Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp just told Ben Doak what he must do to take next step with Liverpool
It was in the EFL Trophy when Ben Doak took his next steps with Liverpool back in October.
Having impressed for both the Under-18s and Under-19s after joining from Celtic in a £600k deal last summer, a trip to Accrington Stanley was the winger’s first taste of men’s football since moving to Anfield. Come the final whistle, it was very much clear it would not be the last.
Liverpool Under-21s were already eliminated heading into their final group game at the Wham Stadium, with a 2-0 deficit being extended to three within two minutes of Doak being brought on in the 68th minute. Yet the then 16-year-old would still make it a night to remember as he made it 3-2 in stoppage after Calvin Ramsay had scored moments earlier.
A first start for Barry Lewtas’ side followed days later, as Doak scored the winner in a 2-1 victory over Everton Under-21s. Fast forward little over a fortnight and Jurgen Klopp was handed the winger his first-team debut off the bench in the League Cup against Derby County, before the teenager was handed his first professional debut after celebrating his 17th birthday later that week.
Doak finished last season with five appearances for Klopp’s first team, including two Premier League outings. Meanwhile, if you combine his appearances in Premier League 2, EFL Trophy, UEFA Youth League and U18 Premier League, he returned 11 goals and eight assists from 27 outings at academy level.
Scoring in his first two appearances at Under-18s level, against Middlesbrough and Leeds United, Doak’s stay with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s side would last just five matches before Under-21s duty called. Of course, such a promotion was aided by his UEFA Youth League exploits, as he registered four goals and four assists against Napoli and Rangers alone.
No wonder he was the talk of the town at the Academy, weeks before first being turned to by Klopp.
Handed a further Premier League appearance on the opening day of the season against Chelsea, having impressed in pre-season and even scored against Leicester City, more senior opportunities are now expected to follow this year.
It is why it would be a surprise to see Doak back in EFL Trophy action on Tuesday night as Liverpool Under-21s travel to Morecambe. Instead, having only failed to make one matchday squad under Klopp so far this season, a Europa League trip to Austria to face LASK Linz beckons.
The 17-year-old was named in the Reds’ 23-man squad earlier this month, having not been at Liverpool long enough to qualify as an Under-21s player on List B for UEFA competition. Consequently, with his longest competitive outing under Klopp so far lasting 22 minutes, Doak could be handed his lengthiest appearance yet, though the German has potentially played down the expectation surrounding a possible maiden start.
“If there will be kids involved that depends on the level the kids can show in that moment,” Klopp told TNT Sport when looking ahead to this season’s Europa League. “We have real talent there, but it is not experimental.
“I think if we don’t get hit by an injury crisis then we should have enough players to field Thursday and Sunday a top team, and that’s pretty much the idea. Then we will see how we build a squad…
“So we will see, but we have good kids. That’s the benefit of the [recent] international break, when you have all these kids in training. We had 16-year-old boys here, and they are incredibly good, incredibly talented.
“I can’t wait for them, but now in the moment we leave them where they are, they shall develop and all these kinds of things. But there a few good players out there in the Academy and for all the Liverpool supporters out there, I’m pretty sure the future’s bright.”
Doak is arguably the pick of the bunch – but Liverpool will continue to manage him carefully with Klopp having no intention of handing out sentimental starts for the sake of it. After all, for as exciting as his first team appearances have been so far, there is one thing he has lacked which reiterates how he remains raw potential with his senior career limited to bright cameos.
His best moments for the Reds have come with the ball at his feet, running both at and past terrified defenders. It is these attributes that excite supporters and get bums off seats.
But what good is beating a man if you then fail to show enough composure to pick out your team-mate or score for yourself? Unsurprisingly, that final ball is still a little lacking from the head-down winger after finding himself in these dangerous final third positions.
That will come in time of course from the 17-year-old, with his returns at Academy level demonstrating emphatically that he of course has it in his locker. But, having scored on his first starts for the Under-18s, Under-19s, and Under-21s, it remains the next thing he needs to show at senior level to make a more significant step up.
It should not be lost on the right-winger that, if selected to start against LASK Linz, the man whose place in the starting XI that he could be taking has now contributed to goals in each of his last 11 Premier League outings.
Is Doak ready to ‘bring it in that moment’? Only time will tell, with the Europa League at least offering more rotational opportunities than Champions League commitments.
Liverpool fans might want to see the Scotland Under-21s international start in Austria, but while no-one expects him to replicate Mohamed Salah anytime soon, Klopp won’t let the youngster run before he has first shown him he can walk.
Liverpool
“Little Heroes at Anfield: Isaac Kearney and Florence Learn Lifesaving Skills with Crane Medical Care”
“Little Heroes at Anfield: Isaac Kearney and Florence Learn Lifesaving Skills with Crane Medical Care”
What could be more heartwarming than young Liverpool FC fans learning to save lives right at the heart of Anfield?
