It seems pretty clear now that Arne Slot is Liverpool bound.

His last game as Feyenoord head coach will be on May 19 at home to Excelsior.

Excelsior is Latin for higher.

And Slot is heading for higher things.

A job high up the world football scale, he hopes to bring more highs to Anfield.

High energy, high line, high entertainment.

Slot's high on the charm scale too, and that is important to Liverpool.

Not as important as winning and playing style of course, but a big factor in choosing Slot.

Like Jurgen Klopp he's got a glint in his eye, and he's got swagger, and like Jurgen, Arne has a perfect set of white teeth - and a big friendly smile that makes the most of them.

He loves a camera, and finds dealing with intense media scrutiny very easy.

His news conference on Thursday night at Go Ahead Eagles underlined that, as did our brief interaction on the steps of the Feyenoord team hotel a few hours earlier.

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Feyenoord boss Arne Slot had an exchange with Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill as he was asked about taking the Liverpool job

After the match, Slot was frank. Very frank.

In front of a room full of Dutch media - foreign media were banned from attending by the host club - he wasn't asked at all about the 3-1 away win that had just guaranteed Feyenoord Champions League football again next season.

All the questions were about Liverpool, and he answered every one.

No platitudes, no "No comment", no dodging the issue.

Just, almost, full disclosure.

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Feyenoord boss Arne Slot says he is confident the club will reach an agreement to allow him to join Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's successor

Yes: He wants Liverpool.

Yes: Liverpool want him.

Yes: Negotiations are complicated… but

Yes: He was sure a deal could be done.

A perfect performance, and 11 months ago he handled the Tottenham links with similar panache.

As mentioned, that ability to get the media onside was very much on show at the team hotel earlier in the day, too.

He jumped off the team bus, with a big smile on his face, fully aware myself and Sky cameraman 'Spiney' were waiting to pounce.

Not for him bolting straight to the hotel entrance door.

Instead he got his (perfectly ironed) match night shirt and suitcase from the luggage compartment, and played along with us.

He agreed, when questioned, that he was 'in the news' and 'wanted to go to the Premier League'.

And, but for an over-zealous hotel duty manager getting in the way, he would have said more.

That 'doorstep' as we call it, went around the world.

His demeanour and good grace was commented on by many.

But there's another part to that encounter. And here it is.

When the team bus left the training ground for the 90-mile drive to the hotel, we were about to make the same journey.

We knew which hotel they were heading too.

But the driver thought we were following the coach - and the head coach - and, jokingly went three times around a traffic island to pretend to try and shake us off!

Football banter at its best.

Image: The Feyenoord team bus tried to give Sky Sports News' Gary Cotterill the slip!

Slot and the players loved it… I even suspect Slot suggested the driver did it!

On the subject of football travel, two of Slot's Feyenoord squad have unexpected ways of getting to training everyday.

Unexpected for top pro players that is.

Yankuba Minteh, on loan from Newcastle, cycles in, posing with fans wanting photos on the way.

Fellow young forward Leo Sauer walks!

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp appeared to endorse his potential successor Arne Slot, describing him as a 'good coach and a good guy'

Of course, Feyenoord to Liverpool is a very big step.

But those who know Slot on and off the pitch say he's up to the challenge.

He'll be dealing with bigger, better players at Anfield of course, but even the rich and famous respond to kindness and humour.

From what I have seen, Slot has that in bucket loads.

No doubt, it's easier being nice when you're winning, and doing that is the very least expected of Slot from the word go at Liverpool.

The stakes are high.

Expectations are higher.

Excelsior.

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Melissa Reddy shares the latest on Feyenoord's Arne Slot proposed switch to Liverpool to replace Jurgen Klopp Essential Questions Podcast: Is Slot the man for Liverpool?

Ron Walker is joined by Sky Sports News' senior reporter, Melissa Reddy and Sky Sports football journalist Adam Bate to discuss Slot's potential move to Liverpool as Klopp's successor.

Subscribe now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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Friday brought the buildup to another away clash for Liverpool in the Premier League, but also a major development in their pursuit of the next manager.

The latest on Slot

Liverpool are close to agreeing terms with Feyenoord over the release of manager Arne Slot, who will take over at the end of the season.

That is according to Sky Sports‘ Melissa Reddy, with the compensation expected to be £9.85 million, which is an increase on their initial offer of £7.7 million.

? BREAKING: Liverpool and Feyenoord are heading towards finalising an agreement for Arne Slot to become Jurgen Klopp’s successor ? pic.twitter.com/YFdTE24Vkt

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 26, 2024

Slot could be announced as new Liverpool manager as early as this weekend, the Mail claim, with the likelihood being that Feyenoord confirm their agreement first.

The 45-year-old is also due to bring assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff and head of performance Ruben Peeters with him to Merseyside, which would require more talks.

