Mohamed Salah made a host of new friends as he participated in the Kop Kids Difficult Questions challenge, presented by Joie, recently.

The Liverpool forward was quizzed by members of the LFC Women U9 team and it proved an interactive conversation for the Egyptian King.

As well as being nutmegged by one interviewer, Salah learned some new local phrases and allowed the youngsters a touch of his unmistakeable hair.

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the video feature in the photo gallery below...

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Mohamed Salah made a host of new friends as he participated in the Kop Kids Difficult Questions challenge, presented by Joie, recently.

Liverpool have two outstanding young goalkeepers in Vitezslav Jaros and Jakub Ojrzynski, and Alisson has been lauded for his role in their progress.

The Reds are certainly well-stocked in terms of talent between the sticks, with Alisson‘s role as No. 1 backed up by Adrian and Caoimhin Kelleher at first-team level.

Kamil Grabara is developing well on loan at Huddersfield Town, while in the academy, Ojrzynski and Ben Winterbottom have caught the eye with their performances across the age groups.

Jaros is currently sidelined with an elbow injury sustained during pre-season, with his return pencilled in for the end of the year, but his potential cannot be overlooked.

Speaking on LFCTV‘s The Academy show, goalkeeping coach Mark Morris described this as a “different sort of scenario for Vit,” and highlighted a similar injury for Shamal George in 2016 which arguably derailed his rise.

But Morris believes it is “just a setback,” and with the club “really pleased with the way he was developing” the 18-year-old Czech can benefit from being “mentally strong.”

“It’s been tough, it’s more about being strong mentally,” Jaros said.

“Because you see all the boys going on the pitch, it’s quite hard because you know you’re not going to be out there for a couple of months.

“I try to get through all my exercises and try to keep my head up.”

The teenager acknowledged the difficulty in adjustment on his arrival at the club from Slavia Prague in 2017 due to the language barrier, but now speaking in a strong Scouse accent he has clearly settled.

It is a similar situation for Ojrzynski, who has taken over a first-choice goalkeeper for the under-18s and received praise from Morris for how he has adapted.

“Kuba, he’s making good progress. He’s a good character, we like him,” the coach said.

“He’s fitted in really, really well with the boys, the boys like him.”

Ojrzynski, a boyhood Red, described his move from Legia Warsaw in his native Poland last summer as a “dream come true,” but admitted the “tempo in training and the intensity” were obstacles to begin with.

The 16-year-old travelled with the first team for the pre-season tour of the United States, but was already familiar with many of them, with Morris telling the story of how he trained alongside the senior squad while still on trial:

“When he first came on trial I was actually helping John [Achterberg] out at Melwood, and he came in and ended up training with the first team one afternoon.

“He was out on the training pitch last, he had the likes of Mo and people like that taking free-kicks against him.

“The boy was only in on trial, it does take a certain type to come into a club like Liverpool and to be able to handle that, because the spotlight is on you constantly.

“You are judged on an hourly basis, and not just on the pitch, you’re judged in the gym.

“It’s your job, you have to be completely and utterly dedicated and the boys are, they really are. Those two are fantastic.”

Both Jaros and Ojrzynski attested to the effect of training with Alisson, with the former praising him as “the best goalkeeper in the world,” explaining that there are “loads of things to learn from him just by watching.”

“Alisson‘s great up there with them, he puts an arm around them when they need an arm around them and he helps them technically,” Morris added.

“As do John and Jack [Robinson], obviously, working with them.

“They both get a good chance to go up there, they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t deserve to be up there.”

That is the crucial line when assessing Jaros and Ojrzynski’s hopes, as though many promising goalkeepers have come and gone in recent years, there is a clear pathway for them to get opportunities like Kelleher before them.

For Jaros, the focus is on returning from injury and re-establishing himself in first-team training, while Ojrzynski will be aiming to continue his impressive early form and catch the eye.

“They’re going to have ups and downs, they’re young boys,” Morris concluded.

