The Red Devils are still battling to rediscover their former dominance under Ruben Amorim, with unresolved problems from last season — which marked their worst league finish since the 1992 rebranding — continuing into the 2025/26 campaign. ..Continue Reading
United haven’t secured a win at Anfield since 2016, and with recent heavy defeats including 5-0, 4-0, and the notorious 7-0 loss at Old Trafford, supporters are understandably anxious ahead of facing the reigning champions.
However, with Arne Slot’s team still adjusting after a hectic transfer window, there remains a slim chance that Amorim could pull off a surprise result against their long-standing rivals.
That optimism has quickly faded this week, as fans have pointed to Michael Oliver’s controversial history in this fixture — incidents they believe could once again tilt the balance in Liverpool’s favor, according to voices from M16 already bracing for disappointment.
Among rival fans, it’s become a running joke that United are stuck in the past.
With their golden era long gone, it’s an easy punchline — and the club hasn’t helped matters by resurfacing a 2023 flashpoint involving Oliver and Diogo Dalot on social media.
In that encounter, Liverpool and United played out a goalless draw under Erik ten Hag, but one of the most debated moments saw Dalot receive a yellow card for shouting at the official, followed moments later by a red for dissent.
Supporters haven’t let go of Oliver’s involvement, with one X user posting this week:
“Michael Oliver has been appointed as the referee for the Liverpool vs Manchester United clash. The last time Oliver officiated this exact fixture, he booked Dalot for winning the ball & sent him off for appealing!”
Though the incident occurred just two minutes before full-time and didn’t affect the result, it continues to fuel frustration among fans who fear biased officiating. “Insane to give him this fixture again,” another user wrote, while a third added:
“Michael Oliver being given the Liverpool-United game after the Dalot fiasco the season before last feels like a wind-up. He’s a terrible notice-me ref at the best of times; seems to go up a notch when given a big game.”
A fourth chimed in: “His performance in last season’s fixture as shambolic. The time before that? Even worse.” And a fifth concluded: “To ensure Liverpool get back to winning ways, the PGMOL have appointed Michael Oliver as the ref for Sunday.”
Still, referees often face backlash from multiple fanbases, and Oliver has also drawn criticism from Liverpool supporters despite assumptions of favoritism.
In the 2020/21 campaign, he came under fire for not sending off Jordan Pickford after a reckless challenge on Virgil van Dijk that led to a season-ending injury.
Then in 2022, during Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Arsenal, Oliver declined to award a penalty for a suspected handball by Gabriel Magalhaes in the lead-up to the decisive goal — a call that was slammed for inconsistency, especially since he had given a similar handball penalty to Fulham against Aston Villa just days earlier.
The England forward is expected to remain out of action until at least next month, with surgery no longer being considered. ..Continue Reading
The injury has affected the 23-year-old since the start of the 2025/26 campaign, limiting him to just 140 minutes of play since September.
Back in August, he was pulled from the starting line-up against West Ham United shortly before kick-off, then spent two weeks receiving treatment before returning to score off the bench against Brentford last month.
Just a week later, he was substituted early in the defeat to Manchester United and has missed the last four matches.
Enzo Maresca ruled out any chance of him featuring in last weekend’s win over Liverpool, and his honest remarks suggest Palmer might still be unavailable after the October international break.
“Cole is still out,” he confessed last Friday. “I don’t have any updates at the moment. We have a meeting this week to see how he is, and we will then decide [whether he can return after the international break].”
While many Chelsea players have been away on international duty recently, Palmer also appears to have left west London.
Photos showing the Chelsea talisman with fans in Dubai have appeared online. It’s unclear why he traveled to the Middle East, though some believe he may have gone to see a specialist.
Another possibility is that he was given time off after several weeks of being unable to train at Cobham.
According to the Daily Mail, Palmer is expected to be out for weeks rather than months, with a return in November now likely, as the injury isn’t serious enough to need surgery.
