TUESDAY 15
	Rafa 'guarantees' top-four finish Rafael Benitez insists he can "guarantee" his faltering Liverpool team will finish in the top four - and has "absolute faith" in his methods. Sunday's defeat to Arsenal, having taken a first-half lead, was their sixth of the season and left them five points adrift of the Champions League places. However, Benitez is prepared to "guarantee" that the club will finish in the top four this season as he believes only minor changes need to be made. Benitez knows they have to start stringing results together if they are not to lose further ground on the likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City who are all currently contenders for Champions League qualification. "I have to have confidence in my team and I am sure we can do it because I know we are better than the team you are seeing on the pitch. "I can guarantee we will finish in the top four." (TEAMtalk)   Former Liverpool star Alan A'Court dies Former Liverpool, Tranmere and England winger Alan A'Court has died at the age of 75. A'Court made 381 Liverpool appearances and scored 63 goals in an 11-year spell at Anfield after signing in 1952. He had the distinction of scoring the Reds' first competitive goal under Bill Shankly, who began his tenure as Liverpool boss 50 years ago this week. "It's extremely sad news and everyone at the club is deeply saddened," said former Liverpool midfielder Brian Hall. He added: "We knew he had not been well, but we did not realise how serious it was. He was a terrific footballer and a lovely guy. "It is a real shock because I only saw him three or four months ago. Everyone at the club would like to pass on their sympathies to his family at this sad time." A'Court won five England caps and a place in the England squad at the 1958 World Cup despite Liverpool being in the Second Division at the time. (BBC Sport Online) Mascherano set to retain Reds place Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is likely to be fit to face Wigan at Anfield on Wednesday evening in the Premier League. The Argentina captain sustained a thigh problem which forced him off in Sunday's defeat at home to Arsenal but he trained on Tuesday and is expected to retain his place in the starting line-up. Right-back Glen Johnson, also substituted against the Gunners, spent Tuesday with the physiotherapists and did not train. He is more of a doubt. Winger Albert Riera still has a hamstring problem so will not be risked while £20million summer signing Alberto Aquilani is likely to find himself on the bench again. Liverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Aquilani, Kuyt, Torres, Cavalieri, Lucas, Aurelio, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Degen. (TEAMtalk) Bishop welcomed as panel chair The Hillsborough Independent Panel will be chaired by The Right Reverend James Jones. The group representing families of those who died in the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster have welcomed the appointment of the Bishop of Liverpool as the chair of a panel which will oversee the release of thousand s of documents relating to the tragedy. Home Secretary Alan Johnson confirmed The Hillsborough Independent Panel will be chaired by the bishop, The Right Reverend James Jones, and said work was now continuing to appoint the other members of the panel, which will meet in Liverpool in the New Year. (TEAMtalk) Parker lined up as Mascherano exit looms Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has reportedly conceded defeat in his bid to keep Javier Mascherano at Anfield beyond his current contract, and is keen to bring in a like-for-like replacement in the shape of West Ham’s Scott Parker report the Sun. (sport.co.uk)   Scharner: We don't fear Liverpool Paul Scharner believes Latics have nothing to fear as they prepare to visit Anfield tomorrow night. The trip to Liverpool is traditionally one of the most daunting of the campaign, but the Reds are in woeful form of late and Latics will go there with real hopes of getting a result. Roberto Martinez's men were somewhat unlucky not to win at Stoke at the weekend, when they were only denied three points by a couple of lapses in defence. And Scharner feels a similar performance – minus the mistakes – will give them a chance of a first-ever win at Anfield. Scharner said: "Liverpool will be another difficult away game for us, but if we can play like we did in the first half at Stoke then there might be something for us. "Liverpool have had a few problems recently, but we are also not playing with much consistency at the moment. "It will be a tough game but, if we can keep possession and play our football, it is possible we can get a result." (wigantoday.net)  No Liverpool move for Barcelona starlet Keirrison The agent of Barcelona striker Keirrison has told ESPN Soccernet it is highly unlikely that his client will be joining Liverpool on loan in the January transfer window. Recent reports in the English media had claimed that Keirrison, 