Jamie Carragher sends Lucas message as Sadio Mane theory denied

19 March 2023 , 04:00

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With their scheduled opponents Fulham in FA Cup action this weekend, and with the international break on the horizon Liverpool are preparing for a fortnight off.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds were due to have a chance to improve on the opening weekend draw which set the tone for a slow start to the season, only for Marco Silva's team to set up a cup quarter-final with Manchester United. This means Klopp's squad will have gone more than a fortnight without a club game by the time they face title challengers Manchester City on April 1.

With no on-field action to discuss, today's round-up focuses on matters away from the pitch. Here are the latest news lines from around Anfield.

Carragher sends Lucas message

Jamie Carragher has sent his well-wishes to Lucas Leiva after the Brazilian was forced to hang up his boots. Lucas, who played with Carragher at Anfield for a number of years, has been forced into early retirement due to a heart condition.

"Well done to a top fella & player @LucasLeiva87 on a wonderful career, good luck in the future amigo," Carragher wrote on Twitter. His message came after separate shows of support from Liverpool and from Lucas' club Gremio.

Klopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected

The midfielder, who turned 36 in January, also began his career at Porto Alegre-based side Gremio before spending a decade as a Liverpool player. He made more than 300 appearances for the Reds, and was part of the squad which reached the Europa League final under Jurgen Klopp in 2016.

Robertson dismisses Mane theory

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson does not agree with the theory that Sadio Mane's departure has been behind the Reds' struggles this term. Mane left Liverpool for Bayern Munich in the summer after six years at Anfield, having scored 23 goals in his final season with the club.

How can Liverpool turn things around this season and next? Let us know in the comments section

Sadio Mane could reach another Champions League final this season after leaving Liverpool (Frank Hoermann / SVEN SIMON/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

"To be honest, no," Robertson said when asked by the BBC about Mane's exit being behind the slump. "Don't get me wrong, I had a fantastic relationship with Sadio in terms of me and him down the left-hand side for five years. He was a joy to play with, every game.

"I loved playing with him, we linked really well. He helped me going the back the way I helped him going forward. And yeah we linked up really well. When he left, there was probably no-one more gutted than me because of the relationship we had."

Liverpool's summer overhaul

The upcoming transfer window could prove to be the most significant of Jurgen Klopp's time at Anfield. Liverpool's up-and-down 2022-23 season has highlighted the need for reinforcements, and that's even before recognising the imminent exit of several members of the squad.

With a number of men out of contract, midfield will be a key area for the club. Roberto Firmino is also on his way out, but the Reds look well-stocked in attack.

The challenge comes in anticipating who stays and who goes, and Mirror Football's Mark Jones has had a go at figuring out what's in store. It's a bit of a retro approach, with a chance to raid that familiar transfer outlet of Southampton, while a star or two could arrive from the continent.