Premier League Preview: Everton vs. Liverpool

Never has a Merseyside derby been so important yet so little talked about. After an unprecedented week of boardroom drama at Liverpool finally finished on Friday, Everton will be keen to extend their misery on the pitch.

Both sides head into the fixture on six points and lurking at the foot of the table and with questions being raised over whether one of the Merseyside giants could end up in a relegation battle this season.

David Moyes’s hosts sit 17th in the table after finally notching their first win of the season at Birmingham last time out, in the process becoming the first team in more than a year to leave St Andrew’s with three points.

However, the Toffees are still without a win on home soil this season and have a dismal recent record against their bitter rivals at Goodison, losing six of the last eight Premier League fixtures between the sides.

Everton have struggled in front of goal this term, netting only six times in seven league games. If they are to record their first back-to-back wins since April, midfielder Tim Cahill could be the key. The Australian has scored four goals in Merseyside derbies, the same number as Steven Gerrard.

The positive vibe around Liverpool following the NESV takeover could quickly evaporate should they lose a match which has far more at stake than just local pride.

The Liverpool players have looked sorry for themselves so far this season and sit 18th in the Premier League, the first time they have been in the relegation zone in the top flight since October 1984.

The players can no longer blame the uncertainty over the club’s ownership for their worst start to a season in 56 years, a campaign that ended in relegation. Captain Steven Gerrard has been leading the calls for the men on the pitch to now drive the club forward. “We've all suffered in this, especially the supporters, and now it's time for us all to pull together and help move the club forward,” he said.

Manager Roy Hodgson is already asking new owners NESV for time to complete the ‘major job’ he has on his hands to turn Liverpool’s fortunes – but the jeers he received from the Kop during the 2-1 defeat to newly-promoted Blackpool last time out suggest he might not be afforded that luxury.

Hodgson will want his players to show spirit but will be wary that this hotly contested derby has seen 19 red cards in 36 Premier League meetings between the clubs – more than any other fixture in the division.

After the week Liverpool have had, predicting how the players will react in a Merseyside derby is the £300 million question.

TEAM NEWS

Everton

David Moyes will make a late decision on defender Phil Jagielka ahead of Everton's clash against city rivals Liverpool. Jagielka was forced out of England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro with a hamstring injury and is a major doubt for the match at Goodison Park.

The Scot will certainly be without midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who played on for Belgium with a hamstring injury and now faces six weeks on the sidelines. "I thought he should have come off immediately and he didn't,” fumed Moyes. “It's probably made his injury worse. I'll write a letter of disappointment to the Belgian FA.”

Striker Louis Saha (calf) is almost certain to miss out while Steven Pienaar is sidelined with a groin problem. Jack Rodwell is still more than two months away from returning from a long-term ankle injury.

Possible starting XI: Howard; Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Heitinga, Arteta, Osman; Cahill; Yakubu.

Liverpool

The big news for the visitors is that star striker Fernando Torres has been declared fit to play in the 214th Merseyside derby. Roy Hodgson says the Spain forward has recovered from the adductor injury sustained in the 2-1 defeat to Blackpool just before the international break.

Full-back Paul Konchesky is also available after recovering from a hamstring strain while Fabio Aurelio is on the verge of returning from the Achilles injury that has kept him sidelined since August.

Dirk Kuyt is out for at least three weeks after suffering an ankle injury playing for the Netherlands while centre-back Daniel Agger is doubtful with a back complaint.

Possible starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky; Lucas, Poulsen; Cole, Gerrard, Jovanovic; Torres.

New Reds Owners Meet With Players And Staff

Liverpool's new owner John W Henry visited Anfield on Saturday afternoon and then dropped in on training to give the players an insight into his plans to restore the team to one of the greatest in Europe.

Henry, along with fellow New England Sports Ventures chief Tom Werner, held their first meeting with Roy Hodgson's squad and said: "We want to make Liverpool a winning club again."

Henry and Werner made it clear that nothing was on the line in Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton and reiterated their intention to repeat their feat of resurrecting the fortunes of a struggling club, as they did at the Boston Red Sox.

An inside source told ESPNsoccernet: "Everything was very positive in the first meeting with the players and the manager. The new owners had lunch with the players after their training sessions, and both John and Tom had their say, and made their ambitions for the club clear.

"It was very relaxing and there were some good conversations with the players. It had a getting- to-know-you type of feel to it, and the players were very responsive to what they heard, and in fact the players showed their appreciation; there was a warm reception for the new owners.

"There will be a much more workmanlike meeting going on, on Monday, with the new owners."

Henry will not be at Sunday's Merseyside derby but is expected to make his first appearance at a Liverpool match when they host Blackburn Rovers next Sunday.

Purslow Looking Forward To New Era

Liverpool's managing director Christian Purslow is adamant that New England Sports Ventures (NESV) are the perfect group to lead the club out of the doldrums and to the upper echelons of the Premier League.

Headed by John W Henry, NESV completed their long drawn-out purchase of the club on Friday when they finally ousted detested American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Purslow has hailed chairman Martin Broughton's role in seeing the acquisition through and has also moved to pacify the sceptical Reds fans, who feel another American group may not be ideal to pull them out of the mire.

"We've sorted out our financial issues once and for all and we can now get back to football," he beamed.

