Match Report: Fiorentina 2 - 0 Liverpool

Liverpool's Champions League hopes took a shattering blow as Fiorentina claimed an impressive victory in a delirious Stadio Artemio Franchi.

This was their first away defeat in Europe since the semi-final defeat at Chelsea in April 2008, and only their ninth away reverse in 38 attempts in the competition under boss Rafael Benitez.

Montenegro international Stevan Jovetic did the damage with a quick-fire double inside 10 first-half minutes.

Liverpool had no answer to the 19-year-old's drive and pace, and their Group E future is now under serious threat.

Liverpool did not manage a shot on target in a disappointing first period and although they fought back after the break, Fiorentina were not going to let a prized victory escape their grasp.

Benitez's response to the loss of Javier Mascherano with a hamstring injury was to recall Brazilian defender Fabio Aurelio to his side.

Aurelio has had only a Carling Cup run-out against Leeds after a summer knee operation, and he was be used in a midfield role against the Italians, who are fourth in Serie A.

Otherwise it was the same Liverpool side that beat Debrecen in the first group match.

Aurelio was used in a holding midfield role to allow Steven Gerrard to continue his advanced role supporting Fernando Torres.

But it barely worked, with Fiorentina quicker and more mobile. Martin Skrtel, at the back, had to be at his best to halt a run and shot from Jovetic, who from the resulting corner set up Marco Marchionni for an overhead effort that just cleared the bar.

Jovetic saw another effort flash wide after 22 minutes, Adrian Mutu having created the opening having beaten both Lucas and Aurelio in midfield.

There had been constant indecision in the Liverpool defence, and a failure to retain possession in midfield, and they were punished after 27 minutes.

Mutu was in a clear offside position on the edge of the box, but Zanetti's through ball was aimed at Jovetic - running from an on-side position - who was allowed to close in on Jose Reina before guiding the ball past the Spaniard.

Reina needed to save well from Vargas soon after as Fiorentina sought to capitalise on their success.

The second was not long coming. After 37 minutes Marchionni crossed from the right and the ball found Vargas on the left.

His low shot to the near post was deflected past Reina by Jovetic.

Liverpool needed something quickly after the break, and Lucas saw a powerful header flash just over the bar inside a minute of the re-start, before Sebastien Frey beat away a Dirk Kuyt drive.

Gerrard miskicked after good work from Kuyt, before Torres saw a low header deflected wide from Gerrard's cross.

Aurelio shot wide from a Torres set-up, but Fiorentina looked to have weathered the Liverpool storm at the beginning of the half.

Gerrard, who had been strangely quiet during the game, then saw a shot charged away by Massimo Gobbi from Lucas' chip.

Ryan Babel was sent on for Emiliano Insua after 71 minutes, with Aurelio switching to left-back. Fiorentina responded by sending on an extra defender, Martin Jorgensen for Vargas.

Skrtel was next to venture forward, and he got to the byline before crossing for Torres to fire over. Seconds earlier a frustrated Torres had been penalised as he set up Kuyt, who fired past Frey only to have the effort disallowed.

Next on was Andriy Voronin in place of Kuyt, as Liverpool searched for any way back into the match. Gerrard lifting a 20-yarder over did not help that quest.

Liverpool FC Owners Tom Hicks And George Gillett Looking For Outside Investors

Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have confirmed they are looking for investment in the club.

Following the appearance of Saudi Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud in the stands with the Americans at the weekend; the pair released a statement confirming they had retained Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Rothschild to evaluate the possibility of an outside injection of equity into the club.

It added: "However the process is at an early stage, there is no agreement with any party."

Sports investment firm F6, chaired by the prince, had previously claimed an exclusivity deal with Gillett, and that he was in talks to buy his 50% stake.

Hicks is looking to raise £100m from investors in return for a 25% stake in a bid to turn around the club's debt.

Mark Lawrenson: Fernando Torres Needs Trophies To Be True Liverpool Great

Fernando Torres is usually bang on target – and he certainly was after his hat-trick against Hull City on Saturday.

Rather than basking in the glory of his outstanding individual achievements, the Spaniard was right to point out that it’s winning the major trophies that really matters in a player’s career.

Which is why Torres can’t yet be talked of in the same terms as the true Liverpool greats – even though for me he is the best striker in the world at the moment.

When you think about the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, they are the only players who are on the same kind of level and they’re not out-and-out centre-forwards. If you’re talking about leading the line and finding the back of the net, I’m convinced Torres has no equal in the world game.

But in terms of playing for Liverpool, it’s all about the medals. Which is why Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush are the ultimate Anfield legends.

And you can’t put Torres in the same bracket as them at the moment.

