Kenny Dalglish Tells Liverpool To Enjoy Top Spot

While pundits and fans continue to fret over the Reds' stalling form, the man widely regarded as the club's greatest-ever player insists everyone must calm down and look on the bright side.

Liverpool currently sit atop the Premier League with 34 points - and just one defeat - from 15 games, but you wouldn't know it by listening to the media's, or some of the supporters', take on things.

The Merseysiders have gone more than 18 years without a league triumph, and there remains this niggling doubt that, somehow, they will contrive to cock it all up.

But Kenny Dalglish, who was at the helm when the Reds won title No. 18 in 1990, believes the players and fans alike must take joy out of their promising start rather than worry about the chasing pack.

"You always want to play well and you always want to win games, but the big thing is to take as many points from as many matches as you possibly can," he told the club's official website.

"This season there has only been one game where we didn't take anything - away at Tottenham - so clearly the boys are doing their best."

Liverpool's closest challengers are Chelsea, who relinquished top spot last weekend when they lost at home to an embattled Arsenal outfit that holds fourth spot.

Rafael Benitez's men had an opportunity to go three points clear when they faced West Ham United at Anfield on Monday, but they could only manage a frustrating stalemate.

But Dalglish continued: "You want to try and capitalise on any mistakes Chelsea make and, okay, we didn't do that in the way we would have wanted against West Ham, but we still picked up a point and it could prove to be a big point at the end of the season.

"The top of the league is the best place to be, full stop. The players have to enjoy being where they are and get on with the job of staying there. If they keep winning games then nobody will overtake them, it's as simple as that."

'King Kenny' played over 500 games for Liverpool between 1977 and 1990, during which time he won six league titles, three European Cups, four League Cups and one FA Cup.

Liverpool Hit By Torres Setback

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres looks set for an increased injury lay-off because of a damaged hamstring.

Torres, 24, had been expected to be out of action for two weeks but has now been told by specialists that he will be out for at least four weeks.

The Spaniard suffered the injury during the Champions League victory against Marseille at Anfield on 26 November.

"We first said two to three weeks but do not want to put a time on it now," said Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.

"He will come back when he is ready. We will not rush him back.

"We want to resolve this problem once and for all and we will make sure we do that."

All I want for Christmas is for Fernando to get fit!

SteveFernie
Torres has been plagued by hamstring problems over the past 18 months, suffering the injury five times in that period.

Liverpool are currently analysing his training schedule with both club and country in an attempt to resolve the problem.

Benitez had questioned the Spain training regime and believes it could be the cause of his injury.

"He has been injured now three times while with the national team and it is something we have to analyse," he stated.

"We knew they were doing something that is maybe not the best for the player."

It had been hoped he would return by mid December but Torres will now miss Premier League games against Blackburn, Hull, Arsenal and Bolton and Tuesday's Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven.

He could return for the trip to Newcastle on 28 December.

Liverpool have struggled in recent weeks in the absence of last season's top scorer, with new signing Robbie Keane still finding his form since his £20m move from Tottenham in the summer.

The Reds currently top the Premier League but have drawn their last two home games without scoring a goal.

Torres himself is committed to returning to the side to boost their title credentials.

He said: "The only thing to do is to get on with the rehabilitation and make sure that I come back when I am ready and not too soon."

Rafa Benitez: Liverpool Team-mates Must Help Robbie Keane

RAFA BENITEZ has urged Robbie Keane’s team-mates to help him end his barren spell.

The £20m signing has hit just two League goals since his move from Spurs. And he looked frustrated at being substituted – for the 15th time in 18 starts – once again on Monday night.

But the Reds boss has stood by him and asked his team-mates to create more chances for him.

“Robbie is a better player than the one we are seeing now,” said Benitez.

“We know what kind of player Robbie Keane is. He needs people around him to pass the ball well.

“I believe he will be okay, he will score more if we create chances for him. But if that does not happen we have to use players with different qualities to open up the game.”

Keane is set to continue at Blackburn on Saturday, but Danish defender Daniel Agger must fight for a return to the starting line-up after Sami Hyypia’s impressive performance on Monday.

Agger admitted he can do better – but reassured Reds fans he was happy on Merseyside after reports claimed Reds officials were stunned by his pay demands in contract talks.

The Denmark defender’s representatives are reportedly seeking to double the player’s wages to more than £70,000 a week.

