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SATURDAY 9 |
Rafa: City can now
throw title open
Rafa Benitez is keeping his fingers crossed Man City can
throw the title race wide open on Sunday after Liverpool
maintained their charge with a 3-0 win at Upton Park.
"We have done our job," said the Spaniard. "We have to keep
winning, that's all we can do. We needed to get three points
and put them under pressure, and now we will be supporting
Man City.
"It's a derby and if they make a mistake they will be
feeling the pressure. Man City is a difficult team to play
against."
(LFC Official Website)
Stevie hoping for
United slip-up
Steven Gerrard helped fire Liverpool back to the top of the
Premier League table - and then called on Manchester City to
do the Reds a favour at Old Trafford tomorrow.
"It was important for us to keep going and do our job," said
the skipper. "We have to win our remaining games and put
pressure on United.
"If they win their games then fair play to them and they
will deserve it, but at the moment we deserve to be at the
top of the league.
"We're still in there fighting and we'll keep going, but if
it's not to be then we'll learn from where we have gone
wrong this season and look to put it right next year."
(LFC Official Website)
Reds on top after
nailing Hammers
Liverpool maintained the pressure on Manchester United with
a comfortable 3-0 win over West Ham at Upton Park.
Steven Gerrard opened the scoring on two minutes before
adding a second before the break when he was able to turn
the ball home after seeing his spot-kick saved.
Substitute Ryan Babel then rounded things off in the 85th
minute to move Liverpool back to the top of the table.
(Setanta Sports)
Torres returns at Upton Park
Fernando Torres returns for Liverpool at Upton Park this
evening.
Javier Mascherano is also included after sustaining a
twisted ankle against Newcastle, while Yossi Benayoun is
preferred to Albert Riera on the left.
The Reds XI in full is: Reina, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Skrtel,
Carragher, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Kuyt, Benayoun,
Torres.
Subs: Cavalieri, Dossena, Hyypia, Babel, Insua, Ngog, Degen.
(LFC Official Website)
Juve swoop in for Reds target Silva
Juventus have made the first move to sign Valencia star
David Silva but the reported Liverpool target has warned he
has no intention of leaving
the Mestalla this summer.
Silva, and his illustrious and free-scoring team-mate David
Villa, could well be sold by Valencia once the season has
finished as the Spanish side are suffering from crippling
financial problems.
Rafa Benitez has previously admitted he enquired about the
Euro 2008 winner but pulled out of talks once details were
leaked to
the Spanish media.
“The club has authorised my agent to negotiate with Juventus
but it is their decision, it does not depend on me,” Silva
told AS.
“In football anything can happen and almost everything does
with Valencia. But then it also depends on me. If I want to
go or not
and if so, where.
“But one thing is clear: I do not want to leave Valencia, I
am very
happy here.
“I’ve been here since I was 13 and my family, which is the
most important thing for me, is very happy and feel at home.
“I want to fulfil my contract and, although there is a lot
of talk, I am
pretty calm.”
(Setanta Sports)
Benitez targets long-term success
Rafael Benitez believes Liverpool are in a better position
than their rivals to challenge Manchester United for the
league title during the coming seasons.
And the Reds manager said that building a settled squad was
a key factor in the club's on-pitch improvement.
"Stability is good for any club and because the squad is
better it means you don't need to change many players.
"I think we are better placed than the others for
challenging United in the long term," Benitez said.
The 49-year-old, who has been at the club since 2004, added
that the "spine of the team" was in place and just a couple
more players were needed to take the team to a higher level.
"Now it will be easier. We can say to players 'come to
Liverpool as you will win trophies in the future' and I
think they will come," he said.
"We need some quality players to take us forward. If we can
keep the consistency of this year then one or two players
could make a massive difference."
Under Benitez, Liverpool have won the Champions League and
FA Cup, although the highest they have finished in the
Premier League is third.
(BBC Sport Online)
Benitez praises Zola
Rafael Benitez has praised Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola.
Benitez has been impressed with the job done by Zola since
taking over at West Ham earlier in the season.
"I think Zola is doing a very good job. They are a team that
are playing well and have confidence. It will be a tough
game for us," said the boss.
"As a player Zola was fantastic and now, as a manager, he is
doing a very good job.
"He is clever and he is doing well because he knows what to
do. He knew the Premier League as a player and now he knows
it as a manager."
(LFC Online)
Benayoun form
thrills Benitez
Yossi Benayoun returns to face his former club West Ham on
Saturday evening with Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez
believing the midfielder is in the best form of his Anfield
career.
The 29-year-old Israel captain has had a lengthy run in the
side of late due to Steven Gerrard's injury problems, and
that has seen him produce a string of impressive
performances.
Benitez is happy that Benayoun is playing well enough to
overcome
any barracking.
"Yossi has been playing really well. He is in the best form
of his time at Liverpool," he said.
"When we brought him here it was because we had confidence
in
that quality.
"Now he is playing more games, is becoming more consistent.
He is playing better and that creates a cycle because with
that form comes more games and that in turn improves his
consistency and confidence.
