A much-changed Liverpool side needed penalties to overcome League One Derby County after a goalless 90 minutes ended with the holders securing their place in the fourth round.

Jurgen Klopp made 11 alterations from the weekend's victory at Tottenham, and Derby held their own despite the 43-place disparity in league position.

The Rams' resistance made it all the way to the final whistle, but Caoimhin Kelleher saved three Derby penalties to see the Reds through.

Liverpool's escape keeps one of their best chances of silverware this season alive, with the Reds already 15 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

 

Jamie Carragher is backing Liverpool to spend "up to £200million" to rejuvenate their midfield at the end of the season and believes Jude Bellingham is the "perfect fit".

The 19-year-old England international has excelled with Borussia Dortmund since joining the Bundesliga side in 2019 from Birmingham City and has been touted for a lucrative return to the Premier League.

Liverpool have long been seen as contenders for his services, though recent reports indicate Manchester City are leading the chase. Real Madrid are also said to hold a firm interest.

Landing Bellingham will take a substantial fee, likely one that would exceed Liverpool's club-record of £75m spent on Virgil van Dijk in 2018, but Carragher believes that figure will be a "bargain" after he continues to develop.

"The issue is that the players don't have the energy to play a full game at the intensity they've played at in previous seasons. Teams are now matching their energy, but this isn't something that Liverpool has adapted," he said on Sky Sports' The Overlap.

"The Arsenal game was a fine example of this – when they played Liverpool off the pitch in the second half – and that is why I can see Liverpool spending up to £200m on their midfield in the summer.

"Jude Bellingham would be the perfect fit, but he would be a lot of money.

"When Liverpool have spent big money in the past, it's been on the goalkeeper [Alisson Becker] and Virgil van Dijk, who were bought in at great age profiles.

"Signing Jude Bellingham would be for a lot of money, but it would get to two years down the line and people would see it as a bargain.

"At his age, you'd have him for at least five seasons before he’d move on, which is a great investment for the club."

Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League, 15 points adrift of leaders Arsenal and seven short of Tottenham in fourth.

Jamie Carragher was "surprised" by Fenway Sports Group's (FSG) announcement it "would consider" new investment at Liverpool, but Gary Neville believes a "sale makes sense".

The Athletic reported on Monday that FSG is "inviting offers" for potential new owners of the Reds, although the Boston-based company later said it was "fully committed" to the club.

The developments came as a shock to Liverpool great Carragher, even if he understands why FSG could be willing to listen to offers.

"I am surprised," Carragher said on the latest episode of Sky Sports' The Overlap. "How strong it is in terms of selling fully or trying to bring money into the club, I'm not sure.

"I just thought that with so many American owners coming into the league, I thought there was a power play in some ways where they could see something in the future given what we've seen in American sports, so I thought the owners would be here for a while.

"Maybe they woke up on Monday morning and read about how much Manchester City have made commercially and thought, 'you can't stop it, can you?!'"

FSG has come under increasing pressure in recent years, despite Liverpool's achievements since Jurgen Klopp's appointment in 2015, during which time they have won the Champions League and the club's first league title in 30 years.

John W. Henry, FSG's principal owner, was heavily criticised for his role in the club's attempts to join the failed European Super League, while a perceived unwillingness to invest in the playing squad has been blamed by some for their poor start to this season.

But Carragher believes FSG's tenure has been a success, adding: "I think FSG have done a great job at the club, and I don't think they've ever proclaimed to have the funds of Manchester United, Chelsea or Manchester City.

"They were the owners who brought the title back, the owners who brought Jurgen Klopp, the stadium has been transformed, the training ground has been transformed. They've almost been a model for clubs like Arsenal.

"Will the club ever be valued as highly as it is right now again? With Klopp as the manager and the team having been so successful over the last few years? Maybe there's something in that."

Neville thinks now might be the right time for FSG to sell up, explaining: "I think the Liverpool sale makes sense.

