Match Report: Middlesbrough 2 - 0 LiverpooL

Tuncay Sanli blasted a huge hole in Liverpool's Barclays Premier League title challenge as Middlesbrough gave their survival hopes a massive boost.

The Turkey international struck for the second time in four days after Xabi Alonso's own goal had given the Teessiders an unlikely half-time lead.

It was Boro's first league victory and the Reds' first league defeat in 15 attempts, and was hugely significant to both clubs for starkly contrasting reasons.

The hosts last won at Aston Villa on November 9 and had not collected all three points at the Riverside Stadium since 11 days earlier, and Alonso's goal was their first in the league for 526 minutes.

However, Gareth Southgate's men were well worth a win which gives them genuine hope of escaping the drop, but leaves Liverpool's title hopes in shreds with leaders Manchester United seven points clear with a game in hand.

Liverpool arrived on Teesside with talk of manager Rafael Benitez's unsigned contract and the impending departure of chief executive Rick Parry dominating the headlines.

However, the only focus at the end of a week which brought the club a famous Champions League victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium was the league title which has eluded them since 1990.

Even after Boro's creditable performance in beating West Ham on Wednesday evening to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals, few in a crowd of 33,724 - the biggest of the season at the Riverside - were expecting a home win.

Indeed, for the opening half-hour, there seemed only one likely winner despite Gary O'Neil forcing a good reaction save from Jose Reina from Stewart Downing's 11th-minute cross.

Opposite number Brad Jones had already kept out close-range efforts from Nabil El Zhar and Dirk Kuyt as the visitors piled on the pressure, although even the craft of returning skipper Steven Gerrard, making his 300th start for the club, and Alonso could not break the Teessiders down on a consistent basis.

But when the opening goal finally arrived, it came at the other end, and ended an agonising wait for the home side.

Not since Afonso Alves' 45th-minute strike in the 1-1 derby draw with Sunderland on January 10 had Boro found the back of the net in a league game, and they needed a helping hand to end the drought.

Alonso instinctively stuck stuck out a leg as Downing's 31st-minute corner sped across the six-yard box, but only succeeded in diverting the ball past the helpless Reina.

The goal seemed to galvanise the home side, who might have extended their lead four minutes before the break when Downing robbed full-back Martin Skrtel and forced Reina into a good save.

However, Southgate's men returned expecting an onslaught and knowing there was a long way to go before they could even contemplate all three points.

Liverpool should really have been back on level terms within three minutes of the restart when Gerrard ghosted into the box and pulled the ball back invitingly for El Zhar.

However, the youngster hammered his shot high over the bar to let Boro off the hook.

Jeremie Aliadiere might have increased the visitors' woes three minutes later when he was picked out by O'Neil inside the box, but he was similarly inaccurate.

Benitez's side continued to dominate possession, but they were struggling to do anything meaningful with it as Boro's stubborn defence proved more than adequate to keep them at bay.

The game's second goal came with 63 minutes gone, and again it was the visitors who found themselves on the wrong end of it.

O'Neil slid the ball into the path of Aliadiere down the right and when he squared for Tuncay, the Turkey international guided his shot past Reina into the bottom corner to send the home crowd into raptures.

Jones saved from Gerrard and Kuyt failed to connect with his skipper's cross with the goal at his mercy as the game slipped further from Liverpool's grasp, and things might have been even worse with 18 minutes remaining.

Downing and Tuncay combined to open up the Reds once again and present Marlon King with a glorious opportunity, but Reina came to the rescue with a two-handed save.

In truth, the visitors never looked like pulling off a rescue mission as Boro coasted to a fine win.

Rafael Benitez Rues Liverpool Missed Chances Against Middlesbrough

Having secured a memorable victory against an in-form Real Madrid side in the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday Liverpool travelled to the Riverside Stadium almost expecting to beat Middlesbrough.

Football, though, can be a funny game and a Middlesbrough side that hadn’t won in 14 Premier League games quite comfortably despatched Rafael Benitez’s travelling Liverpool contingent.

It was a game that Benitez thought hinged on the opening half an hour. “In the first thirty minutes we had five chances, for me, that is the summary of the game” he told BBC Sport after the match.

“If you don’t take your chances and you concede a goal…you have to go forward,” he continued. “They were playing counterattack [after they scored] so if you want to win this game you have to take your chances.”

Benitez reflected on his side’s inability to capitalise when they were on top in the game, highlighting a El Zhar’s “one on one with the keeper”.

“You cannot change things now but we are clearly very disappointed.”

Commenting on Liverpool’s title chances, Benitez was sombre.

“If before the game was difficult now it is more difficult, that is clear,” he said. “We have to think about Sunderland and after we will think about Real Madrid.”

The Liverpool boss had little to say about the weeks boardroom revelations that Rick Parry would step down at the end of the season.

