Match Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. LiverpooL

Blackburn is looking a bit desperate, with a little luck in recent weeks the team would be clear of danger at the bottom - but just about everything has conspired against it, especially with Rovers boss Paul Ince the hot favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave his club.

Blackburn does score goals though - and as soon as it allies this with some defensive steal Blackburn will rise gently to mid-table.

However, Blackburn haven't won in the league since September and head into this game on the back of four successive defeats in all competitions, the latest coming when they were beaten 5-3 by Manchester United in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

Only Chelsea and Tottenham have kept clean sheets against Blackburn in the last nine games so Blackburn will expect a goal at home against almost anyone.

Nevertheless, they meet a Liverpool side which is stuttering slightly at the top of the pile after two successive goalless draws at Anfield, with a fair proportion of their own fans booing them off on Monday night against West Ham.

And while plenty of people are getting excited about a first title for 18 seasons for the Reds, it's worth pointing out that they accrued exactly the same number of points last season from the 15 matches they've played so far.

With Fernando Torres sidelined until the New Year Liverpool must hope that Dirk Kuyt rediscovers his early season form or that Robbie Keane finds some boots that fit - otherwise Steve Gerrard will be expected to win the remainder of the games in 2009. Thus, Liverpool has scored just 13 goals in the last 11 games.

The prospect of Blackburn looking at Liverpool's last three games (where Liverpool has scored just one goal) and using the knowledge to grind out a 0-0 is hardly thrilling - but can't be discounted.

But Blackburn haven't managed to win a point or even score a goal against the 'big four' this term so it's impossible to make a case for them and with so many negatives surrounding this game it's not one to get involved with from a betting perspective.

Winning Mentality A Big Positive For Liverpool FC Star Albert Riera

When Liverpool went top of the league on Monday night there were no celebrations and there was no rejoicing on the pitch or in the stands.

They may have moved into the position they cherish and the one in which they would love to stay, but having drawn at home to West Ham in a game they had been expecting to win no-one in a red shirt was thinking “job done”.

For Albert Riera, the fact that Liverpool still have some improving to do despite having reached the league summit is a good thing, and he believes the winning mentality that exists at the club he joined last summer will ensure things do get better.

“We are happy at the moment because we are top of the table, but we all feel that we can improve as a team,” he said.

“If someone had offered us a form to sign at the start of the season that said we would be top of the league at the start of December we would have all signed it, no problem.

“So the fact that we have got there is very positive, but we are still disappointed because our position could have been even better.

“If you think of the game at home to West Ham on Monday night it is clear that we dropped two points because we always expect to win our games at Anfield.

“But we cannot dwell on that because we have got ourselves into a situation in which everything is about what we do – if we keep getting more points than the teams around us then we will stay on top of the table.

“So while we may be a bit disappointed that we do not have more points, the most important thing is that we are top of the league and now we have to try to stay there.

“In a sense, it is good that we feel disappointed because that means we know we must work hard to improve so we don’t have such feelings again.”

Having scored just once in their last three outings, one area in which the Reds can undoubtedly improve is their goalscoring.

Riera himself only has a single strike to his name since moving to Anfield from Espanyol in August, but the left winger insists no one at Liverpool is letting their recent barren spell get to them and he believes it is only a matter of time before they get back on the goal trail.

“Of course we want to score in every match, but it is not always easy to do this,” he said.

“Almost every time we play at Anfield our opponents are happy to just defend and we try to create chances but it can be difficult.

“Against West Ham we had 17 corners and had a few chances but we could not get the goal we wanted.

“It is also important to remember that the other team wants to win as well though. It isn’t just Liverpool out on the pitch.

“But I am sure that the goals will come. We are not worried about this.”

From the moment he made his Liverpool debut at home to Manchester United, Riera has looked at ease in his new surroundings and he has settled well into Rafa Benitez’s side.

The 26-year-old says this is testament to his team mates and believes there is more to come from him as the season wears on.

“The most important thing is the team,” he said. “All players depend on the team as a whole and the players around them.

“If the team is not playing well, every individual suffers. You may be able to do well up to a point but to be at your best you need the team to do well.

“The team started the season really well, we are top of the league and we have already qualified for the next stage of the Champions League so this means that we are doing a good job.

“This has made things easier for me to settle in and I am enjoying my football here, but I know that I can still do better because you can always improve.

“Another thing that has helped me is that I have come into a dressing room with a winning mentality.

“This means that even after we have won a game and played really well that you still demand that you do better the next time.

“We want more and more all the time. That is the mentality of this club and it is one that I really like.”

Today, Liverpool visit Blackburn Rovers, who currently lie second from bottom of the Premier League, a full 18 places behind Rafa Benitez’s side.

But experience has taught Riera that teams at the bottom enjoy nothing more than beating those at the top and he is expecting a tough encounter at Ewood Park.

He said: “It will be a really hard game because the nature of this league is that when a team is at the top the other ones want to beat them.

