Celtic fans react to Kolo Toure's performance against Hearts

The experienced centre-back impressed for Celtic on Sunday.

Celtic started the defence of their Scottish Premiership title with a victory against Hearts on Sunday.

James Forrest opened the scoring for the Bhoys before James Walker equalised from a highly contentious penalty. But Scott Sinclair would make an immediate impact, signing for Celtic, coming off the bench and scoring the winner all on the same day.

While Sinclair obviously got the plaudits it was another recent addition that impressed at the opposite end of the field.

Kolo Toure recently reunited with Brendan Rodgers following his release from Liverpool, and the Ivorian looked a class act at the back.

He will bring some much needed experience to Celtic’s defence and if he can stay fit and available all season he could have a huge impact on the campaign as a whole.

After the match we took to Twitter to see what Celtic fans thought of Toure’s performance and you can read a selection of what we found below:

Brendan Rodgers aiming to take Kolo Toure to Celtic

Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is hoping to bring Kolo Toure to new club Celtic, according to reports on Sunday.

The Ulsterman took charge at Parkhead in May, having had a break from management following his sacking by the Reds last October.

Rodgers has been linked with a number of former players already, including Joe Allen and Andre Wisdom, and it now appears that Toure is very much on his radar.

The Scottish Daily Mail report that Rodgers sees the 35-year-old as someone who can significantly bolster Celtic’s back-line, as they prepare for another Scottish Premier League title charge and Champions League football in 2016/17.

With Jozo Simunovic and Dedryck Boyata both out of Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers next month, Rodgers is well aware that additions are needed at centre-back as soon as possible.

Toure was released by Liverpool at the end of the season, following three years at Anfield, and it may be that a new challenge in a new country would appeal.

The Ivorian would bring an undoubted winning mentality to the Scottish giants, with multiple honours won throughout an illustrious career.

It is believed that Liverpool considered the idea of offering the former Arsenal and Man City man a coaching role at the club, but he is not ready to retire as a player just yet.

Toure made 71 appearances for the Reds in total, and proved to be an enormously popular figure among both teammates and supporters.

The veteran always gave his all on the pitch, and despite age creeping up on him last season, he produced some exceptional performances in the absence of Mamadou Sakho.

His only Liverpool goal came in the 6-0 win over Aston Villa in February – a memorable moment for anyone associated with the Reds.

Liverpool Stalwart Kolo Touré Could Join Chinese Revolution

Liverpool defender Kolo Touré could be set to finish his career in China, reports the ​Express on Thursday. 

The Ivorian's contract expires on 1 July, and is unlikely to be offered an extension, with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp planning a busy summer. At least one club from the Chinese Super League is said to be ready to pounce should the former Manchester City player not agree a new deal.

Touré, 35, was signed by former manager Brendan Rodgers in 2013, but had fallen down the pecking order by the time Klopp replaced Rodgers last October. 

Mamadou Sakho's ban for failing an anti-doping test in April led to Touré playing a key role during the season's run-in as Liverpool reached the Europa League final, but with the Frenchman likely to be back by the beginning of the new season, and with the signing of Schalke defender Joel Matip already in place, Touré's days at Liverpool look numbered. 

Speaking to the Express about his future, the former Arsenal star said, "I don't know to be honest. We will see what will happen and you will have to ask that question to the manager".

"Of course I want to stay. It's a great club to play in, but the manager has his plan and any decision I will respect".

Touré's future has been the subject of many a discussion, with Rangers manager Mark Warburton reportedly interested in adding him to the newly promoted Scottish club's squad for next season. 

A move to the Far East, however, is likely to be extremely lucrative and represents the chance to play in one of the emerging powerhouses of global football.

In the last transfer window alone, clubs in China spent £208m on international players, with stars such as Porto's Jackson Martinez, Alex Teixeira of Shakhtar Donetsk, and Roma winger Gervinho amongst those making big money moves.

