• ‘It’s no secret that I want to go to Liverpool’
• Feyenoord coach confident the clubs will agree a deal

Arne Slot has revealed he is keen on a move to Liverpool and has “confidence” that a switch to Anfield will materialise.

The Feyenoord manager, who has become Liverpool’s preferred candidate to succeed Jürgen Klopp , was speaking to ESPN before the club’s Eredivisie game with Go Ahead Eagles.

Manager’s departure news is not to blame for his side losing their grasp on two, quite possibly three, trophies in quick time

In isolation, Jürgen Klopp did not have to apologise for losing for the first time in eight visits to Goodison Park. Bad nights happen. In the context of Liverpool’s sorry end to the season, however, an apology felt entirely appropriate.

“I really feel for the people, I am really sorry for that,” said the Liverpool manager after Wednesday’s derby defeat by Everton . “We never lost here before and that feels really different. I really apologise for that.” Klopp’s voice and choice of words captured Liverpool’s mood as the prospects of giving their legendary manager a fitting send-off evaporate. Deflation. Yes, a new-look team was not expected to mount a title challenge this season. That is not a default excuse for recent underperformance. Yes, a quadruple is a fanciful ambition. That does not explain how Liverpool have allowed two, quite possibly three, trophies to slip from their grasp in less than six weeks.

Devolution has been too cautious, and England has less say about community affairs than almost any other democracy

• Tony Travers is a visiting professor in the LSE department of government and a director of LSE London

All the bigger British political parties are in favour of devolution, yet it proves oddly difficult to deliver. England is a remarkably centralised country, with the UK government responsible for setting every tax, including the annual cap on council tax. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also, despite their devolved status, heavily centralised within their own national systems of government.

It is exactly 50 years since the major reform of local government structure in England and Wales. Prior to the 1974 changes , there were 1,245 councils in England; after the reforms were implemented, the number of councils was slashed to just 412. Today there are 317 councils, and the number continues to fall as the result of a near-continual reorganisation, which has turned two-tier counties – where there were county councils plus districts within them – into one or more unitary councils, where a single council provides all municipal services. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, after more recent reforms, now have a single tier of large municipalities.

• Manager admits only ‘crisis’ at rivals will keep team in title race
• Klopp: ‘We never lost here before and that feels really different’

Jürgen Klopp apologised for Liverpool’s first Merseyside derby defeat at Everton in 14 years and admitted his team need “a crisis” to unfold at Arsenal and Manchester City to remain in the title race.

Liverpool deservedly lost at Goodison Park where Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored to give Sean Dyche’s team three precious points in their fight for Premier League survival. Everton’s victory leaves Liverpool, who are in talks to appoint Feyenoord’s Arne Slot as their new manager, trailing leaders Arsenal by three points and only one point above City, who have two games in hand. A dejected Klopp admitted Liverpool had only themselves to blame for the first Goodison derby defeat of his reign.

Everton were set on closing down their rivals from the off and the tactics sapped the belief from the title challengers

It is little wonder Jürgen Klopp is running out of energy when he is having to come up with a new lineup every few days. For the Merseyside derby defeat to Everton there were six changes to follow on from the half-dozen made for Sunday’s win over Fulham . On this occasion, however, it did not work.

The latter weeks of the season are a tricky balance for any coach with so much at stake. Trying to maintain a rhythm and build momentum while keeping everyone fresh for crucial fixtures is an unenviable task. It cannot help a manager when hours before the match a starter withdraws but not even the riches of football can dictate when a mother-to-be enters labour.

The final Merseyside derby of Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign might well prove the final blow to his dream of saying goodbye with the Premier League title. For the first time in 14 long years, Everton emerged victorious against their local rivals at Goodison Park. Victory will taste all the sweeter for Sean Dyche’s team with their top-flight status almost certainly secured at the expense of Liverpool’s title chances.

“You lost the league at Goodison Park,” sang the home crowd as they rejoiced in a deserved Everton victory, an outstanding Everton performance and the best night of Dyche’s reign. Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the goals that consigned Liverpool to a hugely damaging defeat.

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Gary J Byrne: “With Liverpool’s penalty taker Mo Salah back in the starting line-up, I’m naturally disappointed Ashley Young has been left out of the Everton team.”

For the record, here’s the officials: Referee: Andy Madley. Assistants: Harry Lennard, Nick Hopton. Fourth official: Simon Hooper. VAR: David Coote. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.

• Klopp evokes memories of comeback against Barcelona in 2019
• Gasperini: ‘It is one of the most important games in our history’

Jürgen Klopp evoked memories of Liverpool’s famous Champions League comeback against Barcelona before their Europa League quarter-final second leg with Atalanta and said: “If we fail, then let’s fail in the most beautiful way.”

Liverpool find themselves in a ­similar predicament to that ­unforgettable 2019 semi-final ­second leg with a 3-0 deficit to overturn against the Italian team on Thursday. Klopp was reluctant to draw comparisons with the Barcelona game, on the basis of Liverpool’s poor performance against Atalanta last Thursday and the absence of the Anfield factor. But he admitted the situation reminded him of a line he used in a rousing pre-match speech before the 4-0 triumph over Lionel Messi and co, and urged Liverpool to give everything to rescue their Europa League campaign.

We ask whether the teams’ Premier League defeats had been coming, where the problems lie and what the managers must reflect on

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s decision to disrupt the formula that has served them so well since the turn of the year backfired spectacularly against an Aston Villa side who came to the Emirates Stadium with a clear gameplan. Kai Havertz looked threatening during the first half as he consistently broke through the lines from his midfield position but Gabriel Jesus was unable to provide the cutting edge in attack as Arsenal faded badly after the break. By contrast, Ollie Watkins was a constant menace and unsettled the usually assured Gabriel Magalhães, while John McGinn and co were able to control possession for Villa against an ineffective Arsenal midfield. But of most concern was how panic seemed to spread among Arteta’s players as they chased the game and were eventually overwhelmed. EA