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MONDAY 15 |
Neill deal close
Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Blackburn Rovers
defender Lucas Neill. It's thought that the Reds hope to
have the Australian international in their squad for
Saturday's Premiership fixture with Chelsea at Anfield.
(Shankly Gates)
Kuyt gunning for Chelsea scalp
Dirk Kuyt accepts Liverpool must end their league duck
against Chelsea on Saturday if they are to have any hope of
overtaking the champions.
Holland international Kuyt claims Liverpool are in the best
possible form in which to finally end their drought against
Mourinho but knows a win is crucial to their ambitions of
getting past the Blues.
He said: "If we want to have chance of second place, we know
we have to beat them. I'm sure it will be a great game with
a great atmosphere, and we can't wait.
"People talk about our record against the top sides but not
so long ago we were hearing we couldn't win away from home.
"We've managed to change that record, so we know we are
ready for Chelsea."
(TEAMtalk)
Crouch shows why he should be in equation
In the words of the song, you don't know what you've got til
it's gone.
Yes, Pepe Reina's calm, authoritative shot-stopping made a
welcome return to the Reds goalmouth at Vicarage Road on
Saturday.
But it was at the other end of the field that perhaps the
most significant return to form has been witnessed.
Peter Crouch has not been flavour of the month with his
manager this season . . . that's the months of September,
October, largely November and most definitely December.
But January and the New Year has brought a significant
change of fortune for the big striker.
For one, he's already finished three matches.
That's only two more than he managed in the previous entire
calendar year.
But despite the stop-start nature of his Liverpool season,
he has also continued to prove the most regular supplier of
goals.
(David Prentice - Liverpool Echo)
Potter deal agreed
Wolves have agreed a deal with Liverpool for the permanent
transfer of Darren Potter.
The club have confirmed that they are now discussing
personal terms with the midfielder who has been on loan at
the Molineux for most of this season.
(Wolves-mad.co.uk)
Heighway: Shanks would be thrilled
Steve Heighway has praised the maturity of Liverpool
Under-18s, claiming the late Bill Shankly would have been
proud of the way they dumped Chelsea out of the FA Youth Cup
on Saturday.
To watch the highlights of the young Reds 2-0 win over
Chelsea click here>>
Heighway watched his youngsters battle their way into the
fifth round despite being on the back foot for much of the
second-half.
"It was cup tie football. I said to the boys that the
biggest compliment I could give to them was that Bill
Shankly and Bob Paisley would have been delighted," said the
manager following the 2-0 victory at Anfield.
"You don't get any prizes for being pretty in cup football.
There were times when we would have liked to have played a
bit more, but Shanks and Paisley would have been thrilled
because we stuck to our tactical plan and we stuck together.
I'm thrilled at their maturity today."
(LFC Official Website) |
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SUNDAY 14 |
Rafa: Anfield pressure is nothing
Rafael Benitez claimed the pressure he is under at Liverpool
is nothing compared to what he faced as manager of Valencia.
Despite Saturday's 3-0 win at Watford - the Reds' seventh in
eight Barclays Premiership matches - the Spaniard's
judgement has been called into question following the 6-3
home defeat by Arsenal in the Carling Cup, for which Benitez
rested several key players.
But after watching his team remain eight points behind
second-placed Chelsea ahead of next weekend's meeting with
the champions at Anfield, Benitez insisted once more that he
had made the right call against Arsenal.
"I think I am young as a manager but I have experience from
being in bad situations. I always say that after a Sunday
there is a Monday. You can learn from your situations and
improve," Benitez said.
(PA Sport)
Parry: Takeover of Reds is close
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has revealed the
takeover by investors from Dubai is almost complete as legal
work is being 'finalised'.
Dubai International Capital, the investment arm of the Dubai
government, tabled a reported £450million bid in December
and are currently completing legal formalities and the
process of due diligence.
Parry told Sportsweek on BBC Radio Five Live: "A huge amount
of work has been going on from both parts. I imagine we'll
have something concrete to say relatively soon on that.
"They are finalising all the legal work. They have been
examining the books and satisfying themselves that
everything is fine on that score."
(TEAMtalk)
Carra: Chelsea game will be big test
Liverpool's 3-nil win at Vicarage Road on Saturday might
have restored some pride to supporters after two
demoralising cup defeats to Arsenal last week but for Jamie
Carragher, next weekends clash with Chelsea is the real big
one.
"We're probably the form team in the League at the moment
and we've got to keep that going because in the next few
weeks both Chelsea and United have got to come to Anfield,"
revealed the Liverpool Vice Captain. "I'd like to think we
will be a lot closer to the top two after those games than
we are now. They represent a big opportunity for us after
what happened against Arsenal."
(LFC Official Website)
Rafa's Real snub
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has confirmed that
Rafael Benitez turned down the chance to manage Real Madrid
in the summer because of his commitment to the club.
"It was pretty serious and for Rafa it was clearly a
temptation because Real Madrid is his club. He has been
there as a player and as a coach," said Anfield chief
executive Parry.
"It will always be an opportunity he will have to consider
but we sat down for a few hours together and talked about
the direction the club was taking.
"He believed in the direction we are taking and he believed
in the way we are going about it. We are all passionate to
win trophies and the one we would really love to win is the
Premier League.
