Torres Reveals United Dream

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres hopes to fulfil one of his career ambitions in May by scoring against Manchester United in the Champions League final.

But the Spanish superstar is not especially fussy as to when he breaks his duck against the 10-time Premier League champions.

Torres has faced United twice, but he is yet to open his account against Sir Alex Ferguson's despite tallying some 38 goals in 57 appearances since joining Liverpool last year.

The former Atletico Madrid captain did feature against the Red Devils last month - a fact which, combined with Steven Gerrard only appearing as a late substitute, made the Merseysiders' 2-1 victory all the more impressive.

And after witnessing that display from the sidelines at Anfield, Torres is eager to get in on the action himself - whether that be in front of the Kop, the Stretford End or Stadio Olimpico's Curva Nord.

The 24-year-old told the press: “We all want to score against our big rivals. I’ll have another chance at Old Trafford this season ... or maybe in the Champions League final.”

Torres has netted four times in his last two league games, claiming match-winning braces against Everton and Manchester City. He will hope to carry that form onto the international stage when Spain meet Estonia in World Cup qualifying on Saturday.

Sammy Lee - 'Pool Must Mount Title Challenge

Liverpool No.2 Sammy Lee has hailed the character of Rafa Benitez's resurgent Reds, opining that if the Anfield men don't challenge for the title this season, there would be "something wrong".

Sammy Lee appears to be enjoying life as Rafael Benitez's assistant following his surprise appointment. The former Reds midfielder, who had an unsuccessful stint as Bolton boss, succeeded the departed Alex Miller in May.

Liverpool go into the international break as joint Premier League leaders, alongside Chelsea, and Lee insists that all the credit must go to the players for the team's sparkling start to the season.

He told the club's official website: "People should know the strength of Liverpool – they know what we're about. We're not worrying what people think about us.

"We always have faith in our ability here. That's not arrogance - we just know what we're about."

On the current squad, he enthused: "Everyone at this football club is working very hard to make sure this improvement is obvious to everybody. The character in the group is great - there are a lot of good characters in the dressing room, and that hopefully manifests itself on the pitch.

Singling out Dirk Kuyt and, somewhat surprisingly, Robbie Keane for praise, he continued: "You've got players like Robbie Keane putting a lot of work in and you could say he deserves another goal.

"Everyone works very hard to get the best for this football club. Dirk is another example of what we're about at this football club: hard work and a good level of quality.

"The players should get the credit, because this game is all about the players. We all stand or fall by what they do."

Liverpool have enjoyed great continental success under Benitez, but many think this could be the season that the Reds finally usurp Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, thus bagging the Premier League title.

Lee, though, refuses to get carried away by the waves of external and internal optimism. He said: "At the end of the day, I don't know anything that's ever been won in October. At the moment we have nothing.

"I'm always confident we'll be challenging in May because if we're not, then there's something wrong. We have aspirations and expectations and we have to make sure we try to fulfil them.

"Everyone knows what's expected of them. Hopefully we'll take the plaudits at the end of the season, because only then will it matter."

Teenage Defender Extends Trial At Liverpool

LIVERPOOL will continue to run the rule over Congolese defender Medi Abalimba after Southend United allowed him to remain on trial until the end of the week.

The 16-year-old will play in a training game tomorrow following his appearance in the 1-0 reserve defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday.

“Even if nothing comes of all this it has been a good experience,” Abalimba said.

“To now know the actual standard I am aiming for will be a big help if I want to play at the top level.

“I played on the right wing against Manchester City and I did okay even though it isn’t my preferred position.

“Most of the players playing were 23 or 24 so it was a lot more physical than I am used to. That was my first game at that level but the reserve team manager said he was proud of how I played.”

Liverpool FC's Jamie Carragher Back In The Classroom

LIVERPOOL FC’s Jamie Carragher paid a visit to a primary school to promote positive family relationships.

The Bootle-born defender joined children from Hope Valley Primary, in Walton Breck Road, for a classroom session yesterday.