There’s another two-week domestic break scheduled for November, making it unlikely that Palmer will be allowed to leave Chelsea and head to St George’s Park.
Comments from Thomas Tuchel have added to the concern, with the England boss describing the issue as “chronic”.
Palmer has not yet received a Three Lions call-up this season, and that situation seems unlikely to change before the year ends.
Given his recent impact, Chelsea will be keen to see Palmer back on the pitch soon—but not at the risk of worsening his condition.
Though he didn’t play in the win over Liverpool, Palmer was actively involved in the post-match celebrations after their thrilling victory against the Premier League champions.
Following a moment with match-winner Estevao Willian, Jorrel Hato jumped onto Palmer with excitement, which immediately triggered discomfort in his groin.
On Tuesday night, the Reds made the trip to Rams Park in Istanbul to face Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray in the Champions League. ..Continue Reading
Arne Slot’s men had already endured their first setback of the campaign on Saturday afternoon after a poor showing at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.
Consequently, their advantage at the summit of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points following Arsenal’s dramatic win over Newcastle United.
Back in Istanbul on Tuesday night, amid a fierce atmosphere, Liverpool aimed to start strong but were quickly punished by the home side.
After just 16 minutes, Victor Osimhen converted a spot-kick to put Galatasaray ahead, following a challenge by Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool’s display remained lackluster after the break, and they narrowly avoided falling further behind when Osimhen broke through, only to be denied by Alisson Becker.
Shortly after, Alisson was substituted due to injury, with Giorgi Mamardashvili taking his place.
In search of an equaliser, Slot introduced Salah and Alexander Isak from the bench.
Ultimately, Galatasaray held firm to claim a crucial 1-0 win, as Liverpool turned in another disappointing performance.
Online, fans were particularly critical of Ibrahima Konate.
One fan said: “I’m absolutely done with Konate.”
Another tweeted: “Leoni would be starting every game if he hadn’t got injured. Konate is Lovren level bad currently.”
A third fan added: “Konaté is finished.”
Someone else wrote: “If Konate won’t sign a contract, or commit to Liverpool, he should be on the bench while he decides where his allegiance lies.”
A fifth commented: “Konate has been shocking this season.”
Another fan said: “Think Gomez needs a run of games on this team ahead of Konate.”
At present, Konate is expected to depart Liverpool on a free transfer when his deal expires at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, the defender has been strongly linked with a switch to Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid.
Liverpool return to Premier League duty this weekend with a clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Manchester United supporters were left stunned by Andre Onana’s unexpected performance in his debut for Trabzonspor.
The 29-year-old goalkeeper, who joined United from Inter Milan for £47 million in 2023, had struggled to meet expectations, committing several high-profile mistakes that eventually led manager Ruben Amorim to drop him in favor of Altay Bayindir. ..Continue Reading
United further reinforced their goalkeeping options by signing Belgian shot-stopper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp for £18 million on deadline day.
With his future at Old Trafford uncertain, Onana secured a loan move to Turkish side Trabzonspor earlier this week—reportedly with a significant pay increase.
While Bayindir remained in goal for United’s 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City, Onana was immediately handed a start against Fenerbahce, where he faced off against former City keeper Ederson, now the No. 1 at the Istanbul club.
Fenerbahce edged the match 1-0, with Onana culpable for the decisive goal after he failed to clear a long-range effort, allowing Sebastian Szymanski to set up Youssef En-Nesyri for a close-range finish.
Despite the mistake, Onana was surprisingly awarded Man of the Match, having made eight crucial saves—especially after Trabzonspor were reduced to ten men following Okay Yokuslu’s red card.
The display sparked a wave of reactions from United fans, many of whom were shocked by the contrast between his error and his overall impact in the game.
“I always say it. Any player that leaves Man U always [will] have peace of mind,” joked one fan on X.
“No way,” replied another to a screenshot of Onana’s 8.7 match rating on FotMob.
