Thomas Tuchel is looking forward to meeting Frank Lampard in person for the first time and says the man he succeeded as Chelsea boss will always remain a Blues great.
Lampard won 11 major trophies across a legendary 14-year playing career with Chelsea and remains the London club's all-time leading scorer with 211 goals
The 43-year-old had less success in the Stamford Bridge dugout, however, as he lasted just 18 months at the helm before being sacked in January 2021.
Tuchel guided Chelsea to Champions League glory four months later and has won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup this season.
Lampard is now in charge of Everton and has a serious task on his hands in keeping the Toffees in the Premier League.
Speaking ahead of their first managerial meeting at Goodison Park on Sunday, Tuchel revealed Lampard reached out to him when the German was first appointed by Chelsea.
"He sent me a very kind and respectful message after I took over," Tuchel said.
"It meant a lot because I was a huge fan of him as a player and he'll remain a legend at our club, that's a given. I was very happy when he wrote me the gentlemanly message.
"We didn't have a chance to meet before. When took over at Everton he took one of our assistants away with him (Joe Edwards) so we were not so happy with that!
"We will see some familiar faces, with Joey and Ashley Cole also there. I never met Frank in person so I'll be happy to meet him.
"But we arrive with our team needing points, and Everton need the points urgently as well."
Lampard will be the 10th former Chelsea manager to take charge of a Premier League match against the Blues.
Only one of the previous nine has won their first such match, with Claudio Ranieri winning 2-1 with Leicester City in December 2015.
Lampard may not have won any silverware while in charge of Chelsea, but he was widely praised for giving younger players such as Reece James and Mason Mount a chance.
The pair have continued to thrive under Tuchel, who is more than happy to select academy products if they are good enough for the first team.
Asked if he is grateful to Lampard for his previous work at the club, Tuchel said: "Frank didn't do it to do them a favour. Every coach does it because it's about helping them team.
"If Thiago [Silva] helps us we don't care how old he is, and we don't care how young somebody is – if you're ready, you're ready.
"I strongly believe you'll find your way if you have what it takes. I'm incredibly grateful for the academy quality and culture at Chelsea to push these boys through.
"This is top, top quality. It is our job to let them play and push them – this is what Chelsea is all about."
Chelsea drew 1-1 with Manchester United on Thursday to move eight points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham in the race for Champions League football.
Everton's focus is on surviving the drop, with Sunday's contest the first time they have started a league game in the relegation zone since December 2019.
The Toffees beat Chelsea 3-1 on that occasion and Tuchel is not taking anything for granted this weekend at a raucous Goodison Park.
"Everyone tells me about the atmosphere at Goodison – how emotional and tough it is to play there," the German said. "I'm excited to go there and we expect a tough fight."
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti jokingly questioned whether his Paris Saint-Germain counterpart Mauricio Pochettino was telling the truth when the Argentine claimed Kylian Mbappe will "100 per cent" be in Paris next season.
Mbappe is out of contract at the Parc des Princes at the end of the campaign and has been strongly linked with a move to Madrid.
Ancelotti was asked at a media conference on Friday ahead of Los Blancos' LaLiga clash with Espanyol what he made of Pochettino's comments a day prior.
"Pochettino said Mbappe will 100 per cent stay? Sometimes coaches at a press conference cannot tell the whole truth," he said, laughing.
"I think all the Madridistas are thinking about LaLiga and the Champions League right now. Only about that."
Madrid could clinch the title when they host Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, needing just a point to win what will be the 35th LaLiga triumph in the club's illustrious history.
Ancelotti would not confirm if Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr will play any part, but did say he would not risk any player who needs a rest ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final second leg against Manchester City.
"I think that Benzema and Vinicius can rest, but I am in favour of the fact that if they are well, they have to play," he said.
"If someone needs rest, I will give it to them, but not because the game is easy. If there is a risk of injury, they rest."
The former PSG and Chelsea boss did admit he will have a selection headache in defence for the game, with none of David Alaba, Eder Militao or Nacho available.
"We have problems in defense. I have to put [Jesus] Vallejo, who has played very little. We have to choose another central defender, which could be Casemiro.
"In midfield I have options, with fresh players like [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Dani] Ceballos. [Marco] Asensio is up there fresh and then let's see if Karim is fresh tomorrow. I have to prevent any tired player from getting injured."
