English Giants Wary Of Slipping Up

Premier League giants Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC begin their assault on the UEFA Champions League tonight, and both can expect serious tests as they target group-phase berths.

Arsenal travel to face FC Twente on Wednesday, before hosting the Eredivisie side a fortnight later, and manager Arsène Wenger knows his players will have to be focused if they are to emerge triumphant. "When you go to Holland, you get a game – it's a football country," he said. "The clubs are always well organised and we will be favourites. It will be important for us to be at the top of our concentration to go through."

The Gunners were in the Netherlands on pre-season duty and had to come back from two goals down to beat AFC Ajax on Friday, winning 3-2 against the side Twente pipped in a play-off to claim their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round place. And with former England manager Steve McClaren in the dugout, the Enschede outfit will have added motivation. "It is a good opportunity for him to show his quality," added Wenger, whose Arsenal side beat McClaren's Middlesbrough FC 7-0 the last time the pair locked horns in January 2006. "He will want to show that he can bounce back and show his quality."

Liverpool also contest their first leg away from home as they face R. Standard de Liège on the same night. The two sides previously met in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup during the 1965/66 campaign, with Liverpool claiming a comfortable 5-2 aggregate win. Yet the Merseysiders' coach Rafael Benítez knows not to take the Belgian champions lightly. "People may say it's a kind draw for us but we will treat them with respect," said the Spaniard. "They have not played in the group stages of the Champions League before so they will be keen to change that. Also, they will have the confidence of champions after winning their title."

Benítez's cause could be complicated by an injury to talismanic captain Steven Gerrard, who suffered a thigh strain during a friendly with Vålerenga IF and may not be risked. The five-time European champions will also be without Lucas Leiva, Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel, all of whom are competing at the Olympics.

Premier League Season Preview: The Big Four

Following on from our look at each individual Premier League club, Luke Simmons compares and contrasts the fortunes of the 'big four'.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool comprise the biggest names in English football, some of the greatest in Europe, and four of the most reowned names in the Wworld. But what does this new season hold for each team? Every season each team set out knowing that they have a massive chance of winning a major trophy, but with only four pieces of silverware up for grabs, none of them intend on settling for one cup each…

MANCHESTER UNITED

The Red Devils have enjoyed two brilliant seasons in recent years, following up their 2007 league victory with the historic double of 2008. They have the best player on the planet in Ronaldo, who was simply outstanding last season, and they have the most successful manager in Premier League history. But everything is not so perfect down at Old Trafford: the just-concluded ‘will he, wont he’ transfer saga of Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Real Madrid stretched nearly all summer long and left a bitter taste in the mouths of many fans. Love him or hate him, you can’t deny that, if Ronaldo did leave Man Utd, they certainly would not be the force they were last season. On the other side things have been slow:Sir Alex has been quiet in the transfer market so far, only bringing in Davide Petrucci. But no doubt about it, the champions will be up for retaining their trophy for a third season in a row.

And the bookies have them in pole position to do just that, with one leading bookmaker putting them at 11/8 favourites to rule in England yet again. Not a surprise to anyone that they are the favourites, with ten League titles under his belt, Sir Alex will be confident of securing his 11th this season, especially with wonder boy Ronaldo staying at Old Trafford. Their fast paced style of play ripped teams apart last season, and while Ronaldo was obviously the man who grabbed the headlines the link-up play between Rooney and Tevez was incredible. Two results that stuck out last season were the Newcastle games, home and away, in which United 11 goals all together, with a 5-1 away win and an incredible 6-0 home win. If they can keep producing this type of football this season, does anyone else really stand a chance?

CHELSEA

The London club are yet again going through another managerial change, their fourth in five years, with new boss Felipe Scolari taking charge of the Blues this season. The new coach has been quick to bring in players who he has managed in the past, with Jose Bosingwa and Deco being added to the squad, with a cost of over £23 million for the pair. After their heartbreaking defeat in the Champions league final in Moscow to bitter rivals Manchester United last season, they will be looking for revenge this time around. They will surely be contenders for every trophy, and with their strong but fluent style of play they are a good bet for silverware this season. Can Scolari be the man to make the Chelsea fans forget about Jose Mourinho? Only time will tell, but I myself believe they can win either the Premier League, or the Champions League next season, or even both.

