LOOK: Klopp & Liverpool FC players visit Alder Hey

The German manager and his players distributed presents and chatted to the children and their parents.

Liverpool FC have been spreading Christmas cheer at Alder Hey children's hospital.

Jurgen Klopp and his players distributed presents, including signed copies of the Liverpool mascot Mighty Red, and chatted to the children and their parents.

There were plenty of smiles from the players, who also included the likes of club captain Jordan Henderson, Mamadou Sakho, Lucas Leiva, Martin Skrtel, Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino, Jose Enrique, Allan Rodgrigues de Souza, Adam Bogdan, Cameron Brannagan and Connor Randall.

A few of the Reds stars were even left holding the baby and seemed to be getting the hang of it quite nicely while Jurgen Klopp spoke personally to patients in their own rooms.

Liverpool FC midfielder James Milner will miss Watford trip

Milner has been ruled out of his side's visit to Vicarage Road, but Dejan Lovren could be back ahead of schedule for the Reds

James Milner has added to Liverpool's injury woes as the midfielder's calf strain means he will miss their visit to Watford on Sunday.

It means that either Lucas Leiva or Joe Allen will be recalled for the Premier League fixture at Vicarage Road.

Vice-captain Milner is also a major doubt for their Boxing Day game at Anfield against top of the league Leicester.

Danny Ings and Joe Gomez are both long term absentees for Jurgen Klopp, while he is also without Dejan Lovren, Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Rossiter.

“We have nearly the same situation as last week but Milly has a problem with his calf,” Klopp said.

“It will take a few days. He had a scan. He felt something when he was warming up.

"I don't know how long Milly will be out but he won't be fit for the weekend.

Klopp has at least been bolstered by the news that Lovren is likely to be back playing ahead of schedule.

The Croatian defender was expected to be sidelined for around three weeks after suffering a gashed knee and heavy bruising following a reckless challenge from West Brom's Craig Gardner last weekend.

However, Klopp says that Lovren, who was cleared of any ligament damage, has responded well to treatment and could even feature on Boxing Day.

“It's not that serious,” Klopp revealed.

“He's much better. We will see if he can train next week. He could be an option for Leicester.”

Mamadou Sakho is expected to replace Lovren against Watford. The Frenchman returned to full training this week after five weeks out with knee ligament damage.

Liverpool FC transfer rumours: Reds target Lucas Moura, Guiseppe Rossi linked, talks opened for Hummels

A round-up of transfer rumours and speculation from around the web.

If Sky Sports did transfer rumours, today's edition would be their version of the Grand Slam Sunday (on a Tuesday, of course).

We've got big names galore today as Liverpool are linked with some serious heavyweights.

First up is Paris Saint-Germain winger Lucas Moura, who has been approached by Liverpool..

And who is carrying this little yarn, this morning? Our friends over at The Metro, who have a similar report linking Moura with a move to Old Trafford...

But don't let that dampen your excitement! They reckon the arrival of Angel Di Maria from Manchester United has pushed Moura's nose out in the French capital and now he's open to a move away.

The 23-year-old might fancy joining Liverpool's current Samba stars Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Lucas Leiva at Anfield.

Wait until we tell him about the new Viva Brazil on Castle Street, he will be on the first plane to Merseyside.

Elsewhere this morning, the Daily Star reckon Liverpool are readying an £18m bid for former Manchester United star Guiseppe Rossi.

Perhaps Jurgen Klopp is looking for something to keep his medical team entertained, with Daniel Sturridge returned and only Mamadou Sakho, Joe Gomez and Danny Ings to play with right now.

Rossi, after all, has suffered three major knee injuries in recent seasons, costing him nearly two years of his career in total.

He does, it has to be said, have a wonderful goalscoring record when fit. Rossi has scored 115 goals in 275 appearances for Fiorentina and former club Villarreal.

And finally, you know it's a big day in rumour mill land when Mats Hummels is relegated to third on the bill.

But here he is, almost on the undercard, with reports saying Liverpool are ready to do a deal to bring the 26-year-old to Anfield.

The World Cup winning star made his name under Klopp at Dortmund, so it's only natural that he would be linked with a move to Liverpool.

Dortmund might have a thing or two to say about that, I'd wager, with the German giants less than enthusiastic about losing their captain to England.

