Liverpool’s Reina Wants To Stay At Anfield And Not Return To Spain Just Yet

Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper Jose Manuel Reina insisted that he is going nowhere so soon after reports in Spain claimed that he was hoping to make his return to the La Liga by next season.

The former Villarreal goalkeeper was reported to be keen to return home after being linked with Atletico Madrid.

However the 26-year old who won three successive Premiership Golden Gloves awards insisted that he wants to stay in England for the next few years.

"I see myself continuing outside of Spain. You never know, but I would like to spend a few more years in England. The plan is to stay here," Reina told Marca.

Reina further went on to say that the spirit in the Reds camp is buoyed after their spectacular 2-1 win against Manchester United, insisting that they most definitely are in contention for lifting the Premier League title this season.

"The team has not played great football, apart from the game last weekend against Manchester United, but we are on the right path," he continued.

"We are playing with comfort and that has allowed us to push up to the near the top.

"People are saying it could be our season. The Premier League is always difficult as their are plenty of other teams, like Chelsea and Manchester United, that can do well.

"We have to reduce the difference at the top that has been there in the past few years."

Rafa: We Must Respect Stoke

Despite overcoming Manchester United in their last Premier League encounter, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has issued a caveat to his side ahead of this weekend's clash with Stoke City.

Brazilian full-back Fabio Aurelio is set to remain sidelined with the calf injury that prevented him taking to the field in the midweek win over Marseille.

Instead, Rafa Benitez will deploy Andrea Dossena on the left side of defence as Aurelio continues his rehabilitation.

Confidence is brimming at Anfield with the hoodoo against Manchester United broken, but Benitez is not getting too carried away.

He believes that this weekend's opponents, Tony Pulis' Stoke City, are a side that deserve respect following their strong showings against Everton and Aston Villa.

The Potters defeated Villa by three goals to two at the Britannia Stadium before losing out by the same scoreline at the same venue to Everton last weekend.

Benitez is aware that the newly-promoted side will be keen to make an impression at Anfield and his side should be on the front foot.

He told the press: "We know that Stoke will be difficult opponents because they have just come into the Premier League and they will be keen to do well, particularly when they come to places like Anfield," he said.

"They have already had one good win against Aston Villa at home and they have been unfortunate in another couple of games so we know that they will be hard to beat."

"Beating Man United was a good achievement and it will improve our confidence but now we have to try to beat Stoke. They play with a different style to United and they cause different kinds of problems but we must treat them with the same respect."

David Prentice: Why Liverpool's Rafa Benitez Is A Master Tactician

WHAT constitutes a master tactician? The ability to make changes to the pattern of a match with influential substitutions is clearly one criterion.

And in Rafael Benitez, Liverpool possess the best Anfield has ever seen.

Ryan Babel’s goalscoring impact against Manchester United last Saturday was the 50th occasion Benitez has brought on a player who has scored.

Even given the increased number of substitutions in modern football, that’s a remarkable record.

To give that stat even greater resonance, on 12 separate occasions Benitez has made substitutions which have led to two or more goals – many from losing positions.

Cynics might suggest that the Reds boss sent out the wrong team in the first place. But I prefer the argument that there aren’t many better coaches in Europe at analysing the flow of a match and making the necessary switches which work.

Remember Olympiakos? Steven Gerrard’s late piledriver is the obvious memory, but without goals from supersubs Mellor and Pongolle that match-winner might have been meaningless.

Then there’s Kewell and Alonso scoring against Charlton to salvage a 2-2 draw, Crouch and Warnock against Fulham, Garcia and Cisse saving a draw at Birmingham, then Alonso and Biscan turning a 2-0 deficit at Fulham into a 4-2 win.

And none of them were even Benitez’s greatest switch.

Arguably the Reds’ manager’s most valuable intervention was the introduction of a player who didn’t score at all – not until a penalty shoot-out anyway.

Vladimir Smicer might have come on and scored in Istanbul, but it was Dietmar Hamann’s half-time introduction which swung the match back Liverpool’s way.

It’s just as easy to make a damaging switch as it is to introduce an effective change – as Sir Alf Ramsey discovered in Mexico, Howard Kendall at Wembley in 1986 and Gerard Houllier in Leverkusen.

But Benitez has, so far, managed to avoid that pitfall.

Even his controversial withdrawal of Steven Gerrard at Goodison Park for showing “too much passion” paid off.

The use of an impact substitute was a tactic whose effectiveness grew only stealthily.

It was first allowed in England in 1965, but only for injuries. Tactical switches were later allowed in 1967, increased to two changes 20 years later then, in 1995, increased to the current limit of three.

Predictably the influence of Anfield substitutes has grown with the times.

Bill Shankly made just 18 scoring switches in nine years, the last – in 1974 – resulting in a last-minute winner from Peter Cormack against Norwich.

Bob Paisley doubled that figure in eight years, but then he could call on the greatest Supersub of them all, David Fairclough, who scored 18 goals after stepping off the bench.

Joe Fagan did it three times, Dalglish 21, Souness 10 and Roy Evans 12, before the folly of a joint management team was exposed.