“It is a decision between the owners and Rick Parry, we have to concentrate on football.”

Rafa Benitez Admits Title Slipping Away After Liverpool Lose To Middlesbrough

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez couldn't quite bring himself to concede the title to Manchester United, but a numbing 2-0 defeat at struggling Middlesbrough pushed him mighty close.

Favourites United now stand seven points clear with a game in hand and victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford on March 14 will almost certainly clinch a third successive title for Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

An incredible week for Benitez, that nudged him closer to a new long-term contract after a famous win in Madrid, saw him crash down to earth.

This was a damaging reverse against a side that hadn't won in 14 games since November, or even scored a goal in more than eight hours of football.

An own goal from Xabi Alonso and a second-half strike from Tuncay sentenced Liverpool to only their second league defeat of the season.

And the look of anger on the face of skipper Steve Gerrard as he limped off with cramp suggested strongly that Liverpool believe the title has already slipped from their grasp.

Benitez had billed this as a must-win clash after dropping two home points to Manchester City and he could barely hide his resignation as he was asked if it was all over.

He clearly can't concede this early in the campaign, but his argument that it was now United's to lose was Rafa-speak for "we surrender".

"Before the game it was going to be difficult and after this result makes it is even more difficult," said Benitez. "I don't know if Manchester United will slip up. We have to see how United do in their games.

"But it will be more difficult for us. You must score goals if you want to stay at the top.

"It has been a problem not killing teams off and it was the same today. It was a frustrating game. In the first 30 minutes we had five chances and to win you must put them away. It is disappointing." It was disappointing for the 3,600 travelling Liverpool fans too, as many headed for the exits long before the end.

Boro's first league victory since November before their biggest home crowd of the season - 33,724 - lifted under-pressure Gareth Southgate's side out of the relegation zone.

The Boro boss said: "What pleased me most was that we played as well as we did in beating West Ham.

"We got a little bit of luck with the first goal but as the game went on I thought we deserved it. It was great to see the stadium full and the crowd kept us going when we tired late on.

"We have kept four clean sheets in our last six games against Premier League teams."

Rafael Benitez Plays Down Steven Gerrard Injury Fears

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has reassured Reds' fans that Steven Gerrard is ok, after they watched their inspirational leader limp out of the Premier League game with Middlesbrough with 20 minutes of the game remaining.

The Reds title challenge is now all but over after they suffered a 2-0 defeat at the Riverside, and must surely now turn their attention to the Champions League.

Fernando Torres is also an injury worry for the club, and if Gerrard is injured again it will severely hamper their chances of progressing in the Champions League, in which they currently lead Real Madrid 1-0 going into the second leg at Anfield in just over a week's time.

However, Benitez seemed certain that his inspirational captain was suffering from cramp, and that the injury was nothing to worry about.

Speaking to Setanta Sports, Benitez said, "He had cramps. I don't think it will be serious."

Gerrard has just returned from three weeks out recovering from an injury that forced him to miss the knockout round first leg tie of the Champions League against Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 28-year-old midfielder has been at Liverpool for his entire career, after rising through the club's youth academy. He has made a staggering 324 Premier League appearances in his time at the club, scoring a very respectable 64 goals.

Dirk Kuyt Is Fretting On Rafa Benitez Future

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt will commit himself to a new contract with the club only once he has assurances on Rafael Benitez’s long-term future as manager. Benitez is yet to sign a new deal and uncertainty over the direction of Liverpool, after the announcement that chief executive Rick Parry is to leave, means Kuyt has delayed talks on a renewal.

“The manager told me he wants to give me a new contract,” said Kuyt, whose current deal runs to next year, “but because of his own contract he wanted to sort that out first and see what’s happening. For me, I’m focusing on the important games coming up. I’m not too worried about it at this stage. We’ll see. At this moment I’m really happy at Liverpool. I’m enjoying every day. It depends what the club wants. If the club wants to give me a new contract I’m more than happy to talk.”

Kuyt, above, added that he was not the only one in the dressing room wanting Benitez’s situation clarified. “Of course it’s very important for me who’s the manager, as it is for every player,” said the Dutch international. “I never thought the manager would go because everybody was talking about his new contract. As far as I can see he is focused on the games as well as the players are.”

Kuyt hoped Benitez’s popularity with fans would steer him towards a quick solution to any snags in negotiations over a new deal. “The supporters have always been behind Benitez,” said Kuyt. “He’s a great manager and has done great things for the club: Champions League, FA Cup. He’s done lots of good work for the club.”

Rafa Benitez Has Full Support Of Liverpool Players, Says Fabio Aurelio

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio has rejected claims that Rafa Benitez has lost the plot.

The Brazilian was with Benitez when the Spaniard guided Valencia to two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup, only to quit the club after a row with directors.

