APRIL 22
Reina pledges loyalty to Benitez

Sporting Life

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has admitted he would consider leaving the club if coach Rafael Benitez departs in the summer, describing life at the club without the Spaniard
as unimaginable.

Benitez's future has been in doubt since it was revealed that meetings were held with former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann with a view to him replacing Benitez at the end of the season.

The situation worsened recently when the Spanish coach discovered that Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry was involved in what he believed were meetings held behind his back.

Since his arrival on Merseyside in 2003 Benitez has brought a considerable contingent of Spanish talent to Anfield.

Reina arrived in 2005 from Villarreal and enjoyed a good start to life in England when he starred in that season's FA Cup final penalty shoot-out against West Ham.

And now he says while his allegiance is to Liverpool and not the coach, he would have to consider his options should Benitez go.

"I can't imagine being at Liverpool without Rafael Benitez." Reina told Eurosport.

"My contract is with Liverpool, not Rafa Benitez, but I owe a lot to Rafa because he was the one who trusted me at that moment, brought me to Liverpool and supported me, and of course the mutual affection is there. We will have to wait.

"Like I say, my contract is with Liverpool, but if the coach moves and there is the possibility of me joining him, if he coaches another team, of course I would think about that."

Reina added that Benitez should remain at Anfield as he is building something big, proven by the fact that the club are fighting to play in their third Champions League final in four years.

"The Liverpool project is based upon the way of working of the coach," he said.

"Rafa is building something that is growing each year, and the results are there. We will have reached three finals in four years if we are lucky against Chelsea, which is very impressive.

"Every year we have a better team and are more competitive.

"With an idea and philosophy of the game he has tried to find the best players. It is a project for the medium or long term."

APRIL 19
Rafa: New signings in place

By Paul Eaton - LFC Official Website

Rafael Benitez today revealed he has already made plans to strengthen his squad for next season.

Despite facing the challenge of trying to lead the Reds to more European glory this campaign, the Liverpool boss admits plans are already underway - and deals have already been set in place - to bring fresh faces to the club in time for the new campaign.

"We are working on trying to improve the squad for next season," said Benitez. "We have some movements for next season, so we will continue trying to do the same.

"At least we are trying to go forward. We have had meetings with the scouting department, we talk about targets and they travel all around the world talking with players and agents. We are trying to do our job.

"We were this morning progressing in some issues and we will do the same. We have some signings for the next season done. They are senior players for the first team and young players for the first team and reserve team. Two of them are really close, young players, and one senior player is done. He talks good English, but is not English."

MARCH 18
El Nino turns back the clock on Merseyside

By Peter Fraser - Sky Sports

Fernando Torres brought to an end a dozen years of waiting at Anfield on Saturday as he became the first Liverpool striker to notch 20 league goals in a season since Robbie Fowler.

Torres' characteristically clinical winner against Reading saw the Spanish striker rack up a score of goals in the Premier League to provide Liverpool with the heroic frontman they have been craving for over a decade.

To place the 12-year itch in context it is first necessary to turn the clock back to 1996 when Liverpool - albeit without any real success under the management of the last of the Bootroom bosses Roy Evans - were playing some of the most eye-catching football in the country and one of Merseyside's favourite sons, Fowler, was banging in the goals.

Heady days. The Spice Girls ruled the airwaves as Cool Britannia raged, while elsewhere - in a school somewhere in Madrid - Torres was staring with glazed eyes at a blackboard as the future Reds No.9 mentally plotted the most cunning way to break a particularly well oiled playground offside trap.

Back in England quick enough to give us jet-lag, Fowler's performances earned him iconic status and his 'God' nickname, while the Reds' sometimes seemingly carefree approach to matters on the pitch - and party antics off it - led some witty wag to coin the infamous Spice Boys tag.

But 12 years on and Liverpool will feel they are in a well-welcomed timewarp as the Spice Girls are back in the charts and the Reds again have a 20 top-flight goals a season hitman.

Lethal
While the comeback of the co-creators of Girl Power raised a few eyebrows, Liverpool followers will still be in a slight phase of disbelieving delight that they again have an unquestionably lethal striker.

Liverpool's stereotypical self-confident Scouse swagger has taken a severe bashing over recent years following the false dawn of a number of attacking newcomers - step forward Titi Camara, Erik Meijer, Florent Sinama Pongolle, Djibril Cisse and, for those of you with a good memory, the least said about Sean Dundee the better.