Simon Mignolet: Philippe Coutinho's return to fitness a welcome boost for Reds

The return to fitness of playmaker Philippe Coutinho gives Liverpool their creative fulcrum back, according to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Having lost at Newcastle last weekend and struggled to beat Swansea at home the previous week, the Brazil international's recovery from a hamstring injury after missing four matches is a welcome boost.

Even Coutinho could not provide the inspiration to overcome a limited Sion side when he came off the bench in the Europa League on Thursday, but his invention will be crucial in helping to break down another robust side in West Brom - who have conceded just five goals in seven away matches this season.

"With Philippe coming back we have got a lot of creativity in those kind of spaces and that's something we need to look at, especially in these type of games," the Belgium goalkeeper said.

"Sion were well organised, they played on the counter-attack and sat back and we have to try to find the solutions to try to create chances.

"They are different games compared to when you go away to big teams and they give you the opportunity to play.

"We have to find a way in these type of games when they sit back.

"Sunday will probably be similar. They will look to be dangerous on the counter-attack and maybe with a set-piece.

"You have to accept it and make a plan for it and try to ensure you do the things you need to do."

Mignolet's future as Liverpool's first-choice goalkeeper has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, so much so that manager Jurgen Klopp spoke out in support of the player.

There have even been preliminary talks over an extension to his contract, which does not expire until 2018, and the Belgian is happy with life at Anfield.

"It's obviously nice to hear the manager say that so openly in the public and that he's behind you," the 27-year-old added.

"I knew that already. He had spoken with me. He speaks with every player.

"You know what he's about and what he likes.

"It gives you a lot of confidence and it's nice to hear but, by the same token, it doesn't mean anything because you have to keep showing on the pitch what you can do and what you are about.

"I'll keep working hard to improve and keep my head down.

"I'm not really concerning myself about a new contract. There are games to be played and that's what I am focused on.

"Games come thick and fast and that's the only thing that matters at the moment.

"Of course I'm happy at Liverpool and I want to stay here."

Coutinho is in line for a return to the starting line-up on Sunday while Martin Skrtel, on the bench in Switzerland, and Alberto Moreno and Lucas Leiva, who were both left at home in midweek, are also set to return to the team.

West Brom chief Tony Pulis reckons Klopp can create a Liverpool legacy.

The Baggies to go Anfield aiming to inflict successive league defeats on Klopp after their loss at Newcastle.

The German has won seven of his 13 games since replacing Brendan Rodgers in October.

Liverpool are six points off the Champions League places ahead of the weekend's fixtures and Pulis has seen enough to suggest Klopp can make a lasting mark.

He said: ''He looks bright and breezy and his command of the English language is excellent. He looks as though he'll be here to stay.

''He is a fantastic manager, his record shows he has been a top manager in Germany. He did an exceptional job there. He has got one of the best clubs in England with some top players.

''He'll have the opportunity and chance to push them on and progress.

''Being in the different cup competitions they have done very well. That's difficult to manage, he has managed it well. His whole demeanour in managing the club has been first class since he's come in.''

Pulis is without Stephane Sessegnon (hamstring) but Claudio Yacob is available again after suspension.

Saido Berahino could be on the bench again after being among the substitutes for the last four games with the Baggies the second lowest scorers in the league with 14 goals.

And Pulis admitted Berahino's loss of form has hit the team.

''We're creating the chances but just not putting them away. Not having that extra goalscorer has affected the team there's no doubt about it,'' he added.

Liverpool's midfield must be addressed first in the upcoming transfer windows

With one point from their last two league games against relegation strugglers Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion, talk of Liverpool staging some kind of late raid on the Premier League title has been muted. It never had much foundation in reality but football supporters do like to dream and Jurgen Klopp's initially smooth entry into English football delighted many.

It's only two games, of course, but even the 1-0 win over Swansea that preceded them was fraught with difficulty. Clearly there is a lot of hard work and ingenuity needed from the German coach to fix this Liverpool team.

Most areas need addressing. Simon Mignolet wandered out for an Albion corner and got nowhere near it, helpfully contradicting Klopp's own assertionthat he didn't need a new goalkeeper. There are decent strikers but Christian Benteke is struggling with his price tag and the club's expectations, Daniel Sturridge is almost permanently injured and even when fit, Danny Ings might not rise to the level required. Divock Origi has blown extremely hot and cold, though the goals are starting to come.

