Liverpool

It will be a strange feeling for Liverpool fans on Monday morning, waking up to the fact that Jurgen Klopp has said his goodbyes. He’ll want to win the final match against Wolves of course, but for once, the day will not be about the game or the result, it’ll be about Klopp. And rightly so.

From the moment he walked through the doors, describing himself as “the normal one” he somehow had an instant connection with the club and especially its fans. It’s been a special relationship, a relationship so rare in football these days because even in defeat and disappointment, they went through it together and came out stronger next time.

A world class coach, he built a team full of world class players who crucially played in a way few could live with. He gave them an incredible mental strength, a belief that Liverpool COULD win the title again. He delivered on that and much more. And don’t forget, his Liverpool teams TWICE lost the title by one single point, with 97 and 92 points respectively.

Klopp deserves all the plaudits that have come his way and there may not be a dry eye in the house on Sunday. The “normal one” has been far from normal. Special in fact.

Image source, PA Media

Jurgen Klopp says he "needs to have a look" at life away from being a football manager and did not want to wait until he is in his seventies to experience it, as he prepares for his final match in charge of Liverpool.

Klopp became Liverpool boss in October 2015 and, after a trophy-laden spell at Anfield, he will leave the club following Sunday's Premier League finale at home to Wolves., external

The 56-year-old said in an interview with The Anfield Wrap, external that he had worked "26-7" in all three of his roles with Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, in an almost unbroken spell of 23 years as a manager.

"That's how it is, it's no problem at all, it's my life," said Klopp. "But it cannot be all in life."

Asked what was next for him when he departs Liverpool, he said: "Definitely rest. Travel, relax, seeing friends... I see friends for hours, they come here, watch a game and I don't want to talk to them because they want to talk about football, and I go to bed."

He said it was important for him to spend time to "just live a life" and added later: "Coming back, watching games, still caring, getting on your toes and being on the other side of it - in the stands if possible, or sitting in front of the telly and just going wild in the living room - why not?

"I have to see it, I need to have a look at it. I can't not do it until I'm 70-something - I know that's a big difference from now to then. The rest of life - why should it start when you're 70?

"I would find a club if I want, but I'm just not available, I'm just off. And then we will see how long that takes. And I will work, I will do something 100%. The thing I understand most about is football, but maybe there is something else than doing exactly what I do now."

Image source, Getty Images

All week we are asking for your Jurgen Klopp memories as the German manager nears his final game. Send your best images to #bbcfootball on X. And send your memories of Klopp in via our form here.

Mark: I am an actor and in 2019 I landed a role being filmed at Anfield. I am a lifelong Liverpool fan and this was a dream come true. I met some of the first team, I hung out with my childhood hero (Ian Rush) and best of all I met Jurgen. He is so impressive. What you see on the TV is what you get in real life.

Paul: He’s been this generation's Shankly. My son’s 26 and we’ll be on The Kop on Sunday, and no doubt shed several tears together. Klopp has educated us all on how to be better humans. Forgive and be forgiven and be gracious with a smile - how does a manager have that impact? Because he’s honest, funny and hard working. He’ll never walk alone.

Gavin: With the short termism that we all fall into as supporters, it's all too easy, with the disappointing end to this season, to forget just where we were when Jurgen joined Liverpool. He wanted to turn us from doubters to believers, and to deliver trophies. He's done that in spades. Jurgen, Thank you, thank you. Enjoy your time ahead.

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has been announced as the new manager of Austrian Bundesliga side Red Bull Salzburg.

Lijnders arrived at Liverpool in 2014 as under-16 coach before becoming first-team development coach in 2015 first under Brendan Rodgers and then Jurgen Klopp.

After a spell at Dutch side NEC Nijmegen, Lijnders returned to the Reds as assistant manager in 2018.

He will be joined by Vitor Matos as his assistant, who has spent four-and-a-half years as elite development coach at Liverpool.

"I am very proud to become the new head coach of FC Red Bull Salzburg," said Lijnders, external.

"This is a real privilege for me. After PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto and Liverpool FC, I am now moving to another exceptional club with a really good structure and a particular focus on youth development.

"I want to develop a mentality with the team that places a lot of emphasis on attacking style of play and where passion and hunger for success are the basis of everything.

"Together with my assistant coach Vitor Matos and the entire support team, we will do our best to help the club continue to grow in an ever-changing football world.