And he insists the Kop boss has not been affected by the Anfield power struggle that has seen him refuse to sign a new contract, or the fallout from his stunning verbal attack on Sir Alex Ferguson six weeks ago.

At the end of a week when Liverpool defied rumours of Benitez's imminent departure by beating Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, Aurelio said: "Rafa has acted normally with the players at all times.

It doesn't matter what is going on inside the club, he is always the same on the training ground and in the dressing-room.

"There has been a situation at Liverpool regarding the manager's contract. It must be difficult for him, but with the players he remains the same.

"And we don't accept the comments he made about Ferguson have caused a problem. All managers play these mind games.

"The players are with him - and we will be with him until the end."

Rick Parry: There’s No Row With Gillett And I wish The Liverpool FC Team Well

Rick Parry today dismissed speculation suggesting his impending departure from Anfield has been caused by a fall out with George Gillett.

As exclusively revealed yesterday, Parry is set to leave Liverpool in the summer after 11 years as the club’s chief executive.

The 54-year-old does not have another job lined up, although there is expected to be no shortage of offers for a man who is highly respected in the higher echelons of English football and who was instrumental in the Premier League becoming one of the greatest success stories in world sport, before taking his “dream job” at Anfield.

Parry is refusing to give interviews about his decision to walk away from Liverpool at the end of the season, privately insisting that the team needs to be the story rather than himself.

But he spoke out to rebuff suggestions that his departure was caused by a breakdown in relations with Gillett, his long-term ally in Liverpool’s boardroom.

“There has been no fall-out with George Gillett – the rumour mill is miles off the mark,” said Parry.

“There has been a process which has been conducted in a professional and dignified manner on both sides and this is the outcome.

“There are no hard feelings and I generally wish everyone all the best, particularly the team which has an important game today (against Middlesbrough) and more to come in the near future.”

The fact that Parry is so adamant that his relationship with Gillett remains strong will remove one conspiracy theory about yesterday’s dramatic events.

But it will also raise suspicions that the position of Reds co-owner Tom Hicks is strengthening, because it is highly unlikely that Parry would have come to see his future away from Anfield unless this was the case.

Parry came to his decision to leave during talks with both owners which all involved have insisted were amicable.

Though Parry and Reds co-owner Hicks have not seen eye to eye for some time – with the Texan having tried unsuccessfully to oust the long- serving executive from his position last year – both were prepared to bury their differences in order to put out an official joint statement confirming the course of action that was being taken.

That was followed up by some conciliatory noises from Reds boss Rafa Benitez, whose much publicised wrangling with Parry has been wrongly attributed by some as one of the main reasons for the former accountant’s impending exit.

And the Spaniard vowed to work together with Parry until he eventually leaves the club.

“I think it is a decision of the owners and by Rick Parry,” said Benitez. “We are at a crucial stage of the season, with important games coming up, so I think that we have to work together and look to do the best for the club.

“At this moment, everybody wants the same, everybody wants to work together and wants to be successful. I will wish Rick Parry the best.”

Benitez was also quick to dismiss suggestions that Parry’s decision to go makes him the winner of a power struggle.

He added: “Clearly, this is not the case. I have not said anything about this, and I can continue to work together with Rick until the end of the season because we want to win games.

“The relationship between us has been good and professional, and now it will be the same because we both want the best for the club."

One school of thought is that Benitez will now finally sign his new Liverpool contract, now that he knows Parry will be leaving.

But the ECHO understands the Reds boss does not believe the current situation has changed in any meaningful way, and will be seeking further reassurances about the direction in which the club is heading during forthcoming talks with the co-owners.

Fans group Spirit of Shankly has been consistently critical of Parry, but in a statement released last night made it clear that his departure from Liverpool will not weaken a determination to see Hicks and Gillett follow him through the Anfield exit door.
“Tom Hicks should be under no illusion that today's announcement does nothing to enhance his position in the eyes of our members,” said an SOS spokesman.

“We will continue to campaign for his and Gillett's departure, as they have proven incontrovertibly that they are not fit custodians of Liverpool Football Club.”

Parry will remain at Anfield until the end of May in order to facilitate an orderly changing of the guard when his replacement is found.

Current commercial director Ian Ayre is the strong favourite to fill Parry’s shoes, having been appointed to his present role by Hicks.

Ayre is a lifelong Liverpool fan who was chief executive of Huddersfield Town for a time.

But there will be no shortage of interested parties in an executive position at one of the world’s top football clubs, and former Football Association chief exec Brian Barwick, another Reds fan, could also be a contender for the role.

London sources have indicated that former Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman could also feature on the shortlist.

It remains to be seen how a process to find a replacement will be conducted as the ongoing differences between Hicks and Gillett are yet to be resolved, and there is ongoing speculation that either or both of the pair will not be at Liverpool for the long term, despite denials to the contrary by the two Americans.

