Betting Recommendation: Sunderland vs LiverpooL

Spain broke their major tournament jinx in the summer, so now Liverpool will do the same, right? Well, if they are to win the title for the first time in 19 years, a good start will be essential.

However, starting well is not something the Reds really do. Last season's win at Aston Villa was their first on the opening day in five years - and it should be remembered a crass refereeing error gave them the points that day.

A trip to Sunderland may not sound the most difficult of starts but in an era when Sky ensure the big guns only play each other when they say so, you suspect Liverpool fans were wondering what tougher trips there could have been first up.

They will remember well the opening-day trips to Sheffield Untied and Middlesbrough in recent years, both of which ended in draws and with a two-point gap already opened up in the title race.

With Sunderland having strengthened their squad compared to the one that took 30 of its 39 points at home last season, we feel more first-match woe could await Liverpool, especially after the less-then-impressive midweek display in Europe.

It's 11/10 in the 'double chance' market that Liverpool fail to win, but a draw at 11/4 looks the way to go.

Verdict: Sunderland 1 - 1 Liverpool (courtesy of bettingzone)

Match Preview: Sunderland vs LiverpooL

Captain Steven Gerrard will be fit to lead Liverpool into the new season when Rafael Benitez's team start their Barclays Premier League campaign at Sunderland.

Gerrard was only used for the final 24 minutes of the disappointing Champions League draw against Standard Liege on Wednesday following a thigh injury but will be in the side at the Stadium of Light after training on Thursday and Friday.

There are doubts over Xabi Alonso and Yossi Benayoun following minor muscle injuries resulting from the game in Belgium, but Fabio Aurelio and Martin Skrtel are both back in contention.

El-Hadji Diouf, Steed Malbranque, Teemu Tainio and Pascal Chimbonda are set to make their Premier League debuts for Sunderland.

Chimbonda (dead leg), Kieran Richardson (calf), Phil Bardsley (hamstring) and Danny Higginbotham (back) have recovered from injuries and are in contention for the game at the Stadium of Light.

Kenwyne Jones, Dwight Yorke and Paul McShane miss out.


MATCH FACTS FROM OPTA:

The most scored by an away team on an opening day of a Premier League season is six, by Liverpool against Crystal Palace in 1994.

Liverpool have won only one of their last five opening day matches, away at Aston Villa last campaign.

Sunderland have scored only four goals in seven opening day fixtures, but have picked up 11 points from those four goals.

Sunderland have conceded exactly two goals in four of their last five Premier League games.

Liverpool have scored exactly two goals in their last three Premier League away games.

The Black Cats failed to score in their final two fixtures of the 2007-08 season.

Sunderland have not drawn a league game at home since December.

The Reds have only lost one of their last seven top-flight road trips, to Manchester United in March.

Only three of Fernando Torres' 24 goals (13%) came away from home in 2007-08.

Sunderland have lost their last four Premier League games against Liverpool, failing to score in each of them.

Sunderland's only Premier League home win against Liverpool came under Howard Wilkinson in December 2002.

Sunderland conceded more penalties than any other team in 2007-08, nine.

TEAMS:

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Ward, Fulop, Chimbonda, Bardsley, Nosworthy, Collins, Higginbotham, Liddle, Edwards, Diouf, Tainio, Whitehead, Leadbitter, Reid, Richardson, Malbranque, Miller, Luscombe, Henderson, Chopra, Murphy, Stokes, Waghorn.

Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Hyypia, Skrtel, Dossena, Insua, Benayoun, Gerrard, Plessis, Alonso, Kuyt, Aurelio, Pennant, Torres, Ngog, Keane, Voronin, Cavalieri, Finnan.

Rafael Benitez Holds Rick Parry Responsible For Gareth Barry Saga

Rafael Benitez has blamed Rick Parry, the Liverpool chief executive, and the club's owners for the protracted Gareth Barry transfer saga.

"I will try to be very clear over the [Barry] situation," Benitez, the Liverpool manager, said. "Everyone has been talking and it seems that the blame is put on me. I get blamed for everything, for global warming to high petrol prices.

"But in this case I want to be very clear. Since I talked to Martin O'Neill about the situation in April, I have not talked to anyone at Aston Villa. All the talks have been between our chief executive Rick Parry, the owner and the chief executive of Aston Villa. And those talks have all been pretty good.

