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MONDAY 27 |
Folan denies Skrtel intent
Hull striker Caleb Folan insists he did not intend to ‘swing
out’ at Martin Skrtel but accepts he let himself down.
Folan, who was making his second start of the season, was
shown a straight red card during the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool
at the KC Stadium on Saturday when he appeared to kick out
at Skrtel off the ball.
However, while he admits he made a mistake, he says there
was no malicious intent.
“It does feel like a wasted opportunity,” he told the club’s
official website.
“It was a great game to come back into and I’m gutted that
I’ve let myself down. Potentially, I’m going to miss three
very important games.
“I was trying to get past the defender, but he got in front
of me and was trying to obstruct me. He was holding me and I
was using my arms to try and get round him.
“I don’t know if the referee [Martin Atkinson] pulled me for
the use of my arm or my foot towards the end, but I didn’t
intentionally swing out with my arms or my foot.
Manager Phil Brown, though, said Folan’s behaviour was
unacceptable.
“I’ve got no excuses or reasons for the sending off,” he
said.
“I thought it was justified and it will be dealt with
in-house.”
(Setanta Sports)
Ajdarevic open
to Foxes stay
Astrit Ajdarevic admits he could stay at Leicester City, but
revealed he is wanted by a Premier League club.
The Swedish teenager is on loan at the Walkers Stadium from
Liverpool and has made four substitute appearances for the
League One champions.
Leicester boss Nigel Pearson is keen to have the midfielder
in his squad next season and Ajdarevic is open to staying
with the Foxes.
However, Ajdarevic also confirmed that there has been
interest from a team in the top flight as he weighs up
leaving Anfield again.
"There is a chance for that (staying at Leicester) and the
clubs are in negotiations," Ajdarevic told Fotbollskanalen.
"Leicester are negotiating with both Liverpool and my agent.
"It is Leicester and another club that have shown concrete
interest. The other club is not a big club, like Liverpool
or Manchester United, but it is a Premier League club."
(Sky Sports)
Carra backs Hull
to cause a title upset
Jamie Carragher believes Hull City could yet provide a sting
in the tail in this year’s title race after Phil Brown’s
relegation threatened side pushed Liverpool all the way on
Saturday.
Although nowhere near their best, the Reds emerged from a
tense encounter with a vital 3-1 win which ensured they kept
up the pressure on Manchester United at the top of the
Premier League
Carragher readily admits Liverpool did not hit the heights
of recent weeks but believes a lot of the credit for that
must go to Hull who face United at the KC Stadium on the
last day of the season.
“If they keep going like that I’m sure they will do well and
hopefully we can take the title race to the last game
because it won’t be easy for United to go there just as it
wasn’t for us on Saturday.”
(Liverpool Echo)
Kuyt: Spirit can still
win us the crown
Dirk Kuyt celebrated his 100th Premier League appearance
with two goals – then hailed the character that he believes
could yet win Liverpool the championship.
Kuyt’s brace helped Rafael Benitez’s side secure an
unconvincing 3-1 win at struggling Hull City on Saturday and
keep up the pressure on leaders Manchester United.
Kuyt said: “We don’t give up. On Tuesday, we played really
well but made too many mistakes and sometimes that happens
in football. But we had to move on to what was in front of
us.
“We didn’t play very well against Hull but the positive
thing was that we showed character and we kept going till we
got the three points. We will just keep fighting for the
Premier League – all we can do is keep winning our games."
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Gerrard welcomes
Dalglish return
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is welcoming the idea of
‘King’ Kenny Dalglish returning to the club as part of Rafa
Benitez’s team of staff, saying it will give the club a big
lift.
It has been rumoured and reported recently that Benitez is
trying to tempt Reds legend Dalglish back to Anfield,
possibly as part of the youth set-up.
And Gerrard says it’s a great idea: “My first response to
the news was, ‘Great, get him in now’ because the man is a
legend.
“It’s a great idea to get Kenny in because it would give the
club
a massive lift.
“Put it this way, if I was a young player again and a number
of clubs wanted to sign me, if Kenny Dalglish came to me and
asked me to sign for Liverpool then there is only one place
I would go.”
Dalglish played for Liverpool between 1977-1990, scoring 118
goals in 355 appearances, also managing the club between
1985-1991.
(This is Anfield)
Hicks denies Indian
investment talks
Liverpool are not in discussions with the Indian billionaire
Grandhi Mallikarjun Rao's GMR group according to sources
close to Tom Hicks.
A representative of the company was present in the
directors' box for last Tuesday's 4-4 draw with Arsenal, as
were both Hicks and George Gillett.
Also, Amanda Staveley - chief negotiator for last year's
failed takeover bid by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum - was also at the match.
But rumours of investment discussions have been quickly
denied, apparently.
(LFC Online)
Gerrard denied
PFA prize by Giggs
Steven Gerrard had to settle for a place in the PFA Team of
the Year after missing out on the individual honour to Ryan
Giggs.
Manchester United veteran Giggs was voted Player of the Year
by his peers for the first time despite scoring just one
goal in 12 Premier
League starts.
Gerrard's 13 goals from 27 league appearances was enough to
earn him a place in the Team of the Year alongside clubmate
Fernando Torres.
The PFA Premier League Team of the Year was: Edwin van der
Sar, Glen Johnson, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice
Evra; Ashley Young, Steven Gerrard, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano
Ronaldo; Nicolas Anelka, Fernando Torres.
(LFC Official Website)
Dates set for FA Youth Cup Final
Dates have been confirmed for the two-legged FA Youth Cup
final between Liverpool and Arsenal.
