Liverpool manager Arne Slot says his side’s late 2-1 defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers followed a recurring pattern of dominating the ball but conceding soft goals.

The Reds controlled much of the possession at Molineux but were ultimately undone by a late winner from the hosts.

Slot expressed his frustration that the deciding moment came from a situation that appeared to pose little danger to his defence.

A familiar frustration

The Dutchman believes the result mirrors several other setbacks his team has suffered during the current campaign.

Despite controlling the tempo of the game, the visitors failed to convert their superiority into a tangible result.

Speaking after the match, Slot highlighted the disconnect between his team’s general play and their vulnerability in key moments.

“It is a pattern I have seen many times this season,” said Slot.

“We dominate possession and then concede from something that is not even a chance.”

Late heartbreak for Liverpool

The 2-1 loss represents a significant blow to Liverpool’s momentum as they look to assert themselves in the Premier League.

Wolves capitalized on their limited opportunities to secure all three points against the run of play.

Slot will now be forced to address why his side continues to drop points in matches they appear to control.

The result moves the Toffees to within two points of sixth-placed Chelsea, reigniting their ambitions for continental qualification.

It marked a significant turning point for the Merseyside club, who celebrated their first victory at their new waterfront home since December.

Tarkowski haunts former club

James Tarkowski provided the breakthrough against his former employers, converting a teasing set-piece delivery from James Garner.

The centre-back, netting his first goal in a year, celebrated by cupping his ears towards the travelling supporters.

That opener laid the foundations for Everton to dominate proceedings and banish the anxiety that had plagued recent home performances.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled the advantage after the interval, producing a delicate dinked finish after being teed up by Iliman N’diaye.

Clarets in defensive crisis

Burnley offered minimal resistance and have now conceded 58 goals this campaign, the worst defensive record in the Premier League.

The visitors were hampered by the absence of injured forward Zian Flemming, leaving them blunt in the final third.

Frustrations boiled over in the away end, with chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” directed at manager Scott Parker following a second-half substitution.

Jordan Pickford preserved his clean sheet with a sharp stoppage-time save to deny Lyle Foster, compounding a miserable night for the Lancashire side.

Back-to-back defeats have left the Clarets looking vulnerable, with bottom club Wolves now closing the gap on 19th place.

US President Donald Trump has said he “does not care” if Iran participate in the 2026 World Cup, claiming the nation is “running on fumes” amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Mr Trump made the comments to Politico on Tuesday regarding the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country,” he said.

“They’re running on fumes.”

Doubts over the team’s involvement deepened this week after Iran was the only qualified nation absent from a Fifa planning summit in Atlanta.

Visa concerns and security

Iran is currently subject to strict travel bans enacted by executive order in June.

While the ban includes carve-outs for World Cup squads, visas for support staff and government officials remain a matter for the State Department on a case-by-case basis.

Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House Fifa World Cup Task Force, emphasised that security concerns would dictate entry requirements.

“President Trump’s decisive action to eliminate the Ayatollah… removes a major destabilizing threat,” Giuliani told Politico.

He added the move would “help protect people around the world, including Americans and the millions planning to attend the 2026 World Cup”.

Group stage logistics

Team Melli secured a spot at their fourth successive global finals by topping their qualifying group last year.

The Asian qualifiers have been drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.

Their schedule currently involves two matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

Should both the US and Iran finish second in their respective groups, the political rivals could meet in a knockout match in Dallas on 3 July.

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, has previously suggested regional conflicts “did not augur well” for the tournament.

However, no qualified team has withdrawn from the World Cup finals in the modern era.

Fifa has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Iran’s attendance.

London has emerged as the frontrunner to host this month’s Finalissima between Spain and Argentina after rising security concerns placed the original venue in Qatar in doubt.

Football authorities from Europe and South America are set to convene for a decisive meeting before a Thursday deadline to determine the location of the prestigious fixture.

The match, which pits European champions Spain against Copa America winners Argentina, was initially scheduled for 27 March at the Lusail Stadium in Doha.

Security concerns force rethink

Hosting the event in Qatar has become increasingly unlikely following the Qatar Football Association’s decision to indefinitely suspend football tournaments.

