Gerrard Rallies Reds

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard insists the club's season is 'still alive' in the Premier League and Champions League.

The Reds have dropped off the pace in the race for the Premier League title after a run of indifferent form which has allowed Manchester United to build up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Liverpool's title chances look slim with only ten games remaining, while they face Real Madrid in the Champions League next Tuesday hoping to book their place in the last eight after a 1-0 in the Spanish capital last month.

Gerrard was happy with the midweek win over Sunderland and he remains optimistic that the campaign could end up a success.

"It was a comfortable win and it lifted everybody," Gerrard told club's official website.

"We've struggled at home this season but in midweek we were patient and got our rewards. It was important to bounce back with a win and a good performance.

"The following night it was frustrating watching Newcastle play United because there were times when I thought United could drop points. Newcastle went in front and then I was off the couch when they almost scored a second.

"United seem to be playing well and getting the results but if teams believe they can take points off them then I am sure it will happen sooner or later.

"It's important for us not to let the gap get any bigger and if they make mistakes we have to be ready to pounce. Of course, we all know how big our game at Old Trafford is going to be.

"Our season is still very much alive. We're not giving up in the title race and we're 1-0 up in the Champions League and one win away from a place in the last eight.

"It's important people stay positive and upbeat and not be down or worried about things."

Gerrard is also hoping striker Fernando Torres will recover from injury in time to tackle Real Madrid and Manchester United next week.

Torres has missed the last two games with an ankle problem and Gerrard is keen to be reunited with the Spaniard for the last few weeks of the season.

"It's been frustrating because I certainly love playing with him and from reading some of the things he's said, he loves playing with me," added Gerrard.

"Ideally we want to end the season playing together and performing for the team.

"I spoke to him a couple of days ago and he seems very optimistic so fingers crossed he can pull through for Tuesday because you know how much I like playing against Everton, and I'm sure it's the same for him playing against Madrid."

Emiliano Insua Return Is Good For Liverpool FC - Fabio Aurelio

Fabio Aurelio could have been forgiven for feeling a bit threatened by the return to Liverpool’s starting line-up of the young pretender to his left-back throne.

The Brazilian defender made way for Emiliano Insua in Tuesday night’s home win over Middlesbrough but rather than feeling put out by Rafa Benitez’s decision to choose youth over experience, Aurelio was delighted to see the 20-year-old back in action in a Liverpool shirt.

“Every time that Emiliano has been given an opportunity he has shown his quality and the other night was no different,” said Aurelio.

“That is good for him as an individual but it is also good for the team because it means we have another player who is getting involved and this makes the squad stronger and gives the manager more options.

“When you are at a big club like Liverpool you always know that you will have to compete for your place but when it comes down to it we are all competing for the good of the team.

“We all work harder to help the team and competing for your place is just one part of that.

“We work together and in the case of Emiliano and myself we both just want what is best for the team.”

Having missed the previous ten Liverpool games through his involvement with the Argentinian national team at the under-20 World Cup, Insua slotted seamlessly back into Benitez’s starting lineup against Boro.

In doing so, he jumped ahead of £7m man Andrea Dossena in the pecking order and his latest impressive performance will have served to underline the growing belief that he could provide a long term solution to a position that has been a problem at Anfield for far too long.

But for the time being, the former Boca Juniors youngster is just happy to be back in the fold with Liverpool having endured a difficult tournament with Argentina out in Venezuela where his national team failed to qualify for the finals for the first time in 16 years.

Insua’s disappointment was made all the more pronounced because not only was he captain of the side, he was also sent off during the 1-0 defeat to Colombia which ended Argentina’s hopes.

“It was not a good experience for me because we did not qualify for the next stage,” said Insua.

“Obviously we had wanted to do better than this but unfortunately things did not work out as we had hoped.

“I had to be there which meant I had to miss games for Liverpool but this is in the past now and I have to put it behind me and just focus on Liverpool and the games that we have to come.

“We have ten games left in the Premier League so hopefully I will be able to play in as many of these matches as possible.

“While I was away I was able to keep an eye on Liverpool’s results but it is not the same as being there and being involved in the squad. But now I can look forward to the games to come.”

Unfortunately for Insua he will not be able to feature in Liverpool’s next game - against Real Madrid.

Having not been registered with UEFA on Liverpool’s Champions League squad he will have to sit this one out but with a Premier League clash with Manchester United to come the defender is not too downhearted.

He said: “I cannot play in the Champions League against Real Madrid so this means I must keep on working hard in training and look forward to our next game.

“I am very excited at the thought of playing against Man United. I do not know whether I will be in the team or not but I have to keep giving everything I can in training and if I can play it will be very good for me.

“I can remember watching matches between Liverpool and United when I was young in Argentina.

“It is a match which is watched all around the world. It is a massive game for anyone to play in and now I have a chance to be involved so I have to keep my focus and hope that I can be in the team.”

Having tasted victory upon his return to the Liverpool side, Insua is now looking for a positive end to the season both for himself and the team.

But he knows the hard work is only just beginning as he attempts to nail down the left back spot with Aurelio in particular staking his own strong claims for that position in the team.

“I’m really happy that I was picked to play in the team against Middlesbrough because I know that we have other good left backs at Liverpool,” added Aurelio.

“But I know that I must keep on going and trying to give everything in every game because there is so much competition for places at a club like Liverpool.

“It was really good for me to be back in the team and I enjoyed it a lot because we won in front of our fans.

“We played quite well and the important thing for all of us now is to try to keep on going and to keep our level up so that we can keep on picking up points.”

David Prentice: Versatile Yossi Is Worth Every Penny

When West Ham were demanding transfer fees ranging from £6m to something nearer £10m for Yossi Benayoun, Reds fans laughed.

Even when the Israeli international arrived for a more modest £5m, there were plenty of raised eyebrows.

But Benayoun has proved himself to be the epitomy of the invaluable modern squad player.

Capable of playing a variety of roles, capable of scoring vital goals, he’s even prepared to accept that he won’t be playing every week.

His form at present, however, ensures that he should be. Benayoun has been a shaft of light in a mixed month for Liverpool Football Club, and a better addition to the Liverpool squad than many expected.

Coaching Role Would Prove Ideal For Hyypia

Sami Hyypia’s gesture to donate £23,000 to rescue a Merseyside hospital charity appeal quite rightly won the veteran defender plenty of plaudits.

It came as no surprise to those who know him best that he dug deep into his own pockets to help fund the planned building of a seven room Ronald McDonald House at Arrowe Park.

The big Finn has been a model professional from the moment he first set foot in Anfield and his status as one of Liverpool’s greatest servants has long since been established.

The 35-year-old Hyypia’s playing days may now be coming to an end but his commitment to the club he has served for almost a decade and the Merseyside area in which he has lived during that time remains as strong as ever.

Should a position come up on Liverpool’s coaching staff in the near future could anyone think of a more deserving candidate than a genuine Reds legend whose character is so widely admired?

Liverpool Midfielder Lucas Leiva Open To Atletico Madrid Move

The Reds’ Brazilian midfielder has revealed that he could join his famous uncle’s former club in the near future.

Liverpool’s Lucas Leiva has opened the door for a possible move to the Primera Division to join Atletico Madrid as he struggles to nail down a permanent first team place at Anfield under Rafa Benitez.

Despite a strong showing last term following his transfer from Gremio, the 22-year-old Brazilian has been limited to substitute appearances this campaign and he has not ruled out an exit in order to find regular playing time.

Accompanying his uncle, Leivinha, a well-known former Atletico Madrid striker, to an interview with Radio Marca, Lucas revealed, “I have come close to joining Atletico before and I do not discard the possibility of playing for the rojiblancos. But for now, I am happy at Liverpool.”

Leivinha, however, quickly interjected by saying, “Leiva is still a young lad and perhaps in a few seasons’ time, he could play for Atletico.”

Lucas then looked ahead to the Merseysiders’ second leg Champions League clash with Atleti’s fierce city foes, Real Madrid this Tuesday.

“We will have to strive at Anfield if we want to make it to the quarter-finals,” he warned.

Lucas is not the only player in the Reds payroll who could end up in the red-and-white of Atletico in the future. Goalkeeper, Pepe Reina has also previously expressed a strong desire to move to the Vicente Calderon, the ground where his father, Miguel Reina, made his name.

Liverpool FC Price Tag Too High

The attempt by Liverpool FC’s owners to sell up to a Kuwaiti consortium have stalled because Tom Hicks and George Gillett are putting too high a value on the club, it has been claimed.

“Things are going really badly because they are asking for too much,” said Abdulla Al-Sager, who’s among the potential investors headed by Kuwait’s Al-Kharafi family.

