The 26-year-old is set to join Real Madrid as a free agent after Liverpool were unable to convince the homegrown talent to extend his highly successful career at Anfield
who sealed their 20th league title last month
are understood to have offered Alexander-Arnold a new contract that would have made him the best paid full-back in the Premier League and one of the highest paid in the world
Formal negotiations with the player’s representatives opened once Arne Slot was confirmed as Jürgen Klopp’s successor last year
although Richard Hughes first made contact before officially starting as Liverpool’s new sporting director
Liverpool were unable to secure Alexander-Arnold on a new deal
and the player informed Slot of his decision to leave a few weeks ago
“After 20 years at Liverpool Football Club
now is the time for me to confirm that I will be leaving at the end of the season,” Alexander-Arnold announced on his social media channels this morning
“This is easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made
I know many of you have wondered why or been frustrated that I haven’t spoken about this yet
but it was always my intention to keep my full focus on the team’s best interests
“This club has been my whole life – my whole world – for 20 years
the support and love I have felt from everyone inside and outside of the club will stay with me forever
But I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge
taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally
View image in fullscreenTrent Alexander-Arnold has made more than 350 appearances for Liverpool
winning the Champions League and two Premier League titles
Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA“I’ve given my all every single day I’ve been at this club
and I hope you feel like I’ve given back to you during my time here
the staff and our incredible supporters – for the last 20 years
I’ve been blessed enough to live out my dreams here and I will never
ever take for granted the special moments I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived through with you all
Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool’s youth ranks at the age of six and he made his first-team debut in a League Cup tie against Tottenham in October 2016
He has gone on to make 352 appearances for his boyhood club
scoring 23 goals and winning the Champions League
He has long been linked with a move to Madrid and the sense that he was destined to join the Spanish giants only strengthened after they made a £20m bid for the player on New Year’s Eve that was immediately rejected by Liverpool
You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Stay on current site or go to US version
playHow would Trent fit in at Real Madrid with Alonso in charge
(1:59)Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss how Trent Alexander-Arnold might fit in at Real Madrid if Xabi Alonso is named as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement
Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave Liverpool on a free transfer at the end of his contract this summer
with sources telling ESPN that the defender rejected a pay deal at Anfield that would have made him one of the best-paid full backs in world football
I want to say it's not an easy decision and there's a lot of thought and feeling that has gone into it," Alexander-Arnold said
achieved everything I've ever wanted to here
Trent Alexander-Arnold will depart Liverpool as a two-time Premier League title winner. Carl Recine/Getty Images"Giving everything day in
I've got to a point now where I feel like I need a new change
a new challenge for me as a player and as a person
And I think now is the right time for me to do that."
Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool at the age of six
with his contract set to expire at the end of the season
The 26-year-old right back, who was made vice captain in the summer of 2023, has made 349 appearances for Liverpool, winning seven major trophies during his time at Anfield. He will join up with close friend and England teammate Jude Bellingham in Madrid
Sources have told ESPN that contract talks with Alexander-Arnold started last season during Jürgen Klopp's final season as manager at Anfield and continued following Arne Slot's appointment as coach last summer
Sources have said that negotiations between Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool
with the player offered a significant pay raise
but Liverpool accepted earlier this spring that Alexander-Arnold would not commit to a new contract and the player informed Slot of his decision to leave last month
"There's a lot I would like to say," Alexander-Arnold said
"The main thing is a massive thank you [the supporters]
You guys have been there from the start with me
everything that you guys have done has never been unnoticed by me
I hope they have felt that has been reciprocated and that I've given everything I could to the club
"I'm just hoping that we're able to carry on winning games
the noise [around my decision] doesn't take away from the fact of what we've achieved this season
and I just hope that everyone is able to maybe not dwell on this news for too long and be able to celebrate what the rest of the lads have done."
By LEWIS STEELE
You did not need to be a qualified body-language expert to work out where the Trent Alexander-Arnold saga was heading and one episode
set in the bowels of Anfield on a November evening
It was nothing Alexander-Arnold did, but more the facial expressions of his good pal and soon-to-be club team-mate Jude Bellingham
He smirked and then looked down at the table to compose himself before giving a media-trained answer: ‘I’ll be playing alongside him next year… for England
He’s a Liverpool player and it would be disrespectful to talk about (a move)
You could tell in his eye that Bellingham knew the direction of travel then
It has been the worst-kept secret in football and Mail Sport reported that Real Madrid were extremely confident they would sign him six months ago
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham tactfully avoided questions about his friend in November but his response indicated the direction of travel
The Scouser ends his 20-year association with the club
having won two Premier League titles and a Champions League among other prizes
Liverpool fans clung on to hope that a U-turn could occur but all the noise was that it was a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’ Alexander-Arnold was pulling on the famous white jersey of Real Madrid and doing kick-ups at his Santiago Bernabeu unveiling
Supporters would examine every letter of every word Alexander-Arnold posted on social media – he has been quiet online this season
a clue in itself – and all became body-language experts
his mind has been made up for a considerable time
Mail Sport understands that Alexander-Arnold and Liverpool stopped negotiating over a new deal at the Anfield club in March of this year
Real Madrid could not legally enter talks over a contract until New Year’s Day but their interest had been clear for months before that
The fact they made an approach to Liverpool on New Year’s Eve to sign him for around £20million in the January transfer window – it was a testing of the waters rather than an official bid – made it obvious
Sources in Spain have talked about the deal being ‘done and dusted’ for months now
with Real Madrid top brass telling local reporters as much last February
Yet they wanted to respect Liverpool and could not have it leaking out as a done deal
That is why now has been chosen as the time to confirm Alexander-Arnold’s exit
The league title is won and this will give him a chance to have a proper send-off at Anfield in the last two home games against Arsenal and Crystal Palace
Alexander-Arnold lapped up the acclaim of the Anfield crown when the Reds were confirmed as Premier League champions last week
Reds fans have clung to hopes of a late U-turn by the 26-year-old full back
Whether that will be a warm farewell or not remains to be seen
match-going fans have been supportive of Alexander-Arnold throughout this saga but they could turn on him for leaving his boyhood club
So why and how did he reach the decision to leave
Reports suggesting he wanted the same sky-high salaries as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are said to be wildly wide of the mark
His decision was never driven by money and both parties were realistic on this
Alexander-Arnold did not like the comparisons to Michael Owen and Steve McManaman
who both left Liverpool for Real Madrid two decades ago
as his situation is different: he has won everything there is to win at Liverpool whereas those two had to leave to chase trophies
He spent time weighing up the pros and cons of an exit and saw the fact he was next in line for the Reds captaincy as the pinnacle for a local lad
But the allure of Real Madrid was just too much
To use Bellingham’s words: ‘When Real Madrid comes knocking
It is hard not to open it and to accept it.’
Florentino Perez came to the door and Alexander-Arnold invited him in for a cuppa
Speaking to Mail Sport earlier in the year
Owen explained to us: ‘I had the opportunity to do what Trent's doing (leaving for Madrid)
I chose that because I thought that'd be an amazing experience
His England colleague Bellingham has played a role in tempting him to the LaLiga giants
Alexander-Arnold will have three more matches in Liverpool red before he waves goodbye to the Anfield faithful
‘You lose a little bit of control after that
you're out there and if you're doing well or not doing well
then you're not that attached and ingrained to a club like you used to be
the positives of going to Real Madrid are there for all to see
‘Playing with one of the biggest teams in the world
or probably the biggest team in the world could be quite tempting
‘If you want to have a look at the pros and cons..
Jamie Carragher is loved more than me at Liverpool because of his loyalty
met more people and had more of a life experience that he didn't have
He's certainly got to be happy and content with the way the team is and the trophies that he can win at Liverpool
The lifestyle change is up there with his primary reasons but the main one is to embark on a new challenge in his professional capacity
He has vocalised his desire to win personal accolades such as the Ballon d’Or and playing at Real Madrid gives a good platform to do that
played a role in tempting him to the Bernabeu
The pair were pictured on rollercoasters together last summer – with Alexander-Arnold signing autographs for a young Real fan – and surely the topic came up
But now the worst-kept secret in football is out
Alexander-Arnold will be the latest Galactico
and Anfield will wave adios to the Scouse heartbeat of their team
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The game was into the third minute when Palmer found Pedro Neto whose cut-back cross fell to the unmarked Fernandez and the Argentine whipped the ball low into the net
The lively Palmer was also instrumental in the second goal after he clipped the ball into the area and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's attempted clearance bounced off teammate Quansah and into the goal. Palmer scored his first goal since mid-January from the spot in the 96th minute after Quansah's foul on Moises Caicedo
Van Dijk had pulled one back in the 84th minute from a corner for Liverpool. The result kept Chelsea fifth in the table, separated from fourth-placed Newcastle United only by goals scored
The lively Palmer was also instrumental in the second goal after he clipped the ball into the area and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk's attempted clearance bounced off teammate Quansah and into the goal. Palmer scored his first goal since mid-January from the spot in the 96th minute after Quansah's foul on Moises Caicedo
Van Dijk had pulled one back in the 84th minute from a corner for Liverpool. The result kept Chelsea fifth in the table, separated from fourth-placed Newcastle United only by goals scored
Chelsea aided their hopes of Champions League qualification with an excellent win over the champions
This game was very important. Liverpool forced us to defend deep, something that we don’t like to do. But they are so good. We planned the game, trying to be aggressive. But they forced us into a different plan and we adapted quite well.
I am very impressed with my players. It is not easy to play man-to-man. If we finish top five, everyone is thinking they are doing well, but I am impressed with them [regardless].
For sure, Chelsea has to fight for Champions League. Hopefully in the future it can be for something more important.
18h ago19.47 CESTHere the xG, if you’re into that sort of thing.
18h ago19.46 CESTChelsea’s Cole Palmer speaks to the cameras:
Liverpool are champions for a reason but I think we had desire and good fight and we edged them. Shit happens, obviously I went three months without scoring, but it just gave me more motivation to keep working. Social media is just full of idiots but I just want to help my team.
You feel like you’re letting your team down when you miss chances. I’ve had doubters all my life, it doesn’t bother me. I was trying things today, first-time passes. I felt normal today.
18h ago19.41 CESTIn other news, London City Lionesses have been promoted to the Women’s Super League after a dramatic final day in the Women’s Championship.
Cucurella and Madueke were the standout players
Not sure how deeply we need to look into that Liverpool defeat. Their mentality was poor today, but that is not unexpected after the highs of last week. Slot rung the changes, and just as he did against Plymouth in the FA Cup in February, Liverpool did not gel.
18h ago19.28 CESTThis is what that result does to the league table. Chelsea are now three points clear of Forest and Villa and will watch on with interest as Forest take on Palace on Monday night.
18h ago19.25 CESTFull-time: Chelsea 3-1 LiverpoolThe champions are beaten!
18h ago19.25 CESTGOAL
Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool (Palmer pen 90+7)Palmer caps a wonderful display by passing the ball to Alisson’s right
Liverpool’s goalkeeper guesses right but can’t reach the penalty
18h ago19.22 CEST90+4 min: Salah is so far short of his normal exceptional standards today. The man can’t trap a beanbag today.
18h ago19.18 CEST90 min: Corner to Chelsea
then take it short and immediately lose possession of the ball
Five minutes added on for Liverpool to get an equaliser.
18h ago19.17 CEST89 min: Chelsea make another change: goalscorer Fernandez off for Reece James.
18h ago19.16 CEST87 min: Chelsea so easily could be 3-0 up but now they face an anxious last few minutes to secure the three points, which are so precious in the race for Champions League qualification.
19h ago19.15 CESTGOAL! Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool (Van Dijk 85)How bizarre! Chelsea fail to mark Van Dijk from a corner
and the Dutchman has a completely free run to meet the cross
Chelsea also made a change: Lavia off, Gusto on. Caicedo will go into midfield, Gusto to right back.
19h ago19.13 CEST81 min: Palmer hits the post
The England midfielder ghosts past Bradley to the byline
indicate he is going to pull the ball back to a teammate but Palmer instead shoots from the tightest of angles
Alisson is completely out of position but the ball rebounds out off the far post and to safety
19h ago19.05 CEST73 min: Chelsea have fallen into a mid/low block, and Liverpool are enjoying plenty of possession
and now have Szoboszlai and Mac Allister on the ball
I should say that there were some other chants from Chelsea fans: ‘always the victim’. Grim.
19h ago19.03 CEST71 min: Chelsea respond with a change of their own: Jadon Sancho replaces Nicolas Jackson. That means Madueke will go to the right and Neto will play as a central striker.
