28/03/2025

FRIDAY | MAR 28, 2025

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‘League crown extra special’ Liverpool title will banish negativity, says former striker Fowler L IVERPOOL’S assault on multiple silverware has been whittled down to what looks like the formality of sealing the Premier League title in what could become an anti-climactic end to manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge. the Premier League because a lot of the fans missed out the last time because of Covid and no fans were in the stadium. “So I think this one will be extra special. I think the specialness of this will probably override anything that has been negative throughout the season.” rivals Everton next Thursday (3am Malaysian time). Fowler, who will coach a North of England legends team against the South of England, said a clash with Everton is exactly what Liverpool need to blow away the cobwebs.

the chance of playing Everton and really cementing the title.” Contract sagas around Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander Arnold also threaten to cloud Liverpool’s run-in and while Alexander Arnold is strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid, Fowler says the club should make sure they hang on to at least two of them. Salah has 27 goals and 17 assists in the Premier League this season. “I would go and give him what he wants for the simple fact is that he’s proven,” Fowler said. “Anyone who comes into Liverpool now you’re going to spend an awful lot of money on getting him here plus wages. Why not give all that money for someone who’s tried and tested.” – Reuters

“I think the big picture is that they’re still in a healthy and a very good place,” Fowler, who scored 128 Premier League goals for Liverpool, told reporters. “They’ve got a massive game coming up against Everton who are flying and haven’t lost in nine. Everyone remembers last year with people saying Liverpool lost the League at Goodison Park. “I don’t think they did, but you know the fans sort of hang on to that. A year later and they have

Former striker Robbie Fowler does not buy in to that school of thought, however, and says a record-equalling 20th English title will quench the fans’ thirst for silverware. “If you sat any Liverpool fan down at the start of the season and said, ‘look, you can do well in the Champions League, you’ll be top of the group, you can get to a final, but you’re going to win the Premier League,’ what would you take? “I think the obvious answer is you want to win

Liverpool produced arguably their worst display of the season in losing 2-1 to Newcastle United in the League Cup final, days after bowing out of the Champions League to Paris St Germain on penalties. In February, they were stunned in the FA Cup by second-tier strugglers Plymouth Argyle. Slot’s team are 12 points clear in the Premier League title race, though, and after an extended break resume their quest at home to Merseyside

Rashford ‘failed England audition’

I need minutes, Lindelof tells Amorim

FORMER England international Danny Mills thinks Thomas Tuchel has a dilemma over Marcus Rashford following his displays against Albania and Latvia. After showing

increased the pressure on him, even if the attention was self inflicted. “It’s never easy to perform when you’re under a huge spotlight,” he added. “But Marcus Rashford has to take some accountability for that.

The

ex-Leeds

games he’s played, but he didn’t really produce and take that opportunity. “Sometimes, you just need something to happen in order to get your confidence back. I think he tried hard, but the final ball and end product wasn’t quite there for him.”

defender argued that the lack of end product was why Rashford was being regularly deployed on the bench by Villa. However, he d i d acknowledge that the scrutiny over Rashford’s return would have

RUBEN AMORIM has been sent a clear message by Manchester United star Victor Lindelof during the international break. The defender is out of contract in the summer and has only started two Premier League games this season, with both coming since the start of the month. Lindelof got another run-out for Sweden on Wednes, when he played the full 90 minutes on the right side of a back-three and helped his nation to a 5-1 win over Northern Ireland. Having seen regular action in recent weeks after spending the early months of the season out in the cold, Lindelof has made it clear that he does not want to be sidelined again. “It’s been a while,” said the 30-year-old, who has racked up nearly 300 appearances since signing for United in 2017. “It felt good. It’s nice to play 90 minutes. I need minutes. “We play with very high intensity in the national team so it’s fun to hold for 90 minutes. It’s tough and a demanding way to play football. “But we have to do that, too. It still felt like we solved it well, but it’s a little different sometimes to be so high up. It was like back in the day when you played football.” The problem for Lindelof is that his chances of getting the minutes he wants are diminishing by the day. On his last start for United - the 3-0 win at Leicester City directly before the international break – Lindelof was one of only three fit defenders for Amorim to choose from. But a wave of returning centrebacks looks set to crowd the Swede out of the starting line-up. Leny Yoro missed the last two matches with a foot injury which Amorim said was only short-term. Harry Maguire only just missed out on the Leicester game, which suggests he will be back to fitness after two more weeks of rest. And young Ayden Heaven, who was stretchered off at the King Power Stadium, is expected to return much sooner than first feared. Lindelof’s wishes could therefore fall on deaf ears as Amorim looks to finish the season on a positive note. Although his contract is up at the end of June, the defender has not completely closed the door on signing an extension if the club is willing to put one on the table. “I’m very comfortable at Manchester United,” he said. “I’ve been there for a long time, and it’s the world’s best League. I’ll have to talk to everyone involved going forward.” – Express Newspapers

