Johnson - Reds Face Disaster

Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has admitted an early exit from the UEFA Champions League would be a 'disaster' for the Anfield outfit.

Rafa Benitez's side are floundering in the Premier League title race after suffering their fifth defeat of the season away to Fulham on Saturday, a match which full-back Johnson missed through injury.

And their European ambitions are also hanging in the balance after back-to-back defeats at the hands of Fiorentina and Lyon ahead of Wednesday's crucial return fixture away to the French side.

England international Johnson knows the implications of the Merseyside giants failing to progress to the knockout stages and does not want to even consider the prospect of slipping into the Europa League.

"It would be a disaster for this club not qualifying for the knockout stages - but it's not something we are thinking about," he told the Daily Star Sunday.

"We have still got to believe we can do it. We don't even want to start thinking about the Europa League.

"It will be no consolation at all. It's not the aim and it's not the plan because we want to be in the Champions. It is one of the main reasons why players want to play for a big side.

"The Champions League is the best club competition there is. I played in it a few times with Chelsea and playing in it again was something that I was looking forward to doing.

"And I would love to go on and win it with Liverpool. But really I don't want to look too far ahead because we have made things very difficult for ourselves in the last two games.

"On paper we should be winning this group. The Champions League is just as important to us as the Premier League.

"They are both massive competitions and we like to do well in them both. The further that we get in the Champions League and the closer we get to the title, the happier the club will be.

"But playing in Europe, as we have shown over the last few years, suits our style."

Former Chelsea and Portsmouth defender Johnson admits Benitez's men need to take maximum points from their remaining fixtures against Lyon, Fiorentina and Debrecen to be sure of progressing.

Lyon currently head Group E with a six-point cushion over the Reds with Fiorentina, who face point-less Hungarian side Debrecen in midweek, enjoying a three-point advantage.

Johnson added: "We are three points behind Fiorentina, so we may need to win all three remaining games. Lyon have got to play Fiorentina as well, so somebody will drop points.

"We would be happy with three wins but Lyon are a fantastic team who score a lot of goals at home.

"Any away game in the Champions League is hard. We must stick together and fight for each other. Hopefully we can keep a clean sheet and come back with three points."

John Arne Riise Eyes Liverpool Return

John Arne Riise has sent a 'come and get me back' plea to Rafa Benitez.

The Roma left-back, sold for £5million in 2008, is hoping to convince Benitez to push for a swap deal involving his replacement Andrea Dossena.

Benitez would need persuading to make such a move, especially with Emiliano Insua, 20 fast emerging on the left side of the Reds' defence.

Liverpool also have Fabio Aurelio fit again.

Riise endured a poor final season at Anfield, culminating in a fateful own goal in the 2008 Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea.

But a move for the Norwegian, who spent seven years at Anfield before his move to Italy, would at least enable Benitez to offload Italian Dossena, who's been a disaster since his £7m move from Udinese.

And with the Spanish coach having limited funds, he may welcome an additional body in his squad, particulary as Riise can also operate in midfield.

Dossena has made it clear he wants a return to Serie A to improve his World Cup chances.

He's been included in recent Italian squads, but is well down in the Anfield pecking order with his starting appearances so far limited to the Carling Cup.

Rafa Benitez: Liverpool Don't Have To Win Trophies To Be A Success

Rafa Benitez has claimed success at Liverpool should not be measured in trophies.

The Merseysiders pride themselves as being the most successful club in England, with 18 titles and five European Cups.

But Benitez, who takes Liverpool into a week that could decide their Champions League fate after Saturday's shock 3-1 defeat at Fulham, said: “I don’t agree when people say that you have to win trophies.

“I always say you have to be there, you have to be close, you have to create a group of players who can fight for trophies.

“We got 86 points last season, yet some people were saying that it wasn’t good because we finished second.

“I think reducing the gap between the top team and Liverpool to four points was a massive achievement.

“Trophies mean a lot to everyone. But the most important thing is to see progression and evidence that you are improving and able to fight for trophies.

“It’s not just about one year. It is about what we can achieve in the future.

“People say that I have now been here five years. I say, look at the differences here now.

“Look at the value of the club before compared to the value of the club now.

“Look at the value of the squad before compared to the value of the squad now. You can see the progression.”

Benitez’s words will come as a surprise to followers of a club with an insatiable appetite for silverware.

As legendary Anfield boss Bob Paisley once famously said: “First is first and second is nowhere.”

Spaniard Benitez won the Champions League in his first season at Anfield, but the Reds have not lifted a trophy since the FA Cup in 2006.