Feyenoord beat Go Ahead Eagles 3-1 in the Eredivisie on Thursday night to seal their place in next season’s Champions League, with ex-Liverpool winger Bobby Adekanye assisting for the opposition.

3 things today: Gakpo’s return, Klopp on Slot and new contract

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• Kieran Morrison, a 17-year-old winger who has already trained with Liverpool’s first team, has now signed his first professional contract

Latest Liverpool FC news

• David Moyes has revealed that Jarrod Bowen has a “good chance” of featuring vs. Liverpool – of course he does (WHUFC)

• Liverpool coach Jay Spearing has welcomed the appointment of Slot, saying “he can handle a big club” (Stadium Astro)

Around the Premier League

• Premier League chief Richard Masters claims Man City‘s 115 charges will be resolved in the “near future” – but will it actually matter? (PA)

• Erik ten Hag banned three journalists from asking questions in his press conference on Friday – he’s still upset about the reaction to almost bottling it vs. Coventry (BBC Sport)

• Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has a £100 million release clause, Eddie Howe has confirmed – but it’s only active in June (Times)

Article of the day and match of the night

As you settle in for your Friday night, why not catch up with our conversation with Dutch football expert Arthur Renard on what Slot could bring and how he will fit in at Liverpool.

Or watch it here!

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Match of the night is in LaLiga, where Real Sociedad host Real Madrid in an 8pm kickoff on ITV4 in the UK.

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Liverpool academy player-coach Jay Spearing has spoken out on the possibility of Arne Slot replacing Jurgen Klopp as Reds manager

Liverpool academy player-coach Jay Spearing has spoken out on the possibility of Arne Slot replacing Jurgen Klopp as Reds manager

Liverpool head to West Ham feeling flat after a poor run of form, with a response badly needed as Jurgen Klopp‘s exit approaches.

West Ham vs. Liverpool

Premier League (35) | London Stadium
April 25, 2024 | 12.30pm (BST)

The Reds’ 2-0 defeat away to Everton was one of the lowest moments of the season so far, with a complete lack of quality and fight.

The result effectively ended Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League, but it is important not to end the campaign in a complete mess.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game.

1. Massive response required

Wednesday’s Merseyside derby was as frustrating as it was dispiriting.

Liverpool have tailed off alarmingly in recent weeks, with Klopp looking as jaded and out of ideas as so many of his players.

A victory is essential as West Ham, not least so that Liverpool don’t risk getting pulled into an unlikely top-four battle, and they should be stinging after midweek, producing a response in the process.

More dropped points would feel even more alarming.

2. Time for Moyes to go?

West Ham aren’t exactly in high spirits going into the game either, with an increasing feeling that David Moyes is on his way out.

After winning the Europa Conference League last season, this campaign has been more inconsistent, and a new manager is being discussed – including, for what it’s worth, Ruben Amorim.

Last Sunday’s 5-2 defeat away to Crystal Palace was a low point, and a mid-table finish is now looking on the cards.

The decision looks set to rest with Moyes, but another defeat to Liverpool this weekend will further crank up the pressure on him to move on.

3. Who’s out for Liverpool?

Liverpool are still without Diogo Jota, who won’t be back until next month after suffering a muscle injury away to Fulham last weekend.

Similarly, Conor Bradley is still absent with an ankle problem.

Cody Gakpo is available, however, following the birth of his son.

Joel Matip, Thiago and Ben Doak are all still out, too, with the first two likely having played their last game for Liverpool.

4. Possible Liverpool XI

Liverpool’s performance at Everton was so bad that few could complain if they were left out at the London Stadium.

Ibrahima Konate was one of the worst players on the night and it would be no surprise to see Jarell Quansah come in for him.

Joe Gomez could replace the tired Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while in midfield, Wataru Endo may play after being on the bench in midweek.

Liverpool’s attackers are horribly out of sorts, in particular Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez, and Gakpo merits a start.

The Dutchman missed the Everton game because his wife was in labour.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Gomez, Quansah, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Elliott, Gravenberch; Salah, Diaz, Gakpo

5. How will West Ham line up?

Jarrod Bowen is expected to return for West Ham after missing the defeat to Palace, acting as a big boost for Moyes.

Alphonse Areola is expected to replace Lukasz Fabianksi in goal, if fit, and there are no new injury problems for the Hammers.

Barring Areola and Bowen coming back in, the starting lineup could be similar to the one at Selhurst Park, having had all week off.

Lucas Paqueta is one to watch, with the Brazilian a superb all-round midfielder who has been strongly linked with Man City in the summer transfer window.

Possible West Ham XI: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Antonio

6. Klopp’s presser

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Addressing the media on Friday, Klopp approved of Arne Slot as his likely replacement as Liverpool manager this summer:

“What I would like about it, if he is the one, is that he wants to take the job – come on, let’s go, excited.

“I like the way his team plays football. All the things I hear about him as a guy, good guy. Some people I know know him, I don’t, but some people tell me he’s a really good guy.