You can say that he has the potential to be up there and could possibly even surpass them one day – but he has to be in a team that delivers.

Dalglish and Rush both have the League Championship and European Cup medals to back up their outstanding individual achievements.

Torres is scoring a lot of goals, but he knows himself that they will prove to be nothing but consolations if they don’t lead to Liverpool getting their name on the big trophies once again.

So next question: what are the chances of that happening in the near future?

Well, in terms of the title the maintaining is that Liverpool are well up there and giving themselves a chance. They made a bad start but it’s still only September and they seem to have got over those early shakes.

Besides, as much as those two early defeats to Spurs and Aston Villa were a setback, I think more surprise defeats could be in store for the leading clubs throughout this campaign.

Villa and Spurs, along with Manchester City, seem better equipped to be a threat to the top four this time and Manchester United and Chelsea have already been rocked by sides you would expect them to turn over.

In short, whoever wins the league this year is probably going to lose more games than usual anyway and that kind of trend will only play into Liverpool’s hands after that stuttering start.

And if proof were needed that people got a bit carried away wiring them off after three games then it arrived in the shape of Chelsea’s performance at Wigan on Saturday.

For a team that is flying on the back of eight straight wins, they were made to look awful by Wigan, especially in defence. They normally do the basics so well at the back – their defending from set pieces was particularly poor.

But it just goes to show that if you knock off for 90 minutes in this league, no matter who you play, you will get done.

I can only think that Chelsea must have sat in the dressing room before the game thinking they had won. If so, then it really bit them on backside.

But it’s a complacency, coupled with a huge dent to their confidence, that will only give Liverpool even more encouragement when the sides meet on Sunday.

Kuyt Can't Fathom Rush Record

Dirk Kuyt today spoke of his immense pride at the prospect of matching Ian Rush's European Cup goals tally.

Kuyt is just two shy of Rush in Europe's premier club competition after taking his haul to 12 against Debrecen.

If the Dutchman draws level with his Welsh predecessor, only Steven Gerrard with 28 will have scored more Champions League goals for Liverpool.

"That is unbelievable," said Kuyt. "To have the chance maybe to draw level with someone like Ian Rush is unbelievable.

"He is one of the biggest names in the history of Liverpool Football Club and it would give me a great feeling if I could manage to do that.

"I have to be respectful of his achievements in his career, but it would be good to match his goals and then maybe continue scoring.

"It is nice to get personal things, but for me the most important thing is winning trophies. The milestones are nice, but if you don't have anything to go with them like a trophy then it is not the same.

"Don't get me wrong, individual honours are nice, but it is all about the team winning."

Remarkably, Kuyt didn't trouble the scoresheet on any of his first 10 Champions League games for Liverpool.

That sequence ended in the 2007 final, when the 29-year-old bagged a consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat to AC Milan.

"I'm not sure why it has gone so well for me," said the Holland international. "In my first games in the Champions League I couldn't score at all. I got one in the final and it has just gone on for me since then.

"I think I have scored in every stage of the competition now and I am enjoying it. I just want to keep going. I don't try and do anything different to what I do in the Premier League.

"It is always nice to be involved in big Champions League nights and I feel confident going into them."

Collymore: Squad Looks Weaker & More Reliant Than Ever On Torres & Gerrard

The former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore believes his former club are more reliant than ever on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, following the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid.

Collymore acknowledges the aforementioned two as world class performers but suggests the club is too reliant on their abilities, and will struggle away from Anfield.

Collymore told mirrorfootball.co.uk: “Fernando Torres has now scored 33 goals in 34 games at Anfield for Liverpool.”

“It is a quite astonishing statistic and he walked off with the match ball after Liverpool trashed Hull 6-1.”

“But sadly I do believe Liverpool are becoming a two-man show, with Steven Gerrard and Torres running things for Rafa Benitez's side.”

“I had a few callers at the weekend saying Liverpool play a better, faster attacking style of football without Xabi Alonso.”

“But I disagree, as apart from Gerrard and Torres, Alonso was arguably Liverpool's only other world class performer before he quit for Real Madrid.”

“Now he has gone, Liverpool's squad looks weaker and more reliant than ever on Torres and Gerrard.”

In the past Liverpool always used to buy from a position of strength, but they have not done so this summer.”

“They still have Alberto Aquilani to come back from injury in the next few weeks following his £20million move from Roma.”

“But Liverpool badly need to buy some more players to do the business for them away from home.”

“We know Anfield is a fortress but they need another striker to supplement Torres and take the burden off the forward.”

Cascarino: Torres Is Better Than Samuel Eto’o In His Pime

The former Chelsea and Aston Villa striker Tony Cascarino believes Liverpool forward Fernando Torres is a better player now than when Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o was in his prime at Barcelona.