"Rafa is impatient for success, as we all are. He enjoys
being in Liverpool and the point is that he believed in the
direction we were taking and that our mutual ambitions
still matched."
(Sporting Life) |
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SATURDAY 13 |
Garcia goes under the knife
Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia has undergone surgery on
his injured knee.
The Spain international suffered the blow during the Carling
Cup defeat to Arsenal in midweek.
The Reds allowed Garcia back to his homeland to have the
operation and he went under the knife on Saturday at the
Clinica El Pilar in Barcelona.
Ramon Cugat, who has operated on Samuel Eto'o and Xavi in
recent years, conducted the surgery.
Garcia is set to be sidelined for around six months and he
will begin his recuperation
in Spain.
(Sky Sports)
Cech could make Reds return
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed Petr Cech could make
his return to action against Liverpool next weekend.
Mourinho claims Cech is fit to return to the team after four
months out of action with a fractured skull.
The Czech Republic international is back on training and
Mourinho admits he must make the decision whether or not to
throw Cech back into action next weekend at Anfield.
Mourinho believes having Cech back is like having 'a £50
million player' back.
"I can tell you as a joke I have a £50 million player on
Monday," said Mourinho. "The player is the best goalkeeper
in world
"He is back, he is ready to play and he can play the next
game.
"For us that is magnificent even though I think Hilario is
playing very, very well and has done very well for us.
"Our man is back and for me that is a £50 million player.
The best goalkeeper in the world is £50 million and I have
him for Monday."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa aiming to catch Chelsea
Rafa Benitez set his sights on catching Chelsea following
Liverpool's 3-0 demolition of Watford.
The Reds were thumped 6-3 by Arsenal in the Carling Cup in
midweek, but responded in style at Vicarage Road.
Liverpool face Chelsea at Anfield next week and Benitez is
looking to cut on the gap on Jose Mourinho's stuttering
side.
"We have to play Chelsea and we will see if we can catch
them."
(Sky Sports)
Boothroyd: We choked
Adrian Boothroyd accused his players of choking following
Watford's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.
Watford were comprehensively outplayed as goals from Craig
Bellamy and Peter Crouch (two) secured a resounding victory
for The Reds.
And Boothroyd was disappointed with his side's lack of
fight.
"We do not have the technical players and we do not have the
physical players in some departments, but we will have a
go," he said.
(Sky Sports)
Reds crush sorry Hornets
Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy helped Liverpool erase the
pain of their Carling Cup humiliation with a 3-0 hammering
of Watford.
Crouch, Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt started together in attack for
the first time as Rafa Benitez boldly decided to change
Liverpool's formation, with three in defence and Steve
Finnan and Fabio Aurelio as wing-backs.
Crouch was the only striker to receive much service in the
early stages as Liverpool started the game sluggishly, but
the result was never in doubt after the first goal and The
Reds finished the game with a swagger.
(Sky Sports)
Reds dump Chelsea out of Youth Cup
Liverpool continued their defence of the FA Youth Cup
sponsored by E.ON with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over
Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime.
Goals from Jimmy Ryan and Ray Putterill earned the under-18s
a fifth-round tie against either Coventry or Reading.
Liverpool: Hansen, Darby, Burns, Spearing (capt), Threlfall,
Barnett, Ryan, Flynn, Lindfield, Woodward (Wignall 86),
Putterill.
(LFC Official Website)
Neill stays - for now, says Hughes
Manager Mark Hughes is determined to keep hold of Blackburn
skipper Lucas Neill at least until the end of the season.
Several leading clubs - including Liverpoool - have
expressed an interest in the Australian full-back, but
Hughes is anxious not to disrupt his in-form side during the
second half of the season.
"Obviously there has been interest in Lucas," Hughes told
Blackburn's official website.
"But he's still our club captain and will not be allowed to
go just for the sake of it. If he stays until the end of the
season there is no doubt that he will show the same
commitment he always has for Rovers.
"There is a possibility of exchange deals, but we will not
do anything that will weaken
the team.
"We are on great form and want to maintain it in the second
half of the season."
(TEAMtalk)
Seven changes for Reds
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has made seven changes to
the team beaten 6-3 at home by Arsenal in the midweek
Carling Cup tie, with goalkeeper Jose Reina, defender Jamie
Carragher, midfielder Xabi Alonso and forwards Dirk Kuyt and
Peter Crouch all returning to the team.
Sami Hyypia, Fabio Aurelio, captain Steven Gerrard and Craig
Bellamy were the only survivors from the team dismantled by
Arsene Wenger’s young side at Anfield.
For Watford, Hameur Bouazza made a surprise return from a
shoulder injury, with fit-again Gavin Mahon and in-demand
forward Ashley Young also recalled to the starting XI.
Watford: Foster, Mariappa, DeMerit, Mackay, Stewart, Smith,
Mahon, Bangura, McNamee, Young, Bouazza.
Subs: Lee, Francis, Henderson, Doyley, Hoskins.
Liverpool: Reina, Agger, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Alonso,
Gerrard, Aurelio, Crouch, Bellamy, Kuyt.
Subs: Dudek, Riise, Fowler, Pennant, Guthrie.
Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham)
(BreakingNews.ie)
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Thor Zakariassen
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