Martin Skrtel And Fabio Aurelio Could Return Next Month

Liverpool FC's injured defenders Martin Skrtel and Fabio Aurelio could make a return to action early next month.

Aurelio strained his right thigh in Liverpool FC's 2-1 win over Blackburn on February 28 and his absence has caused problems for manager Rafa Benitez as it has left him with only Emiliano Insua at left-back.

The 21-year-old has been exposed in recent weeks, notably by Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia and Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia, but Benitez has had no option but to continue playing the Argentinian.

Aurelio’s return cannot come quick enough to give Insua a break as a difficult season looks like it has taken its toll.

Centre-back Skrtel’s absence has not been noticed as much as Benitez has been able to call on a combination of Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

The Slovakian has been out since breaking a metatarsal in his right foot in the Europa League tie against Unirea Urziceni in Romania on February 25.

"Both are still injured and will need some time, but it’s only a question of a couple of weeks. It depends for each one," said Benitez.

Liverpool Accept £6m Offer From CSKA Moscow For Albert Riera

Liverpool have accepted an offer of around £6m from CSKA Moscow for their outspoken midfielder Albert Riera and hope to conclude the sale of Rafael Benítez's critic by the end of this week.

The Spain international is due to return to training at Melwood today having served a club suspension for last week's public criticism of Benítez's management style. Whether the 27-year-old gets as far as the training pitch is debatable, however, with Liverpool now willing to cash in on the marginalised winger and to allow Riera to discuss personal terms with CSKA.

Liverpool are hopeful of a swift deal for Riera, who has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in a season where he has been restricted to 16 appearances and whose desire for first-team football ahead of the World Cup arguably prompted his outburst on Radio Marca. The winger, signed for £8m from Espanyol in 2008, described Liverpool as a "sinking ship" in the interview and was scathing in the assessment of Benítez, who he claimed held a personal grudge against him and had zero dialogue with players.

Russia's transfer window is open until 8 April and Benítez will have made a profit of approximately £12m through sales this season should Riera follow Andrea Dossena and Andrei Voronin out of Anfield. Even that surplus is not guaranteed to be reinvested in the Liverpool squad this summer, however, with Champions League qualification, or the lack of, determining how much can be spent.

The Rhône Group has made provisions for a transfer budget as part of its £100m offer for a 40% stake in Liverpool, with a decision yet to be made by the owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, although Benítez's spending power will be reduced should they fail to secure a top-four finish.

Despite the financial uncertainty at Anfield, Benítez insists he has been encouraged by recent contract talks with Javier Mascherano and is confident the Argentina captain will be the latest component of Liverpool's first-team to commit his long-term future to the club.

"We were talking, progressing and we're closer now. Still we need to talk a little bit but we are closer," the manager said. "It would be very important for the club. We have some important players with some years left on their contracts and this could be another one. It's very important that we're keeping the spine of the team."

Spearing Seals Switch

Nigel Pearson has moved to bolster his promotion-chasing squad with the capture of Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing.

The 21-year-old joins the Foxes on loan until the end of the season to gain some much-needed first team experience at the Walkers Stadium.

Spearing is held in high regard at Anfield, making his debut in Liverpool's Champions League victory at PSV Eindhoven back in late 2008.

He also captained the Merseyside club's FA Youth Cup winning side in 2007, putting him on the fringes of Rafa Benitez's first team this year.

But with just the one start in the Reds' defeat at Sunderland and five appearances in total, the youngster has joined up with Nigel Pearson's squad to help secure their current play-off position.

Chairman Milan Mandaric believes Spearing can have a healthy impact on his manager's squad, saying: 'Jay is a great signing for the team, a player that should bea big help to us between now and the end of the season.

'We have been trying to do everything we can to ensure that we have the best chance possible of succeeding in this division.'

Spearing has been given the number 34 shirt, and joins up with the Foxes ahead of their crucial home clash with Reading tomorrow evening.