While another simply put: “Man United is the problem.”
In recent seasons, a number of players have rediscovered their best form shortly after departing Manchester United—most notably Antony and Scott McTominay.
Antony impressed during his loan spell at Real Betis, netting nine goals in 26 matches before securing a permanent move, while McTominay became a central figure in Napoli’s Serie A-winning campaign, scoring 12 goals and earning the league’s Player of the Season accolade.
Onana will be hoping for a similar revival in his career following his loan switch to Trabzonspor, with his first home appearance set for Saturday against Gaziantep.
Roughly 3,000 visiting supporters take up their place in the bottom corner of the Anfield Road End every other week in the Premier League, but some are noisier (and sounder) than others.
Factoring in general volume, chant creativity and class, here’s our guide to the best and worst away fans the top flight has to offer…
I quite enjoy that they appear to have leaned into their reputation as upper-class train snack enjoyers, but when the whistle goes, they might as well not be there.
18. Burnley
I haven’t got much for this one, sorry! Very football league, very on brand.
Their fans had a go when they gave us a little scare in February, but it’s never been a fixture that feels you with much dread.
17. Chelsea
They’ve got more songs about Steven Gerrard than we have which, given the success they’ve enjoyed since 2005, smacks of insecurity.
Of the traditional ‘big six’ clubs, they’ve definitely got the least about them as far as travelling support is concerned.
16. Bournemouth
The novelty of their almighty climb up the English football pyramid appears to have worn off as they have been pretty tame upon recent jaunts to L4.
There is plenty to like about Bournemouth and their fans have always been gracious towards us, but aside from their Dominic Solanke chant of a few years ago, I’m not sure I could name you a Bournemouth song.
15. Tottenham
They’ve been present at two of the biggest days of our lives and, judging by how long they stayed behind when we won the league, they didn’t seem to mind!
A couple of decent songs and relatively inoffensive, this seems a fair enough place to put them.
14. Wolves
They get very noisy and angry if a VAR decision goes against them because they’re convinced it was designed to ruin their lives.
They do have a few catchy tunes, and then there’s the ones they’ve not copied from us.
13. Arsenal
Speaking of pinching songs!
Real-life Arsenal fans should by no means be tarred with the same brush as those you encounter online, but their sub-par Anfield record across the last decade seems to have left a few scars.
For all his flaws, Mikel Arteta has raised the bar at the Emirates somewhat. Whether that translates on the road with some proper silverware remains to be seen. We might never find out, at this rate!
12. West Ham
Certainly not as good or as important as they seem to think they are, but also one of the capital’s louder sets of fans, in fairness.
Judging by their team over the first couple of weeks of the season, though, we might get a little break from them after this season!
11. Man City
While their home support lends itself to jibes and stadium nicknames like ‘The Emptihad’, the core group of matchgoing Man City supporters appear to have survived the Sheikh Mansour revolution and all its ill-fated cultural trimmings.
They are by no means the nicest bunch, but they do know how to make themselves heard, more than making up the numbers at some of the Premier League‘s greatest-ever clashes.
You won’t catch me doing the Poznan nonsense at Oasis later this month, though.
10. Sunderland
It has been far too long since the Mackems have rocked up to the Anfield Road End and, if I’m honest, I’ve had to dig deep into the memory bank in order to afford them a fair rating.
It will be no picnic when they arrive in December, but for me, they have always been slightly dwarfed by their northeast neighbours.
They won’t like to hear that, don’t grass me up!
9. Aston Villa
On their day, Aston Villa fans are among the best in the division.
For whatever reason, it has been a little more hit and miss in recent years. Still, the evidence has been sufficient to land them a top half place on this occasion.
8. Brentford
Unacquainted observers might reasonably assume singing about your own team comes as a prerequisite, but the Brentford faithful are a breath of fresh air in that regard.
Still basking in the glory of jumping two divisions in less than a decade and locking down a stable top-flight slot, the Bees are among the most likeable supporters in the league.