“So good coach, good guy, looking forward for the club if he’s the solution. It’s not up to me to judge, but it all sounds really good to me.”

Here’s hoping that Slot is anything close to as incredible as Klopp has been.

7. Liverpool hit-and-miss at the London Stadium

It’s fair to say that Liverpool have been unpredictable when making the trip to the London Stadium over the years.

Their first game there was a vital 4-0 win in the top-four battle back in May 2017, with Philippe Coutinho scoring twice, and Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi also netting.

There was also a 4-1 triumph at the London Stadium later that year, but also a damaging 1-1 draw in 2018/19 that proved costly in the title race.

Liverpool’s only defeat at West Ham‘s current home was in November 2021, with a 3-2 loss coming their way.

8. Did you know?

Salah is desperately in need of some good form, with the Liverpool legend completely out of sorts since returning from injury.

He excels against West Ham, however, and is the most prolific scorer in the history of the fixture with 11 goals.

Should he score on Saturday, he will be the second Reds player in history to score in three different fixtures against the Hammers in the same season, after John Toshack in 1975/76.

Only against Man United (14) has Salah scored more goals for Liverpool, also finding the net 11 times against Man City.

9. Anthony Taylor in charge

Anthony Taylor is the referee this weekend – it feels like he has constantly been in charge of Liverpool games this season!

There is definite truth to that, with Saturday the sixth time he will have overseen a Reds league match in 2023/24.

The most high-profile of those were the 3-1 loss at Arsenal and recent 2-2 draw at home to Man United, and Liverpool have only won one of the five fixtures overall.

That was the 4-2 win over Newcastle at Anfield on New Year’s Day.

Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistant Referees: Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn
Fourth Official: Josh Smith
VAR: Tim Robinson
Assistant VAR: Wade Smith

10. Follow the match with TIA

West Ham vs. Liverpool is live on TNT Sports 1 from 11am (BST), with kickoff at 12.30pm.

Harry McMullen is in charge of TIA’s matchday live blog from 11.45am, looking to bring you more joy than has been in recent weeks.

Come on you Reds!

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Liverpool and Feyenoord are heading towards finalising an agreement for Arne Slot to become Jurgen Klopp's successor.

Talks have progressed positively and while sources in the Netherlands have mentioned a figure of £9.85 million, Sky Sports News has been told no amount has been settled on yet and negotiations are ongoing.

Slot, who led the Dutch club to only their second Eredivisie title this century last season, featured on Liverpool's list of candidates from the start of a long, rigorous process and topped it when they finished due diligence on all the key criteria.

Xabi Alonso, the outstanding candidate for every top club seeking a new manager this summer, ruled himself out of contention by remaining at Bayer Leverkusen.

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp appeared to endorse his potential successor Slot, describing him as a 'good coach and a good guy'

Sporting coach Ruben Amorim had made Liverpool's shortlist, and despite the external noise over him, the club always maintained he was not the leading or preferred option.

He ticked several requirements, but his playing approach - particularly using three at the back - and long-term vision did not fit the current squad nor the philosophy implemented through all age groups at Liverpool.

Suggestions that financial reasons were behind Amorim not being the frontrunner for the Anfield job has been termed fiction.

There has also been scepticism around the reasons for the 39-year-old's very public meeting with West Ham, with one intermediary suggesting Amorim was trying to pressure Liverpool by showing them he had other options.

The club had already judged Slot as the better football fit before that point, as well as a superior communicator and connector.

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Watch Slot give an inspirational team talk following a huge win against Ajax last season - his side then went on to win the Eredivisie

The character references sourced for every candidate also established him as a top pick.

On Thursday, Slot indicated he was confident a deal would be agreed. "Everybody understands Feyenoord will want to receive as much money as they can get, but I get the feeling that they will not begrudge me this move," he said.

"I expect that things will become clearer over the next few days."

Why are Liverpool keen on Slot?

Who is Slot and why do Liverpool want him?

• Age: 45
• Trophies won: Eredivisie 2022/23, KNVB Cup 2023/24
• Playing style: Aggressive, full-throttle
• Preferred formations: 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3

Slot, who secured the Dutch Cup last weekend and led Feyenoord to their first title in six years last season, appeals to Liverpool due to his aggressive, full-throttle style.

He has drilled his team to be adept at turning defensive actions into shooting opportunities and they top the Eredivisie for tackles won in the opposition's final third.

Feyenoord have the best defence in the league and the second-best offensive metrics.

Image: Slot is expected to be the man to replace Klopp

Slot has proved capable of improving individuals as well as the collective, while operating on a smaller budget than his core competitors, and his penchant for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation fits Liverpool's squad.

Slot has previously been approached by Tottenham, Chelsea and Leeds. He signed a new contract last May to keep him at Feyenoord until 2026 but has referenced a desire to make the next step in his career.

