A stress test for John Stones, a big opportunity for Burnley and a chance for Arsenal to bounce backThe slightest flaw could help the other win the supposed title-decider at the Etihad and the absence of Rúben Dias will be a worry for Manchester City. John Stones will almost certainly replace him for Liverpool’s visit. He spent most of Tuesday night in Atlético Madrid’s half as City were not forced to defend against a side who failed to have a single shot at goal. Liverpool will be the polar opposite on Sunday and Stones, alongside Aymeric Laporte, will need to maintain concentration against the most prolific attack in the Premier League, who have seven more goals than City this season....
The winger, unbeaten against the Portuguese side in eight matches, scored one and set up another in the 3-1 victoryIn the end, it had to be him standing there before them. Four minutes remained when Luis Díaz was sent dashing way, stepped past Odisseas Vlachodimos and rolled the ball into the empty net to finally secure a victory that had looked like it might slip through Liverpool’s hands during a second half in which they had been made to suffer more than anyone expected. Released at last, he ran to the corner, leapt and screamed. In the stands, Benfica’s supporters did too, a flag pole sent flying his way.They had whistled him all game and indeed before it. Díaz stood...
Calculating the value of Liverpool’s attacking duo is impossible, but they are certainly better together than apartNaturally, the lasers lent the scene a certain pathos. As Mohamed Salah stepped up to take Egypt’s first penalty against Senegal on Tuesday night, the swarm of green laser beams dancing across his face were a reminder of football’s capacity to render even its greats temporarily powerless. Here was one of the biggest stars in the world’s biggest sport. But he couldn’t make his team win. He couldn’t get his country to a World Cup. And now he didn’t even have the use of his own eyes.“I was luckier,” Sadio Mané said afterwards. This was his second consecutive triumph over his Liverpool teammate, Senegal’s...
Harry Maguire can build on England display, N’Golo Kanté plays against the league’s best ball-winner and Everton face a character testWith Trent Alexander-Arnold injured, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané still physically and emotionally recuperating from Tuesday’s World Cup qualifying playoff in Dakar – complete with extra time, penalties and laser beams – various South Americans making late returns from distant internationals and the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final to come on Tuesday, there could hardly be a better time for a plucky underdog to turn up at Anfield. But even allowing for the massive advantages the division’s leading clubs hold over the upstarts, Watford’s record at their grounds is abysmal: in all competitions since 1990 the Hornets have...
While Jürgen Klopp plays down any talk of a Liverpool quadruple, there is justification for others to contemplate itA 12.30pm kick-off after an international break will concern Jürgen Klopp more than any back-slapping to celebrate his 250th league game in charge of Liverpool on Saturday. Even a manager as despairing of the schedule as Klopp, however, may privately concede that Watford’s early arrival offers an ideal opportunity in his quest to unnerve and ultimately unseat Manchester City.Liverpool would go top with a 10th successive Premier League win and 10th consecutive home league win when Roy Hodgson’s relegation-threatened side visit. They would be on the summit for only a few hours should City respond in kind at Burnley but the sense...