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Liverpool
Why Virgil van Dijk missed Liverpool training ahead of Man Utd as Ibrahima Konate injury update given
Liverpool prepare for two games against Sparta Prague and Man Utd in the Europa League and FA Cup respectively.
By Will Rooney
Published 13th Mar 2024, 07:05 GMT
Updated 13th Mar 2024, 07:06 GMT

Virgil van Dijk was absent from Liverpool training on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side prepare for another double-header. Liverpool face Sparta Prague in the Europa League last 16 second leg tomorrow and hold a 5-1 aggregate lead after last week’s routing in the Czech capital. They then make the trip to Old Trafford to face fierce rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

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Sky Sports were at the Reds’ AXA Training Centre as they filmed training ahead of the two games. It was reported that captain van Dijk was not involved with the rest of his team-mates against the backdrop of the thrilling 1-1 draw against Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Van Dijk delivered a man-of-the-match performance as Liverpool remained level on points with Arsenal at the top of the table.

However, it is said there are no injury issues with the centre-back and it was a case of managing his workload given the lengthy injury issues currently at Anfield.

Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate running on his own was spotted running on his own as he works his way back from a setback suffered in the first leg against Sparta. The defender was forced to miss the City clash but Klopp is hopeful that Konate will be back for the trip to United.

Related topics:Jurgen KloppManchester CityEuropa League
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NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
OPINIONSalah gets new Liverpool contract, Xabi Alonso call – Edwards’ next few months in dream scenario
FSG has appointed Michael Edwards and plans are coming together for after Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. In an ideal scenario, this is how the next few months would look.

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Matt Addison
ByMatt AddisonLiverpool.com Editor
06:00, 14 MAR 2024
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Jürgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah during a Liverpool training session.
Jürgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah during a Liverpool training session. (Image: Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

The confirmed news on Tuesday that Michael Edwards had taken a role at FSG was intriguing for a number of reasons. Firstly, it will have a big impact on Liverpool, with the best in class now back in the building.

Edwards has a track record at Anfield which meant FSG made a big pitch to him. It appears as if Richard Hughes, a man that Edwards knows well, will be coming to Liverpool as the new sporting director, and there will, of course, be a new manager when Jürgen Klopp leaves in the summer.

For the trio of new appointments, there will be a big in-tray of tasks. It remains to be seen exactly who will take each one, but we know that the FSG plan is for Edwards to source another football club to purchase, which he will then run alongside Liverpool.

READ MORE: Every Liverpool player available for Sparta Prague as Jürgen Klopp handed surprise injury boost

READ MORE: Ronaldo makes one-word prediction on title race between Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal

Hughes, if he does become the new sporting director, will take on a day-to-day role with Liverpool and be in charge of leading things like transfer negotiations. Identifying targets has always been a collaborative process.

There is plenty to sort out over the next few months, though. In an ideal world, Liverpool.com has put together what will happen over the course of the coming period, where much will be changing off the field at Anfield.

New contracts signed
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are all out of contract in 2025 and that means that Liverpool has not left a huge amount of time to get extensions sorted out. That should be an immediate priority.

Alexander-Arnold is clearly someone with a long time left in his career. Salah and Van Dijk, meanwhile, are substantially older than him but still have plenty left to give. Ideally, all three could be signed up to new deals — with the older pair on shorter contract extensions than Alexander-Arnold.

Right decision made on Xabi Alonso
It appears to most people that Xabi Alonso would be the perfect fit for Liverpool. But what those in charge must work out is whether his job at Bayer Leverkusen has enough evidence to suggest that it can translate.

Alonso has worked wonders with a club that has never won the Bundesliga before and it seems certain they will go on and lift the league title. But there are other candidates for Liverpool to consider who have a longer history of performing at the top level.

Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso is the favorite to take over from Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. (Image: Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Alonso is the favorite in the eyes of most people right now to take over from Klopp. It will be up to Edwards and Liverpool to determine if that is what they also think with the help of far more sophisticated data.

Once that decision has been made, a pitch can then be put forward to him, while remaining respectful to Leverkusen’s title charge. That pitch is a lot clearer now that the Edwards and sporting director structure has come into being.

Summer transfer plans lined up
If Hughes is to become the new sporting director, even though he is still at Bournemouth until the end of the season, Liverpool will be able to get plans in place for what the summer looks like. Big changes are not needed — and would not be preferable.

