Gerrard Serves Torres Warning

Steven Gerrard today sent out an ominous warning to teams across the continent by declaring in-form Fernando Torres is only going to improve over the rest of the season.

With Liverpool chasing a top four Premier League finish and success in the Europa League, the return to form and fitness of the Spanish striker has come as a timely boost for the Reds, who travel to Manchester United at the weekend on the back of two morale boosting victories.

Despite enduring an injury ravaged campaign, Torres' double last night took his total for the season so far to 17 in 27 matches - and his skipper insists there is still more to come.

"There is lot more to come from Fernando in a Liverpool shirt, believe me," said Gerrard. "He had been out a long time so it was only natural that it was going to take him a few games to find his rhythm but he is closing in on that now and it is fantastic for the team.

"If we can keep him fit and firing, we'll have a really big chance of achieving what we want to and you could see against Lille that he is looking sharp. The goals will have done him the world of good.

"He is world class, it's as simple as that. When he is playing like that, it doesn't just give the crowd a lift. It lifts us and it causes the players he comes up against to think twice about how they deal with him. He's finding form at just the right time."

After successfully overturning a 1-0 first leg deficit to secure their place in today's quarter-final draw, Liverpool are now focusing their attentions on Sunday's Old Trafford showdown.

"We just wanted to carry on from Portsmouth and play some good football," added Gerrard. "Lille were a very good team but everyone has chipped in.

"Now we have to look at Manchester United. Every time you go to Old Trafford, you expect a tough game but we are going in on the back of two good performances.

"This will be a completely different game. They are the league leaders but we will give it a really good go."

Mascherano: Duo Can Stun United

Javier Mascherano has backed Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to inspire another famous win at Old Trafford after the duo fired Liverpool into the Europa League last eight on Thursday.

Gerrard opened the scoring against Lille with an early penalty before Torres hit a brace to take his tally for an injury-hit season to 17.

The Reds have now recorded consecutive victories following a disappointing reverse at Wigan and the first leg loss in Lille.

Mascherano believes the return to form of Torres has been key to turning things around ahead of Sunday's trip to United.

"Not too much has changed," he told Liverpoolfc.tv. "Maybe we are more clinical than before and Fernando is back.

"Everyone knows his partnership with Stevie is really good for us and now we can look forward to a very important game on Sunday. We'll try to win for us, for the supporters and the club.

"We still have to improve and we can improve. The good thing against Lille was not conceding any goals, another clean sheet for Pepe."

Liverpool have won their last three games against Alex Ferguson's men, including an unforgettable 4-1 triumph in Manchester last season.

"1-0 would be enough this time!" said Mascherano. "We know we'll get a really difficult game because they're playing well, but it's a different game to the others because it's a derby.

"We'll need to show character and stay calm."

Rafael Benitez Wary Of Liverpool's 'Tough' Europa League Draw Against Benfica

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned his team that Benfica will be a tough team to beat, after the two sides were drawn together in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

The two teams last met each other in 2006, during the first knockout round of the Champions League, where the Portuguese side triumphed in both legs of a 3-0 aggregate victory.

Four years on, Benitez believes the Portuguese side will still pose a strong challenge.

"We know they are a good team and of course we have played them before in the Champions League," he told the club's website.

"They are a massive club with a lot of support from their fans and it will be a tough game.

"They are top of the table and playing really well at the moment. I know a number of their players well — [Pablo] Aimar, [Javier] Saviola, [Luis] Garcia — so we know they have a lot of quality."

If Liverpool beat Benfica, they will face either Atletico Madrid or Valencia in the semi-finals of the competition and Benitez believes that hosting the second leg at Anfield will increase the Reds' chances of going through to play either Spanish side.

"It's always important that the second leg is at home in front of our fans," he said.

"We know we have to perform away and then play well at home. We have the confidence to do that and are looking forward to the games."

Agger: We Can Beat Anyone

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger insists the players fully believe they can win the Europa League and go into their quarter-final against Benfica with no fear.

A 3-0 win over Lille at Anfield on Thursday night took the Reds through 3-1 on aggregate and set up a last-eight meeting with the Portuguese Liga leaders.

Manager Rafael Benitez's former club Valencia or Fernando Torres' previous employers Atletico Madrid await the winners in the semi-finals but Agger said they were not worried by any side.

