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SUNDAY 6 |
Rafinha in, battle for Bentley,
Kewell and Parry to exit?
Schalke defender Rafinha is "almost certain" to move to
Anfield in the summer, it has been claimed.
Various newspapers say Rafa Benitez has agreed to pay
£6million for
the player.
Liverpool face a battle with Tottenham if they intend to act
on their much-rumoured interest in Blackburn's David
Bentley.
Harry Kewell's future lies in ... Sunderland.
According to Sunday newspapers, out-of-favour Kewell is
highly thought of by Roy Keane.
Perhaps unsurpisingly, it has been reported that Tom Hicks
is less than impressed with Liverpool FC chief executive
Rick Parry.
According to Sunday newspaper reports, Hicks now wants his
own man in to run Liverpool FC - once he has managed to buy
out George Gillett.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Almunia hopes Reds show Hyde side
Manuel Alminia feels Liverpool are difficult to predict as
they are something of a 'Jekyll and Hyde' team.
Arsenal face Liverpool in the second leg of their UEFA
Champions League clash on Tuesday, having drawn 1-1 in the
first leg last week.
"They are a bit like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - they change
their face,"
said Almunia.
"Perhaps they are more comfortable playing against more
technical teams, I don't know.
"It is difficult to analyse because they are a strong team
which likes
to fight."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa: Patience could be key
Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool may have to be patient
when they take on Arsenal in Tuesday's Champions League
quarter-final second-leg at Anfield.
The Reds head into the match boosted by the away goal scored
by Dirk Kuyt in last week's 1-1 draw at the Emirates and
although Benitez admits the hard part has been done, he
insists Arsenal are more than capable of winning at one of
Europe's most daunting venues.
"I think the hard part has been done, but also we know we
have a lot of respect because Arsenal are a very good team
and will be dangerous on the counter-attack," he said.
"They showed in the last round, when they drew at home
against AC Milan and won 2-0 in the San Siro, that they can
win at difficult places. Our fans have a big role to play
for us.
"It is natural for them to want us to attack because we are
at home, but we will also have to be careful because of the
way Arsenal play.
"We need the fans to make it a great atmosphere, but we also
need them to be patient.
"I have confidence in our supporters because they understand
the game."
(LFC Official Website)
Gunners duo hail Reds fans as the best
Arsenal goalkeeper Manual Almunia has described Liverpool
supporters as the 'best in the world' ahead of Tuesday's
Champions League qaurter-final second leg at Anfield.
The Gunners keeper admits the prospect of taking on both
Rafael Benitez's side and the famous 12th man is a tough
task for Arsenal and has been impressed by the energy
created by the fans in the stand.
"For me, the atmosphere there is the best in the world,"
said Almunia.
"Liverpool are great in the Champions League but Arsenal
aspire to be great as well. If you are going to be that kind
of team then you have to be playing well in stadiums like
Anfield."
He added: "You see the pure football at Anfield. The crowd
and the team are as one together. The crowd lifts the team
in any situation and that is fantastic."
(LFC Official Website)
Rafa hopes Crouch stays
Rafael Benitez is hoping Peter Crouch signs a new
contract.
Crouch scored and gave a man of the match performance in
yesterday's 1-1 draw against Arsenal. Although the England
striker has featured much of late, Benitez says he is still
part of his plans and wants him to sign a new contract with
Liverpool.
"He is a very good professional, that's why we've offered
him a new contract. I have confidence. I know he is happy
here but I also know he wants to play. We have offered the
contract and now we need to wait," said the Spaniard.
"We are playing at the moment with one striker, but we've
played a lot of the season with two. We are a team that is
winning trophies and he can be an important part of that."
(LFC Online) |
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SATURDAY 5 |
Rafa praises debut boy Damien
Rafa Benitez was full of praise for debutant Damien Plessis
after watching his side come close to a first ever victory
at the Emirates.
The 20-year-old midfielder was a surprise inclusion against
Arsenal as Benitez made eight changes from Wednesday's
Champions League encounter.
Up against Cesc Fabregas, the Frenchman put in a composed
display to stake his claim for a regular place in the squad.
