Liverpool
Gerrard Urges Ngumoha Start as Gakpo Faces Criticism After Faltering Display
Gerrard wants Ngumoha to start for Liverpool after Gakpo’s subdued display in the FA Cup tie. Friday
Steven Gerrard publicly urged Arne Slot to promote Rio Ngumoha into the starting XI ahead of Liverpool’s FA Cup rematch with Wolverhampton Wanderers, after a performance he described as lacking quality and tempo. Gerrard said on TNT Sports: “For 65 minutes, Liverpool were desperate tonight,” he moaned as part of TNT Sports’ coverage. “Really poor, didn’t create enough. They didn’t play at the right speed [or] the right tempo. They didn’t have enough quality. He has to start Ngumoha now. He has to start because he’s coming on and he’s doing more in a short cameo, in a short space of time, than Gakpo is doing in 65–70 minutes. So he deserves to start.
“He’s got to start the kid on Friday night.”
Gakpo struggled to make a positive case on Tuesday. A late set piece that escaped a Wolves head led to Curtis Jones appearing to chest the ball toward goal only for it to be hooked away, with Gakpo inadvertently implicated in the sequence. The left winger’s season has drawn criticism: he has similar minutes to last term but a reduced goals return, and has not replaced the output lost when Luis Díaz left for Bayern Munich in the summer.
Yet the wider issue remains collective. Gakpo remains Liverpool’s second top scorer and his per-90 figures show his continued attacking involvement. 2025–26 Premier League per-90 data for Gakpo: Games 27; Goals 6 (0.27); Expected Goals 6.2 (0.28); Shots 64 (2.9); Shot on Target 22%; Open Play Assists 2 (0.10); Open Play xA 3.7 (0.17); Open Play Chances Created 35 (1.6); Carries Ending in a Goal/Assist 2 (0.1); Carries Ending in a Shot/Chance Created 55 (2.1). Stats via Opta.
Rio Ngumoha remains a prospect: 17 games, 3 starts, 424 minutes, 1 goal, xG 0.88, 7 shots, 0 assists, 14 chances created. “Rio Ngumoha came on in the 77th minute [and] he did more in 15 minutes than Gakpo and Salah did in the whole game,” Jamie Carragher said. “He changed the game this kid. He needs to be starting games now. He’s that good.”
Slot has limited Ngumoha to three starts this season, all in cup competition. Even without external pressure, there is a reasonable chance Ngumoha would start Friday’s FA Cup fifth round tie back at Molineux.
Liverpool
Liverpool Lodge $116 Million Call for OIise as Rashford Forces Barcelona’s Hand
Liverpool have made a $116 million OIise call; Rashford forces Barcelona’s hand. Transfer News Live.
Two developments dominate the transfer headlines: Liverpool have made a $116 million call for OIise, and Rashford forces Barcelona’s hand. Both items arrived as distinct but related signals about activity in the market.
Liverpool’s move is notable for its scale. A $116 million call places OIise at the centre of significant interest, and the figure alone frames the situation as one that demands attention. The report that Liverpool have taken the initiative is the sole detail provided about that approach, and it is enough to underline the seriousness of the club’s intent.
Separately, Rashford forces Barcelona’s hand. That phrase indicates action originating from Rashford that prompted a response from Barcelona. No further mechanics or timing are supplied; the fact given is that Rashford’s actions have compelled Barcelona into a decision-making posture.
Taken together, the two short reports point to a transfer environment in which high-value calls and player-driven developments coexist. Liverpool’s $116 million call for OIise reads as an aggressive valuation-led step. Rashford’s influence on Barcelona suggests a situation shaped by individual initiative rather than only by clubs negotiating in isolation.
There is no additional detail on negotiations, counteroffers, or outcomes. The information available is limited to the two core facts: Liverpool have made a $116 million call for OIise, and Rashford forces Barcelona’s hand. From those facts, the clear takeaway is that significant financial commitment and player-driven momentum are both present in current transfer reporting.
As items of transfer news and transfer rumours, these reports will be subject to follow-up. For now, the record is concise: a high-value call by Liverpool centered on OIise, and a development in which Rashford has caused Barcelona to act.
Chelsea
How the next five fixtures will shape Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea’s top-five bids
Next five fixtures for Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea and how they could affect the top-five race…
Chelsea enjoyed the perfect midweek as their bid to qualify for the Champions League was completely re-energized. A midweek of surprises has compressed the table, leaving Liverpool in sixth and Man Utd in third with just three points separating four sides.
A top-five finish will almost certainly be enough for entry into next season’s Champions League and the next five Premier League games could have a drastic impact on who claims those positions.
Man Utd face Aston Villa (A) on March 15, Bournemouth (A) on March 20, Leeds (H) on April 13, Chelsea (A) on April 18 and Brentford (H) on April 27. Man Utd have the luxury of avoiding European and cup soccer for the remainder of the term, which reduces their midweek congestion compared with Chelsea and Liverpool.
Liverpool’s next five are Tottenham (H) on March 15, Brighton (A) on March 21, Fulham (H) on April 11, Everton (A) on April 19 and Crystal Palace (H) on April 25. Liverpool had been in resurgent form—well, results-wise at least—but their Tuesday night humiliation at Wolverhampton Wanderers rocked their Champions League qualification bid. The Reds have two opportunities to make amends before the March international break. Champions League and FA Cup matches come before the clash with Tottenham on March 15, with Liverpool seeking to do the double over their relegation-threatened visitors. On their return from the Premier League hiatus, Liverpool face Fulham at Anfield. Then comes the first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a fixture that has yielded difficulties for Liverpool away at Everton over the past decade.
Chelsea’s schedule reads Newcastle (H) on March 14, Everton (A) on March 21, Man City (H) on April 12, Man Utd (H) on April 18 and Brighton (A) on April 26. The Blues will juggle European and cup fixtures alongside this run. The trip to Stamford Bridge from Newcastle is a tough test, and the return of league action sees Liam Rosenior’s men host title-chasing Manchester City followed by the clash with Man Utd. The clash with the Red Devils, which Chelsea lost earlier this term after yet another red card, could prove pivotal in the race for the top five.
Liverpool
Fernandes Holds Crunch Talks with Man Utd as Salah Sees Demands Slashed
Fernandes held crunch talks with Man Utd; Salah’s demands have been slashed, signalling key negotiation shifts.
Two separate developments have emerged concerning high-profile figures at Manchester United and Liverpool. Bruno Fernandes has held what have been described as crunch talks with Manchester United. At the same time Mohamed Salah has had his demands slashed.
The discussions involving Bruno Fernandes are being characterised as pivotal. The term crunch talks implies their significance for the immediate future, but no further specifics are provided here. Such meetings can be decisive moments in a player-club relationship and are often interpreted as a sign that both sides see an important decision point approaching.
On the other matter, Mohamed Salah has had his demands slashed. That phrase indicates a reduction or tempering of previous asks, though the exact nature and scale of the change are not detailed in the available information. A lowering of demands can alter negotiations and expectations, and it may have concrete consequences for discussions between player representatives and club officials.
Both items speak to negotiations and relationship management at two of English football’s most followed clubs. In each case the language used highlights turning points rather than completed outcomes. “Crunch talks” suggests urgency and potential change, while “demands slashed” signals movement on the part of a player or his camp.
Without additional detail it is not possible to state what next steps will be or what outcomes are now more likely. What is clear from the descriptions is that both Bruno Fernandes and Mohamed Salah are at the centre of important conversations that could influence their respective situations. Observers and stakeholders will be monitoring further developments closely, since follow-up communications or formal announcements will be required to clarify the implications of these two significant reports.
