Liverpool Set Focus On Youngsters

Liverpool reserve-team manager John McMahon says the club are aiming to develop more players capable of breaking into the first team.

Current Reds skipper Steven Gerrard was the last notable player to graduate from reserve and youth level and hold down a regular first-team place.

"The total aim is to produce players to play in Liverpool's first-team," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

McMahon replaced former reserve coach Gary Ablett in June.

"There's a big squad and obviously everyone's not going to get games, so some players will be looking to go out on loan," he added.

McMahon, who is the younger brother of former Liverpool midfielder Steve, joins the Liverpool coaching team after a successful three-year spell at Shrewsbury Town.

He initially worked as number two to Gary Peters at the League Two club before assisting current manager Paul Simpson.

In his time at the New Meadow he helped Shrewsbury reach two League Two play-off finals, but now he is at Anfield McMahon knows the priorities of his job have changed.

"Everyone's here for the same thing," he said. "From the academy right through to the reserves, and that's producing players for the first-team."

McMahon was brought in as part of a number of backroom changes at Anfield this summer, which has also seen former boss Kenny Dalglish take up a senior role at the club's academy.

McMahon is joined in the dug-out by former Tranmere Rovers goalkeeper John Achterberg.

The two men worked together at Prenton Park when McMahon, who was then a youth-team coach at Rovers, took up the role of caretaker manager following the departures of Ray Mathias and Brian Little.

And McMahon is delighted to be linking up with the Dutchman again.

"John's a great character and a workaholic so it's a great appointment for Liverpool Football Club," he said.

Mark Lawrenson: Selling Xabi Alonso Will Not Ruin Liverpool FC's Title Bid

Those fans in Thailand certainly made their feelings clear to Xabi Alonso on the issue of whether they wanted him to stay at Liverpool or not.

And they were right in urging him to make a decision. But what they don’t realise is, it doesn’t matter what he says either way.

If he stays, great. He proved last season that he can rise above all the transfer talk and deliver top class performances.

If he goes? Well, all I would say is, if you’re going to go, go now.

The disruption caused by Alonso’s departure can be minimal but only if the saga isn’t allowed to drag on, certainly not into the new season.

The last thing Rafael Benitez needs is the type of scenario Arsenal had for years with Patrick Vieira, one of those tedious ‘is he, isn’t he?’ situations.

If Real Madrid want him so much then and the player wants to join them, the deal should be pushed through as soon as possible.

Because I don’t think selling Alonso will have a detrimental effect on any potential title challenge for next season.

The existing players won’t be affected. They have the confidence and belief that they can challenge Manchester United and will carry that into the new campaign regardless.

Selling Alonso might give the supporters a bit of a headache on how the manager replaces him – but I actually think it gives Benitez the opportunity to make his side a more potent attacking threat.

I know Benitez has previously denied interest in David Villa but this player, or someone of his ilk, would be ideal I think, once the money from any sale of Alonso is being splashed around the market.

I see absolutely no problem with Steven Gerrard dropping a hit deeper to allow a top quality striker – especially one with Villa’s understanding of Torres’s game – to add more firepower.

It’s all very well asking Gerrard to play as the back-up forward to Torres, but what happens if the Spaniard’s injury problems resurface?

Who have Liverpool currently got who can have the same impact?

Benitez might be happy with the form being shown by some of his squad strikers in this pre- season, but then David Ngog proved last year that it doesn’t necessarily translate into the real business. Krisztian Nemeth might have looked good in scoring twice the other day but this was a friendly.

It wasn’t ultra competitive and the opposition was sub-standard anyway, so it doesn’t mean he’s ready.

And if Benitez is so pleased to have “one of the best players in the German League” back in his squad, why did he let Andriy Voronin go in the first place? Because he can’t cut it, that’s why.

So I would say, let Alonso go now, take the money and, while there’s still plenty of time, spend it on someone who can turn those draws – so costly in last season’s final analysis – into victories.

Alonso might be the best passer at the club but even he hasn’t got the attacking prowess to be a genuine match-winner.