Liverpool Lead Chase To Land Cole As Suitors Circle

Liverpool FC are leading the race to sign Chelsea star Joe Cole after talks between the England star and the West London club broke down. Cole has admitted that talks between himself and Chelsea have stalled, and now Liverpool are being tipped as the favourites to land the playmaker, with Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur the other Premier League clubs in the running for the former West Ham United youngster.

Cole, who moved to Chelsea in 2003 from West Ham United for a fee believed to be in the region of £6.6 million, is struggling to get first team opportunities since returning from injury under Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti with the classy playmaker now expected to leave the Stamford Bridge club. According to SKYBET Liverpool are now the favourites to land the player after their odds were slashed to 8/1, while Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are all at 10/1 to land the 28 year-old midfielder.

Liverpool are set for a summer of re-structuring at the football club and whether or not manager Rafa Benitez is at the football club, the Liverpool heirachy will look to strengthen the squad with Joe Cole a cost-effective way of adding an international to the Reds squad. The likes of Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is a confirmed admirer of Cole, while SKY BET have also tipped Manchester City and Arsenal to enter the race for the England winger.

Rafael Benitez: Fernando Torres Must Concentrate More In Big Games

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has asked Fernando Torres to ensure he does not get frustrated or distracted in the biggest games.

Torres scored in the Reds' clash with Manchester United at the weekend, but was also caught kicking the penalty spot in frustration after referee Howard Webb awarded a penalty against his side, and was unable to prevent the visitors failing to a disappointing 2-1 defeat.

Benitez was not upset by the striker's display of petulance, but believes he needs to try to channel his energy more positively.

"Fernando knows he has to focus a little bit more," Benitez told the Press Association.

"We were talking about this at half-time [against United] so that is something that will be better for him and better for the team.

"He can score more goals by concentrating on football.

"All strikers, especially top-class strikers, they are marked a little bit more closely than others and that is normal.

"It is not easy every game. People don't understand when you are a player on the pitch and you are fighting and sometimes you cannot understand these things."

Torres has scored 17 goals in a season that has been ravaged by injuries and, despite his problems against United, Benitez believes that the former Atletico Madrid captain has contributed greatly to his side when he has been fit.

"Sometimes when you talk about big names, top-class players, you are expecting something from them when the team is not doing well," he said.

"You expect them to say: 'It's okay, follow me'."

"We have had this conversation with Fernando and the rest of the team.

"It was something we were expecting from Torres and he was really good the other day [scoring twice against both Portsmouth and Lille]."

Fully fit for much of last season, Torres led Liverpool to a title challenge on the back of his 33 goals. Benitez can only wonder how differently the Red's disappointing season might have progressed, had he been fit for its entirety.

"It was a pity because it was a very good season [last year] and if we were doing more or less the same we would be up there," he said.

"We have seen some games where we couldn't score and we conceded and after we didn't have the same reaction as last year."

Ryan Babel Hopeful Liverpool Form Can Take Him To South Africa

Liverpool winger Ryan Babel is optimistic that his improving club form could yet win him a call-up to the Netherlands squad which travels to South Africa for the World Cup this summer.

The player had looked out of favour at Anfield earlier this season, but a recent run of first-team appearances has shown that he still has plenty to offer.

He looked set for a January exit, but talks with manager Rafael Benitez have cleared the air and he has featured in the Reds' last 12 games.

And that run of steady form might just now enable him to catch Oranje coach Bert van Marwjik's eye in the run-up to this summer's showpiece occasion.

"Every player wants to get a run of games to show what he can do. I hope I can continue to show more – If I can then I will be happy," Babel told The Liverpool Echo.

"Hopefully I can give something back to the squad. I’m slowly feeling more confident.

"I’m playing games now and want to show what I can do.

"The fans expect me always to dribble and take men on.

"It’s not always possible but I try to do it as much as I can.

"I like to take men on and hopefully I’ll show more of that in the future. I know if I play a lot of games then I’ll have a good chance of going to the World Cup."

Benitez: Reds Are Relying On Others

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez remains confident his side can secure Champions League qualification but accepts he is relying on their rivals making mistakes.