"So if anyone wants to talk about Barry in the future they must talk with the owner, Rick Parry or the chief executive of Aston Villa. And as I have said, those talks I understand have been good.

"I was not involved in the talks about Barry, I was not involved in the talks about [Xabi] Alonso and Arsenal. If you want to talk about these players you must talk to the chief executive of our club who was handling the discussions.

"If you want to talk about players, then you talk to Rick Parry. If you want to talk about football, then you talk with me."

Parry made it clear last weekend that the club were not happy with the £18 million price tag for Barry or length of contract. But Benitez clearly still wants Barry in his team to solve his left-sided problems. "The squad is better but we now have problems on the left because we have lost [John Arne] Riise, [Harry] Kewell and [Sebastian] Leto. We will see what happens in the future with that situation, but clearly our squad is better."

Alonso Tells Liverpool Manager He Wants To Go

XABI ALONSO has told Liverpool he wants to leave Anfield – but is likely to be priced out of a move to Arsenal.

The Spanish midfielder’s future has been the subject of debate throughout the summer, particularly with Rafael Benitez intent on signing Gareth Barry.

Alonso was on the verge of a £16m move to Juventus until the deal collapsed with the Italian side signing Sevilla’s Christian Poulsen instead.

The Spain international has since been linked with interest from Arsenal, and Liverpool manager Benitez revealed yesterday that talks had taken place between officials from Anfield and the Emirates.

But it is thought Arsene Wenger is unwilling to meet Liverpool’s asking price for the 26-year-old.

Alonso is cup-tied in Europe until the new year after appearing in Liverpool’s Champions League qualifier in Belgium against Standard Liege on Wednesday night.

Alonso, who was signed for £10.7m from Real Sociedad in August 2004, was loudly cheered by home supporters during the friendly against Lazio last week. However, the Spaniard has now informed Benitez he wants a fresh challenge.

Liverpool Boss Benitez Wanted To Quit Over Gareth Barry Saga

Rafael Benitez had to be talked out of quitting as Liverpool manager last week over the protracted Gareth Barry transfer that is causing a fresh rift with the Anfield hierarchy.

It has emerged the Spaniard decided to resign after being told the club’s American owners would not stump up the £18m to sign Barry from Aston Villa.

After a conversation with close friends, Benitez ultimately stepped back from the brink and vowed to continue in his post.

But the Liverpool manager remains far from happy with what he regards as interference from Tom Hicks and George Gillett over his prolonged pursuit of Barry.

The midfielder was close to finally completing his transfer last week when Liverpool’s owners put the block on the deal after Villa changed their demands over methods of payment.

Chief executive Rick Parry then released a statement over the weekend stating the club considered the asking price as being “too high”, with the Anfield chiefs privately believing there would be little sell-on value for 28-year-old Barry at the end of his proposed four-year contract.

And the Anfield manager, frustrated at being singled out as the reason Barry is not yet at Liverpool, yesterday insisted he was not to blame for a transfer saga that has overshadowed preparations for this evening’s Premier League opener at Sunderland.

“Everybody has been talking and it is clear that I am being blamed for everything: global warming; rises in petrol prices – everything,” said Benitez.

“In this case, I want to be clear: since I talked with Martin O'Neill in April, I haven't talked with anyone else at Aston Villa. All the talks have been between Rick Parry and the owner and chief executive of Aston Villa – and they have been pretty good.

“If someone wants to talk about Barry in the future, they will have to talk to the owner or chief executive of Aston Villa, or Rick Parry. I was not involved in the talks about Barry – I was not involved in the talks about Xabi Alonso and Arsenal.

“I just want to clarify because every time people say ‘oh you were doing this'. I talked to Martin O'Neill in April and after this I was not in charge.

“I talked just with Martin O'Neill. I haven't had any contact with the owner or the chief executive of Aston Villa. I haven't talked with Martin O’Neill since April.

“If you want to talk about players, talk to Rick Parry. If you want to talk about football, then talk to me.”

Benitez is still keen to sign Barry, despite his appearance for Villa in the Uefa Cup on Thursday night that means he would be cup-tied from European competition until the new year.

The Anfield manager acknowledges the need to strengthen the left side of midfield and has been told sufficient funds will be made available – although whether they will be released to sign Barry remains open to question.

“We do have some problems on the left because we have lost John Arne Riise, Harry Kewell and Sebastian Leto,” said Benitez.

