Jurgen Klopp 's Liverpool are still licking their wounds after losing to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but a big European test is just around the corner.
Taiwo Awoniyi's goal was enough to see off the Reds at the City Ground, with Klopp sending a message to a man he had at Anfield for six years but was unable to use in the league. Klopp has also been in receipt of a message from one of his more frequent critics, with Gabby Agbonlahor reopening old wounds.
Liverpool are back in action on Wednesday with a trip to Ajax, so they'll need to move on quickly from the weekend disappointment. Here are the latest news lines from Merseyside.
Agbonlahor vs Klopp
Gabby Agbonlahor has reopened his war of words with Jurgen Klopp. The former Aston Villa striker has been involved in a back-and-forth with the Liverpool boss since August, and took another pot-shot after Saturday's result.
“Where do you start with Liverpool?" talkSPORT pundit Agbonlahor asked. "Mr Mentality Monster, Jurgen, five games away from home without a win this season – can he only get them up for home games at a full Anfield?
“Can he not get his ‘mentality monster’ team up for away games? Because today was shocking from Liverpool. Every player apart from Alisson was below a five out of ten today."
Warning from Murphy
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has warned his old club about the importance of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago Alcantara after they missed out on starting spots at the City Ground.
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Alexander-Arnold came off the bench and tested opposition keeper Dean Henderson with no success. Thiago missed out altogether, though, after suffering an ear infection in the lead-up to the match.
"Once you take Thiago and Trent out of that XI, you don’t really have anyone who has that courage to keep looking up and keep trying to split defences, especially packed defences like that," the former Reds star said on Match of the Day.
Reds boss praises Awoniyi
Jurgen Klopp has praised Taiwo Awoniyi after the striker haunted his former club. Awoniyi joined Liverpool in 2015, shortly before Klopp, but work permit issues meant he was sent out on loan several times before eventually leaving for good in 2021.
The Nigerian impressed for Union Berlin last season, helping the Bundesliga side qualify for Europe. His goals in Germany earned him a move to Nottingham Forest, and he has now scored two winning goals for Steve Cooper's team in the Premier League.
“He’s had a sensational development,” Klopp told the media in his post-match press conference. “He has arrived where he belongs and I am happy for him, but not today so much.”