“It’s difficult to compare to how I was before, and I know there are some things I need to improve, but I can feel myself getting better and better with every game,” said Agger,

“Maybe I am not there yet, but I will be soon.

“Of course sometimes it’s difficult but you have to keep working hard to improve yourself and that’s what I am trying to do.

“It has been difficult with the injury last year but that’s the past. Hopefully I’ll be back to 100 per cent soon.

“Outside of the pitch I’m really happy. I am enjoying everything. The people in Liverpool are so friendly. I was really surprised when I came to the city how friendly the people were compared to other places I have been. I cannot complain about anything. I feel at home.”

Steven Gerrard: We’ll Pay For Lost Points Later

STEVEN GERRARD has warned his team-mates they will eventually pay the price for dropping points at home.

Liverpool have suffered goalless draws at Anfield with Stoke CIty, Fulham and West Ham so far this season but still sit on top of the Premier League.

Their last two league games both finished in home stalemates and cost them the chance to open up clear daylight between themselves and Chelsea.

Liverpool still have a one-point lead following Monday’s West Ham game and Gerrard is enthused about the fact that the club is in the best position to strike for the title in his 10 years as a first team player.

But he said: “At the moment dropping points like we have been doing at home has not cost us anything. But that is not always going to be the case.

“We have got to get better, be more consistent and start killing teams off when we get the chance.

“But what we all hope is that as much success as we have had in the past, the UEFA Cup, Champions League and FA Cup successes, we have still got our best days to come.

“For me this is the best team we have had since I broke through. At the moment we are up there fighting but in this league, as soon as you take your eye off the ball or take anything for granted, you are brought back down to earth with a bump.”

Liverpool go to Blackburn Rovers tomorrow while Chelsea go to Bolton, with both games kicking off at 3pm.

With every point vital in the battle for Premier League supremacy, Gerrard has underlined the team’s desire to keep their points tally ticking over and stay out in front until the end of the campaign.

He says: “This is a hungry Liverpool, a determined Liverpool. In football you are remembered for what you win, not necessarily how you played.

“We want to be remembered as winners, not also-rans.

“In my 10 years in the first team, this is the first time that we have been where we are at this stage of the season with this opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Yossi Benayoun’s agent has confirmed that the player has no intention of moving on in the January transfer window.

The midfielder recently hinted in an interview with Israeli television that his lack of first team opportunities could leave him no option but to seek a new club.

But Benayoun has since insisted he is happy to stay and fight for his place, while agent Ronen Katsav dismissed stories linking the player with Spartak Moscow.

“I don't understand where they’re getting this from,” Katsav said.

“Yossi is happy at Liverpool, he played the full 90 minutes on Monday against West Ham.

“Benayoun wants to remain in the best league in the world with Liverpool, to continue to battle for the title, which this year the club is closer than ever to winning.”

Steven Gerrard: Liverpool Side Is The Best I've Played In

Skipper Steven Gerrard has brushed off the club’s recent poor form by insisting the current Liverpool side is the best he has played in.

Liverpool are still smarting after Monday’s 0-0 home draw with West Ham, which ended with them being booed off by the Anfield crowd despite taking over at the top of the Barclays Premier League.

That one point was enough to overtake Chelsea, but the frustrating draw with the Hammers followed previous lapses at home against supposedly lesser sides Stoke and Fulham, who also achieved goalless draws.

Now Gerrard hopes he can lead Liverpool to a vital victory at Blackburn on Saturday to maintain their slender grip on top spot.

He says: “At the moment dropping points like we have been doing at home has not cost us anything. But that is not always going to be the case.”

But Gerrard is confident the current side can maintain a genuine title chase for the rest of the campaign.

He says: “This is a hungry Liverpool, a determined Liverpool. In football you are remembered for what you win, not necessarily how you played.

“We want to be remembered as winners, not also-rans.

“In my 10 years in the first team, this is the first time that we have been where we are at this stage of the season with this opportunity.

“We have got to get better, be more consistent and start killing teams off when we get the chance.

“But what we all hope is that as much success as we have had in the past, the UEFA Cup, Champions League and FA Cup successes, we have still got our best days to come.

“For me this is the best team we have had since I broke through. At the moment we are up there fighting but in this league, as soon as you take your eye off the ball, or take anything for granted, you are brought back down to earth with a bump.”