Sunday's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford - their 10th in the league this season - saw the Reds drop to sixth, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham.

With Manchester City, in fifth, and seventh-placed Aston Villa both having two matches in hand Liverpool's task is becoming increasingly difficult.

They have seven matches to save their season and Benitez knows they realistically have to win them all.

If they were to do that they would finish the season with 72 points, which was more than enough for Arsenal to clinch fourth last season as they finished nine points clear of Everton.

Of those remaining games, Birmingham away and Chelsea at home present the most difficult challenges.

Tottenham, by contrast, have to play Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in successive matches with a trip to Manchester City on the penultimate weekend of the season.

City also have to face United and Arsenal in successive weeks, while Villa - currently a point behind Liverpool - have Chelsea, City, Everton and a derby against Birmingham among their fixtures.

"We knew the game against United would be very tough. The question is now about the other teams," said Benitez.

"Tottenham won at the weekend but we have to keep going. We know they have to make mistakes and we have to keep winning games to reduce the gap and be there.

"There are still a lot of points to be played for so we have to keep going. If we can win our games we will be there at the end.

"As a manager you have to believe. It will be more difficult but we have to keep pushing and I think we can do it.

"This year is a difficult year with too many things against but still we have to keep fighting and I am confident the team will be ready for the next game against Sunderland (on Sunday)."

The defeat at Old Trafford came at the end of a week in which Liverpool had beaten Portsmouth 4-1 and then seen off Lille 3-0 in the Europa League.

And although losing to their arch-rivals was disappointing, Benitez insisted it was not as damaging as some were making out.

"The team was doing well last week, playing well and scoring a lot of goals," he said.

"You could see they started well against United. If you go there and don't perform or don't show character or are not strong enough that is not good.

"But we showed we can beat anyone if we play well and if we have some chances we have to take them and it could have been totally different.

"The team was not fantastic but it was not worse than United. You couldn't see the difference in the table out on the pitch.

"I don't think it is a set-back."

Despite the need to put together an unbroken winning run between now and the end of the season the inherently cautious Benitez is not prepared to go for all-out attack.

The form - and demeanour - of captain Steven Gerrard is a concern but it would be unthinkable that the England international would be dropped at a time when confidence is so fragile.

That means £17million midfielder Alberto Aquilani, in spite of his man-of-the-match display against Portsmouth, is destined to only play a bit-part role as the campaign nears its conclusion.

"Sometimes you have to attack but sometimes you have to be careful and defend," said Benitez.

"I don't think we were defending too much [at Old Trafford]. I think we were doing a good job and we were trying to go forward.

"But you have to create more if you want to be sure [of victory].

"Some games you have one chance and you score and in this case we were disappointed because how many chances did they have? How many saves did Pepe (Reina) make? One or two?

"We were trying to get the second goal against United and if you analyse the people we had on the pitch Kuyt is a striker, Maxi Rodriguez can keep the ball well, and we had Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

"After that we put on Ryan, Yossi and Aquilani, who are offensive players, but we were playing against a good team."

Jamie Carragher: Liverpool Will Fight On Following Loss To Manchester United

Following Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United yesterday, Jamie Carragher vows his side will beat competition from Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for the Premier League's final Champions League spot.

"We have just got to recover from this [defeat to United] as quickly as possible and get on a run of victories," the centre-back told reporters.

"We were playing against a top side yesterday and have run them close.

"It’s really disappointing to lose, as there wasn’t much between the sides in the game.

"We did well to a certain point but we played last Monday, then again on Thursday and then had to come into this match.

"You didn’t see too many chances being created but we have lost and you have got to move on."

The 32-year-old predicts Liverpool will close the gap on Tottenham and Manchester City and eventually take fourth place by the end of the season.

He added: "Of course we believe we can still close the gap. They will both have difficult spells and we have got to make sure we take maximum points when they do.

"Maybe there will be more criticism of us now and at a club like Liverpool, the pressure is never off. Things are a bit more difficult but we have still got lots of points to play for."

