New Sponsorship Plans For Liverpool FC

Ian Ayre, a candidate to be Liverpool’s next chief executive, has revealed new sponsorship plans and a desire to push the club higher in the football world’s rich list.

Ayre, 45, was appointed, primarily, by Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks as the club’s new commercial director 18 months ago.

And with Rick Parry announcing he will be quitting as the Anfield club’s chief executive this summer after 12 years in the job, Ayre is already being touted for the job along with former FA chief Brian Barwick.

Now Ayre has confirmed a new sponsorship with the Bank of America, the prospect of three other sponsorships soon and a summer tour to the Far East for Rafael Benitez’s team.

Liverpool have extended their agreement with the BoA for a further four years, a deal worth £5m to the Anfield club.

BoA is the parent company of Chester-based credit card firm MBNA who supply Liverpool’s credit card for fans, and they announced major redundancies in December for their world-wide operation.

Ayre, in an interview with Bloomberg, the financial news agency, said: “Other transactions are under discussion.” They could involve the consumer electronics, gaming and automotive sectors.

The Far East tour has been set for July 17 to 26, and will involve matches in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

With Liverpool not involved in the newly-formatted Champions League competition next season until, at the earliest, a play-off round scheduled for August 18 or 19 and August 25 or 26 - rather than the current format of a third qualifying round -they will be able to fit in a lucrative trip to the Far East where they have millions of fans.

Liverpool, currently third in the Barclays Premier League, could well benefit from the new UEFA rule that allows the first three clubs in the Premier League to go straight into the group stages, as opposed to the current top two. The fourth finishing club will compete in the play-off stage.

Ayre clearly aims to exploit the world-wide market. According to a Deloitte report released last month, Liverpool is the seventh-richest club in the world with revenues of over £200m (210.9 million euros).

Liverpool had risen one place from the year before and Ayre says sponsorship gains made in the past 12 months mean he “would be shocked if we did not climb further.”

On the decision to tour in the Far East, Ayre said: “If you are going to build a business overseas a key part is to allow people to touch and feel the product on a regular basis.

“What is clear is that there is an opportunity for Liverpool to do much better (financially) than they had in the past.”

Asked about his possible elevation to chief executive, Ayre was non-committal. He said: “At this stage I am just committed to driving forward the commercial operations of this football club.”

Prior to joining Liverpool, Ayre had been chief executive of Total Sports Asia, who advised companies on sports and entertainment campaigns in Asia.

Prior to that he was managing director of Virgin/NTL subsidiary Premium TV having joined from Huddersfield Town where he had been chief executive and chairman for three years.

Outgoing Chief Rick Parry Wants To Stay In Football After Liverpool FC Exit

Outgoing Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry wants to stay in football and maintain his involvement in the European game.

The 54-year-old will leave Anfield at the end of the season after 12 years at the club after a breakdown in his relationship with co-owner Tom Hicks.

Now Parry is considering his future, and cannot imagine it will not be involved in the sport in some way.

Parry said: “Do I think I (still) have something to offer? Yes. I think it is inconceivable I will not have something to do with the game.”

Parry had been linked with the position of Football Association chief executive, although admits he has so far had no offers.

He is also a board member of the European Club Association - a lobby group that was started last year and represents more than 130 teams.

The organisation will next meet on March 17, where Parry’s imminent departure will be discussed.

The ECA also need to find a replacement for former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon, who resigned in January.

Parry would like to stay on until the end of his Liverpool tenure and would be interested in remaining on the ECA board “under the right circumstances”. For that to happen, he would need to be affiliated to another of the group’s 137 member clubs.

He said: “The organisation has real potential. It is fledgling but it is a kind of new beginning towards a better relationship (with football’s authorities).”

Parry confirmed that he has no plans to leave his Liverpool post early.

He said: “I am staying as long as the owners want me and that is until the end of this season. I have got no plans to leave earlier than that.”

Rafael Benitez Did Not Congratulate Liverpool For Real Madrid Victory

Yossi Benayoun has revealed Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez did not even congratulate his team after their famous first-leg Champions League win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last month.

The Israeli international's 82nd-minute header was enough to secure yet another European giantkilling for a Liverpool side who started without captain Steven Gerrard and finished without Fernando Torres after the Spaniard succumbed to an ankle injury.

But even gaining a crucial advantage going into next week's Anfield return leg was not enough to impress Benitez, who did not so much as shake his players' hands as they celebrated in the dressing room.

