier League comes off the back of a solid showing in the Championship last year, where he notched eight goals and 17 assists.

The 23-year-old only joined Norwich in 2018, having cut his cloth at Spanish La Liga outfit Getafe.

Norwich have no interest in selling either player in the midst of their relegation battle, but could have their hand forced if they fail to beat the drop come May.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has also all-but ruled out any further business for the Reds in January, having already added Takumi Minamino to their squad from RB Salzburg.

Klopp said: "Every year we have the same situation. It is always tricky – we will probably not be too busy.

“We will see what happens, but it is not likely.”

One man who could be on the move however is former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who has been linked with a switch to Aston Villa just six months after departing Anfield for Turkish side Trabzonspor.

Source: 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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Liverpool are reportedly keeping close watch on Norwich duo Emiliano Buendia and Jamal Lewis with a view to a double transfer.

The pair have been regular performers for their side in the Canaries' first season back in the Premier League.

As reported by the Athletic, Liverpool are keen on both players and are considering a move in the summer.

Left-back Lewis, 21, is seen as a potential back-up to current first-choice Andy Robertson, with midfielder James Milner the current go-to deputy in the Scot's absence.

Buendia meanwhile has attracted attention for his creativity, having provided more chances than any other player in the top flight, apart from Man City's Kevin de Bruyne.

The Argentine has also racked up the second highest number of assists - again behind de Bruyne - setting up seven goals for his team.

His impressive start to his debut season in the Premier League comes off the back of a solid showing in the Championship last year, where he notched eight goals and 17 assists.

The 23-year-old only joined Norwich in 2018, having cut his cloth at Spanish La Liga outfit Getafe.

Norwich have no interest in selling either player in the midst of their relegation battle, but could have their hand forced if they fail to beat the drop come May.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has also all-but ruled out any further business for the Reds in January, having already added Takumi Minamino to their squad from RB Salzburg.

Klopp said: "Every year we have the same situation. It is always tricky – we will probably not be too busy.

“We will see what happens, but it is not likely.”

One man who could be on the move however is former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, who has been linked with a switch to Aston Villa just six months after departing Anfield for Turkish side Trabzonspor.

Source: 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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Liverpool are reportedly keeping close watch on Norwich duo Emiliano Buendia and Jamal Lewis with a view to a double transfer.

Dermot Gallagher

Former Premier League referee

Dermot Gallagher: "I was surprised [Cresswell's tackle] was overturned. I think it's a red card. There's speed and intent. Cresswell has little or no chance of getting the ball"

Last Updated: 02/01/20 1:07pm

West Ham defender Aaron Creswell reacts after being sent off against Bournemouth

After another VAR-dominated matchday, Dermot Gallagher returns with Ref Watch to give his verdict on all the key decisions.

West Ham 4-0 Bournemouth

INCIDENT: Aaron Cresswell was shown a straight red for a studs-up, high challenge on Ryan Fraser which left him in serious pain - but VAR official Lee Mason overturned the decision and downgraded the card to yellow.

Cresswell's red card was downgraded to yellow

DERMOT SAYS: I was surprised this was overturned. I think it's a red card. There's speed and intent. Cresswell has little or no chance of getting the ball. He's endangered the safety of an opponent. However, the VAR deemed that the initial point of contact wasn't dangerous.

2:56 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from West Ham's win against Bournemouth in the Premier League FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from West Ham's win against Bournemouth in the Premier League Burnley 1-2 Aston Villa

INCIDENT: After a busy festive season for VAR, it was at the forefront once again as Jack Grealish's 12th-minute header was ruled out for offside. A lengthy pause ensued after Grealish headed home Ezri Konsa's excellent cross and the goal was eventually disallowed because Wesley's heel was deemed to be in an offside position in the build-up.

Aston Villa are denied by VAR

DERMOT SAYS: The problem is everyone is demanding for everything to be 100 per cent accurate. Was it the same phase of play? That's a subjective call and the VAR looking at it thought it was. When James Tarkowski clears the ball it comes off a Burnley player and comes straight back - that was in a matter of five or six seconds. They thought Wesley was offside at the start of the move so that's why it was given offside. What it does show is how fine the margins were and how accurate the assistant referees were. They were doing this with the naked eye. When you have to see the line like it is, you realise how difficult it was for assistant referees.