Liverpool's take on Sunderland this Sunday at Anfield. Carragher has started each of his 42 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool this season.

Benitez To Take Torres And Mascherano To Juventus

Juventus have stepped up their interest in Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, who will look to take Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano with him to Turin, according to Italian daily Corriere dello Sport.

Roberto Mancini was spotted at last week's Europa League match between Fulham and Juventus and although likely preparing for Manchester City's fixture at Craven Cottage, was subsequently linked with the Juve job.

However, Corriere dello Sport claims that while in London, Juventus deputy director general Roberto Bettega renewed contact with those close to Benitez, with a view to the Liverpool boss taking over during the summer.

Juventus are enduring a difficult season and although the appointment of short-term coach Alberto Zaccheroni led to a brief revival, they are struggling to finish in the top four in Serie A which would guarantee Champions League qualification. Zaccheroni himself has admitted that a league finish outside of the top four would be a failure on his part.

Liverpool find themselves in a similar situation, scrapping for Champions League football next season and speculation has been rife over Benitez's future for some months. Corriere dello Sport also claim that should Benitez leave Anfield for Turin, he would look to take star striker Fernando Torres and midfielder Javier Mascherano with him. Torres himself recently questioned Liverpool's ambition to attract top players and challenge for honours.

Rafa Reveals Fourth Fears

Rafa Benitez has admitted it will be difficult for Liverpool to claim a UEFA Champions League berth after their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

The Reds slipped to their 10th defeat of a disappointing Premier League season after goals from Wayne Rooney and Park Ji-Sung cancelled out Fernando Torres' early opener at Old Trafford.

Earlier in the campaign, the Spaniard issued a guarantee that the Anfield outfit would be dining at European football's top table, but he is now aware that the pressure is mounting.

Sunday's setback leaves Liverpool four points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham having played a game more than the North London club, with Manchester City and Aston Villa also strongly in contention.

Benitez remains confident in the abilities of his side and has vowed not to look to far ahead as the season enters its final furlong.

He told Sky Sports: "It will be difficult, but still we have to fight. There are a lot of points to play for so we have to keep going and see what happens in the next game.

"I think they (the fans) can see that the team today was solid again. It is not like we are not doing well, not creating chances or are too weak.

"It depends on the other teams too. We have to win the first one, see what the position is in the table and think about the next one. We have to take one game at a time."

Benitez had no complaints about United's equaliser, with Rooney scoring on the rebound after his initial penalty had been superbly saved by Jose Reina.

Howard Webb pointed to the spot after Javier Mascherano pulled down Antonio Valencia, although initial contact was made outside the box, with the Argentina international booked.

The Liverpool boss added: "It appears that it was inside so it was a penalty, and Carra was there so it was a yellow card."

After a blistering opening with Torres on target after just five minutes and Rooney levelling soon after, there were few clear-cut openings until Park's winner on the hour mark.

Benitez felt his side deserved to take a point from their trip to Old Trafford, but paid tribute to an impressive United display.

He said: "I think it was very tight. They didn't have too many chances, we didn't have too many.

"Between two top sides the difference is always little things and they were better at these things.

"It was a great goal (from Torres), a great header. But we conceded too early and in the second half you could see they are a good team, no doubt about this, but they didn't have too many options and it could have been a draw, with a little bit of luck."

Bantams Keep Hold Of Threlfall

Bradford have extended the loan of Liverpool youngster Robbie Threlfall until the end of the season.

Threlfall joined Bradford last month on loan after impressing in the Liverpool reserves side and he has been a revelation since his move to Valley Parade.

The 21-year-old has made seven appearances for the Bantams since arriving at the end of February and has scored two spectacular free-kicks during his time at the club.

A number of clubs higher up the football pyramid are believed to have sounded out a loan move for Threlfall before the close of the loan window on Thursday, but Bradford have managed to keep hold of the left-back.