Benayoun said: "It was madness in our changing rooms and I had to take my mobile phone into the toilets to call my family. It was the only way I could make myself heard. Everyone was screaming and shouting, except for the manager, of course. He was his usual calm self.

"He didn't even congratulate us or shake hands, never mind join in all the hugs and backslapping that was going on. That's just how he is. He is very professional and he wants us to be the same all the time.

"He won't stand for any of us getting carried away or feeling we are superior to anyone else. My wife and young children had been jumping up and down with excitement, watching at home, but he didn't say a word to me about the goal."

Benitez's cold, unemotional approach has not always been universally welcomed by his players, with Gerrard even admitting that "a well done off Rafa" was one of the things he wanted most in his career.

But it is an approach which the Spaniard firmly believes in and Benayoun is growing to appreciate, despite clashes earlier this season when he found his first-team chances limited.

He said: "He likes keeping you on your toes. But I have come to appreciate that at a club like Liverpool you can't take anything for granted. I am learning how things work here.

"You can score a very famous goal, an absolutely crucial one, and it will all be forgotten the following day, as far as the manager is concerned. He only thinks of the next challenge, and that is how it should be."

He added: "It has taught me you can't rest on your laurels, and I am already looking at my goal in Madrid that way. For me, it will only be important if we go all the way and win the Champions League. Otherwise, it will count for nothing."

Benayoun No Longer In A Spin Over Benítez's Squad Rotation

Yossi Benayoun has revised his opinion on leaving Liverpool after finally coming to terms with Rafael Benítez's managerial style at Anfield. The Israel captain appeared destined for the Liverpool exit last summer after a debut season spent mostly on the margins of the squad. Manchester City, before the Abu Dhabi takeover, Spartak Moscow, Roma and Ajax all inquired about signing the 28-year-old before the start of this season and the Russians tried again in January as the midfielder's frustration with life at Anfield continued.

Benayoun spoke to Benítez in December about the prospect of leaving in the last transfer window but, with that inquiry rebuffed, has responded with the most productive spell of his two-year Anfield career. Until December the midfielder started in only seven of 23 games for Liverpool. Since then, however, he has started 11 of 19 and followed his match-winning performance at the Bernabéu with the goal that secured Liverpool's return to winning ways in the Premier League against Sunderland on Tuesday.

"I have come to appreciate that, at a big club like Liverpool, you can't take anything for granted," said Benayoun. "With the number of top players we've got, you accept you are not always going to be playing and that you have to give it everything when your chance comes along. That is fine with me. If I found myself going three or four months without setting foot on the pitch, it might be different. But as things stand, that is not an issue with me.

"I feel settled and I'm happy to be contributing. I am also learning how things work here. You can score a very famous goal, an absolutely crucial one, and it will all be forgotten the following day as far as the manager is concerned. He only thinks of the next challenge and that is how it should be. It has taught me you can't celebrate too long and I am already looking at my goal in Madrid that way. For me it will only be important if we go all the way and win the Champions League. Otherwise it will count for nothing."

It was following his winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week that Benayoun experienced the methods that prompted Steven Gerrard to admit one of his remaining ambitions at Liverpool is to receive congratulations from Benítez.

The Liverpool midfielder explained: "It was madness in our changing rooms after we won in Madrid last week and I had to take my mobile phone into the toilets to call my family. It was the only way I could make myself heard. Everyone was screaming and shouting, except for the manager, of course. He was his usual calm self.

"He didn't even congratulate us or shake hands. That's just how he is, and I am beginning to understand why. He is very professional, and he wants us to be the same all the time. He won't stand for any of us getting carried away or feeling we are superior to anyone else. My wife and young children had been jumping up and down with excitement, watching at home, but he didn't say a word to me about the goal. That's how it is with him. He likes keeping you on your toes."

Liverpool FC's Season Not Over Yet, Says Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano believes Liverpool can save their season from collapse over the next three crucial matches.

Liverpool, who brought some respectability to their fading title challenge with Tuesday’s 2-0 home win over Sunderland, now face three of their toughest games of the campaign.

On Tuesday they can reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League if they see off Real Madrid at Anfield, already holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg at the Bernabeu.

Then the following Saturday they have a lunchtime showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League, followed by a home game with fourth-placed Aston Villa on March 22.

