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The Cleveland Guardians are not done yet.

With their backs against the wall, the Guardians came up big in ALCS Game 3 against the New York Yankees. First, it was Jhonkensy Noel, who tied the game with a monster two-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth off Luke Weaver.

An inning later, David Fry further etched his name in Cleveland postseason lore when he smashed a walk-off two-run shot off Clay Holmes to hand Game 3 to the Guardians.

Fry, who has already delivered some walk-off heroics earlier in this postseason, torched a hanging sinker from Holmes and parked it in the seats in left field. He admired the hit, too, aware from the moment he made contact that the baseball was destined for the stands.

Fry's walk-off homer left MLB fans in awe, and they weighed in on social media to share their excitement.

Storybook stuff at Progressive Field.

Marcus Rashford has made a sensational start to his Barcelona career, reigniting his form with 12 goal contributions in just 13 appearances since joining on loan from Manchester United. The 28-year-old has openly expressed his desire to make the move permanent, though reports have suggested that the Catalan giants are set to make demands to Rashford to complete the transfer.

• Rashford has a spectacular start at Barcelona

  Rashford’s Barcelona career has taken off in spectacular fashion following his summer loan from Manchester United. After years of inconsistency with the Premier League underperformers, the winger has rediscovered his spark under Hansi Flick. His blistering pace, improved decision-making, and renewed confidence were on full display during El Clasico, where he set up Fermin Lopez’s goal, and also in his Champions League brace against Olympiacos. 

  Rashford’s resurgence has been aided by Raphinha’s injury troubles, which opened the door for him to become the club’s first-choice left winger. He has made the role his own, striking an immediate connection with the likes of Ferran Torres and Lopez in Flick’s fluid attacking system. The Englishman’s turnaround has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona officials already in talks to activate the option-to-buy clause included in his loan deal with Manchester United. 

  His story marks a remarkable change in fortunes after a turbulent year at Old Trafford, where a falling-out with Ruben Amorim led to his exile. Rashford’s public criticism of the club’s unstable direction and lack of leadership, combined with his short-lived loan at Aston Villa, made his departure inevitable. Now, in a calmer environment and surrounded by belief from both fans and coaching staff, Rashford looks every bit the player who once terrorised Premier League defences.

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  Barcelona will need Rashford to reduce wages to sign him permanently

  Barcelona’s pursuit of a permanent deal for Rashford comes amid ongoing financial challenges that continue to shape their transfer policy. Despite their admiration for his impact, the club’s strict salary cap rules mean a permanent move hinges on the forward accepting a drastic wage reduction. Rashford currently earns over £300,000 a week at Manchester United, well above what Barcelona can accommodate under La Liga’s economic controls.  

  The Catalan giants, who have spent the last few seasons restructuring contracts and trimming their wage bill, see Rashford’s situation as a balancing act. Club sources have reportedly told SPORT that the transfer fee itself, believed to be around £30 million, is not an obstacle, but the issue lies in long-term affordability. Barcelona’s sporting department is keen to offer Rashford a multi-year deal to spread the cost, but that would require his full cooperation on salary adjustments.

• Rashford full of confidence after horror Man Utd seasons

  Rashford’s revival has been a story of redemption following a messy end to his Manchester United chapter. After a 30-goal season in 2022–23, his form collapsed during the 2024-25 campaign; until his exile scored just 24 goals across 67 matches. A strained relationship with Amorim, repeated benchings, and his eventual exile from first-team training eroded his confidence before he was shipped off on loan. 

  In interviews since his arrival in Spain, Rashford has subtly alluded to his struggles at Old Trafford, pointing to “an inconsistent environment” and a lack of “long-term direction” at the club. His time in Barcelona, by contrast, has been characterised by stability, tactical clarity, and the faith of a manager who understands his strengths. Flick’s system has granted Rashford freedom to cut inside and combine creatively, something he says he “hadn’t felt in a long time.” 

