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MONDAY 9 |
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Reds draw Portsmouth away
After the drama of a stunning four-goal second-half comeback
against Luton on Saturday evening, Liverpool have been
handed an away draw against Portsmouth in the 4th Round of
the FA Cup.
Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup by Harry Redknapp's
Portsmouth side in 2004 when Richard Hughes scored the only
goal of the game after Michael Owen had missed a penalty.
The FA Cup 4th Round Draw in full
Stoke City/Tamworth v Barnsley/Walsall
Cheltenham Town/Chester City v Newcastle United
Coventry v Nuneaton Borough/Middlesbrough
West Brom/Reading v Torquay/Birmingham
Portsmouth v Liverpool
Leicester v Southampton
Bolton v Arsenal
Aston Villa v Port Vale
Brentford v Sunderland
Manchester City v Wigan/Leeds
Millwall/Everton v Chelsea
Preston v Crystal Palace
West Ham v Blackburn
Colchester v Derby
Charlton v Leyton Orient
Wolves v Burton/Manchester United
(LFC Official Website)
Wolves keen on Reds' Mellor
Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle has turned his attention to
Liverpool striker Neil Mellor after missing out on MK Dons
striker Izale McLeod.
The Molineux outfit dropped their interest McLeod after
having a £600,000 bid turned down and reports suggest they
are now chasing Mellor.
Hoddle has around £2million to spend to strengthen his
side's promotion push and has made signing a striker a
priority.
Mellor has been tracked by a number of Championship sides
including Sheffield United and Stoke and is rated in the
£1million bracket by Liverpool.
He has made 21 first-team appearances for the Reds, scoring
six goals in the process. However, he was forced to undergo
surgery on both knees last March and has not appeared for
the Premiership side since.
(TEAMtalk)
Simao cool on Reds rumours
Portugal winger Simao Sabrosa has rejected suggestions he
may have played his last game for Benfica.
The 26-year-old has been linked with a January transfer
window move to Manchester United and Liverpool and many
observers felt the 2-0 win against Pacos on Sunday would be
his last appearance for the Lisbon club.
However, Simao said: "Is this my last game with Benfica? I
don't see why.
"I am professional and I have a contract until June 2010.
"Everyone is aware of the situation but it's Benfica that
has to decide.
"For the time being there is nothing."
Liverpool tried to bring Simao to the Premiership in the
summer but Benfica rejected a bid reported to be
£10.2million.
(TEAMtalk)
Brondby: Liverpool rivals in for Agger
Brondby have claimed Liverpool face competition from a
number of other Premiership clubs for the signature of
Daniel Agger.
The 21-year-old centre-back is the top of Rafael Benitez's
January wishlist as he attempts to bolster his defensive
options.
Reports in Denmark yesterday suggested Brondby have slapped
a £7million price tag on the player.
Liverpool are unwilling to go above £5.5m for the player
and, with other transfer options available, Benitez's
patience will not last forever.
However, it is unlikely Brondby would reject Liverpool's
offer for a player who is out of contract in 18 months.
Brondby chief executive Per Bjerregaard expects Agger to be
training with his current club this week and has dismissed
the suggestion personal terms with Liverpool have already
been agreed by the player.
And he said last night: "It is 100% rubbish and is not true
that personal terms have been agreed. It is true that
Liverpool are one of the clubs that are interested but there
are also other Premier League clubs interested in him."
(Daily Post)
Carra's delight at double fans honour
Jamie Carragher has spoken of his pride and delight after
receiving a double honour from the Merseyside branch of the
official Liverpool supporters club.
Carragher, the Reds' undisputed player of last season,
walked away with the player of 2005 award and the inaugural
Emlyn Hughes Award.
The latter, which was presented by members of Emlyn's
family, is given to the player who plays the game in the
best spirit of our former double European Cup winning
captain.
In the player of the year poll Carragher beat off
competition from Xabi Alonso (second) and Luis Garcia
(third).
"An award like this means even more to me because it's voted
for by the fans," says the Reds inspirational number 23.
"I'm also proud to have been handed an award in honour of
Emlyn Hughes, who's one of the greatest defenders to ever
play for Liverpool. If I can win as many league titles and
European Cups as he did at Anfield, I'll be even happier."