For Gerrard, and his colleague Jamie Carragher, the trip to Blackburn gives them a chance of a reunion with former Anfield skipper Paul Ince, now manager at Ewood Park.

Carragher has fond memories of the midfielder, and admits he ’looked up’ to Ince when he was beginning his Anfield first-team career.

But that does not stop Carragher aiming to heap more woe on Ince and Rovers as they sit in the relegation zone.

Carragher, who made his Liverpool debut a few months before Ince joined the club from Inter Milan in 1997, said: “Paul was one of the players in the team when I first started and he was a great help to me.

“He gave me a lot of advice and he was someone I looked up to when I started to become a footballer. Hopefully he does really well, after Saturday.”

Ince is going through a tough baptism in Premier League management with the team sitting in the relegation zone and they were knocked out of the Carling Cup quarter-finals at Manchester United last night.

But Carragher and Liverpool cannot afford to be sentimental over their former captain’s plight, or to slip up at a ground where they have lost just once in the last 12 years - Boxing Day, 2006.

They will be aiming for their 50th victory in league football over Rovers in their 121st meeting.

Liverpool will also have more than 7,000 fans at Ewood Park, their biggest away allocation of the season.

Carragher says: “We normally take a good crowd to Blackburn, which is virtually a local game for us and hopefully we can get a good result.

“They have had a few bad results lately and it is the type of place that we normally do okay. Hopefully that will continue.”

Liverpool will also have reunions with old boys Stephen Warnock and Robbie Fowler.

Striker Fernando Torres is still out, and after visiting a specialist in Spain this week, he may not play again until after the Christmas programme with his hamstring injury, the initial tentative comeback date had been the visit to Arsenal on December 21.

That means Robbie Keane will continue up front, intent on improving a scoring record of just two goals in his last eight appearances.

Javier Mascherano and Daniel Agger, both rested against West Ham, are expected to return.

Liverpool's Daniel Agger Denies AC Milan Rumours And Wants To Regain Top Form

Danish defender Daniel Agger insists he has no plans to swap the pursuit of an English Premier League title with Liverpool for a tilt at a winner's medal in Italy's Serie A or Spain's La Liga.

After failing to make the most of Chelsea's defeat by Arsenal last weekend - they could only manage a goalless draw with West Ham - league leaders Liverpool will seek to consolidate their place at the top of the table by beating struggling Blackburn at Ewood Park.

For Agger, it is an encounter that will take place against a background of uncertainty over his future.

The 23-year-old missed almost the whole of last season with a foot injury and is now struggling to rediscover his best form, and with his contract set to expire at the end of next season, has been linked with a move away from the Premier League.

Real Madrid and Italian giants AC Milan have both been linked with bids in January but despite his deal running down, Agger is adamant he is happy with life at Anfield.

He said: "It's difficult to compare to how I was before, and I know there are some things I need to improve, but I can feel myself getting better and better with every game.

"Maybe I am not there yet, but I will be soon. Of course sometimes it's difficult but you have to keep working hard to improve yourself and that's what I am trying to do.

"It has been difficult with the injury last year but that's the past. Hopefully I'll be back to 100 per cent soon.

"Outside of the pitch I'm really happy. The people in Liverpool are so friendly. I feel at home."

Agger will be hoping to force his way back into the side after he was left on the bench for the frustrating draw with West Ham, while Fernando Torres will again be missing with a hamstring injury.

Torres: I Nearly Joined Milan

Liverpool striking star Fernando Torres has revealed that he was close to joining Milan in 2007.

The Spanish international has been a big hit at Anfield and finished third in the voting for the Ballon d'Or this year.

A number of European sides were in the frame for Torres' signature when he left Atletico Madrid, including Milan.

“I know that Milan were interested in signing me and that the clubs had discussions, but I was never involved,” Torres said.

“When they were talking to the Rossoneri, Atletico never told me that they intended to sell me but I heard rumours. It's always nice when the big clubs are interested in you.”

Torres also looked back on last season's Champions League clash with Inter at San Siro in which he scored the winning goal.

“I was impressed by the atmosphere - I had never played in that stadium,” he explained.

“Everyone had talked to me about it, but playing there is something else. There's a very long tunnel at San Siro and it adds to the atmosphere.