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Slot says he is confident the club will reach an agreement to allow him to join Liverpool

Slot has a strong track record of player development and outperforming his budget and resources in comparison to rivals at both AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord. This is important when we scan the football landscape and how it's going to change.

We've seen the teeth of the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability rules, and with some clubs pushing for "anchoring" and a hard salary cap to be introduced, the importance of work on the training pitches, being able to bring through young talent, and operate well within means is going to be more pronounced.

Under Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool have been run in a healthy, sustainable way and it is sensible to recruit a manager who can continue to maximise resources.

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Feyenoord boss Arne Slot had an awkward exchange with Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill as he was asked about taking the Liverpool job

Similarities between Slot's Feyenoord and Klopp's Liverpool

• Feyenoord have won possession in the final third more than any team in Europe’s top five leagues, with Liverpool in second
• The average distance from their own goal when winning possession in open play: Feyenoord 45.2 metres, Liverpool 44.6m
• High turnovers: Liverpool 353, Feyenoord 344
• Average possession in the league: Feyenoord 62%, Liverpool 61.4%

Most of the candidates under consideration by Liverpool ticked that box, but Slot's playing approach and philosophy, which marries so well with what Klopp has implemented at the club, set him apart.

It means there is no massive tactical upheaval or adaptation. Liverpool have one vision and playing style running through all age groups, which dictates the stylistic profile they recruit for, so it is sensible to continue with that.

The leap from the Eredivisie to a team that wants to win the Premier League and be a dominant force in Europe in a huge one, but every potential successor to Klopp carries risk.

Carra: Liverpool's move for Slot shows lack of top managers

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Jamie Carragher feels that Slot may find the step up from Feyenoord to Liverpool difficult as he would have to meet the club's current demands to compete for the biggest trophies every season

Jamie Carragher says Liverpool's move for Slot demonstrates the lack of "top managers" currently available.

Speaking to Sky Sports, former Liverpool defender Carragher said: "From Feyenoord to Liverpool is a huge jump and I think it shows at this moment that there's probably a dearth of real top managers out there, when you look at who Liverpool are going for.

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The Guardian's Jonathan Liew and The Times' Charlotte Duncker discuss the possibility of Slot becoming Klopp's successor

"Initially it was Xabi Alonso - it's only his first full season as a manager - then there was talk of Ruben Amorim from Sporting, who's only 39. Now Arne Slot is the favourite."

Carragher added the scenario potentially facing Slot at Anfield differs from the one Klopp inherited in 2014 after his time in charge of Borussia Dortmund, or the one Rafa Benitez walked into in 2004 after leaving Valencia.

"I don't think it's like Benitez coming in, or Klopp," he said. "Benitez coming in on the back of two LaLiga titles and a UEFA Cup, or Klopp winning a couple of league titles and getting to a Champions League final. Liverpool were actually in a different space then.

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Gary Neville gives his take on Liverpool's move for Slot

"That Liverpool team, certainly under Benitez that I was part of, we were the team trying to qualify for the top four. The same with Klopp when he came in.

"But Liverpool are in a different era now. They actually fancy themselves to challenge for the Premier League every season. Next season, in the Champions League they'd expect to get to the quarter-finals at least.

"I think it's a huge jump but he's obviously a great coach with a great track record so far. We'll see."

Essential Questions Podcast: Is Slot the man for Liverpool?

Ron Walker is joined by Sky Sports News' senior reporter, Melissa Reddy and Sky Sports football journalist Adam Bate to discuss Slot's potential move to Liverpool as Klopp's successor.

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Spotify This content is provided by Spotify, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spotify cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spotify cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spotify cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once Spreaker This content is provided by Spreaker, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Spreaker cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Spreaker cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow Spreaker cookies for this session only. Enable Cookies Allow Cookies Once The making of Slot: Why he is right for Liverpool Image: Slot is expected to be the man to replace Klopp

Slot has emerged as the preferred candidate to replace the departing Klopp as the next Liverpool manager but who is the man that the club believe can lead them into this new era and what can they expect from this 45-year-old Dutch coach?

In conversation with those who coached Slot and those who have been coached by him, as well as colleagues on his staff, we examine the making of Liverpool's next manager, exploring his tactical ideas, his man-management and his handling of the media.

Read Adam Bate's in-depth feature on Slot here.

'Slot brings crazy, sexy football'

Slot took over from Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord for the start of the 2021/22 season with the club having finished fifth the previous campaign.

Just two years later, they were champions of the Eredivisie. He built a pressing team playing intense, attack-minded football while also being able to win.

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Sky Sports News' chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol explains the details around Arne Slot's potential move to Liverpool

Feyenoord are second behind PSV Eindhoven this season, nine points adrift with four games to play. In Europe, they finished third in their Champions League group before dropping into the Europa League, where they were knocked out by Roma on penalties in February.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan said: "He is the prime candidate for Liverpool.