Such matters are no longer Parry’s concern, of course, although, as a Liverpool supporter, he is hoping that the future is positive for the club and its fans.

He added: “It has been a privilege to serve the club, and as a lifelong supporter I wish the owners, Rafa, the players and the wonderful staff all the very best for the future.

“I will be leaving at the end of the season knowing that the club remains strong and with a set of supporters who deserve success in all that Liverpool does.”

Benitez - Genius Or The Most Arrogant Manager Of All Time?

So, Rafa Benitez has won the Liverpool power struggle. Rick Parry, the chief executive, is leaving. And Rafa will now presumably have total control over transfers and get a nice big pay rise. But while agreeing that Parry was an interfering old busybody, am I the only one who isn't so convinced by Benitez's supposed genius?

There has always been something very irritating about the Spaniard. The goatee beard is not a good start. He clearly thinks it makes him look like Johnny Depp. When, dare I politely suggest, George Michael after a hard night on Hampstead Heath is a more appropriate comparison?

The cheap-looking glasses, hideous patterned ties and ill-fitting suits do nothing to counter the general impression of a middle- ranking bank manager. But the most annoying thing about him is that he could be so much more successful if he just managed to find a few seconds in every day to stop thinking about himself and dwell on his team for a moment.

Benitez has to be the most arrogant manager ever to grace the Premier League. Which, when you consider the competition, is a pretty amazing achievement. Jose 'I'm the Special One' Mourinho has an ego the size of several planets, Sir Alex Ferguson makes Emperor Nero look timid and dear old Sam Allardyce is still banging on about how he should be England manager, when most of us think he'd struggle to run a pub side these days.

But Benitez is cockier than all of them, in his own peculiar way. You just know that he wakes up every morning, struts to the bathroom in his purple Noel Coward smoking jacket, takes a long, hard look at himself in the mirror, and smirks: 'Rafa, you is looking the bizzo today!'

Liverpool were cruising at the top of the League at the turn of the year. They looked strong in depth and focused and I genuinely thought, if Gerrard and Torres stayed fit, they might go on and win the title. Then came Dossier Day. The moment that Benitez decided to make it all about himself again.

Instead of exuding a firm air of menacing confidence about his players, which would have instilled fear and panic into the ranks of Liverpool's already struggling opponents, he exploded in a veritable orgy of selfindulgence. Out he marched, jowls twitching, goatee glistening, brow furrowed, and positively dripping with prickly defensiveness. And for the next half an hour he laid into Sir Alex in a fit of indignant pique that was toe-curling to watch.

When he'd finished going through his ridiculous fact-file, he sat back like a smug geography teacher having just administered another tedious lecture to the class on their collective shortcomings. And I sat back and chuckled loudly to myself, exactly as I suspect Sir Alex did in Manchester.

'Game over,' he must have thought. Dossier Day was not the only time Benitez has made it all about himself. For most of the season, Liverpool's achievements on the field have been overshadowed by their manager's contractual wranglings. He's going, he's staying, he's angry, he's frustrated, he's . . . he's . . . he's Rafa Benitez, the biggest star at the club! This week Liverpool fans will forgive him anything given their excellent win at Real Madrid. 'Give Rafa the freedom of the city!' was the cry from the world's most emotional supporters. To which I reply: 'Calm down, calm down.'

Particularly after yesterday's terrible performance against Middlesbrough. Benitez is, indisputably, tactically astute, massively experienced and worthy of considerable praise as a coach. But Liverpool are not an exciting team to watch. They're hard to beat, granted. They're also, however, a bunch of boring long-ball merchants prepared to grind out results and catch opposition sides on the break. And when you analyse Benitez's actual record as manager, from a historical perspective, the position looks even less impressive.

He won the Champions League in his first season at Liverpool, making himself an instant Kop god in the process. But that was four years ago and since then he's added only one FA Cup and a Community Shield to the mix (I'm not knocking that joke of a trophy, by the way. We Arsenal fans would do cartwheels of ecstasy for the Shield right now).

This season was the closest Liverpool have come to winning the Premier League and they almost certainly blew it when they had it in their hands. Because, at the crucial moment, when the players looked to their manager for the kind of supreme Churchillian 'Let us go forward together' speech that might drive them on to victory, he turned it into the Rafa Benitez show.

The best manager Liverpool ever had was not the magnificently eloquent Bill Shankly. It was Bob Paisley. A humble, absurdly modest, quietly-spoken man who won six league titles, three European cups, one UEFA cup, three League Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and five Community Shields. Paisley would rather have inserted electrodes into his spinal cord than constantly big himself up ahead of his players. And I bet he never once asked for a pay rise.

