Dirk Kuyt Believes Liverpool Can Win The Europa League After Topping Their Group

Liverpool winger Dirk Kuyt has said he feels the Europa League title is within the reach for the Reds after they progressed to the knockout phase as group winners.

The Dutchman came off the bench in the 0-0 draw against his former side FC Utrecht at Anfield on Wednesday which sees Liverpool finish at the summit of Group K.

Speaking to Channel Five the Dutchman was confident in his side’s chances.

He said: "We have a couple of targets, and I think we have a very good chance to win this trophy, so it’s good to be top of the group and we’ll see who are next opponent is."

With Liverpool secure in top spot manager Roy Hodgson took the chance to play a few of the fringe players which meant Kuyt had to drop to the bench against his former team.

When he was brought on for Milan Jovanovic both sets of supporters rose to give him a good reception.

Kuyt continued: "The supporters from Utrecht were unbelievable, just as are the Liverpool fans, and after seven years to get a reception like this it’s unbelievable, and it shows a lot of respect and I’m thankful for that."

The draw for the next stage is on Friday, and with the Reds winning the group, they will be one of the seeded teams.

Schalke Moving For Liverpool Midfielder Poulsen

Schalke are eyeing Liverpool midfielder Christian Poulsen.

The 30-year-old moved to Anfield from Juventus for £4.5million over the summer and was viewed as a replacement for Javier Mascherano.

However, the Denmark international has failed to settle in Roy Hodgson's side so far and has yet to win over the Liverpool fans.

Although the uncompromising midfielder has enjoyed a glittering career across Europe and has won over 80 international caps, TMW says Poulsen may already be heading for an exit from Liverpool, with German side Schalke prepared to make a €3.5million bid.

Liverpool Watching Adebayor Man City Situation

Liverpool are eyeing Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

The Mirror says Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has emerged as a surprise contender in the race to land the player.

Juventus have also been heavily linked with a move for the player, but with the Italian giants yet to produce a concrete offer for the player it seems an Anfield switch is now a realistic possibility.

Liverpool are known to be in the market for a striker as Hodgson searches for an attacking foil for Torres, and the Anfield chief is willing to spend some of his £35 million transfer war chest on a high-calibre player.

Liverpool Face Disappointment In Race For Paraguay Star

Liverpool is set to lose out in the race for Lucas Barrios, with Real Madrid set to sign the Paraguayan strike star in January.

The Premier League outfit has been linked with the Borussia Dortmund star, who has already scored eight goals in the Bundesliga this season, but the Bernabeu giants are at the head of the queue, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

Argentine-born Barrios is in only his second season in Europe but his 27 goals in 47 games for Dortmund have convinced Madrid he is the man to bolster their attack, and they are ready to pay between €15-20 million for him.

Mourinho Rejoins Race For Unsettled Liverpool Ace

Real Madrid have rejoined Juventus and Tottenham in the race to sign Liverpool right back Glen Johnson after Jose Mourinho fell out with Sergio Ramos, according to Marca.

The Spanish daily have revealed the Madrid pair fell out in the aftermath of their 5-0 humiliation against Barcelona, when Mourinho wanted to be the only one to speak to the press.

However, his vice-captain felt it necessary to apologize for a late red card after a tackle on Lionel Messi, angering his manager who wanted his players to keep quite for 48 hours.

With ‘the Special One’ keen to continue his Real revolution, Johnson is now back on his radar despite a poor start to the season with Liverpool.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson criticized the former West Ham man after a string of less than impressive performances and Johnson is now unsettled at Anfield.

With rumours of Madrid’s interest earlier on this year surfacing, he then took the decision to start learning to speak Spanish, prompting even more speculation.

And with news that Rod Fanni’s proposed move to Marseille has fallen through, Liverpool are prepared to cash in on their defender and bring the Frenchman to Anfield in a cut price deal.

Liverpool Strike Starlet Drops Massive Hint To Hodgson

Liverpool strike starlet Michael Ngoo dropped a major hint to manager Roy Hodgson on Wednesday night.