He is backing the Liverpool Football Club initiative, Tactics 4 Families, which aims to support families in Anfield and Breckfield.

It is hoped the five-week programme, which encourages a positive and practical approach to amily relationships, will be rolled out to schools across Merseyside.

Dad-of-two Jamie said: “I really enjoyed it, we had a good laugh. Families are a major part of life and everyone has their own private life away from school.

“I think Tactics 4 Families is a very good idea. I have two children of my own so I know how important this is.”

Mark Chester, LFC family officer, said: “Since February LFC has delivered a school programme working with Year 5 and 6 pupils to deliver the key seven messages from Tactics 4 Families.

“The sessions look at football teams and family teams to teach the children that families are made up of very different people who all play their own part in contributing to family life.”

Fernando Torres: No More Goal Droughts At Liverpool FC

FERNANDO TORRES is determined his recent barren spell in front of goal will be his last in a Liverpool shirt.

The Spaniard has suddenly shot to the top of the Premier League goal charts with two in each of the his last two league games, having not previously scored since the opening day winner at Sunderland.

That run of six games without a goal was double the length of his previous longest drought since he left Atletico Madrid for Anfield in the summer of 2007.

But after his double strikes inspired victories against Everton and Manchester City to keep Liverpool joint top of the league with Chelsea, the striker is confident he is close to being back to his best.

And he reckons that a gruelling Euro 2008 campaign, which ended with his winning goal for Spain in the final against Germany, and an early-season hamstring strain, are now well out of his system.

“I hope that was my worst run without scoring for Liverpool,” said Torres. “I don’t want to go that long again.

“I don’t know exactly what my longest run is without a goal, but it’s definitely longer than six games. At Madrid it was sometimes difficult for me. During my first year we finished mid-table and it was tough to score so I went a long time without doing so.

“Here it is different because this is a really big club. We are challenging at the top of the table and competing for trophies, so six games is too many.

“Me and the other players from the Euros started back in pre-season later than everyone else and as a result we weren’t in the best physical shape.”

Torres’s injury, which he sustained in the 0-0 draw at Aston Villa, kept him out of the 2-1 victory over Manchester United at Anfield last month.

“The most important thing from that game was the fact we could win without me or Stevie (Gerrard),” added Torres.” That proves how strong the squad is now.

“It’s not just about two, three or four players. It’s a real team and we proved that by beating United. We know we can do it against any opponent.”

Indeed, Torres is not focused on personal targets such as bettering the 33-goal haul of his debut season in England.

He would be happy with 20 if it meant Liverpool could win a major trophy, something they have failed to do in the past two seasons.

“It was a great experience and the first big honour I’ve won,” Torres said of Spain’s Euro 2008 triumph. “Now I know how it feels to win something like that, it makes me even hungrier to win trophies with Liverpool.

“I came here for that and hope this season will be better than last year. I believe we can win the Premier League or the Champions League and if we did that, it’d be fantastic.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool winger Albert Riera has earned a Spain recall for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Belgium.

Riera’s last appearance came during the March 26 friendly win over Italy but Vicente Del Bosque has selected him in place of injured Diego Capel.

Phil Thompson - Liverpool FC Are Title Chasers

PHIL THOMPSON believes Liverpool are finally exorcising the ghosts that have stopped them launching a serious title challenge in previous years.

The former Anfield captain tipped Manchester United for a third successive championship at the start of the season – but also had a feeling this would be the year Liverpool finally ended their long wait to add to their record haul of 18 titles.

And manager Rafael Benitez’s first win over United in September, coupled with the thrilling fightback against the other team from Manchester on Sunday, has convinced Thompson that his former club is finally ready to shake off the limitations that have hindered their ambitions in the past.

The 3-2 victory at City, secured after a fightback from 2-0 down, kept Liverpool level on points at the top of the league with Chelsea going into the international break and still unbeaten after seven games.

