Furious Liverpool fans have demanded that Arne Slot sells a “dreadful” ace before he “drags the club down,” following the Reds’ 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday afternoon. The Merseyside club had knocked their adversaries out of English football’s oldest competition in each of their last four meetings in the showpiece event, but that run came to an abrupt end at the weekend.
While some bright attacking play from Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike hinted that Slot’s side might be in for a rare day in the sunshine in a season punctuated by an anaemic Premier League title defence, a penalty from Erling Haaland in the 39th minute quickly took the wind out of their sails. From there, the floodgates opened: the Norwegian doubled – and later tripled – his tally just before half-time, and Antoine Semenyo struck five minutes after the restart to seal Pep Guardiola’s side’s 33rd ticket to Wembley Stadium in 15 years.
The result slipped through Liverpool’s fingers, and it became clear that a serious spring clean is needed if they are to get back on track, having managed just one win in their last four matches across all competitions. While there is more than one issue at play, the Anfield faithful seem convinced they know where to start – and are now calling on the club to cut their losses and sell one player.
Mohamed Salah is one of the greatest players the Premier League has seen in recent years – but not everyone is full of praise for the Liverpool star.
Liverpool Fans Slam ‘Disgrace’ Who Was ‘Bullied’ in Heavy Man City Defeat
While it was the captain, Virgil van Dijk, who gave away the penalty and ultimately stemmed the flow of the contest completely away from Liverpool’s reach, it’s his partner in crime who is getting the most stick on social media. All season, there have been murmurs of Ibrahima Konate’s desire for either a move to Real Madrid or a significantly improved contract.
Now neither looks like they’ll happen, and the fury that Liverpool supporters have directed at him is evidence of just how far he has fallen from his position as one of the best defenders in world football just a matter of a couple of seasons ago. Losing the aerial duel that saw Haaland score his second, before then being passive for the third and fourth goals too, one X user remarked:
“One of our better first halves, yet we’re 2-0 down. Sums up our season. I can’t wait for Konate to leave. The fact he’s holding the club to ransom while putting in diabolical performances weekly is laughable. Season over.”
Another added: “Welbeck last week Haaland this week! Konate’s awareness is shocking,” as a third wrote: “Konate will drag this club down.” Meanwhile, a fourth continued: “Konate gets bullied so much too for a big man,” as a fifth concluded: “I’m happy konate is not signing a new contract, he must be well aware that his time at LFC is up.”
Arne Slot on Borrowed Time in Liverpool Dugout
It was reported just last week that FSG had urged Slot to focus on adding silverware to Liverpool’s trophy cabinet to keep his position beyond the summer intact, with the Reds still competing in both the FA Cup and the Champions League.
But after a shambolic performance at the Etihad Stadium, those calling the shots can hardly be feeling too enthusiastic about a daunting trip to European champions PSG in midweek.
A 4-0 defeat on Saturday afternoon could well be the final nail in the coffin for a fanbase that has largely remained on the fence about whether the club should change hands again following Jurgen Klopp’s departure two seasons ago. While they, more than any other English fanbase, have traditionally stuck by the manager over the players, an obvious disconnect has emerged this campaign.
Slow, lethargic football, coupled with Slot’s bizarre press conferences – where he once even admitted he rarely knows how to set up his team until he has felt out his opponent during the match – has only added fuel to the fire, with Xabi Alonso now leading a list of 21 candidates to replace him.
Kylian Mbappe is lighting up the 2026 World Cup as he looks to fire France to their second success in world football’s biggest competition since 2018.
The Real Madrid forward is firmly in the Golden Boot race against the likes of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior, having found the net four times in the group stages. Mbappe was crucial to his nation lifting the trophy in 2018, bursting onto the scene as a teenager.
He then had an incredible tournament four years later in Qatar. Despite his side having to settle for second place, the 27-year-old fired in a hat-trick in the final, something only Sir Geoff Hurst has previously managed.
Kylian Mbappe Wearing Different Shirt to France Teammates
Kyle Ross (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
That treble in the final against Argentina helped Mbappe to the Golden Boot in the 2022 World Cup. The versatile forward netted eight times in total, and was undeserving of being on the losing side.
He tends to step up on the big stage when his country needs him. Some eagle-eyed fans may have spotted a difference in the shirt Mbappe is wearing this summer compared to the rest of Didier Deschamps’ men.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane are all expected to finish among the top goalscorers in this summer’s tournament.