"This is the last trophy we can win so we have to give everything we can to win it," said the Denmark international.

"We have to show it on the pitch and I think we did against Lille.

"If you have to win a tournament like this one you should beat them all."

Midfielder Javier Mascherano echoed Agger's comments, saying: "All the teams in there have showed why they are at this stage.

"Any team from now until the end will be difficult. If we want to be in the final we need to continue improving and try to take another step up."

Liverpool's match against Lille on Thursday night pulled in the biggest ratings for television channel Five in the last five years, with 4million tuning in at its peak.

Benitez will be pleased to be playing the first leg in Lisbon's Stadium of Light on April 1 as it means they have home advantage for the all-important second leg.

Midfielder Lucas Leiva believes the Anfield experience can play a big part in their European future, as it has done in the past and did do against Lille when the side turned around a 1-0 first-leg deficit.

"We know the competition is important and we have to keep going," said the Brazil international.

"Everyone knows Anfield is a difficult place to come and play but you can see the example of Fulham (who beat Juventus 4-1 to reverse a 3-1 first-leg scoreline) - each game is different and we just have to believe."

Aquilani Starting To Settle

Alberto Aquilani's agent feels his client is starting to feel more at home in the Premier League.

The Italian joined Liverpool in a big-money move from Roma last summer, charged with the task of filling the creative void created by Xabi Alonso's departure to Real Madrid.

An injury carried with him from his time in Serie A kept him on the sidelines for the opening stages of the season, allowing others to stake a claim for a regular starting berth.

He then struggled to force his way into Rafa Benitez's plans, with the Spaniard seemingly reluctant to throw the talented 25-year-old into action.

However, Aquilani has caught the eye of late and bagged his first Liverpool goal in Monday's 4-1 demolition of Portsmouth.

He missed the Europa League victory over Lille on Thursday with a virus, but his representative insists that is nothing to worry about and is backing Aquilani to be back to his best over the coming weeks.

"Alberto has had quite an ordeal with his ankle, and has had a series of injuries, but he is returning to the player we all know he is," Franco Zavaglia told tuttomercatoweb.

"It is clear that a player like him appeals to many clubs, but he is happy in England and I think Liverpool have no desire to get rid of him any time soon."

Albert Riera: I'm Not Looking For Trouble With Rafael Benitez

Liverpool winger Albert Riera has tried to underplay his harsh analysis of manager Rafael Benitez to the Spanish media.

The former Espanyol midfielder played a significant part in the Reds' rise in almost claiming the Premier League title last season, only to be pipped to the title by Manchester United.

In comparison to his exploits last term, the Spaniard has barely been given a run out on the pitch this time around. And his recent views on the club, branding the Reds as a "sinking ship" did not go down well with the Anfield faithful.

"I do not want to make trouble with the manager," Riera said, according to the Press Association.

"I am not interested in making Rafa my enemy in the slightest, quite the opposite, but ultimately it is about playing, and if I am not, we have to talk about why not.

"We have not had any talk about why it is.

"I played all of last year, and sometimes if I did not play so well in one game, I would still play the next week. But this season I have not played at all.

"I believe in these situations it is better to talk about it and try to fix it, or at least make sure everyone knows where they stand. I have no problem talking to people."

Despite previously hinting of an imminent departure, the 27-year-old maintains that he is willing to remain at the club if regular appearances are in the offing.

"I am delighted to play for Liverpool and if I was playing, I would love to stay, because it is a brilliant place to play football," added Riera.

"But if I am not playing I have no chance of going to the World Cup, so I am trying to solve the problem so I at least have a small chance."

The 27-year-old has reportedly been docked two weeks wages for his strong comments.

It is also believed that the player has been told not to return to training before Monday, which appears to be a pre-emptive measure to ensure that the blockbuster game against Manchester United on Sunday does not have any unwanted distractions.

"The timing was not the best for the team and we will deal with this internally," said Benitez, when quizzed regarding the fractured relationship with the player.

Rafael Benítez Banishes Vocal Albert Riera

Albert Riera has been suspended and put up for sale by Liverpool after his criticism of Rafael Benítez.

The winger was dropped from the Liverpool squad for Thursday night’s Europa League game at home to Lille and told not to return to training until Monday, meaning that he will also miss the Barclays Premier League match away to Manchester United on Sunday.

