The Empire of The Kop

When Richarlison plays against Liverpool, you can be sure that he’ll get himself into the thick of the action somehow.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward infamously whipped out his pigeon celebration after a stoppage time equaliser at Anfield in April 2023, only for the late Diogo Jota to immediately score the winner at the other end of the pitch, earning him a cheeky social media dig from Jamie Carragher.

The ex-Everton man was summoned from the bench with Spurs trailing 2-0 to Arne Slot’s side this evening with 10 minutes of normal time remaining, and inevitably he was heavily involved.

Within three minutes of his introduction, Richarlison pounced on a loose ball in the Liverpool penalty area after the Reds failed to clear from a corner kick, with the goal setting up what might be lightly described as a grandstand finish in north London.

Richarlison antics trigger Szoboszlai suspension

In ‘celebrating’ his strike, the 28-year-old pushed Hugo Ekitike in the back of the neck with the French striker lying face-down on the ground, before then running to Dominik Szoboszlai and shouting in the Hungarian’s face.

Incredulously, our number 8 was booked by John Brooks, and it was his fifth yellow card in the Premier League this season. It means that he’ll now be suspended for our match against Wolves next Saturday, far from ideal when we’re already deprived of several other key players.

Mo Salah is away at the Africa Cup of Nations. Cody Gakpo, Wataru Endo and Joe Gomez had already been sidelined with injury. Conor Bradley appeared to take a knock shortly before half-time tonight, and Alexander Isak was forced off after being caught by Micky van de Ven in scoring our first goal.

Totally needless and shameful from Richarlison

We know that Richarlison has more than a bit of history with Liverpool – his weird comments about Virgil van Dijk and his childish social media antics after our Champions League final defeat in 2022 are evidence of that.

Even still, his actions immediately after scoring tonight were reprehensible. Why be so antagonistic towards Ekitike and Szoboszlai when you could just run straight back to the centre circle and get on with the game, at a time when the Reds were suddenly reeling?

The Brazil international still managed to get himself booked for having too much to say to Brooks at the full-time whistle (surprise, surprise…), but his provocative actions after scoring have contributed towards our number 8 being suspended next week for a nonexistent offence.

At least Liverpool had the last laugh on Richarlison after coming away with a 2-1 victory to move into the top five of the Premier League for a couple of hours at a minimum.

You can view Richarlison’s antics after his goal below, via @SkySportsPL on X:

Alexander Isak must be beginning to think that if he didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all.

The Liverpool striker came off the bench at half-time against Tottenham Hotspur in place of Conor Bradley, with Arne Slot partnering him and Hugo Ekitike as he sought to take advantage of Xavi Simons’ earlier red card.

The £125m signing opened the scoring in north London 10 minutes into the second half as he latched onto a Florian Wirtz and emphatically dispatched the ball beyond Guglielmo Vicario for just his third goal of the season.

Unfortunately, as he went to shoot, Isak was caught by a late challenge from Micky van de Ven and needed treatment on the pitch before hobbling off to be replaced by Jeremie Frimpong, with the Swedish striker’s involvement curtailed at fewer than 15 minutes.

Neville sympathises with Isak after cruel injury blow

Speaking on co-commentary for Sky Sports, Gary Neville felt considerably sympathy for Liverpool’s number 9, who’s already had injury and fitness issues since his transfer from Newcastle at the end of the summer.

The ex-Manchester United player lamented: “That is a sad sight for Isak. The could have been his lift-off moment, but he has picked up an injury.”

Isak injury comes at a rotten time for Liverpool

The body blow for the Sweden international could hardly have come at a worse time, with the Reds’ attack already depleted with Cody Gakpo sidelined and Mo Salah away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The festive period was shaping up to be fertile ground for Isak to get plenty of minutes on the pitch, which is just what he needs in order to repay his substantial transfer fee, but the luckless 26-year-old wasn’t even able to celebrate his crucial opener against Spurs tonight.

Once this game is over, thoughts will immediately turn to the severity of the striker’s injury and how many games he might miss for Liverpool during the winter.

It’s just as well that the Reds have Ekitike in such prolific form, with the Frenchman doubling our lead 10 minutes after his teammate broke the deadlock, and we better pray that he doesn’t suffer any setbacks of his own, considering how few forwards we could have available in upcoming matches.

Fingers crossed that Isak hasn’t suffered a lengthy injury – he could really do with Lady Luck smiling on him for once after a hugely character-testing few months.