19h ago19.01 CEST69 min: Some substitutions to tell you about: Liverpool take Elliott and Endo off for Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
19h ago18.57 CEST65 min: Which is taken by Elliott and blasted straight into the Chelsea wall.
19h ago18.54 CEST63 min: Chelsea supporters have started singing about Steve Gerrard and Demba Ba, I am obliged to report.
19h ago18.51 CEST59 min: Slot makes a double change, maybe 14 minutes too late. Nunez on for Jota, Bradley on for Alexander-Arnold.
with the ball rebounding straight into the net
19h ago18.42 CEST52 min: Groands from the Chelsea fans as Jackson is caught offside from a Madueke pass. It’s not clear if they are annoyed at the late timing of the latter’s pass, or Jackson’s errant run. Maybe both.
19h ago18.33 CESTPeeeeeeeep!We’re back underway at Stamford Bridge. Both sides are unchanged, which is a little surprising (for Liverpool).
Updated at 18.34 CEST19h ago18.19 CESTHalf-time reading:
Updated at 18.21 CEST19h ago18.17 CEST45 min: One minute added on for stoppage time. This half has flown by.
19h ago18.16 CEST41 min: Palmer finds a nice pocket of space on the right side of Chelsea’s midfield and releases Neto and the winger slaloms right and left before cutting inside Tsimikas and shooting low into the near side netting
Liverpool fans would struggle to pick faults in their team so soon after winning the Premier League title
but luckily for them the club itself are already working hard on preparations for next season
involves signing new players to provide upgrades on some stars that have perhaps passed their peak or to simply bolster positions that looked a little understocked throughout this season
the Anfield club are ready to splash the cash to add additional firepower to Arne Slot’s side.
Liverpool expect to sell Darwin Núñez in the summer and the Bundesliga talisman has been earmarked as the perfect replacement
So how good is Ekitiké and could he be the answer to Liverpool’s problems in attack next season?
Ekitiké’s market value has unsurprisingly shot through the roof over the course of the last 18 months
the young forward’s market value had fallen to just €15m but since swapping Paris for Frankfurt
Ekitiké’s market value has risen by a remarkable €40m where it now stands at €55m
This makes the young forward the most valuable player at Frankfurt and the eighth most valuable in the Bundesliga
as well as the 14th most valuable centre forward in the world
But that will likely change in the coming years.
Marmoush was a pacey winger who loved to cut inside from the wing to score or create goals in the box
Alongside Ekitiké as his traditional No.9
Marmoush bagged a remarkable 20 goals and 14 assists in just 26 games for Frankfurt
before moving to Manchester City in the January transfer window for €75m
while he certainly thrived alongside Marmoush
he’s been just as impressive for Frankfurt without the Egyptian forward and in many ways stepped into a leading role to help guide the Eagles to a top-four finish in the Bundesliga.
while Marmoush was at the club this season Ekitiké averaged 0.85 goals and assists per 90 minutes in all competitions for the club
While that figure certainly dropped after the Egyptian departed for the Premier League
it only fell slightly to 0.79 goals and assists per 90
Which not only suggests that Ekitiké adapted to life without his strike partner
but that he’s perfectly adaptable at either playing in a front two or as the lone striker in a 4-3-3 formation
And that should be music to Slot and Liverpool’s ears
should they make a serious move for the striker this summer.
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The Egyptian King has racked up 28 goals and 18 assists this season alone and he's not done yet..
Lifting team trophies is what motivates Mohamed Salah. He wouldn't have signed a new contract with Liverpool otherwise. There was more money to be made in the Middle East but more glory on offer on Merseyside. As he said after Liverpool claimed a record-equalling 20th title last weekend
there's only one champion - that's what history remembers."
this season's haul of 28 goals and 18 assists would suggest that
Salah is arguably playing as well as ever before
He has broken a plethora of records over the past nine months
having just extended his stay at Liverpool until 2027
could easily end up smashing several more..
Our cartoonist on the Dutch manager failing to get the credit he deserves off critics close to home
After falling behind Liverpool cantered to an easy win over Tottenham
and for the first time in 35 years a packed Anfield celebrated a league title
27 Apr 202519.28 CESTFor the record, it finished Liverpool 5-1 TottenhamFlares go off. Dua Lipa’s One Kiss rings out. Alisson appears to have shed a few tears. Everyone’s hugging everyone else. Liverpool’s players are handed “Champions 24/25” commemorative kits.
27 Apr 202519.25 CESTIt's all over
Liverpool are English League champions for the 20th time!90+4 mins: Jones shoots from 50 yards
Everyone knows the final whistle will come when he kicks it clear
27 Apr 202519.23 CEST90+3 mins: Postecoglou shakes Arne Slot’s hand a couple of minutes early. He knows the Dutchman might have other things on his mind come the final whistle.
27 Apr 202519.23 CEST90+2 mins: Now Nunez does shoot, from a wildly unpromising position on the right-hand corner of the area. It deflects behind for a corner.
27 Apr 202519.21 CEST90+1 mins: Into stoppage time, and Liverpool are four minutes from the title.
27 Apr 202519.21 CEST90 mins: Nunez is played through, runs clear from the halfway line, and he should wrap this up with a sixth goal. Instead he wraps it up with a rubbish pass to Salah, and the chance slips away.
27 Apr 202519.18 CEST88 mins: Salah goes down under Udogie’s challenge but the referee lets play go on. Udogie checks he’s still paying attention by giving Bergvall a shove, and this he does see.
27 Apr 202519.16 CEST86 mins: Salah bends in one of his outside-of-the-left-foot centres, and Udogie slides in to stop it running to Nunez.
27 Apr 202519.15 CEST85 mins: The crowd is singing, the sun is shining, and Liverpool are not so much playing as basking.
27 Apr 202519.13 CEST82 mins: Darwin Nunez, whose chances of being at his current club in August seem little better than Postecoglou’s, comes on for Mac Allister.
27 Apr 202519.11 CEST80 mins: Jones casually chips the ball right into the referee’s face. He takes it rather well. “What. A. Day,” writes Sam. “I’ve now detached my soul and sent it over to Anfield.”"
27 Apr 202519.09 CEST79 mins: The ball hits a balloon just as Vicario is about to kick it
and the referee stops the game to allow the players to do some popping
27 Apr 202519.06 CEST76 mins: Another couple of substitutions: Luis Diaz and Alexander-Arnold go off
27 Apr 202519.01 CEST71 mins: No, he was not.
27 Apr 202519.01 CESTGOAL
69 mins)Tottenham progress from setting up Liverpool’s goals to scoring them
whose cross would have gone to Salah had Udogie not got there first
Might Salah have been offside when Alexander-Arnold hit the ball
27 Apr 202518.58 CEST66 mins: Save! From the edge of the area and bang central Salah passes to his left, and the only question is whether Szoboszlai or Luis Diaz will run onto it and have a shot. The latter was probably in a better position, but Szoboszlai gets there first and hits straight at Vicario with his left foot.
27 Apr 202518.54 CESTGOAL
And he celebrates by taking a fan’s phone and using it to take a couple of selfies in front of the Kop
27 Apr 202518.50 CEST59 mins: Salah goes down after getting a gentle nudge from Udogie. He wants a penalty – really he wants a goal, however it’s going to come, and that seems as good a way as any – but the referee is rightly unconvinced.
27 Apr 202518.46 CEST55 mins: Watching Spurs pass the ball out of defence is as close as sport gets to pure comedy
27 Apr 202518.44 CEST52 mins: Liverpool win a corner on the left, from which they win a corner on the right, which is cleared.
27 Apr 202518.37 CEST47 mins: Brennan Johnson is played into space down the right, but he only had that space because he was five yards offside.
27 Apr 202518.36 CEST46 mins: Peeeeeep! The players are back out, except for James Maddison and Archie Gray. Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Sarr are on.
27 Apr 202518.30 CESTThis is the 120th time that Liverpool have been two or more goals to the good at half-time of a Premier League game at Anfield. They have won 117 of the previous 119 and drawn the other two.
27 Apr 202518.30 CESTI failed to report in the moments after Liverpool’s third goal that Gakpo was booked for pulling off his kit to reveal a Kaka-style “I belong to Jesus” vest top
27 Apr 202518.21 CESTIn other news, Nottingham Forest are losing 1-0 to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, and Taha Hashim is watching that one:
27 Apr 202518.18 CEST45+3 mins: Spurs win a free-kick, from which Bergvall eventually chips a cross into touch.
27 Apr 202518.16 CEST45+1 mins: Into stoppage time. We’ll have about four minutes of it.
Updated at 18.17 CEST27 Apr 202518.14 CEST43 mins: Spurs go close to a second! Johnson runs down the right and crosses low; Tel looks set to tap in but Konate slides in to poke the ball away from him. He then clips the Spurs player’s ankles, but VAR deems the contact accidental and unavoidable.
27 Apr 202518.10 CEST39 mins: Mac Allister spins in the centre circle, and then tries to find Luis Diaz and fails. If he’d looked to his left, Gakpo was in an absolutely indecent amount of space, with absolutely nobody in front of him.
27 Apr 202518.08 CEST37 mins: Gary Neville describes Tottenham as “the absolute perfect opponent for Liverpool”. They have already got assists for two Liverpool goals
“Surely there can’t be any doubt that Spurs need a managerial change,” writes Gareth Beale
can you imagine how a team playing this way would fare in the Champions League?” There is no doubt that change is coming
It is clear in the way Ange Postecoglou talks
in everything about the way this group carries themselves
but Bergvall at the near post doesn’t so much clear it as flick it on
dances away from a couple of half-hearted challenges and shoots low on the turn
27 Apr 202518.01 CEST31 mins: In the end it’s played short to Alexander-Arnold, who blazes a shot over the bar.
27 Apr 202518.01 CEST30 mins: Liverpool win a free-kick, maybe 35 yards out. Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold discuss their options.
27 Apr 202517.59 CEST29 mins: Solanke’s flicked header loops towards the bar
Solanke is again the target with the corner
Anfield celebrations of Alexis Mac Allister strike caused tremor with peak magnitude of 1.74
Labelling a win as “seismic” has become a lazy and overused term. But not in the case of Liverpool FC’s title-clinching win over Tottenham Hotspur when scientists recorded genuine Earth-shaking seismic activity triggered by celebrations at Anfield
Researchers from the University of Liverpool’s department of Earth, ocean and environmental sciences were on site on Sunday to measure ground movement from the crowd throughout the match when the home team won 5–1 and claimed the Premier League title for the 2024-25 season.
Using state-of-the-art seismic equipment, the same type of instrumentation used to monitor earthquake-prone regions such as Chile and Italy, the scientists captured ground motions triggered by celebrations inside the ground.
Read moreThe data revealed that the 60,415-strong crowd generated real seismic activity
particularly in response to the six goals scored during the game
The most significant tremor was caused by Alexis Mac Allister’s strike in the 24th minute, which put Liverpool 2-1 ahead
A graph from the University of Liverpool measuring seismic activity over the course of the match Photograph: University of LiverpoolThe second-largest tremor
followed Mohamed Salah’s goal in front of the Kop in the second half
the own goal from Destiny Udogie 1.35 and Luis Díaz’s initially disallowed equaliser 0.64
The study was conducted by Dr Antoine Septier
Kamranzad said: “Who knew that football fans could generate seismic energy
This experiment shows us that science is everywhere
even hidden beneath the roar of a goal at Anfield
It is a great reminder that geoscience can capture the energy of human emotion in powerful and surprising ways
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we recorded six seismic events with equivalent Richter magnitudes from 0.7 to 1.75
not strong enough to be felt in the stands
but powerful enough to leave a clear and lasting mark at Anfield
written into the Earth’s memory long after the final whistle.”
Septier added: “The experiment was an exciting experience
demonstrating that science can be both engaging and accessible to the public
I hope that our work inspires a new generation of seismologists and fosters a broader appreciation for the scientific process
I hope that showing this data will spark innovative ideas for potential applications
perhaps even to enhance the stadium experience.”
This article was amended on 3 May 2025 to remove a reference to the “Richter scale”
which is an outdated measure of earthquake magnitude
Read moreNo financial details have been disclosed but the 32-year-old has not taken a pay cut and the new deal reflects his elite status. His previous three-year contract was worth a basic £350,000 a week, although his overall earnings were about £1m a week
Performance-related bonuses can take his Liverpool wage closer to £500,000 a week
Virgil van Dijk is expected to also sign a new two-year contract soon
but Slot believes age is not an issue for the Egypt international and has warned Liverpool’s rivals that his team could be even stronger next season
The head coach said: “It’s never easy for a player to stay at the levels we are on
They have to work really hard for that and that’s exactly what he does
that gives him a very good chance to stay at this level longer than maybe other players can
“It’s not only he that will stay at a certain level
we have to stay at a certain level and then Mo will produce
we have to bring him in promising positions as much as we can
We have all the confidence in him that he can produce two more years of what he has produced in the past seven or eight years
But also because we will make this team very strong next season.”
