Aston Villa 0 - 0 LiverpooL

Rafael Benitez suffered a torrent of abuse and saw his Liverpool side miss out on the chance to go top of the Barclays Premier League after a goalless draw at Villa Park.

Aston Villa fans taunted the Reds boss with chants of 'There's only one Gareth Barry' after the collapse of the England midfielder's move to Liverpool, and some of the crowd aimed personal insults at the Reds manager.

Benitez was met with a crescendo of abuse from Villa fans when he made his way to the dug-out before shaking hands with home manager Martin O'Neill, with whom he became embroiled in a war of words over Barry.

But the game itself was mostly disappointing, with both sides cancelling each other out and for long periods adopting a safety-first approach until an exciting finale.

Liverpool needed to win to go top but they could not find their way through a home rearguard in which captain Martin Laursen was a rock-solid performer.

Midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker had one of his best games for Villa on the right flank, before switching to full-back in the closing stages to accommodate £12million new recruit James Milner.

The encouraging factor for Villa was that they looked a match for Liverpool, an established member of the Premier League's 'big four', in a season where they are expected to challenge to break into the elite group of teams.

But Villa also found it difficult to create decent opportunities, with Javier Mascherano impressing in the Liverpool midfielder after his return from Olympic action with Argentina.

The first incident of note saw Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel booked after 13 minutes for hauling back John Carew on the left flank.

Liverpool suffered a setback after 27 minutes when striker Fernando Torres pulled up sharply when chasing an innocuous-looking pass and was immediately taken off.

It led to Benitez giving a debut to striker David Ngog who was signed from Paris St Germain earlier in the summer.

Then, after 35 minutes, Carew squandered the first clear-cut chance.

Barry's fine pass played in Ashley Young who had beaten the offside trap and he laid the ball back invitingly into the path of Carew, only eight yards out from goal.

But the Norwegian international opted to place his low shot rather than go for power and Reina was able to block his attempt.

Liverpool threatened for the first time when a deep cross from Andrea Dossena was only headed by Nicky Shorey into the path of Dirk Kuyt but his side's midweek Champions League goal hero shot into the sidenetting.

Then a superb reverse pass from Robbie Keane opened up the Villa defence for Ngog and his left-footed curler was only inches too high.

The visitors stepped up their game in the second half and Keane teed up a shot for Xabi Alonso which was deflected over Brad Friedel's bar by Shorey.

Then Friedel did well to tip over, at full stretch, a superb cross on the run from Dossena.

Villa enjoyed pressure of their own and Curtis Davies made good ground to get on the end of Young's free-kick but summed up the game by heading the ball away from the Liverpool goal.

The biggest cheer of the afternoon came with the introduction of Milner in place of Luke Young whose right-back berth was filled by Reo-Coker.

Dossena was booked a minute later for throwing the ball away after disputing a throw-in awarded to Villa.

Benitez brought on Fabio Aurelio for Kuyt after 70 minutes, and Petrov was just off target with a dipping volley.

Benitez then appealed in vain for a penalty after Reo-Coker's tackle on Keane who shot wide when under pressure from the Villa midfielder.

Keane Says Goals Will Come

Liverpool striker Robbie Keane says he is too experienced to start worrying about his Anfield goal drought.

The Republic of Ireland forward insists his slow start is nothing to be concerned about, and he said he is looking forward to developing a lethal partnership with Spanish ace Fernando Torres.

Keane is yet to find the back of the net since his £20m summer move from Spurs, but he is confident he can rediscover his scoring touch soon.

Keane scored 80 goals in 197 appearances for Spurs, including 23 in all competitions last year, and he said he wants to get his goal tally up and running when he plays in the next few matches.

He said: "If I was younger and a bit more naive, maybe I would start to worry about it. But when you're 28 and you've got experience with many clubs, you're not worried one bit as long as the team is winning.

"That is the main thing. It took me five games to score my first goal for Tottenham. The more people talk about it, the more it becomes a big issue.

"But I'm not worried about it and if I'm not worried, you shouldn't worry."

Keane added: "When you've been there and done that, you settle in a lot quicker than you would if you were younger.

"The new players and new environment take a little bit of getting used to.

"The spark with Fernando is only going to come with games. We have to understand each other and what the team do."

Gerrard's Injury Frustration

Liverpool ace Steven Gerrard says he had no choice but to go under the knife to resolve his groin problem.

Gerrard underwent the groin operation earlier this week after the club decided the time was right to get the injury cleared up.

The injury will sideline Gerrard for up to two weeks and it means he will miss England's World Cup qualifiers with Andorra and Croatia next month.

Gerrard admits he has been struggling with the injury for some time and he has revealed his frustration at missing the opening World Cup qualifiers.

"I've been struggling for a few weeks now. It's really frustrating for me because I want to play in every game," Gerrard told the News of the World.

"It's a very tough time as a player when you're injured. I've got some very big games coming up for club and country, so it's a massive frustration for me.

"But the fact is I couldn't reach the level I need at the moment because my groin was too sore.

"It was clear I needed to get the problem sorted.

"The doctor told me I needed to see a specialist. And he felt an operation was needed."

Torres Eager For 'Special' Madrid Return

This weeks Champions League draw will see Fernando Torres revisit Vicente Calderon as Atletico Madrid are pitted in the same group as Liverpool.