He was given assurances about his future last week by managing director Christian Purslow.

Hours later Liverpool resurrected their Premier League challenge by beating Manchester United 2-0.

But they travel to Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday night with their hopes of progression hanging by a thread following the French club’s 2-1 win at Anfield and a defeat at Fiorentina.

Benitez believes he will still have the backing of Purslow and the club’s two American owners, even if Liverpool suffer an early exit from Europe’s premier competition.

But he is aware that such a scenario would have serious consequences when it comes to his New Year transfer budget.

Benitez said: “Christian Purslow made it very clear that when I signed a new contract for five years it was so that I would be at this club for a very long time.

“Now I can control the Academy, I can control the young players we produce and build something very good for the future.

“We have analysed the squad together, looking at plans for January and also next season.

“My belief is that we will qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, but of course, you have to have plans based on whether you have more money or less money available.

“The more money you have, the easier it is.

“If you have less money then you have to manage in a different way and find other solutions to improve.”

Liverpool Want £6million For Babel

Ryan Babel will jet back home to Ajax in January if Liverpool get £6million for the striker.

Boss Rafa Benitez has stood by the Dutch flop, 22, and offered him a fresh chance this season.

But his patience has run out and Benitez will listen to offers.

Babel started the campaign in the first team but failed to respond to the manager's votes of confidence. The winger is worried about his World Cup place and hoped for a loan move last summer, which Benitez blocked.

He needs funds before sealing a new £90,000-a-week deal for keeper Pepe Reina.

Securing Reina, 27, has become a top priority amid interest from his ex-club Barcelona.

He is viewed by many as the best keeper in the world and is happy at Anfield.

Even though he's been in a dark mood at times this season during a fluctuating campaign, he's committed to Anfield.

Reina was prepared to sign a new deal last summer alongside a string of other top stars, but it was put on hold until the Merseysiders could raise more cash.

Fernando Torres Torments Liverpool Manager Rafael Benítez

The fans half feared it, the pundits shook their heads and even the club had doubts, but when it comes to juggling the demands of the Barclays Premier League and European competition, while Fulham are coping magnificently, Rafael Benítez’s team are not.

The fragility of Liverpool’s season was never starker. Benítez is having to calculate how many minutes he can squeeze from his top players without exacerbating their various injuries. It is no way to run a team who were, at the end of last season, among the favourites to win the title and to reach the final stages of the Champions League.

The maths for Benítez are becoming more intricate by the hour. It is clear to the least medically minded that Fernando Torres needs a rest; a proper legs up, TV on, cuppa at the ready rest. But, because he is not as hampered by injury as some of his team-mates, the striker has to feature.

Benítez has always been noted for his scientific method, but the amount of complex mathematics he has to contend with is bordering on the ridiculous.

The 80 minutes that Torres played against Manchester United at Anfield resulted in the Spain forward needing four days of rest. So, children, heads down, turn your exam papers over and calculate how many minutes he should have been allowed against Fulham if he is to be fit for the match against Lyons on Wednesday.

Benítez and his staff decided the answer is 63, but only on Wednesday will we find out if that was the correct calculation.

Of course, there would be little in the way of furrowed brows and calculators if Benítez could rustle up a bench brimming with precocious talent and impressive experience. But he cannot. Perhaps the most telling element to this defeat was that Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, had to contend with two injured players — Diomansy Kamara and Damien Duff — at half-time but their replacements were, if anything, more influential.

Fulham can travel to Rome for their Europa League match on Thursday buoyed by a dream victory. So how does Hodgson get the balance right between domestic and European demands?

“You don’t, it would be naive to believe you can get it right,” he said. “The fact is, both competitions are such enormously difficult competitions to win. The moment you dilute your chances of winning one competition by trying to win the other one, it makes life much more difficult. You get injuries because players don’t get the time to recover.”

“Tell me about it,” Benítez might have muttered, having seen Torres warm down after the game, looking extremely uncomfortable as he did so. Surely there must be a temptation to give him a long rest rather than juggle spurts of recuperation with playing time? But Benítez is aware that to have kept a partially fit Torres on the bench would have left him open to even more criticism.

The carefully computed moment for the departure of Torres came with the game poised at 1-1 and though Torres was clearly not functioning at full pelt, he was Liverpool’s most potent threat and his withdrawal must have affected the morale of those left on the pitch.

Fulham took the lead against the run of play, shortly after Yossi Benayoun had hit the crossbar. Bobby Zamora darted, as if invisible, between Emiliano Insúa and Sotirios Kyrgiakos to connect with Duff’s cross.

