Future Is Bright For Liverpool - Rafael Benitez

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez believes that the future of the club is secure with regard to the burgeoning talent among the youth players who are set to break into the senior squad.

The 'Rafalution' of the Reds continued during the summer, when the Spaniard instigated an overhaul in the system and structure of the club's youth and reserve set-up.

"The players can see the difference and I am sure it will be easier for them to progress," Benitez told the club's official website.

"It is always important to develop your own players. Local players have passion and desire and I think that is the key if you want to be consistent and stay at the top of the table - you have to produce your own players.

"When you make changes it can take time, but we all have the same plan, everybody is following it and we try to do the same things here at Melwood and at the Academy."

When asked if he foresaw a bright future for the Merseysiders, the former Valencia manager answered: "Yes, I think so. I am sure."

Liverpool Manager Rafael Benítez Could Sell Quartet To Balance Books

Rafael Benítez may be forced to part with as many as four senior international squad members in the January transfer window as he attempts to trim Liverpool’s wage bill and balance the Anfield books.

Ryan Babel, Andrea Dossena, Andriy Voronin and Philipp Degen will all be sacrificed should suitable offers arrive, even though there are currently no guarantees that Benítez will be granted the revenue generated by their departures to reinvest into the Liverpool team.

The Spaniard has seen his team’s Premier League and Champions League challenges falter under the weight of an extensive injury list, highlighting the paucity of resources available to him after two consecutive summers of little net outlay on the playing staff.

Yet the financial restrictions at Anfield are such that Benítez will be forced to endure the last six months of the campaign with a squad depleted still further unless he can find suitable reinforcements on loan.

Dossena, an £8 million signing from Udinese last year, has found his playing time severely restricted by the emergence of Emiliano Insua as Liverpool’s first-choice left-back and will return to his native Italy in January in the hope of securing a place in Marcello Lippi’s World Cup squad.

Napoli, who came close to signing him in the summer, remain interested, but the club’s president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, is unwilling to fund a permanent deal until next summer. It is likely Liverpool would have to make a contribution to the player’s wages should he agree a loan return to Italy.

Voronin, though he has signally failed to impress in England, remains well-regarded in Germany after an impressive loan spell with Hertha Berlin last season, and several clubs are believed to be ready to offer him a return to the Bundesliga.

Degen, too, a free transfer signing from Borussia Dortmund, is likely to head to Germany in search of the regular appearances which would guarantee him a ticket to South Africa. Both are believed to be on around £40,000-a-week at Anfield, a figure most German sides would struggle to match.

Babel insisted earlier this week that he sees his future at Anfield but the Dutch international has also admitted in the past that he would consider a return to his old club Ajax to safeguard his World Cup place, though any such move is unlikely to be permanent.

Benítez will be hoping several of his highly-regarded youngsters will be able to fill the breach, though uncertainty continues to cloud the futures of Nathan Eccleston – the young striker recently handed his first-team debut – after he rejected a contract extension last week amid reported interest from several Premier League clubs, and Lauri Dalla Valle, a Finnish prospect believed to be discontent with his lack of progress through the club’s ranks.

The Liverpool manager, though, will at least be able to count on Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger for Saturday's crucial game with Manchester City, with the return of his captain particularly pleasing. “The second injection [in my groin] seems to have done the trick,” said Gerrard. “I’m feeling a lot better, a lot stronger and now I just have to get my match sharpness back.”

Liverpool Manager Rafael Benítez Admits Premier League Title Is Preferred Prize

Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez would rather win the Premier League trophy than another Champions League title.

Following a disappointing start to the season which has seen them lose five league games already, many are ruling Liverpool out of the title race this term.

Nevertheless, Benítez, who brought the Champions League trophy to Anfield in 2005, is desperate to claim the domestic crown.

He told The Times : "Anyone who knows me knows that I want to win every trophy, every game.

"But if you ask me what I prefer, I will say the Premier League.

"If I do not win the title, I'm sure I'd be so disappointed maybe I would have this feeling [of failure]."

Many saw last term as a great chance for Liverpool to challenge for the Premier League title, but Benítez saw his plans scuppered when he failed to bring Gareth Barry to Liverpool.

And he believes the season would have turned out differently - possibly even with his ultimate goal reached - had Barry moved to Anfield.

"You never know," he said. "Football is a funny game.

"The plan was for Barry to play on the left and feed the ball to Robbie Keane, who would play up front with Fernando Torres.

"This blueprint had to be scrapped. The collateral damage was Keane, who signed from Tottenham Hotspur before the Barry deal had been done.