“We were a bit fortunate in that tie in that Marco Materazzi was sent off in the first leg - it would have been harder to play against 11 men for the whole time.”

Torres: I Will Prove I'm The World's Best

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has vowed to top last season's heroics and prove he is the best player in the world.

The Spanish hitman, who scored 33 goals in his debut season in England, came third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi in the Ballon d'Or award this week but says there is more to come this season.

The striker is out until Christmas with a hamstring injury but he believes that when he returns he can help Rafa Benitez's side to their first league title in 19 years.

He said: "My goal has been to improve every year. I do not think about the past and I will continue to work to do better in 2009 so I can be among the nominees and climb another rung on the ladder.

"I am very proud to be considered. 2008 has been extraordinary for me, both individually and with my teams.

"I have to thank my team-mates for this fantastic moment. It was easier than I expected to adapt to English football.

"I knew that my style of play would work well in the Premier League and we can be satisfied with how things turned out. It was a pity we did not make it to the Champions League final in Moscow, so we will work to improve on that.

"But with Spain, what can you say? The European Championship title has moved us all to fight for the individual awards."

Liverpool's Torres Seeks Cure In Spain

Fernando Torres has returned to his homeland to try to find a cure for his persistent hamstring problems.

Liverpool's striking sensation Fernando Torres has flown back to Spain to see a specialist about his ongoing hamstring injuries, reports the Liverpool Echo.

More specifically, he's visited Catalunya, flying to Barcelona to see one of Europe's top muscle experts as his club leave no stone unturned in a desperate bid to get to the root of the problem.

The player suffered his third hamstring injury of the season against Marseille in the Champions League last week, and it was initially expected that he would be fit to return within two to three weeks.

That hasn't been the case, however, and now manager Rafa Benitez is refusing to put a time-scale on his comeback. Torres suffered similar injuries twice last season whilst playing for Spain and pulled up again in just the third league game of this campaign.

The player has now missed five league games as well as the two Champions League ties against his former club Atletico Madrid.

Liverpool are taking a thorough approach as they seek to find a solution. Even the smallest details of the Spaniard's life are being looked at in an effort to find clues, with his footwear and manner of walking coming under the specialist's spotlight.

Liverpool fans will hope that it is worth the effort, as without Torres it looks like Liverpool's attack is severely blunted. Without him, it will be difficult to sustain a title challenge as Manchester United steadily collect points and climb the table.

Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard Flattens Lucas Leiva During Melwood Training Session

Steven Gerrard’s commitment to the Liverpool cause has never been in doubt, but he nearly added to the club’s injury list with a clattering tackle on Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva.

Just 24 hours after telling Telegraph Sport of his desperation to lift the Premier League trophy, the Liverpool captain certainly showed his team-mates how much he meant what he had said.

"I know I have had a decent career, and done well so far, but I still have so many ambitions. When I see Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and John Terry lifting the Premier League trophy over their head, and I haven't got it, I want it bad.

“And when I get the title, I know what my reaction will be. Simple. I will want another title.''

The two players challenged for a 50-50 ball on a frost-covered pitch at Liverpool’s Melwood training ground, but Lucas fell heavily and clutched his shoulder in agony as manager Rafael Benitez and his medical team ran over to assist him.

Play was briefly halted as the Spanish manager helped Lucas walk to the treatment room.

The Premier league leaders can ill afford any more injuries. Striker Fernando Torres is sidelined for a fortnight with a hamstring strain and defender Martin Skrtel is working towards a return to fitness following the knee injury he suffered against Manchester City in early October.

Fabio Aurelio is also sidelined after picking up a calf muscle strain during his side’s Champions League 1-0 defeat of Marseille at Anfield last week.

Argentine Starlet Staying Put

Argentine starlet Franco Zuculini has insisted he has no intentions of moving to Europe in the near future.

The 18-year-old, who has already been lumbered with the tag of the 'new Javier Mascherano' has emerged on the radar of European scouts over the past six months.

Zuculini only made his first-team debut for Racing Club in April, but he is already established in the starting XI.

Now Liverpool and Manchester United are said to be considering bids - although the Italian media suggests Juventus are close to sealing a deal.

However, the player himself insists he is happy and is not yet ready to move.

"There is always going to be talk," he said when asked about Juventus' interest.

"But I want to continue here for three or four more big competitions.

