Liverpool Tell Benítez League Title Is A Must

Liverpool's manager, Rafael Benítez, will have to guide his team to the Premier League title to justify the £40m the club invested in new players in the summer, according to the club's co-owner Tom Hicks.

Speaking 24 hours after Liverpool's prospects of qualifying for the knock-out stage of the Champions League were severely dented by a 2-1 defeat by Besiktas in Turkey, Hicks said the domestic trophy remained the club's priority. Benítez based his pre-season approach to the American owners of the club on a challenge for the Premier League title, impressing on them the need for more strength in depth if he were to mount a credible challenge to Manchester United and Chelsea.

Hicks and George Gillett acceded to his wishes, investing £26.5m in Fernando Torres and £11.5m on the Ajax winger Ryan Babel. Hicks pledged his support for a coach who has often seemed more at home in European competition than the domestic fray. But in comments that will increase the pressure on Benítez to deliver a title the club have not won for 17 years Hicks implied he and Gillett are expecting a swift return on their investment.

"One of the reasons we made the signings we did in the summer was to create the depth we now have. Rafa explained to George and me that is how you win the Prem, because you have to play every team twice," Hicks said. "We totally support Rafa, nobody wants to win more than Rafa. But I know when we committed the resources for signings in the summer the whole idea was to have a team that could compete for the Premier League. We've not had the depth previously to do that.

"This squad is good enough to win things. It should be winning things. If it doesn't we'll have to look at the circumstances and have a meeting at the end of the year to understand what happened. I don't want to predict failure, I want to predict success."

Benítez demanded extensive investment from Liverpool's new owners after May's defeat by Milan in the European Cup final, a second final appearance in three seasons that he claimed represented an over-achievement for the squad at his disposal. The Liverpool manager said dithering in the transfer market had cost the club major targets in recent seasons - including Daniel Alves at Seville, the former Benfica captain Simão Sabrosa and Florent Malouda this summer - and it was against this backdrop, plus an implied threat from the Spaniard that he would consider his future if finances were not forthcoming, that the Americans eventually acted.

Liverpool's struggles in Europe this season contrast with their success in winning the tournament in 2005 and reaching last year's final but Hicks acknowledged that the supporters crave the Premier League title.

"Our fans, I can tell from just talking to them, want to win the Premier League. They haven't won the top title in 17 years and I know their passions really are that they want to win the Premier League.

Hicks remains confident that Liverpool can qualify for the Champions League knockout round but said failure would not impact on current attempts to refinance the club. The Americans personally guaranteed a loan of £298m from the Royal Bank of Scotland to buy the club but a recent attempt to refinance the loan collapsed. Hicks said he was close to agreeing a deal and Champions League failure would not impact on negotiations.

"The package will be completed within 30 days, but I don't want to comment any further on the details," he said. "In terms of budgeting we've got it covered either way, and we've got our work cut out [to qualify]. If we didn't qualify, it would be terribly disappointing but I'm an optimist and I think we're going to win our next two at home and then we have a big match in Marseille. I think we can get out of the group," he said.

In Focus: Liverpool vs Arsenal

The cloak of caution usually hovers over Liverpool under Benitez but they'll throw the kitchen sink at Arsenal in the opening 20 minutes, allowing the visitors to hit them on the counter-attack.

The pace and interplay of Arsenal's front five will put Liverpool's once iron defence to the test and goals are to be expected. There were 18 in three matches in this fixture at Anfield last season; Arsenal winning twice, Liverpool just the once.

Liverpool's other strikers are slightly one-dimensional but 'El Nino' offers the complete package. Quick, dynamic and two-footed, his £26million transfer fee has been justified with seven goals in 11 games, though even he has not been immune to Rafael Benitez's rotating.

Torres missed the last two games with a thigh injury but should return here in what will be a huge test for William Gallas and Kolo Toure.

THE KEY BATTLES


Cesc Fabregas v Xabi Alonso

One of Fabregas's great assets is his ability to find pockets of space in congested midfields and deliver instant killer passes.

Alonso has more defensive responsibilities than his fellow Spaniard and will be expected to shield Liverpool's back four.

Alexander Hleb v Alvaro Arbeloa

No player epitomises Arsenal's progress better than Hleb. The Belarusian can go into his shell but when they are on song, he is at the heart of it, drifting inside to instigate clever moves with Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky. Arbeloa could be recalled to shadow him for the day.

Theo Walcott v Jamie Carragher

Super quick versus not-so-quick. Only one winner? Certainly not.

Walcott came of age on Tuesday but he is still very raw and Carragher has the nous and expertise to keep him in his cage. However, if Walcott manages to get one-on-one with Liverpool's defensive leader, there could be fireworks.

