Mohamed Salah’s name has dominated the headlines at Liverpool for so many years, but never as intensely, and as negatively, as in recent days.

The Egypt international’s incendiary interview after Arne Slot’s side blew their advantage and drew at Leeds United has torn at fraying fabric and left Liverpool in dangerous and unknown territory.

The iconic forward, an all-time great on Merseyside and in the Premier League, is facing the very real possibility of leaving Liverpool in January. There is a good chance he has played his last game for the club.

This is a painful situation, to be sure, but Salah is ageing and ostensibly past his prime.

Slot does, however, need to get a tune out of the club’s expensive summer signings, with Florian Wirtz’s struggles a stark representation of the dysfunctional tactical set-up.

Why Wirtz has struggled under Slot

It’s fair to say Wirtz has not been good enough this season, far below the standard expected when Liverpool signed the German midfielder for a £116m fee. It’s also fair to say he’s walked into a burning building, making it difficult to shine against the backdrop of the flames.

It is clear that when Liverpool signed Wirtz this summer, they had landed one of the most talented playmakers in the world. It was also clear that Slot planned to reorient Liverpool’s creative supply line after Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid.

So many variables have been at play this season, but there is no excuse for the toothless, spineless performances that Liverpool have laboured through this season. Slot has to take responsibility, and he has to get more out of Wirtz, who won the Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2023/24 after steering Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible title.

Wirtz has what it takes to succeed. Claims that he lacks physicality are simply untrue. Moreover, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers in the Premier League for progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, so he needs just a little nudge in the right direction, with an uptick from Liverpool’s wider system too.

Liverpool need results, and they need them quickly.

Liverpool lining up Slot replacement

According to Anfield Index, FSG chiefs Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have held talks with Como manager Cesc Fabregas as they continue to weigh up Slot’s future.

Fabregas, 38, is one of the brightest young coaches in the world, and he’s enjoyed a stunning start to life in Serie A, his Como side sixth in the standings.

The Spaniard’s expansive, free-flowing brand of football is not too dissimilar from Slot’s own vision, and this suggests he could dovetail into Liverpool’s first team, taking the reins at the season’s midpoint and restoring balance and confidence.

He may also be the perfect coach to give rise to Wirtz’s latent quality.

Why Liverpool should appoint Fabregas

Fabregas is a young and talented coach, but some would understandably have reservations over his youth and inexperience. However, were FSG to make the appointment, they would no doubt reference Arsenal’s meteoric rise under Mikel Arteta’s wing as a yardstick which they could follow.

Fabregas knows the Premier League, having featured 350 times in the division as a player, having scored 50 goals and supplied 117 assists across stints with Arsenal and Chelsea.

Moreover, Fabregas knows a thing or two about playmaking in the Premier League, lauded as a world-class “maestro” by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho during his trophy-laden spell at Stamford Bridge.

Truly, he was a “genius” of a footballer, as claimed by former boss Antonio Conte, and he has translated that wealth of footballing knowledge to the coaching scene, with Como playing some slick attacking football this season while maintaining a steely defensive line, for the most part. In the words of one notable analyst on X, he’s “football’s next elite manager.”

This foundation could be perfect for Wirtz, who shares certain tactical tendencies with the rising managerial star. Look at Nico Paz, for example, who has been immense this season ahead of his much-anticipated return to Real Madrid.

Paz, 21, is one of the hottest creative talents in the business, and he has been in fine fettle for Como this season, posting five goals and five assists apiece across 15 matches in all competitions this term.

Like Wirtz, he’s as naturally gifted as they come, but he has also been tasked with defensive responsibilities that have given him a coating of completeness that Fabregas’ tactics would play into Wirtz’s own game.

One thing’s for certain, Liverpool have crumbled under Slot’s wing. After that blistering start at the beginning of last season, the Reds have slowly tapered off, shipping so many goals and losing so many games.

Arne Slot at Liverpool (2024 vs 2025)
2024	#	2025
27	Games	52
23	Wins	26
3	Draws	10
1	Losses	16
2.66	PPG	1.69
73	Goals scored	91
27	Goals conceded	69
Data via Transfermarkt

Liverpool have a whole host of problems that have shown little sign of abating this season, but among the most egregious issues are the woes of Wirtz and Alexander Isak, who look shells of their former selves.

This cannot continue. Changes are needed. While FSG will continue to persist with Slot for the time being, given that Hughes has held preliminary talks with Fabregas (and who knows who else?), we can be sure that the plug will be pulled if improvements are not seen quickly.

Fabregas, with fresh and innovative ideas, could be the shrewd solution.

