Chelsea could finally be set for a transfer breakthrough after reportedly agreeing to meet Leicester City's demands of around £70million for centre-back Wesley Fofana.

Fofana, 21, has been a key target for Chelsea in their bid to replace Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, who departed for Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona earlier in the transfer window.

While the Blues have already spent £33m to secure 31-year-old Kalidou Koulibaly – who has started all three of their Premier League fixtures this season – Fofana is yet to enter his prime and could provide defensive security for the next decade.

TOP STORY – LEICESTER ACCEPT CHELSEA'S NEWEST BID FOR FOFANA

According to L'Equipe, Chelsea's successful bid for Fofana includes add-ons which could make him the most expensive defender in the history of football, surpassing the £80m Leicester received from Manchester United for Harry Maguire.

Leicester had been publicly declaring Fofana was not for sale, but the situation was accelerated by the defender missing a training session, leading to him being told to train with the Foxes' under-23s.

Fofana is yet to receive his first senior cap for France, but the increased visibility that will come with a move to Stamford Bridge could tee him up for a breakthrough World Cup campaign in Qatar.
 

ROUND-UP

– Ajax star Antony has engaged in a stunning interview with Fabrizio Romano, declaring his time in the Eredivisie has run its course amid strong interest from Manchester United.

– Marca are reporting Cristiano Ronaldo has decided his best option is to return to Sporting CP, where he began his career, despite the need to take a significant pay cut should he leave United.

– According to Calciomercato, Liverpool are considering including Roberto Firmino in their offer to Paris Saint-Germain for 28-year-old midfielder Leandro Paredes.

– Sky Sports claim West Ham have had an offer in the vicinity of £51m accepted by Lyon for their 24-year-old creator Lucas Paqueta.

– Chelsea are set to trigger the £12.6million release clause for Dynamo Moscow's 19-year-old midfielder Arsen Zakharyan, per the Daily Mail.

Liverpool will try to sign a new midfielder before the end of the transfer window after Jurgen Klopp admitted he was initially wrong about their needs.

The Reds' poor start to the Premier League season – which has seen them amass just two points from three games – has been exacerbated by injury woes.

Monday's 2-1 defeat to a Manchester United side who were previously in crisis was seen as something of a wake-up call, with Liverpool's starting midfield trio of James Milner, Harvey Elliott and Jordan Henderson failing to impress.

Klopp was without Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, while Fabinho was only fit enough to feature from the bench.

Thiago and Jones are expected to be back in contention soon, but clearly something has changed in Klopp's mind as the German had previously been insistent about Liverpool not needing midfield reinforcements.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Klopp said: "There's really nothing to say about it because we are looking for it, and if it is the right player, we need him; if it is not the right player, we don't need him."

Asked if his U-turn was down to the poor start to the season and injuries, he replied: "That changed. I know we have had this discussion now since it all started; I am the one who said we don't need a midfielder, and now we go looking for a midfielder – you [the media] were all right and I was wrong.

"So, again, Curtis comes back, Thiago is not too far off, Diogo [Jota] not too far off, Joel [Matip] comes back. That all eases the situation slightly.

"It would be great if nobody gets on the [injury] list on the other side. But yeah, a really intense time coming up, we know all that. It's just we cannot change, or we will not change, for that now the way we deal with the situation, so there is nothing really for me to say to you in this moment. So, let's see."

Among the midfielders tentatively linked with Liverpool recently have been Borussia Dortmund talent Jude Bellingham and Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong.

Neither appear straightforward targets, but Klopp reiterated he does not want to just sign any player.

"I don't know, we will see," Klopp said when asked if they can get someone in before Thursday's transfer deadline.

"It needs to be the right player, but we are working, and we will see if something will happen or not. As you can imagine, we are actually working constantly on these kind of things, and there are reasons why it is sometimes not happening – sometimes too expensive, sometimes not the right player – but then the situation changes.

"One thing stays important, and it's that it needs to be the right player. If we do something, it'll be that we are 100 per cent convinced about it, and if we are not convinced, then we don't do it."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is looking forward to the "challenge" of the Premier League campaign after a poor start to the new season.

The Reds are winless with three matches played after losing at Old Trafford to arch-rivals Manchester United on Monday, putting them seven points adrift of early pacesetters Arsenal.

Liverpool's slow start to the campaign has been a surprise and has led to apparent tempers, with James Milner and Virgil van Dijk verbally clashing on the field during the defeat earlier this week.