"It was incredibly civilized and it's just a pleasure to work with people like Martin Broughton. We have the best lawyers in London, it was tranquillity.

"Where your passport comes from isn't a priority.

"The club now has virtually no debt and a lot of our competitors would love to say that."

All Eyes Now Fixed On Liverpool's Latest American Fling

Now that English football has leapt into bed with American sports owners, it is worth recalling the fit and proper person's test in the classic film Diner. Elyse, the fiancee of Steve Guttenberg's character Eddie, must prove her marital credentials by submitting to a quiz about his beloved Baltimore Colts. Elyse needs 65 points otherwise the dress goes back, the cake gets thrown to the ducks and two young lives are wrecked.

Eddie is a brutal Paxman, hitting the well-prepared but nervous Elyse with devilishly tricky Colts questions as his friends listen in. "What was the longest run from scrimmage by a rookie in his first game?'' he asks.

As Elyse pauses for thought, one of his mates whispers: "Alan Ameche". Eddie is apoplectic, disqualifying the question.

Midway through the interrogation, Elyse's mother phones to find out how her daughter is faring and whether she needs to stand down the caterers.

"The guys think it could go either way," comes the half-reassuring half-time view. Unfortunately, the Ameche controversy comes back to haunt Elyse as she finishes just short of the required 65 pass. "The marriage," Eddie announces gravely, "is off." Eventually he relinquishes when Elyse pleads she knew about Ameche and his friends confess it was the only answer they got right. The wedding duly goes ahead with a colour scheme of blue and white, including Elyse's dress.

"Colts' colours," Eddie reflects approvingly. "We all know most marriages depend on a firm grasp of football trivia," observes one of Eddie's elderly relatives sagely.

English football now embarks on another transatlantic marriage, Liverpool moving on from their acrimonious divorce from Hicks and Gillett by getting hitched to John W Henry. Would he pass an Eddie-style test on Liverpool's illustrious history? Although Henry has been well briefed by his PR people, and Friday night's sound bites were imbued with a sense of respect for Liverpool, not even the most ardent Kopite would expect their new owner to know his Alan Kennedy from his Ray Kennedy. An hour on the website LFChistory.net might help, though. Familiarity with the club's rich past would be nice -- a la Eddie from Diner -- but for the marriage to work Henry must prove his complete commitment to Liverpool's future.

Events at Anfield reverberate throughout the Premier League. What all supporters want is an owner with a plan that is long-term, a willingness to listen that is genuine and pockets that are deep. Henry seems to offer the first two. He keeps talking about the "long-term" while stating his desire to communicate with fans. New England Sports Ventures has wiped out the majority of the debt but how much will it now put into the squad and infrastructure? Henry has yet to commit to a new stadium in Stanley Park.

Of all the comments made by NESV on Friday, two from its chairman, Tom Werner, jumped out. "The new owners will begin to look at areas for greatest opportunity to increase the appeal of the club nationally and internationally," Werner said. Amid the exploding flashbulbs, didn't Werner see all the news crews from around the world clamouring for updates on the five-time European Cup-winners, the club of St John and Dalglish, Gerrard and Torres?

Message to NESV: Liverpool's global appeal comfortably eclipses anything the Boston Red Sox could dream of. To coin a phrase from the Harvard Business School, Liverpool can "make the brand sweat" more lucratively in overseas territories, but that "appeal" requires one quality to increase it: trophies.

It's not complicated. Silverware rules. "NESV will also begin to examine opportunities to enhance the match-day experience in the short-term," Werner adds. Getting Torres into top gear, bolstering the squad with heavyweight recruits and shedding lightweights such as Maxi Rodriguez is what's required to 'enhance the match-day experience'. Anfield, still home to one of the great atmospheres, doesn't need any fancy tricks from baseball arenas. Take me down to the Stanley Ball-Park? A seventh-inning stretch? Save that for Carra's bar afterwards.

Liverpool fans already sing their national anthem before kick-off. NESV must avoid gimmicks. The lesson of Anfield must be learned by the Premier League. The organization’s highly respected chief executive, Richard Scudamore, argues that he cannot pick who runs any of his 20 clubs provided they pass the fit and proper person test. Scudamore dismisses the idea of what he calls the 'we don't like the cut of your jib' door policy outside the VIP area of sport that is the Premier League.

But new proprietors must prove to the Premier League they have the finances to fund a club for a long period, for five years or more, and Scudamore must forbid any future leveraged buyouts such as the one Hicks and Gillett hoisted on Liverpool, almost ruinously, and the Glazers on Manchester United.

Old Trafford is a moneymaking machine, but so much of the profits go on interest payments it's little short of a scandal. Debt should become a four-letter word to the Premier League, particularly as Michel Platini's Uefa sounds determined to ban financially imbalanced clubs from Europe.

The current ownership debate should not be about nationality but about quality. There are good Americans and bad ones. Ellis Short is much admired at Sunderland. At Aston Villa, the breakdown in relations between Randy Lerner and Martin O'Neill was sad but the owner has recruited well, installing Gerard Houllier as O'Neill's successor. Stan Kroenke is well spoken of at Arsenal.

Just as there are good Americans and bad Americans, so there are good English owners such as Dave Whelan, the straight-talking, sense-making ruler of Wigan Athletic, and unpopular ones such as Mike Ashley at Newcastle United. Owners come in all shapes, sizes and motivations.