Sell him before Salah & Konate: FSG must bin Liverpool's "major issue"

Liverpool have collapsed this season, and some tough decisions need to be made.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

3 days ago

A devastating all-round performance from captain Sophie Devine powered Perth Scorchers to a crucial 30-run win against Melbourne Renegades at the WACA in Perth.After top-scoring with a breezy 40 off 28 in Scorchers’ 184 for 5, Devine backed it up with the ball by snaring 4 for 25 as Renegades limped to 9-154. The Renegades’ chase started on the wrong foot at 2 for 2, then 34 for 4, ensuring they were already out of contention and Scorchers would celebrate in front of their home crowd.To win, the reigning champions would have needed to pull off the joint third-highest run chase in the history of the tournament.After the early carnage, wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum (28) and Georgia Wareham (43) attempted to steady the Renegades. But their 55-run stand ended as Faltum and Wareham both fell to star Scorchers spinner Alana King. Devine, who recently ended her glorious ODI career for New Zealand, showed she is still a major weapon in T20s, 19 years after making her international debut.It was the 36-year-old’s second fourth-wicket haul in the WBBL, falling short of her best figures (5 for 41).Sophie Devine top-scored for Perth Scorchers with 40 off 28 balls•Getty Images

Earlier, Devine combined for a 69-run stand with Maddy Darke (36) to put the pressure on the Renegades’ stacked bowling attack. King made an important cameo at the end, whacking 22 from eight balls to take Scorchers into territory Renegades would struggle to chase down.The result led to the Scorchers jumping from sixth into third on the points table, with just one match remaining. Renegades, meanwhile, slumped to sixth position.If they are to be any chance of backing up last year’s title triumph, Renegades will need to defeat the in-form Sydney Sixers in their final match of the tournament on Friday. Scorchers should be able to book a finals spot, with their last match against the struggling Brisbane Heat back in Perth on Saturday night.

Liverpool were unable to return to winning ways once again in the Premier League last night, that’s despite a late equaliser at Anfield against high-flying Sunderland.

Arne Slot’s men looked to be staring down the barrel of yet another home defeat, but Florian Wirtz’s deflected effort late on secured a needed point to help stop the rot.

It could have been a lot worse for the Reds last night had they not found a leveller, with Chemsdine Talbi putting Regis Le Bris’ side ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.

However, the picture still looks incredibly bleak for the Dutchman and his side, as the Dutchman’s side currently occupy eighth place and sit 11 points off leaders Arsenal.

During the draw, it was yet another evening to forget for one player, with his selection by the manager once again coming under huge criticism after failing to deliver.

The stats behind Ibrahima Konate’s display against Sunderland

After a mistake against PSV in the Champions League last week, Slot has continued to operate with Ibrahima Konate at the heart of the backline for Liverpool.

The Frenchman has previously been one of the club’s leading talents in their recent success, but the 2025/26 campaign has been one to forget to date.

His showing against the Black Cats was yet another to forget for the 26-year-old, with his underlying figures showcasing his struggles on Merseyside once again.

Konate nearly misjudged a header, which led to the visitors going ahead before their eventual game, no doubt contributing to his measly tally of 57% aerials won.

He also won just 50% of the tackles he entered, whilst making just one interception – resulting in the club once again being unable to keep a clean sheet in England’s top-flight.

The defender desperately needs replacing over the coming months, with the same potentially being said about another player who failed to deliver on Wednesday night.

The Liverpool star who needs to be dropped after Sunderland

The draw against Sunderland last night now extends Liverpool’s run to just one win in their last five outings, highlighting the issues Slot currently has to deal with.

He definitely needs to find a solution to the recent issues, with the club facing a real possibility of missing out on all forms of European football if such a trend continues.

Whether that be a formation change or a personnel change in certain areas of the pitch, the Dutchman has a real task on his hands – potentially finding himself out of a job should he fail to do so.

Alongside Konate, numerous players have failed to deliver in the Premier League, with Cody Gakpo also massively underperforming against the newly-promoted outfit.

The winger has been a consistent starter for the Reds so far this season, as seen by his tally of 12 starts in the first 14 league outings of the ongoing campaign.

However, last night was one of his worst to date, so much so Slot decided to substitute the 26-year-old at the break and replace him with fan-favourite Mohamed Salah.

He was very predictable in the first half of the clash at Anfield, often cutting inside onto his favoured right foot, something which full-back Trai Hume read on the vast majority of occasions.

Gakpo’s underlying stats against the Black Cats further demonstrate his lack of quality, which led to hefty criticism being directed his way at the final whistle.

During his 45-minute showing, the attacker only managed to complete a total of seven passes, with none of which being into the final third – showcasing his lack of creativity at Anfield.

Minutes played

45

Touches

26

Passes completed

7

Passes into final third

0

Dribbles completed

0

Crosses completed

1

Shots taken

1

Duels won

1/5

He also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, whilst managing to register just one successful cross – reaffirming his struggles on Merseyside.

