Match Preview: Blackburn vs Liverpool

Quick turnaround for Kenny Dalglish and Liverpool as face relegation threatened Blackburn just a few days after their draw at Anfield with Aston Villa. Tuesday’s hosts sit 18th in the table, level on points with both QPR and Wigan and sandwiched in between the two clubs on goal differential. Three home wins since January and Liverpool’s recent record against…everyone should leave Steve Kean’s squad optimistic, though, in what’s a vital match for their survival hopes and hopefully an important momentum builder for Liverpool ahead of the weekend.

The uncomfortable truth to emerge from Saturday’s draw was that, despite how much we wished it wasn’t the case, Liverpool looked vastly improved from their more recent outings. It says more about just how bad they’ve been than it does about their ability to push further up the table—right now their biggest hope is that they can nudge ahead of Everton into 7th, and from there all they can do is try to hang on until season’s end for the bragging rights over their neighbors.

So Tuesday is another chance for Liverpool to show improvement, and regardless of how it turns out there’s bound to be some sort of negative reaction. Either they drop points and everyone points to how they’re still unable to find any consistency, or they win and everyone says that of course they should have won, it’s only Blackburn and etc. Which is fair, but it also ignores that this Liverpool side isn’t as good as we hoped they’d be, and progress is progress regardless of how proud we want to be.

On March 21st, Blackburn sat five points above the relegation zone (albeit with a game in hand over Bolton) after they’d won each of their last two—away to Wolves and home with Sunderland—by a 2-0 scoreline. Since then they’ve lost three straight, though, first to Bolton and then to Manchester United and West Brom. Their loss at the Hawthorns was the worst of the three, especially after they put up such a good fight against United, and left them in the bottom three yet again.

On Tuesday, Kean will be without Anthony Modeste, who picked up a red card in the loss to West Brom, as well as longer-term absentees Michel Salgado and Vincent Grella. Martin Olsson picked up a knock over the weekend and will be a late decision. Likely starters include Yakubu and Junior Hoilett in attack, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Jason Lowe and Steven N’Zonzi in the midfield, and Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Brad Orr, and, if fit, Olsson lining up in front of Paul Robinson in goal.

Kenny Dalglish reported no new injury concerns after Saturday’s draw with Villa, leaving Lucas and Charlie Adam as the only confirmed absences. Lingering questions remain about the return dates for Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly, and Daniel Agger made the bench and had an impressive cameo late against Villa. Pepe Reina serves the second of his three-match ban.

If one of Kelly or Johnson is close, it would make more sense to give Jon Flanagan another start and rest one of them until the weekend. Flanagan has been solid in his last two starts and works his ass off, and with that in short supply recently he’s been fun to watch. Another start for Jamie Carragher might be likely, with Agger working his way back to match fitness and Sebastian Coates the clear fourth choice. If Fabio Aurelio’s fit it’d be great to see him in action, even if only for the twenty-odd minutes he’d stay healthy. Jose Enrique plows forward on his own, it seems, until there’s someone available to give him a badly-needed rest.

We saw Saturday that a pairing of Jonjo Shelvey and Jordan Henderson could work, but that’s with the cover and adaptability of Steven Gerrard further forward and wide. I still think they can make it serviceable despite neither being the strongest in the tackle, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Jay Spearing came back in for either one. Whatever’s done to avoid putting Jordan Henderson on the right, I’m in favor of—in this case, Stewart Downing on the right flank and Maxi on the left.

Luis Suarez is going to start, and Andy Carroll served his penance for his petulance during his Newcastle return. There have been plenty of stats about how much better Liverpool’s record has been with Carroll in the eleven, and also plenty of talk about the man mismanagement when it comes to the tall forward. That’s not to excuse his poor displays, but at some point he either needs to play consistently or head elsewhere. Craig Bellamy could feature, but with the semi-final looming in five days’ time, it’d make sense for him to start in London rather than Lancashire.

Liverpool’s form and place in the table is not good enough, full stop. And matches like Saturday’s and Tuesday’s are ones that the club should be winning, just as they should have won matches at QPR and at home with Wigan. The rallying cry has often been that they “haven’t gotten what they deserve,” which sounds nice and fits in isolation. But Liverpool mostly have been getting what they deserve this season, and it just so happens that what they deserve is disappointing draws and miserable losses. They haven’t applied themselves with any great urgency at any point this season, and the results have reflected that. We saw them start to do that a bit more on Saturday, and they’ll need to continue to do that if they want to see the season out on a high note.