For all Liverpool’s possession — 74 per cent — they created few real threats and their equaliser came as a consequence of a ricochet that fell at the feet of Torres, who reacted with almost frighteningly quick reflexes to fire past Mark Schwarzer.

Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher were dismissed within three minutes of each other in the second half, but Fulham had already regained the lead. Dirk Kuyt, with his customary zeal, elected to keep the ball in play acrobatically, but inadvertently set up a Fulham attack that was finished by the neat clip of Erik Nevland’s heel. “There was a bit of a mix-up out wide and once you go down to nine men it is virtually impossible,” Carragher said.

Fulham proceeded to have fun against depleted opponents and sealed victory when Clint Dempsey almost lazily ran to meet Nevland’s through-ball.

Benítez disputed both red-card decisions. Degen can make a strong case that he should have been merely cautioned for his foul on Dempsey and Carragher claimed he reached the ball as he tangled with Zamora. But although luck is not on the Liverpool manager’s side, some of the club’s fans trudged away wondering why Benayoun had been left to shuttle away thanklessly on the flank when he would have thrived operating directly behind Torres.

Even so, in spite of the bedraggled mess Liverpool appeared at the final whistle, few of those fans would bet against the team rising to the seemingly impossible challenge of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League once again.

Benitez Defends Torres Withdrawal

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has defended substituting striker Fernando Torres in their 3-1 defeat by Fulham.

Torres has been nursing a groin injury and was taken off with the scores at 1-1 ahead of the crucial Champions League game at Lyon on Wednesday.

"It is a big risk if you keep a player playing if he has this problem so we wanted to protect Torres as we knew it could be worse for him," said Benitez.

"If you lose the player for 20 minutes it is better than for one month."

Torres played 80 minutes in the win over Manchester United last Sunday and was rested for the midweek defeat at Arsenal for a lack of fitness before returning to the starting line-up against Fulham.

He equalised for Liverpool but was taken off after 62 minutes at Craven Cottage.

"We knew that we had to change him," added the Spaniard, who also took off Yossi Benayoun late on. "In the last game he played 80 minutes and needed four days to recover.

"He was always training with pain. We knew that we had to change him but it was a question of when and we did it at the moment we did. I think that it was best for him."

However, Fulham forward Bobby Zamora cited Torres's exit as a possibly pivotal moment in the game for his side.

"He's one of the best strikers in the world and to see him go off the pitch is a massive boost for us and maybe even gave us another gear," he said.

The Reds had right-back Philipp Degen and centre-back Jamie Carragher sent-off within three minutes after going 2-1 down and Benitez insisted both were wrongly dismissed by referee Lee Mason.

Degen was sent off for a late lunge on Clint Dempsey, while Carragher got his marching orders for a professional foul on Zamora.

"I think the two sending offs were very harsh," said Benitez. "The first one could be a yellow card and for the second one Carragher definitely kicked the ball.

"Zamora was also saying he kicked the ball and we have to analyse this because it is a situation that saw us playing with nine players."

Benitez was also left bemused by the way his team let the game slip away from the after dominating the first half.

"We were in control at 1-1 and I was really surprised we made these mistakes," he added.

The Reds boss was especially frustrated by Fulham's second goal when Dirk Kuyt kept the ball in only for the home side to earn possession and score.

"The second goal was a massive mistake and then shortly afterwards was the first red card.

"Today the main thing for me is 'how can you lose control of a game you are controlling everything of in the first half? That is something we have to analyse.

"Everyone involved has to take responsibility.

"We have to now prepare for the next game and try to lift the players to give them confidence.

"We have an important game in the Champions League and then we will have to continue in the Premier League."

Rafael Benítez Under Fire As Liverpool Slump Again

Rafael Benítez is facing renewed speculation over his future at Liverpool after his nine-man side collapsed to a humiliating sixth defeat in seven games. The 3-1 loss at Fulham, during which defenders Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher were both sent off, was their fifth league defeat of the season. However Benítez last night dismissed suggestions that his job is in doubt and pledged to appeal against both red card decisions.

Liverpool had dominated a first half in which Bobby Zamora had put Fulham ahead and Fernando Torres equalised, but when Erik Nevland put Fulham in front for the second time and Torres was taken off, the London club eased to victory – Clint Dempsey scoring a late third for the home side.

