Newcastle United forward Callum Wilson has admitted that he was wrong to claim that Liverpool aren’t back in the top-four race.
Wilson recently poured scorn on the idea that the Reds are looking back to their old selves. As his team rival Liverpool for a Champions League spot, he dismissed praise of Jurgen Klopp’s side as being a little premature.
“You’re asking me are Liverpool back? What do you want me to say? They have won two games after the last couple of weeks and like I’m saying we technically let them win, it was a poor performance from our point of view,” the England man said at the end of February.
Well, wouldn’t you know it. After the Reds destruction of Manchester United on Sunday, Wilson has taken to his Footballer’s Football Podcast to apologise for his hasty comments.
“I apologise for saying that Liverpool aren’t back. They’re back with a bang!” admitted the out of form 30-year-old. “Anything I say at the minute the universe shows the opposite.” You better believe it, buddy.
Liverpool not getting carried away
Wilson’s original comments sounded a little bitter at the time. Having just been beaten by the Reds for the second time this season, you can perhaps forgive his churlishness.
But having said that, there was a grain of truth in it then. Liverpool had just beaten Newcastle to record their second 2-0 Premier League win in a row. With big defeats against Wolves and Brighton still fresh in the memory though, talk of a fightback couldn’t be verified.
Two weeks later, and it very much can be. Although Liverpool have to be careful not to get carried away, they’ve now kept five clean sheets in a row and six in the last seven.
Having just obliterated United by an unfathomably big scoreline, the Reds have shown that they’re no longer the soft touch they’ve so often been this season.
For Wilson, that’s obviously bad news. Newcastle’s own form has been patchy of late but they’re still right in the top four hunt. Just a point behind Liverpool and with a game in hand, they shouldn’t be dismissed.
If they’re to get back on track they need Wilson to start finding the net, though. One goal in 12 games since the World Cup isn’t good enough from the £20m man. If he keeps up that kind of form, Liverpool won’t have to worry too much about the Toon.
‘This is the player’s idea…’ – Romano drops fresh claim on £53.5m Liverpool transfer target
Fabrizio Romano has said there is a ‘very good chance’ that one reported Liverpool transfer target could leave his current club in the summer.
However, the Italian added the caveat that Alexis Mac Allister – a player in whom the Reds have shown an interest (Football Insider) – will only be allowed to depart Brighton & Hove Albion for a premium.
Intriguingly, the Argentina midfielder’s father (who’s also his agent) was seen at Anfield recently when Jurgen Klopp’s team took on Real Madrid in the Champions League (Football Transfers).
Speaking on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing (via Sussex World), the journalist said: “I expect Alexis Mac Allister to have a very good chance to make his top club move in the summer, this is the player’s idea.
“But I’m also sure Brighton will be tough in the negotiations, as always. There are really many clubs following Mac Allister, at this stage everything is premature. I don’t expect him to move for less than €60m.”
It should come as no surprise that the Seagulls want at least €60m (£53.5m) for the World Cup winner, given their penchant for extracting sizeable fees for their prized assets.
The likes of Marc Cucurella, Ben White, Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma have all been sold on for significant sums (Transfermarkt), so Liverpool can expect to pay top dollar for the 24-year-old if they turn their reported interest into a concrete bid.
It’s interesting that Romano has said ‘the player’s idea’ is to ‘make his top club move in the summer’, as this would appear to contradict a recent claim from Mac Allister himself that he’s ‘enjoying’ himself at Brighton and is ‘not thinking about the future’ (TyC Sports, via Jacques Talbot on Twitter).
With another few months remaining until the transfer window opens again, we can expect to hear plenty more about the future of the in-demand Argentine between now and then.
‘Priority’ Liverpool target now wants out of current club; ‘prefers’ Anfield transfer in the summer – report
Liverpool have been handed yet another summer transfer boost, according to one report.
Jacque Talbot noted that Mason Mount, valued at £65.4m according to Football Transfers’ valuation and who is considered ‘a priority target’ for Jurgen Klopp’s men, is said to prefer a potential switch to Anfield.
“Mason Mount, who we revealed is a priority target, prefers a move to Liverpool in the next window. It’s unlikely he will stay at Chelsea, we hear,” the reporter wrote for Football Transfers.
These claims come amid a downturn in form for the England international in recent months during something a mostly difficult period for Chelsea.
These claims come amid a downturn in form for the England international in recent months during something a mostly difficult period for Chelsea.
A 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund (of which Mount did not play a part due to a bruised pelvis) does indicate that perhaps things could turn around at Stamford Bridge, with European football offering under-fire manager Graham Potter a much-needed lifeline.
That being said, with top quality coming into the midfield in the form of World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez – and potentially further incomings set to grace the department in question beyond that – one can understand why the 24-year-old may be considering pastures new.
With Liverpool comparatively struggling for legs and quality in the middle of the park (albeit, the situation has evolved somewhat in light of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson’s return to form), Anfield could be an ideal destination.
Given the importance Klopp places on midfielders who can provide challenges as well as dynamism, one might venture that recruiters at L4 will be impressed by the Mount sitting in the 81st percentile for tackles (FBREF) – superior to all our available options in midfield, bar Thiago Alcantara.
A transfer will come down to a lot more than that sole statistic, of course, though it’s an encouraging early sign nonetheless.