“You never stop learning as a goalkeeper, they don’t mature until they’re 28, 29.

“These boys are 16, 17, 18, so they’re going to have the ups and downs, and it’s how they manage the downs as well as the ups.

“You’ve got to have an even keel in there and the temperament has to be right. It is a slow process with them, but they’re both ticking along nicely.”

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What is the best thing about being Mohamed Salah? What does his hair look like in the morning? And what advice would he give to aspiring footballers?

The Egyptian King himself reveals all in a brand new edition of Kop Kids, presented by Joie, as he takes the Difficult Questions challenge.

We recently invited the Liverpool FC Women U9 team to meet Salah and ask the Reds forward anything they wanted to.

The result was an engaging and amusing conversation between the youngsters and the superstar as he opened up on his life on and off the pitch, what the club means to him, and much more.

See the full video below...

[embedded content]

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What is the best thing about being Mohamed Salah? What does his hair look like in the morning? And what advice would he give to aspiring footballers?

By Rob Dorsett,

Last Updated: 15/11/19 4:58pm

Joe Gomez was booed by some England fans at Wembley on Thursday night

Gareth Southgate personally went to speak to Joe Gomez and his family to offer extra support at Wembley after he was loudly booed by some supporters, Sky Sports News understands.

Gomez was left devastated by the crowd reaction when he came on for Mason Mount in the 70th minute against Montenegro on Thursday, Sky Sports News has been told, with team-mates also rallying round him in the dressing room after the game.

At first, it was not clear in the stadium whether fans were targetting the Liverpool defender himself or the England manager for his decision to replace an attacking midfielder with Gomez when England were already 6-0 up.

0:54 Former right-back Danny Mills says history shows that England players will always be a target for the boo-boys. Former right-back Danny Mills says history shows that England players will always be a target for the boo-boys.

But the boos continued when Gomez initially touched the ball, leaving the 22-year-old in no doubt that he was being targeted for his part in the bust-up with team-mate Raheem Sterling at St George's Park on Monday.

Gomez is an extremely popular figure inside the England dressing room, and Sky Sports News understands there is widespread bemusement among his international team-mates about why the crowd reacted to him in the way they did.

1:20 Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett and Kaveh Solhekol assess England’s 7-0 win over Montenegro and the booing Gomez. Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett and Kaveh Solhekol assess England’s 7-0 win over Montenegro and the booing Gomez.

Gomez was amongst the first England players to leave the changing room after the game, and walked through the mixed zone alongside a senior member of England's media team.

Sterling himself tweeted after the game, appealing for the England fans to stop the abuse, making it clear that Gomez was entirely blameless in the spat that left him with a scratch under his eye.

Southgate too praised Gomez's reaction to the provocation from Sterling, saying he had shown admirable restraint and professionalism.

1:19 England's players came out to support Gomez England's players came out to support Gomez

Southgate has indicated Sterling will start the game against Kosovo in Pristina on Sunday night, after he was dropped at Wembley as punishment, as England's 7-0 victory secure their place at the Euro 2020 finals.

It is thought a number of senior England players are now keen for Gomez to also be given a starting place, to reinforce the image of squad unity, and help the Liverpool man get over one of the most difficult weeks in his career.

'All it takes is two or three people to start to boo and it spreads very quickly'

Former England defender Danny Mills believes "fierce" club rivalries are to blame for Gomez getting booed by sections of the Wembley crowd.

He told Sky Sports News: "As England, when you come together, it would be ideal if everyone was behind the team and backed them constantly. But we don't live in a perfect world - that is never ever going to happen.

"The club rivalries are fierce. They are huge. They are intense and all it takes is two or three people to start to boo and it spreads very, very quickly.

"All of a sudden [people think] 'We can do it. It's acceptable'. Then all of a sudden you get two hundred or a thousand people booing, and in a game like that where the game is very, very quiet you are going to hear it - and that is what happens.

