Odds:
Southampton 6/1, Draw 4/1, Liverpool 4/11
Referee: Darren England. Assistants: Dan Cook, Samuel Lewis. Fourth official: Dean Whitestone. VAR: Craig Pawson. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.
Most of this preview will be about the 4 (5) players leaving the club this week. However it would be remiss of me to not include words about our opponents Southampton. Just over 10 years after being promoted to the top flight they will say farewell on Sunday after a miserable season. From week 14 of the season Southampton have been in the bottom 3 and rarely off the foot of the table. 3 different managers couldn’t save them and its been a lousy campaign.
This week it was confirmed Rubén Sellés will leave his job after the match against Liverpool and be replaced by Russell Martin. Earlier in the season both Ralph Hasenhüttl and Nathan Jones were handed P45s.
Following Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea last night, coupled with Newcastle’s goalless draw earlier in the week with Leicester, Liverpool will not be playing champions league football next season. We can do no better than 5th while Southampton will finish last. Both very poor seasons for both clubs, for various reasons.
Now then, time to say goodbye, I am not crying, you are!
Arthur Melo, its like we hardly knew ya
James Milner, a different number 7 but one worthy of the worlds most famous jersey.
The number 7 shirt at Liverpool has been worn by many fine players, Milner was a custodian who didn’t have the flair of some predecessors but his contribution shouldn’t be forgotten. He didn’t have the flair of a Dalglish, Keegan, McManaman or Suarez but he was a throwback to the number 7s before that.
Record appearance holder Ian Callaghan was perhaps more accustomed to the number 11 but before our time, in the 1960s (when Milner only a teenager) Callaghan was perhaps the first original great number 7, a number he wore throughout the decade.
Milner is a fine link in this tradition, a model pro who approached every game in a long career spanning over 900 games with the same professionalism and determination he always did.
Milner had made his league debut for Leeds United way back in November 2002, a month later, still some 9 days shy of his 17th birthday Milner scored his first league goal in a match against Sunderland. Leeds financial issues at the time forced the club to sell the unwilling Milner to Newcastle but the following quote summed up Milner
“its in the clubs best interests”.
Following a spell at Newcastle, Milner joined Aston villa where he had previously played on loan, making his debut against Liverpool in 2008, rumours at the time said he would join us, what a pity he didn’t. 2 years later Man city came calling, I actually recall people laughing that City paid way over the odds, Milner was valued at 26m in the deal which saw Stephen Ireland go the other way, effectively it was 17m plus Ireland, talk at the time was villa were getting a better player while also making massive money. That aged well. Ireland’s career slithered into oblivion, while Milner’s career would go from strength to strength, Ireland would only be best remembered for the supposed death of his 17 grannies.
Milner again made a debut against Liverpool and his non-stop running was a big feature in a fine performance as City beat Liverpool 3-0 in august 2010. 5 years later Milner would leave City on a free transfer, turning down more money and champions league football in the belief he would get more playing time with us. By then Milner had already won 2 premier leagues, an FA cup and a league cup (unused sub in both cup finals) but there was more to come.
Under Brendan Rodgers, Milner was made vice-captain to Jordan Henderson, a roll he retained under the new manager Jurgen Klopp and it was quite clear in the near 8 years since, the pair got the respect of every member of staff at the club, they demanded the best, they gave their best, they were both wrote off through their career, but they both won it all and proved everyone wrong.
Other than centre back and centre forward Milner has played every outfield position for the reds, never shirking any responsibility.
Indeed Milner actually spent the whole 2016-7 season at left back.
"It's about whatever's best for the team and ultimately I just want to be out there playing games, contributing and helping this football club."
His unselfishness was eventually rewarded with silverware, Liverpool won the 2019 European cup with Milner playing a big part in a famous comeback against Barcelona whilst his late corner against Spurs in the final lead to Liverpool’s second goal sealing a 2-0 win. A European super cup, a world club cup, and a premier league title followed and in 2022 Milner helped the club to a league cup and FA cup, both won through penalty shoot outs with Milner stepping up to score the first penalty in both.
Milner will leave with his head held high, 8 years of stirling service, a thorough professional, one who wasn’t afraid to put the boot in, one who was a great role model for young players and supporters alike, the longevity of his career is testament to his approach to the game, for over 20 years he has played in the premier league, and this is likely to continue with Brighton next, we wish him all the best, he will be missed.