7. Everton
It is difficult to compare those turning up for a derby to those attending on more ‘normal’ occasions, though the pre-determined misery often inflicted upon them at Anfield isn’t particularly conducive to showing defiance across the park.
That grown adults still turn their backs towards YNWA is in fact really funny, but the 3,000 that made the short trip prior to the Bramley Moore move certainly haven’t left quite the same footprint on proceedings that tended to hamper us at the Old Lady.
6. Nottingham Forest
One of the loudest sets of away fans in the league, sometimes let down by chants that ought to be beneath them.
The banner condemning tragedy chanting presented at our home meeting in 2023 was certainly a welcome step in the right direction.
5. Man United
It pains me to do this, but it is hard to deny that our Mancunian neighbours travel better than most.
While the fun continues to be drained by Jim Ratcliffe (and long may that continue, by the way), Man United supporters continue to show up and make themselves known – certainly more than the players, anyway!
They remained in the ground during that famous 7-0 whooping a lot longer than I would have done in their shoes.
It might be a while before we see them this high up an actual table, so I suppose we should give them something!
4. Newcastle
They have become a bit annoying and picked up ideas above their station since coming into wealth, but this is unquestionably one of the most passionate fanbases in the entire country.
It would appear being topless or sporting an official club jersey are the only two acceptable methods of meeting the dress code, but the noise certainly offsets some of the weirdness.
3. Brighton
It is difficult to find much to dislike about Brighton.
Their fans are great. They have built a top-flight team about as organically as the 21st century will permit and, I’ll say it again, they sing about their own team. Plus points for that, always.
2. Leeds
Not especially pleasant, but Leeds fans will always bring the noise and their showing during the 6-0 thrashing in 2022 has always stuck with me.
Like them or loathe them, Leeds are a club that belong in the Premier League and it will be an occasion, one way or another, when we welcome them back to Anfield over Christmas.
1. Crystal Palace
If Liverpool ceased to exist and I had to pick another Premier League team to care about, I think I’d go with Crystal Palace.
A really good bunch. No club deserved the day they had at Wembley in May more than they did and they bring the pugnacious, vibrant energy from Selhurst Park every time they come.
I’ll say it one more time, they sing about their own team and that goes a long way in this day and age. You won’t hear any of the usual nonsense from them, proper football club.
Goalkeeping woes once again proving costly for Ruben Amorim’s side. With first-choice keeper Andre Onana sidelined due to fitness concerns, Altay Bayindir was handed the starting role.
United began brightly, energizing Old Trafford with a lively atmosphere, but their early dominance was undone by a defensive lapse.
Declan Rice delivered a dangerous corner from the right that dropped just beneath Bayindir’s crossbar.
Under pressure from William Saliba, the Turkish goalkeeper failed to deal with the ball cleanly, barely getting a touch before it fell perfectly for Riccardo Calafiori to nod home from point-blank range.
The goal deflated United’s momentum and shifted control to Arsenal, who began dictating play with sharp passing and quick transitions.
The hosts were forced to rely on counter-attacks, with Bryan Mbeumo emerging as their most threatening outlet.
Fans took to social media to blast the hapless United keeper, with one user saying: “So ridiculously basic, p*** off Bayindr, weak as hell. Just amateur, amateur beyond belief.”
A second blasted: “I’d rather see a youth goalkeeper play than this current clown. Embarrassingly bad Bayindir.” While a third echoed: “Bayindr has no presence at all man, he’s not built for prem sell please.”
Another fumed: “Bayindir useless yet again.” A fifth added: “Bayindir is the only keeper in the league worse than Onana, absolutely useless”. As a sixth said: “Bayindir is Andre Onana 2.0.”
Onana was absent from the matchday lineup as the Cameroonian goalkeeper remains sidelined due to an injury that kept him out of pre-season action.