Fernando Torres spent six idolised years at Atletico Madrid, accumulating a multitude of appearances despite his young age.

El Nino hasn't taken long to win over the Liverpool support scoring some fantastic goals in his debut season, and looks set to continue that trend this campaign.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.tv, Torres said: "It will be very special for me and I’m sure that I’m going to enjoy the experience. I hope to get a good reception from the fans because Atletico gave me a lot, although I also gave a lot to Atletico."

"I understand that when the game starts they will see me as a rival, but I’ll never forget the years I spent there," he said.

"It will be an amazing feeling to run out onto the Vicente Calderon pitch again and meet up with old team-mates and friends," he concluded.

Liverpool travel to Madrid on Wednesday the 22nd of October.

Benitez - We Need To Be More Clinical

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez was satisfied with the point his side secured away to Aston Villa, but believes his men need to improve their final ball if they are to challenge for a top-two finish.

In a drab affair at Villa Park, both teams lacked potency in the final third as Robbie Keane, Martin Laursen and John Carew spurned the only real clear-cut chanced of the game.

And Benitez, who is close to securing the £8 million signing of Albert Riera from Espanyol which could solve The Reds’ lack of width, believes his side will struggle to match Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United this season unless they can improve their attacking proficiency.

"We were controlling and creating the opportunity for the final pass," Benitez told Sky Sports 1. "We have to improve the final pass and that could be the difference."

The former Valencia manager confirmed Riera’s arrival at Anfield, believing the player will prove to be a shrewd addition to the side.

"I think so," Benitez said when asked whether the Spain international would be arriving. "He will be a good addition. It is nearly done."

Benitez also admitted that the club will have to await scans on Fernando Torres’ hamstring injury after the hit-man limped off midway through the first half.

"We don't know how long Torres will be out for yet," Benitez told Liverpool's official website. "We'll have to wait for the results of the scan on Monday.

"It could be he is out for seven to 10 days, but until he has the scan we won't know."

Rows Are Over, Insists Parry

Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry insists that the fighting within Anfield is now over. Rows between Parry and Rafa Benitez over who would and wouldn't be signing for the Reds, along with the fallout between owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, threatened to see chaos decent. However Parry says that stability has been restored and everyone is now pulling in the right direction, as he explained to Sky Sports:

'Everyone is working together.

'Everything was relatively calm during the close season compared to the publicity at other clubs and now we just want to focus on winning games.

'There is a dialogue between the two owners on a regular basis. And they have been supportive throughout the last six months, especially in the transfer market.

'People forget that we have bought Robbie Keane and paid a huge fee for Javier Mascherano. So the commitment has still been there. They have been supportive through this transfer window and, at the moment, it is stable.'

Whatever happens we do not want any problems brought out into the open anymore, as far too much has been broadcast in public to see this famous club come something of a laughing stock all to often. Problems in the Anfield boardroom should, as much as is humanly possible, remain there from now on as most doesn't, and shouldn't be made public.

Parry also denied speculation that he could replace Brian Barwick as chief executive of the Football Association, he added:

'I'm still here but it's not about me. The story should always be the players.

In other Reds news out of favour winger Jermaine Pennant is being linked with a move to Stoke before the transfer window closes. A fee of £4m is being spoken of, and despite his desire to remain his future with the Reds looks very bleak, so there is a good chance he could go before midnight on Monday.

Old Failings Are Still Present

IT clearly wasn’t in Rafael Benitez’s plans to get to a day from the end of the transfer window and be watching Gareth Barry playing for the opposition.

But it was the players missing from his own squad that proved the greatest frustration for the Liverpool manager.

Steven Gerrard’s absence already assured Liverpool would be suffering from a lack of creativity – but having to make do for an hour without Fernando Torres, the one player who can make something happen out of nothing, left Benitez on a hiding to nothing.

And although in circumstances a draw can be considered a decent result, it brings back bad memories of what cost Liverpool a title challenge last season – settling for one point when three were on offer.

A win would have given Benitez the boost of getting one over on Martin O’Neill where it really matters – on the pitch.

If only events between the two clubs there could have been half as feisty as they have been off it during this long, heated summer.

But victory would have taken Liverpool top of the Premier League with three wins out of three. And unlike the previous two successes this season, they would have been easily forgiven for another below-par performance if they had forced the decisive breakthrough against a side like Villa.

The statement of intent that all title challengers want to make would be there for all to see this morning.

As it is, they stand unconvincingly shoulder to shoulder with Chelsea having not been able to produce a display that will inspire confidence that they will still be alongside them come May.

The loss of Torres with a hamstring injury after half an hour could still have major significance with Manchester United the next opponents but it wasn’t the biggest problem yesterday.

Indeed, his replacement David Ngog looked lively and almost scored towards the end of the first half.

But the deadliest finisher in England might as well be limping down the tunnel when he’s not being given anything to feed off.

Once again, a chronic lack of options and ideas in the final third paralysed Liverpool’s chances of getting among the goals.

The return of Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva from the Olympics couldn’t have been better timed, but teaming them up with Xabi Alonso in midfield again exposed a lack of width.

At one point, Mascherano stared into a gaping hole where Albert Riera should be, realising all his team-mates were to his right even though he was in the centre of the field.

