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SUNDAY 27 |
DIC rubbish Mourinho reports
Liverpool fans' groups have been assured that Jose Mourinho
has not been offered Rafael Benitez's job as boss at
Anfield.
In a situation similar to the one admitted by co-owners Tom
Hicks that they did meet Jurgen Klinsmann last year to
discuss a possible appointment at Anfield, it has now been
claimed that Dubai International Capital have held
conversations with former Chelsea boss Mourinho.
But sources at DIC on Sunday have denied that they have ever
"offered the job to Mourinho, or met him to discuss it."
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard: We're the better side
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes his side are
better than UEFA Champions League rivals Chelsea.
Gerrard is adamant that Liverpool have dominated Chelsea on
the three occasions they have faced them this season and is
confident the Reds can reinforce that belief in Wednesday's
European semi-final second leg
at Stamford Bridge.
"We really feel that we are as good as Chelsea, if not
better than them" Gerrard said in the Sunday Mirror.
"We have certainly been the better team when we have played
them
this season.
(Sky Sports)
Cheyrou backs Reds for final
Bruno Cheyrou has backed his former club Liverpool to defeat
Chelsea this Wednesday and progress to the Champions League
final.
Cheyrou is not remembered as a fan favourite at Anfield, it
is safe to say.
The French midfielder played 31 games in his four years on
the Liverpool books, scoring all of two goals in the
process, firmly cementing himself among Gerard Houllier's
infamous flops.
"I was devastated when John Arne Riise scored the own goal.
But John's a strong man. I wouldn't put it past him to score
the winner at Chelsea.
"My advice to Liverpool is to keep believing. They've
probably got a better side now than four years ago; I'm sure
they can get a result."
(Goal.com)
Rafa slams Drogba
This week Liverpool, driven by a powerful sense of injustice
over the antics of the Chelsea striker, fancy their chances
as underdogs to reach their third Champions League final in
four years.
If nursing a sense of injustice can help a club into a
Champions League final then Liverpool should start
embroidering the jerseys for their third in four years. If
you judged Chelsea to be a tad fortunate to escape Anfield
with a 1-1 draw or were unimpressed by Austrian referee
Konrad Plautz's handling of Didier Drogba, Liverpool would
like you to multiply those thoughts by 10.
Take Ryan Babel's reaction to the injury-time moment of
idiocy with which John Arne Riise transmuted an almost
stereotypically efficient Liverpool performance into
Chelsea's away-goal advantage. The Dutch winger strode
across the technical area to his countryman Henk ten Cate,
Chelsea's assistant coach. 'I told him that they are lucky,'
said Babel. 'He didn't agree - but then he never agrees.'
Ten Cate would doubtless dispute Rafa Benítez's
re-assessment of the first leg. Reviewing the game on video
and sleeping on the result had done nought to temper his
anger towards Plautz: 'We knew before: six games, just one
victory for the home team. Now seven.' As for Drogba,
Benítez labelled him a diver in every way possible without
using football's taboo word. 'Drogba was given seven fouls
and Fernando Torres three. Torres has bruises all around his
body. From the first minute I was disappointed by the
performance of the referee.
'With Drogba it's important to have a good referee. You
can't do anything [to stop him going down], but I will say
it because it was so clear. He is amazing because he is
massive [yet he goes down]. It's very impressive. I have a
lot of clips of him from over the years and he surprises me.
After four years I expected it. It's very impressive.'
(The Observer) |
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SATURDAY 26 |
Rafa hails wideboy Pennant
Jermaine Pennant may have played himself into contention for
Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Chelsea after Rafa
Benitez hailed his performance in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with
Birmingham.
The winger was a stand-out performer in a weakened Reds side
that clawed their way back from 2-0 down to draw level at St
Andrews.
And Benitez was full of praise for Pennant who could now
play some part as The Reds look to get a result at Stamford
Bridge.
Benitez told the official club website: "Pennant was a
threat for them throughout the game and he is an option we
have on the right side and when he is playing well he is
really dangerous."
(Setanta Sports)
McLeish blames naivety
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish blames his side's surrender
of a two-goal lead against Liverpool on the naivety of his
players.
And McLeish was not happy with what he saw from his
defenders as Liverpool fought their way back into the
contest
"Jermaine Pennant had a great run for the first goal for
Liverpool. But I put it down to naivety from my players who
were diving in all over the place."
(Sky Sports)
Benayoun delivers blow to Blues
Yossi Benayoun's equaliser all but clinched Champions League
football for Liverpool but dealt a big blow to troubled
Birmingham in a 2-2 draw.
Alex McLeish's side had appeared to be coasting to victory
in Saturday's Premier League clash at St Andrews after goals
from Mikael Forssell and Sebastian Larsson had put them in
total command.
But a lethargic Liverpool suddenly came to life and, after
Peter Crouch had reduced the arrears, Benayoun's deflected
header rescued a point and dealt a massive blow to the home
side.
Blues will be wondering how they surrendered two priceless
points after appearing to be cruising to only a second win
in the last eight matches.