Maybe Scudamore could take the Eddie role, conducting a brief quiz at the new Premier League meeting with his 20 Elyses. And publish the results.

NESV Chairman Thomas Werner Expresses His Delight At Taking Over Liverpool

NESV chairman, Thomas Werner, has expressed his delight and relief after the American company completed a £300 million takeover of Liverpool.

The company, who also own American Baseball team Boston Red Sox, completed the deal on Friday after previous owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett dropped their injunction against The Reds chairman Martin Broughton.

Werner believes the club can move forward and NESV can help restore the club. He is also relieved that from the past couple of days, the company have managed to gain control of such a historic club.

“I think that Liverpool is one of the great clubs in all of sport.” Werner told liverpoolfc.tv.

“Its history, its tradition, its fans - in some ways - are similar to the fans of the Boston Red Sox in that they're loyal, they're passionate and it's our good fortune to be stewards and we hope that we will take care of this extraordinary club and provide it with the resources and the commitment to win in the near future and hopefully restore some of its lustre.

“I think it's been a very interesting rollercoaster but now our focus is on stabilizing the club.

"We've been with the players this morning and the manager and we introduced ourselves, told them that we're here to be supportive, to be constructive and we have a great history in Boston of providing the resources to win and we expect to do the same.

Werner also believes that Liverpool can challenge for the title again and says that NESV is on the side of the fans and will listen to them.

“I think one message I'd like to give is I'd rather under promise and over deliver,” he continued.

“But if you look at our track record in Boston - and the Boston Red Sox have some similarities with Liverpool - we came into a situation where the club had not won actually for 86 years and we hope to win much faster than that.

“It's an honour to be here, we're humbled by this and we just want to tell our fans that we're going to listen to them, we're on their side and finally it's about winning on the pitch.

“We are quietly confident but we would like to say to our fans that we are honest, we care, we're focused, we have brought great management into Boston and we look forward to doing whatever we can to strengthen the club. We can't wait to see everybody at Anfield.”

Roy Hodgson Comes Out Fighting For Merseyside Derby

Roy Hodgson says it would be "a sad day for Liverpool" if the club's new owners abandoned the Anfield tradition of loyalty to managers and dismissed him after the team's worst start to a season for 57 years. He called questions about his future "insulting" and revealed that senior figures from New England Sports Ventures had discussed a "tie-up" with Fulham when he was in charge at Craven Cottage.

Despite 35 years in club and international management Hodgson has been shocked by the antipathy of some Liverpool fans and the ferocity of the media inquisition on Merseyside. Before today's lunchtime derby at Everton, he said: "I think it would be a sad day for football and for Liverpool if someone who had been brought in with the pomp and circumstance, and the money it took them to release me from my previous contract, and being feted as one of England's best managers – if after eight games people are deciding this guy has got to go.

"It would be sad for me. These things happen in football. You can't have the years in football I've had without ever being sacked, but it would be a sad day for Liverpool because that isn't Liverpool's style. So I find that type of question insulting to me and even more insulting to the club.

"They didn't employ me lightly. It took them two months to make the decision, they interviewed a lot of people before they decided I was the right man and they paid Fulham the compensation they wanted. For me the job is not two and a half months, it's longer than that. But I'm aware that if we keep losing then people might say 'this is not the right man'."

Liverpool are 18th in the Premier League table with six points from seven games, one place below Everton. In his first interview since Friday's takeover, John W Henry, who engineered the purchase from Tom Hicks and George Gillett, said the club faces "real challenges".

Hodgson, who has a three-year contract, said: "I met them when I was at Fulham. They were interested in a tie-up. As far as I know Fulham were never for sale during my time there. Mohamed Al Fayed never wanted to sell Fulham. If they were trying to buy the club it is something only Al Fayed would know about."

Everton are without Marouane Fellaini and Phil Jagielka as well as Jack Rodwell, Louis Saha and Steven Pienaar for the 183rd league derby – and the 214th overall – while Liverpool's striker Fernando Torres has recovered from a muscle strain sustained 10 minutes into the home defeat to Blackpool two weeks ago.

Hodgson said: "I think his future is relatively secure at the club. The one thing we have to remember about Fernando Torres is that he's a human being who has come in for an enormous amount of criticism, not least during the World Cup from people in Spain and around the world.

"The cry goes up 'What's happened to Fernando Torres?' Maybe nothing's happened to Fernando Torres. Maybe he's not playing very well and he's not happy not playing well. Could it just be that? Maybe I see things too naively at times. He's trying very hard to play well but he's been hampered by one or two minor injuries. Certainly in training I see him trying to help our cause as best he can."

Of the extreme reaction to Liverpool's poor early season form, Hodgson says: "Like everyone else I get really immersed in the subject. I start looking through the eye of the microscope at the miniscule particles of dust, trying to see if there is an atom there. Maybe it is just a bit of dust."

Liverpool Linked With Move For £9m West Brom Winger Chris Brunt

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is apparently keen on West Brom winger Chris Brunt and is looking to bring the Baggies man to Anfield in January to give his side more natural width. The Northern Ireland international has been in sparkling form this season and has been linked with a move away from the Hawthorns and Roberto Di Matteo faces a fight to keep the former Sheffield Wednesday man.

