Levy leaves door open for Poch return
MY DERBY GOAL IS FANS’ FAVOURITE
DANIEL LEVY says Mauricio Pochettino could return to manage Tottenham one day.
The Spurs chairman sacked Pochettino in November less than six months after the Argentinian led Spurs to the Champions League final.
Pochettino hinted his and the club’s paths would cross again. Levy said he had been reluctant to axe the manager.
“I had built up a personal relationship with Mauricio over five and a half years,” he told the Evening Standard. “It is not something I wanted. It was incredibly difficult, I told him that and he understood. “I’m sure he’ll come back stronger and get a chance to manage another great club. Maybe one day he’ll come back to us.
“I’m still in contact with him. Our relationship is very good. It just got to the point where it felt we needed a divorce.”
Levy replaced Pochettino with Jose Mourinho within 12 hours. But he insisted the Special One had not already been lined up.
He said: “Many years ago, we were linked with him. But I’d never spoken to Jose.
“And his availability was totally unrelated to Mauricio.
“Once I made the decision that we had to make the change, Jose was absolutely No1.
“There are lots of perceptions out there in relation to Jose that I’m not sure are true.
“I wanted to spend some time with him so we were aligned. And we were totally aligned on the strategy going forward.”
DIVOCK ORIGI has scored two huge goals in Liverpool’s illustrious history.
The Kop striker got the fourth, from Trent AlexanderArnold’s corner, that completed the comeback against Barcelona in last season’s Champions League semi-final epic at Anfield.
Then he fired in the second against Tottenham, which ensured there would be no late drama in the final in May as Liverpool were crowned champions of Europe for the sixth time.
But they are not the goals that get him stopped at airports.
Instead, it is his Merseyside derby winner this time last year when he tapped home after Everton keeper Jordan Pickford’s blunder in the sixth minute of stoppagetime that gets all the attention.
The Belgium striker said: “What goal do I get asked about the most? Definitely the Everton one – 90 plus six. The goal against Barcelona as well, from the corner, but the goal they speak about most in the city is the one that beat Everton. It’s amazing – I love it! It shows the heart of the supporters. It’s Liverpool, you know.
“I remember going into the airport in Manchester. There was an Everton fan on border control and he said to me: ‘I’m not going to let you in!’ I was like: ‘What?’
“It was all good, friendly banter. It was two months after the game.”
That derby goal helped transform the feeling towards Origi at Anfield.
But he still finds himself behind star trio Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, above, in the attacking pecking order at Anfield.
“For me it is always about evolving and where that progression ends we don’t really know,” said Origi.
“I do know that I’m very ambitious but at the same time I’m someone who puts the team first. Just keeping those two things in a combination, keep evolving and we will see after my career how that goes.”
LIVERPOOL new-boy Takumi Minamino wants to help them over the line in the Premier League title race.
The £7.25million signing from Red Bull Salzburg is ready to get started after his move to Anfield was made official yesterday.
The Japan forward, 24, says his aim is to lift trophies after signing a four-and-a-half-year deal. Minamino, left, said: “To win the Premier League and the Champions League, and to make good contributions to the team, that is my target.
“I’m intending to make a contribution to this team. For me to be able to do that, I’m going to do my very best.” Liverpool beat Manchester