Al- Sager and Rafed Al-Kharafi were guests of the Americans at Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea last month.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett have valued the club at around £500m, but may yet have to lower their expectations.

The impetus to sell increases by the day, as the pair’s current re-financing loan of £350m with Royal Bank of Scotland, taken out when they bought the club two years ago, expires in July.

“I don’t think anything will happen unless we get a better price, but we are still talking,” Al-Sager added.

A spokesman for Mr Hicks has declined to comment.

The Al-Kharafis, one of oil-rich Kuwait’s wealthiest families, are not the only investors Hicks and Gillett are talking to.

They are also understood to have been discussing a full or partial sale with another investment group in the Middle East and one in the USA.

Hyypia Issues Euro Warning

Sami Hyypia has warned his Liverpool team-mates not to underestimate Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

The Reds defender is wary of complacency seeping into the squad following their impressive 1-0 win in Spain during the first leg of their last-16 encounter.

A dramatic late goal from Yossi Benayoun handed Rafa Benitez's men a priceless advantage at Santiago Bernabeu.

Hyypia believes Liverpool can take plenty of positives from that memorable night, but has reminded his colleagues that their task is only half done.

"We have got a lead to protect which is important and we know that if we play as well at Anfield as we did over there then we should be okay," the Finnish defender said in the Liverpool Echo.

"It will still be difficult because it is just half-time in the tie so there is still a lot of football to be played.

"Real are a top side and they will be looking forward to coming to Anfield and hoping to get an away goal of their own, so we will have to be very careful."

Sean McGuire: One Battle That Rick Parry Just Didn’t Budget For

Rafael Benitez secured his first back-to-back victories at Anfield on Tuesday night since October’s wins against Wigan and Portsmouth.

But Liverpool fans should only be cheering one of the wins. His defeat of Rick Parry is a clear sign that the mantra of no man being bigger than the club can be consigned – like classy Scottish centre-backs and midfielders with moustaches – to a bygone age.

It has been suggested that Benitez had wanted a bigger say in one or two budgetary matters at Anfield, and that his request was denied.

In this regard he is following Bill Shankly who once said: “At a football club, there’s a holy trinity – the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don’t come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques.”

But times have changed. Chairmen are now businessmen not philanthropists. And the sums involved aren’t significant, they are monumental.

And that is why club managers should be given a budget. That is, a finite amount of money to spend on the acquisition of new players, the support staff they employ, the recruitment of junior players and all the other bits and pieces they need to prepare the team to play.

If they had a better grip on the quite incredible costs of maintaining a first class professional sports club – and I am talking only of the playing side – I think they would develop a much harder attitude towards the level of performance they require, on a weekly basis, from some extremely highly paid and very cosseted athletes.

On top of all that, if disastrous deals like the sale of Robbie Keane at a huge loss where then done, the manager would quickly see the effects of that in his budget.

He would have less money in the kitty, just like any other business budget holder, and he would have to exercise great care in his dealings in the transfer market in the future.

If that is the kind of budget control that Rafa, and other managers want, then I say to club bosses, let them have it without delay.

But if it is the other type of budget they want, the one common among teenagers who want their own money and then some more whenever they want to buy something they want but can’t afford, and for the money to be handed over without comment on how wisely it’s spent, then clubs should say no.

However, the manner of the Parry’s departure means the next chief executive is unlikely to feel able to exercise that level of cost control – and for that, the club will be poorer.

Mascherano Wants Reds Consistency

Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano says Liverpool need to improve their form before they can think of a Premier League title challenge this season.

The Reds are seven points behind leaders Manchester United.

"We are not too close to Manchester United but we have to still fight to see what happens," said Mascherano.

"It’s important we don't look at the league classification. We need to concentrate and try to win games and see what happens."

Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-0 at Anfield on Tuesday with the 24-year-old filling in at right-back.

But the 24-year-old says he will play in any position as long as it is in the best interest of the squad.

"I try to think about the team," added Masherano. "If the team need me in that position I will try to do my best.

"Where I play the best is in the centre of midfield, but you never know if we are going to have injuries to players like Alvaro Arbeloa and Phillipe Degan.

"We don't have any players who can play on the right of defence, so I don't have any problems playing there."

Torres: I Won't Quit Liverpool If Benitez Leaves

Fernando Torres has insisted his future is at Liverpool even if Rafael Benitez does leave the club at the end of the season.

Benitez hopes to sign a new deal at Anfield but is yet to put pen to paper - even though he has less than 18 months of his current contract to run.

Chief executive Rick Parry's exit and the fact Liverpool's co-owners have been told it will make the club easier to sell if Benitez stays makes it more likely the Spaniard will prolong his Anfield tenure.

But, even if Benitez does go, Spain forward Torres insists his own future at Anfield was not tied to that of manager.

'My future is tied with Liverpool, because I still have four years left to run on my contract,' he said.

'Therefore, should Rafa leave, I will stay on and fulfill my contract with the club. My wish is that Rafa extends his contract with Liverpool. I cannot think about how a possible departure might affect me, because it hasn't happened yet, and I don't like wasting time thinking about ifs and buts.'

Torres is also confident he will be fit for the club's crucial clashes in Europe and at home in the next 10 days.

The Reds take on Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie looking to progress with a 1-0 advantage from the first leg at the Bernabeu, and then face Manchester United in the Premier League in a match they have to win to have any hope of catching their bitter north-west rivals.

Torres has not played since he suffered an ankle injury in that Madrid victory, but revealed last night he is optimistic about returning next week.

'I hope to be available for both of the matches because they will be two great games,' he said.

'The ankle injury has been giving me some trouble and the recovery process is taking longer than I hoped.

'However, I am quite optimistic that I will be ready for the match versus Real Madrid, and if the ankle holds out, I will also be at Old Trafford.'

Torres does not accept the claim that his injury problems this season have cost Liverpool their chance of winning the Premier League title, adding: 'I don't think that I'm to blame for the injuries, it forms part of the game. I have suffered three muscular injuries during the first three months of the competition, and now I have picked up an ankle injury.

'I don't think that my injury should be considered as a reason for Liverpool not winning the league. Although following a couple of poor results we have lost touch with Manchester United at the top, the team has done well this season. The league though is still alive, but Man United are looking strong and they are not dropping points.'

Youngster Seeking Loan Move

Robbie Threlfall is looking to get himself another loan move away from Liverpool before the closure of the Football League loan transfer window.

The young defender is highly thought of at Anfield but after a loan spell already this season the left back is looking for another spell away to get more first team football, as Robbie explained to skysports.com:

'I would be interested in going out on loan again if the opportunity arises. I am back training at Liverpool and I just want to play football on a regular basis.

'I enjoyed my time at Stockport and I would like the chance to go out and get some experience under my belt.'

A month long loan spell with Stockport has recently ended but sending Threlfall out on loan to a Championship, League One or League Two side for the rest of the season could be the best thing that the Reds could do for his future development.

The full back areas are areas that we have struggled with, and in particular the left back position, so maybe in time Threlfall can prove the answer?

Being one of our own products coming through would make his success, if that were the case, even better.

Emiliano Insua: I Now Have To Prove Myself Again At Liverpool FC

Emiliano Insua admits he will have to prove himself all over again if he is to regain his left-back slot on a permanent basis.

The 20-year-old made his first appearance since returning from the South American Under-20 Championships in the 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland on Tuesday.

Before he flew out to Venezuela to represent Argentina in the tournament Insua had made the left-back slot his own with a series of solid performances.

Liverpool won four of the five games he appeared in and drew the other at Arsenal – but Insua insists he had no option but to abandon his flourishing club career.

And now he is back in the first team picture he is aware of the need to step up his work-rate to re-establish himself in a position that Fabio Aurielo and Andrea Dossena are ready to fight for.

“It’s a tough level because it’s the best league in the world,” Insua said. “Playing for Liverpool is even tougher because this team always has to play to win. You also have many players who play for their national teams.

“But I came back from the tournament in South America two weeks ago and I’m back training with the first team.

“I’ll just keep training hard and keep trying to show the boss that I’m good enough.

“It was a difficult decision for me to go away because I’d played four consecutive games but you have to say yes to the national team. I spoke with Rafa and he told me to go.

“I missed some important games like Everton and Chelsea but now I have to think about the future.

“I’ve had a few games and I think I’ve done quite well. Playing with the first team has given me a chance to improve.

“The manager gave me a lot of confidence. He told me to keep calm when I play and afterwards he encouraged me to keep going.”