Dalglish Demands Focus

Kenny Dalglish is confident Liverpool will be fully focused on facing Blackburn ahead of their FA Cup semi-final clash with Everton.

The Reds take on Rovers at Ewood Park in the Premier League on Tuesday before they face the Toffees at Wembley four days later.

Dalglish expects his players to be up for the game with Blackburn.

"We want to win every game we play in and we try to do that - it'll be no different on Tuesday night," said the Liverpool manager, whose team have won just twice in 2012 and taken only nine points from 13 matches.

"We need to get Tuesday done and dusted before we get ourselves and our minds focused on Saturday.

"The players are used to it. If you play for Liverpool Football Club, every game is a big game.

"I'm sure the boys who've come in who haven't grown up with it will probably realize that as well.

"This is a game we want to go and compete in and we want to go and win, and then Saturday will take care of itself."

The temptation, of course, would be to rest a number of players to give the side the best chance of reaching the FA Cup final, especially as Everton will have played their second Easter fixture 24 hours earlier.

But Dalglish insists there is no reason to do that with the time in between games, with the fixture list being kind to his side for once.

"We've been a wee bit more fortunate than some other teams. Some are playing Saturday-Monday. We're not too bad, Saturday-Tuesday," he added.

"It's tradition and they say that's what the supporters want to see. It's like the festive period.

"Everyone's in the same situation but it's just more difficult for the players, it doesn't give them the recovery time they need.

"But that's what the squad's there for and if you've got a good strong squad then you should be able to cope with it quite well.

"For us, we'll just have to wait and see what's come up from the game at the weekend and pick the team accordingly.

"I think for most teams who are playing it'll be a late shout."

There have been calls in recent weeks, after six defeats in seven games, for some of the club's talented youngsters to be given a run-out now there is nothing left to play for in the league.

Raheem Sterling, 17, made his first-team debut at home to Wigan at the end of last month but at the time Dalglish said it was more down to necessity than invention with a number of players injured.

And while Jon Flanagan, 19, has been deputizing at right-back and 20-year-old Jonjo Shelvey has started the last two matches, the Reds boss is in no hurry to throw in younger players when the team is struggling for results.

"The young boys came in last year, Flanno (Flanagan) and Jack Robinson was excellent," Dalglish told liverpoolfc.tv.

"Raheem came on (against Wigan), Jonjo has played and Jordan Henderson, 21, is still a young boy.

"But their reaction and response when they've come in has been a credit to themselves.

"At times it is unfair on young players to be thrown in before they're ready. We've got to look after that and we do.

"They'll get much more benefit out of it if we make the decision about when they should play, rather than being forced to play.

"We've been delighted with the progress they've made.

"We bring some of the other young boys from the Academy here (to Melwood) to train as well and that stands them in good stead if they ever have to be thrown in because they've seen the players every day and they've trained here."

Kean Eyes Reds Good Time

Blackburn boss Steve Kean hopes it will be a good time to play FA Cup semi-finalists Liverpool at Ewood Park on Tuesday.

Relegation-threatened Rovers meet the Reds in a crucial Premier League tie as they bid to end a run of three successive defeats which has sucked them back into the bottom three.

Liverpool have won only one of their last nine league games and Kean is hoping their focus is already starting to turn to Saturday's Wembley semi-final with arch-rivals Everton as they bid to lift two domestic cups this season.

The Blackburn boss said: "There is no reason why we can't go out and beat Liverpool. We've done it before last year. We played very well.

"Liverpool will have an eye on the FA Cup so us playing them now is a good time.

"It will be difficult for them not to think about the semi-final, so we will try to use that to our advantage.

"But they have got a very good squad, I have seen them live a number of times this season and they normally start the games very well and have had spells where they just haven't scored.

"Then their opponents have managed to get themselves in front and it has been difficult for them. But it hasn't been the case where they have played poorly."

Kean believes the strength of character in the Rovers dressing room will help them win the survival battle.

But he is demanding his players produce their best form for 90 minutes and knows they can ill afford a repeat of the lacklustre opening 45 minutes they turned in during Saturday's 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

He said: "We might have got away with having a bad result from this round of games because we've not lost any ground.

"We have got a very good dressing room with characters in it that want to win and stand up for each other and themselves.

"But we know we can play better than in the first half at West Brom. We need to make sure we analyse the reasons for that poor display and get back on song against Liverpool.