While Evans and Gerard Houllier argued amongst themselves about which subs to bring on, only Karl-Heinz Rieldle stepped off the bench to score during their joint stewardship.

Left to his own devices, Houllier introduced 40 scoring subs in five years, but that figure has already been eclipsed by Benitez in four years.

The Reds boss may have his faults, but the effective use of substitutes is not one of them.

Rafa Keen On Anthem Switch

Rafael Benitez is hopeful a tactical switch off the field of play will help Liverpool generate an atmosphere to send shivers down the spines of any side visiting Anfield this season.

The Reds boss believes the introduction of the Barclays Premier League anthem has curbed the impact of the club's anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and feels that asking fans to sing the famous song just prior to kick-off will help give his side a psychological edge.

"Before this season we always played the Premier League anthem immediately before games, but some of the players, Sammy Lee and I spoke and we think it is better to have 'You'll Never Walk Alone' instead when the players are on the pitch," said Benitez.

"It used to be played five minutes before the kick-off and the team came out towards the end of the song, but we have reversed the order with the Premier League anthem now.

"We thought it would keep the atmosphere right up until the kick-off and that way the opposition is on the pitch when all the noise is in the ground.

"The supporters are always good, but this might be better. It is something we have been thinking about for a while and the atmosphere has been great when we start our matches."

Meanwhile, Daniel Agger has vowed to fight to regain his first-team place after spending much of the opening weeks out of the first team.

Agger, who spent the best part of a year injured with a metatarsal problem, didn't make the bench for the weekend win against United, but was back among the substitutes for the Champions League victory at Marseille on Tuesday and is eager to win his place back in the side.

He said: "I sat on the bench in Marseille, so that is an improvement.

"All I can do at the moment to get into the team is to work hard in training."

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez Tips Steven Gerrard To Score 150 Goals

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez paid tribute to much-criticised Premier League new-boys Stoke but warned: "We have the best midfield player in the world."

Benitez's unbeaten Reds face Tony Pulis' promoted Potters at Anfield intent on strengthening their position in the Barclays Premier League table, ahead of the clash between rivals Chelsea and Manchester United 24 hours later.

But Stoke have already embarrassed several of their new top-flight colleagues, and Benitez insists they will have to be on their guard against Rory Delap's massive long throws.

But with skipper Steven Gerrard needing one goal to reach a club century, Benitez has faith in the player he believes is the world's best to lead Liverpool to victory.

He said: "Steven has quality, he's a fantastic player and 99 goals is amazing for a midfielder.

"But he can score more. But once he has scored his 100th, then we will give him the objective of maybe 150.

"He scores great goals that few other players can manage. We are lucky to have the best midfielder in the world."

Coming straight after victories over champions Manchester United and then in Europe against Marseille, he said: "It is not easy to win every game. We know Stoke are tough, disciplined and well organised. They are very strong and play direct football.

"But I have been really impressed with their set-pieces, not just the long throws but also their corners and free-kicks and it shows that their manager has done a very good job.

"The key is not to give them too many opportunities for long throws close to our area.

It will be difficult, but there are a lot of teams who use long throws, so we have to be aware and be ready for what happens."

Liverpool have won their last 12 league meetings with Stoke at Anfield, the Potters last success there being in 1959.

Benitez Not Swayed By Title Talk As Liverpool Prepare To Face Stoke Following Victories Over Man United & Marseille

Rafa Benitez insists that Liverpool are taking one game at a time and not getting carried away by the good start they have got off to this season, as the Reds prepare to take on new-entrants Stoke City in the Premiership at Anfield on Saturday.

The Merseysiders boosted their confidence and self-belief as the real contenders for the title this season with a victory against their bitterest rivals and defending champions Manchester United before winning the UEFA Champions League group opener in Marseille in midweek.

Benitez however, is not swayed by the early title talk and stressed that he is focused on making step by step progress.

"Overall it's been a really good week," Benitez told Sky Sports News. "We've had two difficult and important games to play and we won them both so everyone is very happy here at Liverpool.

"But we are just looking at the next game and we are now ready to play Stoke. It is important to understand that we need to take one game at a time.

"If we keep winning then every game, little by little, we will be in a better position so we will talk about this maybe in two or three months time, but now it is game by game."

The Reds can go top of the table if they beat the Potters at the weekend, and it will also mean the best-ever start to the season for the Anfield side. And Benitez believes that his side can be lot better.

“Yes, I think we can improve," added the Spanish tactician.

"The pre-season was different from normal with a lot of players coming back from the Olympic Games and the European Championships late, so I think physically we can improve a lot and that means we can also do that technically and tactically too.

"We have a very good squad and the mentality is really good. We won against United without Torres and Gerrard on the pitch from the start so I think it is really good to see some members of the squad playing well and that means for rest of season we can maybe use different players in other competitions this season and keep the same level."

Keane - The Goals Will Come

Liverpool striker Robbie Keane insists he is too experienced to become anxious about his Anfield goal drought.

The Republic of Ireland international joined the Reds in July in a £20million move from Tottenham, but he has yet to find the back of the net for his new employers.