Although Alaba will not be available, Ancelotti did not rule him out of returning for the match against Man City, which the English side lead 4-3 from the first leg.
"Alaba is not going to be here tomorrow. We'll see on Wednesday," he added.
West Ham are investigating allegations that two German commentators were attacked by supporters during Thursday's Europa League semi-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt.
German outlet Bild reported during the match that the commentators, who were working for ARD, had their headsets ripped off and were punched several times.
The alleged incident at the London Stadium is said to have taken place after Michail Antonio scored in the 21st minute to cancel out Ansgar Knauff's early opener.
A West Ham statement on Friday read: "The club is aware of the incident and will be working to identify the offender.
"In line with our zero-tolerance approach, anyone identified will have their details passed to the police.
"They will be given an indefinite ban and be unable to enter London Stadium and travel with the club. There is no place for this kind of behaviour."
German journalist Philipp Hofmeister, one of those reported to have been targeted, tweeted after the match: "We are doing okay.
"Best wishes to all West Ham supporters who love football and respect their opponents."
Frankfurt went on to win the game 2-1 thanks to Daichi Kamada's 54th-minute tap-in. The return leg takes place at Deutsche Bank Park next Thursday.
Newly crowned ISSA Under-16 champions St Andrew Technical (STATHS) have dedicated their victory to slain Manning Cup forward Omar Laing.
On Thursday, STATHS claimed their first football trophy in over three decades following a 2-1 triumph over the previously unbeaten Kingston College. In fact, prior to the shock loss in the final, the North Street-based team had failed to concede a goal all season.
A brilliant Delaney Whyte free-kick blotted that copybook and gave STATHS the lead in the 25th minute. After missing several presentable opportunities, in the first half, Kingston College did manage to pull back on level terms when Dujuan Richards scored soon after the resumption. However, an own goal in the 54th from Anthony Ricketts sent the Purples crashing to a surprise defeat.
Laing, the leading scorer for the school’s Manning Cup team last season, was killed in a drive-by shooting incident in downtown Kingston last week. His younger brother is currently a part of the triumphant Under-16 squad.
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have been confirmed to face South American giants Uruguay in a friendly international set for June 17.
The fixture will come during a busy period for the national team, ahead of preparations for the CONCACAF Nation’s League. Prior to that, the team will be in action against the Spanish region Catalonia in another friendly international set for the 25th of May.
In five matches the Jamaicans have a losing record against Uruguay, managing just one win, which came in an international friendly in 2004. The last time the teams met was in 2016 at the Copa América Centenario. On that occasion, Uruguay coasted to a 3-0 win after both teams had already been mathematically eliminated from advancing to the next round of the tournament.
The Uruguayans will be using the fixture as part of preparations for the 2022 World Cup, which will get underway in Qatar at the end of the year. The Reggae Boyz, who failed to qualify for the tournament, are currently ranked 64th in the World, while Uruguay are ranked 13th.
Toni Kroos future at the Santiago Bernabeu has suddenly become precarious, with the relationship between the player and Real Madrid disintegrating.
The 32-year-old's dramatic drop in form has called into question whether he will see out his contract, which expires at the end of next season in 2023.
With that in mind, there are reports Real Madrid will look to both replace him and bolster their midfield in the same transfer window.
TOP STORY – REAL MADRID EYE POGBA AND TCHOUAMENI FOR KROOS
Real Madrid are seeking to replace Toni Kroos and strengthen their midfield, with the intent to sign both Paul Pogba and Aurelien Tchouameni, El Nacional is reporting.
The highly rated Tchouameni has long been a transfer target for Madrid, while the expiration of Pogba's contract at the end of this season makes them both attainable.
Kroos' position in Real Madrid's starting midfield has become vulnerable with the form of Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde, while this transpires amid the backdrop of Luka Modric's contract extension.
It was reported that Kroos sought to extend for another season and retire in 2024, but that possibility now seems unlikely.
ROUND-UP
- Bayern Munich are eyeing Luka Jovic as a potential replacement in the event of Robert Lewandowski's departure for Barcelona, Sport is reporting.
- Incoming Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag wants to sign outgoing Juventus attacker Paulo Dybala, according to the Corriere dello Sport.