"We only need to go back to the last home game against Manchester United where straight away we were focused and on our game.

"We have to bring that to the players' attention and try and spark ourselves into life a lot quicker.

"If we can put the first 80 minutes against Manchester United and the first 20 minutes of the second half against West Brom together, and have an overall performance, we can certainly get a result.

"But there are going to be a lot of twists and turns in this relegation battle before anything is sorted."

Liverpool Open Negotiations For South American Ace

Liverpool has reportedly opened negotiations for the summer switch of Fiorentina midfielder Juan Manuel Vargas.

According to reports in the Sun, Liverpool have begun talks with the Serie A club over the potential switch of Vargas, who is also believed to be a target for German giants Bayern Munich.

The versatile Peruvian has indicated that he is ready to call time on his Fiorentina career, after enjoying four years in Florence.

The 28 year-old will be entering the final year of his contract at the end of the season, and with Fiorentina having already rejected an £8 million bid for the player, it appears as though Liverpool are in pole position to get their man.

Vargas can operate anywhere along the left flank, having initially started his career at Fiorentina as a full-back, before progressing to a more advanced position.

It is expected that Fiorentina will try and recoup some of the €12 million they paid Catania in 2008.

Agger: We Aren't Good Enough

Daniel Agger has admitted Liverpool is not good enough to be competing at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds slumped to a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Anfield to lose further ground to Newcastle and Chelsea and all but end any lingering hopes of making the Champions League.

The result means the Merseyside club has just one win in their last nine league games, and sits eighth in the table which would be their worst Premier League finish since 1994.

"We didn't score a winner," said Agger.

"Maybe that's because we aren't good enough.

"We had a lot of good chances, especially at the end. But we couldn't score the winner and that's the fact.

"It is a bit of everything; we are not playing well, we are not working the right way but we are trying everything we can and hopefully it will turn soon.

"We have to try to win every single game - especially at Anfield - but that has not happened the last few weeks and we have to turn it around.

"We play Blackburn on Tuesday and we have to do a bit better if we want a result there."

The defender also denied that the FA Cup semi-final clash with rivals Everton was proving a distraction.

"I don't think next weekend's game is in our heads now," he added.

"When you play for a club like this it doesn't matter if there is a trophy or not, there is always a lot to play for."

Agger's return to first team action after six weeks out with a cracked rib will be a welcome boost for the Reds.

The Danish international suffered the injury in the Carling Cup final and his absence was felt with Liverpool losing five of the six league games he missed.

"It is always nice to be out there," he said.

"It doesn't matter what sort of run (the team is on), it is always difficult watching from the sidelines.

"I should be used to it now (having had injury problems in the past) but it is difficult when you cannot do anything.

"I've only trained two times so it will be a week or two more before I'm fully fit."

Enrique: No One Is Safe In Team

Liverpool star Jose Enrique admits no one can assume their place in the team is secure when results have been as poor as they have this year.

The Reds have won just two league matches in 2012, taking only nine points from 13 matches, which has ended their hopes of Champions League qualification.

Enrique has started every league match except one this season but even his consistent form has dipped in recent weeks and he accepted that no player should be immune from being dropped.

"It has been difficult in the league and not just the last few weeks, the last few months," said the Spaniard, ahead of the trip to struggling Blackburn.

"Everyone can improve because when the team doesn't work in the league no one is safe.

"We are motivated because we know we are creating chances and doing well but the problem is we are not scoring many goals.

"In the league we know we have to finish as high as possible."

The major concern in their league form has come at Anfield, where they have won just five and drawn nine of 16 matches.

Enrique stressed that was the first point which needed to be addressed for next season.

"It is frustrating because at home teams who come here have to have fear because they play against Liverpool and we have dropped many points here," he added. "The important thing is we have to think that next season this cannot happen, we have to be stronger at home - and away too - but at home we have to get more points."

However, Enrique disagrees with the critics who claim Liverpool's season has been a poor one.

He won his first trophy since arriving in England in 2007, when he signed for Newcastle, in February's Carling Cup triumph over Cardiff.

That guaranteed Europa League football next season and with an FA Cup semi-final to come against Everton on Saturday the 26-year-old admits, from a personal point of view, his Reds career has begun well.

"The truth is we already have a cup in our pocket," said Enrique. "We wanted to play in the Champions League next season but that alternative is already finished.