However, that does not worry Klopp, who pointed to his own reputation as a player before going on to detail why he likes the opportunity the loss of form has presented.

"We spoke about pretty much everything. I didn't see the pictures but obviously everybody else did," he said ahead of Saturday's clash with Bournemouth.

"I was a pretty emotional player in my time and I had more often than not these sorts of conversations with my best friends on the pitch.

"There's nothing to clarify really – it's a situation when you are discussing things on the pitch. Especially nowadays with all the cameras, it looks much more serious than it is. So that's no problem at all.

"The situation is not the situation we wanted to have but actually I like it as well – it's a challenge. It's not the start we wanted, you have to fight back. 

"I'm really happy we have the opportunity to play at home now, twice, especially on Saturday. I can't wait to create a special atmosphere at Anfield together, the team and crowd, to make things happen."

Klopp also warned not to take things for granted following Liverpool's successes in recent years, adding that there are no easy games in the Premier League.

"I think this team delivered in the past four or five years at a consistently high level. There's a little drop two or three years ago but, apart from that, so often we are on the winning side," he added.

"Sometimes, people take things for granted. Liverpool against whoever, Liverpool will win. That's not the case, we have to work extremely hard for it."

Jurgen Klopp cannot wait for the challenge that awaits Liverpool in their "incredibly competitive and intense" Champions League group.

The Reds are looking to go one better in Europe's premier club competition this season, after losing 1-0 to Real Madrid in last year's final at Stade de France.

Liverpool were placed in Group A during Thursday's draw in Istanbul, alongside Ajax, Napoli and Rangers, who return to the group stages after a 12-year absence.

Klopp expects "a proper, proper challenge" in the group stages of UEFA's flagship club competition, though he is relishing the upcoming task.

"The first thing to say is this is a proper, proper challenge," the Liverpool manager told the club's official website. "All of the clubs have quality, they all have pedigree and I would say they all have a chance.

"The good thing is that we do also, so it makes sense for us to look forward to the challenge and give it a try.

"We did not ask for any favours and we have not been given any, but this is not a competition where you can look for easy ways through because the standard is always unbelievably high.

"The difference this year is that the group stage will be shorter than usual, so we will have to be ready not just for the quality of the opposition, but also for the different demands and rhythms.

"The only certainty right now is that all of the six games will be incredibly competitive and really intense. I'm excited about it. It is a proper football group and, like I said, a proper challenge."

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has been named the 2021-22 UEFA Men's Player of the Year, beating team-mate Thibaut Courtois and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to the gong.

The France international solidified his status as the frontrunner for this year's Ballon d'Or with victory over the pair, with the award bestowed following the Champions League group-stage draw in Istanbul on Thursday.

Benzema, top scorer in both the Champions League and LaLiga last term as he guided Madrid to a double, netted 44 goals in 46 games across all competitions.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti also was feted at the ceremony, beating Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp to be awarded the UEFA Men's Coach of the Year Award.

Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland will swiftly come toe-to-toe with their former teammates following Thursday's group-stage draw for the Champions League.

Fresh from his move to Camp Nou in the transfer window, Lewandowski will return to familiar surroundings with Barcelona and Bayern Munich – who boast 11 Champions League titles between them – drawn in a tough Group C along with Inter.

And another reunion will see Haaland come up against Borussia Dortmund, whom he left to join Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. They find themselves in Group G alongside Sevilla and Copenhagen.

Another heavyweight clash will take place in Group H, with Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus set to lock horns.

Luis Diaz does not believe Liverpool's start to the Premier League season has been "problematic", but accepted the stumbling Reds must improve quickly. 

Liverpool have failed to win any of their opening three league games for the first time since Brendan Rodgers' first season at the helm in 2012-13, having fallen to a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on Monday.

Goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford dealt the Reds their first Premier League loss of 2022, which followed back-to-back draws with Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Liverpool have now conceded the opening goal in seven successive Premier League games for the first time in their history, while a number of injuries to key players have led to calls for Jurgen Klopp to dip into the transfer market.

While Diaz recognises the need for rapid improvements, he was keen to avoid overstating Liverpool's troubles when speaking to Sky Sports.

"It's been a bit of a difficult start," he said. "It's not quite the outset we wanted for the season. We're a club that goes out to win three points from every game we play.

"I wouldn't say it's problematic for the players or for the manager, but certainly we all know we need to do better."

