Premier League

JURGEN KLOPP snubbed Liverpool’s scouting gurus’ choice of forward in order to sign Darwin Nunez, according to reports.The Reds forked out a club-record £85million to sign Nunez from Benfica in June 2022.Jurgen Klopp shushed Darwin Nunez after last night’s matchCredit: GettyThe pair then shared a hug on the pitch at Goodison ParkCredit: EPAThe Uruguayan has gone on to score 33 goals in 92 appearances for Klopp’s men thus far, also laying on 17 assists.Following last night’s 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, the Liverpool boss was spotted shushing Nunez, after he was seen making a “petulant” gesture towards the referee.Klopp, 56, has vouched for Nunez – having played a big role in bringing him to Anfield.According to The Times, Nunez was “very much a Klopp signing”.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThey add that the Reds’ recruitment team had favoured a move for Christopher Nkunku, who still played for RB Leipzig at this point.Nkunku, 26, would go on to sign for Chelsea last summer in a £52million swoop.The Frenchman did not feature for the Blues until December due to a knee injury, and has been limited to just seven Premier League appearances this term after being struck down by a hamstring issue in February.He did manage to score two goals for Mauricio Pochettino’s men while fit, including one at Anfield in a 4-1 defeat to Liverpool on January 31.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERChristopher Nkunku has endured an injury-hit seasonCredit: GettyNunez, meanwhile, has largely been available this term – but has provided some frustrating moments.Even last night he had pundit Jamie Carragher tearing his hair out when he fluffed a chance just before half-time.Football stars’ weird phobiasDiscussing Nunez, Carra said on Sky Sports: “The chance that Nunez misses before half-time, that is unforgivable at this level.“That is not acceptable at this level, certainly when Liverpool are going for the title.“I think there is a question to ask. You want him to do well because there is so much that you like because he gives everything, he runs and causes trouble and gets the odd goal and gets an assist.“But after two years, when Liverpool this season are going to the title and those big games, you need your man to score away at Old Trafford, away at Goodison, in the European game at Atalanta.“There is no time to waste, this is not October or November. This is the business end.”Klopp, meanwhile admitted that his side need to be more clinical while speaking to talkSPORT.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe said: “I really think we should just try to win football games by playing better, more convincing, using our chances.”That’s obviously the problem now over the last few weeks, I think that’s obvious. We create, we don’t use them often enough.” More

JURGEN KLOPP was genuinely surprised to hear it, on the January day when he announced his intention to quit Liverpool at the end of the season.It was put to him that Sir Alex Ferguson had told his Manchester United players in the summer of 2001 that the coming season would be his last.Jurgen Klopp will wave goodbye to Anfield at the end of the seasonCredit: APThe Reds’ title hopes took another major dent with defeat at EvertonCredit: AlamyFerguson later performed a U-turn and stayed at Old Trafford for another 11 years.But the great Scot admitted that revealing his intentions had been the ‘biggest mistake I made’.“I think a lot of them put their tools away,” said Ferguson, “They thought, ‘Oh, the manager’s leaving’.”It was a part of English footballing history which Klopp knew nothing about and he raised his eyebrows when he was told about it.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut as the taunts of gloating Everton fans rang in his ears on Wednesday night – ‘you lost the league at Goodison Park!’ – Klopp may well have reflected on the wisdom of his announcement.When Klopp revealed that he was quitting Anfield, Liverpool were top of the Premier League, having lost only a single domestic match all season – and that a controversial VAR-infested affair at Tottenham.Since then, the Reds have been beaten five times in all – with their hopes of a farewell quadruple scuppered by shock defeats against Manchester United in the FA Cup, Atalanta in the Europa League, along with struggling Crystal Palace and Everton in the Premier League.After the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park – Klopp’s first-ever loss at the home of Liverpool’s local rivals – Wayne Rooney pinpointed the German’s departure announcement as a key factor in derailing their season.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERRooney, working as a Sky pundit on the Merseyside derby, said: “These players are looking – Klopp’s so popular, even as an Everton fan I really like Jurgen Klopp – with him leaving the club, in their heads they’ll be thinking, ‘What does my future hold? Am I still gonna be a Liverpool player? Do I still want to be a Liverpool player?’”Klopp’s hand may well have been forced in the timing of his statement.Jurgen Klopp apologises to Liverpool fans after Merseyside derby defeatHaving told his staff of his intention to leave in November, there was always a chance that news would get out.But the idea that it would not have a negative impact on Liverpool’s campaign was wishful thinking on the German’s part.Whether consciously, or subconsciously, the knowledge that a long-serving boss was on his way, was always likely to play on the minds of his squad.The futures of Liverpool’s best two players, Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk, were already in doubt.But the imminence of Klopp’s exit has thrown those two situations into a sharper focus, with other players also becoming less certain about their career paths.Liverpool’s injury crisis has eased significantly, yet their form has nosedived.Klopp has been an outstanding manager, yet there have been more near misses than glories during his eight-and-a-half-year reign.Unless Arsenal and Manchester City both suffer serious dips down the final stretch, Klopp’s final Anfield honours list will read: one Champions League, one Premier League, one FA Cup, two League Cups and a Club World Cup.READ MORE SUN STORIESThat is a very decent haul, yet not one which does full justice to the impact he has had on his club and on English football.And the timing of his exit announcement has not helped, as Ferguson would doubtless recognise.Klopp was eyeing a Quadruple but looks set to end the season with just the Carabao CupCredit: GettyKlopp’s announcement has clearly impacted his squadCredit: GettySir Alex Ferguson admitted his biggest mistake was telling his players in summer 2001 he would leave at the end of the seasonCredit: GettyFergie famously stayed on at Old Trafford until 2013Credit: PA More