"When we wanted to sign Barry, we were sure we were signing a good player with a very good mentality and the quality to play in the Premier League. The priority was Barry, then Keane."

Rafael Benitez: When Door Was Shut On Gareth Barry

On Saturday afternoon, just before 12.45, a big-spending manager will take his seat in the dugout at Anfield aware that his side is desperate for a victory to ease the mounting pressure. Defeat will bring an avalanche of criticism. Yes, Mark Hughes could be in for a torrid afternoon if his Manchester City side is beaten by Liverpool.

Rafael Benítez knows that a win is essential, too.

Both managers have raised expectations for their clubs this year. Hughes lifted hopes with a £140 million spending spree. His Liverpool counterpart inspired his team to a flying finish to the previous Barclays Premier League season, when they fell just short of delivering the title to Anfield for the first time since 1990.

City is in sixth place in the table, a point above Liverpool. Both managers could come to rue their poor start to the season but will Benítez have bigger regrets on Saturday? There, in the sky blue of City, will be Gareth Barry, the man coveted by the Liverpool manager last year. Barry was the key to a new-look side at Anfield, one that never took shape after the midfield player stayed at Aston Villa, then moved to City in the summer.

Would Liverpool have won the league last season if Barry had signed? It is a question that Benítez must have mulled over a thousand times. He gives a deep sigh, so heavy that it is audible when the tape is played back.

“You never know,” he said slowly. “Football is a funny game. The plan was for Barry to play on the left and feed the ball to Robbie Keane, who would play up front with Fernando Torres. This blueprint had to be scrapped. The collateral damage was Keane, who signed from Tottenham Hotspur before the Barry deal had been done.

“When we wanted to sign Barry, we were sure we were signing a good player with a very good mentality and the quality to play in the Premier League. The priority was Barry, then Keane.”

Against a chaotic backdrop of politicking and finger-pointing at Anfield, Benítez’s priorities were ignored. Keane was the collateral damage but there were wider disappointments for the manager.

“We were looking to the future because we knew we needed three or four English players in the squad [for the Champions League],” Benítez said. “We knew there were rule changes and we needed English players and we were trying to get there early.

“The only way to do that was to sell [foreign] players and bring money in to sign English players. But the main thing about Barry is that he can play in three positions. To sign Barry would have been a very good addition for the team.”

Those who believed Benítez to be innately negative were surprised this season when he signed Glen Johnson as an attacking full back, but the manager has been looking for positive contributions from his defence for a long time. Here, too, he saw Barry as an option. “If you wanted to be more offensive, you could use Barry as a left full back and he would still be controlling the game because he’s good with the ball,” Benítez said. “He could play as a winger. Not a winger just to beat players but one with good delivery, good crosses, good possession.

“That was the idea. Everything was perfect. Good player, good mentality and English.”

The plan had gone awry and a new system was needed to put in its place. Using Steven Gerrard as a second striker compromised Keane’s role. Benítez acted decisively, sending Keane back to White Hart Lane after a mere six months at Anfield.

Would the Ireland striker have been a success in tandem with Barry? “Keane was a very good signing and everybody knew that he was a goal threat,” Benítez said. “He did not settle down in our team for different reasons and we needed to do something, so we did it quickly. With other players around it would have been easier for Keane. We played a different way.”

In trying to build his sides, Benítez attempts to balance the conflicting demands of domestic and continental football. The manager’s critics claim that he is more concerned with Europe, but Benítez sees his success in the Champions League as a natural consequence of his ability as a tactician. “Europe and England are totally different styles of football,” he said. “You can manage tactically better in Europe. You have plan against plan and you can adjust teams depending on your position.

“In England it is direct football all the time. It is more difficult. There are no tactics to deal with a goalkick from the ‘keeper or a punt that goes half the pitch. The only way is to challenge for the first ball, win the second ball. That is a massive difference in terms of tactics.

“The tempo is higher in England because it’s more direct football. It’s difficult to control. The English teams that have quality and strong and physical players are difficult to play against.

“Teams like Chelsea who are big, strong and also have quality can cope in the league and the Champions League.

“Manchester United is the same. They have Fletcher and Carrick, big, strong players, and they also have Rooney and Berbatov, who play with quality. The balance is not easy. You can find this balance spending some money.

“If you want to win here, you need stronger and quicker players. The stronger and quicker players who have quality cost money.”

Ron Gourlay, the chief executive at Stamford Bridge, said that it would take two European Cups in the next five years for Chelsea to become a big club. Benítez has delivered one to Anfield and reached another final.

However, would he consider his time at Liverpool a failure if he failed to deliver a title? “Anyone who knows me knows that I want to win every trophy, every game,” he said. “But if you ask me what I prefer, I will say the Premier League.