Fowler's void was not even filled by Michael Owen. The pair spent a period together in red but while the latter brought in the trophies that had been missing, there was a suggestion that he tended to wait for the international stage to produce his best to leave him slightly short in the popularity stakes.

Fernando Morientes also arrived from Real Madrid in a whirlwind of hype in January 2005, but it was again to be a let down as the Spaniard struggled to acclimatise and he was reaching for his passport quicker than you could say, 'which way to Valencia?'

And with Fowler - who had spent a few years with Leeds and Manchester City - having made a comeback almost as brief as Ginger, Scary, Baby, Posh and Sporty's recent world tour, Liverpool appeared to have begrudgingly accepted that their search for someone to fill his boots was doomed.

However, current boss Rafa Benitez has succeeded where others have failed - although the ruthless Spanish tactician is not totally exempt after chasing the signatures of Morientes and fellow flop Craig Bellamy.

Air of caution
And with that in mind there was a slight air of caution around Anfield when Torres arrived last summer as Benitez made Atletico Madrid's piggy bank £25million heavier, but with 20 league goals now in the bag the Scouse striking style is back.

The Spice Girls may have also returned, but a reunion of the Spice Boys is almost as unlikely as the sight of the strait-laced Benitez armed with a hairbrush microphone bopping away in front of his bedroom mirror to Wannabe.

Benitez's musical tastes may be open for debate, but one thing that cannot be questioned is that he has struck the right note with 23-year-old Torres who, having left his hometown club to join Liverpool, has made nonsense of the theory that it takes foreign signings time to settle on the hurly burly of English shores.

Torres, who has hit a phenomenal 27 goals in 36 games when taking into account all competitions in a season which has also been disrupted by injury, even arrived equipped with his 'El Nino' (The Kid) nickname to rival Fowler's 'God' signature and help the Liverpool faithful take him to their hearts in a way they always struggled to do with Owen.

An accusing finger was pointed at Torres in Spain when the big games cropped up on the fixture list as it was suggested the forward often went missing in the matches that mattered the most.

And it must be noted that when Manchester United recorded a 1-0 victory at Anfield in December Torres was noticeable by his absence despite starting the game, but having opened his English account against Chelsea and considering his recent strike away to Internazionale in the UEFA Champions League it could be argued that he has already made pish-posh of his big game, big let down reputation.

The true acid test, though, will come as we reach the business end of the season as fourth place chasing Liverpool travel to Old Trafford to take on United on Grand Slam Sunday before local and European rivals Everton come calling the following week.

And if that is not enough for Torres to reinforce his status there is also the mouth-watering Champions League-Premier League trilogy with Arsenal to come in April.

The pressure on Torres appears immense and it is yet to be seen how his season will conclude, but it is likely he will have a major say in how Liverpool's campaign ends and it will be possible to follow it all on Sky Sports. Twelve years is a long time in football, but the wait is now over.

MARCH 4
Benitez believes duo will commit

TEAMtalk

Rafael Benitez is confident Peter Crouch will soon pen a long-term contract at Liverpool, with Sami Hyypia set to agree
a one-year extension.

There has been speculation that both could leave in the summer, but Hyypia wants to complete 10 years at Anfield and Crouch - according to Benitez - has told the club he wants to stay.

The Spaniard said: "I have talked to both at different times. You never know, but I think they could be done soon."

Crouch's future has been the most in doubt, with him frequently used as a substitute and targeted by Manchester City and Portsmouth.

But Benitez continued: "Rick Parry (chief executive) told me Peter's agent wanted to talk to him about a new contract. This was one month ago or more.

"So I talked with Peter and explained my ideas, because he's aware that top sides sometimes change players. But now he is happy and Rick is talking with the agent.

"Every top side needs good players. Crouch is a different kind of striker to Fernando Torres, Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt. It is really important for us to have other options, to have a player who we can use in different games."

Hyypia, 35 later this year, has figured in more games this season than many expected as Liverpool suffered defensively with injury problems.

Benitez said: "I spoke with Sami and showed him our interest. He is a very, very good professional.

"It is not just about his experience, it is about him being a good player. He has played a lot of games this season, and the idea for next season is that he can play and fight for his place in the team.

"This will be good for us. One of the positive things is that, because he is a good professional and has a lot of experience, he can give the other players advice.

"But I also think he can fight for a position against the younger players. He has been an amazing servant for this club.

"When you see a foreign player playing for the same team for 10 years, everyone must be really pleased."

FEBRUARY 29
Mascherano pens four-year deal

By Ben Blackmore - Setanta Sports

Liverpool have finally completed the permanent signing of Javier Mascherano.