So it’s time to cash in and get someone who is.

Reds Close To Winning Xabi Alonso Battle

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims he is ready to walk away from his summer-long pursuit of Xabi Alonso – because Liverpool won’t play ball!

Reds boss Rafa Benitez has refused to budge from his £30million valuation of the Spanish international.

But that is way above Real’s estimation and Perez insists that despite his club’s massive outlay on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka this summer, they will not pay over the odds for any remaining targets.

“Some people obviously thought that because we said we wanted more Spanish players, they could ask for fees which don’t correspond to reality,” he said.

“A year ago, certain players we’ve asked about would have cost less than half the price we’re being quoted now.

“If necessary, we’ll find the Spanish players we would like for the squad in our youth system.”

Then, in a strong message to Liverpool, Perez added: “We made huge attempts at the start to sign players who had won the Ballon d'Or or the World Footballer of the Year award.

“But the arrivals of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo have confused some people who obviously thought that, because we said we wanted more Spanish players, they could ask for fees which don't correspond to reality.”

Perez also suggested any deal for Alonso would be dependent on the club selling a number of their players deemed surplus to requirements.

He continued: “We brought in a lot of players, our prime objectives, at the start and now we have the absurd number of 29 players in our squad, when we can only register 25 for the league.

“It has been more difficult than we expected encouraging players to look at other options. At this point, for a player to arrive, at least one would have to leave.

“There is a financial element to that, but it is mainly a technical one. We cannot have so many players who would not have chance to play. It has to be one in, one out for us at the moment.”

Benitez is adamant he will not lower his asking price, and Alonso’s reluctance to publicly state his desire to quit Anfield has left the Reds holding all the aces during negotiations.

Agent: Reds Accept Dossena Bid

Andrea Dossena's prospective Anfield exit is a step closer after Liverpool accepted an offer from Napoli, according to the defender's agent.

The Italy international is believed to be keen on a return to Seria A after struggling to make an impact in England following his move from Udinese last summer.

Reports suggest Napoli's offer is in the region of 5million euros (£4.3m), a significant loss on a player boss Rafael Benitez paid 10million euros for just twelve months ago.

Representatives of the left-back have suggested the offer has been accepted and Dossena is expected to complete the move later this week.

"Liverpool have accepted (Napoli chairman) Aurelio De Laurentiis' offer," his agent told Radio Kiss Kiss.

"It's now just a matter of days. The two clubs are in agreement, Liverpool accepted Napoli's offer but I can't say any more.

"With regards to Andrea there are no problems, it's only a matter of days. As soon as Napoli call us, we will finalize it."

Pepe Reina: Liverpool Must Be More Consistent

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has echoed a refrain which is becoming increasingly common around Anfield in recent months, and asserted that the Reds must discover the means to be more consistent if they are to end the club's long wait for a league title.

It is 20 years since the Mersey men were last crowned champions of England, and the Spanish keeper believes that recording better results against those sides lower down the Premier League table is the crucial factor in finding the few extra points the Reds require in order to wrest the Premier League crown out of the hands of fierce rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool managed an impressive set of results against the other 'top four' sides last season, but often struggled against so-called 'lesser' teams, recording a run of draws against the likes of Stoke City, West Ham United and Wigan Athletic that did irreparable harm to their bid for last season's league title.

Reina is convinced that such a record requires drastic improvement if Rafa Benitez's men are to be triumphant over the course of the coming campaign.

"To get 14 points out of 18 against the top three - they are numbers which are not very common," he told Sky Sports News.

"So sometimes you win [games] between the top four or the top five, but the thing is we have to win against the bottom ten."

Liverpool Can End Long Wait For A Premier League Title - Yossi Benayoun

Liverpool winger Yossi Benayoun has asserted that Rafa Benitez's side is now strong enough to end the Anfield outfit's long wait for a league title, and will bring the Premier League crown to Merseyside this season.