Reflecting on Monday's defeat at Old Trafford, the Colombia winger added: "We were fully aware of what kind of rivalry exists between the clubs and we knew we had a big task ahead of us. It didn't go our way on the day.

"We know now we have to just do our job and train hard, rest hard and look forward to the next game, when we can hopefully accumulate some points and get a proper start to the season."

Liverpool have now lost four games against United in all competitions under Klopp, with each coming against a different Red Devils boss; Louis van Gaal in 2017, Jose Mourinho in 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021 and Erik ten Hag last time out.

Although there were few positives for Liverpool to take from the loss, Mohamed Salah's late consolation made him Liverpool's all-time top scorer against United with 10 goals, and Diaz described the Egypt star in glowing terms. 

"It's stupendous for me, being able to share my position in the team with Mo," he added. 

"I've seen him over many years on television at so many tournaments and I'd like to say I'm proud of myself, having reached this position where I can share with him these experiences, to wear the same shirt and be a team-mate of his. 

"It's really something special. Every day, playing alongside players like him, it helps you to improve, not just in a footballing sense as a player but also as a person.

"He's a great guy and there's a very special connection between him and me, and between all of us, in fact."

Liverpool welcome Bournemouth to Anfield looking for their first win of the Premier League season on Saturday.

The EFL Cup third round will see Premier League champions Manchester City host Chelsea while holders Liverpool will play League One Derby County at Anfield.

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United are set to welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford and there is another enticing all-Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

Brighton and Hove Albion will travel to Mikel Arteta's Arsenal as one of the seven games to feature two top-flight teams facing each other.

League Two Crawley knocked out Premier League Fulham on Tuesday, and they are rewarded with a visit to Championship outfit Burnley.

Meanwhile, last season's Europa League semi-finalists West Ham United will face second-tier Blackburn Rovers.

EFL Cup third-round draw in full:

Stevenage v Charlton, Leicester City v Newport County, West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers, Wolves v Leeds United, Nottingham Forest v Tottenham, Manchester United v Aston Villa, Bournemouth v Everton, Liverpool v Derby County, Burnley v Crawley Town, Bristol City v Lincoln City, Manchester City v Chelsea, MK Dons v Morecambe, Newcastle United v Crystal Palace, Southampton v Sheffield Wednesday, Arsenal v Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford v Gillingham.

Ties will be played week commencing November 7.

Mohamed Salah has "a year to prove" himself worthy of the new bumper deal handed to him by Liverpool, believes former Netherlands international Nigel de Jong.

The Egypt international put an end to long-running speculation about his future in July by signing a fresh three-year contract to take him through to 2025 at Anfield.

With Sadio Mane having departed for Bayern Munich, the move represented a major part of Liverpool's off-season transfer business to keep one of the key figures of the Jurgen Klopp era on Merseyside.

But a slow start to the season for Liverpool has seen Salah among others come in for criticism, with the forwatd's second goal of the new Premier League campaign on Monday against Manchester United not enough to stave off a 2-1 defeat for the Reds.

With just two points from their first three games, Liverpool are already arguably facing an uphill battle in the title race with Manchester City, and now De Jong has opined that Salah is on limited time to justify the faith shown in him.

"If I was the sporting director and I'd just extended the contract of probably the best player in my squad, I'll give you a year to prove yourself," he told beIN SPORTS.

"Are you worth another [three] years? You need to produce the same numbers, especially on the wages he's on.

"I think it's really important for Salah, and also for Liverpool, to find a way to be successful together in order to strive for him to stay at Liverpool for a long time. If not, they have to make a decision as well.

"I've said it many times over the past couple of years: Mane is the soul of the team. He is a complete player in his energy, in producing numbers, in the way he strides forward.

"Of course, I'm not saying Salah isn't a great player, but he's staggering when it comes down to the numbers."

Manchester United players must be prepared to continue to "suffer" if they are to maximise their potential this season after beating Liverpool, according to manager Erik ten Hag.

United stunned their bitter rivals as they claimed a hard-fought 2-1 win at Old Trafford on Monday, with the result made even more surprising by the manner of the defeats in their two previous games.

The Red Devils began Ten Hag's tenure with back-to-back losses to Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford, the latter of whom ran out emphatic 4-0 winners in London.

Ten Hag dropped Harry Maguire, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luke Shaw from his starting XI for the visit of Liverpool, with their respective replacements –  Raphael Varane, Anthony Elanga and Tyrell Malacia –  all acquitting themselves well in what was United's first league win over the Reds since 2018.