The Reds have tied Mascherano to a four-year deal, bringing an end to one of football’s biggest will he-won’t he transfer sagas.

Liverpool’s Argentina international has been on loan for the past year, but prolonged talks over a permanent move stalled during off-the-field disruptions.

Mascherano’s form never wobbled though, despite rumours of a move to Juventus, and now he has delighted his manager by penning a long-term contract.

"I am very, very happy and now I can concentrate just on playing football," Mascherano told Liverpool’s official website.

"I said all along that I wanted to stay at Liverpool and now that I have signed I can say this is the best and the biggest moment in my career so far.

"From the first day I arrived at Liverpool the feeling was good and I knew this was where I wanted to play my football.

"I am at a top side and I know I can win titles here. That's the big thing for me. I want to be at a club where we can win trophies and have success."

Rafa Benitez was in no doubt about the importance of Liverpool’s capture, claiming Mascherano is one of the top midfielders on the planet.

"We must be really pleased with the situation now," said Benitez. "He has been a key player for us since he has been here and now we know he can be a key player in our future.

"From the start we knew Javier was a player with quality and a fantastic mentality. We knew the player when he was in the reserves at River Plate but was playing for the senior national team and we had been monitoring his career since then.

"It's clear that he is one of the best midfielders in the world but he can get better with us. We now have a lot of good options in the centre of midfield and that's good news for the club."

Chief executive Rick Parry was quick to point out that the transfer of Mascherano, which is worth a reported £18 million, confirms the commitment of Liverpool’s under-fire co-owners.

"I think this signing demonstrates in very large measure the ongoing commitment of the owners who once again have come good when funds have been needed," he said.

FEBRUARY 24
Reina denies Anfield rift rumours

TEAMtalk

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina insists that manager Rafael Benitez still has the full support of the Anfield dressing room.

Reports had suggested that the Reds' squad had become split between those who were in favour of the Spanish coach remaining at Anfield and those who felt that it was time for a new man to come in.

Spanish keeper Reina has refuted those claims and believes that the players are as determined as ever to help their boss overcome the debate raging over his future.

"I can tell you that there is no split in the dressing room. Anybody who reports that is lying," Reina said.

"The dressing room has been absolutely together and we have all been very strong in the bad moments.

"That is how it should be and how it is.

"One of the good things to be seen from this period is how strong the players are together. It has been one of our secrets since I joined Liverpool."

Reina did admit that the continuous speculation suggesting that Benitez is on borrowed time on Merseyside has begun to take its toll on the players.

"Everything that happens at a club can influence what happens in games," he said.

"But as players we have to do our best to concentrate and play football.

"Everything else, the comments, the rumours, have to be set apart from the football but that can be difficult.

"We have shown that we can perform under pressure though. We have the spirit to do that and in the next few weeks we must continue to show it.

"The manager has maintained the calm despite all the bad reports because in the end his philosophy is all about hard work.

"He tells us the harder we work on the training ground the better we will be able to compete in games.

"Rafa supports the players totally. He has been successful at Liverpool and, for me, there can be no doubts about him."

FEBRUARY 18
Alan Hansen's column

By Alan Hansen - BBC Sport football expert

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez will not necessarily have to win the Champions League to keep his job but he has to ensure his side triumph in their last-16 tie with Inter Milan to alleviate the pressure he is under.

It has come to the stage where something - a performance or a result - is needed to lift everyone and that could come on Tuesday against Inter

He might not get sacked even if his squad are beaten by Inter but, if they are knocked out of Europe, then that puts pressure on everybody - the owners, the manager and the players.

What you would have then is Liverpool supporters turning up en masse until the end of the season with their team having nothing to play for - and that is a frightening prospect.

Their Premier League title hopes are gone, the FA Cup went on Saturday and the Champions League is all Liverpool have to play for.

You could argue that they are still chasing fourth place in the league but that is not what Liverpool should be about. This season has been a major disappointment.

What went wrong for them against Barnsley on Saturday can be traced back to the start of the campaign.

In September they walloped Derby 6-0 then went to Portsmouth for their next game, made five changes and drew 0-0.

The Liverpool philosophy has always been to hammer home when you have an impetus and Liverpool did not do that. They have suffered ever since.

There has obviously been too much rotation in selection and there is a lot of caution when they play at Anfield too.

They have lost confidence at home in the last six to eight weeks, even though the crowd have been great, and things have gone a bit flat.