Salah is third on Liverpool’s all-time goalscorers’ list behind Ian Rush and Roger Hunt with 243 goals in 392 appearances
He has been instrumental in this season’s pursuit of the Premier League title and
despite being free to negotiate with foreign clubs from 1 January
has long been expected to extend his Anfield career
the more he had “the feeling that he would extend with us”
The Dutchman made several calls to Hughes earlier this season imploring him to finalise a new contract with the forward
“It’s great to be here another two years,” said Salah
But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football
and two young daughters had also wanted to stay on Merseyside and credited his relationship with Slot as another factor in his contentment at Liverpool
He said: “I think we have a good relationship
We understand each other on and off the field
we discuss almost everything he wants me to improve and he wants from me
And also if I feel there’s something in doubt
That’s a great asset to have also as a manager.”
Slot praised the Liverpool hierarchy for securing the services of a world-class talent who would have had numerous options as a free agent
“I’m part of the process but I don’t deserve the compliments,” Slot said
it’s Mo’s choice and his agent’s choice and what he wants
Michael Edwards [FSG’s CEO of football] – put in a lot of effort to influence that
Effort mostly means money but not only money
What it might tell you is that it’s not only a good season this season but next season as well
Mo is convinced we have a fair chance of being able to do so
If you want to sign new players or players who want to extend here it is always a positive to see one of our star players has made the choice to extend his contract
It also shows how ambitious this club is: not only Mo
but the owners and the ones who came in last season
that we are really ambitious to keep performing the way this club has performed for so many years.”
Free daily newsletterKick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football
View image in fullscreenMohamed Salah has scored 30 or more goals in five of his seasons at Liverpool. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesSalah has scored 30 or more goals in five seasons at Liverpool and Slot believes the target for the next two years, on an individual level, should be to strive for perfection.
Van Dijk has confirmed progress is being made on his deal and Slot indicated a resolution could be close. “We will see what is going to happen in the upcoming weeks,” he said. “There is not a lot of time to go so you will get your answers in the next two months.” Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will also become a free agent this summer, is expected to join Real Madrid.
Image source, PAImage caption, Enzo Fernandez (right) steers home Chelsea's first goal against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge
Chief football writer at Stamford BridgeChelsea strengthened their bid for a place in next season's Champions League with victory against newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot made six changes from the side that beat Tottenham Hotspur to clinch the title at Anfield
resulting in a display lacking some of their traditional intensity until it was too late
After giving Liverpool the traditional champions' guard of honour before kick-off
Chelsea went on to secure a crucial win that moves Enzo Maresca's side level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle United - who they now only trail in the table on goals scored going into their meeting at St James' Park next Sunday
Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea on the road to victory after only three minutes
the Argentine arriving in the box with perfect timing to steer in Pedro Neto's cross
Chelsea extended their advantage after 56 minutes when Cole Palmer's run created confusion in the Liverpool box
resulting in Virgil van Dijk blasting an attempted clearance against Jarell Quansah and into his own net
Liverpool had opportunities to play on Chelsea's nerves
but substitute Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah both missed good chances in front of the travelling support
who spent the game celebrating the club's 20th title triumph
before Van Dijk headed Liverpool back into contention with a header five minutes from time
It was Palmer who wrapped up Chelsea's win by ending a sequence of 18 games without a goal from the penalty spot seconds from the end after Quansah fouled Moises Caicedo
How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool
Palmer's barren run of scoring form has been behind some of the inconsistencies that have beset Chelsea's season - but he played a pivotal role here as they pushed themselves into a strong position to reach the Champions League
Palmer's influence in front of goal had dried up
last hitting the target in the 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth in January
He was involved in all three of Chelsea's goals
playing the pass out to Neto for Fernandez's opener then embarking on a trademark run that created chaos in Liverpool's box - ending with Van Dijk's clearance flying in off team-mate Quansah
Palmer was desperately unlucky when he outsmarted Liverpool keeper Alisson to hit the post from a tight angle
but he got his opportunity with that stoppage-time penalty that eased any lingering nerves around Stamford Bridge
It illustrated Palmer's importance to Chelsea once more
setting up a mouth-watering game with Newcastle in seven days
Chelsea are a better team with Lavia - Maresca
Chelsea are a 'very good' team - Slot
It was perhaps predictable that Liverpool would be carrying a few cobwebs after the high of the title celebrations at Anfield
and in the end Slot's reshaped side left themselves with too much to do at Stamford Bridge
only really coming into their own after they fell two goals behind - substitute Nunez and Salah both missing big chances before Van Dijk briefly offered up the prospect of a late twist in the tale
None of this mattered to Liverpool's supporters
who celebrated their new status as Premier League champions throughout in their corner of Stamford Bridge
with an array of banners proudly marking their 20th title
The next big date for Liverpool is the title trophy presentation at Anfield on the final day of the season
the usual spark was missing after all the emotional and physical intensity of the win against Spurs that was greeted with such joy
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30:00Chelsea v Liverpool
2:00:00606 Football phone in
1:21:00Head to HeadSeason so farPremier League
Scroll LeftScroll RightChelsea are winless in their last 10 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (D7 L3)
only once before going longer without a win over the Reds (11 from 1985 to 1990)
Liverpool are looking to complete their first league double over Chelsea since their title-winning 2019-20 campaign
Arne Slot could become only the third Reds boss to win both of his first two league games against Chelsea in charge of the club
Chelsea have picked up 17 points in their last eight Premier League matches (W5 D2 L1)
having collected just nine points from their previous 10 beforehand (W2 D3 L5)
Champions Liverpool have scored in each of their last 30 Premier League matches since a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in September
The only side to have a longer scoring run within a single campaign was Arsenal in the 2001-02 campaign
Chelsea have not used a single player over the age of 27 in a Premier League match this season
with this run of 34 games the longest by a side in Premier League history
The previous longest had been a run of only six by Liverpool in April/May 2000
This will be Chelsea’s seventh Premier League game against a side already crowned champions
They’ve only won one of the previous six (D2 L3)
while one of their defeats was a 5-3 reverse against Liverpool in July 2020
Liverpool haven’t lost any of their last 20 Premier League matches in the month of May (W16 D4)
though their last defeat was at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in 2018
Only three players have created more chances in the Premier League this season than Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández (73)
The only Argentinians to create more in a season record (since 2003-04) are Emiliano Buendía in 2019-20 for Norwich (83) and Erik Lamela in 2015-16 for Spurs (75)
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored 28 Premier League goals and has a further 18 assists this season and needs one goal or assist to equal the record for goal involvements in one season
held by Andrew Cole in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer in 1994-95 (34 goals
32-year-old Mohamed Salah has 28 Premier League goals for Liverpool this season and needs one more goal to equal the record for goals aged 30 or older in a campaign
held by Didier Drogba for Chelsea in the 2009-10 season (29)
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Cole Palmer (Chelsea) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner
Penalty conceded by Jarell Quansah (Liverpool) after a foul in the penalty area
Moisés Caicedo draws a foul in the penalty area
Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing
Malo Gusto (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing
Fourth official has announced 5 minutes of added time
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half
Pedro Neto (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high
Assisted by Moisés Caicedo following a fast break
Cole Palmer (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal
Assisted by Alexis Mac Allister with a cross following a corner
Jadon Sancho (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card
Trent Alexander-Arnold has explained why he has decided to inform Liverpool FC of his decision to leave the club at the end of his contract
The 26-year-old will depart Anfield after more than 20 years this summer
Alexander-Arnold sat down with Liverpoolfc.com at the AXA Training Centre to outline his reasoning for his decision
you have made the decision to leave Liverpool FC at the end of your current contract
Can you explain that decision to our supporters
I want to say it’s not an easy decision and there’s a lot of thought and feeling that has gone into it
achieved everything I’ve ever wanted to here
I’ve got to a point now where I feel like I need a change
And I think now is the right time for me to do that
A lot of people have obviously been waiting to hear from you and hear what your decision would be
In terms of the timing of you making this announcement
why is now the right time to announce your decision
Obviously there’s been a lot of noise around what the decision was going to be and how that was going to look
I know a lot of people will say I should have said sooner
a lot of people will say maybe I waited for the right time
But I felt personally the focus should always be on the pitch
When we were in a title race and trying to push for trophies
it’s about making the right decision for the team and trying not to distract the team and take away from what we’re doing on the pitch
it was always to do it after the season was kind of done; not so much the final game but when there was nothing else really to play for
Now that we’ve won the league and we’ve been able to celebrate it and celebrate such an amazing achievement
I felt like now is the right time to get it off my chest and tell the fans the truth
You obviously did talk with Liverpool about the potential of a new contract here
Was staying at Liverpool ever a possibility given the success of this season and the good relationship you’ve got with Arne Slot
I’ve got full confidence in the manager and the staff and the club going forward
It’s not about me thinking we’re not going to fight for titles or fight for trophies season in
season out because I knew from the first few moments with the manager that he was a winner
And you’ve seen that this season with the way that we’ve played
So it was never about not having confidence in that
it just boiled down to what I felt I needed
That’s something I need to do on my personal journey as a person
I feel like a challenge in a different environment is something I need to do as a player
Can you understand why supporters will be disappointed to hear that
I’ve been a fan of this club my whole life
it has given me the opportunity to go and do everything I’ve done
seeing players leave that I’ve loved watching and have helped the team win trophies
you feel a connection to the players that you watch
especially when they bring success to the club as well
I completely understand the feelings that go with that and I’ve felt it myself so I completely understand that the news will disappoint a lot of people
Obviously that went into the decision as well – it’s something you don’t want to do
you don’t want to ever have these moments where you feel like you’re letting a lot of people down
it’s one that has played on my mind for a long time but being able now to get it off my chest will feel like a weight is lifted
And I think it’s important for the fans to know where I stand and know what the truth is
The time will come for you to properly reflect on your time and achievements at Liverpool
How would you describe your feelings towards this place as you start to think about life away from here
Just the word that springs to mind is love
very young age and that’s something that has grown and grown day in
It has given me the opportunities to go and achieve everything I’ve ever wanted
it has given me the opportunities to achieve everything beyond my wildest dreams
I can never repay enough of what’s been given to me and I don’t take it for granted at all
at the end of the day I did have to make a decision and it is one that has been very difficult
I just hope that people will be able to see and understand that I’ve given everything to the club
I’ve given everything every single day for 20 years now
I’ve done everything I’ve ever needed to do to try to help the team win games
But in terms of a player at the club I think now is the right time for me to move on and challenge myself elsewhere
We saw you right in the mix of the celebrations after we clinched the Premier League against Tottenham
How significant does that achievement feel to you
You get a few of those moments in your life
Those special feelings that football can give you
It’s been an aim and a target for us over the last six
Especially winning the title without fans [in 2019-20] – that was one that motivated us a lot more
To win it at home at Anfield was a dream of mine
Winning a Premier League title for Liverpool at Anfield is something that I’ve pictured over and over in my head
But to achieve that against Tottenham was right up there for me
what are you hoping for in the last few weeks of your Liverpool career
I’m just hoping that we’re able to carry on winning games
the noise doesn’t take away from the fact of what we’ve achieved this season
it has been amazing to be part of it and I just hope that everyone is able to maybe not dwell on this news for too long and be able to celebrate what the rest of the lads have done
Don’t let this cast a dark cloud over the season and let everyone celebrate what we’ve achieved as a club
I’m hoping we’re able to celebrate it together
I know the news will take a bit of time to set in and people won’t be happy and they’ll be disappointed
you can be angry and hurt at me but I just hope that the lads
everyone else is able to feel how good a season this has been and able to feel the love and support from the fans as they have done all season
is there something you’d say to Liverpool supporters
I hope they have felt that has been reciprocated and that I’ve given everything I could to the club
I’ve done things I never thought I’d be able to do
and to do them with the fans and supporters of this club has been something I’ll never forget
many memories that will live with me forever
I’ll be back – I’d love one day to be able to bring my kids to Anfield and show them that that’s where I’ve played and show them the videos and highlights of what we were able to achieve together