“If I do not win the title, I’m sure I’d be so disappointed maybe I would have this feeling [of failure],” he said. “But in football you have to compete against other teams. In the Premier League, you see clubs with big, big money, big stadiums. It’s easier if you have money to spend. But we have to deal with the money we have and cannot judge other teams.”

For this season, expectations may need to be lowered. Progression in the Champions League looks unlikely and a title challenge would need a run of form of heroic proportions. How would Benítez feel about slumming it in the Europa League? “It’s not easy to accept the situation,” he said. “But it’s not the end of the world. We must keep going. We’ll approach it with the right mentality and try to win.”

For now, getting the season back on track is simply a matter of seeing off City.

“For me it’s three points in the next game,” he said. “It’s the best way to be closer [to the top]. I have confidence that the team is better than people think, the squad is better than people think. If we win one or two games, we will gain confidence and you will see the players playing better.”

What Benítez said about his strikers.

Peter Crouch He is a fantastic boy and very clever, but he knew that Torres was the first choice and it would be more difficult for him.

Craig Bellamy He was different. He is a different kind of striker. He was in the position that Gerrard took, a second striker. Craig is a winner. With his mentality, to be on the bench is not an issue.

Michael Owen I couldn’t change his mind about going to Real. Two years later we had a conversation about the possibility of returning but he decided to go to Newcastle. He scores goals. This time round, I had a better goalscorer.

Spain v England is nightmare final scenario

One man unaffected by the excitement of the run-up to the World Cup is Rafael Benítez. Rather than looking forward to a festival of football in South Africa next year, the Liverpool manager is filled with dread.

“I’m really worried about a final between Spain and England,” he said. “All my players will be in it.”

The comment is said half in jest but there are some real concerns. Liverpool are suffering from the knock-on effects of a South African tournament, after Spain took part in the Confederations Cup during the summer.

“We are paying for the Confederations Cup,” he said. “The Spanish players came back late. If Spain- England is the final next year, it will be more difficult for us to prepare for the season.”

The timing of international matches is also an annoyance for Benítez. It will be better, he suggests, when the move is made from the present Wednesday and Saturday fixtures to 24 hours earlier.

“It will be better if international games are played on Tuesday and Friday,” he said. “It makes a big difference for all the top sides who have 10, 15 players involved in international football.

“Sometimes they arrive back on Friday so it’s really difficult because you cannot train with them. Then you have to play on Saturday morning sometimes. It is something that has to change. There are too many international games.”

Can Benítez imagine himself managing a national side? “I get asked that all the time in Spain,” he said. “Maybe in the future. I am happy here and like the day-to-day involvement. I prefer to stay here.”

What if the job meant that he was able to stay here? England? He laughed. “Maybe,” he said. “If I improve my English.”

Liverpool FC Commercial Chief Explains Motorsport Backing

Ian Ayre, the commercial director of English soccer club Liverpool, has explained the club's decision to back a racing team in the fast-growing Superleague Formula series.

Superleague Formula, which launched in 2008, features motorsport teams backed by professional soccer clubs, including the likes of AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and Flamengo. The 2009 season ended earlier this month, with Liverpool's representative team beating Tottenham Hotspur to the championship in front of huge crowds at Spanish circuit Jarama.

"It's important for this club to win things," explained Ayre. "Anything that represents us successfully as a football club is important. We've got a great team and a great driver and for the last two seasons we've been very successful in Superleague Formula. The pinnacle of that was winning the championship and winning it well. We had our Madrid supporters' club there and for all these fans it was a great day. I was there alongside other members of our team and it's great to see how the interest is building. About 30,000 people turned up, so it's clearly growing as a sport and an event."

The agreement is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, adds Ayre. "We're contracted to stay involved for several more years and it looks like an exciting proposition. They're expanding where they race and are talking about places in the Middle East and Asia. These are areas where we're very big as a football club so it's a great synergy and a great fit," he said.

Ayre was also keen to stress that involvement in Superleague Formula is a financial opportunity for the club, rather than a burden. "There are two things, for me. The first is us licensing our club logos and brand to Superleague. They have a similar arrangement with a lot of other teams. This is a financial opportunity for the club.

"The second thing, which is perhaps more important, is that it spreads the awareness of our football club. Superleague races in markets that perhaps we don't go to very often as a football club. It attracts a different type of audience and means motor racing fans who perhaps aren't big football supporters become attracted to Liverpool. By the same token, established Liverpool fans can see a bit of motor racing and have a good day out. It's a family event with great access. They have a pit walk and you can walk along the grid as they are preparing for the race."