"FSG haven't got the money to compete with the other top teams in the league, they've already developed the stadium, they've got Jurgen Klopp, and it's now a case of for how long is he going to be around for? Two or three years?

"They certainly can't compete financially with some of the other clubs in the league, so I don't think it's as big a surprise when you look at some of the evidence."

Pep Lijnders believes it is "nothing new" that Liverpool's owners are open to new investment and says Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are "acting in the best interests of the club."

It was reported on Monday that FSG are looking to sell Liverpool 12 years after taking over.

Boston-based FSG responded by stating they would consider new shareholders but are "fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch".

Lijnders says the management team and players will not be affected by off-field issues ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup third-round tie against Derby County at Anfield.

The Liverpool assistant manager said at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday: "Everybody who has seen us over the past few years, everybody who knows us as a club knows we have a strong relationship with the owners.

"We knew before [that FSG would be open to new investment], of course. We knew about the statement, nothing more than you guys [the media] knew.

"What I would like to say is that I always know the owners act in the best interests of the club. They always did, I believe they always tried, at least.

"This relationship was very important for us and always will be. I think the statement was very clear.

"How did it distract us? To be honest, this is what I always liked about our club. We are so focused. There was a little talk between Jurgen [Klopp] and me but from that moment on we start focusing.

"We have a big game coming up [against Derby]. This competition means so much for us. If there is one competition that represents the whole club, not just the first-team squad, it is this one – so I can't wait."

Dutchman Lijnders says there is no point in speculating over a change of ownership and was full of praise for the way FSG have run the club.

"You are just speculating. I think the statement was clear. It's nothing new for a club to try to find new investors," he added.

"They are acting in the best interests of the club, they try to take the club forward, I believe they always did. For me, they are good owners. They tied down one of the best managers in the world for seven-plus years. That says a lot.

"They tied down the best players in the squad. And we have a stable academy. They have invested in it, and they have invested in this training ground, one of the best in world football. It is our home – it wasn't easy to leave Melwood, but we are sitting here and feeling at home.

"Then there's the main stand and the new stand. They made a lot of good decisions and if they were not good owners, we would not be sitting here. We won a lot of cups, a lot of international and national prizes. I believe they are acting in the best interests of this club."

Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton are reportedly keeping a close eye on Lille striker Jonathan David when he heads to the World Cup later this month to represent Canada.

David, 22, is enjoying a breakout season in Ligue 1, netting nine goals in 14 games as he begins to fulfil the potential that saw him become the most expensive Canadian transfer in history when he was purchased for €30million from Gent as a 20-year-old.

In a recent interview with Sky Sports News he made it clear he envisions his future being somewhere other than France, and with a strong performance at the World Cup, he could get his wish as soon as January.

 

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS KEEPING AN EYE ON CANADA STAR

In that Sky Sports News interview, David said "every player wants to play for a massive club in their life – I think if I had the chance to do it, I'll go for it for sure".

That is becoming more of a reality every day, according to a report from GiveMeSport, which names Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton as interested parties, while saying Manchester United could throw their hat in the ring if they like what they see in Qatar.

His price tag is expected to exceed €40m as a starting point, but that figure could skyrocket if he catches the eye in Qatar.

Another report from 90min adds that Arsenal are prepared to spend in the January window as they pursue their first Premier League title since 2003, potentially putting them in the box seat.

 

ROUND-UP

– According to Portuguese publication A Bola, Chelsea and Arsenal are interested in signing 25-year-old Porto winger Pepe, who has a €75m release clause in his contract.

– Sky Italy is reporting Chelsea's odds of landing Rafael Leao have improved as his contract negotiations with Milan make little progress.

Manchester United have made Borussia Dortmund's 19-year-old England midfielder Jude Bellingham their top target, and expect him to cost €150m, per Sky Germany.

– Meanwhile, Marca report Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group will sign Bellingham for €100m as a "parting gift" before selling the club.