(TEAMtalk)
Degen responds to Liverpool reports
Philipp Degen has responded to speculation suggesting he is
on the brink of signing a three-year contract with
Liverpool.
Austrian reports claimed the Borussia Dortmund full back had
made his mind up to head for Anfield but Degen claims there
are a number of sides in the frame to sign him.
"There is nothing to it," he told Ruhr Nachrichten. "I have
not signed anything.
"Also with Liverpool, it is definitely not simmering.
"Two or three clubs are interested me and BVB [Dortmund]
have made a concrete offer.
"But there is no decision. Still not."
(Setanta Sports)
Benitez rests Torres
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez made nine changes from the
side which drew with Chelsea in the Champions League with
goalkeeper Pepe Reina and defender Martin Skrtel the only
survivors.
But more pertinently Benitez made just the one change from
the team which had triumphed 2-0 at Fulham last weekend with
Damien Plessis replacing Javier Mascherano.
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Pennant,
Plessis, Lucas, Benayoun, Crouch, Voronin.
Subs: Itandje, Gerrard, Kuyt, Carragher, Insua.
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)
(Evening Echo)
Hughes: Bentley is going nowhere
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes insists England midfielder
David Bentley will not be leaving Blackburn this summer.
The 23-year-old has impressed following his move from
Arsenal in January 2006 and was rewarded by being called up
to the national team for the Euro 2008 qualifier against
Israel in September last year.
Bentley is in talks with Blackburn over a new contract but
the player has admitted he is desperate for European
football and is keen to play at the highest level ahead of
the 2010 World Cup.
Bentley has been linked with a move away from the Lancashire
club, with Liverpool a possible destination, but manager
Hughes has dismissed
the reports.
Hughes said: "We don't have to sell David Bentley and we
aren't looking
to sell him.
"The speculation happens every year with our better players
but if you look back, not many have ultimately been allowed
to go.
"That's because we know we will be weakened as a consequence
so we are not looking to sell any of our major players and I
don't expect it
to happen."
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez: I’ll trust Riise in second leg
Rafael benitez has no qualms over
giving John Arne Riise the chance to make amends for his
Champions League calamity in midweek.
The Liverpool defender has vowed to recover from the
unfortunate injury-time own goal that gifted Chelsea a
potentially decisive 1-1 draw at Anfield in their semi-final
first leg on Tuesday.
With Aurelio now sidelined for at least the next three
weeks, Riise is expected to start in the return leg on
Wednesday.
And Benitez is confident the Norway interna-tional won’t be
psychologically affected by his mistake. The Anfield manager
said:
“The main thing with Riise is that he scores at Stamford
Bridge! There is nothing else to think about.
“It’s best he comes straight back in. If you want to change
things, you need to be there, on the pitch, so your quality
and character can be there. He is desperate to play.”
(Liverpool Daily Post) |
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FRIDAY 25 |
 MPs
launch inquiry
into Anfield civil war
The ownership struggle that has engulfed Liverpool Football
Club this season will be the focus for a new parliamentary
inquiry.
The takeover by the American tycoons has highlighted the
issue of foreign ownership in the Premier League. Since
agreeing to split the cost of buying the club, Gillett and
Hicks have loaded the debt from the takeover on to the club,
before falling out. The future of the club remains unclear,
and the coming months show no signs of an obvious end to the
power struggle
Now, The All Party Parliamentary Football Group is to launch
a new inquiry into English football and its governance, and
the Liverpool crisis is one of the areas it will target.
(Times Online and Agencies)
Reina:
I want a 100% record
When Rafa Benitez names his squad to travel to Birmingham
tomorrow there is one Liverpool player with more reason than
most to hope he is included.
The new LFC home kit
Pepe Reina has been involved in every minute of every
Premiership game Liverpool have played so far this season
and, with just three fixtures left to go, the Spanish keeper
is keen to keep up his 100% record.
His manager might have other ideas though. With the second
leg of the European Cup semi-final just days away, Benitez
is likely to rest several of his senior players for the
match at St Andrews.
Justifiably proud of his ever-present status, the
25-year-old said: "I want to play in every game and in every
minute of every game – that is all there is to it.
"When you play for a big club like Liverpool you know that
it won't always be easy to play all the time. But I have
been able to play in all of our league games this season and
I want that to continue."
(Liverpool Echo)
Third time lucky for
new Liverpool FC stadium?
Liverpool FC’s third stadium plan is set to get the go-ahead
next week.
City planners have recommended the £350m proposal for a
60,000-seater ground is approved by councillors..
(Liverpool Echo)
Rafa keeping tabs on Zarate
Rafa Benitez has revealed he is a big admirer of Birmingham
forward Mauro Zarate, and he admitted he watched the player
closely last season.
Liverpool come head to head with the young Argentinean on
Saturday,
and Benitez is well aware of the threat he poses.
During Zarate’s short loan spell at Birmingham he has shown
the sort of skills that are very rarely seen in the hustle
and bustle of The Premier League, and the Liverpool boss
revealed he has good contacts with
the youngster.