Maid of £90,000-per-week Liverpool star FLED after being BULLIED by his wife

The former maid of Liverpool star Kolo Toure has told The Sun how she had to quit her job after being bullied and humiliated by the Ivorian’s wife.

Alice Sawyer, 30, was terrified of Awo Toure, who she claims made her call her “Madam”, and carry out “demeaning” tasks such as tying her shoelaces.

Sawyer felt like a “slave” living with the footballer and his WAG, and says that her passport was kept from her when she tried to flee her job last Saturday.

She says that Toure witnessed her mistreatment at the hands of Awo, but did nothing about it.

Her ordeal was only ended when her family rang the police after Awo, 36, refused to return her passport in confrontation which the home help recalled.

“I arrived at the house to get my things and said I was leaving,” she told The Sun.

“She made me open my luggage and turn my things upside down to make sure I hadn’t stolen anything.

“I asked for my passport — they had it because they’d booked a trip to Spain for a Liverpool FC training camp two weeks earlier and needed it for the flight details.

“Awo told me that Mr Toure had it but I’d seen it in the perfume cabinet when I was cleaning.

“She just kept saying, ‘If you want to leave then leave’ but I said I wouldn’t without my passport.

“I was upset and started to feel scared and alone — she was shouting trying to get me out the door.

“She’s a bully and even started filming me in tears sat on the stairs, which made me feel small.

“I was crying down the phone to my sister who was so worried about me she called the police.

“I didn’t know she’d made the call until we saw the car pull up on CCTV cameras. I was so relieved.”

Toure, who earns a reported £90,000 per week at Liverpool, paid Saywer, whose father is English and mother is Filipino, at a rate of £6.63 an hour – below the national minimum wage of £7.20.

Despite Toure’s fortunes, she was paid £350 a week for 12-hour shifts Monday to Friday, and £8 for every extra hour. She would collect an extra £100 for a weekend shift – all cash in hand.

It would take Sawyer fives years to earn what Toure pockets in a week.

Sawyer would send her money home to her mum, who cares for her boys aged three and 12. Former Arsenal centre-back Toure employs four other staff at his £1.75million home in Prestbury, Cheshire.

“I wish I’d never met them. It was awful,” Sawyer added. “I was supposed to be working from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday but often my shift would run on until as late as 3am.

“I was rarely given a day off and would usually work weekends.

“I’d start first thing cleaning the kitchen and then would move on to the whole house — dusting, vacuuming, changing the beds, doing washing and helping prep the food.

“It was non-stop. I was on my feet all the time. All I’d hear was shouting and nagging.

“She even made me call her ‘Madam’ instead of her real name. She’d get angry all the time. No matter what I did it was wrong.

“She’d run her hand over surfaces I’d dusted and make me do it again. She’d get up in my face shouting and pointing her finger.

“I’d been sharing a room with another woman from the Philippines but she didn’t like us being friends. She made me move and sleep in a bedroom with her two eldest kids — even though it was a five-bed house. I didn’t even have space in a wardrobe so I had to live out of a suitcase.”

And we thought Kolo was the nicer of the Toure brothers! Maybe not after all.

Liverpool in perfect preparation for Dortmund as they dismantle Stoke

Jurgen Klopp's men made light work of the visitors in a stellar 4-1 win, giving them the perfect platform to build on ahead of the German side's visit to Anfield

It was difficult to shake the feeling that Liverpool facing Stoke at Anfield on Sunday was like begrudgingly rolling out of bed when you really had to wake up, but absolutely didn’t want to. 

Sandwiched in-between both legs of the Europa League quarter-final against Jurgen Klopp’s old side Borussia Dortmund, it seemed like an unwanted distraction and the kind of game Liverpool would have sleepwalked through in the recent past. 

To avoid exactly that, the Reds boss made seven changes to his side that drew 1-1 at the Westfalenstadion in a tireless encounter, and the combination of fresh legs and players determined to prove themselves saw the hosts superbly oust Stoke 4-1. 