"It was only a matter of time before another big English club would come knocking on the door. He's not only been a successful manager, he's also been hugely impressive with his playing style of very attack-minded, Pep Guardiola-style football.

"I don't expect Feyenoord to stand in the way. They know he's a manager in demand but they will demand a big compensation fee. He has two years left on his contract.

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Sky Sports' Peter Smith and David Reed discuss the news that Liverpool have opened negotiations with Feyenoord about hiring Arne Slot as manager

"That was a record deal. Never before in Dutch football has a team paid a manager such huge wages.

"The players like him, the fans love him, the club love him - they won't want him to go. Feyenoord have every right to demand a big fee as there is no clause in his contract, which he renewed last year.

"He's been a successful coach and made Feyenoord champions playing crazy, sexy football. It is sexy what this man brings on a football pitch.

"There's nothing more to win for him here. The next step for him is to enter a club in a big league and no league is bigger for the Dutch than the Premier League.

"I will be surprised if Slot doesn't bite at this chance and become the manager of Liverpool next season."

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Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has emerged as the lead candidate to take over from Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss next season

Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has emerged as the lead candidate to take over from Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss next season

The Premier League case against Manchester City over alleged breaches of its financial rules “will resolve itself in the near future,” its chief executive Richard Masters has said.

City remain in pole position to retain their title following a 4-0 win over Brighton on Thursday night, which would be their second since 115 charges were laid against them by the Premier League in February last year.

Asked whether a second City success while the charges remained outstanding would damage European league football, Masters said: “It’s not for the football authorities to start being selective about who they would like to win the league.

“The key point is that you’ve got that jeopardy until the final day. Who knows where we will be on May 19?”

Masters, speaking at the European Leagues general assembly, added: “Obviously we can’t comment on the case, the date has been set and the case will resolve itself at some point in the near future, and I cannot make any further comment on it.”

An independent commission is set to hear the case later this year, but certainly not before the current campaign ends. Given the extent of the charges, a decision in the case may not come until next year.

City said at the time the charges were laid that they welcomed a review of this matter by an independent commission “to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of our position.”

The club added: “As such we look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all.”

City trail Arsenal by a point heading into the weekend but have a game in hand on the Gunners.

If they can win the title, it would be their fourth in a row and sixth in the last seven seasons.

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As the Premier League season enters its final three weeks, the race for the European places remains an intriguing one.

Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League places are still up for grabs and the race to get them looks set to go the distance.

Seven English teams will play in Europe next season, despite an almost-certain lack of a fifth Champions League place, and only three spots could be classed as sewn up.

So, as the campaign boils down to its last days, here is how the battle is shaping up.

Firstly, how does European qualification work in the Premier League?Champions League

The top four teams in the Premier League gain qualification for the Champions League.

With the incoming changes to the format, there is the opportunity for an extra place but poor performances from English sides in European competitions this season mean Italy and Germany are set to earn those.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City will almost certainly confirm qualification in their remaining games while Aston Villa, in fourth, are best placed to join them.

GO DEEPER

PL's chance of five Champions League places is now 1.1% - but this is how it can happen

Europa League

There are two Europa League places given to English teams: one for the team that finishes fifth in the Premier League and the other for the FA Cup winners.

When the FA Cup winner finishes in the top five anyway, that place is deferred to the next-best finisher in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur are the team in fifth and, despite aspirations of catching Villa in fourth, are likely to have to settle for a Europa League place.

Manchester United are well placed to take the other one; they face neighbours Manchester City in the FA Cup final for the second consecutive year and are the team currently occupying sixth in the Premier League table.

Europa Conference League

The one place for an English team in the Europa Conference League is given to the Carabao Cup winners.

That place is deferred to the Premier League table if the Carabao Cup winners earn a Champions League or Europa League place through their league position.

This season’s Carabao Cup winners were Liverpool, who cannot drop out of the top five in what remains of the season, so the Europa Conference League place will likely be given to the seventh-place finisher in the Premier League. That is currently Newcastle United, but there are a few teams still in contention.

Which teams are fighting for a European place?if(["rgb(17, 17, 17)", "rgb(0, 0, 0)", "rgb(18, 18, 18)", "rgb(26, 26, 26)"].indexOf(getComputedStyle(document.body).backgroundColor) != -1) {var x = document.querySelectorAll("#ath_table_845192 .ia-hlt");for (var i = 0; i < x.length; i++) {x[i].classList.add("dark-mode");}}var all_table_images = document.querySelectorAll("#ath_table_845192 img"); for (var i = 0; i < all_table_images.length; i++) {all_table_images[i].removeAttribute("onclick")};var link = document.createElement("link");link.rel = "stylesheet";link.type = "text/css";link.href = "https://use.typekit.net/cuz4pky.css";document.getElementsByTagName("HEAD")[0].appendChild(link);var link = document.createElement("link");link.rel = "stylesheet";link.type = "text/css";link.href = "https://use.typekit.net/dtk6elt.css";document.getElementsByTagName("HEAD")[0].appendChild(link);var link = document.createElement("link");link.rel = "stylesheet";link.type = "text/css";link.href = "https://theathletic.com/app/themes/athletic/assets/css/tables.css";document.getElementsByTagName("HEAD")[0].appendChild(link);

(Blue: Champions League qualification; Yellow: Europa League qualification; Green: Europa Conference League qualification)

It is fair to assume the top three will not drop out of the Champions League places in what remains of the season.