The 25 year old was instrumental in helping his side back into the Premier League last term when his 13 goals and countless assists helped the side to a runner’s up spot in the Championship. This term he has continued where he left off and is part of a very attack minded West Brom side that has had a great deal of success, especially in matches against big team opposition such as Arsenal and Man United.

The Belfast born wide man can operate on the right but is more comfortable on the left and can also operate in a floating role in front oft the central midfielders. He has a great left foot and is a set piece specialist who scores his fair share of goals and is valued at around £9m, a fee that the Merseyside outfit should more easily afford now they have new owners in charge.

Liverpool Hope To Complete £10m January Move For “New Steven Gerrard”

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is reportedly looking to beat arch rivals to the signing of impressive Belgian international Steven Defour as the Anfield boss makes plans for January acquistions.

Sir Alex Ferguson famously sent the Standard Liege a letter during his long term injury lay off wishing him well and that started speculation that the Old Trafford boss wanted to snap up the talented young attack minded midfielder.

Now with the boost of new owners at the Merseyside club, Liverpool will look to sign a player that many have dubbed the “New Steven Gerrard” and whilst such comparisons are next to impossible to live up to the 22 year old does play in a similar style to the Liverpool captain and does have a great deal of potential that appears to eclipse what he can achieve with his Belgian side.

Despite strong links to Manchester United, Steven Defour could be on his way to Liverpool, who are suddenly reveling in monetary salvation at the eleventh hour.

NESV, the new owners of Liverpool, are apparently looking to make an immediate impact once the books become a little more balanced, aiming to sign three or four new players in the next transfer window. Roy Hodgson is also an admirer of Defour, and would willingly fork out £10m for the prodigious midfielder.

But if Hodgson is to be sacked (highly probable in the event that Liverpool lose the Merseyside Derby) then that situation may change, leaving Sir Alex Ferguson free to claim Defour with the promise of regular Champions League football.

Ultimately, United remain firm favourites to sign Defour as they look to revolutionize the under-performing midfield, and only by withdrawing interest (an impossibility itself) will Liverpool become the new favourites in the race to land one of Belgium’s few significant talents.

New Liverpool Owner John W Henry Seals Takeover

US company New England Sports Ventures, owner of the Boston Red Sox, has completed its takeover of Liverpool FC.

The move comes after former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett removed the temporary restraining order blocking the £300m sale on Friday morning.

"I am proud and humbled," said NESV head John W Henry. "I can't tell you how happy I am. We're here to win."

Hicks and Gillett may now take legal action in England to secure damages after dropping a claim lodged in Texas.

The claim in the Dallas court was for £1bn in damages, with the American pair claiming the deal was "illegal" and an "extraordinary swindle".

"We believe that once the English court finally has a chance to hear all the facts, a very different picture will be painted," said a statement from law firm Fish & Richardson attorney Tom Melsheimer.

Still, there was an air of relief as news of NESV's completed purchase emerged - a move that will allow major creditors Royal Bank of Scotland to be paid the £237m it is owed on Friday.

A club statement revealed: "The transaction values the club at £300m and eliminates all of the acquisition debt placed on LFC by its previous owners, reducing the club's debt servicing obligations from £25m-£30m a year to £2m-£3m."

That, in turn, means Liverpool's holding company is unlikely now to be put into administration, a move which could have resulted in a nine-point penalty in the Premier League.

Henry, facing a media scrum inside the law offices of Slaughter and May in central London, added: "We're going to do a lot of listening, we have a lot to learn, and we'll walk this path together [with the fans].

"We regard our role as that of stewards for the club with a primary focus on returning the club to greatness on and off the field for the long-term.

"We are committed first and foremost to winning. We have a history of winning, and we want Liverpool supporters to know that this approach is what we intend to bring to this great club."

Chairman Martin Broughton - who revealed he would fulfill "a transitional role while John works out how to run the club" in the foreseeable future - added in a statement: "I am delighted that we have been able to successfully conclude the sale process which has been thorough and extensive.

"The board decided to accept NESV's offer on the basis that it best met the criteria we set out originally for a new owner. NESV is buying Liverpool in order to put it on an excellent financial footing and continue to develop it internationally.

"This is a good deal which comprehensively resolves the pressing issue of the club's debt and should give staff, players and fans great confidence regarding the future of Liverpool FC."

Former owners Hicks and Gillett had earlier lifted the restraining order blocking the club's sale earlier on Friday, but not so that the current board could complete a deal with NESV.

Hicks was believed to be negotiating the sale of his shares with US hedge fund Mill Financial, who already own Gillett's shares after he defaulted on a £75m loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland in August.

But the Premier League rejected Mill's requests to undergo a fit and proper person test on Thursday, saying it could only negotiate with the Liverpool board.

The board - comprising Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre as well as Hicks and Gillett - had already accepted a bid from NESV by three votes to two for them to become the club's new owners.

Hicks and Gillett, who gave up hope of holding on to Liverpool at a court in Dallas on Friday, could now bring their legal fight to the High Court in London.

Steve Stodghill, the Texas lawyer representing Hicks and Gillett, added: "This outcome not only devalues the club but it also will result in long-term uncertainty for the fans, players and everyone who loves this sport because all legal recourses will be pursued.

"Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett pledged to pay the debt to RBS so that the club could avoid administration that was threatened by RBS. That offer was rejected.

