TUESDAY 12
	Reds wait on duo fitness Liverpool face an anxious wait to assess the fitness of Dirk Kuyt and Daniel Agger after the pair limped out of the action during the Euro 2012 qualifiers on Tuesday night. Kuyt started for Holland but was replaced by Jermain Lens after 29 minutes, while Agger returned from a groin injury but only lasted 39 minutes for Denmark before he had to replaced by former Everton defender Per Kroldrup. Christian Poulsen captained the Danes and played the full 90 minutes of the 2-0 win over Cyprus in Copenhagen, and Holland beat Sweden 4-1. Both Kuyt and Agger will be assessed now when they return to Melwood to see whether they will be available for Sunday's Merseyside derby. Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson played the full 90 minutes for England against Montenegro at Wembley but it was a frustrating night as the match ended goalless. Joe Cole didn't make the bench. Pepe Reina also didn't make the bench as Spain won a five-goal thriller 3-2 against Scotland in Glasgow. Martin Skrtel didn't play because of suspension as Slovakia drew 1-1 with the Republic of Ireland. Former Red Robbie Keane missed a penalty for the Irish. Milan Jovanovic also didn't feature as Serbia's match in Italy was abandoned after eight minutes because of crowd trouble. (LFC Official Website) Liverpool and RBS wait on high-court decision after day of drama Liverpool's fate will be decided by a high- court judge tomorrow morning after a dramatic day of evidence on which two rival offers emerged to the one that has been accepted by the club's board. As lawyers for the current co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, argued against those representing the club and its principal lender, the Royal Bank of Scotland, inside court and fans demonstrated outside, it also emerged that: • The Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim had made an improved offer that was instantly relayed to the court. It is worth £320m in cash, plus £40m for transfers. • Mill Financial, the US hedge fund understood to have assumed control of Gillett's stake in the club after he defaulted on a loan, was also said to be interested in buying the club and was said to have offered to clear Liverpool's debts and commit up to £100m to building a new stadium. • Hicks and Gillett had launched a counter-claim against the Liverpool board and RBS in an attempt to slow down the process and postpone the club's proposed £300m sale to New England Sports Ventures, the owners of the Boston Red Sox. After a full day of sometimes spiky exchanges and dense legal argument Mr Justice Floyd told a packed courtroom that he would return tomorrow morning to deliver his verdict. (guardian.co.uk)   Broughton expects court victory Liverpool's independent chairman Martin Broughton remains confident of winning the High Court battle regarding the ownership of the club despite the judgement being delayed until Wednesday morning. A ruling on the case was expected on Tuesday afternoon, as current co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett attempt to block a proposed sale to New England Sports Ventures, who have seen a £300million offer accepted by the club's board. He told Sky Sports News when leaving court on Tuesday evening: "Judgement reserved, I'm not allowed to say anything. But we remain confident." (Sky Sports)   Lee pleased with Aurelio Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee admitted he was pleased with Fabio Aurelio after his successful comeback against Crewe in the reserves. The Brazilian full-back has been sidelined with an Achilles injury since last month but stepped up his recovery by playing 30 minutes in the 4-1 win over the Railwaymen. Aurelio was replaced by youngster Jack Robinson but had already shown enough with some surging forays forward, which were duly noted by Lee. "It was good to see Fabio back and it was always planned that he would play just the 30 minutes," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "He wanted to play for longer but we have to be careful and make sure he's right and properly fit before we bring him back. "This was a good exercise for us to give some of the lads a game and Crewe are always great to play against because they play football the right way and are a good club. "It's better the any training session because you cannot replicate in training what a football game gives to you." (Sky Sports) Henry sends message to Liverpool fans John Henry has posted a message to Liverpool fans on his Twitter account, ahead of the High Court battle for control of the club. In a series of tweets the NESV owner said... "Hello LFC supporters! "Everyone is hoping for the best. There have been enough twists and turns. Hopefully all gets sorted out soon; LFC moves forward. "It would be inappropriate and presumptuous at this time to respond to questions. In the interim, we're all rooting for the same thing." (LFC Online) Gerrard hits back at Liverpool critics Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has given his full backing to striker Fernando Torres and manager Roy Hodgson after both came in for early-season criticism. "It's unfair for people to just blame the manager for the bad start to the season," he told LFC Weekly. "We're all in this together, everyone at the club, from top to bottom. "We've all got to accept responsibility and pull together if we are to turn things around. "A good win in the derby would be the perfect way to start doing that." (Football 365)  Peter Lim submits increased £360m offer to buy Liverpool FC Singapore billionaire Peter Lim has submitted an increased offer for Liverpool Football Club for £360m. Mr Lim’s offer has been sent to chairman Martin Broughton today as a court is deciding whether he has the legal powers to force through a sale to New England Sports Venture. Liverpool FC has already