The first leg will take place at the Emirates Stadium on
Friday, May 22,
at 8pm BST, while the return game at Anfield is on Tuesday,
May 26
at 7.45pm BST.
Both matches will be televised live by Setanta Sports.
In the event of the final ending in a draw then extra-time
and penalties will decide the outcome.
(LFC Official Website) |
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SUNDAY 26 |
Indian group
eye Reds move
The owners of an Indian IPL cricket club have emerged as the
latest suitors to buy into Liverpool.
Leading members of the Indian-based GMR group, which is
owned by Grandhi Mallikarjun Rao, were in Merseyside this
week.
(Sky Sports)
Agger rejects £10m
Liverpool contract offer
Dan Agger has rejected a new contract offer from Liverpool.
The News of the World says Agger has snubbed a new four-year
Liverpool deal worth £10million.
(tribalfootball.com)
Insua: Hard work
the key to victory
Emiliano Insua reflected on the 3-1 win at Hull City and
admitted the Reds had to dig deep to get the three points.
The Argentine starlet was making his 11th appearance of the
season at the KC Stadium and put in another accomplished
display at left back.
"It was a very difficult game and the pitch wasn't the best
but we got the three points which is the most important
thing at this stage of the season," Insua told
Liverpoolfc.tv.
(LFC Official Website)
Liverpool management
fear Torres burnout
Liverpool management fear Fernando Torres will suffer
burnout from a busy offseason.
Torres will be forced to travel with Spain to the
Confederations Cup, and that will mean him playing on until
the end of June.
Worse still, Liverpool are committed to a preseason trip to
Thailand and Singapore less than a month later.
The host countries have inserted clauses in the contract
that Torres MUST play.
The Spaniard will get barely a fortnight off, as the first
game against Thailand is on July 22.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez said: "The Spanish players have
to go to the Confederations Cup, so we will see how we
manage.
"We can't change the situation, we have to accept it, but
it's always us that has to adapt."
(tribalfootball.com) |
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SATURDAY 25 |
Rafa 'satisfied' with key win
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was delighted to have emerged
from a tricky trip to Hull City with three points on
Saturday.
The Reds kept their Premier League title dreams alive with a
comfortable 3-1 win at the KC Stadium.
Benitez hailed Hull afterwards for the part they played in a
competitive contest, while the Spaniard was also pleased to
have prevailed on what proved to be a difficult surface.
"I think we were working very hard and I think we created a
lot of chances. I think we have to be satisfied," said
Benitez.
(Sky Sports)
Reds tame Tigers
as chase goes on
Liverpool kept their Premier League title chase on course
with a 3-1 win over ten-man Hull City at The KC Stadium on
Saturday afternoon, deepening the Tigers’ relegation plight
in the process.
This was a must-win game for Rafael Benitez’s side with the
Merseysiders running out of games and Manchester United
firmly ensconced in the driving seat to retain their league
crown. The Spaniard’s charges - again without talisman
Steven Gerrard - did the necessary however, with Xabi Alonso
and Dirk Kuyt (two) getting the goals, the second and third
of which were sandwiched by one from Hull’s Geovanni.
The win saw The Reds climb back to the top of the league
table for a couple of hours ahead of United's win over
Tottenham Hotspur. For relegation-haunted Hull, it is now
just two wins in 25 league efforts and Phil Brown’s men
never really looked like getting anything out of this game,
their cause not helped by a straight red card for striker
Caleb Folan, just before the hour mark.
(Setanta Sports)
Hull City v Liverpool full team line-ups
The full team line-ups for Hull City v Liverpool in their
Premier League match at The KC Stadium on Saturday.
Hull City Team: Myhill, Ricketts, Zayatte, Turner, Kilbane,
Fagan, Boateng, Marney, Geovanni, Barmby, Folan.
Hull City Substitutes: Duke, Hughes, Garcia, Mendy, Halmosi,
Cousin, Manucho.
Liverpool Team: Reina, Arbeloa, Insua, Skrtel, Carragher,
Alonso, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres.
Liverpool Substitutes: Cavalieri, Agger, Dossena, Aurelio,
Riera, El Zhar, N'Gog.
(Premiership Latest)
Reds reach final
Liverpool are through to the FA Youth Cup final.
The under 18's booked their place in a third FA Youth Cup
final in four seasons with a 3-1 win over Birmingham at
Anfield last night to record a 6-1 aggregate victory.
Liverpool started the game brightly and it was no suprise to
see them take the lead after Laurie Dalla Valle crossed for
Adam Pepper. Pepper's shot was blocked but Dalla Valle was
first to the rebound for 1-0.
The Reds had other chances in the half; Dalla Valle, Andre
Wisdom and David Amoo all came close as Liverpool opened up
Birmingham time and again. With chance after chance being
created it was a shock that the sides went in at half time
level. On 44 minutes City captain Ashley Sammons beat Dean
Bouzanis with a fierce drive from 25 yards out.
It didn't take Liverpool long to regain the advantage
however. Eight minutes into the second half Thomas Ince
brought down a long ball from Chris Buchtmann, and instantly
crossed for Alex Kacaniklic to restore their lead.
The game was all over before the hour mark. On 58 minutes
Daniel Ayala's clearance fell to Dalla Valle who wrapped
things up on
the counter attack.
Liverpool will play Arsenal in the final with the first leg
at the Emirates and the second leg at Anfield. Dates to be
confirmed.
(LFC Online)
Thor Zakariassen
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