Harvey Elliott still believes Liverpool can end Jurgen Klopp’s final campaign with the Premier League crown despite ceding control of the title race by slipping up at rivals Manchester United.
The Reds had control of a mammoth three-way title tussle after Manchester City and Arsenal fought out a forgettable goalless draw last weekend, but the dynamics changed at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Liverpool salvaged a 2-2 draw through Mohamed Salah’s spot-kick having failed to capitalise on their early dominance, with Luis Diaz’s effort all they had to show before Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo stunners.
“Jurgen’s cracking up” echoed around Old Trafford after a result that put Arsenal in the driving seat with seven matches remaining.
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Liverpool are level with them on 71 points but have a substantially worse goal difference, yet Elliott remains confident that they can end Klopp’s reign with his second Premier League title.
“We can’t be thinking about other teams and watching what they are doing and basing our games off them,” he said.
“We need to keep being selfish and keep getting three points on the board.
“We are in the best possible position to do it, we’ve got unbelievable fans behind us that will be backing us in each and every game until the end of the season. We have the team to do it, so who says we can’t?
“We just need to keep going and keep taking it game by game, making sure we are recovered both physically and mentally and keep going.
“It will be a tough finish but we just need to keep going.”
Elliott impressed off the bench at Old Trafford, where he won the penalty that allowed Salah to salvage a point in the 84th minute.
“It should have been all three,” the substitute told Liverpool’s website. “But I think at the same time we need to look at the game, and we were trailing.
“I think the boys showed unbelievable fight and courage to come back, to stay level-headed, stay in the game and get the equaliser.
“A point is better than nothing. We wanted the three points – there’s no doubt about that – but a point is better than losing.”
It was another pulsating meeting between the rivals, just three weeks on from United winning an FA Cup classic 4-3 at the end of extra-time.
Liverpool failed to take their chances that day, just as they did on Sunday having registered 28 shots.
On not being clinical enough at key stages of the game, Elliott said: “Absolutely. We had many opportunities.
“Whether it was the final pass or the finish, it just wasn’t there for us today but unfortunately that’s football. But the fight and desire to keep going until the final whistle was amazing.
“I think as a team, as a club with the fans as well backing us, in a stadium like this when it’s not easy at all, it’s a credit to everyone involved.
“We need to keep fighting because it’s going to be a very tough run now and we need to keep going.”
'Unbelievable' Saka is stepping up for Arsenal, says Arteta
Mikel Arteta has hailed Bukayo Saka's maturity and labelled what the Arsenal winger is producing as "unbelievable".
Saka produced two assists and scored Arsenal's third goal in the Gunners' 3-1 comeback win over Southampton on Saturday.
The England international leads the way for chances created (27), big chances created (12), assists (seven) and expected assists (3.16) in the Premier League this season, while only Manchester City's Bernardo Silva (19) has crafted more opportunities from open play than Saka (17).
With Martin Odegaard out injured, Saka has also taken on the responsibility of captain, and Arteta is thrilled with what the 23-year-old is delivering.
"That's the maturity and that's the steps that players have to do. He has been long enough in the team now, he has the right to have that role," said the Arsenal manager, as quoted by Sky Sports.
"He believes in that, that he has the capacity to change games, to decide games, like many other players, and he wants to be at the top.
"I think it's another step ahead, and it's what he wants.
"Do it at home, do it away, do it in big games, in the not-so-big games, and when the team needs it, not when it's 3-0. That is what defines a top, top player.
"What he's doing at his age is unbelievable. We have many examples of that as well."
Saka's next goal in the Premier League will be his 50th for Arsenal.
Since his debut in late 2018, only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (50) has netted more goals in the competition for the Gunners than Saka (49).
Indeed, in that time, Saka leads Arsenal for chances created (320), big chances created (54) and assists (42), having played 177 times in the top flight, 35 times more than any other Gunners player.
Inzaghi demands more from Inter after narrow win over Torino
Inter must improve defensively if they are to go on and retain their Serie A crown this season, so says Simone Inzaghi.
Marcus Thuram's hat-trick propelled Inter to a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torino on Saturday.
It was Inter's second 3-2 win on the spin in Serie A, moving them up to second.
Inter only conceded seven shots, but five of those were on target, with Torino's 1.61 expected goals (xG) showing the visitors created decent openings at San Siro, where Nikola Vlasic converted a late penalty to set up a grandstand finale.
"Clearly, we need to improve in some aspects, we pay a heavy price for every tiny distraction," said Inzaghi, who has seen Inter concede two goals in successive league matches for the first time since May 2023.
"We worked really hard on details that need to be whittled down, the lads have great spirit, but considering everything we did today, today's game shouldn't have ended 3-2.
"Seeing a team perform like this in three matches makes me want to congratulate these guys. We need to keep working the way we are, and in our penalty area, we all need to be more attentive.
"We're working on it, and we need to do more. Over the past two days, the team has trained extremely well, and we're trying to pay even more attention to the finer details."
Hat-trick hero Thuram, meanwhile, says the entire team must step up when it comes to defending.
"It's also the fault of the attackers, not just the defenders or the goalkeeper," he said.
"We are eleven players on the pitch and not conceding goals is part of everyone's job. We will try to improve in the upcoming games.
"There’s a lot of work, especially in the penalty area. For me, scoring is always a great feeling, but I always want to remain a player who helps the team above all."
Thuram's haul was the third time he has scored at least twice in a match this season, matching Erling Haaland.
Indeed, in 2024, only Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic has scored more Serie A goals than Thuram (13).
Real Madrid's Carvajal confirms serious knee injury
Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal could be set to miss the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.
Carvajal had to be taken off late on in Saturday's LaLiga meeting with Villarreal, which Madrid won 2-0 thanks to goals from Federico Valverde and Vinicius Junior.
The 32-year-old and the club subsequently confirmed he will have to go under the knife.
"Serious cruciate ligament injury confirmed, I'll have to undergo surgery and be off the field for a few months," Carvajal said on Instagram.
"Looking forward to starting the recovery process and coming back like an animal. Thank you all for your messages, I feel very loved."
After the match, Carlo Ancelotti said: "It looks like a pretty serious knee injury, the dressing room is sad and worried.
"It's something that happens a lot of times because of the calendar and it's happened to a very important player for us.
"He is a fundamental player for us because of his experience.
"I've been talking to him and he's sad, but there's not much we can do. We are going to see the medical evaluation and think about him recovering. The doctor has told us that he has to do tests, but that it's a knee injury."
Asked how he may replace Carvajal in Madrid's starting XI, Ancelotti said: "We have Lucas Vazquez, but it's not the time to talk about this.
"We are going to wait and if the injury is serious we are going to manage the squad well and see who we put in this position. It will not be me."
Vinicius also suffered an injury against Villarreal, with Madrid confirming the Brazil star had a cervical issue.
The victory took Los Blancos level on points with Barcelona at the summit of LaLiga, ahead of the Blaugrana facing Deportivo Alaves on Sunday.
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