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FRIDAY 27 |
Merseyside bosses vow to fight on
Managers Rafael Benitez and David Moyes insist they are
ready to fight as they prepare their Liverpool and Everton
sides for Sunday's Merseyside derby.
Both clubs are struggling, with Liverpool crashing out of
the Champions League and Everton 14th in the league.
But Reds manager Benitez said: "I have signed a new
five-year contract because I want to fight for Liverpool."
Everton's Moyes said: "There's no point burying our heads.
If we don't play better we'll be in relegation trouble."
(BBC Sport Online)
Pre-Goodison groin test for Torres
Fernando Torres will have a fitness test on Saturday to see
whether he is fit enough to be included in Liverpool's squad
at Everton on Sunday.
Torres has been having treatment on his serious groin
injury, and has done light training this week under the
control of Liverpool's
fitness coaches.
Winger Ryan Babel is still out with an ankle injury, but
Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani is likely to be on the
substitutes' bench. Glen Johnson, Albert Riera and Yossi
Benayoun, who have all struggled with injuries over the past
week, should be in the squad.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Skrtel,
Kyrgiakos, Aurelio, Insua, Dossena, El Zhar, Aquilani,
Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Riera, Kuyt, Ngog,
Cavalieri, Spearing, Torres.
(TEAMtalk)
Atletico Madrid preparing bid
for Liverpool winger Riera
Atletico Madrid are planning a move for Liverpool winger
Albert Riera.
Cadena SER says the 27 year-old, after two seasons in
England, is being lined up for a return home to Spain in
January.
(tribalfootball.com)
Gerrard calls for Anfield unity
Steven Gerrard has demanded a united front as Liverpool seek
the top-four finish required to qualify for next season's
Champions League.
Liverpool were dumped out of the Champions League group
stages on Tuesday night despite a 1-0 win over Debrecen in
Budapest and have lost five Premier League fixtures in the
opening 13 games this season. It is two more defeats than
they suffered in the whole of the 2008/09 campaign.
But despite the poor start to the season, Gerrard, who has
recovered from a groin problem and will lead his
seventh-placed side into the 212th Merseyside derby against
Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, maintains everyone is
still working in unison towards attaining Champions League
football next term.
The captain told the club's official website: "We are all
aware the season is not going the way we would want it to
and we are really disappointed to have gone out of the
Champions League.
"We are far from happy with our form in the Premier League
as well but the only way to turn things around is by
sticking together."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds duo support Benitez
Liverpool duo Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina have moved to
offer their support to under-fire boss Rafa Benitez.
Benitez has seen his position at Anfield come under further
scrutiny following their elimination from the UEFA Champions
League in midweek.
Liverpool have won just two of their past 11 competitive
matches and go into this weekend's Merseyside derby needing
to get back on track in the Premier League if they are to
finish in the top four and clinch a spot in next season's
Champions League.
Torres, who is battling to be fit for the showdown with
Everton as he struggles with a groin problem, believes
Benitez is the man to turn things round at Anfield and has
called on everyone at the club to stick together.
"Benitez has shown that he is the right man to take
Liverpool forward," Torres said.
(Sky Sports)
Aquilani set for derby bow
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is likely to miss Sunday's
match at near-neighbours Everton but midfielder Alberto
Aquilani will be given his first taste of a Merseyside
derby.
The Spain striker has sat out the last three matches with a
groin problem and is probably still a week away from
rejoining the squad.
Torres scored both goals in the 2-0 victory at Goodison Park
last season to take his tally of goals to three in five
derbies but David Ngog, with five this season, is in line to
deputise again.
However, Aquilani will be hopeful of getting on the field
after just three substitute appearances totalling just 22
minutes since returning to fitness after his £20million
summer move from Roma.
Manager Rafael Benitez will not throw the Italian into what
is likely to be another tempestuous clash between the two
near-neighbours but the 25-year-old should play some part.
(Press Association Sport) |
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THURSDAY 26 |
Rafa under 'no greater pressure'
Rafael Benitez insists he does not feel under added pressure
following Liverpool's Champions League exit and claims his
side are "better than their results".
The Merseysiders had to settle for a place in the Europa
League despite their 1-0 win against Debrecen on Tuesday
night - Fiorentina's defeat of Lyon meaning they advanced
instead from Group E.
Fortunately for Benitez, his team get a quick shot at
redemption when they take on city rivals Everton at Goodison
Park on Sunday. And the Spaniard is determined to make
amends for their European setback.
"We have not been able to go through to the last 16 of the
Champions League, so we must make sure we double our efforts
in the league and always do our very best in future
matches," he said today.
He added: "I do not feel under any greater pressure,
Liverpool are under pressure in every single game, anyway,
whatever the competition. This is nothing new for me."
(The Irish Times)
Liverpool keeper Martin
arrives on loan at Leeds
Leeds have signed Liverpool goalkeeper David Martin and
Northern Ireland international defender Tony Capaldi from
Cardiff on loan deals.