"I want to know what it is to play for Racing and enjoy the love from the fans."

TOMMY SMITH: Liverpool Are Showing Too Much Patience

When the Reds beat Manchester United early on in the season, they played with tenacity, belief and real purpose.

That really had the fans believing we can challenge for the title this season.

Fast forward to Monday night. We go top – yet it’s another goalless draw at Anfield against a side we should be beating – and people are unhappy and unconvinced at the performance.

It’s a strange situation of course. But there is no doubt the team’s confidence seems a bit low at the moment.

For me, we are now trying to play too slowly and patiently. You can see it in the way the lads are passing the ball to each other, it’s often laboured and predictable.

We’re not getting right into the heart of opposition territory the way we were – and too much of the build up play is cumbersome.

I want to see us getting back into the opposition’s faces a bit more with our passing and moving. We need a return of that strong belief and purpose out there.

Few of the Liverpool players had a good game against West Ham, apart from one or two like Sami Hyypia, who was magnificent.

Robbie Keane again struggled to make an impact and frankly I think it’s time he changed the way he approaches matches.

I’d actually like him to be a good bit lazier.

I know that sounds daft but I mean it. He is constantly running around here, there and everywhere, closing people down, when with Torres out in particular I would prefer to see him hanging in and around the box and lurking more like a predator.

I’d also tell Albert Riera to really get out wide much more often – and tell the other Liverpool players to keep away from him.

Riera is much more effective when he’s in a one on one situation out wide and can bamboozle his man and get his crosses in.

Other top teams are giving us big chances to establish a gap and while we’re failing to take them, there are games next against Blackburn and Hull when we can put things right.

I want to see the lads get mean, tough and even a bit selfish.

Steven Gerrard Is To Have An Apartment Block Named After Him In Dubai

Liverpool star Steven Gerrard is to have a £150million apartment block named after him.

He will get £1million and a £1.2million apartment from Azizi Investments building the tower on Palm Jebel Ali in Dubai.

Steven, 28, said: "It's a real privilege to be part of such a pioneering project."

The Liverpool and England player is the first footballer to sign up with the development firm.

Michael Schumacher and Boris Becker have apartments named after them on the man-made islands off the Dubai coast.

An Aziz spokesman said: "Steven Gerrard is one of the biggest sporting stars in the world and it gives us great pleasure to work with him.

"For Steven to endorse one of our most prestigious projects is a real honour.

"It will be an iconic piece of architecture."

Benitez Concedes There’s Room For Improvement Despite ‘Fantastic Position’

Rafael Benitez is convinced his Liverpool team are in a “fantastic position” despite admitting there was still much room for improvement from his players.

The Anfield outfit moved a point clear at the top of the Premier League with a goalless draw at home to West Ham United on Monday night. Liverpool were disappointed not to have taken more from the game and the final whistle was greeted with jeers from sections of the ground.

This time last year, Benitez’s side were in fourth place in the table behind leaders Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

And while accepting his players can do better than their recent form suggests, the Anfield manager reckons there is no reason for supporters to be downhearted.

“After watching the video it is clear we had more chances than them, everybody was disappointed – we could have won,” said Benitez. “But we have one more point and are at the top of the table, so things are still really positive.

“We were talking at the start of the season about being contenders in December, and this time last season we were nine points behind Arsenal, but now we are one point clear of Chelsea, so we are in a fantastic position and really pleased to be here.

“It’s really important to know we are in a good position – some games we are playing really well, some games not so well, there is still plenty of room for improvement because everybody knows Fabio Aurelio and Fernando Torres are both injured. We also have Skrtel and Degen to come back, so we have enough depth in the squad to improve for our next games.”

Meanwhile, Pepe Reina reckons Xabi Alonso’s impressive start to the season has made him “one of the world’s most complete midfielders”.

With Liverpool chasing Gareth Barry over the summer, Alonso came close to joining Juventus and was also linked with a possible move to Arsenal.

But the Spaniard stayed put at Anfield and has become an integral part of Benitez’s table-toppers.

And Reina said: “He has been amazing for these past four months. The character he has shown has been really good.

“He is a quiet person and a lovely guy; a good teammate. I don’t need to talk about him as a player – people know how good he is.

“He has got everything – class, great passing, good in the air. He is one of the most complete midfielders in the world.”