thank you for everything you’ve ever done for me
thank you for the love that I’ve always felt
I will always love the fans and the supporters
New Premier League champions Liverpool were given a "guard of honour" by Chelsea on Sunday in the Reds' first match since winning the 2024/25 title
A guard of honour is the informal ceremony that takes place when a team plays a match after already securing the Premier League title
The players of the winning club - in this case
Liverpool - walk between two parallel lines of opposition players who stand and applaud
A guard of honour can take place regardless of whether the champions are playing at home or away
There is no obligation or anything in the regulations that requires Premier League teams to provide a guard of honour
It is purely a voluntary show of respect for the achievements of their fellow professionals at another club
The only time that the tradition was slightly different came when Liverpool won the 2019/20 Premier League title with seven matches to spare during the pandemic-hit season, with all games played behind closed doors. Each of Liverpool’s last seven opponents gave Jurgen Klopp's side a guard of honour
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United team are thought to be the first Premier League side to receive a guard of honour, at Goodison Park in May 2003. It was offered by their opponents Everton as the Red Devils had already been confirmed as champions prior to the match
There have been 11 subsequent seasons when a guard of honour has taken place – with some champions enjoying the accolade on multiple occasions. Leicester City were provided with one by both Everton and Chelsea
in the final matches of the Foxes' fairytale 2015/16 title-winning campaign
Manchester City walked out to a guard of honour four times following their 2017/18 title success
gave Liverpool a guard of honour in that campaign
There have been some highly memorable – and sometimes awkward – guards of honour over the years
In 2004/05, Man Utd, champions in the previous season, applauded Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea on to the pitch following their first-ever Premier League title success
There was little love lost between these two rivals and to rub salt into the wounds
Chelsea came from behind to win the match 3-1 at Old Trafford
but there were boos aplenty from the home fans
the Dutchman scored a penalty for Man Utd to secure a 1-1 draw
2003 - Everton for Man Utd2005 - Man Utd for Chelsea’s first Premier League title 2007 - Chelsea for Man Utd2011 - Blackpool for Man Utd2013 - Arsenal for Man Utd 2015 - Liverpool for Chelsea 2016 - Everton and Chelsea for Leicester 2017 - Watford and Sunderland for Chelsea 2018 - Swansea
Huddersfield and Brighton for Man City 2020 - Man City
Chelsea and Newcastle for Liverpool 2021 - Newcastle and Everton for Man City 2023 - Chelsea for Man City
While a guard of honour is usually reserved for Premier League champions
there have been rare occasions when individuals have been honoured this way
after bringing the curtain down on a glittering career at Old Trafford
on his last home match in charge of Liverpool in 2024
On the playing side, both Chelsea and Sunderland gave the Blues’ captain John Terry a guard of honour to mark his final game for the club in 2017 before joining Aston Villa
Chelsea then gave him a second guard of honour in the middle of the match itself when he was subbed off after 26 minutes
Enjoy some incredible crosses and passes by the Liverpool full-back as he announces his departure this summer
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(1:25)Mark Donaldson and Don Hutchinson question Mikel Arteta's selection vs
Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men's January grades | Women's January grades
but -- with a £50m release clause written into his contract -- appears to be headed for one of Europe's elite clubs once the transfer window opens
Antony could bolster Mikel Arteta's wide options and United are willing to let him go to help reduce their wage bill
it is suggested that the novelty of playing abroad "has worn off" for the 23-year-old
The disgraced former Manchester United player has recently been criticised by coach Roberto De Zerbi and OM's fans
play2:21Would Kevin De Bruyne thrive in the MLS?The ESPN FC crew discuss which club would suit Kevin De Bruyne the most when he leaves Manchester City
- Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa are all holding internal talks about making a move to sign free agent Kevin De Bruyne. The 33-year-old is finishing the season strongly having announced that he will leave Manchester City. (TBR)
- Oleksandr Zinchenko looks set to leave Arsenal in the summer with Borussia Dortmund increasingly confident of getting a deal over the line. (Football Insider)
- Villa are stepping up their interest in FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa as they look unlikely to trigger the clause to make Marcus Rashford's loan from Manchester United permanent, claims . Villa have been watching 20-year-old Aghehowa since he moved from Atlético Madrid in the summer. (The Sun)
- Villa are also looking at Atlético Madrid's Rodrigo De Paul. The Argentina international, 30, only has one year left on his contract with Atletico Madrid, who are open to offers. AC Milan are an alternative destination for the World Cup-winning midfielder. (Birmingham Mail)
- Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Axel Tape is open to joining Bayer Leverkusen as a free agent, with the Bundesliga club seeing the 17-year-old as a top player for the future. This comes despite Premier League interest. (Florian Plettenberg)
- Victor Osimhen has suggested he could stay at Galatasaray beyond this season. The Nigeria striker, 26, is on loan in Turkey from Napoli and has scored 33 goals in 37 matches for the Istanbul giants. Heavily linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, Osimhen has said he "wants to continue to make [the Galatasaray fans] proud". (Daily Mirror)
- Real Madrid is looking to move on David Alaba this summer. The Austria international is now 32 and has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons. The Club World Cup could be his last involvement with the Spanish giants. (Estadio Deportivo)
- Newcastle and Aston Villa are both keen on Bilal El Khannous. Despite being relegated with Leicester, the Morocco attacking midielder, 20, is coveted by the Champions League-chasing pair. El Khannous has scored three goals and made five assists in 34 appearances since joining the Foxes from Belgian club Genk last summer. (Caught Offside)
- Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, Brighton forward Joao Pedro and Ipswich striker Liam Delap are not on Arne Slot's shortlist for Liverpool signings this summer, contrary to other reports. (Daily Mail)
- Newly promoted Leeds United have been given the green light by Newcastle to make a move for Sean Longstaff. The 27-year-old central midfielder has become a peripheral figure at St James' Park and Daniel Farke is looking to add Premier League experience to his squad. (Shields Gazette)
- Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, 22, could leave Arsenal for FC Copenhagen this summer. With the Gunners looking to bring in new forwards, the striker has been deemed surplus to requirements at the Emirates after just two appearances this season. (Football Insider)
The right-back is expected to join Real Madrid at the conclusion of his contract at Anfield
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Trent Alexander-Arnold has decided to leave Liverpool at the end of the season when his contract at Anfield finishes
The right-back, who is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer
came to the conclusion he wants a new challenge after two decades with his hometown club
Alexander-Arnold had been in discussions with Liverpool about a new deal but whereas Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah signed contract extensions to remain at Anfield
The 26-year-old feels he wants to test himself in a different environment after winning everything at Liverpool, he said in a video message published on Monday explaining his decision
While Liverpool offered a contract that would have made Alexander-Arnold one if the best-paid full-backs in world football
Sporting director Richard Hughes had made talks with Alexander-Arnold a priority and first made contact before taking charge. However, he was unable to strike a deal and the England international informed manager Arne Slot of his decision after a final meeting in the spring
Alexander-Arnold, who made his debut and became vice-captain under Jurgen Klopp, enjoyed working for Slot and held the Dutchman in high esteem
Real made an offer for Alexander-Arnold just before the January transfer window opened
No deal with the 15-time champions of Europe has been formalised and he is yet to put pen to paper
but it is likely he will be at the Bernabeu next season
Alexander-Arnold clinched his second Premier League title with Liverpool last week to add to the Champions League
He made his first-team bow in 2016 and has gone on to play 352 games, scoring 23 goals, the most recent of them at Leicester two weeks ago.
His departure could mean Conor Bradley gets the chance to become Liverpool’s regular right-back or that Slot has to go into the transfer market.
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Chelsea boosted their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League with a 3-1 victory over champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge
ending a four-month goal drought when netting a 96th-minute penalty
Chelsea remain fifth but now have a three-point cushion over sixth-place Nottingham Forest, who play Crystal Palace on Monday
Chelsea are also level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle United
whom they play at St James' Park next weekend
The Blues opened the scoring after just three minutes. Palmer led a swift counter before finding Pedro Neto
whose low cross was neatly controlled and finished by Fernandez
Liverpool looked to respond, with Cody Gakpo calling Robert Sanchez into action from a tight angle
while Neto hit the side-netting at the other end
Chelsea thought they had doubled their lead just before half-time when Noni Madueke rounded Alisson and slotted home. However, the joy was short-lived with Nicolas Jackson penalised for offside during the build-up
The hosts did get their second goal in fortuitous circumstances 11 minutes after the restart
as Van Dijk’s attempted clearance from a Palmer cross ricocheted off Quansah and back into the net
Palmer struck a post from a tight angle, before Liverpool’s late pressure at the other end eventually culminated in Van Dijk powering home from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner
But Liverpool's hopes of averting only their third league defeat of the season faded deep into stoppage time, when Palmer slotted home from the spot after Quansah felled Moises Caicedo
Seeking a third straight Premier League win, Enzo Maresca named an unchanged starting XI for the first time since November, against Manchester United
After giving the new champions a "Guard of Honour", the Blues’ confidence was evident as they were quick out of the blocks and soon ahead through Fernandez. Timed at two minutes and 47 seconds, it was their earliest league goal since Antonio Rudiger netted just 14 seconds earlier against Stoke City in December 2017
they eventually gained breathing space through Quansah’s own goal
The hosts’ concentration levels were tested as Liverpool increased the pressure in search for a way back into the game
Chelsea never really looked like surrendering it
and put the contest to bed with virtually the last kick of the game
as Palmer capped a fine individual performance by ending his 18-match goal drought
Attention now turns to the second leg of the Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden, before their Champions League qualification quest resumes at St James’ Park against top-five rivals Newcastle United
Fresh from securing their second Premier League title last weekend, Arne Slot’s much-changed side received a guard of honour as they made their way onto the Stamford Bridge turf
We explain history behind the guard of honour as the 2024/25 title-winners receive one at Stamford Bridge
There were six alterations in all and the Reds were slow to settle
with Chelsea punishing them by striking inside just three minutes
Liverpool struggled to generate a decent attacking threat over the remainder of the first half
Slot’s side were much-improved after falling 2-0 behind, with Van Dijk and Darwin Nunez off target from headers
Their pressure eventually told when Van Dijk made no mistake five minutes from time
it was too late to avert a third defeat in four visits to London
A disappointing afternoon for Quansah continued when he caught Caicedo late
allowing Palmer to seal the points for the hosts
Slot will be eager for his side to finish the season with improvement, starting next weekend against second-place Arsenal at Anfield
Chelsea report | Liverpool report
Enzo Maresca: "Very important three points
playing the way we want and they forced us to use a different plan
Chelsea has to fight for Champions League and hopefully in the future we can fight for something more important
In this moment we are there and hopefully we can finish there."
Arne Slot: "For many things I didn't see a drop off
we could see why we have won this league - we brought the ball out from the back really well
We came back after being 2-0 down and we didn't give up
In some moments a few percentages were not there."
Liverpool are only the fourth team to lose their first league match after they were crowned Premier League champions after Arsenal in 1997/98 (vs Liverpool)
Chelsea in 2005/06 (vs Blackburn) and the Reds themselves in 2019/20 (vs Manchester City)
Chelsea recorded a victory over Liverpool for the first time since March 2021
ending a run of 10 matches without a win against the Reds in all competitions (D7 L3)
Only John Terry (19) and Dion Dublin (14) have scored more headed goals from corners in Premier League history than Van Dijk (13)
The Liverpool captain is the top scoring defender in the competition since his first full season with the Reds in 2018/19 (21)
Palmer ended a run of 1,162 minutes without a goal in the Premier League – he had the most shots (5)
made the joint-most passes ending in the final third (13)
and had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (8) of any Chelsea player in today’s win over Liverpool
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Liverpool’s eighth and biggest defeat of the season also tightened Chelsea’s grip on that precious fifth Champions League spot
and if we glimpsed anything here it was perhaps the growing ability of Enzo Maresca’s side to ride out the tough periods and make their moments of supremacy matter
A very early goal by Enzo Fernández set the tone; a deeply comical own goal by Jarell Quansah doubled their lead
and Cole Palmer’s penalty with almost the final kick made the points safe
Liverpool had 65% possession and beyond Virgil van Dijk’s valedictory late header
it’s hard to recall a single thing they did with it
Arne Slot rotated heavily and in the process reminded us why he doesn’t rotate more often
It is rare for a champion team to be met with the resounding consensus that it needs to be broken up and rebuilt as soon as possible
as Liverpool’s second-string midfield returned Chelsea’s guard of honour with one of their own
There is of course partial mitigation to be found in the weird post-title vibes
stacked in the wrong place and faintly flecked with steak sauce
All season Liverpool have been laser-locked on this one singular objective
so what happens when you suddenly take it away
The upshot is that it only really takes a moment for the entire mood of the stadium to turn. Nobody ever really seems to be having a good time. The body language on the pitch is still awful. Neto needlessly headed the ball out for a corner and the crowd pretty much screeched in frustration.