Below them, there is a six-team battle for the other four places with two more teams — Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion — on the periphery.

Brighton’s fleeting hopes of another European tour were dealt a blow in their 4-0 defeat to Manchester City on Thursday and they will need a near-flawless run to the finish if they want any chance of a top-seven place.

In truth, the current top seven teams may not move much in the final three weeks of the season — an expectation shared by Opta.

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Tottenham can still catch Aston Villa in the final Champions League place but their inconsistent form and difficult run-in makes it unlikely that they will better Villa’s points total in what remains of the season.

It is equally unlikely, though, that they finish any lower than fifth. They need three wins from their six matches to guarantee fifth, but fewer points will probably be enough given the likelihood of the teams below them dropping points.

The battle for sixth is the one that looks likeliest to provide us with drama. If Manchester City win the FA Cup, sixth place will come with a Europa League place. If Erik ten Hag’s side win the FA Cup and don’t finish sixth, it will be a Europa Conference League place.

Manchester United can guarantee a Europa League place with an FA Cup triumph (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Manchester United’s main competition looks to be Newcastle but, despite a poor season, Chelsea are also in the picture. United’s task is simple: keep the teams below them at bay.

To finish sixth, Newcastle need to pick up three more points than Manchester United during the run-in. Chelsea, meanwhile, need six more points than Manchester United and four more than Newcastle (due to Newcastle’s superior goal difference).

The two teams that miss out on sixth will then be in the running for seventh, which is likely to come with a Europa Conference League place.

West Ham (eighth), Bournemouth (10th) and Brighton (11th) all have an outside chance of a seventh-placed finish, although it looks like they have too much ground to make up on the teams above them due to points difference and games in hand.

(Top photos: Getty Images)

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has had several gripes during his lengthy tenure at Anfield with the German set to bid a welcome goodbye to two things that have annoyed him

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has had several gripes during his lengthy tenure at Anfield with the German set to bid a welcome goodbye to two things that have annoyed him

As Liverpool look beyond Klopp’s farewell tour and conceive of a new vision, there is a discussion to be had about the Uruguayan striker

Sometimes it clicks. And in those moments when it clicks for Darwin Nunez, you could be excused for thinking you are watching the best centre-forward in the world, a wrecking-ball of a No 9 whose power and aggression are sometimes accompanied by an unexpected finesse.

Take a look at the two goals he scored away to Newcastle United in the opening weeks of this season, shortly after being sent on with a point to prove; that sumptuous volley on the half-turn, as the ball came over his shoulder, against West Ham United at Anfield; that ferocious strike soon after coming on at Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup in November; that outrageous, impudent chipped finish at Brentford to leave Mark Flekken clutching at thin air; well-taken goals for Uruguay against Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia.

But it never clicks for long. Nunez is the definition of a player who blows hot and cold — not just from one month or one week to the next, but often from one minute to the next. Even within those hotter streaks, there are periods when the 24-year-old looks out of place in a team with serious ambitions. There are so many rough edges to his game.

Since mid-March, he has not so much blown hot and cold as blown out completely: nine appearances, just one goal (when he charged down a goalkeeper’s clearance against Sheffield United), numerous chances squandered and a series of performances that have varied between erratic and lethargic.

As has been discussed at length, there are numerous factors behind the collapse of Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge. It would be fair to describe the struggles of Nunez, whose best form this season came when others in the team were playing well, as a symptom of those ills rather than an overriding cause.

But as Liverpool begin to look beyond Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour and to conceive of a new vision led by Michael Edwards, Richard Hughes and, they hope, Feyenoord coach Arne Slot, there is a serious discussion to be had over Nunez. After two seasons, has the Uruguayan done enough to be one of the cornerstones of Liverpool’s brave new world?

Nunez has scored 33 goals in 92 games for Liverpool. More than a third of those appearances have been from the bench. In the Premier League, it is 20 goals from 61 appearances: 15 goals in 41 starts, five in 20 from the bench. Add 11 assists to the equation and it looks healthy: a goal or assist every 77 minutes in the Premier League this season, a clear improvement on one every 141 minutes in his debut campaign.

The basic numbers look solid enough. Video showreels of his best bits look spectacular. But the concern is the other parts: the reliability of his finishing and build-up play, the sporadic nature of his performances, his curious relationship with the offside rule and the way his output and playing time has faded significantly from March onwards in three of the past four seasons.