Reina has helped Liverpool keep 14 clean sheets this season, and has conceded only 11 goals in 22 appearances.

“We’ve been very strong at the back up until now and everyone knows that’s one of the reasons why we do well,” said the 26-year-old. “If you keep a clean sheet you have many possibilities for victory.

“But there is always room for improvement and that’s what we try to do in every training session.”

Ian Rush: Liverpool Lack Creativity

Following their goalless draw with West Ham, an Anfield legend has pointed out a few areas to work on for Benitez's team.

Ian Rush won quite a few trophies with Liverpool during his time with the club in the 1980s. At that time, the Reds swept all before them at home and, prior to the ban on English clubs after the Heysel disaster, in Europe.

Rush, an instinctive and prolific goalscorer, played a huge role in that success, so it's fair to say that he has a good idea about how teams go about winning things. When he points out that Rafa Benitez's current Liverpool side lack creativity, people should probably listen to him.

Speaking today after Monday night's draw with West Ham United, Rush was fairly clear as to where he feels Liverpool's problems lie.

"Liverpool may have gone top of the league last night but it was another very disappointing display and it’s clear there are problems with the team just at the moment," he said.

"There wasn’t enough urgency and certainly not enough creativity on show.

"And that’s why despite overtaking Chelsea, there are concerns and criticisms around from quite a few people and pundits today.

"The Reds struggled to find the cohesion and flair which was on display earlier this season – and again we failed to break down a team we were expected to beat without too much fuss."

And although Rush gave West Ham credit for their defensive performance, he also felt that Liverpool should have exploited the opportunities that did come their way. After all, the Hammers didn't line up like Stoke City and play entirely defensively at Anfield.

"You get chances to play your football against a team like West Ham – but we played in fits and starts on Monday night," Rush continued.

"We had spells and I know we could well have scored from some of the opportunities, but there was never really the belief out there or a real confidence that we were going to outfox them and break them down."

Rush was also baffled as to why Benitez didn't change his tactics when his original plan clearly wasn't working.

"Another frustration was that when Plan A wasn’t working," said the former Welsh international, "we didn’t seem to have a Plan B to unlock West Ham. A couple of changes were made with Ngog and Babel coming on, but that night it didn’t really seem to have the impact we were all hoping to see."

Rush was not pessimistic though, and rather urged Benitez and his squad to show character and pull together through the rough patch. After all, they are still top of the table, despite Manchester United slowly gaining ground on them.

"It’s when things aren’t going well that you learn most about your players," Rush added.

"You see those who refuse to shrink and stand up to the challenge. So we’ll find out now who the big men and big characters really are in this squad. And let’s hope that’s all of them.

"Liverpool are top but no one’s happy. That’s because we are better than this – the team has proved it with other results and performances this season."

And Rush ended with a rallying cry for the Reds:

"Forget Monday night now. There are important games coming up and points to be won so let’s go out and start getting them, instead of letting them slip."

Rafa Ready To Use Youngster

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is pondering including Adam Hammill in his first-team plans when he returns from his loan spell at Blackpool.

Hammill's loan spell at Bloomfield Road expires in the New Year after Benitez decided to farm out the winger in the summer so that he could gain valuable first-team experience.

The 20-year-old is highly-regarded by the Liverpool coaching staff and he was rewarded with a new three-year deal before he was sent out on loan to Blackpool.

Hammill, who helped Liverpool win the FA Youth Cup in 2006, has impressed at Blackpool and Benitez has been keeping tabs on his progress at the Championship outfit.

Benitez is now thought to believe Hammill is ready to make the step up to the first-team upon his return to Anfield feeling he has matured from his loan spells at Dunfermline, Southampton and Blackpool.

The Reds boss has admitted he is concerned with Liverpool's lack of goals in recent matches and he could see Hammill's creativity as something that could bolster his attacking options in the second half of the season.

Liverpool have struggled to solve their problematic right-sided position with Dirk Kuyt filling in there, but Hammill could be an option to help provide the ammunition for the likes of Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane.

Steven Gerrard: Liverpool Must Cope With Title Pressure

Steven Gerrard admits Liverpool must learn to cope with the pressure of being top of the Premier League if they are to end their championship drought.

Rafael Benitez’s side moved clear at the summit with a goalless draw at home to West Ham United on Monday night.