- The Red Devils have also indicated to Napoli they are willing to pay £84million (€99.8m) for striker Victor Osimhen, La Repubblica reports.
- Arsenal have expressed interest in signing Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, per Football Insider.
Jamaica U-17 Reggae Girlz were forced to settle for a share of the spoils with Canada after playing to a 1-1 draw in the CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship on Wednesday.
With both teams having secured their spot in the next round before kickoff, the win saw Canada top Group F on goal difference ahead of second-place Jamaica.
It was the Jamaicans who took the lead against the previously unbreeched Canadian defense when Natoya Atkinson got the go-ahead goal in the 38th minute. The striker popped the ball into the net after a deflected cross, which headed goalward was parried by the goalkeeper, and fell at her feet.
The Canadians began the second half in an enterprising fashion and were level soon after the resumption. Substitute Renee Watson brought the Canadians back on level terms in the 50th minute when, after ghosting past the defense and firing high into the net, over an outstretched goalkeeper Liya Brooks.
The Canadians will now face Honduras on Sunday in the round of 16, while Jamaica will play neighbours and Group H third-place team Cuba on the same day.
The CONCACAF champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India in October.
Gianluca Mancini's own goal helped Leicester City earn a 1-1 draw with Roma in their Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.
Appearing at this stage in European competition for the third time in five years, Jose Mourinho's side took a 15th-minute lead at the King Power Stadium through Lorenzo Pellegrini.
But the hosts equalised midway through the second half when Mancini inadvertently turned Harvey Barnes' cross into his own net.
It was enough to ensure a share of the spoils and leave the tie finely poised ahead of next week's second leg at Stadio Olimpico.
Leicester made a positive start to what was their first European semi-final. Just four minutes had passed when Timothy Castagne headed wide from a James Maddison corner.
Despite enjoying just 35 per cent of possession inside the opening quarter of an hour, Roma took the lead when Pellegrini latched onto Nicola Zalewski's throughball before drilling through the legs of Kasper Schmeichel.
The Foxes, who lost Castagne to injury soon after, looked to respond. Chris Smalling made an important block to deny Lookman, who also stung the palms of Rui Patricio from 20 yards.
Lookman then squandered a decent opportunity to equalise early in the second half; heading Marc Albrighton's corner over from inside the six-yard box.
But Brendan Rodgers' side not to be denied in the 67th minute as, under pressure from Lookman, Mancini turned into his own net from point-blank range after excellent work from Barnes.
The hosts pushed for the winner with Kelechi Iheanacho going close, but they had to settle for a stalemate.
Cyriel Dessers scored twice as Feyenoord edged an absorbing Europa Conference League semi-final against Marseille, claiming a 3-2 first-leg success at De Kuip.
Dessers and Luis Sinisterra netted within three frantic first-half minutes, but Bamba Dieng and Gerson led a rapid Marseille comeback as a terrific first half ended level.
But a dire back-pass from Duje Caleta-Car allowed Dessers to grab his brace immediately after the break as the hosts re-established their advantage.
Arne Slot's men will now take a slender lead to Southern France for next week's second leg as they aim for a first European final appearance since 2002.
Dieng missed two glorious one-on-one chances for Marseille early on, side-footing straight at Ofir Marciano after eight minutes, before dragging another poor finish wide after 13 minutes.
Marseille were punished when Dessers poked the hosts into the lead after latching onto Sinisterra's flick in the 18th minute, and went two down when Sinisterra swept Reiss Nelson's cut-back beyond Steve Mandanda via a fortuitous deflection just three minutes later.
But the visitors halved the arrears when Dieng stuck a fierce long-range effort into the bottom-right corner after 28 minutes, and found themselves level when Gerson stabbed home after Marciano spilled a cross shortly before the break.
Marseille fell behind once again just nine seconds into the second half when Dessers intercepted Caleta-Car's dreadful back-pass before rounding Mandanda and tapping home.
Caleta-Car almost gifted the hosts a fourth when he passed straight to Byran Linssen after an hour, only for the substitute to drag his right-footed shot wide.
Mandanda denied Dessers his hat-trick after 75 minutes, before Dieng shot straight at Marciano when left unmarked late on, as Feyenoord put one foot in the final.