"But we are in the Europa League next season and that is not that bad.

"It was not the target, because we wanted Champions League, but we have won a title and no one can say we have won nothing this season.

"Of course we are playing for another one (the FA Cup). It is important we take another one - two titles in one season would be amazing.

"I came here to win titles and to play for good things and I have one (trophy) and we play the Europa League, which I have never played.

"At the moment it is a great year for me but I want to play Champions League, this is the best."

Dalglish On The Brink

The prospect of Kenny Dalglish being sacked by Liverpool at the end of the season has become a real possibility, says The Times' Oliver Kay.

Despite his legendary status at Anfield, Dalglish has come under increasing pressure in recent months after a series of poor results in the league. Liverpool secured the Carling Cup and are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but Kay believes those achievements may not be enough to save his job.

Asked if he thought Dalglish could leave Anfield in the summer, Kay told the Sunday Supplement: "I would have been surprised a month ago or two months ago because everything seemed to be fine. But they have drifted completely in the league."

"They got to the Cup semi-final, won the Carling Cup, but their league results have been dire for the last couple of months and that is a real concern.”

"It is not a question of where they finish necessarily; it is a question of whether when you look at it you can see signs of progress. And on the last few months, certainly not.

"Their results over the calendar year would see them in the top four but if you look at it from the last two or three months then it would be the bottom three. So it's will the real Liverpool stand up.

"Is the real Liverpool the one that has done well in the cups and beaten some good teams or the one that has struggled in the league?"

How Kenny Dalglish Turned A Six-Game Losing Run Into Glory

Kenny Dalglish has described Liverpool's current form as the worst run he can remember as a manager, player and supporter.

But the Reds boss would do well to recall a dreadful six-game losing run he oversaw while in charge of Blackburn exactly 20 years ago.

The similarities are striking: Form that crumbled in March, big money signings failing to perform, and back page stories questioning whether 'King Kenny' could still cut it as a manager.

If Dalglish was to reflect on that run amid growing pressure at Liverpool he may find some reassurance at how quickly things can change.

The run ended with a draw, Liverpool's last result. Three years later, his team won the Premier League.

Now Dalglish's Liverpool has a chance to end their bad run at Ewood Park against Blackburn on Tuesday.

Blackburn record goalscorer Simon Garner, who was part of that 1991-92 squad, describes how Dalglish coped during such a bad run of form and what he did to turn it around.

"He left all the coaching to Ray Harford [his assistant manager] who was a very, very good coach. Kenny would come in with a smile on his face and have a laugh and a joke.

"Every Friday we would have five-a-sides and Kenny would play. We wouldn't stop playing until Kenny had won a game. Kenny is happiest when he is around the training ground with a bunch of footballers.

"We didn't talk about the run in training. We approach every game the same way, training was the same. We carried on as normal.

"Generally, we used to train for the opposition. I remember one game against Charlton and Kenny said to Ray Harford 'we will play a long ball game just for one game as Charlton won't expect it'. We trained to that plan all week and won.

"However we never used to know the team until 2pm on matchday. Kenny wasn't afraid to change a team. Time and again he would come up with a selection you wouldn't have expected."

"Some players need an arm around their shoulder, some need a telling off and Kenny understood that.

"When you were behind closed doors he could lose his temper. The only time this would happen was after a match when you'd had a bad game. But he wasn't one for throwing tea cups. Most of the time he would encourage you and this didn't change during a bad run.

"He wouldn't get annoyed as long as you worked hard and were giving everything you could give. If you worked your socks off he would understand."

"Kenny would always defend the players to the press and public, like he does with Liverpool now. We appreciated that.

"You don't want to read your manager in the papers saying you were having a bad time. Kenny never let that happen.

"He tried not to let the players feel the pressure and it helped. We were expected to get promoted because of all the money Jack Walker had spent.

"At the back of your mind you were thinking about it, but it wasn't talked about during the run so you didn't dwell on it."

"Back then you could sign players until March. He is missing a goalscorer at Liverpool. At Blackburn he was able to go out and buy players to try and get the goals mid season.

"He was happy to sign a player to do a job and get us up a division knowing he would replace them in the summer. You can't make those signings now with the transfer window.

"If he is still in charge in the summer there will be a lot of changes."

"We had a great team spirit. I don't think you get that so much nowadays in the Premier League. The game is so different. There are so many foreign players.

"Back then all the players stuck together and got on well, socialized together. I don't think that happens in the modern game.