I'm Not To Blame For Liverpool's Slump, Claims Torres

Fernando Torres has rejected the suggestions of his Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, that his injuries have cost Liverpool their chance of winning the Premier League title this season.

The striker, who hopes to be fit to face Real Madrid in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday with Liverpool holding a one-goal advantage from the first leg, said: "I don't think that my injury should be considered as a reason for Liverpool not winning the league.

Although following a couple of poor results we have lost touch with Manchester United at the top, the team has done well this season.

The league though is still alive, but United are looking strong and they are not dropping points. [But] I don't think that I'm to blame for the injuries, it forms part of the game."

The Spain forward insisted his future on Merseyside was not dependent on Benítez remaining at the club.

"My future is tied with Liverpool, because I still have four years left to run on my contract," he said. "Therefore, should Rafa leave, I will stay on and fulfill my contract with the club.

My wish is that Rafa extends his contract with Liverpool. I cannot think about how a possible departure might affect me, because it hasn't happened yet, and I don't like wasting time thinking about ifs and buts."

New Sponsorship Plans For Liverpool FC

Ian Ayre, a candidate to be Liverpool’s next chief executive, has revealed new sponsorship plans and a desire to push the club higher in the football world’s rich list.

Ayre, 45, was appointed, primarily, by Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks as the club’s new commercial director 18 months ago.

And with Rick Parry announcing he will be quitting as the Anfield club’s chief executive this summer after 12 years in the job, Ayre is already being touted for the job along with former FA chief Brian Barwick.

Now Ayre has confirmed a new sponsorship with the Bank of America, the prospect of three other sponsorships soon and a summer tour to the Far East for Rafael Benitez’s team.

Liverpool have extended their agreement with the BoA for a further four years, a deal worth £5m to the Anfield club.

BoA is the parent company of Chester-based credit card firm MBNA who supply Liverpool’s credit card for fans, and they announced major redundancies in December for their world-wide operation.

Ayre, in an interview with Bloomberg, the financial news agency, said: “Other transactions are under discussion.” They could involve the consumer electronics, gaming and automotive sectors.

The Far East tour has been set for July 17 to 26, and will involve matches in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

With Liverpool not involved in the newly-formatted Champions League competition next season until, at the earliest, a play-off round scheduled for August 18 or 19 and August 25 or 26 - rather than the current format of a third qualifying round -they will be able to fit in a lucrative trip to the Far East where they have millions of fans.

Liverpool, currently third in the Barclays Premier League, could well benefit from the new UEFA rule that allows the first three clubs in the Premier League to go straight into the group stages, as opposed to the current top two. The fourth finishing club will compete in the play-off stage.

Ayre clearly aims to exploit the world-wide market. According to a Deloitte report released last month, Liverpool is the seventh-richest club in the world with revenues of over £200m (210.9 million euros).

Liverpool had risen one place from the year before and Ayre says sponsorship gains made in the past 12 months mean he “would be shocked if we did not climb further.”

On the decision to tour in the Far East, Ayre said: “If you are going to build a business overseas a key part is to allow people to touch and feel the product on a regular basis.

“What is clear is that there is an opportunity for Liverpool to do much better (financially) than they had in the past.”

Asked about his possible elevation to chief executive, Ayre was non-committal. He said: “At this stage I am just committed to driving forward the commercial operations of this football club.”

Prior to joining Liverpool, Ayre had been chief executive of Total Sports Asia, who advised companies on sports and entertainment campaigns in Asia.

Prior to that he was managing director of Virgin/NTL subsidiary Premium TV having joined from Huddersfield Town where he had been chief executive and chairman for three years.

Outgoing Chief Rick Parry Wants To Stay In Football After Liverpool FC Exit

Outgoing Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry wants to stay in football and maintain his involvement in the European game.

The 54-year-old will leave Anfield at the end of the season after 12 years at the club after a breakdown in his relationship with co-owner Tom Hicks.

Now Parry is considering his future, and cannot imagine it will not be involved in the sport in some way.

Parry said: “Do I think I (still) have something to offer? Yes. I think it is inconceivable I will not have something to do with the game.”

Parry had been linked with the position of Football Association chief executive, although admits he has so far had no offers.

He is also a board member of the European Club Association - a lobby group that was started last year and represents more than 130 teams.

The organisation will next meet on March 17, where Parry’s imminent departure will be discussed.

The ECA also need to find a replacement for former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon, who resigned in January.

Parry would like to stay on until the end of his Liverpool tenure and would be interested in remaining on the ECA board “under the right circumstances”. For that to happen, he would need to be affiliated to another of the group’s 137 member clubs.

He said: “The organisation has real potential. It is fledgling but it is a kind of new beginning towards a better relationship (with football’s authorities).”

Parry confirmed that he has no plans to leave his Liverpool post early.

He said: “I am staying as long as the owners want me and that is until the end of this season. I have got no plans to leave earlier than that.”

Rafael Benitez Did Not Congratulate Liverpool For Real Madrid Victory

Yossi Benayoun has revealed Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez did not even congratulate his team after their famous first-leg Champions League win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last month.

The Israeli international's 82nd-minute header was enough to secure yet another European giantkilling for a Liverpool side who started without captain Steven Gerrard and finished without Fernando Torres after the Spaniard succumbed to an ankle injury.

But even gaining a crucial advantage going into next week's Anfield return leg was not enough to impress Benitez, who did not so much as shake his players' hands as they celebrated in the dressing room.

Benayoun said: "It was madness in our changing rooms and I had to take my mobile phone into the toilets to call my family. It was the only way I could make myself heard. Everyone was screaming and shouting, except for the manager, of course. He was his usual calm self.

"He didn't even congratulate us or shake hands, never mind join in all the hugs and backslapping that was going on. That's just how he is. He is very professional and he wants us to be the same all the time.

"He won't stand for any of us getting carried away or feeling we are superior to anyone else. My wife and young children had been jumping up and down with excitement, watching at home, but he didn't say a word to me about the goal."

Benitez's cold, unemotional approach has not always been universally welcomed by his players, with Gerrard even admitting that "a well done off Rafa" was one of the things he wanted most in his career.

But it is an approach which the Spaniard firmly believes in and Benayoun is growing to appreciate, despite clashes earlier this season when he found his first-team chances limited.

He said: "He likes keeping you on your toes. But I have come to appreciate that at a club like Liverpool you can't take anything for granted. I am learning how things work here.

"You can score a very famous goal, an absolutely crucial one, and it will all be forgotten the following day, as far as the manager is concerned. He only thinks of the next challenge, and that is how it should be."

He added: "It has taught me you can't rest on your laurels, and I am already looking at my goal in Madrid that way. For me, it will only be important if we go all the way and win the Champions League. Otherwise, it will count for nothing."

Benayoun No Longer In A Spin Over Benítez's Squad Rotation

Yossi Benayoun has revised his opinion on leaving Liverpool after finally coming to terms with Rafael Benítez's managerial style at Anfield. The Israel captain appeared destined for the Liverpool exit last summer after a debut season spent mostly on the margins of the squad. Manchester City, before the Abu Dhabi takeover, Spartak Moscow, Roma and Ajax all inquired about signing the 28-year-old before the start of this season and the Russians tried again in January as the midfielder's frustration with life at Anfield continued.

Benayoun spoke to Benítez in December about the prospect of leaving in the last transfer window but, with that inquiry rebuffed, has responded with the most productive spell of his two-year Anfield career. Until December the midfielder started in only seven of 23 games for Liverpool. Since then, however, he has started 11 of 19 and followed his match-winning performance at the Bernabéu with the goal that secured Liverpool's return to winning ways in the Premier League against Sunderland on Tuesday.

"I have come to appreciate that, at a big club like Liverpool, you can't take anything for granted," said Benayoun. "With the number of top players we've got, you accept you are not always going to be playing and that you have to give it everything when your chance comes along. That is fine with me. If I found myself going three or four months without setting foot on the pitch, it might be different. But as things stand, that is not an issue with me.

"I feel settled and I'm happy to be contributing. I am also learning how things work here. You can score a very famous goal, an absolutely crucial one, and it will all be forgotten the following day as far as the manager is concerned. He only thinks of the next challenge and that is how it should be. It has taught me you can't celebrate too long and I am already looking at my goal in Madrid that way. For me it will only be important if we go all the way and win the Champions League. Otherwise it will count for nothing."

It was following his winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week that Benayoun experienced the methods that prompted Steven Gerrard to admit one of his remaining ambitions at Liverpool is to receive congratulations from Benítez.

The Liverpool midfielder explained: "It was madness in our changing rooms after we won in Madrid last week and I had to take my mobile phone into the toilets to call my family. It was the only way I could make myself heard. Everyone was screaming and shouting, except for the manager, of course. He was his usual calm self.

