Football news - The Warm-Up: What if Liverpool never taste defeat again?
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Updated 25/02/2020 at 09:13 GMT
Plus: Chelsea will "suffer" tonight and the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United
Image credit: Getty Images
TUESDAY'S BIG STORIES
Liverpool = final boss level
At this stage, Liverpool are basically the end of level boss in some ludicrously hard game, the sort that the minute some smart Alec thinks they've got it beaten, no matter how many times they've tried and how many guaranteed to work tips they've got from some obscure forum somewhere, it just comes out with an extra tentacle or a bazooka or something and wipes you out.
That was the case once again on Monday, as for a little while anyone invested in the idea of Liverpool losing at least one game before this title is wrapped up thought they had something, as West Ham took a surprise second-half lead through Mark Noble, after Issa Diop had equalised Gini Wijnaldum's opener.
But then out game the secret machete, in the slightly unexpected form of an absolute clanger from Lukasz Fabianski, who let Mo Salah's dribbler of a shot through his legs. West Ham probably thought that sort of thing was behind them when they quietly sent Roberto off to that farm, but it probably speaks to the sort of desperate trouble they're in that even their most reliable player is now a fully paid-up member of the clown school.
From there, a winner was probably inevitable, and it duly came through the not unexpected combo of a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross, turned in by Sadio Mane. Liverpool now have as many points as Manchester United's 1999 treble-winners, plus more than Arsenal in 1998 and United in 1997. Win at the weekend and they'll hop over the Leicester miracle team and draw level with United of 1996. "The numbers are incredible," said Jurgen Klopp.
Just 12 more points required now. If Liverpool and Manchester City both win their next four games then Klopp's lot will confirm the title at home to Crystal Palace on March 21. Do you think they'll enjoy winning it as Roy Hodgson looks on?
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'It's so special' - Klopp on Liverpool's winning streak
Lampard: Chelsea will have to 'suffer' against Bayern
Big one tonight. Biiiiiiiiiiiig one. Chelsea face Bayern Munich in the Champions League for the first time since some game or other in Bavaria, eight years ago. Depending on who you listen to, the defeat in their own stadium in the 2012 final has either left deep mental scars at Bayern which will last for generations, or they're not really that bothered about it because only three of their 18-man squad that night are still there and they won it against Borussia Dortmund a year later anyway.
Still, tough one for Chelsea nonetheless. When the draw was made back in December this might have looked like a pretty sweet deal for Chelsea, given that Bayern were wobbling and although their form had started to turn, they were still exceeding expectations. But now things have tailed off a little and Bayern are Bayern again, having taken 25 from their last available 27 points in the league and by all accounts playing sensational football.
"We have players with experience but also younger players," said Frank Lampard ahead of the game. "They have to understand about the mindset levels. A big part of my job tomorrow (Tuesday) is we need to be at our maximum.
"We must make sure every detail is ticked in both games. We cannot get caught up in moments. There will be times when we suffer because Bayern are incredible with the ball but that’s our job over the next two games."
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All smiles as Lampard throws himself into Chelsea training session
Six Italian matches to be played behind closed doors
It always feels stupid that the true impact of real life stuff sometimes only properly hits home when it impacts football, but the coronavirus is now causing real problems to the football calendar. Having scuppered a few Serie A games at the weekend, it now seems that six more will take place behind closed doors next weekend, including the colossal top-of-the-table rumble Juventus v Inter, as well as Inter's Europa League tie against Ludogorets on Thursday.
“Measures are already in force, that prohibit any events until next Sunday,” sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora said. “Initially for Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont. Now we have also extended to Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna and Liguria.
“In these regions, the prohibition of sporting events remains, for some events we have given the availability to carry them out behind closed doors.”
Italy, for reasons we don't really pretend to understand, is the third most affected country in the world by the coronavirus, behind China and South Korea, so the caution is entirely understandable.
HEROES AND ZEROS
Hero: 'Laura Bananas'
We realise that nobody needs extra encouragement to waste time on the internet, but some absolute genius has invented a thing that turns any tweet you want into a Guardian opinion headline. As you can see, we have used it wisely. Go forth, and enjoy yourselves.
Zero: A Scottish FA appeals panel member
You may have missed this absolutely bananas story from Scotland over the weekend, but allow us to fill you in. In the Scottish Challenge Cup - or to give it its full name, the Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup - semi-final a couple of weeks ago Inverness Caledonian Thistle's Jamie Keating was shown a second yellow card for 'simulation', meaning of course he would miss the final, which is this coming weekend.
As you can see from the clip here, it was absolutely not a dive, but from the referee's angle it might have looked that way, mistakes happen and all that, and luckily there's an appeal procedure. Caley were thus understandably rather miffed when said appeal procedure turned the appeal down, meaning Keatings would still be banned from the final against Raith, but over the weekend it emerged that something was awry.
The Scottish FA released a statement admitting that one of the three-person panel looking at the appeal “did not undertake their obligations with respect to the consideration of all the available evidence”. Translation: someone couldn't be bothered/forgot to watch the tape and just waved it all through.
Thankfully, with this whole business rumbled, they are looking at the incident again. Imagine if they still upheld the ban, though...
RETRO CORNER
The 2007 League Cup final was a spicy old affair, taking place on this day 13 years ago. Theo Walcott scored his first goal for Arsenal, before a couple from Didier Drogba, inevitably, sealed the trophy, but not before John Terry was absolutely sparked by an errant Abou Diaby boot, and Emmanuel Adebayor was sent off after a late brawl. Great fun.
HAT TIP
The quintessential Toni Kroos moment arrives before he does. He sends a text, apologising that he’ll be 11 minutes late. It’s all there, in that one line: the typically German concern with punctuality and good manners, the precision. ETA in 11 minutes. Not ten, not 15. Above all, the unhurriedness. He’s genuinely sorry you’ll have to wait but that’s just how it’s going to be. Kroos’ entire career — the most successful of any German player in modern times — has been built on the premise of never doing things in a rush
Ahead of Real Madrid's big night in the Champions League on Wednesday, The Athletic's Rafa Honigstein interviews Toni Kroos (subscription).
COMING UP
Oh yes. The Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaampiooooooooons. Boy do we feel like rubes for being taken in so easily by the glitz of the Champions League, but we can't help it. Chelsea v Bayern, Napoli v Barcelona, whichever one you prefer will not be a bad choice.
And to find out if you did actually make the right call, Ben Snowball will be here to wrap it all up for you tomorrow.
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