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SATURDAY 6 |
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Crouch pinpoints road to success
When Liverpool were 10 places behind Manchester United in
the Premiership table, few would have expected them to be
going into the last day of the campaign still fighting for
the runners-up spot.
But if Liverpool win at Portsmouth on Sunday and Manchester
United fail to beat Charlton at Old Trafford, the Anfield
club will clinch second spot.
For Peter Crouch, facing one of his old clubs at Fratton
Park, there is strong believe that Liverpool can pull off a
shock and avoid the qualifying stage of the Champions League
next season.
Crouch said: "Second place is still possible, even if it did
appear to be slipping away
from us.
"We know Manchester United will have to slip up but we will
fight right to the end."
(PA Sport) |
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FRIDAY 5 |
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Fowler thrilled to stay
Robbie Fowler has spoken of his excitement at being offered
a 12-month extension with Liverpool.
"You can imagine how happy I was when the manager offered me
another year," Fowler told the club's official website.
"This is something I have wanted for a long time.
"When I signed the manager told me he would look at the
situation at the end of the season. He's had a look at what
I've done and thankfully I've been given the best possible
answer.
"I feel as though I've done alright and the manager has been
pleased with me as well. I'm looking forward to next season
now."
(Sky Sports)
Winger worry for Cup finalists
Matthew Etherington is a major doubt for West Ham's FA Cup
final against Liverpool, while Alan Pardew is ready to
gamble on Dean Ashton.
Winger Etherington suffered an ankle injury in training on
Friday and has been taken to hospital for an X-ray on the
joint.
He missed Monday's game against West Brom due to a knock and
now appears unlikely to play against Tottenham on Sunday.
But, more worryingly for The Hammers, Etherington is a big
concern for next Saturday's cup showpiece at The Millennium
Stadium.
"Unfortunately Matty has taken a really bad knock today and
I think he is doubtful, not just for Sunday, but for the cup
final," admitted Pardew.
"That is a really bad blow. The whole squad is disappointed
that Matty has this injury."
Another major worry for The Hammers is striker Ashton, who
hurt his hamstring during the 1-0 win at West Brom.
(Sky Sports)
Four Reds named in Spain squad
Jose Reina, Luis Garcia, Fernando Morientes and Xabi Alonso
have all been named in Spain's provisional 27-man squad for
the World Cup.
The Reds quartet, however, are not expected to attend the
planned get-together in Madrid on May 8 due to Liverpool's
preparations for the FA Cup Final.
Spain have been drawn alongside Ukraine, Tunisia, and Saudi
Arabia in Group H at the World Cup which begins in Germany
on 9 June.
(LFC Official Website)
Fowler to sign new Liverpool deal
Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler will sign a new one-year
contract to stay at the Anfield club next week.
The 30-year-old was on a short-term deal after joining on a
free from Manchester City in January.
"This is fantastic news," said manager Rafael Benitez.
"Robbie has done really well and he deserves this.
"He has scored vital goals for us and has worked really
hard. I am delighted to have him with us for next season, he
is an important member of our squad."
Fowler has bagged four goals for the Reds in 15 appearances
since re-joining the club he began his career with.
(BBC Sport Online)
Fowler set for Liverpool return
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez may rest key players for
Sunday's trip to Portsmouth with the FA Cup final only a
week away.
Win tickets for you and 3 mates to all England's World Cup
games with MasterCard. If England stay, you stay
Luis Garcia is suspended but Harry Kewell and Steve Finnan
will return to the squad after being rested for last
weekend's win over Aston Villa with minor knocks.
Robbie Fowler could return to the starting line-up as
Liverpool bid to set a club record of 11 successive
victories.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise,
Kromkamp, Traore, Warnock, Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko, Hamann,
Kewell, Crouch, Morientes, Fowler, Cisse,
Agger, Dudek.
(TEAMtalk)
'I'd have loved a return to Anfield'
Gary McAllister has explained why he's turned down the
chance to make an emotional return to Liverpool as reserve
team coach.
The Anfield hero met Rafa Benitez and chief executive Rick
Parry to discuss the position soon to be vacated by Paco
Herrera.
But for understandable family reasons, the popular Scot
decided he's not ready to return to football.
McAllister's wife Denise recently lost her long battle with
breast cancer, and with two young boys settled in the
Midlands, the former midfielder explained the timing is not
quite right for him to head back to Merseyside.
"I should make it clear I was not offered the reserve team
manager's job, but we spoke about it," explained McAllister.
"I went to Liverpool to meet Rafa and Rick and we had a chat
about the possibility of me returning. There is a vacancy on
the coaching staff at the moment and we discussed it.
"I don't need to say how exciting and tempting an
opportunity it was for me. Under any other circumstances I'd
have jumped at the chance.
"But after we spoke I thought about the situation and
realised the timing is just not quite right for me at this
moment, so I told Rafa not to consider me for the job."
