01 December 2023 , 05:00
806
0
Jurgen Klopp will be pleased after his Liverpool team earned themselves a bit of a rest by beating LASK at Anfield on Thursday night.
Two goals from Cody Gakpo and one apiece for Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah completed a 4-0 victory, though the Austrian visitors weren't exactly starved of chances. The victory, combined with Toulose dropping points at home to Union SG, ensures Klopp's team are guaranteed to finish top of their group regardless of what happens when they face Union in gameweek six.
Next up for the Reds is a home meeting with Fulham on Sunday, but before that they will have time to soak in the success from Thursday night. Here are the latest lines from around Anfield.
Endo "will be disappointed"
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen claims new signing Wataru Endo "will be disappointed" he hasn't forced his way into Jurgen Klopp's starting XI yet.
Endo joined in the summer from Stuttgart in a £16.2m deal but has largely been limited to appearances in the Carabao Cup and Europa League. He was handed his fifth start in five games in Europe against LASK as he looks to oust Alexis Mac Allister from the defensive midfield role permanently, but Owen feels Endo may be aggrieved he has not featured more regularly.
Klopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected
"I would guess that he'll be slightly disappointed at the moment. There's no natural sitting central midfielder really in that Liverpool squad bar him. Yet they're moving Mac Allister into that position in the big games, So I'd say he's probably a little bit disappointed he hasn't made that position his own."
Read more here.
Wataru Endo started Liverpool's win over LASK (Philip Bryan/REX/Shutterstock)Klopp addresses Salah issue
Mo Salah captained Liverpool at Anfield for the first time in his Reds career as the Egyptian scored to mark the occasion he had waited so long for.
Salah has been given the armband once previously but had never skippered the side on home soil. He was actually unhappy at being previously overlooked in favour of Trent Alexander-Arnold back in 2020.
Salah got the nod this time round though, with Alexander-Arnold on the bench along with regular captain Virgil van Dijk, as Jurgen Klopp finally addressed the problem which left his forward "disappointed" three years ago.
Read more here.
Klopp hails "real talent"
Liverpool fans have witnessed a number of the club's academy stars take to the field during Klopp's reign - and another could be lined up as the next to make his mark on the first team.
Conor Bradley made his first appearance for the Reds since January 2022 as he came off the bench along with fellow youngster Luke Chambers. Bradley impressed out on loan at Bolton last season and has been tipped to be a big player in Liverpool's future.
Speaking after the game, Klopp had high praise for the 20-year-old, along with Chambers and two other promising Liverpool prospects.
Read more here.
Liverpool transfer window winners & losers as £37m spent on Klopp's "great day"