The bookies have Chelsea the second favourites for the league, at 7/4. The experience Chelsea have is phenomenal: some may argue that they are an ageing side, Sir Alex among them, but I see them as experienced, and with players like Ballack, Lampard, Deco and Terry, no wonder they are a strong favourite for the League. What's more, they are determined: their strength and willingness to win games showed towards the end of last season, taking the League to the last day, when many wrote them off months before. Scolari has promised more entertaining football at Stamford Bridge this season, but if I was a Chelsea fan, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the way they play, just as long as they keep up their fantastic record of winning borne of Roman Abramovich's takeover in 2003. Expect a few more names coming in for Chelsea until the end of the transfer window: rumours keep circulating regarding the possibility of Kaka joining the Blues. Whether it's true of not is another matter, but one thing's for sure: if anyone has the funds to bring Kaka in, it's Chelsea.

ARSENAL

After a summer of rumours, with many big name players being linked with a move away from North London, Arsenal look set to start the new season with belief and hope in their young but experienced side. The losses of Mathieu Flamini and Alex Hleb this summer has left a big hole in the Arsenal midfield, but with Welsh teenager Aaron Ramsey, French attacker Samir Nasri and Portuguese starlet Amaury Bischoff being added to the squad, are Arsenal really any weaker than last year? Another new name who is making the headlines in pre-season is Mexican striker Carlos Vela, the teenager finally joining up with the Gunners after two seasons out on loan waiting for a work permit. Last term was a bittwesweet one: they finished third in the league, four points off being the champions, and reached the quarter finals of the Champions league, where they were knocked out by Liverpool in a controversial manner. Arsene Wenger will want to get off to a good start to the Premier League campaign, and with new boys West Brom their first opponents next week at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal should do just that. If the Gunners weren’t so unlucky with injuries last season, maybe it would have been them lifting the Premier league trophy instead of arch rivals Man Utd, but Arsenal have to forget about last year and their young squad needs to push on for glory this term. They should have the strength to do so: the way I see it, these kids are becoming adults, and very talented adults at that.

Arsenal are the third favourites for the league, behind Manchester United and Chelsea, with the odds-makers putting them at 5/1 to lift the trophy. Not a bad bet, considering they finished only four points behind the winners last season. Wenger has said he is looking to bring in one more experienced midfielder, and if he succeeds with this purchase, the Gunners will be, in my view, stronger than they were last year. Some say they play the best Football in the league, but their inability to finish games off cost them dearly at times last season, but if they can fix this fault in their game, I’m sure they can surprise many people next year by winning a major trophy. Like I said, the young Guns are ready to step up to the plate, and with players like Cesc Fabregas, who constantly pledges his future to the club, I wouldn’t bet against them this year.

LIVERPOOL

It’s been a busy summer for Liverpool Football Club, with seven names coming in, including £20.3 Million signing Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur. He'll surely form a mouth-watering partnership with Fernando Torres up front, but perhaps the one player Rafa wants the most, Gareth Barry, is still yet to put pen to paper. It’s been the most complicated transfer saga of the summer so far, and it’s still going on, with the American owners of Liverpool now refusing to pay the asking price for the England midfielder. At the other end, the Reds have let nine players leave the club this summer, Harry Kewell and Peter Crouch being among those names. With all this uncertainty surrounding the Barry saga aside, Liverpool will be hoping to end a nineteen year wait and finally win the Premier league. You can ask any Liverpool fan, what would they most want to achieve this season, and you will get the same answer every time - win the League. So, is this finally Liverpool’s year? If Steven Gerrard can produce what he normally does, and Fernando Torres can achieve the same number of goals as last season, along with Robbie Keane who also has an eye for goal, maybe this season belongs to the red half of Merseyside.

The bookmakers have them at 6/1 fourth favourites to win the League, behind the ‘big three’. But the hopes are high amongst the Liverpool faithful, they believe this is the year they can crack the Premier League code, they believe Torres and Keane is the perfect partnership to do just that. The thing that has let the Reds down in the past is consistency, they can’t seem to keep up a patch of good form in the league, right till the end, but they can in Europe, something that’s puzzled many people over the years. If they can dominate the European stage, why not England? I think it shows just how hard it is to win the Premier League, but Liverpool simply have to win it soon, they need that significant trophy added to their tremendous collection, Plus, Manchester United, their most hated rivals, are catching them up on League titles overall.

Rafa Benitez Seeks Showdown With Liverpool Board

Rafa Benitez wants showdown talks with Liverpool's American owners in the hope of resurrecting the Gareth Barry deal.