But a second successive Anfield stalemate brought jeers from sections of the crowd frustrated at Liverpool’s indifferent recent form.

Since initially going top with victory at Chelsea in October, the Anfield outfit have won only three of their subsequent six Premier League games.

And Gerrard believes Liverpool need to come to terms with the unique demands of being front-runners as they aim for a first title since 1990.

“We’re up against some fantastic teams in Chelsea, Arsenal, United and Villa, and other teams are putting pressure on the top four,” he said.

“There’s so much pressure week-in, week-out to deliver results and we need to learn to handle that pressure, and we need to learn to deal with being at the top.

“There’s a different pressure being at the top to being second or third, and that’s where we need to learn to relax and keep doing the things we’ve done that got us to the top.”

Gerrard added: “I think as captain it’s important to dampen down expectations – there’s no point getting carried away in December, there’s still an awful long way to go.

“But there’s a belief in the dressing room that we can be contenders and we can be in the title race. It’s easy for me to say that, we’ve got to go and prove that with performances.”

Jamie Carragher has urged Liverpool to overcome the absence of Fernando Torres and rediscover their goal-scoring touch.

Liverpool have netted just 13 in their last 11 outings, a period during which hamstring problems have meant Torres has started just three games. And with the Spaniard expected to be sidelined for at least another fortnight, Carragher admits the rest of the Liverpool team must start contributing in front of goal.

“We all need to step up,” he said. “Sami Hyypia had the best chances against West Ham. It’s important we spread it around, it’s something we have got to do, we can’t just rely on the strikers to score.

“You have to defend as a team but you also have to attack as one. Even if you win games two or three-nil you’re still going to miss Fernando Torres.

“Scoring goals is something we all have to sort out together. We are going through a bad spell and have to keep showing character.”

Liverpool Focusing On Positives To Keep Title Bid On Course

Had any Liverpool fan been offered the chance of their team leading the Premier League and through to the last 16 of the Champions League in the first week of December, they’d have snatched it with both hands.

Yet given the reaction of some sections of the support at Anfield and over the airwaves to Monday night’s goalless draw at home to West Ham United, anyone listening would have presumed Rafael Benitez’s side had dropped into the relegation zone and not moved a point clear at the top.

Such is life at Liverpool right now, where the desperation for a first title in 19 years means any setback is greeted with the kind of over-reaction normally reserved for failed X-Factor contestants.

Certainly, Benitez will hope his players are more adept at coping with the weight of expectation than some of their supporters.

Anyone requiring a reality check need only see what position Liverpool were in 12 months ago.

In their 15th league game, Benitez’s side lost their unbeaten record at Reading to stay in fourth place, seven points behind leaders Arsenal.

The manager had played a weakened team at the Madejski ahead of a must-win Champions League decider in Marseille in which defeat would have most likely cost the Spaniard his job.

And an upbeat Jamie Carragher believes supporters must keep concentrating on the positives at present.

“When you play at home and you draw its two points lost, there’s no doubt about that,” he says. “It’s obvious we’re all disappointed we didn’t win.

I’m sure our fans will realise as well as anyone that we’re not playing well at the moment but we’ve gone top of the league.

“Chelsea are probably going through a little bit of a rough patch themselves over the last three or four games and that’s something that’s happening to us as well.

“But while Chelsea got beat in the Champions League and have still to qualify and went down a place in the league after losing to Arsenal, the good thing is that we’ve not been playing well but have qualified from our Champions League group and have just gone top of the league.

“Don’t get me wrong, we would love to have gone three points clear, but I’m going to stay positive and say I’m delighted with where we are.

“We’re going for the league and in the knockout stages of the Champions League despite not playing well so they’re positives you have to take.”

Liverpool have struggled to make home advantage count in recent games, but Carragher has dismissed suggestions the team are feeling the pressure at Anfield while accepting their performances must improve.

“I love playing at Anfield and I’m sure we’re going to have more great nights here but we have got to do more,” says the centre-back.

“It’s not as if we don’t want to play at Anfield. We have just got to overcome this spell now but it’s probably a full season now since we’ve been beaten at home, our record at home has been very good over the last 12 to 18 months but we’ve got to start turning these draws into wins.”

Of Monday’s stalemate – their third of the season at Anfield after earlier goalless draws with Stoke City and Fulham – Carragher adds: “I don’t think we did enough to win the game. It was pretty similar to the Fulham game where they were a little bit dangerous on the break.