Twenty seasons have passed since the Reds' last league championship win, and Liverpool supporters have - in that time - been forced to watch as their bitter rivals from the other end of the East Lancs Road, Manchester United, have enjoyed domination of the domestic crown.

Nevertheless, the Israeli international feels that with a little self-belief, Benitez's team can push on and finally end the drought come next May.

"The Premier League is very strong," he told Sky Sports News. "It's still Manchester [United], Chelsea and Arsenal, and Manchester City are getting stronger, so we know it's going to be difficult.

"But we believe in ourselves. We just to get better and to try to improve all the time and I think we have a good chance."

Liverpool flew home today after completing their tour of Asia with a 5-0 rout of Singapore at the weekend.

Liverpool Have Returned Stronger From Asia - Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher believes that Liverpool's pre-season tour of Asia, where they experienced high temperatures and humidity in their fixtures, has been a valuable exercise, and has improved fitness and strength levels in the squad.

"The main thing at this stage is getting fitness and coming out here and playing in these conditions has definitely helped," the talismanic defender told the club's official website.

Liverpool concluded their tour with a 5-0 thrashing of Singapore on Sunday, a result which followed a 1-1 draw with Thailand, allowing them to end on a high note after a frustrating run of results in their pre-season so far.

"Having not won any of our first three games it was nice to get a win and score a few for the supporters," Carragher added.

"It was just a great way to end the trip. It's been brilliant and the support we have here is just amazing. It has grown even more since the last time we were here."

The Reds also collected some silverware from the trip, with the win over Singapore meaning that Carragher, as stand-in skipper on the tour, was presented with the Merlion Cup.

The former England international is hoping that club captain Steven Gerrard is given plenty of opportunity to emulate that feat in the coming season, with Carragher hopeful that the club can bring some trophies back to Anfield.

"Hopefully Stevie will be the one picking up trophies when the real stuff is handed out in 10 months," he concluded.

Steven Gerrard's Wife Alex Curran Declares Liverpool Too 'Rough' For A Night Out

Steven Gerrard’s wife Alex Curran has risked angering the whole of the city her husband plays football for by declaring it ‘rough’.

The party animal WAG from Aintree, Merseyside, says she doesn’t go out in Liverpool nightclubs anymore because they ‘attract the wrong type of people’.

The 26-year-old’s comments, made in a magazine interview, come just as she and Liverpool captain, Gerrard, were spotted enjoying a night out in London, and days after he was cleared of affray.

In an interview with new! magazine, she said: “It's not the same any more. To be honest, it's rough.

“Everywhere new that opens attracts the wrong type of people. It's not nice, so I haven't bothered to go out.”

The comments are bound to upset Liverpudlians who are famously proud of their home town.

Last week Gerrard – who married Alex in June 2007 - was acquitted of assault after a five-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Gerrard, 29, admitted he repeatedly punched a man in a drunken row over music being played at the Lounge Inn, in Southport, leaving him with a black eye, a missing tooth and a head wound that required stitches.

But the midfielder insisted he punched 34-year-old Marcus McGee in self-defense, saying he thought he was about to be attacked.

The jury accepted his version of events after an hour of deliberations.

The judge told the £5million-a-year player that while he had been 'unwise' to pursue the 'trivial' dispute over what songs were played during a night out, he left the dock with his reputation intact.

The footballer was applauded by fans who also shouted 'Come on Rocky' as he emerged from court in the clear.

The charge had carried the threat of a three-year prison sentence which would have been a crushing blow to Gerrard's playing career as well as his lucrative endorsement deals.

Rafa Quiet On Alonso

Rafa Benitez remained tight-lipped when quizzed on whether his side's 5-0 defeat of Singapore on Sunday represented Xabi Alonso's last appearance in a Liverpool shirt.

The Spanish midfielder, publically courted by Real Madrid all summer, came on for the final 13 minutes for his first pre-season appearance.

Benitez has repeatedly stated his intent to keep Alonso at Anfield but when asked if the player would still be in England next season, he felt the question would be better directed at the 27-year-old.