"In that run it wasn't happening for us but we all thought deep down that we could turn it around.

"Kenny lives for football and I think he will be playing it similar to how he did it at Blackburn in that he will have the belief they are good enough.

"He will be hurting. Liverpool is in his heart. He looks older and tense this season. He looks like he is under pressure but he will try not let that get to the players.

"When you look at their squad they have enough to stop the run and he still has the FA Cup to go for."

Dalglish: Paranoia At Anfield

Manager Kenny Dalglish admits paranoia could start to set in at Anfield following Liverpool's recent poor run of form.

The Reds ended a run of three successive defeats as they were held to a surprise 1-1 draw at home by Aston Villa on Saturday.

They have won just five times at home in the Premier League this season, drawing nine matches and dropping 24 points in their 11 other games.

And, although the Scot insisted the result against Alex McLeish's side was down to the performance of referee Michael Oliver, he also claimed some people may think 'there is an agenda against the club'.

"It is important to get as much as you possibly can from every game and in most of the games we have played here we haven't got that and yesterday was another example," he said

"Most of the things we did do which were in our control we tried our best to do.

"Some of the decisions we have not had recently have been a bit confusing.

"If we keep trying it will turn but sometimes there will be some people whose paranoia sets in and they will think there is an agenda against the club from people in importance.

"We don't immediately see it that way but other people may do."

Chris Herd put the visitors ahead in the 10th minute and it took until eight minutes from time for Liverpool to equalize through Luis Suarez's close-range header.

But Dalglish felt his side should have been awarded two penalties by Oliver and was also upset about the official's decision to later book Suarez for diving.

"We were pleased with most of the things we did," he insisted.

"Their attitude and commitment from 20 minutes from the end of the first half was the difference.

"Villa got a goal and it gave them something to hold on to but the longer the game went the stronger we got and the more determined we were to get a goal.

"We got a goal but I think we deserved more than that. They kept plugging away. If we keep doing that we will win more than we will lose."

Match Report: Liverpool 1 - 1 Aston Villa

Luis Suarez's late header prevented a fourth successive league defeat but it only served to paper over the cracks of another faltering Liverpool performance.

The Reds went into the game on the back of six losses in seven matches, their worst sequence for almost 60 years, and with criticism mounting on both the players and manager Kenny Dalglish.

Fragile confidence was eroded further when Chris Herd put the visitors ahead early on but a much-needed win for the midlanders, for whom relegation worries have been growing, proved beyond them.

While a month ago Dalglish argued, with some justification, that results were not reflecting performances that has not been the case in the last few weeks.

Since the turn of the year they have won just twice in the league, taking nine points from 13 games as their bid for a top-four place evaporated in the euphoria of February's Carling Cup triumph.

Defeats to the likes of Wigan at home and a late capitulation at QPR destroyed any confidence the squad had and undoubtedly impacted on their form.

Their anxiety and uncertainty was not helped by goalkeeper Doni, who had previously played only 57 minutes of an October friendly against Rangers, having to make his debut in place of the suspended Jose Reina - ending a run of 183 successive league appearances.

The Brazilian failed his first test and it proved expensive as he flapped at former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock's left-wing cross in the 10th minute, allowing Barry Bannan to cut the ball back for the unmarked Herd to bend in a shot.

However, Liverpool would have been ahead by then had it not been for the reactions of the experienced Shay Given who clawed Dirk Kuyt's shot off the line after Stewart Downing's low cross picked out the Holland international at the far post.

The home side's response to going behind was slow as despite a succession of corners Martin Skrtel's header wide of the post was the closest they came.

Suarez had a valid claim for a penalty turned down when he was caught by Alan Hutton but it was not until the final minute of the half the Reds really posed a threat.

The best chance fell to Kuyt from Steven Gerrard's cross-shot but the Dutchman ballooned over from five yards before Suarez fired straight at Given.

Dalglish switched to 4-4-2 for the second half with Gerrard playing wide right and the captain almost helped deliver the equalizer.

His 53rd-minute cross picked out Suarez whose header beat Given but bounced off the far post, although it still needed the goalkeeper's quick reactions to flick the ball away from an almost impossible position behind him to prevent it crossing the line.

Villa, content to hang on to their lead, were starting to come under more sustained pressure and the Liverpool manager attempted to turn the screw by sending on Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy, effectively playing with four forwards.