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  Barcelona are keen on signing Rashford permanently

  Barcelona are aware of his commercial and sporting value and Rashford’s popularity in global markets, coupled with his European form, including a Champions League brace against Olympiacos, makes him a compelling long-term investment. Spanish outlets claim that several Premier League clubs have already made tentative enquiries, but Rashford’s focus remains on staying put at Camp Nou.

  Negotiations between Barcelona and Manchester United are expected to intensify in the coming months, with the Spanish club hopeful of finalising the deal before the end of the season. For Rashford, the key decision will revolve around his willingness to take a pay cut, a step he appears prepared to make in exchange for stability and a starring role at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.   

Shohei Ohtani suffered a scary-looking shoulder injury late in Game 2 of the World Series. People feared the worst, but the Los Angeles Dodgers were confident he would be available for Game 3 in New York against the Yankees. Sure enough, he was in the lineup on Monday night.

Ohtani wore a jacket before the game that kind of hid a sling, which is one of the only pieces of protective equipment Major League Baseball players don't wear in the batter's box. Ohtani took off the sling when the game started and walked on four straight pitches from New York starter Clarke Schmidt.

Once he was on base he could be seen holding onto his jersey with his left hand to remind himself not to move his arm too much. Luckily, Freddie Freeman homered two batters later so Ohtani got to jog around the bases and not worry about doing too much.

It will be interesting to see how the shoulder affects Ohtani if the Yankees give him a pitch to swing at or a teammate puts one in play while he's on the base paths, either tonight or later in the series.

Manchester United youngster James Overy has been handed a shock call-up to the Australia senior national team ahead of their upcoming friendly matches this month. Socceroos boss Tony Popovic, who has been left "impressed" by the teenager, has even hinted that Overy could earn a role in his World Cup squad for next summer's tournament in North America.

• Overy training with Man United's senior side

  After regularly featuring for United's U-18 and U-21 teams in the U-18 Premier League and Premier League 2 in the 2025-26 campaign, Ruben Amorim has called Overy into training with the first team. His call-up to the senior fold at Old Trafford has caught the eye of Australia boss Popovic, who has named the teenager in the Socceroos squad for their upcoming friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia on November 15 and 19, respectively.

  Overy, who turned 18 only last month, also featured in two games for Australia in last month's U20 World Cup. The youngster, who primarily plays as a right-back, has also been deployed as a winger and on the left side of the defence for his country. Impressed by his versatility, Popovic has already opened the door for Overy to break into his World Cup plans.

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  'Thought he’s worth having a look at'

  Popovic told reporters: "I just thought he’s worth having a look at, and let’s see. I’m very open-minded with what that looks like for the immediate future and obviously long term. Right now, he’s in a very good moment, and I hope he comes in here and – we’ll do everything we can to make him feel comfortable – that he expresses himself on the field, is not too nervous, and he just comes out and plays and does what he loves doing. 

  "Watching him closely in Chile, I was impressed. We have good contacts at Man U [United], so we know what he’s doing at training, we know how much he trains, how much he trains with the first team. He’s getting games with the under 18s, the under 21s, and he’s in the process where he’s getting called [to first team training] up a lot more often. They have a plan with him, like they do with all their youngsters, but he’s Australian and we’re delighted with the progress he’s making. We can see the physical gains he’s making in terms of his loading at training, and how well he’s adapting to that and the rigours of a Premier League top club training."

• Overy's journey at U-20 World Cup

  Overy was Australia's youngest player at the U20 World Cup in Chile last month. He featured as a left-back in the team's second group game against Argentina, which they lost 4-1 and then played in his natural position in the final game as Australia won 3-1 against Cuba. The Socceroos failed to qualify for the knockout stage as they finished third in the group behind Argentina and Italy with three points. Due to a -2 goal difference, Australia were ranked fifth among the best third-placed teams, out of which four nations qualified for the knockout stage. 

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  How is it going for United senior team?

  Amorim's Red Devils have had a mixed experience in the 2025-26 campaign so far. After spending heavily in the summer transfer window, Amorim's side got off to a nightmare start as and were struggling in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup second-round loss against fourth-tier Grimsby Town compounding their misery. However, United picked form in October, registering three wins on the trot in the league against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. 