Riera could leave Anfield in weeks, with an immediate move to CSKA Moscow or Spartak Moscow, who are tracking the 27-year-old, a distinct possibility. The transfer window in Russia has been extended until April 8.

Riera, who joined Liverpool from Espanyol in September 2008 for £8 million, has had a fraught relationship with Benítez for several months and his frustrations came to a head on Wednesday.

He gave an interview to Radio Marca in which he accused the Liverpool manager of giving him the silent treatment, claimed that he was being left out of the team for personal reasons and stated that Benítez’s brand of football is not good enough to earn him the Real Madrid job.

The Spain winger’s withering attack on his manager has also earned him a club fine of two weeks’ wages, but, more significantly, it has signalled the imminent end of his Anfield career, especially if either of the Moscow clubs are willing to match Liverpool’s £8 million valuation.

Riera has been a bit-part figure in Benítez’s squad this season, with a combination of injury problems and poor form costing him a regular starting place. The fact that his outburst came on the eve of Thursday night’s crucial Europa League match meant that Benítez felt he had no choice but to omit him from his plans for the game.

It is not the first time that the pair have been at loggerheads, nor is it the first time that Riera has been fined for his behaviour.

This season he was reprimanded after a training-ground altercation with a promising reserve-team player in which Riera reacted violently to the teenager. The incident incensed Benítez and convinced him that he would have no choice but to sell the Majorca-born winger at the end of this campaign.

His departure date is now likely to have been brought forward and will be confirmed if either of the Moscow clubs are willing to match Liverpool’s £8 million valuation of a player who, until of late, has been a regular in the Spain squad.

Albert Riera Training Ground Bust-Up With Liverpool Youngster Meant Radio Outburst Was Final Straw

Albert Riera’s Liverpool career could be over within weeks after he was suspended by the club following his astonishing verbal attack on Rafa Benitez.

The Reds winger has been told to stay away from Melwood until Monday after giving an interview to Spanish radio station Marca, in which he criticised Benitez’s preferred style of play and the lack of chances he has been afforded this season.

That outburst was the final straw for an enraged Benitez, as Riera was recently involved in a training ground bust-up with an unnamed young member of Liverpool’s squad that appalled witnesses to the incident.

Riera is understood to have landed at least one blow on the youngster.

The Spain international’s attitude has been poor for weeks in training and he has hardly figured in the squad since a desperate personal performance in the 1-0 win over Unirea Urziceni last month.

Riera was not at Anfield on Thursday night, as Liverpool booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Europa League with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Lille.

He has also been heavily fined for his comments and it is now inevitable that he will be jettisoned from Anfield, the only question is when he will be gone.

Match Report: Liverpool 3 - 0 Lille

Liverpool kept alive their hopes of silverware this season with a 3-0 victory over Lille at Anfield to win their Europa League last-16 tie 3-1 on aggregate.

Captain Steven Gerrard's ninth-minute penalty gave them the ideal start, after Lucas Leiva had been fouled.

Fernando Torres then struck twice in the second half - his first European goals for more than 11 months - to put his side into the quarter-finals.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg an early Liverpool goal was essential to ease the pressure and, watched by Argentina coach Diego Maradona, they produced just that.

The much-maligned Lucas, returning to the side because of Alberto Aquilani's illness, dribbled into the area and produced a tidy piece of skill to go past Adil Rami and draw the foul.

Referee Nicola Rizzoli pointed to the spot and Gerrard confidently fired home to level things up on aggregate.

Torres had two half-chances to double the lead in the next five minutes as first he cut in from the right at pace only to see his near-post shot deflected wide before then lofting a shot over from Javier Mascherano's free-kick.

Despite going behind Lille still looked like they could be a danger on the counter-attack with Eden Hazard, goalscorer a week ago, and Ludovic Obraniak posing a threat from the flanks.

But right-back Glen Johnson was getting forward at every opportunity and when he found himself in the penalty area he hit a left-foot volley straight at goalkeeper Mickael Landreau.

Daniel Agger's glancing header from Gerrard's inswinging 31st-minute corner was eventually stopped by Landreau on the goalline after the ball got stuck between Dirk Kuyt and Franck Beria.