Against Barnsley, Liverpool went 1-0 up but they did not roll over the top of them and they have not looked like doing that against anyone since the start of the year.

Benitez is a cautious manager. That is an observation not a criticism because most foreign bosses, including England coach Fabio Capello, have that element about them.

But Liverpool fans have always been used to seeing their team hem in the opposition and batter them. Now the style is more cautious and I think they have suffered because of it.

I still do not think the team has gone backwards though. They are better now than they were last year and it does not matter if they finish more points behind the eventual champions this year.

While there has been an improvement, however, it has not been dramatic enough to see them challenge for the title.

It used to be that they could rely only on Steven Gerrard to deliver, now you have got Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

But they still do not have enough players of real quality to back up those two.

It has always been the case that to win championships you need to be able to replace quality with quality. Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea can all do it but Liverpool cannot. It is as simple as that.

How long can Benitez survive without delivering the title? Well, a lot of managers survive without doing that but he has to show he is getting closer.

He has got that great track record in the Champions League but obviously it is the Premier League that everyone wants to win and I think the fans have stuck with him because they can see he is going through purgatory trying to put things right.

It has still come to the stage, though, where something - a performance or a result - is needed to lift everyone and that could come on Tuesday in the first leg of their encounter with Inter.

It is a tough tie - Inter are running away with Serie A in Italy - but I would not be surprised if Liverpool reach the quarter-finals.

When they became champions of Europe in 2005, that team was well below the level you would expect from Liverpool and they beat Juventus and Chelsea to get to the final. In 2007, they beat Barcelona and Chelsea.

The atmosphere at Anfield on those four occasions exceeded anything that was there when I played and, whatever people might say, you just do not get anything like it at other grounds.

That will raise the players to a different level. We have already seen it happen and one thing is for sure, it will be one heck of a game.

Alan Hansen was talking to Chris Bevan



Rafa on the brink?

Football 365

Rafa Benitez's job at Liverpool is thought to be on the line after their embarrassing defeat by Barnsley in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Various newspapers report that the Champions League will be Benitez's last chance to save his job, after arguably Liverpool's best chance for a trophy slipped away at the weekend.

The Guardian claims that the Liverpool board - despite public assurances from co-owner Tom Hicks to the contrary - will review Benitez's position at the end of the season, regardless of who is in charge of the club at that point.

The Dubai International Capital Group are thought to be closing in on a deal worth around £500million to buy the club from Hicks and George Gillett.

Both The Daily Express and The Daily Mirror go one further by claiming that Benitez will definitely be sacked unless he wins the Champions League this season.

Benitez's run-ins with the current owners have been well documented, but it also seems that DIC are not convinced that he is the right man to lead the club forward, should they complete their takeover.

Now it even seems that patience is wearing thin with sections of the previously staunchly loyal Liverpool fans, support among whom has been almost unshakable since success in the 2005 Champions League.

However, constant team rotation and an apparent lack of progress despite spending some £45million in the summer on new players have left many Liverpool fans wondering if he is the right man.

FEBRUARY 6
Parry: Let's return to the Liverpool Way

By James Carroll - Shanklygates

Rick Parry has urged Liverpool to focus on matters on the pitch rather than those off it.

The Reds' chief executive wants the club to return to 'the Liverpool Way' of conduct following months of turmoil away from the field.

Parry, speaking on the first anniversary of George Gillett and Tom Hicks' takeover of the club, believes that those pointing the finger of blame has only undermined the club.

He said: "It is time to look forward, there can be no question about that.

"The whole focus for the second half of the season has to be on football and the games we need to win.

"Everyone must pull together and there has to be a realisation that there is nothing the ownership can contribute to the winning of games.

"So my message is in the second half of the season there can be no blame and no excuses and that goes for all of us at the club.

"There is a lot still to play for both in the league and in the two major cup competitions we are still very much in, so let's just get on with the job in hand.

"It is a reflection of the way fans are responding at the moment that the Liverpool way is very important to them.

"The way the club behaves and conducts itself is probably more important here than it is at any other club so let's get back to what matters and I'm in no doubt that the Liverpool way still matters.

"It has never been our style to wash our dirty linen in public and it is never pleasant for anyone when it happens."

He added: "The sooner we can put all of this behind us and get back to the Liverpool way the better. That's certainly not pointing the finger at anyone. It's a hard fact of life in football that any negative publicity quickly leads to further headlines and debate.

"You learn to live with it. What really frustrates me is when outsiders start having a go. When this happens you know instinctively it's time to unite, draw some strength from our togetherness and get back on the rails."