The Spaniard leads the Premier League scoring charts with eight goals, five in his last two against West Ham and Hull City, and Cascarino suggests he is almost untouchable.

Cascarino told footballpools.com: “The performances of Liverpool in the last few weeks only go to prove that main men Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are all-important to the Reds chances of glory this season.”

“Torres’ form has been scary in the last few weeks.”

“The Spaniard is not just one of the best strikers in the Premier League, he is one of the best in the world.”

“He has exceptionally quick feet and can transfer the ball from one foot to the other with great effect.”

“Torres is totally confident at the moment and is at the same level as Thierry Henry when he was in his peak at Arsenal and Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.”

“The Spanish striker is so good he is almost unsellable for Rafa Benitez unless of course there was to be an absolutely outrageous bid.”

“There are few strikers who have a bit of everything like Torres has.”

“He has guile, excellent technical ability, is strong in the air and is quick.”

“He reminds me of Samuel Eto’o was in his prime but the Spaniard is even more skilful.”

“Torres’ aerial ability also makes him stand out from the Cameroonian.”

Liverpool Coach Rafa Benitez Not Worried About Leaking Goals

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez insists that he's unconcerned about his side's leaky defence this season, pointing out that the Reds are in sterling form at the other end of the pitch.

Striker Fernando Torres, who leads the Premier League scoring charts with eight goals, is the primary reason for Liverpool's best offensive start to a campaign in over a century.

"Our form has a lot to do with Torres, obviously," said Benitez. "In the last three games he has been outstanding.

"Torres can still improve, because he likes to learn. He is on fire at the moment and is a key player for us, but the Champions League is more difficult and he is aware of that.

"His confidence has grown as the team has started to do well. We are creating more chances and there are plenty of options for him."

Benitez added: "When you are winning matches, opponents have to attack more and leave space, and that is what Fernando is exploiting.

"He can use his pace and ability. He is playing more games; he has acquired match fitness and is making life very difficult for defenders."
The backline, however, has been less reliable, and Benitez has had to defend Jamie Carragher, who has been criticised for his poor form.

Nevertheless, the club come into their Champions League match with Fiorentina on Tuesday on a six-game winning streak, in which they've racked up 18 goals.

"We are scoring more goals and not really worried that we have conceded a few more," said the ex-Valencia boss.

"Our aim is to score goals and win matches; keeping clean sheets is a bonus.

"This has been a very good goal-scoring start to the season, I'm told the best for over 100 years at this club.

"But even if you score goals and also concede, then someone will see the negative of that.

"But we always look to the positives; we are scoring a lot of goals and we aim to continue to do the same.

"We can improve in defence, of course, and I would like a lot of goals and none conceded, but that is hard to do if you do try to attack," Benitez continued.

"We will try to find the balance but I find it is easier to improve defences because you can work in training on basics, repeating the same things.

"With strikers it depends more on the quality of the player; that is more difficult."

Benitez is optimistic about Liverpool's chances in the Champions League, and claims that a win against Fiorentina after defeating Hungarian title-holders Debrecen on the tournament's opening day will put the club in a good position to make it through to the round of 16.

"To start a Champions League group winning matches is very important. We have won our first game, now we am to win the second.

"That will be fantastic; we will be in a very strong position," he added.

"We have not faced Fiorentina before in Europe and this will be a big occasion. Hopefully we can score some more goals and that will almost certainly put us into the group stages.

"But Fiorentina play good football and will be dangerous. They are fourth in Serie A and have excellent players."

Liverpool Boss Rafael Benitez Blasts Back At Jermaine Pennant

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has responded to the criticism levelled at him and his players by Real Zaragoza winger Jermaine Pennant by leaping to the defence of Dirk Kuyt.

Pennant claimed that Benitez's coaching and tactics were "robotic" last week, and also asserted that when he was a Liverpool player himself he had found the continued selection of certain players ahead of him mystifying.

The latter remark was perceived to be a swipe at Kuyt, who has been a consistent selection in Pennant's position of right wing for the last couple of seasons at Anfield.

"I saw what he [Pennant] had to say, but I don't intend saying too much about him," said Benitez.

"Kuyt's record is there for everyone to see and he doesn't need me to defend him. You only need to look at the impact he has made to see he is picked on merit and has become an extremely important member of our squad.

"He speaks out on the pitch and doesn't have to say a single word to justify his place. He is a striker who is as effective on the wing or as second striker, and, as you can see from his record, he scores goals as well as working hard.

"He is the sort of player who would be good for any manager. We signed him then extended his contract because we knew he was an excellent player and outstanding professional. I could put him in central defence and he would be as good as anyone."

