New documentary ‘Make Us Dream’ gives a revealing insight behind the 17-year Liverpool career of Steven Gerrard. Chris Williams was the premiere on Thursday night.

“Football is not about turning up and playing, it’s about dealing with everything that comes with it.”

Steven Gerrard’s own words as he narrates a remarkable career against the backdrop of iconic scenes from 18 years in football—all but one of them in red.

This is not a ‘feel-good movie’. The journey taken is a dark one that reflects the highest of highs while also probing into the ex-Liverpool captain’s lowest of lows.

Although, at the end, there is a feeling that Gerrard has unfinished business at Liverpool—a destiny that will eventually lead him back to the hallowed turf at Anfield.

His story is one of total commitment to a club he joined at eight years old, but it closely charts just how close the Huyton-born superstar came to joining Chelsea.

Liverpool’s standoffish approach almost deprived them of his services, but ultimately it was his personal bond to the club that kept him in red for another 10 years.

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What is intriguing is Gerrard’s personal journey. From a working-class estate in Liverpool’s suburbs to a Champions League winner, all laid bare for the viewer.

Even more insightful is the now-38-year-old’s quest for a Premier League winner’s medal and ‘Make Us Dream’ approaches this head on. It doesn’t shy away from any angle or incident.

Just how close Gerrard came to joining Chelsea in the summer of 2005 is well known; what isn’t—or wasn’t wide knowledge until now—was the view from the player’s side.

How the lure of Jose Mourinho was ultimately undone by a conversation in which Paul Gerrard, his father, convinced him that he’d never be loved like he was at Liverpool and that “these (Liverpool fans) were his people.”

Gerrard himself spoke on the aftermath of the ‘almost’ move:

“Nine out of 10 people might argue I would have made more money, won more trophies. But them people are not me.

“They’re not in my city and they don’t have that connection with my club. That’s why I’m the one in 10.”

Rafa Benitez doesn’t feature in the film for long, but his cameo opens up what Liverpool was like under his leadership, and how the players—especially Gerrard—coped with his coldness.

It did open up a question to those watching of how Gerrard would have fared under a manager like Jurgen Klopp; a true man-manager.

But for all the craving of nurture the Liverpool No. 8 longed for, there was a feeling that the distance shown by Benitez only fuelled his captain to be better—to drive him forward and show everyone just what he was capable of.

One of the underlying themes throughout the film was Gerrard’s burning personal mission to lift Liverpool back to the top, at a time when the club looked incapable of challenging off the field during the tenure of Hicks and Gillett.

How the expectation within him—and that of the fans—became an almost unbearable burden that drove Gerrard to take his body to the absolute limit.

Encapsulated in its fullness are the hours before that fateful game against Chelsea in 2014, where the Liverpool captain asked for an epidural—as well as a volley of painkillers to see him through.

There is no avoidance or skirting around the ‘slip’ or the run-in to the season that almost delivered Gerrard his most-wanted possession.

It is presented in all its infamy and especially how it left the player empty. “He didn’t speak afterwards,” wife Alex remarked.

As dark as ‘Make Us Dream’ gets it is filled with joyful moments, and not just Istanbul.

There is the coming of age surrounded by friends such as Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen as well as early nostalgic glimpses of Gerrard’s talent.

Tearing through the midfield as a tender teen, home videos capture the ability that eventually went on to inspire thousands on the terraces and countless more millions around the world.

‘Make Us Dream’ will be available on Amazon Prime from November 23.

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Mohamed Salah scored a superb winning goal for Egypt in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia on Friday.

The Liverpool forward netted a decisive strike in the final minute of the match in Borg El Arab to earn the Pharaohs a vital 3-2 victory.

With the score tied, Salah completed a clever one-two to break through into the box before lifting a careful finish over the goalkeeper.

The result moved Egypt level on 12 points with Tunisia in qualifying Group J before their final fixture in the section, at Niger in March next year.