TEAM NEWS AT A GLANCE

Robin van Persie (knee) and Philippe Senderos (back) are missing for Arsenal. For Liverpool, Fernando Torres is set to return from injury and Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger and Alvaro Arbeloa could also be back after lay-offs.

Reds Reveal New Stadium Cost

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has admitted that the projected cost of building a new stadium for the club has increased by at least £150million.

Hicks and fellow American George Gillett took over the club in March and have since revamped plans for a stadium to replace Anfield by August 2011.

Liverpool are hoping to receive the City Council's seal of approval for the new plans at a meeting on 5th November.

However, Hicks has revealed that the new stadium will now cost the Merseyside outfit "at least £400m" - a considerable increase on the initial estimate of £250m.

The stadium is planned to hold 60,000 supporters and will be designed to accommodate an additional 10,000 fans when permission is secured.

"Our fans are wonderful and over time we'll be able to give them the amenities, comfort and ease of getting tickets they have never had before," said Hicks.

Hicks, though, insists he and co-owner Gillett did not invest in Liverpool in order to gain financial profit.

"People get involved in sport mainly because they have a passion rather than for the money," Hicks added.

"There are far better investments I could make than buying a football team."

Benitez Feeling No Pressure

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has brushed off talk he is under pressure at Anfield.

There have been growing murmurs of discontent on Merseyside with the Reds having taken only one point from their opening three Champions League group games.

But speaking ahead of this weekend's visit of Arsenal, the Spaniard was unflustered.

When asked if he felt under pressure, Benitez said: "I don't think so, it's part of the job as a manager.

"Every week if you lose you will be under pressure, if you win then you are the best manager in the world. We just need to keep going."

Benitez is confident his side will bounce back to form against Arsenal at Anfield following Wednesday's shock defeat to Besiktas.

"When we played against Everton I said a derby would be a different game and it could be the same against a top side like Arsenal," added Benitez.

"They are top of the table now, but our team has confidence.

"The players are ready and for me they are playing better than before and we have a lot of positive news."

After European Loss, Liverpool Faces Inform Arsenal In Premier League

Liverpool has little time to recover from a devastating Champions League defeat, going straight into a Premier League showdown against an Arsenal side in its best run of form in years.

The two play at Anfield on Sunday after a contrasting week in Europe. Liverpool lost at Besiktas 2-1 on Wednesday and has only a point after three Champions League games.

Arsenal beat Slavia Prague 7-0 on Tuesday to equal the best-ever scoreline in the Champions League and keep a perfect record in Europe after three games.

The Gunners have won their last 12 games in all competitions and are unbeaten in the Premier League.

Even in 2003-04, when Arsenal went through the entire league season unbeaten, the Gunners' best sequence was 10 straight wins in all competitions.

Arsenal leads the Premier League with 25 points, followed by Manchester United with 23, Manchester City with 22 and Liverpool with 19. Arsenal has a game in hand on the two Manchester sides.

Liverpool hasn't lost in the league yet either, but any boost from beating crosstown rival Everton 2-1 last Saturday may have gone with the loss in Turkey.

"It was down as much to bad luck as anything else,'' Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.”Everything we did could not make up for missing so many chances.

"But if we keep playing like we did here, we will win matches because we will certainly score more next time around if we play like that.''

Arsenal's players were clearly enjoying themselves as they demolished Slavia Prague, and the game brought two goals from Theo Walcott in his first start.

"Theo has proved we can believe it everyone in our squad,'' said Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

The only blemish to Arsenal's week was the attack by benched goalkeeper Jens Lehmann on manager Arsene Wenger.

The 37-year-old German international has not played for Arsenal since making a mistake against Blackburn in the Premier League on Aug. 19, although he has since recovered from an elbow injury.

He told German television on Tuesday that Wenger was humiliating him by leaving him out of the team and criticizing Manuel Almunia, who has been starting in his place.

Hicks Backing Benitez

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has given his support to manager Rafa Benitez following The Reds' disappointing UEFA Champions League campaign.

Wednesday's surprise 2-1 defeat to Besiktas means the Merseysiders are likely to need to win all three of their remaining group games to qualify for the knock-out stage.

Although Liverpool are unbeaten in The Premier League this season, Benitez's rotation policy has also come under renewed criticism - including Steven Gerrard's substitution in the Merseyside derby.

However, Hicks says the Spaniard's record in Europe speaks for itself and that he has no problem with the former Valencia man's policy of chopping and changing his squad.