"It's a question that you have to ask him," he said.

"Honestly, we've been talking about this for two months but I think that it is a question for him and not for us.

"He has three years on his contract and we know he is a great player - that's why we signed him and renewed his contract. So you have to ask him."

Benitez declared himself delighted with his team's performance in the final game of their tour of Asia and was especially pleased with the promise shown by 20-year-old Krisztian Nemeth.

Nemeth came off the substitutes' bench to score twice in the Lion City and has clearly made a favorable impression on his manager.

"He was really good two years ago for the reserve team, scoring a lot of goals but last year he had some problems with injuries," added Benitez.

"But he showed today that he's a good finisher and a player with a future.

"It depends on the players always. If they're knocking on the door and they knock really hard, then I have to hear. This is important and it depends on them."

Benitez insisted that he will be leaving Asia with happy memories.

"The fans have been amazing and it felt for us like we were back at Anfield," he said.

"People here have been treating us with a lot of respect and you can see the passion. Sometimes you say it's too far (to travel to Asia) and you have one week away from your families but you can see the faces of the fans and you feel good to be out here.

"When you've got fans saying that they've been waiting eight years to see you, you have to be pleased to be here."

Such is the passion for the club in Asia that Benitez believes his side will enjoy a significant advantage if the Premier League ever manages to get its plan to play a 39th game in the region off the ground.

"We normally play around 60 games a year so if were to play more games, it would have to be organized properly. But it's not our decision - the coaches and managers have to prepare the teams so it depends on other people.

"But if we have to play with these fans behind us all the time, it will be like playing at home."

Dossena In Talks Over Napoli Switch, Says Agent

Andrea Dossena’s agent says the Liverpool FC defender is keen to sign for Napoli and that the two clubs are in negotiations.

Dossena only moved to Anfield last season from Udinese but has failed to settle in and is likely to find himself even more surplus to requirements following the arrival of Glen Johnson on Merseyside.

The Italy full-back is reportedly keen on a return to Serie A and would welcome a move to Napoli who finished 12th in the league last season.

"We want to close the deal, we will reach an agreement," Federico Pastorello told TuttoNapoli.net. "Napoli’s offer is five million euros (£4.3million) plus bonuses.

"It’s a deal the two clubs are sorting out, we’re waiting for news.

"Napoli know how much Andrea earns, a significant sum, but less than two million.

"Our intention is to reach an agreement. We will not even have a problem with giving up image rights.

"The player is currently in Singapore with Liverpool, he is also awaiting news.

"Although he loves being at a great club like Liverpool, he would welcome the opportunity to join Napoli with great enthusiasm."

A stumbling block could be Liverpool FC’s reluctance to accept a bid of half the 10million euros (£8.6million) they paid for the 27-year-old barely 12 months ago.

Hicks And Gillett Refinance Liverpool FC Bank Loan

Liverpool FC’s American owners have concluded a deal re-finance the bank loan they took out to buy the club in 2007.

Co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are not expected to issue a statement, but the deal is believed to be for another year and will involve them paying back £60m of the original debt.

Negotiations between the Royal Bank of Scotland, Wachovia and the owners have continued for months the worldwide credit crunch has made them tortuous.

There has been real fear that the banks would call in the loan, while both Hicks and Gillett have searched for someone to take a minority stake in the club for around £100m to no avail.

But a source close to the owners has confirmed that the deal has now been concluded, and before last weekend’s deadline for re-financing the package expired.

The owners have reduced the £290m they owed to £230m, with £60m being repaid, half immediately.

Hicks, 63, and Gillett, 70, purchased Liverpool in 2007 for £174m, taking on £44.8m of liabilities.

At the time they maintained that financing the debt would not fall on the club. But that attitude changed, and Liverpool now have to find around £40m a year to service the debt, a situation that has enraged fans’ groups and impacted on boss Rafael Benitez’s transfer budget.

The owners have also failed to find the money to build the club’s new stadium with preliminary work on the Stanley Park venture halting during last season.