Thompson, in his role as one of Sky’s live match summarisers, couldn’t hide his delight when Kuyt hit the injury-time winner at Eastlands – even though he was covering the Tottenham v Hull game at the time.

Thompson said: “In my job I have to give who I tipped to win the title and I tipped United – but I did say I had a sneaking feeling this could be our year.

“I didn’t know why that was really, but now I think it’s because we are cracking some of the myths.

“Rafa’s had his win over United, that was one hoodoo buried, and although we’ve beaten Everton before, it was how we beat Everton this time.

“Away at Goodison Park, comfortably at 2-0 – that sets down a massive marker and the reaction was as if we had won a knife-edge game.

“Another telling sign of what champions are made of is coming back from a deficit. It’s always possible with the crowd at Anfield, but this was away from home (at City) against a team who are making people sit up and take notice.

“And what impressed me was how we did it. We didn’t just lump balls in and panic, it was a constructive performance of precision passing to cut Manchester City up.

“It was 2-1 when their man was sent off but it was already in motion then, the momentum was there and we’d have won the game anyway.

“So those three things are the signs that things are sprouting and it will give the players the belief that they will do it.”

Thompson, however, believes that maintaining this start and turning it into a genuine tilt for honours rests on Benitez being able to keep his best players fresh for the league – even at the expense of chasing European glory.

And the former assistant manager hopes lessons will have been learned from the way last season’s promising start disintegrated during the winter.

“It was December before we lost our unbeaten record at Reading last year,” said Thompson.

“Steven Gerrard was taken off when we were 2-1 down to preserve him for a Champions League game, but you have to say that game should never have been given up – we scored three in three minutes in Istanbul.

“That was throwing the towel in to prepare for the Champions League. This time the management has to say that they will play the best team, or at least the core, in the league.

“Because I honestly believe Rafa can bring us the Holy Grail – as long as his best players stay fit and play every week.

“And I would sacrifice the Champions League. The glory of 2005 is still quite close but the league? It’s been 19 years if we don’t do it this year and that’s too long.”

Another reason Thompson hopes his initial prediction won’t come true is because Manchester United will then share with Liverpool the record of 18 English titles if they complete a hat-trick of Premier League wins.

“I don’t even want to talk about that aspect of it,” says Thompson. “I start to feel queasy about it. Their haul since we last won it has been quite astonishing.”

Carra Supports Wage Cap

Jamie Carragher believes a salary cap would be good for football if it helped ease financial worries.

Football Association chairman Lord Triesman warned on Wednesday that desperate measures may need to be taken in order to prevent spiralling costs in English football.

The proposal has received mixed reactions, with some believing less money in the Premier League would only succeed is pushing talent elsewhere.

Salary caps in football were abolished after a player revolt in the 1960s, leading to the astronomical wages paid out in the modern game.

As one of the Premier League's top performers Jamie Carragher falls into the bracket of players at the top end of the salary spectrum.

However, the Liverpool defender admits that ensuring the long-term future of the game is more important than money.

"I hope he (Triesman) brings it in when I've just finished!" Carragher joked while speaking on Sky Sports News.

"If bringing a wage cap in is going to stop teams going bust, then I'm sure it's got to happen.

"The most important thing is the football club."

Riera Tips Torres For Solo Trophies

With the injury to Sevilla's wingman Diego Capel Spain's head coach Vincente Del Bosque called up Liverpool's summer signing Albert Riera.

Riera revelled in his role in the 3-2 comeback over Manchester City at the weekend and will be keen to translate that form to the international scene should he be picked against Estonia, or Belgium.

Riera though believes club and country team-mate Fernando Torres is deserving of all the plaudits, and believes he is a candidate for the Ballon d'Or.

Regarding his call up to the Spain camp, Riera told journalists at a press conference: "They called me yesterday (Tuesday) and I arrived as quickly as possible because a call-up fills you with joy and makes you believe."