– According to Sport Bild, 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund prospect Youssoufa Moukoko is holding off on signing a new contract that will pay him €5m per year due to interest being shown from Barcelona.

Jurgen Klopp remains optimistic heading into the knockout stages of the Champions League, despite Liverpool being drawn against Real Madrid in a repeat of last season's final.

Liverpool finished as runners-up to Napoli in their European group, allowing them to be paired with holders Madrid in the competition's last-16 draw on Monday.

Klopp's side have lost two Champions League finals to Madrid in the past five seasons, but the German is looking forward to two "special" meetings with Carlo Ancelotti's men. 

"I know we have played Real Madrid in a couple of recent finals, but it is not so often that our two clubs have met in a two-legged tie, so now we can look forward to this happening," Klopp told Liverpool's website.

"Real's European record is the best around. We know this. But we also know that ours is not too bad. On top of this, we know that we have Anfield and everyone knows what this means.

"It is a really good draw, a really exciting draw. The games themselves are still a few months away, but it does not take a great deal of imagination to think what the atmosphere will be like at both games.

"There is a lot of football to be played before this, of course, so we will focus on each game as it comes. But yes, this draw has given us something special to look forward to."

Madrid have won all three of their Champions League meetings with Liverpool when facing them as European champions, and their former striker Emilio Butragueno believes Ancelotti's side will handle the pressure of being considered favourites.

"I think that for the world of football, it will be an exciting tie because of the history of the two clubs," Butragueno said after the draw.

"They are a very strong rival, who have had a lot of stability in recent years with the same coach and with the same group of players, and that makes it very dangerous.

"At the same time, we are the champions, and we will naturally do everything possible to qualify and return to the draw for the quarter-finals.

"We fully trust our players, they have shown us what they are capable of in moments of maximum pressure."

Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain believes they face a difficult task in the last 16 of the Champions League after drawing RB Leipzig.

Pep Guardiola's men will take on the Bundesliga side in the knockout stages next February, having faced them twice in the group stages last term.

On that occasion, City opened their European campaign with a 6-3 rout at the Etihad Stadium, before losing the reverse fixture 2-1 at the Red Bull Arena.

Having dodged heavyweight foes such as Paris Saint-Germain and Milan, City have theoretically one of the easier ties on paper, but Begiristain says they will not take their opponent lightly.

"Leipzig are not new ones in this competition - they are doing an unbelievable job," he said. "They are in Europe, always, and they are fighting us in the last 16. They are growing as a club and growing as a project.

"This is German football - very open, box-to-box, which we don't like too much, because we like to have the control. It's going to be difficult, this kind of football.

“We are going to meet old friends - we played last season against them. They were very open games, and we can be sure they will be very attractive games."

In comparison to their rivals, City have indeed been handed a kind draw, with Liverpool facing Real Madrid and Bayern Munich squaring up with Paris Saint-Germain.

With possibly two of the last four tournament winners set to miss out on the quarter-finals, Begiristain feels it shows the increased competition within the Champions League.

"Some big names and big clubs are already out - some of them are now not playing in Europe because they were last in the group," he noted.

"It shows how difficult it is in this competition. Everyone has to respect their opponent in this competition and that is what we try to do.

"Liverpool and Real Madrid are two unbelievable clubs, and they were two of the candidates to win, but one will be out.

"But still the ones who are there in the quarter-finals are going to deserve to be there. We want to be one of them."

Owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have stated they are “fully committed to the success of Liverpool” following reports they want to sell the Premier League club.

The Athletic on Monday reported that the Boston-based FSG are “inviting offers” for a takeover of the Reds.

FSG, who bought Liverpool in 2010, responded by clarifying that they would consider new shareholders, but are not looking to sell up.

An FSG statement said: “There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool.

"FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.

"FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch."

Liverpool have made strides under the ownership of FSG, led by John W. Henry, with the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager 2015 proving to be a masterstroke.

They Merseyside club won the Champions League in 2019 and celebrated crowned champions of England for the first time in 30 years in 2020 before pulling off an FA Cup and League Cup double last season.