Extra cash for the stadium "did not form part of any discussions" claimed the source, although there is still a projected date for completion of 2012.

In the run-up to the new deal being concluded, Gillett has sold his 80% stake in the Montreal Canadians ice hockey club for US dollars 580million (£350million), while Hicks is trying to off-load the Texas Rangers baseball team.

It is Hicks who has seemingly experienced most difficulty in coming up with financial backing of late, and he recently defaulted on interest payments on a US dollars 515m (£312million) loan in the States recently.

Prior to the current credit crunch, loans of the size Hicks and Gillett took for Liverpool would be expected to re-financed over three or five years.

But City sources doubt this new deal would be for more than a year in the current climate.

Hicks and Gillett had a one-year arrangement when they first bought the club, and then negotiated another year with a six-month option.

They were granted that option, which expired at the weekend. But critics, particularly fans’ groups, will see this new agreement as just papering over the cracks of a regime that has not been able to take the club forward in the face of tough financial competition from Chelsea, Manchester United, the Spanish giants of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and now Manchester City.

Rogan Taylor, spokesman for the ShareLiverpool group who re-launched their own takeover plans last week for, in effect, a fans' co-operative, said: ``The deal we are hearing about for the re-financing of the Americans' loans is really what we expected.

"These are the indications we have had from RBS for a while, I would be interested to know really what Wachovia’s view is. It has been rumoured that they were very unsure about this new deal.

"It is little more than an expensive fix - just sticking plaster and making things more difficult for the club to progress in the long run.

"It is still very short term, year to year, if that. The owners are not able to take the club forward."

He added: "We produced our own plans again last week, and that is based over a much longer period and aimed at the banks.

"There can be political pressure here. We, the tax payers, own RBS and maybe they will eventually see that they can get most of their money back with our scheme and it is a much longer-termed plan."

Balague: No Chance Liverpool Will Sign Silva

Liverpool will not be signing Valencia winger David Silva this summer, despite reputed interest from Manchester United, that is the view of Spanish based journalist Guillem Balague.

Reports in this morning’s Daily Mail suggests Manchester United and Liverpool are ready to go head-to-head for the Spanish international, with the former expected to make a bid for the player later this week, however esteemed Spanish journalist Guillem Balague believes this is not the case.

Writing on his official website, Balague said: “Speculation has resurfaced and in the last few days the player has once again been linked with a move to Anfield.”

“We can clear all of the above up by saying that, at this moment in time, neither Liverpool, nor any other English club, have had any recent contact with Valencia over David Silva.”

“As far as Liverpool are concerned, I am still being told that there is no chance that they will be making a move for David Silva at this time.”

“Most of the transfer money available has been spent on Glen Johnson (this includes revenue from the sale of Keane, and debts owed to Liverpool by Portsmouth for the transfer of Peter Crouch that were factored into the Johnson deal).”

“Considerable funds have also been dedicated to the renewal and extension of many current player’s contracts at Anfield - including Benayoun.”

“In fact, I understand that, had he been sold, David Silva was considered as a replacement for the Israeli, but now that Yossi is staying at the club - the signing of Silva is even less of a possibility.”

“Although there have been no formal contact between Liverpool and Valencia in relation to David Silva recently, the channels of communication remain open between Anfield and the player’s representatives - so as with anything in football, we can never say never, but nothing appears likely at this time.”

On Manchester United’s alleged interest in the player Balague said the following: “It has even been suggested that Manchester United are also interested in David Silva, and I have been advised that the player will be under very close scrutiny when Valencia take on Ferguson’s men next month.”

The respected pundit, who features regularly on Sky Sports’ Revista de la Liga, also tried to clear up the financial turmoil Valencia currently reside in, and in particular how they can possibly hold onto the likes of Silva.

He continued: “Another question that many have been asking and one that relates to the above, not to mention David Villa is: ‘how on earth can Valencia possibly keep hold of the pair when the club are in such dire financial circumstances and have previously admitted that they must sell to avoid financial meltdown?’”

