SATURDAY 27
	Boss backs bid Roy Hodgson has backed England's 2018 World Cup bid. The Liverpool manager has given his full backing to England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. "It's very important. A lot of money and time has been invested in it. From 1966 to 2018, that's a fairly reasonable length of time for a top nation in football like England to wait to get their second chance of a World Cup at home," said Hodgson. "In England we have the best stadia, unbelievably passionate crowds and there are very, very few leagues in the world where teams who play outside of the top league can command a public figure of 25,000-30,000, as we see all the time in the Championship. "If the World Cup comes here, you're guaranteed so many things - easy access for transport, hotels and facilities, the best stadia, wonderful football pitches and a football-crazy nation. "For me it's a no brainer - England should get 2018." (LFC Online) Pacheco has Reds future Daniel Pacheco has a future with Liverpool. Pacheco hasn't featured for the first team since the Carling Cup defeat to Northampton and rumours have begun suggesting Roy Hodgson would be looking to offload the Spaniard in January. However, the boss has dismissed the speculation. "He's been doing quite well. He had a little down period which I suppose coincided with the unfortunate Northampton game, when every one of the young players was thrown in together," said Hodgson. "He stuck at his task and in training he's been doing very well. In the last couple of reserve games he's played very well too. It's nice to know he's still very much a part of the Liverpool future. "He's unlucky in the position he plays, just behind the striker or in a wide role. That's probably where we have most competition at the club right now. For a young player it's not easy to knock the likes of Joe Cole, Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez off their perch. "Having said that, we still believe in him. We think he's a good player and he's got a very bright future. "Of course there'll be lots of other clubs out there who want to take him but if he really wants to be at the top level he might be well advised to keep learning his trade with these sorts of people around him, rather than to become a bigger fish at a smaller club. "I'm sure he'll be in the squad for the Europa League next week. I can't guarantee he will start but that's certainly not beyond the bounds of possibility because he has done well enough recently to force his way back to our attention." (LFC Online) Harry dismisses Comolli claims Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has laughed off Damien Comolli's claims that he is partly responsible for the club's recent successes. Former Spurs director of football Comolli, who this month was named director of football strategy at Liverpool, has repeatedly attempted to take some of the credit for the north Londoners' revival since Redknapp's appointment as manager two years ago. Asked if Comolli should take any credit for Tottenham's success, Redknapp said with tongue firmly in cheek: "Yeah, I think he should take all the credit, for sure. "They were all doing well when I arrived, you know? They were all good; they were all great." He added: "He brought an awful lot of players in - a lot have gone, a lot are still here that were very good." As well as being irked at Comolli's attempts to steal his thunder, Redknapp has another reason to take issue with Liverpool's new recruitment tsar, who made one of his first pieces of business the acquisition of Spurs' scout in France, Steve Hitchin. "He's nicked him off us," Redknapp said. "He was really good, an English boy who lived in France. "We liked him a lot. He would have been our main scout abroad. "What can you do? It's his life, the boy, and he's obviously got a better deal and decided he was going to move on." (TEAMtalk)
	FRIDAY 26
	Roy rules out Aquilani return Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has rejected the notion that the club might recall Alberto Aquilani from his loan spell at Juventus. Recent reports have suggested Liverpool were considering bringing the former Roma midfielder back to the club in January. Aquilani is currently on a season-long loan deal at Juventus after failing to establish himself at Anfield following his arrival in the summer of 2009. The Italian international has impressed at Juve since his loan move, but Hodgson insists there are no plans to cut short his spell and bring him back to Merseyside. Asked about the possibility of recalling Aquilani from Italy, Hodgson said: "No, I don't think there is any chance of doing that. The loan spell is quite clear. "He's loaned out until the end of the season, so we won't be able to bring him back until the end of the season." (Sky Sports)   Crouch hails Tottenham talent Peter Crouch believes the current Tottenham squad is better than Liverpool's UEFA Champions League runners-up in 2007. Crouch has relished playing at European football's top table as he scored eight goals from nine Champions League starts in 2006/07 before coming off the bench as Liverpool were beaten 2-1 by AC Milan in the final. The 29-year-old has returned to the competition this season with Tottenham and has scored six in six to make it 17 in his last 28 Champions League appearances for Liverpool and Spurs. "We had some great individuals when I was at Liverpool and we managed to reach a Champions League final, which was fantastic. But as a group of players I don't think I've played with better really." (Sky Sports)  Thommo: Liverpool will beat Tottenham by attacking them Liverpool icon Phil Thompson is convinced Roy Hodgson's team can beat Tottenham this weekend. Writing in the Liverpool Echo, the ex-Liverpool and England skipper said: "I really hope Liverpool play 4-4-2 and try to exploit Tottenham’s weaknesses. Spurs are very offensive and have a lot of top-class players, but they have defensive frailties." (tribalfootball.com) Roma willing to offer Mexes in bid for Liverpool ace Kuyt AS Roma are chasing Liverpool ace Dirk Kuyt. Roma have set their sights on Kuyt and hope to tempt Liverpool with an exchange for Philippe Mexes, says the Daily Mail. (tribalfootball.com)  Roy denies Reds have road block Roy Hodgson has no worries over his Liverpool side's mentality as they go in search of only their second Premier League away win of the season. So far, the only league victory on opposition turf has come at Bolton, and that is only the second success outside Anfield since December 29 when they beat Aston Villa. They have an ideal chance to start putting things right against Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday, especially as Spurs' record suggests they are vulnerable after playing in the Champions League in midweek. Liverpool's last game on the road was a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Stoke, which ended a six-match unbeaten run in all competitions. (TEAMtalk) Reina targets club record Pepe Reina will break another long-standing Liverpool record if he keeps a clean sheet against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Heading into the game, the Spanish custodian has managed 99 shut outs in the league in just 196 games - and will reach the 100 mark faster than any other 'keeper in the Reds history should he keep another blank at White Hart Lane. Ray Clemence holds the current record having reached a ton of clean sheets in 217 outings. Bruce Grobbelaar achieved the milestone after 225 matches, while Elisha Scott did so in 283. (LFC Official Website)