Despite this setback, there had been optimism surrounding his potential availability for United’s Premier League opener at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are reportedly eyeing Gianluigi Donnarumma as a possible addition to their squad.
However, they’re not alone in the pursuit—Manchester City are also said to be interested in the Italian shot-stopper, having notably omitted their own first-choice goalkeeper from their season opener as well.
Arsenal supporters were whipped into a frenzy after witnessing Eberechi Eze’s reaction to being asked about a potential move to the Emirates.
Eze, who famously netted the decisive goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup final to secure Crystal Palace’s first major trophy, returned to Wembley on Sunday to help his side clinch the Community Shield against reigning champions Liverpool. ..Continue Reading
The match ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, with Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong scoring for Liverpool, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr found the net for Palace.
In the shootout, Palace edged it 3-2 despite Eze’s penalty being saved by Alisson, as Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, and Harvey Elliott all failed to convert.
Captain Marc Guehi, who had to be substituted late on and was replaced by standout performer Justin Devenny, proudly lifted the trophy after the final whistle.
As Eze made his way back onto the pitch with his medal-clad teammates, he responded to fans chanting his name — a moment that only fueled speculation about his future.
Responding to recent speculation, one asked him, ‘Eze are you coming to Arsenal?’ and fans interpreted his smile as confirmation that he is moving to the Emirates Stadium.
One fan reacted: “He smiled so that basically means yes, nah?”
A second agreed: “He smiled and wave so he’s penned a 5 year.”
A third added: “He nodded his head?? That should mean yes.”
A fourth stated: “Heheh that smile we cannot fumble this pleaseeeee arsenalll.”
Arsenal have signed six new players this summer but they are still reportedly in the hunt for Eze and plan to contact Palace regarding his situation.
Mikel Arteta is believed to want a new left winger and after Eze’s £68m release clause expired, Arsenal are hopeful they can get him for a cheaper price.
The England international still has two years left on his current deal at Selhurst Park.
The Gunners had just wrapped up their pre-season tour of Asia, where they beat AC Milan and Newcastle but fell 1-0 to rivals Tottenham, courtesy of a stunning long-range goal from Pape Sarr. ..Continue Reading
Mikel Arteta’s side took on Villarreal in the first of two back-to-back fixtures against Spanish opposition at the Emirates, with Athletic Club set to follow on Saturday.
The match was streamed via Arsenal’s official website and app for £4.99, giving fans a chance to watch new arrivals Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Cristhian Mosquera, and Christian Norgaard in action on home turf.
Gyokeres, signed for £55 million, had previously featured for 20 minutes against Spurs, but was handed a starting role against Villarreal, while Madueke—making his first squad appearance since joining from Chelsea—began on the bench.
Zubimendi and Mosquera were also named among the substitutes, whereas Norgaard kept his spot in the starting lineup and managed to get on the scoresheet.
Arsenal have long been in search of an elite centre-forward, having finished runners-up in the Premier League three seasons in a row.
With 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP, Gyökeres looks like a strong contender to finally solve their striker dilemma. However, in his first start for the club—a match that ended in a 3-2 defeat—fans noticed a concerning issue with the new frontman. He played 62 minutes but struggled to make an impact, largely due to limited support from his teammates.
Supporters are already calling for a tactical rethink, believing the current setup doesn’t suit Gyökeres’ style and must be adjusted to unlock his full potential.
One fan on X commented: “Gyokeres has done nothing but what annoys me is when he does make runs in behind, we refuse to play the pass. It’s like the players are not allowed to play through balls because the way we play is so restrictive.”
A second said: “It’s been 35 minutes and Gyokeres has had less than 3 touches. Getting Eze or Leao or Rodrygo won’t change anything, it’s a coaching issue.”
A third added: “I’m laughing here man. Gyokeres life has taken a massive turn—getting no passes on transitions, but crosses left, right, and centre when he can’t head a ball to save his life.”
A fourth fumed: “These man are just hoofing the ball into the box & not playing to Gyokeres’ feet.”