stated it will honour the deal struck with New England Sports Ventures. The proposal values the club at £320m. In a statement today, Mr Lim - who narrowly lost out to NESV - said the new offer is entirely in cash and will remove the entire acquisition debt of £200m taken on by the existing owners that has cast uncertainty over the club’s future. The new offer includes a cash investment of £120m – £40m for new players in the January transfer window and £80m to pay off all the club’s bank debt, the fees and interest accruing on the bank debt, and provide additional working capital for the club. (Liverpool Echo)  Capello insists he hasn’t betrayed Gerrard England boss Fabio Capello feels he has done nothing wrong in taking the captaincy back from Steven Gerrard. The Italian tactician has handed the armband back to Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand following his four-month absence from the line-up ahead of tonight’s Euro2012 qualifier with Montenegro at Wembley. But he does not feel he has betrayed Gerrard, who has known all along that he is the vice-captain of the team with Ferdinand being the captain. “I waited to see if the players would be fit the day before the game, only for this. Rio is a good captain. He’s a leader on the pitch. So is Steven Gerrard,” he said. “When I started as England manager, I decided who would be vice-captain and captain. I’ve changed nothing from that. Rio is back, he is captain. I spoke with Steven and he ¬understands everything. “I was really happy when Steven played like a captain – with a fantastic performance every time – and he played like a leader on the pitch. But the rules are really important. “We know who is the captain and who is the vice-captain.” (tribalfootball)
	MONDAY 11
	Liverpool to receive new bid from Singapore billionaire The bidding contest for Liverpool FC may not be over, the BBC can reveal. The runner-up in the contest, Peter Lim, a Singapore billionaire, is to approach Liverpool's board with a view to making a higher offer for the club. According to sources close to Mr Lim, he was the club's preferred bidder in the closing stages of the auction. He had talks with Liverpool's chairman about how to announce his takeover, such was the apparent confidence that he would win the contest. Mr Lim learned he was not the victor only a few hours before the club's chairman, Martin Broughton, announced on 6 October that Liverpool would be sold to John Henry's New England Sport Ventures for £300m. Mr Lim, who is being advised by the British firm of lawyers Macfarlanes and by the Wong Partnership of Singapore, still does not know why Mr Broughton went with New England Sports Ventures, owners of the Boston Red Sox. He believes that in purely monetary terms, his offer was at least as attractive as Mr Henry's. (BBC News)   Bank blocks Reds board changes - Hicks can't sack Broughton, Purslow & Ayre The Royal Bank of Scotland have won an interim injunction preventing Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett from firing chairman Martin Broughton and two other board members. As the ownership row at Anfield prepares to go to the High Court on Tuesday RBS have revealed they have won an injunction that prevents the American owners from sacking independent chairman Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre. Hicks tried to remove Purslow and Ayre from Liverpool's board last week after the duo along with Broughton agreed the club's club to New England Sports Ventures The deal is being opposed by Hicks and Gillett who have brought the case to the High Court to try and prevent the sale to NESV. RBS, which holds the bulk of Liverpool's debt is claiming "breach of contract" and says it obtained an interim injunction ahead of a further hearing on Tuesday at London's High Court. (Sky Sports) Liverpool in court - what next? With Liverpool facing a crucial week in their history, TEAMtalk looks at what the outcome of the High Court case could mean for the club. With Friday's deadline for owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to repay their £237million loan to Royal Bank of Scotland looming should the club lose their legal battle there is a risk the bank could call in their debt, resulting in administration. That would run the real risk of a nine-point deduction being imposed by the Premier League, leaving the Reds on minus three points heading into Sunday's Merseyside derby. (TEAMtalk)  High Court defeat monumentally damaging – but there is a plan B The prospect of Liverpool Football Club losing its high court case against current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett this week could plunge the club into a monumental struggle on and off the pitch. Should Hicks and Gillett win the case, not allowing a £300million sale of the club to New England Sports Ventures to go through, Liverpool’s holding company Kop Holdings is likely to be put into administration shortly after Friday’s deadline to repay £280million of loans to the Royal Bank of Scotland. The RBS would see administration as the only way to force a change in power at the club, with victory for Hicks and Gillett in court meaning they would have the power to change the Board of Directors. Although the club itself would not technically be in administration, the Premier League would likely impose a nine point deduction penalty. This would leave Roy Hodgson’s men bottom of the table, on -3 points, with an uphill battle to face. (This is Anfield)   Reina backs Torres Pepe Reina has backed Fernando Torres to come good. Torres has suffered a difficult start to the season and is an injury doubt for the derby this weekend. However, Reina is confident the striker will soon be firing on all cylinders once again. "Fernando is one of the best strikers in the world," said the keeper. "As soon as he is fit once again, and he's working on that, he will be shining once again for us. "The team is good enough to start winning games. It's a difficult situation but we have to stick together and work hard to turn it around." (LFC Online)
