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SATURDAY 3 |
Carvalho: No sleepless nights
over facing Fernando Torres
Ricardo Carvalho has no worries about facing Fernando Torres
today – and has warned the on-fire Spaniard that Chelsea
know exactly how to bring him back down to earth.
Carvalho is a great admirer of Liverpool’s star striker, who
has been scoring goals for fun in the Premier League this
season.
Torres is on a high after a superb hat-trick in last week’s
6-1 thrashing of Hull took his tally to eight in seven
league matches.
But Carvalho said: “I’m not having sleepless nights about
facing him. I like him, he is a great player. He has good
pace, good quality. He is good in the air, he can shoot with
his left and with his right and he can dribble. It is good
to watch him play.
“But we can stop him scoring. The most important thing is
that you don’t give him the space to hurt you."
(Daily Mirror)
Johnson excited
by Chelsea return
Glen Johnson says he is anticipating and exciting game when
Liverpool meet his former club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
tomorrow.
Johnson was sold by Chelsea to Portsmouth two years ago for
£4million. The Blues then tried to re-sign the England
international right-back, but were beaten by Liverpool this
summer who paid around £17.5million for his services.
And after a bright start to his career at Anfield, Johnson
is looking forward to facing his former teammates when the
two sides meet in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
“It will be massive because you know Chelsea are going to be
there or thereabouts at the end of the season and we’d like
to think we will be too,” he told Liverpool’s official web
site.
(This is Anfield)
Carlo ready for Rafa
Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez are both relishing meeting
for the first time since their UEFA Champions League final
clashes of 2005 and 2007.
The two face each other for the first time since 2007 when
AC Milan claimed revenge for their 2005 defeat by beating
Liverpool.
It will also be the first time that Ancelotti has faced a
fellow top-four manager since taking charge at Stamford
Bridge.
But the Italian is in jovial mood ahead of the SuperSunday
clash.
"I don't remember 2005 but I can remember 2007. Rafa only
remembers 2005!" joked Ancelotti.
(Sky Sports)
Ballack rates Chelsea clash
with Liverpool as six-pointer
Michael Ballack rates Chelsea's clash with Liverpool
tomorrow as a six-pointer in the title race.
The Germany midfielder told chelseafc.com: "Mentally it is
important because they are three points behind us and we can
double the gap. They know this and they want to close the
gap, but we have a little bit of an advantage playing at
home, and hopefully we can use this.
"The previous matches were exciting, so why not this one? It
is a big game and everyone is looking forward to it.
"I said last year I don't think you have to win every game
against the top four, you want to do well all season but if
you lose one of these six games or eight games against the
others you can deal with this in the whole year, it is the
same three points you play for against Wigan."
(tribalfootball.com) |
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FRIDAY 2 |
Reds ace win Fans' award
Fernando Torres, Marcus Tudgay, Robert Snodgrass and Brett
Pitman have won September's PFA Fans' Player of the Month
awards.
Liverpool ace Torres claimed the Premier League award with
five league goals over the past four weeks.
Torres followed up his brace against West Ham with a
blistering hat-trick in The Reds' demolition job of Hull
City last weekend.
Rafa Benitez's side won all three of their Premier League
games in the month, scoring 13 times and conceding three.
(Sky Sports)
Mascherano and
Agger injury latest
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez hopes to have midfielder Javier
Mascherano available for this Sunday’s Premier League
showdown with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Mascherano missed Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina and
only made a substitute appearance in last Saturday’s 6-1
thrashing of Hull City at Anfield after picking up a
hamstring strain.
But Benitez now hopes the Argentine will be fit enough to
start Sunday’s trip to West London.
Meanwhile Benitez added that he has been impressed with
Daniel Agger’s progress after suffering from a back injury
and hinted the Danish international could be included in the
squad this weekend.
(This is Anfield)
Benitez relishing Ancelotti showdown
Rafael Benitez has spoken of his admiration for Carlo
Ancelotti as he prepares to go head-to head with the new
Chelsea boss for the first time since the Champions League
final in 2007.
The Reds boss is used to facing the Italian on the big
occasion after he led AC Milan in Istanbul and Athens, and
admits he would love to lock horns with Ancelotti in another
showpiece occasion this season.
"It will be interesting because he is a great manager,"
Benitez told his pre-match press conference. "We have played
in finals, so it will good to see him and hopefully we will
meet in another final."