What does it mean? Feyenoord edge thriller to move closer to final
Feyenoord's thrilling victory moved them one step closer towards adding to their storied history in European competitions, and preserved their unbeaten record in the Conference League (eight wins, three draws this season).
The Dutch outfit, who have one European Cup and two UEFA Cups to their name, will simply need to maintain that record in France to make the final.
Marseille get just Dessers after poor display
A calamitous defensive showing from Marseille was exploited ruthlessly by Dessers, who opened the scoring before putting Feyenoord back in front just seconds after the break. Dessers has now scored 10 goals in the Conference League this season, more than any other player in the competition.
Meanwhile, he has set a new record for goals scored by a Feyenoord player in a European campaign (previously nine, scored by Lex Schoenmaker in 1973-74 and Pierre van Hooijdonk in 2001-02).
Marseille fail to make history
Sampaoli's team came into this contest as favourites after winning seven consecutive games in the Conference League, and could have become the first French team to record eight successive European wins (excluding qualifiers).
However, the visitors' poor defensive performance was summed up by Caleta-Car's costly error, and saw them fall short of that landmark achievement.
What's next?
Feyenoord face an Eredivisie trip to Fortuna Sittard on Sunday ahead of next week's second leg, while Marseille host Lyon in Ligue 1 on the same day.
Eintracht Frankfurt took a significant step towards the Europa League final with another impressive away win, beating West Ham 2-1 at London Stadium in their semi-final first leg.
The Bundesliga side had beaten Barcelona away from home to reach this stage and showed why they had caused the Blaugrana such problems in their latest exciting attacking display that featured the earliest ever Europa League semi-final goal.
That Ansgar Knauff header after 50 seconds was cancelled out by Michail Antonio later in the first half, but Frankfurt were firmly on top following the restart.
Daichi Kamada tapped in what proved to be the winner on the night, with Jarrod Bowen almost stealing a draw when an audacious acrobatic effort cannoned off the crossbar in injury time leaving David Moyes' West Ham a tough task heading to Germany for next week's return match.
Knauff had netted in the home draw with Barcelona and got his name on the scoresheet again when found by Rafael Borre's cross from the left corner of the West Ham penalty area, in behind Pablo Fornals and able to head into the bottom-left corner.
Bowen should have equalised before Antonio did, shooting against the post after running clear but let off the hook as Kurt Zouma – cleared to start following an ankle injury – headed Manuel Lanzini's free-kick down for West Ham's number nine to toe across the line.
Knauff squandered an opportunity to restore Frankfurt's lead before the break, yet Kamada made no mistake nine minutes into the second period, almost walking the ball into the net when Alphonse Areola parried Djibril Sow's effort at the end of an incisive move.
Kamara almost added another on the counter as West Ham went looking for a second leveller, seeing his curler deflected onto the post, although there could have been a dramatic final twist when Bowen's overhead kick bounced away off the woodwork at the last.
As Jurgen Klopp sat in front of a tremendously busy media room when he was being presented as Liverpool's new manager in October 2015, he said his mission was to "turn doubters into believers."
He felt Reds fans were a little too used to coming so near yet so far, having not won a league title since 1990 at the time, and only winning one trophy - the 2012 League Cup - since 2006.
Early on in his reign, after his new team had fallen 2-1 behind to Crystal Palace at Anfield, he was aghast at fans leaving the ground with almost 10 minutes to go, saying he felt "pretty alone" in that moment.
Fast-forward to April 2022, and having won the Champions League, the Premier League, a UEFA Super Cup, a FIFA Club World Cup and an EFL Cup since, it is safe to say that the Liverpool fans are now believers as they sang Klopp's name at the top of their lungs during the 2-0 Champions League semi-final first leg victory against Villarreal.
The Reds are still in with a shout of winning an unprecedented quadruple this season having already won the EFL Cup, with an FA Cup final against Chelsea to come, a lead in their Champions League semi, and sitting just a point behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League title race with five games left.
News that Klopp had signed a two-year extension to his Anfield deal on Thursday, meaning his contract now runs until 2026, came as a huge boost to fans ahead of what promises to be an exciting run-in, and Stats Perform has taken a look at some of the important steps that took those doubters and filled them with such belief.