Lucas, having his best spell for some time, then shot straight at the goalkeeper from 20 yards.

A minute later Hazard burst past Agger and Johnson into the area and had only Jose Reina to beat but the goalkeeper stood tall and the shot deflected behind off his head.

Five minutes before half-time Torres headed Kuyt's hanging cross back across goal but wide of the post.

Lille came out after the break with more purpose and Jamie Carragher produced a perfectly-timed tackle to deny Rio Mavuba three minutes into the second half.

But a minute later Liverpool seized control of the tie with an expert piece of finishing from Torres.

Ryan Babel hooked a ball out of defence with his right foot which looked more like a clearance than a pass but Rami, who had been given a torrid time by Torres, misjudged the bounce of the ball and it ballooned over him.

The Spain striker did not need a second invitation and he sped towards goal before dinking a shot past Landreau with the outside of his right foot.

It was the first time he had scored in European competition since his goal at Anfield in the 3-1 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Chelsea on April 8.

Torres then drilled a shot just wide of the goalkeeper's right-hand post.

Liverpool's advantage was only a slender one and that fragility was almost exposed in the 73rd minute when Obraniak's free-kick picked out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the far post only for the substitute to bundle his shot into the ground and over the crossbar.

As the tie entered its final throes the anxiety began to grow as Liverpool were unsure whether to try to hold their lead or finish Lille off with a third goal.

It almost came when Kuyt's long-range strike was batted behind by Landreau.

But all the pressure was released when Torres followed up a rebound from Gerrard's shot to score his second a minute before time and his fourth in his last two.

It secured a second victory in an important week, with Manchester United to come at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Reina: My Title Desire

Pepe Reina has revealed how a burning desire to help Liverpool land the Barclays Premier League title made a decision to commit his future to the club an easy one.

The custodian, who confirmed on Wednesday he is close to agreeing a new deal with the Reds, is optimistic the experience of a difficult 2009-10 campaign can help Rafael Benitez's side in the long run.

And Reina admits he would love nothing more than to lead Liverpool to a 19th league title.

"The club has been good to me and I am grateful," said the Spain stopper. "My family believes there is no better place to be than here and that's why we'll be here a bit longer - much longer.

"There is nothing I feel more excited about than the chance of winning the league once with Liverpool. That would be a dream and hopefully in a short period it will come true.

"I hope we will build something good from the weak moments we have had this season.

"A proper team, a strong team has to do that and Liverpool is a strong team."

He added: "This is the only trophy we can lift and it is massively important to us. Winning a trophy is always good, no matter how your season has been.

"We know this season hasn't been good enough and we can do better. Everybody knows that. But as long as we have the possibility to win a trophy, that is the main thing. The target was to fight for the title but right from the beginning we did not do well."

Torres Named As Chelsea's Number One Target

Fernando Torres is being touted as Chelsea's number one transfer target as Fleet Street predicts a comprehensive revamp of the club's first-team squad following their ignominious Champions League exit.

Though some reports have suggested that the position of Carlo Ancelotti is under threat after Tuesday night's defeat to Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, the general consensus is that Roman Abramovich will keep faith with the Italian and re-open his chequebook to fund a lavish spending spree.

'Ancelotti may thus be able to consider moves for long-standing targets such as Fernando Torres, Franck Ribéry or Sergio Agüero,' reports The Guardian. 'Torres is emerging as the club's principal target and the Spanish striker's future at Liverpool could be decided by the level of investment attracted to his club in the next few months.'

A concurring Daily Mirror also declares that 'Ancelotti wants to build a "dream team" front pair of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres next season. Chelsea's wish-list is headed by Liverpool superstar Torres, with the Blues ready to table a £50million bid if they see any signs the Spaniard wants to leave Anfield.

'Chelsea know that Manchester City, who can outbid the Stamford Bridge side, have also targeted Torres, especially after his recent admission that he would not automatically go back to Spain if he decides to quit Liverpool.'

Chelsea have spent relatively little in recent years, with the club committed to the goal of breaking even. However, their early exit from the Champions League is expected to result in that austerity coming to an expensive end.

The Sun quotes a 'senior Chelsea source' declaring: "Carlo has the full backing of Roman and that will mean the kind of money being spent this summer that we haven't seen since Mourinho was in charge.