  They then played out 2-2 draws with both Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, which has left the club seventh in the league heading into the November international break. United next face Everton on November 24.

One of Europe’s hottest strikers is drawing interest from Newcastle United, but his release clause stands at a whopping £87m.

Champions League football affecting Newcastle

The Magpies are still waiting to fully fire this season, grinding their way to a vital late 2-1 win at home to Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, securing a much-needed three points at St James’ Park.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football, club legend and record scorer Alan Shearer said that the addition of Champions League football is playing a part in Eddie Howe’s side failing to fire domestically.

“Yeah, I think it is. I think even if you’ve got the biggest of squads, to play European football with the emotion, how draining it is and everything else. Yeah, it does [have an impact]. There’s no doubt about it.

“The game after a European week, you’ve just got to get the result no matter how you get it. You’ve just got to get it. So Newcastle did that. So it was a big three points and hopefully they can get their league season going now.”

Newcastle would love to add more attacking firepower to their squad, even though Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have come in for Alexander Isak, and a huge talent has now been mentioned as a transfer target for 2026.

Newcastle eyeing "one of Europe's most prolific players"

According to a report from Caught Offside, Newcastle United are in the mix to sign Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who has a reported £87m release clause in his current contract. Sources in the agents industry have confirmed the 21-year-old is wanted by the Magpies, as well as rival Premier League sides Tottenham and Nottingham Forest.

Aghehowa is a player with a massive future in the game, so Newcastle signing him in 2026 would feel like a major statement of intent by the club.

Still only 21, the Porto star has already scored 35 goals in just 55 appearances for his current club, which is stunning return, and he has won three caps for reigning European champions Spain, so could be pushing to lead the line for them at next summer’s World Cup.

In fact, such is Aghehowa’s brilliance, scout Jacek Kulig has even described him as “one of Europe’s most prolific players”, highlighting the level he is playing at.

Move over Woltemade: Howe has unearthed a new “game-changer” at Newcastle

Newcastle United have unearthed a new game-changer, and it’s not Nick Woltemade.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 26, 2025

While a new striker isn’t necessarily essential for Newcastle, given Woltemade and Wissa coming in during the summer transfer window, the latter is now pushing 30 years of age, so the Spaniard could be considered a long-term option alongside Woltemade at St James’ Park.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank only has to wait just over a month for the chance to make further additions to his squad in the January transfer window.

The Danish head coach was backed by the club during the summer window with a host of expensive signings to bolster his options across the pitch ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Mohammed Kudus for £55m from West Ham United and Xavi Simons for £52m from RB Leipzig were the headline arrivals, as the Lilywhites splashed over £100m on two attackers to transform their frontline.

Xavi, unfortunately, has no goals and one assist in eight Premier League games so far this season, but Kudus has delivered one goal and four assists in that time, per Sofascore, as he has impressed out wide.

The former Hammers star has provided real creativity and excitement on the flanks for Spurs since his £55m move, but, like Xavi, there have been some underperforming players in Frank’s attacking ranks.

One of the Tottenham stars who needs to improve his performances ahead of the January transfer window is Brennan Johnson, who is at risk of being replaced.

Why Spurs should replace Brennan Johnson

Spurs signed the Wales international from Nottingham Forest for a fee of £47.5m in the summer of 2023, and he has been a successful signing on the whole.

Johnson, of course, scored the winning goal in the Europa League final under Ange Postecoglou at the end of last season, which is why he should be considered a worthwhile signing for £47.5m, as he won the club a major trophy.

However, the underlying numbers behind his performances last season and in the current one suggest that Spurs could upgrade on him out wide if they can find the right players to improve the team.

Johnson scored 11 goals in the Premier League, to his credit, but his all-round play and lack of creativity were issues in the 2024/25 campaign for the Lilywhites.

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh forward was one of the worst-performing wingers in the top-flight when it came to progressing the ball in possession and creating chances for his teammates.