With a new head coach coming in, it makes more sense for things to be more stable on the pitch for Liverpool in terms of personnel, which is why the new contracts for some key players is so important. The squad is strong enough and young enough to be able to not need major surgery, though a couple of extra bodies would not go amiss.

Another center-back seems vital, especially if Joël Matip moves on, while another midfielder would not be a bad thing — even if Bobby Clark will continue to develop and Stefan Bajčetić will return to the fold. A couple of quality additions, considering there will be more (and more difficult) games in the Champions League next season, are necessary, but nothing more than that.

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ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE NEWS

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE FOOTBALL
MARCH 4 UPDATE: 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Roster Tracker
The revolving door is the new normal in college football.

By CB969@CB969onRBR Jan 7, 2024, 8:41am CST 48 Comments / 48 New
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 16 Alabama at USF
Deontae Lawson will be returning to the Crimson Tide in 2024. Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Nick Saban has a 24 hour rule following a game to celebrate or lick wounds. It’s clear that principle applies to the off-season as well. Shortly after the conclusion of Alabama’s football season, there was a flurry of personnel changes. In what must have been a long week of meetings, the Alabama head man sat down with his staff and players to decide on their futures with the program.

The Transfer Portal for Alabama players is now closed. The deadline for early entry into the NFL Draft is Jan 15. However, it is believed that Saban has a pretty good idea on who will be coming back and who will be moving on.

DEPARTING
ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY OUT OF ELIGIBILITY
DB Jaylen Key
PK Will Reichard – Playing in Senior Bowl (Feb 3)
OL Darrian Dalcourt – Remember him?
TRANSFER OUT
WR Ja’Corey Brooks > Louisville
QB Tyler Buchner > Notre Dame Lacrosse
DL Anquin Barnes > Colorado
DB Earl Little Jr. > FSU
OC Seth McLaughlin > Ohio State
OL Terrence Ferguson > FSU
RB Roydell Williams > FSU
DL Isaiah Hastings > Mizzou > Syracuse
TE Miles Kitselman > Tenn
WR Shazz Preston > Tulane
QB Eli Holstein > Pitt
S Kristian Story > UK
WR Malik Benson > FSU
DL Monkell Goodwine > South Carolina
LB Ian Jackson > UTSA
LB Kendrick Blackshire
DB Jake Pope > UGA
LB Shawn Murphy > FSU
DB Trey Amos > OM
S Caleb Downs > anOSU
DECLARED FOR NFL DRAFT
LB/Edge Dallas Turner – possible top 10-15 pick
OL JC Latham – possible top 10-15
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry – potential first or early second round
CB Terrion Arnold – potential first or early second round
LB Chris Braswell – Round 3? Participating in the Senior Bowl
RB Jase McClellan – mid round
DL Justin Eboigbe – mid round; Participating in the Senior Bowl
WR Jermaine Burton – mid round
LB Trezmen Marshall – 7th or UDFA
The first round of the NFL Draft is always a slew of overdrafted quarterbacks, a bunch of OL, plus edge rushers and wide receivers. There is not a lot of room for secondary and linebackers but we’ll see…

INCOMING
CLASS OF 2024
All will be true freshmen.

QB Julian Sayin

1. TE Jay Lindsey

2. DB Peyton Woodyard

3. DB Zabien Brown

4. DB Jaylen Mbakwe

5. RB Kevin Riley

6. ATH Aeryn “Bubba” Hampton

7. TE Caleb Odom

8. OL Casey Poe

9. DE Jeremiah Beaman

10. LB Sterling Dixon

11. DE Steve Mboumoua

12. DE Jayshawn Ross

13. DB Rydarrius Morgan

14. WR Amari Jefferson

ATH Jameer Grimsley –

15. OL Joseph Ionata

16. LB Cayden Jones

17. WR Rico Scott

18. DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.

19. OL William Sanders

20. LB Justin Okoronkwo

21. DT Isaia Faga

22. RB Daniel Hill – Announced on Sat, Jan 6

23. DB Zavier Mincey – Announced on Sat, Jan 6

CLASS OF 2023
(** All classifications below refer to fall of 2024 **)

As of post, the following are expected back. But ya never know…

24. LB Keon Keeley, RS-Fr. no appearances – confirmed he will not enter the transfer portal, because some jerkoff reporter asked him