The reason for that is his Golden Boot victory in 2022. Any active player who has won the individual award at the World Cup is allowed to wear a special patch on the sleeve of their shirt.
England’s Harry Kane and Colombia’s James Rodriguez are the only other players at the tournament this summer allowed to wear the patch, after winning the 2018 and 2014 Golden Boots, respectively.
The award has never been won back-to-back in the competition’s history. But with France being among the strong favourites and expected to go far, there’s every chance their talisman can scoop the honour once again. After all, he’s only four goals away from being the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe: Lionel Messi Still the Best
Reuters/Maria Lysaker
While Mbappe is hunting his old Paris Saint-Germain teammate Lionel Messi down in the current Golden Boot race and the all-time scoring charts, he still concedes he has a lot to do to overtake the Argentine.
It was no surprise to Les Bleus’ number nine that Messi has continued to deliver on the big stage. He said (per ESPN): “I already knew Messi was going to keep scoring goals. He always does. He’s ahead of me and I’m behind him. I’ll keep scoring to help my national team go as far as possible.”
Following the greatest footballer of all time smashed a hat-trick against Algeria, Mbappe declared him still the best in the world. He claimed:
“It’s clear that Messi is the best in the world, and so is Cristiano [Ronaldo]. For 16 years, he [Messi] has shown his extraordinary talent. I’m just trying to do what I know how to do: show my talent on the biggest stage possible and help my national team.”
Newcastle United have lined up a deal to sign a midfielder this summer, as the Magpies face the possibility of losing some key players in the coming weeks.
A deal for the former seems the most likely, meaning Newcastle are on the market for replacements, and one target is now seemingly in the club’s sights.
Newcastle Add Felix Nmecha To Shortlist
According to a report from journalist Craig Hope, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha is on Newcastle’s shortlist as a transfer target for this summer.
The Magpies are described as “long-term admirers” of the 25-year-old, who has impressed in the Bundesliga as well as in the World Cup with Germany in recent weeks.
Nmecha has a release clause in his deal worth £73.5 million, though that doesn’t come into effect until next summer. That said, the report claims that there is hope a move can be negotiated for lower than that price.
There is likely to be some competition for Nmecha’s signature, as Manchester United have been linked with a transfer, along with fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool.
It remains to be seen whether Newcastle can get an agreement with both Dortmund and the Germany international over a potential transfer in the coming weeks as a result.
Newcastle are facing a tough summer transfer window, with Anthony Gordon’s exit set to be just the first of a few key moves away from the club.
Given the struggles in the Premier League last season, the Magpies will be keen to not be in a weaker position next campaign when it comes to the options available.
However, it may be the sales that help ensure that is the case. Selling some important players in favour of huge transfer fees could allow it to be reinvested in a way that will add a better balance of quality across the whole squad.
Newcastle United are in the market for a striker, as one star looks set to leave the club this summer.
That, in theory, should allow the team to become stronger. But that will only happen if the right transfer replacements are found for the right price.
That was the theory in practice last summer, with Alexander Isak’s sale generating a club-record fee, but resulting in the wrong options being signed to take his place.
Newcastle cannot allow a repeat of that, especially in the midfield engine room, which has been among the key areas of strength under Howe.
Yan Diomande’s early coach Faissal Chehade explains why Liverpool could be the perfect fit, and why his ceiling may be Ballon d’Or level.
Chehade, who worked with Diomande at Leganés, reveals on Market Madness what stood out from the very beginning: the confidence, the one-v-one ability, the training-ground moments that made coaches take notice, and the mentality behind his rise from rejection across Europe to becoming one of the most talked-about young players in world football.
He also breaks down why Leipzig was the right step, why Liverpool could give Diomande the platform to become “the main man,” and why he believes the winger has the potential to reach the very top of the game.
Chapters:
0:09 — Yan Diomande’s First Coach Reveals the Talent
2:07 — The Training Goal That Made Everyone Stop
3:36 — Why Yan Diomande Was Rejected Across Europe
4:21 — Why Leipzig Was the Perfect Move for Diomande
4:55 — Why Liverpool Could Be Yan Diomande’s Perfect Fit
8:02 — Yan Diomande’s Ballon d’Or Ceiling Explained