21, could cancel his unproductive loan spell with Benfica in order to sign for Rafael Benitez, who was linked with a move for the striker before he joined Barcelona in July 2009. Keirrison's agent, Naor Malaquias, feels Fernando Torres would represent another formidable barrier to regular first-team football at Anfield, making it unlikely Barca would sanction the move, and in any case has heard nothing from the Liverpool hierarchy about a possible transfer. "That would be a very nice place to go but I think that we should talk directly with Barcelona to see if they have the interest to loan him to Liverpool," Malaquias told ESPN Soccernet. "I don't have any information about [interest from] Liverpool but it could be a pleasure to play in this club. "It is difficult because the position of Keirrison at Benfica is hard because Cardozo and Saviola are doing a very good job. He is young, he arrived at the club and now he doesn't have many opportunities to play. "I don't think that going to Liverpool will change this position because Liverpool is a very big club with very good strikers so I think that the same situation could happen. So I don't think that for Barcelona that would be a very nice change. They want a club that he could have minutes to play and I don't think that Liverpool is this club." (ESPN Soccernet) It’s up to Rafael Benitez to give Liverpool FC players their belief back The belief seems to have gone from Liverpool at the moment – and it needs to come back quickly. In short, the players need to realise how good they are again. Rafael Benitez won’t find the answers to the current problems by looking for money in the January transfer window or by taking any notice of anything the likes of Jurgen Klinsmann or Graeme Souness say. They are just pundits paid to give an opinion, it’s what they do. What football managers do is pick their best team and send them out motivated and up for it. That’s all Benitez needs to concentrate on now – don’t worry about anything else. (Mark Lawrenson - Liverpool Daily Post)  Wigan boss Martinez: Liverpool will turn things around Benitez guarantees Liverpool a top four finish Wigan Athletic boss Roberto Martinez is convinced Liverpool will end the season inside the top four. It is not surprising that some are now openly speculating how long Rafael Benitez can remain in a job, but Martinez - whose own side head to Anfield on Wednesday - does not feel the situation is that bleak for his fellow Spaniard. And, while Villa, Tottenham and big-spending Manchester City currently have the edge on Benitez's men, Martinez does not believe it will last. "I still feel Liverpool will finish in the top four," he said. "Look at their players. They have huge experience. "You are not talking about young players or a young team. You are talking about Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher. "It is probably the most experienced group of players in world football. What is happening at the moment will not affect them." (tribalfootball.com)
	MONDAY 14
	Rafa demands Reds response Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has called on his players to show unity following his side's disappointing defeat to Arsenal. The 2-1 reverse at Anfield deepened the crisis surrounding the club, and extended a poor form run of form that has seen Benitez's men win just three of their last 15 matches in all competitions. Benitez has issued a rallying cry to his charges, and is challenging them to respond by picking up a win over Wigan in midweek, a game which now carries added significance. "The main thing now is that we have to show confidence, we have to show character," Benitez said. "They play for Liverpool. We have to improve, we have to show character when we have problems and we must keep our confidence high." (Sky Sports)  Carragher's character call Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has called on the side to show some character to bounce back from their latest setback. The Reds slumped to their sixth defeat in the Premier League after going down 2-1 to Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday. The latest defeat leaves Liverpool in seventh spot, five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa in the race to finish in the top four. "We've just got to dust ourselves down now and move to Wednesday. For the quality of the players and the stature of the club, we should be doing better. "Statistics can change quickly and we have got to do that. It's tough at the moment but part of playing for Liverpool is having big character." (Sky Sports)  Reds to honour Shankly landmark Liverpool will use Wednesday's home match against Wigan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of legendary manager Bill Shankly taking over at the club. Monday marks the date when the Scot officially began work as Reds boss. And with the match against the Latics the nearest Anfield fixture to the 50th anniversary of Shankly's first game in charge - a 4-0 home defeat by Cardiff