	SUNDAY 10
	Shelvey on target for England Jonjo Shelvey was on the scoresheet for England U19s on Sunday afternoon as they cruised through to next year's UEFA European Championship Elite Round with a 4-0 victory over Cyprus in Malmedy. Following Fiday's emphatic 6-1 victory over Albania, England's youngsters again turned on the style with a commanding display which leaves them vying with Belgium for top spot in the group - with the two countries set to meet in a decisive fixture next Wednesday. Benik Afobe was the star of the show as the Arsenal star grabbed a hat-trick, but Liverpool youngster Michael Ngoo - called into the starting eleven for the game by coach Noel Blake - was the creator of the opening two goals before captain Shelvey added a third with a superb drive from outside the area. (LFC Official Website) Hill-Wood rues Reds 'tragedy' Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has described the takeover furore at Liverpool as a "tragedy" for the club, but has reassured Gunners' fans there would be no repeat of the Anfield chaos at The Emirates. As well as languishing in the bottom three of the Premier League, Liverpool face a trip to the High Court this week as New England Sports Ventures will discover whether their bid to buy the debt-ridden club has been accepted. Prospective buyer John Henry and his New Sports Ventures group have agreed a £300million deal to buy out unpopular American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Speaking on the ownership row currently embroiling their Premier League rivals, Hill-Wood told the Sunday Mirror: "What's happened at Liverpool is a football tragedy. They were always a model for how a club should be run. "Now they have got themselves in a terrible muddle. I really hope it gets sorted out because I have some much respect for Liverpool." He added: "We don't have an owner who has saddled the club with £250m worth of debt. "The way we are run, what has happened at Liverpool could not happen here." (Sky Sports) Reina has faith in Hodgson Jose Reina insists the entire Liverpool squad has faith in Roy Hodgson amid speculation the manager could leave Anfield. Chairman Martin Broughton has confirmed that there are clauses in Hodgson's contract which cater for a change in ownership at the club. And with New England Sports Ventures attempting to complete a takeover at Anfield, there has been fresh speculation that the former Fulham boss could be sacked. Liverpool have endured a terrible start to the season and sit in the Premier League relegation zone after collecting just six points from seven games. Hodgson could pay the price, with Reds legend Kenny Dalglish the favourite to become successor, but Reina insists he and his team-mates back their current boss. "I am living my worst experience since I arrived at the club," he said in The People. "This season we have lost some incredible matches. "It would damage the morale of any team, but there is still a long way to go. We need to show pride in the badge on the field. "Nobody would have believed we would start the season this way, but we are all with the coach." (Sky Sports) Purslow expects Liverpool takeover to succeed Liverpool chief executive Christian Purslow is confident the proposed £300 million sale of the club to New England Sports Ventures will go through. Purslow maintained the Reds board had "done their homework" on the American investment group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball team, and said that the club's £237m debt would be wiped out if the takeover, which is subject to a High Court challenge from current owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, goes through next week. He also insisted manager Roy Hodgson's job was safe and that the Liverpool fans would be given a voice should the new owners be able to complete their takeover. (ITN)     Murphy: Liverpool fans must be patient with Hodgson Fulham captain Danny Murphy says Liverpool fans should be patient with Roy Hodgson. Murphy, a former Liverpool midfielder, is convinced Hodgson is the right man for Anfield. He said: “The league table is separated by three to five points from third from bottom to fourth, so there’s a long way to go. “Supporters should stay patient, the team has quality in it and the simple fact is if you panic now and, God forbid, got rid of Roy and brought someone else in, the problems are still there. Besides he’s not that type of man to walk away. He’s a fighter and he believes in what he does and his track record suggests what he does is right. “Let’s put things into perspective It’s only a minority of the fans calling for Roy’s head - it’s not all of them - and there’s a discontent issue there with the ownership problems anyway. Liverpool being such a huge and wonderful club, the spotlight is always on them and when it doesn’t go well it’s going to be exaggerated to a degree. “I’m not saying there aren’t problems but a win at Everton at the weekend and all of a sudden they’re mid-table, they’ve just beaten Everton and everyone’s a bit happier. I spoke to Roy recently and he knows it’s a big task but it was always going to be for whoever took that job over. “The bad times at Liverpool have not just come, they’ve been trophyless for a couple of years now. The squad has diminished in the last couple years under Rafa as well. It’s not just that Roy has come in and all of a sudden they’ve gone bad. “My overwhelming feeling is, yes, it’s disappointing and Liverpool should be doing better, but don’t panic. I know Roy, I know his desire to succeed, I know the characters they still have in that team and I know they’ll be okay.” (tribalfootball.com) Thor Zakariassen ©