Harvey Elliott scores in behind closed doors clash as Liverpool ace returns

Liverpool.Diaz joined the Reds on Sunday in a deal worth around £37million, bringing a near-three year stay in Portugal to an end.The Colombian had starred for Porto this season, scoring 16 goals in all competitions this season to help them cement their place at the top of the Primeira Liga, without losing a game.That form attracted the interest of Jurgen Klopp, who made a successful move for him last week to steal the winger from under the noses of Premier League rivals Tottenham.Porto have replaced Diaz in part with the deadline day signing of Galerno from SC Braga, though Conceicao remains unhappy at the decision to sanction the sale of his star attacker.The Portuguese boss believes that Diaz’s departure will make it far more difficult for his side to achieve their objectives for the season.“In big companies and big clubs, planning is done according to the objectives,” Conceicao told Sport TV.“When there is little or no planning, we have to review the goals and think about the near future.Will Luis Diaz be a success at Liverpool? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section...“I’m demanding and, at the moment, the truth is that it’s more difficult, but it’s part of my job to find solutions.“It’s looking to the future and realising that our goals may become more difficult to achieve.”Conceicao also admitted that he has been placed in a “difficult situation” and hinted at his displeasure that financial reward had been placed ahead of winning trophies.“We’re talking about four important players who have left in recent years, including Luis Díaz, who were among the best players in the league in recent years and had their weight in the team,” he said.Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news?Well

Former Bolton Wanderers youngster Nat Phillips has joined Championship side Bournemouth on loan from Premier League giants Liverpool.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is said to have 'threatened to report' Liverpool's recruitment team after he was beaten to an agreement with Porto over a £37.5million transfer.The 25-year-old forward moved to Anfield on a five-year deal earlier this week ahead of Monday's transfer deadline in a huge blow for Antonio Conte and Spurs.Levy is said to have been left furious after being "backdoored" to a transfer for the Colombia winger, who has scored 16 goals from just 28 appearances so far this season.That move leaves Tottenham in a tricky position on the final day of the window, with unsettled boss Conte in desperate need of new talent.The Telegraph reports details of Levy's alleged fury, saying that the Spurs chairman 'threatened to report Liverpool's recruitment team to the club's owners'.However, the flaw in that plan would've been that Fenway owners John W Henry and Mike Gordon were 'delighted' with the way in which the transfer was reached.Jurgen Klopp is said to have identified Diaz as his first-choice recruit back in 2021, with the club saying that would meet Porto chiefs in January to find an agreement.Spurs chief Levy is said to have found out about the Liverpool progress on Thursday, at which point there was 'precious little' he could've done to get his own plans back on track.Will Luis Diaz fire Liverpool to a major trophy this season? Give us your verdict in the comments sectionKlopp told the club website when the deal was confirmed: “I could not be happier that we’ve been able to get this deal done and bring Luis to Liverpool."I have always been a believer in only signing players in January if you would want to sign them in the summer, and that’s very much the case with Luis."He is an outstanding player and

Liverpool have launched a bid of around £5million for Fulham wonder-kid Fabio Carvalho.The Reds are eager to sign the 19-year-old winger on a permanent deal before the end of the window despite the Cottagers’ head coach Marco Silva ruling out his imminent departure.The Mirror report Jurgen Klopp would be willing to let the Portuguese-born star return to Fulham on loan until the end of the season if an agreement is reached, with his current contract set to expire in the summer.That would be of great help to the Championship side who are currently leading the division and pushing for promotion.Carvalho, who represented England at youth level, has been at Fulham since he was 14.He has decided against signing a new deal with the west London side while various other clubs like Borussia Dortmund prepare to poach him for free in the coming months.But Fulham are keen to receive a fee for Carvalho, making Liverpool’s offer a more attractive proposition for the club.However, should he move to another English club in the summer, then an independent tribunal could have to rule on a fee.Do you think Liverpool will sign Carvalho before the end of the window? Let us know in the comments section.Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news?Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star football email newsletter!From the latest transfer news to the agenda-setting stories, get it all in your email inbox - don't miss a thing.It only takes a matter of seconds.Simply type your email address into the box at the top of this article and hit 'subscribe'.And that's it, job done.