Benítez said: "It's hard to take the defeat. The first half was one-sided: we just made one mistake and conceded a goal. The second half they were more offensive and we made a massive mistake when we conceded the second goal. We worked hard with nine players, but it was very difficult. The red cards were two incidents in a few minutes when we were losing and they were difficult to take. The first one was a yellow card. The second one you can clearly see Carragher was kicking the ball."

Benítez dismissed questions over his future at Anfield, saying people needed to be "realistic" about the run of results, and shrugging off boos from Liverpool fans after he substituted Yossi Benayoun. "We still have confidence: we just need to take our chances and not make mistakes like we did today," he said. "You have to stay calm and keep working hard and find solutions. We also have to be realistic, and focus on three points from the next game against Birmingham."

Liverpool now face going into the crucial Champions League match against Lyon on Wednesday without Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. Benítez said he would "have to see how Gerrard progresses" with his troublesome groin injury, while Torres is still not fully fit and was taken off after 60 minutes at Craven Cottage.

Benítez said: "We decided to play Torres against Manchester United last Sunday and it was a difficult decision because he was not 100% fit. He needed four days to be ready and is still not 100% fit. We decided to put him on the pitch today, but we had to protect him and that's why we took him out. I don't want to lose an important player for one month."

Carragher insisted the referee, Lee Mason, was wrong to send him off. "I felt it was harsh," the defender said. "I got a toe on the ball and I don't know if the referee was in the best position to see that. And when Bobby Zamora said I got the ball that says it all really." Asked if Liverpool's crisis was hurting, he replied: "Yeah, it's hurting a lot."

Hodgson Refuses To Write Off Reds

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has warned the Premier League's top teams not to write off Liverpool in the title race.

The Reds are nine points behind league leaders Chelsea after losing 3-1 at Craven Cottage on Saturday but Hodgson still believes they are challengers.

"If I was Manchester United or Arsenal or Chelsea I don't think I would be writing them off," Hodgson told 5 Live's Sportsweek programme.

"They could go on a good run, winning seven, eight, nine games in a row."

Liverpool's loss to Fulham was there sixth defeat in seven matches in all competitions, leaving them fifth in the league table.

However, Hodgson has seen enough from the Merseyside club to convince him they are capable of turning their season around.

"You never know. They are a very good team, very well organised," said the 62-year-old.

"They have some very good players and are unlucky at the moment that their talisman Steven Gerrard isn't playing and Torres isn't 100% fit and has to be nursed through the games."

With only a quarter of the season gone, Hodgson also suggested it was too early to be rubbishing the credentials of any side and suggested there have been precedents of clubs overhauling pints deficits to claim the title.

"I remember not so long ago Manchester United were lingering in the middle of the table almost halfway through the season and went on to win it," he added.

After extending their unbeaten league run to four matches with Saturday's victory, Fulham lie 11th in the table on 14 points.

However, Hodgson remains realistic about his side's chances of repeating last season's 7th-place finish, which saw them qualify for the Europa League.

"To be one of the best seven teams in the league is going to be very difficult for us on an annual basis," he explained. "The club is not necessarily geared for that.

"More and more money is being spent and the top four is rapidly becoming the top seven in terms of financial power.

"It would be nice if we could treat our fans to a season when they are not biting their nails into the last two or three games and be a good enough team to occasionally spring surprises like we did yesterday."

Second-half goals from Erik Nevland and Clint Dempsey sealed victory for Fulham on Saturday, after Fernando Torres had levelled following Bobby Zamora's 24th minute opener.

Liverpool also had Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher sent off just prior to the third Fulham goal.

Match Report: Fulham 3 - 1 LiverpooL

Rafael Benitez grimaced on the touchline as nine-man Liverpool were given a mauling in a humiliating defeat at Craven Cottage.

Liverpool defenders Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher were sent off for reckless fouls and by the end the Fulham crowd were chanting "Easy, easy" as Liverpool resembled a shambles.

Goals from Bobby Zamora, Erik Nevland and Clint Dempsey gave Roy Hodgson's side a deserved victory with Fernando Torres grabbing the one consolation for Liverpool.

But this was a match which only demonstrated that Torres cannot do it all by himself.

He cannot keep producing the only quality in a Liverpool team which, without the injured Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson, looks bereft of ideas and creativity.

We had wondered what the significance was of that stirring victory over Manchester United last weekend.

Well, now it looks a one-off. A lone bright spot in a season which could get even darker next Wednesday when Liverpool travel to Lyon for a match which could see them effectively knocked out of the Champions league in the group stages.

After this result they might just be out of the Premier League race, too.

The pressure is building on Benitez. And with the Reds faithful once more booing his substitution of Yossi Benayoun the steam is hissing all around him.

