A deserved winter break has provided some useful recovery time for Liverpool over the past week, but the focus is now set to switch to Bournemouth as Premier League action returns.
A late goal from Oscar Bobb for Manchester City in their win over Newcastle has kept the pressure on the Reds, though not much was to be expected from a Newcastle side that conceded more than 7.0 xG in their trip to Anfield. News of potential points deductions for Everton and Nottingham Forest this week has left Liverpool fans wondering about the fate of Manchester City. As that date grows nearer, the pressure will only begin to grow on Pep Guardiola and the Citizens.
Regardless of what happens off the pitch in terms of Financial Fair Play breaches, Liverpool can take promise from its swift return to Premier League title contender status. Many thought that the Reds’ rebuild would have taken much longer than a season.
Without the sort of transfer war chest that some other teams in the Premier League have had, Jürgen Klopp has found an answer. All four midfield moves in the summer look to be a success, with Wataru Endō the latest to stand out.
That bodes well for a season in which a quadruple is back on, less than two years since the Reds were just two games away from making history. And with the Premier League seemingly starting to take FFP/PRS more seriously, it looks as though states will now have a much more difficult time simply buying a team, and collecting the world’s best players. At least if they haven’t found a loophole. Here are two of the latest Liverpool.com stories that you shouldn’t miss:
Man Utd eyes swap deal to beat Liverpool as PSG may accept $253m Kylian Mbappé boost
Manchester United could beat Liverpool to the signature of Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. That’s according to ESPN, who reports that the Red Devils are willing to offer Aaron Wan-Bissaka as part of a player-exchange deal.
Olise, who has previously been linked with the Reds as a potential future successor to Mohamed Salah, could represent a strong option for Liverpool, though it could be difficult to match Erik ten Hag’s offer of a player plus cash. Still, given the recent performances of Luis Díaz on the right flank, it doesn’t look to be an area that Liverpool needs to be prioritizing. Read more on this, and the latest on Kylian Mbappé, from Liverpool.com’s James Findlater
Premier League confirms Man City hearing date set and Everton difference
Judgement Day is upon us (well, Manchester City). Sort, of. The Premier League has finally confirmed a hearing date has been set for the 115 FFP charges that Pep Guardiola’s side is facing. CEO Richard Masters didn’t specifically say when but did reveal that there had been progress. He was also keen to stress that all clubs are treated the same, regardless of their success.
Speaking on Manchester City’s case, as quoted by Liverpool World, he said: “If any club, whether they are the current champions or otherwise, are found in breach of spending rules before the year ’23, they would be in the exact same position as Everton and Nottingham Forest.” Read more on Manchester City’s situation from Liverpool.com’s Matt Addison.