Lucas had seemed to start on the left flank, then Robbie Keane occasionally dropped in there to provide an outlet before everyone seemed to abandon the idea all together.

All too narrow and negative to cause Villa any serious sustained problems

For that reason, it wasn’t just the sight of Barry in a Villa shirt that made Benitez envious.

Nigel Reo-Coker and Ashley Young proved the value of genuine wide men with some electrifying breaks. Their supply line was pretty well snuffed out on the whole but they still showed up Liverpool’s lack of variety.

And when Reo-Coker was shifted to right-back to allow James Milner to make his second Villa debut, Benitez responded by adding full-back Fabio Aurelio to the midfield battle.

It was all taking on a congestion of spaghetti junction proportions and just made the likelihood of a 0-0 depressingly inevitable.

But at least that scoreline only reaffirms the one positive constant running through Anfield this season and that is the reliability of the defence and goalkeeper, having now only conceded once in five competitive games this season.

Pepe Reina’s fine save form John Carew proved vital while Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel expertly repelled perhaps the most dangerous attacking line-up outside the top four.

Villa – six goals in their two previous Premier League outings plus a glut in their Uefa Cup qualifiers – had plenty of pace and passion but, like their visitors, couldn’t transform it into anything that overly-worried the opposition.

And other things were just as predictable.

Such as the biggest cheers of the day being for Barry, the biggest jeers for Benitez. The Villa fans’ way of sticking one to Liverpool for the apparently despicable way they tried to prise away their captain.

Incidentally, the next loudest roar was for Milner, the same supporters presumably having no problem with their club’s pursuit of the winger to the point of him handing in a transfer request to Kevin Keegan last week.

Double standards that perfectly sum up a tiresome transfer window.

Yet Barry has emerged from the whole saga relatively well off out of it all.

He still has the adulation of the Birmingham faithful and his desired move falling through doesn’t seem to have affected his game.

Bes of all, not being a Liverpool player spared him from having to wear those hideous red stockings with his silver away strip.

It was Barry who opened up the Liverpool defence to create the game’s first real chance after 35 uneventful minutes of shadow boxing, setting Ashley Young free to tee up Carew, whose low shot was well blocked by Reina.

Liverpool took 40 minutes to register their first meaningful effort took 40 minutes when Dirk Kuyt lashed into the side netting – but it lifted his team-mates and Ngog was soon shaving the crossbar after a deft touch by Keane put him free.

It was a spell that at least seemed to give Liverpool some inclination that they could win the game and they came out for the second half in a much more positive frame of mind.

Keane teed up Alonso for a shot deflected wide by Nicky Shorey then Brad Friedel had to tip Dossena’s dangerous cross over the bar.

Keane then had an opportunity to find the net in August for the first time in six years when he raced on to a long ball but he fluffed the finish under pressure from Reo-Coker.

From that point, Villa looked the more likely as Milner forced Reina into a sprawling save and a series of late set-pieces also had the nerve ends jangling.

And as many have feared during Liverpool’s recent run of late winners, when the standard of opposition was raised, the chances of getting away with another ineffective attacking showing would lower.

Which proved the case yesterday as Villa, with Martin Laursen enjoying a much better afternoon than this time last year when his own goal contributed to an opening day defeat to the Merseyside men, found them all too easy to defend against.

All of which means it shouldn’t be too difficult for Benitez to stop lamenting his being without Barry – because the players he has got are giving him plenty enough to worry about at the moment.

Torres A Worry For United Showdown

FERNANDO TORRES is set to miss Liverpool’s meeting with Manchester United after he suffered a hamstring tear at Villa Park yesterday.

The Spanish striker, who sustained the injury after half an hour of the goalless draw with Aston Villa, will undergo a scan to assess the extent of the damage today.

But with Gerrard already doubtful for the Premier League clash at Anfield on September 13 following two groin operations, Rafael Benitez’s plans for the game have been thrown into chaos.

The Liverpool manager does expect Albert Riera to complete his £9million move form Espanyol today. The move has been delayed while the Spanish club ponder including full back Steve Finnan as part of the deal.

The Liverpool manager also refused to rule out further signings in the final few hours of the transfer window.

But with Gerrard and Torres now out of their country’s World Cup qualifiers while they begin their recuperation, Benitez is hoping that, if they do miss the United game, they can regain fitness for the opening Champions League group game in Marseille the following Tuesday.

“We will have to wait and see what the scan says, and then wait and see over the next seven, 10 days,” said Benitez after his side kept up their unbeaten start to the Premier League season to draw level on points with Chelsea at the top.

“It is a positive thing that we have this international break now.”

The lingering bad feeling over the Gareth Barry transfer saga led to Benitez receiving a torrent of abuse form the Villa fans.

But the Spaniard quipped: “I have been told the Birmingham accent is the hardest one to understand so I couldn’t tell what they were saying.”

Liverpool turned in another disappointing attacking display at Villa, creating only a handful of chances to break the deadlock. But with returning Olympic medallists Javier Mascherano and Lucas back in midfield, plus a solid defensive performance, Benitez did take some positives from the game.

He said: “I think it was a tough game but we could have won it and we also could have lost it, so at the end of the day a point is good for both teams.

“Clearly when you are without Gerrard and after you lose Torres it is always a problem but the team was always working hard and it’s a credit to the players.