Leeds boss Simon Grayson said: "David has plenty of
experience for a young goalkeeper and comes in at an
important time. It's a busy period and it's important we
have the goalkeepers who can step in."
Martin, the son of former West Ham defender Alvin, has not
made a senior appearance for Liverpool, but played 25 times
for former club MK Dons and has had loan spells at
Accrington, Leicester and Tranmere.
(tribalfootball.com)
Youngster agrees loan switch
Dean Bouzanis today joined Accrington Stanley on loan until
the New Year.
The 19-year-old goalkeeper has agreed a deal with the League
Two club that will run until January 2, 2010.
Bouzanis arrived at Anfield in the summer of 2007 after
signing from the New South Wales Institute of Sport, though
he was initially loaned to Sydney FC until his 17th
birthday.
The custodian has figured for John McMahon's table-topping
reserve side this season.
(LFC Official Website)
Voronin out,
Van Nistelrooy in?
Andriy Voronin's days may finally be numbered at Liverpool,
with the Ukrainian 'striker' expected to be shipped out in
January.
But the latest rumour doing the rounds is that former
Manchester United frontman Ruud Van Nistelrooy is looking
for a move back to the Premier League, in particular
Liverpool.
(LFC Online)
Neville: No sympathy for Reds
Gary Neville believes Liverpool got what they deserved
having failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA
Champions League.
The Reds were knocked out of Europe's premier competition on
Tuesday despite recording a 1-0 win over Debrecen,
consigning them to the Europa League in the new year.
The 34-year-old was part of the Red Devils side that
experienced a similar fate in 2005 when United were knocked
out in the group stages having mustered just six points from
a group containing Benfica, Villarreal
and Lille.
Neville, already not the most popular figure amongst
Liverpool supporters, declared that the Merseysiders have
just not been good enough
this season.
"As a team, you get what you deserve don't you?" he said.
"We are where we are because we deserve to be there and it's
the same with Liverpool.
"We went out ourselves a few years back. They just haven't
performed well enough in the Champions League to get the
results."
(Sky Sports)
Toffees would consider ground share
Chief executive Robert Elstone admits Everton would consider
ground sharing with Liverpool after their plans to move to
Kirkby were rejected.
The Toffees and Tesco had hoped to build a new stadium and a
shopping complex, in a move which would have seen the club
leave their long-time home, Goodison Park, but the proposals
have been rejected by Communities and Local Government
Secretary John Denham.
Both clubs have previously been reluctant to go down the
route of sharing a stadium, however Everton chief executive
Robert Elstone has revealed the Toffees are not against the
idea, if it makes financial sense.
He told Sky Sports News: "It's certainly one of the options
that we will need to cover.
"A shared stadium is perhaps an option if it's affordable."
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez wants Babel
to explain outburst
Ryan Babel will be hauled into Rafa Benitez’s office today
and asked to explain his latest petulant outburst.
The Liverpool winger hit the headlines on Tuesday after a
string of inflammatory quotes about his predicament and
squad issues were attributed to him in a national newspaper.
Babel has plenty of form for criticising the way Benitez
deploys him to journalists in the Netherlands but has always
maintained that his words have been twisted.
Given this eruption happened on the morning of the Reds’
crucial Champions League clash against Debrecen, many within
the club not surprisingly took a dim view.
Benitez, though, has not made any decisions about what
action might be taken against Babel and will first let the
23-year-old clarify what he actually said.
Liverpool’s squad were given the day off yesterday but
Benitez will certainly meet with Babel, who missed the trip
to Budapest with an ankle injury, at Melwood.
“I have got to talk to the player and I will see what his
explanation is,” was all the Liverpool manager was prepared
to say on the matter."
(Liverpool Echo) |
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WEDNESDAY 25 |
Anfield legend: He's very fortunate
that he's managing Liverpool
Liverpool legend Graeme Souness believes Rafa Benitez is
fortunate to still be the manager at Anfield given the
club’s lacklustre start
to the season.
Following the club’s elimination from the Champions League
and their poor start to the Premier League season, Souness
suggests the Spaniard is living off former glories and
raised concerns about the long-term prospects of the club
should they fail to finish in the top four this season.
Souness told Sky Sports: “If you ask me about any managers,
particularly Liverpool managers because I know how difficult
that job is, I'm not going to tell you 'this one should go
or that one should stay', but I think he's very fortunate
that he's managing Liverpool,”
“At Liverpool you get more of a chance than any of the other
big clubs out there. He's very lucky that he won that
European Cup so early on
in his reign.
“I think that's bought him a lot of time, and there's still
a great deal of affection out there for him with the people
in Liverpool.”
(Sport.co.uk)
Aurelio: Liverpool players responsible
for Champions League exit
Brazilian defender Fabio Aurelio maintains Liverpool's stars
must shoulder the blame for the club's disappointing exit
from the Champions League.
Liverpool drop into the Europa League by finishing third in
Group E.