"Roman believes Carlo is the right man and will give him exactly what he needs to rebuild the team.

"This squad has gone a bit stale and needs to have some fresh blood."

To make room for the new additions, a number of current squad members are predicted to depart.

'Joe Cole will be the first to pay the price for a new attitude because the club are determined not to cave in to his wage demands,' declares The Times. 'The England midfield player is likely to be followed out of the door by Deco, Paulo Ferreira, Hilário and even Ricardo Carvalho.'

'Funds could be raised by moving players on with the likes of Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti and even Salomon Kalou potentially made available,' adds The Guardian. 'The owner's desire to reinvigorate the squad could also have implications for contract negotiations with Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, whose deals expire at the end of the season, and possibly Nicolas Anelka, who is contracted until 2011.'

And the list of players Fleet Streets believes could be on their way to Stamford Bridge is considerable. A trawl through the backpages finds the club linked with, among others, Torres, Ribery, Agüero, David Villa, Giampaolo Pazzini, Simon Kjaer, Moussa Dembele, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sergio Asenjo.

Riera Launches Rafa Attack

Liverpool winger Albert Riera has hit out at Reds boss Rafa Benitez over a lack of communication with his struggling squad.

The Anfield outfit have endured a miserable season and their only remaining hopes of silverware hang in the balance as they bid to overturn a 1-0 deficit at home against Lille in the second leg of their Europa League last 16 clash on Thursday night.

Spain international Riera has made just two appearances for Liverpool since January, both of which came in Europe's second tier competition, and he is becoming frustrated by his lack of action.

The 27-year-old, an £8million signing from Espanyol in 2008, does not understand why he is out of the picture and is eager for more action to secure a place in Spain's World Cup squad.

He told Radio Marca: "When the coach says nothing to you and you are well, with no physical problems and training well, you cannot help but think it must be something personal.

"If I'm doing something badly and you are my boss, and you value me, then you are going to come and tell me what I have to do to play again. This is what hurts me.

"You see that the team is not doing well and there are no changes. It's a little frustrating because you see that you can help.

"I've been here two years and I know how he (Benitez) is. He's never sorted out a situation with a player by talking with him. He thinks he's in charge and everything else falls on deaf ears.

"His dialogue with the players is practically nil."

Regarding his future, Riera knows his hopes of featuring at South Africa in the summer depend on him playing first-team football.

"I would like to be here for the rest of my career, but players live to play. My objective is to go to the World Cup and for this I have to play," he said.

"Right now the only market open is the Russian one, I have offers from two teams and, looking at my situation, that has made me reflect a lot."

Hamann Slams Riera Over Benitez Attack

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has launched a withering attack on Reds winger Albert Riera after he went public with his frustration at not getting a game under manager Rafael Benitez.

The Spain international said Benitez did not speak to him and claimed he bore a personal grudge.

However, Hamann, who made 283 appearances for the Merseysiders and memorably came on for the second half in their Champions League final comeback against AC Milan in 2005, said Riera should look at himself.

"I didn't read too much into the comments because he's a player who has not played too much football over the last six to eight months," said the former Germany international.

"He is clearly frustrated but you have to say since he signed for Liverpool (in September 2008) he has not done enough to really have an opinion on the manager.

"If Riera is not in the team it is probably because he is not doing enough in training or in games.

"You have players these days who complain about managers and I think these players should look at themselves.

"The first question you have to ask when you are not playing is 'have you done enough to be in the team?'

"These days it happens too often with players who can't get in the team and the first thing they do is blame the manager.

"I can honestly say I have never had a problem with a manager in 15 years of my career and I would never blame a manager for not playing."

Hamann, who does some part-time coaching for Liverpool's youth teams, admitted Benitez had his own individual style of management but said he did not have an issue with it during his two seasons under the Spaniard.

"Every manager has his different styles and he may not talk, as other managers do, to his players but at the end of the day I always had a professional relationship with him," he added.

"Every player is different and he does speak to players. If he didn't speak to Riera on this particular occasion there must have been a reason.

"I never really needed much conversation with the manager because his team selection told you everything most weeks.

"I think he was always pretty honest in terms of his team selection - he always did what he thought was best for the team."

In his interview, Riera told Radio Marca: "When the coach says nothing to you and you are well, with no physical problems and training well, you cannot help but think it must be something personal."

