Jose Enrique on Liverpool, Klopp, Salah, Newcastle and Casillas

• Klopp Has Unlocked The Old Mo Salah
• Mo Salah Can Recapture Form After Rangers Display
• I’d pick Miguel Almiron Over Jack Grealish
• Klopp Went Too Far On Didi Hamman
• On Iker Casillas’s Tweet
• Attitudes Need To Change Towards Gay Footballers
• Rangers And Celtic Are Out Of Their Depth
• Liverpool Are Out Of The Title Race
• Trent Alexander-Arnold Is The World’s Best Right-back
• Man City Are Favourites And A Heavy Defeat Would Be A Disaster
• I’d Love To See Liverpool Sign Jude Bellingham
• Newcastle Can Finish Top Six
• Newcastle Will Start Challenging For Titles When They Finish Top Four
• Bruno Guimaraes Is Among Premier League's Best

Midnite spoke to ex-Newcastle Player of the Year and League Cup winner, Jose Enrique, as his former team Liverpool prepare to take on champions Manchester City on Sunday.

Enrique has also talked about Newcastle’s attempts to join the big hitters in the Premier League, with fond memories of his four years in the North-East.

The ex-Premier League full-back shared his thoughts on his fellow professionals in the headlines lately, including compatriot Iker Casillas’s controversial tweet and fellow ex-Liverpool pundit Didi Hamann’s words which clashed with the Reds manager Jurgen Klopp.

Here is Jose Enrique’s full interview:

Jose Enrique: Darwin Nunez is killing Mo Salah’s form, Jurgen Klopp went too far with Didi Hamann and why I’d pick Miguel Almiron over Jack Grealish

Klopp Has Unlocked The Old Mo Salah

“In the first half, the team were still lacking in confidence. You could see they were trying but you could see it wasn’t happening. Then in the second half they destroyed them. You can’t really compare Liverpool with Rangers, so it wasn’t a massive test. But the test is coming at the weekend now against Manchester City.

“But I think it will be good for players like Mo Salah to score goals like that, giving him confidence, and Gomez starting at right-back because Trent is out, which is great for getting his confidence in that position. Carvalho was really good, and so was Firmino. And Darwin Nunez scoring will give him confidence too.

“So there are a lot of positives. Apart from the result, it was about giving players that confidence. Four or five months ago they were fighting for all the honours. And now suddenly they’re bad players? They’re not.

“For Mo Salah, the big change for me was that he was playing more of a central role. But with Darwin now, it has changed for him. But hopefully, with this hat-trick he can get his confidence back. But the massive test is against Manchester City.

Mo Salah Can Recapture Form After Rangers Display

“Mo Salah can definitely use the hat-trick to get back to his best. In my opinion, the wingers used to be strikers really, close to the centre-backs, and Salah played yesterday as a striker. But now with Darwin Nunez it has changed a little bit, he is the one who will run into the spaces and you have the wingers as being more open.

“For Luis Diaz this is helping him, because he’s that kind of winger, but it’s killing Salah. For his confidence he needs goals. So I’m not sure what he’s going to do against City, it’s going to be interesting. Because when he plays that central role, he makes a difference, he scores goals. But it’s definitely a big step, and Salah has to play a central role, not as wide as he’s playing now.

I’d pick Miguel Almiron Over Jack Grealish

“For me, if I was City manager I would rather have Miguel Almiron than Jack Grealish. I love Almiron, I think he gives everything for the team. You can see he’s scoring goals now as well. He reminds me of Luis Diaz, that kind of player.

They have the ability but they give everything for the team as well. They get it right. I love him. Almiron is someone who could play for a Champions League team. I love Almiron, he’s been one of their best performers.

Klopp Went Too Far On Didi Hamman

“I think we all have the right to our opinion, doesn’t matter if you are a former player or a fan. I think Hamman has the right to his opinion, but I believe it irritated Klopp because the reporter didn’t ask his own question. I think he should ask his own question.

“That’s why you’re there, you’re not there to say what someone else is saying. Klopp is the manager of Liverpool and he can say what he wants, but Hamman can say what he wants as well.