"He didn't even congratulate us or shake hands. That's just how he is, and I am beginning to understand why. He is very professional, and he wants us to be the same all the time. He won't stand for any of us getting carried away or feeling we are superior to anyone else. My wife and young children had been jumping up and down with excitement, watching at home, but he didn't say a word to me about the goal. That's how it is with him. He likes keeping you on your toes."

Liverpool FC's Season Not Over Yet, Says Javier Mascherano

Javier Mascherano believes Liverpool can save their season from collapse over the next three crucial matches.

Liverpool, who brought some respectability to their fading title challenge with Tuesday’s 2-0 home win over Sunderland, now face three of their toughest games of the campaign.

On Tuesday they can reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League if they see off Real Madrid at Anfield, already holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg at the Bernabeu.

Then the following Saturday they have a lunchtime showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League, followed by a home game with fourth-placed Aston Villa on March 22.

Mascherano, who played at right-back against Sunderland as cover for the injured Alvaro Arbeloa, is acutely aware of the importance of all three games, for differing reasons.

“It is important that we do not slip away in the table,” he said. “We must keep concentrating and see if we can get closer.

“We must keep fighting. We are in a competition with Chelsea for second, but we still must not give up on the chase to catch Manchester United.

“We won’t give up. Let’s not talk about the title, let’s make sure we win our matches.

“We have a very important Champions League game with Real Madrid next week and then we go to Manchester United before Aston Villa are at Anfield next.

“We must take it step by step, try to get to the Champions League quarter-finals and then turn our attention to the next two league games. The next three matches are very, very important for us.”

Liverpool needed victory over Sunderland to sweep away the gloom which had descended on Anfield following the defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Boss Rafael Benitez’s own grim demeanour only emphasised how damaging that result had been to confidence around the club.

But Mascherano’s defiance summed up the players’ own determination not to let the season slip away.

He said: “The boss asked me to play at right-back, and I tried to do my best. I don’t know if it was good or not but I just tried to do my best.

“I have played as a right-winger in Argentina, but I am a central midfielder and that is where I am best.

“I knew the new role was just for one game, and I am prepared to do that for the team.

“I always try to think about the team. For this game and with the injuries we knew we had nobody else.”

He added: “We knew we had to win after what happened on Saturday. We are not too close to Manchester United, but we have to keep fighting to see what happens next.

“The supporters were nervous. We have not been taking our chances. But if they see the team playing well they will understand and help us.”

Liverpool were also lifted by the displays of 19-year-old rookie striker David Ngog and Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun, who hit the second-half goals which clinched victory.

Mascherano said: “We were all pleased for David. He is young and will be a very important player, and you can see how hard he works in training.

“It is important for him that when he does get a chance to play, he makes the most of it.”

Benitez said: “I was really pleased with the reaction of the players after the disappointment at the weekend.

“Yossi is playing well, he is a clever player. So when you cannot find space, players with good movement and game intelligence can be crucial, and in the last few games he has been very good for us.

“But I was also pleased with Ngog. I had told him beforehand I knew he would score. Sometimes you say things to give players confidence and on this occasion he was also able to show the quality I know he has.

“He is a very young player in his first season here coming from France – that is not easy for him.

“He has talent and great pace. Maybe now people will see that he can have a great future here.”

Benitez added: “We needed to lift confidence, in particular after the Middlesbrough defeat. It was also important to win at home considering the amount of draws we have had at Anfield.

“We must get three points every single game now, and I can guarantee if we can win our next league match (at Old Trafford), the race will be very, very close.

“Belief is always important.

“As for the title, let’s wait and see. If we can beat them (Manchester United), why not?”

Javier Mascherano Hails David Ngog As New Liverpool FC Star

Javier Mascherano today heaped praise on David Ngog for kick starting Liverpool’s improbable bid to haul themselves back to the forefront of this season’s title race.

The French youngster scored Liverpool’s opener in Tuesday night’s 2-0 home win over Sunderland and also helped set up the Reds’ second for the in form Yossi Benayoun.

Mascherano hailed Ngog’s impact on the team in what was his first league start and backed the 19-year-old to build on his second goal in a red shirt.

“It was very important for David to score because he is a young player and this goal will give him more confidence,” said Mascherano.

“You can see in every training session that he is working very hard and when he is given his chance in the team he has to try and take it and by scoring a goal and doing a good job for the team he can be happy with his performance.

“It is really good for him and I am very happy for him because he deserved his goal.”

After a goalless first 45 minutes Liverpool struck twice in the second half to ease the tension at Anfield and put themselves within four points of Man United who have two games in hand.

Though Mascherano admits it will be extremely tough to get back into a position to really threaten the league leaders he insists Liverpool will not be giving up on doing just that.

He said: “Obviously, we were really disappointed with the result at Middlesbrough and we knew that we needed to win against Sunderland.

“We are not as close to Man United as we would like to be but we have to carry on fighting to see what happens.

“There is no point in looking at the standings in the league table, all we can do is concentrate on every game, try to win them and then see what happens.

We had some chances in the first half but could not score and maybe the supporters and ourselves were a little bit nervous because in the last game we could not take our chances.

“This made it important that we scored in the second half because we knew this would help the team to play well and allow the people to go home happy.

“It was an important victory for us and we are still fighting. At the time being we are fighting for second place with Chelsea and after that we will see what happens.”

Mascherano played at right back for the first time in his career on Tuesday night as Rafa Benitez sought a new temporary solution to fill that position as the Reds boss again had to make do without injured duo Alvaro Arbeloa and Philipp Degen.

The Argentinian midfielder reckons it was only a one off but insists he is happy to play anywhere required for the good of the team.

“The boss told me that he needed someone to play in that position so I tried to do my best,” he said.

“I don’t know if I was good or not but I tried to give the team as much as possible.

“Everyone knows that I am a central midfielder but sometimes I have played on the right hand side for the national team but never before at right back.

“It was a new experience but I hope that I helped the team because that is the most important thing.

“I always try to think about the team and if the team needs me to play in that position I will try to do my best.

“I know that I am at my best in the centre of midfield but you never know what can happen and if we have some players with injuries – like we did on Tuesday night with Arbeloa and Degen – then I do not have a problem with filling in for them.”

Tommy Smith: Looking Forward To Real Madrid Night Of Cup Glory

If the atmosphere at Anfield was flat last night then it certainly won’t be next week when Real Madrid arrive for their first game ever in Liverpool.

It should be a unique occasion and one which I‘m really looking forward to.

Everyone’s delighted we are in the lead at half way with that away goal, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.

It’s clear to me that Rafael Benitez excels in European football, whereas he has yet to master the League.

Part of the problem is that perhaps these days winning the English league doesn’t matter as much as it used to. It’s simply getting into the Champions League which counts and you only have to finish in the top four for that.

Don’t get me wrong – I desperately want to see us winning our own league like everyone else. But the only difference between finishing first and fourth these days is that you get a medal.

All the top sides get Champions League football so maybe that is a factor. But whatever, Tuesday will be a cracking occasion.

Match Report: LiverpooL 2 - 0 Sunderland

Liverpool discovered an unlikely new hero as they finally gave manager Rafael Benitez something to smile about.

French teenager David Ngog, making his full home debut, scored one goal and helped create the second for Yossi Benayoun as Liverpool cut Manchester United's lead at the top to four points.

Of course Chelsea did the same by winning at Portsmouth, but what was Liverpool's second home league win since Boxing Day lifted the gloom that has descended on Anfield following the shambles at Middlesbrough at the weekend.

Benitez had looked like a man with a huge weight on his shoulders before this match, but he found some comfort in a decent display ahead of next week's Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.

Manchester United may well have two games in hand on Liverpool, but at least the title race is not a procession just yet.

Benitez made four changes from the side that lost to Middlesbrough.

And he chose to use Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano at right-back.

Left out were Sami Hyypia, Fabio Aurelio, Ryan Babel and Nabil El Zhar, with Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun, Emiliano Insua and David Ngog in the starting line-up.

Sunderland made only one change from the side that drew at Arsenal last time out, with Grant Leadbitter taking over from the injured Teemu Tainio.

Benitez is clearly running out of options at right-back with Alvaro Arbeloa still injured. Jamie Carragher seems not to fancy the job any more so Mascherano was removed from his critical ball-winning midfield role to fill the void.

It left Liverpool with almost a 4-4-2, with Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso in centre of midfield. Dirk Kuyt's roving role behind Ngog meant the French youngster was left on his own against Danny Collins and Anton Ferdinand.

