Jürgen Klopp and the prospect of a fittingly chaotic Anfield goodbye

This was a moment headline writers and social media hacks had been waiting for since January last year, when Jhon Durán crossed the Atlantic to join Aston Villa. It wouldn’t make a great deal of sense with just one goal; he’d have to make it a brace for the whole thing to click together. Moussa Diaby may well have recognised this, too, blasting a pass in the 88th minute at Villa Park on Monday night. All Durán had to do was get in the way and watch the ball bobble off his thigh and past a wrong-footed Alisson to make it 3-3 against Liverpool. Yes, “Durán Durán” inevitably made its way round the World Wide Web, the Colombian forward’s late double surely helping Birmingham’s famed new-wave outfit flog some tour tickets.

For Jürgen Klopp, this was another exhibition of chaos, his side’s attacking thrust cancelled out by a defence leakier than the Old Trafford roof. You have to go back to the blissful days of early March for Liverpool’s last clean sheet in the league, when Darwin Núñez’s 99th-minute header sent Nottingham Forest on one of their temper tantrums. That 1-0 win took Liverpool four points clear at the top, and they still had Big Vase and the FA Cup to play for. Alas, it all came tumbling down – Milk Cup success with the kids will remain the crowning point of Klopp’s farewell tour.

That’s not to say this Sunday, Klopp’s final match at the helm, won’t be a special occasion. This remains the man who turned the laughter over his side celebrating a 2-2 draw against West Brom at Anfield into jealousy as they won the lot. When Klopp inevitably lines up with his players post-match in front of the Kop, eight-and-a half years on from that much-derided linking of arms, he will do so as the manager who brought in a first Premier League title, Big Cup glory after embarrassing Lionel Messi’s Barça, and a silly amount of nervy Wembley wins over Chelsea. But take away the shiny stuff and his stint would still be memorable, such is the joy Klopp’s football brought not only to his supporters but the neutrals, too.

Despite Liverpool’s current unpredictability, the final result against Wolves is rather obvious to our minds: 5-5, replicating Sir Alex Ferguson’s last match in charge of Manchester United away at the Hawthorns. Klopp will inevitably put on a closing show at Anfield (much more entertaining than the £37-a-pop stage-managed event on the docks a week later), letting his boys roam free as they go 5-2 up. Expect Romelu Lukaku Pablo Sarabia to emerge from the bench at half-time to deliver a hat-trick that pegs it back. Nonetheless, Klopp will have a large grin on his face, and a bear hug that turns Gary O’Neil red will follow at the final whistle. There will be final fist-pumps, as well as tears, and there won’t be any kicking off at 12.30pm. The perfect wave goodbye.

Join Barry Glendenning from 8pm BST for hot Premier League minute-by-minute coverage of Tottenham 1-3 Manchester City.

“I know 100% of Spurs supporters want us to win” – Ange Postecoglou there, with his finger well and truly on the north London pulse before the match against Manchester City.

Thanks to our friends at the Guardian Print Shop, we are giving away four David Squires cartoons over the next four weeks. To enter, just write us a letter for publication below. We will choose the best of our letter o’ the day winners at the end of each of the next four weeks and that worthy winner will be given a voucher for one of our top, top cartoonists’ prints. And if you’re not successful, you can scan the full archive of David’s cartoons here and then buy your own. Terms and conditions for the competition can be viewed here.

Thanks to our friends at the Guardian Print Shop, we are giving away four David Squires cartoons over the next four weeks. To enter, just write us a letter for publication below. We will choose the best of our letter o’ the day winners at the end of each of the next four weeks and that worthy winner will be given a voucher for one of our top, top cartoonist’s prints. And if you’re not successful, you can scan the full archive of David’s cartoons here and then buy your own. Terms and conditions for the competition can be viewed here.

Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. Yes, that’s clear evidence of a waterfall at Old Trafford. I’d posit an absolute shower most weeks, too” – Stuart Macnab.

