Liverpool

Scott Arfield says Rangers meeting Liverpool in the Champions League "captures the attention".

The Ibrox side will face last season's finalists as well as Ajax and Napoli in Group A this autumn.

Arfield played against Liverpool as a Burnley player.

"The three of them are amazing cities, so we're definitely looking forward to going to them but the one that captures the attention is Liverpool because it's closer to home and we know our following is going to be sensational," said Arfield.

"They've been finalists for numerous years, they're one of the best teams in the world and now we can show what we're all about.

"As always, we think we can be very competitive. It was a great draw for us with a lot of big dogs in there, which when you get to this stage of the competition there's going to be."

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Liverpool's strong links with Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham continue.

There are suggestions the Reds could try to part-exchange midfielder Naby Keita for the 19-year-old former Birmingham City player.

Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards told the Transfer Gossip Daily podcast: "I’d say in the next 12 to 24 months he’s going to be one of the most coveted players in Europe, like Erling Haaland was.

"Whether Liverpool can get him this summer, I don’t know. But this guy is 19 and he’s a key member of the England squad.

"He’s done really well out of that move to Borussia Dortmund. That was a really genius decision to go from Birmingham to Germany when a lot of English teams wanted him. He’s played every week and grown as a footballer. I think he’d be ideal for Liverpool and they do need midfielders.

"They are having a really bad start to the season. It’s no need to worry and panic after three games, but midfield has looked like that area where there have been weaknesses.

"I can’t sit here and say it’s going to happen - but I’m really excited about the prospect."

Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds here

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Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler is in no doubt that the Reds will bounce back from their shaky start.

Jurgen Klopp's side have not won in their opening three Premier League games - and face Bournemouth on Saturday.

"It's been a weird start, we're not playing as well as we'd like," Fowler told BBC Radio Merseyside after winning a celebrity golf tournament in Formby.

"They haven't hit the ground running.

"I have every confidence in the manager, I love him. I'd love to play for him. He'll get it right, there's no doubt about that.

"Once they start performing we'll be there or thereabouts.

"Last year was one of the greatest Liverpool teams and now people are getting upset and coming out with strange comments. It's still a wonderful Liverpool team.

"I'm a Liverpool fan and you always want them to bring players in but I wouldn't be overly disappointed if they don't."

You can listen to Fowler on BBC Radio Merseyside Sport from around 27 minutes here

Liverpool's pursuit of 19-year-old England midfielder Jude Bellingham could be helped by Borussia Dortmund's interest in the Reds' Guinea midfielder Naby Keita, 27. (Express), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

Liverpool will face Ajax, Napoli and Rangers in Group A in this season's Champions League.

The group stage starts on 6 September and runs to 2 November, with the last-16 ties then being played over a month from 14 February to 15 March.

The quarter-finals are in April and the semis follow in May.

The final is at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium on 10 June 2023.

Get reaction to the draw here

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The draw for the group stage of this season's Champions League is about to get under way in Istanbul.

Who will Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham face?

Follow live text coverage of the draw here

Liverpool have made an offer to Barcelona for midfielder Frenkie de Jong.(Futbol Total, via Forbes), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

James Mountford, BBC Radio Merseyside

A lengthy injury-list, a suspension for the newly-signed star striker, a loss of form, or simply handling the adjustment to the departure of Sadio Mane. Perhaps the answer to Liverpool’s below-par start to the season lies in all of the above.

Just some perspective – with only three games gone a win over Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday could take the Reds to sixth depending on other results. Modern day football means every result – third or 33rd game – gets scrutinised and magnified fully but just as Arsenal won’t be preparing for a title parade, let's remember there are still 105 points to play for.

However, the standards Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp have set lately means two points from nine is legitimate cause for concern. As is the worrying trend of conceding the first goal in nine of their last 11 games.

On Monday, there was plenty of attrition but not enough end product. Klopp was correct to say his side may well have drawn or won the game, so Liverpool are not miles off the pace, but they need to start games better than they have so far.

It also spoke volumes that for a manager who banged the drum consistently for the five subs rule, he only used three from the options at his disposal.

Back-to-back home games are definitely a good thing as home comforts rarely let Liverpool down but Klopp will need players who disappointed at Old Trafford on Monday to come good.