(Liverpool Echo)
Robson eyes Kirkland move
West Brom boss Bryan Robson has confirmed his intention to
make a permanent bid for Chris Kirkland.
The 25-year-old has spent the whole season on loan at The
Hawthorns from Liverpool, although he was restricted to just
ten games due to injury and the subsequent form of Pole
Tomasz Kuszczak.
Kirkland has seen his slim chances of a World Cup place with
England disappear, but Robson is determined to make a move
for him.
"Chris has shown an unbelievable attitude," said Robson.
"He's come in and been mixing with the lads.
"He's been training with us even though he can't do any
goalkeeping because of his broken finger.
"He's shown real commitment, so that will be a position
we'll be looking at to see if we can take it any further
forward."
(Sky Sports)
Carra: Crouch is 'not just a goalscorer'
Jamie Carragher has joined the chorus of approval in singing
the praises of Peter Crouch.
The Liverpool defender thinks his team-mate will strike fear
into opposition defenders at the World Cup if Wayne Rooney
fails to recover from his broken foot in time.
"He's not just a goalscorer," said Carragher. "He has
created a lot of goals for us this season and he's given us
a physical presence up front that we didn't have last
season.
"I'm sure foreign defenders coming up against Crouchy won't
know what's hit them."
Carragher is also insisting that they can still bring the
trophy home from Germany without Rooney.
He added: "There are still world class players throughout
the team.
"Wayne is a big miss because he is a world class player but
if our players play to the top of their game we can still go
close to winning the tournament."
(Daily Post)
Pellegrino snubs return to Anfield
Mauricio Pellegrino has turned down the chance to return to
Anfield as reserve team manager.
The 34-year-old defender is eyeing a move into coaching and
emerged as a candidate to take over from Paco Herrera when
he leaves at the end of the season.
Pellegrino was in line to link up with Liverpool manager
Rafael Benitez for a third time but has decided to extend
his playing career with Alaves.
The Argentinian, who appeared in two consecutive Champions
League finals at Valencia, played under Benitez when he took
over as coach there, then joined him on loan
last season.
(Daily Post) |
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THURSDAY 4 |
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Rafa ready for runners-up spot
If the Anfield side win against Portsmouth and
Sir Alex Ferguson's men fail to follow suit at home to
Charlton, it is they who will snatch what had looked like an
unlikely runners-up position and gain automatic
qualification for the Champions League in the process.
Three points would also put Liverpool on 82 points for the
campaign, a whopping 24-point gain from last season's
fifth-place finish.
And while realising that the trump card remains firmly in
the hand of the Rooney-less knighted Scotsman, Benitez has
not given up on completing a remarkable turnaround.
"We know it is going to be difficult," he told the club's
official website. "At one point it looked like we would not
only have to win, but also score a lot of goals to catch
them even if they lost. That would have been very difficult.
"Now it's straightforward. The advantage is still with them,
but we have a chance. If we win, we already know there are
some good records to achieve. We have already played a good
season and can be happy with what we've done so far."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds still in chase for Aurelio
Liverpool are still hoping to sign Fabio Aurelio in the
summer.
Villareal are favourites to sign the Brazilian when his
contract expires at the end of the season, but Rafael
Benitez is still hoping to convince the player to move to
Anfield.
Real Madrid are monitoring developments and may also join
the chase if the price is right.
(LFC Online)
Garcia secures last FA Cup award
Liverpool's Luis Garcia has been named as the FA
Cup's "Player of the Round" for the semi-finals - and
completes this season's "Team of the FA Cup".
The attacking midfielder helped the Reds to the final with a
stunning goal in their semi-final win over Chelsea.
He polled over 37% of the votes on the Football
Association's website, beating team-mate Xabi Alonso and
West Ham's Yossi Benayoun and Marlon Harewood.
Garcia will not be able to play in the final because of
suspension.
The winner in each round receives an engraved silver salver,
a VIP seat at the FA Cup Final and £1,000 worth of Umbro kit
for a local school, club or organisation.
(BBC Sport Online)
Ex-Red Tony Rowley dies at 76
The Mersey soccer community is mourning the passing of Tony
Rowley, aged 76.
Born in Wales of Italian extraction (his real name was
Antonio Camilio), Rowley scored 38 goals in 57 appearances
for Liverpool in the 1950s, but achieved fame when he was
capped by Wales on April 22, 1959 - as a third division
player for Tranmere Rovers.
Born in Porthcawl, Wales on September 19, 1929, Rowley
played for Birmingham, Tranmere, Bangor City, Northwich
Victoria and Mossley as well as Liverpool.
He scored a hat-trick on his league debut on the opening day
of the 1954-55 season against Doncaster Rovers at Anfield -
but could never hold down a regular first team place.
Whenever he did play, however, his goals record was
impressive and when he was transferred to Tranmere Rovers in
March 1958 he boasted a return of 38 goals in 61
appearances.
He was almost as prolific at Prenton Park, scoring 47 goals
in 100 league games.
(Liverpool Echo)
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Thor Zakariassen
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