The Anfield boss is focused on the Champions' League clash with Standard Liege in Belgium tomorrow, as Liverpool pursue a place in the group stages.

When he returns, Benitez will want to know why the club agreed to meet Aston Villa's £18million valuation of Barry a week ago, but now feel the price is too high.

Barry flies out with Villa tomorrow for Thursday's UEFA Cup qualifying round game at Icelandic minnows FH Hafnarfjordur - and if he plays, would be cup-tied.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill said: "He's our player. If Gareth is still our player on Wednesday morning, he's as good a chance of climbing on the team bus as anybody."

Benitez To Gamble On Gerrard To Secure Champions League Place

Rafael Benitez is ready to risk Steven Gerrard in his attempts to secure qualification for the Champions League group stages.

The Liverpool manager has been hampered in his preparations for tomorrow’s third qualifying round tie at Standard Liege and faces a crippling midfield shortage.

Gerrard is struggling to shake off a thigh strain while Benitez is still being foiled in his attempts to sign Gareth Barry after the club admitted they wouldn’t meet Aston Villa’s asking price.

And the absence of Javier Mascherano and Lucas will continue into next week as they have both helped Argentina and Brazil, respectively, to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympics football tournament in Beijing.

That means the only fully fit central midfielders available are Xabi Alonso and

Damien Plessis – who has looked impressive in pre-season but only has two first team appearances to his name and none in Europe.

With a tricky away leg looming against the Belgian champions, Benitez is giving his captain every chance to prove his fitness and he will fly out with the squad this morning.

“I was talking with him this morning and he will go with us to Belgium,” said Benitez.

“He is progressing really well but we will check after training. I will speak with the doctor and with Steven and then decide.”

Being backed into that position will only increase Benitez’s frustration as he faces up to kicking off the season at Sunderland on Saturday without Barry.

He wants to concentrate on the Liege tie in the next two days but after tomorrow’s game he is set to seek further talks with American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks regarding the direction of his transfer business in the remainder of the window.

But another nail in the coffin of the Barry deal could be struck by Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill on Thursday if he plays his skipper in the Uefa Cup

Villa to take on Icelandic side FH Hafnarfjordur in the second qualifying round and an appearance by Barry would leave him cup-tied for the Champions League.

O’Neill said: “He’s our player and though things could change, if Gareth is still our player on Wednesday morning, he’s as good a chance of climbing on the bus as anybody.”

The uncertainty surrounding Barry’s status has disrupted Villa’s preparations and with O’Neill keen to see a conclusion to the saga, dropping his £18m valuation remains an outside possibility.

It is the only way Liverpool will be able to now complete the signing of Barry.

Meanwhile, Martin Skrtel, Fabio Aurelio and Philip Degen won’t be joining Gerrard on the flight to Belgium.

“Martin and Fabio are training with us but they will stay here,” added Benitez. “They are not ready for this game but hopefully both will be available for the weekend.

“Philip isn’t training with us yet and is a little behind the other two.”

Another defender, Miki Roque, has gone on loan to Spanish side Futbol Club Cartagena for the rest of the season.

Optimistic Benitez Delighted With Liverpool Squad

The headline-grabbing signing of Robbie Keane has stirred Liverpool fans into their annual bout of anticipation that this could be the year they win the title for the first time since 1990.

Irish captain Keane cost Liverpool 20 million pounds ($38.56 million) when he signed from Tottenham Hotspur and promises to be the perfect foil for last season's spectacular success story Fernando Torres.

The Spanish Euro 2008 winner scored 33 goals in his debut Anfield campaign, with little striking support, to become an instant hero of the Kop.

Manager Rafael Benitez has moved to ease the pressure on Torres by bringing in Keane to play a support role that should ensure plenty of goals.

Keane scored 23 goals for Spurs last season and although he admits he was happy at the London side he could not resist the chance of joining the club he supported as a boy.

Benitez, who has also spent the off-season chasing Aston Villa's holding midfielder Gareth Barry, is still hoping the England international will sign before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

Although he is making no predictions about Liverpool winning the title, he is optimistic about the season.

"I am confident about my squad and I am happy that we have the best squad since I arrived at Anfield," he told the Daily Mirror newspaper.

"The key is not to say we will win the title, because the Premier League is now the best, and most difficult, in Europe.

"Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are the best in Europe, but my belief is unshakeable that we can compete with them."

However, despite the arrival of Keane and Benitez's optimism, Liverpool still look short of matching the leading trio.