While the senior side struggled to a 0-0 draw in the Europa League group match against Utrecht at Anfield, the Liverpool junior side was making a statement at Meadow Lane in the FA Youth Cup.

Michael Ngoo was the star of the show for the young Reds, scoring twice for Rodolfo Borrell's side in a fine team performance. Wonderkid Raheem Sterling was also on the scoresheet with a fine effort, whilst Krisztian Adorjan had opened the scoring.

"It is a great result for us and we are very pleased with how the lads applied themselves. In the first 20 minutes we played fantastic football and deserved to go ahead," Borrell told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We scored three great goals and illustrated what a good team we can be against an opponent who had been unbeaten in their last 11 matches."

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has been heavily linked with strikers ahead of the opening of the January transfer window, with the Anfield chief searching for an attacking foil for Fernando Torres.

New owners NESV are thought to have provided Hodgson with transfer money to spend, but the Liverpool youngsters dropped a timely reminder that the Melwood Academy continues to develop fine players on Merseyside.

Signed in September 2009 from Southend, 18-year-old Ngoo opted for Liverpool over Manchester United, and is building an impressive reputation for himself after some fine performances for the second string last term.

With pace to burn, good technique and the ability to finish, the player's double strike is the latest sign that he could soon be considered for first team duties at Liverpool.

I Want To Stay At Liverpool - Ryan Babel

Ryan Babel insists that he would like to remain at Liverpool, while praising Roy Hodgson's style of management.

The Dutchman arrived at the club in 2007 after the Reds had carved out a £14 million deal with Ajax for his services.

But his stay on Merseyside saw him being only fringe player under former boss Rafael Benitez, with whom he shared a frosty relationship that saw him wanting to leave the club.

Hodgson's approachable nature, however, appears to have had a positive impact on the player.

"It's not up to me whether I see my future here, it's up to Liverpool," Babel said, according to The Mirror.

"This is my fourth season so it's up to them what they do. I have one more year at the end of this season left on my contract and I would like to stay.

"It has been frustrating here as a player, but it's not changed my loyalty towards the club. It's more with the manager. The club is fantastic. But if a manager doesn't like you it's between you and the manager.

"The club is amazing and there are still a lot of fans who believe in me so that gives me a goal. They [Hodgson and Benitez] are different. The current manager does things differently, and maybe that suits me better.

"When he arrived he was closer with the team, talking to players, and maybe that gives the players a boost to respond better.

"He's more involved day to day with the players. He does things differently. Under Rafa the assistant managers took a lot of responsibility but that is different now.

"I hope this country hasn't seen the best of me yet. The maximum number of games I've played in a row is four and it's difficult for any player to find consistency if you're not playing every week."

Benitez deployed Babel largely on the flanks, but his successor has chosen to play him in his preferred position as a striker.

He said: "I think first of all I'm just enjoying the opportunity to play and I am trying to make the most of it.

"But that position [central] suits me a bit better because you can use most of your energy up front. Maybe on the wing you have to defend a bit more and maybe that suits me less.

"The striker role, together with someone else, is pretty good for me."

In the recent Europa League game against Utrecht, Babel was supposed to start alongside Fernando Torres. But the Dutchman was surprised that the boss chose to go back on his word and keep the Spaniard out of the starting line-up instead.

"I only found Fernando wasn't playing an hour before the game," he said. "The day before the game we were working together. I've never played up front with Fernando and I was looking forward to it but maybe the manager wanted to give him some rest."

The Liverpool Technique: Psychologists Unveil New Treatment For ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or as it’s more commonly known, ADHD, is a condition which has baffled and challenged the medical profession for some time. Up to 16% of school age children suffer from the condition worldwide. Treatment has often been debated and there are new methods introduced each year, of varying success.

However, a breakthrough has been made. Medical researchers based on the Wirral were desperate to make an advance and began experimenting with various different techniques to help calm the children. Anything mildly exciting can often set the child’s ADHD off and as such it can be incredibly difficult for parents to get their children to settle each evening. One of the most radical tests included getting the children to watch paint dry, however this was deemed too stimulating for many and triggered the worst symptoms of the condition.

