Liverpool’s new manager search has so far been focused on the same small handful of names.

Liverpool’s new manager search has so far been focused on the same small handful of names…

While Xabi Alonso is clearly the outstanding candidate, he doesn’t look to be the only one Liverpool are looking at. Sporting’s Ruben Amorim has been heavily linked too and seems to be the alternative to Alonso.

But according to former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker, there’s a new name that Liverpool should also be considering: Bologna’s Thiago Motta. Asked by the BBC’s Football Daily podcast whether the Reds should think about hiring Steven Gerrard in case Alonso is not available, Reo-Coker said that there are better options out there.

“There’s other managers out there achieving great things and playing great styles and attractive styles that you’d probably be better off going with,” said the pundit.

“When you look at Liverpool right now, you can call them Klopp’s kids, I think you probably want a manager who’s going to be good with working with some of those youngsters because they’ve already proved that they can handle it and play at that level.

“One manager I’d probably say, look at Thiago Motta, the Bologna manager right now. He’s doing well, flying with Bologna, I think he’ll be a good manager they can look at. The Sporting Lisbon manager as well, a manager a lot of people are talking about. With what he’s done at Sporting Lisbon and how he’s got Marucs Edwards playing right now.”

Liverpool told to consider Motta

As Liverpool weigh up who should come after Klopp, there is a danger of them putting all their eggs in one basket.

The clear choice is Alonso. He’s the one the fans want and the one who is marking himself as the top option with his team’s performances, too.

But Bayern Munich are also very keen on the 42-year-old. His current club, Bayer Leverkusen, are seemingly confident of Alonso staying there, too.

So, other options do have to be considered. And, thankfully, there does feel to be a clutch of suitable managers out there.

Amorim is the obvious alternative and would be an interesting appointment. But in all the scramble, it is strange that Motta’s name hasn’t come up before.

Despite being just 41, the former Brazil and Italy international is not a novice coach. Bologna is his third job in management, having already taken charge at Genoa and Spezia.

Now into his second season with I Rossoblu, Motta is exceeding all expectations. With just 10 games of the Serie A campaign to play, Bologna sit fourth spot, in the final Champions League place. Last year, they finished a respectable ninth.

That followed on from a promising single season at Spezia for Motta, who guided them to Serie A safety against the odds. He’s improving all the time.

As someone who spent years at the top level as a player, the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG midfielder is well versed in the rigours of the elite game. He’s certainly one to keep an eye on. We don’t see Liverpool going for him

Liverpool fans will be hoping their big players can turn up tomorrow when they take on Manchester City at Anfield.

Although they’ve been boosted by the return of some of their key men over the last week, they are still without a couple of big hitters.

As a result, the onus will fall on a select group of stars to get Liverpool over the line against the champions. Of course, how Mohamed Salah handles his likely return to the starting line-up will have big say in the result. But so too will the performance of Darwin Nunez.

Nunez has been sensational lately. The Uruguayan added two great goals to his tally on Thursday, meaning he now has five goals in his last four games. And speaking via The Independent ahead of tomorrow’s clash with City, former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman said that staff at Anfield are completely convinced that there’s even more to come from Nunez.

“I think, unfortunately, because of some of his high-profile misses you will have fans shouting at him and singing songs like they did at Forest,” began the 52-year-old. “He will miss chances but his recent form: his goal against Brentford and his goal the other day (against Forest) shows his importance.

“I have every faith in him. I speak to the people at the club who say he works hard and tries to work on his finishing and overall play and hopefully he will get better and better.”

Liverpool staff happy with Nunez

Although he hasn’t always been seeing the results on the pitch, Nunez has always been held in high regard inside Liverpool.

When he was signed in 2022, it was clear that the Uruguay international was going to take some time to settle. Almost two years on, and it’s fair to say that Nunez now looks totally at home.

Still, the one thing perhaps missing from Darwin’s resurgence at Liverpool has been a goal against one of the Premier League’s top sides.

The Reds’ No.9 has scored some crucial, crucial goals this season in particular. Last week’s injury-time winner at Forest for example has the potential to be huge.

But aside from a double during the 7-0 rout of Manchester United last season and a consolation away to Arsenal, his impact against Liverpool’s top-end rivals has been scarce.

If Nunez can change that on Sunday and come up trumps against City, then all of that will be forgotten.

The way he’s playing of late – and the improvements seen in his game especially – you wouldn’t bet against Darwin being the headline maker tomorrow.

