LIVERPOOL CONFIDENTIAL: Jurgen Klopp backs Adam Lallana’s coaching ambitions, Reds track Palmeiras wonderkid Luis Guilherme and Fernando Torres is still learning from Liverpool staff

There were a couple of reunions at Anfield on Sunday, including man of the match Alexis Mac Allister receiving a standing ovation from the Brighton faithful. But there was also a loud applause for former Reds star Adam Lallana.

Lallana, now 35, had a good chance to score the equalizer late on, but his shot went slightly wide. The midfielder will soon become a coach and everything indicates that he will retire from the game at the end of this season or next.

And Jurgen Klopp supported Lallana’s coaching career and offered to help him with advice. The former Southampton star, who earned 34 caps for England, worked for the national team’s under-21 team alongside Lee Carsley during the recent break from club football.

“It’s not surprising,” said Klopp, referring to Lallana’s move to the manager’s position. ‘Firstly, the most important ingredient for a young coach is to love the game, and obviously Adam’s love for the game comes from his ears!

“He could play football for 24 hours if his body would allow it. So he needs to be prepared for the necessary next steps. Being already close to the U21 team is a good sign that he is ready to learn.

‘Being a player is an experience, but the rest you have to look over your shoulder or talk to people. He’s someone I have enough time to talk to whenever I want about my experiences, so we’ll definitely have conversations.

‘I’m very happy for him. A football lover like that has to continue playing and I am very happy that he wants to do so. That can only be good for the game.” The midfielder also followed Roberto De Zerbi for four months last season when he was injured.

Lallana, however, raised eyebrows before Sunday’s game when he admitted he wanted Liverpool to win the title before playing them. However, his last-minute entry at one end and his narrow miss at the other indicated that he was fully in favor of Brighton’s cause.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Liverpool follow Palmeiras prospect Luis Guilherme

Liverpool are among a growing list of European and Premier League clubs keeping a close eye on Palmeiras’ 18-year-old wonderkid Luis Guilherme, according to sources in the scouting community.

The 18-year-old has impressed for the Brazilian club, taking part in the Copa Libertadores and already gaining international prestige at Under-20 level. And the Reds, along with other members of Europe’s elite, are believed to have been closely monitoring his progress.

Palmeiras produced Gabriel Jesus before selling him to Manchester City and recently negotiated with Real Madrid for rising star Endrick, who scored for Brazil against England in the recent international friendly. Nottingham Forest also bought Danilo from the club.

Now it looks like Guilherme is next in that famous production line, with many European giants looking to get a head start in the race to sign him. The teenager can play as a number 10 or forward and reports in Brazil say Palmeiras would demand more than £40m.

Fernando Torres continues to seek to learn from the Liverpool coaching staff

Fernando Torres is still making the rounds on Merseyside after scoring in front of the Kop in a recent charity match, and spent the weekend shadowing Jurgen Klopp and his coaching team, who have seen their odds of succeeding the German drop to 18/1.

Taking over Klopp’s position without first-team managerial experience will be a step too far, but don’t rule him out of a role at the club in the future. Torres currently coaches Atlético de Madrid’s Under 19 team.

He followed Klopp and Pepijn Lijnders during training on Friday and asked them about session scheduling and tactics. Torres was also seen at Anfield on Sunday and will have learned a lot from his experiences.

Liverpool stars to take part in partnership with Mr Muscle

Three Liverpool stars plan to star in a sustainability campaign by the Reds’ partnership with Mr Muscle, where almost 13,000 fans will have their name graffitied on the ground outside Anfield to represent the number of plastic bottles recycled at each match.

Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcántara will help promote the initiative, which will begin with a ‘walk of fame’ outside Anfield. Every water bottle in the stadium has the Liverpool logo, but also a nod to Mr Muscle.

In fact, the plastic used for those bottles is recycled and reused in Mr Muscle cleaning products. It is part of a three-year sustainability partnership with SC Johnson, who estimate that 12,848 bottles are recycled each match day at Anfield.

As the culmination of this partnership, a ‘Walk of Fame’ will be unveiled at the famous Rockfield Road, to celebrate the collective muscle of fans who have helped contribute to sustainability goals over the last two seasons of football at Anfield.

Reds’ talented youngster Kieran Morrison is making good progress

Liverpool’s big star of the season, Conor Bradley, is not the only Northern Irishman making a splash in Kirkby. Kieran Morrison has impressed playing for Liverpool’s youth ranks this season and was given the opportunity to train with the first team last week.

Morrison has played for the Northern Ireland Under 19 team and has recently become a full-time member of Barry Lewtas’ Under 21 team for Liverpool. The midfielder has technical talent and also has a good eye for goal.

Although he seems destined to one day wear the Liverpool shirt at Anfield for the first team, his career could have ended with him starring for another club wearing red. Morrison was poached from Manchester United’s academy at age 14 after spending eight years there.

Book published about former Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence

You may remember the BBC vox-pop of fans on the streets of Liverpool asking about their memories of the 1967 Merseyside Derby. Unbeknownst to the journalist, he asked the Reds goalkeeper that day. “I remember it, I played on it,” he said, laughing with a cheeky grin.

That was Tommy Lawrence. He was a hero in the 1960s but largely forgotten until this clip, in which the younger generation began researching the former goalkeeper, who passed away in 2018.

Their story is now a book, Sweeper Keeper, which was published this week, written by Peter Kenny Jones and published by Pitch. Jones said: “It’s easy to forget who these players are and why they are so popular and famous in their day.”

“He was a very important player who was probably forgotten over time. In the book it says that he fell on hard times, but this (the viral video) gave him his moment back in the spotlight. It gave him that revitalization of that, as You know, he was an important player in this club.”

Anfield press staff must wear wristbands

Media and press staff at Anfield must now wear green wristbands, as if they were on an all-inclusive holiday, if they want to be fed. Staff told Mail Sport the move is to clamp down on vermin entering the media room and helping themselves to the free buffet.

Matt Beard is the best WSL manager to have a drink with

Matt Beard is the best coach for a post-match drink in the Women’s Super League, according to Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall. Asked if there was a culture of having a pint or glass of wine after the game, Eidevall said: “Just with Matt Beard, he’s a great connector to do that!”

There’s not much to lift a glass on Saturday as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 4-1 to strengthen their WSL title hopes. But Missy Bo Kearns celebrated her 100th appearance with the Reds.

She said: “I probably never would have imagined this happening. It’s obviously a huge milestone in my career and it’s a lot of experience for my age and I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and I’m hungry for more. I love playing for Liverpool.”