"We back Rafa. He's the right manager. Rafa's rotation has been his policy for three years," the American businessman told Sky Sports News.

"Rafa's ability to coach and manage in the Champions League should be unquestioned.

"We had a disappointing loss because we got outplayed by the Turks.

"I think we have our work cut out, but yeah we can qualify. We have to win the next three games."

Liverpool Boss Rafael Benitez Believes His Reds Squad Still Can Qualify Despite Their 2-1 Loss To Besiktas In Champions League

Despite suffering a defeat at the hands of Besiktas, which resulted in the Reds sinking to the bottom of the Champions League Group A table, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has full confidence that his side they will reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

Presently the Anfield side have just one point after their 2-1 defeat and now will have to win their remaining three games in order to qualify.

"If we play like we did against Besiktas, we can win the final matches," said Liverpool boss Benitez.

"The players worked hard and you cannot blame them. The fans will be positive we can do it after seeing the game."

Liverpool, who are still unbeaten in the Premier League, went down by an own-goal when defender Sami Hyypia deflected Serdar Ozkan's shot into his own net.

Bobo went on to increase the score in the second half firing home the ball from close range.

Reds skipper Steven Gerrard got one goal to the credit of his side through a brilliant header as Liverpool pushed hard in the latter stages of the match.

Benitez added: "We had a lot of shots on target and shots off target. We controlled almost everything but made a big mistake in the first half."

Gerrard believes his manager is right and feels the Reds can still qualify from the group.

"We are pleased with how we played but disappointed with the result. We need to keep going and win the final three games and see what happens," he said.

"We need to take the positives and learn from our mistakes. We are capable of winning our final three games."

"It is the worst possible result. We had a mountain to climb but we have got an even bigger one to climb now.

"Mistakes happen as a result of misunderstandings but they put us under pressure."

Sissoko Desperate For Move To Juventus

Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko has expressed his regret at not moving to Juventus in the summer and is hoping they will reignite their interest in him during the January transfer window.

The Mali international rejected a move to the Bianconeri in the summer and instead opted to sign a new four-year contract at Anfield.

However Sissoko has struggled for form this season and Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano are all ahead of him in the central-midfield pecking order.

“I should have accepted a move to Juventus,” said a regretful Sissoko. “Not moving to Juve was a massive error on my part.”

The chances of a move to Turin may not be over though for the 22-year-old. Coach Claudio Ranieri’s big midfield acquisition in the summer, Tiago Mendes, has been a huge flop and has started just one Serie A game this season.

Ranieri knows Sissoko well during his time as Valencia boss and may be prepared to sell Tiago in January and replace him with the energetic Liverpool man.

Sissoko joined the Reds in 2005 and has since gone on to make more than 75 appearances for the club.

Liverpool Faces Tough Trip To Besiktas

Liverpool returns to the city where it won the 2005 Champions League title on Wednesday needing a victory in Istanbul to avoid an early exit from this season's competition.

The five-time European champions, who have just one point from their opening two matches, could be in danger of failing to reach the group stage if they falter against Besiktas.

"We need to go there and try to win because we need three points," Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said Tuesday.

Liverpool's chances won't be helped by the absence of star striker Fernando Torres, who hasn't recovered from a thigh injury.

After losing in last May's final to AC Milan, the team it beat for the title in 2005, Liverpool is off to a woeful start to this season's campaign and is third in Group A.

A 1-1 draw at FC Porto in September was followed earlier this month by a dire 2-0 defeat to Marseille at Anfield.

"It is difficult," Benitez said. "We will see what happens in the other game (between Porto and Marseille), just wait and keep working, thinking about winning every game."

Besiktas, though, has lost both its matches and is winless in the Champions League in almost four years.

Besiktas coach Ertugrul Saglam will watch from the stands as he serves a one-match ban. Saglam was punished by UEFA for being sent from the dugout in Besiktas' 1-0 loss to FC Porto.

Benitez said the hostile atmosphere which usually greets visiting English teams in Istanbul can't be used as an excuse.

"We have enough experience in Europe," the Spaniard said before Liverpool flew to Turkey. "I don't think it will be a big problem."

With four matches remaining, the Reds need to start drawing inspiration from their unbeaten start in the domestic league, capped by Saturday's 2-1 victory at crosstown rival Everton.

Liverpool is fourth in the Premier League, six points adrift of leader Arsenal.

But the derby victory was clouded by Steven Gerrard's anger at being substituted in the 70th minute - before Dirk Kuyt's winner.

"I was hurt and disappointed at being taken off because," the captain said. "I'm a local lad and the derby means everything to me."

Benitez insists there is no lingering rift.