Liverpool may have had an eye on Thursday’s all-or-nothing clash against Dortmund, but it didn’t sidetrack the players selected. Daniel Sturridge, who started on the bench last Thursday, provided a goal and his overall play looked sharper with more steel.



Divock Origi, chosen ahead of the England international at Signal Iduna Park, continued his stellar performance at Dortmund by netting twice against Mark Hughes’ men. He came off the bench to replace teenager Sheyi Ojo, who on his first start for the club, sent Xherdan Shaqiri to buy his dinner as he danced past him to deliver the perfect cross to Sturridge. 

Kevin Stewart, back from an injury lay-off, worked well in tandem with Joe Allen, who won the most interceptions and made the most tackles. In a stat that perhaps summed up the fun Liverpool had, Kolo Toure attempted and completed their top tally of take-ons in the game.

And the four players that started against Dortmund, were selected again versus Stoke and who should line up from the off again on Thursday - Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Alberto Moreno and James Milner - were brilliant. 

The goalkeeper did well to tip a goal-bound Geoff Cameron effort over, while the right-back created two chances and was a constant supply of attacking third passes. Moreno opened the scoring with an scorching shot that had a wicked bend and Milner, wearing the armband, assisted that strike as well as Origi’s first of the evening.



Adam Lallana had told Goal that with four games in 10 days, Liverpool would need to look to the squad in order to stay fresh and that worked brilliantly against Stoke. It was a cunning display by the collective.

Thomas Tuchel had the same idea, making eight changes to his Dortmund side for the Revierderby with Schalke, but that finished in a 2-2 draw.

It was the perfect preparation for Liverpool as they welcome the Bundesliga side to Anfield on Thursday night. They got the job done on Sunday and will be determined to do the same under the floodlights as another top European night awaits.

Adam Lallana strikes late as Liverpool stun Norwich in Carrow Road thriller

NORWICH, England -- Three points from Norwich 4-5 Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's men won after trailing 3-1 and drawing 4-4 in injury time at Carrow Road.

1. Lallana settles incredible match for vulnerable Liverpool

This was a Liverpool victory that took in all aspects of their chaotic current incarnation.

A cool finish in the 75th minute from James Milner, following a suicidal back-pass from Norwich captain Russell Martin, looked to have sealed a remarkable 4-3 Liverpool win. But then came a Sebastian Bassong equaliser in the second minute of injury time. That, incredibly, was not the last of it. Substitute Adam Lallana, scuffing a shot into the ground, broke Norwich hearts to secure an even more remarkable 5-4 Liverpool win, with seconds remaining of the five minutes that had been added on.

Having exposed Liverpool's defensive vulnerabilities with two superbly executed first-half goals to soar into a 3-1 lead by the 55th minute, Norwich exhibited even greater deficiency in conceding three goals in 20 minutes and then that final blow. Alex Neil's team will be relegated if they continue to defend anything like that.

Few could have predicted the madness lying in store when Roberto Firmino scored an 18th-minute opener. Eventually the high-octane Liverpool revealed itself, as opposed to the lackadaisical, lethargic outfit that appears far too regularly in red shirts, though that guise was evident for the period between Dieumerci Mbokani's equaliser and Wes Hoolahan putting Norwich 3-1 up from the penalty spot.

Mbokani's outrageous improvisation with a back-heel flick had halted Liverpool's dominance and when Steven Naismith grabbed a 41st-minute debut goal to celebrate his £8.5 million signing from Everton, Liverpool's defensive problems were again laid bare. Another piece of penalty box imagination, this time a flick from Hoolahan, and Naismith thrashed past Simon Mignolet.

It was Naismith's determination that took Norwich into a 3-1 lead they held for just 96 seconds, as Jordan Henderson went up the other end and pulled one back. Naismith's recovery of the ball on the byline tempted Alberto Moreno into an idiotic tackle, winning a penalty that Hoolahan converted impudently.

But then Liverpool skipper Henderson smashed in from close range. If Liverpool were suffering defensive problems, Norwich embraced catastrophe in a match that pinged from one end to the other in a truly breathless second half. As Firmino scored Liverpool's equaliser after a move the Brazilian had begun and finished, a Liverpool goal became by far the more likely result, but there would be another twist beyond that.