The good news for Chelsea was that Liverpool were more than happy to do the job for them. Palmer, having long since given up on Neto outside him, simply dribbled past his team-mate on the right wing and squared it for Madueke. Wataru Endo made the initial tackle but Van Dijk’s rushed clearance smacked Quansah on the thigh and rebounded in: truly, a goal worthy of hungover champions.
The last half hour passed in something of a blur. Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah both missed simple headers to cut the deficit; Palmer and Jadon Sancho could easily have added a third goal, and even if Van Dijk’s late header from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner summoned up a little basic species pride, there was simply too little intensity, too many passengers in red, to make it stick.
And so with the seconds leaking away, Moisés Caicedo galloped forward, finally released from his right-back prison by the arrival of Reece James, one of the three right-backs on the Chelsea bench. As he met the ball, Quansah wearily lunged in and brought him down. Palmer’s penalty seemed unduly freighted with tension, heaviness, perhaps even nerves. But he slotted the ball home safely enough to end an 18-match scoring drought, a welcome hit of confidence ahead of big tests at home and in Europe.
These last four games – and we can safely write off the second leg against Djurgarden – will define Maresca’s first season at Chelsea, a season that has seen genuine changes to the style and organisation of play. And even if this is still a team prone to bizarre fits and outbursts, there has been real progress here too, the makings of a recognisable identity, even if much of the Stamford Bridge crowd remains largely unsold on it.
1833 CommentsEngland right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will leave Premier League champions Liverpool at the end of the season
is out of contract on 30 June and is expected to join Real Madrid
"After 20 years at Liverpool Football Club
now is the time for me to confirm that I will be leaving at the end of the season," Alexander-Arnold announced on social media
"This is easily the hardest decision I've ever made in my life."
Alexander-Arnold is one of three high-profile players whose deals at Anfield run out this summer
but while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have signed fresh contracts in recent weeks
Alexander-Arnold will leave when his expires
The Liverpool-born defender has made 352 appearances
scored 23 goals and provided 86 assists for the club since making his debut in 2016
He has helped them win this season's top-flight title under Arne Slot and also won the Premier League under the Reds' former manager Jurgen Klopp in 2019-20
His other trophies with Liverpool include the Champions League in 2018-19
"This club has been my whole life – my whole world - for 20 years," added Alexander-Arnold
"From the academy right through until now
I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge
taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally."
Liverpool said Alexander-Arnold "will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for his contribution during a sustained period of success"
Alexander-Arnold was a midfielder during his days in Liverpool's academy but was introduced into the first team by Klopp as a right-back
Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold have been a major talking point during Slot's first season in charge
with the Dutchman regularly being asked about their futures
Salah announced he was staying on a new two-year deal in April and was followed by Van Dijk agreeing similar terms the following week
However the speculation about Alexander-Arnold continued and, while Slot praised the defender on 18 April and said his future was still "not done"
Alexander-Arnold said he had waited to announce his decision as Liverpool had now secured their 20th top-flight title
"Obviously there's been a lot of noise around what the decision was going to be and how that was going to look," said Alexander-Arnold
"I know a lot of people will say I should have said sooner
"When we were in a title race and trying to push for trophies
it's about making the right decision for the team and trying not to distract the team and take away from what we're doing on the pitch
"Now that we've won the league and we've been able to celebrate it and celebrate such an amazing achievement
Liverpool rejected an approach from Real Madrid for Alexander-Arnold in January and
while his decision to leave has come as a major disappointment to the club
they believe they did all they could to convince him to stay
Richard Hughes contacted Alexander-Arnold's representatives before he officially took over as Liverpool's sporting director last summer
Formal negotiations started following Slot being confirmed as Klopp's successor last May and
while contact was ongoing during cordial and constructive negotiations
it became clear to the club that Alexander-Arnold would not sign a new contract
Hughes met Alexander-Arnold's representatives for a final time earlier this Spring and
The biggest unkept secret in English football is finally confirmed: Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Liverpool after 20 years at his boyhood club
What happens next will hardly be a bombshell revelation either
the defender will join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the coming weeks following months of discussions with the Spanish giants
It's the lure of a new challenge - the prestige of becoming a Galactico - that is the overriding motivation for Alexander-Arnold
while he will undoubtedly be well remunerated in the Spanish capital - with well-placed sources indicating his basic wage in Madrid will be supplemented by a healthy commercial and image rights package - Liverpool were willing to make Alexander-Arnold one of the best-paid defenders in Premier League history to sign a new contract at Anfield
But you get the impression that money isn't the sole driver for Alexander-Arnold
He's won everything there is to win with Liverpool
too; playing a key role in the club's 20th league title triumph
Winning at Real Madrid puts you on different stratosphere
even for someone as emotionally attached to his surroundings as Alexander-Arnold is
will relinquish the vice-captaincy - a role Mohamed Salah is understood to be a prime candidate to fill for next season
Leaving home will carry an emotional burden but a new challenge is on the horizon for Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold helped Liverpool win Europe's top competition for a sixth time when they beat Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final
Liverpool's Premier League win in 2020 ended a 30-year wait for an English top-flight title
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Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool & 'expected to join' Real Madrid - reaction and updates
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Liverpool captain Niamh Fahey has announced that she will retire at the end of the season
joined the side in 2018 and has since become their fourth highest appearance maker in the Women's Super League (WSL) with 123 games
The former Ireland international will bid farewell to Anfield on Sunday in the Merseyside derby before making the last appearance of her career in the season-ending fixture against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on May 10
Chelsea and Liverpool in the WSL. GettyThe centre-half has enjoyed a trophy-laden career from the outset of her arrival in England
winning a domestic treble in her first year at Arsenal in 2008 before winning the double with Chelsea in 2015
Fahey has won four WSL titles and five FA Cups in her career
Fahey spent a season in France with Bordeaux before joining Liverpool and helped the Merseyside club win the Championship to reestablish their place in the top-flight of English women's football
"It's hard to summarise into words the emotions that I feel as I'm retiring," Fahey said
"All I can say is how fortunate I feel for the career I've had and being able to finish it all off at my girlhood club
"My time at Liverpool has been a rollercoaster for sure
From some real lows to some unforgettable highs
the journey we've been on and for me personally being able to pull on the red shirt
captain the team and wear the Liver bird on my chest
I have never taken it for granted and it has been a dream to play for this club."
playWhat has happened to 'invisible' Cole Palmer
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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has said the experience of giving Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honour ahead of kick-off on Sunday can inspire his team
Liverpool clinched the Premier League title with a 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and Arne Slot's side will be entitled to a guard of honour from their opponents as they walk out onto the pitch before the game begins for the rest of their matches this season
A guard of honour is optional for opponents
but it is almost always given as a mark of respect to the champions
Maresca confirmed Chelsea's players would line up to applaud their opponents ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash
"I don't think we need that to understand how good it is to win the Premier League," he told a news conference
probably in their mind [the players] are thinking: 'I would like one day to be there.'"
Chelsea's topsy-turvy season has left them fifth in the table with five matches remaining
The west London club, who won 4-1 away at Djurgården in the first leg of their Conference League semifinal on Thursday
have signed a host of talented young players since a consortium led by Todd Boehly purchased the club in May 2022
Enzo Maresca's side will give Liverpool a guard of honour ahead of their Premier League match on Sunday. Xinhua via Getty ImagesMaresca said on Friday that however this season ends for his team
the experience gained by his players will help with their development
Asked whether Chelsea could learn from the arrival of experienced pair Virgil van Dijk and Alisson at Liverpool in 2018 which instantly transformed the Merseyside club, Maresca said: "If you want to close the gap with this kind of club, for sure [you need experience]."
"Our team next season will be better in terms of experience, because this year has been one more year together.
"For sure the ones that are growing like Levi [Colwill] for instance, growing a lot in terms of leadership, next year will be better and better.
"Hopefully the ones that we have, they can grow and can help us in terms of experience."
Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool: The Blues moved level on points with Newcastle in the race for the Champions League after claiming a massive win
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Chelsea claimed a huge victory over newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool to take a step closer to returning to the Champions League next season
Enzo Maresca’s side rolled out a guard of honour for Liverpool at Stamford Bridge but the Reds, who were crowned champions last weekend, lacked their usual sharpness after Arne Slot made six changes
Chelsea took the lead after just three minutes when Enzo Fernandez finished off an excellent move that was sparked by the brilliant Cole Palmer, who ended his goal drought by converting a late penalty
The Blues were handed a gift of a second when Virgil van Dijk cleared into Jarell Quansah and the ball ricocheted into the back of the net. Van Dijk pulled one back with a towering header, but Chelsea managed to hold.
The victory, which was Chelsea’s first over Liverpool in 11 attempts, moves Maresca’s side level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle, who they visit next week. Defeat for Liverpool was only their third of the Premier League campaign.
Follow all of the action from Stamford Bridge with our live blog below:
Having been forced to watch the new champions walk on, Cole Palmer then made everyone look at his own footwork. The playmaker’s performance in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Liverpool was a timely reminder of his quality - and that was long before he scored his first goal in almost four months to clinch it.
“I felt like myself,” as he put it afterwards. “I felt confident.” Palmer has now also ensured Chelsea felt the satisfaction of a victory that was genuinely important, both for himself and the club.It greatly improves his club’s prospects of Champions League football with three games to go, two of them away to rivals for the places in Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
Palmer knows that is the sort of stage he should be on. Chelsea know they have to keep getting there to ward off any potential agitation, or suitors.
Liverpool suffered defeat in their first game since being crowned Premier League champions as Cole Palmer ended his Chelsea scoring drought to round off a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge and boost the Blues’ Champions League ambitions.
The race for the top-five is going down to the wires but Chelsea took a huge step forward today with victory over Liverpool.
Up next, Chelsea will go to Newcastle in what promises to be a crucial test.
Cole Palmer fired back at “idiots and trolls” on social media after ending his scoring drought in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Liverpool.
The 22-year-old had gone 18 games without scoring for club and country after a scintillating start to the season and admitted that the past three months had been tough.
His performance was excellent as Chelsea faced newly crowned champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge and he was handed the chance to end his barren spell from the penalty spot when Moises Caicedo was fouled.
The England international said he did not feel under pressure and was “normal” when standing over the penalty but was clearly emotional afterwards as he opened up on the criticism he had received.
An emotional Cole Palmer, speaking to Sky Sports, after Chelsea’s win.
“We played very well as a team. They are champions for a reason but we showed fight and we hurt them at times.”
On his goal drought. “I felt normal taking the penalty. Sh** happens, you know what I mean? I went three months without scoring but it gives me more motivation, more fight to do well. Social media now a days, it’s full of idiots, full of trolls, I don’t pay no attention to that. To score today, I’m happy with that. I’ve got to keep improving and finding new levels.”
A tough couple of months? “For anyone. Getting chances and not scoring... you're letting your team down at the end of the day.
"I feel like I'm mentally strong anyway so whatever people say, it doesn't bother me. I've had it all my life growing up.
"I feel pride in helping the team and if I'm not doing that, I'm not happy.
"Today, I felt like myself. I felt confident, I was trying things, first time passes, playing forward, playing free and when you have him [Moises Caicedo] next to you, it's a dream."
Chelsea’s last win over Liverpool came at an empty Anfield in March 2021.
Their last win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge came toward the end of the 2018 season.
It’s been a long time coming, but after 10 games without a win against the Reds, Chelsea can celebrate again.
Cole Palmer’s injury-time penalty was his first for Chelsea since a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on 14 January.
He had gone 18 games without scoring but the 22-year-old got everyone talking once again with his performance against Liverpool.
And that’s it. Palmer puts the icing on a triumphant afternoon for Chelsea, with victory over the champions.
It was always a bigger game for Chelsea than Liverpool, and that’s how it proved. Their first win over Liverpool since 2021, and a big one in the race for the top five!
THE COLD CELEBRATION IS BACK! Cole Palmer wraps up a brilliant performance by putting the penalty past Alisson - stunning spot-kick, right into the corner to beat the goalkeeper, who went the right way!
90+5 mins: Chelsea get a penalty at the death! Caicedo beats Quansah to the loose ball and wins the penalty...
A tough couple of months? “For anyone. Getting chances and not scoring... you're letting your team down at the end of the day.
\"I feel like I'm mentally strong anyway so whatever people say, it doesn't bother me. I've had it all my life growing up.
