27 Nov 2024
Q: What did you make of Pep Guardiola’s reaction to Liverpool fans?
DH: “Pep Guardiola’s reaction to Liverpool fans shows insecurity. It’s so unusual to see him get so emotional like that and it reminded me of Jose Mourinho.
“Liverpool fans don’t mind taking stick but like to give some out too, but this is the first time in Pep’s tenure that he is really feeling the pressure and that’s because they have been winning so often since he first arrived at the club.
“The next few weeks will be interesting, the players will start questioning themselves and it all leads to self-doubt. When you are losing games you start to wonder if you are good enough.
“There are no easy games in the Premier League and at the moment they don’t have a player who can turn things around for them, things might carry on or they could go and win their next four games. That’s what makes it interesting.”
Q: Is the Premier League title in Liverpool’s hands?
DH: “Liverpool are a well-oiled machine and they bully everyone they play against. They didn’t have their best game against Real Madrid and they made a few mistakes, but they didn't stop going forward.
“It was the same against Manchester City, no one was surprised with the result because Liverpool are so functional and efficient and the other is so low in confidence.
“In terms of the title, there are still 25 games to go with 75 points up for grabs. But for City, they now have to worry about catching Liverpool but also Arsenal and Chelsea.
“Arsenal have been in the race for a few years and Chelsea look solid for the first time in a few years, something is growing there. Liverpool are in a fantastic position but it’s still early doors.”
Q: Should Liverpool fans not get carried away?
DH: “Liverpool fans need to make sure they don’t get carried away. The club has matured since Jurgen Klopp joined and we know you can’t get excited when it’s still the first half of the season.
“The running gag was that Liverpool win three or four games and then claim that it’s going to be Liverpool’s season, but plenty can change by April.
“The manager is calm and that translates to the fans, who are of course very passionate, there is never a panic during games even during the win over Southampton. It’s all credit to the manager.”
Q: What would your top four prediction be at this stage of the season?
DH: “My top four prediction at the moment would be Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, City.
“I think Newcastle have been disappointing, Manchester United will take time, Chelsea and Arsenal look like they will be the teams to push Liverpool.
“Chelsea could even finish above Arsenal. When they are on form and Cole Palmer is running things, anything can happen. They look more solid at the back now and Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia have found their form.
“Like Liverpool, they look very stable in the engine room and it wouldn’t surprise me if they are the closest challengers.”
Q: Why will Man Utd miss out on the top four?
DH: “Man Utd will improve in the short term, but their squad is still some way behind the others at the top of the Premier League. Chelsea and Arsenal have bundles of talent as well as Liverpool.
“I don’t think they have enough to win a title, they need three or four top players and that is incredibly hard to do in January. Ruben Amorim will improve them, but there is a limit to that at the moment.”
Q: What is your prediction for Newcastle vs Liverpool?
DH: “You expect a Liverpool win but St. James Park is never an easy place to go. We know on their day that they can beat any team under Eddie Howe, but this will be tough.
“Everyone at Newcastle will have to be at 100% if they are to get a result, at 85% you still won’t win that game. I don’t think it will be one-way traffic but I do favour Liverpool.
“I’d predict 2-1 to Liverpool.”
Q: Would winning the title in his first season surpass what Jurgen Klopp’s individual honours?
DH: “One thing we can’t forget with Arne Slot is the squad that Jurgen Klopp left him. That was a team in contention to win the Premier League until about four games to go last season.
“Klopp left a very good team that didn’t need any signings, but Slot has taken the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones and taken them to a new level, they look like different players.
“They were squad players who are now the first on the team sheet, what he has done in a short space of time is incredible given that Klopp’s legacy had put managers off the job.”
Q: Is Arne Slot’s most impressive feat how he has improved Curtis Jones and Gravenberch?
DH: “Improving Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones has been Arne Slot’s most impressive feat, but you can’t blame Klopp for not doing that, he just had other players he stuck with.
“But since Slot came in they have both been brilliant and a lot of credit should go to the manager for that.”
Q: Is Darwin Nunez regressing this season?
DH: “If Darwin Nunez had better finishing, he’d be the best player in the world. He has all the attributes you need to be a top striker, he has the physicality and is a nightmare to play against because of his pace and ability in the air.
