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SUNDAY 30 |
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Barragan strike sinks Man U
A fantastic goal from Spanish right back Antonio Barragan
gave Liverpool Reserves a deserved 1-0 victory over
Manchester United at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground on Sunday
afternoon.
Barragan found the back of the net after 73 minutes, with a
stinging 20-yard drive that United keeper Luke Steele got a
hand on the ball but couldn't keep it out.
United arrived in Wales as reserve league North champions
but they were second best to Liverpool on the day as the
Reds recorded a reserve double victory over United,
following their 2-0 victory in Altrincham earlier this
season.
Defensively Liverpool were excellent with Godwin Antwi and
Miki Roque solid as always in the centre of defence while
James Smith had a typical consistent and solid game at left
back. Lee Peltier and Danny Guthrie were excellent in
midfield as Liverpool controlled the game.
Liverpool Reserves: Martin, Barragan, Smith, Antwi, Roque,
Hobbs, Anderson (Hammill 79), Peltier, Idrizaj (Calliste
60), Guthrie (Flynn 85), Foy. Subs not used: O'Donnell,
Lancaster (GK).
(LFC Official Website)
Barca put Giuly talks on hold
Barcelona have put Ludovic Giuly's future on hold until
after the UEFA Champions League final after revealing they
have fielded no official enquiries from Liverpool.
The current European champions have been linked with a
summer swoop for Giuly, who is not a regular starter at Camp
Nou.
The Spanish champions-elect are concerned by the transfer
rumours, but do not plan to discuss anything until after the
Champions League final against Arsenal on May 17.
"Sincerely, we do not know anything about this question,"
said Barcelona's sport director Txiki Beguiristain.
"Officially, The Reds have not contacted us and I believe
the quotes of our player saying that he has received a
proposition.
"I am worried by these things, but it is normal that all the
players of Barca have great offers for next season.
"This subject is on stand-by until after the final in Paris
against Arsenal."
(Sky Sports)
Clear out to begin
Rafael Benitez will start offloading the surplus members of
his squad as soon as the season ends.
Salif Diao, Bruno Cheyrou and Anthony Le Tallec have spent
all season out on loan and won't be returning to the
Liverpool squad next season. Chris Kirkland returns to
Anfield once West Brom have played their final Premiership
game next week but the club will listen to offers for the
injury prone goalkeeper.
Defenders Zak Whitbread and David Raven are also likely to
leave the club to get regular first team football. Whitbread
is likely to join Millwall where he has spent the past six
months on loan and Raven could permanently join Tranmere
after impressing during his loan move with the League One
side.
First team squad members Djibril Cisse, Florent
Sinama-Pongolle, Neil Mellor and Djimi Traore are also
likely to be let go if the club get decent offers for them.
(LFC Online)
Under-18s end season with a draw
Honours were even as Liverpool's FA Youth Cup winning team
ended a very successful campaign with a 0-0 draw at home to
Bolton Wanderers.
Reds Under-18 manager John Owens gave a debut to goalkeeper
Josh Mimms who had an excellent game making several fine
saves. Mimms is the son of Bobby who played in goal for
Everton against Liverpool in the 1986 FA Cup Final.
Liverpool also fielded a trialist in Joseph Mills from
Southampton against Bolton.
Michael Nardiello and Robbie Threlfall went close on the day
for the Reds but Owens felt a draw was a fair result.
"I couldn't say we deserved to win the game but I was happy
with the performance and a draw was a fair result," Owens
told Liverpoolfc.tv.
Liverpool Under-18 team: Josh Mimms, Stephen Darby, Jordan
Holmes, Jay Spearing, Michael Burns, Jimmy Ryan, Francis
Smith, Jonathan Pringle (Charlie Barnett 60), Michael
Nardiello (Robbie Threlfall 75), Joseph Mills, Ryan Wignall
(Paul Barratt 60).
(LFC Official Website)
Stevie so sad after Wayne blow
England midfielder Steven Gerrard fears it will be
"impossible to have a successful World Cup without Wayne
Rooney".
The Liverpool captain is concerned Manchester United striker
Rooney could now suffer the same injury horror he himself
experienced four years ago.
Rooney was carried off at Chelsea on Saturday and subsequent
X-rays diagnosed a broken fourth metatarsal in his right
foot.
"Any team without Wayne Rooney isn't as strong. In my eyes
he is one of the world's best players now at 20," said
Gerrard, who is one of fellow Scouser Rooney's closest
friends in the England squad.