Staff at Liverpool have clearly long since been convinced by the former Benfica hitman. Slowly, the whole of the Reds fanbase have been turned, too. Get a big goal on City’s head, and the rest of the country will have no choice but to board the Nunez train as well.

In the midst of a brilliant season with Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has emerged as the preferred candidate of the two teams. So far, reports have contrasted over which of his former teams the Spaniard would prefer to take over.

But according to The Independent’s ‘Reading the Game’ newsletter, the feeling within football is relatively clear. They claim that although there have been reports that Alonso wants to join Bayern, this is viewed as ‘posturing’ within the industry.

Although the noise from Munich is reportedly much louder than anything coming from Liverpool, this is not necessarily ‘influential.’

Instead, the feeling within the game is said to be that Alonso is still more likely to end up at Anfield than the Allianz Arena. However, it is also stressed that nothing has yet been agreed.

Alonso more likely to join Liverpool than Bayern

It isn’t a surprise that Liverpool have maintained a virtual silence over their attempt to lure Alonso back to Merseyside.

The Reds are well used to doing things in silence where recruitment is concerned. Just because you don’t hear about it, it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

Perhaps the biggest miss of all is goalkeeper Alisson Becker. It’s fair to say that the superb form of Caoimhin Kelleher has meant that Liverpool have gotten by just fine without Alisson so far. But the Brazilian is quite possibly the best ‘keeper in the world. You want him out their for the biggest games.

Kelleher has been brilliant since stepping up to fill Alisson’s gloves and nobody should be worrying about him for tomorrow. But as former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Football Daily yesterday, the 25-year-old is still a ‘bracket below’ both Alisson and Manchester City’s Ederson.

“He’s played in cup finals hasn’t he, he’s played in big games and he’s shown that he’s good enough for that level,” Robinson explained. “Is he as good as Alisson, is he as good as Ederson? No, I wouldn’t put him in that bracket. But he’s a very good goalkeeper. He’s an excellent number two and an excellent option for the manager to have if Alisson’s not there.

“There’s a bracket of goalkeeper, Ederson and Alisson for me sit at the top of that in the Premier League. Kelleher’s in the bracket below that. He’s not at the same level as Alisson. They’ll have a decision to make in the long-term if Alisson was to ever move on. But as far as him playing I’d have no worries about him whatsoever.”

Ederson has certainly earned the right to be in the debate at the very least. Having won it all with City as their starting goalkeeper, he’s unquestionably elite.

Although he could be a better shot-stopper, the 30-year-old is probably the best goalkeeper in history at using the ball with his feet.

For Kelleher, there’s absolutely no shame in being below these two. The Irishman has barely played 50 senior games in his career so far. He’s just getting going.

In terms of the game tomorrow, that is obviously an area that City will feel they have the upper hand on Liverpool. But as Robinson says, that shouldn’t concern the Reds too much.

Having started Liverpool’s last seven games, Kelleher has rhythm. His form over that stretch has been terrific and he appears to be growing in confidence all the time.

There remains a question over whether the Ireland international will be at Liverpool to fulfil his obvious potential. Good as he’s been, there’s no getting past Alisson for now. If he moves on and takes the No.1 shirt somewhere else though, you can see him jumping into that top bracket alongside Ederson in the years ahead.

Jamie Carragher has given high praise to Virgil van Dijk ahead of Liverpool’s game against Manchester City tomorrow.

Van Dijk has been back to his imperious best for the Reds this season. Having already been the match-winner in the Carabao Cup final, the Dutchman will lead Liverpool into their biggest game of the campaign yet.

Given his brilliant form of late, the debate has restarted over whether Van Dijk is the best centre-back in Premier League history. Liverpool supporters would certainly argue that case.

And so too, it seems, would former Reds defender Jamie Carragher. Carragher took part in a ‘winner stays on’ round with Thierry Henry for Sky Sports Premier League yesterday.

Having picked Chelsea legend John Terry ahead of Rio Ferdinand, the former Liverpool player was asked to choose between Terry and Virgil van Dijk.

“Is this the final?” asked Carragher. “No,” replied Henry. “Van Dijk,” decided Carra, before choosing Liverpool’s current captain over both Nemanja Vidic and Vincent Kompany.

Carragher picks Van Dijk

There will be plenty of people who are minded to strongly disagree with Carragher on this one. But in reality, the only thing either Terry, Vidic or Kompany have over Van Dijk is trophies won.

Of course, when you’re competing at the very top level, you want to be winning as many trophies as possible. This is always going the yardstick for picking between great players.