"Even though I was upset not to be part of the European Championships squad, I was convinced I would have played my part," he said. "But regretting and thinking of the past is useless, you have to be focused on what’s to come."

"I am doing good things alongside Fernando Torres, who is a partner and a good friend. To me he should win the Ballon d'Or."

He added: "La Liga and The Premier League are different because the rhythm of the games is quicker in England, you are more focused on the ball."

Liverpool’s Benitez: We Must Keep Going Until The End To Win Title

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has urged his side not to get carried away with the recent success and keep focus on maintaining their consistency.

The Anfield side are on a 12-match unbeaten streak in all competitions this season, with vital wins against Manchester United, Manchester City and their Merseyside rivals Everton seeing The Reds placed joint top of the table with Chelsea.

Liverpool are behind Chelsea only on goal difference in the Premiership, but Benitez is not reading too much into the title talk as of now as he is keen to see that there are no distractions.

"It's important to send the right messages," the Spaniard told the club's official website.

"We have a long, long way to go. We have to do things properly both now, in one month's time and in three months' time.

"We can have a lot of confidence in ourselves but we must keep our feet on the ground.

"We (the squad) were talking about this before, although we can enjoy being at the top of the table.

"But the players know we must keep going until the end. You can't win a title now - you can only win it at the end of the season."

Benitez Eager For New Long-Term Deal

Rafa Benitez has stated that he would like to be handed a new long-term contract in order to stabilise the future of the club.

Rafa Benitez has long glanced an envious eye over proceedings at Arsenal, and to a lesser extent Manchester United.

The Spanish boss has declared in the past that he is a fervent admirer of Arsene Wenger's youth policy and believes that clubs cannot throw countless sums away every summer on high-profile names, and to ensure the long term financial stability of the club, a profitable youth academy is a necessity.

Benitez also believes that stability starts at management. If the head coach has the faith of the board to achieve a long term goal, and they provide him with adequate time for those targets, then eventually they will bear fruit.

With this in mind he feels that the length of his new contract should reflect all of the above, and told the Daily Mail:

"The problem in England now is that everyone wants to be successful too soon. It is a part of the game I don't like and I would prefer to have a long-term contract so I can have a long-term plan."

Rafa Tips Skrtel To Bounce Back

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez believes that Martin Skrtel will make a full recovery from his knee ligament injury and will be back to his best by Christmas.

The 23 year-old Slovakian damaged posterior ligaments in his right knee during the course of Liverpool's 3-2 win over Manchester City on Sunday.

The initial prognosis for the defender was not positive; The ex-Zenit St Petersburg man was feared to be out of action until the end of the season.

However, further examinations revealed that Skrtel would not require surgery and would be available for selection in around 10 weeks time.

Rafa Benitez was loathe to lose the 6'3 centre-back, as he had just begun to form a strong bond with Jamie Carragher in the Liverpool rear-guard.

However, he is optimistic that Skrtel will return as strong as ever.

Benitez told the Liverpool Echo: “It is a big loss for us because Martin has done very well for us since joining from Zenit St Petersburg.

“He was playing very well and we were very pleased with him so it is a real pity that he has got injured now.

“But we also know that it could have been worse and the fact that he could be back for our games towards the end of the year is positive for us.

“Martin has a very strong character and he trains hard so I am sure that when he does come back he will be the same player as before he got injured.”

Rafa Keeps His Feet On The Ground

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has reiterated the need for his side to keep their feet on the ground following short-term success.

The Reds, who received their perennial pre-season tip as Premier League title contenders, came in for criticism at the start of the campaign following a sluggish opening.

However, Benitez's side remain unbeaten in 12 games in all competitions and - prior to last weekend's two-goal comeback at Manchester City - have already recorded victories over Manchester United and Merseyside derby rivals Everton.

The Anfield outfit are currently sat level on points with Chelsea at the top of the table, but Benitez insists his squad must remain grounded.

"It's important to send the right messages," Benitez told the club's official website.