on December 19 1959 - the club will mark the occasion. It is expected that members of Shankly's family and former players will be invited to the game, with a host of famous names expected to be involved in a ceremony on the pitch. (Press Association Sport)  Reds suffering from God delusion TEAMtalk believes Liverpool players should be more down to earth instead of seeking divine intervention to help their faltering cause. Liverpool have tried countless formations. Tried playing Steven Gerrard in tandem with Fernando Torres. Discovered playing two holding midfielders in Lucas and Javier Mascherano is not conducive to creating chances. Now, just to prove how moribund of ideas Anfield under Rafael Benitez is right now, Jamie Carragher has revealed the latest tactic. "We have got to stick together, get through it and, as I am doing every night, pray to God that at the end of the season there will be something worth what we have gone through. "I pray to God we win the FA Cup or the Europa League and we get in the top four." Just a thought, but with Afghanistan, the world recession, global warming, child poverty, terrorism, political corruption and the obsession with the X Factor, it would be fair to say the man upstairs had enough on His plate right now, wouldn't you, without worrying about Liverpool's zonal marking? (TEAMtalk) Benitez walks alone and directionless in the sad shadow of Shankly The situation with Aquilani is becoming less a puzzle and more a scandal. The worrying thing for Liverpool, if we can put it so mildly in these most desperate of circumstances, is that at last they found at least some of the best of themselves. They had Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard streaming on goal; they found for a little while much of the bite that has been so elusive for so long. But there is yet again a withering question to ask Rafa Benitez. This one has a potentially terminal ring to it. It wants to know, if this was indeed the best of Liverpool, if he was able to field his strongest team, give or take the mysterious continuing bench-warming of £20m Alberto Aquilani, where does it leave a club drifting remorselessly away from its old place among the elite of English and European football? (The Independent) Sound of silence symptomatic of Reds demise Andre Marriner, the fourth official, strode to the touchline and hoisted aloft the electronic board which shows how much injury time must be played. Usually, when Liverpool are trailing in games at such moments, Anfield’s crowd will fill its lungs, stand together and scream collectively for one final, desperate push to salvage what appears a hopeless situation. On many occasions down the years, it is a tactic that has worked a treat. Liverpool, you see, were never beaten until the last whistle and the club’s history is littered with contests that looked to have slipped from their grasp but were somehow turned into victories. How we yearn for a return to those days. Yesterday, when Marriner indicated there would be a minimum of four added minutes, the only soundtrack that accompanied the declaration was that of empty seats clattering back into place. No fight, no anger, no bellowing, no bawling, nothing. Anfield was dead, shocked into silence by a wretched second half display which enabled the Reds to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against an Arsenal side that could scarcely believe its luck. (Dominic King - Liverpool Echo) Wenger: Liverpool will get better Arsene Wenger still believes shattered Liverpool can be a force again this season, once they have regained their broken confidence. Wenger's Arsenal hit back from a goal down at the break to win their crunch Barclays Premier League clash 2-1 at Anfield. Gunners boss Wenger said: "Liverpool are a good side and when they find their confidence they can beat anyone in the league." He added: "They have Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard back, Alberto Aquilani will get fitter and many teams will drop points at Anfield. "They played in the first half with an impressive level of performance." (Ananova) St John emotional over Liverpool plight Liverpool legend Ian St John has slammed the reign of Rafa Benitez. The club hold a 50th anniversary tribute to boss Bill Shankly on Wednesday night. And Kop legend Saint, a Shankly disciple, choked with emotion on Sky Sports yesterday when asked about the club's current plight. He said: "It's shocking. This team will not make the top four. Patience is wearing thin. "The players Rafa has bought are not good enough. If we do not get in the Champions League it will have a big impact." (tribalfootball.com) Prince Faisal drops Liverpool investment plans Saudi Arabian Prince Faisal bin Fahd has pulled out of investment talks with Liverpool. The People says the Anfield club were in talks with the wealthy Arab owner of sports company F6 who was wooed by co-owner George Gillett to buy a big chunk of the famous club. Prince Faisal was a VIP guest at the thrashing of Hull earlier in the season and also invited Gillett to his Arabian base to discuss the possibility of taking a financial stake in the Kop. But the young Sheikh has told his closest aides to scrap any plans - despite the fact that Liverpool are out of the Champions League and more keen on a deal than ever. (tribalfootball.com)