\"I feel pride in helping the team and if I'm not doing that, I'm not happy.
\"Today, I felt like myself. I felt confident, I was trying things, first time passes, playing forward, playing free and when you have him [Moises Caicedo] next to you, it's a dream.\"
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has revealed why he thinks there are only two sides who can win the Premier League title next season
The Reds sealed the Premier League title eight days ago with a convincing 5-1 win over Tottenham at Anfield in their 20th English top-flight triumph
Liverpool did it with four games to spare and they are still 15 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal despite losing 3-1 to Chelsea on Sunday
who are likely to finish second for the third season in a row
have been underwhelming in the league but have reached the Champions League semi-finals
who won the previous four Premier League titles
have suffered a huge drop off this season with Pep Guardiola’s side currently 18 points off the pace
who have barely spent any money over the past couple of transfer windows are set to bring in a number of players in the summer and Owen has warned them that it could have a negative impact if they aren’t careful
Owen told Premier League Productions: “It’s such a good harmonious dressing room that if you go and bring more and more in
“You can look at an extreme like Pep Guardiola this season and say
“That bit him on the bum this season
but look at Chelsea – too many good players is a problem as well
So you have to be careful with the balance of your squad
and Liverpool have got it spot on at the moment so we’ll see what happens.”
And Owen can’t see past Liverpool for the title again next season with only one other team capable of beating the Merseysiders to the championship
Owen added: “I can’t see anybody beating Liverpool next year
Arsenal are possibly the only challengers for me.”
But Glenn Hoddle reckons Liverpool will struggle to maintain their levels again next season unless they improve using the summer transfer market
Hoddle said: “Man City need to build their squad again and Arsenal need to go again
they have a great squad but with the same squad
I can’t see them winning the Premier League next season
“I don’t think them players will go again if it’s the same squad
Players like (Curtis) Jones and (Harvey) Elliott aren’t ready to take over when they have to play bigger roles next season
but they coped because they weren’t in one unit and it wasn’t really the spine of the team
“I don’t see them having that luck again
If they get injuries in the same unit – all at the back or all in midfield – then I think they will have a problem
“They still need better players in that squad and now is the time to go and get them to dominate and say we are the team to go and beat
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Trent Alexander-Arnold has made up his mind and will leave Liverpool this summer after more than two decades at his boyhood club
The Reds vice-captain will sign for Real Madrid and commit his future to the reigning champions of Europe and Spain with a long-term deal
In a statement on social media
Alexander-Arnold wrote: 'After 20 years at Liverpool Football Club
now is the time for me to confirm that I will be leaving at the end of the season
This is easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life
'I know many of you have wondered why or been frustrated that I haven’t spoken about this yet
'This club has been my whole life – my whole world - for 20 years
'I’ve given my all every single day I’ve been at this club
the staff and our incredible supporters - for the last 20 years
'I’ve been blessed enough to live out my dreams here and I will never
Meanwhile, in a club statement on their website
Liverpool wrote: 'The 26-year-old will bring his two-decade-long association with the Reds to an end having made the decision to depart Anfield once his deal ceases on June 30
'Alexander-Arnold will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for his contribution during a sustained period of success.'
It puts to an end the long-running saga that has dominated debates this season with the 26-year-old not discussing his future out of respect to Liverpool as he did not want it to be played out in public
Mail Sport was the first English newspaper to report that Real Madrid were confident of securing Alexander-Arnold way back in December – and not much has changed along the way
It is understood that the contract is not officially signed yet but will be soon, with the England international set to join his good pal and Three Lions team-mate Jude Bellingham in the Spanish capital
Fans have received Alexander-Arnold with warmth despite all the noise about his future this season but it will be intriguing to see how Anfield reacts on Sunday when Liverpool host Arsenal in what will be his penultimate home game.
Alexander-Arnold was free to open talks with Real and other overseas clubs on New Year’s Day after letting his Reds deal run down.
Sporting director Richard Hughes' first call in the job was to Alexander-Arnold's representatives and the final offer would have made him the best-paid full back in the Premier League.
Liverpool are satisfied they tried their very best to tempt him to stay.
The 15-time champions of Europe made a cheeky approach to sign him early with them ready to pay around £20million to get him in January but Liverpool swiftly rebuffed that idea.
Real will now seek to sign him in time for the FIFA Club World Cup in June with a 10-day window for transfers. That will likely require some compensation and Liverpool’s cooperation – which is not guaranteed – but the Spanish club will try.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is widely expected to leave the club this summer with Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso the hot favourite to take over from the Italian.
Alexander-Arnold joined Liverpool aged six and has played 352 times for his boyhood club. He is the vice-captain and has won every trophy he can – the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
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Arne Slot's side fell to just their third defeat of a glorious campaign as a much-changed line up looked well short of their best at Stamford Bridge
Liverpool were beaten 3-1 at Chelsea on Sunday in their first match since being crowned as Premier League champions
Enzo Fernandez finished off a smart move to give the Blues the lead after three minutes
before a calamitous Jarell Quansah own goal made it two in the second half
Virgil van Dijk's header gave the title-winners something to cling onto
but Cole Palmer's injury-time penalty sealed the deal
GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Stamford Bridge..
Fahey has struggled with injury problems this season and made just four Women's Super League appearances for Liverpool
Liverpool captain Niamh Fahey is set to retire at the end of the Women's Super League season
The 37-year-old announced her retirement from international football earlier this year after 115 appearances for the Republic of Ireland
Fahey will complete her playing career when the Reds face WSL champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the last day of the season
"It's hard to summarise into words the emotions that I feel as I'm retiring
there are probably too many," Fahey said
"All I can say is how fortunate I feel for the career I've had and being able to finish it all off at my girlhood club Liverpool FC."
Fahey won four league titles during a six-year stay at Arsenal before claiming another WSL title with Chelsea in 2015
After a short spell with French side Bordeaux in the 2017-18 season
she joined Liverpool in 2018 and has since gone on to make 123 WSL appearances for the club
Fahey stayed with Liverpool when they were relegated to the Women's Championship on a points-per-game ratio in the Covid-disrupted 2019-2020 season and helped them earn promotion back to the WSL two seasons later
"My time at Liverpool has been a rollercoaster for sure
From some real lows to some unforgettable highs," she added
the journey we've been on and for me personally being able to pull on the red shirt
captain the team and wear the Liver Bird on my chest."
Liverpool interim head coach Amber Whiteley said Fahey was "everything you could ever want in a captain"
Whiteley added: "A wonderful player and incredible human being
our game is in a better place because of Niamh and everything that she has contributed across her entire career for club and country."
"I'm not sure she will ever know just how much she is loved and respected by everyone here
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Relive Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Chelsea welcome recently crowned Premier League champions Liverpool to Stamford Bridge.
The race for the Champions League spots just keeps getting tastier, and tastier, and I absolutely love it.
It almost feels like a title race, every game for the five involved feels like it's a must-win - there is no room for slip-ups.
Chelsea knew that was the case coming into today, and you could see that they meant business right from minute one.
Following a guard of honour for the champions, Liverpool, Chelsea were quick to show them that all respect went out the window at the first whistle.
Within three minutes, Enzo Fernandez put the Blues in front, and they just never looked back.
The 3-1 win means that Chelsea now sit fifth, three points clear of sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, who play tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will probably forget this day even happened and get right back to partying.
Right, I need to dash now, it's been a long ol' weekend. Thank you or joining me for it; it's been great fun having you along for the ride.
I have already taken in a lot of reaction to this game, and everybody seems to be laughing at the Liverpool performance.
Many have said it's what you would 'come to expect' from a team that have just been crowned champions. And well, that's not strictly true.
Liverpool are only the fourth team to lose their first league game after they were crowned Premier League champions.
They are also one of the other three, as well, getting battered 4-0 by Manchester City in their first game as champions five years ago.
I doubt they will be that bad against Arsenal next week, mind.
Arne Slot, Liverpool manager, speaking to Sky Sports:
Jamie Redknapp, former Liverpool midfielder, speaking to Sky Sports:
That win must feel good for a multitude of reasons.
There's the obvious reason, the fact that it helps Chelsea in their fight to secure Champions League football.
But away from that, it must just be nice for the Blues to get one over Liverpool.
The Reds have tormented them these last few years, in both the Premier League and in domestic finals at Wembley.
Today was Chelsea's first victory over Liverpool since March 2021, ending a run of 10 games without a win against the Reds in all competitions.
Cole Palmer, Chelsea goalscorer, on Sky Sports:
I bet when Moises Caicedo was taken out by Jarrel Quansah in the last minute, Cole Palmer must have celebrated like he had scored already.
He knew he was going to get the chance to.
It's weird because in the past, I would always be certain Palmer was going to score a penalty, but with his form recently, I genuinely wasn't sure if he would.
With that penalty, Palmer ended a run of 1,162 minutes without a goal in the Premier League, with his penalty his first since January against Bournemouth.
He had the most shots (5), created the most chances (4), made the joint-most passes ending in the final third (13), and had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (8) of any Chelsea player in today’s win over Liverpool.
The Chelsea man was well and truly back to his best today.
Roy Keane, former Man United midfielder, on Sky Sports:
I wonder what was going through Cole Plamer's mind as he stepped up to that spot.
He must have really felt the weight of the three goalless months before this one. It's been a long time since he last found the back fo the net.
But you wouldn't be able to tell with this penalty, just look at how he picks his spot and buries it.
The cherry on top of the perfect day for Chelsea.
It looks like the week-long lash had its effects.
You just knew from the moment that Arne Slot made a bunch of changes that today would be tough for Liverpool.
They barely caused Chelsea any problems today. yes, they had a lot of the ball, but it took until the 65th minute for them to do anything with it.
While many will say the players won't care because they are champions, that's a load of rubbish. That defeat will still hurt.
Liverpool won't just want to lose every game before the end of the season, but if they play like that, they might just.
Maybe they will drown away those sorrows with a few more beers and restart the celebrations.
With Nottingham Forest dropping points in the week, and Newcastle drawing earlier, the Blues knew they had to win.
Now, they may have gotten the luck of facing a Liverpool side who won the league last week, and are on the beach. However, you have to beat what's in front of you.
They came out of the traps fast, kept Liverpool largely at bay, and took their chances when they came.
Chelsea now sit fifth on the same points as Newcastle in fourth, and just one behind Manchester City in third.
The race for Champions League footie is really hotting up.
It may have been a dead rubber for Liverpool, and you could tell by the way they played, but it was the opposite for the Blues.
It was a must-win for Enzo Maresca's side in the race for Champions League football, and they won it at a relative canter.
The champions must still have sore heads from all that partying.
Cole Palmer finally ends his goal drought!
For the first time since January, Palmer wheels away in celebration after scoring a goal.
Alisson guesses the right way, but the pace on the penalty is too much for the Brazilian, and the ball nestles in the bottom corner.
Jeez, Jarell Quansah really is having a stinker...
He scored an own goal earlier, and with just a minute to go he hands Chelsea the chance to clinch it.
Moises Caicedo catches him napping and nips in front of the centre-back to get to the ball.
Quansah takes him out, and the penalty is given.
The Liverpool fans are currently rolling out their new chant for manager Arne Slot.
Do you remember the Dutch fans bouncing about in Euro 2024? Well, it's along to that tune. A banger.
Something tells me they aren't bothered about losing.
Liverpool have five minutes to find a leveller here.
But quite frankly, they don't look like getting one. That goal has sprung Chelsea back into life.
If anyone looks like scoring in stoppage time, it's Chelsea.
The man who got this game going, Enzo Fernandez, plods off the pitch as if he has all the time in the world.
Reece James then gives him a hug, takes the armband, and replaces him in the middle of the park.
You can feel the nerves inside Stamford Bridge now.
It's a big five minutes, and then stoppage time, as Liverpool are stepping on the gas.
Just as I say that,. Chelsea launch a frightening counter-attack, but it ends with Pedro Neto blazing miles over.
Liverpool have an interest at last, and it's their captain who has come up with the goods.
For some reason, Chelsea allow Virgil van Dijk a free run at the ball from a corner, and he just nonchalantly heads home.
The celebrations are quite funny, there are almost ironic cheers from the away end, and Van Dijk just gives a cheeky smile.
Federico Chiesa will get his Premier League winners' medal after all.
Arne Slot mentioned it before the match, and now he has, in fact, brought the Italian on for his fifth appearance of the season.
Kostas Tsimikas is the player who makes way for the tricky winger. Can he make an impact?
You can't get any closer to scoring a goal than that, and it's so nearly a stunning solo strike.