"It is a tragic development that others will claim as a victory. This means it won't be resolved the way it should be resolved.

"My clients worked tirelessly to resolve these issues but RBS would not listen to any reasonable solution and the directors acted selfishly and illegally. Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett wanted to position this club for the future, but others have a different agenda.

"In truth, there is nothing positive from these events for Liverpool Football Club. That is exactly the opposite of what my clients wanted to achieve."

The Royal Bank of Scotland, however, vowed to "vigorously oppose" any attempts made to sue, saying in a statement: "RBS is pleased the sale of LFC to NESV has been completed.

"We are confident this will provide the foundation for the club and its fans to enjoy renewed success on and off the pitch.

"RBS is aware of reports that Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett may intend to pursue further litigation in relation... the English courts have described claims made to date as "not realistic and abusive". Any further claims against RBS will be vigorously opposed."

Hicks and Gillett have continuously sought to prevent the purchase of the club they bought in 2007 for £174m, holding the view that Liverpool is worth much more than the £300m NESV offered.

It looked as though the prospect of it going down to a final day on Friday might be avoided after the latest High Court ruling on Thursday when Mr Justice Floyd issued an anti-suit injunction that rendered Hicks and Gillett's temporary restraining order, which they put in place to try and prevent a sale taking place, ineffective.

But Hicks and Gillett eventually withdrew their restraining order on Friday morning as it became clear Mill Financial would not be able to become Liverpool's new owners.

Liverpool, who face Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, are in the bottom three in the Premier League table after picking up only six points from their opening seven games.

Henry: Hard Work Starts Now

With the Liverpool takeover saga finally complete, new owner John Henry has vowed to tackle the task of restoring the club to the top of English football "head-on".

Henry admitted there are "real challenges" to be overcome in turning Liverpool's fortunes around, but that in the process of purchasing the club, areas of improvement have already been identified and work can be started immediately.

New England Sports Ventures, of which Henry is head, completed their protracted £300million takeover on Friday. NESV have a good track record in improving teams, with their significant investment in the Boston Red Sox baseball franchise after a 2001 buy-out bringing two World Series titles after a long drought.

Henry has had plenty of time to make an assessment of the situation at Anfield as a sale was agreed 10 days ago but has been the subject of numerous court disputes by former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. And now his group have taken control the project can begin.

"We're going to have to work very hard,'' he said.”There's a lot of work to be done to get this club to where it needs to be in the grand scheme of things. We really, through all the work we've done over the last two months, saw the challenges and problems which exist and we've got to work to address those. There is a great nucleus here off the field and on the field and we think we can build from that, but it's not going to be easy.

"We've got real challenges but we've got a very strong organization, financially and otherwise, we have some terrific strategic thinkers and we're going to be attacking this head-on.''

Liverpool will at least move forward as a virtually debt-free club as the takeover wiped out all the loans and costs associated with the purchase of the club three-and-a-half years ago by Hicks and Gillett. A result of those loans was the crippling interest payments of £40million a year - which are now a thing of the past. NESV said the club's debt servicing costs would drop to between £2million and £3million annually and manager Roy Hodgson already has his eye on an expanded transfer kitty.

Although the sale has been completed, there remains the threat of further legal action from Hicks and Gillett. Even though they withdrew their £1billion lawsuit, claiming an "epic swindle'', lodged in Dallas, they are plans afoot to return to the High Court in London - where their attempts to block a sale were thwarted this week.

"Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett have withdrawn without prejudice their Texas lawsuit in order to fully comply with the order of the English court,'' said Fish & Richardson attorney Tom Melsheimer. "We believe the order is overbroad and unfair, yet Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett respect the legal process. We believe that once the English court finally has a chance to hear all the facts, a very different picture will be painted.''

Hicks, who with Gillett has lost £144million in the deal, claimed Royal Bank of Scotland - the club's main creditors who forced the sale - and chairman Martin Broughton had breached his trust.

"This has been an organized conspiracy over many months,'' he told Sky Sports. "I can confirm there were funds available to pay off the bank completely but between RBS, the chairman and employees that conspired against us, they would not let us. I just want the truth to come out in the courts. It isn't over.''

Hodgson Wants NESV Backing

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has called on the club's new owners to back his efforts to lift the Reds out of the relegation zone.


The Anfield outfit's protracted takeover saga was finally resolved on Friday when New England Sports Ventures (NESV) saw their £300million offer go through.


NESV, who also own the Boston Red Sox and are fronted by John W Henry, claimed power from Tom Hicks and George Gillett after courtroom battles either side of the Atlantic, although the duo are refusing to go quietly.


Attention will now turn again to events on the field, where the Reds have endured a miserable start to the season, suffering humiliating home defeats at the hands of Northampton in the Carling Cup and Blackpool in the Premier League.


The reverse at the hands of the newly-promoted Seasiders saw the Kop turn their anger towards Hodgson, with chants of 'Dalglish, Dalglish' demonstrating that some supporters were keen for Reds legend Kenny Dalglish to take the helm.


But the former Fulham boss, who only replaced Rafa Benitez at the helm in the summer, has called for everyone to pull together in a bid to lift Liverpool out of the doldrums.


The first challenge for the now NESV-owned Reds is Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park, with Hodgson warning against knee-jerk reactions should results not immediately improve.