Benitez admitted at the start of the break that he needed a top-quality left winger and has failed to fill that gap, while the central defence is an area that could be left short if injuries hit.

Right back Philipp Degen has come in from Borussia Dortmund and Andrea Dossena has joined from Udinese as the new left back, with John Arne Riise moving to Roma.

The transitional nature of Liverpool's defence could be their Achilles heel as they go in search of the title that has eluded them for so long.

DIC Back In The Frame

Reports from the Middle East indicate that Dubai International Capital (DIC) are ready to re-launch their Liverpool takeover bid, as tensions mount between manager Rafael Benitez and the club's current owners.

DIC attempted to take control of the Merseyside club in March, but their £400million bid was rebuffed despite the widening rift between co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

The Arab firm had planned to buy out Gillett's majority stake with the aim of then challenging Hicks for sole ownership by offering up cash for the club's new stadium, which the Americans have so far struggled to do.

But Hicks, the more prominent of the co-owners, vetoed that deal and relations have since improved between him and his business partner.

Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the pair's associations with Benitez.

The Spanish tactician has had to operate under strict sell-before-buy guidelines in the transfer market, and to his credit had been doing so with a minimum of fuss as he offloaded the likes of John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch before signing Andrea Dossena and Robbie Keane.

However, Benitez had been under the impression that he would be allowed to fork out the £18million required to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa without selling Xabi Alonso, whose proposed move to Juventus collapsed earlier in the summer.

Either the owners have reneged on their promise or a massive miscommunication has occurred, because Hicks and Gillett have told the manager that Barry is not needed while Alonso is still in the squad.

It is not the first time during the Americans' short reign at the club that Benitez has been told certain targets are off-limits, and this latest case will only further infuriate both he and the fans - who, despite their backing of Alonso, have been equally supportive of Rafa's designs for the team's progress.

Hence, a DIC takeover would be widely welcomed, and Dubai newspaper The National claims that the firm are set to refresh their bid.

A source close to the DIC directors said: "Just because it is has been a quiet summer does not mean DIC have lost interest. They are happy that things have now become low key, and they are awaiting developments."

Keane - Liverpool Plus Barry To Win League

Sunderland manager Roy Keane believes Liverpool will be favourites for the Premier League title should they secure the signing of Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry.

In a saga to match that of Cristiano Ronaldo's mooted move to Real Madrid, Villa have rejected three offers from The Reds as they hold out for the £18 million asking price they have placed on the 27-year old's head.

Should a deal be completed, it will not be the first big-money arrival at Anfield following the £20 million purchase of Robbie Keane, but The Black Cats manager believes Barry could be the final piece in the jigsaw as Liverpool aim to end their long wait for the league title.

“They have to beat the Uniteds, Chelseas and Arsenals to win a trophy. They haven’t done that in recent seasons - it’s as simple as that," Keane said.

“That’s why they have paid £19m for Robbie and are ready to buy again with Gareth Barry.”

“They are both very good players and you need these sort of players to win crunch games. That is why they are going for big money.”

“Trust me, if Liverpool win the league this season they won’t look back and say they spent over the odds for Robbie Keane.

“When Chelsea were winning trophies nobody mentioned to Mourinho how much he had spent.

“Of course I would have taken Robbie in a flash. He would certainly bring something to our team - without a shadow of a doubt.

“My job is to get Sunderland into the top six and playing European football so that we can attract the Robbie Keanes of this world.”

Liverpool Deny Rift About Barry

Liverpool have denied there is a rift between manager Rafa Benitez and the club's American owners over the proposed signing of Gareth Barry.

Yet chief executive Rick Parry has confirmed that owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks think Aston Villa's £18m asking price for Barry is inflated.

"On this occasion Liverpool think the price quoted is too high," Parry said.

Benitez has made no secret of his eagerness to add the England international to his squad.

Reports had claimed Benitez was at odds with Hicks and Gillett over the player's signing. This is not about questioning the manager's judgement or the ability of a particular player

Benitez was said to be willing to pay the £18m asking price for Barry, while the American owners believed it was too much for the 27-year-old.

But Liverpool issued a statement on their website late on Saturday in which Parry said: "This is not about questioning the manager's judgement or the ability of a particular player.

"The owners have clearly demonstrated throughout the year they are willing to back Rafa in the transfer market and will continue to do so.

"It is obviously the selling club's prerogative to put whatever price they want on the player, but on this occasion Liverpool think the price quoted is too high."