Threlfall's initial loan deal was due to expire on Monday, but Bantams boss Peter Taylor moved quickly to keep him for the last two months of the campaign.

Aquilani Exit talk Rubbished

Alberto Aquilani's agent has dismissed rumours linking the Italian with a summer exit from Liverpool.

Reports have suggested the Anfield club could offload Aquilani after just one season to raise funds for their summer rebuilding plans.

Aquilani, who missed the first few months of the season because of injury, has struggled to hold down a regular place in Rafa Benitez's starting XI.

The former Roma man has been linked with a quick return to Serie A, but Aquilani's representative, Franco Zavaglia, insists the rumours are wrong.

"False news has been circulated around," Zavaglia told Tuttomercatoweb.com.

"The player is happy in England and he will stay there with no problems.

"There is absolutely nothing that concerns him."

Liverpool's Future Imperfect As Cracks Show

Fast forward to early October 2010. Rafa Benitez, having lost at Eastlands and drawn home games against Birmingham and Fulham, arrives at Old Trafford for a showdown with bitter rivals that already appears key to a season’s ambitions.

Wayne Rooney profits from a late slip by Martin Skrtel, controversially now ahead of Jamie Carragher in the pecking order, to plunder the only goal which carries Manchester United back to the Premier League summit and leaves Liverpool nine points adrift in fifth.

The title is just a distant dream. Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who were persuaded to stay at Anfield just a few months earlier by the promise of new signings, cut disillusioned figures.

The camera pans to a dejected David Silva, who remained in his tracksuit throughout having failed to impress since an £18million move from Valencia.

Afterwards, Benitez berates the Rhone Group, already at loggerheads with Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and whose £20m injection of capital pales into insignificance compared to the £80m spree that Roman Abramovich sanctioned at Chelsea in the summer. Liverpool supporters are mutinous. Again.

If something like that particular scenario is not to come to pass, then monumental decisions need to be taken at Anfield at the end of the season. And in that sense, yesterday’s defeat in the self-styled Theatre of Dreams might even be a blessing.

It will be difficult for the Liverpool supporters, who headed back along the M62 smarting from their first reversal at the hands of their most bitter rivals in four games, to accept as much as the horrible memory of Torres’ fluffed chance in the final seconds of normal time lingered.

Yet that is the stark reality that not even salvaging fourth place, a distant dream today, will cure.

Liverpool’s season is at the point where any glorious highs like the one they briefly imagined here, before Javier Mascherano brainlessly decided to offer Sir Alex Ferguson’s side a helping hand, can be seen as papering over cracks and should not be confused with mending them.

Anfield needs a fresh start because this club is stuck in a cycle, a vicious circle that will continue to whirl until major changes take hold.

Whether it is Benitez who leaves – expensive for a club so paranoid about finances – remains to be seen. Whether it is Gerrard or maybe even Torres – whose departures would raise funds unlikely to be plentiful by other means – is an alternative.

That all three at various times, and probably on the coach ride back to Melwood yesterday, will have given the possibility serious thought speaks volumes. Something needs to give and that the club’s hierarchy has been steadfast that star names will not be sold points to where ties will be severed when a disappointing campaign runs its course.

Make no mistake, this was another damaging setback for Benitez.

Liverpool showed on Sunday they can compete with the champions on any given day, but their best results have been the freak ones. Tottenham and United at home, Aston Villa and Everton away. Otherwise, the under-achievement has been unrelenting.

Benitez may yet welcome the chance to escape a job that has undoubtedly lost some of its appeal because of the weighty expectations that he feels are out of kilter with the resources.

Gerrard has struggled to exert himself, stymied by the shortcomings of Lucas and Mascherano, who seemed to take it as a personal affront that Nemanja Vidic had been sent off three times in succession in this fixture and not him.

There was no doubting that he started tugging at Antonio Valencia way outside the box, but loosening his grip only as the tussle reached the area allowed Howard Webb to indulge in a favourite pastime because this was the fifth penalty he has given United over his past eight games at Old Trafford.