"If you go back, John Terry has been booed when he has incidents in the past, David Beckham has been booed and had effigies of him being burnt as well.

"I was there when Ashley Cole got his 100th cap and sections of the crowd booed Ashley Cole. A hundred caps for England and people still thought it was acceptable to boo him because clearly they weren't Ashley Cole fans.

"This is not the first time, it's not an isolated case and I guarantee at some point in the future it will happen again."

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Liverpool FC Women take on Everton at Anfield on Sunday. Take a look through our list of FAQs ahead of the game, which will kick-off at 3pm GMT.

Liverpool FC Women take on Everton at Anfield on Sunday. Take a look through our list of FAQs ahead of the game, which will kick-off at 3pm GMT.

Can I still get tickets?

As of Friday morning, very few tickets remain unallocated for the areas of Anfield that will be open on Sunday. The online sale has now ended, however tickets can be purchased from the ticket office until 3pm GMT on Saturday (subject to availability). Tickets will not be available to purchase on match day.

Can I pay on the gate on Sunday?

No. Due to licence restrictions, everyone must have a ticket and there is no facility to pay on the gate.

Will the game be televised?

Yes, the game will be televised live on LFCTV and LFCTVGO. The game will also be streamed on Facebook (territory restrictions apply).

Is public parking available near Anfield?

As always, public parking is limited around Anfield and using public transport is the best way of attending the match. However the Stanley Park car park will be open to the general public, priced £5 per car.

Will Soccer Bus and the 917 bus be running?

The normal Soccer Bus service will be running to and from Sandhills station on Merseyrail’s Northern Line to Anfield. The frequent 917 bus service to Anfield from Liverpool city centre will also be in operation from outside St John’s Garden, commencing three and a half hours before kick-off (11.30am). Both will operate post-match as well.

Are road closures in place for the game?

Anfield Road will close four hours before kick-off and re-open until 45 minutes after the match.

Walton Breck Road will close 90 minutes before kick-off until 15 minutes after kick-off. The road will then reopen until 15 minutes before the end of the game, finally reopening approximately 45 minutes after the game ends.

Will the Anfield Road family park be open for the game?

No, family activities co-ordinated by the LFC Foundation will be centred on Paisley Park at the Kop end of the ground near the Liverpool retail store.

Will refreshment kiosks be available inside the ground?

Yes, but please remember Anfield is a cashless stadium. If you want to avoid queues, there is an option available for you.

Pre-order your food and drink for COLLECTION or IN-SEAT DELIVERY (subject to availability).

Fans seated five seats from the aisle can order directly to their seat (please note staff are trained to wait for a natural break in play). If you do not qualify for in-seat delivery, pre-ordering for collection is available for all fans.

Miss the half time queues, download the app now at Anfield.Seatserve.com.

Does my baby need a ticket?

Yes, all persons entering the stadium need to have a valid ticket. We do not operate a babies in arms policy.

Is there somewhere I can park my buggy?

No, we do not operate buggy parks at the stadium.
 
Can I bring a bag?

All persons will be subject to a bag search and tagged, we do not advise bringing any bags over A4 size.
 
Is smoking in the stadium permitted?

Anfield is a no smoking stadium. Smoking is not permitted.

Will a programme be available for this game?

Yes, a programme is available for all Liverpool Women’s home games, priced £3.

Will the Fans Supporting Foodbank initiative be present at the fixture?

Yes, Fans Supporting Foodbanks will be in their normal position at the Anfield Road end of the stadium.

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Liverpool striker Courtney Sweetman-Kirk will fulfil a childhood dream when she runs out at Anfield on Sunday.

As a youngster in girl’s football she admits playing at such grounds was never “on the horizon” but the growth in the women’s game has made it a reality.

Now she hopes to do the event justice and would love nothing more than to recreate her favourite moment at the stadium—Mohamed Salah’s goal against Chelsea last season—and score in front of the Kop.