FEBRUARY 1
Liverpool agree fee to secure
Javier Mascherano for themselves

By Oliver Kay - The Times

Liverpool have agreed a £17.1 million deal to sign Javier Mascherano on a long-term basis, bringing some much-needed succour to the club at the end of a month that has brought boardroom clashes, a meek surrender in the Barclays Premier League title race and the erosion of much of Rafael BenÍtez’s authority at Anfield.

At a meeting yesterday Rick Parry, the Liverpool chief executive, and Kia Joorabchian, who heads the companies who owned Mascherano’s “economic rights”, shook hands on a deal that will enable the club to assume sole ownership of the Argentina mid-field player until June 2012.

The fee, which does not include the previous payment of a £1.5 million loan fee in January last year, had been specified in the contract that Liverpool agreed with Joorabchian 12 months ago.

They had hoped to negotiate the fee down, but, aware of serious interest from other clubs, agreed to make Mascherano the second most expensive signing in their history behind Fernando Torres.

JANUARY 11
Skrtel: Rafa's the reason I signed

By Jimmy Rice - LFC Official Website

Martin Skrtel admits the impression left on him by Rafa Benitez was key to him spurning offers from other Premier League clubs.

The Slovak trained with his new teammates for the first time on Friday morning before Liverpoolfc.tv was granted the first interview.

Skrtel - who was reportedly a target for Everton, Spurs and Valencia - told us his new boss made quite an impression during negotiations between the Reds and former club Zenit St Petersburg.

"The manager wanted me to come here which was important for me," said the 23-year-old. "I found him to be a nice man and Rafa was a big influence on me coming to Liverpool.

"I am looking forward to my first game at Anfield and playing in front of the Liverpool supporters. I can't wait. I have been to Anfield and it is beautiful. I can't wait to see it when it is full of fans."

The Russian Premier League is currently in the middle of a winter break, meaning Skrtel is not fit enough to play any part in this weekend's clash with Middlesbrough.

It may take the new boy 10 days to find match fitness, but with three established centre-backs already at the club, he knows he may have to be patient.

He said: "Obviously I was aware about the competition for places. Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger are players with immense quality.

"I will do my best to get into the team as soon as possible. For any team to have competition in all positions is good and I will work as hard as possible to challenge for a place. Rafa hasn't said too much to me about my place just yet."

Skrtel has already had a taste of playing with Premier League players having pitted his wits against Andy Johnson and Everton in the UEFA Cup earlier this season.

Never, though, has he played alongside players of the quality of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres – until this morning, that is.

He admits his first training session was a nerve-wracking experience.

"I had my first training session with the team today and the lads all welcomed me to the club. I was a bit nervous because they are huge stars but once training started I was okay."

As well as getting used to new surroundings here on Merseyside, Skrtel will embark on a crash course in English. Not that he'll need as many lessons as some who arrive at Melwood.

He explained: "The coach at Zenit, Dick Advocaat, spoke English to the players, so I already know many of the football phrases - that should help."

Skrtel admits he owes Advocaat a debt of gratitude, not only for the English lessons, but for allowing him to complete a dream move to the Premier League.

"The past few days have been full of anxiety and wait but I'm glad it's all sorted now and I am finally a Liverpool player," he said.

"I would like to say a big 'Thank you' to Zenit St Petersburg for allowing me to come to Liverpool. I was under contract at Zenit and they helped me with this move.

"When I played against Everton it showed me why I always wanted to play in the English league. I am very happy to be here."

The player also revealed the move to Liverpool means he will have to give up his other favourite pastime, hockey.

"As a child I played a lot of hockey. When I was at Zenit we had a winter break and the manager let me play hockey then. Now I'm here at Liverpool I won't be able to do that anymore more."

JANUARY 11
Reds seal Skrtel switch

By Peter O'Rourke - Sky Sports

Liverpool have completed the signing of Martin Skrtel (pictured) from Zenit St Petersburg.

The Slovakian international has penned a four-and-a-half-year deal at Anfield after passing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

The 23-year-old will provide much-needed competition for places in Liverpool's defence and Reds boss Rafa Benitez has likened him to Jamie Carragher.

"I think he is a player maybe not many people know about but he played against Everton for Zenit St Petersberg, and he is a centre-half that knows the English style," said Benitez.

"He is aggressive, quick, is good in the air and I think he's a very good player for the future and also for the present.

"He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good. Watching him in some games his mentality is similar to Carra so I think it's very positive for the team."