If Liverpool's season is headed for disappointment in terms of qualifying for the Champions League, at least their fans will remember this day. They then celebrated in disbelief as Lallana grabbed three points at the last.

Adam Lallana scored in injury time after Liverpool had been pegged back to 4-4 minutes previously.

2. Klopp's defence struggles again

A double-page spread in the match programme reminded fans of Liverpool's previous visit to Carrow Road, back on Easter Sunday in April 2014, when a Brendan Rodgers-led team were league leaders honing in on a title destiny that they fell catastrophically short of.

"We go Norwich," Steven Gerrard famously said as part of his on-pitch team talk that had followed a 3-2 defeat of Manchester City the previous week.

Gerrard and another nine of his colleagues have since moved on, the 18-man squad list from that day confirming the huge change that Liverpool have undergone since those days in the spring of 2014. And only one of Klopp's 18 men at Carrow Road, defender Steven Caulker, on loan from QPR, had been signed on the German's watch.

The presence of Kolo Toure at centre-back betrayed the injury problems that Klopp is currently having. The 34-year-old had been playing well since he was called into action but is an emergency option and he struggled badly with the physical power of Mbokani, who also proved a handful for Mamadou Sakho. When the Congolese striker supplied his moment of magic to make it 1-1, it came between Liverpool's centre-back pairing.

Like West Ham's Andy Carroll three weeks previously and Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini's part in Wayne Rooney's winning goal at Anfield last week, a tall, physical presence caused severe problems for a defensive unit that has kept two clean sheets in its seven matches so far in 2016. And one of those came against League Two Exeter. Liverpool's vulnerability to the crossed ball and at corners is now an open secret.

If Klopp is unable to improve that, Liverpool's hopes of challenging for a title again will become even more distant.

Steven Naismith scored on his debut and Norwich were in charge at 3-1 but Alex Neil's men blew it.

3. Naismith's promise

If Norwich are teetering above the relegation zone, the club appears determined to spend its way out of trouble. Neil's starting lineup featured two new signings in Naismith and Portuguese right-back Ivo Pinto, signed from Dinamo Zagreb, while Swiss international Timm Klose, landed from Wolfsburg, was on the bench.

Pinto began brightly on the overlap but an early alarm was sounded by how easily he was outpaced in the 13th minute by Jordon Ibe down the wing for Liverpool's first attack. It was from his flank that Firmino's goal came and it was an obvious weak spot against which Liverpool repeatedly pressed.

Naismith, who scored his first goal in English football for Everton against their Mersey rivals in 2012, had pledged his determination to sign off from Goodison Park, where he remains highly regarded, with a goal against his now-former club's old rivals. In a little-and-large combination, he played off Mbokani and had begun to cause problems for Liverpool's leaden defence even before that first-half equaliser.

The initial signs are that Naismith is determined to play his part in rescuing his new club from relegation and he showed little sign of being nervous with his new colleagues as he issued frequent instructions and encouragement to those around him.

Norwich will require such leadership to haul themselves from trouble. And a defence worthy of the name, too.

Liverpool starlet relishing Anfield return to work under new boss

Liverpool starlet Sergi Canos has revealed that he very keen to return to Anfield and work with manager Jurgen Klopp, according to reports from the Express.

The 18-year-old is on loan with Championship side Brentford, but is expected to return once his deal expires during the January window.

He has featured 10 times for the club so far this season and is looking to impress Klopp should he get a chance to prove his worth for the senior squad.

However, after Canos was temporarily recalled by the former Borussia Dortmund boss and working shortly with him, the midfielder is now very excited about the possibility of a permanent return.

“It feels amazing because I have met the new manager and saw how he works and how he feels about the game, so it was amazing to work with him for three days,” he said.

“This club is amazing because Liverpool gives opportunities for all the young players.”