The collective attitude of the United team attracted widespread praise due to their defensive work rate – their 232 pressures applied to an opposition player on the ball was the third-highest in the Premier League this season.

But the key for United now is to ensure Monday was not just a flash in the pan, and for them to have sustained success in building towards their objectives, Ten Hag is warning the team they have to be willing to run themselves into the ground.

"What I demand is that players bring the top spirit every day. Every day, they have to bring it to the club," Ten Hag told United's official website on Tuesday.

"It has to be a way of life and I hope they understand. It's only working – high performance, high level – if you have that spirit and have that focus.

"If you accept that you have to hurt yourself, you have to suffer, to finally get the best level out of you."

Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford got United's goals on Monday, with the two England internationals generally looking lively as their movement and pace caused Liverpool's defence issues.

Both endured disappointing seasons last term, with Sancho netting only three Premier League goals and Rashford getting four.

Indeed, Rashford's strike against Liverpool ended a run of 997 minutes without a goal in all competitions for United since netting against West Ham in January.

Clearly, however, Ten Hag thinks they could both be crucial to United.

"I'm convinced they can be really a threat, really a weapon against every opponent," Ten Hag continued.

"As long as their focus and energy is there with them, it is very difficult to stop them.

"So it's about the team getting them in the right situation and also about themselves, with the right approach, right focus in the game and battling, defending, pressing. But also dribbles and combinations and runs in behind."

Former Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger described the Red Devils as being in "survival mode" during their 2-1 win over Liverpool, insisting Erik ten Hag will not be entirely satisfied with their performance.

United bounced back from consecutive defeats against Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford in impressive fashion on Monday, dealing Liverpool their first league defeat of 2022 through goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.

The result eased the pressure that had already begun to build around Ten Hag, who is the first United boss to claim his maiden victory in the job against Liverpool.

But Schweinsteiger, who made 35 appearances for United between 2015 and 2017, believes the manner of United's win may not have impressed Ten Hag.

United recorded just 29.6 per cent of possession at Old Trafford and allowed Liverpool 17 shots to their 12, and Schweinsteiger says they remain a long way from competing with the best.

"I support United of course and I'm very happy they won the match," he told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday.

"But was it a great performance? In my opinion, if I compare it with other teams, the top teams in Europe, I wouldn't say so. 

"For me, Liverpool were the better team, they had much more of the ball and possession in the game.

"But United did one thing very well, and that was to have the right attitude towards the game, they had the right spirit in the team. 

"If I compare it to the top football in Europe, it's not on that level. Against the ball they were doing very well; fighting, running, they had the right attitude. 

"But after 20 minutes, Liverpool were the better team, definitely. They couldn't finish their last passes otherwise they would have won the game."

Schweinsteiger knows Ten Hag from the Dutchman's time coaching Bayern Munich II between 2013 and 2015 and insists he is the right man to bring success to Old Trafford, though he feels United are yet to adapt to his style of play.

"I think they have got a very good manager now with Erik ten Hag, I know him quite well from Munich because he was our second team manager back in the day," he added.

"I think they have the right man in that position. But was it the way United want to play football? I don't think so, it was survival mode. 

"In the long term, he definitely wants to have a team that plays a different kind of football. It will take some time but definitely he is the right man for that position."

Ten Hag made several big calls when selecting his team for the game, leaving out club captain Harry Maguire and talismanic striker Cristiano Ronaldo as Bruno Fernandes was handed the armband.

Fernandes looked rejuvenated after his quiet start to the season, recording a team-high 66 touches and creating two chances on Monday, the joint-most among United players.

And while Schweinsteiger was impressed with the midfielder's display, he highlighted the need for United to fit both him and Ronaldo into a coherent system.

Asked whether the duo could play together, he said: "Well they're both Portuguese so I don't know, it's tricky for the national team then! There, they have to play together.

"You definitely see that Bruno Fernandes was running a lot, he made metres and metres and metres. 

"But if you have a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, you have to know what you get and what to expect. He's not the player who runs a lot defensively, but he scores you 15 goals. So, you have to know that."

Christian Eriksen believes Manchester United showed they have the legs to take on the best in the Premier League after outrunning Liverpool at Old Trafford.

The Monday night 2-1 win at Old Trafford will count for little if United stumble at Southampton on Saturday, but after defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford, the Red Devils found a big performance to sink their great rivals and lift spirits.

With Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo shuffled out of the starting XI, goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford delivered three points for United, Erik ten Hag's first league win as United manager.

