A selection of Liverpool Football Club-related stories and titbits you may have missed over the past seven days…
Liverpool have had four Premier League fixtures rescheduled for live UK television broadcasts during March. The Merseysiders will now begin the month by taking on Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday, March 3 at 5.30pm GMT (BT Sport). The trips to Manchester United and Crystal Palace will now take place at 12.30pm GMT on Saturday, March 10 and Saturday, March 31 respectively (both on Sky Sports). In between, the hosting of Watford has been pencilled in as a 5.30pm GMT kick-off on Saturday, March 10 (BT Sport) but this will need to be rearranged should either team make the FA Cup fifth round.
Alberto Moreno’s hopes of being involved in the fourth round tie with West Bromwich Albion this weekend look to be over after the left-back revealed he’s still feeling ongoing discomfort in his ankle. Of the injury suffered seven weeks ago, Moreno told Liverpoolfc.com: ‘I can still feel it’s not quite right but it’s getting better every day and the good thing is that I’m training with the rest of the group. We’re just waiting for this little discomfort to go away and then I’ll be raring to go.’
Reflecting on last weekend’s surprise defeat to Swansea City, which ended an 18-match unbeaten run, manager Jürgen Klopp has told the official website: ‘I don’t forget that the boys delivered in the last few weeks and months but, for the moment, it doesn’t help. It’s not about thinking about what we did well. We need to deliver all the time, we know that, and we didn’t deliver… We have to strike back immediately. That’s what we will do.’
The German has revealed this past week that Ben Woodburn will remain with Liverpool for the rest of the season despite plenty of loan interest in the 18-year-old Welsh international. ‘It’s nice that clubs are asking for him already,’ Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com. ‘But Ben had enough games so far; he played in different competitions, the UEFA Youth League, the U23s and had games with us. In all the sessions he is improving constantly. That we think we would miss him in our training group – with this quality squad – is maybe the biggest compliment you can give to him. He is completely relaxed, his family is relaxed and I am relaxed. The request is logical but there’s no rush at the moment. He is in the right place.’
Club officials are in talks with UEFA over ticket prices for the away leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Porto. Reds’ fans are currently being charged £66.50 (75 euro) for the Valentine’s Day game at the Estadio do Dragao – a figure which Liverpool believe breaches competition rules with home fans paying just ?25 (£22). Any reduction is expected to be be paid back to fans in way of a partial refund.
Former Liverpool winger Albert Riera has officially announced his retirement from professional football. The 35-year-old Spaniard made 56 appearances during two years at Anfield (2008-2010) and also played for the likes of Mallorca, Espanyol, Olympiakos and Udinese.
Ex-Reds forward David Ngog, who netted 19 times in 94 appearances for the club, has joined Scottish Premiership outfit Ross County. The striker, 28, will link up once again with manager Owen Coyle – who also signed Ngog from Liverpool while in charge of Bolton Wanderers back in 2011. In the intervening years the Frenchman has played for Swansea City, Reims and Panionios.
A first-half Bobby Adekanye brace helped Liverpool U23s to a 4-1 win over Charlton Athletic in the Premier League Cup on Sunday. Goals after the break from Toni Gomes and Harry Wilson completed the scoring for the home side at Chester FC’s Deva Stadium. Victory leaves the Reds, who now have seven points to their name, well placed to qualify for the knockout stages ahead of trips to Bristol City and Stoke City next month. LFC U23s: Kelleher, Masterson, Juanma, Johnston, Alves (Longstaff 33′), Kane, Dhanda, Ejaria, Gomes, Wilson, Adekanye.
Liverpool U18s claimed a 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Academy on Tuesday afternoon. Glen McAuley’s first-half spot-kick and a goal from Leighton Clarkson, which came in response to a late Leipzig equaliser, proved decisive for the hosts, who were good value for their win. LFC U18s: Atherton (B. Williams 45′), Walls (Sharif 45′), Glennon, R. Williams, Savage, Clarkson (Whyte 45′), Longstaff (Clarkson 65′), Brookwell, McAuley (O’Rourke 65′), Cain, Larouci.
The win followed a heart-breaking exit from the FA Youth Cup to Arsenal at Anfield over the weekend. The youngsters, who led 2-1 with five minutes of normal time remaining courtesy of a Curtis Jones double, lost 3-2 after extra-time. LFC U18s: Jaros, N. Williams (Larouci 95′), Lewis, R. Williams (Sharif 104′), Boyes, Clayton, Tagseth, Dixon-Bonner, Millar (McAuley 106′), Jones, Camacho.
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