It was not the sight of Carragher and Gary Neville coming nose to nose like two proud tribal chiefs that screamed loudest, nor even Ferguson and Benitez jousting on the touchline.

Rather, it was Carragher’s angry shove on Mascherano as the ramifications of his team -mate’s mindless actions sunk in.

There has been too much blaming of one another. The changes must not stop there.

Liverpool Can Still Finish Fourth, Says Jamie Carragher

Jamie Carragher today insisted Liverpool possesses the strength of character to shrug off their disappointment at Old Trafford and get their push for the top four back on track.

The Reds squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to make a statement against Manchester United on Sunday as they lost 2-1 despite Fernando Torres giving them an early lead.

With Manchester City and Tottenham – their rivals for the last Champions League spot – both winning at the weekend, the task facing Liverpool on the run in is hugely difficult. Carragher, though, has warned anybody who thinks Liverpool is out of the reckoning now that they have dropped down to sixth place to think again.

He is adamant there will still be plenty of twists and turns in the coming weeks and, having studied the fixture list, is confident Liverpool can still make their presence felt.

“We have just got to recover from this as quickly as possible and get on a run of victories,” said the Reds’ vice-captain.

“We were playing against a top side yesterday and have run them close. It’s really disappointing to lose, as there wasn’t much between the sides in the game.

“You didn’t see too many chances being created but we have lost and you have got to move on, as this was the most difficult fixture we had before the season end.

“Of course we believe we can still close the gap. They will both have difficult spells and we have got to make sure we take maximum points when they do.

“Maybe there will be more criticism of us now and at a club like Liverpool, the pressure is never off. Things are a bit more difficult but we have still got lots of points to play for.”

Once Ji-Sung Park headed in front after Wayne Rooney’s first-half leveller, Liverpool only threatened to score once in the final 30 minutes but Torres took an air shot.

“We did well to a certain point but we played last Monday, then again on Thursday and then had to come into this match,” Carragher pointed out.

“The squad hasn’t been strong enough for one reason or another this season but it was still a big ask to come here after that run, particularly as United had all week to prepare.”

There is little doubt the game changed after referee Howard Webb awarded United a penalty when Javier Mascherano tangled with Antonio Valencia.

Television replays showed the incident took place initially outside the area, while Rafa Benitez claimed Valencia made the most of the incident.

Alex Ferguson, meanwhile, countered by saying Mascherano should have received a red card as Valencia would have been “too quick” for Carragher, who was the last man.

“It was never a sending-off,” Carragher said. “It took place outside the box and I think I would have got there! Pepe (Reina) was unlucky when he saved (Rooney’s) penalty but it bounced back to him.”

Former Liverpool Hero Ronnie Whelan Believes Players Have Given Up On Boss Rafael Benitez

Former Liverpool player Ronnie Whelan believes that after Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League, key members of the Reds' squad have given up on manager Rafael Benitez.

Having watched proceedings unfold at Old Trafford over the weekend, Whelan believes the attitudes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres throughout the game underline the fact that the Spaniard's time at Anfield must be coming to an end.

"We saw Torres at his brilliant best for the opening goal but turn into a petulant child as the game slipped away," Whelan wrote in his column for Irish newspaper The Herald.

"We saw Gerrard ghosting around the pitch without much purpose, occasionally bursting into activity but mostly ineffective.

"Players usually know when a manager's time is up and if they're smart, a long time before anyone else realises it. It's now plain to see from their performances against Manchester United that they've had enough.

"Rafa Benitez has nowhere to go now. His best players can no longer muster the belief needed to go to Old Trafford and win against the odds.

"They did it for him last season and many times before when his reputation was on the line but not any more."

Whelan also admitted his belief that the club's star assets — particularly Gerrard and Torres — will undoubtedly be having doubts as whether they should stay with the underachieving club.

"They must be having a hard look now at the future and I'm sure there are clubs all over Europe that would be happy to fork out huge amounts of cash for either or both players — even in these recessionary times," the 48-year-old noted.