“Unfortunately, there is no logical or rational explanation, and at times the situation at Valencia is as baffling to us here as it appears to you.”

“In many ways the Mestalla club remind me of Newcastle United: a club where what counts is the opinion of the public, an anonymous body that defies all financial and sporting logic and one that rules the club with its heart rather than its head.”

“The problem at Valencia is that nobody wants to be the pantomime villain and risk the wrath of the fans by actually selling their favourite players.”

“Consequently, the club remain in a mess financially and the players concerned are growing deeply frustrated and unsettled - particularly David Villa, who we will have more on tomorrow.”

Benitez Points To Positives

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is confident his squad are beginning to display the benefits from their pre-season activities.

The Reds recorded a first victory in four warm-up matches as they hammered Singapore 5-0 in the Far East on Sunday.

Benitez believes his players have benefited from the tour of Asia and that they are shaping up well ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Liverpool, who have flown back to England, now face Espanyol on 2nd August as they continue preparations and their boss is in a positive frame of mind.

"We've been here (Asia) for a week and you could see that the team was stronger and fitter," Benitez told the club's official website after the win over Singapore.

"It was a good game, especially in the second half when we had more space and they were a bit tired. We could go forward and create more chances.

"We worked hard and played at a high tempo with a professional mentality. We won and scored a lot of goals so I think that will make the next game easier.

"You can see that some of our players are a little bit tired, but the mentality and attitude was good.

"If we can play these kind of games with this intensity, it will be really good to improve the condition of the players. We need to be a little bit sharper but I feel it's just a question of time."

Singapore Coach Radojko Avramovic Hails Liverpool's Second-Half Show

Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic paid tribute to Liverpool as the English giants crushed his team 5-0 in a Sunday evening exhibition.

The Lions put up a good show in the first half at the National Stadium but their resistance was broke just before the break thanks to Andriy Voronin.

The visitors went to town in the second half as Albert Riera, Fernando Torres and a brace from Krisztian Nemeth made it a 5-0 thrashing.

“In the first-half, we played as a team, stayed compact and did very well but in the second-half, fitness into play and the players couldn’t cope,” said Avramovic after the game.

“Plus, Liverpool have quality. They made a few changes, fresh players came in and caused problems down our left side.”

There were some positives for the hosts especially as 18-year-old Hariss Harun impressed.

“Hariss and Fahrudin controlled the area in front of our back four in the first-half.

“He has a good future ahead of him but he must learn and tonight was a good game for him to see what quality players do, especially in terms of receiving the ball, changing sides and passing.

“Younger players must look at the Liverpool players and try to play like them.”

Rafael Benitez Hails Krisztian Nemeth After Brace

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has showed his pleasure at his side's 5-0 friendly win against Singapore this afternoon.

The Reds finished their tour of Asia with a easy victory over the Singapore side, with Andriy Voronin, Fernando Torres, Albert Riera and Kristian Nemeth all getting on the scoresheet.

20-year-old Nemeth was singled out for special praise by Benitez, who thinks the Hungary Under-21 international is a natural goalscorer.

Speaking to Liverpool's official website, Benitez said, "Nemeth is a great finisher. He has scored a lot of goals in the reserve team and today he showed why.

The Spaniard also stated that he thought it was an enjoyable game and that he was pleased with the outcome.

"It was a good game," he added.

"We worked hard and played at a high tempo, with a professional mentality.

"I think we are improving physically every single day.

"Some of the players returned late from international duty, so it was important for them to play for 30 minutes.

"You can see that some of them are a little bit tired, but the mentality and attitude was good, and it was a very good game."

The Reds will now travel back to Europe, where they will continue their pre-season campaign against Spanish Primera Division side Espanyol in a week's time.

Rafael Yuste Admits Barcelona Admiration For Liverpool Midfielder Mascherano

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano, who recently admitted that he would like a move to Spanish champions Barcelona after reports surfaced that he was unsettled in England, is a player that the Blaugrana would be interested in taking to La Liga, according to their vice-president of sport Rafael Yuste.