Gakpo’s lack of impact was topped off by his tally of just one shot, which was blocked, resulting in John O’Sullivan saying he was sick of the winger’s “1/10 performances”.

With players on the bench such as Federico Chiesa and Hugo Ekitiké, it’s vital that Slot drops the winger ahead of their next outing at the weekend in an attempt to end the recent barren run.

There’s no understating the struggles at Anfield at present, but the manager desperately needs to get a grip of the situation if any credibility is to come out of the ongoing campaign.

Fabinho 2.0: Liverpool in pole position to sign £35m midfield "machine"

Liverpool look set to be making a move for one star during the upcoming January transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Girona are eyeing a move for out-of-favour Barcelona star Marc Bernal as La Liga rivals aim to snap up the La Masia graduate on loan in the January transfer window. The 18-year-old has made just four appearances for the Catalan giants following his return from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, which saw him miss the majority of the 2024-25 campaign.

• Struggling Bernal wants a move away from Barca

  After emerging through Barcelona’s famous youth system at the start of the 2024-25 season, Bernal’s campaign was cruelly cut short after he sustained a serious knee injury in his side’s 2-1 La Liga victory over Rayo Vallecano in August 2024. However, after 382 days on the sidelines, Barcelona declared Bernal was fit once again on September 13, 2025. 

  The Berga-born prodigy made the perfect return to action as he provided an assist in the Blaugrana’s 6-0 league victory over Valencia a day later, with Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski all scoring braces at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. However, since his return, the teenager has played just six La Liga matches, out of which he has started in just one game. Overall, he has clocked only 120 minutes on the pitch and Bernal is getting frustrated with his role under Flick.

  reported in November that Bernal is considering all his options ahead of the upcoming January transfer window opening in less than a month’s time. The report added that while the Catalan side are not planning on allowing Bernal to leave, the youngster is believed to be eyeing a loan move in his bid to earn more minutes.

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• Getty Images
  

  Girona eye temporary move for Barca outcast

  According to journalist Nil Sola, Barcelona's La Liga rivals Girona are considering making a formal bid to sign the young midfielder on loan in January, as they look to bolster their squad midway through the season after making a nightmare start to the 2025-26 campaign. Girona have won just two out of their first 15 matches in La Liga and are currently placed 18th in the league.

  Speaking on , Sola said: "One of the players that Girona would really like, and that is an option, but it remains to be seen whether it ends up happening, is Marc Bernal. If the loan option is open, it would be very interesting to repeat a formula like the one used with Eric Garcia a few seasons ago."

• Bernal's lack of game time hurting the national team prospect

  During the November international break, Bernal was left out of the Spain U-21 squad that competed in two Euro U-21 qualifying matches, with head coach David Gordo citing a lack of playing time for his exclusion. "Marc is one of our own, but he’s not in a comfortable situation right now," said Gordo. "He’s getting very little playing time. And we’ve brought the squad we think will best help us get six crucial points for our league position."

  The Spanish youth side went on to beat San Marino 7-0, before edging out Romania U-21 2-1.

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• Getty Images
  

  Bernal's massive release clause

  Bernam moving out of Barcelona permanently might not be feasible as the Catalan side renewed the contract of their teenage sensation until 2029 and inserted a huge €500 million (£420m/$545m) release clause. During the time of his extension, the club had said: "FC Barcelona and the player Marc Bernal have reached an agreement for the extension of the player's contract until June 2029. The signing took place on Monday morning at the Club Offices with the Barça president Joan Laporta, first vice president Rafael Yuste and director of the Football Area, Deco, all present."

  From his massive release, it is clear that Barcelona rates the talented midfielder very highly and are thinking of incorporating him in the starting lineup in the long run. However, considering the player's benefit, they might allow him to leave temporarily in January.

England stars will, if they are being honest, want to avoid Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for as long as possible at the 2026 World Cup, says Nigel Winterburn. The ex-Three Lions defender has, in an exclusive interview with GOAL, been discussing the chances of bringing 60 years of pain to a close ahead of the group-stage draw taking place on December 5.

Ready to roar: Are England's Three Lions contenders?

England, having made light work of qualification, will be among the favourites to capture a global crown next summer. With Harry Kane leading the line as captain, Jude Bellingham looking to dominate the midfield and Jordan Pickford picking up a useful habit of keeping clean sheets, the Three Lions are seemingly ready to roar.

That has, however, been the case on a number of occasions in the past. Too many toothless displays have been delivered, even when reaching the finals of back-to-back European Championships. Favourable draws have been enjoyed at times, but England have come unstuck when facing fellow heavyweight outfits.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALBeat the best? Why England will want to avoid Messi & Ronaldo

Italy, France and Spain have dashed collective dreams at the last three major international tournaments. With that in mind, Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to steer clear of Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal et al in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

It is often said, though, that you need to beat the best in order to become the best. With that in mind, will the Three Lions be looking forward to potential meetings with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Argentina and Portugal?