This suspension follows recent conflict in the region, including missile strikes on the Arabian Peninsula, prompting safety fears for the event.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is now pushing for a swift resolution to ensure their preparations for the upcoming World Cup in North America are not disrupted.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente emphasised the urgency of the situation regarding the fixture.

“I know that negotiations are underway. The first thing, as a society, is to stop the conflict, but once you are immersed in it… the solution would be, as long as you can’t play there, to find another venue as soon as possible.”

Luis de la Fuente, Spain head coach

London leads alternative options

The English capital has quickly risen as the most probable destination for the clash involving Lionel Messi and the world champions.

While Wembley Stadium hosted the 2022 edition where Argentina defeated Italy, the national stadium is unavailable due to England’s friendly against Uruguay on the same date.

However, sources indicate that London possesses several other Premier League grounds capable of staging such a high-profile international encounter.

Alternative venues have already been explored and dismissed during the negotiation process.

A proposal to play in Madrid was rejected by the Argentine Football Association, who expressed a preference for a neutral ground rather than facing La Roja in their own capital.

Morocco’s offer was also declined by Spanish officials due to underlying tensions regarding the nations’ joint 2030 World Cup bid.

Race against time

Any change to the schedule requires complex agreements between Uefa, Conmebol, Fifa and the respective national federations.

The situation is further complicated by Spain’s scheduled fixture against Egypt, which is set to take place just three days after the proposed Finalissima date.

Should arrangements for the match fall through completely, the European champions have reportedly begun considering alternative opponents to maximise the international window.

Tottenham forward Richarlison has dismissed “fake news” claiming he would refuse to play for Brazil at the 2026 World Cup due to political tensions.

The 28-year-old took to social media to address a viral post alleging he would boycott the tournament in the United States.

Reports circulated online falsely suggesting the striker would withdraw his availability if military conflict involving the host nation continued.

However, the former Everton player has strongly rejected the attribution of such comments to him.

Richarlison slams ‘lies’ on social media

The viral post falsely quoted the Brazilian as refusing to participate unless specific geopolitical actions ceased.

Richarlison moved quickly to clarify his stance regarding the conflict involving the USA and Iran.

He labelled the allegations as “lies” and urged users to remove the fabricated statements.

“Just to be clear, because the fake news has gone too far: I never made that statement.”

Richarlison via social media

“Although I am against any kind of war and conflict, I never said I wouldn’t play for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup. I hope everyone who shared this lie takes it back and deletes their posts.”

Battle for Brazil spot

While the forward is eager to represent his country, his place in the squad for the 2026 finals is not guaranteed.

Reports suggest the coaching staff have already identified the core of their travelling party.

Competition for attacking places is intense within the five-time World Cup winners’ squad.

Established stars such as Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Martinelli, and Raphinha are reportedly viewed as secure selections.

Despite scoring 20 goals in 54 caps, the Spurs frontman has recently found himself on the periphery of the national team starting line-up.

Richarlison has managed eight goals and three assists in the Premier League this season despite inconsistent team form.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has hailed the “unbelievable” conduct of the club’s supporters and owners following the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota.

The Portugal international and his brother, Andre Silva, died in a car crash in Spain last summer.

Tributes have remained a constant presence at Anfield eight months on from the 27-year-old’s passing, with chants and visual memorials persisting throughout the campaign.

Slot admits the response from the fanbase and the institution has left a lasting mark on him during his debut season in charge.

“The way the fans conducted themselves after that tragedy, how many flowers there were, all the memorials, I can almost get emotional thinking about it,” Slot told TNT Sports.

“It’s unbelievable what our fans have done and our players as well, the way they have conducted themselves in and around the funeral.”

FSG honour contract commitments

The Dutchman also reserved special praise for the club’s ownership group, Fenway Sports Group (FSG).

Liverpool have vowed to pay the remaining two years of the former Wolves striker’s contract to his widow and children.

Slot highlighted that such a gesture goes against the norms often associated with the business side of football.

“Owners are mainly criticised, like managers, but the way they’ve handled this situation by paying his wife and his children all the money from the contract is [special],” said Slot.

“Maybe people think it’s normal, but it is not in football.”