It has been a similar case this season. Johnson currently ranks in the bottom 12% for progressive passes (1.24) and the bottom 1% for shot-creating actions (1.53) per 90, whilst he does not have a single assist to his name, per FBref.

You cannot knock his knack for scoring goals, with another four in all competitions this season, but his all-round performances are why the club should look to replace him.

Spurs considering bid to sign Premier League winger

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are considering a bid to sign Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Ghana international has a clause in his contract with the Cherries, which means that he can be snapped up for a fee of £65m early on in the winter window, which has put a number of sides on alert.

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Spurs were said to have been expecting a January deal to be too difficult to do before they learned of his release clause, and they are now weighing up whether or not to make a £65m offer to activate it.

TEAMtalk adds, though, that Liverpool are set to provide competition for his signature and that could make it tough for the Lilywhites, given that the Reds are the reigning Premier League champions.

If Spurs are able to win the race for the Bournemouth star’s signature at the start of next year, he could arrive in North London as a big upgrade on Johnson at the top end of the pitch.

Why Spurs should pay Antoine Semenyo's release clause

The Lilywhites, per TEAMtalk, have the financial power to pay the £65m release clause in January, and they should do so because of the quality that he could bring to Frank’s team.

Semenyo has already racked up six goals and three assists in 11 appearances in the Premier League so far this season for the Cherries, per Sofascore, whilst Johnson has produced two goals and no assists.

The chart above illustrates the gulf in class between the two players from an offensive perspective, as the former Bristol City marksman has offered far more to his team as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the top-flight.

Semenyo, who can play on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, also outperformed the Spurs winger at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign.

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old star scored as many goals as the Tottenham winger last season, but provided almost three times as many assists and averaged twice as many key passes per game.

Speaking last month, former Spurs star Chris Waddle dubbed Semenyo “the best winger in the country (England) right now”, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider his form in the 2025/26 campaign.

Per Sofascore, no winger in the Premier League has scored as many goals as Semenyo (six) so far this season. In fact, only Igor Thiago (eight) and Erling Haaland (14) have scored more goals than the Bournemouth sensation.

Therefore, Spurs could improve their team and land a proven Premier League superstar by activating his £65m release clause in the January transfer window, which could leave Johnson on the fringes of the squad because the Ghana international appears to be a significant upgrade on him.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur have a star who could end Rodrigo Bentancur’s career in North London.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 19, 2025

It is now down to Fabio Paratici and Frank to convince the 25-year-old star to make the move to North London in the winter window, as he could be a phenomenal addition to the squad with his quality as a scorer and a creator.

Arne Slot's future is in the spotlight after Liverpool's 3-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday at Anfield plunged the Reds deeper into crisis. The loss was Liverpool's sixth in seven Premier League matches and means Slot's side are in the bottom half of the table after 12 games played. Questions are now being asked of the Dutchman and his methods, particularly after a big-spending summer that saw costly stars such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike arrive.

• Liverpool's stance on Slot's future revealed

  Despite Liverpool's dismal start to the season, the Reds currently have no intention of sacking Slot, according to Fabrizio Romano. The transfer guru offered an update on the situation on YouTube, explaining: "What’s going on with Arne Slot? Guys, at the moment I have no information that the Liverpool owners are thinking of making an immediate decision about Arne Slot. So Liverpool are NOT thinking of changing the manager right now. Of course, they – the owners, the club – want to see different results, they expect a lot more from Arne Slot and his team. Surely Liverpool expect to see something different from both the manager and the players, because it’s not just Arne Slot. The players also have to take responsibility, as Virgil van Dijk said, so it’s like the players and the manager.

  "Arne Slot knows that the situation is dangerous, complicated, but at the same time he feels the support and trust of the club. Liverpool are NOT in talks with any other manager and are not even considering the possibility of sacking the manager. This is the current situation. Of course, the results have to change, and quickly, both in the Champions League and in the Premier League, especially in the Premier League, because Liverpool are really in a complicated situation. This is the feeling today."