Bizarrely, it was a match in which Liverpool enjoyed the majority of the possession.

A match in which they pressed forward with lots of effort, often against a wall of white shirts. But a match in which for vast swathes they struggled to supply the quality to go with their industry.

They must have wondered, however, quite how they found themselves behind after 24 minutes.

Fulham had not had a single shot on Jose Reina's goal. Let's be honest, they had barely crossed the half-way line.

But shortly after Benayoun had produced an acrobatic volley which fairly rattled the Fulham crossbar the home side broke away.

The ball came to Damien Duff on the left and that trusty left foot curled in a raking cross which bisected the Liverpool defence and allowed Zamora to tap home from close range.

A bit of a downer that, especially as Liverpool wags have been known to direct the following ditty in Zamora's direction, to the tune of 'Amore:' "When the ball hits your head and you're sat in Row Z, that's Zamora."

Well, now they know different. Zamora is lethal from six yards.

Benitez, however, must have been scratching his head, such was Liverpool's dominance.

The problem was that while Liverpool continued to press forward they struggled to produce the high tempo and urgency they had demonstrated against Manchester United last Sunday.

And when the equaliser came they could hardly put it down to rhythm and style. Instead it was fashioned out of nothing, but by the predator supreme.

There appeared to be little danger for the Fulham defence when the ball came to Andriy Voronin. His header was weak and misdirected but it cannoned off a Fulham defender and arced into the hitting zone of Torres.

He needed no more invitation. The Spaniard simply swivelled and swung his right boot and a fabulous volley from the edge of the box fairly scorched past Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

It was Torres' 10th league goal of the season and only demonstrated once more his value to Liverpool.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson made a double substitution at half-time, bringing on Zoltan Gera for Diomansy Kamara and Nevland for Duff.

It was an attempt to push Liverpool back and stem the pounding and it had some success. In fact, Fulham might have re-taken the lead on the hour mark when Zamora fired over a cross and Gera swivelled and shot but unfortunately straight at goalkeeper Reina.

The Cottagers did take the lead, however, after 74 minutes and once more it was against the run of play.

This time Paul Konchesky surged down the left hand side and Reina could only parry his cross. The ball was headed back across goal by Gera and there was Nevland to slide the ball into the net.

It got worse for Liverpool four minutes later when Swiss defender Degen was sent off for a reckless lunge on Dempsey.

Incredibly three minutes later Liverpool were down to nine men when Carragher brought down Zamora and also received a red card.

And to wrap up an afternoon to forget for Benitez, Dempsey rolled in the third for Fulham as Liverpool disintegrated.

Blame For Benitez

Charlie Nicholas pointed the finger at Rafael Benitez as Liverpool's momentum came to a crashing halt at Fulham.

The Reds arrived at Craven Cottage buoyant after an impressive victory over Manchester United last weekend, but were bought crashing down to earth as goals from Bobby Zamora, Erik Nevland and Clint Dempsey sealed a 3-1 win for the home side.

Liverpool were also reduced to nine men following red cards for Philipp Degen and Jamie Carragher, but Nicholas says the Liverpool manager must shoulder the blame following some strange tactical decisions.

He said the removal of Liverpool's goalscorer Fernando Torres on the hour mark when the scores were level was the turning point in the match.

"Stunning," said Nicholas after the match.

"After 60 minutes he took Torres off, the only guy who looked like scoring, the only guy who was interested.

"He took a couple of kicks on the ankle and he was rubbing his knee a couple of times, but what it told me after 60 minutes at 1-1 is that he was already thinking about Lyon."

That game with Lyon is a crucial Champions League encounter in France on Wednesday night, but Nicholas feels Benitez sacrificed Liverpool's chances at Fulham because he was too preoccupied with that game.

Nicholas argued that Benitez has decided to prioritise the Champions League over the Premier League - and that is not good enough for a club like Liverpool.

"Momentum is everything in football," Nicholas continued.

"Rafa, year after year, is taking that momentum away. You get a fantastic and thoroughly deserved win against Manchester United and you think this team, even without Stevie Gerrard, can get a little bit of momentum.

"He's taken it all away from them today, he's taken all of the goodness that you've seen last weekend and he's taken it all back out.

"Even as a neutral we want Liverpool to be in the frame because we need a big Liverpool in there.

"He's going to have to question himself about going to Lyon and trying to find a victory. If he doesn't get that victory, where does it leave him?

"He could be out of the Champions League and he's more or less got one foot out of the door for the Premier League.