When that question was put to former Arsenal and England full-back Winterburn, he – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “Sometimes in a tournament you can get a nice passage. I think we have seen that with England at times. You get a nice passage through, depending on how the draw falls for you. Then you don’t potentially get the top teams until the semi-finals, final. You would expect to play the top teams at some point.

“Being a player, yes, you want to play against the best but maybe you want to leave that until the final with the anticipation because anything can happen. As a player, if you get what is called a favourable draw to get through to the quarters, semi-final and final of a World Cup, I don’t think you are going to be hearing any England players or any of the fans moaning that the opposition is not good enough. It’s on the day. You have just got to be ready.”

Last dance: Will Messi & Ronaldo lock horns again?

Portuguese superstar Ronaldo has stated that the 2026 World Cup will be his last, but Argentine GOAT Messi is yet to confirm that he will form part of the Albiceleste’s title defence. He is now plying his trade in MLS with Inter Miami and will not, due to the sporting calendar in America, have as much competitive action under his belt by June 2026 as many of his rivals.

Messi said when asked if another World Cup outing is exciting: “Yes, obviously it is. It's a special World Cup. It's special to play with the national team, especially in major official competitions, and even more so considering what a World Cup means, especially after having won it.

“But as I was saying, I don't want to be a burden, so to speak. I want to feel physically fit, to be sure I can help and contribute to the team. Our season is different from the European one. We'll have a pre-season in between, with few matches leading up to the World Cup, and we'll see how things go day by day to see if I really feel physically fit enough to be where I'd like to be and be able to participate. But obviously I'm aware that it's a World Cup, and it's special, and that the World Cup is the biggest competition there is. So, I'm excited, but I'm taking it one day at a time.”

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GettyWorld Cup group stage draw: When & where that takes place

Messi, Ronaldo, Kane and Co will discover their group-stage opponents when the 2026 World Cup draw takes place at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on Friday.

Liverpool have now joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement alongside interest from rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Slot shaping Liverpool future without Salah?

Arne Slot simply had to make a big call last weekend. PSV Eindhoven’s 4-1 thrashing took Liverpool’s form from a blip into a full-blown crisis and something had to give. Unfortunately, that something against West Ham United was Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool’s Egyptian King was forced to watch on from the bench as the Reds finally put in a more controlled performance and Alexander Isak netted his first Premier League goal for the club. But as much as that victory came as a relief, it also raised a serious question about Salah’s place in Slot’s best side.

Ahead of Liverpool’s crucial clash against Sunderland on Wednesday evening, Slot revealed Salah’s reaction to being dropped – telling reporters: “It’s a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us.

“He wasn’t the only who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting. The way he behaved is the way you would expect of a professional. He handled himself really well. A top professional.”

Whether we’ll see Liverpool’s star make a return to action in midweek remains to be seen. After returning to winning ways, Slot may be asking himself whether he can afford to change things up.

He's like Arteta: Liverpool line up "best coach in the PL" to replace Slot

Arne Slot is under intense pressure at Liverpool after a shocking run of form.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

Of course, it’s worth noting that a large part of the Dutchman’s backline simply can’t be changed. Whilst Conor Bradley is back in training, he won’t be ready to face Sunderland, which leaves Joe Gomez as the only other more recognisable right-back unless Dominik Szoboszlai drops in again.

Meanwhile, Slot still has just two centre-backs available in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, which is a problem that the Reds could solve by signing Castello Lukeba in January.

Liverpool join January race to sign Lukeba

As reported by Caught Offside, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Lukaba alongside Man United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The RB Leipzig defender no longer has a release clause worth €90m (£79m) and will be available for just €60m (£52m) in the winter window. As concerns continue to grow that Liverpool could still miss out on Marc Guehi, Lukeba has suddenly emerged as an ideal option.

Compared to Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol by the Bundesliga’s official website, the Frenchman could yet make a similar impact on England’s top flight next year, ranking in the 99th percentile against other centre-backs in the top five leagues for successful take-ons.

Minutes

990

789

Progressive Passes

46

55

Tackles Won

6

8

Ball Recoveries

63

28

It’s easy to see where the comparisons with Gvardiol have come from. Lukeba is an excellent central defender who’s great on the ball, capable of carrying or passing it forward and destined for a big move.

Dubbed “unique” by Como scout Ben Mattinson last year, the Leipzig star is also still just 22 years old and yet to reach the peak of his powers. Even if Konate does sign a new contract at Anfield, Lukeba could arrive and take his place in Liverpool’s strongest side in 2026.

Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"