And he did pretty well at times. His pace and energy not quite able to make up for the loss of Fernando Torres' brilliance, but Ngog certainly showed spirit.

Sunderland should have been ahead after just four minutes when Kenwyne Jones ran clear after Martin Skrtel's slip, but Jose Reina saved well to his right.

Gerrard, twice, Ngog and Riera all had shots charged down, while Marton Fulop saved well to his left to keep out a Dirk Kuyt drive.

Ngog's enthusiasm got the better of him when he was then booked after 15 minutes for a foul on Tal Ben Haim.

Fulop made an outstanding save after 31 minutes, finger-tipping the ball away at full-stretch from his right post, when Riera's low drive was deflected off Leadbitter.

Mascherano then saw a dipping 30-yard effort graze the bar, before Insua, Xabi Alonso and Gerrard all tried their luck with Sunderland increasingly forced back into their box on defence.

One break inspired by a fine Gerrard tackle on Kieran Richardson allowed Ngog to set up Mascherano on the right, but his drive was into the side-netting.

Liverpool started the second period at a higher tempo, with Benayoun willing to run at defenders.

And it was Benayoun who swept the ball out to Riera on the left to pave the way for Liverpool to take the lead after 52 minutes.

Riera sent over a deep cross that Gerrard headed back into the six-yard box for Ngog fire home his first league goal for the club.

Sunderland were forced to come forward, and Steed Malbranque saw a shot from the right fly over the bar.

After 62 minutes Sunderland brought on Djibril Cisse for Leadbitter, the former Liverpool man getting a rousing reception from the Anfield crowd.

Four minutes later Liverpool got their second. Again Ngog was involved, hooking the ball back across goal for Fulop to palm away only as far as Benayoun, who punished the error.

The next ovation was for Ngog. He had been struggling with cramp and was replaced by Lucas after 71 minutes.

Lucas, with a header, and Babel - shooting from the edge of the box - threatened to extend the lead, before El Zhar came on for Benayoun in the final minute.

Sunderland Boss: Kenwyne Jones Let Liverpool Off The Hook

Sunderland had a glorious opportunity to take the lead early on in their encounter against Liverpool but their star man Kenwyne Jones for once opted for the wrong option when one-on-one with Reds 'keeper Jose Reina. David Ngog and Yossi Benayoun left the Trinidad & Tobago international and the rest of the Mackems camp ruing the missed opportunity.

"Jones should have scored - and on any other day, he probably would have done so," Sky Sports 2 quoted Ricky Sbragia, the Black Cats' manager, as saying after the game.

"If we had scored then the game would have been very different. Liverpool would have become anxious and we would have given ourselves something to hang on to.

"Liverpool would have been under pressure. We did okay in the first half - but once they went ahead, it was always going to be difficult."

Sunderland remain rooted in 12th position as a result of the loss, with just five points separating them from the relegation zone.

When pressed on how many points they likely need in order to ensure survival, Sbragia responded, "Maybe nine or ten. We have got the points in the bag. It is up to others to catch us as well. I think ten points probably."

Rafa Benitez: Liverpool Won't Throw In Towel In Title Tilt

The Spaniard, despite writing off his sides chances earlier in the week, feels Liverpool have been rejuvenated by their win over Sunderland.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has insisted that his side have not given up hope of hunting down Manchester United in the battle for the Premier League Championship.

The Reds' eventually saw off Sunderland 2-0 at Anfield this evening, just their thired win in eight league matches, after a maiden home goal from David Ngog and and a clincher from Yossi Benayoun cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the title to four points.

The Red Devils still have two games in hand however, including a trip to St. James' Park tomorrow night to face Newcastle United, and are still firmly in pole position to secure their third successive title.

However, Benitez believes that sealing the three points tonight against a lacklustre Sunderland outfit has given their chances of returning to the summit a welcome jolt.

Sky Sports reports that the former Valencia coach commented, "They [Manchester United] have a good team and a good squad, but this is football so you never know.

"We have to keep going and approach every game thinking about the three points and we will see what happens. Old Trafford will be crucial. We need to reduce the gap."

Benitez also took time out to praise the display of his stand in striker, David Ngog, who replaced Fernando Torres this season and found the target to boot.

He added, "He [Ngog] showed he has quality tonight. He is a young player who has just arrived and I think he has a great future here."

Liverpool make their crunch visit to face their arch-rivals Manchester United on 14 March.

Rafa Hails Reds Reaction

Rafa Benitez heaped praise on his Liverpool charges after bouncing back from Saturday's defeat to Middlesbrough with a convincing 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Anfield.

David Ngog finished off an excellent attacking move from close range on 51 minutes before Yossi Benayoun tapped home from a weak Marton Fulop save to seal the comfortable victory over Ricky Sbragia's men 14 minutes later.

Benitez told reporters after the match that the win was the perfect tonic to lift the players' confidence.

He said: "Clearly after the defeat of the other day it was very important to get three points and try to play a good game.

"It was difficult in the first half - they had a very good chance to go in front but after that we were keeping the ball and the game became more open after we scored the goal in the second half.

"We needed to win because we knew that we were in a very good position before the Middlesbrough game. We were very disappointed after that defeat so we had to show a lot of character to win against Sunderland.

"I think that David Ngog did a very good job, he had a good game. Yossi Benayoun also played well and Pepe Reina was also very important for us when he saved early on in the game.

"But the whole team was always trying to pass the ball, we were very well organised. They were very good on the counter attack so we had to keep calm - we created a lot of chances.

"The reaction of the players was very good."

With the Reds now lying four points behind league leaders Manchester United - who have played two less games - Benitez admitted he will be watching Alex Ferguson's men take on Newcastle at St James' Park on Wednesday and hoping for the Magpies to do Liverpool a favour.

"We have to approach each game with confidence and just think about ourselves," said Benitez.

"But it also depends on what happens with the other results and we have to wait and see what happens with United on Wednesday.

"If United cannot win then it will be very good for us, clearly it will be very good if Newcastle can win."

Benitez: Winger Can Be Secret Weapon

Rafa Benitez insists he was not surprised when Yossi Benayoun headed the winning goal in the Bernabeu - and claims the diminutive Israeli can be Liverpool's secret weapon from set pieces.

The 28-year-old scored arguably the biggest goal of his Reds career following a cross from Fabio Aurelio to secure a 1-0 win against Real Madrid last week.

Benitez does not believe it was a one off, and hopes the header will fill his in-form winger with confidence as Liverpool enter the business end of 2008-09.

"Clearly Yossi will take confidence from this goal because it was the winning goal in such an important game," said the gaffer.

"It was funny because after the game we were on the coach and we were watching it again on video, and some of the players were laughing because they had not expected Yossi to score this kind of goal.

"But I was not surprised about it because I know that he can do this type of thing.

"I was talking to him recently because he is really good when we are defending corners and it is clear that he is able to win headers.

"He is also a very clever player with good movements, so there is no reason why he cannot also be a threat in the opposition box when we have set plays."

Benayoun's form has been one of the plusses of 2009 so far.

Benitez added: "I have been talking with my staff about Yossi and we all agree that he has been playing very well recently.

"When you get to this stage of the season it can sometimes be that players are getting tired but in Yossi's case we have been able to see in training and in games that he is looking good and doing well.

"Yossi is an intelligent player who makes good movements.

"He can beat players, he can keep the ball between the lines and he is very good at spotting the opportunity for the final pass.

"He can provide assists for the other players and he can also score important goals, as we saw against Real Madrid last week.

"Like I said, he is a player with quality and game intelligence.

"He can change games. Hopefully he will be a key player for the rest of the season.

"We always talk about the importance of a squad – the players on the bench and those who are not involved in every game. Yossi is a very good example. Everyone has to be ready."

Loan In Balance After Leto Lets Fly

Liverpool midfielder Sebastian Leto's loan spell at Olympiacos may be over, following a bust-up with the club's coach Ernesto Valverde.

Leto signed a one-year loan deal with Olympiacos in the summer because he could not secure a work permit to play in the Premier League this season.

He was sent to the dressing room during yesterday's training session after he began kicking footballs around wildly, and some hit Valverde's assistant and the coach himself.

The 22-year-old Argentinian was surprisingly left out of the squad for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Panathinaikos and began his temper tantrum after also being given a dressing-down in the training session by Valverde when refusing to train with the rest of the team.

Valverde made the unusual move of issuing a personal statement on Tuesday night, confirming: "During yesterday's training there was an issue with Sebastian Leto, which for the umpteenth time was a disciplinary offence - forcing me to send him to the dressing room.

"I have informed the administration about this particular incident, and it is now up to them to decide the action needed. As I have said in the past, discipline is a fundamental concern for the calmness of the team."