Liverpool youngster has scored four penalties in one match, prompting fans to joke about a "buy-back clause".Cameron Brannagan, now 25, was once described by Jurgen Klopp as "everything you need" in a midfielder.However, his 16-year association with the Premier League club ended in January 2018 when he joined League One side Oxford United.He had scored just 15 goals for them in the four years since, but miraculously bagged a quartet of spot kicks in their 7-2 away win over Gillingham on Saturday.Brannagan converted in the 12th, 48th, 55th and 83rd minutes after Oxford were awarded the four pens.In response one Reds supporter asked: "Cameron Brannagan has scored 4 penalties in one game, we got a buy back clause?""4 pens in one game and all scored by the same player. Some going that is," added another.While a third wrote: "Cameron Brannagan has scored 4 penalties today for Oxford United.

Manchester City drawing with Southampton has opened the door for Liverpool and Chelsea to continue their own Premier League title charge — but only just.

Liverpool could make room for Porto prospect Luis Diaz by sanctioning the sales of a cult hero and a promising international before transfer deadline day on Monday.Jurgen Klopp has been open about the club's shrewd business plan throughout his time at Anfield, and the ongoing January window is not an exception.With the deal for the incoming 25-year-old set to cost an initial £37.5million, they could recoup a large chunk of those funds with outgoing deals for Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino.Origi, who is a cult hero among fans for his Champions League heroics of their 2018/19 triumph, could be joined in leaving Merseyside by Japan international Minamino.The Athletic reports that permanent offers for both Origi and Minamino will be considered this month.Belgium international Origi has scored 40 goals for the club across 167 appearances since his £10million move from Lille back in July of 2014.Minamino, who had a positive loan spell at Southampton last season, only joined the club from Red Bull Salzburg in 2020, scoring 10 goals across 49 outings.Will Luis Diaz fire Liverpool to a major trophy? Give us your thoughts in the comments sectionThe report adds that Leeds United and Monaco have inquired about Minamino, who has been valued at around £20million following his arrival for £7.25million.In addition, Liverpool could also raise funds by selling central defender Nat Phillips, who they value at around £15million, having turned down £7million from Watford.Klopp spoke about his transfer plans for January back in December, and admitted that their Covid and vaccination status could have an impact on potential moves.He said: "I got this question asked in the last press conference and didn’t think about it to be honest."It was

Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Porto forward Luis Diaz as Jurgen Klopp looks to strengthen his playing squad - and fans will love his humble nature.The 25-year-old, who came through the ranks at Barranquilla and Junior in Columbia before moving to Portugal in 2019, was raised right next to the Venezuela border in the indigenous Wayuu community.It was in 2015 that he was called up to represent Columbia at the Copa America of Indigenous People, a tournament where he caught the eye of footballing icon Carlos Valderrama.Coaching that side was former Colombia international John 'Pocillo' Diaz, who spoke about the most humble member of their playing squad back in November of 2021.He told BBC Sport: "The competition would be held in Chile so we took a five-hour flight there and you could see his eyes light up with that experience."Lucho would ask us if he could have the same meal more than once.

Prior to the international break, the door to an unlikely Premier League title race was left slightly ajar and now Liverpool are looking to smash it open.

Liverpool owe the discovery of their soon-to-be new signing Luis Diaz to Colombia legend Carlos Valderrama - well, sort of. Jurgen Klopp didn't need to look too deep into the numbers to work out Diaz would be an excellent acquisition at Anfield.