“He was a team-mate of Emiliano Insua when Argentina won the
Under-20 World Cup,” Benitez explained on the official
Liverpool website.
“He is a player we were monitoring last season because he is
a very
good striker.
“He is one of four brothers that play football and we know
people who are close to them, so we know he's a very good
player.”
(Setanta Sports)
Liverpool FC reveals new home strip for next season
Liverpool FC revealed the club’s new home strip for next
season today.
The new adidas kit is a classic Liverpool red. An
embroidered Liver Bird is carried on the back of the shirt
and the inner neck has a red chequered area inspired by the
flags of The Kop.
The kit has been designed and produced by adidas, official
sponsor and sportswear supplier to the Reds, and
incorporates a new shirt collar, ribbed with a v-neck.
The shirt also carries a "This is Anfield" inscription,
inspired by the famous Anfield sign.
The replica kit goes on sale on May 22.
(Liverpool Echo)
Larsson ready to return
Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson is poised to return
to action for the Barclays Premier League clash with
Liverpool at St Andrews tomorrow.
The Swedish international missed the 5-1 defeat at Aston
Villa last weekend after tweaking a medial ligament in the
1-1 draw with Everton a fortnight ago.
Olivier Kapo is also pressing for a place in the starting
line-up after impressing as a substitute against Villa
following two months on the sidelines with a hamstring
injury.
But skipper Damien Johnson will again be unavailable as he
completes a three-match suspension for his sending-off at
Wigan.
Provisional squad: Taylor, Doyle, Kelly, Ridgewell, Jaidi,
Schmitz, Murphy, Parnaby, Larsson, Nafti, Muamba,
McSheffrey, Kapo, Forssell, Zarate, McFadden, Jerome,
O’Connor.
(Evening Echo)
Jerome's ready for Reds test
Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome expects Liverpool to
provide a stern test even if Rafael Benitez rings the
changes for Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash at St
Andrews.
The England Under-21 striker told PA Sport: "It would be
nice if Liverpool's minds were on the Champions League but
the reality is they have still got a fantastic squad whoever
plays for them.
"Whatever the side selected against us on Saturday, it is
still going to be a difficult game. They proved that by
going to Fulham with nine changes and winning last weekend.
"It is not going to be an easy game. We have got to have the
winning mentality and try and perform from the start and put
the pressure
on them."
(PA Sport)
Buoyant Benitez to rotate again
After thrashing out Liverpool's summer spending plans with
co-owner Tom Hicks, boss Rafael Benitez will shuffle his
pack at Birmingham.
Just four days before the Champions League semi-final second
leg at Chelsea, the Reds boss will ignore the howls of
complaint from other clubs in the Premier League relegation
zone and again rest his big hitters for the Premier League
clash at St Andrews on Saturday.
Last weekend he sent a side with eight changes in it to
Fulham, where they won 2-0. Bolton boss Gary Megson had
called on Benitez to field
a strong side as his own team battle against relegation.
And it also revived the row with former Sheffield United
boss Neil Warnock over an identical decision from the
Spaniard last season at Fulham, but that time the Cottagers
won 1-0 and stayed in the top flight at the Blades' expense.
Benitez has made his view very clear, saying: "I know there
has been criticism of what we did at Fulham. But teams have
38 games to play each season, that is enough. So you are
responsible for your own luck.
"I will use the players I believe will be good enough to win
this game.
I believe 38 games is enough to be successful or not."
Liverpool need one point to ensure fourth place, so Benitez
knows there is more time to achieve that solitary objective.
(Sporting Life)
Reds agree Degen deal?
Liverpool have reached a pre-contract agreement with Swiss
international right-back Philipp Degen, according to
reports.
The Borussia Dortmund defender has allegedly agreed terms on
a contract at Anfield and will sign for the club on a
free-transfer under the Bosman ruling on July 1.
(Shanklygates)
Reserves beaten
Liverpool reserves lost the Liverpool Senior Cup final last
night.
A late penalty gave Marine a 1-0 victory over Gary Ablett's
side. The Reds had chances to win the game early on, with
Krisztian Nemeth in particular coming close, but tiredness
began to tell and Marine were able to take advantage after
Ronald Huth handled the ball in the area.
Emiliano Insua and Damien Plessies were both missing from
the squad which suggests they will feature for the first
team against
Birmingham City tomorrow.
(LFC Online)
Skrtel remains confident
Martin Skrtel is still confident of a Moscow return.
The former St Petersburg defender still believes he will be
returning to Moscow for the European Cup final despite
Liverpool drawing the home leg of their semi-final 1-1.
"For most of the time we were in the lead, we controlled the
game, we created more chances than them," said Skrtel.
"Petr Cech did perfectly for Chelsea and we, instead of
winning 3-0, managed to claim just a 1-1 draw.
"Everything is still open, there are 90 minutes to be
played. They are up now but I firmly believe that we have
the potential to score a goal at Stamford Bridge.
"And if we don't concede, we will go through - the
mathematics are as simple as that. I am convinced it will
turn out well for us in the end."
(LFC Online)
Thor Zakariassen
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