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MONDAY 6 |
Skrtel could be out until Easter
Defender Martin Skrtel is expected to be out for the rest of
the year at least, after suffering damage to his PCL
(Posterior Cruciate Ligament) in the 3-2 win over Man City
on Sunday.
The PCL is one of the main ligaments in the knee and
although it is thought to be one of the strongest ligaments
in the knee (the ACL is more commonly damaged) it accounts
for around 20% of all knee injuries.
No timescale has been set by the club yet for Skrtel’s
return, with the Slovakian international meeting with a
specialist on Tuesday morning. Spokesman Ian Cotton said “He
will see a specialist on Tuesday to assess the extent of the
injury. We will then have an accurate idea of
the timescales involved before he is back playing again.”
(This is Anfield)
City riches worthless as Liverpool
bank on self belief in fightback
When Dirk Kuyt was asked in midweek whether Steven Gerrard
would consider a move to Eastlands, his response was
emphatic.
“I don’t think any player from Liverpool would go to
Manchester City because Liverpool is a much bigger club,”
said the Dutch striker.
A rollercoaster afternoon yesterday gave the perfect reason
why.
City may have the new-found riches but it’s Rafael Benitez’s
side that possess the greater immediate promise of
silverware given the evidence of this latest remarkable
fightback.
Fernando Torres was among several players City’s new Abu
Dhabi owners had supposedly earmarked during a frantic
transfer deadline day
last month.
At least their judgement can’t be questioned.
(Ian Doyle - Liverpool Daily Post)
We must keep on
winning says Dirk
Dirk Kuyt believes Liverpool have made another statement of
their Premier League intent with last-gasp victory at
Manchester City.
The win keeps the Reds level on points with league leaders
Chelsea going into the international break.
Kuyt said: “We try to make a statement every week. Every
three games we have a big game. We had Everton and PSV last
week, and our target is just to win every game and try to be
there by the end of the season.
“But it was vital to keep pace with Chelsea before the
internationals. We can leave with a good feeling."
(Daily Post)
Torres becomes top foreigner
Fernando Torres is now Liverpool's highest foreign scorer in
Premier League history after his City brace on Sunday.
The in-form Spaniard leapfrogged Patrik Berger in taking his
league tally
to 29 and counting.
If that wasn't impressive enough, Torres claimed the record
in just 39 games – compared with Berger's 148.
(LFC Official Website)
Four Reds in Spain squad
Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres
have been named in the Spain squad.
The Liverpool quartet are in the squad for the upcoming
World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Belgium. Spain are
currently top of group five with a 100% record.
(LFC Online)
Gerrard in England squad
Steven Gerrard has been named in the England squad for the
upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
The Liverpool captain has been named in the squad for the
upcoming games against Kazakhstan and Belarus. Former Reds
Scott Carson, Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey are also in the
squad but Michael Owen again misses out.
(LFC Online) |
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SUNDAY 5 |
Skrtel to face knee scan
Rafael Benitez has confirmed that Martin Skrtel will have a
scan on the knee he twisted during the 3-2 win over
Manchester City to determine
the full extent of his injury.
The Reds number 37 was carried off the field on a stretcher
after collapsing in agony following a clearance on the edge
of his own
penalty area.
"Martin has twisted his knee and we will have to wait for
the scan but we think it could be serious," said Benitez.
"That's the bad news for us today. When a player like Martin
is on
the ground you know it's serious so we will keep our fingers
crossed
that it won't be too bad."
(LFC Official Website)
Rafa salutes comeback heroes
Rafael Benitez praised the character of his players after
the Reds came back from 2-0 down to beat Manchester City 3-2
following a fantastic second half performance.
The only blemish to a great victory was Martin Skrtel forced
off on
a stretcher with a knee injury.
"I'm really pleased with the result but am disappointed for
Martin Skrtel with his injury," said Benitez.
"The positive thing was the reaction of the players after a
bad first half. We made two mistakes for both goals and the
reaction and character we showed in the second half was for
me the key to winning the game."
(LFC Official Website)
Liverpool's football was excellent
Like a criminal who has just been caught by the cops, I
hold
my hands aloft.
I got one very quick – very restricted look at the Pablo
Zabaleta challenge on Xabi Alonso, and it looked good. If it
wasn’t, the hands are up and the cuffs are on. I’ll admit my
guilt.
But let’s not let the incident overshadow what was a superb
Liverpool comeback.
Sometimes when writing a post-match blog, it can be easy to
look past the main point. It can be easy to go searching for
a hidden meaning to
a game, when the overwhelming truth is: Liverpool played
some
classy football.