“It was a pity because we could have won the game so it could have been better but it’s not bad to get a point here.

“We could see that Mascherano and Lucas are fantastic players with a very good mentality after returning from the Olympic Games. That’s the positive thing for us,” he added.

Benitez also backed Robbie Keane as the £20million man’s wait for his first Liverpool goal continued.

After being through on goal, a challenge from Nigel Reo-Coker seemed to prevent the Irishman getting in a clean strike, but claims for a penalty were turned down by referee Martin Atkinson.

Keane was then substituted for Yossi Benayoun in the closing stages of the game, but Benitez said: “Robbie was working really hard. I was trying to use another player with fresh legs like Yossi for the final 15 minutes.

“Robbie did a very good job for the team. He started the game on the left side in the first half and then I put him through the middle as a second striker. He was always working well for the team and trying to make things happen for us.

He added: “After watching the replay it could have been a penalty. The position of the referee wasn’t the best and it happened so quickly. It could have been a penalty but I’m not complaining.”

Meanwhile, Espanyol will today decide whether to include Finnan as part of the Riera deal. The 32-year-old right-back has not figured in any of Benitez’s squads so far this season and is free to find a new club before the close of the transfer window today, as are Jermaine Pennant – set for a switch to Stoke – and Andriy Vorornin.

“The (Riera) deal is nearly done and hopefully it will be on Monday,” Benitez added. “I have confidence. It will be good for us because he is a good player and he will give us balance. In terms of bringing in other players if we can do a deal then we will try.”

Barry's Liverpool Showdown

Aston Villa face Liverpool this weekend in the third round of the Premier League. Gareth Barry will likely line-up against the team that flirted with him all summer. Barry remains a committed Villan.

In one of the most protracted pieces of transfer speculation of the summer, England international and Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry had alerted Liverpool to his growth in stature. The courtship was two-ways as Barry, who has been a Villan all his professional life, went as far to criticise manager Martin O'Neill for making him feel unwanted.

The midlands club set deadlines for the deal, while the Mersey side recruited other areas of the team with expensive acquisitions, namely Robbie Keane.

The deal now looks dead. For this window at least, but the story has risen again because of the ironic timing of Liverpool's visit to Villa Park.

Barry is quoted in the Metro as saying: "Will Sunday be strange? I am 100 per cent for Villa. That's all I'll be doing. That won't be strange at all. I've spoken to the manager and I've no problem giving 100 per cent for Aston Villa - and that will be starting against Liverpool on Sunday."

"Will the fans all be behind me?" He asked. "All I can do is give 100 per cent for the club. That is all the fans will want to see anyway. I am sure that will be enough."

"Am I here for the long haul? I always take things a season at a time. This speculation happened at the end of last season and it has been decided I'll be staying at Villa. 'I'll take this season now," he continued, "concentrate on that and hopefully we can improve on last season."

Forever begging the questions Barry added: "Do I feel hung out to dry over what has happened? That is what the football business is all about. I am contracted to Villa. They set a fee and it wasn't matched. Rules are rules."

Regarding any ill-feeling toward his current manager, the 27-year old said: "The manager knows I will be giving 100 per cent for himself and the club and that will be fine for everyone.... It's also nice hearing team-mates want you to stay. We have a great dressing room. You want everyone to stay really but I would have been disappointed if they wanted me to leave!"

Perhaps due to the public flirtation between Barry and Liverpool, Martin O'Neill has alternated the captaincy, with Barry yet to receive the armband this campaign, he said: "The manager decided to change the captaincy and I've got no problem with that. Nigel Reo-Coker has done it and Martin Laursen has done it. I enjoyed being captain but it won't affect my performances," he said.

Concerning his own fitness and recent performances, the midfielder added: "I feel I am getting back to my best. It is going to take a while. It wasn't the ideal pre-season for me... the games are always the best thing. It was a nice run-out even if it was at left-back."

The Hastings-born man finished by saying: "How far am I away from my peak? I don't know. I suppose everyone will wait for top performances and then say I'm fit so I suppose I'll have to start producing some of those."

Capello Accepts Gerrard's England Absence, Says Liverpool Boss Benitez

Rafa Benitez insisted he had made his peace with England coach Fabio Capello yesterday and dismissed claims of a breakdown in communication over Steven Gerrard's latest injury absence.

Gerrard will have the second of two minor groin operations today and will miss Capello's first two competitive games in charge, as England begin their World Cup campaign against Andorra next Saturday and Croatia four days later.

Capello was reportedly unhappy at being kept in the dark over Liverpool's decision to arrange surgery for their skipper in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday night's Champions League qualifying round win over Standard Liege.

He phoned Liverpool's Melwood training ground for an explanation, and Benitez held clear-the-air talks with the Italian. 'I spoke with Fabio this morning, and he asked me what was going on,' he said. 'I know him well from his AC Milan days, and we had a good conversation, a positive one. I explained the timing to him, and he knows what we did was in the best interests of the player, Liverpool and England.

'Stevie was struggling and playing in pain, and it was clear he could not have gone on like that. If he had, he would have risked doing more damage and being out longer. I explained this to Fabio and he accepted it.

