The Liverpool Gazette
Squad26 Feb 2029
Federico Chiesa breaks a bone — 127 days out
Brutal, unambiguous and, for all the horror of the moment, usually less career-shaped than the ligament everybody fears more. 127 days, a clean timeline, and a return date somebody can actually plan around.
Match24 Feb 2029
Whatever happens, Liverpool do not lose
10 games unbeaten now. Some were earned and some were survived, but a habit is forming — and habits are the hardest thing in football to play against.
Squad26 Feb 2029
Virgil van Dijk in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Liverpool this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match24 Feb 2029
After 9 games, Liverpool finally taste it again
The first defeat in 9 matches. The manager will say it had to come; the dressing room will say it did not have to come against Manchester United; the supporters will say both, in that order, all week.
Loan watch26 Feb 2029
18 clean sheets on loan for Antonín Kinský
37 appearances at West Ham United and the goals have stopped going in. Liverpool lent out a goalkeeper and are watching somebody else’s season get better every week.
Loan watch26 Feb 2029
12 goals on loan for Lewis Koumas
34 appearances at Plymouth Argyle and the goals keep coming. Liverpool are watching this more closely than the borrowing club would like.
Squad26 Feb 2029
A muscle injury sidelines Simon Phillips for 14 days
Nobody makes a documentary about a hamstring and everybody in the game fears one. Liverpool will be careful with the return date, because the second one is always worse than the first.
The dugout26 Feb 2029
Josh Sargent back under a manager who knows him
The new man at Liverpool has worked with Josh Sargent before and it went well. He arrives with a view of the player already formed, which is worth more than any pre-season.
Squad26 Feb 2029
Defences have started doubling up on Yankuba Minteh
2 goals and a season average of 7.40 will do that. The space he used to find has gone; he keeps scoring anyway, which is the mark of the real thing.
In brief
- The dugout Virgil van Dijk gets picked when it counts
- Loan watch Vítězslav Jaroš’s loan is measured in nothing happening
- The dugout The view from the dugout