Ever eager to help in the community, Liverpool football club stepped in. The breakthrough they have helped make possible could change the management of ADHD for the foreseeable future. Wednesday evening for their game against Utrecht, Liverpool allowed children to enter the stadium for free. Two hundred and forty parents of children with ADHD took advantage of this and went along with the youngsters.

Even before the first half ended the experiment was a runaway success. All but two of the children had calmed down and many had fallen fast asleep, the two remaining being kept stimulated by watching the away supporters. In the second half, even those two slipped into a calm state and were so lacking any kind of excitement they were struggling to remain conscious.

Whilst obviously controversial, it seems that the Liverpool Technique will become a major line of treatment for sufferers of ADHD. Seemingly even a dose of several minutes watching them can induce a coma like calmness for some time.

Match Report: Liverpool 0 - 0 Utrecht

Liverpool may have given children free tickets for the Europa League tie against Utrecht at Anfield but even they will have felt short-changed by the disappointing goalless draw against Utrecht at Anfield.

Manager Roy Hodgson had pledged to play his one fit star name, Fernando Torres, but had a last-minute change of heart after being persuaded otherwise by his medical staff.

With the Reds already qualified for the last 32, it led to a turgid and uninspiring night which highlighted the lack of depth in the squad.

Hodgson had initially planned to give Torres pitch time to rediscover his goalscoring touch - goalkeeper Jose Reina was also expected to start but he was left out of the squad altogether - but was forced to watch the entire 90 minutes from the bench instead.

There was some semblance of logic behind the idea but to play the striker in a game which was a dead rubber, with Liverpool already through as group winners, was always going to be a risk.

"I had a change of heart [on starting Fernando Torres]," admitted Hodgson prior to kick-off.

"I was seriously considering giving him a start but I had a talk with our fitness people and they convinced me it may not be the wisest move."

Torres' absence robbed Liverpool of their one genuine attacking threat and, as a result, the first half was not one which will live long in the memory of those young fans who benefited from the club's generous ticket offer.

The one piece of excitement they witnessed was when Milan Jovanovic, who scored against Steaua Bucharest in Romania a fortnight ago, rattled the crossbar with an eighth-minute long-range shot.

Aside from that the home side never established a rhythm, which was partly down to the fact Hodgson made 10 changes to the team which lost to Newcastle at the weekend with only Martin Skrtel, captaining the team on his 26th birthday, surviving.

The team still contained the likes of Joe Cole, Ryan Babel, Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen and Fabio Aurelio but also included 19-year-old Nathan Eccleston, making his first start, and 18-year-old Danny Wilson on only his second appearance.

It contributed to a disjointed performance which very rarely rose above mediocre.

Utrecht, for their part, arrived at Anfield knowing they could not qualify for the last 32 but even with that freedom they too could not muster a display to excite their 4,000-strong travelling contingent.

And they suffered a blow just before half-time when top scorer Ricky van Wolfswinkel left the pitch on a stretcher and was taken to hospital with a suspected broken collarbone after falling awkwardly.

Hodgson made a change at the interval but it was not the one the crowd were wanting, with Sotirios Kyrgiakos replacing Skrtel.

Babel was first to threaten 10 minutes after the restart when his run to the edge of the penalty area saw him fire wide of Michel Vorm's right-hand post.

Eccleston then departed to allow another promising youngster, Dani Pacheco, to enter the fray.

But Babel was looking Liverpool's most likely goalscorer and he came within inches of connecting with Kelly's low cross into the six-yard box.

Hodgson's final substitution had more than a touch of sentimentality about it, giving Dirk Kuyt a run-out for the final 18 minutes against his former club when he replaced Jovanovic.

It posed the question quite why Torres was included in the match squad at all.

Late on Cole looked certain to score but had his low shot charged down by Keller after Vorm had spilled Aurelio's cross.

That summed up the England midfielder - and Liverpool's - night.

Hodgson Explains Fernando Torres Omission Against Utrecht

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has defended his decision to leave Fernando Torres on the bench against Utrecht, claiming it was down to the club’s medical staff.