Liverpool have made a poor start to the Premier League season, but beat Tottenham to go move into eighth place on Sunday and will face holders Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.

Manchester United have the worst attack among the Premier League's 'big six', according to Gary Neville, who remains unconvinced by the Red Devils' form under Erik ten Hag.

United saw their nine-match unbeaten run halted by a 3-1 reverse at Aston Villa on Sunday, as goals from Leon Bailey, Lucas Digne and Jacob Ramsey punished a lethargic display.

The Red Devils went two goals down within 11 minutes at Villa Park – the earliest point of a Premier League game at which they had trailed by two goals since October 2018 (v Newcastle United), and they failed to find a route back into the contest.

Although United are just three points adrift of a top-four spot, they have scored fewer league goals than four of their 'big six' rivals this term (all but Chelsea), leaving Neville concerned.

"Overall, I'm not wholly convinced by this idea that Manchester United are back - they're not," Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast.

"They're nowhere near Manchester City. They're more watchable [than before] and have got a bit more fight. 

"[Christian] Eriksen has brought quality in midfield and [Lisandro] Martinez at the back has brought tenacity, but he [Ten Hag] can't keep a steady pair. That's a problem.

"United's front three are the weakest out of the top six. You think of [Dejan] Kulusevski, [Harry] Kane and Son [Heung-min]. United would take those three. 

"Arsenal have [Bukayo] Saka, [Gabriel] Jesus and [Gabriel] Martinelli. Liverpool have [Darwin] Nunez, [Luis] Diaz, [Diogo] Jota, [Mohamed] Salah and [Roberto] Firmino. 

"You'd definitely choose three of them over what United have got. You'd even take Chelsea's.

"United's front players aren't as good as they should be, although Erik ten Hag is getting the maximum out of them. 

"I don't know where the money has gone again, the spend over the past four or five years. There are signs that they are getting better, but they aren't back."

Marcus Rashford is United's top league goalscorer with four strikes this campaign, while Antony (three) is the only other player to score more than twice in the competition for the Red Devils.

Real Madrid and Liverpool will contest a repeat of last season's Champions League final during the round of 16 following Monday's draw.

Madrid reached the knockout stages as Group F winners, an outcome they will have been hoping would secure them a favourable tie.

But by being paired with Liverpool, Carlo Ancelotti's men were given arguably the hardest draw possible in what will be a repeat of the 2021-22 and 2017-18 finals.

There will also be a replay of the 2019-20 showpiece between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

Die Roten prevented PSG from winning their first continental crown that year, with revenge on the cards for the Parisians early next year.

Chelsea, winners most recently in 2021, will go up against the youthful Borussia Dortmund, while Manchester City – beaten finalists last year – are also due to tussle with Bundesliga opposition in RB Leipzig.

Antonio Conte faces a return to his homeland and San Siro as Tottenham prepare to duel with Italian champions Milan, while Serie A leaders Napoli – who won their group ahead of Liverpool – will fancy their chances against Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt.

Last-16 draw in full:

RB Leipzig v Manchester City
Club Brugge v Benfica
Liverpool v Real Madrid
Milan v Tottenham
Eintracht Frankfurt v Napoli
Borussia Dortmund v Chelsea
Inter v Porto
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich

Real Madrid and Liverpool will contest a repeat of last season's Champions League final during the round of 16 following Monday's draw.

Madrid reached the knockout stages as Group F winners, an outcome they will have been hoping would secure them a favourable tie.

But by being paired with Liverpool, Carlo Ancelotti's men were given arguably the hardest draw possible in what will be a repeat of the 2021-22 and 2017-18 finals.

Youssoufa Moukoko has scored six goals and provided four assists this Bundesliga season for Borussia Dortmund, putting him firmly in the spotlight. 

The 17-year-old has stepped up since Erling Haaland's exit for Manchester City, with Dortmund sitting fourth in the Bundesliga.