Hodgson said: "I know I can turn it around but I need the patience and support to do it.


"All clubs need stability - managers and players as well - but that is becoming a very hard thing to find.


"I've always expected new owners and put my faith in the board to choose the right ones. From what I know of NESV and the Red Sox, they know their stuff and will be good for the club.


"This is a fresh start for the club and, hopefully, that means for me too. I was proud to come here and now I am even prouder.


"I signed for three years and it's a sad day for everyone if, after a bad start, people think the best solution is to wave a magic wand and look for someone else.


"But the prospect of having new owners doesn't greatly concern me because I knew the previous ones were not popular.


"John called me this week and said he was very much looking forward to working with me and the other people here - but there was no talk of my situation."

Hodgson Reveals There Have Been No Talks Regarding His Liverpool Future

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has admitted new owner John W. Henry has made no indication of his Anfield future.

Speculation was rife that Hodgson may be replaced by a new manager when a takeover was completed, however since New England Sports Ventures completed a deal to purchase the club, NESV partner Henry has not spoken about any managerial change.

The former Fulham boss confirmed he had spoken to Henry on the phone regarding the sale of the club, and the American did not discuss Hodgson’s position at the club, nor did he elaborate on a possible transfer sum for January.

"There hasn't been any talk about my position at the club,” Hodgson told Sky Sports.

"He called me and his message was that he was hoping the deal would go through, he was very much looking forward to becoming the new owner and he was looking forward to working with me and the people who were here but we didn't talk about investment."

The 63-year-old revealed he is optimistic NESV can create stability for a club that has been through turbulence on and off the pitch.

He added: "All people and clubs need stability, all managers and players need stability and it is becoming a very hard thing to find.

"We live in a world where you are either on top or at the bottom and the middle line is not appreciated by the mass media.

"I am hoping the new owners coming in will stabilize the situation and give us a chance to concentrate on the football and, most importantly of all, will wipe out debts.

"That will mean in future we can invest in players in a different way to what has happened in the last transfer window when money was in short supply and we weren't even certain there would be any money to spend or even if the club would be there.

"The mere fact the club will be taken over and the debts wiped off immediately put us into a different financial position to the one we have been in."

Hodgson Hints At Major Overhaul To Come

Roy Hodgson had his hands tied in the pre-season transfer window but with a new owner and the promise of money to spend after Christmas, an overhaul of Liverpool's squad looks imminent.

Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic, the vastly experienced Englishman's two major signings since taking over from Rafael Benitez, were both free transfers and as John W Henry completed a protracted 300 million pounds ($480.8 million) purchase of the club on Friday, Hodgson hinted at major changes ahead.

"We have a limited squad of players," Hodgson told reporters on Friday. "I don't think we're as strong in depth as many of our rivals, I'd like us to be stronger.

"I think that the 11 players that we can put out from the start don't give me enormous alternatives at the moment, especially up front and that's where the most alternatives would be. We are also short of back players at the club.

"In midfield we have quite a lot of players, many of whom play in the same position, so for me to really be happy with the squad I would want to balance it out a bit differently to how it's balanced at the moment but I'm not going to do that in two and a half months."

Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton will swing the spotlight back to the pitch from courtrooms either side of the Atlantic and with off-field distractions now settled, Hodgson will hope his players follow Jamie Carragher's example.

The Liverpool-born defender committed the rest of his career to the club by signing a new contract during this week's turmoil and Hodgson said he was one shining light during a season in which Liverpool have collected six points in seven games in the Premier League.

"In all the bad news you have to remember there are Jamie Carraghers around," Hodgson said.

"He is part of the heart and soul of this club and a man who literally would do anything to achieve success with the club.

"He has been one of the few players who in these seven matches could hold his hand up and say "I can't do any better, I'm playing at the top of my form. You could never put a lack of result down to my performance.'"

Tom Hicks And George Gillett Will Return To Court Over Liverpool Sale

Liverpool's former owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have dropped a lawsuit filed just hours earlier claiming up to $1.6bn (£1bn) in damages over the contentious sale of the club, but said they will return to fight in the British law courts.

Liverpool said the club would be insulated from the effects of any lawsuit, which would have to be aimed at the named directors of the holding company that was dissolved yesterday once the deal went through, or at Royal Bank of Scotland.

After losing their battle to hold on to Liverpool FC, the attorney Tom Melsheimer said that Hicks and Gillett were dropping the claim in order to comply with this week's high court order.

But he said "a different picture will be painted" when the English court "has a chance to hear all the facts", indicating that the duo are prepared to fight on in their belief that the club's directors and its principal lender, RBS, conspired against the pair to sell the club for less than its true market value to New England Sports Ventures.

"We believe that it is appropriate to go back to court in England and seek relief from what we think is an unfair and over-broad order that had been entered without the benefit of a full hearing of both sides," he added. Melsheimer said the ruling on Thursday had taken place without legal representation from Hicks and Gillett and they wanted their view to be put to the high court.

"We want to be present and be heard. I think the court will realise that its original order is over-broad and unfair," he said.

"The fact remains, I don't think any judge in England or anywhere has had a chance to hear both sides of the story, We know the court have no interest in being unfair," he said. Some legal experts believe they could yet have a case, while questioning the size of the claim.