After Liverpool beat Lazio 1-0 in a friendly on Friday, Benitez reiterated his desire to sign Barry.

"The situation is not a question of money," he said. "He is English and can play three different positions, but I am talking about someone who can play on the left."

Barry can play in central midfield, on the left side of midfield and at left-back.

Benitez Won't Change Much For Liege

Rafa Benitez has revealed his starting XI against Standard Liege on Wednesday is unlikely to differ too much from that which took to the field against Lazio.

Most of the club's big guns were on display on Friday night, aside from our three Olympians and Steven Gerrard, who faces a race against time to be fit for the Belgium trip due to a thigh strain.

If the skipper doesn't recover in time, it could be Damien Plessis who again fills the midfield void.

Benitez said: "More or less the side that played against Lazio will be the one that plays in the Champions League on Wednesday in Belgium.

"Most of the senior players were involved, this will be the side that plays against Standard Liege.

"The situation has been very difficult for us, we have had a lot of players returning to training late after international games in the summer and now we have players at the Olympics.

"It has given me a chance to see the young players during pre-season, and I am sure that the future of the club is guaranteed.

"I believe we are ready for the Champions League tie, the experienced players are ready. But we know that we have quality from the young players.

"I have not decided whether any more will go out on loan, it depends on whether we sell anyone else. If we do not bring anyone else in, maybe we do not need to loan any of the youngsters."

Keane Eyes CL Proper After Home Bow

Robbie Keane claims he will never forget the night he first stepped out in front of the Kop wearing a red shirt - and the Irishman now has his sights on another career landmark.

It is well-documented that the Dublin-born striker grew up dreaming of emulating the likes of Ian Rush and John Aldridge by leading Liverpool's attack at Anfield.

After three run-outs on the road, Keane finally made his home bow against Lazio on Friday night, and though he didn't mark it with a goal, the 28-year-old insists it was just how he imagined.

"It was nice to get my Anfield debut - it was a childhood dream," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "It was great to step out and look at the Kop – it's something I've always dreamed of, you know. It is something I will never forget.

"It's nice to get it out of the way, but obviously the most important thing is the win. That gives us confidence going into next week and all the players are now looking forward to the challenge of the Champions League and Premier League."

Next up for Keane is a trip to Belgium for Wednesday night's Champions League third qualifying round.

The Republic of Ireland captain has never appeared in the competition proper and doesn't intend to let the chance of doing so in 2008-09 slip away.

"Of course I'm looking forward to Champions League football. Liverpool is a massive club and we're expected to beat teams, so I'm looking forward to the challenge," he said.

"I certainly am ready. Ask any player and they'll tell you that pre-season is just about getting fitness. Now the real business starts.

"Whenever Liverpool were playing in the Champions League or in a game which had no effect on Tottenham, I'd be cheering them on.

"The Champions League is part of why I wanted to come here. This is my opportunity now.

"I've not had a chance to go to any European games at Anfield since I was a kid.

"Once you're playing it becomes difficult, especially when I was playing in the UEFA Cup with Spurs, which would usually be a day later.

"I'm looking forward to every game, whether we're playing Manchester United or Wycombe away in the cup, but obviously I can't wait for the Champions League."

The Lazio friendly provided a third opportunity for Keane and Torres to acquaint themselves with one another.

Though still to get off the mark since signing from Spurs, the new boy feels an understanding is already developing – and predicts the duo will be firing on all cylinders sooner rather than later.

"It's only going to get better as we play games and get to know each other. As the games go along we will get better and hopefully we can score a lot of goals together for this club."

U-18S Crash To Opening Defeat

There was disappointment for Liverpool Under-18s as they lost 3-0 to Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol in their opening game of the Villarreal tournament.

Nathan Eccleston had a great chance in the opening minute of the game when he found himself clean through but was denied by a good save, and that was at good as it got for Liverpool.

Hughie McAuley then suffered a blow when German Christopher Buchtmann was forced to leave the field after 10 minutes with a knee injury.

"We made some poor mistakes and I have to say that on the night they were better than us," McAuley told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We didn't play as well as we have been doing in pre-season and we didn't pass the ball like we normally do.

"We created some decent chances but Nathan and Marvin Pourie couldn't take them and we gave away some poor goals.

"I will be looking for a response from the players when we face Real Madrid tonight. That will be a big test for us."