Liverpool Boss Rafael Benitez Hopeful Over Javier Mascherano Fitness

Javier Mascherano will be sidelined for Liverpool's Champions League trip to Fiorentina on Tuesday evening due to a hamstring problem, but Rafael Benitez has allayed fears that it will be a lengthy lay-off by implying that the player will be fit for the upcoming clash with Chelsea.

"He was shooting in training and felt something in his hamstring," Benitez explained to journalists at a pre-match press conference. "He went to see the doctor and we found he had a small problem in his hamstring."

When probed as to how long Mascherano will be unavailable, Benitez estimated: "It could be two or three days, but we are not sure."

The one-game absence does not worry the Spanish gaffer. "It is not a problem because I think we can manage with Stevie [Gerrard] or another player. To lose a player like Javier is not good. But we will find solutions, whether it is with Gerrard or someone else," he said.

Meanwhile, Benitez reacted to the kind words bestowed upon him by Fiorentina manager Cesare Prandelli. The Viola boss, who has been with the Artemio Franchi outfit since 2005, described Benitez - a Champions League winner with Liverpool - as a "role model".

Benitez was graceful in his reaction: "First of all, I'd like to say thank you to Mr. Prandelli.

"He has done a very good job. I was watching some games and they have been doing very well. They are well organised and know what to do; how to attack and defend.

"They are in a good position now, but I think they can do better. To be in the Champions League is a big success for them and hopefully it will be the same this year."

Fiorentina qualified for the Champions League by finishing fourth in Serie A last season - a position they maintain this season, too, having won four and drawn one from six games. They are two points shy of surprise leaders Sampdoria.

George Gillett Explores Billionaire’s Interest In Liverpool Investment

An Indian billionaire is the latest wealthy individual to express an interest in investing in Liverpool.

Representatives of the unidentified man, who made his fortune in the energy industry, held talks with George Gillett Jr., the Liverpool co-owner, at a dinner meeting held at the Cipriani restaurant in Mayfair, Central London, on Sunday.

Gillett is following up the initial findings of Rothschild, the investment bank that he set the task of finding potential stakeholders in Liverpool. The American bought the club with Tom Hicks, his co-owner and compatriot, in February 2007.

Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, dismissed fears that speculation about the club and their ownership could be a distraction to his team as they look to build on a run of six successive victories. “I spoke to George after the game against Hull on Saturday and all we talked about was football,” he said.

Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud, a member of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family who claimed he is ready to offer up to £350 million for a 50 per cent stake in Liverpool at the weekend, has confirmed that a deal has been done with the Merseyside club that will lead to the opening of two academies, one in Saudi Arabia and the other in North Africa.

The agreement signed by Gillett and Prince Faisal on behalf of the F6 group he chairs will also extend the interests of the American’s Nascar franchise. “The memorandum of understanding with the George Gillett group will establish an exclusive partnership between F6 group, Liverpool FC and Richard Petty Motorsports team,” an F6 statement read. “His Highness Prince Faisal stated that the partnership with George Gillett’s group will be a good addition to F6. This partnership will provide a lot of investments in football, racing and sports media in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.”

Barry Didato, a director of F6, claimed last night that Prince Faisal is carrying out due diligence with a view to buying all or part of Gillett’s shares.

Gillett is in Italy for Liverpool’s match against Fiorentina and has refused to speak on the record about his plans for the Anfield club or the possibility of incoming investment.

Match Preview: Fiorentina vs Liverpol

Liverpool will be without midfielders Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun for Tuesday's Champions League Group E clash with Fiorentina.

Mascherano is sick and Benayoun picked up a leg injury against Hull in the 6-1 thrashing of Hull on Saturday.

Mascherano's absence means winger Albert Riera is likely to start.

The hosts are without suspended top-scorer Alberto Gilardino, meaning Stevan Jovetic and Adrian Mutu could start up front together.

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli admitted Liverpool's free-scoring form, with 18 goals in their last six matches, has him worried.

Striker Fernando Torres in particular is in rampant form, having scored a hat-trick in Saturday's 6-1 victory over Hull, and Prandelli is well aware his side face a tough task in trying to stop the Spaniard.

"We're not going to start already beaten, but all those goals are starting to make me a little anxious," said Prandelli, who played in the Juventus side that beat Liverpool in the 1985 European Cup final.

"How do you stop Torres? You must concentrate all the time, and be very lucky because he is so good.

"We have watched the last three Liverpool games on DVD and we know what a difficult task we face."

The Italian side took only two points from a possible nine at home in last season's group stage, and the team will hope to do better against a Liverpool side unbeaten on their travels in last season's competition, with three wins and three draws.