"If they can prove that the club was sold for less than its worth then they have a strong case. Proving the value of the club is intrinsically difficult. It is a particular expertise and difficult to accurately quantify," Danny Davis, a partner and football finance expert at Mishcon de Reya, said. "The $1.6bn they are seeking will, however, be significantly reduced to something more in line with the actual difference in sale price and value, if proven. Having mismanaged the situation legally won't help their chances either."

The decision to withdraw the claim came about two hours after the £300m sale of the club to the owners of the Boston Red Sox was finalized in London. That came after Hicks and Gillett dropped a temporary restraining order blocking the sale that had been obtained in a Texas court.

But even as they dropped the petition on the orders of a high court judge – who said the case had little to do with Texas and ruled they had failed to disclose the fact that they had recently lost a similar action in a UK court – Hicks and Gillett launched one final assault on the chairman, Martin Broughton, and the sale process.

"It's an extraordinary swindle and it will result in exactly the wrong thing for the club and the fans," said attorneys acting for the pair. "This outcome not only devalues the club but it also will result in long-term uncertainty for the fans, players and everyone who loves this sport because all legal recourses will be pursued," Steve Stodghill, the Texas attorney representing the former owners, said.

Hicks, who failed in a last-ditch bid to transfer his share of the club to the investment fund Mill Financial and so derail the sale, said: "This was a conspiracy of the British establishment, Royal Bank of Scotland, our chairman [Martin Broughton] and our highly compensated employees."

Following the completion of the sale, Liverpool moved to reassure supporters that the club would not be liable for any further legal claims. "If Hicks and Gillett pursue the legal route it would be an action against the English directors of Kop Holdings [which has now been dissolved] and/or RBS. There is no exposure for Liverpool FC," said a spokesman.

Tom Hicks Blames Rafael Benítez After Bitter Liverpool Battle

Tom Hicks has hit out at the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez as he defended himself and his fellow former co-owner, George Gillett, against claims they did not provide the necessary financial support to the Spaniard during his Anfield tenure.

"We spent £300m on players, £150m net – I think it's the second or third highest in the English Premier League," he said. "You never read about that in the media. I read a very interesting article in which Alex Ferguson [the Manchester United manager] said: 'Rafa had more money to spend than the rest of us, he just bought bad players.'

"Rafa lost the club. We didn't finish at the top – that's not the fault of the owners, we spent good money. Rafa has to take accountability for his own results. When we finished second the year before, people weren't nearly as angry. Liverpool fans are just unbelievably strong supporters and they want to win. I'm not a novice, I've been in sport for almost 15 years. Whether it's hockey or baseball in the US or soccer fans in Liverpool, people want to win."

The club's chairman, Martin Broughton, and creditors Royal Bank of Scotland, also came under attack from Hicks, as he claimed in an interview with Sky Sports News that they had breached his trust.

"This has been an organized conspiracy over many months," he said. "[Independent chairman] Martin Broughton wanted a good PR event in his life and be seen as the guy that got rid of those Americans – and he sold to another group of Americans.

"I can't go into the details but I can confirm the funds were available to pay off Royal Bank of Scotland entirely but between Royal Bank of Scotland, the chairman and the employees that conspired against us, they would not let us. They were people I thought were our friends, people I thought were loyal, and I was wrong."

Hicks said he had identified a buyer he felt would be better to take Liverpool forward, but claimed his attempts to broker a deal had been undermined by people inside the club. "My family members and I have been working very hard to solve the issue," he added. "We know there are better owners out there for the Liverpool Football Club than the Boston Red Sox group.

"We knew who they were. We were just frustrated that every time we had conversations with them we had people in our own organization who somehow had those things not work out. They conspired against us."

He added: "The process was continually frustrated by chatter about financial distress coming out of RBS. The interested buyers that we knew would be the right type of buyers for the club – look what's happened to Manchester City now with their new ownership – that's the kind of buyer we were trying to find for Liverpool and those people were scared off by the distress chatter and the organized internet terrorism campaign that was directed against people involved.

"I just want the truth to come out in the courts. Our desire was to get Liverpool into the hands of an owner who would be able to build a stadium and make Liverpool the top club in the world they deserve to be."

The 64-year-old Texan admitted that the debt he and Gillett had saddled on the club was "a little too much", but he hit out at RBS for attempting to drive through a sale too quickly.

Hicks said: "Liverpool is a very healthy performing club which covers its interest fine. It has a little bit too much debt, no question. But we were going to fix that and we were frustrated by others."

He conceded that his struggle to communicate with the fans since he took over in March 2007 had conspired to the bitterness surrounding his departure. "I accept that fact that something went wrong in my ability to communicate with the fans and I'm saddened by it," he said.

"I wish more people had the accurate information. It [the debt] has been a millstone because of the fans' reaction to it. There's been so many inaccurate numbers about what our interest bill is – we've had plenty of operating income to cover our interest payments with a lot of room to spare.

"We've invested. George and I put in $270m into the club. We've spent nearly $300m gross on players. About $150m net on players and you never hear that in the media. That disappears in all the noise and anger."

Liverpool To Make Hopeful Move For £14m Rated Italian International Striker

Roy Hodgson is planning a hopeful move to sign former Man United striker Giuseppe Rossi. The Villarreal striker is on the Liverpool manager’s short list for new striking talent as the Anfield boss looks to bring in reinforcements in January.