Steven Gerrard Runaway Fixer Is Caught By Police

An underworld fixer who saved Liverpool star Steven Gerrard from a gangster has been arrested after a year on the run.

John Kinsella, 44, stopped a villain known as The Psycho who threatened to shoot the England star in the legs.

Self-confessed gangland enforcer Kinsella slipped out of a court last year minutes before he was found guilty of taking part in a £41,000 robbery.

Police this week tracked the boxer and martial arts expert to Amsterdam, where he was living under a false identity. He is to be extradited. At his trial in Lincoln, Kinsella said George Bromley had demanded cash from Gerrard. He told the court: "I took steps. I told him to stop it and leave him alone. He followed my advice."

Steve's dad Paul confirmed the story to cops and said he and his son had "total respect" for the fixer.

Lincolnshire Police said last night: "We can confirm John Kinsella has been arrested."

While Kinsella was on the run he bizarrely won a three-year cut in his 14-year sentence - using legal aid.

Liverpool And Blackburn Rovers After Hoffenheim's Demba Ba

TSG 1899 Hoffenheim striker Demba Ba is reportedly on the transfer radar of two Premier League clubs, Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers.

The player's agent has revealed that there has been interest declared from the two English clubs, and it is expected that the Senegalese striker will make a move from the Bundesliga sometime in the summer.

Hoffenheim have been Germany's surprise package this season and are still floating around the Champions League spots, a remarkable achievement for a newly-promoted club.

Demba Ba has been an integral part of this meteoric rise to fame, the 23-year-old chipping in with 11 goals this season, and his performances have inevitably attracted the interest of bigger clubs in Europe, with German side VFB Stuttgart also rumoured to be interested.

Speaking to Foot Mercato, Ba's representative Alexandre Gontran, said, "Stuttgart first contacted me in January. I think that they have also contacted the club.
"But other clubs are keen on him, including Liverpool, who have confirmed their interest in Ba regarding next season, and Blackburn as well.

"Demba feels good at Hoffenheim and, if the team keep on playing well and manage to qualify for a European cup, I don’t see any reason why he would go.

"If the opposite situation occurs, keeping their players will be very difficult for Hoffenheim. We have been speaking about a contract extension since November."

Ba is under contract at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena until 2012 and his agent has high hopes of cashing in on his young gem before that contract with the Bundesliga side runs out.

Premier League Preview: Middlesbrough vs. Liverpool

Middlesbrough downed West Ham United during the week to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the fourth year running. It was a confident performance and they were good value for their 2-0 victory over Gianfranco Zola's Hammers. If only the same could be said of their recent Premier League form.

The Teessiders are currently mired in the relegation zone, second from bottom and two points from the safety spots. They haven't won in 14 league outings and their last goal came against Sunderland on January 10. Attendances at the Riverside are dropping week by week and the forecast is not a sunny one for Gareth Southgate & Co.

Still, Boro hold a fairly decent record - although one win in 12 outings sounds less than impressive - against their upcoming opponents, who needed a last-gasp Steven Gerrard special to steal the points at Anfield toward the start of the season. And in context, the visitors are similarly desperate for a turnaround in their domestic fortunes.

Liverpool went into their Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Thursday after dropping yet more points in the title race, having drawn 1-1 with Manchester City to slip seven points shy of the tabletop. But they returned to England all smiles after claiming a monumental victory at the Santiago Bernabeu with what some are hailing as one of the most accomplished defensive performances in recent memory.

However, the Reds have a history of European hangovers - i.e. brilliant CL results followed immediately by sloppy, goalless league showings. But they will be confident of picking up a win by the Tees, as they presently boast the longest unbeaten record on the road - they last went without points away from home on November 1, against Tottenham Hotspur.

Off-field issues could play a part, though. It was confirmed on Friday that the club's chief executive, Rick Parry, will leave at the end of the season, while there remains considerable doubt over manager Rafael Benitez's long-term prospects.


FORM GUIDE

Middlesbrough

Feb 25 Middlesbrough 2-0 West Ham United (FA Cup)
Feb 21 Middlesbrough 0-0 Wigan Athletic (Premier League)
Feb 14 West Ham United 1-1 Middlesbrough (FA Cup)
Feb 07 Manchester City 1-0 Middlesbrough (Premier League)
Jan 31 Middlesbrough 0-0 Blackburn Rovers (Premier League)

Liverpool

Feb 25 Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool (Champions League)
Feb 22 Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (Premier League)
Feb 07 Portsmouth 2-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 04 Everton 1-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 01 Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea (Premier League)


TEAM NEWS

Middlesbrough

Boro are expected to sport the same side that beat the Hammers in midweek, while Marlon King should return to the squad after being ineligible for the last three games. Didier Digard, Chris Riggott and Andrew Taylor are all unavailable.

