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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Alexis Mac Allister’s versatility has added a different dimension to his midfield this season. The Argentina World Cup-winner was a stand-out performer in a deeper-lying role again on Sunday as Liverpool strolled to a 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest. After Liverpool’s seventh league win of the season kept them three points behind leaders Tottenham, Klopp said of Mac Allister’s role: “It’s obviously really not a discussion we have, otherwise we wouldn’t play him there. “But I think today everybody could see the benefit of a player who comes rather from the offensive side of the game than from the other side.” Mac Allister scored 12 goals for Brighton last season in a more advanced position before signing a five-year deal with Liverpool, who paid £55million for him in June. He was key to Liverpool in his new role on Sunday as they kept Forest pinned deep in their own half, with two goals in four first-half minutes from Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez followed by Mohamed Salah’s second-half effort. “I’m really pleased for him,” Klopp added. “A lot of defensive top moments, he checked the counter, was really there. He’s good at these things. That’s why we play him there. “We have a really creative player in the centre of the park, together with Trent (Alexander-Arnold) in some moments obviously, which is very helpful.” Forest’s winless league run was extended to six games as boss Steve Cooper contends with a string of injuries, but they remain five points above the relegation zone. Chris Wood was a late withdrawal from Sunday’s squad due to a hamstring injury and with Taiwo Awoniyi returning to the bench after a groin problem, Cooper was short of options up front. He said: “We were defensive and tried to play on the counter-attack. But I came here the other night when Liverpool played Toulouse and it finished 5-1 and was over fairly quickly. “You can come here and try to be expansive and you can be on the end of a really, really difficult result. We’re not on the end of a good result, of course, but I’ve seen really good teams come here and get punished. “We were forced into the team we had to pick, certainly at the top end of the pitch. When we got some of the players in more normal positions, you could see a little bit of a better identity. But the third goal killed it.” Read More Sam Burgess hopes to bring ‘fresh approach’ to get Warrington back on track FIFA sends ‘support and prayers’ to Luis Diaz as search for his father continues Manchester United ‘have got to move on’ from humbling derby experience Bukayo Saka does not fear burnout and is keen to feature in every Arsenal match Early exit puts Champions Trophy at risk – England’s dismal World Cup defence A Premier League winner and ex-England international – Danny Drinkwater retires

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FIFA has sent its “support and prayers” to Liverpool forward Luis Diaz following the kidnapping of his parents in Colombia. It has been confirmed that Diaz’s mother has been rescued and after the player returned home to be with family members, the Colombian authorities have stepped up their search for his father. FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Instagram: “On behalf of FIFA and the global football community, I would like to extend our support and prayers to Luis Diaz, his family and his friends in these difficult times.” The Colombia football federation (FCF) has also issued a further statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, demanding that those holding Diaz’s father release him immediately without conditions. The FCF said: “We ask the captors of Luis Manuel Díaz, father of @LuisFDiaz19, to release him now, without conditions. Football is peace. Lucho, we are with you. Colombia is with you.” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said after Sunday’s 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest that preparing for the game had been “the most difficult I’ve ever had in my life”. Klopp added: “I didn’t expect that, I wasn’t prepared for it. “I don’t want to make the game bigger than it was, but definitely, we tried to help Luis with the fight we put in because obviously we want to help and we cannot really help. “So the only thing we can do is fight for him and that’s what the boys did.” Liverpool secured their fifth straight home Premier League win to move three points behind leaders Tottenham. But Klopp said: “How can you make a football game really important on a day like this? It’s really difficult. I’ve never struggled with that in my life. “We heard late last night about it. We spoke to Luis, he wanted to go home…Then we got the news with his mum, which is fantastic, and since then nothing really. “We are obviously the first people to get involved and we try to have knowledge of everything as much as we can, but we don’t want to disturb in any way the important people there, we just want to support, that’s it.” Liverpool said in a statement: “Liverpool Football Club can confirm it is aware of an ongoing situation involving the family of Luis Diaz in Colombia. “It is our fervent hope that the matter is resolved safely and at the earliest possible opportunity. In the meantime, the player’s welfare will continue to be our immediate priority.” Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro said on X: “In an operation in Barrancas, Luis Diaz’s mother has been rescued, we continue the search for the father.” Liverpool signed Diaz from Porto in January 2022 in an initial £37.5million deal that included a potential extra £12.5million in add-ons. The 26-year-old winger has made 11 appearances this season and scored three goals. Diaz was an unused substitute for Thursday’s 5-1 Europa League win against Toulouse after starting the Premier League victory over Everton last weekend, but was not in the 18-strong squad for Forest’s visit to Anfield. Read More Manchester United ‘have got to move on’ from humbling derby experience Bukayo Saka does not fear burnout and is keen to feature in every Arsenal match Early exit puts Champions Trophy at risk – England’s dismal World Cup defence A Premier League winner and ex-England international – Danny Drinkwater retires On this day in 2008: David Beckham heads to Milan to boost England hopes The sporting weekend in pictures