Leto's contract with Olympiacos provided that he would have to play at least 30 games with the team this season; otherwise the Greek side would have to pay a fine to Liverpool.

The Buenos Aires-born left winger, who has impressed with his combination of pace and trickery, completed 31 games last week in the UEFA Cup match against Saint Etienne which saw Valverde's men go out 5-2 on aggregate.

Benitez To Steal Spanish Defender From Wenger's Grasp

Rafael Benitez has entered the race for Valencia’s highly-rated defender Raul Albiol only days after reports surfaced in both Spain and England that Arsene Wenger was tracking the player.

It now looks as though both Arsenal and Liverpool will lock horns in the summer for the 23-year-old as the Mestalla outfit look to maximise their income from the player.

Los Che’s financial problems could see them forced to off-load several star players to balance their books. There was a similar forecast this time last year, although the Primera Division side managed to ward off suitors for prized-assets David Villa and David Silva.

While Albiol's current buy-out clause is €60 million, los Che could listen to offers of around €15m for his services given his contract ends in 2011. It is thought given Benitez’s connections at his former club that Liverpool now have the upper hand in any potential negotiations.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Valencia’s sporting director, Fernando Gomez intimated that the summer may be the time to offload several off their most valuable stars.

"It is necessary to study each offer that we receive and after that we will decide," he told Sky Sports.

"The money situation is complicated at the club, but nobody has spoken with us about Albiol on a formal basis.

"But we are aware that the Reds have been scouting around here in recent months."

Valencia announced last week that construction of their new stadium was to be temporarily halted due to the current economic climate.

Torres Still Out For Liverpool As Gerrard Takes To The Field

Despite hobbling off during Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough, Rafa Benitez has claimed that the skipper will return to the pitch tomorrow to face Sunderland at Anfield.

As the game drew to a close at the Riverside, the skipper suffered leg cramp and had to be subbed off, but the gutsy Englishman was back training alongside his team-mates this morning.

Rafa Benitez has a considerable injury list that includes the likes of Fernando Torres, Alvaro Arveloa and Daniel Agger, who are all set to miss the clash with Sunderland tomorrow night.

Eager to impress in the Champions League this year, it seems that the Reds' gaffer is taking no chances with his Premiership starting XI.

"Torres is not ready yet. We have to wait to see how he progresses but he won't be in the squad. Arbeloa has a problem with his hamstring. He's had the problem before. It could be another week," claimed the Spaniard.

"Stevie was okay and will hopefully be available tomorrow," he added.

Rafa Benitez Refuses To Be Drawn Out On Liverpool Future

Many have speculated that the imminent departure of current chief executive Rick Parry is a sign that Rafael Benitez has decisively won a behind the scenes power-struggle at Liverpool.

However, the former Valencia manager's future with the Merseyside outfit remains far from certain.

“I will sit down with the owners and we will have a meeting – maybe in a few days, maybe in a few weeks," Benitez was quoted as saying by Setanta Sports.

“I will not talk too much about this.”

Instead, the notorious football obsessive preferred to draw attention to the next challenge at hand.

“My concern now is the game against Sunderland,” he added. “We have to prepare this game properly.

“We must not forget that our league performance is better than last season.

"Still, we have to improve. Yes, we have had key players injured and maybe that could have cost us four or five points.

"In this title race, that would be a massive difference. We are in a good position but we could be in a much better position.

"We are now rated in the UEFA rankings as the best team in Europe over the last five years – that underlines how we have done in those seasons – but we must go forward for the rest of the season, and in the future.”

Rafa Benitez Holds Injuries To Blame For Liverpool's Woe

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has bemoaned his side's injury list, believing that without the knocks his squad have suffered to key players they would be in a much stronger position.

Benitez's men lost 2-0 to Middlesbrough on Teesside on Saturday, and saw their Premier League points deficit to leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand, remain at seven points on a weekend when the Red Devils were picking up yet more silverware, winning the League Cup at Wembley.

The Reds' gaffer felt that his men had particuarly struggled because of a lack of sharpness up front, something that would be remedied quite straigthforwardly for the Spaniard were his fellow-countryman Fernando Torres built a little more robustly.

"The title was difficult before, it is more difficult now," The Guardian reports Benitez as saying.

"What we have to do is take our chances, and that is something that has been the same problem the whole season.

"Maybe if Torres had not been injured so much things would be different, but we cannot change the situation now. Everybody has players who get injured.

"We have had some problems [following the 1–0 Champions League win at Real Madrid], several players have been injured, among other things. The worst thing has been the injuries to Torres. He has been our main striker and scored a lot of goals for us last season. And this season could have been totally different with him."

Benitez acknowledged that his team had made errors against Boro, a side who hadn't won in 14 league outings prior to Saturday's game at the Riverside Stadium, and that his team had discussed the situation.

"We have talked about the mistakes we made [at Middlesbrough] and the future," he continued.

"And the immediate future is playing Sunderland, trying to get three points and then waiting to see what happens with Manchester United.

"But we played with anxiety at Middlesbrough, we gave the ball away too easily with simple passes. These are things we have to improve if we are going to fight for the title. But we must not forget that our league performance is better than last season.

"Still we have to improve. Yes, we have had key players injured and maybe that could have cost us four or five points. In this title race that would be a massive difference. We are in a good position but we could be in a much better position.

"We are now rated in the UEFA rankings as the best team in Europe over the last five years. That underlines how we have done in those seasons. But we must go forward for the rest of the season, and in the future. The squad is good, but there are too many games when things go wrong and that makes a massive difference.

"We had confidence and we were in a very good position for a long time. It has been our best performance for several seasons. But when we need fresh legs when senior players are injured, things are not easy. To improve in attack is not easy, you can improve in defence with hard work but forwards need accuracy and confidence."

On what must have been a difficult day for him, Benitez still managed some polite congratulation when asked about the achievements of the club many see as Liverpool's greatest rivals.

"Manchester United are a good team, they have very good players and they have a good manager," he concluded.

Liverpool Legend Kenny Dalglish Breaks TV Silence On Hillsborough Tragedy

Football legend Kenny Dalglish has broken a 20-year TV silence on the Hillsborough disaster claiming police and officials should have delayed the kick-off.

Former Liverpool manager Dalglish, 57, will speak for the first time on Hillsborough Remembered, which marks 20 years since 96 fans died at an FA Cup semi-final tie against Nottingham Forest.

Dalglish reveals: “The easiest thing to do was to have put the kick-off back. That’s not a problem for anybody.

“If the police are talking to the FA then the FA have got to make that call, but there would have been no resentment or disagreement with people in the dressing room.”

In an emotional interview Dalglish also praises the Liverpool fans’ behaviour.

He says: “The punters were superb. They helped the police as much as anything else. They’re supporters – it was their club in trouble.”

Academy Football: Hughie McAuley Focuses On Liverpool's Bread And Butter

After the euphoria of reaching the FA Youth Cup semi-finals Liverpool under-18s turn their attention back to the FA Premier Academy League this Saturday at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Friday night’s 4-2 victory over Bolton Wanderers following on the heels of another victory in the Academy League, when Hugh McAuley’s side beat Crewe Alexandra 3-1.

Liverpool wait to see who they face in the last four of the Youth Cup as they bid to try and lift the club’s third triumph in the competition in the past four years. Birmingham await the winners of Saturday’s fifth round tie between Ipswich and Watford, with Liverpool waiting in the wings in the semi-final.

But first McAuley will make sure his side focus on the league. He said: “I have always said the Youth Cup helps keep the season going. It keeps us in the spotlight with high profile games. And it is a vehicle for the players to develop and move on and for the best prospects to flourish when they get the opportunity. Thankfully we seem to have got to that point and we have two good games in the semi-final to look forward to.

“Hopefully it keeps that competitive spirit among the squad to perform. You know you have got big matches to look forward to. It is a nice finale to the season.”

Coach McAuley added: “We need to keep the same commitment as in the cup when we take on Wolverhampton on Saturday.

“The semi-final will come up in time. We just need to carry on trying to do well in the league. Hopefully they will also get chances higher up and to go to Melwood. That is the long-term objective of the Academy staff and we hope we will have got some good players to go and join Gary (Ablett) in the reserve team.”

James Ellison is still out with a lower back problem, but Spanish centre-back Daniel Ayala should be back before the semi-finals.

LIVERPOOL YOUTH: Bouzanis; Irwin, Wisdom, Kennedy, Buchtmann; Amoo, Pepper, Kacaniklic; Eccleston, Dalla Valle, Ince. Subs: Chamberlain, Roberts, Robinson, Clair, Coady.

