Good morning, Liverpool fans. Here are your morning headlines for Saturday, July 11.
Klopp told to 'have a word' over Van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk put in another virtuoso performance for Liverpool in the midweek win over Brighton and Hove Albion, keeping energetic striker Aaron Connolly quiet throughout.
The Dutchman was flawless in the 3-1 victory which moved the Reds closer to the all-time Premier League points record.
And Garth Crooks wrote in his BBC Team of the Week, as cited by the Echo : “There were two moments when van Dijk showed his class and both were against Aaron Connolly.
“The Republic of Ireland striker came on and understandably tried to impose himself on the game.
“Van Dijk either dispossessed him, outran him or outplayed him.
“I hope Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp had a quiet word with the Irishman after the game and told him not to worry - Van Dijk does that to everyone.”
Klopp: Henderson a Liverpool great
Jurgen Klopp has hailed Jordan Henderson as "one of the great captains" in Liverpool's history.
The England international has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign after picking up an injury in the win over Brighton and, as a result, will sit out the club's remaining four top-flight matches.
However, Henderson will be on hand to lift the Premier League trophy when Liverpool take on Chelsea at Anfield later this month and Klopp insists that is no less than the midfielder deserves.
“He is absolutely one of the great captains of this club," Klopp said. "But you have to make the decision you know all the other captains of this football club.
“He’s the only captain I had here and I am overly happy this decision was made before I came in and it is good. How it always is in life, people have to grow in new roles - he had to do that.
“It is the most difficult job you can have honestly, because whatever manner the person doing the job after Stevie, it was always going to be difficult.
“But he grew into the role and meanwhile he’s probably a role model for the next generation of Liverpool skippers, so it is nice to be part of this development really.
"He became a man age-wise, and became a real and proper captain and that is exactly how it should be.
“And on top of that, he improved. He was always a good player and made big steps in his game as well; when you are massively under pressure from outside expectation that is a pretty big achievement.
“It is not easy to do and he did. So at the end of his career when he is looking back there are a lot of very good reasons why he should be really proud."
Individual awards only a bonus
Jurgen Klopp says that while individual awards are a motivation for his Liverpool players, they are only a bonus at the end of a campaign.
Alisson is chasing this season’s Golden Glove award in the Premier League while forward Mohamed Salah is hopeful of landing the Golden Boot yet again.
Alisson is on 13 Premier League clean sheets and is one from equalling Burnley’s Nick Pope - whom the Reds will come up against this weekend.
Salah, meanwhile, is on 19 Premier League goals for the campaign, three behind Leicester’s Jamie Vardy.
Klopp remarked, via the Echo : "Look, if you win the Golden Glove or if Ali wins it, that means that we have obviously kept a few clean sheets which really helps us a team.
"And if we provide the winner of the Golden Boot, then that means we have scored a lot of goals, so that helps as well. I am not in doubt about it, my players don't need individual targets to be the highest motivated.
"But, they (targets) don't disturb and they are rather helpful. In the end, it is all about winning the football match and that is what the boys really want."