	SUNDAY 13
	Wenger salutes Gunners comeback Arsene Wenger was delighted with Arsenal's second-half response as they came back from behind to beat Liverpool after the Gunners manager's half-time fury provoked the perfect result. The Arsenal boss refused to reveal what he said at half-time interval which provoked his side to comeback and clinch maximum points. "I don't like to talk about that," Wenger told Sky Sports. "It was in the dressing room what I said and I want to keep it in the dressing room." (Sky Sports)  Rafa's reaction to defeat The result means the Reds have slipped five points behind the current occupants of the final Champions League berth, Aston Villa, but the boss is adamant his side will bounce back, beginning with Wigan on Wednesday. "The target is still the same," he told his post match press conference. "Look at the next game and aim for the top four. It is the same situation. We have to keep going, try to improve and win our games. If we play at the same level that we did in the first-half, I am sure we will win more games." (LFC Official Website)  Cesc: Wenger outburst inspired us Cesc Fabregas said a furious tirade by Arsene Wenger at half-time had inspired Arsenal to come from behind and beat Liverpool 2-1 on Sunday. The Spaniard told Sky Sports 1: "The boss screamed. I've never seen him like that before. "He was really disappointed in the first half and said we didn't deserve to wear the Arsenal shirt if we played like that. "And I think he was right." (TEAMtalk)   Arshavin seals Anfield affair Andrey Arshavin continued his Anfield scoring spree as Arsenal came from behind to cast Liverpool's top-four hopes into serious doubt. Reds manager Rafael Benitez had insisted the season started again today after the midweek UEFA Champions League defeat to Fiorentina. And the hosts approached the game with vigour and took a first-half lead into the break when Dirk Kuyt pounced on an unconvincing palm by Manuel Almunia after Steven Gerrard was denied a penalty from William Gallas' clumsy challenge. But Benitez's side surrendered yet another lead when first Glen Johnson put the ball into his own net before Arshavin, who scored four goals in the corresponding fixture last term, smashed in the winner on 58 minutes to send the Gunners third. (Sky Sports)  Liverpool v Arsenal – confirmed team Liverpool will be hoping for revenge for the Carling Cup defeat at the Emirates a few weeks back as they take on Arsenal at Anfield this afternoon – kick off 4pm. Liverpool’s team in full is: Reina, Aurelio, Agger, Carragher, Johnson, Mascherano, Leiva, Kuyt, Benayoun, Gerrard, Torres Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Insua, Ngog, Degen, Skrtel, Dossena. (Anfield Online) Players are behind me, says Rafa Rafael Benitez claims his Anfield big guns are fully behind him as he bids to get Liverpool's disappointing season back on track. The Liverpool boss has had to stave off criticism all season as the Reds fell at the first hurdle in the Champions League, while their league form has left many saying they are out of the title race. But in a week when Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Pepe Reina have issued battle cries to turn things around at Anfield, Benitez insists his star performers have showed that he has not lost the dressing room. And the former Valencia tactician believes his side are ready to kick-start their campaign with three points against Arsenal on Sunday. "The players are behind me," the Spaniard said in The News of the World. "You can see that in some of the big players - Torres, Gerrard and Reina. They are positive and know they have to work hard for the club and the fans. "The players know we are not performing at the level we need. Sometimes they have doubts about us, but that's part of the game. "They are focused, they are working hard and trying to win games. When you lose one or two it becomes more difficult. "When you are not winning lots of games in a row confidence can be very low. "We made mistakes in the Champions League but we can improve. Can we improve in attack by bringing back Torres? Yes. "Can we improve in attack with Gerrard fitter? I think so. It will be easier for me, doing more or less the same things with different kinds of players. "We will be much better in attack - 100 per cent. "As a manager you have good and bad moments but we are in a situation where we have to improve. "Everybody was expecting Liverpool to be top of the table at this time and to have qualified for the Champions League. We have to be positive. "In the Premier League we have to try to reduce the gap and see what happens." (TEAMtalk) Thor Zakariassen ©