"As a manager you need to make decisions in a moment," Benitez said. "You can understand the reaction because it is a derby and special. But for me, Steve is our key player so I think everything will be the same in terms of if I need to use him."

And Benitez won't be afraid to drag the England midfielder off the pitch again.

"After talking with him, he knows my idea," Benitez said. "If I need to replace him he knows that I am thinking about what is best for the team."

Midfielder Xabi Alonso is in contention for Wednesday's match after recovering from a foot injury.

Torres Out Of Istanbul Trip

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will not be fit to play in his side's Champions League match against Besiktas in Istanbul.

The Spanish forward, the Reds' record signing over the summer, suffered a thigh strain on international duty last week and failed to recover in time to play in the Merseyside derby against Everton on Saturday.

Manager Rafael Benitez bought Torres from Atletico Madrid for a fee believed to be in the region of £24 million and he has made a good start to his Anfield career, scoring seven goals in his first 12 games.

However he has yet to net for Liverpool in European competition and Benitez is keen to kick-start their winless Champions League group stage campaign in Turkey.

"It's clear we need to go to Istanbul and try to win," Benitez told the club's official website.

"If we don't do that we know it will be difficult for us but all we are thinking about is the three points. The players know how important it is for us to win this game."

Liverpool recorded an impressive 1-1 draw in their opening match in Porto but slumped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to French side Marseilles in week two.

And Benitez continued: "Porto are a good team and we know our first half performance wasn't good against them, but to get a draw when we went down to ten men wasn't bad.

"We made a mistake in our next game against Marseille which was a bad night for us. We need to repair that mistake against Besiktas."

Rafa Defends Substituting Gerrard

Steven Gerrard’s disappointment at being substituted during the Merseyside derby was clear for all to see, but Rafael Benitez stands by his decision.

Liverpool ran out 2-1 winners of the Merseyside derby at the weekend, after converting a dramatic last minute penalty. Dirk Kuyt converted confidently, following Phil Neville’s dismissal for handling on the line.

Gerrard’s replacement Lucas Levia had the shot on goal, that forced Neville to handle and Benitez feels he justified his inclusion, because of his vital contribution to Liverpool’s win.

"Normally you can understand the reaction because it's a derby and it was special," said Benitez in a press conference broadcast on Sky Sports News.

"Stevie is a key player and I think everything will be the same, in terms of if I need to use him I will use him for sure, and if I need to replace him he knows that it's thinking about the best for the team.

"After talking to him he knows my idea. As a manager you need to make decisions in the moment.

"In this case Lucas Levia was a big part of the victory, so I think that everything was okay."

Liverpool face Besitkas of Turkey on Wednesday night in the Champions League and desperately need a win, after only picking-up one point so far, in this season’s campaign.

Reds Linked With Kjaer Swoop

Liverpool are reported to have joined the race to sign highly-rated Danish teenager Simon Kjaer.

The 18-year-old defender, currently with FC Midtyjlland, has been linked with Middlesbrough and a number of clubs across Europe.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez is now believed to have sent his scouts to Denmark and is said to have been impressed by their reports.

Kjaer's agent, former Middlesbrough striker Mikkel Beck, insists that the Denmark Under-19 international has the talent to be rated alongside some of the game's greats.

Beck told The Sunday Sun: "You realise how special this kid is when Liverpool watch him and tell you he's good enough to play in their first team.

"Messi, Rooney, Dos Santos - he is special like them.

"Lille and Monaco were the first to show an interest, then Real made a much better offer and it was turned down. He is worth a lot more."

Gerrard 'Hurt' To Be Subbed

Steven Gerrard was 'hurt and disappointed' to be substituted in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.

Gerrard was taken off with 20 minutes to go of Liverpool's 2-1 win at Goodison Park, and was clearly baffled at Rafa Benitez's decision.

However, Benitez explained that he took Gerrard off because he wanted more control in midfield: "In this game, sometimes you need to play with the brain and we were playing with heart. We needed to keep the ball and pass the ball."

Gerrard told The Liverpool Echo: "I'm a local lad so the derby is really important to me and I would have liked nothing better than to play the full game and to be on the pitch when we got the winner.

"But as it turned out I was taken off and Lucas Leiva who replaced me played a crucial role in us getting the winning goal.

"I was hurt and disappointed at being taken off because, like I said, I'm a local lad and the derby means everything to me."

The Liverpool skipper went on to say that he will ask Benitez to explain his decision, but isn't getting too worked up about it:

"I'll be speaking to the manager about it just to find out why I was substituted, but I won't be banging on his door or anything like that.