Darkest before the dawn
There was a lot to clear up in the squad left behind by the outgoing Brendan Rodgers. If you look at the team Klopp chose for his first game in charge against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, you will see names on the bench such as Jerome Sinclair, Joao Teixeira and Conor Randall, names not too familiar to many now.
"There were many full-throttle moments in the game. We need to improve but after working with the players for three days I am completely satisfied," Klopp said after the 0-0 draw, but he knew he had his work cut out.
Although ultimately it was a disappointing league campaign in 2015-16 for Liverpool, finishing eighth with just 60 points, behind both Southampton and West Ham, Klopp did manage to reach two finals, in the EFL Cup and the Europa League.
He ended up losing both of them, on penalties to Man City and 3-1 to Sevilla respectively. The players were despondent, but as detailed earlier this week by Reds captain Jordan Henderson, Klopp insisted his players not mope, but celebrate what they had achieved, and what he was sure was still to come.
First step in the evolution
After adding Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum prior to his first full season in charge, many people were a bit underwhelmed, but those fears were soon allayed as Liverpool set about playing the sort of football they have since become synonymous with.
A 4-3 win at Arsenal on the opening day of the season set the tempo, albeit that was tempered by a 2-0 defeat at Burnley straight after in which Liverpool could do nothing with their 80 per cent possession at Turf Moor.
However, as the season progressed, Klopp was able to get a tune out of a potent front three of Mane, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho, with Mane and Coutinho scoring 13 Premier League goals each, while Firmino added 11 more.
A 3-0 win against Middlesbrough at Anfield on the final day of the season sealed a Champions League spot, but the question was, could Liverpool stay competitive in the league while also navigating through a European campaign?
No player is bigger than the club
Liverpool had made an addition to their already potent attack by bringing in Mohamed Salah from Roma, but the 2017-18 season looked to be thrown into turmoil before it had begun, with Coutinho handing in a transfer request the day before the opener at Watford.
The Brazilian was forced to stay until the January transfer window before being allowed to move to Barcelona, but it did not exactly slow Klopp's men down, largely thanks to the revelation that was Salah.
The Egyptian plundered 4e goals in all competitions in his debut season with the Reds, and coupled with the addition of Virgil van Dijk in January, led to Liverpool making it all the way to the Champions League final in Kyiv.
They were ultimately beaten by Real Madrid thanks to some odd goalkeeping from Loris Karius and a stunner from Gareth Bale, but it felt like the start of something, rather than the end.
Righting wrongs
After adding Alisson and Fabinho to an already strong team, it seemed that Klopp had addressed his two biggest weak points, and so it proved as Liverpool became a near unstoppable force.
They went toe-to-toe with a rampant Man City in the title race, while also showing a determination to avenge their Champions League heartbreak.
They did just that after a remarkable 4-3 aggregate win against Coutinho and Barcelona in the semi-finals, before beating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid to give Klopp his first trophy at the club, arguably the biggest one of all.
However, in some people's eyes, the biggest one was the Premier League, which they missed out on to City by a single point, despite amassing an incredible 97 themselves. Only City that year and when they achieved 100 the year prior had ever won more points in England's top flight, but it still didn't result in a league title.
Righting wrongs: Part two
Just as they had done in the Champions League, Liverpool had a sense of purpose to go one better in the league in 2019-20, and that led to the title race being over pretty much before it had begun.
A 3-1 win against City at Anfield in the November put the Reds nine points clear of Pep Guardiola's men, and they never looked back, until they were forced to stop their relentless pursuit.
After a break of several weeks following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Liverpool returned to finish the job and seal their first league title in 30 years after going two points better than the year previous, ending the campaign with 99 to their name.
The beginning of the end?
The pandemic meant every club had lost their fans, with no-one allowed in grounds. While the increasingly believing Kop was missed, it was not until Klopp started losing his defence that problems emerged in 2020-21.
By mid-November, he had lost Van Dijk and Joe Gomez to long-term injury, and Joel Matip completed the set in January, meaning Liverpool had to play a significant chunk of their campaign with either midfielders, or rookie defenders at centre back.
This led to a downturn in results that had people questioning if the ride was over. Had Klopp's relentless Reds finally run out of steam, and was this the inevitable consequence of shining so brightly?