"You're sitting there thinking 'this is Liverpool Football Club', you should be going into every game to win the football match.

"It's as if there's an acceptance today that says they're now going to concentrate on the Champions League.

"Not good enough."

Nicholas also had praise for Fulham for their victory and for their under-fire striker Zamora, who troubled the Liverpool defence all afternoon.

"His energy was fantastic," he added.

"He ran into every corner he could, he stretched Carragher as often as he could because he knew Carragher was their best defender. If he could take him out of that central area there would be opportunities.

"He was their outstanding player, he gave every ounce he could and he was a threat all day."

Benitez Vows To Appeal Red Cards

Rafael Benitez will appeal against both red cards after nine-man Liverpool slumped to a humiliating 3-1 defeat at Craven Cottage.

Swiss defender Philipp Degen and captain Jamie Carragher were sent off for second-half fouls as Liverpool's Premier League hopes disintegrated, falling to their fifth league loss of the season.

But Benitez believed referee Lee Mason got both decisions wrong, saying Degen's foul on Clint Dempsey was no more than a yellow card while he maintained Carragher played the ball when he was adjudged to have brought down Bobby Zamora.

Benitez said: "They were two incidents in a few minutes when we were losing and they were difficult to take.

Gerrard Could Miss Key European Tie

Rafael Benitez is facing the very real prospect of trying to save Liverpool's European dream without Steven Gerrard.

The Liverpool boss is without his skipper at Fulham in the Premier League, and is seemingly clutching at straws that Gerrard will be available for Wednesday's Champions League trip to Lyon.

Liverpool have lost back-to-back Group E matches to Fiorentina and the French club, and a victory in the Stade Gerland is now the only result that will realistically keep the Reds in with a chance of reaching the last 16.

With Fiorentina at home to Hungarian club Debrecen on Wednesday, having already won in Budapest convincingly against the group's bottom club, Liverpool know they are up against it if they want to snatch one of the two qualifying places.

Lose to Lyon and the French side will have 12 points to Liverpool's three. If Fiorentina win their match in Florence, they will have nine points.

And that will mean Liverpool are all but doomed with just two games left, with the top two sides being able to engineer a result when they meet in Florence on November 24 that will eliminate the Anfield club.

It is a shattering prospect for Benitez, and would cost Liverpool £20million of UEFA prize money.

Benitez said: "We must win in Lyon. No matter what happens elsewhere, anything but a victory will leave us facing a really bad situation."

Gerrard is battling to overcome a groin injury, and is facing surgery if he fails to make the Lyon match.

Benitez added: "I do not know yet whether Steven will play in Lyon, we must work with him. But it is true there is a problem.

"We do have a problem if he is not fit for Lyon, it is a crucial time. In three days we will maybe have a better idea.

"He is doing well, and maybe he could be available. But Glen Johnson will be out for five days with a calf tear, so he is a problem too."

He added: "We know we have to win in Lyon, we do not know what will happen in the other group game with Fiorentina at home to Debrecen, but the Italian club have already won in Hungary, so they must be favourites to win in Florence.

"If they do then we know we just have to win. But we really know that anyway, we already know we have to win to stay in contention.

"We expect Fiorentina to win their match, but football can produce surprises. We can only look after ourselves and try to win our match."

Without Gerrard, the spotlight will fall elsewhere for the inspiration to keep Liverpool in the European hunt.

And Benitez sees Argentina captain Javier Mascherano as the perfect answer, despite claims of late that the midfielder is not happy and not at his best.

Benitez said: "Javier played his best game of the season when we won against Manchester United last weekend, I am happy with his form now.

"He was worried about whether Argentina would qualify for the World Cup finals, and sometimes you cannot stop players worrying about their countries.

"But they have reached the finals now and he is more relaxed and playing up to his best levels again.

"What happened in the summer with Barcelona is in the past now and not bothering him. We all knew about that interest, but it is not a consideration now.

"He is now doing really well and back to the very best level he was before."

Liverpool's form against French clubs, having won their last four matches on French soil in Europe, is good. A fifth is now critical.

Mata Waits On New Deal

Juan Mata's father and agent want Valencia to up their contract offer, amid claims that Liverpool are ready to make a move for the forward.

The Spain international is in talks with Los Che over a new contract and only last week his father, Juan Mata senior, stated that a deal was close.

But now it appears things have not moved on as expected and Mata could be forced to seek a move if the club does not match his expectations.

"We want Valencia to recognise the kid's true quality, and it's not only a matter of money," Mata senior is quoted by The Sun.