“I have been on the other side of this because when I was at Manchester City and Espanyol we would try as hard as you possibly could to beat the teams at the top.

“That is just the way football is and because of this you have to be ready for every opponent, no matter where they are in the table.

“We will have to concentrate and work very hard because they will be doing that and this will make it difficult for us.

“We respect Blackburn, just like we respect every team we play, but we also know that we have enough quality and enough confidence to take all three points.

“I don’t like to talk about the opposition because if we do the right things then I am sure we will win – it is all about us and what we do.”

Ince Helped Me At Liverpool But I Won't Do Him Any Favours At Blackburn, Warns Carragher

Jamie Carragher admits he looked up to Liverpool's former captain Paul Ince when he was beginning his Anfield first-team career.

But Carragher will be aiming to heap more woe on the Blackburn boss when Liverpool visit Ewood Park on Saturday intent on maintaining their slender hold on the Barclays Premier League summit.

Carragher made his Liverpool debut a few months before Ince joined the club from Inter Milan in 1997.

He 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 Rovers in the relegation zone as well as being knocked out of the Carling Cup quarter-finals at Manchester United on Wednesday.

But Carragher and Liverpool cannot afford to be sentimental over his former captain's plight.

Having only drawn 0-0 at home to West Ham on Monday, Liverpool have just a one-point lead over Chelsea at the top of the table.

That setback means they cannot afford to slip up at Ewood Park, where they have more than 7,000 fans - 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 with a hamstring injury, and after visiting a specialist in Spain this week, he may not play again until after the Christmas programme, 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.

Javier Mascherano Victory Vow

Javier Mascherano today insisted Liverpool must get back to winning ugly after back-to-back draws.

The Argentinian midfielder is set to return to the starting line up at Blackburn tomorrow having sat out Monday night’s stalemate with West Ham and is keen for Liverpool to show they have not lost their winning edge.

Rafa Benitez’s side are top of the Premier League and hold a one point lead over Chelsea but Mascherano knows it is vital they build on their advantage by taking all three points as often as they can.

He said: “Sometimes it is important to win even though you haven’t played as well as you can because you have to show that you can find solutions when it is not easy.

“We have done this before and we know that we can do it again because the points are the most important thing.

"We are not worried though. We have to improve but we also know that we have the players to do that.

“The main thing in this league is just to win and keep on going.

"We are top of the table and we have been doing a good job but we can do better.”

Meanwhile, Mascherano’s Anfield team mate Yossi Benayoun is fully committed to Liverpool, according to his agent.

The Israeli international has been linked with a move to the continent on several occasions this season with speculation suggesting several Russian clubs are looking to acquire him.

And Benayoun recently told Israeli TV that he might have to consider leaving the Reds unless he was given more playing time.

But his agent Ronen Katsav has now dismissed such thoughts, insisting his client is happy at Liverpool and is not looking to depart at a time when the Anfield outfit are looking to get involved in the title race.

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

“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.”

Benitez Dismisses Agger Exit Talk

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is determined to remain at Anfield according to manager Rafael Benitez.

The Reds boss also denied contract talks had stalled with the Danish 23-year-old because of wage demands.

Agger has only played six Premier League games this season, but Benitez said: "He is very happy here. He is not playing badly, but he can do better.

"He knows he has not been playing at the same level he achieved last season, but I am still pleased with him."

Agger joined Liverpool in January 2006 and impressed in his first season, but missed much of last season through injury. In the current campaign he has struggled to make the starting line-up with Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher impressing at the back.

Despite reports that Agger's representatives were looking to double his current salary, as well as speculation over a possible move to AC Milan, Benitez insisted the player was committed to the club.

"is new deal is not a problem. He has an agent (to deal with that) and Daniel can concentrate on football," the Spaniard added.

"He is very competitive, and his only concern is how he can improve. His commitment to the club is 100% and he does not want to leave."

Torres Is On Track For Festive Return From Injury, Insists Liverpool Boss Benitez

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has dismissed claims that star striker Fernando Torres's injury is worse than first feared.

Reports had emerged from Merseyside that the Spain international would not make a first-team return until the New Year, but Benitez is confident his talisman will return before that.

Although unwilling to set a date for Torres's return, it is expected that he will be available for the festive period.

'I was surprised at suggestions that Torres would be out for much longer than we first thought,' said Benitez.

'He has had a second opinion from a specialist in Spain and the reports were good, everything is going well.

'The player is happier and he is progressing. The timetable for his return has not changed much, if at all. He may even be back quicker, but he will not be rushed back too soon.

'We know what is wrong so we know the solutions. We will not put the player under any pressure.'

Rafa Benitez To Rest Robbie Keane For Liverpool's Clash With Blackburn

Robbie Keane will be spared further misery today, as Rafa Benitez finally begins to lose patience with the £20million striker.