Aurelio said: "The players still have confidence and we know
that it is only us who can change our situation by working
hard to improve.
"We know we can do better, certainly than we are doing at
the moment.
"The team are now intent on winning at Everton on Sunday and
starting to get more points right to the end of the season.
Then we will see what position we are in, and what we are
able to fight for."
(tribalfotball.com)
Liverpool FC fans are backing
Rafael Benitez but will owners?
Much has been made about Liverpool’s failure to land a
league title
in 20 years now.
And rightly so. We all know why.
But dropping out of the European Cup before the knockout
stages is bitterly disappointing and very painful too for
everyone associated
with Liverpool FC.
Because it is in Europe’s upper echelons where
Liverpool Football Club belongs.
So being dumped out of a Champions League group this season
which any Liverpool side should ordinarily have been able to
conquer, is not good enough.
But my thoughts last night as our Champions League hopes
disappeared despite the 1-0 victory over Debrecen went out
to those magnificent Liverpool fans who stood in the rain in
Hungary at the end on a cold November night singing “You’ll
Never Walk Alone.”
(Tommy Smith - Liverpool Echo)
Reina looking for UEFA Cup success
Pepe Reina wants to win the UEFA Cup.
Reina admits it was a huge blow to be knocked out of the
Champions League but says the UEFA Cup can be a consolation
prize.
"Of course we're disappointed because this is a big
competition that we've done well in for the last three or
four years. Now we're out, though. It's a tough competition
and it's not always possible to get out of the group stage,"
said the keeper.
"The Europa League is another competition for us and we want
to win it. It also has strong teams and it will be nice to
play in it. It's already become a target. It'll be tough
because there are so many good teams involved, but we have
to look forward and keep trying to win."
(LFC Online)
Lyon hoping for favour from Liverpool
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas hopes Liverpool do his club
a favour by beating Fiotentina in the final round of
Champions League group games.
Lyon stand second in Group E, behind Fiorentina, and have
already qualified for the last 16 of the competition.
However the French giants want to finish top of the group to
secure a favourable draw in the knock-out stage, and they
are looking for Liverpool to beat leaders Fiorentina to make
that possible.
Liverpool might not want to do Lyon many favours, given the
fact that their failure to take more than one point against
Les Gones over two games was a key factor in their failure
to finish in the top two.
Aulas said: "First place is important, notably because the
second-leg match in the last 16 would be played at home.
"We have the match against Debrecen remaining and we hope
that at the same time Liverpool can beat Fiorentina."
Defender Jean-Alain Boumsong echoed Aulas' view, and the
former Newcastle and Rangers player believes Benitez's side
will want to sign off in style, despite their
disappointment.
Boumsong said on the club's official website: "We must win
this last game and hope for a surge of pride from
Liverpool."
(TEAMtalk)
Reserve game called off
Liverpool have announced that this evening's scheduled
reserve team clash at Wigan Athletic has been called off.
Heavy rainfall in the Wigan area has made the pitch at
the Robin Park Arena unplayable.
No new date has yet been set for the clash.
(LFC Official Website)
Purslow: Benitez's job is safe
Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has told Rafa
Benitez that his job is safe despite the elimination from
the UEFA Champions League.
The Reds won 1-0 at Debrecen on Tuesday, but Fiorentina
succeeded against Lyon in Florence to join the French side
in progressing
from Group E to the last 16.
Liverpool will therefore take an on and off-field hit as a
result of slipping into the Europa League, while a place in
next season's Champions League is far from certain amidst
domestic struggles.
But Benitez is not facing the sack, according to Purslow,
with late goals in a defeat and draw to Lyon earlier in the
competition meaning Liverpool were already facing a tough
task to qualify prior to events in Budapest.
Purslow told Sky Sports 2: "You can never predict
last-minute goals, which have cost us dear in the Champions
League. That's no basis to make managerial decisions."
(Sky Sports)
Wenger: No pleasure in Reds exit
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger maintains he takes no pleasure
in seeing rivals Liverpool fail to qualify for the knockout
stages of
the Champions League.
The Reds' disappointing campaign hit its lowest point,
despite Rafael Benitez's side winning their own Group E
encounter 1-0 against Debrecen in Budapest, as Fiorentina's
victory over Lyon sent the five-time European Cup winners
into the Europa League.
Wenger, though, insisted there was no sense of satisfaction
in seeing another English club, and potential threat later
in the competition,
crash out.
"If you say to me I want all the big teams to be out, it is
impossible," said Wenger, whose own team qualified with a
match to spare after they beat Standard Liege 2-0 at the
Emirates Stadium. "I believe you look at your own
performances and if Liverpool are out, somebody else strong
is in."
Wenger continued: "When you depend on the results of another
team you are in a bad position.
"They did the job but you always favour Fiorentina at home
against Lyon, especially when they are on a good run and
have an opportunity to qualify for the first time in the
history of the club if they win at home."
(Yahoo! Eurosport UK)
Thor Zakariassen
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