Mata himself admits he is attracted by Liverpool, but is leaving his future in the hands of his father.

"This matter is all down to the club and my agent," he said.

"Rafa Benitez is a big coach but I just want to concentrate on my game without any distractions.

The 21-year-old's current deal runs until 2012.

Liverpool Manager Rafael Benitez Pleased With Gerrard & Torres FIFA Nominations, Praises Mascherano

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has hailed the World Player of the Year nominations received by silky striker Fernando Torres and talismanic attacker Steven Gerrard; indicating that it bodes well for the club that two of their influential stars have won external commendation.

The Spanish gaffer also noted the increased form of Argentine battler Javier Mascherano insisting that he believes the midfield anchor is returning to his best form.

"We were worried at the beginning of the season because we had some problems and Argentina needed to qualify for the World Cup," the former Valencia boss is reported to have told the press.

"I think he was very good against [Manchester] United, so now he's coming back. His commitment is always fantastic."

Furthermore, there was heightened speculation regarding Mascherano's future due to the reported interest from Catalan kings Barcelona.

"We knew about speculation with Barcelona but at this moment he's doing really well, his training is fantastic and he is playing at the same level he was before," Benitez added.

Regarding the FIFA World Player of the Year nominations, Benitez claimed that it was a compliment to Liverpool as a club, as well as to the players as individuals.

"It's really good and important for the club," he noted.

"We know they are top-class players. They deserve to be there.

"It's positive to have two there, and it could be more in the future. We are really pleased for them."

Rafael Benitez: Alberto Aquilani Closing In On Liverpool Start

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has hinted that Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani will be ready for a first team start within the next couple of weeks.

The 25-year-old was signed by the Reds during the summer for around £17 million from Roma although an ankle injury has kept him sidelined for the first couple of months of the season.

Aquilani did, however, make his first team bow in the League Cup last week, coming on as a late substitute in the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium although a virus will keep the Italian international out of contention for this afternoon's encounter with Fulham.

Despite his latest injury setback, Benitez has suggested that the playmaking midfielder will be ready to start within the next two weeks which would see him line-up in the crucial game against Manchester City at Anfield next month.

"He [Aquilani] wants to play," the Reds boss told a group of assembled radio journalists, as quoted by the club's official website.

"We were talking about his match fitness and he was pushing us saying he wants to play.

"He has a really good mentality and he wants to impress. We have to decide and be careful with him. If he is okay then maybe in one or two weeks he can start."

Javier Mascherano: Liverpool Can Still Win Premier League

Despite succumbing to four defeats in just ten rounds of Premier League action, and occupying a fifth-placed standing with a game in hand over six and seventh-placed Manchester City and Aston Villa, midfield hardman Javier Mascherano remains optimistic on Liverpool's Premier League chances.

The Argentine captain refutes the notion that a 19th league crown is out of the reach of the Reds this season, but conceded that it was essential they did not drop any further points.

Liverpool travel to Fulham for the weekend tie without Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson.

Mascherano told Zoo: "The league is still possible.

"If we start to win and keep winning, anything’s possible, but we cannot afford to drop more points. We have to start winning and then not stop."

He added: "In football, you never know.

"If you start to win games, then it can happen. We have to forget about the past and just think about the future. And do it for us, for the team, and most of all, for the supporters."

Match Preview: Fulham vs. LiverpooL

They may have fallen to Arsenal in the League Cup on Wednesday, but Liverpool will nonetheless be in determined mood as they return to the capital this weekend to take on Fulham.

Last Sunday's 2-0 victory over Manchester United ended a four-game losing streak, bringing a wave of relief over the red half of Merseyside and boosting the Anfield giants to within six points of leaders Chelsea.

It was a second-string lineup that lost at the Emirates in midweek, so Rafael Benitez's regulars will be relatively well rested for the visit to Craven Cottage.

Fulham had no cup action during the week, having been ousted by Manchester City in the previous round; yet they had a decidedly better time of things when they revisited Eastlands last weekend.

The Cottagers looked set for a long day at the office after Joleon Lescott and Martin Petrov gave the hosts a two-goal lead early in the second half, but they responded almost instantly through Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey to snatch a morale-boosting point.

That result extended the London club's unbeaten run to five games in all competitions. They currently sit 13th in the league standings, seven points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool.