'It was impossible to delay it any longer. It needed doing as quickly as possible and our doctor was in contact with the England doctors to tell them what was happening. He had a small operation today and will have another tomorrow, but you shouldn't read anything into that. It is a minor procedure, and the recovery period is the same as we said on Wednesday.

'It should be around 15 days, and, as well as missing the two England qualifiers, it is going to be very close for our game with Manchester United on September 13.'

Any arguments over Owen Hargreaves' availability for Andorra and Croatia were finally ended when he withdrew from Manchester United's Super Cup meeting with Zenit St Petersburg in Monaco.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had risked Capello's wrath by planning to use Hargreaves for 45 minutes but claiming he would not be fit for England duty, due to a long-standing knee problem.

The likelihood of another club versus country row subsided, though, when the midfielder aggravated the injury in training.

Rafael Benitez Puts Fabio Capello In His Place

Rafa Benitez told Fabio Capello that Liverpool came before England, and that any decisions taken over Steven Gerrard's medical treatment were exclusively Liverpool's.

Capello was upset to learn that Gerrard had been sent for a groin operation, ruling him out of the start of England's World Cup qualifying campaign.

Capello’s midfield crisis deepened when Manchester United’s Owen Hargreaves failed to start last night’s Uefa Super Cup match against Zenit St Petersburg.

Hargreaves suffered a reaction to his long-standing knee injury and was understood to be very down over the return of his tendinitis.

"He trained in the stadium last night,’’ said United’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, of Hargreaves.

"There is no more we could do. We gave him the right platform, the right training program and the right tempo, so that’s a disappointment.

"He said he felt his knee. He said he wasn’t fit enough to play, so there’s nothing we can do about it. If a player declares himself unfit you have to accept that.’’

England's coach names his squad for the ties against Andorra and Croatia and had been hoping to use Hargreaves and particularly Gerrard.

"He called me and we spoke about Steve's operation and how long it would be,'' Benitez said.

"Everything was really positive. If we'd delayed it, then he might have been out for even longer. Fabio Capello understands this.

"Our doctor is in contact with doctors of the national team, but the decision is our decision. Steven couldn't play and was struggling with the problem he had and was always in pain.''

An indication of the problems England currently endure was highlighted by the Portsmouth chief executive, Peter Storrie.

"If you talk to our foreign players, they also find it strange that they get so much time and space when they play England,'' said Storrie, who has players such as Croatia's Niko Kranjcar at Portsmouth.

"We allow them to knock the ball about, especially at Wembley.''

Storrie added that his manager, Harry Redknapp, was "very happy'' at the club despite rumours linking him with West Ham.

"I'd say I was 99.9 per cent certain he's not going anywhere,'' Storrie added.”You could argue that Portsmouth is a better place to be than West Ham.''

Liverpool Fans Angry At New Stadium Delay

Liverpool's proposed new stadium has suffered a fresh delay of at least a year, with fears now mounting on Merseyside over whether the ground can ever be built under the ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

An official statement pointed to global market conditions for what was described as a "short-term" problem, though The Daily Telegraph understands that Hicks and Gillett accept that the earliest target for an opening date is the 2012-13 season.

However, there are now serious doubts over whether the two Americans will raise the necessary finance for a project that is estimated to cost £350 million.

Next year, they must also either extend or refinance the £350 million loan that they took out with the Royal Bank of Scotland and the American bank, Wachovia, in January.

The latest setback to the credibility of Hicks and Gillett has prompted renewed calls for them to sell the club, with Dubai International Capital's takeover offer of about £400 million still on the table.

"We feel the Americans have no intention of building the stadium," said Jay McKenna, a spokesman for the Spirit of Shankly supporters' group.

"There is a lot of anger. It does not just affect the Liverpool fans, but also the wider community – regeneration is linked to the new stadium. The best thing they could do is step aside for new owners to come in."

Liverpool City Council described the announcement as "disappointing" and warned that they would have to consider revised plans to increase the capacity of the stadium to 73,000.

It also adds to the air of soap opera surrounding the club, although the relationship between Hicks and Gillett is said to have improved significantly in recent months.

However, manager Rafael Benitez has clashed recently with chief executive Rick Parry over the failed attempt to sign Gareth Barry.

"It [the stadium] is not good news, but we cannot change things," Benitez said. "I understand very well our fans and what they may think, but they will understand that I must concentrate on the next match."

Liverpool expect officially to sign the lease from the council for the Stanley Park site next month and are adamant that they well see the project through.

"Our commitment to building a new world-class LFC stadium is undiminished," a spokesman said.

"We will use this period productively and revisit the plans for the stadium to increase its capacity to 73,000 seats."

Riera Flies In For Liverpool Medical

Liverpool are on the verge of completing the signing of winger Albert Riera from Espanyol after the Spaniard flew to Merseyside for a medical.

The terms of his transfer have agreed between the two clubs, so now Riera, 26, needs only to satisfy Liverpool’s medics about his fitness for the deal to be finalised.

The fee involved is believed to be some £8million.

The move would see Riera back in the Barclays Premier League and back in the North-West, because he spent a period on loan to Manchester City during the second half of the 2005-06 campaign.

He made 12 League appearances for City, plus three as a substitute, and scored one goal - the first in a 3-0 victory for Stuart Pearce’s side over Newcastle United in February 2006.

Riera earlier opted for Liverpool ahead of their city rivals Everton.