(LFC Official Website)
Cup hero Sinama keen to stay in picture
Florent Sinama-Pongolle is willing to turn down a loan move
this month and fight for his place at Liverpool.
The 21-year-old was on target twice after coming on as a
second-half substitute as Rafael Benitez's side came from
3-1 down to win 5-3 at Luton Town in the FA Cup third round
on Saturday.
"I haven't played as much as I would have liked so far this
season, so it's understandable that I am a little bit
disappointed with how things have gone up to now," said
Sinama-Pongolle.
"But I'm happy at Liverpool. I love the club and I am still
very much enjoying myself here. Being at this club is a
great footballing experience for me."
(Daily Post)
Under 18's win
Liverpool's under 18's side returned to action after the
Winter break with a 5-3 win over West Brom.
Hours before the senior side beat Luton by the same score,
the under 18's overcame West Brom 5-3 at the Academy.
Charlie Barnett opened the scoring for the Reds in the first
five minutes but quickly found themselves 2-1 down, albeit
against the run of play.
Liverpool were soon back on level terms however, with Paul
Barrett scoring the equaliser before captain Stephen Darby
put the Reds 3-2 up.
James Frayne then put the Reds 4-2 up before West Brom
pulled a goal back to make it 4-3. All this before
half-time!
Things tightened up in the second half and there was only
one more goal; Conal Platt wrapping things up midway through
the second half with Liverpool's fifth in
an entertaining game.
(LFC Online) |
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SUNDAY 8 |
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Newell: Scott deserved red
Mike Newell claims Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson should
have been sent off by Mark Clattenburg in Saturday's FA Cup
thriller.
The referee adjudged Carson to have brought down Rowan Vine
for Luton's penalty in their 5-3 FA Cup defeat, even though
television replays poured doubt on the decision.
"I'm not advocating that goalkeepers get sent off but the
rules say he should have been sent off," said Newell.
"I can't fault my team's honesty. It's no consolation to
have performed so well. At the end of the day we have been
beaten.
"I never thought the game was over. If Liverpool can do what
they did against Milan then they can do it against Luton.
"At half-time I told my players they deserved to be in
front. We had played the better football. But I can't knock
them. They are an honest bunch. We're a good footballing
side and we showed great character. I won't criticise them."
(TEAMtalk)
Whitehead shrugs off Reds link
Sunderland midfielder Dean Whitehead has insisted that
speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool will not
affect his game.
The 23-year-old is flattered by the reported interest of
Rafa Benitez, but is totally focused on saving The Black
Cats from relegation.
"Of course, it's nice to be playing so well that you get
linked with a club like Liverpool, the champions of Europe
at the moment," he remarked.
"But none of that is bothering me at all. It hasn't made a
difference to me at all.
"I'm still focused on doing everything I can to help
Sunderland get up the Premiership table somehow - there's
nothing else on my mind.''
(Sky Sports)
Xabi relieved at recovery
Two-goal Xabi Alonso reflected on Liverpool's latest cup
great escape and admitted: "We've had another comeback."
Liverpool, who fought back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to
win the Champions League final, dug deep again to beat Luton
5-3 in the FA Cup third round after trailing 3-1 in the
second half at Kenilworth Road on Saturday evening.
"At 3-1 down, things were pretty tough but we've had another
comeback,"
Alonso told BBC1.
"We'd prefer to do the job from the beginning but we're
still glad to get through."
(TEAMtalk) |
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SATURDAY 7 |
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Liverpool target athlete of the year 2005
in Denmark
Daniel Agger danish national defender who are linked with
Liverpool, where today elected as the best athlete of the
year 2005 in Denmark by several danish media.
Agger are at the moment on holiday at Gran Canarie with his
Brondby manager.
According to several danish newspapers, will Agger`s future
be official next week, and it looks like his first training
will be at Anfield.
(Liverpool4Ever)
Benitez accuses 'complacent' Reds
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez accused his players of
complacency after their incredible 5-3 FA Cup third round
victory away at Luton.
Benitez said: "The problem was we scored too early and we
thought the game was going to be easy.
"When we woke up the score was 3-1 to them. We got back into
it and kept going forward, but you cannot afford to wait
until the second half to play.