Reds Eye Up Valencia Ace

Liverpool are keeping close tabs on Spain international Raul Albiol, skysports.com understands.

The Valencia defender is rated amongst the best in La Liga, but money problems at The Mestalla could see them lose a number of their top stars.

And Albiol may be one of the first to depart with a host of clubs checking on his progress.

Real Madrid are long-term admirers of the 24-year-old, who can play in central defence or as a holding midfielder, but Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has now dispatched his scouting network to follow Albiol.

Albiol is currently contracted to Valencia for another two years and has a huge buy-out clause of nearly £50million - although reports in Spain now suggest they could be willing to do a deal at £13million.

Valencia's sporting director Fernando Gomez has admitted the club would have to consider any reasonable offers, and also confirmed they were aware of scouts from Liverpool tracking Albiol.

"Today it is necessary to study each offer that we receive and after that we would decide," he told skysports.com.

"The money situation is complicated at the club, but formally nobody has spoken with us about Abiol.

"But we are aware that the Reds have been scouting around here in recent months.

Mark Lawrenson: This Summer Could Be Liverpool FC's Most Important Ever

This summer could prove to be the most important in Liverpool FC’s history. The off-the-field issues that have yet to be resolved are potentially so important that they could make even the decision over Rafael Benitez’s contract of secondary importance.

On the pitch, Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Middlesbrough was a bizarre way to end a bizarre week.

There had been the rumours that Rafael Benitez was about to leave Anfield but for now he insists he’s staying.

Amongst all this there was the terrific 1-0 win at Real Madrid in the Champions League but then it emerged that long-serving chief executive Rick Parry is to quit the club in the summer.

Obviously none of us know the finer details of all the ins and outs when it comes to running the club but it seems to me that Parry’s position had become untenable with co-owner Tom Hicks.

I also don’t see how Parry’s relationship with Benitez could ever have been the same after his knowledge of the infamous meeting with Jurgen Klinsmann.

When it comes to the subject of trust, the Spaniard might be thinking ‘What else don’t I know?’ – after all we all know how much Benitez likes to control everything.

It all seems such a mess behind the scenes but the situation could become even more serious this summer after Parry leaves.

Hicks and Gillett have been given until the end of July to re-finance the loan they used to finance their purchase of the club and as it stands there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to make this payment.

If the bank forecloses them and takes control of Liverpool FC off them then who knows what might happen.

The bank might decide to sell the club for considerably less than what the Americans are looking to get and it could even be a chance for the fans to get their club back.

I’ll never know what Rafael Benitez was thinking when he decided to go with Martin Skrtel at right-back at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Okay Alvaro Arbeloa was injured but why not move Jamie Carragher across, he’s played in that position to good effect on many occasions down the years.

When Carragher does play at right-back he’s great when he’s up against someone and he gets close and likes the challenge.

As far as I’m aware Skrtel has never played in that position before, certainly not for Liverpool and I felt sorry for him because he looked like as fish out of water and just got worse and worse.

Skrtel was put up against Stewart Downing and when you’re playing Gareth Southgate’s side then it’s more or less a case of if you stop Downing you stop Middlesbrough.

After the win in Madrid it was a downer to go from a real high to a real low.

With Manchester United playing in the Carling Cup Final this was also a chance to put some pressure on them but instead they’ll just be laughing.

After looking like the team to beat from August to December, Liverpool’s title challenge seems to have fallen apart.

We’re back to square one when it comes to messing about with players.

Dossena and Lucas came in against Manchester City and are clearly not good enough while after looking like a proper player Riera has been taken out and put back in and it looks like it’s messed with his head.

Reds Youngster Keen To Catch Rafa's Eye

Adam Hammill has his fingers crossed that his loan to Barnsley is nothing more than a stopgap in his Liverpool career.

Hammill was one of a number of Rafa Benitez’s youngsters to be farmed out on a temporary basis earlier in the season, playing for Blackpool 23 times.

Having briefly returned to Anfield, the 21-year-old was once again sent out on a quest for first-team football - to Oakwell.

Having made his first start for his temporary club this weekend, Hammill admits he has not yet thrown the towel in on his hopes of becoming more of a fixture under Benitez.

“I’m a red through and through,” he said in the Daily Star. “I signed a three-year deal in the summer so I’ve got two years when I go back. I think it shows Liverpool’s confidence in me.

“This is my third season out on loan in The Championship and this is another step in the right direction.

“I don’t get any feedback from Anfield but they obviously have scouts at games. I’ve played 70 Championship games but my dream is to play in front of the Kop.

“If that doesn’t happen, I’ve got to knuckle down wherever I go.”

Rafa - Europe Is Liverpool's Best Hope For Success

Rafael Benitez has admitted that Liverpool are reliant on a slip-up by Premier League leaders Manchester United if the title is to go to Anfield for the first time since 1990 and that the Champions League is now their best hope for silverware this season.

Liverpool conceded second place in the league table to Chelsea following a 2-0 loss at Middlesbrough and the Blues' 2-1 home win over Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

The Reds' unbeaten 15-game league run came to an abrupt end at the Riverside Stadium as Xabi Alonso's own goal and Tuncay Sanli's 63rd-minute strike saw Boro clinch all three points for the first time since November 9.

The result leaves Liverpool seven points adrift of United, who have a game in hand and look poised to equal the Reds' record of 18 league titles.

"Before the game, it was very difficult - after the game, it is more difficult," conceded Benitez. It depends on United. It will be more difficult, clearly."

"Clearly the Champions League is the best option we have now," he said, before adding a galling statement to all Liverpool fans: "Second would still be an achievement."

Sir Alex Ferguson's men face Newcastle United on Wednesday fresh from their Carling Cup success over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and could be even further ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool if the pair fail to win their games on 24 hours earlier on Tuesday.

Liverpool take on a rejuvenated Sunderland at Anfield and Chelsea, similarly rejuvenated under Guus Hiddink, travel to Fratton Park to face Portsmouth.

Critics will be taking note of Benitez's team selection for the game against the Wearsiders after his decision to play left-sided centre-half Martin Skrtel at right-back for the first time in his Liverpool career against Boro's in-form Stewart Downing.

The decision not to deploy Jamie Carragher at right back was a result of fatigue, as Benitez explained: "(Jamie) Carragher told me he had heavy legs and so, as a centre-back, he could run less. At right-back normally you run more, so he played at centre-half. That was the idea."

Reds Relying On United Slip-Up

Rafa Benitez admits his Liverpool side are reliant on a slip-up by Premier League leaders Manchester United if the title is to go to Anfield for the first time since 1990.

Liverpool conceded second place in the league to Chelsea following a 2-0 loss at Middlesbrough and the Blues' 2-1 home win over Wigan on Saturday.

The Reds' unbeaten 15-game league run came to an abrupt end at the Riverside Stadium as Xabi Alonso's own goal and Tuncay's 63rd-minute strike saw Boro clinch all three points for the first time since November 9.

The result left Liverpool seven points adrift of United, who have a game in hand, having played in the Carling Cup final on Sunday.

"Before the game, it was very difficult, after the game it is more difficult," conceded Benitez. "It depends on United. It will be more difficult, clearly."

The possibility of Alex Ferguson's side winning the title is even more galling for Liverpool fans, with United looking poised to equal the Reds' record of 18 league titles.

Aurelio Rues Boro Defeat

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio admitted the weekend defeat by Middlesbrough was a missed opportunity in the title race.

The Reds slumped to only their second defeat in the Premier League this season after Middlesbrough recorded a 2-0 victory at the Riverside.

The defeat means Liverpool remain seven points behind leaders Manchester United having played a game more with their title hopes hanging by a thread.

Aurelio admits the players were disappointed with the manner of the defeat at Middlesbrough and has called on his team-mates to get back to winning ways against Sunderland on Tuesday night.

"We are very disappointed because we felt we had enough chances to win the game in the first half," Aurelio told the club's official website.

"We lost a great opportunity to try to get closer to Manchester United but we must bounce back now and beat Sunderland at Anfield on Tuesday night.

"I thought we started really well. We kept the ball and had good opportunities but we couldn't score. When that happens there is always the chance the opposition can score.

"Unfortunately we conceded a goal from a corner, which was hard to take. In the second half we didn't create as many chances but we still had some good opportunities.

"Middlesbrough got every man behind the ball and made it difficult for us. They scored the second goal from a counter-attack when we lost the ball. That was disappointing.

"We will still keep on fighting because we know in football that anything can happen. We won't give up and we will now try to win every game."

Rafa Around The Edges

Oliver Holt says Liverpool must stick with Rafael Benitez long-term in the wake of another turbulent week for the Anfield club.