The former Irish international is also disappointed that the Reds' academy is no longer producing the sort of players that could help the club through its current crisis.

"It wouldn't be so bad if there was a half dozen young lads pushing up from the Academy ranks and filling in the gaps created by poor work in the transfer market over many years," he added.

"Home-grown talent served Liverpool well for many years but Jamie Carragher and Gerrard are the last to come from that source and they've been in the senior team for over a decade."

Rafael Benitez Believes That Manchester United's Antonio Valencia Dove For Penalty

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has accused Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia of diving to earn the penalty that canceled out an early Fernando Torres strike in United’s 2-1 victory on Sunday to vault them to the top of the Premier League.

Valencia fell awkwardly under a Javier Mascherano challenge to earn the penalty after 12 minutes. Wayne Rooney’s shot was saved but he was able to net the rebound to tie the game at one.

Benitez was clear when asked if the Ecuadorian international dove for United’s penalty.

"Yes I think so, Benitez told The Sun.

“There is maybe a contact but the way he fell down was strange.

"I've seen three replays and the last one was very suspicious.

"See the replay and how he fell to the ground.

"The penalty made a big, big difference. One situation changed everything."

The decision to award United with the spot-kick led to an argument between Benitez and Sir Alex Ferguson, who thought that Mascherano should have been given a red card for being the last man on path to a scoring chance.

"I thought for the penalty kick it was a red card,” Ferguson said.

"There was no way Carragher could have got across to stop Valencia from shooting, absolutely no way. He's too quick for Carragher to get across.

"It was a penalty but you have seen it time and time again - the law of the game is that if you stop a player from a goalscoring opportunity, it's a red card. But not today it wasn't.”

The loss leaves Liverpool in sixth place, four points adrift of Tottenham for the last Champions League spot, and two points behind Manchester City, who also have two games in hand on the Reds, for fifth.

Match Report: Manchester United 2 - 1 Liverpool

Manchester United came from behind to clamber back to the Premier League summit, trampling on Liverpool's top-four hopes in the process.

Park Ji-sung headed home the winner after an hour, securing the spoils after Wayne Rooney's 33rd goal of the season had controversially levelled Fernando Torres' fifth-minute opener.

Although victory was not achieved without a nervy ending, during which Torres spurned a glorious chance to equalise, the result kept United's noses in front of Arsenal and Chelsea.

For Liverpool though, fight was not enough.

When they scored four times in the corresponding fixture last season, it appeared to open the door to that championship Holy Grail.

Not only has that been proved fool's gold, a 10th defeat of the season leaves them requiring slip-ups from Tottenham and others just to finish in a Champions League spot. What Rafael Benitez claimed before Christmas was a guaranteed fourth-place finish could hardly be further away.

Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed that a game of tiddlywinks between what the majorities still believes to be England's biggest clubs could trigger the deepest of passions.

Certainly there was no sense of inferiority from the visitors despite their present status, and with good reason.

It was the Merseysiders who had won the last three meetings - each of which featured the dismissal of Nemanja Vidic, who it seems in Torres has found someone he simply cannot handle.

Such is the mystique surrounding that duel there was an audible gasp the first time Torres ran at the Serbian. Like so much of the opening period's final half-hour, it petered out disappointingly. The spark had been ignited long before that, although Torres was the one who flicked the switch.

By his very demeanour, Torres gave the impression of being a man on a mission.

Five minutes into the contest, he seized on the loose ball after Michael Carrick had lost possession, sending Steven Gerrard away at top speed with an inspired backheel.

As Gerrard found Dirk Kuyt to his right, Torres continued his own run, United's defence never set properly to ensure the Spaniard remained under their control.

By the time Kuyt dug out his cross, Torres was on his own.

Park's wayward effort from a similar position later on proved the goal was anything but the routine effort it looked to be as the Spanish star guided the ball out of Edwin van der Sar's reach.

Quite apart from falling behind against such fierce rivals, an increasingly enthralling title race demanded a United comeback.