Re: your timeline of Kalvin Phillips’ West Ham loan (yesterday’s Hammer Horror, full email edition). You forgot to add the payoff … 8 June: is recalled to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the upcoming Euros” – Guy Stephenson.

There has been a lot of talk recently about whether the Premier League actually is the promised land for smaller clubs or whether it is a somewhat poisoned chalice. To answer this, what is the significance of the following numbers: 1, 1, 5, 0, 9, 3, 2, 2? These are the number of wins each of the last 8 Huddersfield Town managers have earned, since putting everything into trying (and failing) to beat Forest in the playoff final. Not very fun to be a team on the way down from the top division” – Sean Brennan.

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Stuart Macnab, who now has the chance to win a David Squires cartoon from our print shop at the end of the week. Terms and conditions for all this can be viewed here.

Speak of the devil … it’s David Squires on Tottenham’s new fans and other end-of-season surprises.

Mauricio Pochettino has taken his press conferences in various entertaining directions this season, and in his latest he went down the lesser-trodden power ballad route, telling hacks to stop asking him about Chelsea’s past. “The problem is we were punished for the first 10 games,” he blabbed. “Since then I think our form is top four. I want to be positive. It is like the song of Coldplay. We are stuck in reverse. I am a fan [of Coldplay], the song is Fix You. That’s the problem with the press conference because I go to this or that and then the people are not happy with me.” We’re no fans of Chris Martin here, Mauricio [unless it’s the former Scotland striker – Football Daily Ed], but we expect the crooner’s lyrics do resonate with the Argentinian this season:

🎵 When you try your best, but you don’t succeed 🎵
🎵 When you get what you want, but not what you need 🎵
🎵 When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep 🎵
🎵 Stuck in reverse … 🎵

Premier League chief suit Richard Masters says he has been “very clear” with 777 Partners over the conditions it must meet to complete a takeover of Everton, and that observers can draw their “own conclusions” as to why the deal has yet to be approved.

The increasing cultural significance of clubs means they should be harnessed by government to develop “social connection” within communities, a new report from British Future claims.

Raphaël Varane will leave Manchester United this summer. “Despite the fact we have had a difficult season, I am very positive for the future,” honked the defender. “The new owners are coming with a clear plan and a great strategy.”

Arsenal Women will play 11 of their home games at the Emirates Stadium next season, making it the primary venue for the team.

Millie Bright! Bright! Bright … is back in Sarina Wiegman’s squad for England’s Euro 2025 qualifiers against France, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden in June and July. “Delighted to be back,” cheered the Chelsea centre-back.

Crystal Palace are trying persuade sporting director Dougie Freedman that the grass wouldn’t necessarily be greener if he went to work for Newcastle.

Hibs have shoved Nick Montgomery through the door marked Do One after just eight months in charge. David Gray will take over as caretaker for the remaining two games. Feel it now, babylon!

And in a potential blow to the Scottish Premiership’s TV viewing figures, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers says he’ll watch Spurs v Manchester City rather than Rangers’ match with Dundee – a game that could result in his team winning the title. “Our only focus is on ourselves,” he honked.

The latest edition of our sister email is out now and it’s well worth your time, with Rikke Sevecke writing about the heart condition that forced her to call time on her career at the age of 27: “There is always something positive in something negative. It is just about being able to find that.”

Spurs won’t slack off against Manchester City. It’s just not in a footballer’s nature, writes Jamie Redknapp. Yes, Jamie Redknapp!

Quiz! Quiz! Quiz! The most memorable quotes from the 2023-24 season.

And here’s Jason Stockwood on how fluid poetry has beaten brutality in the battle for the game’s evolution, even in the lower leagues.

To April 1970, where a group of men are huddled around a miniature television on a car bonnet outside Wembley to watch the FA Cup final between Leeds and Chelsea. Plenty of thrills for the assorted crew: the game finished 2-2 and went to a midweek replay, in which the Blues prevailed 2-1 after extra time.