A final user complained: “These players can’t even create a single chance for Gyokeres!”
Assessing Gyokeres’ first start for his team, Mikel Arteta said: “I think it was important for him to start a match.I really saw a lot of things, a lot of purpose.
“In general for a lot of players who haven’t had a lot of minutes it’s good. He’s so willing and confident, I have no doubt that he will be ready.”
Manager Arne Slot prepared to oversee a double-header, with Liverpool and Bilbao squaring off in consecutive matches—one kicking off at 5pm, the other at 8pm. ..Continue Reading
The back-to-back games gave Slot the chance to field two completely separate lineups, with stars like Salah, Wirtz, and Van Dijk not involved in the first fixture.
Yet, one participant in the opening match failed to win over the crowd.
Even with a 4-1 win on the scoreboard, many supporters were unimpressed by Harvey Elliott’s overall display in the Anfield sun, with some urging the club to sell the 22-year-old.
Elliott scored Liverpool’s fourth goal from close range, following strikes by Nunez, Ngumoha, and Doak that had already put the team in control.
Still, that goal didn’t satisfy critical fans who remained unimpressed by the midfielder’s overall contribution.
Statistically, Elliott was secure on the ball, completing 96% of his passes—including all of his attempted long deliveries. Nonetheless, his first touch drew criticism online, with observers noting he was dispossessed eight times during the game.
After limited minutes in Slot’s debut season, Elliott’s strong run with England’s U21s this summer has attracted attention, with several top-flight clubs reportedly interested in signing him.
Yet, his display today was enough for many on social media to have their say, with one fan posting: “Harvey Elliott, your days are numbered buddy- s*** performance with no first touch as well. You’re gone pal.” A second followed up adding: “Harvey Elliot’s first touch today is shambles.”
A third pleaded: “Harvey Elliott please leave my club,” with a fourth going on to say: “Harvey Elliott just isn’t good enough for Liverpool.”
“Harvey Elliot is horrible, need to ship him ASAP,” said a fifth, with another calling for the club to “get that 40m for Harvey Elliott already man this guy doesn’t belong here.”
Finally, one fan wrote: “Rio and Wirtz ruined me, Elliott is unwatchable now.”
After a public rift with manager Ruben Amorim, speculation had swirled for months that Rashford would depart Old Trafford once the summer window opened. ..Continue Reading
Following a productive loan spell at Aston Villa, many assumed he’d remain in the Premier League for the foreseeable future.
But after numerous reports claimed Barcelona was his dream destination, Rashford sealed a loan switch to the La Liga powerhouse, who also negotiated an option to make the transfer permanent after the 2025/26 season.
Just under two weeks since the move was finalized, Rashford found the net for the first time in a Barça shirt—yet his reaction wasn’t what most fans anticipated.
The forward made his first appearance for the Catalan club by replacing Raphinha at halftime during their pre-season clash with Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe.
Though he didn’t factor into any of the goals in the 3-1 win, Rashford grabbed an assist late on in the next match—a high-scoring 7-3 triumph over FC Seoul.
In Barcelona’s final friendly of their Asian tour, Rashford went a step further by scoring the fifth goal in the 87th minute during a 5-0 rout of Daegu FC.
Surprisingly, instead of celebrating the milestone with enthusiasm, Rashford appeared muted—and fans are speculating on the reasons behind his quiet reaction.
Reacting to the goal, one Barcelona fan suggested on X: “RASHFORD! He is saving his celebration for his first competitive goal.”
While another added: “No need to act nonchalant, you just scored for Barcelona!”
But, United fans were not so happy to see Rashford’s reaction, with one writing on X: “Rashford acting nonchalant like he doesn’t sleep every night in his barca pyjamas.”
And another wrote: “Rashford nonchalant gimmick, bro just do your celebration.”
Rashford’s next appearance for Barcelona could come later this week as they face Serie A team Como in a match for the Joan Gamper Trophy.