“As a former player, I give my opinion, but I would not be happy if a reporter put to Klopp something I said. Why would you use me? Ask your own question.

“Well the results weren’t going well, and all of a sudden you come with a question from someone else, and he got mad. In my opinion, he went too far with Hamman, but at the same time, I understand what he said to the reporter, about asking his own questions.

“I believe the reporter actually agreed with Hamman. It was like I’ll use Hamman here, and protect myself. And that’s not right from the reporter in my opinion.”

On Iker Casillas’s Tweet

“Listen, I don’t know what happened, because I wasn’t there. But with Puyol replying to it, it doesn’t look right.

“In Spain, they are linking Casillas with many women all the time now and he got separated from his wife and they were together for a long time. He’s tired of it, but what he tweeted was wrong.

“There will be players out there who are gay, and maybe want to come out and they thought in seeing Casillas, there could be an opportunity if someone like him was coming out.

“For me, I could see straight away it was a joke, in my opinion. But it is not something you should joke about. When he says it’s a hack, in my opinion, it was not. All of a sudden you get your account back in five minutes? It doesn’t make sense to me.

“For me it was a mistake from him and instead of recognising and apologising, he said he got hacked, although we will never truly know.

“But it’s not something you should joke about because it’s something that is hard for gay players, although I don’t know any, to deal with and to come out. The impact of social media, and the stadiums, you could go there and the fans can be difficult.

“I don’t think he meant it in a bad way. But sometimes you have to think about the damage you can cause when you say something like that.

Attitudes Need To Change Towards Gay Footballers

“In female football, lots of them are gay and it’s normal. In football, if I was a player and a good friend and teammate of mine came to me and said I’m gay, I wouldn’t care, I would be okay with it. I have friends, who were friends of my wife before, and now they are really good friends of mine now, who are gay.

“I don’t see the issue on this, but I do understand why players wouldn’t want to come out. I don’t think it’s because of teammates, I think it’s because of the impact it would have away from home with fans.

“The way they are with racism, it would be the same with players who come out as gay, I believe. But for me, players will not have an issue.

“If you like a man, you like a man. You can’t choose who you like. Be respectful, it’s as simple as that.

Rangers And Celtic Are Out Of Their Depth

“In the first half, Rangers were not out of their depth. Then in the second half, and at home, it was different. But I don’t think you can compare. In the Champions League the biggest teams are there, and occasionally Celtic and Rangers can spring a surprise, but normally this is the real world and this is what happens.

“When Rangers have a good player, if they can sell him they sell him. Celtic are the same. For Liverpool it’s not that way, for Napoli it’s not that way. Or if they sell, they buy big again. It’s a completely different world, so it is what it is.

“Calvin Bassey, a really good defender, went from Rangers to Ajax for around £20m. So when you take out their best players, it’s very difficult for them to sign better players and stay competitive. Some years there is a surprise, but it’s normal for them both to go out early.

Liverpool Are Out Of The Title Race

“Everything was going wrong for Liverpool before last night. The main quality under Klopp has been the intensity, and then the quality of the players will do the rest. You could see they loved the intensity, they could kill the other team just pressing the whole game. But this season it hasn’t been there.

“Sometimes you need more competition in certain areas, Mo Salah has no one to compete for his position, neither does Trent. They signed Calvin Ramsay, but it’s a cheap option although maybe he can be good in the future. Teams like City, Manchester United and Tottenham are signing £20m plus players who are already established, I don’t know why Liverpool are not.

“I think they have a weaker squad than they had last season. You need to keep improving. You can lose Mane, even if I don’t understand it, but then they go for a 23-year-old from Portugal. It was the first season he played really well in Portugal, and then he’s coming here and you’re giving him all the pressure of a number 9 at Liverpool, and you think he’s going to be like Mane?

“I think if they gave Klopp the money that I think he deserves, I believe Liverpool would have two or three more trophies.