2:59 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa's win over Burnley in the Premier League FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Aston Villa's win over Burnley in the Premier League Norwich 1-1 Crystal Palace

INCIDENT: Wilfried Zaha's fizzed cross was directed into the net by Conor Wickham, whose last Premier League goal came against Manchester City in November 2016. The substitute's celebrations were made to wait after he was initially flagged offside, but replays showed a defender had fractionally played him on and the goal was given.

Conor Wickham's goal was awarded by VAR

DERMOT SAYS: I can understand at the speed of the play why the assistant has come to that decision. But when you freeze-frame it, he's just onside. This is where the VAR has worked perfectly. Last season this goal would have been disallowed.

3:03 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the 1-1 draw between Norwich and Crystal Palace in the Premier League FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the 1-1 draw between Norwich and Crystal Palace in the Premier League Watford 2-1 Wolves

INCIDENT: Christian Kabasele got his marching orders after VAR deemed the Watford defender was the last man when bringing down Diogo Jota on the edge of the box. Originally, the on-field decision was for just a yellow card as Craig Cathcart looked to be covering.

DERMOT SAYS: I think there isn't cover in behind Kabasele when the foul is made and at that point, Cathcart is too far away. Jota could have had a shot on goal. The VAR would have asked whether the attacker would have the opportunity to shoot at goal and the answer definitely is yes. This is another great example of VAR as the on-field referee wouldn't have seen what the replays show.

2:59 FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Watford's win against Wolves in the Premier League FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Watford's win against Wolves in the Premier League New Year, same Super 6!

FREE TO PLAY: Marcus Rashford's 95th minute strike sealed a Super 6 jackpot winner. Could you make it two on the bounce?

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It's time to choose your Liverpool Goal of the Month for December.

We've whittled the contenders down to a top-class shortlist of 10 strikes, which you can watch in the video above.

Once you've made up your mind, cast a vote below...

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It's time to choose your Liverpool Goal of the Month for December.

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Follow all of the build-up, action and reaction as Liverpool host Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Follow all of the build-up, action and reaction as Liverpool host Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Liverpool’s shirt for the home match against Wolves sported the FIFA World Champions badge and now you can get the coveted gold badge on your kit.

For reasons unknown to literally anybody, the Premier League will not allow the Reds to sport the badge on their kit and only allowed it vs. Wolves as a one-off after the club appealed for it to be worn in the first home game following their FIFA Club World Cup victory.

Quite why the Premier League wouldn’t want to showcase that one of their clubs are officially the best club side in the world is beyond us.

Alas, UEFA are far more logical and Liverpool will wear the badge for all their Champions League games while they are the holders of the title.

And the good news for fans is that they can now pre-order the home kit with the iconic badge on it.

It will also have the ‘6’ Champions League badge on one sleeve and a ‘2019’ winners badge on the other sleeve, making this a unique collector’s item for any Red.

If you pre-order now from the official LFC store, it will be delivered the week commencing January 13.

The Reds re-start their Champions League campaign away Atletico Madrid on February 18, with the next time the badge will be worn at Anfield in the second leg tie on March 11.

* You can purchase the unique kit from the official LFC store here.

More: Club World Cup, Kit

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Liverpool are likely to oversee another quiet January transfer window, but the surprise signing of Takumi Minamino does prove anything can happen.

Minamino officially became a Reds player on January 1, having already joined his first training session at Melwood the previous day.

The Japan international met his new team-mates and took part in preparations for Thursday night’s clash with Sheffield United, though will need to wait for his debut on January 5.

A £7.25 million arrival from Salzburg, the deal for Minamino came out of the blue, and is the first January signing Liverpool have made since Virgil van Dijk‘s £75 million move from Southampton in 2018.

But what else can we expect from the Reds before the deadline at 11pm on January 31?

?? Klopp says it's "not likely" Liverpool will make any more signings this month. pic.twitter.com/syLChhYIX9

— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) January 2, 2020

Speaking in his first press conference of 2020, Klopp heralded the signing of Minamino, but forecast a low-key rest of the window in terms of incomings.