“When you’re not playing well, and you’re appearing in the public eye or active on social media, you make life difficult for yourself.” Tuchel now has

signs of being rejuvenated during his loan spell at Aston

V i l l a , Rashford w a s recalled to the squad for the

to decide whether to pick Rashford for the next World Cup qualifier in Andorra on June 7. T h r e e

German’s first two games in cha rge , which yielded 2-0 and 3-0 wins.

days later, the Three Lions will h o s t Senegal in a friendly, and

The 27-year-old struggled to shine, though. He linked well with Jude Bellingham in Friday’s clash with the Albanians and was frequently guilty of being wasteful in the final third before being replaced by Anthony Gordon. He was also hooked off before the final whistle on Tuesday and has not scored for club or country since Oct 22. Mills, who won 19 caps at international level, has now argued the forward failed to take his chance to cement a long-term place. “He was given an opportunity by Thomas Tuchel,” he told Foot Italia . “He looked bright and lively in the

the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich man has already vowed to be ruthless with players who don’t perform. Rashford has 61 England caps to his name but was axed from the squad by Gareth Southgate for Euro 2024. It followed his disappointing season with Manchester United, scoring just eight times in 43 appearances. – Express Newspapers

Marcus Rashford

Maresca under pressure to get best out of James CHELSEA boss Enzo Maresca may be forced to reconsider his stance on Reece James after being shown how to extract the best performance from the Blues captain. this season. It was no coincidence that James was heavily involved in England’s attacking play as well as defensive work. The marauding fullback loves to overlap and swing in dangerous crosses into the box.

an overload because he has the quality on the ball. “Once it’s an open game and a lot of transitions through midfield I’m not so sure it would suit him perfectly.” Maresca is adamant he sees the versatile defender as a midfielder, though, and must now justify his experiment with some tangible evidence after he excelled under Tuchel. “You can ask Reece, the day after I signed with Chelsea, I sent him a video about seeing him as a midfielder,” Maresca said. “I see Reece as a midfielder, not just now but since day one. Before I met him for the first time, when he was on holiday, I sent him a clip of how he could play as a midfielder. So I imagined him playing as a midfielder a long time ago.”– Express Newspapers

The right-back, who earned his first call-up to the England squad in two years, produced a man-of-the-match display in the 3-0 win over Latvia in which he scored a magnificent free-kick from 25 yards out. It was a performance typical of James when he thrived under the guise of Thomas Tuchel, having spent 20 months in charge at Stamford Bridge between January 2021 and September 2022. The German tactician is now in charge of England’s national team and sought to deploy James as a right-back, despite watching him play in central midfield for Chelsea under Maresca

He broke the deadlock on 38 minutes with an expertly-crafted freekick that found the very top corner of the Latvia goal and his muted celebration said just as much as it would’ve done if he’d broken down in tears. Speaking after the game, the ex-Chelsea boss said: “There cannot be any doubt about Reece’s quality, it’s the highest level.” When asked about his decision to play him at right-back, he added: “If you play a dominant match like today he can be, like in the last 20 (minutes), a hybrid midfielder and help to create