"It would be a disaster for England if we had to go to the
World Cup finals without Wayne. He is idolised around the
country and is our main man.
"I think it is impossible to have a successful World Cup
without Wayne."
"I do not want to talk about the situation over what
alternatives there are and what chance it gives to other
people to play," said Gerrard.
"Let's just keep our fingers crossed that Wayne does go to
the World Cup.
"If it is not to be, obviously it is an opportunity for
other players - Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent
- but I would much prefer to have a fit Wayne Rooney in
the starting XI."
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard eyes Prem title
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has set his sights on
winning the Premiership title.
The midfielder was named the PFA Player of the Year last
week after another hugely impressive personal season, and he
has the opportunity to add the FA Cup to his collection of
silverware when The Reds take on West Ham next month.
Winning the UEFA Champions League last year persuaded
Gerrard to turn down interest from Chelsea and stay at
Anfield, and he remains convinced he made the right
decision.
But, reflecting on his career to date, the England man
admitted he would not be totally satisfied until he won the
league.
"Yes I've been quite successful and things are going well,
but I want more trophies and winners' medals and I believe I
will achieve that with Liverpool," he explained in The Daily
Star.
"Chelsea are a fantastic team and then you also have
Manchester United and Arsenal, so winning The Premiership is
going to be really difficult."
(Sky Sports) |
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SATURDAY 29 |
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Reds will fight for second
Rafael Benitez promises that Liverpool will keep up the
pressure on Manchester United for runners-up spot, but does
not expect the Old Trafford men to slip up now.
Liverpool eventually cruised to a 3-1 victory over Aston
Villa that saw them on equal points with United, and a goal
difference of four worse.
Benitez said: "First of all I must congratulate Chelsea,
they have done a really good job to win the title.
"We will keep working to be second, but I do not really
expect United to slip up with two home games left."
(PA Sport)
O'Leary: Beaten "by a world class player"
Aston Villa boss David O'Leary insisted that his future
remains at the club, after claiming the Midlanders had been
beaten "by a world class player" in Gerrard.
"I was told a few days ago that I must sell before I can
buy, and that is what will happen. The good thing is that we
have had to use the youngsters and they have done well, they
will be part of our future."
O'Leary added: "We have been giving away soft goals, and did
it again for their first one. It was lack of experience, the
second was poor marking and the third was just a brilliant
goal from a world class player."
(PA Sport)
Gerrard at the double for Reds
Liverpool boosted their hopes of finishing second with a 3-1
win over Aston Villa at Anfield.
The Reds ensured they finished their season at Anfield in
style with two second half strikes from Steven Gerrard
helping them to their tenth win on the trot.
Gareth Barry cancelled out Fernando Morientes's early opener
before Gerrard took control to move Liverpool level on
points with Manchester United in the battle to finish
second.
in on the act on 79 minutes when Gerrard picked him out
inside the box and the striker hit his right-footed shot
just wide of the target.
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool v Aston Villa - CONFIRMED TEAM
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Kromkamp, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore,
Cisse, Alonso, Gerrard, Riise, Morientes, Crouch.
SUBS: Dudek, Agger, Fowler, Sissoko, Warnock.
(Kop Talk)
Rafa sends out Garcia warning
Rafael Benitez has warned his Liverpool players to keep
their cool and not risk suspension ahead of the FA Cup
final.
The Anfield boss is disappointed that Luis Garcia is ruled
out for the remainder of the season including the showpiece
FA Cup final.
The appeal against a straight red card in the victory
against West Ham at Upton Park was rejected by the Football
Association and the Spanish midfielder will now serve a
three-match ban, starting against Aston Villa.
Luis Garcia went to ground quickly after a tussle with
Hayden Mullins, and Benitez believes the player's punishment
sends out an important message to the rest of the squad.
He said: "Luis Garcia cannot play in the final. Maybe that
is a good thing for the rest of the players.
"It is good for them to see you cannot lose control before
important games.
"You need to know how important it is to be under control.
"It is a good lesson for Luis Garcia and we can learn from
this."
(TEAMtalk) |
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FRIDAY 28 |
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Garcia loses appeal claim
Luis Garcia will miss the FA Cup final after Liverpool's
appeal against his sending off at West Ham was rejected by
the FA.
Garcia was sent off for violent conduct along with Hayden
Mullins during the Reds' 2-1 victory at Upton Park on
Wednesday night.
An FA disciplinary committee today rejected their claims for
wrongful dismissal and both players must now serve a three
match ban with immediate effect.