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  Liverpool 'going backwards' under Slot

  Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown feels that Liverpool are going backwards under Slot. The manager spent heavily in the summer to rebuild his squad, with Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerez and Giovanni Leoni also arriving, but has seen his team go on to lose half of their Premier League matches. Keown told BBC Sport: "Whether it's a crisis, I don't know. It's certainly a major problem for the manager to go six defeats from seven. Unthinkable. The wheels are coming off now for Arne Slot. It was Jurgen Klopp's team and he has tried to come in and make changes, but he has spent £450m on players and they are going backwards."

• Van Dijk admits Liverpool are in a mess

  Slot admitted the defeat to Nottingham Forest was a "very, very bad result" and captain Virgil van Dijk says the team are in a "mess". The Dutch star also feels the players are letting their manager down and has called on the squad to improve quickly.

  "We had a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with facts and the facts are we conceded a set piece in the first half and a terrible goal at the start of the second half," he told reporters. "We are definitely letting him [Slot] down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. You look at yourself first and then you help each other, you help each other get out of this mess because at the moment it is a mess – that’s just a fact. As the champions we can’t be in the situation we are in right now. What are we going to do about it? We’re going to try to turn it around and that’s the mentality everyone should have."

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  Liverpool back in Champions League action

  Liverpool will turn their attentions back to the Champions League next and a visit from PSV. The Reds have been in better form in Europe, beating Real Madrid last time out and starting the campaign with three wins from four. PSV currently sit top of the Eredivisie table but have managed just one win – a 6-2 thrashing of Serie A champions Napoli – so far in the Champions League. Anything other than a victory against PSV, will pile more pressure on Slot ahead of a Premier League fixture against West Ham on Sunday.

When the Boston Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract last month, a small problem turned into a bigger one: Rafael Devers was already the team's third baseman, and he didn't want to move off the hot corner.

"My position is third base," he initially told reporters following the Bregman deal. "I don't know how they want to go about it or what they want to do, but I know that's the position I get ready to play every day."

Devers has since pulled back from his once strong stance, saying that he's "good to do with whatever they want me to do," and now—Alex Cora has made a decision on where both he and Bregman will slot into the Red Sox's lineup:

"Alex [Bregman] is gonna play third, Raffy [Devers] is gonna DH," said Cora on WEEI Sports Radio's on Wednesday. "We all are in the winning business, and he understands that."

"It's like everything, he continued. "You don't have to agree with it, but at the end of the day, what we're gonna do [is] go out there and perform every single day. He's been worknig hard, not only with his swing, but the routine. Of course it's a little bit different … but you know what? Every DH used to be a position player until they were DH's, right? … The kid is ready to go."

Now that third base saga is over, Boston can focus on the task at hand: opening day. The Red Sox begin their 2025 season on Thursday in Arlington to take on the Texas Rangers. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. EST from Globe Life Field.

Jurgen Klopp has already delivered his verdict on completing a return to Liverpool, who endured yet another disastrous afternoon in the Premier League as Nottingham Forest secured a dominant victory.

It’s hard to believe that the Reds were Premier League champions in May, and impressive ones at that. Arne Slot arrived and quickly conquered to shock the rest of English football. It looked like Michael Edwards had performed another act of recruitment genius, but now uncomfortable questions are beginning to emerge.

Liverpool have lost five of their last eight games and now sit in the bottom-half after 12 league games, all but ending their title defence before January has even arrived. After breaking their transfer record twice to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, it is a run of form that no one saw coming.

It’s now up to Slot to prove his credentials in a crisis. Victory over Real Madrid and Aston Villa proved that there is still plenty of quality in this Liverpool side, it’s just a question of when that quality will be on show.

Just how long Slot will have to turn things around is also a big question. Liverpool have never rushed managerial decisions and Slot has much more credit in the bank than others have done in the past, but the current run of results needs to end – especially if they come at Anfield.

Liverpool now eyeing Mateta deal amid fresh Crystal Palace contract concern

The Reds know all about his quality.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 21, 2025

With the pressure building, Liverpool are set to play host to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday. Defeat there would certainly do further damage to the credit that Slot banked last season and perhaps send a timely reminder about Klopp’s answer about if he’d ever make a shock return.