25. LB Qua Russaw, RS-Fr. no appearances

26. LB Yhonzae Pierre, RS-Fr. no appearances

27. DL Hunter Osborne, RS-Fr. no appearances

28. DB Jahlil Hurley, RS-Fr. no appearances

29. QB Dylan Lonergan, RS-Fr. 1 game

30. RB Richard Young, RS-Fr. 3 games

31. WR Cole Adams, RS-Fr. 2 games

DB Dezz Ricks, RS-Fr. 2 games

32. DL Edric Hill, RS-Fr. 2 games

33. WR Jaren Hamilton, RS-Fr. 2 games

34. DL Jordan Renaud, RS-Fr. 2 games

35. TE Ty Lockwood, RS-Fr. 2 games

36. OL Roq Montgomery, RS-Fr. 2 games

37. PK Conor Talty, RS-Fr. 3 games

38. OL Miles McVay, RS-Fr. 4 games

39. OL Wilkin Formby, RS-Fr. 3 games

40. OL Olaus Alinen, RS-Fr. 4 games

41. DB Tony Mitchell, True-Soph. 7 games

42. DL James Smith, Soph. 9 games

43. WR Jalen Hale, Soph. 13 games

44. RB Justice Haynes, Soph. 13 games

45. DB Bray Hubbard, Soph. 9 games

S Caleb Downs, Soph. 14 games

OT Kadyn Proctor, Soph. 14 games

[SIDE NOTE: Just because a guy does not play in his first season, does not mean he is a bust. Terrion Arnold, for example, did not play in a single game as a true freshman.]

TRANSFER IN
46. CB Domani Jackson (Southern Cal) True-JR – Two years remaining

47. DE LT Overton (Texas A&M) True-JR – Two years remaining

48. OL Naquil Betrand (Texas A&M) RS-FR – Four years remaining

49. QB Austin Mack – Four years remaining

50. C Parker Brailsford – Three years remaining

51. WR Germie Bernard – Two years remaining

THIRD YEAR AND ABOVE
DB Antonio Kite, RS-Soph.

52. DB DeVonta Smith, RS-Soph.

53. LB Jeremiah Alexander, RS-Soph.

54. TE Danny Lewis, RS-Soph.

LB Shawn Murphy, RS-Soph.

55. QB Ty Simpson, RS-Soph. – Confirmed returning.

56. OL Elijah Pritchett, RS-Soph.

57. DL Khurtiss Perry, RS-Soph.

DB Jake Pope, RS-Soph.

WR Isaiah Bond, Jr.

58. WR Kobe Prentice, Jr.

59. DL Jaheim Oatis, Jr.

60. WR Kendrick Law, Jr.

61. WR Emmanuel Henderson, Jr.

62. RB Jam Miller, Jr.

63. LB Jihaad Campbell, Jr.

64. OL Tyler Booker, Jr.

TE Amari Niblack, Jr.

65. DL Tim Keenan, RS-Jr.

66. QB Jalen Milroe, RS-Jr. – Confirmed return

67. LB Keanu Koht, RS-Jr.

68. LB Deontae Lawson, RS-Jr. – Confirmed return

69. DL Damon Payne, RS-Jr.

70. OL James Brockermeyer, RS-Jr.

71. OL Jaeden Roberts, RS-Jr.

72. LB Justin Jefferson, Sr.

73. TE CJ Dippre, Sr. – Confirmed return

LB Kendrick Blackshire, Sr.

74. TE Robbie Ouzts, Sr.

75. P James Burnip, RS-Sr. – Confirmed return

76. DL Jah-Marien Latham, RS-Sr.

77. OLB Quandarrius Robinson, RS-Sr. – Returning

CB Trey Amos, Grad.

78. DB Malachi Moore, ONE YR Remaining – Confirmed return

79. DL Tim Smith, ONE YR Remaining – Unconfirmed return

NSD SIGNEES FEB 7-9
WR Ryan Williams – 80
EDGE Noah Carter – 81
TRANSFER PORTAL
When a student-athlete enters their name into the transfer portal, they do so through their school’s compliance office in the form of a written notification. The compliance office has 48 hours to comply with the player’s request and NCAA rules forbid anyone from refusing that request. Thus, Alabama may have a few more TP announcements register on Sunday and Monday.

