We round up the latest Liverpool news and transfer rumours on Thursday, with plenty of fallout from the 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Today’s Main Headlines
- PSG 2-1 Liverpool: Player Ratings – What the media and statistics say
Not a good night for numerous Liverpool players in Paris.
- Earning a shot at glory & gambling the title fight after Liverpool Kop an Eiffel in Paris
Steven Scragg gives his thoughts on the Reds’ defeat.
- The good, the bad & the midfield question
Did Klopp pick the correct midfield in Paris?
- Jurgen Klopp irked by Neymar and PSG’s farcical antics in Champions League defeat
Laughable histrionics from the Ligue 1 side.
- Reds’ midfield fails as Klopp’s tactics & selection backfire
The media on PSG 2-1 Liverpool.
Reds Round On Theatrics
Liverpool have clearly been irked by PSG’s behaviour on Wednesday night, with James Milner taking to Twitter to give a not-so-subtle hint about his feelings:
This just about sums it up… but one big night at Anfield and we're through #YNWA #championsleague pic.twitter.com/S8U3HrPfUD
— James Milner (@JamesMilner) November 29, 2018
Andy Robertson was brutally honest, saying, “I would like to know how much time they wasted tonight. It’s frustrating when [Neymar] is falling like he is.”
Meanwhile, Reds legend Jamie Carragher told Viasport that the PSG players should be “embarrassed” by their theatrics, believing it “leaves a sour taste in the mouth”.
It may all sound a bit like sour grapes, but PSG really were disgraceful, in terms of conning the referee and faking injury.
Tuchel’s Dig At Klopp
There seems to be an underlying rivalry between Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, even though it never boils over into anything nasty.
The PSG manager appeared to have a dig at his Borussia Dortmund predecessor after Wednesday’s game, hinting that he was deflecting attention away from Liverpool’s defeat.
“When I lose big games I am angry and I sometimes talk about stuff just to bring the attention to something else and away from my team,” Tuchel told reporters.
“I do this also but it’s not my issue. You’ll have to ask Jurgen for that and I heard he has his opinion to that and that’s fine. I’m talking about the game.”
Klopp will always be the first to admit that he is an emotional manager who occasionally goes overboard after losses, but his frustration at the Ligue 1 side’s antics was more than justified this time around.
Shaqiri Hints At Future Switch
Xherdan Shaqiri is happy at Liverpool, following a positive start to his Reds career, but it is clear that he thinks fondly of his time at Inter Milan, too.
In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the 27-year-old hinted that he would like to return to Serie A one day.
“I had some good times there, and I couldn’t criticise Inter Milan ever. A lot of players joined in that winter, such as Podolski, Kovacic, myself, and a lot of changes were ongoing.
“Go back to Italy? I’m fine at Liverpool, but you never know.”
Perhaps it could be a late-career move for the Swiss international, when Shaqiri’s best days are behind him.
That won’t be the case for a while yet, though.
Huddersfield Considering Solanke Bid
Dominic Solanke is still awaiting his first minute of first-team action this season, despite shining for England’s U21s recently.
It looks increasingly as though a January loan move makes sense for the striker and Sky Sports claim Huddersfield are interested in his services.
The Terriers are not the only club keen, however, with Crystal Palace and West Ham also believed to be monitoring the situation.
Solanke would be a good signing for a team battling relegation, with the 21-year-old desperate to prove his worth and possessing the quality to shine if used regularly.
Turkish club Galatasaray and Scottish outfit Rangers have previously been linked.
Millar Up For Pair Of Awards
Liam Millar has been nominated for both Canada’s Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.
The 19-year-old continues to impress in Liverpool’s Academy, scoring twice for the U19s in their 3-2 defeat to PSG U19s on Wednesday.
Former Burnley midfielder Scott Arfield, now playing for Steven Gerrard‘s Rangers, is also up for the main gong.
Canadian media and coaches will vote for the winners between November 27 and December 6.
Millar is a senior international for Canada, currently totalling three caps.