“I think we need something on the left but anyway, I will continue to try and improve and progress with the players that I have.

“I want to be clear. I don't have any problem – any problem – with the owners. So I am not talking about anything like this. It's just that I will try to improve the squad.”

While Barry remains the first-choice target, Benitez admits Liverpool are now considering alternatives.

“We have time so we will continue working,” he added. “We have players in mind. I don't think it will be a problem to find players.

“The question is to find the right players for us, the right left-footed players for us. I was in contact with the owners and they told me that we had some money, I think enough to get the player we want. It's not a problem. I feel we can progress.”

Jose Mourinho: Liverpool And Rafael Benitez Must Step Up A Gear

Forget all the hype about this summer’s transfer saga with Gareth Barry, forget the newspaper stories about the relationship between the manager and the owners and forget about that performance in Liege in midweek – I honestly believe this could be Liverpool’s year.

The manager, Rafa Benitez, arrived in England at the same time as I did and is beginning his fifth year at the club. I always said that my Chelsea team would not be at their best until I had five years with them, and the same should be true at Liverpool. It has been the same group of players and the same management structure for the past four years. Weaknesses are exposed in that time frame and dealt with.

Of course, Liverpool supporters have enjoyed a lot of success in recent years – they won the Champions League. But, as all football supporters know, a championship-winning side is so very different from one that can win the Champions League. Teams are separated in finals and semi-finals by details – details such as disputed goals and penalties. To win a championship is about more than details.

It is impossible to win the championship without a world-class goalkeeper and a world-class striker – and Liverpool have both. Last season, when the club bought Fernando Torres, the spine of the team was completed: Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Torres.

Reina underlined his importance to the team again on Wednesday night with his penalty save against Liege – and I know from first-hand experience that his penalty saves are no flukes – while I think everyone knows the respect I have for Gerrard. It just seems incredible to me that he has gone this long without winning a league title.

As for Torres? Benitez should take enormous credit for not only bringing Spain’s superstar to Anfield, but making him a better player, too. You saw him grow last season and at Euro 2008. He will score at least 20 goals again. With Robbie Keane at his side, maybe he can even break 30 in the league.

On top of all of that, Liverpool also have Anfield on their side – and they must use that to their advantage soon to win a title before they move grounds. It is an incredible stadium – I have so many emotional memories of taking my Chelsea team there and I quickly learnt what a tough, tough ground it is to visit. My happiest memory was a 4-1 league win there in 2005. It was the season after our first Champions League semi-final defeat there. My team were fantastic that day.

Of course, Benitez, being in his fifth year, hardly compares with Arsene Wenger in his 12th at Arsenal or Sir Alex Ferguson in his 22nd at Manchester United – that is serious continuity. And of course they will be serious challengers for the title again. People think that these two managers may have some problems this season because of a couple of player issues – but I cannot see the problem.

Yes, Arsenal have lost a couple of very important players again, but Wenger knows how to cope with that. He has had to deal with losing Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry in recent seasons and he has always rebuilt his team with youth, and they play in a very attractive way. Now they have lost Mathieu Flamini, who I look forward to coming up against in Serie A this season. But Wenger has brought in Samir Nasri, who can be a big star this season. People expected a lot from him at Euro 2008, but France were so poor that it was difficult for him.

I always tell my clubs that we do not buy players on the back of one tournament because a player who is special for 15 days is not necessarily going to be the same over a long league season – but Wenger had Nasri in his sights well before the tournament and knows a lot more than most about how special he can be. We must also wait until Aug 31 to see what else Arsenal will do. You never know what secrets clubs have in their offices.

One story that has not been so secret this summer has been that Real Madrid wanted to buy Cristiano Ronaldo. All along I thought that if there is one man in football who is strong enough and has the right mentality to deal with it and keep the player, it is Sir Alex Ferguson. His experience, knowledge and power at his club meant it was never going to be a problem. So long as the player returns from injury with the same motivation for the club and can produce something like the form he showed last season, then any supporters who are thinking of giving him a hard time will not. It is as simple as that. Sir Alex knows what he is doing and they must trust that.

Of course, my battles with Sir Alex are one of the things that I am going to miss the most. For three years it was just the two of us challenging for honours, and for two of those seasons my team were just too strong in the league. We beat record after record, were unbeatable at home and we also did so many important things, like scoring lots of our goals in the first five minutes of games.