"We have a long, long way to go. We have to do things properly both now, in one month's time and in three months' time.

"We can have a lot of confidence in ourselves but we must keep our feet on the ground.

"We (the squad) were talking about this before, although we can enjoy being at the top of the table.

"But the players know we must keep going until the end. You can't win a title now - you can only win it at the end of the season."

Benitez has also backed Martin Skrtel to make a full recovery from the knee ligament injury the centre-back suffered at Eastlands.

"It is a big loss for us because Martin has done very well for us since joining from Zenit St Petersburg," added Benitez.

"He was playing very well and we were very pleased with him so it is a real pity that he has got injured now.

"But we also know that it could have been worse and the fact that he could be back for our games towards the end of the year is positive for us.

"Martin has a very strong character and he trains hard so I am sure that when he does come back he will be the same player as before he got injured."

Americans Eye Exit, While Juventus Eye Benitez

Liverpool’s American co-owner’s Tom Hicks and George Gillett have given no indication that they are to offer manager Rafa Benitez a new deal at Anfield. With the calm coming from the Red half of Merseyside after a summer of washing their dirty linen in public possibly a clear indication that the Americans have their eye firmly on an exit strategy from the Premier League.

Hicks and Gillett have already suspended work on the new Stanley Park Stadium indefinitely, since apparently patching up a reported “unworkable” partnership. With the Americans expected to sell the Reds in the coming months, with the Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed said to be joined by another prospective investor to have shown interest in the Premiership club.

Benitez has less than two years to run on his current contract at Anfield, with the absence of a new deal on the table firmly pointing to the Americans eying the exit door. Given that Liverpool have had their best start ever to a Premier League campaign and are joint-top with Chelsea it is not unreasonable to think that Benitez should be offered one. Hicks had claimed during the fallout with Gillett that he was to offer Benitez a new contract at Liverpool, but this did not materialise due to being unable to buy Gillett out of his stake of Anfield.

This situation has alerted clubs in the Spaniard’s homeland in La Liga, along with interest from Serie A, with Juventus putting the former Valencia boss on the top of their list to replace Claudio Ranieri at La Vecchia Signora. According to Tuttosport on Monday, Benitez has clashed with the Anfield board on more than one occasion over transfer policy in the past.

With the refusal of the Americans to back his bid for Gareth Barry at Aston Villa in the summer the latest, but despite this and no offer or even mention of talks on the horizon, Benitez insists that he is not concerned by his contract situation at the Reds and hopes to remain at Liverpool for many years.

“I'm not worried about the situation at the moment,” he said.

“I am trying to be pragmatic about it and am just concentrating on the things I can improve. It doesn't make it more difficult for me to plan for the future.

“I can only control things on the pitch and try to improve the squad. If I can do that, then things will be easier in the future.

“I'm really pleased and I have two more years [in fact a little over 18 months] left on my contract, so right now I'm just trying to do my job the best I can. I have always said I want to stay here for many years and I have the same idea now.”

However, if Liverpool are sold as expected there is no guarantee that the new regime will want to keep the Spaniard at the helm. So Benitez might have to carefully consider his future on Merseyside with an impending sale looming, which could pave the way for Juve to make their move.

Aurelio Ready For Title Fight

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio has set his sights on Premier League glory, insisting Sunday's comeback win against Manchester City highlights his side's newfound grit.

The Reds were trailing 2-0 at half-time against the Citizens, but a second-half brace from Fernando Torres and a late winner from Dirk Kuyt saw them claim a memorable victory at Eastlands.

The win kept the Merseysiders' unbeaten record intact, and only goal difference separates Rafael Benitez's men from league leaders Chelsea.

The season may be less than two months old, but Anfield is buzzing amid its tenants' impressive start and thoughts are already turning toward the possibility of silverware come May.

Aurelio has added his name to the list of players talking up Liverpool's title chances, as he insisted the fighting spirit they displayed against City is indicative of a club ready to end their 18-year drought.