Last XI (vs. West Ham United): Jones - Hoyte, Wheater, Huth, Pogatetz - O'Neil, Arca, Bates, Downing - Tuncay, Aliadiere

Liverpool

Fernando Torres is back on the sidelines after injuring his ankle against the Merengues, but Steven Gerrard could start after making a late substitute appearance in the same game. Daniel Agger is nursing a back problem.

Last XI (vs. Real Madrid): Reina - Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio - Benayoun, Alonso, Mascherano, Riera - Kuyt, Torres


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)

The Englishman was perhaps the best performer against the Irons on Wednesday and netted the opener with a beautifully taken free-kick. His touchline-hugging play on the left could cause serious problems if he gets his final ball right.

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Who else but Stevie G? Until his injury-time jog at the Bernabeu, the super-skipper had been absent since tearing his hamstring in the FA Cup loss to Everton on February 4. With Torres out, all eyes will be on the Scouse hero - if he starts, of course.

How Will Liverpool FC Players Deal With The Off-Field Distractions?

BARELY a week goes by without a journalist asking Rafa Benitez how he thinks his players will cope with the ongoing off-field distractions.

It is a question which is usually answered with platitudes about how Liverpool’s squad is filled with professionals who are not easily distracted by politics, boardroom battles and daily headlines.

But how the Liverpool players manage to rise above the speculation and the subterfuge is something which is becoming almost impossible to work out.

Like everyone else in Madrid during the week they will have heard all the rumours suggesting that their manager would be leaving after the Champions League clash with Real.

And like everyone else there will have been an element of doubt in their minds about what the future holds for them and the club they work for.

But when it came down to the game they went out and to a man executed their manager’s tactics and produced a performance as professional as any in Europe last week.

It is to their eternal credit that they did so and it also serves to underline just how remarkable Liverpool’s performance was in beating the Spanish giants.

Success is usually extremely difficult to attain without togetherness and somehow Liverpool’s players are managing to create a collective spirit even when other parts of the club are so clearly lacking it.

Should they go on to lift a major trophy this season it will be an incredible achievement because no other set of players in world football are having to deal with the levels of acrimony and distraction that they are coping with pretty much every single day.

Benitez Won't Commit To Liverpool Until Ownership Issue Is Resolved

Uncertainty over the future ownership of Liverpool is the main obstacle preventing Rafa Benitez from committing himself to a new Liverpool contract.

In what has been a tumultuous week for Liverpool, manager Rafael Benítez has made it clear that he will not sign a new contract until he receives guarantees about the Merseyside club's future ownership.

On Friday, Liverpool announced that chief executive Rick Parry would be leaving Anfield at the end of the season. But Benítez made it clear that his decision about whether or not to sign a new four-year deal was never dependent upon Parry's future at the club, even though there has been a public power struggle between the two.

One of Liverpool's co-owners, Tom Hicks, is ready to agree to Benítez’s demands for greater control over the club’s transfer policy and youth system, but Times Online reports that the main stumbling block to the ex-Valencia boss committing himself to a new contract is the continuing uncertainty about who will own Liverpool. “It is too simple to say [if Rick Parry goes, I will sign a new contract],” Benítez said.

Benitez's stance underlines the need for Hicks and George Gillett Jr, his estranged business partner, to resolve the ownership issue before the summer, when other clubs, possibly including Real Madrid and some Premier League rivals, make a move for the Spanish tactician.

However, Hicks is not in a position to give Benitez the guarantees he is seeking. Gillett still has to find a buyer for his 50 per cent share in the club, and The Times claims that even if he wanted to sell to Hicks, his partner does not have enough funds to buy it off him.

Under the terms of their ownership agreement, Gillett could sell two per cent of his stake to Hicks, which would give the Texan majority control. However, Gillett would risk not being able to sell the remaining 48 per cent - because neither the would-be investors from Kuwait nor those from Dubai want to buy into a club that Hicks still controls.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking financially. In July, a £350 million refinancing package must be repaid by the two American co-owners.

George Gillett And Son At Risk As Tom Hicks Wins Liverpool Power-Play

Checkmate Hicks. Rick Parry's impending departure not only marks the end of his troubled tenure at the helm of Liverpool, but also the stalemate which has enveloped the club for more than a year.

Parry, closely aligned with co-owner George Gillett and his son, Foster, in Anfield's fractured boardroom, acted as one of the few obstacles to Tom Hicks's attempts to force his partner out of their joint venture. Now Parry has fallen, the rest will surely follow.

To the dismay of many fans, Hicks has made it plain he has no intention of giving up on his investment just yet, not while the potential rewards remain so great. Parry survived one assault last April, but was in no position to come through a second.

When Hicks spoke out against Parry last year, describing him as a "disaster" and claiming that he had been asleep at the wheel as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea drove off into the gilded sunset of worldwide merchandising and money-printing stadia, Gillett stepped in to save him.