Palmer elegantly drifts around red bodies down the left and to the byline before hitting the post from the tightest of angles.
For what feels like the first time since their goal, Chelsea find a way to carve the Liverpool defence open.
The ball is shifted all the way over to Jadon Sancho, who looks set to score, but Alisson rushes to and thwarts his effort.
And that is why he is the best goalkeeper in the world.
Enzo Maresca is trying to shore things up now.
Romneo Lavia has been the best player on the pitch today, I'd argue. He has run the midfield battle.
And now Maresca decides to take him off, with Stamford Bridge giving him a standing ovation.
That is by far their best chance of the match as Kostas Tsimikas picks out Mohamed Salah at the back post.
The winger gets his head to the ball and tries to send it back where it came from, but it flashes wide.
It's all Liverpool now, but I'd still say Chelsea look the likelier of the two to score next.
Every time the Reds make a mistake, the Blues are on them in a flash and get on the counter.
Liverpool could play another 75 minutes and not score.
It has not been Nicolas Jackson's best day by any stretch of the imagination; he has been a little off it.
And well, now he is being taken off as Jadon Sancho is on to replace him.
That's a brilliant tackle from Trevoh Chalobah!
Liverpool are really knocking at the door now, and Darwin Nunez looks as if he is through.
The striker tries to shrug off XChalobah as he enters the area, but the Chelsea man does well to kick the ball onto the striker and Robert Sanchez can collect.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have had their rest, and now they have been summoned.
Wataru Endo has put in a decent shift, but his first start of the season comes to a close.
Oh, Darwin Nunez... you have to score there.
It's an absolute shocker from the striker, to be honest, how he doesn't even get an effort on target there, I will never know.
Mohamed Salah whips in a teasing cross, and the Uruguayan has a free header six yards out.
Romeo Lavia thinks he is playing rugby for a second.
He puts in a beautiful tackle on Mohamed Salah, wrapping his arms around the winger before taking him down. Great technique.
The problem is, he is playing football, and you can't do that. Liverpool now have a free-kick in Trent Alexander-Arnold territory.
But oh wait, he's not on the pitch and Harvey Elliott's effort is pants.
Virgil van Dijk is allowed a free header from a corner, but he doesn't make the most of it.
There are soon Ironic cheers from the home fans as the ball plops over the bar.
My goodness, it's almost like Liverpool have forgotten how to play football.
They mess about with the ball at the back again, and Nicolas Jackson is allowed to have a crack.
Alisson is equal to it, but the Reds need to be careful, or they will get battered here.
I can't remember the last time they had a shot.
Arne Slot has had enough now; he is switching things up.
Conor Bradley and Darwin Nunez enter the action, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota make way.
Meanwhile, Jarell Quansah's day gets worse as he goes into the book.
It's an absolute calamity at the back for Liverpool, and it ends with Jarell Quansah scoring an own goal.
Cole Palmer rinses Kostas Tsimikas down the right and puts the ball into the danger zone.
It then gets a bit chaotic before Virgil van Dijk canons a clearance off of Quansah, and it bounces into the net.
The yellow card is back out for the second time in a matter of minutes, this time in the direction of Trevoh Chalobah.
He gets done by Curtis Jones and just decides to hang onto his shirt, rather than let him go.
Always a booking, so I have no idea why he is now moaning.
We have our first yellow card of the game.
It's not often you see Virgil van Dijk go into the referee's book, but he does here for a challenge on Romeo Lavia.
It's a 50/50 challenge as they both rush toward the ball, but Lavia reacts slightly quicker.
Van Dijk leaves a rather nasty one on him.
Noni Madueke drops his shoulder and absolutely rinses Trent Alexander-Arnold on the left flank.
The less said about his pass at the end of the dribble, though, the better.
Noni Madueke should apply for Strictly Come Dancing.
Honestly, the way he just danced through the Liverpool side there was quite divine.
The finish from Nicolas Jackson, though, was not worthy of the run that preceded it.
It's just more of the same in the second half, so far.
Liverpool are knocking the ball about but with no real intent; it's just far too pedestrian.
While the Champions may have all of the ball, they don't look likely to cause any problems at all.
I wonder what Arne Slot said in the break there?
I wonder if they all had a chuckle and a beer while they enjoy their first game as champions.
Or did Slot give them a rollicking for not turning up?
To be honest, it was probably neither of those things. If it were the first, though, that would be funny.
Anyway, the teams are back out and we are back underway.
Daniel Sturridge, former Chelsea and Liverpool striker, on Sky Sports:
The Blues are usually like s slow cooker, they take a while to get going, but when they do, they play some great stuff.
Well, today it only took them a matter of minutes to find their groove.
Enzo Fernandez's strike was the first time Chelsea have scored within the opening three minutes of a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge since December 2017 against Stoke via Antonio Rüdiger.
If anybody wanted to know whether Liverpool would be in good shape for this game or not, well, we got our answer inside three minutes.
Cole Palmer carved them open like a bread knife through a baguette, with Curtis Jones getting sent for a hot dog in the process.
The build-up was lovely, the cross was lovely, and the finish was lovely. It was all lovely.
The only real bit of quality we have seen today.
The champions are behind at Stamford |Bridge after Enzo Fernandez's early strike.
Other than that goal, very little has happened in west London; it was a very forgettable 45 minutes.
I am surprised they even managed to muster one minute of stoppage time, I can't lie.
Noni Madueke has the ball in the net, but the flag is up.
The winger is so far offside that he is practically in another postcode when the ball comes his way.
Madueke does round Alisson beautifully before tapping home, but even he knows he is well off.
Finally, a chance I can write about. About blooming time.
Pedro Neto decides he is bored with all the passing and just decides to drive at the Liverpool defence.
He takes Kostas Tsimikas on, makes his way to the edge of the box, and then drills the ball toward the bottom corner.
I feel like I am watching a training session here, like some passing drills or something.
Chelsea are doing nothing. Liverpool are doing nothing. That's all this is, nothing.
This isn't the best game of footie, it has to be said.
Chelsea may be winning, but they haven't exactly been that good. They're just lucky Liverpool haven't been either.
The chances are really few and far between in this one, and I'm getting a little bored.
Noni Madueke is rinsing the Liverpool backline, my word
He seems to have them all on toast, and he dances around them with the help of Marc Cucurella before having an effort blocked.
The ball then bounces to Moises Caicedo, and you think the danger is gone, but he somehow digs out a cross, and it hits the bar.
Chelsea finally manage to get of their own half.
Liverpool lose the ball high up the pitch, and suddenly Cole Palmer is driving down the left flank.
Jarell Quansah follows him all the way into the penalty box before putting the ball behind for a corner.
It just shows how dangerous Chelsea are on the counter.
Harvey Elliott looks miles off it today, I have to say.
This is a chance for him to prove to Arne Slot that he should start more, but he is doing quite the opposite.
His touch has been dreadful, and he very nearly mucks up a very nice attacking move from Liverpool.
Liverpool are starting to ramp up the pressure.
They are even managing to knit together some nice moves and they work the ball really well to Wataru Endo in the box.
But the Japanese midfielder just can't get the ball across the area once he gets to it.
It's not often you see the Egyptian King take a poor touch in the penalty box, is it?
Well, Trent Alexander-Arnold hammers a ball to his feet, but Salah can't keep it under, and the ball cannons off his boot and goes for a goal kick.
It doesn't feel as though the Liverpool fans give a single care about the fact they are losing.
The away end are rattling through their songbook like no tomorrow, while the home crowd is practically silent.
I guess, when you have won the league, nothing else matters.
OK, Liverpool's spell of pressure was just fleeting.
Chelsea have wrestled full control of this game now, and are knocking it about with confidence.
They do look like they have their swagger back now, compared to when I have watched them play recently.
Chelsea are getting a lot of joy down that right.
Pedro Neto is causing all sorts of problems when he gets on the ball, and yet again, he plays a lovely ball into the box.
Enzo Maresca looks to run onto it again, but his header plops quite comfortably over the bar.
You know when you are feeling groggy after a night out, but slowly, after a few waters, you feel better.
The visitors are seeing a lot of the ball, but you do worry about them at the back today.
Chelsea always look a threat when running at them.
The Brazilian goalkeeper comes flying out of his box as Nicolas Jackosn races through one-on-one, and then spectacularly mistimes his tackle.
It's a straight red if I have ever seen one, but Jackson is offside, so Alisson gets away with one.
Now, that's more like it from the visitors.
Cody Gakpo is in down the left and you know exactly what he is going to do.
He does his classic cut inside before being the ball toward the far corner, but Robert Sanchez is equal to it.
Liverpool are just trying to calm things down now.
I bet flashing through some of the players' heads is the time they got thumped 4-0 by Manchester City five years ago after winning the league.
You may be the champions, but you have to show why you are the champions until the very end.
My word, Liverpool need to be really careful they don't get battered here.
Chelsea are really in the mood; they have the Reds worried every time they attack.
Harvey Elliott loses the ball in the middle of the park, and all of a sudden Noni Madueke has Liverpool backpedalling.
The winger then tries to roll the ball past Alisson, but it goes just past the post.
That is a thing of beauty from Chelsea to carve open the newly-crowned champions.
Cole Palmer gets the move underway, slides the ball over to Pedro Neto, and the winger spots Enzo Fernandez charging in.
The midfielder sprints onto the ball and calmly slides the ball into the bottom corner.
This does not look like a hungover Liverpool, going by this start.
The visitors come flying out of the blocks and work the ball all the way over to Mohamed Salah.
The former Chelsea man tries to flash the ball across the six-yard box and cause chaos, but Robert Sanchez deals with it.
Those boos are long gone, the Chelsea fans are now having a right old sing-song before kick-off.
There is then a huge roar from all four stands as Liverpool get this crunch match underway.
I have no idea how this will finish. Do you?
Boos echo around Stamford Bridge, these Chelsea fans are not happy one bit.
Well, Chelsea show their respect to the newly-crowned Premier League champions by giving them a guard of honour as they enter the turf.
The Blues fans are not happy with the fact they are doing it, and boo at the top of their lungs.
It's just five minutes to go until kick-off, and I have no idea how this one is going to go.
Due to the fact that Liverpool have been partying all week, and have made so many changes, it's hard to see past Chelsea.
But you just never know which Blues side you are going to get.
Right, folks. With kick-off just a few minutes away, I'm handing over the reins to the always brilliant Harry Bamforth.
I've just had a look at Chelsea's remaining fixtures this season and made a slight 'ooooof' sound. Thankfully I'm by myself.
After today, they face a tricky trip to Newcastle before welcoming Manchester United to Stamford Bridge.
They will then round off the campaign at Nottingham Forest.
That's two top-five chasers in three games - and a poor United outfit.
How many points do you see them picking up?
It does look like the pressure has been lifted for those Liverpool players after they wrapped up the title in style last weekend.
They partied and enjoyed the moment before locking back in and returning to training during the week.
Arne Slot won't allow them to drop their levels - he'll want as many points as possible - but the Reds have enjoyed their warm-up.
There were plenty of smiles as they were put through their paces.
LEWIS STEELE: Arne Slot allowed himself a few bottles of beer to celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League last Sunday – but had to restrain from an old-fashioned knees-up as he needed to be in tip-top shape Monday morning.
The reason? It was his wife Mirjam's birthday. He could not be hungover for that as he was taking her and the kids, Joep and Isa, out for lunch before they all headed back to their home in Zwolle.
Slot Jrs were back to school on Tuesday and, in many ways, the Liverpool manager was also back to business.
Officially it was another day off but he took a trip to Anfield to pick up his car with his right-hand man Sipke Hulshoff and took a picture of the new-look ‘20’ sign in the tunnel.
He was also on the phone. Talking to famous faces like Jurgen Klopp and old pals back in Holland – Slot is now one of the very elite coaches in world football but is a humble chap who never forgets his roots and replied to every congratulatory message he received.
You can read the full Mail+ piece via the link below.
Ouch. Enzo Maresca didn't hold back in an interview with Sky Sports.
He claimed his Chelsea side are currently 'not good enough' to play a transitional style, saying the approach has led to their 'worst moments'.
Here are his full comments. What do you make of them?
Newcastle drew level late on to take a point at Brighton, and that has huge ramifications for Chelsea and this game at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea would need to win by three goals or more to move into fourth.
This Champions League race is really hotting up. My word.
Gary Neville believes Chelsea should avoid sacking Enzo Maresca if they miss out on the top five - and says he's done a good job.