For Liverpool, the equaliser came far too quickly. The controversy was immediate too.

Benitez argued Javier Mascherano's attempt to haul back Antonio Valencia was outside the box, which, indeed, was where the infringement began. Ferguson countered the combative midfielder had prevented a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The managers - no friends these two - continued their finger-jabbing row long after Wayne Rooney had tucked home the rebound from a spot-kick awarded by Howard Webb and saved by Pepe Reina.

That was it for the goal threat until the hour mark arrived.

During his long career, Gary Neville has gone on plenty of unselfish runs down the right wing, knowing David Beckham or, more latterly, Cristiano Ronaldo were never going to give him the ball.

Darren Fletcher is not quite of that attacking calibre but Neville must have sensed his run was purely to provide space for the Scot.

So it proved. As Neville flew past on the overlap, Emiliano Insua edged to his right. In an instant, Fletcher had exploited the gap and curled over a cross.

As Rooney and Jamie Carragher tussled and tugged, Park arrived behind them, launching himself at the ball like a guided missile and powering the diving header into the corner of Reina's goal.

Rooney had one more chance before the end, which he fired wide.

Torres was on the end of a far better one when Gerrard drilled over a low cross near the end.

For once against United, the Spaniard miscued and Yossi Benayoun headed the loose ball straight at Edwin van der Sar.

United could celebrate, Neville and Ferguson doing the cheerleading.

Liverpool's money men are staring at a big black hole marked Champions League, Benitez is failing on his guarantees.

Javier Mascherano Willing To Commit His Future To Liverpool

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has revealed he is willing to sign a new contract with the club.

The Argentina skipper's future has been the subject of much speculation in recent times, with the tough tackler being tipped to join the ranks of Barcelona during the summer.

However, the defensive midfield stalwart has revealed the talks are ongoing, and the ball is currently in the club's court.

"I'm waiting for an answer from Liverpool," Mascherano said, according to the News of the World.

"They know what I want so it depends on them and not me. We have been talking about the contract."

It is claimed that the Argentine has a four-year contract in mind, with a mega-pay rise to around £90,000-a-week.

Liverpool have already tied down Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun, while Pepe Reina is also expected to sign a new long-term contract with the club in the near future.

Inter Boss Jose Mourinho Interested In Liverpool Job

The 'Special One' has been tipped to depart the San Siro at this term's end, with Real Madrid and Manchester City also believed to be pursuing his services.

Despite being interested in a potential job at Anfield, it is claimed that the Nerazzurri boss has no intention of plying his trade under the club's current owners: Tom Hicks and Geroge Gillett.

Moreover, it is believed that Mourinho will require guarantees with regard to funding and ownership if he is to take to the helm of the Kop club.

The club is reportedly in talks with the Rhone Group over a £100 million investment into the club, which will likely see Hicks and Gillett taking a back seat as the controlling stake would be held by the Rhone Group.

Pepe Reina Is The Best Goalkeeper In England - Rafael Benitez

Rafael Benitez is in no doubt Pepe Reina is the best shot-stopper in the Premier League.

The Anfield boss feels that Reina has proved the doubters wrong who claimed the Spain international would find it hard to cope with the aerial threat commonplace in the English game.

"We are really pleased because I remember at the beginning people said for England, in the air, he [Pepe Reina] is not the best," explained Benitez to his club's official website.

"He is the best in England - miles away from the others - and we are really pleased to keep him here for a long time.

"He is always organising the defenders and is more than a 'keeper.

"Sometimes the style of goalkeepers is for them to be really good in the six-yard box, but Pepe is really good in the 18-yard box.

"When you talk about a goalkeeper in a top side he normally doesn't have much to do.

"To be involved in this game especially at the end and the save shows the level of the player."

Benitez also praised Reina's commitment to the cause at Anfield and affirmed the talented gloveman would be staying on Merseyside for a while yet.

"Pepe is a key player and it is 100 per cent he will continue with us," the manager added.

"Since he came from Villarreal, always he has shown his character and his passion, his commitment with the club."