"My family has visited the city before and was overwhelmed by its beauty and the friendliness of the people. That was the last and important step for me in choosing FC Red Bull Salzburg."

We asked our Liverpool fan contributor for their four player of the season choices and you can now vote for your top one.

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Gomez

When James Milner left, I was worried the Reds would be without a real utility man in the side. Then up stepped Joe Gomez. He has been brilliant almost every time he has been called upon - whether it be at right-back, centre-back, left-back or even as a deep-lying midfielder.

Alexis Mac Allister

The Premier League signing of the summer at just £35m and perhaps Liverpool's most consistent performer over the course of the season. It looked as though his goals and contributions were going to almost single-handedly drag his team to more major honours before the wheels came off.

Mohamed Salah

While the performances do not necessarily leap off the page for Salah this season, he has once again hit 25 goals and could have 20 league goals by the time the campaign finishes. You can never turn your nose up at such consistency in front of goal.

Virgil van Dijk

Lots of these choices will be framed through the lens of a disappointing April for Liverpool, but before that, Van Dijk was back to his imperious best. A leader with the armband popping up with cup-winning goals - I'm not sure you could ask for much more from him.

Pick your 2023-24 Liverpool player of the season from our shortlist here

Josh Sexton can be found at The Anfield Wrap, external

Liverpool have been offered the chance to sign Nice and France midfielder Khephren Thuram, 23, for £13m this summer. (Mirror), external

Feyenoord boss Arne Slot is planning to make his assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff the first appointment to his backroom staff at Liverpool when he succeeds Jurgen Klopp. (ESPN), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

All week we are asking for your Jurgen Klopp memories as the German manager nears his final game. Send your best images to #bbcfootball on X. And send your memories of Klopp in via our form here.

Dinah Davies: Klopp brought joy back to supporting Liverpool. His enthusiasm, his passion, hugs to his players, his great smile and his love of the club and city of Liverpool will always live in our hearts. Enjoy your downtime Jurgen.

Roger: Liverpool have been lucky to have had some great managers over the years, but nobody since Shankly has connected with the fans in the way that Klopp has. But for Man City, the trophy haul would have been greater. The game needs characters, and he will not just be a huge loss to Liverpool, but also the Premier League.

Janet: Jurgen Klopp is more than just a manager of Liverpool. He's fun, caring and had Liverpool playing some of the best football I have ever seen in my 35 years supporting LFC. He's an total one off. He's 'Our Klopp'. We love him and always will.

Image source, Getty

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp looked to be fighting back tears as he acclaimed the club's travelling fans for the final time at Villa Park on Monday night.

Klopp's nine-year reign will end amid what are sure to be highly emotional scenes when Liverpool face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on Sunday.

Liverpool's supporters spent much of the 3-3 draw with Aston Villa indulging in what sounded like a dress rehearsal for the farewell they plan to give the beloved Klopp when he takes his leave.

It is the end of a golden era in which Klopp won the Champions League, returned the title to Anfield for the first time in 30 years and won both domestic cups, including the League Cup this season.

Liverpool will, in time, announce Feyernoord coach Arne Slot as Klopp's replacement but the final day of the Premier League season at Anfield will all be about paying tribute to the charismatic German who has brought them so much joy since he arrived in October 2015.

Read Phil McNulty's Villa Park analysis

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Jurgen Klopp will leave his role as manager of Liverpool this summer, having overseen a prolonged period of success that has resulted in the club returning to the highest echelons of European and world football.

During a reign of nearly nine years at Anfield, his impact has been huge off the pitch as well as on it.

Speaking on The Jurgen Klopp Story, a BBC documentary about the departing Liverpool boss, former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson said: "He is the closest to [Bill] Shankly I think they've had.

"Just the way he is with the supporters, the club, he gets the history and everything. He even embraces the old lads like myself, whereas in the past one or two of the former managers didn't really want us around, but he's not like that. He points you out to people, he will grab people over and say 'hey, this fella won five league titles' and all that kind of stuff.

"I would say the best thing about him is his man-management. Not just the players, but everybody who works there and they really would walk on water for him."

Listen to the full programme on BBC Sounds

Liverpool are way too easy to score goals against.

Arsenal have let in 28. Manchester City, 33. Liverpool, 41. That's why Jurgen Klopp's side will not fight for the title on the final day of the season.

Against Aston Villa on Monday night, it was the same old story. One semi-promising attack for the opposition leads to a goal and the entire vibe of the game shifts.