Naby Keita. What could have been?
James Milner leaves at the age of 59, he has done it all, Naby Keita has been at Liverpool 5 years, the club don’t feel there is anything more he can do here, he is just 28. Milner cost nothing, Keita cost 53m. Keita leaves the club having won the same amount of trophies as Milner but because of injury his time will often be viewed as a disappointment.
When Keita leaves Liverpool they will have played 190 league games, Keita wont have played half of them. There is no doubting his ability, quick, skilful, intelligent and the ability to unlock a defence. He was an exciting player to watch, he deserved his medals, after all he may not have played that often but he still pushed players to standards needed to keep him out at times, when he did play his quality was there to be seen, unfortunately the injury bugs just never went away.
A fully fit Keita playing even 30-32 league games a year would be priceless, world class maybe, the trophies he helped us win save his legacy from being a total disaster, but it should have been so much more. All the best Naby lad.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. See above.
Like Keita, the Ox is still in his late 20s, he has won loads, but the injuries across a 6 year spell sully what should have been a more generous narrative. He has barely made 100 league appearances across a 6 year spell. Ox like Milner is an adaptable player across various positions, like Keita he has the ability to break lines, unlock defences and is a skilful player.
Ox was a fantastic addition in 2017, a player who could link midfield and attack, did you know that year Man City won the league by a mile with 100 points? Did you know also that in 4 games that season against city, Liverpool won 3. Ox scored in two including a net bursting worldie in the champions league quarter final, one round later Ox suffered a horrific knee injury which kept him out of the game for a whole year, he would play just two league games the following season.
The 2019-20 season seemed to be a new beginning, fine goals against Genk in Europe and against Bournemouth and Arsenal showed Ox was back, unfortunately an ankle injury in the world club cup final against Flamengo ended this fine run of form and really things were never the same, the injury bug gripped, it never really shook off. This season Ox was given a brief run in the team but it didn’t work out. Like Keita, he has the medals to show for it, he will have played his part, but like Keita, it should have been so much more.
Roberto Firmino, engine engine number 9.
Signed from Hoffenheim by Brendan Rodgers in 2015, Firmino arrived the same summer as Milner and was just as much a part of this era as anyone. The early months under Rodgers provided little evidence that Firmino would be a star but under Jurgen Klopp, things changed. The goals started to flow. A 4-1 win at Manchester City was the first sign of greatness and his link up play with others was starting to show, a false 9 role was made for Firmino, you could say he was the prototype. Link up play, finishing, skill, work rate, I could be here all night saying all his superlatives, but one I will laud on in his link up play with others, sometimes great players don’t look good because of their talent, they make others look better. There is a reason Jurgen Klopp labelled him “our most important player” and “the engine”.
That’s the unselfish Bobby all over, the goals began to flow, one that will always have a special place in my heart will be the smashing volley at Stoke in April 2017 in a 2-1 win on a glorious sunny day, Firmino removed his shirt, flung it in the air and the shirts actually lands perfectly outstretched on the turf, it was the very same day I found out I would be a father.
When Mo Salah signed a few months later, he, Bobby and Sadio Mane were to form one of the best attacks in world football. A staggering 338 goals flowed, Firmino never got near his best total of 27 again (2017-8) but he stayed in the team for a reason. He scored 15 less goals in 2019-20 for instance but was still an ever present as we won the Premier League. In the same season Firmino scored the winner as Liverpool won the club world cup for the first time with a 1-0 win over Flamengo.
Earlier this season Firmino bagged his 100th goal for the club in a 9-0 win over Bournemouth, although the goals continue to flow, maybe a couple of injuries are starting to creep in, maybe 360 games at a high intensity level are finally taking their toll. Maybe now is the right time to say goodbye but Bobby goes with multiple medals, plaudits and all our best wishes. No doubt he will be missed. The word legend is bandied about too often, Bobby Firmino isn’t just a club legend, he helped make others legends too.
The esteem Bobby is held in by us was never shown more than the recent 3-0 win at Leicester, for nigh on 20 minutes the travelling Kop drowned him time and time again with his song, arguably one of the best songs in the clubs history, just witness the outpouring in his last home game against Aston Villa which fittingly ended with him scoring. What a legacy. What a man.
YNWA