Thanks to some very hard-earned wins, including a remarkable stoppage time winner from Alisson at West Brom, Liverpool scraped third place and a crucial Champions League spot. Had stories of their demise been greatly exaggerated?
The quadruple chasers
Yes, yes they had. With their defenders all back, and Ibrahima Konate added from RB Leipzig, Liverpool have, if anything, found new levels of excellence this season. They have gone right back to challenging City, and have proven themselves to be one of the teams to beat in Europe too.
They are currently the top scorers in the Premier League with 85 goals in 33 games, and have won 13 of their last 14 league games, with a 2-2 draw at City their only blemish in that time.
Can they go all the way and make history by winning a quadruple? It still seems unlikely, but whether they do or they don't, the news that Klopp's story with Liverpool has been extended by two more years can only be positive.
You better believe it.
Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta says coach Simone Inzaghi will "absolutely" remain with the Nerazzurri next season, and could become "one of the best" coaches in the game later in his career.
Inter's hopes of retaining the Serie A title were dealt a blow on Wednesday as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Bologna, allowing rivals Milan to preserve their two-point advantage at the top of the table.
The Nerazzurri's reverse was their first on the road against bottom-half opponents since January 2021, with Marko Arnautovic and Nicola Sansone overturning the early lead established by Inzaghi's men when Ivan Perisic netted Inter's fastest Serie A goal of the season (two minutes and 53 seconds after kick-off).
However, Marotta remains adamant Inzaghi will remain at the club regardless of the outcome of their Scudetto fight.
"Absolutely yes, we are very happy with Inzaghi," he said at an event at San Siro. "He is doing well and has strong growth margins.
"I believe that when he reaches the age of [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Antonio] Conte, or [Massimiliano] Allegri, he will be one of the best around."
Inter saw an 11-match unbeaten Serie A run come to an end on Wednesday, but Marotta remains optimistic the Nerazzurri can still win a second successive league title.
"As a sportsman, I smile, but it's a bitter smile," he added. "It's part of the game; we lost a battle, but not the war.
"We have to recompose ourselves as quickly as possible; we're angry, but not depressed.
"There are four games left, let's see what happens. Today's football is not as predictable as it was in the 1970s or 1980s. Today, even the team that has nothing to say can win."
Inzaghi's men conceded multiple goals in an away Serie A match for the first time since October 2021 (against Lazio) in their loss at Bologna, having kept seven away clean sheets between those two instances.
Inter and Milan are fighting it out at the end of an absorbing title race in which the likes of Napoli and Juventus were involved for long periods, and Marotta said the competitive nature of this Serie A campaign has been good for Italian football.
"I think there is a general levelling of the teams, there is not yet mathematically a team that is relegated or that knows what its position will be," he said.
"It is for this reason one of the most interesting leagues in recent years, and this was needed after the domination of Juventus and our success well in advance of [the end of the season] last year. This is good for the movement."
Jurgen Klopp is staying on at Liverpool for an extra two years after signing a new contract that keeps him at Anfield until June 2026.
Rumours had started to circulate suggesting the German and his coaching staff agreed fresh terms, and the club made it official on Thursday.
The announcement came as Liverpool chase an unprecedented quadruple. Having already won the EFL Cup this season, they are into the FA Cup final, sit just one point behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League and hold a 2-0 lead over Villarreal ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Injury-ravaged Liverpool finished 2020-21 third in the Premier League, 17 points behind Pep Guardiola's City, but Klopp has proven that to be a minor blip with the Reds back in devastating form this term.
Following confirmation of his new contract, Stats Perform looks back at some of the best and most notable victories from Klopp's five and a half years at the helm…
Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund, April 2016
Klopp surely felt he had a point to prove when going up against his former club in the Europa League quarter-finals, though it all looked to be going horribly wrong. After drawing 1-1 in the first leg, the Reds then trailed by two goals twice at Anfield and found themselves needing at least three goals in the final 25 minutes – somehow, they managed it. Philippe Coutinho, Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren all struck, with Liverpool incredibly netting with all four of their shots on target in the game.