Liverpool started well, but the ease in which Aston Villa equalised in the first-half set the tone. You don't have to work hard to score versus Liverpool, which is simply not right considering Virgil van Dijk is in central defence and Alisson is in goal.

There is a structural issue regarding how much the midfield protects the backline and it's something incoming manager Arne Slot will have to fix.

Does he need to buy a new holding midfielder? Maybe.

Will Trent Alexander-Arnold move into the centre full-time and play alongside a more dedicated anchorman in a double-pivot? Hopefully.

It was the abysmal finishing against Manchester United and Crystal Palace that saw Liverpool begin to stumble, but in reality, conceding so many goals and winning matches was never sustainable for a title-challenging side. Third is where Liverpool deserve to finish.

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty is answering all of your footballing questions.

Anon asked: Morning Phil, as a Liverpool fan watching our season fizzle out. Do you think I’m justified in feel a little underwhelmed by the appointment of Arne Slot?

Phil answered: Let’s be honest, anyone following Jurgen Klopp might have provoked that reaction apart from perhaps Xabi Alonso, who decided to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.

There is absolutely no reason to be underwhelmed by the appointment apart of Arne Slot other than the fact he is not Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool will have done full due diligence on a coach with personality who has done fine work at Feyenoord and who was a serious candidate for Spurs not so long ago.

I think you just have to trust the club to get it right.

Follow the rest of Phil McNulty's Q&A

We asked for your views on Monday's 3-3 draw between Aston Villa and Liverpool.

Here are some of your answers.

Aston Villa fans

Jon: Nervous and just lacking that killer instinct in front of goal. Emi's mistake totally stunned the crowd and we were left bewildered! However, the two goals from Duran Duran sent the crowd wild! Great game.

Gary: A side playing almost on memory. They were dominated by Liverpool and got pretty lucky. All of the brilliant work has been put in before now.

Theo: Good result in the end, but defensively we weren't at it. I think if Tielemans stayed on we'd have won, but fair play to Chambers and Duran for changing the game. Even more credit to Unai Emery for making the changes to get back into the game. Onto Palace and let's secure Champions League football!

Marco: We showed a lot of nerves tonight right from the off. We've looked exhausted and with a pile of injuries I didn't think we would get anything from this or the Palace game but credit to the Villa boys, it could have ended 6-6.

Liverpool fans

Paul: Heavy metal football - exciting, intense, attractive for sure, but trophies is what counts and at the end of this nine-year love affair, one Premier League, one Champions League and an FA cup is the same as what City did last season. Defence is key and to concede 44 goals in a season is not acceptable. In the 1978-79 season we conceded 16 in 42 games!

Will: Another unconvincing display. On top for long periods and then losing control by making wrong choices. Allison is too casual with the ball at his feet allowing opponents to pressurise him and rush poor passes out to defenders giving them problems. Making four subs at the same time - same as against Spurs - proved once again to break our rhythm. Not great.

David: Liverpool played the last 20 minutes with the Euros and the beach in mind - scared of getting injured and not wanting to give 100% effort. Villa upped their game and Liverpool didn't want to respond. Once again, Salah played with very little interest or desire. Played like a man who knows his time is up at Liverpool. Roll on next season.

Ray: Yet another game where Klopp's substitutions have made the team worse. It's a worrying trend that started during the United cup game. Both sides great going forward but woeful defensively and they're supposedly the third and fourth best teams in the league.

Real Madrid are still interested in signing versatile England international Trent Alexander-Arnold, 25, from Liverpool with his contract situation at Anfield up in the air. (Fabrizio Romano via Football365), external

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso hopes to manage all three of his former clubs Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich but is not certain in which order. (Abendzeitung - in German), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "You can go through my career - it's really rare we play for nothing in the last two games. I count maybe two or three times.

"I'm not used to that. I'm not sure I'm great at it, to be honest. I wanted us to show character because I don't lack motivation because of negative possibilities but we all know if they win today - 3-0 or 4-0 - then everyone's going for us.

"I saw a team with top character, most importantly. For the character we showed today we should have five points - but we got only one.

"The place was rocking and that's really difficult. I loved the performance and the character we showed. Now it's a home game - which is slightly different - but today we had to show that and the boys did it with flying colours."

On Jarell Quansah: "He played an exceptional game, trying to play against Ollie Watkins. You can ask that of a lot of centre-backs and they would struggle. He did extremely well. So often he saved our backside in decisive moments. Really nice development and he deserves that now."