Benitez admitted Skrtel is unlikely to be involved against Middlesbrough this weekend.

He said: "I don't think he will be ready for Middlesbrough because the Russian league season ended more than a month ago and the last competitive game Martin played was in the Uefa Cup in December.

"He has been training but I don't think that will be enough. He needs to get to know his team-mates and the league but I will look at him in training because he has a very good physical condition."

JANUARY 7
Skrtel on verge of Liverpool move

Ireland.com

Liverpool are on the brink of breaking their transfer record for a defender while insisting that boss Rafael Benitez's job is not up for discussion when chief executive Rick Parry holds talks with the club's American owners later this week.

Benitez is about to spend £6.5million on Zenit St Petersburg centre-back Martin Skrtel, the Slovakia international.

The player was due to have a medical today having arrived on Merseyside on Sunday evening, hours after Liverpool had been embarrassingly held 1-1 at Luton in the FA Cup third round.

The replay will now be at Anfield next Tuesday, with the added incentive of a potential home fourth round tie against non-league Havant and Waterlooville or Swansea, who must also replay next week after a 1-1 draw in South Wales at the weekend.

Chief executive Parry was in Russia at the weekend concluding negotiations for Skrtel, and returned to pour cold water on claims that he was flying to the US later in the week for talks with owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett over Benitez's future.

Liverpool's tie at Kenilworth Road was overshadowed by media speculation that Benitez would be sacked at the end of the season. Hicks and Gillett have already announced that they would be making a decision this week on the design of the revised new stadium plans.

But Parry pointed out today in the Liverpool Echo: "The appointment is a diary engagement to discuss the new stadium plans, it has been in the diary for a long time to discuss the stadium."

Skrtel, who was last in Liverpool in early December to play for Zenit against Everton in the Uefa Cup, is rated as one of the most promising young defenders in Europe.

The deal will mark the end of Benitez's search for a new centre-half that began with the unsuccessful pursuit of Gabriel Heinze and which became increasingly urgent in recent weeks following injuries to both Daniel Agger and Sami Hyypia.

Skrtel (23) has 15 caps and joined Zenit in 2004 and has gone on to make more than 100 appearances in the Russian league.

Benitez's defensive problems started when Agger damaged a metatarsal in September, and he has still not returned to action.

Hyypia made his comeback at Luton from an ankle injury sustained at Derby on St Stephen's Day, but he looked rusty and short of pace.

Benitez has had to use Alvaro Arbeloa in central defence, but a calf injury ruled the Spaniard out at Luton, and 19 year-old Jack Hobbs was on the bench as the only other option.

Benitez will be keen to see the deal for 6ft 4in tall Skrtel tied up as quick as possible so he can be added to the Liverpool squad, possibly even in time for the trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday.

JANUARY 6
Benitez rubbishes rumours

Sky Sports

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has rejected suggestions that he fears being sacked at the end of the season.

Widespread reports on Sunday claimed Benitez was resigned to the fact that he would lose his job in the summer after his row with club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks .

Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Benitez, but the former Valencia chief says he does not fear the axe and hopes to stay at Anfield for the foreseeable future.

"That is not true. I love the club, I love the fans," Benitez told Sky Sports 1 after being asked if he was set to leave the club. "I'm really happy here and I want to stay for a long time."

Asked if he was sure he would be in charge at Anfield next season, he added: "I think so."

"To help the situation we need to keep working hard and keep winning."

JANUARY 6
Rafa exit talk intensifies

By Lewis Rutledge - Sky Sports

Rafa Benitez has admitted there is a gap between Liverpool and the top three in the Premier League, amid growing speculation about his future at Anfield.

Widespread reports suggest that Benitez could be set to move on in the summer after four years with the club.

The Spaniard's relationship with Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett has become strained this season and he is now understood to be preparing to leave England.

According to reports, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Internazionale and Milan are all tracking Benitez's situation with interest.

Benitez has been unable to lead Liverpool to Premier League glory and he concedes it has become increasingly difficult to compete with Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal on the domestic front.

"If you analyse our performances, we have won the UEFA Champions League, reached the Champions league final, won the FA Cup and the European Super Cup, so we are close to United, Chelsea and Arsenal in a lot of things," he told the Sunday Mirror.

"But with the Premier League it is clear we are now a little bit behind the others and we need to work much harder to close the gap.

"It is easy to see why because people know the figures. Over a season there is massive difference between what we earn and what United earn - maybe £30million in gate money."

Thor Zakariassen ©