You can view Isak’s goal against Spurs below, via @SkySportsPL on X:

Liverpool were handed a huge incentive just after the half-hour mark of their clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday after a red card for Xavi Simons.

The Netherlands international was initially booked for catching compatriot Virgil van Dijk on the back of the calf with studs showing, but after being summoned to the pitchside VAR monitor, John Brooks changed the colour of the card and Spurs were duly left with 10 players.

It was a nasty foul by the 22-year-old, who could have few complaints about the decision, although plenty of the home fans in north London aired their grievances as he made his way off the pitch.

What did Gravenberch do to Simons after red card?

In providing updates for Sky Sports‘ live web commentary on the match, Peter Smith noticed the immediate reaction of Ryan Gravenberch towards Simons after the red card incident.

The reporter noted: “Spurs fans are fuming as a replay of the incident goes out on the big screen, but it’s a clear red card. Meanwhile, Simons gets a high five off his compatriot Gravenberch as he walks off… he should be apologising to his teammates instead.”

Simons only has himself to blame

While the Liverpool midfielder may have tried to be somewhat supportive to his Netherlands international colleague after the dismissal, he won’t have been thanking Simons for the crude challenge on the Reds captain, which could’ve done serious damage to the 34-year-old.

Those are the kind of challenges that footballers hate – off the ground, from behind and with studs showing. Thomas Frank may have been fuming on the touchline, but when he watches it back later, he’ll realise that Spurs’ number 7 can have nobody to blame but himself.

It was the major talking point of a first half which was largely devoid of quality or goalmouth incident, in stark contrast to the two league meetings between the teams last season (6-3 and 5-1 wins for Liverpool).

Arne Slot won’t have been overly impressed with his side’s performance before half-time, but with Simons rightly banished to the dressing room, the Premier League champions have a real opportunity to make their numerical advantage count and leave north London with all three points at the time of writing.

You can view the red card incident below, via @SkySportsPL on X:

Liverpool have the opportunity to go level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday evening if they can secure victory away to Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s a first meeting of the two teams since the glorious afternoon at Anfield eight months ago when the Reds secured their 20th top-flight title, and to say that plenty has changed since then would be an understatement.

Aspirations of retaining their crown seem a long way off for LFC, but a five-match unbeaten run has at least seen a much-needed improvement in the lead-up to Christmas, and they travel to face a Spurs side who’ve lost half of their home matches in the league this term.

Liverpool will be without Mo Salah (AFCON), Joe Gomez, Cody Gakpo and Wataru Endo (all injured) for this evening’s clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although there had been increasing hope that Dominik Szoboszlai would be passed fit to take on Thomas Frank’s side.

Liverpool starting XI to face Spurs

Slot makes X changes from the Liverpool side which began the victory against Brighton.

Alisson Becker is between the sticks once again, with the familiar centre-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in front of him. There’s one enforced change to the defence as the injured Gomez is replaced by Conor Bradley, who’s available again after suspension.

The midfield is unchanged, with Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister all starting, and Szoboszlai is fit enough to keep his place in the side as well. He’ll likely start on the right flank, with Florian Wirtz on the left, while Hugo Ekitike is the sole centre-forward.

Alexander Isak and Federico Chiesa are available from the substitutes’ bench if needed, while Jeremie Frimpong returns to the matchday squad after a two-month absence through injury.

You can view the Liverpool starting XI and substitutes below, via @LFC on X:

Paul Merson believes there’s one player who Arne Slot simply can’t omit from the Liverpool starting XI to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening.

The Reds will be without Mo Salah due to his involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), but they can call upon the in-form Hugo Ekitike as their goalscorer-in-chief, with the Frenchman netting doubles in his last two Premier League games.

Such has been the 23-year-old’s form this season that Olivier Giroud has talked up his chances of being selected for the France squad for next summer’s World Cup, even with Didier Deschamps having an outrageous wealth of attacking talent from which to choose.

Merson insists Ekitike must start against Spurs

Ekitike’s two goals against Brighton last weekend are as many as Alexander Isak has managed in total across his first 15 games for Liverpool, and Merson believes that starting the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt marksman is a no-brainer.

In his weekly Premier League predictions column for Sportskeeda, the Sky Sports pundit wrote: ‘Hugo Ekitike has to start ahead of Alexander Isak in this game. When we look at Isak’s struggles, it just reminds us how important it is to have a proper pre-season.