"The win shows how strong Liverpool are now," the Brazilian left-back told the press. "The form we showed to win was unbelievable but we believed in ourselves right until the end.

"It's not easy to play against Man City, especially when you go 2-0 down. But we came back and I think it shows we're stronger than before. It was a great, great result.

"It was really important to win this game. If we want to win the title, these kind of points are really important."

Rafa: I Was Right To Drop Keane

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has defended his decision to omit Robbie Keane from the starting XI in Sunday's thriller against Manchester City.

Eyebrows were raised when Keane was benched against City after scoring his first goal for the Reds in their midweek Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven.

The Irish forward, who initially struggled after his summer switch from Tottenham Hotspur, seemed to have finally found his touch with a match-winning display against Everton the previous weekend, and his absence was noticeable at Eastlands as the Merseysiders fell two goals behind in the first half.

Liverpool ran out 3-2 winners thanks to Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt, but some pundits have nonetheless taken Benitez to task over his decision to drop Keane.

The Spanish tactician responded via the club's official website: "City have players with pace and a lot of skill so we were trying to control this in the middle of the park and give freedom to (Steven) Gerrard.

"It wasn't bad but we made some mistakes. In the second half the attitude changed and everything was different.

"Against good teams it's always important to do the right things and we know we can beat anyone. They are a good team with a lot of good players and a good manager, so the belief of our players was the key."

Liverpool's second-half display would seem to at least partially justify Benitez's tactics, as the likes of Gerrard and Xabi Alonso exerted their considerable influence on the game.

The Reds' dominance after the break was highlighted when City defender Pablo Zabaleta was sent off for raising his studs in a desperate bid to win the ball from Alonso.

"Xabi is okay," added Rafa. "It was a clear red card, no doubt about this and very clear.

"At this point we were controlling the game and were on top of them. We were creating chances and we were better than them."

The win means Liverpool maintain their unbeaten record this season. They currently sit second in the Premier League standings, trailing Chelsea on goal difference.

Agger Ready To Fill Skrtel Void

As Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel prepares to learn the extent of his knee injury, Daniel Agger is readying himself for a long-awaited return to the first team.

It is Skrtel's fine form which has kept Agger rooted to the sidelines for most of the season so far, and yet it was a defensive error which could cause the Slovakian to miss the rest of the season.

The former Zenit St. Petersburg star misjudged a hopeful long-ball during Liverpool's miraculous win against Manchester City on Sunday, resulting in a nasty collision with Ched Evans that forced the Reds, who had already used all their substitutes, to play out the game with 10 men.

Television replays showed the 23-year-old's knee flex awkwardly in the challenge, and it has been confirmed that he will be out of action until at least January.

However, it is feared the damage could be even more severe, and Skrtel will see a specialist later today to learn whether he could in fact sit out the rest of the term.

In any case, there is now a vacancy in Rafael Benitez's back-line which desperately needs filling - and while Agger is disappointed for his team-mate, he is determined to grab his opportunity with both hands.

"Of course, I was hoping for some playing time but this is not exactly the way I wished to get it," the Danish defender told the Daily Mail. "I know Martin very well because I share a room with him when we travel.

"I hope to get my chance now and then I will prove that it is my place. At the same time it could be (Jamie) Carragher’s place we are talking about because I don’t know why people only say it is me and Skrtel fighting each other for a starting position."

Agger was a first-team fixture by the end on the 2006-07 campaign, but a recurring metatarsal injury saw him spend the vast majority of the following season on the treatment table.

Thus, with only Sami Hyypia in reserve, Skrtel was recruited in January to plug the gap - a job he performed with such aplomb that Benitez was forced to retain him in the starting XI even after Agger returned to fitness.

The former Brondby star, also 23, has made only two starts so far this season: the first coming against Standard Liege in Champions League qualifying in August, the second in the Carling Cup against Crewe Alexandra.