Benitez said: "Today was the debut for Damien Plessis. We
knew when we signed him that he was a good player. He's
played really well for the reserves, and to play as well as
he did today in this stadium, it shows we are going in the
right direction."
(LFC Official Website)
Wenger: Title tilt not over
Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal can still win the Premier
League title, despite suffering a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at
Emirates Stadium.
"In my brain it is not over, because it is not over
mathematically," said Wenger.
"It depends on the results of the other teams. I said we
would need at least five wins and a draw.
"It is frustrating again because I feel we had a blatant
penalty again for a foul on Fabregas, which was not given.
You can see it well on television, it is 100 per cent
conclusive."
(Sky Sports)
Crouch thrilled to be back on scoresheet
Peter Crouch was delighted to celebrate his return to first
team action with a goal during the Reds' 1-1 draw with
Arsenal at the Emirates.
Crouch opened the scoring with a well taken first half goal
before Nicklas Bendtner levelled for the Gunners after the
break.
"I thought it was a good performance today," said Crouch
after being named man of the match.
"Of course I was pleased with my goal. It's been a while and
I thought I'd be a bit rusty to be honest. It was nice to
score and to remind people that I'm still alive. I felt I
got into the game and really enjoyed it."
(LFC Official Website)
Reds earn draw at Arsenal
Arsenal were once again left frustrated by Liverpool at
Emirates Stadium as a 1-1 draw dealt a near fatal blow to
their fading Premier League title hopes.
Just three days after their European tie ended all square,
both teams were back to do battle for league points.
Each manager made several changes, no doubt with one eye on
next week’s second leg of their Champions League
quarter-final, but there was still more than enough talent
on display to make for an entertaining encounter.
Recalled striker Peter Crouch gave Liverpool the lead at the
end of the first half, with Nicklas Bendtner levelling on 53
minutes.
However, with Manchester United, who play at Middlesbrough
tomorrow, still five points clear at the top of the table,
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger knew only victory would have kept
their slim hopes of the title alive.
The trip to Anfield on Tuesday night now takes on extra
significance if a season which promised so much is not to
end in disappointment.
(Evening Echo)
Plessis gets debut versus Arsenal
French youngster Damien Plessis is in the starting line-up
to face Arsenal at the Emirates.
The defensive midfielder is one of eight changes made by
Rafa Benitez from Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final
first leg.
The Reds line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation for the 12.45pm kick
off.
Here's the XI in full: Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Skrtel,
Carragher, Riise, Pennant, Benayoun, Lucas, Plessis, Crouch.
Subs: Itandje, Hyypia, Gerrard, Torres, Voronin.
(LFC Official Website)
Hyypia agrees new contract
Sami Hyypia has today agreed a deal to stay at Anfield until
the summer of 2009.
The 34-year-old, whose contract was due to expire at the end
of the season, is now set to join a select band of players
to stay at the club for
a decade.
Hyypia told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I am very happy to have agreed
a new deal. This is a great club with fantastic supporters,
so I'm delighted."
The former skipper has so far made 440 appearances since
arriving on Merseyside from Willem II back in 1999.
Boss Rafa Benitez expects that number to keep rising next
season and claims Hyypia is the best possible role model for
young defenders such
as Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger.
"This is great news for the club," said the Spaniard.
"Sami has a lot to offer. He is a fantastic professional who
is an example to all young footballers. He understands the
game and is clever. All these things mean he can help other
players.
"He has shown this year how important he is to us on the
pitch and he can continue to do that next season."
(LFC Official Website) |
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FRIDAY 4 |
Wenger calls for all or bust
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his players that
their hopes of lifting the Premier League title will be
dealt a fatal blow if they lose to Liverpool on Saturday.
Wenger is confident United - who still face trips to
Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Chelsea and Wigan in their final
six league games - will drop points before the end of the
campaign.
But Wenger, who takes his side to Old Trafford on 13th
April, insists Arsenal must finish with a 100 per cent
record to stand a chance of lifting the Premier League title
next month, beginning against Liverpool at the weekend.