Today was a truly special day for Isaac Kearney and his sister Florence as they had the incredible opportunity to spend time with Crane Medical Care and the dedicated medical team that works alongside Liverpool FC. In a unique blend of football and first aid, the kids dove into a hands-on experience that combined learning with loads of fun.
From CPR practice to fun first aid sessions, Isaac and Florence were absolutely thrilled — and it showed on their faces! With stethoscopes in hand and smiles from ear to ear, they embraced every moment like true champions.
Their mum expressed heartfelt gratitude to Ben and the entire Crane Medical Care team, saying:
“You were all amazing, and we hope to see you around Anfield again soon!”
Experiences like these don’t just teach vital skills — they build memories, boost confidence, and show the next generation of Reds what it means to care for others on and off the pitch.
Here’s to our little lifesavers, Isaac and Florence — future legends of both football and first aid!
Don Hutchison believes it is a matter of time until Virgil van Dijk commits to Liverpool
Liverpool are expected to confirm the news that Virgil van Dijk has signed a new contract.
The Reds captain is expected to put pen to paper on a new contract this week. Much has been made of van Dijk’s future during Arne Slot’s side’s charge towards the Premier League title. His current deal expires in June and there has been plenty of debate as to whether he will stay along with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah.
The latter signed a fresh two-year deal last Friday and van Dijk is poised to do similar. The Netherlands international underlined his importance to Liverpool yet again by heading home the winner in a 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday. It moved the Reds to within six points of being crowned champions of England for a 20th time in the club’s history.
And Don Hutchison believes that van Dijk’s celebrations after his 89th-minute intervention underlined that good news is coming for Kopites. The ex-Liverpool midfielder said on the Premier League’s Goal Rush programme: “From what I’m hearing from inside, I think it will get done. It’s only a matter of time. The fact he was kissing the badge at the end in front of the Kop, he’s saying he loves the club, the fans love me. It’s only a matter of time.”
Hutchison added: “I think it is only just. It’s not clear but what you’ve got to do if you’re Fulkrug is be stronger. You have got to be physical, you have got to be stronger. The fact that Fulkrug was a little bit light then there’s only one winner and you give him a free header in front of goal, the chances are he is going to score.”
Van Dijk did hint after the West Ham triumph that his new deal could be announced this week. However, Liverpool boss Slot was tight-lipped at his post-match press conference. Slot said: “I think he means let’s see what next week means when we play Leicester City because that is, at this moment of time, by far the most important thing this club is looking at. Two more wins. I think the first 32 games have shown us how difficult it is – not only for us but for every team in the Premier League – to win a game of football.
“So, the competition has never been as strong as it is this season. That’s what makes it so hard to win a game of football. Everybody can say, ‘You have to win two.’ We still have to win two, so we should be completely focused on that and if in the meantime a contract extension or whatever happens – but my full focus is on Leicester and, I’m sure, Virgil’s as well.”
Federico Chiesa has found game time hard to come by since joining Liverpool, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a vocal presence on the sidelines for the Reds
To say Federico Chiesa has struggled for game time in his debut season with Liverpool would be putting it mildly. The ex-Juventus ace has clocked up a mere 33 minutes in the Premier League, and his only three starts since his switch to Merseyside have been in cup matches.
This was the case again on Sunday, as Liverpool boss Arne Slot left him warming the bench throughout the 2-1 victory over West Ham. Even when the Reds were in need of a spark following Andy Robertson’s own goal that leveled the scores in the 86th minute, Slot stuck to his guns, and Virgil van Dijk delivered the winning goal shortly after.
However, this didn’t prevent Chiesa from passionately supporting his team-mates. The Italian was seen vehemently protesting almost every referee decision that went against Liverpool, his frustration evident even from the sidelines.
After a rare full match in the Champions League back in January, the 27 year old, who boasts 51 caps for Italy, a Euro 2020 title and three Italian cups, maintained that he was simply thrilled to be gaining experience at one of the world’s top clubs.
“Since I joined Liverpool I’ve wanted to prove myself,” he expressed. “We have a great team and it’s hard to play, but that’s normal, because I want to be here, I want to play for Liverpool, I want to challenge myself. I’m playing with great players, I’m in a great team. There’s a great atmosphere, I’m enjoying myself here.
“Of course, I didn’t get the chance to play for many reasons. I’m enjoying being at the club, because Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world and the fanbase is just amazing. Playing at Anfield gives me shivers.”
Despite his love for the Reds, Chiesa might not grace the Anfield pitch next season as rumors swirl about a potential return to Serie A. Liverpool’s wings are already bustling with talent, especially after Mohamed Salah’s contract extension.