Gerrard Has To Put His Club Before Country, Capello

Club versus country is a perennial struggle. I used to play for England, suffer an injury and the letters from Liverpool fans would question me for putting my country first.

It seemed harsh at the time, especially when I was nursing a broken ankle, but they had a point: I was being paid by Liverpool and missing matches through injuries collected in an England shirt. I estimate that I missed hundreds of Liverpool games. Their harsh words told me what I already knew - Liverpool was my day job.

Your club always has to come first. Not just because of the growth in prestige of the Champions League and the Barclays Premier League in the modern game, but because they are your paymasters. Club first, country second. It's how it has to be.

Liverpool's coaching staff would not have thought for one moment about England's World Cup issues in deciding on an operation for Steven Gerrard. A difficult away game in Zagreb is nothing more than a necessary distraction to them.

There is nothing wrong with them choosing the timing and sending Gerrard for his operation, if that is the advice of their medical staff. It's a loss to England but no club would act any differently.

He will be upset at missing the two World Cup qualifiers, but particularly that match away to Croatia. The England players will feel they have unfinished business against Slaven Bilic's team after the haunting experiences of the last meeting between the nations. You want a player like Gerrard in the trenches for a tricky game like that. England will do well to earn a draw there.

The best players want to play in the big games. This isn't about a player choosing the draw of the Champions League ahead of England duty. What more could he have done?

Gerrard wasn't himself against Standard Liege and nor was he a driving force for England against the Czech Republic, though starting him on the left side didn't exactly help.

So I can understand the need for him to have an operation. Go under the knife, get it right and come back on top of his game for the rest of the season and the qualifying campaign. It's better that he returns to full health, rather than playing on through the injury without being able to fully let himself go.

His absence is a loss for England but it makes the selection simple. If Fabio Capello wants to play with four in midfield, Joe Cole will come in on the left and he's played there before. He's also started the season well and will thrive on the responsibility of taking that position against Croatia.

It will leave Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry in the centre. Capello may choose to add Owen Hargreaves, too, if he is fit to play and England want to play with the 'belt-and-braces' tactic of two holding midfielders throwing a screen across the back four.

The other thing to remember is that England have more than enough quality players to emerge unscathed. Let's not start looking for excuses already.

Mascherao Set For Villa Return

Olympic gold medallist Javier Mascherano will almost certainly be plunged into Liverpool's tough away Barclays Premier League game at Aston Villa on Sunday.

The match has added spice after the summer of disagreement between Villa boss Martin O'Neill and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez over the drawn-out saga of Gareth Barry's on-off move to Anfield.

And their confrontation will be the highlight of the afternoon at Villa Park under the eagle-eye of the TV cameras.

Benitez will go into the match without skipper Steven Gerrard, who has had an operation on a groin problem that will rule him out for a fortnight.

Therefore the game will miss out on a clash between Gerrard and Barry, with many thinking that by now the pair would be side by side in Liverpool's midfield.

The Villa man has been the subject of a summer-long transfer wrangle, only ended this week when the player opted to stay with Villa this season - although he was not prepared to discuss a new contract until the end of the campaign.

Mascherano's return from the Olympics, where he helped Argentina retain their crown, gives Benitez the obvious option to replace Gerrard in midfield.

Benitez said: "Mascherano is training well, Lucas likewise, so both of them will come into contention for the Aston Villa game. And we also have the young player, Damien Plessis.

"We have plenty of options now in the middle, but I have no problem considering Mascherano for the match after his trip to Beijing.

"Maybe having won a second gold medal he will be inspired to perform well for us.

"He has kept in contact with me during the Olympics and has been keen to know everything that has been going on at the club. Now he is back he is a welcomed addition to our playing strength."

Benitez will also expect another all-action display from Dirk Kuyt, who grabbed the late goal on Wednesday that made sure Liverpool reached the Champions League group stage.

Benitez said: "You must give credit to Dirk Kuyt. Sometimes he makes a mistake and people react, but he never lets it worry him.

"He goes again, he gives everything and he did just that for 120 minutes to make sure we qualified for the group stages.

"The key is that he never hides. He played on the right, on the left and then as a second striker with (Fernando) Torres.

"What he gives to the team is really important. You must judge over a full season - sometimes in one game it may not always be perfect.

"People call for more pace and special ability. But over a whole season he is always available, always ready and he is a fantastic professional."

Anfield Saviour Savours New Role

IT’S no wonder Dirk Kuyt isn’t making any demands to be restored to his favoured centre-forward role – as he’s become a Liverpool goal hero playing out of position.

The Dutchman proved to be their Champions League saviour once more on Wednesday when his extra-time goal ensured progression to the group stages at the expense of the battling Belgians from Liege.

Kuyt popped up in the penalty area for a classic poacher’s strike – even though he again spent the game playing wide on the right.

And although it might not be his natural position, it hasn’t affected his ability to find the net on the European stage.

He scored eight times in 12 Champions League games last season and his goal against Standard was the fourth consecutive two-legged tie in which he has netted for Liverpool.

For someone who hasn’t hit the target in a Premier League game since last November, the statistics are rather puzzling – but it’s not something Kuyt will waste his time worrying about.

“I was pleased to score again in Europe and I have a good record in the competition. But the fact that we won was the main thing,” he said.

