Jurgen Klopp’s text message leaked by FSG after Liverpool’s Champions League exit says it all

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will have full support from owner FSG after the Reds were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp needs the full support of club owners Fenway Sports Group to rebuild his aging squad, which saw its limits exposed by Real Madrid on two legs in the League’s first knockout round. champions. The Reds were knocked out of the tournament on Wednesday night after failing to come back from a three-goal deficit at the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema’s winner of the night sent Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals at Anfield after last month’s 5-2 first leg win.

The result marked another low point in a hugely disappointing season for Liverpool, who are set to end the campaign without lifting a major trophy after being once again outclassed by their Spanish opponents in Europe. It seems clear that another costly rebuild could soon be on the cards at Anfield as it becomes increasingly clear that Liverpool are no longer the feared beast they were a few years ago and that many of their key players are bankrupt.

Sadio Mane’s loss to FC Bayern Munich in the summer coincided with Liverpool’s downturn this season, while Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Virgil van Dijk have passed their prime in recent months as they enter the final stages of their respective teams. Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have also struggled to impress consistently throughout the season, and that’s even before the large amount of deadwood in Liverpool’s squad is factored in.

The task of rebuilding a failed squad has been no stranger to Klopp since moving to Merseyside in 2015, when the Reds were racing downhill after reaching their collective peak and needed fresh faces to ensure their longevity. The scale of the task at hand was as clear then as it is now and Klopp previously revealed that FSG had gone out of their way to apologize via text message for the sad state of the squad at his arrangement.

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Gareth Southgate explains why he snubbed Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raheem Sterling and includes Ivan Toney

Gareth Southgate has said he believes Ivan Toney ‘deserved his chance’ after including the Brentford striker in his final squad for England, despite awaiting the outcome of a Football Association hearing (FA ) on alleged betting violations.

The England manager named his 25-man squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers in Italy and later this month at home against Ukraine on Thursday, also calling up Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Marc Guehi.

However, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben White, Conor Coady, Callum Wilson and Raheem Sterling have all been left out, although Southgate have indicated Sterling’s absence was due to injury and the Chelsea winger would have been there if he had been available.

Sources have told ESPN that Toney, who has yet to be capped internationally, has admitted to some of the 262 alleged betting rule violations and therefore faces a potentially lengthy ban. However, the final hearing is still ongoing and Toney has maintained his innocence on a few counts. Toney has scored 16 Premier League goals this season, a total surpassed only by Erling Haaland (28) and Harry Kane (20).

When asked to explain his decision at a press conference at St George’s Park, Southgate said: “The fact is, [Toney] plays for his club. There hasn’t been any trial or judgment yet, so I don’t I will do it”. know on what grounds we really wouldn’t choose it.

“Before the World Cup, Callum Wilson was in great shape, he got fit at the right time and had a small injury which hampered his performance in the last few weeks. Ivan has been consistent throughout the season. It sounds really good. I like her presence in the games. I watched his game at Arsenal where I thought he was excellent and deserved his chance.”

White was dropped from the Southgate squad despite a strong campaign with Premier League leaders Arsenal. The defender left the field early at the World Cup without playing a single minute at the tournament. At the time the FA cited “personal reasons” but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insisted on Wednesday that White was available for selection. Southgate insisted White and Alexander-Arnold were simply behind Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and James in the pecking order.

“It’s really similar with Ben and Trent. The three guys who are used as right-backs are just ahead of those two. We are fortunate to have great talent in this position.

“It’s the most difficult position to choose, even if it’s never an easy criterion and it always changes a bit. But Kyle and Trips are the ones who played throughout Worlds and the returning Reece is another top player. We would really like to have that depth in every position on the pitch.”

Walker was admitted despite an ongoing police investigation into allegations the Manchester City defender exposed himself indecently at a bar. Walker denies the allegation.
“It’s a complicated situation,”

Southgate said. “I spoke to him for a long time. The thing is, as we’re sitting here now, he’s playing at his club again. There’s no conclusive evidence to discount it at this stage, so I guess I have to be very careful about being the moral judge of things.

“We’ve had some long talks and feel they want us to, feel it was the right thing to do. But we also know that if you’re an England international there’s an even higher bon bar on how you conduct yourself and what’s expected of you.” you I don’t think we take these decisions lightly. But that’s where we are.”