- Bittersweet contract news for Liverpool fans
- Merseyside derby win sets up exciting season end
- Mamardashvili breaks silence on injury
It has been a Monday that perfectly captures the rollercoaster nature of life at Anfield. For Liverpool supporters, the high of a hard-fought 2-1 Merseyside Derby win was met with a flurry of updates that swung rapidly between relief and renewed anxiety.
First off Ibrahima Konate, was the one who provided the ultimate start-of-the-week boost but things are not all great on Merseyside, as midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai opened up about his own contract situation after the win over Everton. The Reds faithful also got a fresh injury update on Giorgi Mamardashvili, who had to be taken off on a stretcher at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.
All that and more in today’s ReadLiverpoolfc news roundup:
1. Van Dijk and Salah help create Premier League history
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk scored a 100th-minute winner at Everton on Sunday and became the second-oldest goal scorer for the Reds in the derby. Meanwhile, Salah created history on his own, becoming the first player to score in the derby at the Hill Dickinson stadium, and also matching Steven Gerrard’s tally for most goals against the Toffees.
Rio Ngumoha also had another record to his name in the history books, while the game also showed why Arne Slot’s side need Alisson Becker back quickly.
2. Liverpool’s UCL path becomes clear after Everton win
The gritty victory over Everton has provided a massive injection of momentum for Liverpool’s quest to secure a top-five finish. The result sees the Reds pull seven points clear of the chasing pack, creating a vital buffer in the race for European qualification.
Currently, Chelsea, Brentford, and Bournemouth sit deadlocked on 48 points through 33 matches, leaving Arne Slot’s side in a commanding position as the Premier League season enters its final stretch.
With 15 points to play for, Slot’s side now have some breathing space in the last five matches. They need to win just three games , but they face only the sides that are battling for a place in the UEFA Champions League or the UEFA Europa League next season.
The good news for the Reds is that Aston Villa are still active in the Europa League and will have more games than the others in the run-in.
3. Giorgi Mamardashvili return date: When will the Liverpool keeper be back?
Arne Slot delivered a worrying update on Giorgi Mamardashvili, revealing that the goalkeeper was in the hospital with a ‘big wound’. The Liverpool star was stretchered off in the second half of the 2-1 win over Everton on Sunday.
The Georgian has now posted on his Instagram account, saying he will be back soon. He posted:
The Athletic have since added that the goalkeeper will be on the sidelines for 2-4 weeks. He is expected back in May, with Alisson likely to rejoin training later this month.
4.Szoboszlai wants Liverpool stay, but no contract on the table
Dominik Szoboszlai has confirmed that he wants to stay at Liverpool and has no plans to leave the club. He has two years remaining on his contract and is keen on extending it.
However, he spoke to the media after the win over Everton and said that it was “not in his hands.” He provided a worrying update to the supporters, saying that nothing had progressed over his contract talks.
Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s best player this season, with 12 goals and 9 assists in 48 matches across all competitions.
5. Ibrahima Konate set to sign new deal
Liverpool have been in talks with Ibrahima Konate over a new deal for months. The Frenchman is in the final weeks of his contract, and doubts have emerged about whether he will renew at Anfield.
The defender spoke to the media after the Everton win and has revealed that he will be penning a new deal. He has not confirmed the length of the contract, but has said that he will be at the club next season.
Konate was a target for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, who are looking to bolster their defence and saw the Frenchman as a free target.