"We'll just have a chat and whatever is said will remain between us. But I've been in the game long enough to know that no-one is going to play every minute of every game and there will be times when I'm taken off like everyone else."

Gerrard went on to admit that he has been in poor form in recent weeks, but promised to work his way back with the help of the club's fans:

"I know I haven't been at my best lately but I'm doing everything I can to get back there and having that kind of backing really does make a difference.

"I'm working back towards my best and knowing the fans are behind me will definitely help me get there much quicker."

Gerrard Accused Over Red Card

Steven Gerrard was accused of getting Everton's Tony Hibbert sent off after Liverpool snatched an injury-time winner in one of the most controversial Merseyside derbies.

Everton manager David Moyes was furious with the England captain, and with referee Mark Clattenburg for a series of decisions that reduced the hosts to nine men and allowed Dirk Kuyt, only booked for a dreadful tackle, to score two second-half penalties in Liverpool's 2-1 victory.

Moyes was convinced Gerrard had influenced the referee into giving Hibbert a red card after the Everton defender had brought him down in the box for the equalising penalty in the 54th minute.

'The referee pulled out a yellow card for Tony Hibbert and not a red one until the captain [Gerrard] went over and spoke to him, so maybe he has changed his mind,' said an angry Moyes. 'I think the penalty kick itself was debatable. Ours in the last minute was not debatable.'

In a clear barb at Clattenburg, Moyes added: 'The truth is if you didn't see it, maybe you shouldn't be out there doing the job.'

Everton also argued that Kuyt should not have been on the field to score his goals after a crazy 'kung fu' lunge at Phil Neville produced only a caution.

And the home side were visibly incensed when they were not awarded a penalty themselves in the final seconds after Jamie Carragher wrestled Joleon Lescott to the ground.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, relieved to end a run of three successive draws in the Premier League, backed Clattenburg's decisions and controversially claimed Lescott had dived for his late penalty appeal.

'In England you don't like to see players diving,' said Benitez, who joined his players as they gathered in front of the Liverpool fans to celebrate after the final whistle. But Benitez's accusation brought an angry retort from Moyes.

He said: 'It was not a dive, that is for sure. I think Joleon Lescott would probably be the last person to dive. I think he was just too strong for Carragher and Jamie had to pull him to the ground.'

To complete Everton's sense of injustice, it was Kuyt who scored again from the spot after Neville handled a shot by substitute Lucas and was shown a red card.

Everton felt Kuyt should have been ordered off for his foul on Neville in the 63rd minute.

Moyes said: 'We had a directive that a two-footed tackle off the ground was a sending-off offence. There was four feet of space below Kuyt when he jumped off the ground two-footed. And he goes on to score the winning goal.'

Benitez, whose priority is to lead Liverpool to their first title since 1990, sprang a surprise by taking off Gerrard after 72 minutes.

He said: 'We needed to play with our heads and not our hearts.'

Kuyt Plays Down Derby Tackle

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt insists there was no malice involved in what looked to be a horror challenge on Phil Neville in the Merseyside derby on Saturday.

Merseyside derbies are always fiery affairs, and Saturday’s was no different, Everton ending the game with nine men and Liverpool being lucky to finish with eleven.

Dirk Kuyt was just a few inches away from receiving his marching orders after a two-footed lunge towards Phil Neville.

Luckily for the Dutchman, no contact was made, however referee Mark Clattenburg issued a yellow card for the dangerously play.

Kuyt himself claimed: "People saw the TV and said my booking looks bad. But I was just trying to make a tackle and I did not want to touch the player, and I didn't.

"Maybe I was a bit lucky, but I never had any intention of trying to hit the player, it was a yellow card and I accept that."

Everton's veteran defender Alan Stubbs, who led the condemnation of the challenge afterwards, was not convinced.

Stubbs said: "That was a two-footed lunge. If a player leaves the ground with both feet, that's a red card, and he gets a yellow.

"In the laws of the game if a player goes in with two feet and makes a lunge, and that is what it was, it's a red.

"If Phil (Neville) hadn't been so honest he could have been rolling around and trying to get him sent off. It's a two-footed tackle and that's a red card offence."

Benitez Expects Duo To Be Fit

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is confident Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres will be ready for this week's Champions League showdown with Besiktas in Turkey.

The pair were left out of Saturday's derby victory at Everton.

But Benitez said afterwards: "They were both very, very close to playing. It would have been a risk I was not prepared to take to play them against Everton.

"I would now expect them to be in serious contention against Besiktas when we go to Istanbul (on Wednesday). I will watch them in training and make my decision after that."