The Reds boss had said that the Spanish striker would be involved against the Dutch side, but with qualification from the Europa League group stage already assured, it seems the risk was not worth taking.

"With discussions with the conditioning people in particular they persuaded me to see the error of my ways even though I had this vision of Fernando going out there and having a great 45 minutes and maybe scoring a goal and giving him a lift," Hodgson said.

"He was quite looking forward to playing but when I got back to the club in the afternoon [after his press conference] and started to talk about it again, it seemed to me the potential disadvantages far outweighed the potential advantages."

The club tried to generate interest in the game by giving away free tickets to children, but Hodgson has denied that he used Torres’ potential involvement to improve ticket take-up.

"There was no question of needing a name to sell the game. I did honestly think it was a good thing.

"I didn't mean to mislead you. The physical conditioning people said to me that in any game there is a risk of injury.

"We want to do a good training session tomorrow and if he had played 45 minutes he would have been doing a warm-down instead of a major session.

"If he had had a wonder 45 minutes and scored a couple of goals it would have been really worthwhile but if he had played 45 minutes with the way they were playing the ball across the back, it would have been a complete waste of time for everyone.

"I am glad I was persuaded to change my mind on the subject."

Hodgson was left slightly frustrated by his side’s performance, though, believing the team were just lacking a little extra quality to get the win.

"I think we are all a bit disappointed by the game. It wasn't for want of trying. The problem is we lacked the technical quality in the final third.

"We got the ball into areas where we should have been capable of doing something and we didn't produce the pass.

"I was hoping, with so many people in last night - and some for the first time - we would produce a sparkling performance, but unfortunately we couldn't."

Roy Hodgson Says Players Are Trying Too Hard To Impress

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson believes some of his players are trying too hard to impress him and win a first team place, and actually harming their chances.

Hodgson made 10 changes for last night's disappointing goalless Europa League draw at home to Utrecht, giving opportunities to Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen, Ryan Babel and Fabio Aurelio.

But the under-performing players were below par and Hodgson thinks they are putting too much pressure on themselves in what has been a frustrating season all round at Anfield so far.

"It is most frustrating for them because they want it so much," Hodgson told reporters.

"There is no lack of desire, commitment, effort and wanting to do well.

"We didn't look after the ball enough or produce the right pass and that frustrates players who have first-team potential because they know they are capable of doing it.

"I see these players every day in training and I know some of them will be disappointed they did not take their chance a little bit better but that won't affect me because they will get other chances.

"Sometimes in football you can want things too much.

"If you don't get a chance on a regular basis and one comes along sometimes your desire to take it can impact negatively on your performance and that might have been the case for one or two."

Joe Cole's Stuttering Form Of Concern For Hodgson

Roy Hodgson criticized the form of midfielder Joe Cole following Liverpool's drab Europa League draw with Utrecht on Wednesday night.

Cole missed a late chance to snatch victory in a dire match at Anfield with Liverpool already guaranteed a place in the last 32 courtesy of finishing top of their group.

It summed up the stuttering season Cole is having to date since his free transfer from Liverpool in the summer with his time in the north west hampered by suspension and injury.

The former Chelsea playmaker was by no means the only Liverpool player below-par on the night, or for the season on that note, and Hodgson indicated he expected more from the 29 year-old.

"He knows he is better than that and he knows he can do better than that," he said.

"He sets himself high standards and I'm sure he came off the field feeling it was not the performance he wanted to give."

Just under 38,000 fans turned out at Anfield for a dead rubber of a match and Hodgson admitted it was disappointing his side could not produce a performance of note.

"We are all a bit disappointed by the game. It wasn't for the want of trying or that we weren't interested," he said.

"It was disappointing that with so many new people watching us, we couldn't produce a real performance for them.

"It wasn't a classic but Utrecht play really well away from home, keep the ball and cause problems."

€10m Wing Wizard Named As 'Prime' Liverpool Transfer Target

Liverpool have reportedly set their transfer sights on Spanish international winger Santi Cazorla.

The 26-year-old Villarreal midfielder has made an impressive start to the season with the La Liga outfit, and now Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is keen to bring the player to Anfield in a bid to strengthen his attacking options.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both been linked with the player in the past, who has earned 29 caps for his country in their most successful period ever.