Liverpool 4-3 Manchester City, January 2018
Although Liverpool still trailed leaders City by 15 points in the Premier League after this victory, in hindsight, there is a degree of this win being a watershed moment for Klopp's Liverpool. City were unbeaten in the league at this point, yet for much of the game Liverpool looked every inch their equal. While two late goals from City ensured a tense finish, the Reds were well worth the three points in what went down as a modern classic.
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona, May 2019
The Reds seemed to have little hope here. Lionel Messi inspired a 3-0 dismantling of Liverpool in Camp Nou in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash, seemingly putting one foot in the final. But Klopp's side were in sensational form for the return at Anfield, with Divock Origi providing some early hope with a seventh-minute opener. Georginio Wijnaldum then laid on a second-half brace to restore parity, before Origi completed the turnaround 11 minutes from time. It was the first time since 1986 that a team wiped out a three-goal first-leg deficit to win a Champions League/European Cup semi-final.
Tottenham 0-2 Liverpool, June 2019
It may not have been a classic as a spectacle, but Liverpool fans – and Klopp – won't have cared. After falling at the final hurdle the year before, the Reds were European champions for a sixth time in 2019 as they beat Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid, with Mohamed Salah and Origi getting the goals.
Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United, January 2020
The 2019-20 title triumph was Liverpool's first league championship in 30 years – in that time, their bitter rivals United had won it 13 times to become the most successful club in the English top flight. While Klopp's side were already well clear at the Premier League summit when the ailing United came to Anfield in January 2020, there was a sense that their procession began with this 2-0 victory that left them 16 points clear at the top with a game in hand.
Manchester United 0-5 Liverpool, October 2021
Liverpool heaped the misery on United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer again in October. Paul Pogba's sending off certainly helped the visitors, but even before then the gulf was clear. This was the Red Devils' biggest losing margin to their fierce rivals since 1895 (Liverpool won 7-1 at Anfield), and worst ever at home. Mohamed Salah led the way with a hat-trick, in the process becoming the highest-scoring African player in Premier League history. The Reds went on to hammer United again six months later, winning 4-0 on Merseyside.
Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke believes incoming Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag needs to be given full control at the club if there are to return to the top of the English Premier League.
Jurgen Klopp has signed an extension to his Liverpool contract that will keep him with the Reds until 2026.
Klopp's previous deal was due to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, and the German appeared to suggest on the occasion that he intended to step away from the game for a break at the end of that contract.
However, nearing the end of a season in which Liverpool may still win an unprecedented quadruple, Klopp has decided to extend his stay on Merseyside, adding an extra two years to his deal.
The Reds have already secured the EFL Cup this season, while they will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final, have a 2-0 advantage in their Champions League semi-final against Villarreal and sit just a point behind leaders Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title with five games remaining.
Klopp's two assistant managers, Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, have also inked new deals.
After the announcement on Thursday, Klopp told the club's official media channels: "There are so many words I could use to describe how I am feeling about this news... delighted, humbled, blessed, privileged and excited would be a start.
"There is just so much to love about this place. I knew that before I came here, I got to know it even better after I arrived, and now I know it more than ever before.
"Like any healthy relationship, it always has to be a two-way street; you have to be right for each other. The feeling we were absolutely right for each other is what brought me here in the first place and it's why I’ve extended previously.
"This one is different because of the length of time we have been together. I had to ask myself the question: Is it right for Liverpool that I stay longer?
"Along with my two assistant managers, Pep Lijnders and Pete Krawietz, we came to the conclusion it was a 'Yes!'
"There is a freshness about us as a club still and this energises me. For as long as I have been here, our owners have been unbelievably committed and energetic about this club and it is clear that right now this applies to our future as much as I’ve ever known."
Klopp has taken charge of 373 Liverpool games in all competitions, with a win percentage of 61 (229 wins, 84 draws and 60 losses).
Since he arrived at Anfield in October 2015, Klopp has won the Champions League, the Premier League, the Super Cup, the Club World Cup and the EFL Cup.
"We are a club that is constantly moving in the right direction," Klopp added. "We have a clear idea of what we want; we have a clear idea of how we try to achieve it. That's always a great position to start from.
"When the owners brought the possibility to renew to me, I asked myself the question I've mused over publicly. Do I have the energy and vibe to give of myself again what this amazing place requires from the person in the manager’s office?
"I didn't need too long to answer in truth. The answer was very simple... I'm in love with here and I feel fine!"
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