With Slot at the helm, he has the likes of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, and Harvey Elliott at his disposal, not to mention any new additions sporting director Richard Hughes secures during what’s expected to be an eventful summer window for Liverpool.
Arsenal struggled badly against one player this weekend and he’s openly eager to sign for Liverpool. Will the Reds want him?
The Premier League title race looks to be over – though, we’ve said that for a while. Liverpool took another big step towards the trophy on Saturday without even playing, however.
Arsenal failed to win at home against Brentford, drawing 1-1 for what is just their 10th point from their last seven matches. They’ve completely failed to find any kind of pace in their title ‘charge’, leaving Liverpool with a fairly comfortable run-in.
They did take the lead against the Bees but were unable to hold on. Yoane Wissa squeezed one home to rescue a point, rob two from Arsenal, and leave Liverpool 10 points clear with seven to play.
That became 13 points clear with six to play on Sunday afternoon when Liverpool beat West Ham 2-1.
Sepp van den Berg was brilliant
Sepp van den Berg put in a wonderful performance at the Emirates. Defensively, he was about as good as it gets.
The Dutchman made more defensive actions than anyone on the pitch with 12. In fact, no one else managed more than eight. That included three tackles from three attempts – only Byran Mbeumo matched that.
There were nine clearances (no one else made more than six), six headers (no one else managed to beat four) and an incredible eight duels won.
That latter stat is particularly notable as not only did no one else win eight, Van den Berg only attempted eight. He won every single one.
He was solid on the ball, too. Only Nathan Collins bettered his 84 per cent pass completion for Brentford.
So all in all, Van den Berg was about as dominant as it gets. Arsenal struggled badly to get the better of him and despite leaving Liverpool last summer, he’s managed to play a role in the title charge.
But he’s also open about hoping to play for the Reds again one day.
“I would be lying if I said that I don’t dream of ever returning to Liverpool,” Van den Berg told Voetbal Primeur earlier this year. “That’s still in my head.
“But for now it was better for my career to take a different path and start playing a lot.”
Liverpool
‘The crowd here’ – Graham Potter makes honest Anfield claim after Liverpool’s victory over West Ham
Liverpool had to battle to a 2-1 victory over West Ham United at Anfield.
Graham Potter told of his pride after West Ham’s performance despite failing to a last-gasp loss against Liverpool.
The Reds had to battle to a 2-1 win at Anfield as they took another step closer to being crowned Premier League champions. It appeared it might be a straightforward triumph for Arne Slot’s side as they largely dominated the first half, with Luis Diaz opening the scoring.
But as the game wore on, West Ham started to flex their muscle. Home goalkeeper Alisson Becker made two fine saves before Liverpool conceded a calamitous equaliser. A defensive mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson led to the latter netting an own goal with four minutes remaining.
The Reds were in no mood to drop points and prolong their wait to win the top-flight title, though. With a minute of normal time remaining, Van Dijk marched up for a corner and headed Slot’s men back in front – and within two more triumphs of adding a 20th championship to the trophy cabinet.
Graham Potter’s verdict.
While the Hammers stay 16th in the table, Potter believes it was his team’s best performance since succeeding Julen Lopetegui in January. The London Stadium boss said at his post-match press conference: “The performance of a team was really positive, probably the best since we have been here.
“The balance between defence and attack was good against a top team in, from the start, an emotional environment, which is understandable. Liverpool started really well – intensity, pushed us back, made it difficult but credit to our players. We showed resilience which hasn’t always been there but we did and grew into the game.
“Second half I thought it was a strong performance. The crowd here, they are very knowledgeable, they know when Liverpool are in a game and the way they celebrated the second was an indication of that because we played well.”
Kilman verdict.
West Ham defender Max Kilman also took the positives from the display – and claimed that not many sides create as many chances as Anfield. He told the club’s website: “It’s a really tough one to take,. There aren’t many times you go to Anfield and create chances like we did, and for most of the second half we were probably on top of them and probably could have won the game in the end.
“It’s a really tough one to take, but we can take a lot of encouragement and lots of positives, and we just need to keep pushing on It was tough, but after the equaliser, we should have defended a bit better and tried to counter that last chance that they scored from. However, there are lots of positives to take and we’ve got a big game coming up on Saturday [against Southampton].
“They [Liverpool] are top of the league, and obviously it’s one of the hardest places to play, but we defended really well, stayed in the game, and our message at half-time was to really push in the second half, which we did, and we created lots of good chances, so it’s unfortunate we didn’t take anything from the game.”
Premier League referees must be stronger in their handling of penalty-box grappling after one incident went unpunished in Liverpool’s win over West Ham, Keith Hackett has said.
The former PGMOL chief and FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that Andy Madley’s attempt to prevent grappling at a West Ham corner didn’t come close to preventing the issue from occuring again.