"We have to win all our games to win the title," said Wenger
- who also takes his side to Anfield for the second leg of
their UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
"Five wins and a draw is a minimum but that means we would
have to win at Old Trafford.
"For us it is important to win (against Liverpool) because
of the situation in the championship. It would have a double
impact - one for the championship and one for the Champions
League.
"But my worry at the moment is the championship. Some people
say it is over but everybody has a different opinion in
football. In this case, I have a different one."
(Sky Sports)
Mascherano makes public apology
Javier Mascherano has publicly apologised for the furious
reaction to his sending-off at Manchester United which saw
him handed an additional two-game ban.
The Liverpool midfielder, who has already served a mandatory
one-match suspension for his red card at Old Trafford almost
two weeks ago, admitted a Football Association charge of
improper conduct levied for his angry refusal to leave the
field.
Following a personal hearing before a disciplinary panel on
Thursday, the Argentina international saw his ban extended
and was fined £15,000.
The Reds are pondering an appeal against the severity of the
punishment and have until midday to lodge it with the FA.
Mascherano himself was full of remorse for his behaviour,
telling the Daily Mail: "I apologise to everyone. I made a
mistake and I regret this mistake. It was my fault.
"I am not a dirty player, I do not make a habit of showing
disrespect towards referees.
"I don't like this and I can only think the high intensity
of the fixture, against Manchester United, affected my
behaviour that day. It was out of character but I do not use
that as an excuse."
(ITV Football)
Reds appeal Mascherano ban
Liverpool have lodged an appeal against the extra two-match
ban given to Javier Mascherano.
The Football Association suspended the midfielder for two
more matches, and issued a £15,000 fine, on Thursday
following an improper conduct charge.
Mascherano had been censured by the FA as a result of his
failure to leave the pitch after being sent off against
Manchester United last month.
The Argentine had been dismissed for a second bookable
offence after showing dissent to referee Steve Bennett in
the 3-0 defeat to United.
He has apologised for his mistake and has vowed to learn his
lesson after expressing his wish to move on from the
incident.
However, Liverpool have decided to appeal against the
punishment, although Mascherano will still be suspended for
Saturday's Premier League game with Arsenal.
A club spokesman said: "We have put in the appeal and
requested that the penalty not be set aside pending the
outcome.
"Consequently, Javier is suspended for tomorrow's game at
Arsenal."
As it stands, Mascherano is also scheduled to be banned for
next weekend's fixture at home to Blackburn Rovers.
(Sky Sports)
Benitez set to rotate at Emirates
Rafael Benitez could make major changes for Liverpool's
Premier League trip to Arsenal, the second of three games
between the sides in a week.
Liverpool have a five-point lead and vastly superior goal
difference over fifth-placed Everton, and Benitez now sees
Tuesday's Champions League return with the Gunners as all
important.
Javier Mascherano is definitely out on Saturday, suspended
in the wake of his red card at Manchester United. But it is
also possible that Benitez could rest Fernando Torres,
Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher for
this one.
Kick-off at the Emirates Stadium is at 12.45pm.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Aurelio,
Benayoun, Lucas, Alonso, Riise, Voronin, Crouch, Pennant,
Babel, Hyypia, Gerrard, Torres, Carragher, Kuyt, Itandje.
(TEAMtalk)
Ref denies Dutch favour
Dutch referee Pieter Vink has denied he did countryman Dirk
Kuyt a favour by refusing Arsenal a penalty against
Liverpool in midweek.
Many felt Kuyt's challenge on Alexander Hleb was a stick-on
penalty in the teams' 1-1 first leg draw of their UEFA
Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
Vink waved away Arsenal's appeals, leaving some to consider
the possibility that Kuyt's involvement in the incident
played a part in his decision-making process.
However, Vink has laughed off suggestions that being Dutch
had anything to do with opting against awarding a penalty
for Kuyt's challenge on Hleb.
"It's ridiculous to say I made the decision because I'm
Dutch," he told
The Sun.
"There are many nationalities playing in every team nowadays
- Spanish, French, Italians, Brazilians - and it's not an
issue.
"It's a completely ludicrous suggestion."
(Sky Sports)
Thor Zakariassen
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