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 have been crushed, picked aside and performed with by Arne Slot‘s unstoppable aspect. Liverpool are actually 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 sole summer signing for £12.5m and he is started just one game; arguably the three pre-eminent Liverpool gamers are out of contract on the finish of the time period, every in a position to focus on a pre-contract settlement with golf equipment from abroad.
Ibrahima Konate has additionally been injured for the perfect a part of a month after a sensational begin to the marketing campaign, hailed for reaching the “elite class of defenders” beneath his Dutch coach’s ways by one journalist.
The France worldwide continues to be out, and Joe Gomez has joined him within the infirmary.
Joe Gomez’s damage 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 succeed in 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 venture.
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, nevertheless, and he appeared to tug his hamstring as Liverpool romped previous West Ham, decreasing him to merely 37 minutes of action and doubtlessly an prolonged spell on the sidelines.
To make sure, Liverpool may do with one other half on the rear, and FSG could sanction a transfer in 2025 after one Premier League star has expressed his want to play beneath the Anfield lights.
Prem centre-back needs to signal for Liverpool
As per reports relayed by the Metro, Liverpool are concerned with 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 final 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 may shift just a few items to align with Slot’s imaginative and prescient, bolstering the backline with the proper new half.
Guehi can also be out of contract at the end of the 2025/26 campaign. The time to pounce is sort of upon us.
What Marc Guehi would convey to Liverpool
Crystal Palace signed Guehi from Chelsea in a transfer worth £18m in 2021 and he is since gone via the gears to succeed in England’s senior squad and appeal to curiosity from among the Premier League’s most interesting outfits.
He is a beautiful centre-half, endowed with a lion’s chunk and a cheetah’s simple 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 is not 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) |
Objectives |
2 |
Assists |
1 |
Clear sheets |
4 |
Touches* |
66.3 |
Cross completion |
84% |
Key passes* |
0.4 |
Dribbles (accomplished)* |
0.5 (82%) |
Ball recoveries* |
4.2 |
Tackles + interceptions* |
2.2 |
Clearances* |
4.8 |
Whole duels (received)* |
5.5 (64%) |
Stats by way of Sofascore (* = per sport) |
Analyst Ben Mattinson has claimed that the Englishman is “a type of versatile CBs who can play either side equally as comfortably,” shifting with ease. This may very well be essential as Van Dijk enters the later stage of his sensible profession, for his taking part in time could must 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 yr 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 instantly carrying the ball previous them whereas retaining possession.
Whether or not Liverpool succeed of their endeavour stays to be seen and possibly will not change into 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 cause why he may very well be the proper arrival at Liverpool, taking Slot’s system to the following stage and elevating an already imperious backline.
Gomez should need a recent problem, and if he does get his want subsequent yr, this man, a person who needs to make the transfer, is the one to go for.
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