Mascherano, who played at right-back against Sunderland as cover for the injured Alvaro Arbeloa, is acutely aware of the importance of all three games, for differing reasons.

“It is important that we do not slip away in the table,” he said. “We must keep concentrating and see if we can get closer.

“We must keep fighting. We are in a competition with Chelsea for second, but we still must not give up on the chase to catch Manchester United.

“We won’t give up. Let’s not talk about the title, let’s make sure we win our matches.

“We have a very important Champions League game with Real Madrid next week and then we go to Manchester United before Aston Villa are at Anfield next.

“We must take it step by step, try to get to the Champions League quarter-finals and then turn our attention to the next two league games. The next three matches are very, very important for us.”

Liverpool needed victory over Sunderland to sweep away the gloom which had descended on Anfield following the defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Boss Rafael Benitez’s own grim demeanour only emphasised how damaging that result had been to confidence around the club.

But Mascherano’s defiance summed up the players’ own determination not to let the season slip away.

He said: “The boss asked me to play at right-back, and I tried to do my best. I don’t know if it was good or not but I just tried to do my best.

“I have played as a right-winger in Argentina, but I am a central midfielder and that is where I am best.

“I knew the new role was just for one game, and I am prepared to do that for the team.

“I always try to think about the team. For this game and with the injuries we knew we had nobody else.”

He added: “We knew we had to win after what happened on Saturday. We are not too close to Manchester United, but we have to keep fighting to see what happens next.

“The supporters were nervous. We have not been taking our chances. But if they see the team playing well they will understand and help us.”

Liverpool were also lifted by the displays of 19-year-old rookie striker David Ngog and Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun, who hit the second-half goals which clinched victory.

Mascherano said: “We were all pleased for David. He is young and will be a very important player, and you can see how hard he works in training.

“It is important for him that when he does get a chance to play, he makes the most of it.”

Benitez said: “I was really pleased with the reaction of the players after the disappointment at the weekend.

“Yossi is playing well, he is a clever player. So when you cannot find space, players with good movement and game intelligence can be crucial, and in the last few games he has been very good for us.

“But I was also pleased with Ngog. I had told him beforehand I knew he would score. Sometimes you say things to give players confidence and on this occasion he was also able to show the quality I know he has.

“He is a very young player in his first season here coming from France – that is not easy for him.

“He has talent and great pace. Maybe now people will see that he can have a great future here.”

Benitez added: “We needed to lift confidence, in particular after the Middlesbrough defeat. It was also important to win at home considering the amount of draws we have had at Anfield.

“We must get three points every single game now, and I can guarantee if we can win our next league match (at Old Trafford), the race will be very, very close.

“Belief is always important.

“As for the title, let’s wait and see. If we can beat them (Manchester United), why not?”

Javier Mascherano Hails David Ngog As New Liverpool FC Star

Javier Mascherano today heaped praise on David Ngog for kick starting Liverpool’s improbable bid to haul themselves back to the forefront of this season’s title race.

The French youngster scored Liverpool’s opener in Tuesday night’s 2-0 home win over Sunderland and also helped set up the Reds’ second for the in form Yossi Benayoun.

Mascherano hailed Ngog’s impact on the team in what was his first league start and backed the 19-year-old to build on his second goal in a red shirt.

“It was very important for David to score because he is a young player and this goal will give him more confidence,” said Mascherano.

“You can see in every training session that he is working very hard and when he is given his chance in the team he has to try and take it and by scoring a goal and doing a good job for the team he can be happy with his performance.

“It is really good for him and I am very happy for him because he deserved his goal.”

After a goalless first 45 minutes Liverpool struck twice in the second half to ease the tension at Anfield and put themselves within four points of Man United who have two games in hand.

Though Mascherano admits it will be extremely tough to get back into a position to really threaten the league leaders he insists Liverpool will not be giving up on doing just that.

He said: “Obviously, we were really disappointed with the result at Middlesbrough and we knew that we needed to win against Sunderland.

“We are not as close to Man United as we would like to be but we have to carry on fighting to see what happens.

“There is no point in looking at the standings in the league table, all we can do is concentrate on every game, try to win them and then see what happens.

We had some chances in the first half but could not score and maybe the supporters and ourselves were a little bit nervous because in the last game we could not take our chances.

“This made it important that we scored in the second half because we knew this would help the team to play well and allow the people to go home happy.