News that chief executive Rick Parry will leave the club at the end of the season appears to have made it more likely that the Spaniard will sign a new deal soon.

Benitez's impressive record in Europe continued this week when the Reds overcame Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League thanks to a Yossi Benayoun strike.

But the domestic picture is not so rosy as Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Middlesbrough appears to have ended any fading hopes co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett will have had of savouring Premier League glory this season.

"Benitez has won the power struggle but lost the league, but in a way that's been the story of his reign at Liverpool," said the Daily Mirror's Holt.

"The league has always been the thing that's eluded him and the Champions League, where he again had an amazing result on Wednesday is the tournament where he's excelled.

"The thing is his record in the Champions League alone demands that they do everything they possibly can to keep hold of him.

"He is improving Liverpool's record all of the time in the domestic competition - ok they are not there yet, but that's because they haven't got the personnel.

"They are not as good as Manchester United but that is a massive task, to become as good as Manchester United in the domestic competition.

"In the circumstances what he's achieved in Europe has been amazing and they've got to try and keep him and presumably, that is part of the reason why Rick Parry has left, because Tom Hicks who is more of an ally of Benitez than (George) Gillett has realised that."

Martin Samuel, of the Daily Mail, said: "He is exceptional at getting his side to punch above its weight in Europe but you can't do that for 38 matches in a league.

"In the end you will find your own level in a league and that's what is happening this season because the way this league is going Manchester United could win by 10 or 15 points. That will show the level - that's how far ahead of they are of everyone else.

"I cannot think that there has ever been a better squad in English football than Manchester United at the moment because they do not play a weakened team.

"We all have our own idea of what their best first XI is but you could take five of those players out and put five in and it's not a weakened team."

Why Liverpool Must Replace Rafa Benitez With Jose Mourinho In The Summer, By Stan Collymore

Saturday February 28 must go down as the day Manchester United effectively retained their Premier League title - without having to kick a ball.

My Call Collymore phone-in was bombarded by Liverpool fans exasperated by the 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough.

I have the ultimate respect for Anfield manager Rafa Benitez for turning the club into a force in Europe again. But he is absolutely not the man to take them forward next season to challenge Manchester United for a 19th title.

And I think that when chief executive Rick Parry goes this summer, Benitez should follow him through the exit door.

Liverpool's chances of finally landing the title for the first time since 1990 looked good when they won at Chelsea last October. But since Rafa's rant about United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in early January, Liverpool have stuttered badly.

The problem has been a genuine lack of quality as they have spent money on players who wouldn't get into Manchester United's side.

Apart from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, there is very little creativity, imagination and guile in Liverpool's team - and they are just too darn negative.

Benitez's tactics may work at Real Madrid in the Champions League, where you can shut up shop and nick a 1-0 win like they did last week, but not in the Premier League where anybody can beat anybody.

The biggest challenge for Liverpool is to create another dynasty to rival the ones set up by Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly.

And I think the only man who can do that is former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, whose Inter Milan team now top Serie A. I realise he isn't popular on Merseyside but Mourinho has absolute self-belief and I firmly believe he should be the next Anfield boss.

I would urge Liverpool not to delay and to start putting the feelers out now for the Portu-geezer.

Liverpool have missed on out Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo in the past by not being decisive enough, but this is one decision they should not stall on.

With the political battles at Anfield, luring Mourinho from Milan will not be easy. But I hope there is a big broom to clean up Liverpool this summer and sweep away Parry, Benitez and of course the club's American owners.

I hope any new owners stump up the money required to transform the club and then keep their heads down - unlike the Yanks.

And my first signing would be Mourinho. Players respond to him and he has a proven track record in the Premier League and Europe.

Benitez's track record is in Europe after winning the 2005 Champions League and reaching the 2007 final so it is a no-brainer for me.

Benitez's Weaknesses Will Cost Liverpool Dearly

As Rafael Benitez seethed on the team coach on Liverpool's return journey from Middlesbrough on Saturday night, he could have been forgiven for thinking he is in the wrong job. Knowing the Liverpool manager, he was probably plotting how to increase his influence at Anfield and thereby solve all their ills — applying for the vacant chief executive position, perhaps, or even buying the club outright — but a growing body of evidence suggests he would be better getting out altogether. And leaving club football entirely, for that matter.

As a strategist and tactician, Benítez has no equal, which he demonstrated again last week with Liverpool’s perfectly executed win over Real Madrid, but these qualities are more important at the highest level of knockout competitions rather than the daily grind of winning a league title. In other words, Benítez was born to be an international manager.

Benítez’s club credentials cannot be dismissed because he did win two championships with Valencia, but many of his biggest weaknesses are those that are most critical to sustained success in a title battle. The Spaniard’s record of buying players is, at best, patchy, shown by the revolving door transfer policy at Liverpool, while he often compromises the performance of the team by insisting on rotating his players in a similar manner. As his dysfunctional relationships with the various powers-that-be at Anfield indicate, Benítez’s dominant personality is also unsuited to working closely with others on a regular basis.

None of which matters as much in the international arena, where Benítez would be free to concentrate on what he does best, sitting alone in a darkened room dreaming up strategies and formations to win one-off matches against high-calibre opponents. His record in the biggest games against the other great tactician of his generation, José Mourinho, suggests Benítez is as good as it gets when it comes to selecting and preparing a team for knockout football, which is why the FA should have him high on its shortlist of candidates when it comes to replace Fabio Capello as England manager. If nothing else, Benítez would relish the scheming and politicking at Soho Square.

Hull City have not won in the Barclays Premier League since Phil Brown’s half-time tirade on the pitch at Manchester City on Boxing Day. And after collecting three points in as many months, Hull are only three away from the relegation zone. Brown is unlikely to confess to any regrets, but it could be a while before he gets a gig as a motivational speaker.

The Real Reason Why Liverpool Sacked Rick Parry

Rick Parry left Liverpool after trying - and failing - to find a major mega-bucks buyer for the club.

The Kop chief executive had spent the past month in deep dialogue with a mystery Arab group who talked about a takeover but did not deliver.

Wheeler-dealer Parry hoped to put the package together and buy out American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, who both want to sell the famous club if the price is right.

But when Parry's mission failed - because the new team did not come up with the cash - his time was up and his 12-year reign ended after a final meeting with Hicks. Parry's departure is NOT a triumph for manager Rafa Benitez, with top Kop sources revealing there is still a lot of doubt about whether the Spaniard will stay.

Benitez has come through a time when many informed insiders tipped him to go. He would definitely have been a casualty if Parry had brought in new backers.

But the failure to find the new buyer was the final straw for Parry, who had ironically brought in Hicks and Gillett when David Moores sold the club.

The disappointment was too much for the chief executive to take. It was also a blow to Gillett who told friends he was confident of a sale.

The identity of the Middle East group is known only to Parry and his closest associates. Parry is due to leave Anfield at the end of the season but club sources believe he will be gone sooner.

However, as Hicks and Gillett clearly want out, Liverpool are still in turmoil behind the scenes with massive question marks hanging over Benitez's future.

The Spaniard has been stalling on his new contract for various reasons. Parry's departure may seem like a boost for him in his bid to control transfer policy but that may not be the case. He will also want to see if the Americans can find a new buyer - but that will now be without Parry's help.

Benitez suffered a bad weekend as Liverpool sunk to an embarrassing 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough just three days after their Champions League triumph at Real Madrid.

He said: "It's difficult to explain.

If before this game it was going to be difficult to win the League, then it is clearly now going to be even harder. The Champions League is the best option we have now. Before we play Real Madrid again, we have Sunderland and we must be ready for that game.

"This is a bad result. If you look at the first 30 minutes we were in control. Second would still be an achievement but we have to think about getting three points against Sunderland."

Rick Parry Lost His Liverpool Job After Trying To Organise A Takeover

The current chief executive will leave his post in the summer after trying and failing to get a potential investor to take-over from the current owners.

According to a report in British tabloid newspaper The Daily Mirror, Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry will leave the Reds at the end of the season after failing to find a buyer for the club.

Apparently, the man who brought current American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to Anfield had been in discussions with an Arab group about a potential takeover.

However, it is thought that when the deal failed to materialise the Americans, who are said to be keen to sell the club if they receive the right offer, told Parry that he would be leaving his post in the summer.

Many have speculated that his imminent departure is a sign that Rafael Benitez has won a behind the scenes power-struggle but it is reported that this is not the case.

It is believed that the Spanish manager would have lost his job had Parry found new investors. However, the former Valencia manager's future with the Merseyside outfit remains far from certain.