The Cameroon-born forward is contracted with Dortmund until 2023, but his impressive displays are attracting interest.

 

TOP STORY – LIVERPOOL ENTER RACE FOR DORTMUND'S MOUKOKO

Liverpool have entered the race for Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus already circling, according to SPORT.

Moukoko is out of contract in mid-2023, when many clubs are hoping to sign him on a free transfer.

The teenager has hinted he is content at Dortmund for now, with reports he will hold off until he turns 18 on November 20 to sign a new deal when viewed as an adult under German labour laws.

 

ROUND-UP

– Real Madrid midfielder Eden Hazard could be lured back to the Premier League with interest from Newcastle United and Aston Villa, claims El Nacional.

Christopher Nkunku's proposed move to Chelsea may be hijacked by Real Madrid, reports El Nacional. The RB Leipzig forward is willing to wait for Madrid before confirming his Blues move.

– Birmingham Live claims new Aston Villa manager Unai Emery wants to bring in forward trio Nicolas Jackson, Yeremi Pino and Samuel Chukwueze from his former club Villarreal in January, along with Pau Torres.

– The Sun reports Tottenham are considering making a January move for Everton winger Anthony Gordon.

– Struggling Premier League club Southampton have decided to sack manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, according to The Athletic.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will be a potential World Cup liability if England boss Gareth Southgate takes the plunge and picks the Liverpool right-back, according to Gary Neville.

Despite playing a starring role in Premier League and Champions League games for Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold's defensive shortcomings have caused concern.

He has been consistently terrific when attacking, but with England's defence likely to come under heavy strain the deeper they go in the Qatar 2022 finals, Neville doubts Alexander-Arnold is the man for the job.

Southgate is expected to name his squad on Thursday, and Neville said: "It's a really tough one because his brilliance going forward is out of this world, but we're talking about knockout football, and how are England going to win or lose in a World Cup?

"It's going to come down to a moment – a mistake, concentration – and at this moment in time I can't see how Gareth could go into a knockout game of a World Cup playing Trent Alexander-Arnold."

Speaking on Sky Sports after Liverpool won 2-1 at Tottenham in the Premier League, former Manchester United and England right-back Neville pointed to a first-half moment where Alexander-Arnold made contact with Spurs wing-back Ryan Sessegnon, who went down in the penalty area.

No spot-kick was awarded, but Neville suspected it might have been had that incident happened at the business end of a World Cup.

"I want this player to be the greatest right-back of all time," Neville said. "He's got the ability to do that. But today at times, again, he looked like he could cost Liverpool dearly.

"He does rash things. In a World Cup that would have been a penalty against him today, and in a second phase or a quarter-final, he's giving a goal away, so I don't think Gareth will trust him in a knockout game.

"Which means, will he then take him, if he's got four brilliant right-backs also potentially to go?"

Southgate has injury doubts to contend with among his full-backs, but Neville identified Reece James, Kyle Walker, Ben White and Kieran Trippier as players who might be better placed to make the trip. James and Walker are battling to get fit in time to travel.

What makes Neville think there is a case for Alexander-Arnold to make the plane is that the 24-year-old could be a handy substitute if England are chasing a game and need attacking verve on the flanks.

"He won't start him, I don't think," Neville said, "but will he take him as that person to bring off the bench if England need a goal? That is the decision Gareth has to make."

Mohamed Salah will go down as "one of the best strikers ever", according to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Salah scored twice at Tottenham to give Liverpool a 2-1 win in north London on Sunday, making it nine goals in his last eight appearances in all competitions.

The 30-year-old had a slow start to the campaign, with suggestions he was playing too wide, though he led the Premier League in chances created in the early weeks.

Speaking at a press conference after Liverpool's win, Klopp was effusive in his praise of his player, who seems to have rediscovered his scoring touch.

"Even with a 'slow start', he was involved in most chances in Europe, in football, but we didn’t take them or he didn't take them," he said. "That can happen for a striker, it's a completely normal phase.