Liverpool Director of Football strategy, Damien Comolli, is thought to have played a role in highlighting the player as a potential addition to the Merseysiders, with the former Spurs guru looking to bring high-quality foreign imports to the club at the first opportunity.

Spanish daily AS claims that the Reds will look to tempt Carzola into a switch to the Barclays Premier League, with the Liverpool chief looking to use Fernando Torres and Jose Reina as part of the negotiations.

The arrival of new owners NESV at Anfield has seen the club linked with a handful of attacking players in recent weeks, and Liverpool boss Hodgson is thought to have a shortlist of 'five or six' players heading into the opening month of 2011.

A transfer war chest in the region of £35 million has been touted, and Cazorla now appears to be one of the targets with the funds after the Spanish reports confirmed he was a 'prime transfer target'.

Liverpool will have to pay a fee in the region of €10 million to prize the player away from the Yellow Submarine.

Liverpool Set To Move For Dortmund Starlet

Liverpool are ready to join the battle for Borussia Dortmund star Nuri Sahin.

The German-born Turkey international has earned rave reviews for his displays for Bundesliga table-toppers Dortmund so far this season.

And his form has reportedly caught the eye of Serie A sides Juventus and Inter Milan, who are said to be preparing summer bids,

But reports in Germany have revealed that Liverpool is now ready to rival any offer from Italy for the 22-year-old.

It is understood that Dortmund will refuse to sell in January, but could be ready to do business in the summer for a figure of around £13m.

Liverpool Target £8m Rated Brazilian Goal Machine

Liverpool are rumoured to be readying a January bid for Partizan Belgrade striker Cleo. Anfield boss Roy Hodgson has been monitoring the progress of the Brazilian and believes the powerfully built 25 year old could act as a good foil for Fernando Torres and would add more variety to an attack that has lacked a spark this season.

Cleo has been a been a big hit since his move to Partizan in the summer of 2009 and this season he has been a veritable goal machine netting 20 goals from 27 starts including an impressive 10 goals in Champions League action that have brought him to the attention of many interested clubs across Europe.

The former Red Star player would suit the physicality of the Premier League and Hodgson is believed to be keen on bringing in a target man and the added bonus with Cleo is that as well as being a powerfully built front man he also has a good touch.

Clearly the jump from the Serbian league to the English top tier would be a big one but the impressive run outs Cleo has completed in European football would suggest that he has the potential to make that step up. He is thought to be valued at around £8m a fee that Liverpool should more than easily fund with the help of the club’s new owners.

Roy Hodgson To Save David Bentley's Career With £5m Bid

Left out in the dark at Tottenham Hotspur, winger David Bentley could be set to re-light his career at Liverpool, according to The Metro.

Roy Hodgson has reportedly indicated that he would be keen to bring the player to Anfield during the January transfer window, if a fee in the region of £5 million can be agreed.

The 26-year-old has been frozen out at Tottenham Hotspur under manager Harry Redknapp and Bentley believes this is the perfect opportunity to get his football career back on track.

The winger was tipped to be an England star after securing an £18m move to Spurs from Blackburn Rovers in 2008. But injury and a lack of form has put pay to these notions and Bentley has only shown brief glimpses to merit such price tag.

This has meant he has fallen down the pecking order at White Hart Lane, behind stars such as Luca Modric and Rafael van der Vaart.

However, Hodgson is to give him another chance and is willing to buy him for nearly a quarter of the fee Spurs paid. The Reds boss has revealed that he is desperate to land a tricky winger and Bentley represents value for money at that price.

Borrell Joy At Cup Triumph

Rodolfo Borrell hailed a superb team performance as Liverpool's youngsters got their bid for Youth Cup glory off to a flyer with a 4-0 win over Notts County on Wednesday night.

The Reds included the likes of Suso, Jack Robinson and John Flanagan in a strong starting XI and always looked likely to progress after Krisztian Adorjan fired home the opener on nine minutes.

Michael Ngoo then doubled the lead just after the interval before Raheem Sterling got his name on the scoresheet with a sensational third.