“It’s massive. As a kid growing up you dream about it and want to play in big stadiums,” she told the PA news agency ahead of the clash against Everton.

“For women’s football it wasn’t something that was always on the horizon or possible but because of the integration of the club and the women’s game going forward thankfully it is something we can do.

“It’s going to be a massive occasion. We’ve had Stamford Bridge and the Etihad get big crowds [this season] so hopefully we can match that.

“The Merseyside derby is obviously huge for the club and it’s a big step forward in terms of the women’s integration as well.

“I come to a lot of games here to watch the men and it is a ground with an absolutely electric atmosphere that it is renowned for.

“I remember Mo Salah’s goal against Chelsea: cut in, top bin, and the crowd went mad. That’s probably one of my best memories of last season.”

Sweetman-Kirk is in the rare position of having played for both Merseyside clubs, having been top scorer for Everton Women before her move to Liverpool in 2018.

She was then the Reds’ leading scorer in her maiden campaign with a nomination for the WSL Goal of the Season for her strike against Reading.

Sweetman-Kirk has yet to get off the mark in seven appearances this season but that reflects a poor start by the team, who are bottom of the table with just one point from their opening five WSL matches.

“We’ve been on the rough end of some results to be fair. It’s been 1-0s, 2-1s, 1-1s, so it’s been close,” said the striker, who celebrates her 29th birthday 24 hours before the game.

“For us we are concentrating on our process and our performance and we know if we keep getting that right the fine margins will turn our way and we will get the results on the board.

“[A derby] could definitely be a huge catalyst. The great things with derbies is the cliche that form goes out of the window so fingers crossed we can get the three points.”

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Liverpool Football Club can confirm the Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Aston Villa on Tuesday December 17 will not be a game that accrues a ticket credit.

A number of possible solutions were discussed with various supporter representatives in a fan forum earlier this week, and following that the club took the decision to avoid impacting supporters’ credits given the exceptional circumstances of playing two games in two continents over two days. 

The club recognises that many supporters will have made arrangements to travel to Qatar for the FIFA Club World Cup and will therefore be unable to attend the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Villa Park.

Tickets for this game will be sold in line with the usual selling criteria but purchase and attendance will not accrue a credit. This will avoid a scenario in which qualifying supporters travelling to Qatar could lose a credit for potential future Carabao Cup fixtures.

LFC will be utilising two playing squads simultaneously for these games, with one squad participating in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar and another in the Carabao Cup.

With an allocation of 4,500 for the Villa tie, the club also hopes to be able to open up the opportunity for other supporters to attend an away game.

The club has been working with Villa on ticket prices for the match and prices have been confirmed as a maximum of £20 for an adult ticket and £10 for under 18s. LFC would like to thank Villa for their understanding in these unique set of circumstances.

Full ticket details for this fixture will follow on Liverpoolfc.com.

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Liverpool Football Club can confirm the Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Aston Villa on Tuesday December 17 will not be a game that accrues a ticket credit.

LFC Foundation has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust to launch a new educational programme in Merseyside.

LFC Foundation has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust to launch a new educational programme in Merseyside.

Funded by BT Supporters Club, through Comic Relief, Game Changers aims to use the power of football to boost the reading skills and life chances of excluded young people.
 
The programme will combine football-themed reading lessons, practical football activities and sporting role models to equip 900 excluded students, aged 11-14, with the reading motivation and skills to overcome barriers to educational success.
 
LFC Foundation will deliver Game Changers sessions to more than 100 excluded students over the next 18 months, with coaches working alongside Pupil Referral Units and alternative provision settings across Merseyside.

Matt Parish, director of LFC Foundation, said: "We are delighted to be delivering the Game Changers programme. 
 
“This programme fits in perfectly alongside our current secondary school delivery and enables us to further reach the most high-need communities.

"In Liverpool, 48.7 per cent of neighbourhoods are classed as highly deprived, and Game Changers gives us the perfect opportunity to target these areas to bring about a tangible, positive change. 
 