PENDING
ONE MORE CROOT
WR Ryan Williams – incoming 5-star freshman committed but signing Feb 9.
AWAITING NEWS
RB Jase McClellan, ONE YR Remaining – “expected” to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft according to Nick Kelly of The Tuscaloosa News. UPDATE: NFL
POSSIBLE TRANSFERS IN
Alabama may be looking for more help at WR, DB and OL. Also, it seems you can never have enough good DL.
ETC.
Starting long-snapper Kneeland Hibbett is believed to not be on fall scholarship. He will be a true senior. [SIDE NOTE: He is the grandson of the legendary Tide receiver Dennis Homan.]
UPDATE: There has been talk that the new Alabama staff will honor LB Quinton Reese’s scholarship offer. Will it be a full offer for the fall? Will he Greyshirt? Does he qualify for a Blueshirt? If he joins the team for fall, he’ll be number 82.
COACHING CHANGES
Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Coleman Hutzler will take over as Defensive Coordinator at Mississippi State.
Wide Receivers Coach Holmon Wiggins has taken the same job at Texas A&M with a possible moniker of Co-Offensive Coordinator added to his business cards.
Defensive Backs Coach Travaris Robinson’s contract expires Feb. 29. ???
UPDATE: DL coach Freddie Roach and RB coach Robert Gillespie only coaches expected to be retained.
UPDATE: Alabama is expected to hire Buffalo head coach Maurice Linguist as a defensive assistant. South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack is leaving USA to become Alabama’s defensive coordinator.
UPDATES:

We will add updates as they happen.

JAN 7 UPDATE: QB Eli Holstein will transfer to Pitt.
JAN 7 UPDATE: DB Jake Pope is in the TP.
JAN 7 UPDATE: DL Monkell Goodwine has committed to South Carolina.
JAN 8 UPDATE: LB Kendrick Blackshire is in the transfer portal.
JAN 8 UPDATE: WR Malik Benson has decided on the FSU Whineybabies.
JAN 9 UPDATE: It has been reported, but unconfirmed, that DC Kevin Steele is retiring. He turns 66 in March and has spent 40 years in coaching, 12 as a DC.
JAN 9 UPDATE: DL Isaiah Hastings has agreed to transfer to Mizzou.
JAN 9 UPDATE: Malachi Moore makes it official that he’s staying for another season.
JAN 9 UPDATE: RB Jase McClellan declares for the NFL draft.
JAN 10 UPDATE: Story is headed to Kentucky.
JAN 10 UPDATE: Nick Saban has retired.
JAN 11 UPDATE: Terrence Ferguson is heading to FSU.
JAN 12 UPDATE: Report that starting receiver Isaiah Bond has filed the paperwork and is expected to enter the transfer portal.
JAN 12 UPDATE: Alabama hires Kalen DeBoer as head coach.
JAN 13 UPDATE: Pope commits to UGA.
JAN 13 UPDATE: Serial copycat Kirby Smart has absconded with secondary coach Travaris Robinson.
JAN 13 UPDATE: Kitselman will try his luck with Tennessee.
JAN 13 UPDATE: Isaiah Bond is visiting Texa$ this weekend.
JAN 13 UPDATE: DB Dezz Ricks in the TP, but has not contacted any other school per reports.
JAN 13 UPDATE: DB Antonio Kite > TP.
JAN 13 UPDATE: ILB Shawn Murphy is out.
JAN 14 UPDATE: Bond to Texa$.
JAN 14 UPDATE: Tight end Amari Niblack in in the TP. All the more snaps for Caleb Odom.
JAN 15 UPDATE: Shazz Preston is heading for Tulane.
JAN 16 UPDATE: Trey Amos, TP. Ole Miss is the favorite.
JAN 16 UPDATE: Murphy is the fifth former Tide player to commit to FSU.
JAN 16 UPDATE: Ricks to TAMU.
JAN 17 UPDATE: S Caleb Downs is in the portal.
JAN 17 UPDATE: Kadyn Proctor in the QH. He probably goes to Iowa.
JAN 17 UPDATE: Tyler Booker and Jihaad Campbell have both said they’re returning. Kendrick Law is scheduled to do an autograph session with those two, which would seem to indicate that he is staying as well.
JAN 17 UPDATE: Also announcing their returns: OL Jaeden Roberts, Olaus Alinen, Wilkin Formby, Miles McVay.
JAN 17 UPDATE: Washington All-PAC 12 transfer CB Jabbar Muhammad is planning on visiting Texas and Alabama this week. Also Freshman AA center Parker Brailsford is in the TP.
JAN 17 UPDATE: Kite transfers to… Auburn? LOLOLOLOL! Enjoy that s**tshow.
JAN 17 UPDATE: 30 day open window is ridiculous.
JAN 17 UPDATE: Without even stepping on the practice field, frosh DB Jameer Grimsley is entering the portal. Not to sound like “one of those guys”, but I was never really crazy about his addition to begin with.
JAN 18 UPDATE: Niblack to Texa$.
JAN 18 UPDATE: Former Washington true freshman QB Austin Mack has committed to Alabama. He is 6-6 / 225 and has four years of eligibility with no redshirt remaining.
JAN 19 UPDATE: 5-star freshman QB Julian Sayin is expected to initiate the transfer process on Friday, per Pete Thamel.
JAN 19 UPDATE: Downs to Ohio State.
JAN 19 UPDATE: Amos to Ole Miss.
JAN 20 UPDATE: Proctor to Iowa.
JAN 20 UPDATE: First Team Freshman All-American center Parker Brailsford has committed to transfer from Washington to Alabama. Last season, he allowed one sack in 612 pass block snaps.
JAN 21 UPDATE: WR/KR Germie Bernard (Las Vegas, NV) is transferring to Alabama from UW.
JAN 21 UPDATE: Grimsley is going back home to play for the Gators.
JAN 24 UPDATE: DL coach Freddie Roach has added the title of Assistant Head Coach to his duties.
JAN 24 UPDATE: WR Ryan Williams recommitted.
JAN 25 UPDATE: 4-star EDGE Noah Carter (Peoria, AZ) has committed to Alabama. He originally signed with UW but was released from his LOI. He was an All-American Bowl participant and drew rave reviews. 55 tackles and 11 sacks as a senior.
JAN 31 UPDATE: Some of the “crootin’ experts” are saying that the new Alabama staff will honor LB Quinton Reese’s scholarship offer.
FEB 4 UPDATE: Alabama has brought in Kivon Coman as a defensive backs grad assistant. The Sheffield, AL native played safety for Mississippi State from 2013-2016 and started for two years. He previously coached at Florence and Hoover High Schools.
FEB 5 UPDATE: Former Washington assistant William Inge will be the tenth and final assistant to be added to the Bama staff. His title is TBA, though he has experience on defense and with special teams.
FEB 10 UPDATE: Ryan Grubb has reneged on his promise to OC Alabama and instead will do so with the Seahawks where he will flame out spectacularly.
FEB 11 UPDATE: OL coach Scott Huff is joining Grubb in Methland Seattle.
FEB 19 UPDATE: According to Pete Thamel, Alabama is set to hire offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic. He spent only two months with Baylor. He got an early start at Alabama State (2001-05). He also coached under Larry Fedo