Liverpool’s Faith In Controversial Serbian Healer Pays Off

Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera are in contention for a surprise return to the Liverpool squad for Saturday’s clash with Manchester City after some controversial therapy.

They have been treated by a Serbian physiotherapist credited with accelerating recovery from injury with the use of placenta cells.

Benayoun and Riera had been expected to be sidelined for up to five weeks after suffering torn hamstrings during Liverpool’s 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at Anfield 11 days ago.

But the midfielders have now been given an outside chance of facing City at Anfield this weekend after making unexpected progress with their injuries after visiting Mariana Kovacevic in Belgrade. Israeli midfielder Benayoun said: “I am feeling better already. My hope now is that I will be fit in one week, two at the most. ”

Kovacevic has sprung to prominence following Arsenal forward Robin van Persie’s revelation that he would be visiting her Belgrade clinic in an attempt to boost his recovery from an ankle injury suffered while playing for Holland against Italy at the weekend.

Dutch team-mate Orlando Engelaar had recommended Kovacevic to Van Persie after making a quicker than expected recovery from injury after being subjected to her innovative methods earlier this year.

The injection of horse placenta on to the affected area is claimed to speed up the recovery process and, while it is not known whether Benayoun and Riera have been subjected to that treatment, both have returned to Liverpool ahead of schedule with their rehabilitation.

David Ngog, the French forward, is expected to be fit to face City, despite suffering a broken nose while training with France Under-21s this week.

Ngog, whose last outing for Liverpool ended in controversy amid accusations that he dived to win a penalty against Birmingham, will be able to take his place in the squad for City’s visit, according to manager Rafael Benítez.

Benítez said: “Ngog has broken his nose, so we will have to see how he is before the weekend, but we think he is going to be OK. It is not too serious.”

Liverpool face a crucial week with the visit of City followed by the Champions League trip to Hungary to tackle Debrecen, where even a victory may not be enough to save Benitez’s team from elimination.

Benítez said: “This is the start of an important week for us.”

Eintracht Frankfurt Can't Afford Voronin

Eintracht Frankfurt manager Michael Skibbe admits the club might be priced out of a move for Andriy Voronin.

The Liverpool striker has been linked with a move away from Anfield after failing to establish himself in the Reds first team, with manager Rafael Benitez preferring David Ngog as back-up for star forward Fernando Torres.

Voronin spent a season on loan at Hertha Berlin last term, scoring 11 times in 20 appearances, and has previously played for Borussia Monchengladbach, Mainz 05, Koln and Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.

However, a move to Eintracht looks unlikely as Skibbe revealed the club would find it difficult to afford the Ukrainian, despite a lack of options up front.

"We have a shortage up front following the injuries to Ioannis Amanatidis and Martin Fenin," he said.

"But I really do not think we are in a financial position to be able to afford a player like Andriy Voronin. I really do not think so."

Liverpool Sign 14-year-old Luton Town Forward Dave Moli

Liverpool have paid an undisclosed fee for the Luton youngster Dave Moli. The 14-year-old forward had been part of the Hatters' under-15 side but will now move with his family to Merseyside, where he will continue his schooling and train at the Reds' academy.

Luton reported another Premier League club to the Football Association for making an illegal approach for the player, but Liverpool's approach through the Blue Square Premier club has been accepted.

Luton's youth development officer, Gregg Broughton, said: "We never like to lose talented players, but it is important that we do not stand in the way of young players' development."

Liverpool have intensified their search for young players following a restructuring of the reserve and academy set-up, and the manager, Rafael Benítez, is impressed by the changes that have been made.

The Spaniard said: "It is much better now. The players can see the difference and I am sure it will be easier for them to progress. It is always important to develop your own players. Local players have passion and desire and I think that is the key if you want to be consistent and stay at the top – you have to produce your own players.

"When you make changes it can take time, but we all have the same plan, everybody is following it and we try to do the same things here at Melwood [the first-team training complex] and at the academy."

Rodolfo Borrell, the under-18s coach, and José Segura, the academy technical manager, who joined from Barcelona in July and May respectively, are two of several new arrivals at the club's youth complex at Kirkby this year, and the manager feels the changes are helping to drive the academy forward.

Benítez said: "They are doing well, but we didn't bring in just these two coaches. We brought in more people and changed staff. When you talk with agents, or people who are involved with coaching or watching the academy, everyone says it has changed a lot."

Alonso: It's Logical I Miss Liverpool

Xabi Alonso has admitted he misses Liverpool but urged the club to move on because he is happy with life at Real Madrid.