But still they struggled to test Given with Bellamy, given time to bring the ball down on the left of the penalty area, driving against the outside of the post.

The woodwork was struck again in the 82nd minute but this time it actually benefited Liverpool.

Gerrard's cross from the right saw substitute Daniel Agger, on for Jose Enrique, plant a header against the underside of the bar but when the ball bounced down Suarez was on hand to nod in from close range.

Carroll headed straight at Given from another Gerrard cross before the captain's swerving shot was kept out by the goalkeeper's legs in added time.

A victory would have flattered the home side who, despite making all the running after going behind, were far from impressive and made hard work of getting a point against a side who had won just twice in 11 games.

Dalglish Delighted With Reds

Kenny Dalglish was delighted with his players efforts as they clawed their way back to earn a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Anfield.

It looked like being another frustrating afternoon for Liverpool until Luis Suarez cancelled out Chris Herd's first-half opener inside the final 10 minutes.

And Dalglish was pleased with the way his men stuck to their task.

"The performance from 20 minutes before the interval to the end of the game, they were excellent," he said.

"We showed a great deal of determination and commitment but Villa had their goal which gave them something to hold onto.

"They had a lot of resolve but we kept plugging away.

"We were delighted with the players."

Indeed, Dalglish reserved his criticism for the officials rather than his own players.

When asked if his team just needed a bit of luck, the Liverpool boss responded: "And decisions.

Liverpool was denied several penalty shouts for handball, including a strong appeal against Eric Lichaj, while Alan Hutton appeared to trip Suarez before the break.

"Most of the things that haven't gone in our favour have been out of our control and I think that was reflected today with certain things," he added. "We can't do much more than that.

"(There is) No frustration on our part. The frustration would come if I were in charge of the referees' association."

Liverpool Plot Summer Move For Man City Pair

Liverpool are reportedly consider moves for Man City duo Adam Johnson and Emmanuel Adebayor as Kenny Dalglish looks to improve his attacking options after seeing his Anfield side consistently struggle for goals this term. Having spent over £110m on new signings in the past 15 months the Scot will hope the club’s American owners will be willing to dig deep into their pockets to finance moves for the Etihad Stadium pair but will also look to sell under-performing players to help fund any summer deals.

Dalglish is said to be an admirer of City winger Adam Johnson and is looking to add more natural width to his attack and would like to bring the England international to play out on the right flank. The 24 year old has made just 10 Premier League starts this term and may be tempted by an offer to leave Man City though Liverpool would have to be able to match his apparently bumper salary.

Liverpool have used the likes of Jordan Henderson and Dirk Kuyt on the right hand side of the midfield but neither has made a positive impression this term and Dalglish will look to make a significant offer for the former Middlesbrough man, who cost Roberto Mancini £7m.

Kenny Dalglish is also looking to bring in further striking options and is said to be warming to the idea of launching a move to snap up Man City forward Emmanuel Adebayor. The Scot may feel he could snap up the Togo international as Tottenham appear reticent to meet the former Arsenal man’s wage demands.

Liverpool have managed just 37 goals from 32 Premier League matches this season and though Luis Suarez has proved most effective Andy Carroll has struggled for goals and has consistently failed to deliver the goods. The £35m man has therefore spent much of the season consigned to the bench leaving Dalglish looking to bring in alternative attacking options.

In order to help finance moves for the pair the Merseyside club will conduct something of a clear-out this summer. Joe Cole and Alberto Aquilani will be made available for permanent moves after spending this season out on loan to Lille and AC Milan respectively.

Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez and Fabio Aurelio are also likely to be offloaded to help make space on the balance sheet for the wage demands of the Man City pair.

Liverpool To Trim Wage Bill By Accepting Cut Price Offer For Striker

Liverpool could lose one of their most consistent performers of the last few seasons for just £1million after it was revealed that there was a release clause in Dirk Kuyt's contract.

The Holland international has been linked with a move away from Anfield after failing to hold down a regular place in the starting line up under Kenny Dalglish.

Kuyt has been linked with a move away from the Premier League and, according to the Telegraph, a clause on the strikers contract allows him to leave for a foreign club for just £1million.

The clause was added into his deal when he signed a contract extension as part of the clubs new plan to try and sign younger players on lower wages,

“He would like to remain at Liverpool,” Kuyt's agent Rob Jansen told the Telegraph. “But otherwise it’s very likely that he will choose to go on a new adventure abroad.