But Sir Alex was able to raise his game and he rebuilt his team with the right blend of youth and experience to get back to the very top. I would like to think that perhaps we had something to do with that. He came back to win consecutive titles and then the Champions League last season. Yes, they needed penalties to win the final against Chelsea, but they had already got past Barcelona, which was a great achievement. I like Sir Alex because even if there was a word or a little fight before the game, then afterwards everything was over.

I see that Chelsea are at home against Portsmouth, which is very interesting for me – I have not followed Phil Scolari’s pre-season at all, but I am sure he is feeling no more pressure with his new club than he did taking Portugal or Brazil into major international tournaments.

But he will find it a difficult opening game against Harry Redknapp’s side.

Harry is a manager I like very much – he teaches his players so much more than just football. I bought Sulley Muntari from Portsmouth to Inter Milan this summer and when he spoke about Harry to me he used the phrase “father figure”. That is exactly what I think Harry is – and how I think a good manager should be. His teams always play with a smile on their faces and that is all down to him. He sees the bigger picture and in that respect he reminds me a little of Sir Bobby Robson.

Sir Bobby has been a winner all his life because he could see the bigger picture. I had the great honour of working with him at Barcelona and he would speak a lot about the pressures of his job as England manager. I really didn’t know what he was talking about until I arrived in England. I realised then just how difficult it must have been to be the national team manager for eight years.

To put up with all that he put up with, he deserved to take England to a World Cup final. But he didn’t have that bit of luck. Losing on penalties in a World Cup semi-final, a little like losing on penalties in a Champions League semi-final, these are details that can make a difference to a career. But Sir Bobby had a beautiful career.

Aurelio Fit For Opening Day

Fabio Aurelio hopes to give Rafael Benitez a selection headache by declaring himself available for Saturday's Barclays Premier League opener in Sunderland.

The Brazilian left-back has been on the sidelines for most of pre-season with a shin injury but he is now back in training and determined to be fit for the big kick-off.

"I'm back in training and feel 100 per cent so I'll be ready for the start of the season at Sunderland," Aurelio told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It was really important for me to be involved in the pre-season training camp in Switzerland and I worked hard. Unfortunately another small problem kept me out when I got a kick on my shin which caused some inflammation, but I'm now looking forward to the start of the season.

"It will be the manager's decision whether I will be involved against Sunderland. I hope to do a good job and help the team make a good start to the season."

Aurelio believes it is imperative Liverpool get off to a winning start against a side many fancy to go from strength to strength in their second top flight season.

Roy Keane has brought in the likes of El-Hadji Diouf and Tottenham trio Pascal Chimbonda, Steed Malbranque and Teemu Tainio, and Aurelio knows he and his teammates face a tough time.

"Now is the time when the results have to come and we are ready for the start of the season," he said. "We know that Sunderland has improved their squad a lot during the summer and they are a strong team now.

"We have also improved by bringing in some quality players so we know that even the team isn't 100 per cent yet we hope to start well and get the three points. We have a strong squad and we want to fight for the title this year."

The summer has seen the arrival at Melwood of Italian left-back Andrea Dossena, while young pretender Emiliano Insua has impressed when given the first-team call.

Not that Aurelio is flustered at the prospect of fighting for his place.

"It's really good to have competition and I think the boss is really pleased about that," he added. "He has a very good opportunity to change the system and use different players, so everyone will be fighting for their place. I think that is very good for the team.

"In every position we have two or three players so I think it's very important during every training session that we all keep working hard and keep up our level."

Kuyt: Liverpool Need Liege Kick Start

Dirk Kuyt believes Liverpool’s Belgian battering has given them “the kick we needed” – and warned Sunderland to beware a backlash tomorrow.

The Anfield outfit were fortunate to escape with a goalless draw from their Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege on Wednesday night.

It was an alarming start to the new campaign for Rafael Benitez’s side, who were indebted to a sparkling performance from goalkeeper Pepe Reina that included a penalty save.

And Kuyt, one of several players under-par on the evening, admits it was a wake-up call for a Liverpool team that were unbeaten throughout pre-season.

“I think we have to look on it as the kick we needed,” he said. “We are still in the game and we will have a good chance at Anfield. We all know we have to perform better – and we will.

“The only good thing about that game for us was the 0-0 scoreline. We were all very disappointed by the performance we gave, as players and as a team. We tried to do our best and it was not good enough.