Opta’s expected-goals (xG) metric shows a player who, in his four seasons playing top-flight football in Europe, has struggled to convert chances on a consistent basis.

In all but one of those campaigns (his second at Benfica), his goal return has fallen some distance short of his xG. Liverpool signed him on the back of that 2021-22 season in which he scored 26 league goals for Benfica from an xG of 18.4. That is an enormously impressive return, but it remains a distinct outlier in his career. Over his two seasons in the Premier League, he has scored 20 goals from an xG of 27.8.

If anything, the nature of Nunez’s goals — many of them powerful, audacious efforts from low-quality chances — skews the data. In that 14-minute cameo at Newcastle, he scored twice from two chances with a combined xG of 0.4. By contrast, across the home games against Newcastle and Chelsea, he took a total of 18 shots, with a combined xG of 3.0, but didn’t score.

This season, Nunez has taken more shots (104) than any other player in the Premier League despite spending more than one-third of the time on the sidelines. In terms of shots per 90 minutes, his total of 4.73 is by far the highest among players who have made more than a handful of appearances. Next come Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz (4.44), Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (4.0), Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison (3.80) and then his Liverpool team-mate, Mohamed Salah (3.72).

Using Opta’s data, Nunez has missed no fewer than 46 “big chances” in the Premier League since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2022. Haaland has missed more (58), though he has scored almost three times as many goals (56) as Nunez over the same period.

Nunez’s shot map for this season captures the problem. The red dots show the goals, the black dots show the unsuccessful shots and the bigger the dot, the better the chance according to Opta’s xG model. The two most striking things about Nunez’s shot map are the number of large black dots close to the opposition goal and the number of tiny black dots more than 30 yards out. From 23 attempts from outside the penalty area, Nunez has scored twice — and one of those was that goal against Sheffield United.

The problem is that so many of his close-range finishes seem so untidy, so rushed and so lacking in composure. In isolation, the two he has hit straight at goalkeepers from similar positions in recent Liverpool defeats — denied by Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson and Everton’s Jordan Pickford — would be easily forgotten.

When they are just the latest entries in a compendium of glaring misses, they are harder to excuse.

And when several of those “big chances” have been missed when his team are trailing in games — notably against Palace and Everton and away to Luton Town in November — it not only magnifies the incident but raises questions about temperament. The best centre-forwards have an ice-cold composure in front of goal. The majority of the time, Nunez seems like the opposite of that.

Former Liverpool forward Michael Owen received plenty of flak in February when he suggested on X that Nunez’s wonderfully taken goal at Brentford underlined a flaw as well as a strength.

It was an “incredible” finish, Owen said, but he added, “To even consider that finish is madness. (In terms of the probability of scoring) it’s a one-in-10, two-in-10 finish at best. Learning to slot, dink or go around the GK (goalkeeper) is a far more productive way to score and will increase his chances to four or five in 10, thus massively increasing his end return.”

Spool forward to Wednesday night and Owen was indignant after seeing Nunez leather the ball straight at Pickford from close range in the first half of the Merseyside derby. “I cannot defend that in any way, shape or form,” the one-time Ballon d’Or winner said on the Premier League’s global television feed. “He can finish sometimes, but to go from one extreme to another and be seven yards out and blast it straight down the middle is just not good enough. It’s a bit of play that you just don’t see world-class players doing.

“I cannot get my head around how you can finish like that one night (against Brentford) and be so calm and calculated and confident in one of the most difficult finishes known to man — it was impossible, virtually, what he did — and then get in a simple situation here (against Everton) and just put your head down and blast it as hard as you can. I cannot fathom it. It’s that extreme and then it’s this extreme.”

In Owen’s view, it comes down to “fundamental, basic things in front of goal”. But sometimes it’s about fundamental, basic things away from the goal. Such as staying onside.

Nunez has been caught offside 30 times in the Premier League this season, again more than any other player. To put it another way, he has been flagged offside once every 66 minutes he has spent on the pitch. To put that in context, he has been caught offside more often than Manchester City (once every 92 minutes).

Haaland has been caught offside just twice all season. That’s once every 1,091 minutes. And while there are obvious differences in style — both between the players and between the teams — one of the biggest differences is their ability to read the play before running onto a through ball. Both are quick enough not to need to set off early. Haaland times his runs brilliantly. Nunez? Not so much.

This is what is meant by “rough edges”. It applies to build-up play too. Some feel that Nunez’s all-round threat outweighs any concerns over his finishing, such is the fear he sometimes spreads through opposition defences — the “agent of chaos” and all that. But it was not always a convincing case earlier in the season — and it certainly hasn’t been the case lately.

There are times when Nunez gets it right, as seen with the goals he laid on for Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo in the space of three minutes in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Fulham in January and some of the goals he laid on for Salah earlier in the season. But when it comes to link-up play, there are too many poor decisions, heavy touches and too many shots when a more patient, subtle approach is needed.