“I’ve played on right for the last 10, 15 games for the team. I try to work really hard, also in defence, and do a lot of important things for the team as well as scoring goals. So I don’t mind playing on the right.

“I will play wherever the boss wants me to play. For me the most important thing is to win some trophies and I think we have a good enough squad to do something this year.”

Since a worryingly below-par performance yielded a goalless draw in the first leg in Liege, Liverpool have won three consecutive games.

But the displays have hardy got much better and Kuyt’s intervention on Wednesday was the fourth goal in three matches Liverpool have scored in the final 10 minutes to snatch those victories.

But far from being disheartened that they have had to do it the hard way, those inside Anfield are putting a more positive spin on things.

The results are gelling together even though the players aren’t, and at the moment that is the most important statistic.

Kuyt explains: “We know we’re not playing really well, but we’re good in defence and we always have the quality and belief that we can score in every game.

“And that’s the important thing. We can play better and things will come right.

“That’s the thing about the team. Speaking for myself, I didn’t give my best performance for Liverpool. But that’s not important.

“What is important is that we won the game and I did everything to make that happen. One chance can change everything and I was really happy to score.

“Sometimes things like this happen in football. I just said before you can’t find any bad sides in Europe and Standard Liege are a very tough side. They were really strong. In the end, we were really happy that it didn’t go to penalties.

“But this is the fun thing about football. We know how good the Champions League can be and we always want to be part of it, fighting until the end.

“The fans were great for us and they helped us keep going right to the end.”

But they were also deeply frustrated and although they were grateful for Kuyt’s late volley, they were also bemoaning the lack of natural width from both sides.

The left is likely to be the first flank where that problem is addressed with the capture of Albert Riera, while time is running out to find an adequate outlet for Kuyt’s side.

But he is not concerned that his manager Rafael Benitez is in the market for someone to challenge for the slot he has unexpectedly made his own since the back end of last season.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen about players coming in,” said Kuyt.

“We’ve got a good squad and every good player is welcome in our team. I want to win things and you can only win things with the best players.”

Before Kuyt struck, there was an inevitability starting to swell around Anfield that penalties could be imminent.

Which might not necessarily have been a problem in terms of Liverpool’s progress given that they have a goalkeeper who has such an impressive shoot-out record since arriving in England.

Pepe Reina’s saves have already got LIverpool to a Champions League final and won them an FA Cup and the importance of his early block from Brazilian full-back Dante in the first leg against Liege was underlined heavily on Wednesday.

But the Spaniard said: “We were a bit tired in extra time and we thought it might go to penalties – but thankfully it didn’t, Dirk scored and we are through.

“They were a good team over both legs. It was really tough. It was not the best game, but we are through. Dirk scored at the end for us, which was great. I don’t know how many goals he has scored now in Europe, but it is his competition.

“We are not playing our best and we need to do better. We are at the early part of the season and in a few months we will be at the top of our fitness. Every team is like this.

“But, yes, it would probably have been a disaster if we had missed out.”

Luck Will Run Out If We Don’t Improve – Dirk Kuyt

DIRK KUYT has warned that Liverpool’s luck will run out if they continue to under-perform – resulting in an early Champions League exit.

Yesterday’s draw for the group stages paired Fernando Torres with his former club, Atletico Madrid, who finished fourth in La Liga last season.

Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven are also in Group D as well as Marseille, who shocked Liverpool 1-0 in the group stages at Anfield last season.

In fact, it was only a victory in France in the final group game that saw Liverpool through to the knockout stages.

And Kuyt fears a similar struggle this time after it took his late extra-time goal to break the deadlock against Standard Liege in the third qualifying round this week, following another underwhelming Liverpool display.

“One day your luck will run out and then we will have to perform really well to win,” said Kuyt.

“Of course if we play like that in the group stages we will be in danger of not progressing.

“We all know what happened last year in the group stages and we just want to improve as quickly as possible.

“We know it was not the quality we want to show. Off the pitch we are speaking with each other about this because we want to improve.

“We are going to improve, but it has to be quickly because one time our luck will run out.”

The game with Atletico will also see a reunion for Luis Garcia with his former club, as he moved to Madrid shortly after Torres made the switch in the other direction in the summer of 2007.

Ex-Liverpool forward Florent Sinama-Pongolle is also in their squad as well as established internationals Maniche, Diego Forlan, captain Maxi Rodriguez, Tomas Ujfalusi and Simao.

Atletico haven’t played in the Champions League since they reached the quarter-finals in 1997 but showed their pedigree with a 4-0 win over Schalke 04 on Wednesday

to secure their place in the group stages with a 4-1 aggregate victory.

The group as whole should hold little fear, however. Liverpool brushed aside PSV in both the groups and the last 16 on their way to the 2007 final and Marseille were easily beaten 4-0 on their own turf once Liverpool had regained their foothold in the group.

But with Standard occasionally threatening to pull off another Anfield surprise on Wednesday, Kuyt is only too aware that Liverpool need to up their game once again.

However, he feels the character and belief they showed to ensure their progress can act as a platform for improvement – which is much-needed with a trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League looming on Sunday

“It was a very difficult match for us, but we showed belief in ourselves and kept working hard,” said Kuyt. “We got our goal and we’re in the Champions League.

