Shaqiri injury update & Trent’s incredible creative consistency – Wednesday’s Liverpool FC News

February 26, 2020
This Is Anfield

In between games as we are, the week’s news focuses on injuries, ridiculous transfer rumours and where the next steps of improvement could come.

Shaqiri nowhere near a return to first-team action

Don’t expect to get a view of Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri any time soon.

He has been out for most of the season with a series of calf injuries and the latest issue is no closer to clearing up and allowing him back in training.

Jurgen Klopp gave an update on our wide man and it wasn’t positive:

“This time for sure we cannot put any time pressure on it because it is obviously a difficult one.

“It was never a big one but always big enough to keep him out for another two or three weeks.

“So, we just wait. He is not close to team training.”

In similar news at U23 level, Elijah Dixon-Bonner was forced off during Friday’s game against Huddersfield.

He has suffered knee ligament damage and is out for around six to eight weeks.

Trent excels with his assists once again

Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold plays an ever-more important role for Liverpool, combining excellent creative skills with superb delivery from wide.

The Scouser is in the running for Young Player of the Year after another tremendous campaign and has spoken of his increasing targets after already matching last season’s haul of 12 Premier League assists.

Initially he wanted 10 – now it’s about trying to “push the limits and try to break as many records as I can,” while also making reference to increasing the team’s clean sheets.

Sadio Mane has also paid homage to Trent’s wicked delivery, saying the No. 66 creates more goalscoring chances than the entire front three combined.

Only Kevin de Bruyne has more assists in the league than Trent this season; nobody else is even within four of him.

The club collective: access all areas

It’s never just about on the pitch, but about the non-stop growth and improvement right throughout the club

The development of the club’s youngsters depends on playing more games with real meaning behind them
Further changes are to come in Jurgen’s backroom staff, with departures and arrivals in the medical department
And the Klopp collective is all about inclusivity and excellence, which has taken on so many levels already

Moreno is still a Red

Alberto Moreno might be playing in Spain now, but he’s pretty clear that Liverpool are still a force to be reckoned with.

He told Spanish outlet La Vanguardia that Atletico Madrid will have to “suffer” a lot during the second leg at Anfield.

Alby does say that Atleti are capable of knocking out the reigning champions of Europe, but makes the Reds the favourites and that there’s “more chance” of Klopp’s team going through.

Quickfire LFC news

Here are the eight further records Liverpool could go on to break this season (TIA)

The Reds will send two young Academy sides to South Africa this year for the Lucky Star Cup (LFC)

Minamino says ex-United player Shinji Kagawa played a role in him joining the Reds from Salzburg in January (Mirror)

And the case for Jordan Henderson to win the POTY award is made (FourFourTwo)

Around the Prem

United will make a big summer move for Jack Grealish, which is interesting as they’ve just signed Bruno Fernandes to play just about the same role (MEN)

City players have said they’ll stay even if banned from Europe, but Mark Ogden reckons he knows better and Sterling and Co will leave if they win the Champions League this season (ESPN)

Arsenal want to pay £25m for Marc Cucurella, less than a year after claiming they had signed Scotland’s/the Premier League‘s/possibly the world’s best left-back Kieran Tierney for the same amount (Sport Witness)

And Luis Enrique is “concerned” at Kepa’s lack of minutes for Chelsea of late. You’d think he’d be more concerned about his goalkeeping ability when he does play, surely? (AS)

Stupid rumour of the day

The Mail cite the ever-prestigious Transfer Window Podcast as the source for suggesting that Bayern Munich have contacted Roberto Firmino over a summer move.

Course they have.

Tweet of the day

Another absolutely unreal performance ?

? @trentaa98 ? pic.twitter.com/o5DCcTgqcw

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 26, 2020

What we’re reading

All the links, differences, similarities and question marks surrounding one of the biggest Champions League clashes this year, by Miguel Delaney for the Independent.

And Jonathan Liew asks why football’s biggest voices don’t question the issues which actually matter as regularly and loudly as they do VAR, for the Guardian.