"Every player is looking for more time on the pitch, and he
has been lucky to have that of late because of injuries
elsewhere in the squad.
"Always I have wanted to keep him here. There has been lots
of talk about his future, in particular when he has not been
playing regularly.
"But we want him to maintain this current form and keep it
going next season. He has benefited because Steven Gerrard
has been injured and we have played Yossi further forward.
That has been fortunate for him."
(Football 365) |
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FRIDAY 8 |
Cruel blow denies Reserves
A dramatic stoppage time own goal from Stephen Darby gave
Ajax a 1-0 win over Liverpool Reserves in a prestigious
friendly on Friday night.
It was cruel misfortune for the reserve team skipper as he
spectacularly deflected a cross from substitute Danilo Sousa
Campos beyond the reach of Dean Bouzanis and into the back
of the net.
The friendly encounter in Amsterdam was staged to raise
funds for the charity 'Right to Play' and on a lovely
summer's evening Gary Ablett's side certainly gave a good
account of themselves.
Liverpool team: Martin Hansen (Dean Bouzanis 45), Martin
Kelly (Emmanuel Mendy 77), Stephen Darby, Mikel San Jose,
Daniel Ayla, Damien Plessis, Ryan Crowther (Gerardo Bruna
45), Victor Palsson (Steven Irwin 45), Krisztian Nemeth
(Nikola Saric 70), Daniel Pacheco (Vitor Flora 70), Vincent
Weijl (David Amoo 77).
(LFC Official Website)
Zola out to end
Reds' title challenge
Gianfranco Zola's last appearance for Chelsea denied
Liverpool a Champions League place - and he now wants to end
their title hopes
as a boss.
West Ham have already dented Rafael Benitez's Premier League
bid by earning a point at Anfield earlier in the season and
with Liverpool needing a win at Upton Park to catch
Manchester United, they can do it again.
Zola has history against Liverpool, his emotional final
appearance for Chelsea was against them six years ago and
resulted in a place among Europe's elite, while dumping
their opponents into the UEFA Cup.
Zola is determined to earn his first win against one of the
league's top four clubs as a manager, although he is wary of
Liverpool's style away
from home.
"In my opinion they are a team you'd rather play at their
home than away as if you look at their record away it must
be one of the best in the Premier League," Zola said.
"So it is a really tough match for us but my players are
determined to beat one of the really top sides."
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez urges players
to keep their belief
Rafael Benitez has urged his Liverpool players not to lose
their belief ahead of another vital Premier League clash
away to West Ham tomorrow.
Victory for the Reds at Upton Park will put them back on top
of the table on goal difference, at least for 24 hours until
leaders Manchester United face Manchester City at Old
Trafford on Sunday.
Benitez, who will be without ankle-injury victim Xabi Alonso
in east London tomorrow, said: “Every single week it has
been an opportunity for us, to get three points and to put
pressure on Manchester United.
“We must keep winning, keep pushing and see what happens. It
could be difficult for them against Manchester City, but
United are a very good team with equally good players. But
you never know what could happen. It is up to us to win our
games and be waiting.”
(The Irish Times)
More star names for Memorial game
Further participants taking part in next week's Hillsborough
Memorial game have been revealed today.
Teddy Sheringham, Mike Newell and Alan Irvine are set to
grace the hallowed Anfield turf on May 14 as a team of
Liverpool legends, managed by Kenny Dalglish, take on a team
of All Stars, coached by Ricky Tomlinson, Phil Thompson and
Jamie Carragher.
Former Tottenham, Manchester United and West Ham striker
Sheringham retired from playing last summer and won over
fifty caps for England during a distinguished career.
Grimsby boss Newell played under the guidance of Dalglish
during Blackburn's title triumph of 1995, while former
Everton coach Irvine is currently in charge of Preston.
The trio will join Liverpool legends such as Dalglish,
Robbie Fowler, John Aldridge, Ian Rush, Peter Beardsley,
Ronnie Whelan, Gary Gillespie, Jan Molby, Gary Ablett, Steve
Staunton, Jamie Redknapp, Steve McManaman, Gary McAllister
and Don Hutchison in taking to the pitch once again.
Other confirmed players include Nigel Clough, Des Walker,
Dave Watson, Alan Stubbs, Trevor Steven and Graham Stuart.
(LFC Official Website)
Alonso out of Hammers encounter
Xabi Alonso is out of Saturday's Premier League trip to West
Ham after the Liverpool midfielder was carried off against
Newcastle last weekend.
The Reds went on to win that game with Newcastle 3-0 but
Alonso has struggled to recover from the ankle injury
sustained in the tackle.
Striker Fernando Torres (hamstring) and midfielder Javier
Mascherano (ankle) are expected to play at the Boleyn
Ground, where Liverpool can regain top spot from Manchester
United on goal difference if they
are victorious.
"Xabi is not fit and cannot play," Rafael Benitez said.
"We think maybe in the next week he will be okay. We had an
idea that he could be fit for this game but in the end it
was impossible.
"Javier was training and is in the squad, and so is
Fernando."
Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Hyypia,
Agger, Dossena, Aurelio, Insua, Benayoun, Gerrard, Babel,
Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Torres, Riera, Cavalieri, Ngog, El
Zhar.
(TEAMtalk)
70 years on: Paisley arrives
The Reds made an acquisition that would help shape the
future of the club back on this day in 1939 when they signed
a man by the name of Bob Paisley from Bishop Auckland.
The left-half went on to feature 277 times for Liverpool as
a player before turning his attentions to the dugout, where
he became the most successful manager in English football
history.
Elsewhere on this day in LFC history, we collected our 11th
league title back in 1979.
It came courtesy of a 3-0 home win over Aston Villa with
goals from Alan Kennedy, Kenny Dalglish and Terry McDermott.
(LFC Official Website)
Dalglish pays
tribute to Hyypia
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has paid tribute to Sami
Hyypia as the Finn moves onto Bayer Leverkusen.
Dalglish wrote in liverpoolfc.tv: "Sami has been an
absolutely magnificent servant to this football club. He
came in and showed his worth immediately. He was made
captain of the club and even when the decision was taken to
make a change and give the armband to Steven Gerrard, the
dignity he showed was brilliant and reflected tremendously
well on him as a person.
"To spend 10 years at the same club is a remarkable
achievement, and even more so when that club is Liverpool
and the demands to succeed year after year are exceptionally
high.
"But Sami's performance levels have always been very, very
high. When he first arrived people commented that he wasn't
quick - but over the years he hasn't lost any of that pace
because he didn't have too much to start with! He reads the
game so well and has made a massive contribution - at both
ends of the pitch - to Liverpool Football Club.
"I'm sure it was a hard decision to reach but sometimes even
the best things have to finish. He made a lot of friends
during his 10 years at Anfield and I am sure he will leave
with the very best wishes of everybody connected with the
club."
(tribalfootball.com) |
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THURSDAY 7 |
Terriers boss wants Kelly return
Huddersfield manager Lee Clark wants Liverpool teenager
Martin Kelly to return to the Galpharm Stadium on a
season-long loan next season.
The 19-year-old, who appeared for Liverpool in the Champions
League against PSV Eindhoven in December, spent the last
month of the season at Huddersfield and played in all their
remaining seven matches.
"He's a Liverpool player and their season is still
on-going," Clark told
the Examiner.
"I've gone on record several times over how highly I rate
Martin and we'd certainly like to bring him back here on a
season-long loan if possible.
"But it's unlikely Liverpool will make any decisions until
their season is over and it would be unfair to expect them
to. There's also the Champions League factor, in that their
squad has to have a certain number of homegrown players.
"We're prepared to be patient and we're hoping Rafa Benitez
will be more than happy at the way we've handled Martin
being here."
(TEAMtalk)
Gerrard: Reds will win title
Steven Gerrard claims the current Liverpool side is too good
not to claim the Premier League title in the near future.
The Reds captain still believes they can 'nick' the title
this season, but more realistically reckons he will not have
to wait long to lift the trophy.
"I honestly believe that this team will win the Premier
League," Gerrard told the Daily Mail.
"I believe I'll get my hands on it. If I said, 'I don't
think we're going to win it' what would be the point of
carrying on?
"We're so close to doing it this season I believe we can
still nick it.
"If we don't and United close it out, then we're going to
have a right good go at it over the next three, four or five
years and I believe we're too good not to win it.
"Winning the title with Liverpool would mean the world to
me."
(Sporting Life)
Thommo reveals how
Hyypia landed at Liverpool
Former Liverpool boss Phil Thompson has revealed how he and
ex-manager Gerard Houllier were able to first bring Sami
Hyypia to the club.
In a tribute to the Finn, who is leaving for Bayer
Leverkusen at the end of the season, Thommo wrote in a
column for liverpoolfc.tv: "I remember going to watch him
for the first time. Peter Robinson had got a tape off some
random guy and passed it on to me. I have to admit I'm not a
fan of analysing a player from video.
"If you look at me for example, I scored 13 goals for
Liverpool. I could have made out to someone in Brazil that I
was a top class striker on video! All I had to do was put
together a montage of those goals; you see how easy it could
be to fool people!
"So, when it comes down to it, you have to go and see them
with your own two eyes. Ron Yeats went to see him first of
all and was very impressed. I followed that up and saw him
play in Nuremburg for Finland against Germany. He was up
against a guy called Oliver Bierhoff who was a fantastic
centre forward.
"His major asset was that he was superb in the air; so for
me, the key was to see how Sami handled him. I have to admit
he was outstanding. He didn't give him a header all night
long and that was particularly important to me because
that's what we lacked in the side at the time.
"Gerard had wanted a centre back and we got one with
experience in the shape of Stephane Henchoz from Blackburn
Rovers. Sami hadn't played in the Premiership but after
seeing him in action we decided we wanted him too.
"I remember seeing him in our first pre-season training
session. I thought to myself, 'This guy's six foot four and
he's got the passing range
of Jan Molby!'"
(tribalfootball.com)
Thor Zakariassen
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