Benitez: It takes two
Rafael Benitez believes two more Barclays Premiership wins will secure Liverpool Champions League football next term - but he wants them soon so he can focus on reaching this season's final.
And as the war of words hots up between Benitez semi-final opponent Jose Mourinho, the Anfield boss was quick to underline the "calm" at his own club as the Portuguese coach bemoans the turmoil behind the scenes at Chelsea.
Reds boss Benitez is well aware his side's progress to the semi-finals and another showdown with Mourinho could easily overshadow the trip to Manchester City.
And he has no intention of allowing that to happen, or against Middlesbrough on Wednesday or Wigan three days later.
He said: "I believe two more wins will secure a place in the Champions League next season. That has to be our aim before we turn our attention to Chelsea."
(PA Sport)

Perfect lift for Crouch
It may be an exaggeration to suggest Peter Crouch has cemented his future at Anfield with his recent blistering spell.
Rafa Benitez has never suggested he wanted to sell the popular striker, while Crouch couldn’t be any more emphatic about his desire to stay on Merseyside.
However, it wasn’t that long ago rumours of a possible summer exit were gathering pace, so the forthright statements on the issue from player and manager have been a welcome consequence of his impressive 17-goal haul.
In the summer of 2005, Crouch wasn’t the ‘big name’ player the Sky Sports generation craved when Benitez was pondering his striking options.
But Benitez will always prefer young, hungry players with much to prove, rather than superstars.
“I will put my reputation as a manager on Crouch being a good player for us,” Benitez said, in those distant days, now forgotten, when his new signing was trying to score his first goal.
Crouch has since succeeded in turning himself into an ‘A-lister’, seizing an opportunity few predicted would come his way three seasons ago.
And, having grabbed the chance, not surprisingly, he has no intention of letting it slip.
“It’s obviously really pleasing to hear what the manager said about keeping me at
the club,” said Crouch.
(Liverpool Echo)

Benitez can don Paisley mantle
If Rafael Benitez manages to add another Champions League triumph to his Liverpool CV, he will deserve comparison with the legendary Bob Paisley, according to Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce.
Paisley is widely acknowledged as one of the finest British managers of all time, and Liverpool fans have mounted a long campaign to have him awarded a posthumous knighthood,. They believe the achievements of a man who brought three European Cups and six league titles to Anfield in nine years at the helm have not been properly recognised.
"Rafael Benitez has a fantastic track record," said Pearce, who goes head to head win the Spaniard at Eastlands on Saturday.
"He has every opportunity to win the European Cup again and if he gets that in his hands, it would catapult him into the Bob Paisley category.
"Sometimes, it suits people to shoebox people. If a manager wears a suit, he gets labelled as a tactician. If he wears a tracksuit, he is a motivator. I just look at Benitez and think he is a very good manager."
(PA Sport)

Ceremonial flags at half mast for tomorrow's game
For tomorrow's game our flags will be lowered to half-mast as a sign of respect for the fans and families of Liverpool Football Club, who lost their lives in the Hillsborough Disaster on the 15th of April 1989.
Chairman John Wardle will be laying a wreath in the memorial garden tomorrow afternoon.
(Manchester City Official Website)

Berlusconi wants Reds repeat
Silvio Berlusconi insists Milan do not fear Manchester United and hopes the Rossoneri can set up a UEFA Champions League final meeting with Liverpool.
Milan's quarter-final win over Bayern Munich booked a semi-final clash with United, who the Italians beat en route to the final in 2005.
"I'm optimistic as usual," Berlusconi told Gazzetta dello Sport about the prospect of beating United.
"Manchester aren't favourites. We respect them a lot, but we don't fear them, because we will start at their level.
"Against Roma, everything went in a good way for Manchester, whilst for the Giallorossi everything went in a bad way.
"But we do not have to be frightened by that 7-1 result, because Roma won the first leg.
"We have an engagement to honour in respect of our supporters - facing Liverpool to delete the loss we suffered two years ago.
"This is our dream and our aim."
(Sky Sports)

Big guns return to boost Liverpool
Liverpool are expected to recall their big guns for the away game at Manchester City, although Craig Bellamy will miss out with a knee injury.
Steven Gerrard, Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher and Javier Mascherano all sat out the European match but should return at Eastlands. Dirk Kuyt was banned from the quarter-final second leg, but is expected to start against Stuart Pearce's side.
Harry Kewell is approaching a return to action after long-term injury, but it was considered too soon for him to play in the reserves on Tuesday. Fabio Aurelio and Luis Garcia are boss Rafael Benitez's only other season-long absentees.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Gerrard, Sissoko, Alonso, Mascherano, Fowler, Crouch, Kuyt, Gonzalez, Arbeloa, Dudek, Zenden.
(TEAMtalk)

Dalglish excited by Liverpool's European revival
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish is excited by the potential for growth at the club as Rafael Benitez’s side close in on a second Champions League final in three seasons.
Dalglish insists former Valencia manager Benitez holds the key to what happens next for 2005 winners Liverpool, after they cruised past PSV Eindhoven in the quarter-finals.
Barclays Premiership rivals Chelsea block their passage to the Athens final, guaranteeing at least one English team will appear in the May 23 UEFA showpiece.
Dalglish said: “Rafa did well at Valencia and his team is brilliantly organised. They are really well prepared.
“The players have great belief and confidence in what he is telling them to do. When you get those two things together it is reflected on the pitch, especially in Europe, it sticks out like a sore thumb.”
(Liverpool Daily Post) 

Gabri rules out Reds switch
Ajax midfielder Gabri has dismissed talk he is set to join Liverpool this summer.
The 28-year-old former Barcelona player has found his name linked to Rafael Benitez's club in the media in recent weeks, but he insisted he has never spoken with the Reds manager about a move.
"I did speak with coach Benitez in the winter, that's true. But that was just chit-chat," Gabri told RTV-Noord Holland.
"He asked me how I felt in Amsterdam, that was all. A possible transfer was not part of that conversation. And I can say that I feel fine at Ajax.
"(Liverpool) is a great club, everyone knows that. But they did not call me or my agent. Ajax is most important now."
Gabri has a contract with the Amsterdam club until June 2009.
(Sporting Life)

Richards out of Liverpool clash
Micah Richards misses out for the fourth game running as Manchester City look to extend their unbeaten run to five matches against Liverpool at Eastlands.
The England international is struggling with an ankle injury, as well as a calf problem manager Stuart Pearce has confirmed will require surgery in the summer.
Pearce has ruled out the possibility of sending Richards for his operation early but in the meantime Nedum Onuoha will continue to deputise at full-back.
Dietmar Hamann and Stephen Jordan both return for the Blues but Paul Dickov (knee) is out for another fortnight.
Team (from): Isaksson, Weaver, Trabelsi, Onuoha, Distin, Dunne, Ball, Jordan, Sun, Johnson, Barton, Ireland, Dabo, Hamann, Beasley, Sinclair, Vassell, Samaras,
Mpenza, Corradi.
(Evening Echo)

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