“By taking on the challenge to improve literacy and overall educational outcomes, we can create life changing opportunities for children and young people across Merseyside.”
 
Young people who are excluded from mainstream education have some of the poorest outcomes in education, health and life. Only one per cent achieve five good GCSEs and excluded young people are 10 times more likely to experience mental health problems than their peers. 
 
Game Changers aims to make a positive change to these statistics by leveraging young people’s interest in football to provide a vital route into reading, which research shows can boost young people’s educational attainment and mental wellbeing.
 
Alongside LFC Foundation, community arms from 14 other English Football League clubs have committed to supporting the delivery of Game Changers, with over 900 young people expected to benefit throughout the programme’s initial phase. 

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‘World class’ is Steven Gerrard’s verdict on the level of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson.

By Tom Bodell, Football Whispers

Last Updated: 15/11/19 10:32am

Erling Haaland has become one of the most exciting young players in Europe

It might be the international break, but that doesn’t mean clubs around Europe aren’t scouting players, discussing targets and making offers.

So we asked our friends at Football Whispers to round up all the latest news and gossip from the continent.

Germany

Erling Haaland's list of suitors grows by the day with Bayern Munich the latest to join the queue for his signature. The Bavarians are looking for a long-term heir to club icon Robert Lewandowski, now 31, and view the teenager as the ideal replacement after hitting 19 goals in just 15 games this season. (Kicker)

Norway

Manchester United have emerged as favourites to sign RB Salzburg's 19-year-old striker Haaland. The teenage sensation was coached by United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Molde. (Dagbladet)

Spain

Atletico Madrid are lining up a £35m offer for out-of-favour Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic in January. The Croatian has been heavily linked with Manchester United and Inter. (Movistar)

Atleti's former Chelsea striker Diego Costa is expected to be ruled out for up to three months with injury but coach Diego Simeone has no intention of signing a replacement for the player in January. (Marca)

Diego Costa faces a spell on the sidelines

Real Betis plan to make at least two additions during the January transfer window following an underwhelming first half of the season. (Marca)

Barcelona midfielder Carles Alena is wanted by La Liga rivals Getafe in January with the Madrid-based side open to the possibility of taking him on loan. (Marca)

Barca have set their sights on Athletic Club full-back Ander Capa, 27. Valued at £26m, he contributed to 13 goals in La Liga from right-back last season. (Don Balon)

Italy

Milan would like to re-sign their former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer after it was confirmed the Swede would leave LA Galaxy at the end of his contract next month. However, the deal would require the consent of Rossoneri chief executive Ivan Gazidis. (Calciomercato)

Manchester United hope to come to an agreement with Juventus which would allow striker Mario Mandzukic to train with the Premier League outfit for a month before completing his switch to England in January. (Tuttosport)

Juventus' Mario Mandzukic is a reported target for Manchester United

However, United will face competition to sign the 33-year-old Croatian striker who is wanted by 'several' Major League Soccer franchises. (Calciomercato)

The agent of Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin, Alberto Botines, says the Spanish defender is 'seeing how the season goes' amid reported interest from clubs in Serie A. (Sky in Italy)

Juventus could make former Liverpool midfielder Emre Can available in January at a heavily reduced price. The German international, reportedly wanted by Manchester United, is not first choice at the Allianz Stadium. (Calciomercato)

Liverpool and Napoli are just two of the sides who are tracking Genk's highly-rated Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge. (Radio Punto Nuovo)

Napoli will lose Albanian full-back Elseid Hysaj for nothing when his contract expires this summer, according to agent Mario Giuffredi. Chelsea saw a £43m offer rejected last year. (Radio Punto Nuovo)

Elseid Hysaj is a reported target for Chelsea France

Barcelona's French defender Jean-Clair Todibo looks set to leave the Nou Camp on loan this winter with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen one of the interested parties. (Le10Sport)

Gerard Pique has warned France forward Antoine Griezmann that Barcelona will not 'play for him' but says he has been impressed by the former Atletico Madrid forward's quality and defensive work. "Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid are teams that played for him," Pique explained. "In Barca, we do not play for him considering the level that there is here. He must find his place, and little by little he will find it. He has talent and quality. I also have a lot of respect for everything he brings us defensively." (Le10Sport)

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"My dad's dream was always to see one of his three sons play at Anfield in Liverpool red – and it turned out to be his daughter. It was one of his proudest moments, seeing his daughter lead out the team as captain."