	THURSDAY 25
	Werner becomes Reds chairman Liverpool have announced their new chairman will be Tom Werner, who holds a similar position with club owners New England Sports Ventures. In a widely expected move Werner will officially start on December 1, although previous chairman Martin Broughton effectively ended his involvement after last weekend's victory over West Ham. (TEAMtalk)  Hodgson: Aurelio important Fabio Aurelio has a key role to play in the rest of Liverpool's season, according to manager Roy Hodgson. The Brazilian left-back impressed his boss after making his comeback from an Achilles injury as a substitute in last Saturday's 3-0 victory over West Ham United. Aurelio, who was released by the Reds in the summer before Hodgson re-signed the former Valencia player, came on to play on the left of midfield. And the Anfield chief has told the 31-year-old he may be deployed in a more advanced position in the coming weeks. "Fabio's had to work very hard because he's been dogged by bad luck for the last couple of years," he told The Liverpool Echo. "It was nice to see him back on the field again and he played with great confidence. "He can definitely play as a left midfielder. "When we re-signed him we were thinking we needed two good left-backs at the club and that he'd be competing for one of those places in the team, but I saw him do very well in Trabzonspor when he moved up into midfield, and he tells me that when he was in Valencia he played in midfield very often. "It's definitely an option. If he can stay fit then it could be a really good boost to our team. "Already I've got him pencilled in for the game against Steaua Bucharest, so let's hope he can stay fit until then and I can see him in a 90-minute game." (Sky Sports) Babel: Benitez banned training Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has claimed Rafa Benitez prevented him from undertaking additional training sessions. The Holland international has failed to establish himself at Anfield following his £11.5million switch from Ajax in the summer of 2007. Babel was used sparingly during Benitez's reign and it has been a similar situation this term under new boss Roy Hodgson, with strong suggestions he could be heading to the exit door in the January transfer window. But the 24-year-old feels that some of his difficulties can be put down to the fact that he struggled to stay in peak condition during the reign of the Spaniard. Writing on his Twitter feed, Babel said: "I wasn't allowed to train extra under our former manager, even when I wasn't involved. "I begged lots of times, but it was simply not allowed. "And during the season you don't train very hard because you have lots of games, so most of the sessions we had were done without sweating. "But if I wanted to do some extra work, which I asked for every single day, I didn't have the permission." (TEAMtalk) Hodgson warns Pacheco Roy Hodgson has told Spanish teenager Dani Pacheco he still has work to do to secure a place in his first-team plans at Anfield. The 19-year-old, who was lured to Liverpool in 2007 from Barcelona, is one of the star's of Spain's youth side. Pacheco has featured in both the Premier League and Europe, making 11 first-team outings for the club. But he has not made the expected impact on Merseyside, and has now been linked with a move back to Spain. "He's had moments when he's looked good, others when not quite so," admitted Hodgson. "He's working on his game. He featured in the unfortunate Northampton game. "It was a great opportunity for those outside the first 13 or 14 to really show me, 'You should be thinking of me. "When will he get his chance again? Probably in one of these games in Europe, who knows, may he will burst back onto the scene, but it is very difficult to do that in a reserve game." (Sky Sports) Liverpool set to fight Manchester United for Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan Liverpool are ready to challenge bitter rivals Manchester United for Rosenborg midfielder Anthony Annan in January, Goal.com UK can reveal. Roy Hodgson, the Liverpool manager, first registered his interest in the Ghanaian star three weeks ago and is now preparing a £6 million move when the transfer window opens. But the Reds could face competition from long-term admirers United, although Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to be hesitant because Annan would be cup-tied for the Champions League. The 24-year-old has also been recommended to Chelsea by Michael Essien, his international team-mate, although there are no signs of Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti preparing a move at this stage. Annan is looking for a January transfer to the Premier League after being denied a summer move by Rosenborg following an impressive World Cup in South Africa. (Goal.com)  Liverpool launching three new international academies Liverpool are set to launch three new international academies. Plans are already in place for the first three International Academies to open in Northern Ireland, Norway and Greece in early 2011, with the aim being to give budding young stars the best environment in which to hone and develop their skills in fun but carefully structured coaching sessions Liverpool Commercial Director Ian Ayre told liverpoolfc.tv: "What's most important is that anywhere you go in the world, whether you're in Hong Kong, the US or elsewhere, if you're a kid and you're attending one of our soccer schools, you should get exactly the same experience wherever you go. It should be consistent, it should be something that's fitting with spending a day - or several days - with Liverpool Football Club. "So whether you're attending our actual Academy here in Liverpool or whether you're attending one of our soccer Academies on the road, then you should get the same experience. That's ultimately what we're trying to aim for and it's all about professionalism, quality and consistency." (tribalfootball.com) Thor Zakariassen ©