The Spaniard’s departure has coincided with Liverpool’s woeful form in the Premier League and Champions League and although he was flattered by Steven Gerrard’s recent comments that suggested he was devastated by Alonso leaving, the former Real Sociedad star is happy at the Bernabeu.

Alonso is quoted by the Sun: “I want to thank Stevie for his kind words but life goes on.”

“It's logical I miss Liverpool.”

“I lived there five years and saw what football means to the supporters.”

“I've still got friends there. It was an unforgettable experience and I'll always have the club in my heart.”

“But I'm so happy at Real Madrid and I hope to do some important things here.”

Rafael Benítez Will Quit Liverpool If Fernando Torres Is Ever Sold

Rafael Benítez said last night that he would quit if Fernando Torres is sold against his will. Liverpool's £245m debt has led to questions about whether their US owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, would be tempted to sell, even if he was offered £100m for the striker.

"I'm confident it will never happen," the manager said. "If it did, I'd resign."

The financial situation at Liverpool means they struggle to compete at the top end of the market and Benítez admitted that that had led to him making mistakes. "When we have spent big, normally it's been very good business," he told The Times. "Torres, [Javier] Mascherano, [Pepe] Reina, [Xabi] Alonso.

"[Robbie Keane] is a good player but we had to sell him because he was not playing at the level we knew he could play. Ryan [Babel] was signed for the future and we are waiting for his improvement. He has to be more consistent. With the fringe players we needed to take a gamble on Bosmans and one-, two-million pound players. Some of these have not been good enough. It is a risk you have to accept when there is not too much money about."

Benítez also defended his signing of the Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani, bought for £17m from Roma in the summer to replace Alonso, but only now reaching fitness after making his league debut in the recent draw with Birmingham.

"We can only buy one or two big, £20 million players a year," Benítez said. "If we want to have money available then we have to sell some players. We have to sell expensive and buy as cheaply as possible. Aquilani fit would be £20m to £30m. We checked with doctors and they said he would be out one, maybe two months. We have lost some time but I signed the player for five years, not five weeks.

"Xabi put in a transfer request," he added. "We had a professional and good relationship. Some people say the manager must put his arm around the player's shoulder. I don't know too many managers who do this. Some managers in England don't even see the training sessions."

Benítez now feels confident that Liverpool will begin to climb from seventh. "People are worried but the team will improve. When we have key players on the pitch we are as good as anyone. We have proved this in the past."

Steven Gerrard Ready To Start For Liverpool Against Manchester City

Steven Gerrard is confident of making his first Liverpool start for a month against Manchester City on Saturday after revealing an anti-inflammatory injection has alleviated the need for groin surgery.

The Liverpool captain had the injection almost two weeks ago in an attempt to avoid an operation on the adductor problem he suffered playing for England against Ukraine on 10 October. The 29-year-old felt no reaction to his comeback against Birmingham City last Monday other than fatigue, having replaced the hamstrung Albert Riera in the 45th minute, and missed England's friendly against Brazil to continue treatment with Liverpool's medical team.

While surgery has not been completely discounted, the threat has receded thanks to the latest injection and Gerrard expects to test his recovery against Mark Hughes's side at Anfield. Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun, Fábio Aurélio and Riera, however, will all miss the game through injury.

"I felt very tired after the game, as I wasn't really ready to return [against Birmingham] and I'd done very little training in the three weeks beforehand," Gerrard said. "It took me two or three days to recover from that game but I have spent the past week doing strengthening work but I'm feeling a lot better now. I'm looking forward to the weekend. There's no mental hurdle to cross.

"I've had a problem in my groin that has taken a while to get over but I'm just relieved the second injection seems to have done the trick. It's a case of so far so good and the aim now is to make sure I get a good week's training under my belt so I'm ready for the game with City."

The midfielder, who last started a game on 20 October against Lyon in the Champions League, admitted his frustration had been exacerbated by recent results. "Some of the lowest points in my career have come about when I have had to miss big games for Liverpool and England through injury," said Gerrard.

"It's never easy when you have to sit out games against Manchester United or trips away from home in the Champions League. If the lads are winning games and doing well, it makes the pain a bit easier so obviously the last couple of weeks have been extra frustrating. But I'm feeling good now, a lot stronger than before and it's just a question of getting my match sharpness back now. That is the most important thing."

Glen Johnson, who withdrew from England's last squad with a calf injury, and Daniel Agger, who felt a reaction to a recent back problem against Birmingham, are both expected to be available for the City game, as is David Ngog, who broke his nose on duty with France Under-21s. "We know Ngog has broken his nose but it's not serious," said Rafael Benítez.