On the fans: "I have no doubt about our relationship. I appreciate that a lot. I can't yet put it really into words because I have to protect myself a little bit. The emotions will come out."

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It was a disappointing one, really. I think the way we controlled the game for large amounts of it and just to not be able to get over the line and concede two late goals is always gutting. It's something we can look at and pick apart.

"We have got to kill the game and got to keep the ball for longer periods, really run the legs off them so they don't have a chance.

"We've let them back in it and Villa Park, when it gets buzzing like that, is always going to be tough and I think we fed the crowd a little bit."

On scoring his first Premier League goal: "I've been waiting for that moment. I don't score too many goals so when it goes in the back of net, you just saw the emotion come out.

"I just tried to get the best contact on it as I could. I'm thankful it went in."

On celebrating in front of fans: "The way the crowd celebrated was a surreal moment - definitely one I'll never forget."

On Sunday being Jurgen Klopp's last game in charge: "We've definitely got to play our way and give him a good send-off. Just keep fighting until the death."

The pick of the facts and figures after the thrilling draw between Aston Villa and Liverpool on Monday.

• Emiliano Martinez's own goal after 61 seconds was the earliest scored in a Premier League game since Antolin Alcaraz put the ball in his own net after just 54 seconds for Everton against Southampton in April 2014, while it was the earliest away goal Liverpool have scored in the competition since May 2011.

• It was Martinez's third own goal in the Premier League - the most by a goalkeeper in the competition.

• Liverpool have conceded two or more goals in four consecutive league games for the first time since April/May 2014. Indeed, only between February and April 1999 have the Reds had a longer such run in the competition.

• Ollie Watkins has provided 13 assists in the league this season, more than any other player. Indeed, only Ashley Young (14 in 2007-08) has provided more assists for Villa in a Premier League campaign.

• The Reds have now scored 140 goals this season, making it their second-highest-scoring campaign after 2021-22 (147).

Aston Villa staged a dramatic late comeback against Liverpool at Villa Park to earn a vital point in the race for fourth place in the Premier League.

Villa could have confirmed Champions League football for the first time with victory and there was a carnival atmosphere before kick-off as Hollywood legend and celebrity supporter Tom Hanks addressed the crowd.

Unai Emery's side looked to be leaving the door open for rivals Tottenham as they trailed 3-1 with five minutes left but two goals from substitute Jhon Duran snatched an unlikely draw.

The early party mood was punctured inside two minutes after a horrendous error by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who somehow fumbled Harvey Elliott’s deflected cross into his own net in front of a stunned Holte End.

Villa responded when Youri Tielemans powered home an equaliser after 12 minutes but Liverpool restored their lead as they cut the home defence wide open, Cody Gakpo tapping in Joe Gomez’s cross.

The home side looked tense but still created chances, Diego Carlos and Moussa Diaby both guilty of glaring misses as they pressed for an equaliser.

Liverpool made Villa's task even harder when they extended their lead three minutes after the interval, young defender Jarell Quansah towering above Lucas Digne to score his first Premier League goal.

Substitute Duran set up a grandstand finish when his low shot beat Alisson with five minutes left then Villa Park went wild as Diaby's shot deflected in off the striker.

Villa are still in pole position to reach next season’s Champions League and will hope reigning champions and title favourites Manchester City can aid their cause when they play top-four rivals Spurs on Tuesday night.

Were you at the ground or following along from home?

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The line-ups for Aston Villa against Liverpool are in, with less than an hour to go before kick-off at Villa Park.

Follow all of the build-up here

Jurgen Klopp is the smiling, bear-hugging coach who leaves Liverpool having led the club to eight trophies - including winning the Champions League and a first Premier League title.

But what do you know about his Black Forest roots, and his journey from second division footballer to managerial master?

Sportsworld's John Bennett takes you to Klopp's home village of Glatten, to Mainz where he was a player for a decade, then tasted promotion and relegation as a manager - and to Dortmund where he won trophies, became a celebrity and had a pop song written in his honour.

Hear from school friends, players, executives and fans about how he developed his coaching philosophy, his big personality, his gifts as an orator and the man-management skills that set him apart from many of his peers.

This award-winning programme is the comprehensive back story of one of the most revered coaches of modern times - and it has now been updated to include Klopp's nine years at Anfield and the legacy he leaves in Liverpool.

Listen to the full programme on BBC Sounds