When Sophie Bradley-Auckland leads out Liverpool FC Women for the first ever Women’s Super League game at Anfield on Sunday, one person more than any other will know how she will be feeling.

• Tickets for LFC Women v Everton are available from the Anfield ticket office until 3pm on Saturday November 16

The pride is still evident in Julie Griffiths’ voice as she recalls the moment on December 9, 1997 when she and her teammates made history by running out for the first women’s derby at Anfield.

Julie, now 50, was the team captain and still remembers every moment of that night under the Anfield floodlights.

“When I heard about Sunday’s game, I was so excited for the players,” she says. “As a Liverpool player there is no better honour than to walk out on that pitch and hopefully with a big crowd. I want everyone there.

“Anfield will give the team inspiration. I know it did for me, that night I could have run forever. I was on adrenaline all night.

“The only advice I have for the girls is to take in every moment, from the minute you walk in the changing rooms, enjoy it, but when you get on that pitch it’s just another level on how you will feel. There’s no better stadium in the world, I just love the place.”

Julie Griffiths at Anfield

Julie, from West Derby, was born into a family of fanatical Reds and versed in the club’s culture from a very young age.

“I was six when I stood on the Kop for the first time with my brothers. They’d lift me up on the barriers. I grew up with this wonderful team winning everything in the ‘80s, it was massive in our family life.

“Never in a million years when I started playing did I believe it would come to playing for Liverpool as captain. We were still amateur and I was working full-time at the shipping company where I still work now 32 years on.

“To get a derby in 1997 played at Anfield, with no social media and very little press coverage, was all down to our chairman, Sylvia Gore, and the great Brian Hall.”

Only the Main Stand was open for the game but a crowd of 5,000 turned up, though Julie wasn’t able to fulfil one of the traditional parts of an Anfield game for a Liverpool player.

“I didn’t touch the ‘This is Anfield’ sign – I couldn’t reach it at 4ft 10-and-a-half! But it was incredible,” she smiles.

“Leading the team out as captain in a Merseyside derby knowing all my family were in the stand, I could talk about it forever.”

Julie, who played ‘anywhere left’, started her football journey at 21 at Leasowe Pacific, who at the time were North West champions.

“I moved to Knowsley United. Sylvia Gore, who was a real pioneer in the women’s game, worked tirelessly with Brian Hall and the club became affiliated to Liverpool – that’s when we became Liverpool Ladies around 1993-94 I think.

“That was just amazing – training facilities became better, we were walking around in the Liverpool colours, we had to be tracksuited up. Everywhere we went we were representing the club, Kirkby Sports Centre was our home ground.

“We became Liverpool just as the FA formed the first women’s Premier League and things took off then.

“It’d be incredible to be playing as a professional now but when I played was a crucial time in the women’s game. It’s when we went from playing in parks to playing in stadiums like Highbury.

“I’m so proud and delighted at what is happening now but we started the process.”

The 1997 LFC squad at Highbury

While Arsenal were the dominant women’s side at the time, Julie and her squad came agonisingly close to putting silverware on the Anfield sideboard.

“We were beaten FA Cup finalists three times, it was the big tournament. It shows we were one of the big teams. We lost two finals to Arsenal and the final one to Croydon at the New Den. We lost on penalties, it was soul-destroying, we were the stronger team. We were always there or thereabouts.