“They could certainly have had one or two goals, and Reina was definitely man of the match. He made some wonderful saves and also stopped a penalty.

“If you don’t play well, but still draw your worst games, then you can actually look on that as a good thing. We didn’t concede a goal so you also have to take the positives, and that is one.”

Liverpool have an immediate chance to atone for their poor display when they begin their Premier League title quest at Sunderland tomorrow.

And Kuyt added: “We are looking forward to Saturday even more, to show who we are and what we can do.”

One of either Mascherano or Babel will definitely return in time for the Premier League home game against Middlesbrough next weekend, with Argentina and Holland competing a quarter-final tomorrow.

Pepe Dreaming Of Title Glory

On the eve of the new Barclays Premier League campaign Reds goalkeeper Pepe Reina has spoken of his belief that Rafael Benitez has assembled a squad capable of winning 'the most difficult competition in the world'.

With hopes and expectations high ahead of the big kick-off Reina - Liverpool's penalty saving hero against Standard Liege on Wednesday night - insists the Reds have never been better equipped to end their 18-year wait for the title to return to Anfield.

"We have to trust ourselves and believe we can do it," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "The squad has improved season after season and we have to believe this can be our year.

"I hope that in ten months we can be celebrating. I would like to win the Premier League firstly for our supporters, but also because it's the most difficult competition in the world.

"We just want to be involved in every competition this season. That has to be our aim. We want to get closer to the top two and also have a good run in the Champions League again.

"The new players who have come in will help us. I think Robbie Keane will be a great partner for Fernando. He has had some brilliant years at Tottenham, he's a world class player and he will score a lot of goals for Liverpool."

The Reds kick-off the new campaign with an away trip to Sunderland on Saturday evening at a ground where they recorded a 2-0 victory last season.

"It will be a tough test for us," added Reina. "The first league game is always difficult and it will be for us at Sunderland.

"We won there last season but I remember it wasn't easy. They are a difficult side to play against and they will be going for it against us. We have to be strong defensively and then wait for our moment.

Liverpool's Persuit Of Gareth Barry Looks Set To Collapse

Gareth Barry’S proposed move to Liverpool edged nearer to collapse after the midfielder appeared for Aston Villa in the Uefa Cup last night.

Barry started and scored in his team’s win in their qualifying first leg tie against FH Hafnarfjordur in Iceland.

The England international’s selection means he will be cup tied and unable to play for another side in Europe until the knockout stages in February.

However, Villa manager Martin O’Neill insists the latest development does not necessarily rule out a move to Liverpool for Barry.

"I wouldn’t be particularly sure until the transfer deadline passes what might materialise, so we’ll see," he said.

"But he’s our player, and he wanted to play in the game, and we think he’s mentally tuned into it, so that’s all that matters."

Barry has been a target for Liverpool all summer and lost the captaincy for criticising Villa manager O’Neill’s handling of the move.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez had previously made no secret of his desire to sign the 27-year-old.

But chief executive Rick Parry revealed over the weekend that the club’s hierarchy regard Villa’s £18m valuation as "too high".

Barry has been desperate for a move to Anfield, with Liverpool having first lodged a bid back in May.

However, increasingly strained dealings between the clubs have cast doubt over the transfer, with last night’s developments further threatening Liverpool’s current interest in the player.

Dirk Kuyt Promises Liverpool Will Make Premier League Title Challenge

Dirk Kuyt has vowed that Liverpool's Premier League campaign will not be over by the end of September this time around.

The Anfield striker knows that for the past few seasons they have blown their title hopes with an abysmal start that has left them too far off the pace.

There are already fears that Liverpool will follow a familiar pattern as this year's race gets underway after a shocking Champions League performance in Liege on Wednesday.

Liverpool looked well short of the level required to put pressure on Manchester United and Chelsea as they struggled against the Belgian champions.

But Kuyt is adamant that even though the European performance was not good enough, it will be a different story at Sunderland tomorrow night.

"It sometimes happens you don't play your best game as a team, but we will not play like that at the Stadium of Light," insisted the Dutchman.

"The start of the season is big for us. We know how important it will be against Sunderland. We have to do better and we know we will."

Barry Aware Of Consequences

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill insists Gareth Barry "knew the consequences" of his decision to play in the UEFA Cup on Thursday night.