To that end, the absence of Gilardino, who begins a two-match ban for elbowing Jeremy Toulalan in Fiorentina's defeat by Lyon two weeks ago, is a significant blow.

Five-time European Cup winners Liverpool are level on points with Lyon in Group E, having opened with a 1-0 win over Hungarian champions Debrecen.

And Rafael Benitez's side posted a 1-0 victory at Inter Milan on their last visit to Italy in 2008.

"It was a great night in the San Siro. I enjoyed every minute of it and hopefully we can do the same against Fiorentina," said forward Dirk Kuyt, who scored the only goal against Debrecen.

"It will be great if we can win in Florence and get six points from the first two games. It would give us more confidence ahead of the other group games."

Match Facts & Stats:

The Reds last six matches:

Liverpool 6-1 Hull
Leeds 0-1 Liverpool
West Ham 2-3 Liverpool
Liverpool 1-0 Debrecen
Liverpool 4-0 Burnley
Bolton 2-3 Liverpool

Fiorentina's last six matches:

Livorno 0-1 Fiorentina
Fiorentina 2-0 Sampdoria
Roma 3-1Fiorentina
Lyon 1-0 Fiorentina
Fiorentina 1-0 Cagliari
Fiorentina 1-0 Palermo

Dirk Kuyt: Liverpool Will Use Italian Experience Against Fiorentina

Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt feels that the Reds' previous experience of beating Italian teams will stand them in good stead when they face Fiorentina in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Merseysiders beat Inter in the San Siro on their last visit to Italy in 2008, and Kuyt feels sure that they can manage a repeat in Florence in midweek.

"It was a great night in the San Siro. I enjoyed every minute of it and hopefully we can do the same against Fiorentina," the Dutchman told Liverpool's official website.

"All the teams in our group are good but Italian teams are normally very strong in defence and it can be difficult to go there. Having said that, it will be the same with the trips to Lyon and Debrecen.

"It will be great if we can win in Florence and get six points from the first two games. It would give us more confidence ahead of the other group games."

Kuyt became the Reds' third highest goalscorer in Europe with the winning goal at Anfield against Debrecen in their first group match, and the versatile front man is targeting many more.

"It's great to be important to the club and score important goals in Europe," he added. "Hopefully there will be more in the future and I can go higher in the list.

"It's not the most important thing for me though, doing well for Liverpool is what matters most of all."

Liverpool’s Lucas Leiva Silencing The Critics

A month ago Liverpool were a club in crisis: outplayed at Spurs and out-muscled at home to Villa, last year’s Premier League runners-up slumped to two early defeats.

For a club that suffered only two losses in 38 games last campaign it was a stuttering start which saw many critics write off any possibility of Liverpool winning an elusive 19th League title.

A young 22-year-old in the heart of the Reds midfield bore the brunt of the blame. Lucas Leiva was the easy victim. He’d been given the daunting task of replacing the fulcrum of the Liverpool side: Xabi Alonso.

The problem at White Harte Lane was clear. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres were isolated from the rest of the team. Neither Mascherano nor Lucas could provide the link between defence and attack.

They aren’t renowned for their distribution or creativity. They are destroyers. The absent Xabi Alonso was sorely missed. Over a week later against Villa, Lucas wilted under the pressure, the bating breath of the Kop sent shivers done his spine, leaving him paralysed in midfield.

However the Brazilian has shown a wealth of improvement in the past few weeks.

The player deserves credit for the unerring mental toughness that he has shown. He has defied critics and has produced mature performances against Burnley, West Ham United and Hull City.

Why has he been targeted?

The loss of Xabi Alonso has of course had a huge impact on the team. He was the cog in the engine room and vital to the system Liverpool had used to such great effect.

Mascherano would sweep up any attacks playing the short, simple pass to Alonso. The Spaniard maestro would unleash memorising passes to thrust Liverpool’s attackers into action. That system was disrupted when Alonso was sold to Real Madrid.

Lucas was never going to be a suitable replacement for Alonso. He is the same breed of player as Mascherano. Therefore Liverpool were always going to miss that creative flair in midfield and inevitably as the new worker in the Anfield engine room, blame was assigned to the Brazilian.

The owners failed to provide reasonable funds for further investment in players. Rafa Benitez was forced to sell in order to generate revenue for new acquisitions. It is another example of broken promises from Gillett and Hicks.

Arguably Lucas suffers from the Brazilian stereotype. When you think of great Brazilian players names like Pele, Romario, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka all spring to mind.

A defensive, holding midfielder isn’t exactly a ‘Brazilian’ position. Ironically Brazil’s current manager Dunga was a great defensive-minded player in his day and was a hero for Lucas.