“I packed in at Liverpool when I was 32. I felt there were younger kids coming through, but I regret it. I took a couple of months out and went to play at Chester for a couple of years, helping the younger players. I love that side of it and I’m involved in Riversdale at Aigburth now. I’m even doing a bit of playing still!”

And she is excited to have been one of the pioneers for the women’s game on Merseyside.

Julie Griffiths

“I feel I’ve come full circle. I started off grassroots in the women’s league, I went to the pinnacle of my playing career with Liverpool and now I’m back with a grassroots team where I’m coaching and still doing a bit of playing.

“But I look at the women’s game now and think it’s remarkable. Just wow!”

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"My dad's dream was always to see one of his three sons play at Anfield in Liverpool red – and it turned out to be his daughter. It was one of his proudest moments, seeing his daughter lead out the team as captain."

Joel Matip's eyes narrow. 'No, I haven't seen it,' comes his reply.

By Blake Welton

Last Updated: 14/11/19 11:59pm

0:37 Gareth Southgate says he 'can't understand' why Joe Gomez was booed by England fans Gareth Southgate says he 'can't understand' why Joe Gomez was booed by England fans

Raheem Sterling has leapt to the defence of England team-mate Joe Gomez after he was booed by the Wembley crowd during the 7-0 win over Montenegro.

The Manchester City player was not selected for the European Qualifier after being involved in an argument with Gomez at the national team's St George's Park training base earlier in the week.

It was a continuation of hostility which was sparked during Liverpool's 3-1 win over City at Anfield on Sunday with Southgate likening the row to a family disagreement and insisting the group are united.

To all the @England fans, I wanted to leave things at it was but tonight I have to speak again : it was hard for me to see my team mate get booed for something that was my fault. Joe hasn’t done anything wrong & for me to see someone who keeps his head down and work hard..

— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) November 14, 2019

Although that was the perception from the squad throughout the victory, with Sterling seen applauding the Liverpool defender's 70th-minute substitution, boos were heard from sections of the crowd on Gomez's introduction.

Sterling, who is set to start against Kosovo on Sunday, immediately took to Twitter after the game, saying it was hard to see his team-mate get booed for something that was not his fault.

1:20 Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett and Kaveh Solhekol assess England’s 7-0 win over Montenegro and the booing Joe Gomez received from some of the Wembley crowd Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett and Kaveh Solhekol assess England’s 7-0 win over Montenegro and the booing Joe Gomez received from some of the Wembley crowd

He wrote: "Joe hasn't done anything wrong & for me to see someone who keeps his head down and work hard…especially after a difficult week for him to be booed when he came on tonight was wrong.

"I've taken full responsibility and accepted the consequence. I felt as though I had to say this."

England manager Gareth Southgate was also quick to condemn the actions of the England fans.

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"I don't understand it because no England player should ever be booed. We're a team and Joe has done nothing wrong," Southgate told Sky Sports News.

"I've made that clear earlier in the week so I don't understand that. Raheem and him are very close and the whole team are very close so we don't want to see anybody treated in that way.

"I'm sure [I'll talk to him] because as a young man that's an upsetting experience so the reason for putting him on was that he's been with us September, October, we haven't got him into the game and tonight was an opportunity to do that."

Asked what message he would send to the England fans who booed, Southgate added: "No, it's done, it's done we move on. I've said what needs to be said, it's for me now to make sure that Joe's okay."

1:19 England's players came out to support Joe Gomez after sections of the Wembley crowd booed him during the 7-0 win over Montenegro on Thursday England's players came out to support Joe Gomez after sections of the Wembley crowd booed him during the 7-0 win over Montenegro on Thursday

Gomez's fellow England substitute James Maddison also did not understand the motives but insisted Gomez was strong enough to deal with it.

Maddison said: "Joe's a strong boy, a strong-minded boy. I'm not sure why they were booing, whatever the reason, that's behind him. He's a strong-minded boy, as I said, so he won't let that affect him."

Liverpool also tweeted support for their player, showing a photo of Gomez with a heart alongside it.

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