We take a look at the key stories surrounding Liverpool from the day.
Neville explains why he thinks Karius has been dropped
Gary Neville has explained why he thinks Karius was left on the bench once again during Liverpool’s Merseyside derby against Everton. Neville was embroiled in a war of words with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after criticising Karius, but Klopp has since dropped the German goalkeeper after a series of poor showings.
But speaking to Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Neville said that he feels Jurgen Klopp dropped the 23-year old against Middlesbrough with this game in mind, seeing as Karius is young and might not have been ready for the intensity and hostility of a Merseyside Derby.
“I think he’s a young goalkeeper so you can argue that Mignolet has got more experience. I don’t think that Jurgen Klopp dropped him against Middlesbrough. I think he dropped Karius with this game in mind, knowing that this big game away from home at Goodison was coming.” he said, according to Squawka.
“Knowing that the brutality of the Everton fans would have been there. I think if this had been a game versus a lower team in the league that wasn’t a local derby, he might not have been left out. I think this game was always the one in mind.”
Neville may be right as the criticism Karius was facing would have gotten harsher if he made any gaffes in a game of that magnitude.
Lovren hails Jurgen Klopp’s half-time team talk against Everton
Dejan Lovren has said that Jurgen Klopp’s half-time team talk was responsible for Liverpool’s victory in the Merseyside Derby. The second half ended with Everton clearly the better side but Jurgen Klopp’s men came out and played very differently in the second half, eventually taking a precious 3 points from Goodison Park.
Lovren thinks Liverpool’s second half showing was down to Jurgen Klopp’s message at half-time.
“It is about the team’s defensive qualities. We have been working very hard together and just now we are in good form and we need to keep going like that,” he said, according to the club’s official website.
“We missed something in the first half, but we had a good quality talk from the manager at half-time and he was asking us to play more direct football.
“If you want to win you need to be more offensive and ask for the ball. In the second half we showed our real face and deserved it.”
Klopp not surprised that Mignolet stepped up
Jurgen Klopp has said that Simon Mignolet’s showings after coming into the side for Loris Karius have not surprised him. Mignolet made an all-important save against Middlesbrough when the pressure was on and put in another solid showing against Everton last night. And Klopp feels that Mignolet – who defended under-fire teammate Loris Karius last week – feels that just because Mignolet was on the bench that it didn’t mean he was a bad player.
“It’s very important but I’m not surprised,” Klopp noted following the match, according to the club’s official website. “If a player does not play from the beginning, it doesn’t mean he is a bad player—it only means I have decided on another one.
“They all need to be ready for their moment, and they were obviously ready. It’s good how it is and we have to be ready for Stoke in a few days, Man City. But tonight it’s good.”
Mignolet is expected to keep his place as Liverpool take on Stoke City on Tuesday evening.
Has Dejan Lovren hinted that Jose Fonte will join Liverpool?
It is no secret that Liverpool are looking for another central defender in order to bolster the side as they look to push for a Premier League title, but could that defender be Jose Fonte?
Dejan Lovren sent Jose Fonte a cryptic reply which, admittedly, could be referring to anything. But with Fonte set to leave Southampton after they confirmed they would not renew his contract, this is a move that could make a lot of sense. Fonte is an experienced defender that would be a very valuable squad player.
The post – made from Lovren’s official Instagram account – can be seen in the tweet below :
Errr….
Has Lovren just suggested Jose Fonte is signing for Liverpool? ?
Or merely that they’re meeting up for a Christmas pint… ?pic.twitter.com/TgslRm8onw
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) December 20, 2016