‘Liverpool could be in the top four or top five if they win, so they should play Ekitike.’

Ekitike certain to start – but will it be instead of or next to Isak?

It’d be a shock if Merson doesn’t get his wish of seeing our number 22 in the starting line-up against Spurs, having netted four times across his last two Premier League matches, and with the Reds having the rarity of a full week to prepare for this fixture (and also for next Saturday’s game against Wolves).

The bigger question will likely be whether the Frenchman starts as the lone striker or as part of a double act alongside Isak, with Slot recently selecting the two of them together in the Champions League victory away to Inter Milan as part of a 4-4-2 with a midfield diamond.

The Liverpool head coach has insisted that the two centre-forwards ‘can play together’, although the Swede’s fitness issues have lessened the window of opportunity for him to be partnered with Ekitike.

The Reds go to north London short on first-team wingers, with Salah away at AFCON and Cody Gakpo still sidelined with injury, so it’s plausible that Slot might go with a two-man striking partnership like he did at the San Siro 11 days ago.

All will be revealed when the team news is announced 75 minutes before kick-off, but it seems almost guaranteed that the in-form Ekitike will be included in the starting XI.

James Pearce has provided Liverpool fans with some very welcome news in the lead-up to their Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The immense satisfaction of a hard-earned win over Brighton last weekend was slightly tempered by the sight of Dominik Szoboszlai being forced off with an ankle injury in the final quarter-hour of the match, having taken a heavy landing after jumping to evade a slide tackle from Kaoru Mitoma.

There were encouraging reports from his native Hungary earlier this week as initial scans on the 25-year-old didn’t reveal any major problem, and the outlook for the fixture in north London now looks even brighter.

James Pearce provides injury updates on Liverpool trio

On Wednesday afternoon, The Athletic reported that Liverpool’s number 8 is hopeful of being passed fit to play against Spurs, having responded well to treatment since last Saturday, with Pearce sharing a link to the article via X along with describing it as ‘positive news’.

LFC medical staff will continue to monitor him closely before deciding on Friday whether he’ll get the green light to face Thomas Frank’s side. If that game comes too soon for him, he should almost certainly be back for Wolves’ visit to Anfield two days after Christmas.

Elsewhere, Joe Gomez is set to miss the fixture on Saturday with a hamstring injury, but the damage is understood to be ‘relatively minor’, while Jeremie Frimpong is on the verge of being cleared for a return to full team training after being sidelined for the past two months.

Szoboszlai being cleared to play would be huge for Liverpool

There’s no guarantee yet that Szoboszlai will be passed fit for the Spurs game, but Pearce’s update suggests that there’s a strong likelihood of the Hungarian being given the green light.

His availability on Saturday could be all the more vital with Mo Salah having departed for the Africa Cup of Nations, and Gomez and Frimpong set to be ruled out (thus increasing the possibility that our number 8 may need to play some minutes at right-back, although Conor Bradley is back from a ban).

On that note, there’s a possibility that Liverpool will soon have to do without the 25-year-old for an upcoming fixture, as he’s currently just one yellow card away from reaching the threshold of five to trigger a suspension.

If Szoboszlai can get through our next three Premier League games without a booking, though, the bar for incurring a one-match ban will then increase to 10 yellow cards across the campaign. It means that, if his fifth caution doesn’t come until the Fulham match on 4 January, he won’t be suspended for the visit to Arsenal four days later.

In the more immediate term, keep those fingers crossed that he’ll be cleared for action against Spurs on Saturday and can repeat his goalscoring feat from the corresponding fixture just under a year ago, when we won 6-3 in north London.

Liverpool appear to have been dealt a blow to their chances of recruiting a Premier League centre-back in whom they’re reportedly interested.

Towards the end of October, Fichajes claimed that Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven had been attracting the Reds’ attention due to his ‘physique, speed and defensive awareness’, although the Europa League holders are understood to value him at €100m (£87.9m).

The Dutchman had actually been linked with a move to Anfield in the summer of 2023 before ultimately joining Spurs that year, despite the best efforts of compatriot Virgil van Dijk to persuade the then-Wolfsburg player to come to Merseyside.

Van de Ven unlikely to join Liverpool any time soon

Liverpool’s hopes of landing the 24-year-old in the near future appear to be slim, with the defender expected to extend his contract in north London.