The confidence boost of a controversial 2-1 win at Goodison Park has come at just the right time for Liverpool, after a worrying spell had seen them win just two of their previous seven games.

Benitez said: "That victory will do us a lot of good for the Istanbul trip and then next weekend's home game with Arsenal."

The Spaniard has happy memories of Istanbul, not just because of Liverpool's Champions League Final victory there two years ago.

While in charge of Valencia, Benitez masterminded a UEFA Cup victory at Besiktas in the season that saw his Spanish club won the trophy.

He said: "I have won there before, so I have no fears about them; it can be done again."

The Group D match with bottom club Besiktas has become a must-win game, after Liverpool picked up just one point from their opening two matches against Porto and Marseille.

Benitez initially suggested 10 points should see the Reds into the knockout stages.

That seems a long way off now, and he concedes "We now have to win one, maybe two away matches."

That puts intense pressure on Liverpool with only four matches left to avoid slipping from being finalists last season to UEFA Cup competitors this time around.

It is accepted that visiting clubs to Galatasaray and Fenerbahce in Istanbul face a torrid time from the local fans - and the city's 'third club' have an equally fearsome reputation.

The warning for Liverpool comes from Porto's Serbian defender Milan Stepanov, who knows Turkish football from his time with Trabzonspor.

Stepanov was part of the Porto side that salvaged a very fortunate 1-0 victory at Besiktas in the last round of Champions League matches.

He said: "Before the game at Besiktas, I told everyone about the crowd - but nobody really believed me.

"After the game, they said 'We never expected such an atmosphere'.

"After the first 45 minutes, our coach told us to relax and play our game - because we were not ourselves in the first half. I can say that God gave us the points in the last minute."

Besiktas have lost both their first two matches in the group and know that only a win over Liverpool will keep them in the competition.

Their French midfielder Edouard Cisse, who spent the 2002-03 season at West Ham, believes: "If we can continue to play like we did against Porto, we still might have a chance."

"That game (against Porto) showed our supporters that our team still has hope for the coming games.

"We played well. We are not giving up yet."

Besiktas will play the match with the added problem of their coach Ertugrul Saglam banned from the touchline.

He has been handed a one-match touchline ban by UEFA's disciplinary body after being sent off against Porto.

Everton 1 - 2 LiverpooL

Liverpool staged a dramatic comeback with two Dirk Kuyt penalties to claim a famous victory in the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool had been humiliated 3-0 in the same fixture last season but claimed revenge as Everton pair Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville were sent off, with the home side denied a late penalty claim.

Both Everton dismissals were for incidents that produced Liverpool's second-half penalties. Hibbert brought down Steven Gerrard in the box and Neville handled on the line.

Dirk Kuyt was coolness personified as he drilled home the spot-kicks to produce a victory that will do much for Liverpool's sagging confidence.

Everton had deservedly led at the break with a Sami Hyypia own goal, but after being reduced to 10 men for much of the second period - the second red card coming in the final seconds - they could not hang on for a draw.

There was no Tim Cahill, no Fernando Torres and no Xabi Alonso despite all the speculation that these injured stars would play.

Everton boss David Moyes went for Neville and Phil Jagielka in central midfield and left James McFadden on the bench.

Liverpool opted for Kuyt and Andriy Voronin in attack while Gerrard started on the right.

Liverpool had the early edge. Gerrard almost got on the end of a cross-field ball, dropping over Hibbert's head on the Everton right.

Liverpool exploited that same space on five minutes, when Yossi Benayoun broke down the flank and set up Voronin for a snap shot that Tim Howard half stopped before clutching the ball away from Kuyt.

But when Everton got their set-plays working, they caused problems. A couple of free-kicks and a corner were not cleared well and from one cross back in from Leon Osman, Alan Stubbs saw a header drop wide of a post.

Corners and free-kicks, swirling into the near post, were a constant source of danger as Victor Anichebe saw one header flash wide.

The Reds did hit back a minute later when John Arne Riise's 25-yard free-kick was deflected just wide.

But Everton's aerial threat was soon to produce a goal on 38 minutes. A Mikel Arteta corner was half-cleared, Alan Stubbs turning to hook it back into the danger area where Jagielka attempted to get in a shot.

But the ball eventually cannoned off Hyypia's boot high onto the net for an own goal.

After the break Joleon Lescott, fresh from his England debut, was a threat on the left along with Arteta.

Osman, Neville and Jagielka in midfield pressed quick and hard and Liverpool were again on the back foot. But from a Benayoun ball out of defence, Liverpool gained a lifeline.

Gerrard set off down the left channel, stretching into Everton's half with Hibbert in pursuit.