He also went on to say he felt Liverpool were a "sinking ship" after a poor season which has seen early exits from the title race, Champions League and FA Cup.

Hamann disagreed, however, telling Radio Five Live: "I think Liverpool are far from a sinking ship.

"They are having a bad season by their standards but not all hope is lost and there are eight or 10 weeks ahead of them so it is all to play for.

"It (Riera's outburst) is very disruptive and I don't know whether he will play any further part in the rest of the season.

"If he didn't it would be understandable from the manager's point of view."

McMahon Salutes Ayala

John McMahon saluted Spanish defender Daniel Ayala after he gave a commanding performance during the reserves' 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic on Wednesday.

Goals from Lauri Dalla Valle and Daniel Pacheco sealed the Reds' place in the final of the Lancashire Senior Cup, and stretched the unbeaten run to 13 games.

Ayala and Victor Palsson were solid as a rock at the back and McMahon was delighted with the display.

"The game suited Danny as we needed passion and strength and he has got that in abundance," McMahon told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"He won headers, made some strong tackles and did well for us.

"Palsson did well again at centre-half. He has played there a few times now and showed some good signs in this game. Hopefully he can keep on improving.

"It's pleasing to get to another final and to have another game is also an added bonus."

Dalla Valla took his tally to two goals in two starts for the reserves this season and McMahon is pleased with his progress.

"It's the old cliché but that is what he is paid to do and if Lauri keeps doing that that's all we can ask for," he added.

"He is getting better all of the time and when the chances come along, more often than not he takes them.

"Lauri was up against two strong defenders and to play against them was good for his progress.

"It was a really good test for us against a big and strong side. They had a really good intensity about their work and closed us down quickly, so it was a hard game for us."

Spanish starlet Pacheco added the second goal with a superb finish and McMahon said: "Dani needed the game. He has been away with Spain Under-19s at a training camp and he was a little out of sorts and off the pace, so this game will be a big benefit to him.

"He took his goal really well."

Simon Kjaer Calls For Big Liverpool Offer To Tempt Him From Palermo

Palermo's hot property Simon Kjaer has told Liverpool to make him an offer he can't refuse.

The in-demand Denmark defender is believed to have rejected an offer from Manchester City in the January transfer window and he insists it will take a lot to convince him of a future outside Sicily.

Serie A giants Juventus are the latest to show interest in the 20-year-old, with reports in Turin that they will offer £18million striker Amauri in exchange.

But he said: 'I have another three years on my current deal with Palermo.

'It would take an offer to which you can't say no to arrive for me to leave here.

'I am a regular for this team and I have the chance to play in some prestigious competitions with the pink and black jersey.'

The Liverpool-mad centre-half recently admitted he would be keen to join up with compatriot Daniel Agger at Anfield, but he has also attracted interest from Old Trafford, where he is seen as a potential long-term successor to Nemanja Vidic or Rio Ferdinand.

Tottenham Hotspur and Wolfsburg are also among the clubs linked with Kjaer.

Hicks And Gillett Given Three Weeks To Accept £100m Deal

Liverpool's American owners are under more financial pressure to settle their debts than has previously been thought, with the New York-based company bidding to take control of the club imposing a three-week deadline to take or leave their offer.

The Rhone Group's proposed £100m investment for a 40 per cent share would enable the Liverpool chief executive, Christian Purslow, to deliver the entire sum to the Royal Bank of Scotland, the club's bankers, to pay down £100m of debt as the bank has demanded. But the time pressures the club currently faces are also compounded by the fact that Liverpool appear to have just 20 days to deliver some of that £100m figure to the bank. The presumption has always been that the deadline is July, by which time the club's current debt facility expires and must be renegotiated.

Liverpool's predicament appears to leave Rhone Group's partners Steve Langman and Robert Agostinelli in a strong position to take over a controlling stake – despite having offered a price which values the club at a half of the £500m Tom Hicks and George Gillett rejected from Dubai International Capital two years ago. There are currently no other prospective buyers lined up for Liverpool.

One source close to the process has said the half-dozen other potential investors the Anfield club seem confident of securing will not be new prospects but those whose previous bids have come to nothing.