(LFC Official Website)
Kuyt shrugs off Chelsea threat
Dirk Kuyt says he is not worried about Carlo Ancelotti’s
Chelsea ahead of this Sunday’s Premier League meeting with
the Blues at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had a 100% record in the league this season until
Wigan defeated them 3-1 last weekend. That was followed by
an uninspiring 1-0 victory away to Cyprus Champions Apoel
Nicosa.
And Kuyt is hoping Liverpool can beat Chelsea again, like
they did in the league last season.
He said, “Chelsea had a one hundred per cent record until
last weekend, but I’m not really worried about them.
“If we play to the level we’re capable of, we can win there
again. We beat them home and away last season, so why not
this year too?"
(This is Anfield)
Legend in a Rush
to laud Fernando
Liverpool's record goalscorer Ian Rush believes Fernando
Torres, the man who now wears the number nine shirt, is the
best striker in the world.
Torres' hat-trick against Hull last weekend took his tally
to eight goals in his last six Premier League matches.
The Spaniard is edging closer to breaking a long-standing
club record of being the fastest to 50 league goals and
needs just four more in his next 15 games after notching 46
in his first 64 top-flight appearances.
Should he do that he will surpass the mark set by Sam
Raybould, who played for the Reds between 1900 and 1907, and
Albert Stubbins (1946-52) who both took 80 games to reach
the half-century.
In comparison Rush, who scored 346 goals in 660 matches for
Liverpool, took 84, Robbie Fowler 88 and Michael Owen 98.
Rush said: "He has been fantastic. He is the Premier
League's top scorer this season and the goals he scored
against Hull were great, both right foot and left foot.
"With experience I think he will get better. He is only 25
and he is a big plus for Liverpool as he and Steven Gerrard
play really well together.
"Without doubt he is the best striker in the world at the
moment."
(TEAMtalk)
Rooney could miss
Liverpool game at Anfield
Manchester United star Wayne Rooney could potentially miss
the crucial Premier League showdown with Liverpool on
October 25th because his wife Coleen, is due to give birth
to the couples first child. The former Everton youngster may
also miss United’s away trip to CSKA Moscow four days
earlier if she goes into labour early.
Rooney told the Daily Mirror: “The baby's due the day we
play Liverpool,”
“If Coleen goes in to have it before then, then I won't go
to Moscow because I want to be there at the birth.”
“If anything happens around that time then I'm sure I'll
stay back.”
“But if everything goes to plan then I'll be playing because
that's my job and what I'm paid to do.”
“I haven't spoken to the manager about it yet, but I want to
be there for the birth of my child.”
(Sport.co.uk)
Torres a Red for life
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has revealed he does not
envisage ever playing for another Premier League club,
especially Manchester United.
Torres has made a stunning impact since joining Liverpool
from Atletico Madrid in 2007 and has scored 58 goals in 93
appearances for the club.
He has also enjoyed an impressive start to the new season,
netting eight goals to date, including a hat-trick in last
week's 6-1 thrashing of Hull City.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez recently admitted that rival Premier
League sides had enquired about the Spain ace over the
summer, with Manchester City and Chelsea rumoured to have
shown an interest.
However, the 25-year-old would not countenance leaving
Anfield for another English club, particularly old
adversaries United.
"I can understand the feelings between Man Utd and
Liverpool," Torres told Sport magazine when asked about the
chances of playing for the Premier League champions.
"I'm a foreign player, but I know how the Liverpool fans
feel and I remember the welcome I had when I arrived - it
was amazing.
"I hope to play a lot of years or maybe even finish my
career here.
"I don't know, but Liverpool is my English team and I don't
think about playing for another one."
(Football 365)
Babel admits Holland axe scared him
Liverpool winger Ryan Babel says being dropped by Holland
coach Bert van Marwijk has kicked him into action this
season.
He said: "Not being called up by Holland has definitely
scared me into doing something. The situation for me is
clear. This has to be the year for me. I am trying to do
whatever it takes to get into the team.
"If I give everything and the situation is still difficult,
then you have to be honest with yourself. But I'm still
confident that I can be a very important player for
Liverpool.
"For the first time in 33 games, I wasn't called up for the
national team. That was very scary. It's clear I have to
play a lot of games for Liverpool to earn a ticket to the
World Cup. The Holland coach made a statement that he wants
his players playing for their clubs."
(tribalfootball.com)
Man charged with Gerrard robbery
A man has been charged over a robbery at the home of England
and Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard.
