Fulham coach Marco Silva receives one-match ban after criticizing referees

‘It starts with the belief’: Virgil van Dijk sends message to Liverpool teammates not to give up on PSG tie

“It starts with the belief, it starts with the belief that comes within yourself,” Virgil van Dijk said about Liverpool’s hopes to overturn the 2-0 deficit from the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against PSG.

“Starts with the belief that we get from our manager, the right game plan, and the intensity that we have to put in from the first second to the last, if you really want to achieve something.

“That’s what I want. And that’s what I’m going to tell my boys. We have to show it. We have to show the desire, show the fight – that’s the least you have to do as a Liverpool player.

“At the end of the day, you need everything clicking together to turn this around because we play against a team that is just outstanding in every department.

“But it also comes back to yourself, and to the belief, and the pride: we are Liverpool.

“That’s why this particular moment hurts so much personally, and it should hurt as well for each and everyone there in the dressing room.”

Liverpool were underdogs going into the first leg against PSG and are lucky to be just two goals down.

The Reds have experience in overcoming even bigger deficits, but this team has been too unconvincing to be trusted to pull off something like this next week.

Liverpool plan to axe Gakpo, Gomez, Mac Allister and Chiesa in summer clear-out

Liverpool may rid themselves of some regular players in a summer clear-out.

Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Arne Slot, Liverpool, 2026

Liverpool are planning to axe Cody Gakpo, Joe Gomez, Alexis Mac Allister and Federico Chiesa in a clear-out this summer, reports The Sun.

The Reds have failed spectacularly in attempts to retain last season’s Premier League title. After five wins on the spin at the beginning of the season, bad results began to seep in and have come far too often this season.

Liverpool are currently fifth in the Premier League, 21 points below leaders Arsenal with seven games to play, and Champions League qualification is not a certainty.

There is pressure on Arne Slot as a result and there’s an acceptance that change is needed an Anfield – whether Slot stays or goes, some players will be culled.

The Sun reports Liverpool are planning a summer clear-out including some of the players who have underwhelmed this campaign.

They state Gakpo, Gomez, Mac Allister and Chiesa will all be made available for transfer, while there’s uncertainty over the future of Curtis Jones, and Andy Robertson is set to leave on a free transfer.

Following the announcement that Mohamed Salah will be leaving the club in the summer, the Liverpool squad could have a very different look to it next season.

Liverpool change hasn’t been great

But with that could come some issues. When Slot joined Liverpool ahead of the 2024-25 season, his squad was largely unchanged from the successful one built by Jurgen Klopp, with Chiesa the only man added to the mix.

Liverpool then won the Premier League by 10 points and it would have been more had they not let their foot off the gas.

Then, over the summer, seven players were signed and Giorgi Mamardashvili entered the squad following his loan to Valencia.

But the goalkeeper has rarely played, Alexander Isak has underwhelmed massively when he’s not been injured, Florian Wirtz started slow, Jeremie Frimpong has been burdened by injuries, Giovanni Leoni has missed most of the season and Milos Kerkez has not been the player he was at Bournemouth.

Hugo Ekitike is the only new signing who’s been consistently impressive since heading to Anfield.

If there is to be big change against at Anfield over the summer, what has gone on this season means there is no guarantee things will change for the better.

In any case, if all of the aforementioned players are to be moved on, then there will be signings made to replace them.

There is already interest in a few of those players: it’s been suggested Chiesa could head back to Italy as a signing for Inter Milan, in a partial exchange to see Nicolo Barella head to Anfield.

Arne Slot is on the brink at Liverpool.

With  Arne Slot on the ropes at  Liverpool following a humbling defeat to  Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, his ‘perfect’ replacement has been identified.

Slot’s side were put to the sword by PSG in their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday as goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia secured a 2-0 win for the Ligue 1 giants which flattered Liverpool on a night in which they were completely outplayed by the hosts.

The Reds also sit 21 points behind league-leaders Arsenal in a limp defence of their Premier League table.

Recent reports have suggested Liverpool are prepared to replace Slot in the summer unless they see some encouragement before the end of the season, while there are also rumours the Dutchman could resign instead.

It was claimed on Wednesday that FSG are beginning to ‘accept’ that the Liverpool fans’ relationship with Slot may never heal after their poor season.

Football Insider wrote: ‘Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group have accepted that they may have to sack manager Arne Slot this summer amid a “disconnect” with the fans.

READ MORE: Slot sack unavoidable as six damaging quotes on tactics, ‘attacking football’, Salah and Barnsley resurface

‘There are fears among the hierarchy at Anfield that the atmosphere among the supporters is leaning towards becoming “toxic,” and there is an acceptance that sections of the support have turned against the Dutchman for good.

‘The club hierarchy are determined to avoid the feeling around the club worsening any further, and as a result, they are prepared to sack Slot at the end of the season if it is clear that there is no way back for him.’

Xabi Alonso is the heavy favourite to take over at Anfield should Slot be shown the door, but World Cup winner Marco Materazzi has named ex-Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as the “perfect” replacement.

Materazzi told Hajper: “Can Enzo Maresca make Real Madrid into champions again? Yes, why not!

“He speaks very good Spanish because he was at Sevilla, but I think Maresca also has a good opportunity to get a job in the Premier League for next season too.

“Newcastle United? Not for me. Manchester United would be a good move for Maresca but he’s too connected to Manchester City to make that happen.

“I think Liverpool would be the best fit for Enzo Maresca. He is the perfect coach to lead a rebuild at Liverpool to create a new vision for the team.”