[NoSkillz]

Sat. November 1, 2025

Barclays Premier League
Dover (9-0-0, 27 points, 1st) vs. Liverpool (5-3-1, 18 points, 4th)
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, England

Betting Odds: Dover: 4-6 (Favourites) Draw: 9-4 Liverpool: 7-2
Past Meetings: 8W 4D 10L

The Reds are off to a nice start but were very modest spenders during the transfer window, bringing in only four players at a total of £10 million. Benfica’s Careca, a 27 year old striker, was the main purchase for £7.5 million but he’s a bit player right now. Their top scorer, James Efmorfidis, is hurt today so they will rely on Oliver Hammeri or perhaps Careca for goals today.

We’re in a bit of a tough spot, as we face Spartak Moscow in Russia on Tuesday and that is a huge game for us. Still, I’m going with a pretty full lineup today in hopes of keeping this win streak alive. Arsene Bamba is tired AND unfit but he will start today - he’s ineligible for this round of Champions League play so I’m going to use him today and keep Rafinha for the Champions League game, as Mads Pedersen is still injured.

Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - I. Wilke
D - Renato Gaucho, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, B. Raab, Jose, G. Bolis
S - P. Moses, Chiquinho
Bench - R. Lopez, M. Mutesa, E. Harvey, N. Cairney, S. De la Vega, Rafinha, A. Broomes

Liverpool are in a 4-2-3-1 with three central attacking mids - this is a formation that usually gives us fits. Oliver Hammeri is alone up front and veteran Chris Dunn is in goal. We are big favourites and I want a win today.

44’ - It’s been a bit of an uneasy half and Liverpool are arguably the better side so far. However, we strike first when Gianluca Bolis dribbles down the right flank and sends a low cross into the area to Paul Moses and our in-form striker taps it into the empty net. DOVER GOAL 1-0

HALFTIME - Indeed, we’re fortunate to be ahead, as Liverpool own a 57% possession advantage and a 7-5 (1-2 on target) shot advantage as well. I try to encourage the club in the room at half. Both Chiquinho and Paul Moses have been banged up today - Moses seems fine but Chiquinho has taken a big fitness hit but should be okay too.

50’ - We start the second half very well and we earn a corner. Benedikt Raab’s cross is to the far post and it’s headed into the net by Claudio Contreras! DOVER GOAL 2-0

Liverpool move to a flat 4-4-2.

59’ - We’re playing MUCH better here and earn another corner. Raab’s cross is to Rayane Hamon and his attempted shot bounces off a Liverpool defender and goes right to Contreras, who boots the ball on the volley past Dunn and IN! That’s a brace for Contreras! DOVER GOAL 3-0

66’ - Paul Moses comes off and in comes Andy Broomes.

68’ - Just a minute after coming on, Broomes takes a pass from Jose, dribbles to the top of the area and sends a rocket blast into the top corner of the goal! What a shot! DOVER GOAL 4-0

72’ - I take out Jose and bring in Emmerson Harvey. I also switch to a counter attacking mentality in order to reduce our tendency to get caught up in challenges.

74’ - Again, a minute after coming on, our player is involved in a key play but this time it’s a bad one, as Harvey gives the ball away and allows Liverpool to send substitute Piotr Parzyszek on a partial breakaway. He gains an angle and easily shoots past Wilke and IN. LIVERPOOL GOAL 4-1

78’ - We use our last substitution on Benedikt Raab, bringing in Neil Cairney.

90’+1 - We are passing beautifully here in midfield and eventually the ball comes to Chiquinho at the top of the box. With his back to goal, he turns and gains a quick step on his defender and then shoots low past Dunn and it’s in! “Sheer magic from Dover! A superb team goal!”, shouts the announcer. DOVER GOAL 5-1

EXCELLENT second half!

Dover 5 - 1 Liverpool
Goals - Claudio Contreras 2 (9.2), Paul Moses (7.7), Andy Broomes (7.3), Chiquinho (8.1)
Assists - Benedikt Raab 2 (8.7), Gianluca Bolis (7.6), Jose (7.4), Emmerson Harvey (6.9)
Man of the Match - Claudio Contreras
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (8.1), Rayane Hamon (7.2), Renato Gaucho (7.3), Arsene Bamba (7.1)
Attendance - 23,000 (Sell-Out)

Superb second half! Liverpool still held 53% of overall possession but the shots were in our favour 21-10 (8-2 on target).

-- Huddersfield and Newcastle battle to a scoreless draw, Sunderland defeat Hull 2-1, Manchester United knock off the pesky Wolves 3-1 and City beat Reading by the same scoreline.


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE - STANDINGS
(ALL TEAMS HAVE PLAYED 10 GAMES UNLESS NOTED)

1. Dover - 30 points
2. Manchester City - 25 points
3. Manchester United - 23 points
4. Liverpool - 18 points
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5. Sunderland - 17 points (after 9 games)
6. Huddersfield - 17 points
7. Wolves - 16 points
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8. Tottenham - 15 points (after 9 games)
9. Middlesbrough - 15 points
10. Sheffield Wednesday - 14 points
11. Chelsea - 12 points
12. Everton - 10 points
13. Arsenal - 10 points (after 9 games)
14. Aston Villa - 10 points
15. Newcastle - 10 points
16. Birmingham - 9 points
17. Hull - 8 points
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18. Reading - 7 points
19. Southampton - 3 points
20. Sheffield United - 1 points (after 9 games)



Contract Extension

-- We’re pleased to get GK Ingo Wilke signed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him here until June 2028. He’s our longest serving player and we’ll continue to rely on him heavily going forward.

-- We also lock up captain Salim Loucif to a three year extension. We did pick up Rodolfo Lopez, a studly right defender in the offseason but Loucif is super solid and has a very reasonable contract so it made sense to keep him around.



Team of the Week

-- Salim Loucif and Claudio Contreras are named to the Barclays Premier League Team of the Week.



Next Up

-- We head to Russia in a pivotal Champions League Group stage match against Spartak Moscow.