Benitez too must shoulder some of the blame for his side’s shortcomings. He purchased a midfielder who was crocked and wasn’t due to return before October. Alberto Aquilani has the talent to prove a hit on Merseyside but with his prolonged absence, the first few weeks were always going to be ropey for the Reds.

Benitez stuck with his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation despite the loss of Alonso. The losses to Spurs and Villa encouraged Benitez to tinker with that tactic. In recent weeks, Gerrard has dropped back to central midfield and the results of this switch have been evident.

Gerrard has revelled in the central midfield role. He has the license to room while Lucas provides that vital insurance defensively. The Brazilian sits in front of the back four breaking up any sparse attacks from the opposition.

Meanwhile Gerrard is able to expend his boundless energy making explosive runs from midfield. In addition he has the ability to spot the intelligent runs of team-mates and if required is able to defend too.

The tactical switch has sparked a revival in Liverpool’s form. Since the loss to Martin O’Neill’s men, Fernando Torres et al have scored 16 times, only conceding five.

Lucas was particularly impressive against Burnley, West Ham and Hull. He cut out the rash challenges, didn’t over complicate matters and released the ball early.

While he partnered Gerrard in midfield, there was no pressure on the 22-year-old to produce blockbuster passes or unlock resolute defences.

The talismanic Liverpool captain has been quick to defend the Brazilian. When questions were asked over the future of Lucas at the beginning of the summer, Gerrard was quick to jump to his defence.

“Lucas has had criticism and for me it’s been unfair,” said Gerrard, in an interview last May.

“He’s a young lad learning his trade and he’s certainly got a bright future. He does a lot of work that goes unnoticed in this team. He’s come into some big games when the manager has said ’sink or swim.’

“He swam, very well, and he’s done really well for us.”

It is a fair evaluation of Lucas’ contribution. Reflecting upon past seasons he has enjoyed success in some of Liverpool’s biggest games, even asked to deputise for the missing Alonso at the 4-1 Old Trafford success.

Gerrard has been quick to pipe up in defence of his midfield partner this season too, especially in the wake of the out-pouring of discontent from many Liverpool fans.

He had lavish praise for the “mental toughness” Lucas showed after the demoralising early season losses.

The Brazilian could take heart from Darren Fletcher. He is another midfielder player who suffered from a lot of criticism at the start of his career but has now firmly established himself as a regular fixture in the United side.

Rafa - Torres Is Priceless

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has described Fernando Torres as priceless following his demolition of Hull City at the weekend.

Torres terrorised the Hull defence during Liverpool's thumping 6-1 win at Anfield helping himself to a clinical hat-trick.

It brought Torres' tally to eight goals in seven Premier League games this season and it was fourth treble in his Reds career since his arrival from Atletico Madrid.

Benitez has revealed a couple of English clubs, believed to be Manchester City and Chelsea, sounded out Liverpool about the Spanish hit-man in the summer, but Benitez has warned any potential suitors they would be wasting their time in trying to prise Torres away from Anfield.

"How much is he worth?" said Benitez. "Well at least £70million, you would say.

"I'm not saying he's the best in the world because he is young and can get better, but of course he is one of the best, and he can still improve if he wants to.

"This year we had some agents acting for other English clubs who were coming to us asking about the price of Torres, with big, big figures, but we said that he's not for sale.

"I would say at this moment in time he is not for sale at any price."

Liverpool Preparing €49m Bid For Valencia Forward David Villa

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has urged the club's owners to make funds available in order to secure the transfer of David Villa from Spanish Primera Division side Valencia.

Villa was courted by both Barcelona and Real Madrid during the summer but while the Blaugrana eventually opted to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Inter Milan, Los Blancos signed Karim Benzema from Lyon.

The Spanish international was thought to be devastated at failing to secure a move away from the Mestalla but now it seems that a move to the Premier League could be an option.

Former Valencia coach Rafael Benitez has earmarked Villa as the type of player who can take Liverpool to the next level and has approached George Gillett and Tom Hicks to provide him with a suitable transfer budget to secure a deal for the striker.

The Sunday People suggests that a fee in the region of €49m would be enough to persuade Valencia to part with their prized asset, who scored 28 goals in La Liga last season.

If the move were to go through, then it would unite the strikeforce of the Spanish national team as Fernando Torres currently plays in the Premier League for the Reds.

Saudi Interest Comes As A Surprise To Liverpool

Neither George Gillett Jr. nor Tom Hicks, the co-owners of Liverpool, is expecting imminent investment in the club from Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud, a member of the Saudi Royal Family, despite reports to the contrary over the weekend.

Hicks and Gillett are in ongoing talks with a number of potential third-party investors as they seek first to reduce Liverpool’s £250 million debt and second to bring in the kind of sizeable cash injection needed to finance the club’s move from Anfield to a long-planned new stadium on nearby Stanley Park.