Liverpool were already 1-0 up at the time of the incident thanks to Luis Diaz’s first-half opener, the Colombian’s second Liverpool goal in as many games having previously netted just once so far in 2025.
A late Andy Robertson own goal gave West Ham parity, but Virgil van Dijk popped up three minutes later, heading in with just a minute of normal time remaining to put Liverpool back on course for the Premier League title.
Andy Madley fails to punish accordingly in Liverpool v West Ham
While much of the drama was left until the final stages at Anfield on Sunday, things could have been different for both sides had Madley been firmer with Liverpool’s defenders in first-half stoppage time.
A West Ham corner was halted from being taken by Madley having spotted jostling and shoving between Diogo Jota, Ryan Gravenberch and Lucas Paqueta in the box, heading over to speak with the latter duo.
Madley refrained from punishing Gravenberch or Paqueta and didn’t give a free-kick or penalty either way, but the grappling continued just as aggressively after James Ward-Prowse had taken the corner..
Hackett, having seen no difference in the levels of grappling before and after Madley’s discussion with the trio, called upon the PGMOL to clamp down on such duels in the box going forward.
Keith Hackett hits out at PGMOL stance on grappling
Speaking to Football Insider about the decision to let Liverpool and West Ham’s penalty-box grappling go unpunished, the former Premier League and FIFA referee said:
“In added time, at a West Ham United corner kick, the usual forward–defender wrestling match was taking place, when referee Andy Madley stopped the corner kick to go in and speak to two players”, Hackett told Football Insider.
“What impact did this have? Zero – the players continued to grapple.
“The PGMOL need to sort this out in the close season instructing their referees to start to award free kicks or penalty kicks – ignoring the grappling should not be an option.”
While both teams were guilty of jostling in the box throughout a game which saw 13 corners in total, West Ham fans will leave Anfield wondering what could have been, had they been awarded a penalty.
Liverpool’s late show to score at either end and decide the game as a result puts the title within touching distance, but free-kicks, penalties and cards clearly need to be given for teams to get serious about their discipline in the box.
Liverpool
67% pass accuracy, possession lost 6 times: Liverpool star not good enough to start anymore – Opinion
Liverpool picked up a narrow win over West Ham United in the Premier League earlier today, and Diogo Jota put in another ineffective display for his side.
The 28-year-old Portuguese international has had a disappointing season this year. He has struggled with poor form and injury issues. Despite being handed the opportunity to start against the Hammers today, the Portuguese International failed to make the most of the opportunity.
Jota struggled in front of the goal, and he barely helped create any opportunities for his teammates. The Liverpool attacker lost the ball six times as well, and he was wasteful with his passing. Jota completed just 67% of his passes against West Ham.
Diogo Jota needs replacing.
The Portuguese international has failed to impress in recent weeks, and it is evident that he is not good enough to start for Liverpool anymore.
Any team hoping to win the league title and the Champions League should aim higher. It will be interesting to see if Liverpool can replace him adequately during the summer transfer window.
As for the remainder of the season, Arne Slot should look to give more opportunities to Darwin Nunez or Cody Gakpo in the centre-forward role.
Jota has not just failed to score goals consistently, his overall contribution has been quite mediocre as well. Perhaps a spell away from the limelight could do him good, and help him regain his confidence and sharpness. He has scored just once in his last 10 outings for club and country.
The 28-year-old has been a useful servant for Liverpool since joining them from Wolves, but it seems that this could be the right time for the club to get rid of him in the summer and replace him with a younger and better alternative.
“Virgil van Dijk hints at new contract ‘next week’ as Liverpool fans left excited”– “Let’s see”
Virgil van Dijk made the headlines with a fantastic header to score the winner for Liverpool, putting them just two wins away from winning the Premier League.
The Reds went into the game 10 points ahead of Arsenal who drew against Brentford on Saturday. A win vs West Ham would extend their lead to 13 and that is exactly what happened.
Fulham responded with an improve second half performance and got a deserved equaliser late in the game. A mix up between Van Dijk and Robertson resulted in an own-goal by the Scot in the 86th minute.
But the Liverpool captain stepped up and scored the winner with a powerful header just four minutes later.
The celebration by the Dutchman showed what the goal meant to him and Liverpool’s title charge. It also gave a big hint on his future at the club amid speculations as he kissed the badge in front of the supporters.
“Virgil van Dijk hints at new contract”
Mo Salah and Van Dijk gave a post-match interview on Sky Sports, and the contract situation remained the topic of discussion as it has for most of the season.
While Salah penned a new two-year contract on Friday ending the saga surrounding him, Van DIjk’s future remains in the air. However, reports have suggested that he has agreed on a new deal as well with an official announcement imminent.
The Egyptian also appeared to have accidentally confirmed the news in his post match interview stating that hopefully the Dutchman is next and this got fans excited.
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