The Liverpool manager also revealed Benayoun and Riera could return from hamstring tears ahead of the expected four-week recovery period, but holds little hope of Torres or Aurélio being fit for this weekend. Torres may not return until the Merseyside derby on 29 November as he rests a problem with a hernia while Aurélio remains hindered by the calf injury that deprived him of a first Brazil cap against England in Doha.

"Fernando Torres is training with the physios, so I don't think he'll be available," said Benítez. On the Brazilian full-back, he added: "It's a pity because he was waiting for this call for a long time, then when he got the opportunity he had a problem. He's improving but still has a little bit of a problem with his calf. It will be difficult for him to play against Man City."

Ian Rush: Javier Mascherano Needs To Ignore Transfer Speculation And Focus On Liverpool FC

So another weekend has passed with another story linking Javier Mascherano with a move to Barcelona.

It was good to read in the ECHO yesterday that Liverpool quickly dismissed the speculation, as he is an important player.

But the time has now come for Argentina’s captain to back up the faith many have shown in him with a string of top displays for the Reds at this most crucial period.

I don’t know where the stories are coming from and you tend to find they only emerge when a team is having a bad patch.

It doesn’t do any good, though, and you must hope it doesn’t prove too unsettling.

In my view, Barcelona are not a bigger club than Liverpool and he would do well to remember he was given a chance here when things were going badly for him.

Liverpool Youngster Martin Kelly Inspired By Glen Johnson

Liverpool defender Martin Kelly has revealed that his role model at Anfield is right-back Glen Johnson.

The 19-year-old deputised for Johnson in last month's defeat to Lyon and his similarities to the England international were noted by many observers.

"He's a great player - England's first-choice right-back. There's no one better to model yourself on. It's great to watch him and play with him in training," Kelly told the Reds' official website.

"I thought I did well against Lyon. It was my debut and there was pressure - it was my big chance. I thought I took it well.

"Rafa picks the team and there is a great squad here, but as long as I am in and around the squad and training with them, then it can only help me. If I keep working hard I hope I'll get another chance."

Unfortunately that game against Lyon ended in injury for Kelly, but he is keen to continue his development once his ankle problem has cleared after his latest setback.

"I came back but in my first training session I knocked it again. I went for a scan on Sunday and it showed I have a little strain on my ankle. It's another seven to 10 days," he explained.

"It's a setback but I've just got to work hard with the physios to try and get back as soon as possible.

"As a footballer you are going to get injuries. The thing that matters is how you come back from them.

"Obviously I was gutted with the timing of it."

"There's been a few injuries around the first team so I could have got another chance but I'm still young and hopefully when I'm back I'll have more chances to show what I can do."

Liverpool Need To Buy Low And Sell Big - Rafael Benitez

Rafael Benitez believes that Liverpool must buy relatively unknown players, train them, and sell them to make a profit and eventually reduce the club's mountain of debt.

The Merseysiders are said to be £245 million in the red, and the Kop boss has already threatened to resign if any stars go on sale during January. Instead, he has put forward a proposal that he believes will benefit the club in the long run.

"We can only buy one or two big, £20m players a year," Benitez said in The Times.

"If we want to have money available, then we have to sell some players.

"We have to sell expensive and buy as cheaply as possible."

Touching on the subject of his blockbuster summer signing, the Spaniard believes that Alberto Aquilani will provide value for money.

"Aquilani fit would be £20-30m," he said.

"We checked with doctors and they said he would be out one, maybe two months.

"We have lost some time, but I signed the player for five years, not five weeks. We needed to take the risk."

Rafa Plans To Double Up

Liverpool are planning a £15m double swoop for West Ham pair Matt Upson and Herita Ilunga.

Kop boss Rafa Benitez is already eyeing a £12m move for Hammers striker Carlton Cole, 26.

But the Londoners are holding out for around £20m for the England star which is likely to stretch the Reds’ budget too far.

Benitez will go back to the East End for Upson, 30, and Ilunga, 27, if he fails to prise Cole away.

The Spaniard is aware of the Hammers’ financial difficulties and knows a £15m fee could be hard for them to resist.

Benitez is a massive fan of Upson and was heavily linked with a swoop for the England centre-back this summer.

And he tried to hijack the Hammers’ move to make Ilunga’s loan from Toulouse permanent.

The left-back position has been a problem area for Liverpool since John Arne Riise’s move to Roma.

Steven Gerrard And Jamie Carragher Risk Film Row

Liverpool have risked a furore over a film starring Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher that portrays Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, as a whisky-guzzling drunk and Gary Neville, the club’s captain, as a rat who “hates Scousers”.

Gerrard and Carragher were joined by Rafael Benítez, the Merseyside club’s manager, at the premiere of Fifteen Minutes That Shook The World in Liverpool on Monday evening.