“It was an important victory for us and we are still fighting. At the time being we are fighting for second place with Chelsea and after that we will see what happens.”

Mascherano played at right back for the first time in his career on Tuesday night as Rafa Benitez sought a new temporary solution to fill that position as the Reds boss again had to make do without injured duo Alvaro Arbeloa and Philipp Degen.

The Argentinian midfielder reckons it was only a one off but insists he is happy to play anywhere required for the good of the team.

“The boss told me that he needed someone to play in that position so I tried to do my best,” he said.

“I don’t know if I was good or not but I tried to give the team as much as possible.

“Everyone knows that I am a central midfielder but sometimes I have played on the right hand side for the national team but never before at right back.

“It was a new experience but I hope that I helped the team because that is the most important thing.

“I always try to think about the team and if the team needs me to play in that position I will try to do my best.

“I know that I am at my best in the centre of midfield but you never know what can happen and if we have some players with injuries – like we did on Tuesday night with Arbeloa and Degen – then I do not have a problem with filling in for them.”

Tommy Smith: Looking Forward To Real Madrid Night Of Cup Glory

If the atmosphere at Anfield was flat last night then it certainly won’t be next week when Real Madrid arrive for their first game ever in Liverpool.

It should be a unique occasion and one which I‘m really looking forward to.

Everyone’s delighted we are in the lead at half way with that away goal, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.

It’s clear to me that Rafael Benitez excels in European football, whereas he has yet to master the League.

Part of the problem is that perhaps these days winning the English league doesn’t matter as much as it used to. It’s simply getting into the Champions League which counts and you only have to finish in the top four for that.

Don’t get me wrong – I desperately want to see us winning our own league like everyone else. But the only difference between finishing first and fourth these days is that you get a medal.

All the top sides get Champions League football so maybe that is a factor. But whatever, Tuesday will be a cracking occasion.

Match Report: LiverpooL 2 - 0 Sunderland

Liverpool discovered an unlikely new hero as they finally gave manager Rafael Benitez something to smile about.

French teenager David Ngog, making his full home debut, scored one goal and helped create the second for Yossi Benayoun as Liverpool cut Manchester United's lead at the top to four points.

Of course Chelsea did the same by winning at Portsmouth, but what was Liverpool's second home league win since Boxing Day lifted the gloom that has descended on Anfield following the shambles at Middlesbrough at the weekend.

Benitez had looked like a man with a huge weight on his shoulders before this match, but he found some comfort in a decent display ahead of next week's Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.

Manchester United may well have two games in hand on Liverpool, but at least the title race is not a procession just yet.

Benitez made four changes from the side that lost to Middlesbrough.

And he chose to use Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano at right-back.

Left out were Sami Hyypia, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel and Nabil El Zhar, with Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun, Emiliano Insua and David Ngog in the starting line-up.

Sunderland made only one change from the side that drew at Arsenal last time out, with Grant Leadbitter taking over from the injured Teemu Tainio.

Benitez is clearly running out of options at right-back with Alvaro Arbeloa still injured. Jamie Carragher seems not to fancy the job any more so Mascherano was removed from his critical ball-winning midfield role to fill the void.

It left Liverpool with almost a 4-4-2, with Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in centre of midfield. Dirk Kuyt's roving role behind Ngog meant the French youngster was left on his own against Danny Collins and Anton Ferdinand.

And he did pretty well at times. His pace and energy not quite able to make up for the loss of Fernando Torres' brilliance, but Ngog certainly showed spirit.

Sunderland should have been ahead after just four minutes when Kenwyne Jones ran clear after Martin Skrtel's slip, but Jose Reina saved well to his right.

Gerrard, twice, Ngog and Riera all had shots charged down, while Marton Fulop saved well to his left to keep out a Dirk Kuyt drive.

Ngog's enthusiasm got the better of him when he was then booked after 15 minutes for a foul on Tal Ben Haim.

Fulop made an outstanding save after 31 minutes, finger-tipping the ball away at full-stretch from his right post, when Riera's low drive was deflected off Leadbitter.

Mascherano then saw a dipping 30-yard effort graze the bar, before Insua, Xabi Alonso and Gerrard all tried their luck with Sunderland increasingly forced back into their box on defence.

One break inspired by a fine Gerrard tackle on Kieran Richardson allowed Ngog to set up Mascherano on the right, but his drive was into the side-netting.