“We had a few chances but probably not what you’d call sitters. Maybe with a bit better finishing or a great goal we could have done it, but credit to them for keeping us out. We obviously have to do more.

Liverpool travel to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday – the Ewood Park outfit have the Premier League’s worst home record with just one win in seven – and then entertain promoted Hull City before the visit to Arsenal on December 21.

And Carragher says: “We won’t be thinking about Hull when we go to Blackburn. I’ve been here 10 years now and all everyone says is, ‘Oh, you’re next few games you can win’, it’s the biggest load of nonsense I’ve ever heard. You go out to win the next game, that’s it.

“People saying that you’ve got a run of four or five games that you should win, it’s nonsense. People that look that far ahead are just stupid.

“It’s stupid even talking like that, you never know what’s round the corner. You might get a load of injuries in two or three games’ time. The next game is always the one.”

Reina Reckons Liverpool Team-mate Xabi Alonso In World's Elite

As a summer of transfer controversy raged on, few would have predicted that, come the start of the season, Xabi Alonso would still be at Liverpool and Gareth Barry at Aston Villa.

Midfielder Alonso looked set for Serie A giants Juventus, while Liverpool wanted Barry to replace him at Anfield.

However, it all fizzled out and both players ended up staying put.

Now, Alonso in particular has made a stunning start to the season, playing a flexible role that requires creativity, strength and stints of screening the Reds' defence.

And as Liverpool ride high atop the Premier League pile, Alonso has put the summer behind him, committing himself to the club.

Now, goalkeeper Pepe Reina has hailed the 27-year-old as one of the best in the game at the moment.

He told the club's official website: "He has been amazing for these past four months. The character he has shown has been really good.

"He is a quiet person and a lovely guy; a good teammate. I don't need to talk about him as a player - people know how good he is.

"He has got everything - class, great passing, good in the air. He is one of the most complete midfielders in the world."

Meanwhile, Reina is eyeing the captain's armband, after Steven Gerrard tipped him for the role.

"It would be an honour, obviously," gushed the Spaniard. "The Liverpool armband is a great thing - we've always had great captains.

"Still, I think Stevie will be captain for a long time."

Liverpool & Manchester United After Franco Zuculini

The giants of England's North West are set to duke it out for the Argie warrior being touted as 'the new Mascherano'.

According to the Daily Mail, both Liverpool and Manchester United are keeping close watch on Franco Zuculini, the Racing Club de Avellaneda midfielder.

The 18-year-old has been hugely impressive in his short professional career of 20-odd games, so much so that Argentina coach Diego Maradona has dubbed him "one of the stars at the next World Cup".

Indeed, Zuculini has been strongly likened to one of Anfield's current favourites - although the original version is only 24 himself, everyone is raving about 'the new Javier Mascherano'.

'El Jefecito' arrived on Merseyside early last year after an ill-fated stint at West Ham United, and has since come to be recognised as arguably the best defensive midfielder in world football.

The former River Plate man signed on permanently for the Reds this January, so it is unlikely they will be seeking an immediate upgrade.

However, with questions being raised over whether Lucas Leiva can cut it in the Premier League, Rafael Benitez may look to ship out the Brazilian youngster and draft in a new understudy to Mascherano and Xabi Alonso.

Meanwhile, at Old Trafford, there are concerns over Owen Hargreaves' long-term future after he underwent surgery recently on a tendonitis problem that has plagued his career.

The Canadian-born England star has played just 25 league games since moving from Bayern Munich last year, and it has been whispered that Sir Alex Ferguson is keeping an eye out for a worthy replacement.

But Liverpool and Man United would not only be battling each other for Zuculini, as it is thought that Juventus are leading the race for his signature.

The Old Lady attempted to lure Mascherano himself to Turin last winter, but the €21 million price-tag was well out of their reach and they opted for the out-of-favour Mohamed Sissoko instead.

But Momo and his midfielder partner, Christian Poulsen, have disappointed all too regularly this term, and Juve are reportedly ready to upgrade when the transfer window reopens next month.

Udinese had a €2.5 million bid rejected by Racing, who are demanding €10 million for their young superstar-in-the-making. However, financial problems mean the Argentine club should settle for around €7 million.