Liverpool team: Chris Oldfield, Jack Metcalf, Christopher Buchtmann (Michael Roberts 10), Andre Wisdom (Under-16), Joe Kennedy, Astrit Ajdarevic, David Amoo (James Ellison 83), Adam Pepper, Lauri Dalla Valle (Marvin Pourie 45), Nathan Eccleston, Alex Kacaniklic (Thomas Ince 65).

Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt Praises Recent Signings - Striker Unlikely To Make Hamburg Move

Amid a cloud of rumours of his possible exit from the club, Liverpool Kuyt has come forward to praise Rafael Benitez’s summer signings.

The Reds have included five new faces to the team so far in the season, namely Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane, David N’Gog from P.S.G, Andrea Dossena from Udinese, plus Phillip Degen and goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri.

Kuyt, who has been linked with a move away from Anfield to SV Hamburg, which is now coached by former Tottenham Hotspur boss Martin Jol, is now expected to stay at Liverpool for the coming season.

28-year-old Kuyt is excited about the coming Premier League season, saying to the official Liverpool website: "The new players have come in and all done well.

"It is always good to have a few new faces in the group and hopefully we have made them feel welcome also. Sometimes you only need a few changes to make a big difference and hopefully the players who have been signed will help us achieve that.

"We already had a really strong team and now we have added to what we had so that can only be a good thing", added the Dutch international striker.

Xabi Alonso Could Still Be Sold Says Rafa Benitez

Rafael Benitez is still refusing to rule out the possibility that he could sell Xabi Alonso - despite the astonishing support the midfielder has received from Liverpool fans.

But the Anfield boss, who also insists that “Liverpool are ready for the Champions League” next week, maintains Alonso will only leave now if the club receives a massive offer for his services.

Benitez is still embroiled in the Gareth Barry saga, despite failing to receive financial backing from the club’s American owners and their support for the £18million transfer.

And he clearly needs money to continue his stubborn pursuit of the Aston Villa midfielder just a week away from the Premier League opening weekend.

Benitez also acknowledges the clear support for Alonso from the Liverpool fans, and their obvious distaste for the Barry deal voiced during last night’s 1-0 friendly win over Lazio at Anfield.

But not even that reaction from the fans will make Benitez confirm that Alonso will not be sold.

Benitez said: “We knew Alonso was a very good player and as a result he had a good price (on his head). We had offers, but they were not enough so we decided he needed to stay with us.

“It could be that he does stay with us.

“For me it is not a problem if he stays or not. He can stay, we always have felt he is a good player.

“We are only talking about a very, very good price. He is a good player, if he is not going to bring a good price then it is very simple, easy to understand.

“I heard the crowd, obviously. We know now, as we knew before, that he could stay with us.”

Andriy Voronin’s winner against the Italians could also be his last for the club, because Benitez clearly is looking to sell to fund the Barry deal.

It comes as no surprise to anyone who has followed the saga of the Americans’ ownership to discover that money is not readily available and new objections to a deal are being placed on Benitez at a very late stage of negotiations.

He added: “It is not positive that we may not have the players we want here before the Champions League game. But the transfer window closes at the end of August, we will try to do our best to bring in the players to improve us by then.

“I try to do the best for my club with the possibilities that you have, I have done this every since I have been here. And I am trying to do the same for this coming season.

“I do not feel any more pressure, every season is the same. We have a good squad, better than before, but we can improve a little bit more.”

Benitez obviously intends to continue his master-plan to recruit Barry, who he sees as a player who can fill three different roles. Barry can play central midfield, left side of midfield or left-back.

The 28-year-old will probably not be there in Belgium next Wednesday for the Champions League third qualifying round first leg against Standard Liege.

But after seeing his squad stay unbeaten in eight pre-season friendlies, Benitez believes they are ready for the demands of making sure Liverpool reach the Champions League group stages.

He said: “More or less the side that played against Lazio will be the one that plays in the Champions League on Wednesday in Belgium.

“Most of the senior players were involved, this will be the side that plays against Standard Liege.

“The situation has been very difficult for us, we have had a lot of players returning to training late after international games in the summer and now we have players at the Olympics.

“It has given me a chance to see the young players during pre-season, and I am sure that the future of the club is guaranteed.

“I believe we are ready for the Champions League tie, the experienced players are ready. But we know that we have quality from the young players.

“I have not decided whether any more will go out on loan, it depends on whether we sell anyone else. If we do not bring anyone else in, maybe we do not need to add anyone or loan any of the youngsters.”