"If he ever returned to the Netherlands, he would 100 per cent go to Feyenoord. I have not been told anything official. A few days ago I went to Liverpool to talk about Kuyt among others.”

The striker currently earns between £3.5-4million a year and is one of the higher earners at the club. By selling Kuyt it would trim the wage bill and perhaps allow them to bring in another younger player.

Yesterday Kuyt was linked with a possible move to Italian side Roma and it does seem likely that if he is to leave Liverpool then it will be a side outside of England.

The 31-year-old has been at Liverpool since 2006 and this season helped Liverpool win their first piece of silverware since he arrived at the club, however, it does appear his time on Merseyside is coming to an end.

Jovanovic Tells Suarez To Shun Reds

Milan Jovanovic has told Anderlecht team-mate Matias Suarez to not consider moving to Liverpool.

A host of clubs are tracking Argentine forward Suarez, who is currently one of the stars of the Belgian league.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool are amongst the sides being linked with Suarez, but he has been told to forget about Anfield.

"I shed lots of tears in England. I felt unhappy every day over there," said Jovanovic.

"London is a nice place to live but everywhere else is depressing. I have advised Suarez not to move to Liverpool.

"They'll throw a lot of money at him but he should opt for Italy."

Academy Bring Easter Joy

Rodolfo Borrell led the reserve team squad on a visit to Alder Hey Hospital on Thursday with a special delivery of Easter eggs for the children.

The Academy made their first ever visit to Alder Hey at Christmas and they were delighted to bring the squad back to cheer up the children.

The likes of Conor Coady and Raheem Sterling joined new boy Joao Carlos Teixiera as they brightened up the children's day by presenting them with chocolate eggs in time for Easter Sunday.

Coady told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It's a great experience for all of us to come down and see the kids and give them some Easter eggs.

"It's also good for the boys to come down here and see how lucky they are to be playing for Liverpool Football Club.

"We are very proud to come to Alder Hey and we hope all the kids get well soon and we wish them all the best."

Borrell added: "It's important to bring the lads to Alder Hey and visit the children. To have good health is one of the most important things and to see the children with big smiles on their faces was fantastic.

"The lads need to be grateful and understand that to be part of a massive club like Liverpool, it's not just about performing on the pitch, it's about their behaviour and responsibility off it. People look for them to set an example."

Phil Roscoe, head of education and welfare at the Academy, said: "At Christmas we decided we would replicate what the first team do and bring presents to the kids at Alder Hey, and Frank McParland wanted to make it more of a regular thing for the squad to get involved in.

"It was great that we could come back and bring Easter eggs for the children.

"The lads are so focused on trying to become professional footballers that sometimes they can be detached from what the real world is and live in a bit of a bubble. When they come to Alder Hey it's a bit of a reality check and it makes them realize how lucky they are."

Christine Done, head of fundraising at Alder Hey, said: "It was a fantastic visit and it was really nice for Liverpool to come to Alder Hey for Easter.

"We have a lot of children who will be in hospital over Easter. Some will get the chance to go home but some are too unwell, so to have the team come in to the hospital, it cheered them up.

"The players were a real credit to Liverpool FC and they deserve a lot of credit."

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Aston Villa

Liverpool play host to Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday with both sides desperate for all three points.

The Reds are looking to arrest a horrible run of form, which has seen them lose six of their last seven Premier League matches to culminate in them dropping to eighth spot in the table.

Villa are also in need of a morale-boosting victory as they are nervously looking over their shoulders in the battle to stay up, with Alex McLeish's troops sitting just five points above the drop zone.

Liverpool go into the game without No.1 goalkeeper Pepe Reina following his sending off against Newcastle last weekend.

Summer signing Alexander Doni is in line to make his belated debut for the club as Reina's replacement with Brad Jones set to provide cover on the bench.

Defensive trio Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly are still working their way back to fitness and are set to miss out again.

Charlie Adam remains sidelined with a knee ligament problem, while long-term absentee Lucas is continuing his rehabilitation from his cruciate knee injury

Reds boss Kenny Dalglish could restore Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson to the starting line-up after being named on the bench at Newcastle.

Villa could be boosted by the return of full-back Alan Hutton after he missed last weekend's defeat to Chelsea with a calf problem.

Young striker Andreas Weimann, who made his first league start against Chelsea, is doubtful with an ankle injury suffered during that game.

Charles N'Zogbia is making good progress on his knee injury, but the trip to Anfield could come too soon for the Frenchman.