Gerrard's wife Alex Curran, 27, was confronted by four
masked raiders at the couple's mansion in Formby,
Merseyside, in December 2007.
The robbers struck while the midfielder was playing in
Liverpool's Champions League tie away to Marseille.
Martin Wilson, 22, of Stockbridge Village has been charged
with robbery and burglary.
He is due to appear at North Sefton Magistrates' on 30
October.
During the raid the offenders, who all wore dark clothing,
hoods and balaclavas, made off with items of jewellery.
(BBC Sport Online) |
|
THURSDAY 1 |
Saudi prince put off by club debt
and issues between owners
Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah, a member of the ruling
family of Saudi Arabia who claimed this week that he was
close to agreeing a deal to invest in English soccer club
Liverpool, has now spoken out about the ongoing tension
between the club's American owners.
Liverpool and members of Fahd bin Abdullah's own company
moved swiftly to distance themselves from his claims this
week, with the club's owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks,
admitting that they have retained Bank of American Merrill
Lynch and Rothschild to advise on possible investments but
saying that any talks are in preliminary stages.
"It's clear to everyone that there is some sort of
misunderstanding between Gillett and Hicks," Fahd bin
Abdullah told Saudi television. "We are not there to pacify
between them."
(SportsPro Media)
Stevie G is LFC's new number 13
Reds skipper Steven Gerrard moved up a place to number 13 in
the club's all-time table for number of games played in all
competitions having turned out at Fiorentina on Tuesday.
This was his 493rd game for Liverpool, although this is 94
behind Jamie Carragher, our most experienced current player
who is ranked ninth.
(YNWA)
Aurelio reveals Benitez anger
Rafa Benitez was as angry as he has ever been with Liverpool
during their defeat by Fioretina, according to Fabio
Aurelio.
The Brazilian full-back has admitted that the normally cool
Spaniard blew his top at half-time in Tuscany during their
Champions League clash.
Liverpool were 2-0 down at the Artemio Franchi, and Benitez
made his feelings clear to his side, although despite a
second half improvement the scoreline stayed the same.
"That was the most annoyed we have seen the manager, but we
all were," admitted Aurelio.
"We all felt like that after the first half and that's why
you saw a better performance in the second.
"But we didn't need harsh words at half-time - we all knew
that we were not playing well and that we had to be much
better.
"In the second we were a different side and if it had been
like that from the start it could have been a different
result."
(Sporting Life)
Agger glad to be back
Daniel Agger is glad to be fit again.
The Danish defender came through 68 minutes of reserve
football on Tuesday night as he helped John McMahon's side
to a 2-0 win over Man City and after the game spoke of his
relief in putting his injury problems behind him.
"It is good to be back and it felt good to be back on the
pitch again,"
said Agger.
"It is always frustrating when you are out injured and can't
play football, so to get back out there again was great.
"I knew in pre-season that my back wasn't right so I had to
get the problem sorted. I set myself the target to be back
around this time and
so I'm happy.
"I will keep working hard and do everything I can to help
the team and get back in the side as soon as possible."
(LFC Online)
Terry ready for Reds showdown
John Terry insists Chelsea will be ready for the visit of
Liverpool on Sunday despite an unconvincing win over Apoel
Nicosia in
the Champions League.
Nicolas Anelka’s 18th-minute goal earned them victory but
the performance did not please coach Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian had wanted more from his side after their 3-1
defeat at the hands of Wigan on Saturday but they failed to
shine in Cyprus.
The victory leaves Chelsea top of the group with two
straight wins but they will have to improve to prevent
Liverpool notching another win
at Stamford Bridge.
Captain Terry, one of a number of players to criticise the
team’s display at Wigan, promised the Blues would be ready
for the Merseysiders.
“The confidence wasn’t knocked at Wigan – you can’t afford
not to believe in yourselves or your team-mates,” said
Terry.
“It was important that we realised we went wrong at Wigan
and that we responded well. You don’t get much time to think
about it with the games coming thick and fast, and we did a
good job here.”
(BreakingNews.ie)
Injury rules out Owen
from Liverpool reunion
Manchester United striker Michael Owen will miss his
Liverpool reunion in the coming weeks.
Owen broke down with a groin injury in last night's
Champions League victory over Wolfsburg.
The striker is expected to be missing for at least three
weeks, which rules him out of United's first clash of the
season with Liverpool.
(tribalfootball.com)
Thor Zakariassen
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