His chance could come rather soon given that the Reds are currently struggling with a host of injuries, limiting the manager’s options in regards to his team selection.

Jordan Ibe, Mamadou Sakho, James Milner, Kolo Toure, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings, Joe Gomez, and Jordan Henderson are all currently unavailable for selection at the moment.

Ibe and Milner Return to Full Training

Two of Liverpool's ten injured players have returned to training and are expected to be fit to face Manchester City, but the news isn't as good for the rest of the club's sidelined stars.

Liverpool were handed their first fitness boost in some time today when Jordon Ibe and James Milner were able to return to training ahead of Saturday's clash with Manchester City. The Reds went into the international break leading the Premier League in injuries, with ten.

Of those ten, six players were expected to be about two weeks from a return. Being ready to train in two weeks and being ready to play in two weeks isn't quite the same, though, especially for players who have been out for some time, and as of now it appears only Ibe and Milner are likely to be available.

Depending on how their injuries react over the next day or two, Jordan Rossiter and Kolo Toure could also end up fit in time for the City match, though both are outside chances—and both players are only likely to make the bench if fit whereas Ibe and Milner are likely to start if they are healthy.

The bad news is that Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge are both expected to be unavailable, with the two players remaining about ten days away from a return if everything goes well in the final stages of their recovery. That would give both an outside chance of facing Bordeaux at Anfield next week.

Failing that, Liverpool should have all six fit and ready to go for their match against Swansea on November the 29th. Of their other injured players, Mamadou Sakho and Jon Flanagan are expected out one to two months. Danny Ings and Joe Gomez remain gone for the season following ACL injuries.

The top five one-hit wonders to grace the English Premier League

AFTER Michu leaves Swansea, we look at other Premier League one-season wonders who went from hero to zero.

The Spaniard took the Premier League by storm when he moved to the Swans in 2012 from Rayo Vallecano for £2m, bagging 22 goals in his first season.

The 29-year-old was capped by Spain and helped Swansea qualify for Europe by winning the Capital One Cup, but his second season was disrupted by injury and he scored only six times in 25 games.

Swansea parted company with the striker by mutual consent on Monday and he is now free to find a new club in order to kick-start his playing career in January.

Here are five other Premier League players who set the top flight alight before fading away ...

AMR ZAKI

A prolific spell at Egyptian side Zamalek prompted Wigan to stump up £1.5 million to bring Zaki on loan for the 2008/09 season.

It was a transfer that barely made a ripple, but Zaki burst onto the scene, scoring on his first competitive start against West Ham. By the end of September, he had bagged five goals and his bruising style of forward play had scouts at some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs watching with interest.

After scoring two goals against Liverpool in a 3-2 win for the hosts at Anfield, Reds boss Rafa Benitez confirmed his admiration for the player: “Everybody will be checking his situation now,” Benitez said.

However, despite being the Premier League’s top goalscorer at that stage with seven in eight matches, the goals had dried up come the end of the campaign, with Zaki adding just another three.

His time with Wigan ended in controversy, too, as manager Steve Bruce revealed that the player returned late from international duty four times during that season.

Bruce said: “I can honestly say that in all my time in football, I have never worked with someone as unprofessional.”

Wigan decided not to turn his loan deal into a permanent one and he was subsequently signed on loan by Hull City the following season but failed to score in six appearances.

ROQUE SANTA CRUZ

Regarded as a top-class striker for his exploits with Paraguay and Bayern Munich, Santa Cruz lived up to his billing in his first season with Blackburn Rovers, bagging 20 goals in 40 appearances.

You would have excused Blackburn fans for thinking they had a genuine superstar on their hands but the goals soon dried up.

He notched only nine goals in 27 appearances in the following campaign before, amazingly, Manchester City decided to fork out £17.5m for his services on a four-year deal.

Those four years were unspectacular to say the least. He made just 20 appearances, scoring four goals whilst spending time on loan back at Blackburn, and also Malaga and Real Betis.