Georginio Wijnaldum was on target for the Netherlands, meanwhile, scoring the opening goal of their 2-0 win at home to France in the UEFA Nations League.

The midfielder struck a minute before the break at De Kuip, where he played 89 minutes and his Reds teammate and Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk the whole game. Memphis Depay added a second from the penalty spot in stoppage-time.

Alisson Becker and Roberto Firmino featured for 90 minutes as Brazil beat Uruguay 1-0 – Neymar the goalscorer – in a friendly held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium; Fabinho was an unused substitute for Tite’s side.

There was frustration for goalkeeper Kamil Grabara as Poland U21s lost 1-0 to Portugal in the first leg of their European Championship qualifying play-off. They meet again on Tuesday.

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Mohamed Salah scored a superb winning goal for Egypt in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia on Friday.

Mohamed Salah scored a superb winning goal for Egypt in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia on Friday.

The Liverpool forward netted a decisive strike in the final minute of the match in Borg El Arab to earn the Pharaohs a vital 3-2 victory.

With the score level, Salah completed a clever one-two to break through into the box before lifting a careful finish over the goalkeeper.

The result moved Egypt level on 12 points with Tunisia in qualifying Group J before their final fixture in the section, at Niger in March next year.

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Mohamed Salah scored a superb winning goal for Egypt in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tunisia on Friday.

Kenny Dalglish reflected on the ‘humbling’ experience of being knighted on Friday, as the King became a Sir at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Dalglish’s honour was announced back in June, with the 67-year-old acknowledged for his services to football, charity and the city of Liverpool.

This was part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours, and Dalglish received his knighthood from Prince Charles on Friday morning.

Beyond his considerable achievements on the field with the Reds, the King was recognised for his immense support for both the Hillsborough families and The Marina Dalglish Appeal.

With the latter, he has helped raise over £10 million towards improving cancer care across Merseyside.

And in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, Dalglish became a pillar for those who lost loved ones, helping in the long battle to bring justice to the 96.

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Speaking to ITV on Friday, Dalglish paid tribute to the Hillsborough families, and explained how he was left feeling “humble” after being honoured.

“They also stood beside us many, many times,” he said.

“We only did for them what I would expect you to do for somebody.

“They helped us on many occasions, unfortunately it was in better circumstances, maybe during a game, so when their time came it was not much to ask, that we could turn into being the supporter.

“It just came naturally to everybody. We never did it for any outside accolades. We did it because we thought it was right.”

Author Kazuo Ishiguro and Professor Simon Schama were among those also knighted, while Professor Mary Beard and actress Emma Thompson received a damehood.

Bournemouth striker Jermaine Defoe, Kick It Out chief executive Roisin Wood and director of child protection in sport Anne Tiivas were all honoured with OBEs.

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Kenny Dalglish was officially knighted during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

The Liverpool FC icon received the honour from Prince Charles after it had been announced in June that the Scot’s remarkable contributions both on and off the football pitch were to be recognised.

Dalglish enjoyed a glittering playing career with Celtic and the Reds that spanned more than 20 years and included a host of major honours, and also made a record 102 appearances for his country.

As Liverpool boss, he won three championships – becoming the first player/manager to achieve the league and FA Cup double in 1986 – and claimed a fourth with Blackburn Rovers in 1995.

Dalglish later returned for a second spell in the Anfield dugout in 2011 and led the club to League Cup success at Wembley during his 18 months in charge.

The knighthood also comes as recognition for his contributions off the pitch, including his unflinching support for the Hillsborough families and The Marina Dalglish Appeal; he has helped to raise more than £10million to improve cancer care across Merseyside.

“It’s humbling but you’re hugely proud,” said Dalglish. “You never set out in your life to do anything other than what your parents taught and wanted you to do.

“That was to be decent to people and if somebody needed help, you helped them. That’s all we’ve done. The three things they have recognised us for are all things really close to our hearts. Myself and Marina only did what we thought was right to be done.”