That he did not do so again not only suggests Gillett, like Hicks and Rafa Benitez, had lost faith in Parry but also that the diminutive American might be prepared to follow him out of the door. Hicks has been actively seeking to trade in his current partner for a richer, more pliable model. Gillett has bowed to the Texan's wishes once. There is no reason to suggest he will not do so again.

Unpalatable to the Anfield faithful it may be, but Hicks's position of strength is good news for Benitez, the man they cherish above all others. Nobody is bigger than a club like Liverpool, but after the miracle of Istanbul, to many on the Kop, Benitez, the heir of Shankly, Paisley and Dalglish, comes close.

Privately, those inside Liverpool admit the relationship between manager and chief executive had become unworkable. Benitez may not have actively brought him down, but he was part of it. They fell out over Parry's inactivity on transfers, his valuations of players, his lack of speed in tying current employees to new contracts.

Benitez insists those issues, as they pertain to his own four-year contract extension, have been ironed out. Now the problem concerns guarantees over what happens to him if the club's ownership changes. The Spaniard wants to know his position is secure and that he can get out if the boardroom vision of the club suddenly differs from his own.

One opponent has been vanquished and even if the other, wounded, does not follow, Hicks's power play has left Anfield in no doubt as to who is in charge. The stalemate has been broken. Hicks is calling the shots. Now he can give Benitez answers.

Rafa Benitez Now Has To Deliver Trophies After Winning Liverpool Power Struggle, Says Mark Lawrenson

Rafa Benitez has won his power struggle with Rick Parry - but must make sure he keeps the fans onside.

It was an impossible situation with a manager and chief executive barely speaking and at loggerheads over key issues at Anfield.

Clearly, Liverpool have backed Benitez over Parry. Now it's time the manager puts pen to paper as quickly as possible on his new contract.

The fans have stuck with Benitez and been loyal to him and their support will only have been strengthened by Liverpool's win in Madrid. But their patience will eventually wear thin.

My theory is that George Gillett does not want him at Liverpool but Tom Hicks does. So there are still obstacles to overcome. It is unsettled at Liverpool, a club renowned for being private, successful and protective of what goes on within Anfield's corridors of power.

Benitez is trying to engineer his new contract so that he has total power. He has won his power struggle with Parry, so why not just sign as quickly as possible?

I'm with Benitez in that if you've £25million to spend it should be up to the manager who he signs. He wanted Gareth Barry and got Robbie Keane.

But Benitez has got his way and must start rewarding the fans for sticking by him.

That means signing a new deal and winning some silverware. And the Liverpool fans really want the Premier League title.

Rafa Benitez: I Did Not Make Rick Parry Quit Liverpool

Rafa Benitez last night insisted that he did not demand the departure of Anfield chief executive Rick Parry.

And the Liverpool manager warned he still has issues to resolve before he will sign a new contract that has been on the table for the past five months.

Parry will leave at the end of the season after losing a long and acrimonious power battle with Benitez and Tom Hicks, the club’s American co-owner. Benitez said: "My negotiations are not a question of power, they are about normal football matters. I have never said I won’t sign a contract if Rick Parry stays.

"This won’t have a bearing on whether I sign or not. Rick Parry going is not one of the issues. I don’t see why people say I won."

While it’s hard to believe Benitez had nothing to do with Parry’s departure, it is true that he was not the sole instigator.

Parry has gone because Tom Hicks has wanted him out for a year, and co-owner George Gillett has decided he can no longer protect the chief executive, pointing to his own imminent departure.

How Rick Parry Lost The Liverpool Power Battle With Rafa Benitez

For Rick Parry, yesterday proved one battle too many in the long-running Anfield war.

But his departure as chief executive of Liverpool at the end of the season does not mean yet that peace will come to one of the bitterest disputes English football has witnessed.

Manager Rafa Benitez kept a straight face yesterday as he insisted the removal of his sworn enemy had nothing to do with him.

What Benitez meant to say was that, while he believed he couldn't work with Parry, he doesn't have blood on his hands - because it was co-owner Tom Hicks who was ultimately responsible for his axing.

The chief executive had been marginalised at Anfield for more than a year after Hicks demanded his departure.

Last April, the Texan billionaire called for Parry's head by openly questioning Liverpool's less than sparkling commercial performance, and insisted: "If you look at what has happened under Rick's leadership, it has been a disaster."

It was only the support of joint owner George Gillett that kept Parry in place, but it seems that support has evaporated in recent weeks as negotiations began over a pay off.

Contrary to reports though, Gillett has not fallen out with Parry, but is merely paving the way for his own departure.

Gillett has been looking for a buyer for his 50 per cent stake in Anfield for the past 12 months, and The Mirror understands that he is now ready to accept Hicks will assume full control at the Merseyside club, by either buying the shares himself or finding a partner to buy Gillett out.