Liverpool bound Luis Diaz once pilled on the pounds in an attempt to bulk up to compete with the other boys in his age group.Diaz looks set to leave Porto before the transfer window slams shut next Monday.And Merseyside looks his most likely destination with Jurgen Klopp's side agreeing a £37.5million deal for the 25-year-old Colombian.Diaz had also been linked to Tottenham this window, but talks better the two parties stalled - allowing Liverpool to reach a deal.But the Colombian may not have had his dream move to Anfield had he not bulked up as a youngster.When at his first club, Barranquilla FC, who are in the second tier of Colombian football, Diaz was noticeably smaller than his teammates.Diaz had grown up in extreme poverty in La Guajira, a coastal region of Colombia.So when he wasn't as built as some of his teammates, Barranquilla decided to put him on a diet plan that saw him bulk up and gain 10kg in weight. Will Diaz be a regular starter at Liverpool? Let us know in the comments section With his new muscle mass, Diaz went from strength to strength and earned himself a move to top-tier Junior.Diaz earned a move to Porto shortly after, and in Portugal, Diaz has stared for one of its premier sides.The 25-year-old has been a regular on the scoresheet for Porto, and Liverpool fans were able to witness him firsthand earlier this season as he travelled to Anfield in the Champions League.

Premier League title challengers Liverpool are on the verge of a stunning £37.5m deal to secure in-demand Porto winger Luis Diaz.

Manchester United "missed a trick" by not employing Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola when legendary gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson departed the club. The vociferous Scotsman, widely regarded as Man Utd's greatest manager, left in 2013 after leading the Red Devils to a record-breaking 13th Premier League title.But nine years on, this remains United's last top-flight crown.Replaced by compatriot David Moyes on Ferguson's recommendation, the ex-Everton boss was a catastrophic failure at Old Trafford.Appointed in the summer and sacked the following April, Moyes' stint in charge is the club's shortest permanent reign since the inception of the Premier League.Meulensteen believes United should have chosen Klopp or Guardiola as Ferguson's successor, both have sustained their prestige as world-class managers since the Scots exit."Manchester United missed a trick not getting one of them," Meulensteen told The Sun."They both have such a presence and influence at their clubs.

Chelsea have expanded the size of their away dressing room at Stamford Bridge, spending thousands.Liverpool and Brighton are understood to have complained about the facilities when they visited the ground this season, according to Sportbible, with conditions thought be to be cramped.Players also had to share the same room as management and staff, something not typically done in the Premier League.Meanwhile, the Premier League’s coronavirus regulations provided a minimum size requirement for dressing rooms, to help squads socially distance.The west London side have had to push through the media area to enlarge the dressing room and comply with regulations.Jurgen Klopp missed Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea after testing positive for Covid. Assistant Pep Lijnders had to take charge of the 2-2 draw, but then tested positive himself the following week, causing postponement to Liverpool's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal.It’s believed that the Reds complained about the conditions at Chelsea.

Paulo Dybala is a transfer target for Liverpool according to reports in Italy.

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has dismissed claims the title race is 'back on' following Manchester City's draw with Southampton on Saturday.

It was a near perfect Sunday for Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson as his side beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park, but the skipper was fuming at the final whistle.After Manchester City dropped points away to Southampton, Liverpool knew that victory would shorten the gap between them and the Premier League leaders, and goals from Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho secured three vital points.The travelling away support were delighted as they saw their side win again even without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and Henderson showed his appreciation by giving his shirt away at the end of the match.But unfortunately for Henderson, it didn't reach the intended recipient.Footage has emerged of Henderson going over to the away support to hand his match-worn shirt to a young Red, only for it to be snatched by another fan.Obviously an item like that is one of a kind, and certainly a sentimental shirt to receive, but unfortunately for the young supporter what was meant to be his gift was taken by another fan who seized the opportunity.It doesn't appear at thought that shirt was handed over to the intended supporter, but the footage does show Henderson gesturing that he will go and grab another shirt instead, and gift it to the fan.Although it may not be the match-worn shirt, it's still a touching gesture from Henderson, which makes up for the rather unsporting act from the other Liverpool supporter.Liverpool are now nine points behind City with a game in hand, and the Premier League title race may not be over just yet, as Jurgen Klopp's side are planning an almighty challenge.It will take some collapse from City though, who has won their previous 12 Premier League games until drawing 1-1 against Southampton.

