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TUESDAY 15 |
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Beattie ready for Toffees
Everton manager David Moyes is backing James Beattie to be
ready for the Merseyside derby.
The former Southampton hit-man has been out of action
following his early red card in their home defeat to
Chelsea.
Beattie will not have played a competitive game for a month
due to suspension, but has kept fit in training.
Moyes is hoping Beattie can redeem himself in the club's
remaining Premiership games after his Blues dismissal.
Mikel Arteta is a doubt for the club's short trip to Anfield
on Sunday and a late decision will be made on his
availability.
(Sky Sports)
Rafa dismisses tittle tattle
Rafael Benitez has dismissed newspaper speculation that
Steven Gerrard has been tapped up by Chelsea.
"We don't talk about the news you read in the press," he
siad. "Steven Gerrard is with us, he is our player and
tomorrow we have an important game. That is all we are
concerned about.
"I speak to Steven always and he says to me that he is
focussed on doing his best for Liverpool and that he his
high on confidence following his performance against
Leverkusen."
(LFC Online)
Rafa: We want good offer for Diouf
Rafael Benitez has admitted he would be prepared to welcome
El Hadji Diouf back into his Liverpool squad next season if
the Reds fail to receive an acceptable offer for the Senegal
star.
Diouf is currently on a season long loan to Bolton Wanderers
where he has justified Sam Allardyce's faith in him by
netting seven goals to aid the club's quest for a European
place.
Benitez insists he isn't concerned by the player's
disciplinary record, but he did reveal if Diouf did return
to Anfield then it would not be as a first team player.
He said: "We know that Diouf has a contract with us for the
future. It's true that he's playing very well at the moment
and as a club we know it's important to have good players
for the squad.
"If Diouf continues playing as well as he has been then we
will wait for an offer of four or five million pounds. If we
don't get an offer around that amount then maybe we will use
him in the squad next season. It's always important to have
good substitutes."
(LFC Official Website)
Savage a doubt for Rovers
Robbie Savage is a major doubt for Blackburn’s Barclays
Premiership trip to Liverpool tomorrow night.
The 30-year-old – who announced his international retirement
this week – is still suffering with the groin strain which
ruled him out of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final win over
Leicester.
Match-winner Paul Dickov is also facing a fitness battle as
he struggles to shake off groin and thigh problems, but
Dominic Matteo should come back into contention after a
thigh complaint.
Team (from): Friedel, Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Johansson,
Thompson, Reid, Mokoena, Flitcroft, Pedersen, Dickov,
Enckelman, Stead, Gallagher, Tugay, Short, Savage, Emerton,
Matteo, Johnson.
(BreakingNews.ie)
Stevie now in tap-up claim
The Premier League looks set to call a full investigation
into Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho's alleged 'tapping-up'
activities - after fresh claims that the London club has
already "secured" Steven Gerrard's signature next season.
The latest claims, which are sure to infuriate Liverpool,
emerged during Ashley Cole's meeting with Premier League
lawyer Nick Fitzpatrick yesterday.
Fitzpatrick was discussing Cole's meeting with Mourinho in
the Green Room of the Royal Park Hotel, London, seven weeks
ago.
During that meeting, Mourinho allegedly urged: "Hold on a
minute. Stay and listen to what we have to say.
"We are looking to sign just two players this season. The
first one we have secured is Steven Gerrard. The other is a
left-back. You are the best left-back in the world and we
want you."
(Liverpool Echo)
Agent claims Liverpool interest in Inter
Milan star
The agent of Inter Milan midfielder Emre Belozoglu claims
that Liverpool made an attempt to sign his client during the
January transfer window.
Ahmet Bulut has confirmed that Belozoglu is looking for a
new challenge and says a move to the Premiership or La Liga
this summer looks likely. Manchester United and Arsenal have
also been linked with the 24-year-old Turk but this could be
just a case of his agent trying to spark some interest.
(Kop Talk) |
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MONDAY 14 |
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Rafa: Xabi could be back in April
Liverpool fans were today handed a massive boost ahead of
Friday's Champions League draw when Rafael Benitez announced
that Xabi Alonso could be fit in time for the second leg of
the Quarter Finals.
The second leg is scheduled to take place during the week
commencing April 11 and the Liverpool boss is hoping his
midfield playmaker could have already featured for the
Reserves before then.
"If everything continues OK, I hope Xabi will be in full
training by the last week of March," revealed Benitez. "He
will be like a new, very important player for us. Maybe Xabi
will be available for the second game of the quarterfinal.
He is improving a lot. If he's back training with the rest
of the squad by the end of the month, like we hope, he has a
good chance.
"It will be good for the team spirit to have him back. Not
only will it give the side a lift, it will also make those
who are playing work even harder to stay in the team."
(LFC Official Website)
Benitez defiant over Kewell
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is refusing to accept expert
advice that Harry Kewell requires a three-month rest.
Amsterdam-based Andre van Alphen, one of the world's leading
sports physiotherapists, has been working with the player
recently and following various consultations, he is of the
opinion that unless the player is rested he could be forced
to retire from the game.
Australia's international manager Frank Farina has also said
that he would be surprised if Kewell kicked a ball again
this season but Rafa's having none of it. Instead he
believes the player will be back in about three weeks.