MICKEY EVANS

With eight matches remaining in the 1996/97 season, Southampton were bottom of the Premier League and four points adrift. Then Mickey Evans happened.

Evans, whom Graeme Souness signed from Plymouth Argyle to add muscle to his strike force, went on the rampage against Premier League defenders in April.

The forward became a cult hero at Saints for scoring four crucial goals in their battle against the drop, including two strikes in one game away at Nottingham Forest. Buoyed by Evans’ goals, the south coast club took 15 points from their last eight matches and stayed up by one point.

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His form was so impressive in keeping Saints up, he won the Premiership Player of the Month award for April.

But that period was as good as it got for Evans; he failed to score another goal for Southampton and his time at the club was over once Souness was replaced by Dave Jones. Via West Brom and then Bristol Rovers, Evans returned to Plymouth and won both the old Third and Second Division titles during his second spell with the Pilgrims.

MICHAEL JOHNSON

At 19 years old, the Manchester City midfielder was heralded as “England’s next big star” by Sven-Goran Eriksson after becoming a driving force in the City midfield during the 2007/08 season.

He made 23 league appearances that campaign and was reportedly the subject of a £12m bid from Liverpool in the summer of 2008. However, a succession of injuries derailed his progress and in 2012, Johnson had his contract cancelled by City after playing just one minute of Premier League football for the club between 2008 and 2012.

Johnson continued to struggled with fitness and mental health issues, and sadly retired at the age of 24, telling the Daily Telegraph: “I wasn’t dealing with things very well, I was getting into bad habits, but by then I had finished with City for a number of months, it just hadn’t been made public.

“If things had gone differently for me, I do believe that I could have been part of this current City team, but the way you have to look at it is not to have regrets.”

COLLINS JOHN

Not many players have made a bigger instant impact than the former Fulham striker did in the 2005/06 season.

After joining from FC Twente for £600,000, the 19-year-old scored 11 goals that season despite starting just 15 games and ended the campaign as Fulham’s top goalscorer as they finished comfortably in mid-table. Only two Fulham players have since surpassed his haul of 11 Premier League goals in one season: Clint Dempsey and Dimitar Berbatov.

John started six of the first seven games of the 2006/07 season but his form nosedived when Chris Coleman was replaced as manager by Lawrie Sanchez, and he spent the remaining two years of his Fulham contract out on loan at Leicester, Watford and NEC, scoring just two goals in total.

After a spell in the MLS with Chicago Fire, where he was described as “damaged goods”, John was most recently seen on these shores playing for Barnet when Edgar Davids was manager. An unfit-looking John made his debut against Plymouth in 2012 but lasted just 15 minutes as he was substituted with a thigh injury.

Liverpool To Get Major Boost As Players Return From Injury

Liverpool have been handed a major injury boost as striker Daniel Sturridge is set to make his longawaited return to the Liverpool side against Manchester City in their next English Premier League match next weekend as the striker is reportedly back on a return to first-team training with the Reds.

The England international and Liverpool striker has been struggling with a knee injury in recent weeks and has not featured for Jurgen Klopp’s side since the 1-1 draw with Everton back at the start of October.

However, the Daily Mirror is claiming that Sturridge is set to resume full training this week ahead of Saturday evening’s trip to Manchester City in the English Premier League.

Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder and Vice-Captain James Milner recently said that he is also hopeful of being fit to face Manchester City following the England international’s forced vacation due to a hamstring injury.

Liverpool players currently out:

Jordon Ibe (knee)

Mamadou Sakho (knee)

James Milner (hamstring)

Kolo Toure (hamstring)

Daniel Sturridge(knee)

Jordan Rossiter (hamstring)

Danny Ings (knee)

Joe Gomez (knee)

Jordan Henderson (metatarsal)

Jon Flanagan (knee)

Jordon Ibe was also substituted late during the 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace after sustaining a knock to his knee. However, the injury is not thought to be too serious and therefore he too might have returned against City.

It remains to be seen if these returning players will be just the key to ensure Liverpool get a win against Manchester City on matchday.