Gabriel Agbonlahor will captain Villa in the absence of Stiliyan Petrov as he begins his treatment on his leukaemia condition.

With Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar both sidelined Nathan Baker is set to continue in central defence alongside James Collins.

Darren Bent is out for the rest of the season with his ankle injury, while Fabian Delph remains unavailable with an ankle problem.

Possible starting XIs:

Liverpool: Doni, Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Enrique, Henderson, Gerrard, Spearing, Downing, Bellamy, Suarez.

Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Baker, Collins, Warnock, Albrighton, Herd, Gardner, Ireland, Agbonlahor, Heskey.

Dalglish Ready For challenge

Kenny Dalglish reckons guiding Liverpool back to the summit of European football will not be an easy task - but he is not afraid of the challenge.

Dalglish is regarded as the club's greatest ever player and earned a long list of honours during his playing days.

This also continued in his first stint as manager at the club but the decline since he left has been hard to arrest, with the club's last league title coming 22 years ago when he was boss.

Manchester United has since gone on to become the dominant force in the game and has seemingly claimed league titles at will.

Their rivals Manchester City are now serious contenders after their lavish spending spree and Tottenham have also emerged as a club with title aspirations.

Liverpool has missed out on the UEFA Champions League for the last two years and their present slump has evaporated all hopes of a late run to qualify for this competition.

Under Dalglish, they are now eighth in the table and are in the midst of their worst run since 1953, 16 points adrift of fourth place.

"It is always difficult to get back to where they were because they were so high up," said Dalglish.

"But it (the method for success) has not changed too much really - it takes a lot of hard work and a lot of effort.

"We have good players who can get there but you need confidence and belief in yourself and you need a bit of luck.

"We can work as hard as we possibly can and if we do our side of it then at least we can look at ourselves and say we had a right go at it.

"At every football club it is [about] hard work but I can't believe how hard work is a bonus for people.

"I think that was taken as given that you work hard; so for us we'll work hard because you get nothing if you don't.

"These lads are genuine and honest and they have worked really hard to get any success they have had.

"We just have to keep on going and believing and try to keep our confidence up that the hard work will be rewarded eventually."

Gerrard Pleads For Patience

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has called on the club's fans to be patient as the team look to end their slump in form.

The Reds are mired in their worst run in over 50 years after suffering six defeats in seven Premier League matches.

The displays of Kenny Dalglish's men has led to criticism from disgruntled supporters after seeing the side slip down to eighth spot in the table behind local rivals Everton.

Although Gerrard accepts their current spell is far from what is expected, he believes they will come out the other side and be better in the longer-term.

"There are a lot of challenges ahead this season. I'd ask the supporters to be patient; we will get it right," Gerrard told the club's official website.

"We have had a mixed March. We're in a league position we're not happy about and we need to look at ourselves and try to move up the league as soon as possible."

Gerrard was named the club's player of the month on the back of becoming the first scorer of a hat-trick in the Merseyside derby for almost 30 years.

And while he is grateful for the recognition, he knows unless the team improves individual awards will count for little.

"It's always nice to be rewarded for personal achievements, but from day one I have always said it's about the team," added Gerrard.

"It's nice as a player to know you're doing your job properly. Now I need to help the team to improve and become more consistent.

"The Everton game was obviously a highlight for me in March. It was a great team performance but besides that there weren't many highlights.

"Let's hope April has many more and that we can climb up the table and get to the FA Cup final.

"Although we have been inconsistent in the league we have shown we are a stronger squad and can beat anyone."

Kuyt Wants Liverpool Stay

Dirk Kuyt's agent has moved to play down reports linking the Liverpool striker with a move to Roma.

The 31-year-old has been a bit-part player under Kenny Dalglish this term, starting just 19 games, and there are rumours his six-year association with the club could soon be over.

Kuyt helped Liverpool win the Carling Cup this term with a timely goal after coming on as a substitute in the final.

Roma have been linked with the Dutch striker and also his former club Feyenoord in Holland, but the player's adviser insists he would ideally like to remain on Merseyside.

"He would prefer to stay at Liverpool," Rob Jansen told Algemeen Dagblad.

"If that is not possible there is a big possibility that he would decide to choose a new foreign adventure.

"If he did ever return to the Netherlands, then it would 100% be for Feyenoord. I am going to Liverpool in the next 10 days to talk to them about Kuyt."