The transfer window is still open of course – Liverpool are not known for late business but the signing of Luis Diaz at the close of the January window last season proves they are willing to move if the circumstances are right.

But for now, Klopp and his players will go into Saturday knowing they need to right a few wrongs against Bournemouth, who are managed by the last manager to win a league game at Anfield.

• Liverpool have won their past six Premier League games against Bournemouth by an aggregate score of 19-1.

• Bournemouth have lost seven of their eight matches at Anfield - the exception being a 2-2 draw in the Premier League in April 2017.

• Jurgen Klopp's side are yet to win in the league in 2022-23. They last started a season more slowly in 2012-13, when they failed to win any of their opening five opening five games.

• Cherries boss Scott Parker was the last opposing manager to win a Premier League game against Liverpool at Anfield, with his Fulham side in March 2021.

We asked you for your thoughts on what is going wrong this season and how Jurgen Klopp might put it right.

Here are some comments:

Peter: The midfield is either at the start or end of their careers. With the exception of the injury prone Keita. They need a finished article ball-playing midfielder in his prime. Without this the top four could be a struggle.

Aarif: Liverpool ascended to the top with their relentless intensity, especially in midfield. It's baffling why we didn't enter the market for Bissouma at the reduced price to reinvigorate that crucial area because the current players simply cannot be relied upon to stay fit for sustained periods. Keita needs to be moved on, perhaps in a swap for Laimer.

Ben: For me the form of Fabinho is the most worrying. Our attack relies heavily on the fact that he can break up any counter-attack before it puts pressure on the defence. An understudy for him would be my main priority.

Zak: Cannot expect the midfield to function with players in their 30s or just starting out in their teens. We need a quality midfielder - mid 20s - now to drop in and play consistently. Thiago was always going to miss games like Naby. Nothing new there. I hate to scold Milner, Jordan and Fabinho. They’ve put a shift for a number of years. Not good enough anymore.

Image source, Getty Images

Jurgen Klopp must get a response from his Liverpool players if they are to have any hope of challenging for the Premier League title, says The Anfield Wrap, external's Neil Atkinson.

He told The Football News Show: "To get the points we got last season we would now need to win 30 of the remaining 35 league games.

"I want us to get at least the points total we got last season.

"We know the pace that Manchester City are likely to go at is exceptionally quick and we find ourselves now five points off it with only three games played. Ultimately, I think there is cause for concern.

"Whether it’s a hangover from last season’s exertions; whether it’s the new system he is trying to put in place after the signing of Darwin Nunez; whether it’s the idea that one or two players might have too many miles on the clock - whatever it is, Jurgen Klopp has to answer it quickly and get Liverpool put right. If not, seasons can get away from you."

When asked what the solution is, Atkinson said: "A lot of fans would like Liverpool to go back into the market. I wouldn’t be against it, I just don’t think there is a footballer out there that Liverpool are going to pick up that can solve what we saw [against Manchester United].

"I don’t think there is a click of the fingers, but I wouldn’t mind to see another attacker or midfielder brought in. For half an hour, Liverpool were meek and they have very rarely been meek under Jurgen Klopp.

"You don’t get that from Liverpool - yet we have at Fulham, for a period against Crystal Palace and for a substantial period against Manchester United. One signing doesn’t change that."

Watch Tuesday's Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Jordan Chamberlain, Empire of the Kop, external

Liverpool look mentally and physically drained just three games into the season. Monday's defeat by Manchester United was Liverpool's worst performance in front of a crowd since the 3-0 loss at Watford back in 2020.

Jurgen Klopp campaigned for five substitutes but, because of a ridiculous injury crisis that sees 13 players unavailable, the best attacking option on the bench was Fabio Carvalho - and he was the only Liverpool player to emerge from the loss with any credit.

At Old Trafford in January 2017, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Roberto Firmino started. At 36, 32 and 30 respectively, they're still getting picked and they looked like three players whose legs have gone. Brilliant servants and club legends, yes, but not footballers who should be starting for a side with title ambitions.

Virgil van Dijk's start to the season has been calamitous. At fault for a goal in all three of Liverpool's games. Milner even scolded him on the pitch for his non-committal defending for United's first.

The only starter Liverpool have signed this summer is Darwin Nunez, who is a serious downgrade on Sadio Mane at the moment.