Liverpool started the second period at a higher tempo, with Benayoun willing to run at defenders.

And it was Benayoun who swept the ball out to Riera on the left to pave the way for Liverpool to take the lead after 52 minutes.

Riera sent over a deep cross that Gerrard headed back into the six-yard box for Ngog fire home his first league goal for the club.

Sunderland were forced to come forward, and Steed Malbranque saw a shot from the right fly over the bar.

After 62 minutes Sunderland brought on Djibril Cisse for Leadbitter, the former Liverpool man getting a rousing reception from the Anfield crowd.

Four minutes later Liverpool got their second. Again Ngog was involved, hooking the ball back across goal for Fulop to palm away only as far as Benayoun, who punished the error.

The next ovation was for Ngog. He had been struggling with cramp and was replaced by Lucas after 71 minutes.

Lucas, with a header, and Babel - shooting from the edge of the box - threatened to extend the lead, before El Zhar came on for Benayoun in the final minute.

Sunderland Boss: Kenwyne Jones Let Liverpool Off The Hook

Sunderland had a glorious opportunity to take the lead early on in their encounter against Liverpool but their star man Kenwyne Jones for once opted for the wrong option when one-on-one with Reds 'keeper Jose Reina. David Ngog and Yossi Benayoun left the Trinidad & Tobago international and the rest of the Mackems camp ruing the missed opportunity.

"Jones should have scored - and on any other day, he probably would have done so," Sky Sports 2 quoted Ricky Sbragia, the Black Cats' manager, as saying after the game.

"If we had scored then the game would have been very different. Liverpool would have become anxious and we would have given ourselves something to hang on to.

"Liverpool would have been under pressure. We did okay in the first half - but once they went ahead, it was always going to be difficult."

Sunderland remain rooted in 12th position as a result of the loss, with just five points separating them from the relegation zone.

When pressed on how many points they likely need in order to ensure survival, Sbragia responded, "Maybe nine or ten. We have got the points in the bag. It is up to others to catch us as well. I think ten points probably."

Rafa Benitez: Liverpool Won't Throw In Towel In Title Tilt

The Spaniard, despite writing off his sides chances earlier in the week, feels Liverpool have been rejuvenated by their win over Sunderland.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has insisted that his side have not given up hope of hunting down Manchester United in the battle for the Premier League Championship.

The Reds' eventually saw off Sunderland 2-0 at Anfield this evening, just their thired win in eight league matches, after a maiden home goal from David Ngog and and a clincher from Yossi Benayoun cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the title to four points.

The Red Devils still have two games in hand however, including a trip to St. James' Park tomorrow night to face Newcastle United, and are still firmly in pole position to secure their third successive title.

However, Benitez believes that sealing the three points tonight against a lacklustre Sunderland outfit has given their chances of returning to the summit a welcome jolt.

Sky Sports reports that the former Valencia coach commented, "They [Manchester United] have a good team and a good squad, but this is football so you never know.

"We have to keep going and approach every game thinking about the three points and we will see what happens. Old Trafford will be crucial. We need to reduce the gap."

Benitez also took time out to praise the display of his stand in striker, David Ngog, who replaced Fernando Torres this season and found the target to boot.

He added, "He [Ngog] showed he has quality tonight. He is a young player who has just arrived and I think he has a great future here."

Liverpool make their crunch visit to face their arch-rivals Manchester United on 14 March.

Rafa Hails Reds Reaction

Rafa Benitez heaped praise on his Liverpool charges after bouncing back from Saturday's defeat to Middlesbrough with a convincing 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Anfield.

David Ngog finished off an excellent attacking move from close range on 51 minutes before Yossi Benayoun tapped home from a weak Marton Fulop save to seal the comfortable victory over Ricky Sbragia's men 14 minutes later.

Benitez told reporters after the match that the win was the perfect tonic to lift the players' confidence.

He said: "Clearly after the defeat of the other day it was very important to get three points and try to play a good game.

"It was difficult in the first half - they had a very good chance to go in front but after that we were keeping the ball and the game became more open after we scored the goal in the second half.

"We needed to win because we knew that we were in a very good position before the Middlesbrough game. We were very disappointed after that defeat so we had to show a lot of character to win against Sunderland.

"I think that David Ngog did a very good job, he had a good game. Yossi Benayoun also played well and Pepe Reina was also very important for us when he saved early on in the game.