United had only 29.6 per cent of possession and their passing accuracy was a fairly dismal 65.93 per cent.

That was the worst accuracy United have had in any Premier League game since posting 65.73 per cent in a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in December 2018.

Yet they were still the better side for large parts of the game, with their energy and enthusiasm so markedly different from the game prior, the 4-0 thumping at Brentford.

Assessing the difference between the Brentford and Liverpool games, Eriksen hit on the big change against the Reds, saying: "I think our intensity compared to the Brentford game [was the biggest difference].

"Obviously, we made a few mistakes against them that gave them the advantage and [against Liverpool] we started on the front foot and were the better team in the first half."

Captain Maguire would have been frustrated to be relegated to the bench, but the England defender reacted on Tuesday morning by posting a picture on Instagram of Rashford and Bruno Fernandes celebrating, adding the caption: "Things you love to see."

United's running caught the eye, as they covered 113 kilometres as a group, with Liverpool clocking up just under 110km.

Rashford ended a run of 997 minutes without a goal in all competitions for United and almost added another, thrashing a fierce shot just over the crossbar.

Eriksen said that for United it was a case of getting "back to basics".

"We have some very quick players and how we played today, and how Liverpool play, suited us as well," the Denmark midfielder said. "It's great to play with players who want to play football and run."

Eriksen believes the jolt of the Brighton and Brentford defeats has set United up for the rest of the season, but time will tell on that score. Two wretched performances followed by a big improvement for one game leaves them with some convincing still to do.

Former Tottenham and Inter playmaker Eriksen senses growing unity, however. Quoted on United's official website, he said: "I think it started after losing two games.

"This has been about coming together and getting back to the basics. We needed to show that we were better doing the basics and I think we did that."

Erik ten Hag is expecting Casemiro to emerge as a leader in his Manchester United team after the Brazil midfielder competed his £60million (€70m) move from Real Madrid.

Casemiro, who won 18 major titles during a trophy-laden nine-year spell with the Spanish giants, was unveiled as a United player ahead of their 2-1 Premier League victory over Liverpool on Monday.

The Brazil enforcer is the fourth arrival of a busy transfer window at Old Trafford, following in the footsteps of Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen, all of whom impressed when starting against Liverpool.

Casemiro will likely have been encouraged by a first glimpse of his new team-mates, as United handed Jurgen Klopp's side their first league defeat of 2022 via goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.

Ten Hag, who is now the first ever United manager to secure his maiden competitive win against Liverpool, expects Casemiro's big-game experience to be an asset for the Red Devils.

"He has won so many trophies in his career," Ten Hag said. "He knows the road, how you win games and finally how you win trophies.

"We [now] have more players who have won already many trophies in their career. That has to be a guidance for the rest of the team so they know and they understand how to win games.

"We did really well today compared to last week so we make a step [forward], but it is what you have to deliver every day and in every game."

No midfielder has matched Casemiro's tally of 415 tackles won in LaLiga since the start of the 2015-16 season, with the 30-year-old's defensive abilities allowing Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to star throughout one of the most successful periods in Madrid's history.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the match, Ten Hag referred to Casemiro as "the cement between the stones", adding: "That is what we have been looking for in the summer and found him, [I'm] very happy with his signing."

Ten Hag expects multiple United players to display leadership qualities, and used a post-match interview to hail Bruno Fernandes' performance as captain after dropping Harry Maguire to the bench.

"I think he took the responsibility and I think it encouraged him, the captaincy, and I think he showed leadership together with Rapha Varane," Ten Hag told Sky Sports.

"I think definitely on the pitch, they make a huge difference, but that is what they have to bring, and it’s not just those two, I think we need more leaders.

"When you want to make a winning team, you need more leaders and we need the spirit that we showed today."

United travel to Southampton for their next Premier League outing on Saturday, having collected three points from their first three games of the campaign.

Andy Robertson described Liverpool's start to the season as "really poor" after the Reds failed to win any of their opening three league games for the first time in 10 years, insisting better results "need to come quickly".

Goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford handed Erik ten Hag his first league win as Manchester United boss at Liverpool's expense on Monday, as the Red Devils prevailed 2-1 behind a much-improved performance after losing their previous two games.

The defeat was Liverpool's first in the Premier League in 2022, with Jurgen Klopp's side having previously won 16 and drawn five of their league games this calendar year.