“But they are out of the Premier League race. They have to focus on getting top-four.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold Is The World’s Best Right-back

“He’s 23 and he’s been the best right-back in the world for many years. He can improve, definitely he can improve. Defending is not one of his best qualities. But Liverpool defend differently to the way other teams defend. Trent has shown to Klopp that he may not defend that well but he offers so much going forward, and that he is the best right-back in the world.

“Now the team is not clicking and you see the biggest weakness in the team, and opposition teams are targeting that right side. So there is a reason for it. But for me, if you look at the numbers of assists, I’ve never seen anything like it.

“It must be hard for him, he’s out of confidence. He needs to improve, but he’s 23 and he’s won everything. I was a full-back myself and I wish I’d been in his position! If you’re asking me to pick between Trent and Robertson, I go for Robertson because he is the better full-back in my opinion. With Trent, when the team is struggling like it is now defensively, you can lose a little more. With Robertson, he will still give you numbers but when things are not going well and for me he is the best left-back in the world. Even if he hasn’t been himself this season.

Man City Are Favourites And A Heavy Defeat Would Be A Disaster

“At the moment, City are flying. If you asked me before the Rangers game I would not have been positive at all, I’d have said they would destroy us but after yesterday I think it will be a massive plus for them. I’d need to see the line-up but Salah really should be playing as a striker.

“I’m not sure what he’s going to do, hopefully he doesn’t put him on the right again and if he does, let him be free. But even then, City are the favourites and they are flying. City for me are going to be the champions, but it doesn’t mean Liverpool can’t win. Previously it’s been 50/50, but now it’s 70/30.

“When you’re a professional, it’s three points just like any other game. If you beat them, the assumption will be that Liverpool are back. But if they get a heavy defeat, it can put the team down again and you need to give this team the confidence again.

“Apart from losing three points, it’s the confidence and they are getting it back. If they play City now and get something from the game, hopefully it’s a win but a point would be good as well. But if it’s a heavy defeat, they could be back to square one. So they need to get something from this game.”

I’d Love To See Liverpool Sign Jude Bellingham

“The positions Liverpool need are clear. It’s a number 8, it’s a right-winger and a right-back. I think it would be good for Ramsay to go on loan, get some minutes, and you need someone there to compete.

“Players I would love, if I was playing FIFA, and I had all the money I wanted I’d get Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and a right-back. The team really need midfielders. They have many options but there are too many injuries. Kylian Mbappe would be good as well! But it’s not realistic.

“But I don’t think they are going to do much in January. But the one player who could really make a difference is Jude Bellingham. Liverpool are the way they are now because they have actually weakened the side, really. Players like Ramsay are not established yet.”

Newcastle Can Finish Top Six

“I think Newcastle can finish in the top six and are maybe a good bet for the Champions League. The good thing about Newcastle is the back-up, if they keep going this way and they finish around this position before the World Cup, it won’t be long before the transfer window when they start again, the owners will think actually we can do it.

“If they keep performing well and playing attacking football they can do it. What Eddie has with the players is amazing. You can see they are excited. It’s difficult, so I think the real target is top 10 and they should be happy with that, but why not fight for top-six?

Newcastle Will Start Challenging For Titles When They Finish Top Four

“It’s difficult because there are only one team who can win it, City are getting stronger every year. Even Manchester United will eventually get it right because they are spending every year.

“Tottenham have the right manager, Arsenal as well and Liverpool will be back so it’s very difficult. But Leicester won it with the cheapest team ever for the Premier League. They got in that position and kept pushing.

“It’s true it’s different now, there is more money now, but actually if Newcastle get the chance to be in the top four, they can attract these kind of players. So first of all it’s about getting the top-four, and when they do they will be attracting world-class players.

“As soon as they get top-four, I believe it will not be too long until they are Premier League contenders to win.

Bruno Guimaraes Is Among Premier League's Best

“Bruno is one of the best players in the league, 100%. I love him because he has all the ability but then he puts everything into it. You see lots of players with talent, but because they have that talent sometimes they don’t need to put everything in the game because they say I will make the difference when I have the ball. But defensively as well he works so hard.”