"I can confirm that Javier Mascherano is a fantastic player that personally I like a lot," he told Sky Sports News. "But we have not listed [him].

"We have a lot of players who want to come to Barcelona. Mascherano is a fantastic player, of course, but he is today at Liverpool and he's playing very well.

"The future we cannot predict. We are just here today attending the match. He's a nice player - yes."

Barca were competing in the Wembley Cup today, where they beat Egyptian outfit Al Ahly 4-1.

Liverpool, meanwhile, hammered Singapore 5-0 in their latest game on their pre-season tour of Asia, with Mascherano making a second-half appearance as a substitute.

Live Hand Grenade Found Outside Liverpool Legend Kenny Dalglish's House

Merseyside Police are investigating the discovery of a live hand grenade on a wall outside the home of Liverpool's iconic former player and manager Kenny Dalglish, who has recently returned to work at Anfield in an ambassadorial and youth development role.

The discovery was made at the address in Southport, Merseyside, on Sunday night, by police investigating an ongoing series of incidents, related to witness intimidation, that are completely unconnected to Dalglish.

The Army Bomb Disposal Team were called to the location, which was cordoned off by police.

"The device was removed and made safe and is currently undergoing forensic examination," a Merseyside Police spokeswoman is reported as saying by the Press Association.

"The road remains cordoned off at its junction with Sandringham Road and high-visibility patrols have been stepped up in the area to reassure the public.

"Detectives believe this incident is linked to a series of other recent incidents in this area and not to the owner of the property where the device was found."

The alarm was raised at 10.15pm, but it is unknown whether anyone was in the Dalglish household at the time.

Two men in their twenties were later arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation.

Match Report: Singapore 0 - 5 LiverpooL

Young Hungarian striker Krisztian Nemeth scored twice and Xabi Alonso made his first pre-season appearance as Liverpool beat Singapore 5-0 at the National Stadium.

Seeking their first pre-season victory after draws with Thailand and Swiss side St Gallen and a 1-0 loss to Rapid Vienna, the Reds gave a disjointed appearance in the first half but took the lead with the final kick before half-time when Andriy Voronin's long-range effort found the net.

Albert Riera extended the advantage early in the second half before Nemeth struck twice in the final 17 minutes with a Fernando Torres effort wedged in between.

With Rafael Benitez including a number of unfamiliar faces including goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri, defenders Mikel Dominguez and Philipp Degen and forward David Ngog in his starting line-up, the Reds struggled to assert themselves in the first half against a defensively-minded Singapore side.

Ryan Babel rose above the Singapore defense to put a header straight at goalkeeper Hassan Sunny after seven minutes but apart from that, there was little to entertain the crowd in the first half as the Premier League side were restricted to shots from distance.

There were some moments of concern for the Reds as Javier Mascherano twice went to ground after heavy challenges by Mustafic Fahrudin and Noh Alam Shah and the hosts nearly took a shock lead in the 22nd minute when Shi Jiayi's through pass released Shahril Ishak whose weak shot was easily saved by Cavalieri.

But in stoppage time at the end of the half, Liverpool's opening goal arrived from out of the blue as Voronin got past the challenge of Fahrudin and, with the Singapore defense backing off, fired in an innocuous low shot that crept past a late-diving Hassan.

Buoyed by the unexpected goal, Liverpool were much improved after the break and extended their lead 10 minutes into the second half when Mascherano floated in a fine cross from the right for Riera, who chested the ball down at the far post before firing a low shot past Hassan.

The fans were clamouring for an appearance by Torres and got their wish just after the hour when he was brought on with Dirk Kuyt in place of Yossi Benayoun and Ngog.

It was the Dutchman that would make the bigger impression though setting up the last three goals, beginning in the 73rd minute when he crossed from the right for 20-year-old Nemeth to slide the ball past Hassan to make it 3-0.