After coming from behind to claim draws against Fulham and Crystal Palace prior to visiting Old Trafford, Liverpool have now failed to win their first three games of a league campaign for the first time since Brendan Rodgers was at the helm in 2012-13.

Left-back Robertson knows Liverpool need to improve sharply, telling Sky Sports: "It's definitely not been the start to the season that we wanted, it's been really poor.

"We give every team a goal start which is the basis of the game, you can’t keep on giving yourself an uphill battle.

"We've conceded an early goal again, we've started slow again and that's what needs to change. We can't keep going one behind. Probably in the warm-up it was the quietest I have ever heard this stadium – they wanted something to lift them and we unfortunately gave them it and then they obviously got behind their team.

"Two points from nine is not the start that we wanted. We need to pick up our performances individually and collectively very quickly. We need to kickstart our season, that's for sure."

Having gone close to winning an unprecedented quadruple last campaign, Liverpool are already five points adrift of title favourites Manchester City after Pep Guardiola's men made an unbeaten start.

While Robertson insists the title race is not on Liverpool's minds, he knows there is little room for error moving forward, adding: "It's early on in the season but even if we were at the top of the league we wouldn't be thinking about the title race.

"We've always been consistent with that every season, you don't really think about it until you get closer to see where everyone's at.

"The start of the season is always a bit messy where you just try to find your feet. This season we haven't done it and yeah, we're not thinking about that.

"We need to get our first win on the board. We need to try to get ahead first in the game and try to put in a good performance, get our first clean sheet and get back to our basics.

"And if we can do that, that's the only way we will win games, it's as simple as that. We've always been a hard-working team, we've always been honest, we've always been passionate.

"We need to keep doing that, but we also need to be clinical in both boxes and if we do that I believe the results will come. But they need to come quickly."

Klopp echoed those sentiments in his post-match news conference, ruing Liverpool's injury problems but acknowledging they should be performing to a higher level.

"It's not the nicest thing to look at, that's clear, but it's our situation. Look, we can talk about all the things but in the end I saw tonight a game," Klopp said.

"So, during the week it is not easy because we have 15 senior outfield players, I think, in training. That's obviously not cool. But for the game tonight, I liked the line-up, saw good performances as well tonight.

"So, our situation is how it is. It's not perfect but good enough to play better tonight, and I think our situation is good enough that we could've won the game tonight if we would have played slightly better."

Klopp moved to play down his post-match confrontation with Bruno Fernandes after appearing frustrated by perceived simulation from United, adding: "It was not animated. It was the most harmless conversation I ever had, with a player who is as emotional as I maybe was!

"It was the situation with the centre-half, [Lisandro] Martinez, when he went down. He was talking to me and said, 'You would do the same', but I said, 'No, I cannot fall like this'.

"It was all fine after the game, he told me he needs these kind of conversations during the game and so I said, 'Fine, use me!'."

Manchester United supporter Stormzy believes Cristiano Ronaldo's future should be out of the spotlight, as he urged fans and media to "let the GOATs be the GOATs".

United claimed their first win of the season by defeating rivals Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford on Monday in impressive fashion.

With new signing Casemiro having been paraded on the pitch before kick-off, Erik ten Hag's team bounced back from the 4-0 hammering at Brentford in style, and were deservedly in control at 2-0 through goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford.

The latter, who ended a run of 997 minutes without a goal in all competitions for United, has scored five league goals against Liverpool, a tally he betters only against Leicester City (six) in the competition, and it was Rashford who Ten Hag picked to lead United's line instead of Ronaldo.

Ten Hag stressed the need for energy as the reasoning behind his decision, with Ronaldo coming on from the bench in the 86th minute, shortly after Mohamed Salah had pulled Liverpool back into the contest.

Ronaldo's future remains uncertain and with United not back at Old Trafford until September 4, three days after the close of the transfer window, it could mean he has played his final home game for the club.

But rapper, singer and songwriter Stormzy, who was in attendance on Monday, wants Ronaldo to be respected as one of the greatest of all time.

"That was amazing, that’s the best we've been this season, the best we've been for a long time," said Stormzy in a pitch-side interview on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

Of Ronaldo, he said: "When they're that great, you can't speak on them, man, you've just got to let the man be great.

"As much as there's been a bit of a fuss, that's a GOAT. You've got to let the GOATs be the GOATs."

United's victory saw Ten Hag become the club's first manager to secure his first ever competitive win with the club in a match against Liverpool, who have failed to win any of their first three games of a Premier League campaign for the first time since the 2012-13 season.