Prince Faisal, who visited the club’s academy in Kirkby on Saturday before attending Liverpool’s home match against Hull City, is the latest potential investor to express an interest in taking a stake in the club and his public admission to this effect has come as a surprise to Hicks in particular, but also to Gillett.

According to a report in Saudi Al-Riyadh, the newspaper, Prince Faisal, who chairs Fama Group, the Saudi holding company, and the F6 Sports Investment Firm, is willing to take a stake in Liverpool of up to 50 per cent for a fee in the region of £200-350 million.

The high-profile nature of his reported interest, which began on Friday night with a news item on television in Saudi Arabia, has taken the Liverpool hierarchy aback, particularly Gillett who invited Prince Faisal to Merseyside as his guest to open negotiations about proposed Nascar and Liverpool academy initiatives in the Middle East. Gillett is holding talks with a number of interested parties at present and, as yet, there is still to be an official approach from Prince Faisal or any other members of the Saudi Royal Family.

In the past two years, Hicks and Gillett have entertained a number of potential investors at Anfield, but a deal is yet to materialise and The Times understands that Gillett held talks with another interested party in London last night.

Gillett’s visit to Merseyside was not without controversy as members of the Spirit Of Shankly (SOS) fans group, which has long been opposed to his and Hicks’s regime, protested against the American ownership of Liverpool at the club’s Melwood training ground.

An attempt to stage a similar protest at Anfield during the Hull game was stifled when flags and banners criticising Hicks and Gillett were seized by Merseyside Police shortly after they were unfurled in the Kop stand.

Saudi Arabian Investment Company Reaches Agreement On Liverpool Academies

F6, the Saudi Arabian sports investment company, has confirmed that it has reached an agreement with Liverpool to establish a number of football academies in the region.

The deal was signed with George Gillett Jr., the Liverpool co-owner, and will seek to set up two exclusive academies in Saudi Arabia and two in North Africa while also extending the interests of the American’s NASCAR franchise, Richard Petty Motorsports.

“The memorandum of understanding will establish an exclusive partnership between F6 group, Liverpool FC and Richard Petty Motorsports team,” a statement released by the company read.

“His Highness Prince Faisal [the F6 chairman] stated that the partnership with George Gillett’s group will be a good addition to F6. This partnership will provide a lot of investments in football, racing and sports media in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.”

Prince Faisal confirmed that the deals were done following Liverpool’s 6-1 defeat of Hull City at Anfield on Saturday, a game he attended as a guest of the club. “We have signed several contracts with Liverpool after visiting the club and attending the match with Hull City in the Premier League,” he told Al Riyadh daily newspaper. “The contracts are basically sports investments, which also include establishing football academies that will definitely help the future of Saudi sports in the future.”

Prince Faisal has claimed that he is closing in on purchasing a 50 per cent share of Liverpool, for a price of between £200 and £350 million, but Gillett views the reports as premature and is holding talks with a number of interested parties.

No Liverpool Takeover Bid Imminent – Top Football Broker

Liverpool are unlikely to receive a takeover bid any time soon, according to leading football broker David Bick, who has handled a number of high-profile takeovers, including those of Aston Villa, Manchester City, Manchester United and Leeds United.

Bick told Goal.com UK exclusively that he does not expect Saudi Arabian Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah to make any concrete bid for control at Anfield, despite reports emanating from the Middle East over the weekend that the Prince was close to securing a £350 million deal for a 50 per cent stake in the club.

Only today there were reports that Saudi sports investment company F6 had confirmed that talks to buy a major share in the club are ongoing – but Bick is sceptical of any such reports.

"As far as I'm aware, all talk has been pretty much squashed by the majority of papers this morning," said Bick, "And judging by the way it has been reported, with figures of between £200 million and £350 million suggested, it just seems a bit vague to me.

"There is a huge difference between those two figures. If serious investment was imminent, I would expect a much more specific figure to be given."

Prince Faisal was sat alongside Liverpool co-owner George Gillett at Anfield on Saturday to see the Reds thrash Hull City 6-1, but Bick, a trusted adviser of American billionaire Randy Lerner, believes this is not necessarily evidence of any proposed takeover bid.

"My understanding is that the reason this gentleman was at the game on Saturday was to do with the setting up of Liverpool FC academies in the Middle East," said Bick. "As far as any suggestion of a takeover goes, I would be say there is very little chance of any such deal occuring in the near future."

Liverpool's long time suitors, Dubai International Capital (DIC), have also distanced themselves from the story, claiming to know nothing of any such deal.