Garcia will miss the Reds' remaining two league games
against Aston Villa and Portsmouth as well as the Cup final
in Cardiff on May 13.
(LFC Official Website)
Shields sent home
Michael Shields is to serve the rest of his prison sentence
in Britain.
Bulgarian judges today agreed to reduce the Liverpool
teenager's 15-year sentence by five years and the sentence
would be spent in a British jail.
It means the 19-year-old will be on British soil within a
month to serve out the remaining nine years, having already
served one.
He will be sent to a London jail before transfer possibly to
the north west.
The decision on Shields's appeal against his conviction for
attempted murder finally came back this morning.
Judges dashed hopes of a retrial but reduced the sentence
and ordered him to pay increased fines and compensation of
£70,000.
The Shields family are now hoping to force a retrial by
bringing Michael's case to the Court of Human Rights in
Strasbourg.
Shields was convicted attacking waiter Martin Georgiev in
the resort of Golden Sands last July.
(Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool sue Reebok for £7million
Liverpool Football Club are taking legal action against its
former kit supplier Reebok claiming that £7million is owed
to the Reds.
The club has already issued formal proceedings following a
dispute over a two-month delay in the production and
availability of the team's current away strip and Champions
League kit.
Reebok claim the delay was caused because of negotiations
between Liverpool and Carlsberg last year. Talks began in
March but nothing was signed until the May.
They say this prevented the immediate release of the white
strip after the Reds' Istanbul triumph and they claimed this
cost them £6.75million which they retained.
However Liverpool insist thousands of fans would have bought
the strip regardless of the delay.
The Reds are also claiming interest on the amount they say
they are owed which could push the claim up to £8million.
(Kop Talk)
Benitez warning to cup final hopefuls
Rafa Benitez has warned his players to learn from the brutal
lesson taught to Luis Garcia, as he predicted a fierce
battle for FA Cup final selection.
Benitez says Garcia's misfor-tune will open the door for one
of his team-mates to claim a starting place in Cardiff.
And with just two Premiership games left, the Anfeld boss
says any player going through the motions is in danger of
playing their way out of the final.
"I said to the players before the game in midweek it's very
important for them to continue to play well," said Benitez.
"If anyone thinks they've already done enough in previous
games to play in the final, they will be making a big
mistake."
(Liverpool Echo)
Fowler's agent eyes Anfield deal
Robbie Fowler's agent is optimistic the veteran Liverpool
striker will be offered a new contract at Anfield.
Fowler rejoined the club from Manchester City on a
short-term deal in January, which is due to end in July.
The 31-year-old is still waiting to hear from boss Rafael
Benitez on whether he will be offered an extended deal at
Anfield.
But his representative George Scott told BBC Sport: "Robbie
wants to stay and I've got a good feeling about it."
(BBC Sport Online)
Zak eyes Anfield exit
Zak Whitbread is likely to leave Liverpool this
summer - and he has not ruled out a move to Millwall if a
deal can be done.
The centre-back capped five months on loan at The Den by
being given a standing ovation as he left the pitch in the
1-0 win over Burnley on Saturday.
And he has thanked fans for giving him "one of the
highlights of my career". The response he's had will be a
big part of his thinking when he decides on his future, he
said.
"I would be sad to leave Liverpool but it might be best for
everyone," said Whitbread, who is available for Sunday's
trip to Crewe. "I'd definitely consider the right move - and
if Millwall came in, I could not rule it out.
"But I know Liverpool would ask for money - I have a year
left on my contract."
(icSouthLondon)
Gonzalez set on Reds move
Mark Gonzalez is ready to resist overtures from several
Spanish clubs to move to Liverpool.
Liverpool signed the highly-rated winger from Albacete last
summer, but he was unable to move to Anfield because he
could not get a work permit.
Gonzalez returned to Spain on a loan move to Real Sociedad
during the January transfer window as Liverpool looked for
him to get regular first team football.
The 21-year-old has impressed at Sociedad and his
performances have alerted the likes of Deportivo La Coruna,
Real Betis and Real Zaragoza.
However, Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is determined to win a
work permit for him so that he can make the move to
Merseyside next season.
Gonzalez insists his first option is to move to Liverpool
next season despite interest from other clubs.
"I want to play there (Liverpool), " said Gonzalez.
"One must remain calm and I am not going to be affected (by
speculation).
"To me nothing has been proposed and anything would only
come to my representative.
"But everything that is in the newspapers is only rumours."
(Sky Sports)
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Thor Zakariassen
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