The Ireland international has played in 22 of Liverpool's 24 matches this season, but has managed only two league goals, and has cut an increasingly isolated and desperate figure in recent weeks.

Liverpool boss Benitez has hauled Keane off in all but three of his matches, and now it seems he will go one step further by resting him for the visit to Blackburn.

That plan will no doubt increase what has been growing speculation around Merseyside that the Irishman could even be offloaded in the January transfer window if he doesn't start delivering. Benitez won't go that far, but he gave the front-runner a fairly blunt message that he wants him to stand up and be counted.

The 28-year-old will be consigned to the bench at Ewood Park today, DESPITE the injury to Fernando Torres, which is likely to keep the Spanish striker out until the New Year.

"There are six months of the season left so I can pick Robbie lots of times, but I cannot guarantee a position to anyone," he said. "We can talk about players costing £15-20m at other teams and they are on the bench every week, but people are not talking about them.

"We have two players in our squad of this value so people talk about them.

For me it is not a question of the price tag, he is just another player.

"I think Robbie's working hard, he has a good mentality and he has enough confidence in himself. After that we must decide about team selection as we have to pick the best players for each game."

Clearly, Benitez has been unimpressed with Liverpool's goals record in recent weeks, especially in the absence of Torres.

They have scored a paltry 13 goals in their last 11 matches, which is hardly title-winning form.

"Robbie has played 22 games out of 24, and has started 18 games," added the manager.

Direct Approach May Solve Liverpool's Goal Problem

The game at Blackburn today has got all supporters wondering which particular Liverpool side will turn up.

Will it be the side that won with little fuss at Chelsea, or will it be the side that battered Spurs but managed to lose the game?

We’ve huffed and puffed lately, especially at home and without the threat of Torres it seems we are a bit toothless.

Against West Ham last Monday we had lots of possession but it looked like we could have played until midnight and not scored. Sometimes it’s worth just getting the ball into the box and looking for knock-downs.

We don’t seem to have that option and maybe certain teams have worked out how to stifle us.

Maybe we will be better away from home. Blackburn is another must-win.

For the first time for years we are approaching the Christmas games with a lead in the championship race. Blackburn are also struggling and Paul Ince is under pressure to get a result.

Another old boy in the shape of Robbie Fowler may also lie in wait to give us a lesson in the art of finishing.

How valuable would a Fowler in his heyday be to us now?

Blackburn have scored the least amount of home goals in the Premier League this season.

Visiting keepers have picked the ball out of the net just four times so far, so you would think that even a misfiring Liverpool should have enough to come away with a much-needed win.

Robbie Keane Told By Rafa Benitez To Start Delivering

Rafael Benitez has issued Robbie Keane a thinly-veiled warning to start delivering for Liverpool – while hinting the striker could be dropped this afternoon.

The Republic of Ireland international has under-whelmed at Anfield following his much-vaunted £19.6million move from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

Keane has scored only four goals this season and was substituted for the 15th time in 18 starts on Monday following another disappointing performance in the goalless draw at home to West Ham United.

Benitez has been keen to give the 29-year-old the same public backing that was offered to a similarly struggling Peter Crouch three years ago, with Keane having appeared in 22 of Liverpool’s 24 games this season.

However, the Liverpool manager, who earlier this week admitted the striker has not yet demonstrated his true worth, yesterday declared no player had a guaranteed place in the starting line-up.

And the clear inference is that, despite the absence of the injured Fernando Torres, Keane will now be taken out of the firing line for today’s Premier League trip to Blackburn Rovers.

“Robbie is working hard in training as always,” said Benitez. “The best way to support him is by talking about how he can improve.

“We have to analyse everything because we have to think about him and the team. There are six months of the season left so I can pick him lots of times, but I cannot guarantee a position to anyone.

“We can talk about players costing £15m-£20m at other teams and they are on the bench every week, but people are not talking about them. We have two players in our squad of this value so people talk about them.

“For me, it is not a question of the price-tag of the player, he is just another player. I think that he is working hard, he has a good mentality and he has enough confidence in himself.

“After that we have to decide about team selection because we want to win every game and we have to pick the best players for each game.”

Benitez added: “Keane is a normal player, another player. As a player you have to work hard and try and do the things we are practising in training.

“But again I would say we cannot guarantee a position to anyone. We have to win.

“He is in the same situation as the rest of the players. He has played 22 games out of 24, 18 games he has started. Can I guarantee the position of Agger, Hyypia, Aurelio, Dossena, Carragher? No. The players have to play the best that they can every week and then afterwards you decide.

“We have enough quality in attack to manage with the players that we have, so hopefully if we can create good chances and clear chances the strikers will score. If not, then we have to score from other areas on the pitch.”

Should Keane be benched, it could pave the way for a recall for Ryan Babel in attack. But Torres remains sidelined along with Fabio Aurelio (calf), Martin Skrtel (knee) and Philipp Degen (foot).

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."