Ngoo grabbed his second of the game late on to seal victory and leave Borrell delighted by his side's overall showing at Meadow Lane.

"It is a great result for us and we are very pleased with how the lads applied themselves," Borrell told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"In the first 20 minutes we played fantastic football and deserved to go ahead through Adorjan.

"After that we were not practical in possession or as clinical in front of goal as I would have liked and we allowed the game to get too open.

"We spoke about how we could improve at half-time and I was delighted with the second-half showing.

"We scored three great goals and illustrated what a good team we can be against an opponent who had been unbeaten in their last 11 matches, including the last two rounds of the cup.

"We can now head into the winter break in good spirits and look ahead to what will hopefully be a successful 2011."

Europa League Preview: Liverpool vs FC Utrecht

Not too much has been predictable about Liverpool's season so far. Pre-season optimism was quickly snuffed out by a terrible start to the campaign while boardroom machinations considerably complicated the situation at Anfield. Just as the crisis was picking up steam, Roy Hodgson's side enjoyed an unlikely victory against Chelsea and the revival began. Just as things started to look up though, Newcastle put the brakes on the Reds' upturn in fortunes.

However, the Europa League has provided a curious degree of stability to Liverpool's season so far. Hodgson has generally deployed a side full of younger talents and fringe players during the competition. The motley crew has already qualified as winners of Group K and should they defeat Dutch side FC Utrecht on Wednesday, they will equal a club record of nine successive home victories in Europe.

FC Utrecht themselves cannot qualify for the next phase of the competition and the trip to Anfield will be their farewell to European football for this season. Having said that, travelling to Liverpool is most probably the highlight of the competition for Ton du Chatinier's side and they will hope for a memorable victory. Utrecht has failed to reach the heights of last season so far this term, but are in a handy eighth position in the Dutch Eredivisie. They also boast one of Europe's in form strikers in the shape of Ricky Van Wolfswinkel .

While Hodgson is almost certain to play the kind of inexperienced side that has served him so well so far in the competition, Utrecht will most likely field a strong team including plenty of internationals in addition to star man Van Wolfswinkel. Technically, Wednesday's clash is a dead rubber, but Utrecht will hope to rescue some pride with a glamorous victory while Liverpool will be very eager to get back to winning ways in advance of a busy period of fixtures.

Strangely some of Liverpool's best performances this season have come when they have been missing key players. Roy Hodgson was full of praise for the young side that brought back a point from the trip to Steaua Bucharest in the last round of Europa League matches, while their comprehensive victory over Aston Villa at Anfield last week was achieved despite the absence of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Jamie Carragher.

Carragher is a long-term absentee with a shoulder injury while Gerrard is expected to return at the weekend against Fulham. Although it was thought that Torres is almost certain to be rested ahead of a batch of fixtures against the likes of Blackburn, Wolves and Blackpool, Hodgson has now indicated that the Spaniard will play.

Although the exact line-up is difficult to predict, three youngsters have been consistently impressive during the European campaign so far and should be given the chance to impress again. Defender Martin Kelly has looked very composed, not only in the Europa League, but also deputizing for Glen Johnson in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Jonjo Shelvey has given reason to believe that he may well fulfill his youthful potential and Spanish striker Dani Pacheco did well at Steaua Bucharest last time out in the competition. There is also every chance that Scottish centre-back Danny Wilson will come into the side in place of Martin Skrtel or Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

Hodgson has made it clear that David N'Gog will not be risked, having had stitches in a cut to his eye and so Ryan Babel should start up front. Milan Jovanovic scored at Steaua Bucharest and may also be given a chance. It will be interesting to see if Joe Cole plays a role and is given the chance to put in a confidence-boosting display.

Meanwhile, Dirk Kuyt is hoping that he will get to play against his former club, having starred at Utrecht between 1998 and 2003. He commented, "We play a lot of games in a season and obviously you can't play in every game but it would be nice to play against Utrecht at Anfield."

