Here is your Liverpool morning digest for Saturday, 7 May
Pep Guardiola makes Champions League admission
Manchester City boss has launched into a passionate rant ahead of another big weekend in the title race with Liverpool, writes Mark Wakefield .
The Reds are battling for the Premier League title with Man City, and are one point behind with four fixtures left to play. Liverpool take on Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday night, while City face Newcastle United a day later.
Much of the talk in the last couple of days has been dominated by Man City being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid. Liverpool had already reached the final after seeing off Villarreal, and were close to facing their English rivals in the final.
READ MORE: Man City let £26m transfer who could have stopped Champions League exit join Liverpool for free
However, two late goals from Rodrygo and an extra time penalty from Karim Benzema saw City knocked out of the competition. Guardiola launched into an emotive response defending his players after failing to win the competition, and also offered his congratulations to Liverpool.
Here are the main questions and answers from Guardiola’s press conference on Friday, provided by our colleagues at the Manchester Evening News ...
Can the current Man City squad win the Champions League?
“I don't know. It's a question I cannot answer. Before Madrid I don't know. Sometimes you ask me questions but I don't have the answer to all of your questions. Football is incredibly unpredictable. We saw it. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have the feeling that the people from Abu Dhabi bought this club and invested in these incredible facilities and players like a lot of other clubs in the world to what we have lived in the last years - not to just win the Champions League. They did it to be there in all competitions every season and compete in all competitions until the end. We want to do it [win the Champions League].
"Maybe I'm not good enough to help the team to do it. Nobody knows what would have happened with other players or managers. For us, it is an honour to be there as much as possible in all competitions. I know that some people don't appreciate what this club is doing, maybe it is not enough but for me it is incredibly remarkable being in the semi-finals of the Champions League again after last season and making steps to be there and competing against an outstanding team in this competition the way we did it home and away. We were close, not close enough because the team deserves it so Madrid are in the final because they deserve it."
Read the full story HERE
Mohamed Salah offers cryptic response to Liverpool future question
Mohamed Salah offered a cryptic response when asked about his Liverpool future on Thursday night, writes Connor O'Neill .
Salah was in London to pick up the The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award after winning the honour for the second time in his career. The first coming back in 2018.
The 29-year-old fought off competition from around England to claim the award. Salah has contributed a hugely impressive 22 goals and 13 assists in just 32 Premier League games so far this season.
The Egyptian has also played a huge role in helping Liverpool to the finals of the FA Cup and Champions League. While the former A.S. Roma forward also helped them to Carabao Cup glory back in February.
Salah has a little over a year left on the contract he signed with the Reds in June 2018 and is yet to agree a new deal at Anfield, despite having repeatedly indicated he would like to stay with the club.
And when asked about his future in England on stage after receiving his award at the Landmark Hotel on Thursday night, Salah joked: “Here on the stage or here in England? I will do my best to be on the stage!”
Read the full story HERE.