The full-back was always a yard behind and when the pair reached the box the defender clipped Gerrard from behind and referee Mark Clattenburg instantly awarded a penalty on 53 minutes.

The official showed Hibbert the red card before Kuyt stepped up to drill home the spot kick.

Everton could have had a penalty themselves when Steve Finnan manhandled Lescott in the box soon after, ahead of a Kuyt break that set up Riise for a shot over the bar.

Howard blocked a Voronin shot and Kuyt headed the rebound over the top, Liverpool searching for the second. But Everton were still coming forward.

Kuyt was booked for a flying lunge at Neville, and Yakubu saw a 30-yarder shot go wide. Liverpool replaced Benayoun with Ryan Babel on 68 minutes.

Benitez then took a very brave decision on 71 minutes to replace Gerrard with young Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva.

The Liverpool skipper looked surprised, but trotted off to allow Lucas into central midfield and Voronin moving to the left.

But it was Lucas' fine ball that sent Voronin away on the left, only to scuff his shot wide. On 77 minutes McFadden came on for Yakubu.

Jermaine Pennant came on for Mohamed Sissoko before Jamie Carragher and McFadden were booked following a tussle on the ground.

Neville was then sent off on 89 minutes for handling a Lucas shot on the line, providing Kuyt with his second penalty.

Everton finished the game complaining to Clattenburg that they should have had a last-ditch penalty for Carragher pulling down Lescott.

He refused their claim and the official was booed off after being surrounded by home players.

Match Prediction: Everton vs. LiverpooL

Home advantage has been the key to this classic derby clash in the last three seasons - with four of the six matches going to whoever was on their own turf.

And there have been fewer clear-cut triumphs at Goodison for the Toffees than their 3-0 verdict 11 months ago.

David Moyes' men were always in control that day as they wrecked Liverpool's run of 17 games without defeat and the Reds again come into this on the back of an unbeaten start to the current league campaign.

There are doubts about both sides though. Everton's defence has looked strangely shaky recently - they let in three against Newcastle last time out and have just two cleans sheets in 12 matches this term.

They came against Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday but Liverpool's expensively assembled forward line looks sure to pose a far greater threat.

The problem for the Reds is a familar one as their form has dipped ever since Rafa Benitez started to tinker with his starting XI for the game with Portsmouth a month ago.

Since then they've drawn three out of four and Benitez's hands could be tied this weekend as his players come back after international duty.

The big worry is Fernando Torres and, with his presence hugely important for Liverpool, anyone thinking of supporting should wait until his name is on the team sheet.

But, with home advantage, we fancy Everton to get something out of this game and if that's the case then Mikel Arteta has a key role to play.

He's outstanding virtually every week for the Toffees and it's been no surprise to see him linked with a host of big clubs recently.

If Everton avoid defeat then he's going to have a big shout for the man of the match award, especially as he's much fresher coming into this than many of his main rivals.

That last point clearly applies to Steven Gerrard who looks a dodgy favourite in this market as he's been nowhere near his best in recent weeks for either club or country.

Verdict: Everton 1 Liverpool 1

Premier League: Everton vs. LiverpooL

Victory for Everton over Liverpool in the 177th Merseyside league derby would lift David Moyes' team to equal on points with their arch-rivals from the other side of Stanley Park.

Both clubs have won four Premier League matches this season, but while the Toffees have also lost four, the Reds are still unbeaten. Should the 206th competitive meeting end all-square, it would be Everton's 1,000th draw in top flight football, and Liverpool's 1,000th in their league history. Liverpool didn't manage to score against Everton last season, but are chasing a sixth victory in eight visits to Goodison Park.

Liverpool's recent form has been disastrous, though saying this, they do still remain unbeaten in the Premier League. Early season form that had Reds fans purring and the media beginning to take Liverpool more seriously has dissipated after a spate of lacklustre performances. The Reds were woeful against Marseille and fortuitous against Wigan and Spurs. The pressure is on Rafa Benitez, and he dare not rotate the side for this crunch match.

Everton fans still hold fond memories of the 3 – 0 annihilation of the Reds at Goodison Park. They will feel that there is no better time to play the Reds, with the confidence seemingly sapping out of Rafa’s boys week by week.

With doubts over Torres and Hyypia seemingly there for the taking with the pace of Yakubu, Everton fans will be gleefully rubbing their hands together.

This game will be a very important test for the Liverpool players - it will be an indication of whether they have the mettle to win the league. With Arsenal in scintillating form and Man United grinding out results the Reds can ill-afford to drop any more points.