Transfer insider Graeme Bailey has told TBR Football (via CaughtOffside): “A new deal for Van de Ven is emerging as one of Tottenham’s priorities under Vinai Venkatesham’s reign, and talks have already been taking place since the summer.

“This is both ways. Van de Ven is very happy at Tottenham. He has settled in brilliantly since he arrived, having now emerged as one of the Premier League’s best, and his partnership with Cristian Romero is on par with anything in the game.

“Romero plays a part here; his decision not to seek a move in the summer has an impact on Van de Ven, who is ready to follow in his steps and sign, and he will be rewarded with similar terms to those of his Argentine colleague.

“Both Spurs and Van de Ven are aware of interest; there is no denying that. Spurs believe he is one of the best anywhere in Europe, and they are recognising this with this prospective new deal. Talks are set to accelerate this month.”

Liverpool will need to look elsewhere for centre-back recruitment

Van de Ven has been in the headlines for both good and bad reasons in recent days, having appeared to snub his manager Thomas Frank after Spurs’ defeat to Chelsea last weekend before soon scoring an exceptional solo goal in the 4-0 Champions League thrashing of FC Copenhagen.

The 24-year-old is remarkably prolific for a defender (he has six goals in 16 games already this season) and has recorded the fastest sprint speed in Premier League history, clocking a remarkable 37.38 km per hour against Brentford in January 2024.

He’s made his initial £43m transfer fee for him look like a bargain, and it’s easy to see why Liverpool have reportedly been interested in trying to entice him from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but such a raid now seems highly unlikely to materialise.

Thankfully, the centre-back pairing of Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have looked more assured in recent games after being subjected to fierce criticism for their performances during the Reds’ dreadful run of results throughout October.

We could still do with reinforcements in that area of the pitch, though, given the Frenchman’s precarious contract situation and the long-term injury to Giovanni Leoni.

Now that Van de Ven seems unattainable, don’t expect the links with Marc Guehi to disappear any time soon. If anything, they’re set to ramp up as the January transfer window draws nearer.

Liverpool could be at risk of missing out to a Premier League rival for one rumored transfer target, judging by recent reports.

The Reds have been heavily linked with a move for Marc Guehi as the summer deadline approaches, but as we reported on Empire of the Kop last week, they also have Brentford’s Nathan Collins on their radar as an alternative centre-back option to pursue.

However, Arne Slot’s side are far from alone in their interest in the Republic of Ireland international, and a fellow top-flight club now appear to be in pole position to land the 24-year-old.

Spurs ahead of Liverpool in Nathan Collins transfer race

According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham Hotspur are stepping up their efforts to sign the Bees captain -who played under Spurs manager Thomas Frank at the Gtech Community Stadium – and ‘contacts are expected to take place imminently’ with the north London club.

Although Liverpool remain interested in Collins, they’ve yet to make an official approach for the defender, with Guehi understood to be the priority at Anfield.

Manchester United also like the Irishman, but they’d need to sell players first before being in a position to bid for him.

Liverpool unlikely to sign Collins this month

The Athletic claimed on Tuesday that Liverpool are ‘not expected to seek an alternative’ for Guehi if they fail to land the Palace captain, which suggests that they won’t push the boat out to sign Collins, for whom Spurs now appear to be the clear frontrunners.

The Irishman is described as a ‘born leader’ on Brentford’s official website, and he’s valued at €40m-€45m (£34.6m-£39m) by his current club, which corresponds with what the Reds are intending to spend on the Eagles skipper if they can persuade the FA Cup holders to sell him.

Slot’s squad has been replenished to four senior centre-backs after the recent addition of Giovanni Leoni, which somewhat reduces the urgency to strengthen in that area of the pitch, although there remains some doubt as to whether Ibrahima Konate will renew his contract beyond its expiry next year.

Collins’ previous working relationship with Frank had given Spurs an edge ever before they began to pursue him, and Liverpool may need to move swiftly if they’re serious about hijacking the Europa League winners’ move for the Brentford captain.

It seems increasingly unlikely that the Irishman will become a Reds player by the end of the summer, although this bumper transfer window on Merseyside has taught us not to rule out anything until the deadline passes!

Liverpool are still keen on England international Marc Guehi as the Crystal Palace defender enters the final 12 months of his contract — and there’s growing belief this saga could dominate the coming weeks.

The 24-year-old, who captained Palace to FA Cup glory and was a near ever-present last season, is once again a name to watch for us as Arne Slot continues to reshape his backline following the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen.