As it stands, Newcastle are losing 1-0 to Brighton, so a win for Chelsea would push them up into fourth place, one point ahead of the Magpies.
Liverpool, of course, have already romped home to the title but three points for them would increase the gap to Arsenal to 18 points.
Somewhat surprisingly, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have both kept their places at Stamford Bridge despite the title being wrapped up.
It's a statement of intent from Arne Slot. He wants more wins.
Expect Salah to be at the races, by the way.
He's just one goal or assist from equalling the record for the most goal involvements in a Premier League season.
Arne Slot said he would rotate - and boy was he true to his word.
He has made no less than six changes from the side that beat Tottenham and secured the Premier League title last time out.
Kostas Tsimikas and Jarrel Quansah are in at the back with Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson both on the bench.
It's an entirely different midfield three. Wataru Endo, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott have all been recalled.
Chelsea have named the same side that beat Everton last week.
Robert Sanchez picked up a knock and missed the win against Djurgarden in mid-week, but he is back between the sticks today.
Christopher Nkunku has missed out on the squad altogether after suffering a minor issue during a training session.
Can Cole Palmer finally end that lengthy goal drought?
The signs are certainly good for the champions.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six league visits to Stamford Bridge and have lost just one of their 10 games there in the top-flight.
Enzo Maresca will hope that solid run comes to an end today.
As you can see, the Reds are in town nice and early ahead of kick-off.
Enzo Maresca confirmed Chelsea will give Liverpool a guard of honour when they walk out of the tunnel ahead of kick-off this evening.
But he also challenged his players to close the gap on the champions.
'I think the gap is there, you can see it clearly,' he said. 'My feeling is that we are in the right direction and hopefully this gap can be closed.
'The difference has been probably that they have been consistent compared to us.
'Also in terms of experience, players that know how to win games, I think they have something more compared to us.
'I don't think we need that to understand how good it is to win the Premier League. We know that it's something very nice.
'But for sure when you are there, probably in their mind (the players) are thinking "I would like one day to be there".'
The Premier League title is done and dusted with Liverpool deservedly crowned champions after ripping apart Tottenham last week.
They've been superb this season and can look forward to that trophy lift at a packed Anfield later this month.
But they're not done yet. There are still four more games to go until they can sign off, starting at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea desperately need all three points to keep hold of a Champions League spot - and to quiet the grumbles from the stands.
We'll have all the team news and updates right here - so stay tuned.
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The setting for Wataru Endo to make his first Premier League start of the season was a source of great mirth for Liverpool supporters
As the Anfield cult hero emerged from the Stamford Bridge tunnel on Sunday
he was greeted by the sight of Chelsea’s players forming a guard of honour for the Premier League champions
Among them were two gifted midfielders who inadvertently played instrumental roles in Endo moving to Anfield nearly two years ago
Liverpool had initially set their sights on Southampton’s Romeo Lavia when pursuing a successor for Fabinho in the summer of 2023
Then they were prepared to shatter their transfer record to buy Brighton’s Moises Caicedo
the Ecuador international opted to join Chelsea instead
With their options limited and the clock ticking in the final weeks of the season
Liverpool brought in Endo from Stuttgart in the Bundesliga for a relatively modest fee of £16m
Even the Japan international admitted that he was surprised to receive the call and that
he thought his dream of gracing the Premier League had gone
Having clocked up 34 starts in all competitions during the final season of Jurgen Klopp’s reign
he has found his opportunities much more limited since Arne Slot took over
Preferring a ball-playing No 6 rather than a destroyer type, the Dutch head coach turned to Ryan Gravenberch to fill the holding midfield role after Liverpool failed to convince Martin Zubimendi to leave Real Sociedad last August
With Gravenberch excelling and starting all 34 Premier League games prior to being given Sunday off
Endo only had 157 minutes of league football under his belt in 2024-25 spread across 17 outings as a substitute
Five of his six starts in all competitions had come in the domestic cups
with the other in January’s Champions League dead rubber against PSV
Endo embraced being regarded as one of Slot’s ‘finishers’ — brought on to help see out tight games by providing extra protection for Liverpool’s back line
Slot regards Endo as the perfect example to players on the fringes of the squad as he parks any sense of personal frustration and always puts the team first
His professionalism and commitment shine through
he will be rewarded with a title winners’ medal being draped around his neck
He deserved the chance to start against Chelsea and
collecting a pass from Virgil van Dijk and sweeping the ball intelligently out to Cody Gakpo on the left
By the time Alexis Mac Allister replaced him midway through the second half
Endo had won four of his five duels and completed 56 of his 60 passes (93 per cent)
When Lavia was also substituted soon after
the young Belgian had to walk past the jubilant away end and was greeted with renditions of “You could have won the league” and “You should have signed for the champions”
Never has a Liverpool defeat to Chelsea been so easily brushed off
That was underlined by the scenes among the travelling support as the home fans celebrated Cole Palmer wrapping up the points from the penalty spot deep into added time
which had started at Anfield a week earlier
Unused substitute Ibrahima Konate stood in front of them dancing after the final whistle as the squad went over to show their appreciation
including leaving out his entire first-choice midfield
it was hardly a surprise that there was a drop-off in intensity levels
Only one team out there was still fighting for something and at times it showed
Liverpool rallied after Enzo Fernandez fired home inside three minutes but despite dominating possession
Nothing was learned about squad depth that wasn’t already known heading into the summer
centre-back and up front the priority areas
Kostas Tsimikas was beaten far too easily by Palmer prior to Van Dijk slamming a clearance into Jarell Quansah for the own goal that extended the hosts’ lead
after Van Dijk’s header halved the deficit
Quansah was sold short by Dominik Szoboszlai’s pass and brought down Caicedo in the box
It’s remarkable that Liverpool have achieved what they have this season without a prolific No 9
Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez boast just 11 league goals between them
Jota had the fewest touches (12) on the field before the break
Nunez replaced him in the second half but was equally ineffective and added another poor miss to his bulging collection after getting a header all wrong from Mohamed Salah’s inviting cross
another positive was provided by the impact of Conor Bradley off the bench
Keeping him fit is the challenge going forward because the talent is undeniable
Liverpool were beaten but the mood remains triumphant
(Top photo: Chelsea give Liverpool a guard of honour; by Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)
Liverpool are reported to be making a bold move ‘behind the scenes’ to bring Xavi Simons to Anfield this summer
with a huge first offer being prepped and with a report revealing the three Reds players who can help bring the raid on RB Leipzig to reality
The Reds are basking in the glory of winning a record-equalling 20th English league title last weekend with four games to spare. And while the success instantly carves Arne Slot’s name into Liverpool folklore
the Dutchman is not resting on his laurels and is already putting plans in place to ensure they can win back-to-back Premier League crowns next season
TEAMtalk’s transfer insider Fraser Fletcher lifted the lid way back in February of the enormous transfer kitty being afforded to Slot this summer ahead of what sources described to him as a ‘historic summer’ at Anfield
And while the Liverpool manager is thought to be putting his focus on three areas of the side in particular – interest in strengthening at left-back, centre-half and in attack is well documented – a new report claims a major transfer surprise to bring in Simons is being worked on too
Indeed, according to Empire of the Kop
Liverpool are ‘preparing to submit’ an opening offer of approximately €60m (£51.1m
$67.8m) for the Netherlands international playmaker
as Slot looks to bolster his attacking options next season
The 22-year-old has travelled around quite a lot already in his young career having already been on the books of Barcelona and PSG and also having enjoyed spells on loan with PSV
But has made a home at Leipzig over the past two seasons
where he has 10 goals and eight assists from 31 appearances across the course of this season
he has a total of 43 goal contributions from 74 games in their colours – one G/A every 1.72 times he takes the field
despite Slot’s desire to bring him to Anfield and make him their first signing of the summer
it’s reported their opening gambit is likely to fail with RB Leipzig likely to hold out for nearer the €80m (£68.1m
HAVE YOU SEEN? 🔴 The spectacular Liverpool XI for Prem title defence in 2025-26 with four new signings
there appears a strong optimism in the report that the two clubs can agree on a deal
Simons’ deal at the Red Bull Arena is due to expire in summer 2027
meaning their best chances of making a big profit on their initial €31m signing is this summer
Simons is keen to play in the Premier League next and could be convinced to move to Anfield to play under his compatriot Slot and alongside three of his Netherlands international teammates in Ryan Gravenberch
The Reds are understood to have sent a ‘scouting delegation’ to take in RB Leipzig’s 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich on Saturday. And their scouts will have been impressed with what they saw as Simons provided a jaw-dropping assist for another reported Liverpool target, striker Benjamin Sesko, to score a lovely goal
While the signing of a new No.10 is certainly not a priority for Liverpool this summer and with the big money expected to be shelled out on a new central striker capable of taking the goalscoring burden off Mo Salah
Jamie Carragher has endorsed the possibility of the Reds signing an upgrade for Dominik Szoboszlai
Carragher admitted: “I’m not Szoboszlai’s biggest fan
he’s scored three goals [in the Premier League
but I was thinking that Slot could do that [look for other options].”
Slot himself admits Liverpool need to strengthen their squad this summer
saying after Sunday’s Chelsea loss: “It’s already a big summer because we extended Virgil [van Dijk] and Mo [Salah] and for large parts of the season
I’ve said already that I am happy with the squad we have
“We will see what the summer brings but sometimes it can be good to bring fresh energy
“It has already been a good summer and we won the league
Only if we see someone on the market who can improve us.”
Meanwhile, Slot has been told in no uncertain terms by two pundits that Liverpool’s weakest link and position needs upgrading as urgently as possible after the player suffered a hugely difficult afternoon in the defeat at Chelsea – and with the Reds already well down the line to signing a replacement
Elsewhere, Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler believes his former club should break with tradition and sign an experienced 18-cap England frontman to lead their attack next season
having explained why Slot will have to reluctantly walk away from a deal for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak
The Reds have also named their price to allow Caoimhin Kelleher to leave Anfield this summer
Leeds and Chelsea all learning his likely next destination
And finally, Slot has also given the green light for Liverpool to reward one of their lowest-earning first-team stars with a new mega-money deal after convincing the Reds boss he is worth keeping around
Northern Football CorrespondentMonday May 05 2025
The TimesTrent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed he will leave his boyhood club Liverpool at the end of the season
paving the way for a move to Real Madrid on a free transfer
The right back publicly clarified his intentions after informing the head coach Arne Slot in March of his desire to experience a new challenge in his career
Sources in Spain have indicated that Real have prepared a five-year deal worth £7.67 million per year (about £150,000 per week) after tax
Alexander-Arnold had not wanted to detract from Liverpool’s Premier League title push and the decision to speak now is due to a determination not to be seen to slip out the back door at the end of the season
The Liverpool head coach gave his players two days off as reward for clinching a record-equalling 20th league title on Sunday, when a party was held at Anfield after the 5-1 rout of Tottenham. Slot’s celebrations continued with his wife’s birthday meal on Monday before his focus switched back to business on Tuesday.
Read moreSlot described last Sunday as one of the best days of his life and claimed it would motivate his squad to recreate the unforgettable scenes at Anfield next season
He believes Liverpool’s transfer targets will also want to be part of a “special” club
“To experience this once is really nice,” Slot said
“But we would love to experience it one more time
It has been special for all the fans and it’s definitely been special for the players and for us as well
“But it definitely helps to attract new players as well because mostly the players that we want
we are not the only club who thinks they are good players
Then maybe it helps for them to see that the way we do things here is special
if I spoke to players who we wanted to bring in
I always told them that our fans are really special and it is special to play at this club
But after Sunday I don’t think I ever have to tell anyone again how special our fans are because that was unbelievable.”
View image in fullscreenArne Slot guided Liverpool to the title in his first season in charge. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PAOne advantage of winning the Premier League in April
is that it gives Liverpool more time to work on transfers and prepare for next season
He intends to use the final four matches as groundwork for next season by rotating his squad more than usual
He said of plans for next season: “I already did this a little bit in the background
It’s not like after we won the league was the first time Richard [Hughes
Liverpool’s sporting director] called me and said: ‘OK
these are the players we are interested in.’ That would be a bit weird
But there’s a bit more time now to have these conversations
The players will be prepared in the same way [for Chelsea on Sunday] as they’ve been prepared for all the other games.”
Slot’s title celebrations showed he will not lose focus
she was here together with the children and some friends
“Tuesday they left and I had left my car at Anfield so went back to pick it up
“It’s not like the whole world has changed by winning this league title
probably everything is going to change.’ But when I woke up Monday morning I still felt the same person
but it doesn’t completely change you in your life all of a sudden.”
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