Tom Du Chatinier's side have enjoyed mixed fortunes of late. Two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five games sees them in eighth place in the Eredivisie. On their day, they are capable of giving teams a bit of a hiding, as they showed in defeating NEC 4-0 last month. On the other hand, they have managed just two away victories so far this season. Utrecht can no longer qualify for the next stage of the Europa League, but have lost only once in the competition, away at Steaua Bucharest and two draws against Napoli and a goalless game at home to Liverpool in September show that they are to be taken seriously in European competition.

Their solidity begins at the back with goalkeeper Michel Vorm between the sticks. He is considered to be one of the best shot-stoppers in Holland and is also good in one-on-one situations. Although at only 6ft, he does not command his area as he might, Vorm has impressed enough over the last couple of years that he forced his way into the Holland World Cup squad, although he did not play in South Africa. At the back, Du Chatinier is likely to use a conventional back four with the experienced Alje Schut partnering Belgian centre-back Jan Wuytens at the heart of defence and Romanian international Mihai Nesu at left-back.

Utrecht can also call upon a talented midfield, which Liverpool will have to get to grips with. Danish international Michael Silberbauer is an elegant midfielder with an eye for a pass and he is likely to provide much of the creativity to make Utrecht tick. Dries Mertens will also provide a very real threat to the Reds' goal. The Belgian international is a dangerous attacking midfielder, who enjoys cutting in from the left. What's more, Mertens is in excellent form, having scored seven goals and provided ten assists already this season.

Talking of form players, look no further than striker Ricky Van Wolfswinkel. The 21-year-old poses an obvious physical threat at 6ft tall. But, more importantly perhaps he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time. He recently made his international debut and has a stunning nineteen goals to his name already this season.

Players To Watch

Liverpool – Jonjo Shelvey

Perhaps it is no wonder that Shelvey has progressed at a more rapid rate than most of Liverpool's promising youngsters, given that he has plenty of experience under his belt already. He became Charlton Athletic's youngest ever player at 16 years and 59 days and soon became their youngest ever scorer too.

Shelvey rejected the interest of Chelsea before Charlton finally cashed in on the youngster, Liverpool paying a not insignificant £1.7 million for the player last April. He has since gone on to captain the England under-19 side and has made an impact on Roy Hodgson's first team squad, playing three Premier League appearances and anchoring the midfield in the Europa League.

Shelvey's style brings about automatic comparisons to Steven Gerrard. Time will tell whether that eventually serves to help or hinder him. He has a real dynamism to his game and possesses the energy to be a very effective box-to-box player. Shelvey also has an eye for goal and can make things happen going forward. Considered something of a set-piece specialist, Shelvey is also capable of playing as a second striker. All in all, that £1.7 million could prove to be a real bargain for Liverpool in the long run.

FC Utrecht - Ricky Van Wolfswinkel

No question that Van Wolfswinkel is the star man for the Dutch side. He scored nine goals last season and has begun this term on fire, including a hat-trick against Celtic earlier in the competition. He also scored twice in Amsterdam to hand Utrecht victory at Ajax in October. This term is already guaranteed to be his best goalscoring season so far. There is a touch of Ruud Van Nistelrooy about him. Not only is Van Wolfswinkel a handful to deal with as a physical presence, but he has the same ability as Van NIstelrooy to be in the right place to score goals.

Newcastle United was linked to Van Wolfswinkel over the summer and Liverpool too were rumoured to be sniffing around the 21-year-old. His stock continues to rise and should he cause damage on Wednesday, don’t be surprised if the Reds are linked with him once more. Van Wolfswinkel has worked his way through the Dutch under-19 and under-20 sides and was handed his senior international debut against Ukraine in August.

Roy Hodgson Says Europa League Is A Tonic For Premiership Woes

This time last year, Roy Hodgson had just about had his fill of the Europa League.

The intense schedule of Europe’s second club competition was proving a drain on the resources of his modestly-assembled Fulham side and, though his side were making solid progress on the continent, the challenge of juggling domestic and European commitments with a small squad was proving tough.

One year on, the landscape has changed significantly. Hodgson, of course, guided that small squad on a memorable run to the final. And though they would eventually succumb to Atletico Madrid, Hodgson’s side enjoyed epic wins over the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Hamburg en route. His reputation as a European specialist soared.