Barry scored the opening goal as Villa cruised to a 4-1 victory over FH Hafnarfjordur in Iceland in the second qualifying round match, a result which home boss Heimir Gudjonsson admitted has killed the tie off at the halfway stage.

But by playing, Barry may have damaged his chances of a move to Liverpool before the transfer window closes at the end of August - if he still wants to go to Anfield.

Liverpool's pursuit of the England midfielder has been a summer-long saga, however by making a European appearance for Villa, Barry has made himself ineligible for the Champions League group stages, which may make him a less attractive target for Rafael Benitez.

O'Neill said: "He was in the right frame of mind and wanted to play. Nothing would have stopped him so that is pleasing.

"I have no idea what will happen between now and the end of August.

"He knew the consequences of playing tonight so the decision was very much his."

O'Neill's side, being watched by England boss Fabio Capello, went into an early 3-0 lead with goals from Barry, Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor, before Matthias Gudmundsson pulled one back just before half-time.

Martin Laursen restored Villa's three-goal advantage after the break.

Villa have a comfortable advantage for the second leg, and they should ease into the first round proper of the competition when their Icelandic opponents visit Villa Park in a fortnight's time.

Villa face Manchester City in their Premier League opener on Sunday, but O'Neill said: "I could not think at all about the game on Sunday until we had played tonight, but I was very pleased with some of the football we played.

"We obviously need to tighten up our defence if we could, but I was very pleased to win."

Hafnarfjordur manager Gudjonsson conceded his team's European campaign was effectively over.

"Since it is obvious we don't have any chance in the second leg we will concentrate on the league," said Gudjonsson.

"I don't think this game will break us down, I doubt we'll play against a team as good as this again this summer."

He added: "The game was over before it began. We let in two goals in six minutes when there was a total lack of concentration.

"I do not know if players showed Aston Villa too much respect, which was not necessary.

"If you go two goals behind against such a team at home, obviously it will be difficult but we tried and showed sometimes that we are a good attacking team.

"But in football you must also play defence and that we did not.

"Of course I am disappointed. We planned to get more out of this game and were hoping to get a good result - by that I mean a draw or losing by one goal which meant we would be going out there to possibly put pressure on them."

Milan In For Alonso?

Another name has been added to the list of suitors for Xabi Alonso, as AC Milan have now been linked with the Liverpool midfielder.

Alonso's future has been up in the air all summer long, as the Reds' pursuit of Gareth Barry was expected to signal the end of the Spaniard's stay at Anfield.

Indeed, the Basque playmaker seemed certain to make the switch to Juventus before joining up with la Seleccion for their successful EURO 2008 campaign, but that move collapsed after the clubs failed to agree a fee.

And reports from England suggest that Juve's rivals, Milan, are now set to make a move for the 26-year-old.

The Rossoneri know Alonso's qualities all too well, having come up against the former Real Sociedad man in two Champions League finals.

Carlo Ancelotti's squad already boasts an abundance of midfield talent with the likes of Mathieu Flamini, Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo - the latter of whom is stylistically quite similar to Alonso.

Furthermore, the Merseyside club are now very unlikely to sell the crafty centre-man after calling off their pursuit of Barry, whose £18million price-tag proved too steep.

Hence, this link can perhaps be attributed to the fact Alonso is cup-tied after playing in Liverpool's Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege, thus diminishing his value in the eyes of Arsenal, Internazionale and Milan.

Milan, however, are in the UEFA Cup, meaning the player would still be able to feature in European competition if he move to il Diavolo.

But the switch remains a very remote possibility, and the San Siro club would have to fork out at least £15million to land their man.

Liverpool 'Were Very Lucky To Have Got Away With A Draw,' Admits Rafel Benitez

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said that his side were fortunate to have escaped from their Champions League third qualifying round, first-leg match at Standard Liege with their interest in the competition still intact.

Liege were highly unfortunate not to have won after a storming performance in front of their fanatical fans.

In the end a goalless draw will delight Liverpool, who turned in a worryingly disjointed display.

"We were very lucky to have got away with a draw, very lucky not to have conceded goals," Benitez said.

"It was a very disappointing performance. But the team know they have to improve, and I did not have to say much to them in the dressing-room, sometimes you do not need many words."

Liverpool's man of the match was goalkeeper Jose Reina, who saved a first-half penalty. The Spanish goalkeeper also looked to have clawed another effort back from behind the goal-line in a first half in which the Belgian champions threatened to overrun the Anfield side.