“What he needs is a rhythm in the team, which means six or seven games and he hasn’t had that under Arne Slot, it’s hard when he’s competing against so much talent. But he can still be a hugely important player this season and I wouldn’t put it past Slot to make that happen.”
Q: What is your stance on the Mohamed Salah situation?
DH: “Liverpool have always done their business differently to other teams. Mohamed Salah has been their best player for eight years, he still averages 25 goals, but he is 32 now.
“It’s bizarre if the club hasn't spoken to him, but I do think he will be offered a new two-year contract. He will want a four year deal but things can change so quickly when you are in your 30s.
“Clubs always have to be so wary over that and I have no doubt he has two more years at the top level, but if he wants a longer deal then it could be an issue.
“I’m not sure Mohamed Salah can be replaced when it comes to scoring big goals in big games, you can always count on him. There are other talented players out there but not like Salah.”
Q: Who would be the best direct replacement for Mohamed Salah?
DG: “The one player I’d look at is Jarrod Bowen. He plays on the right and has shown with West Ham that he is an exceptional player. You know he can cope with the physicality of the Premier League too.
“I hope Mohamed Salah stays, but Bowen has a similar profile being left footed and things aren’t going to plan for West Ham on the pitch.
“Having said that, Arne Slot would be open in his thinking if Salah has to be replaced, he will think that all top players can adapt.”
Q: Could Karim Adeyemi be the next star at Liverpool?
DH: “You need pace in the Premier League and Karim Adeyemi has that in abundance, he is probably the fastest player in the Bundesliga alongside Alphonso Davies.
“The only concern is his injury record, he is sidelined at the moment and it’s concerning with muscle injuries when you are only 22 years old.
“But if he’s fit he could be a star for Liverpool. He is a very exciting player who gets fans off their seats so he should be one that they are looking at.”
Q: How impressive has Jamie Gittens been at Borussia Dortmund this season?
DH: “Jamie Gittens has been one of the best three forwards in the Bundesliga this season, he scored another fantastic goal against Bayern Munich and has taken the Champions League by storm.
“He can use both feet and the sky is the limit. We saw Ousmane Dembele and Jadon Sancho shine at Borussia Dortmund and he is in the same category. He will be on the list of many English teams when it comes to the transfer window.
“Liverpool should 100% be involved in a bidding war for Gittens, he is grounded and switched on and there are not many players like him.
“At some stage, Borussia Dortmund will sell and he will be an attractive proposition for English clubs, Liverpool just need to make sure that they are in the hat.”
Q: Should Liverpool be willing to offer longer contracts to 30+ players?
DH: “We see players retiring later in their careers, but when looking at Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo you have to look at where they play.
“Robert Lewandowski is still at Barcelona but he is a striker rather than a winger, it’s different for Mohamed Salah who is turning 33 in the summer.
“Players never used to get contracts of more than a year after they turned 30 until Frank Lampard did at Chelsea.
“The issue with Salah is how hard it is to find a replacement. He never misses a game, never gets injured. Liverpool haven’t had a player like him in the last decade.”
Q: What did you make of Mohamed Salah talking to the media about his contract?
DH: “Mohamed Salah talking to the media about his contract felt like a cry for help. It’s like he was sending a message to the club because they haven't matched what he wants.
“I don’t think that he wants to go to Saudi Arabia, he wants to stay with Liverpool and I don’t think it’s about the money. Maybe just the length of the contract.
“It was strange to see him speaking to a journalist after the game for the first time in so long, but him making it public shows that he wants the club to make a move. He isn’t playing games, he is just trying to get things moving.”
Q: Where could Mohamed Salah end up if he leaves Liverpool?
DH: “If Liverpool don't offer him a contract, I wouldn't be surprised to see Mohamed Salah end up at Bayern Munich.
“At the moment, they've got wingers who haven’t really set the world alight on the pitch. I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to bring him in.
“They won’t be the only club either, he wants to play at the highest level and if that’s not with Liverpool it will be at another huge club.”
Q: Could Mohamed Salah play alongside Harry Kane?