"Everybody knows, when you look back on his career in four, five or six years, everybody will remember one of the best strikers you ever saw because the numbers will be absolutely insane.

"Tonight, what pleased me the most, he scored the two goals and then he played like a real, real team player. I am not surprised by it, but it is just important because he gets confronted with these questions as well... [I am] really pleased for him, top performance and showed an outstanding attitude tonight."

It was Liverpool's first away win in the Premier League this season at the sixth attempt (D2 L3), which led to Klopp letting off his signature fist-pumps to the away fans after the final whistle.

"Yeah. It was not my plan actually, I didn't want to do it but I got carried away and I thought the people deserved a little bit [after] tough times," he said. "[The fans] had now to travel a lot in the Premier League until they saw the first three points. So yeah, I got a bit carried away, but it was big, absolutely big.

"Before the final whistle I would not have been able to do that because I was really knackered, it was tough, a really tough game for everybody. Brilliant first half, a really, really good first half. Good football, controlled, top goals, world-class goals, and then we all know, Tottenham is coming back."

Harry Kane scored with 20 minutes remaining to make it a nervy finish for the Reds, but they were able to close it out and seal a much-needed three points.

Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League after a stuttering start, but Klopp thinks his team can take a lot of positives from the nature of their win in the capital.

"Last year we nearly won all four competitions, but drew twice against Tottenham, so winning here is incredibly difficult," he added. "It is not about now that we have to play all the time like this or whatever. What we have to show is the attitude, the commitment to defending. That's what we have to show all of the time, definitely, 100 per cent.

"What we have to show is that we are not punched too hard when you concede a goal. I liked that tonight; I didn't want to concede a goal, but I thought the reaction afterwards was good... everybody was 100 per cent in and threw everything in and that's what I liked the most.

"You cannot be consistent by just playing all the time outstandingly well, it's all about showing the resilience we showed tonight. This is not the start or whatever, we are in a phase, we realised already and spoke about it, but for tonight we couldn't reach more than three points. We got them and that's massive."

Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool's win at Tottenham means last season's Premier League runners-up are back in business after ending their away-day woes.

Mohamed Salah's first-half double put Liverpool on the way to a 2-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Harry Kane's clinical riposte just a consolation in the end.

It was a first league away win of the season for the Reds, who had taken a measly two points from their previous five games away from Anfield.

Salah was the star of the show and has been directly involved in 19 goals in 20 games for Liverpool across all competitions this season, scoring 14 goals and adding five assists.

He has only surpassed that once with Liverpool and that came last season, when he remarkably had 28 goal involvements after 20 games.

Now Salah is looking sharp again, after searching for his usual high level earlier in the season, and Klopp's team have back-to-back wins after their midweek Champions League victory over Serie A front-runners Napoli, with the manager seeing grounds for optimism.

"We played an extremely good first half, and in the second half we put a proper shift in," Klopp told Sky Sports.

"We just kept fighting with big passion in the second half. In the first half we were the clear better side, and we scored two wonderful goals, but in the end it was long ago that we won an away game in the Premier League, so I don't really know how to feel in this moment. It was relief after the final whistle."

Liverpool had last won on their travels in the Premier League back on May 17 when they got the better of Southampton during a nip-and-tuck title scrap with Manchester City.

This time around, Liverpool are nowhere near the summit, this result moving them level on points with Fulham and Crystal Palace in mid-table, not their usual company at this stage of a season.

"You need to learn winning as well again after a while," said Klopp, "and that's how everything starts, with massive resilience, really going for it, blocking balls, putting your foot in, putting your head in, using the goalie."

Liverpool's German boss said his players' body language was "outstanding", even when they conceded what he described as "an unnecessary goal" as Kane tucked away a pass from substitute Dejan Kulusevski in the 70th minute.

"You have to get through this, and we got through, and it's absolutely great," Klopp said. "It is a big moment. It was really massive today.

"It's really big for us and that's how it felt."

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