At Liverpool, this form has continued. Hodgson’s men ensured their place at the top of Group K with a 1-1 draw at Steaua Bucharest a fortnight ago, and victory against FC Utrecht at Anfield this evening would equal a club record of nine European home games unbeaten, first achieved by Bob Paisley’s great side in the mid-late 70s.

“It has been quite strange for me in recent years,” said Hodgson ahead of the clash, “Of all the European matches I have been involved with – and in my 35-year career I have been playing European games pretty much every year – probably about half of them have come in the last few years.

“I played 10 games with Viking Stavanger before I went off to coach the Finnish national side, I played almost 20 last season with Fulham, and we are already up to more than 10 this season, so I have certainly seen a lot of the Europa League.”

The game tonight, despite technically having no real relevance, should still attract a sizeable crowd to Anfield. Liverpool’s decision to allow under-17s into the game for free – as well as their distribution of free tickets to numerous local schools – has been widely applauded. Hodgson is eager to ensure his side delivers a rousing performance. Accordingly, he is expected to name a strong side.

“Yes, in terms of the group the game makes no difference,” he said, “If you are asking whether I would rather win the group by three points or on goal difference, I’d have to say I don’t really care.

“But this is Anfield, this is 40,000 people, this is a special occasion. I think great credit must go to the club for their decision to allocate free tickets for young supporters, but also great credit must go to the people of Liverpool. Their desire to watch the team, to watch matches here at Anfield is fantastic, and we will do our utmost to deliver a performance and a result to reward them.”

Hodgson has enjoyed a difficult start to his career at Anfield. Defeat to Newcastle last weekend leaves his side ninth in the Premier League table, but the former Fulham boss believes the Europa League represents a genuine chance to pick up a trophy, and says the Anfield atmosphere will ensure his side treats the game with the utmost respect.

“We have to take each game seriously,” he said, “It is important for us to win and to win well, but the only way you can win games and pick up trophies is by playing well

“As far as I am concerned, no matter what the game – whether it is a European game, a Cup game, or a friendly match – it is a privilege to be playing at Anfield. This is what people all over the world dream of; to play at Anfield in front of 40,000 people in a Red shirt is special.

“The message we drum into our players is that every game we play at Anfield is a special occasion. Tonight will be no different.”

Liverpool Eye January Move For Algerian Starlet Ryad Boudebouz

Liverpool's director of football strategy Damien Comolli will travel to France before the New Year to watch Sochaux star Ryad Boudebouz, Goal.com UK can reveal.

The 20-year-old has emerged as the latest France-based target for the Reds as they look to rejuvenate their squad in January by signing potential stars.

Boudebouz has been watched by a number of top European sides this season and has most recently been linked with Tottenham and Lyon.

The Algeria international has been given a glowing reference by Steve Hitchin, the highly regarded scout that Spurs manager Harry Redknapp accused Liverpool of ‘nicking’ last month.

Now Comolli is set to cast his eye over Boudebouz in person as Liverpool step up their interest in a player he already knows well from his time as director of football at St Etienne.

Sochaux are reluctant to sell their star player but it is believed they would struggle to turn down an offer in excess of £4 million to take the player to Anfield.

“Liverpool have shown serious interest in him and Damien Comolli will come to watch him at a game in the next two or three weeks,” an insider told Goal.com UK.

“It is looking very possible that he will sign for Liverpool – he is an exciting young player who needs developing but is capable of special things.”

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson wants at least four new players in the January transfer window but it is believed Boudebouz would arrive at Anfield initially as a squad player and is considered one for the future.

Boudebouz is regarded as one of the most exciting creative midfielders in French football thanks to his close control, exciting dribbling and sweet left foot.

He featured for Algeria in the goalless draw against England at the World Cup last summer in a central position but is equally comfortable out wide. He has already scored some stunning goals in his career including a goal from the halfway line against Monaco last season.

Despite representing France at youth level, Boudebouz switched his allegiance ahead of the 2010 World Cup to Algeria, the country of his parents.