"I have had to be patient and wait for this opportunity but I’m not complaining. I know how things are," Agger said.

"The team have been playing really well and the results have been great so I couldn’t really expect the manager to make too many changes.

"The only thing I could do was get my head down and concentrate on getting as fit as possible so I would be ready when my chance came."

Speculation has sprung up over the past few weeks concerning Agger's future at Anfield, with several sources suggesting he is bored of sitting on the bench and may seek a move in January.

The strongest link comes from Real Madrid, who recently revealed their admiration for the Dane and confessed that they had initially planned to swoop for him in the summer.

But Agger dismissed rumours that he is unhappy at Liverpool, saying: "There have been a few stories about me recently but I couldn’t be happier. I’m really glad to be a Liverpool player and all I want is to play a part in maintaining our good start to the season."

The Reds are undefeated so far this season. They sit second in both the Premier League and their Champions League group, with only goal difference separating them from Chelsea and Atletico Madrid respectively.

Dirk Kuyt Optimistic Liverpool Are On Course

As he reflected on an uplifting start to the Barclays Premier League campaign for his Liverpool team, Rafael Benítez was eager to make clear that the real hard work lies ahead. That perception will only be enhanced by the grim confirmation yesterday that Martin Skrtel could be absent for six months with cruciate knee ligament damage, but not even that news could wipe the smile off Liverpudlian faces as they wondered whether maybe, just maybe, this could be their year.

It feels too early in the season to be pinpointing results that define a campaign, but Liverpool have had enough of them in recent weeks to suggest that they have summoned the spirit and resolve that is required of champions. Whether they have the necessary quality in all departments is to be determined, but, as they left the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday evening after recovering from a 2-0 deficit to beat Manchester City 3-2, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and the rest looked as if they felt that they had just proved something to each other as well as to Chelsea, Manchester United et al.

The misfortune for Liverpool is that the injury to Skrtel, one of their most impressive performers, threatens to take some of the wind out of their sails, with doubts over whether the Slovakia defender will play again this season after he damaged the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee shortly before Dirk Kuyt's stoppage-time winning goal against City. He will have a further assessment today.

In Skrtel's absence, Benítez must decide whether to opt for Daniel Agger, who has not played in the Premier League since suffering a fractured foot 13 months ago, or Sami Hyypia, who was deemed surplus to requirements when the manager submitted his squad for the Champions League at the end of August.

Hyypia, who turns 35 today, will have a part to play - not least because of his ineligibility for the Champions League, which came about as Benítez grasped for a way around Uefa's quota system on homegrown players - but, if Liverpool are to sustain their title challenge, it is essential that Agger returns to the form he had begun to show before injury brought his last season to a premature end. The Denmark defender has been troubled by concerns over the injury since returning to fitness over the summer, but Benítez will need him at his best for the tests ahead, most notably the encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on October 26.

Either way, the majority of Liverpool's players departed for international duty in high spirits. “It was great for us to take all three points after what happened with Martin,” Kuyt, the Holland forward, said.

“Sunday was a really important win for us. I think the first half was our worst 45 minutes of the season, but we were a completely different side in the second half. It was great to win a game like that because it gives us even more belief, but we know it is still very early in what will be a long season. The most important thing now is to keep taking it one game at a time.”

Indeed, Benítez was eager to reinforce the “one game at a time” message, pointing out that there are matches at home to Wigan Athletic and away to Atlético Madrid, the latter in the Champions League, before the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Wigan were one of seven visiting teams to escape defeat at Anfield last season, but with victories at home to United and away to City, Liverpool have illustrated their determination to succeed where they failed last season - one game at a time.

Liverpool Boss Rafa Benitez Not Looking Beyond Wigan To Chelsea Clash

With some vital victories, Liverpool seem to be on the right track for the Premier League title challenge and manager Rafa Benitez has revealed a simple yet effective secret to it.

The Reds' impressive 3-2 win against Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium where they were down by two goals at half time, shows their calibre and determination to mount a sustained title challenge.