The Italian international has been a big success in La Liga and has netted four times this season to help his side to second spot in the table. The pint sized New Jersey born striker is in fourth season at the El Madrigal and has been a big success at the Yellow Submarines but has been linked with a move away from the Spanish minnows.

A move back to the Premier League may excite the 23 year old who may feel such a move would aid his chances of a regular spot in the national team set up.

The £14m rated goalscorer narrowly missed out on Marcello Lippi’s ill fated World Cup squad but his recent good form has helped force his way back into the manager’s thinking. The chance to ply his trade alongside Fernando Torres may well interest the former Old Trafford man and now that the issue of ownership at Liverpool has cleared up somewhat, Hodgson may well find himself with funds in January to put in a decent offer for the Italian.

Hicks And Gillett Lift Reds Restraining Order

Reports claim Tom Hicks and George Gillett have now lifted the Texas court restraining order preventing the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) from completing the sale of Liverpool.

ESPNsoccernet understands NESV have a banker's draft ready to dispatch to RBS before the 1700 BST deadline on Friday to erase any lingering concerns about Liverpool going into administration.

However, the early lifting of the injunction could also be because Hicks and Gillett are keen to push through a deal via Mill Financial. Hicks is apparently looking to sell his shares to the hedge fund, which acquired Gillett's shares in August, and it would then pay off the debts (which have risen to £280 million) to keep the club out of NESV's hands.

Indications are, though, that RBS has been advised by their legal team against accepting Mill Financial's offer to do so and it is still unclear as to whether Hicks requires the Liverpool board's approval to sell his shares.

High Court Rejects Attempts To Block Sale Of Liverpool

Liverpool's American owners suffered a further setback after a High Court judge ruled their injunction to block the sale of the club was ineffective.

The ruling paves the way for the club to be sold to New England Sports Ventures (NESV) for £300m, with an agreed deal likely on Friday.

On Wednesday, Reds owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett took out an injunction in Texas to block any proposed sale.

But Mr. Justice Floyd said that ruling had no validity in England.

Despite the second High Court ruling in as many days, Hicks and Gillett sought to extend the saga by requesting a further hearing in Texas on Thursday.

That court case has now been adjourned until 1300 BST (0700 local time) on Friday.

NESV, owners of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, also plan to make their own submission to the Dallas court to overturn the injunction obtained by Hicks and Gillett.

Mr. Justice Floyd has given the much-criticized owners until 1600 BST on Friday to withdraw their legal action in America, or face charges of contempt of court.

That deadline would allow the sale of the club to go through, which is essential if the club are to avoid defaulting on the repayment of £240m of loans due to Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on Friday.

If that payment is not made, the club could be placed into administration and suffer a nine-point penalty.

During the afternoon's hearing, David Chivers QC, representing NESV, said his clients already considered themselves to be Liverpool's new owners.

And the head of NESV, John W Henry, was later seen entering the London offices of Liverpool's solicitors Slaughter and May for a meeting with the board.

Liverpool had been planning a media day to officially unveil Henry as the club's new owner on Friday, until Wednesday night's surprise injunction ended the plan.

But Reds chairman Martin Broughton said he hoped a deal could be sorted out before Sunday's Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park.

"We're nearly there. We've still got to take away the restraining order," said Broughton.

"Mr. Henry is very committed. My guess is we'll have it done and he'll be there but we've got to get rid of this order first."

BBC Sport's Brian Alexander understands Henry's group is not the only interested party, with Mill Financial still "very much part of the mix" and "waiting to dive in if a deal with NESV does fall through".

Following the judgement, a statement issued on behalf of the Liverpool board said they were "delighted with the verdict of Mr. Justice Floyd in the High Court".

It continued: "We are glad to have taken another important step towards completing the sale process."

The latest development of a story which has swung ferociously between London and Dallas, comes after Hicks and Gillett's reign at Anfield had looked close to ending on Wednesday.

Their attempt to block the proposed sale of the club to NESV, sanctioned by independent directors including Broughton, managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre, was dismissed by the High Court.

But that ruling led the American owners to take out a temporary restraining order in a Texas court, halting any planned sale.

Hicks and Gillett's petition to the Texas court described the sale of Liverpool as an "epic swindle", and also laid out a claim for more than £1bn in damages.

And it was RBS which received the brunt of blame from the American duo, as the petition continued: "The director defendants were acting merely as pawns of RBS, wholly abdicating the fiduciary responsibilities that they owed in the sale.

"RBS has been complicit in this scheme with the director defendants."

Richard Snowden QC, representing RBS, said Hicks and Gillett's behaviour was "outrageous" and the proceedings in Texas were "plainly inappropriate.

"This dispute involves an English football club and three English companies and has no connection with Texas other than that Hicks and Gillett may reside there.

"It is a plain attempt to frustrate and impede the proceedings."

On Thursday, Mr. Justice Floyd came down in favour of the club again by granting an anti-suit injunction and criticizing Hicks and Gillett's conduct, calling it "unconscionable".

One aspect of the whole saga was made simpler when Singaporean businessman, Peter Lim, withdrew his £320m bid.

Lim stated: "The [Liverpool] board is intent on selling the club to NESV to the exclusion of all other parties, regardless of the merits of their bids."