“We all want to play really well as a team. We haven’t given our best performance so far, but we are working very hard in training every day to progress.

“We know we have to progress. Maybe we have had a lot of luck so far, but we know we are going to improve, but to do that we have to change things and quickly.

“We know that we have to get much better and we will. We know we have the quality. I think the good thing is that even when we are not playing well, we fight for each other.

“We just want to improve as quickly as possible, starting with Aston Villa on Sunday.”

Arbeloa Acknowledges Stiff Competition

Alvaro Arbeloa is refusing to get cozy in Liverpool's starting XI, as he is well aware of the competition he will face from his team-mates throughout the season.

Arbeloa has started all four of the Reds' competitive fixtures so far this season, leading some to declare that he has won the title of first-choice right-back.

But the Spaniard dismissed the notion that he has cemented his place in the team, saying in LFC Magazine: "No way. You can never say that you are a first choice at this football club.

"If you start to think like that then you can just about guarantee that you are about to lose your place.

"It's a big fight to get into the team – it's a bigger fight to stay there. I need to play to the best of my ability in every minute of every game I start to stand a chance."

Nonetheless, it seems clear that Rafael Benitez prefers his compatriot over the ageing Steve Finnan, who for so long owned that slot on the right-hand side of Liverpool's rearguard.

The other key challenger is Philipp Degen, the Swiss international who arrived at Anfield on a free transfer earlier in the summer, but his opportunities have been non-existent thus far due to injury.

But Arbeloa was full of praise for both Degen and Finnan, insisting each will prove tough competition as the campaign wears on.

"I don't know too much about Philipp Degen but what I have seen of him since he came to Liverpool you can see why the manager signed him. He is good going forward," the EURO 2008 winner continued.

"You also have Steve Finnan still at the club and any time he plays he plays well. He is very consistent and no-one ever seems to get the better of him.

"Degen has been injured but he has come here to compete and he will want to play. When he is fit then I know that I will have a bigger battle on my hands than ever before."

Thompson Satisfied With Reds' CL Draw

Phil Thompson believes Liverpool will have few problems negotiating their way to the Champions League knockout stages despite drawing one of the tougher groups.

Last night's official draw saw Rafael Benitez's men pitted against Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, French giants Olympique Marseille and Spanish up-and-comers Atletico Madrid in Group D.

The Reds have met PSV and l'OM during their past two Champions League campaigns, but Atletico remain an unknown quantity as far as the Mersey men are concerned.

And while Thompson admitted that los Rojiblancos could be a stumbling block, he insisted that Liverpool should have no problem topping the group.

"Atletico are a tough draw, but we've got enough to get through," the man who won two European Cups during his playing days at Anfield told the club's official website.

"We have the know-how and the knowledge to get through this group - I can't see it being a problem.

"We know about PSV and Marseille and I can't see a problem there. Atletico, yes, that'll be difficult but we will go through.

"The important thing is making a good start. We took one point from the first three games last season and we've got to do better."

Benitez Will Try To Deliver Width With Riera And Milner

Liverpool are set to make Albert Riera and James Milner their priorities before the transfer window finally shuts on Monday.

Despite going into the summer with the wide positions at Anfield being a huge concern, the bulk of Benitez’s money has been spent on Irish striker Robbie Keane. This has created some discomfort amongst Liverpool fans, who weren’t too disappointed with Steven Gerrard’s and Fernando Torres’ contributions last season.

Despite picking up three wins and remaining unbeaten in all competitions so far, Liverpool’s performances have been poor at best and it took everything barring penalties to see off Standard Liege in the Champions League qualifiers.

The lottery of penalties was avoided only with a last gasp Dirk Kuyt effort against the tiring Belgians, who deserved to progress over the two legs.

Qualification for the Champions League proper is not only vital to avoiding depressing Thursday night football, but it massages egos / reputations and the money secured will mean that Benitez will have another attempt at adding the finishing touches to his squad, before he has to be happy with what he’s got.

These final jig-saw pieces (in what must be the biggest jig-saw ever...) have supposedly been sounded out in the form of Espanyol’s Albert Riera and Newcastle’s James Milner.

Negotiations with the Spaniard are at a very advanced stage, where as James Milner’s recent transfer request has meant a fury of activity from clubs who are eager to add a talented Englishman to their squad, namely Aston Villa and Everton among others.

Liverpool’s supposed interest in the former Leeds and Villa midfielder (Milner) is likely to frustrate David Moyes, who saw a heftier bid for Riera rebuffed as the player was not interested in moving to that half of Merseyside.

Milner’s written transfer request was allegedly sent on the 20th of August, yet it was only made public on Wednesday. From that, it is likely that Milner is confident of a move away from the club, despite Kevin Keegan’s reluctance to talk of his (Milner’s) possible departure.

As an English player, the Leeds-born winger may prove difficult to resist as Benitez rubs his last pennies together, given UEFA’s new rulings on English players.

Any move away from St James’ Park is likely to upset Newcastle fans. The Geordies have held high hopes for Milner, who despite his seemingly long career, remains only 22 years old.

Fans of Liverpool may be disappointed that these two players [should they join] are not of the Quaresma or Silva mould but Benitez is most likely doing the best he can with the funds remaining. I know I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed with the arrival of both, despite the boo-boos of a Man City loan, long in the memory.