Alonso came on in the 77th minute for Daniel Agger and just three minutes later started the move that ended with Kuyt crossing for an unmarked Torres to apply the finishing touch from point blank range for his first pre-season goal.

And with seven minutes left, another Kuyt cross found Nemeth, who headed home his second of the game.

Liverpool's Benitez Wowed By Singapore Fans' Adulation

Even Liverpool's normally impassive manager Rafa Benitez could not fail to be moved by the adulation and adoration of the club's local fans during a boat ride along the Singapore River on Saturday.

Benitez, who started the cruise inside the boat politely acknowledging fans through the window, ended up standing at the bow smiling and waving as enthusiastic fans cheered his name, sang songs and waved banners written in his honor.

The Spaniard, whose team are in the city-state for Sunday's friendly against Singapore, stayed outside the boat's sheltered comfort for about 15 minutes despite the crippling heat. He was joined by former Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish, who has recently returned to the Premier League club as an ambassador and director of the youth academy.

Other ex-Liverpool players in attendance were Sammy Lee, assistant coach to Benitez, and Steve McMahon, whose company the Profitable Group was responsible for bringing the 18-time English champions to Singapore for the second time in 10 years.

In another boat, carrying most of the players, goalkeeper Pepe Reina was the main livewire, engaging in good-natured banter with the hundreds of fans that thronged the riverbank.

When one supporter exhorted him to win the league title, which the club has not done since 1990, the Spanish goalkeeper replied: "Jump into the water and we'll do it for you!"

However, not all the players were as enthusiastic as Reina. Spain striker Fernando Torres, the obvious crowd favorite, waved politely several times but mostly stayed inside.

Other players were even more elusive, such as pony-tailed Andriy Voronin, recently returned from a season-long loan spell at Hertha Berlin, who kept his headphones over his ears.

Liverpool, Premier League runners-up last season, are in Asia for a two-match tour of Thailand and Singapore. They drew 1-1 with Thailand's national side on Wednesday.

The boat ride was part of the team's promotional events that have seen the players showing up at the country's many suburban shopping malls, signing autographs and holding clinics.

The team was divided into three vessels, decked with banners proclaiming "The Kop Comes to Asia", which sailed down the Singapore River into the heart of the city.

They meandered through the Central Business District, past entertainment centers Boat and Clarke Quay and the Esplanade.

However, the man most Liverpool fans wanted to see -- captain and inspiration Steven Gerrard -- was absent due to a court case for affray. He was acquitted in Liverpool on Friday.

"I'm sorry for the fans that he can't come. We have to protect the player and the best thing for him to do is to rest at home," Benitez had told an earlier news conference.

Hundreds of fans lined the riverbank, dressed in the club's famous red shirts and waving banners professing loyalty to the Merseyside team and lauding their achievements.

Some supporters ran along the two km stretch of the river screaming at their favorite players.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see them in the flesh and to get this close," gushed secretary Stacey Lee, 22. "And they even responded to me when I called out their names."

Real Madrid Boss Pellegrini Non-Committal On Alonso Rumours

Manuel Pellegrini has given his latest thoughts on Xabi Alonso, as well as Real Madrid's failure to sell their excess players.

The Alonso saga is still no closer to completion and the latest twist was Rafa Benitez's claims that he had asked Alonso to stay at Anfield. Responding to those rumors, Pellegrini told Marca, "I do not have an opinion about what he said."

"He has his reasons and opinions, he knows his player and his club.

"I will not speak about other club's players, and definitely not about other manager's statements."

Pellegrini then touched on the indication he had given earlier that July 27 was the deadline by which he wanted his final squad assembled.

"A week ago, I said that the 27th was the ideal day for the squad to be finalized.

"But I also said that nothing should be rushed. What is important is to make correct decisions.

"If that takes time, it must be taken.

Finally, Pellegrini talked about the players that the club had yet to sell, stating, "I am not too concerned that there are still a lot of players left, but it is not ideal."

"I had hoped our squad could be finalized by now, but there is still a great environment at training.

"My job is to coach everyone."