An emotional return to Molineux

The Reds are preparing to face Jota’s former club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, twice in the space of 72 hours.

Liverpool travel to Molineux for a Premier League fixture on Tuesday night before returning for an FA Cup fifth-round clash on Friday.

There were poignant scenes when the two sides met at Anfield in December, with members of the forward’s family in attendance.

While the atmosphere will be heavy, Slot must prepare his side to face a Wolves team fighting for survival.

Rob Edwards’ side remain rooted to the bottom of the table but have shown signs of improvement, having recently drawn with Arsenal and defeated Aston Villa.

Scotland assistant coach Steven Naismith says he is "very optimistic" the team can create history by progressing beyond the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

The national side have never reached the knockout rounds of a major tournament in men’s football.

Steve Clarke’s men face a challenging task in Group C, having been drawn alongside five-time winners Brazil, 2022 semi-finalists Morocco and Haiti.

However, with just 100 days until the tournament begins, Naismith believes the current squad possesses the quality to break that long-standing hoodoo.

"If I’m honest, if you looked at the teams involved and our squad and where it’s at, before the draw even came out, I had a feeling that our aim… is that we can definitely progress," he told Sky Sports News.

The former Rangers and Everton forward insists the ambition extends beyond merely participating in the finals.

"I definitely feel we’ve got what it takes within the group to progress and be the first team to do that at the World Cup."

‘Squad of leaders’ ready for challenge

Naismith, who earned 51 caps for his country, highlights the maturity of the current crop of players as a decisive factor.

He believes the experience of those playing at elite European clubs will be vital against diverse opposition.

"What we’ve got is a squad of leaders who are at their prime, playing at big clubs to guide the potential younger guys in the squad as well," Naismith added.

The coaching staff are keen for the senior players to cement their legacy this summer.

"The next step, and what would be really nice for some of the guys, is to finish their career to be the ones that push through the group stage and into the knockout stages of a World Cup."

Preparation in Charlotte

The Scottish FA have confirmed the team will be based in Charlotte, North Carolina for the duration of the group phase.

They will utilise the state-of-the-art training facilities belonging to MLS side Charlotte FC.

Naismith spent months scouting locations on the East Coast of the United States to find the optimal environment.

He acknowledged that adapting to the climate and logistics will be essential for success.

"The heat and the travel are going to be things that every country that is there is going to need to deal [with]," he explained.

Before travelling to North America, Scotland will finalise their preparations with warm-up fixtures against Japan and the Ivory Coast later this month.

Liverpool have made formal inquiries regarding Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande as they prepare for the potential departure of Mohamed Salah this summer.

The Reds are actively planning for life without their talismanic forward following a season of internal friction and dipping form.

Salah signed a contract extension last summer keeping him at the club until 2027, but fresh interest from the Saudi Pro League has placed his future in doubt.

Liverpool currently sit fifth in the Premier League table as their title defence falters.

Reds hold talks for Olise

Anfield recruiters have reportedly opened discussions with representatives of Michael Olise.

The France international has flourished since leaving Crystal Palace for Bayern Munich in 2024.

Olise has registered a staggering 33 goals and 48 assists in 91 appearances for the German champions.

His previous experience in the English top flight makes him a priority target for the Merseyside club.

However, prising the creative midfielder away from the Allianz Arena will likely require a significant financial package.

Diomande identified as youthful alternative

Liverpool are also tracking RB Leipzig teenager Yan Diomande.

The forward has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in 26 Bundesliga games this campaign.

He is reportedly valued at approximately £87m, though this figure could decrease if Leipzig fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Competition for Diomande’s signature is expected to be fierce across Europe’s top leagues.

Tension grows between Salah and Slot

The search for reinforcements comes amid a breakdown in the relationship between Salah and Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

The Egyptian has struggled to replicate his form from last season, where he contributed 34 goals to the club’s title-winning campaign.

By contrast, he has managed just seven goals and eight assists in 29 appearances across all competitions this term.

The 32-year-old voiced his frustration publicly before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the season.

“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.”

Mohamed Salah

With the relationship strained, Liverpool chiefs believe they can demand a substantial transfer fee from Saudi suitors this summer.