Benitez is putting his faith in a much-improved display in the second leg at Anfield in a fortnight. If not, then Liverpool could go the same way as Rangers, who also failed to get to the group stages of the lucrative competition.

"It will be different at Anfield, there we are expected to win and we will have our own fans behind us. Liege had their very noisy fans for the first leg," Benitez added.

The five-time European Cup winners could easily have finished the match three or four goals in arrears.

"We were not surprised by the fine performance of the Liege side, we had seen enough of them to know they were a good, aggressive side," the Liverpool manager added.

"The real surprise for me was the way Liverpool played. The only positive to take from the match was the fact that we did not concede a goal.

"We will have to be a lot better in the second leg at Anfield, much better.

"We have been playing well in pre-season, looking confident and passing the ball well.

"But we did not do any of those things. I did not want to bring Steven Gerrard on because the doctors had told me he was not fit enough to start the match.

"We waited until well into the second half before using him, but we were not controlling the game and I had to bring him on."

Gerrard was initially ruled out with a thigh strain and looked well short of his combative best when he eventually entered the fray.

Praising his Spain international goalkeeper, Benitez added: "Jose Reina was the man of the match.

"We know we can always rely on Pepe to stop penalties, but we have been told that the other effort may have been behind the line, but these things happen."

Liege coach Laszlo Boloni said: "Liverpool maybe came here asleep and not expecting this sort of game.

"Maybe, though, we have woken them up for the second leg, which will me much harder for us.

"We felt that if we did not lose this leg, we would still be in with a chance. We know, though, that we still have to score and that could be the problem.

"But I want to praise my team. They attacked Liverpool from the start, and when their goalkeeper pulled the ball back from behind the line, maybe the referee was asleep too."

Reina: We Need To Improve

Pepe Reina accepts Liverpool must step up their game if they're to see off the challenge of Standard Liege and qualify for the group stages of this season's Champions League.

The Reds arrived back from Belgium in the early hours of this morning after a disappointing display in Liege ensured the third round tie remained firmly in the balance ahead of the Anfield return in two weeks' time.

Reina was the Reds hero on the night, making a series of fine saves including a 10th minute penalty stop from Dante after Andrea Dossena was adjudged to have handled inside the area.

The Liverpool 'keeper was also called into action to scoop the ball to safety after Feillani's header had spun back off the post towards the net.

"We played really bad and it's clear we have to improve for the game at Anfield," admitted Reina.

"The positive thing is we got a result, we kept a clean sheet and it's still in our hands. But we didn't play well.

"I don't know if the ball was over the line before I cleared it - I'll have to watch it on TV. Penalty saves are always difficult but, like I say, at least we got the result on the night. But we have to improve."

Voronin Pining For Anfield Exit

Andriy Voronin's days at Liverpool appear to be numbered following the Ukrainian striker's admission that his first-team prospects are non-existent.

Voronin has endured a less than stellar time of things since arriving at Anfield on a free transfer last summer.

Despite leap-frogging Peter Crouch in the pecking order last season - much to the bewilderment of many, it must be said - the 29-year-old failed to establish himself in the starting XI due to a combination of injury, poor form and the brilliance of Fernando Torres.

The vast majority of Kopites have called for Rafael Benitez get rid of the former Bayer Leverkusen man and instead promote youth talents such as Krisztian Nemeth and Daniel Pacheco.

It appears the Spanish tactician may have heeded the supporters to some extent, as Voronin remained on the pine while Moroccan youngster Nabil El Zhar came on late in last night's nervy Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege.

The hard-working forward now finds himself behind Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and new-boy Robbie Keane in the queue for vying for the attacking spots behind Torres.

Hence, although he scored freely during pre-season, Voronin is resigned to spending the season on the sidelines unless he secures a last-minute move away from Merseyside.

"It looks as if there will be no honest competition for my position," he was quoted as saying in The Sun.

"I think it has been filled whatever I do."

Standarrd Liege 0 - 0 LiverpooL

Liverpool's season began with a stutter as they drew 0-0 with Standard Liege in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier in Belgium.

Liverpool paired Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane together for the first time in competitive action but the duo failed to gel and the Reds can count themselves fortunate to be going back to England on level terms.

Their first escape came after just six minutes when Marouane Fellaini's header appeared to be heading in off the post, only for Jose Reina to scramble across his goal and claw it off the line.