Benitez now will determinedly continue his chase for Barry, with the risk that he could find himself again at loggerheads with Liverpool’s owners.

Last time that happened his outbursts almost cost him his job. This time around he is more aware of how far he can go with any defiance. But he still wants Barry.

Tellingly, Benitez said after the Lazio game: “(This deal) is not about money.

“We have a good player(Alonso) and we have another good player coming in soon.

“We can improve the squad, so we will try to do that. We will bring in one more player if we can.

“Who comes in? It could be another left-sided player rather than a central midfielder.

“The player I want can play in three different positions, that is a positive thing. I am talking about one player, but I won’t say the name.

“He is English and he can three different positions, but I am talking about someone who can play on the left.”

Finnan Finished At Anfield?

Steve Finnan's future at Liverpool hangs in the balance following a reported row with manager Rafael Benitez.

News of the World claims that Finnan was omitted from the Reds' pre-season trip to Norway after exchanging less-than-friendly words with Benitez regarding his status at the club.

The Irish defender is something of a forgotten man at Anfield despite being considered one of the most consistent full-backs in Europe up until last season, when his campaign was ruined by injury and indifferent form.

Finnan was offered to Aston Villa as part of the Merseyside club's bid for Gareth Barry - a proposal that did not please the 32-year-old one little bit.

For although he now faces stiff competition from Alvaro Arbeloa, Philipp Degen and even Jamie Carragher for the right-back slot, the former Fulham man is eager to regain the place he once owned in Liverpool's starting XI.

Age is not on Finnan's side, however, and nor is Benitez's focus on attack-minded wide defenders, as the ex-Notts County man has often been criticised for his sometimes cautious approach.

And with the list of suitors appearing short indeed, the Champions League-winner may be doomed to a season of bench-warming unless he can patch things up with his boss.

Silva Lining For Furious Rafa?

In an attempt to placate manager Rafael Benitez, Liverpool's owners have reportedly authorised an £18million move for Valencia star David Silva.

Benitez is livid with Tom Hicks and George Gillett after the Reds co-owners vetoed an £18million deal for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

The Americans' decision has strained their relationship with the Spanish tactician to breaking point, as it has recently been revealed that their reason for blocking the buy is not a financial one.

For it is believed Hicks and Gillett have sided with the Kopites' view - which was voiced strongly during the club's recent friendly against Lazio - that there is no need for Barry when Xabi Alonso is already at Anfield.

Such a line suggests that the owners have doubts over Benitez's judgement - an insinuation that has understandably ignited the manager's wrath.

But according to News of the World, a compromise has been put forth in the form of Silva, who was near the very top of Rafa's wish-list earlier in the summer.

One of the reasons Benitez has been hell-bent on signing Barry is the England international's left-sidedness and versatility, something the Merseyside giants have lacked in midfield over the last few years.

Indeed, the former Valencia boss highlighted his concerns regarding the left flank after the win against Lazio, as Ryan Babel is currently at the Olympics and Sebastian Leto has been loaned to Olympiacos after being denied a work permit.

Therefore, Benitez will likely have little issue raiding his old club for the left-footed Silva, who can play all across the attacking third.

Liverpool will not waltz in unopposed, however, as North West rivals Manchester United have supoosedly joined Barcelona in the tango for the 22-year-old.

Dalglish Delighted With Keane Signing

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish has lauded the signing of Robbie Keane and believes his versatility will be an asset to the Reds' attack ahead of the new season.

Keane signed from Tottenham Hotspur for an initial £18 million, a fee criticised by many, though his quality has been hailed as well and it is expected he will be what Liverpool need to push on and mount a genuine Premier League challenge.

Liverpool striking legend compared Keane to Dalglish, who himself is confident Keane has what it takes to be a success at Anfield: “Robbie is one of those players who can come in straight away and hit the ground running.

“He has played all his career in the Premier League with a one-year spell in Italy, so he doesn't need to take any time to settle in.

“He can make an impact from the first whistle. There is no getting used to the speed of the game or anything like that.

“All he has to do is get to know the boys and tune in to their games, where they like to make runs, where they are going to want him to run to and so on.

“He will give the manager plenty of options in the striking positions. He can play straight through the middle as a partner for shoulder to shoulder.

“Or you can withdraw him slightly from Fernando and play him in the hole between the strikers and midfield.

