Liverpool transfer news, rumours, gossip and speculation including the latest on Donyell Malen, Tottenham Hotspur reaction and Reds injury latest

Hello and welcome to our dedicated Liverpool live-blog for Sunday, October 1.

Liverpool are picking up the pieces after their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign was shattered against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Reds were on the receiving end of two controversial VAR decisions as well as red cards for Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota.

Just under an hour after the full-time whistle in North London, the PGMOL acknowledged that there was “significant human error” in relation to Luis Diaz’s goal – which was ruled out for offside.

Elsewhere regarding transfer news, Liverpool are reportedly looking at Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Send your views to @LivEchoLFC and don’t forget to subscribe to our free Liverpool FC newsletter, our YouTube channel and listen to our Blood Red Podcast – with all your favourite ECHO regulars including Paul Gorst, Ian Doyle, Joe Rimmer, Sean Bradbury, Theo Squires, Tom Cavilla, Keifer MacDonald, Stephen Killen and more.

The Liverpool ECHO has launched its own WhatsApp community to bring you the very latest LFC transfer news and top stories direct to your phone. By joining our WhatsApp community, you will receive breaking news and top stories straight to your phone. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in. If you are using your computer, tablet or an additional phone you can use your mobile phone to join the group below. Just scan your camera over the QR code and open the link. For further information, click here.

‘You can’t see this at home’

Gary Neville agrees that PGMOL’s mistake to incorrectly review Luis Diaz’s goal against Tottenham Hotspur for offside was ‘horrendous’, whilst also stating ‘something hasn’t felt right’ with regards to VAR this season.

He said: At the time I thought we get VAR up on the commentary box before anybody else does and I thought ‘that’s onside’. Then all of a sudden you just hear in you ear [the goal has been ruled out].

“We get the pictures up in the gantry – the commentary from VAR officials to the referee – and you get ‘check complete’. You’re like, ‘what?’ No lines. It was too quick and something was obviously wrong.

“That is unbelievable. That is a bad one. A really, really [bad mistake]. That is very significant.”

Gary Neville explained his feelings about VAR after Tottenham beat Liverpool (Image: Screenshot: X: @SkySportsPL) (Image: Image: Screenshot: X: @SkySportsPL)

“It doesn’t help” – Jurgen Klopp’s blunt response to PGMOL admission after Luis Diaz goal

Jurgen Klopp wasn’t interested in noting the PGMOL explanation for Liverpool’s disallowed Luis Diaz goal.

He said: “Does that help now? We had that situation in the Man United game (on the opening weekend), did Wolves get points for it? No. We will not get points for it. It doesn’t help.

“Nobody expects 100% correct decisions on the field, but we all thought when VAR comes in that it might make things easier.

“I don’t know why people in VAR are that much under pressure, today the decision was made really quick for the goal. It changed the momentum of the game. We scored the goal, it was outstandingly well played. It showed how we can hurt them and beat them.”

Klopp added: “I knew it (was onside) at half-time. With normal pictures it was easy to see. Whoever made the decision (to say it is offside) didn’t do it (wrong) on purpose, it didn’t take extremely wrong to come to the conclusion which was strange but somebody else has to clarify that. I have nothing else to say about it.

“How can the referee explain the situation? The linesman thought it was worth watching again and that’s why he raised the flag. In the good old times the linesman should have seen that wasn’t offside as well as you have these situations frequently. When you see it back it’s pretty clear.

“Nobody did it on purpose – whatever I say here it creates headlines but doesn’t help the situation at all. I’m not in that mood.”

Luis Diaz’s first-half strike was wrongly disallowed, it was proved. (Image: Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Liverpool eye Donyell Malen as Mohamed Salah replacement

Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen would take cost in excess of £50million if Liverpool were to pursue him as Mohamed Salah’s successor.

According to German publication Sport Bild, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has long been interested in the Netherlands international, even before he joined Dortmund from PSV Eindhoven in 2021.

And the report further claims that Malen could provide good back-up for Salah or even be his longer-term successor.

But Bild also says that because Malen’s Dortmund contract runs until 2026, it would take at least £52m to tempt them into a sale. The forward has scored four times and claimed two assists in his first seven outings.

Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen during a Champions League clash with PSG. (Image: Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)