Rafa Benitez’s style of football has taken a battering on
occasions during his time at Anfield, with accusations of
Liverpool being ‘too direct, ‘too negative’, ‘too cautious’,
yet today there were times when they tore City’s defence to
shreds.
(Ben Blackmore - Setanta Sports)
Kuyt keeps Reds flying high in table
Dirk Kuyt scored his first Premier League goal since
November as Liverpool came from two goals down to win 3-2
away to 10-man Manchester City.
The Holland striker rattled the ball home in stoppage time
at Eastlands on Sunday to preserve the Reds' unbeaten start
to the season.
The home side had raced into a two-goal lead in the first
half through Stephen Ireland and Javier Garrido.
Fernando Torres pulled a goal back before City's Pablo
Zabaleta
was sent off.
The momentum was then with Liverpool with Torres adding a
second before Kuyt, who was guilty of a shocking earlier
miss, having
the final word.
(TEAMtalk)
Masch replaces Keane for City clash
Javier Mascherano replaces Robbie Keane for this afternoon's
visit to Man City. You can listen to the game live online
from 2.55pm BST.
Rafa Benitez makes just one change from the side that beat
PSV 3-1
in midweek.
The Liverpool XI in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher,
Skrtel, Aurelio, Mascherano, Gerrard, Riera, Kuyt, Alonso,
Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Agger, Keane, Benayoun, Babel,
Lucas.
(LFC Official Website)
Reds stadium delayed by credit crisis
Chief executive Rick Parry insists the Liverpool's new
stadium will still be built - but only after the current
financial turmoil stabilises.
Parry also made it clear that the club's opposition to
ground sharing with Everton has not changed.
And he revealed that attempts to buy the club have "gone
very quiet".
Work on the Stanley Park project has come to a halt
following a decision to delay the building, maybe for a
year, because of the credit squeeze.
Parry told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek: "Ground share is not
being considered. With the financial markets in the turmoil
as they are, any major construction project at this time is
difficult, it is risky.
"It is a case of a delay while things settle down, it is
still a very, very good long term project. The economics of
it still make underlying sense."
(TEAMtalk) |
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SATURDAY 4 |
U18s rally to claim fifth straight win
Liverpool under-18s fought back from two goals down to
snatch a deserved 4-2 victory in a pulsating clash with
Wolves at the Academy.
The Reds had gone into the match hoping to extend their
winning streak to five matches but that looked like being an
almost impossible target when the visitors raced into a 2-0
lead after just 16 minutes.
However, Hughie McAuley's men rallied and they were level by
the half hour mark courtesy of goals from Lauri Dalla Valle
and Astrit Ajdarevic.
The Reds then looked the more likely side to win it
throughout a tense second period and they eventually got the
goal they deserved seven minutes from time courtesy of
substitute James Ellison's wonderful
25 yard drive.
Marvin Pourie then rubbed salt in the away side's wounds
with a stoppage time fourth.
Liverpool under 18s: Hansen, Scott, Buchtmann, Metcalf,
Kennedy, Ajdarevic, Amoo, Roberts (O'Connor 79), Dalla
Valle, Pourie, Ince (Ellison 65). Unused subs: Duyan.
(LFC Official Website)
Alonso: I’ll repay Liverpool FC fans
Xabi Alonso has vowed to repay the Liverpool supporters who
backed him during his turbulent summer.
The Spain international has played an integral role in the
Anfield outfit’s unbeaten start to the season after
seemingly being on the brink of an exit during the transfer
window.
Alonso has started Liverpool’s last five Premier League
games and will be hopeful of retaining his place for
tomorrow’s visit to Manchester City.
(Daily Post)
Riera eager for City return
Albert Riera is looking forward to returning to Eastlands.
Riera had a short loan spell at Manchester City in 2006 and
played 15 games for the Sky Blues. However, City didn't see
the winger at his best and so on Sunday he wants to show the
City fans how much he's improved as a player.
"That was a very different moment for me as a player. I was
only 22 when I went to Manchester City and so I was still
learning the game and I had never played English football
before," he said.
"But since then I have picked up a lot more experience and I
have played in a UEFA Cup final with Espanyol and for the
Spanish national team so
I am now much better prepared to play in the Premier League.
"It is probably for other people to say if I am a better
player but in my own mind I think that I am and hopefully I
can prove this to the Liverpool fans."
(LFC Online)
Four Liverpool FC players
named in Spain squad
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has named four Liverpool
players in his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against
Estonia and Belgium later
this month.
Fernando Torres, Alvaro Arbeloa, goalkeeper Jose Reina and
midfielder Xabi Alonso are all involved in the 21-man squad.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Thor Zakariassen
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