Klopp's seven-word answer when asked if he was returning to Liverpool

Just before leaving the club, Klopp was asked if he’d ever make a return to the Anfield dugout if Liverpool needed him.

At the time and certainly for the entirety of last season, it was simply a throw-away answer and one that looked unlikely to rear its head again. Now, however, those at Anfield could do with their iconic manager’s energy more than ever.

They won’t and shouldn’t panic about Slot’s current run, but Liverpool should ensure that the Dutchman channels his very own version of Klopp. When Klopp’s sides were up against it, he had that unique ability to pull off what many still deem miracles to this day. He turned doubters to believers to champions. Slot must now remind his very own champions just who they are in similar fashion.

Meanwhile, if the manager’s run continues then Edwards could yet turn back towards one of the best managers in the club’s history for a stunning second stint.

£280,000-a-week Liverpool star slammed for "anonymous" Nottingham Forest display

Florian Wirtz was denied a first strike for Liverpool after the Premier League's goal accreditation panel judged his effort against Sunderland to be an own goal from Nordi Mukiele. The German midfielder showed great close control to weave his way through the penalty box before shooting, with his effort taking a significant deflection off the Black Cats defender on its way into the back of the net.

• Wirtz's deflected strike earns Liverpool point

  Liverpool were staring down the barrel of another disappointing result on Wednesday night after falling behind to Sunderland courtesy of Chemsdine Talbi's effort. The defending for that goal was poor, with captain Virgil van Dijk giving the ball away and then backing off before the shot deflected off his side and past goalkeeper Alisson. The Reds once again looked short of confidence and failed to create too many opportunities against the resolute visitors, but a driving run from Curtis Jones and Wirtz's fine dribbling ability resulted in a desperately needed equaliser. 

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• Why the strike was deemed a Mukiele own goal

  It looked to be clean off Wirtz's boot on first viewing, but replays soon showed the former Bayer Leverkusen star had completely mis-kicked his effort, which was heading well wide of the goal. However, his side got the slice of luck they so urgently needed as the shot deflected off Mukiele and over Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs. Wirtz has been the subject of much criticism and mockery since arriving at Anfield in the summer, having failed to contribute much in the way of goals and assists since his £116 million ($155m) transfer to the English champions. This latest decision means the derision may continue until he finally gets a goal which cannot be debated, but there was no doubting he was still one of Liverpool's better performers on a night where few of them played with much freedom or creativity. That line of thought was echoed by former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher, who said on : "It feels like a real step back tonight to what you saw at West Ham at the weekend. They didn't look like scoring a goal at any moment of the game tonight. Missing the energy, zip, pace power. Really worrying."

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  When will Wirtz finally get off the mark?

  After his extraordinary exploits with Leverkusen, few would have predicted Wirtz would still be waiting for his first Liverpool goal by December. He got an assist in his first competitive outing for the club in the Community Shield and has another couple in the Champions League, but there is clearly so much more to come from the silky 22-year-old. Even with the lucrative price tag, he has been thrown into a malfunctioning Liverpool side, with Mohamed Salah, so often their reliable figure in attack, looking well short of match sharpness after an incredible 2024-25 campaign. There have also been issues in the central striker position, with Alexander Isak being short of fitness after he forced through his record-breaking transfer to Merseyside from Newcastle, while Hugo Ekitike has had to battle back from injury worries after a hugely promising start to his Reds career.

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• What comes next for Wirtz and Liverpool?

  It's only December but Liverpool already look out of the Premier League title race, with this latest result seeing them fall 11 points behind current leaders and favourites Arsenal. There is little time for Slot's squad to lick their wounds, however, with the famously hectic Christmastime schedule creeping up on teams throughout England. They next have a tough-looking trip to Leeds United, who will buoyed after earning a much-needed victory over Chelsea, and then there is a daunting journey to San Siro when they resume their Champions League campaign against Inter. The Merseysiders need more points if they are to progress to the round of 16 and avoid a European play-off, having suffered a damaging 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven the last time they played in the competition.