“He will be effective in either role. You only have to look at how he fitted and moulded his game around Dimitar Berbatov at Tottenham to see the potential that he and Torres have as a pairing.

“Berbatov scored a lot of goals from direct final passes from Keane, or from his movement and ability to create space.

“And when Keane gets into position himself in front of goal, he can finish as well as anyone.

“Torres is maybe just a step above Berbatov because he is a lot younger so you have to be licking your lips at the prospect of them being unleashed on the Premier League.”

Liverpool chief executive Parry Says Aston Villa's Barry Price 'Too High'

Liverpool's quest to sign Gareth Barry has taken another twist after the club's chief executive Rick Parry admitted that "the price quoted is too high". Parry's comments appear to contradict those made by manager Rafael Benítez after the Spaniard claimed that money was not the issue.

The Aston Villa midfielder was identified as a summer transfer target by Benítez but the two sides have so far been unable to agree a fee. Last month the Midlands club announced that the deal was off after Liverpool missed a deadline to submit an acceptable offer. However, just days later Martin O'Neill was forced to concede that Barry could still leave Villa Park before the transfer deadline at the end of August.

In an official statement on the club's website, Parry insisted that Benítez has the backing of owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks "There has been a lot of comment regarding our position with regards to Gareth Barry," he said. "This is not about questioning the manager's judgment or the ability of a particular player. The owners have clearly demonstrated throughout the year they are willing to back Rafa in the transfer market and will continue to do so.

"It is obviously the selling club's prerogative to put whatever price they want on the player, but on this occasion Liverpool think the price quoted is too high."

Trio Handed First-Team Squad Numbers

Three of Rafa Benitez's young pretenders have been given first-team squad numbers for 2008-09.

Damien Plessis, Krisztian Nemeth and Martin Kelly have all been allocated numbers for the first time.

Central midfielder Plessis, who borrowed the number 47 for his debut at the Emirates last term, will wear 28 on a permanent basis.

Nemeth, who top-scored for Gary Ablett's title-winning reserves in 2007-08, has been handed the number 29.

Defender Kelly will have 34 on his back should he make his first-team debut in the forthcoming campaign.

Meanwhile, three youngsters have swapped shirts: Emiliano Insua has moved from 48 to 22; Jay Spearing from 34 to 26; and Nabil El Zhar from 42 to 31.

Rafa Hails Youngsters After Lazio Win

Rafael Benitez hailed the performance of Liverpool's young guns after they concluded their pre-season schedule with a 1-0 win over Lazio at Anfield.

The Reds boss admitted he was pleased with his side's overall display after Andriy Voronin stoppage time winner sealed a deserved victory against the Italians and Benitez felt the impact of the likes of Jay Spearing - who created the winning goal - was the main highlight of the night.

"I think it was a very good game against a good team," he said.

"You could see they were pretty sharp, comfortable on the ball and played well on the counter attack. We had two or three really good chances to score and win the game so overall it was very positive, particularly as we had a lot of young players in the side.

"The young players were good too. We know all about the senior players but they all played well. Nabil El Zhar, Jay Spearing, Damien Plessis, and Nemeth - they were all good."

Benitez also had words of praise for Xabi Alonso, who enjoyed a superb display at the heart of the Reds' midfield.

"He was playing well," he said.

"That was positive for us. He is a good player and hopefully we will have another good player coming in soon. We can improve so we will try to improve."

With a Champions League qualifier away to Standard Liege and a Premier League encounter with Sunderland just around the corner, Benitez is now focused on putting the final touches to his squad and admitted a left-sided player was still a priority.

"Clearly we have problems on the left," he said. "We have sold Riise and Kewell and Fabio Aurelio is injured. Leto doesn't have a work permit and Babel is at the Olympic Games, so I think we can improve in this area."

Utrecht Strike Brouwer Deal

Utrecht have struck a deal with Liverpool to take promising striker Jordy Brouwer on a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old is yet to break through into the Reds' first team after joining from Ajax's academy in January 2007.

Brouwer is a regular in Liverpool's reserve side, although he is now set to garner experience in the Eredivisie.

Utrecht are reportedly keen to have the option of buying Brouwer permanently in the deal, but the Reds are against selling.

Brouwer could well have the option of a second destination with ADO Den Haag also enquiring about his availability.

In what could turn into a double deal for Utrecht, the club have also agreed a deal with Real Sociedad for Morten Skoubo.

"He wants to come here," said technical director Piet Buter. "He is looking forward to playing for an attack-minded team."