Liverpool indicated last night that there was no precise deadline date for repaying the £100m and that there is some degree of leeway. The ultimate sanction would be RBS taking over, although that is highly unlikely as RBS is a state-owned bank. Running a Premier League club is not high on the agenda of a bank which announced a £2.6bn operating loss for the last financial year. But the endgame for Hicks and Gillett is certainly far closer than has been appreciated.

A 20-day target from today would make the 6 April the deadline for the repayment of some of the money – the start of the new financial year and the day after Easter Monday. Purslow has been saying for several weeks that he wanted his pursuit of new finance wrapped up by "Easter".

RBS does not appear to be anxious about the precise repayment date for the £100m it has demanded, though that may in part be a result of the confidence which the Rhone Group has created. But the pressing deadlines have created additional pressure for Liverpool and another consideration is the club's tortuous struggle to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Non-qualification would create a hole in next season's budget and would make Hicks and Gillett's position at Anfield less tenable. One source with insider knowledge of Liverpool's search for new investors told Sporting Intelligence website that several investors are delaying offers while they wait to see if non-qualification drives down the price. "Qualification is not necessarily the best outcome for would-be investors," the source said.

Rhone is aware of this, though its belief that its own offer of £110m-£115m can come to fruition is also based on the strong relationship formed with Purslow over weeks of negotiations leading up to the bid which was tabled at midnight last Friday.

The mystery surrounding the prospective investors led the Spirit of Shankly supporters' group yesterday to call on Purslow to explain "who exactly are these investors." Langman and Agostinelli are certainly not the "billionaires" they have been widely described as over the past five days, but multi-millionaires who would not be paying their own money to take over the club but investing the funds put into their hands for management.

Though the clock is ticking down on the Americans, RBS is understood to believe that a deal to deliver the club into new hands will be concluded quickly – possibly within two weeks – and that Rhone Group's interest has the potential to persuade other prospective buyers who have dragged their feet to make themselves known.

Mourinho, Benitez, Capello & Ancelotti On Real Madrid Shortlist To Replace Pellegrini

Spanish newspaper Marca reports this morning that Real Madrid have already begun planning to replace Manuel Pellegrini as coach following their shock Champions League exit to Lyon last week.

A sixth successive exit at the first knockout round of the Champions League has focused the search at the Bernabeu to a coach who can guide Real Madrid to success in Europe.

As a result, the four names Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is mulling over are Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan), Rafa Benitez (Liverpool), Fabio Capello (England) and Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea).

Real Madrid have gone through 10 coaches during the past 10 seasons and unless Pellegrini guides the club to a league title success with ease over Barcelona the former Villareal coach will be sacked in the summer.

Marca adds that whoever comes in will have to be a former winner of the Champions League who can restore the club’s status as one of the top clubs in European competition.

Fabio Capello has already had two spells as coach at the Bernabeu whilst Rafa Benitez was reserve team coach at Real Madrid earlier in his career. Arsene Wenger ruled himself out of the running last week.

Can Liverpool Keep Their Season Alive By Beating Lille In The Europa League?

It is probably too far to stretch it by claiming that Liverpool’s next two matches have the potential of redefining their season. First up on Thursday night is the arrival of Lille in the Europa League, followed by a meeting against their old adversary Manchester United on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Looking to end the season on a high which has been lacking for the majority of the campaign, the Reds will head into their second leg with Lille with an uncharacteristic gentle spring in their step this week. Monday night’s swashbuckling 4-1 victory over Portsmouth was up there with Liverpool’s finest attacking displays of the season. Their devastating six minute spell in the first half in which they crashed home three goals to kill the match before the interval was a real confidence booster, in which the Merseysiders passing was top-notch and the team’s morale appeared to be visibly growing on the pitch.

Eden Hazard’s late free-kick handed Lille a slender advantage after their first leg, leaving Liverpool to walk a tightrope knowing that should they concede an away goal at Anfield, then the Reds will need to score three to book a place in the Europa League’s last eight.

Benitez will be forced into at least one change. Maxi Rodriguez is ineligible for European competition, and his place on the right of midfield is likely to go to either Dirk Kuyt or Yossi Benayoun, both of whom were rested as the Reds ran riot against Pompey.

Liverpool’s midfield may be shaken up further as, after netting his first goal since arriving at Liverpool last summer against Pompey, Alberto Aquilani could also be forced to watch from the sidelines with news that the Italian has been struck down with a virus. In Aquilani’s absence, Lucas Leiva will likely step into the breach.