VAR drama in Liverpool's win over Crystal Palace caused uproar amongst Premier League fans.The opticians joked that they would rebrand after a controversial penalty decision during the closing stages of the Reds' victory at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon.Following a VAR review, Liverpool were awarded a spot-kick in the 89th minute, with Vicente Guaita penalised following a collision with Diogo Jota inside the area.Fabinho then stepped up to score from 12 yards and seal all three points and avoid a nervy ending to the match by putting Jurgen Klopp's side 3-1 up.Fans of rival clubs were quick to take to social media to react to the incident following the decision and the Specsavers Twitter admin could not resist getting involved.Shortly after the match ended, they tweeted: “50,000 likes and we’ll change our name to SpecsaVARs.”With the post immediately blowing up and the likes flooding in, a comment was soon added to the post, consisting of a Google search which read: “Are tweets legally binding?”The tweet is fast approaching the like target of 50,000 and has already garnered in excess of 40,000 likes.Was VAR right to award Liverpool a penalty against Crystal Palace? Let us know in the comments section below.The VAR drama at Selfhurst Park was the latest in a string of contentious decisions in the Premier League this weekend, with the officials coming under fire from fans and pundits alike.Several penalty shouts fell on deaf ears, while Tottenham Hotspur's Matt Doherty was seen by many to be lucky not to be sent off for a horror tackle on Chelsea's Malang Sarr later on Sunday.As for Liverpool, Fabinho's penalty in the closing stages added to first half goals from Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to secure a

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp watched his side beat Crystal Palace 3-1 on Sunday and marked the occasion by handing out free beers to supporters waiting by the team bus.The German is never a man to celebrate an important victory quietly on the touchline and he was no different when on his way out of Selhurst Park with his players after leaving the stadium.Klopp was spotted meeting Reds fans after the game, having hopped off the team bus with some bottles of Peroni for lucky fans who sent off their team after a battling display in south London.The 54-year-old made time to hand out a few bottles of the Italian lager to delighted fans, who then took snaps of Klopp and their priceless memorabilia to capture the moment.Eagle-eyed fan Amar Kanwal spotted the moment Klopp came off the bus and his footage of Klopp circulated around social media.No one knows the exact reason why Liverpool had the beer waiting on the bus, but with a winter break coming up, it seemed like a perfect opportunity for the club to raise a glass with their loyal fans.The Reds needed to beat Palace to capitalise on a rare slip-up from Manchester City in their 1-1 draw against Southampton on Saturday and the Merseyside outfit began in perfect fashion.Virgil van Dijk rose high to meet Andy Robertson’s corner and power home a bullet header after just eight minutes to hand them the lead.HAVE YOUR SAY: Will Liverpool catch Manchester City in the race for the title? Comment below.Liverpool controlled the majority of the first half and doubled their advantage when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain struck home from another Robertson pass, although there were questions as to whether the goal should have been ruled out by VAR for offside against Roberto Firmino.Palace missed a

Liverpool fans have beamed over Trent Alexander-Arnold 'out of this world' ball that led to the Reds' third goal on Saturday.The Reds made an electric start at Selhurst Park with Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain finding the net.Liverpool looked like they were going to waltz through the clash, but a Crystal Palace revival had the Reds on the ropes at half-time.Odsonne Edouard halved the deficit to one, but Alexander-Arnold cut through the Palace defence with an outrageous ball that left Jota one-on-one.Jota was controversially awarded a spot-kick via VAR, and Fabinho tucked it home as Red's fans blushed over Alexander-Arnold's ball."Contentious penalty decision but that pass from Trent is sublime," one fan tweeted.Another added: "What other right back in the history of the sport can do this kinda s*** man.""Different gravy it’s just normal him picking out players with ease," a third tweeted."Evidently proof he’s the best RB to grace the Prem," a fourth claimed. What do you think of the ball? Let us know in the comments section The three points for Jurgen Klopp's side moved the Reds to within ten points of Manchester City with a game in hand.Liverpool were able to make up ground on the defending champions after their 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola has named his starting line-up for Manchester City's Premier League clash with Southampton, this evening with Bernardo Silva starting for the 22nd Premier League match in a row.