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Kenny Dalglish was officially knighted during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently on the road back to full fitness as he recovers from a knee ligament injury - and in the latest edition of BetVictor's 'This is Melwood', the midfielder chats candidly about his journey so far.

Oxlade-Chamberlain speaks frankly about the moment he sustained the issue during the first leg of the Champions League semi-final with AS Roma in April, and the milestones he's reached in his rehabilitation programme.

The No.21 also lifts the lid on his friendship with Rhian Brewster, forged as the pair worked together to overcome their injuries, as well as Jürgen Klopp's influence on his spirits and how the fans have helped him remain strong.

Watch the chat with Oxlade-Chamberlain in full in BetVictor's This is Melwood below for free now.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently on the road back to full fitness as he recovers from a knee ligament injury - and in the latest edition of BetVictor's 'This is Melwood', the midfielder chats candidly about his journey so far.

Virgil van Dijk's very own Liverpool song is beginning to take off - and local musician Jamie Webster treated LFCTV to a rendition this week.

Webster was in the studio for the latest episode of LFC Later and played out the show with a live version of the terrace tribute to the Reds' No.4.

Take a look above.

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Virgil van Dijk's very own Liverpool song is beginning to take off - and local musician Jamie Webster treated LFCTV to a rendition this week.

We round up the latest Liverpool news and transfer rumours on Friday, as Andy Robertson reveals his new nickname from Jurgen Klopp.

Today’s Main Headlines Robertson’s Hilarious Text From Klopp

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Speaking to Open Goal, Robertson has revealed the superb text message he received from Klopp upon learning he had been named Scotland’s new captain:

“I text him saying ‘just so you know I’m getting the captaincy’. It was just out of respect because I didn’t want him finding out off of someone else.

“I said ‘thanks very much for all you’ve done, I’m going to be Scotland captain, I hope it can be a success’ all that sort of stuff.

“And then he just text back in big capital letters ‘You are the real Scottish Braveheart now’!

“I gave him a thumb emoji and he gave me the wee dance emoji. Brilliant.”

This just sums up the brilliance of Klopp and his man-management skills.

Moreno Wants Liverpool Exit

Alberto Moreno‘s Liverpool future looks fairly cloudy and Estadio Deportivo claim his “priority” is to leave at the end of the season.

Moreno has only managed one start for the Reds in 2018/19, and just three appearances in total, with Robertson the undisputed first-choice left-back.

At 26, the Spaniard needs to be featuring more regularly, with a return to Sevilla mooted in recent weeks.

However, Philippe Coutinho would reportedly like to see him at Barcelona, while Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are also said to be interested.

Barcelona Chief Hints at Dembele Stay

Ousmane Dembele may have been linked with a switch Liverpool in January, along with a host of other clubs, but his future may still lie with Barcelona.

The club’s general manager, Pep Segura, has told La Cadena SER that improvements are required from the player, but he is going nowhere:

“There is no problem with Dembele. He is very young and has never had to make an effort like the one he is doing now to adapt to Barca’s game.

“We recognise that it is hard for him and he also recognises it, but we’re working to change this situation as quickly as possible.

“Yes, we had a meeting, just like I met with three other representatives, but it’s normal, it’s part of my job, they’re natural things.”

Not too much should be read into these comments, given the recent reports suggesting he will leave, and it will be interesting to see how things develop.

Wijnaldum Says Winning is Everything

Gini Wijnaldum is not getting too carried away with Liverpool’s excellent defensive record this season, with results the most important thing.

“It is good to hear, of course, but we are not playing for statistics—we are playing to win games and at the end of the season, we hope we can win something,” Wijnaldum told LiverpoolFC.com.

“Of course it is something good when you don’t concede goals because that makes it easier to win games and also suggests that we have defended well but I think you also need a little bit of luck.

“We saw that when we played against Man City and they had the penalty near the end but put it over the bar.”