Rafa said: "Harry Kewell is still unavailable, but I hope
he'll be available in two or three weeks."
This means he'll miss the Blackburn match and of course the
Merseyside derby. The game against Bolton on 2nd April may
also come too soon but we'll have a better idea of his
status nearer the time.
(Kop Talk)
Biscan for summer move?
Conflicting messages in the press regarding Igor Biscan's
future at Anfield. While his agent talks of other clubs
interest in the player, Biscan himself is talking about how
the Liverpool fans are amongst the best in the world.
Biscans agent, Gordon Stipic, has been quoted in a German
newspaper of saying:
"I know that Hamburg are thinking about him. In the next two
or three weeks things could become more concrete, but first
we will have to talk to Liverpool about Igor's sporting
future."
Meanwhile on the official Liverpool website, Biscan is
quoted as expressing his love for the Liverpool fans -
something you wouldn't expect if he's looking at leaving:
(Shankly Gates)
Morientes back for the visit of Blackburn
Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes should return to action
against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield on Wednesday evening.
The former Real Madrid hitman missed Liverpool's 1-0 defeat
at Newcastle on 5th March due to injury and was ineligible
for last week's Champions League game against Bayer 04
Leverkusen.
Confirming his return to the squad, manager Rafael Benitez
said: "Morientes had a tight groin but it wasn't too
serious. He's been training okay and he'll be fit for the
next match."
(Kop Talk)
Baros: I want us to draw Juventus
Milan Baros does not want Liverpool to draw one of the
lesser names in the Champions League quarter-finals - and is
instead holding out for a controversial clash with Juventus.
Baros said: "I don't want Chelsea. And then I also don't
want Lyon. Even if they are not so famous they are a really
dangerous team. I would like to play against Juventus.
Baros's fellow goalscorer in the BayArena, Luis Garcia, has
echoed Carragher's optimism in suggesting any of the eight
remaining teams can win the competition.
"It helped a lot the result that we got in the home game but
to win in Germany is a blow of authority that, suddenly,
worries our rivals," the Spaniard said.
"Now all the games are heads or tails and, therefore, you do
not know who is better. Last year an unexpected final was
played and that can also happen this season."
(Daily Post) |
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SUNDAY 13 |
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Owen invites Liverpool duo to Las Vegas for
a week
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen is shelling out
£30,000 to pay for a bunch of pals to join him on a
week-long stag party on the Las Vegas Strip this June.
Best pal Jamie Carragher along with German international
Didi Hamann have both been invited as part of the group
which also includes Paul Dalglish. Michael's father Terry
and brother Andy will of course be present plus six other
mates will tag along.
The trip includes a short stay at a golf resort before
moving onto a 5 star hotel on the strip. Owen will then
return to England to wed Louise at the couple's £5million in
mansion in North Wales.
(Kop Talk)
James happy to see the back of Keegan
Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has admitted he was
one of the Manchester City players who were unhappy with
Kevin Keegan's managerial approach.
The news will come as a real knifing in Keegan's back as he
was forever trying to convince the rest of the Premier
League that David James was a fantastic talent and that he
should be the England goalkeeper.
Talking about Keegan's exit, James said: "It came out that
some of the players were not happy with aspects of training
and I was one of them.
"Ironically, we had been embracing more modern methods and
studying more videos recently but I am not sure Kevin will
ever change as a manager.
"He's achieved many things ahe's one of the biggest
personalities but management has moved on."
(Kop Talk)
More rumours today
According to several reports today Liverpool are linked with
Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace), Shaun Wright-Philips
(Manchester City), Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich) and Marek
Mintal (Nurnberg).
(Webmaster)
Reds keen on Spanish defender
According to reports, Liverpool are one of a number of clubs
monitoring Sevilla's highly-rated defender Sergio Ramos.
(LFC Online)
Benitez thankful for the rest
Liverpool have had a weekend off, with FA Cup games
dominating the football calendar.
Rafael Benitez believes the break will do the players good,
and is hopeful they can make the most of it and return
refreshed when they face Everton next Sunday.
"It's good for us to rest," he told the official site. "It
gives us time to reflect on the past week and think about
the future.
"Our results show that we haven't done too well when playing
a weekend Premiership game just a few days after a midweek
Champions League tie.
"So maybe it is a good thing that we don't have a game this
weekend and hopefully we will see the benefits in our next
game against Blackburn on Wednesday."
(LFC Online)
Carragher: Red for life
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has declared his
intention to see out his career at Anfield.
Following Liverpool's impressive victory over Bayer
Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League, Carragher believes
the club is starting to move in the right direction under
manager Rafa Benitez.
"I want to stay here," Carragher said. "When I say that,
it's not talk, I really mean it.
"I mean I'm not kidding myself, I don't think I'm going to
go any higher than Liverpool.
"If your club is in the Champions League, that's the
ultimate and obviously, you want to win trophies.
"I've been lucky enough to do that here in the past and I
want to win bigger trophies now - the Champions League and
The Premiership.
"We're not at that level yet but the new manager, if he can
bring in a few more players, can get us to that level.
"I've never thought about leaving."
(Sky Sports)
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Thor Zakariassen
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