The 43-minute film is a darkly humorous, fictional account of the events that inspired Liverpool’s fightback against AC Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul in May 2005, when they came from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties.

But while the movie — which includes cameos from Gerrard and Carragher, the Liverpool captain and vice-captain respectively — was intended to be light-hearted and firmly tongue-in-cheek, it remains to be seen what United make of it.

In one scene, a Ferguson parody called McTaggart rings a Neville lookalike, wearing a United No 2 shirt bearing the name “Rat Boy” on the back, to celebrate Liverpool trailing Milan by three goals.

“Rat Boy”, whose features were digitally enhanced to make him more ratlike, responds by singing about how he “hates Scousers”, an ironic nod to the song that United fans chant about Neville’s widely perceived dislike of Liverpool.

When word comes through that Liverpool have drawn level, McTaggart is seen swigging furiously from a bottle of Scotch, which has the words “Manager of the Month but not as good as Bob Paisley” on it. He then tries to put his head in a noose only to be thwarted when the gum bubble he blows explodes over his face.

United declined to comment yesterday, but Ferguson and Neville are likely to be unimpressed, not least because of the involvement of Gerrard and Carragher and others at Anfield, even though they would not have been aware of the full extent of the content.

Ferguson did not react well the previous time a club tried to poke fun at United. He described Manchester City as a “small club with a small mentality”, arrogant, cocky and stupid for the “Welcome to Manchester” poster they erected in the summer after Carlos Tévez’s move to the club from Old Trafford.

Liverpool fans, though, will doubtless view the film as it was intended — a bit of fun — even if the timing of its release may raise a few eyebrows, coming as it has only days before Benítez’s team face Manchester City in the Barclays Premier League and Debrecen in the Champions League, games that could define their season.

Ferguson and Neville are by no means the only ones sent up in the film. Benítez, who is played by Neil Fitzmaurice, the actor and comedian, tells his players in the dressing room at half-time that “the whole damn world will take the p***, go on that pitch you shower of pigs and make it our day.” Of Dietmar Hamann, the former Liverpool player who also has a cameo in the film, Fitzmaurice’s Benítez says: “But what is Hamann, what has he got, he smokes, he drinks, he uses pot, but he will shine.”

Djimi Traoré, the former Liverpool defender, is brought into the dressing room in a box by Sami Hyypia, at which point Gerrard says, “Djimi, that’s the best you’ve been in the box all night,” while Carragher, when pressed by Benítez for his thoughts, can utter only the Scouse phrase: “I’m still chocka.” Gerrard adds that he “won’t be able to show my face” around his home town of Huyton if Liverpool do not stage a comeback.

The film was written by Dave Kirby, the Liverpool playwright, and will shortly go on general release at selected cinemas — although presumably not in Manchester — before being released on DVD in time for Christmas.

Rafael Benítez went to the premiere of Fifteen Minutes That Shook the World on Monday night and laughed at the lampooning depiction of himself at half-time in Istanbul (Tony Evans writes). Yet the events in the dressing room at the Atatürk Stadium are so bizarre that fiction does not do them justice. Nor does Benítez need sending up. He repeats the story with wide-eyed humour.

The Liverpool manager rose from the bench with AC Milan leading 2-0. “I was thinking what to say,” he said. “Then Milan scored again.”

Benítez took off Djimi Traoré and sent on Dietmar Hamann. “Then I spoke,” he said. “For eight minutes. In English.” With the officials calling them back on the pitch, Benítez was told that Steve Finnan was injured.

Traoré was retrieved from the showers while Finnan pleaded to stay on. Benítez drew up his team. “I had Hamann, Finnan was still on and I added Traoré back,” he said, laughing. Someone pointed out he was sending out 12 men. “So I rubbed out both full backs,” he said. “It left ten men.”

With a bit of help, Benítez sent 11 on to the pitch, Liverpool came back to 3-3 and won on penalties. File under “great team-talks”.

Barcelona Will Never Spend £40m On Liverpool's Javier Mascherano

Went past the Mercedes garage yesterday. Big, shiny car in the window, apparently the best model in its class that money can buy. So went inside, and offered a quarter of the asking price, because I reckoned that car wanted to come home with me. Know what happened?

Yep, I was slung out on my ear. Which is more or less the scenario when Barcelona made the call to Anfield about the services of Javier Mascherano last summer. Which is why you must forgive me for greeting the latest round of speculation over the Argentine's future with a degree of cynicism.

I don't doubt that the player's agent has spoken to officials at Barca, and I don't doubt the player himself would quite fancy a spell in the Catalan sunshine. Hell, I wouldn't mind it myself.