Trent’s Star Showing Highlighted

Trent Alexander-Arnold enjoyed a night to remember for England on Thursday, scoring his first-ever senior goal for his country.

Not only that, the 20-year-old was given the Man of the Match award in the Three Lions’ 3-0 win over the USA, with post-match statistics outlining his influence.

According to WhoScored, Alexander-Arnold produced two key passes and made five tackles and two clearances, as well as enjoying 111 touches—more than any other England player.

The youngster has been going through a slight dip in form for Liverpool this season, so this will hopefully have done him the world of good.

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Mohamed Salah joined Roberto Firmino as Liverpool's top Premier League goalscorer of the Jürgen Klopp era when he netted the opener in Sunday's 2-0 win over Fulham.

The Egyptian's cool finish just before half-time at Anfield took his top-flight tally to 38 goals for the Reds - no player has scored more under Klopp.

Only Firmino can match Salah, but while it took the Brazilian 109 games to hit the total, his teammate did it in 48.

However, serial record-breaker Salah still requires two more goals to match Firmino's team-leading tally of 54 strikes in all competitions under the current boss.

The duo's intriguing battle for Klopp-era bragging rights got us thinking about Liverpool's top marksmen for the club's previous managers too.

So, after some serious number crunching, we went all the way back to the first official post-war Football League season of 1946-47 to reveal the two most prolific players of every LFC regime since.

You might see some unexpected names in the list below, which is based on league goals only.

Enjoy!

Manager: Brendan Rodgers (Jun 2012 - Oct 2015)
League games: 122
League goals scored: 232

Manager: Kenny Dalglish (Jan 2011 - May 2012)
League games: 56
League goals scored: 82

Manager: Roy Hodgson (Jul 2010 - Jan 2011)
League games: 20
League goals scored: 24

Manager: Rafael Benitez (Jun 2004 - Jun 2010)
League games: 228
League goals scored: 371

Manager: Gerard Houllier (Nov 1998 - May 2004)
League games: 216
League goals scored: 354

Managers: Gerard Houllier and Roy Evans (July 1998 - Nov 1998)
League games: 12
League goals scored: 19

*Patrik Berger also scored three goals under Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier, over the course of 12 games. Redknapp scored three in nine matches.

Manager: Roy Evans (Jan 1994 - July 1998)
League games: 172
League goals scored: 280

Manager: Graeme Souness (Apr 1991 - Jan 1994)
League games: 115
League goals scored: 164

*Mark Walters also scored 11 goals under Graeme Souness, over the course of 70 games. Saunders scored 11 in 42 matches.

Manager: Ronnie Moran (Feb 1991 - Apr 1991)
League games: 9
League goals scored: 20

Manager: Kenny Dalglish (May 1985 - Feb 1991)
League games: 224
League goals scored: 437

Manager: Joe Fagan (Jul 1983 - May 1985)
League games: 84
League goals scored: 141

Manager: Bob Paisley (Jul 1974 - Jul 1983)
League games: 378
League goals scored: 648

Manager: Bill Shankly (Dec 1959 - Jul 1974)
League games: 609
League goals scored: 1,034

Manager: Phil Taylor (May 1956 - Nov 1959)
League games: 143
League goals scored: 283

Manager: Don Welsh (Mar 1951 - May 1956)
League games: 218
League goals scored: 370

Manager: George Kay (Post-war only: Aug 1946 - Jan 1951)
League games: 195
League goals scored: 300

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Mohamed Salah joined Roberto Firmino as Liverpool's top Premier League goalscorer of the Jürgen Klopp era when he netted the opener in Sunday's 2-0 win over Fulham.

Jürgen Klopp always knew Sadio Mane has world-class ability but the Liverpool forward moved up a level when he realised it himself.

The Reds boss brought the Senegal international to the club in his first summer transfer window, in 2016, and the No.10 has since scored 40 goals in 89 games.