The victory has also kept Benitez’s side on a 12 match unbeaten run in all competitions and the Reds will look to maintain it when they face Wigan Athletic at Anfield after returning from the international break, before the big clash against Chelsea on October 26.

"We have a clear idea of what we have to do," Benitez said.

"We have to go one game at a time. This was another great win and three points.”

"The main thing from my point of view is the belief of the players."

Rafa: Nando Is A Good Boy!

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has once again hailed the impact of Fernando Torres.

Torres fired his 28th and 29th Premier League goals for Liverpool yesterday, a tally that takes him beyond Patrik Berger as the Reds' all-time foreign goalscorer in that competition.

The ex-Atletico man followed his brace in the Merseyside derby with another two-goal salvo at Manchester City in the weekend's 3-2 win and his manager could not be happier.

Torres set Rafa Benitez back over £20million, but the Liverpool boss has been more than repaid in terms of goalscoring output.

Today, he took the opportunity to talk up the European champion’s credentials.

He told the press: "We know how important Torres is for us. He is always a threat to the defenders and can score goals. He also gives space to his team-mates and Torres is a fantastic boy with a good mentality. He was unlucky not to get his hat-trick."

Martin Skrtel's Knee Injury Confirmed By Liverpool FC Medics

MARTIN SKRTEL is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after a scan revealed he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in Liverpool’s win over Manchester City.

The Slovakian defender was carried off in agony after falling awkwardly in the latter stages of the Reds 3-2 win yesterday.

Skrtel was also given oxygen on the pitch and Liverpool’s worst fears were today realised when the results of the scan showed that he sustained an injury to his posterior cruciate ligament.

He will see a specialist tomorrow, at which point it will be determined how long he is likely to be out of action.

Club spokesman Ian Cotton said: “Martin underwent a scan this morning which showed damage to the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“He will see a specialist tomorrow to assess the extent of the injury and will then have an accurate idea of the time scales involved before he is back playing again.”

Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt today dedicated his winning goal in yesterday’s clash to his stricken team-mate and admitted the sight of Skrtel being carried off made Liverpool even more determined to secure victory.

“Martin’s injury looked very ugly but hopefully it will not be too serious,” said the Dutchman.

“He is due to have a scan and with a bit of luck it will turn out to be not so bad but we will have to wait and see.

“It was great for us to take all three points after what happened to Martin and I think we all wanted to win it for him.”

It is feared Skrtel has suffered a knee ligament injury but nothing will be confirmed until the results of the scan are known.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez said: “Martin has twisted his knee and we will have to wait for the scan but we think it could be serious.

“That's the bad news for us from yesterday. When a player like Martin is on the ground you know it’s serious so we will keep our fingers crossed that it won’t be too bad.”

After going 2-0 down to City before half-time, Liverpool staged a remarkable second half comeback which saw them win the game thanks to a brace from Fernando Torres and Kuyt’s last gasp strike from close range.

Kuyt was delighted to score his first league goal since last November but he insists he is even more pleased that the Reds managed to take all three points after an opening 45 minutes which he readily admits was Liverpool’s worst of the season so far.

He said: “It was a really important win for us. I think the first half was our worst 45 minutes of the season but we were a completely different side in the second half.

“At half-time the manager told us that we had to go back out there and play our own game and that we would be back in the game if we scored a goal.

“That’s exactly what we did. We worked really hard and with Fernando getting the first goal early on in the half it gave us the belief that we could go on and win the game.

“The most important thing is to keep taking it one game at a time.

“It was great to win a game like this one because it gives us even more belief and confidence but we know it is still very early in what will be a long season and we have to keep focusing on getting results.

“I hadn’t been thinking of the fact it had been so long since I scored a goal in the league but it was great to score such an important one at the very end of a game and I am even more delighted because it gave us the three points we wanted so badly.”

“Now hopefully we can keep it going.”