DH: “Mohamed Salah could play alongside Harry Kane, he has played alongside big players before like Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane and didn’t even get on with them at all times.
“He is the ultimate professional and wants to score goals and win titles wherever he is, that wouldn’t be an issue.”
Q: Could Mohamed Salah end up in a swap deal with Kylian Mbappe?
DH: “I could see Mohamed Salah at Real Madrid, but not Kylian Mbappe at Liverpool. A swap would be tricky given their ages, but Mbappe’s form dropped in his final year at PSG and now with Real Madrid too.
“He hasn’t hit the ground running or improved their team, but if he did want to leave I couldn’t see him at Anfield.”
Q: Is Van Dijk the priority when it comes to keeping Liverpool’s players?
DH: “Keeping Virgil van Dijk is the most important for Liverpool because winning games and titles starts with the defence and it’s mostly down to Van Dijk.
“Havinf said that, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are not far behind him. With Trent you have Conor Bradley pushing for his spot and he’s been brilliant when he has played this season.”
Q: Should Caoimhin Kelleher be Liverpool’s number one?
DH: “The only way to keep Caoimhin Kelleher at Liverpool is to start him. For me he is one of the top five keepers around and I could only name a few better in the Premier League.
“I think Alisson will come back in to play after his injury, but one more big injury for him and I think Kelleher will take the spot for good.
“At some stage Kelleher is going to have to play or Liverpool will lose him. We will have to see what happens when Giorgi Mamardashvili arrives, but Kelleher cannot be the number two for another season.
“He has said that the club has refused to let him go, but if I was at a top club like Bayern Munich I’d be looking at him to replace Manuel Neuer. That’s how good he is.”
Q: Has Dominik Szoboszlai suffered from Arne Slot’s arrival?
DH: “When a new manager comes in, there is always a chance that players who were playing an important role will have to make way.
“Dominik Szoboszlai is a player that has suffered since Arne Slot’s arrival, thanks to the form of Curtis Jones, which has been the downfall of Szoboszlai.
“He knows that he will have to perform when called upon and got a goal against Southampton, he has a great engine but Jones is now ahead of him.”
Q: Does Kai Havertz get the credit he deserves at Arsenal?
DH: “Kai Havertz doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. I’m a huge fan of his and I’ve always thought he has more to offer, even after he won the Champions League with Chelsea.
“I don’t think he is in his best position, I think he’d like to play off of a striker and get space in forward positions, but the manager loves him and he does the job he is asked to play.
“He is a fantastic player.”
Q: Where could Florian Wirtz end up next summer?
DH: “There is talk that he could follow Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, but Florian Wirtz has also been linked to Bayern Munich.
“I’m not sure that he would be at his best in a team with Jamal Musiala, so I could see him end up at Real Madrid with his manager. Bayer Leverkusen will want £100million though given he is contracted until 2027.”
Q: Where would he fit in if he moved to the Premier League?
DH: “The best fit for Florian Wirtz in the Premier League would be Manchester City. They pass opposition teams to death and he loves to be in possession, he has fantastic vision and two great feet.
“Similar to Jamie Gittens, he is so good on both feet and technically such a top player. He could suit Arsenal given that they are a footballing side, but Madrid would be the favourites."
Q: How impressive is it to see Louie Barry’s progress at Stockport?
DH: “Seeing Louie Barry’s progress at Stockport is very impressive. In League One and the Championship the football is tough, it gives you character as a player.
“There is less protection from referees and it can be a great experience before you go back to your parent club. Sometimes players don’t perform well on loans to the lower divisions and that doesn’t mean that they won’t make it in the Premier League, but doing well does say good things.
“With Barry it looks like Aston Villa have a fantastic player on their hands, the loan has gone very well so far.”
Q: Is this the year that Harry Kane wins his first trophy?
DH: “The teams behind Bayern Munich have some huge problems, the closest team is probably Frankfurt who have two top players in Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike, who are probably the hottest striking pair in Europe.
“Leipzig have problems, Borussia Dortmund haven’t won away this season and Bayer Leverkusen haven’t been able to dominate like last season.
“Frankfurt are the only team competing with Bayern at the moment but I don’t think that they can compete over 34 games. So it’s looking like Harry Kane will get his first trophy.”