Keane has now gone seven games without breaking his Liverpool duck, and he also scored just once in his final eight games for Spurs.

However, the 28-year-old is confident he will soon rediscover the goalscoring touch and is hopeful he will net when Stoke visit Merseyside on Saturday.

"Obviously I realise I have not scored yet and that is something that I want to do, but it is also not something I am too worried about," said Keane.

"If I was a young lad and a bit naive, then I would probably be really worried about it, but as long as the team is winning and I keep working hard, then that is all I can do.

"I know I will get my reward for all the hard work I have put in. I think my first goal is just around the corner. Hopefully when that does come, many more will follow."

Manager Rafa Benitez is also eager for Keane to open his Liverpool account at the weekend, but has hinted that the forward is not guaranteed a place in his first XI.

Keane started among the substitutes in the mid-week UEFA Champions League victory over Marseille and Benitez is keeping his cards close to his chest ahead of the arrival of Stoke.

Benitez said: "We want Robbie to score soon, yes. And if he is selected against Stoke, maybe that will be the time.

"But I am not concerned about this, his effort and work for the team is outstanding."

Betting Recommendation: LiverpooL vs. Stoke City

An unbeaten start to the season sees Liverpool tied at the top of the table with Chelsea and they are 1/5 to secure another three points against the Potters.

It has been an excellent week for Rafa Benitez's side - backing up a 2-1 win over bitter rivals Manchester United with a successful start to the Champions League in Marseille.

What will have pleased those connected to the club most was the way they did not allow United to play for the much of the game - so could that be the springboard to finally launch a sustained challenge for an elusive Premier League crown?

Stoke gaffer Tony Pulis has been more than satisfied with his own side's efforts so far since promotion and if they go about this match with similar vigour to their performances against Aston Villa and Everton last week then they won't be disgraced at Anfield.

Perhaps it is time to be convinced that the home side are the real deal this season so nothing less than a solid home win will suffice against their plucky rivals.

Verdict: Liverpool 3 Stoke City 1

Match Preview: LiverpooL vs. Stoke City

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez hopes full-back Fabio Aurelio recovers from a calf injury to face Stoke having failed to make the midweek trip to Marseille.

Andrea Dossena was a less than convincing alternative at left-back in France, while Benitez must also decide whether to recall Robbie Keane to partner striker Fernando Torres.

Xabi Alonso will contest a midfield role with Lucas and veteran defender Sami Hyypia may be brought in to help contest Stoke's now famed long throws from Rory Delap.

Winger Albert Riera, who made his debut in last weekend's victory over Manchester United, could replace Ryan Babel.

Benitez paid tribute to much-criticised Premier League new-boys Stoke but warned: "We have the best midfield player in the world.''

Benitez's unbeaten Reds face Tony Pulis' promoted Potters at Anfield intent on strengthening their position in the Barclays Premier League table, ahead of the clash between rivals Chelsea and Manchester United 24 hours later.

But Stoke have already embarrassed several of their new top-flight colleagues, and Benitez insists they will have to be on their guard against Delap's massive long throws.

But with skipper Steven Gerrard needing one goal to reach a club century, Benitez has faith in the player he believes is the world's best to lead Liverpool to victory.

He said: "Steven has quality, he's a fantastic player and 99 goals is amazing for a midfielder.

"But he can score more. But once he has scored his 100th, then we will give him the objective of maybe 150.

"He scores great goals that few other players can manage. We are lucky to have the best midfielder in the world.''

Coming straight after victories over champions Manchester United and then in Europe against Marseille, he said: "It is not easy to win every game. We know Stoke are tough, disciplined and well organised. They are very strong and play direct football.

"But I have been really impressed with their set-pieces, not just the long throws but also their corners and free-kicks and it shows that their manager has done a very good job.''

Only Amdy Faye (suspended) and the injured Andrew Davies will be absent for Stoke.

Both players missed Sunday's defeat by Everton and Pulis' main selection headache may concern whether to move Abdoulaye Faye back into defence after he played as a midfield anchor last weekend.

Glenn Whelan will be hoping for a recall to the Stoke midfield following his fine performances for the Republic of Ireland and he could get the nod at Leon Cort's expense if Faye is switched.

Danny Higginbotham has played in a winning Southampton side at Liverpool and he will strain every sinew in an attempt to repeat the experience with Stoke.

It is almost five years since Higginbotham was in the Saints team which came away from Anfield with a shock 2-1 victory, courtesy of goals by Brett Ormerod and Thomas Svensson.

A late reply from Emile Heskey could not save Gerard Houllier's side and defender Higginbotham's memories of the occasion remain crystal clear.

"Brett scored in the first couple of minutes and that gave us a real boost. My current Stoke team-mate Rory Delap was also in our team and it was a terrific performance on the day,'' he said.

"It's something really special to play in front of the Kop, but if you can get the Liverpool fans frustrated it can work in your favour.

"It's going to be very important to start the game well by working very hard and keeping our concentration.

"We've got the players here to do that and we will give it our best shot.

"If there is any negativity before you go to places like Liverpool, you might as well not turn up.