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Jonny Evans says Manchester United have to move on from their derby disappointment and believes injuries have played a part in Erik ten Hag’s second season struggles. A promising first campaign under the Dutchman has been forgotten as a challenging start to this term continued with Sunday’s humbling at home to Manchester City. Erling Haaland’s brace and a late Phil Foden goal sealed City a derby victory at Old Trafford that was more one-sided than even the 3-0 scoreline suggested. Outclassed, outthought and outmanoeuvred for the most part, it was an embarrassing end to the Red Devils’ admittedly unconvincing three-match winning run in all competitions. “It’s never easy – everyone’s disappointed,” said experienced defender Evans, who was frustrated by the decision to award a first-half penalty for Rasmus Hojlund’s tug on Rodri. “You wish you could turn back the clock, but you know we’ve got to move on now. “We’re disappointed obviously. We put a lot into the second half to get back and you know 2-0, maybe the chance with Rashy (Marcus Rashford) we sort of get back in it. “But you know (it’s) probably disappointing that we didn’t create too much in the second half.” Sunday’s defeat means United have lost five of their opening 10 league games, leaving them 11 points behind leaders Tottenham and Evans believes that absentees are a mitigating factor. United boss Ten Hag has had deal with a swathe of injuries, with Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Amad Diallo ruled out of the derby. Four of those played key roles in February’s Carabao Cup triumph against Newcastle, who head to Old Trafford in the fourth round on Wednesday as the holders look to bounce back from Sunday’s City humiliation. “At this club that’s what it’s all about, you’ve got to (move on),” defender Evans, who returned to the club in the summer, told MUTV. “We’ll be preparing for the next game now and making sure preparations are ready. “I think we’ve been disrupted with a lot of injuries this season in terms of key personnel. “Probably a lot of our starting players would be, you know, they’re missing. “I think the manager’s found out difficulties having to sort of work on team, on tactics and having to change the personnel quite a lot with only two days in between games. “So that’s been difficult, hopefully we can get more players back and get a real sort of opportunity to create freshness within the playing squad.” City lost at Newcastle in the previous round, so Pep Guardiola’s side get a rare midweek off before hosting Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. Haaland will be expected to add to this season’s 13-goal haul when the Cherries come to town, fresh from using Old Trafford taunts to fuel his brace and assist on Sunday. “The performance was incredible,” the striker told the club website. “Fantastic from every single player. Fantastic from every Manchester City player. It was fantastic. “I think we performed throughout the 90 minutes, every single minute. “We controlled the whole game. Big shoutout to everyone. I’m happy to play in this team.” Read More Bukayo Saka does not fear burnout and is keen to feature in every Arsenal match Early exit puts Champions Trophy at risk – England’s dismal World Cup defence A Premier League winner and ex-England international – Danny Drinkwater retires On this day in 2008: David Beckham heads to Milan to boost England hopes The sporting weekend in pictures Joel Embiid scores 35 points in big win for Philadelphia 76ers

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In a replay of last season's final, Manchester United take on Newcastle United in the EFL Cup on Wednesday.