As soon as Luis Diaz swept a robust end previous the gallant Alphonse Areola, few onlookers sat within the London Stadium would have guess on something apart from a Liverpool victory.
West Ham United had been crushed, picked aside and performed with by Arne Slot’s unstoppable aspect. Liverpool at the moment are eight factors away from second-placed Nottingham Forest with a sport in hand – they’re agency favourites for the Premier League title.
It is all of the extra unimaginable when contemplating the variables. Jurgen Klopp stood down on the finish of a 2023/24 marketing campaign that tapered off for the Merseysiders; Federico Chiesa was the only real summer season signing for £12.5m and he is began only one sport; arguably the three pre-eminent Liverpool gamers are out of contract on the finish of the time period, every in a position to talk about a pre-contract settlement with golf equipment from abroad.
Ibrahima Konate has additionally been injured for the most effective a part of a month after a sensational begin to the marketing campaign, hailed for reaching the “elite class of defenders” underneath his Dutch coach’s ways by one journalist.
The France worldwide remains to be out, and Joe Gomez has joined him within the infirmary.
Joe Gomez’s harm concern
Gomez scarcely featured within the Premier League over the primary few months of the season, maybe barely knocked out of kilter after a transfer to Newcastle United failed to achieve the ultimate stage in August.
You would not assume that the 27-year-old, Liverpool’s longest-serving first-team participant, would harbour too many grudges after the botched and potential switch, particularly now that he is thriving in Slot’s challenge.
One Serie A reporter has hailed him as a “coach’s dream,” together with his versatility and multi-faceted technical high quality making him a useful asset.
accidents have been the bane of his profession, nonetheless, and he appeared to drag his hamstring as Liverpool romped previous West Ham, decreasing him to merely 37 minutes of motion and probably an prolonged spell on the sidelines.
To make sure, Liverpool might do with one other half on the rear, and FSG could sanction a transfer in 2025 after one Premier League star has expressed his need to play underneath the Anfield lights.
Prem centre-back needs to signal for Liverpool
As per experiences relayed by the Metro, Liverpool are curious about signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi – and the attraction is known to be reciprocated.
Guehi starred for the Three Lions at Euro 2024 and has been a rock behind the Eagles backline for a number of years, with Newcastle United lodging 4 unsuccessful bids for his signature in the summertime, the ultimate of which totalled £65m.
With Palace eager on bringing Ben Doak – who’s at the moment shining away from Anfield for Middlesbrough – to Selhurst Park, maybe on mortgage, Liverpool might shift a couple of items to align with Slot’s imaginative and prescient, bolstering the backline with the proper new half.
Guehi can also be out of contract on the finish of the 2025/26 marketing campaign. The time to pounce is almost upon us.
What Marc Guehi would deliver to Liverpool
Crystal Palace signed Guehi from Chelsea in a switch value £18m in 2021 and he is since gone by way of the gears to achieve England’s senior squad and appeal to curiosity from a few of the Premier League’s most interesting outfits.
He is a beautiful centre-half, endowed with a lion’s chunk and a cheetah’s straightforward motion in entrance of the purpose. Oh, and a devotion towards defending his purpose and snuffing out attackers’ efforts. His former England U21 teammate Joe Bursik, a goalkeeper, has hailed him as “an absolute tank” of a defender prior to now.
Oliver Glasner’s aspect have struggled to recapture the dreamy type of the previous few months of the 2023/24 season, however with out Guehi, there isn’t any doubt that the Eagles can be caught within the pit of the Premier League.
Marc Guehi – Premier League Stats (24/25) | |
---|---|
Match Stats* | # |
Matches (begins) | 18 (18) |
Targets | 2 |
Assists | 1 |
Clear sheets | 4 |
Touches* | 66.3 |
Move completion | 84% |
Key passes* | 0.4 |
Dribbles (accomplished)* | 0.5 (82%) |
Ball recoveries* | 4.2 |
Tackles + interceptions* | 2.2 |
Clearances* | 4.8 |
Complete duels (gained)* | 5.5 (64%) |
Stats by way of Sofascore (* = per sport) |
Analyst Ben Mattinson has claimed that the Englishman is “a kind of versatile CBs who can play either side equally as comfortably,” shifting with ease. This could possibly be essential as Van Dijk enters the later stage of his good profession, for his enjoying time could should be mitigated if he does certainly lengthen his contract and captaincy on Merseyside.
As per FBref, Guehi additionally ranks among the many prime 7% of central defenders throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous 12 months for assists and the highest 9% for profitable take-ons per 90, making a convincing touch upon his ball-playing and carrying expertise. Abilities which are tailored for Slot’s system.
A profitable take-on is recorded when a participant beats their opponent by immediately carrying the ball previous them whereas retaining possession.
Whether or not Liverpool succeed of their endeavour stays to be seen and doubtless will not grow to be clear till the summer season solar stretches down onto Anfield.
Nevertheless, given Guehi’s dynamism, technical high quality and monstrous defensive talent set, there’s each purpose why he could possibly be the proper arrival at Liverpool, taking Slot’s system to the subsequent stage and elevating an already imperious backline.
Gomez should desire a contemporary problem, and if he does get his want subsequent 12 months, this man, a person who needs to make the transfer, is the one to go for.
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