Q: Could he return to the Premier League in the summer?
DH: “Even if he wants to leave, I don’t think Bayern Munich will want to sell him, plus you need someone who is going to spend big despite him turning 32.
“Kane sounds very settled in Germany and I’d be surprised if he left after two seasons, the Champions League final is also in Munich which they will hope to be playing in.
“They have a great chance to win a few trophies and if he does win some I can’t see him wanting to leave in the summer.”
Q: Has Vincent Kompany proved people wrong?
DH: “Vincent Kompany has proved people wrong so far but he hasn’t surprised me because I knew him from my time at Manchester City.
“He was a brilliant player and a leader, a very smart young man who speaks numerous languages. He’s got a great team and he likes them to take risks, there was friction when Thomas Tuchel was at the club but Kompany has everyone onside.
“Players have been dropped but none have moaned publicly, he is honest and open and his biggest asset is that connection with the players. They have plenty of respect for him and that is half the battle.”
Q: Who are your Champions League favourites?
DH: “My Champions League favourites at the moment are Liverpool and Bayern Munich, but I think the Milan clubs could pose a threat too.
“Barcelona have fallen off a bit and Arsenal are capable, but how they lost to Bayern last year was really disappointing for them.
“Liverpool and Bayern have been there and done it before, we don’t know what might happen between now and the final but Liverpool are the most impressive.”
Q: Will Liverpool’s Premier League lead give them the edge in the Champions League?
DH: “Liverpool’s Premier League lead will help them in the Champions League, as will avoiding having to compete in a playoff game which will mean that they have two less fixtures than Real Madrid might.
“Liverpool will probably be able to rest some players for the last couple of Champions League games too which will help their rhythm. There is a long way to go but Liverpool are very well placed.”
Q: Is Harry Kane still the future of the England national team?
DH: “Harry Kane doesn’t want to be rested because he wants to break the scoring records, but he will have some rest now after picking up an injury.
“He might play a couple more times before the winter break but he has played so many minutes and never seems to be bothered by that or tired.
“He plays a lot in the opposition half with Bayern having between 60% and 70% of the ball so he doesn’t have to chase the ball a lot. He’ll be fine for a long time in that system.”
Q: What has gone wrong for Newcastle this season?
DH: “Newcastle need to try and stay in touch because it’ll already take three or four wins to make up the ground to where they want to be.
“Sandro Tonli was missed and now it’s about consistency. There were signs that they could come together but they haven’t been able to win games they haven’t played that well in, West Ham being the big example.
“They need to win a few games together and get that confidence back, it’s a very important period over Christmas so this is their chance to make up some ground.”
Q: Is it a concern that the PIF might slow down their financial backing?
DH: “It’s a big concern for Newcastle. They got to a certain level but it takes a lot to keep up with the big boys and that includes constant investing in the club.
“The team is quite old and they need young faces in the door, without that high level of investment it will be very hard to find the players they want.
“We will see how it plays out and also where they stand with Financial Fair Play, but it’ll all have an impact on Newcastle’s chances after a tough start to the season.”
Q: Could Sven Botman have the ability to replace Virgil van Dijk?
DH: “Sven Botman is the type of player that can play for the biggest teams. He has shown that he is a leader at Newcastle and if Virgil van Dijk is to leave Liverpool then that is the sort of player they will need.
“He could be a success at Liverpool, but I hope that Van Dijk goes nowhere this summer.”
Q: Could Cristiano Ronaldo end his career to focus on his YouTube channel?
DH: “It’s good to see Cristiano Ronaldo planning for life after his playing career, it probably helps that he isn’t in the most competitive league in the world so he has more time on his hands than he would’ve done in the Premier League.
“But it’s not impacting his game and he has a plan for the future there, it will be interesting to see how it goes.”
Q: Could Kevin De Bruyne’s time at Manchester City be ending?
DH: “This summer might be a good time for Kevin De Bruyne to move on from Manchester City, especially if things don’t get back on track under Pep Guardiola.
“It might be the right time for the club to get a younger player into his position and after this season might be the best time for it. He didn’t want to go to Saudi so it’s not about the money. Time will tell.”
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