Elsewhere, there is little selection news report. Martin Skrtel (foot) and Fabio Aurelio (thigh) will be out until at least next month. And although Javier Mascherano was limping towards the end of the Portsmouth match, manager Rafa Benitez has since dispelled fears that the Argentine picked up a serious knock. Liverpool’s defence, with Glen Johnson having returned to fitness, picks itself, as does the Reds’ attack which will be spearheaded by captain Steven Gerrard and Spanish super-striker Fernando Torres.

Liverpool, though, are unlikely to find Lille an easy team to turn over. After beating Grenoble 1-0 last weekend in Ligue 1, Rudy Garcia’s men are currently fourth in the French top flight, where they now have real ambitions of upsetting the odds to steal the title from under the noses of Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille.

Lille will also undoubtedly pose a threat to the Scouse backline, being the top scorers in Ligue 1 with 51 goals in 28 matches this season. Unfortunately for the visitors though, star striker Gervinho will be missing with a knee injury, however having only failed to score in four matches this season the Ivorians’ absence should be managed by the Frenchmen.

The player Liverpool will be most concerned about is Belgian youngster Eden Hazard. A 19-years-old and having scored the winner in the first leg, Hazard has already forged himself a reputation to strike fear into the Scousers, being one of the most highly-sought after players of his generation. With his low centre of gravity, excellent technique and pace to burn, it would not be a stretch to place Hazard in the top bracket of players plying their trade in Ligue 1 this season.

Leading the Lille line will be Frenchman Pierre-Alain Frau, who has scored 13 goals in 31 appearances this season and is in the midst of his most productive season for some time. Alongside Frau, Polish winger Ludovic Obraniak, with five goals and four assists this term, will also look to join in the attacks from high on the left-hand side.

Looking more broadly around the Lille team, tough tackling Rio Mavuba will be employed as Lille’s enforcer in the middle of the park, while at the back Adil Rami, the giant centre-half, will not only prove himself robust in a defensive sense, but with three goals already this season he can also pose a threat from set-pieces at the other end of the pitch.

While Liverpool may be confident of claiming a win over Lille in front of the Kop, the bigger question will be whether they can shut out Lille to win the tie on aggregate. On that note the Liverpudlians have reasons to be slightly concerned as Lille have managed to score in every single away trip in the competition so far this season, and so a tense night of nail-biting may be in store on Thursday.

Rafael Benitez Urges Liverpool To Ignore Upcoming Manchester United Clash And Focus On Lille

Rafael Benitez has called for his Liverpool side to focus on the challenge facing them against Lille on Thursday, rather than be distracted by the forthcoming league clash against Manchester United.

After seeing his side defeat Portsmouth 4-1 on Monday, Benitez wants his players to maintain that same level of performance against the French side as they look to overcome a 1-0 first leg deficit, before they think about the trip to Old Trafford on Sunday.

"Now we have two important games. We have to concentrate on the first one [against Lille]," Benitez said on Wednesday.

"After that we will think about Man United but we cannot have an eye on the second one in case we make a mistake in this one.

"We will try to win because we want to progress in the Europa League and after that we will try to beat Manchester United."

Benitez believes the performance against Pompey on Monday has come at the right time for his side, and believes it will give them the belief to challenge for the Europa League - their only remaining chance at silverware.

"It will be positive to keep winning games, for the confidence of the players, but it's also an opportunity to win something," he said.

"We will try to do our best and we know we need to win to progress.

"I think they have quality, they also have some confidence now. The main thing is we will play at Anfield and we know what that means. We will have the fans behind us, so hopefully we will do our job properly and we can play well."

Alberto Aquilani Hands Reds Europa League Fitness Scare

Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani missed training at Melwood today after suffering from a stomach upset.

The Italian turned in arguably his finest performance in a Red shirt to date when scoring his first goal for the club in Monday's 4-1 Premier League win over Portsmouth but was unable to take part in this morning's preparations ahead of the Europa League Round of 16 second leg against Lille.

The club are hopeful that Aquilani will be available for Thursday night's clash at Anfield, where the Reds must overcome a one-goal deficit to progress to the last eight of the competition.