Strangely, Klopp may feel he needs to genuinely strengthen the one area where there appears to be plenty of talent and choice -- the midfield.

Because of fitness and form issues in attack, Liverpool have for some time now chosen one striker and used attacking midfielders to supplement that choice. It is a "belt and braces" philosophy many managers cling to, and it's sound in theory. Against quality opposition you can bolster the midfield battleground with five individuals; against weaker teams, you raise the forward line to three.

All Liverpool's midfield contingent have certain qualities, but only Jordan Henderson really gets close to being a complete midfielder in the traditional sense: the ability to work hard, defend, create and weigh in with crucial goals. It's small wonder that first Brendan Rodgers and now Klopp have used a multitude of formations to try and utilise the squad they have but in doing so, they inadvertently revealed the weakness within it.

Take Liverpool's left side of midfield, for example. In his short tenure so far, Klopp has put James Milner, Emre Can, Jordon Ibe, Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana in that area, not one of whom has a decent left foot. Ibe is an example of impatience affecting a player's form. He seemed to combine well on the right with Nathaniel Clyne and it seemed a partnership worthy of development, yet the workload dictates changes must be made and an opportunity be squandered.

Centrally, the emphasis is on work rate and defensive protection. The crowd has for years yelled "shoot!" at Lucas Leiva whenever he approaches the opposition area but purely in jest as nobody expects the Brazilian to come close to scoring. Joe Allen is similarly industrious and has had one or two threatening moments further forward, but he is not expected to create much either. In contrast, Coutinho and Lallana do hustle and harry opponents to some effect but their desired contribution is on the edge of or within the box.

Everybody does one thing or the other -- not both.

The selection of five, and sometimes even six, midfielders is meant to swamp the middle of the pitch and stifle opposition play. This seems excessive especially when the likes of West Brom expertly exploit Liverpool's weakness at set pieces and score easily, simply bypassing the Reds' presumed strength in the centre.

Both Rodgers and Klopp have thought along similar lines. What they want is fluidity, to keep the opponent guessing and make sure a hectic workload doesn't become a burden on the players. Reality has rarely matched the theory, and perhaps there should be more focus on what the Reds can do rather than what the opposition does. Managers must use what they've got; certainly in Klopp's case, since he has not even had a transfer window yet. The vast amounts spent on Rodgers' watch are the key frustrations here.

Once in a generation, two strikers as lethal as Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge link up. They were what powered Liverpool's unlikely title bid in 2014, ably supported by Coutinho, Henderson, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling behind them. Three of those have now left, while Sturridge is almost a permanent spectator. It's a huge gap to fill and all the spending in the summers of 2014 and 2015 didn't get anywhere near solving the conundrum. That's the task facing Klopp in the coming months.

What makes it more difficult is the degree of expectation. Fans look at impressive victories against Chelsea, Manchester City and Southampton and wonder why it can't be like that all the time. It certainly seems a complacent division so far this season, where the traditional top sides haven't got to grips with the strengthening of the others. Similarly, the dynamism of Leicester and Crystal Palace (to name just two) is often proving too much for sides expecting to just turn up and win. Liverpool were brilliant against Manchester City but aided by the opposition, and more importantly coach Manuel Pellegrini, not giving them complete respect.

Everyone else's struggles certainly offer the Reds hope in staying in contention for fourth place but it will be hard. Liverpool's recent stutter in the league has fans discussing the deficiencies in the squad again, with chatter about Klopp only having to tinker a little bit to challenge now beginning to fade. This might be as knee-jerk a reaction as thinking the Reds could mount a title challenge in the first place, but the club's poor performance in the transfer market over recent years may not have fully impacted on results yet. A sobering thought.

One instant change that could help in the short term is to settle on a style and a formation, then use the appropriate players and stick with them as much as injury and form will allow. It's difficult to judge which came first: players being moved around like chess pieces game after game, or poor purchases forcing coaches to try new things and impatiently changing them after initial failures.

Klopp's transformation of Borussia Dortmund took time and patience. He'll want both from owners and supporters alike, but perhaps he himself should demonstrate those qualities with the players.