In fact, they wouldn't even spend £15million on a defensive midfielder. And when you consider that Mascherano cost Liverpool £18million AND his value has increased significantly since then, all talk of an imminent move is wild speculation in the extreme.

That is not to say, of course, that Mascherano won't sulk and pout until he engineers some sort of confrontation that could result in his exit. But that will not come until the end of the season at the earliest. He has three years left on a contract, and Liverpool will not accept less than they paid for him.

In fact, they will demand twice or even three times what they paid for him. That is the economics of the situation, and no end of wishing or fantasising will change that. Nor will it get me that Mercedes. Instead, I'm stuck with a company car that you have to get out and push when you come to a hill.

Liverpool FC Academy Seek Revenge Against Wolverhampton Wanderers In FA Youth Cup

Liverpool under-18s will get the chance to gain speedy revenge on Wolverhampton Wanderers after being drawn at home against them in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.

Rodolfo Borrell’s side lost 2-1 after a goal five minutes from time gave Wolves the points in the FA Premier Academy League on Saturday. Liverpool will be keen to make amends after being handed a tie at Anfield against the Midlanders in Saturday’s FA Youth Cup third round draw.

It will be the Spanish coach’s first taste of the prestigious youth tournament since he took over the running of the U18s in the summer reshuffle at the Kirkby Academy.

But three-time winners Liverpool have a fine recent record in the Youth Cup to defend. They won the trophy back-to-back in 2006 and 2007. And they were beaten finalists in May while also reaching the fifth round before defeat to Sunderland last year.

Several of last year’s side who beat Leeds, Bristol Rovers, Chelsea, Bolton and Birmingham City to reach the final against Arsenal will still be eligible for the U18s competition this time around.

The likes of last season’s top scorer, Finnish striker Lauri Dalle Valle – who is currently out injured – German youth international Christopher Buchtmann, defender Andre Wisdom, Tom Ince, Adam Pepper, Conor Coady, Karl Clair and James Ellison are some of the players still eligible to feature again in this season’s tournament after being involved in last season’s run to the final.

Benitez: Some Of These Players Have Not Been Good Enough For Us

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has admitted to making errors in the transfer market but suggested he had to take risks because of the precarious financial situation at Anfield.

With the club struggling in the Premier League and their Champions League participation hanging by a thread, Benitez defiantly defended the job he has done at the club, and claimed when all of his players returned from injury, fans would see the best of them.

Benitez told the Times: “There is a massive difference between five years ago and now,”

“The name of the club round the world is at the same level as it was in the 1980s. It’s a fantastic achievement.”

“Everybody talks about Liverpool in a good way. And we will get better.”

He added: “People are worried,”

“But the team will improve. When we have key players on the pitch we are as good as anyone. We have proved this in the past.”

On his transfer record at the club, which of late has been criticised by some, the Spaniard claimed his hands were tied by the club’s fragile finances.

Benitez continued: “We can only buy one or two big, £20 million players a year,”

“If we want to have money available, then we have to sell some players. We have to sell expensive and buy as cheaply as possible.”

“Aquilani fit would be £20-30 million. We checked with doctors and they said he would be out one, maybe two months. We have lost some time, but I signed the player for five years, not five weeks. We needed to take the risk.”

“When we have spent big, normally it’s been very good business,”

“Torres, Mascherano, Reina, Alonso. Keane is a good player but we had to sell him because he was not playing at the level we knew he could play. Ryan [Babel] was signed for the future and we are waiting for his improvement. He has to be more consistent.”

“With the fringe players, we needed to take a gamble on Bosmans and one, two million-pound players. Some of these players have not been good enough for us. It is a risk you have to accept when there is not too much money about.”

Rafa Benitez Defends His Liverpool Record

Rafael Benitez has strongly defended his managerial style as questions are being asked about him following Liverpool's current run of one win out of nine.

He said in Champions Magazine: "You cannot win trophies if you are cautious. I have won titles not because I am cautious, but because I have a clear idea of what to do.

"Sometimes we attack, sometimes we wait, and sometimes we counter-attack. Two seasons ago, we scored 119 goals, more than any other team, so we are an attacking team.

"Last season we scored 77, nine more than Manchester United who won the league, so we are an attacking team.

"You need balance. If you don't concede too many because you are well-organised, people say you are defensive."

Asked if Liverpool are more attack-minded this season, he said: "We are more or less doing the same, we're offensive and scoring goals. People think we are more offensive because Glen Johnson is an attacking full-back.

"But the attempts on goal last year and this are similar. The difference is accuracy. We are scoring more goals this year, because we are more precise."