As reported by David Ornstein on Sky Sports News, the London club turned down a £65m+£5m offer from Newcastle last summer, but with no extension on the table, Guehi now holds all the power.

“He’s into now the last 12 months of his contract at Palace,” Ornstein explained.

“We know Liverpool are keen on him at the right price… Palace would be looking to cash in rather than face losing him for free.”

Liverpool will face competition for Guehi’s signature

With Tottenham also said to still be in the mix after a failed January bid, and Guehi apparently content to play out his deal if needed, the ball is firmly in the player’s court.

But crucially, the respected journalist added: “I’d be expecting him to start at the World Cup next summer.”

The Telegraph have also reported on this interest from Spurs and it seems that Crytal Palace’s resolve will be tested by a few suitors this summer.

If we’re looking for a durable, high-ceiling replacement for Quansah who can step straight into Champions League football, Guehi ticks every box.

Marc Guehi would be perfect for Liverpool

His 44 appearances last season, minimal injury history, and ability to lead a backline would make him an ideal partner for Virgil van Dijk and Ibou Konate — and an upgrade on the departed academy graduate.

Liverpool have already begun defensive reshuffling, with Arne Slot’s side seeing the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez this summer too.

One former England international has backed the Reds to make the move for the Palace captain and it feels like a signing that would tick all the right boxes.

Tottenham’s renewed interest could spark urgency, but the 24-year-old’s contract status gives Liverpool real leverage.

This situation is poised to unfold rapidly — and Guehi may be among the most in-demand players in the Premier League this window.

You can view Ornstein’s update on Guehi via @SkySportsNews on X:

🗣️ "I think Palace would be willing to cash in"

The Athletic's David Ornstein discusses reports that Liverpool and Spurs are interested in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. pic.twitter.com/SWe3WQQBPx

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 21, 2025

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have already played each other three times in 2025, and although they’re not due to resume battle on the pitch until just before Christmas, they could indulge in some fierce competition in the summer transfer window.

As per The Telegraph, the Reds remain the favourites to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, although Spurs aren’t ruling out the possibility of a renewed pursuit for the 25-year-old.

The England international isn’t the only Premier League centre-back being sought by both Arne Slot and Thomas Frank this summer, with their two clubs potentially facing off for another mutual transfer target.

Liverpool and Spurs among multiple suitors for Illya Zabarnyi

According to CaughtOffside, both Liverpool and Spurs are also among multiple clubs considering a move for Illya Zabarnyi in the next few weeks.

The north Londoners are reportedly preparing an offer for the Bournemouth defender which could surpass €70m (£60.6m), but they’re far from the only English top-flight suitor for the 22-year-old.

Newcastle and Chelsea both have him on their respective shortlists, while the Reds are also considering him as a potential recruit if they’re unable to persuade Ibrahima Konate to sign a contract extension.

However, all of those Premier League clubs could end up disappointed, as the Ukrainian is understood to prefer Paris Saint-Germain, who’ve had several bids knocked back by the Cherries, who value him at £60m.

Would Zabarnyi be worth £60m of Liverpool’s money?

While Guehi might seem like the most desirable option, given his experience and homegrown status, Liverpool would be wise to keep Zabarnyi in mind as an alternative target.

The Reds currently have just three senior centre-backs, so that part of Slot’s squad could certainly do with bolstering this summer, especially if attempts to broker a new contract for Konate (who’s into the final year of his current deal) prove to be futile.

Former Bournemouth player Joe Partington hailed the Ukrainian and Dean Huijsen as ‘everything you would want from a defensive centre-back pairing’, with the duo forming an imperious partnership for the Cherries last season (BBC Sport), while the 22-year-old’s manager Andoni Iraola has praised his leadership qualities and training ground attitude (ChosunBiz).

In truth, however, it doesn’t seem overly likely that Liverpool will sign Zabarnyi this summer. His price tag seems a bit prohibitive, especially compared to the quoted valuations of £50m for Guehi, while the Ukraine international could be difficult to persuade if his heart is set on PSG.

The Palace defender remains the priority in terms of centre-back recruitment, but if the Reds hit a dead end in that pursuit and aren’t making headway with a new deal for Konate, then the Bournemouth man could be next in line for a few phone calls from Richard Hughes, who’d have a few south-coast contacts on speed dial given his previous ties with the club…