"But the whole team was always trying to pass the ball, we were very well organised. They were very good on the counter attack so we had to keep calm - we created a lot of chances.

"The reaction of the players was very good."

With the Reds now lying four points behind league leaders Manchester United - who have played two less games - Benitez admitted he will be watching Alex Ferguson's men take on Newcastle at St James' Park on Wednesday and hoping for the Magpies to do Liverpool a favour.

"We have to approach each game with confidence and just think about ourselves," said Benitez.

"But it also depends on what happens with the other results and we have to wait and see what happens with United on Wednesday.

"If United cannot win then it will be very good for us, clearly it will be very good if Newcastle can win."

Benitez: Winger Can Be Secret Weapon

Rafa Benitez insists he was not surprised when Yossi Benayoun headed the winning goal in the Bernabeu - and claims the diminutive Israeli can be Liverpool's secret weapon from set pieces.

The 28-year-old scored arguably the biggest goal of his Reds career following a cross from Fabio Aurelio to secure a 1-0 win against Real Madrid last week.

Benitez does not believe it was a one off, and hopes the header will fill his in-form winger with confidence as Liverpool enter the business end of 2008-09.

"Clearly Yossi will take confidence from this goal because it was the winning goal in such an important game," said the gaffer.

"It was funny because after the game we were on the coach and we were watching it again on video, and some of the players were laughing because they had not expected Yossi to score this kind of goal.

"But I was not surprised about it because I know that he can do this type of thing.

"I was talking to him recently because he is really good when we are defending corners and it is clear that he is able to win headers.

"He is also a very clever player with good movements, so there is no reason why he cannot also be a threat in the opposition box when we have set plays."

Benayoun's form has been one of the plusses of 2009 so far.

Benitez added: "I have been talking with my staff about Yossi and we all agree that he has been playing very well recently.

"When you get to this stage of the season it can sometimes be that players are getting tired but in Yossi's case we have been able to see in training and in games that he is looking good and doing well.

"Yossi is an intelligent player who makes good movements.

"He can beat players, he can keep the ball between the lines and he is very good at spotting the opportunity for the final pass.

"He can provide assists for the other players and he can also score important goals, as we saw against Real Madrid last week.

"Like I said, he is a player with quality and game intelligence.

"He can change games. Hopefully he will be a key player for the rest of the season.

"We always talk about the importance of a squad – the players on the bench and those who are not involved in every game. Yossi is a very good example. Everyone has to be ready."

Loan In Balance After Leto Lets Fly

Liverpool midfielder Sebastian Leto's loan spell at Olympiacos may be over, following a bust-up with the club's coach Ernesto Valverde.

Leto signed a one-year loan deal with Olympiacos in the summer because he could not secure a work permit to play in the Premier League this season.

He was sent to the dressing room during yesterday's training session after he began kicking footballs around wildly, and some hit Valverde's assistant and the coach himself.

The 22-year-old Argentinian was surprisingly left out of the squad for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Panathinaikos and began his temper tantrum after also being given a dressing-down in the training session by Valverde when refusing to train with the rest of the team.

Valverde made the unusual move of issuing a personal statement on Tuesday night, confirming: "During yesterday's training there was an issue with Sebastian Leto, which for the umpteenth time was a disciplinary offence - forcing me to send him to the dressing room.

"I have informed the administration about this particular incident, and it is now up to them to decide the action needed. As I have said in the past, discipline is a fundamental concern for the calmness of the team."

Leto's contract with Olympiacos provided that he would have to play at least 30 games with the team this season; otherwise the Greek side would have to pay a fine to Liverpool.

The Buenos Aires-born left winger, who has impressed with his combination of pace and trickery, completed 31 games last week in the UEFA Cup match against Saint Etienne which saw Valverde's men go out 5-2 on aggregate.

Benitez To Steal Spanish Defender From Wenger's Grasp

Rafael Benitez has entered the race for Valencia’s highly-rated defender Raul Albiol only days after reports surfaced in both Spain and England that Arsene Wenger was tracking the player.

It now looks as though both Arsenal and Liverpool will lock horns in the summer for the 23-year-old as the Mestalla outfit look to maximise their income from the player.

Los Che’s financial problems could see them forced to off-load several star players to balance their books. There was a similar forecast this time last year, although the Primera Division side managed to ward off suitors for prized-assets David Villa and David Silva.