“I think every year we have the same situation,” he told reporters.

“If you would ask me ‘do you want to buy a centre-half’, I would say ‘yes’; in two weeks [it would be] ‘no’, because then they are all back. It’s like this, it’s always tricky.

“No, we probably will not be too busy in the transfer window. We will see what happens, but no, it’s not likely.”

The stance, therefore, is that as ever Liverpool are open to developments throughout the month, but it would appear Klopp is not actively seeking to strengthen his squad.

His example, with the injuries to Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren, is apt, as though some have suggested further cover is required for the fit duo of Van Dijk and Joe Gomez, that would undermine the balance in the current setup.

Klopp has, of course, already moved to reinforce his back line with the recall of Nat Phillips from his loan spell with Stuttgart.

Phillips was part of the New Year’s Eve training session along with Minamino, and though his return is likely only to be short-term—with a move back to Stuttgart expected before the end of the month—he is now available to deputise.

The 22-year-old should be involved in the FA Cup third-round clash with Everton on Sunday, and could be named on the bench until Matip or Lovren make their comeback.

Two more loanees should report back to Melwood this month, too, with Shamal George and Rhys Williams only heading out on half-season deals in the summer.

The pair did turn out for Marine and Kidderminster Harriers on New Year’s Day respectively, though, and it could be that an extension of their spells will be agreed.

Ben Woodburn is already back on Merseyside, as he receives treatment for a broken foot, but should stay with Oxford United until the end of the season—talks are underway over whether Liverpool will pay his wages from now on.

One of the biggest stories to look out for this month is Rhian Brewster‘s long-mooted loan exit.

The 19-year-old has made just two appearances for the first team so far this season, and has barely been a fixture on the substitutes’ bench, but should be granted his request for a temporary move.

Swansea are the most likely destination, allowing Brewster to link up with his former England under-17s manager Steve Cooper, who was also previously Liverpool’s academy manager.

The Swans have already seen Sam Surridge recalled by Bournemouth, and with Borja Baston set to leave the club this month, Brewster could arrive as first-choice striker.

Cooper’s side have also been credited with an interest in Curtis Jones, and the midfielder could be in line for a short-term switch of his own.

Speculation has also mounted over a January move for Nathaniel Clyne, who is claimed to be nearing a return to full training after an ACL injury.

There is no word on the clubs interested in the right-back, but with six months left on his contract with the Reds and seemingly no way back into Klopp’s reckoning, a cut-price deal could be agreed.

Clyne made five appearances for Liverpool last season before joining Bournemouth on loan in the January window, and though he would provide experienced cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold, a permanent departure is likely.

Adam Lallana has also entered the final half-season of his deal with the Reds, and though he is not available for transfer this month, the midfielder can speak to clubs outside of England regarding a Bosman move in the summer.

Another player who could move on loan is Caoimhin Kelleher, particularly if a heavily rotated side loses to Everton in the FA Cup, with Preston among the clubs linked with the Irish stopper.

There is scope for the likes of Neco Williams, Isaac Christie-Davies and Tony Gallacher to head out too, though Klopp will be eager to avoid leaving his squad short.

Both Herbie Kane and Pedro Chirivella could leave on permanent deals, with Kane attracting the likes of Hull and Charlton.

Finally, Liverpool could agree a deal for Allan Rodrigues to cut his ties with the club after four-and-a-half years, with Fluminense expected to secure his signing on a long-term basis.

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Jurgen Klopp has declared Adam Lallana‘s ongoing injury problems as “completely done,” but suggested he could leave Liverpool in the summer.

Lallana’s contract expires at the end of the campaign, though it was reported back in 2017—when he signed his last deal—that the club have an option to extend this by a further year.

That contradicts a claim from the Telegraph‘s Chris Bascombe on Tuesday night that Klopp is eager for him to sign a new deal, with the suggestion being that this would be to maximise his re-sale value.

The 31-year-old is expected to leave in July regardless, and as of New Year’s Day is able to talk to clubs outside of England regarding a free transfer.

Clubs in Italy and China have already been credited with an interest, and as Klopp discussed Lallana’s future ahead of Thursday’s clash with Sheffield United, there was a hint of resignation in his tone.