The Bluenoses will have high expectations of their league campaign this season. David Moyes has made a huge outlay on the excellent Yakubu who had begun to go stale at Middlesbrough. He is seen as the perfect strike partner for Andy Johnson. However, both of late have been struggling for form while James McFadden has been receiving major press coverage due to his heroics for Scotland.

Steven Gerrard is suffering his worst crisis of form since Houllier hauled him off the pitch against Basel all those years ago. There has been no hiding place for the Reds' captain who put in an abject display as England captain, though he was not alone in that aspect. He did miss an absolute sitter that could be the difference in England qualifying for the European Championships and Steve McClaren keeping his job. Will this be playing on his mind? There is no better game for him to return to form, he should need no motivation to perform well in this game. So, I ask the question, will we see the real Steven Gerrard?



FORM GUIDE

Everton

Oct 7 v Newcastle (A) LOST 3-2 (Prem)
Oct 4 v FC Metalist Kharkiv (A) WON 3-2 (Uefa)
Sept 30 v Middlesbrough (H) WON 2-0 (Prem)
Sept 26 v Shef Wed (A) WON 3-0 (Carling)
Sept 23 v Aston Villa (A) LOST 2-0 (Prem)


Liverpool

Oct 7 v Spurs (H) DRAW 2-2 (Prem)
Oct 3 v Marseille (H) LOST 1-0 (Champions league)
Sept 29 v Wigan (A) WON 1-0 (Prem)
Sept 25 v Reading (A) WON 4-2 (Carling)
Sept 22 v Birmingham (H) DRAW 0-0 (Prem)


TEAM NEWS

Everton

Tim Cahill is vying for a return to the side after a long lay off through injury. However, whether Moyes will risk him for 90 minutes is far from certain. McFadden is pushing for a start up front after recent good form. Thomas Gravesen is recovering well from a knee injury and there is a possibility he could join Cahill in the squad. Andy Johnson is still out and will likely be out for another two weeks.

Probable starting X1 (Howard, Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Hibbert, Cahill, Peinaar, Arteta, Neville, Carsley, Yakubu)


Liverpool

Fernando Torres is undergoing intensive treatment in the hope of making this match. Xabi Alonso could also be another inclusion as he returns from a metatarsal injury. The game however has come to fast for Harry Kewell and Daniel Agger who remain on the sidelines. Dirk Kuyt has seemingly recovered from the injury that ruled him out of the Dutch squad and will be vying for a starting spot.

Probable starting X1 (Reina, Finnan, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Carragher, Pennant, Gerrard, Mascherano, Benayoun, Crouch, Torres)


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Everton

Tim Cahill simply loves playing against the Reds, this game is primed for his comeback.


Liverpool

Steven Gerrard will look to bounce back from a disappointing week for himself by leading the Reds to victory.

Liverpool Boss Urges Players To Stay Calm In Merseyside Derby

Rafa Benitez has told his Liverpool players not to lose their composure in Saturday's potentially explosive Merseyside derby against Everton.

There is no love lost between Benitez's side and Everton at the best of times, but the 206th meeting between the old enemies will be even more combustable than usual.

Everton defender Alan Stubbs piled pressure on Benitez this week by claiming clubs of Liverpool's size should be challenging for the title every year.

That outburst may have been provoked by Benitez describing Everton a smaller club than Liverpool last season.

The rows will raise the temperature when the teams collide at Goodison Park in a game Liverpool desperately need to win.

After a run of one victory in four league matches left them trailing in the wake of leaders Arsenal, Benitez knows he cannot afford a repeat of last season's 3-0 defeat at Everton, so he needs all his players to keep cool in the derby malestrom.

"In these kind of games it is more important because everyone is talking about the rivalry between both teams," he said.

"You must be as focused as always with maybe more determination. You must analyse the game with a cool mind because if you think about last year you will lose your concentration and it is important to make the right decisions.

"If you are top of the table or bottom of the table it doesn't matter because this game is different. Collective responsibility is not the key just for this game it is the key for a winning team."

Fernando Torres, Alvaro Arbeloa, Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun and Javier Mascherano are all in line for their first taste of a Merseyside derby.

While Benitez is concerned by his side's recent struggles, he believes Liverpool can reverse that poor run if they don't panic.

He said: "It is a good game for us now because we are not playing well and this one after the international break is important for our confidence.

"In football everything goes so quickly so it is important to be calm, look at the big picture and analyse everything.

"You have to say, 'I have a lot of confidence in my team, I want to win trophies with my club so if I have confidence how can I do this?' By working hard and getting the right selection."


Torres is making good progress from a thigh problem, while midfielder Xabi Alonso is close to a return after recovering from a broken metatarsal.