Mane is part of one of the most frightening attacks in European football alongside Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, with their combined total of 91 strikes last term helping Klopp’s side reach the Champions League final.

Naturally, the 26-year-old has experienced tough moments along the way too and it was actually his response to those, according to the manager, that convinced Mane of his own ceiling.

“He is an outstanding player, I never had any other opinion,” Klopp told Premier League Productions. “Since he came in he helped the team so much, he improved so much. He is an outstanding offensive player.

“If you ask me if he is a striker, yes, from time to time; is he a midfielder, yes, from time to time; he can probably play a slightly deeper position as well – we don’t have to play him there because we have other players there but he could play it as well.

“He is physically strong, technically strong, he is unbelievably quick, he is quick in mind as well, and he is a good shooter with both feet. That makes a good player and he is a fantastic person.

“He needed more confidence when he came in, the start was really good but I think he was a bit surprised by himself. Everything was good until the first time his shape dropped a little bit and then he struggled a bit with that, because he needed to get used to that he is a world-class player.

“Now, he knows that much better. That helps us. He is a really good player.”

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Jürgen Klopp always knew Sadio Mane has world-class ability but the Liverpool forward moved up a level when he realised it himself.

LFC Foundation has joined forces with Everton in the Community, the Prince's Trust and the Shrewsbury House Youth Club in a £700,000 project which aims to tackle youth crime in the region.

The joint Merseyside Youth Alliance project will focus on the prevention of serious violence, tackling gang culture and protecting young people from exploitation.

The scheme will deliver early intervention programmes targeting young people aged eight to 19 across Merseyside, particularly in areas in south Sefton, north and central Liverpool, Huyton and Toxteth, where violence is at a high.

The funding has been provided by the Home Office's Early Intervention Youth Fund (EIYF) following a bid put forward and endorsed by the police and crime commissioner for Merseyside, Jane Kennedy.

LFC Foundation's interim head, Jenny Stewart, said: "This joint project is a great example of Merseyside organisations coming together for a greater good of the city. This additional funding will enable us to expand our many existing programmes with Merseyside Police that support thousands of young people across the region to tackle youth and gang crime."

Overseen by the police commissioner, the project aims to identify and gain the trust of young people and engage them in voluntary activities at schools, youth clubs and centres and through outreach work which will help them to understand and move away from potentially dangerous and criminal situations. 

It will also focus on supporting young people to identify their own strengths and develop their skills, helping them to build a more positive future. 

With the funding, the Merseyside Youth Alliance project will recruit specialist school workers and youth workers who will develop key relationships, support schools in target areas and be able to mentor students confidentially. 

'Speak Up' campaigns will be developed within schools to encourage young people to share any concerns they have in relation to gang culture or violent crime. Teachers and staff will also receive training to identify those at high risk of becoming involved in gang activity.

Kennedy said: "Reaching young people before they are targeted by more sophisticated individuals who draw them into a dangerous, criminal lifestyle is essential if we are to break the cycle of gang-related violence in our communities.

"I was really pleased to be able to work with these four really effective organisations to put forward this bid and I'm delighted that the Home Office has clearly recognised the importance of this project by allocating the full amount requested of £700,000.

"With this money, we can work in the most troubled communities to target the young people most at risk of harm, building their confidence, equipping them with new skills and encouraging them to strive for a brighter future.  

"With two of the country's biggest football clubs on board, the experience of the Prince's Trust and the experience, community knowledge and understanding provided by the Shrewsbury House Youth Club, this project can have a huge impact transforming the lives of hundreds of potentially vulnerable young people, but also have far-reaching benefits for their families, schools and the wider community. 

"If we can reduce the number of young people entering gangs and becoming involved in serious violence, it will improve lives across our region."

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LFC Foundation has joined forces with Everton in the Community, the Prince's Trust and the Shrewsbury House Youth Club in a £700,000 project which aims to tackle youth crime in the region.