There was some debate as to whether the ball had actually crossed but Liege really should have rendered it immaterial when they were handed a penalty just four minutes later.

Wilfred Dalmat's cross definitely hit the arm of Andrea Dossena, but the left-back was also definitely outside the box. Referee Tom Henning Ovrebo pointed to the spot, though, and it needed Reina again to produce heroics to keep out Dante Bonfim's spot-kick with his legs.

A speculative Xabi Alonso effort that landed on the roof of the net was the closest Liverpool went in a disappointing first 45 minutes and it showed no signs of improving at the start of the second.

Liege again went close through a Igor de Camargo header in the 65th minute and while Rafa Benitez introduced Steven Gerrard for an out-of-sorts Keane, the Merseysiders still could not get into the game.

Reina punched away another De Camargo header seven minutes later but a tame Gerrard free-kick in stoppage time was the closest the visitors went to taking a lead back to Anfield.

Liverpool’s Keane: I Am No David Villa, But Want To Form Successful Partnership With Torres

Liverpool new-signing Robbie Keane has stressed that he has his own style, and will not try to be Reds version of David Villa, but will strive to deliver the goods in partnership with Reds’ ace Fernando Torres to be as prolific a combination as the two Spaniards are for their country.

The Republic of Ireland forward signed for the Reds this summer in a big-money move from Tottenham, thus giving boss Rafa Benitez plenty of options with his versatility.

Keane told ZOO magazine: "As good as David Villa is, I like to think I am my own player and won't be trying to be Liverpool's version.

"But if Fernando and I can become as successful for Liverpool as he and Villa are for Spain, then that would be fantastic!"

Keane and Torres are set to spearhead the Merseyside attack together for the first time in a competitive game when the Reds take on Standard Liege in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League qualifier in Belgium.

Dirk Kuyt: I Want To Stay At Liverpool For As Long As The Club Wants Me

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt claims he has been reassured by Reds manager Rafael Benitez that he still has a future at the club.

The Dutchman found himself playing for much of last season on the right side of midfield, as Benitez opted to play just Fernando Torres up front.

Robbie Keane’s arrival from Tottenham means the 28-year-old is unlikely to be a regular starter in his favoured position even if the Spaniard reverts back to a two-man strikeforce this season.

Kuyt, who scored three goals in 32 appearances for the Anfield club last term, was recently linked with a move to German side Hamburg, but he remains desperate to stay on Merseyside.

And he insists Benitez is happy to grant him his wish.

"I’m really happy at Liverpool and I want to stay here for as long as the club wants me," Kuyt told www.liverpoolfc.tv.

"I am really settled here and I like the city. The most important thing is I like the club and I’ve really enjoyed the two seasons I’ve been here.

"The only thing I am missing is some trophies and hopefully that will come in the next year.

"I’ve never had any intentions of leaving this club. Sometimes things are said in the press but the boss said to me that is not relevant and he wants me here with Liverpool."

Liverpool Set To End Interest In Barry As He Prepares For Villa's UEFA Cup Campaign

Gareth Barry's proposed move to Liverpool finally appears to have fallen through after he asked to join Aston Villa's Uefa Cup challenge.

The England midfielder declared himself available to play after speaking to Martin O'Neill's staff, giving the clearest indication yet that he will remain at Villa Park.

Villa's boss said: 'I didn't get a chance to speak to Gareth on Monday but my assistants John Robertson and Steve Walford did.

'Last week, he was more than unsettled but he has said he's absolutely right. He's ready to play and he wanted to come and join us.

'That's particularly pleasing. I shall speak to him before the game. But what was very encouraging was that he wanted to come.

'If players are mentally right and they are really good players - and Gareth Barry is a really good player - then I wouldn't have any hesitation in picking him.

'He's right to play. And it's terrific news for us.'

O'Neill said he would have no hesistation in naming Barry and it seems certain that he will play a part in the National Stadium this evening.

Despite signing three defenders in the past week, ONeill has only been able to add Nicky Shorey to his list of eligible players with both Carlos Cuellar and Luke Young unavailable.

Barry did not travel with the team on their training camp in Spain last week and is short of match practice. He has not featured since the victory over Odense in the prevous round.

But O'Neill will be eager for him to have a run-out against the Icelanders as it will be ideal preparation ahead of this Sunday's Premier League kick-off at Villa Park against Manchester City.