 

‘I’m not going to lie’… Michail Antonio admits one Liverpool player really annoys him sometimes

Michail Antonio admits there’s one thing that Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk does which really annoys him during games.

You’d imagine that Virgil van Dijk annoys plenty of attacking players in the Premier League due to his exceptional work at the back.

The Liverpool defender is widely viewed as the best centre-back in world football and he’s certainly been back to his best this season.

His latest display has earned him more plaudits after he dealt with the threat of Manchester City star Erling Haaland in the 1-1 draw at Anfield.

And while Michail Antonio has admitted he didn’t watch the game, he caught some highlights and spoke about Van Dijk’s 1v1 with Haaland in the second half.

Antonio admits Van Dijk annoys him
Speaking on The Footballer’s Football Podcast, Antonio discussed Van Dijk’s unique habit of turning his back while attackers are running at him.

The West Ham forward claims the Dutchman has done this to him plenty of times and admitted it annoys him.

“But I saw a couple of highlights when Haaland managed to square him up and there was one stage where he was running at him and one thing I love about Virgil, most defenders back off and running sidewards to try and see,” the Hammers star said.

“Virgil literally turns his back to you, like he fully turns his back to you and looks at you and goes ‘alright, if you’re going left, I’m going left. If you’re going right, I’m going right’.

“He just waits for you to knock the ball so he’s already in motion so he doesn’t have to generate the power to catch up to speed with you. He’s already there. Most defenders want to see you. He’s like I know I’m as quick and strong as you, knock it! Any stage you knock it, I’m there.”

“So much disrespect when he just looks at you like that,” Fulham’s Tom Cairney said. “So much disrespect.”