Hicks has moved against Parry to appease Benitez, who wants more control over football matters.

But he has also done it to flex his own muscles, and show that he is ready to become more hands on at the club he hopes to have majority control over by the summer. Parry, aware of this, has negotiated a lucrative package to ease himself out of the club.

With Hicks and Benitez working together closely, that will ultimately mean that the Anfield manager will sign a new contract... but not just yet. He still wants other assurances over his control of football matters and transfer budgets.

For Parry, the fight became too arduous. He won his first battle when arriving at Anfield from the Premier League back in 1998 when he replaced Peter Robinson as the chief executive.

His biggest battle was to try and find the right investors to buy Liverpool and build a new stadium, but he and the previous owner David Moores have admitted they made a mistake in selling to the Americans.

Parry's first fight with Benitez came straight after the Champions League triumph of 2005, and since then the relationship between the pair has been increasingly fraught.

A major fall out between the two after the Champions League final of 2007 saw the Americans back Parry and almost sack Benitez, but with Hicks switching sides to win the support of Liverpool fans the chief executive's days were always numbered.

He will leave with a handsome settlement. But for Benitez the pay off could be even more substantial as he gets what he always wanted - full control of the club.

Liverpool FC's Alvaro Arbeloa injured

Liverpool suffered a fresh injury blow last night with the news that Alvaro Arbeloa will be out for at least 10 days.

The full-back has a slight hamstring tear and is a doubt to make the second leg of the Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid at Anfield a week on Tuesday.

Arbeloa sustained the injury during his impressive display in the 1-0 win in Madrid on Wednesday and is currently undergoing treatment.

He will miss the Premier League games at Middlesbrough today and at home to Sunderland on Tuesday.

Arbeloa’s injury is further bad news for manager Rafael Benitez, who is ready to throw Steven Gerrard back into his starting line-up today.

The Liverpool manager’s attacking options have been severely rocked by the absence of Fernando Torres following the injury he picked up at the Bernabeu.

Torres suffered a twisted ankle and has been ruled out of today’s game, and now faces a race to be fit in time to face Sunderland.

And with Gerrard making his return from a hamstring tear for the final two minutes in Madrid, Benitez is considering putting his captain back in from the start.

He will be assessed this morning before a final decision is made but Benitez is aware of the need to play as strong a side as possible at the Riverside.

Benitez said: “Every game is so important now because we need to put United under pressure.

“So we need to win and to win you need to have your best players.

Fernando Torres Injury Ruins Liverpool Plans For Must-Win Middlesbrough Game

Rafa Benitez has a massive injury headache for the game he says is a must-win for Liverpool's Premier League title hopes.

The Anfield boss hasn't yet conceded the Premier League to Manchester United despite trailing by seven points, but he will be without Fernando Torres for the visit to Middlesbrough.

Benitez admits that the Reds can kiss goodbye to the title if they lose today, and the loss of Torres is a massive blow, but he said: "We have to go to win as we are still thinking of winning the title.

"It is really important for us to get three points in each game.

"We can talk and talk about the difference but the main thing for us is to win our games to put pressure on United.

"We cannot let the gap get any wider, but we have not given up because many things can happen before the end."

Torres has an ankle problem and will miss the game, but could be back for the visit to Anfield of Sunderland on Tuesday night.

Benitez explained: "He wants to play but the doctor says we have to wait. In this situation two or three days can be a big difference."

Skipper Steven Gerrard is in the squad but could again be on the bench at the Riverside Stadium. Alvaro Arbeloa is out with a hamstring, forcing Jamie Carragher to switch to right back and offering a chance to Daniel Agger.

Liverpool Back In For Barry: Transfer Talk

Rafa Benitez will sign a new contract after winning his power struggle with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry and his first move after putting pen to paper will be to launch a £20m raid for Aston Villa and England midfielder Gareth Barry.

This column revealed on Monday that Benitez faced the axe because support on the Anfield board was wearing thin.

But owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have decided the club's imminent failure to regain the Premier League title was because of a lack of quality purchases in the transfer market last summer.

That was when Benitez set out his stall to lure Barry from Villa to Merseyside only to be thwarted in his plans when the Reds refused to increase their £16m to match Martin O'Neill's £18m valuation.

There was a bizarre twist when Liverpool then splashed out £20.3m for Spurs striker Robbie Keane only for Benitez to run him out of town last month when he returned to White Hart Lane for just £12m.

The Liverpool manager still wants Barry to team up with talismanic Steven Gerrard as he feels they would form a midfield partnership which would be the fulcrum to Liverpool's success.

Now Parry is stepping down, after apparently losing Gillett's support, Benitez holds the upper hand although he will be under pressure to produce silverware next season.