Klopp was happy to accept a relatively low goal return from Roberto Firmino because the Brazilian helped make Liverpool such a cohesive unit with and without the ball, bringing the best out of Salah, Sadio Mane and later Diogo Jota.

In many ways, Nunez is the anti-Firmino. He is an individualist rather than a team player. He is energetic and all-action but at times ineffective in the counter-press. He is trigger-happy but lacks accuracy. His shortcomings are easy to gloss over when he is scoring goals. When he is firing blanks, as has been the case lately, that becomes harder.

Jamie Carragher didn’t mince his words in the Sky Sports studio after Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat by Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday night. Having said there is a question to be asked about Mohamed Salah’s future — 32 this summer, with only a year left on his contract and a new manager arriving — the former Liverpool defender added that he is “at the stage now where I don’t think there’s a question to be asked” about Nunez. And he didn’t mean it in a positive way.

Carragher spoke about having spent the past two years “wanting him to do well because there’s so much you like — because he gives everything, he runs, he causes trouble, he gets the odd goal, gets assists”.

“But we’ve all been in squads,” he said, “where someone comes in and for the first year we say, ‘OK, he’s getting up to speed, he’s improving, he’s getting better.’ And it looked like he was at the start of the season, but it has just ground to a halt.

“And you’re looking at it now and after two years, I don’t think there’s going to be a massive improvement in him. I think what we’ve seen in the two years, that’s what he is. He can cause trouble, he can be erratic in his finishing. It’s not going to improve. I don’t think it’s going to be enough to win the biggest trophies, so I think there’s a big decision to be made on him this summer.”

It won’t be Klopp’s decision. But the outgoing manager has not seemed thrilled by his centre-forward lately. In three games where Liverpool desperately needed a goal — 2-1 down at Manchester United, 2-0 down at home to Atalanta, 1-0 down at home to Crystal Palace — Nunez was substituted between the 59th and 68 minutes. In the next two games, away to Atalanta and Fulham, he appeared only briefly from the bench.

Out of sorts at Everton on Wednesday night, particularly after his first-half miss, he surely would not have lasted the 90 minutes had either Jota or Cody Gakpo been available.

Is two years long enough to make a judgment on a player, as Carragher suggests? Not always. If it was, a 28-year-old Didier Drogba might have been ushered out of Chelsea in the summer of 2006 rather than staying on long enough to score 33 goals in year three and going on to become one of the most feted players in the club’s history.

Drogba was that kind of player. Like Nunez, he could be a fearsome opponent, but there were also periods — even after his breakthrough — where team-mates and successive managers appeared ready to give up on him.

Interestingly, two of Nunez’s former Uruguay team-mates could relate similar experiences in Europe. Luis Suarez performed wonderfully for Ajax but was still seen as an inconsistent, erratic player, just short of elite level, until towards the end of his second season at Liverpool, aged 26. Diego Forlan was 25 when he left Manchester United to little fanfare after scoring 10 Premier League goals in two and a half seasons, but he flourished in La Liga with Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is having the season of his life at 28. Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke likewise at 26. “Everyone’s path is different,” Solanke told The Athletic recently, reflecting on his own experiences.

But at the moment it is hard to take issue with Carragher’s suggestion that Nunez’s inconsistency “is what he is”. It is telling that the forward lost his starting place in the final weeks of last season and started just one of Liverpool’s first five games Premier League this term. Klopp has consistently backed him and sung his praises without ever appearing entirely convinced by him.

Jurgen Klopp’s faith in Darwin Nunez has wavered of late (James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

The big question now is whether Nunez survives a summer of sweeping changes at Anfield: the return of Edwards, the arrival of a new sporting director, a new head coach and, without question, some difficult decisions about how to freshen up a squad that surpassed expectations for much of the season but has been found wanting when the stakes are highest.

If Liverpool need to sell players to raise funds this summer, then Nunez is an obvious candidate. There will always be a market for centre-forwards who are proven, to whatever degree, at Champions League and Premier League level.

The flip side of that is, for Edwards, Hughes et al, there are not too many obvious, affordable top-class centre-forwards out there who would come with a guarantee of offering more. Nunez’s experiences, as well as the difficulties endured by Nicolas Jackson at Chelsea and Rasmus Hojlund, underline the risks involved in simply going for Europe’s latest flavour of the month.

Perhaps Klopp and his staff have missed a trick with Nunez, whether technical or psychological. Perhaps another coach, like Slot, will find a way to get more out of him. And perhaps given the lack of affordable top-class centre-forwards on the market, the logical thing would be to wait and see what happens with Nunez under a new coach with a fresh approach. Nunez will turn 25 this summer, his English is slowly improving and he might benefit from a new start on Merseyside.

But there is no guarantee of that. If anything, the past two seasons have heightened the feeling that Nunez’s inconsistency is something he will not just grow out of. It seems to reflect something in his nature. Sometimes it clicks, but it rarely stays clicked for long.

(Top image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

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