While Albiol's current buy-out clause is €60 million, los Che could listen to offers of around €15m for his services given his contract ends in 2011. It is thought given Benitez’s connections at his former club that Liverpool now have the upper hand in any potential negotiations.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Valencia’s sporting director, Fernando Gomez intimated that the summer may be the time to offload several off their most valuable stars.

"It is necessary to study each offer that we receive and after that we will decide," he told Sky Sports.

"The money situation is complicated at the club, but nobody has spoken with us about Albiol on a formal basis.

"But we are aware that the Reds have been scouting around here in recent months."

Valencia announced last week that construction of their new stadium was to be temporarily halted due to the current economic climate.

Torres Still Out For Liverpool As Gerrard Takes To The Field

Despite hobbling off during Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough, Rafa Benitez has claimed that the skipper will return to the pitch tomorrow to face Sunderland at Anfield.

As the game drew to a close at the Riverside, the skipper suffered leg cramp and had to be subbed off, but the gutsy Englishman was back training alongside his team-mates this morning.

Rafa Benitez has a considerable injury list that includes the likes of Fernando Torres, Alvaro Arveloa and Daniel Agger, who are all set to miss the clash with Sunderland tomorrow night.

Eager to impress in the Champions League this year, it seems that the Reds' gaffer is taking no chances with his Premiership starting XI.

"Torres is not ready yet. We have to wait to see how he progresses but he won't be in the squad. Arbeloa has a problem with his hamstring. He's had the problem before. It could be another week," claimed the Spaniard.

"Stevie was okay and will hopefully be available tomorrow," he added.

Rafa Benitez Refuses To Be Drawn Out On Liverpool Future

Many have speculated that the imminent departure of current chief executive Rick Parry is a sign that Rafael Benitez has decisively won a behind the scenes power-struggle at Liverpool.

However, the former Valencia manager's future with the Merseyside outfit remains far from certain.

“I will sit down with the owners and we will have a meeting – maybe in a few days, maybe in a few weeks," Benitez was quoted as saying by Setanta Sports.

“I will not talk too much about this.”

Instead, the notorious football obsessive preferred to draw attention to the next challenge at hand.

“My concern now is the game against Sunderland,” he added. “We have to prepare this game properly.

“We must not forget that our league performance is better than last season.

"Still, we have to improve. Yes, we have had key players injured and maybe that could have cost us four or five points.

"In this title race, that would be a massive difference. We are in a good position but we could be in a much better position.

"We are now rated in the UEFA rankings as the best team in Europe over the last five years – that underlines how we have done in those seasons – but we must go forward for the rest of the season, and in the future.”

Rafa Benitez Holds Injuries To Blame For Liverpool's Woe

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has bemoaned his side's injury list, believing that without the knocks his squad have suffered to key players they would be in a much stronger position.

Benitez's men lost 2-0 to Middlesbrough on Teesside on Saturday, and saw their Premier League points deficit to leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand, remain at seven points on a weekend when the Red Devils were picking up yet more silverware, winning the League Cup at Wembley.

The Reds' gaffer felt that his men had particuarly struggled because of a lack of sharpness up front, something that would be remedied quite straigthforwardly for the Spaniard were his fellow-countryman Fernando Torres built a little more robustly.

"The title was difficult before, it is more difficult now," The Guardian reports Benitez as saying.

"What we have to do is take our chances, and that is something that has been the same problem the whole season.

"Maybe if Torres had not been injured so much things would be different, but we cannot change the situation now. Everybody has players who get injured.

"We have had some problems [following the 1–0 Champions League win at Real Madrid], several players have been injured, among other things. The worst thing has been the injuries to Torres. He has been our main striker and scored a lot of goals for us last season. And this season could have been totally different with him."

Benitez acknowledged that his team had made errors against Boro, a side who hadn't won in 14 league outings prior to Saturday's game at the Riverside Stadium, and that his team had discussed the situation.

"We have talked about the mistakes we made [at Middlesbrough] and the future," he continued.

"And the immediate future is playing Sunderland, trying to get three points and then waiting to see what happens with Manchester United.

"But we played with anxiety at Middlesbrough, we gave the ball away too easily with simple passes. These are things we have to improve if we are going to fight for the title. But we must not forget that our league performance is better than last season.

"Still we have to improve. Yes, we have had key players injured and maybe that could have cost us four or five points. In this title race that would be a massive difference. We are in a good position but we could be in a much better position.