Amanda Staveley of PCP Capital Partners – DIC's financial advisory firm during their failed takeover bid at Anfield last year – told Goal.com UK exclusively that she was completely in the dark over the story.

"I'm afraid I have no comment to make whatsoever, as I know nothing of this story," said Staveley, who led negotiations with Reds' co-owner Tom Hicks during DIC's attempt to buy into Liverpool in late 2007.

Liverpool fans unfurled a huge banner at Anfield on Saturday in protest against their American owners, continuing what has been a long run of vociferous opposition against the way the club is being run financially, an opposition that looks set to continue for the foreseeable near future.

Fernando Torres And Steven Gerrard Seek More Goals

Liverpool's dynamic duo of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are fast being accepted as the world's best goal-scoring double act.

Liverpool have recorded six successive victories in all competitions ahead of Tuesday's clash with Fiorentina in the Champions League.

Fiorentina moved into fourth spot in Serie A on Saturday with a 1-0 win at Livorno, while Liverpool thrashed Hull 6-1 with a hat-trick from Torres and one from Gerrard.

The pair arrived in Tuscany on Monday with their own mutual admiration in full flow, both claiming the other is "the best in the world."

And the statistics seem to bear them out.

Torres has scored 58 goals in 92 Liverpool games since his debut in August 2007, while Gerrard has 123 in 492.

But the true mark of their quality and chemistry comes from the 77 games the pair have played together, when they have plundered 86 goals between them - Gerrard with 39 and Torres 47.

Gerrard said: "I wouldn't swap Fernando for any other striker in the world, he's the best."

And Torres added: "If you play alongside someone like Stevie, who is the best in the world, it can only help you. He is a great passer and can score goals."

Fiorentina will also be aware the pair have a pretty impressive Champions League record.

In the 15 Champions League games they have played together, they have scored 15 goals.

Torres arrives in Tuscany as the Premier League's top scorer with eight in eight games, while Gerrard has three.

Manager Rafael Benitez had suggested earlier in the campaign that both players had been below their best, but he still claims Torres is "priceless" and Gerrard the best in Europe.

Their response has been emphatic. Since Benitez uttered those words calculated to arouse a response, Torres has hit five in two games, while Gerrard has been outstanding.

Benitez said: "The main thing is that these (two) are good players with quality and intelligence. Gerrard is very quick passing the ball and Torres is very quick to run into space.

"If you analyse the goals they have scored together over the past couple of seasons, you would be amazed.

"The understanding between the pair, with Torres up front and Gerrard in space behind him, has been the real difference for us.

"Playing Steven further forward means he can link well and be a real partner for Torres, he still has to help in midfield but he does not have to go back 40 metres, only 15 metres now, no more.

"But I believe they can both improve, both get better. They can always produce more."

Torres has taken that to heart and readily admits that Benitez has made him a better player.

He said: "From the first day I arrived here I have always been improving, and Rafa has helped in that.

"I am a better player now than when I was at Atletico Madrid. I hope to continue to keep improving with the manager and my team-mates who can all help me get better and better.

"Under Rafa I've started to play much more in the middle. I've scored a lot of goals from this position, rather than playing further out towards the wings.

"I like to play between the centre-backs and keep them busy and leave some space for the midfielders. That can make it easier for me to receive a pass when we attack.

"You have to play to your strengths. I don't know how to play in another position. Striker is the right position for me.

"Maybe I don't have the same qualities as Stevie to play between the lines. I guess it is the same for players like Emmanuel Adebayor or Didier Drogba.

"If they were to play on the wing or in between or behind the lines, they may not be the same players as when they play as a striker."

Hat-trick Hero Fernando Torres Happy To See Ryan Babel Score Double

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres scored a hat-trick against Hull City in the Reds' 6-1 victory this afternoon and said he was delighted to score for his side.

“The role of the striker is to score; I had scored three so I'm really happy,” Torres told Sky Sports.

Torres was also full of praise for his team-mate Ryan Babel. The Dutch forward came off the bench to score twice in the victory.

“Ryan Babel came in my position and scored two so I'm really happy for my team-mates as well because they deserve to play,” said the Spaniard. “Not all of us can play 90 minutes so it is adapting work, and that is the main thing.”

Torres appears to be approaching his peak form, and the Spanish striker admitted he has been fatigued after a long campaign last year. Torres represented Spain in the Confederations Cup during the summer while some of his Liverpool team-mates were on holiday.

“I'm getting better because it was a long season for me, the last one, and I'm training, trying to reach 100 per cent and we are working for that,” said Torres.

Liverpool's No.9 emphasized that the Reds haven't yet reached their peak, despite sitting third in the Premier League.

“I'm scoring goals now but the main thing is we are improving physically and as a team as well so I think we will be near our best soon,” he concluded.