Liverpool may not be involved in Premier League matches this weekend, although a number of Reds players are currently on duty with their national teams.
This afternoon, fans will hopefully see Dominik Szoboszlai in the friendly against Hungary, Cody Gakpo chasing his second consecutive goal for the Netherlands and Kostas Tsimikas hoping to help Greece to victory in the qualifiers for Euro 2024.
These matches were the result of England’s first points defeats in qualifying.
Although no Reds were involved due to Trent Alexander-Arnold being sidelined through injury, former club captain Jordan Henderson was the center of attention when he was slotted into the starting lineup following his summer move to Gareth Southgate’s Al Ettifaq, leading to mixed reactions. .
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has criticized Manchester United for their treatment of Jadon Sancho, insisting the public row between the club and the player “doesn’t reflect well”.
United manager Erik ten Hag claimed Sancho did not feature in the Red Devils’ 3-1 defeat at Arsenal on September 3 due to poor performances in training, a comment the former winger of Borussia Dortmund then denied it on social networks.
It comes after Ten Hag spoke about Sancho’s mental health issues in a press conference last season and it recently emerged that the Dutchman was not allowed to do so.
A recent article stated that Ten Hag and United players were “fed up” with the England winger, which only increased criticism of the 23-year-old, with Fowler expressing his disapproval as to how United had handled the complex situation.
“I do not believe that the comments, reactions and counter-meetings that have been shared clearly fit into a modern approach to athlete welfare,” he wrote in his Mirror column.
“We now live in a different world where everyone has a voice. Even when I was playing, there were very few ways a player could respond to criticism directed at him. Now everyone has a say because social media is ubiquitous.
“So, if a coach or a club seriously accuses a player of not behaving correctly – in this case Sancho’s attitude towards training – he not only has the ability to react, but also the right.
I think of the times in which the club “They did it, all the power is gone and they have to accept it. If a player believes he has been falsely accused or defamed, he has the right and opportunity to say so. “
When Ten Hag expressed his disapproval of Sancho after United’s last appearance in the Premier League, Fowler added:
“If a club feels they should come out and tell people about it, then that’s a big concern because it means that your discipline isn’t working.” .
If there are then briefings, the whole thing will have failed. This doesn’t bode well for Manchester United, and it’s certainly not a good sign.
Again, I’m not saying to be soft on a player, just to respect him. If there is a disagreement, resolve it privately and not in such a destructive public way.
“I wouldn’t criticize Sancho for reacting that way. He was simply correcting what he saw as something incorrect about him. I think if there are policies in place to protect mental health and wellbeing then that shouldn’t have prompted him to respond in that way
Mohamed Salah (L) celebrates with Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring Liverpool’s third goal in their impressive win over Aston Villa before the international break.
Germany “dream” of appointing Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp as national coach after Hansi Flick’s disastrous reign ended in a shock 4-1 defeat to Japan.
The 2018 world champions suffered defeat at the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg on Saturday night when Leroy Sane’s goal failed to inspire the Germans to comeback shortly after Junya Ito had opened the scoring for Japan.
Further goals from Ayase Ueda, Takuma Asano and Ao Tanaka ensured a surprising friendly victory for Samurai Blue. On Sunday, less than 24 hours after the defeat, it was confirmed that Flick, who was only named Joachim Löw’s successor after Euro 2021, had been dismissed.
And according to journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft, Germany “dreams” of appointing Klopp as Flick’s successor – and even offering him the chance to manage Liverpool and Germany together.
Virgil van Dijk has praised Ireland’s Evan Ferguson, despite the striker being unable to feature in Sunday’s match against the Netherlands.
Ferguson, 18, has flourished since joining Brighton & Hove Albion from Bohemians in 2021 and scored a hat-trick against Newcastle United last weekend.
Speaking about his talents, van Dijk said:
“If you scored a hat-trick just before the international break he would be full of confidence.
“He looks like he is a promising striker for Ireland now and in the future. It’s a hard blow for them, but whoever comes to play tomorrow, we have to be ready to fight.”
Evan Ferguson of Brighton & Hove Albion celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United at American Express Community Stadium on September 2, 2023 in Brighton, England.
For those wondering how well Wataru Endo performed for his country last night, a video compilation of his highlights has been put together.
The Liverpool midfielder led Japan to a 4-1 victory over Germany – an impressive result despite it being a friendly.