"We are now rated in the UEFA rankings as the best team in Europe over the last five years. That underlines how we have done in those seasons. But we must go forward for the rest of the season, and in the future. The squad is good, but there are too many games when things go wrong and that makes a massive difference.

"We had confidence and we were in a very good position for a long time. It has been our best performance for several seasons. But when we need fresh legs when senior players are injured, things are not easy. To improve in attack is not easy, you can improve in defence with hard work but forwards need accuracy and confidence."

On what must have been a difficult day for him, Benitez still managed some polite congratulation when asked about the achievements of the club many see as Liverpool's greatest rivals.

"Manchester United are a good team, they have very good players and they have a good manager," he concluded.

Liverpool Legend Kenny Dalglish Breaks TV Silence On Hillsborough Tragedy

Football legend Kenny Dalglish has broken a 20-year TV silence on the Hillsborough disaster claiming police and officials should have delayed the kick-off.

Former Liverpool manager Dalglish, 57, will speak for the first time on Hillsborough Remembered, which marks 20 years since 96 fans died at an FA Cup semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest.

Dalglish reveals: “The easiest thing to do was to have put the kick-off back. That’s not a problem for anybody.

“If the police are talking to the FA then the FA have got to make that call, but there would have been no resentment or disagreement with people in the dressing room.”

In an emotional interview Dalglish also praises the Liverpool fans’ behaviour.

He says: “The punters were superb. They helped the police as much as anything else. They’re supporters – it was their club in trouble.”

Academy Football: Hughie McAuley Focuses On Liverpool's Bread And Butter

After the euphoria of reaching the FA Youth Cup semi-finals Liverpool under-18s turn their attention back to the FA Premier Academy League this Saturday at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Friday night’s 4-2 victory over Bolton Wanderers following on the heels of another victory in the Academy League, when Hugh McAuley’s side beat Crewe Alexandra 3-1.

Liverpool wait to see who they face in the last four of the Youth Cup as they bid to try and lift the club’s third triumph in the competition in the past four years. Birmingham await the winners of Saturday’s fifth round tie between Ipswich and Watford, with Liverpool waiting in the wings in the semi-final.

But first McAuley will make sure his side focus on the league. He said: “I have always said the Youth Cup helps keep the season going. It keeps us in the spotlight with high profile games. And it is a vehicle for the players to develop and move on and for the best prospects to flourish when they get the opportunity. Thankfully we seem to have got to that point and we have two good games in the semi-final to look forward to.

“Hopefully it keeps that competitive spirit among the squad to perform. You know you have got big matches to look forward to. It is a nice finale to the season.”

Coach McAuley added: “We need to keep the same commitment as in the cup when we take on Wolverhampton on Saturday.

“The semi-final will come up in time. We just need to carry on trying to do well in the league. Hopefully they will also get chances higher up and to go to Melwood. That is the long-term objective of the Academy staff and we hope we will have got some good players to go and join Gary (Ablett) in the reserve team.”

James Ellison is still out with a lower back problem, but Spanish centre-back Daniel Ayala should be back before the semi-finals.

LIVERPOOL YOUTH: Bouzanis; Irwin, Wisdom, Kennedy, Buchtmann; Amoo, Pepper, Kacaniklic; Eccleston, Dalla Valle, Ince. Subs: Chamberlain, Roberts, Robinson, Clair, Coady.

Reds Eye Up Valencia Ace

Liverpool are keeping close tabs on Spain international Raul Albiol, skysports.com understands.

The Valencia defender is rated amongst the best in La Liga, but money problems at The Mestalla could see them lose a number of their top stars.

And Albiol may be one of the first to depart with a host of clubs checking on his progress.

Real Madrid are long-term admirers of the 24-year-old, who can play in central defence or as a holding midfielder, but Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has now dispatched his scouting network to follow Albiol.

Albiol is currently contracted to Valencia for another two years and has a huge buy-out clause of nearly £50million - although reports in Spain now suggest they could be willing to do a deal at £13million.

Valencia's sporting director Fernando Gomez has admitted the club would have to consider any reasonable offers, and also confirmed they were aware of scouts from Liverpool tracking Albiol.

"Today it is necessary to study each offer that we receive and after that we would decide," he told skysports.com.

"The money situation is complicated at the club, but formally nobody has spoken with us about Abiol.

"But we are aware that the Reds have been scouting around here in recent months.