Klopp needs to enter the market for reinforcements, but he should've been allowed to do it months ago.

What's going wrong with Liverpool this season? And how can Klopp and the club put it right? Have your say here

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool’s frustrating start to the season has continued with news that Naby Keita faces longer on the sidelines.

The midfielder has yet to play for Liverpool this season and boss Jurgen Klopp revealed he was injured on Sunday.

“We need further assessment because it doesn’t look like Naby will be in training [on Tuesday],” he said. “Maybe we will know more [on Tuesday] but I don’t know.

“During the week, it is not easy because we have 15 senior outfield players in training. That’s obviously not cool.”

The Reds have taken two points from their opening three fixtures and have been hampered by an absentee list that includes Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara, as well as Darwin Nunez’s three-game suspension.

Midfield has been highlighted as a weak area but Klopp has repeatedly insisted the club have no plans to enter the transfer market for reinforcements.

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty, BBC chief football writer at Old Trafford

Liverpool’s disappointing start to the season continued at Manchester United, with growing cause for concern for manager Jurgen Klopp after the 2-1 defeat.

Klopp has injuries to contend with, lots of them, but there is still a spark missing and they look a shadow of the team that competed for four trophies last season, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Liverpool have fallen behind in their past seven Premier League games and it was no surprise when it happened again on Monday, United going in front through Jadon Sancho after overrunning the visitors in the early stages.

With so many midfield players out, James Milner and Jordan Henderson were badly exposed and simply could not cope with United’s fierce pressure, which made Klopp’s decision to keep Fabinho on the bench even more mystifying.

Virgil van Dijk has had a very poor start to the campaign and his attempt to defend Sancho’s goal was bizarre, standing with his hands behind his back as the United forward left Milner on the floor before scoring.

Trent Alexander-Arnold also had a bad night defensively and these are the patterns emerging as Liverpool still seek their first victory of the season.

Klopp’s squad is too good to struggle for long, but Liverpool are way off their best and a return of only two points from their first three games is a true reflection of how mediocre they have been.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool "were a little bit flat" against Manchester United but the result "needs a degree of proportion", according to The Athletic football journalist Adam Crafton.

Losing to their fiercest rivals, who had endured a chastening start to the season, will certainly sting for Jurgen Klopp's side but Crafton argues there were mitigating factors behind the loss.

"There are a few things going on," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "Remember this is their first league defeat in 2022.

"When you take into account the injuries and a comedown from last season, when they were on for the quadruple only to end up without the two trophies they really wanted.

"They are a little bit flat. They've lost Sadio Mane and, although they've got the replacements in Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, they are still learning how to attack in a dynamic way.

"Finally, there was a huge gap between expectation and reality. People turned up expecting another round of torture for United and it doesn't work like that."

Full analysis of the result is available on BBC Sounds

It's another busy week of commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, with live coverage of games across the Premier League and Carabao Cup.

Tuesday, 23 August

• Fleetwood v Everton (19:45)

Wednesday, 24 August

• Tranmere v Newcastle (19:45, Sports Extra)

Saturday, 27 August

• Liverpool v Bournemouth (15:00)

• Arsenal v Fulham (17:30)

Sunday, 28 August

• Aston Villa v West Ham (14:00)

• Wolves v Newcastle (14:00, online only)

• Nottingham Forest v Tottenham (16:30)

All times BST

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty, chief football writer at Old Trafford

Liverpool's disappointing start to the season continued as they found themselves overrun from the kick-off by an inspired Manchester United.

Jurgen Klopp's side have injury problems and Darwin Nunez's moment of madness that resulted in a red card against Crystal Palace deprived Liverpool of the height in attack that might have exploited Martinez's lack of stature, but they got exactly what they deserved here - nothing.

Klopp's decision to omit Fabinho was mystifying, even more so when James Milner and Jordan Henderson were left off the pace as United rattled into challenges and contested every ball with a fierce competitive edge.

Liverpool were also vulnerable at the back, with Virgil van Dijk's poor start to the season continuing, especially with a passive piece of defending for Jadon Sancho's goal.

Klopp will not be panicking and Liverpool have too much quality to struggle for long but two points from their first three league games is a bitterly disappointing return and it is hard to make a case that they deserved anything more.