“Everything about Adam Lallana, Adam Lallana knows, I know,” he told reporters.

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“I’m really happy for him that he’s in a sensational shape in the moment, and that’s what we try to show constantly, as often as we bring him.

“He’s a very important player in this moment; what will happen in the future, we will see.

“But for him, wherever it is, here or somewhere else, the only important thing is that he can show he’s 100 percent fit. He had some injury problems, completely done.

“Trained, body is super-fit, mind in a perfect place. He enjoys the time here in the moment, you can see that in each second of training, when he plays [he is] very influential.

“But these kind of things we don’t discuss in public, so you have to speculate further.”

Few could begrudge Lallana leaving Liverpool at the end of the campaign if he is offered regular first-team football at another big club, and it will be interesting to see where ends up if he does opt to depart.

Daniel Sturridge joined Trabzonspor in a high-profile Bosman deal last summer, after a similarly injury blighted six-and-a-half years on Merseyside, and this season has scored seven and assisted four in 13 games for the Turkish club.

But there is an argument that Lallana would be better off remaining at Anfield if he is still seen as a valuable squad player.

Given his lack of minutes in the past two-and-a-half seasons, however, it seems likely the Englishman will move on.

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Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler combined for three of Liverpool's four goals in a 4-0 win over Sheffield United at Anfield in 2007, but can you recall the rest of the line-up from that February afternoon?

Fowler put away two first-half penalties won by the captain and, after Sami Hyypia had made it 3-0 after the break, Gerrard added a fourth from the striker’s assist.

The Reds legends took the headlines, but can you fill in the rest of the Missing Men below?

Fill in the answers in the quiz below, or click Next at the bottom of the page to reveal the Missing Men...

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Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler combined for three of Liverpool's four goals in a 4-0 win over Sheffield United at Anfield in 2007, but can you recall the rest of the line-up from that February afternoon?

Liverpool host Sheffield United in the Premier League on Thursday, with kick-off at Anfield scheduled for 8pm GMT.

The match will be shown live on BT Sport in the UK.

Extended highlights will be available on LFCTV GO from midnight.

You can listen to the game live with our free audio commentary service and follow the build-up, action and reaction as it happens with Liverpoolfc.com’s live matchday blog.

For Reds fans outside of the UK, global TV listings for the game can be found here.

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Liverpool host Sheffield United in the Premier League on Thursday, with kick-off at Anfield scheduled for 8pm GMT.

Liverpool are set to select from the same squad that faced Wolverhampton Wanderers when Sheffield United visit Anfield for the first game of 2020 on Thursday night.

Jürgen Klopp confirmed during his pre-match press conference the Reds had no fresh injury concerns ahead of the clash with the Blades.

New signing Takumi Minamino is ineligible to make his debut due to transfer registration regulations.

Meanwhile, despite making steady progress in their recoveries, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xherdan Shaqiri, Fabinho, Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip remain absent.

“When you have only three days in between it is tricky and you saw that against Wolves, but four days is a proper recovery and that’s OK, so you don’t have to think too much about it,” Klopp said on Wednesday.

“After that there is another game immediately and only three days, which is tricky again, but it’s the job to do.

“It is not only about rhythm and who plays together with who, we don’t have in all positions massive alternatives, so a few of them have to go again and hopefully they can. Apart from that, it’s just about the opponent and shape.

“They are all in a good shape, so I’m happy with that. It is not the biggest number and it’s not always easy to make the right decisions.”

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Blades boss Chris Wilder, meanwhile, is unsure whether John Lundstram will be fit after the midfielder missed Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester City due to an ankle injury.

“I believe John will take part in a full training session today [Tuesday], so we’ll see how he comes through that,” Wilder told the media.

Other than the doubt over Lundstram, the visitors are set to have a full complement available at Anfield.

Wilder added: “We had the report on everyone and we came through the City game well, health-wise. We’ve got a full quota to pick from.”

Last match

Liverpool 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (December 29): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Manchester City 2-0 Sheffield United (December 29): Henderson, Basham, Egan, O'Connell, Baldock, Stevens, Norwood, Fleck, Besic, Robinson, Mousset.

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