FORM GUIDE

Fulham

Oct 25 Manchester City 2-2 Fulham
Oct 22 Fulham 1-1 Roma (Europa League)
Oct 19 Fulham 2-0 Hull City
Oct 4 West Ham United 2-2 Fulham
Oct 1 Fulham 1-0 Basel (Europa League)

Liverpool

Oct 28 Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool (League Cup)
Oct 25 Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United
Oct 20 Liverpool 1-2 Olympique Lyonnais (Champions League)
Oct 17 Sunderland 1-0 Liverpool
Oct 4 Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool


TEAM NEWS

Fulham

Manager Roy Hodgson is hoping Andy Johnson will be available, as the former Everton striker is nearing fitness after a lengthy battle with shoulder and groin problems.

Simon Davies is also close to a return, having undergone advanced treatment on his foot. The Welsh winger is a chance to make the bench.

Midfield duo Danny Murphy and Dickson Etuhu are both out with knee injuries.

Possible starting XI: Schwarzer, Paintsil, Hangeland, Hughes, Konchesky, Duff, Greening, Baird, Dempsey, Kamara, Zamora.

Liverpool

Javier Mascherano returns to the fray after missing the midweek League Cup loss through suspension. He could be joined by Steven Gerrard, although the captain is recovering slowly from his latest groin niggle.

Fernando Torres also skipped the trip to Arsenal, having been short on fitness despite his goal-getting exploits against the Red Devils last weekend. The Spanish superstar is expected to start, but the ever-improving David Ngog is on standby.

Albert Riera (hamstring) remains sidelined, but Alberto Aquilani - who made his long-awaited debut with a 15-minute cameo at the Emirates - should be part of the matchday squad.

Possible starting XI: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Aurelio, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun, Kuyt, Babel, Torres.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Fulham - Damien Duff

The Irishman has looked rejuvenated since his summer switch from Newcastle United, and the Reds will have to pay close attention in order to stifle his creativity and goal threat from the flank. Same goes for American wide-man Clint Dempsey.

Liverpool - Lucas Leiva

The Brazilian hit back at his doubters last weekend with a top-drawer display against Man United. Will he follow up with another classy, energetic performance, or will this game pass him by like so many others?

Liverpool Without Steven Gerrard & Glen Johnson For Fulham Trip

Liverpool will be forced to maintain the feel-good factor built-up after the Manchester United win last weekend by travelling to Fulham without key pair Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard, as confirmed by manager Rafael Benitez.

The Spanish boss stated today, Friday, that influential attacker Gerrard is still suffering from a persistent groin problem, and that roaming right-back Johnson is sidelined due to a calf injury.

"Gerrard still has a problem with his groin so he won’t be available this weekend," Benitez explained to the BBC.

"At this moment he’s working with the physios. He has to keep working and we’ll decide next week how he progresses."

Regarding Johnson, he added: "Johnson has a small tear in his calf, so we will lose him for maybe one week."

Albert Riera will also be absent from the Reds' line-up this weekend, however, Benitez will welcome Javier Mascherano back into the side after the Argentine served his one-game suspension for picking up two yellow cards against Manchester United.

Rafa Benitez Fears Skipper May Go Under The Knife To Solve Groin Problem

Liverpool fear Steven Gerrard may require an operation to solve his troublesome groin injury.

Gerrard will be absent for Liverpool again on Saturday as he struggles to recover from the problem he suffered in England’s World Cup qualifying defeat by Ukraine almost three weeks ago.

The 29-year-old has managed only 25 minutes of action since then — in last week’s Champions League loss to Lyon at Anfield, when he aggravated the injury and limped off.

Liverpool are perplexed by Gerrard’s slow recovery. They are reluctant to opt for surgery but it may be an option if the injury fails to respond to treatment.

Manager Rafa Benitez had hoped his captain would be back for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Fulham, but has accepted defeat.

Top scorer Fernando Torres, who has been affected by a similar injury, is expected to start at Craven Cottage, though, and Benitez said: ‘Both have to keep going. Gerrard is still working with the physio so we will see. Hopefully, Torres will be OK, but for Gerrard maybe it is more difficult.’

Mascherano Forgets Barca Link

Liverpool star Javier Mascherano has denied suggestions his form has been affected by transfer rumours linking him with Barcelona.

Mascherano was linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer with Pep Guardiola a big admirer of the defensive midfielder.

The Argentine international concedes he has not been at the top of his game so far this season, but he is adamant it has nothing to do with rumours over his future.

"Everyone knows Barcelona were interested in me but that's in the past now," said Mascherano.

"Liverpool said no and that's the end of it. Some might say I haven't been playing well because Barcelona tried to buy me.

"I agree I haven't been at my best but it's not because of that. I just haven't started the season well."