"I was not happy with the performance. We gifted them so
many chances."
(BBC Sport Online)
Reds fight back to win thriller
Liverpool emerged from a truly memorable FA Cup tie at Luton
with an amazing 5-3 victory in a third round battle that had
everything.
A pulsating game saw Steven Gerrard put Liverpool ahead
early on before Luton started to dominate the European
champions and goals from Steve Howard and Steve Robinson
deservedly put Mike Newell's men ahead at half time.
The game was far from over and the second half was
spellbinding stuff as Djibril Cisse missed a penalty before
Kevin Nicholls scored from the spot for Luton just minutes
later to put them 3-1 ahead.
Liverpool then staged another miraculous comeback with
substitute Florent Sinama-Pongolle the catalyst as he scored
the first and third of three goals in 12 minutes to somehow
put The Reds ahead, either side of Xabi Alonso's dipping
35-yard effort.
The Spanish midfielder then capped an amazing night's action
by adding a fifth for Liverpool in stoppage time from inside
his own half, with goalkeeper Marlon Beresford stranded
after coming up for a corner.
(Sky Sports)
Red hot Robbie scores a hat-trick
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler scored a hat trick for
Manchester City today to keep their FA Cup hopes alive.
City had gone a goal down to Scunthorpe United after just 17
minutes but a trio of goals - the 3rd a penalty - saw Fowler
put City into the fourth round.
It was Fowler's first hat trick in 5-years following a
miserable spell since leaving Anfield.
Sources close to the player insist he's never recovered
since he was bombed out of Anfield by former boss Gerard
Houllier and chief executive Rick Parry.
He dreams of finishing his career as a Red again - put
simply, Liverpool are the only team he's ever cared about.
The 30-year-old former England international is out of
contract in the summer.
(Kop Talk)
Luton Town v Liverpool - confirmed teams
LUTON TOWN: Beresford, Foley, Coyne, Heikkinen, Underwood,
Edwards, Nicholls, Robinson, Brkovic, Howard, Vine.
SUBS: Feeney, Showunmi, Morgan, Brill, Barnett.
LIVERPOOL: Carson, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise,
Sissoko, Alonso, Kewell, Gerrard, Crouch, Cisse.
SUBS: Reina, Pongolle, Kromkamp, Warnock, Hamann.
(Kop Talk)
Anderson delighted with dream move
Liverpool youngster Paul Anderson has described his move to
Anfield as a "dream come true".
Anderson, 17, had been training with the Reds for most of
the season and his permanent move from Hull was completed
this week, with John Welsh moving in the opposite direction.
And the winger told the club's official website: "It was a
brilliant feeling to sign for Liverpool permanently. It is
the realisation of a dream for me.
"I won't confess to being a boyhood Liverpool fan, because I
wasn't, but to sign for the European champions is the stuff
dreams are made of and one I couldn't turn down.
"My main objective now is to settle down fully and try and
improve as much as I can, while looking further ahead, my
ultimate goal has to be to play for and establish myself in
the first team."
(TEAMtalk)
Crouch hits Anfield heights
Peter Crouch is relishing his time at Liverpool after
finally ending his goal drought.
The giant England striker featured in 21 games this season
without scoring before he finally ended his duck with a
brace against Wigan at the beginning of December.
Now Crouch says he is lapping up the fans' adulation,
revealing that he finds a Kop chant particularly endearing.
"There's a song they sing about me at Liverpool," he told
the Daily Mail. "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out the
bed...
"That's funny. It's sung with affection as well. People who
said I couldn't play three months ago have now totally
changed their tune."
Crouch came in for some heavy criticism during his early
days at Anfield, although the manner in which he handled the
pressure also won him many admirers.
"I am quite proud of it, yeah," he continued. "Maybe I took
a bit of a battering from certain people but not those
around me. Not the England manager, all the England players
- who were top class - the manager here, team-mates, fans.
"The people who know me and the ones I care about were all
top class. There were people who gave me a bit but that's
all part of football.
"As much as people build you up, they knock you down. You
just have to carry on and now I'm feeling the benefit of
it."
(Sky Sports)
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Thor Zakariassen
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