LiverpooL 2 - 2 Aston Villa

Peter Crouch rescued a Barclays Premier League point for Liverpool with a late goal at Anfield on Monday.

Crouch hooked in right footed from 10 yards in the the 88th minute to avert a disastrous result for under-fire manager Rafael Benitez.

Yossi Benayoun gave the Reds a first-half lead but Marlon Harewood and a Fabio Aurelio own goal threatened to win it for Villa.

Although Crouch levelled - against his former team - Liverpool are now 14 points behind Manchester United and Arsenal.

Benitez fielded arguably his strongest side against Aston Villa - one of the club's main contenders for fourth spot - in a match which had plenty at stake.

There were six changes from the side that beat Luton in the FA Cup last week. Javier Mascherano was back in central midfield, Jose Reina returned in goal and new signing Martin Skrtel was on the bench.

Aston Villa were without the influential Gareth Barry - the England man missed out with a pelvic injury.

Olof Mellberg returned, while Scott Carson was ineligible under the terms of his loan from Liverpool. Stuart Taylor took his place.

As expected there was a high-profile display of support for Benitez from the Kop.

The fans were struggling to focus on the match itself. But they needed too, and fast.

Villa were quick on the break, attacking down the right, and with Gabriel Agbonlahor a constant threat.

Dirk Kuyt's cross presented Benayoun with a volleyed chance that flew over, and Craig Gardner charged down a Harry Kewell drive.

And Liverpool took the lead after 19 minutes. Steven Gerrard and Kuyt set up the close-range chance for Benayoun to net at the second attempt from six yards.

Villa hit back with accurate, long balls for Agbonlahor and Ashley Young - but Liverpool almost snatched a second goal in the 31st minute.

Again it was the impressive Gerrard, aided by Kuyt, who set up Fernando Torres from 15 yards - but the striker put his effort wide.

John Carew, playing deep, caused plenty of problems with his flick-ons, but Liverpool were defending well, and the ball was quickly shifted to Gerrard, who was dominating the midfield.

Watching Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini, who will face Liverpool in the Champions League in March, will have seen plenty to concern him in Gerrard's overall play.

Curtis Davies sliced wide of his own goal soon into the second half, before Kuyt wasted a great chance to put Liverpool further ahead.

Mascherano and Gerrard surged up field, exchanging passes, before the ball was laid into Kuyt's path, invitingly, on the right. But the Dutch striker skewed his effort into the Kop.

Torres almost got clear, Taylor saving at his feet, before the Spaniard turned on the edge of the box to fire inches over.

Liverpool were now producing their best spell of the game. Strong in the tackle, supporting and attacking with pace. Alvaro Arbeloa saw one clever chip clear the bar after more impressive play by Mascherano and Gerrard.

To their credit, Villa withstood this pressure and with 24 minutes left sent on striker Harewood for Gardner. His first involvement was a run and cross to set up Carew for an effort saved by Reina.

Arbeloa was booked for a foul on Stiliyan Petrov after 68 minutes, and from the free-kick, Villa were level. Martin Laursen headed the ball back across goal for Harewood to flick into the net.

Liverpool sent on Skrtel for Arbeloa, before Mascherano was booked for a foul on Young.

Villa launched another attack and were ahead when Mellberg's effort from the right was deflected into goal by Fabio Aurelio.

But Crouch averted a disastrous result for Benitez when he hooked in right footed from 10 yards after Laursen had failed to clear.

Match Preview: LiverpooL vs Aston Villa

Liverpool have been more miss than hit in front of their own fans this season but when they do win at Anfield it is usually in style.

It begs the question which Liverpool will turn up against Aston Villa on Monday night?

Looking at their home form in the Premier League Liverpool have won four out of 10 games - a dreadful win ratio for a team that won 14 out of 19 last campaign.

In those four victories they have won 6-0, 4-0, 4-1 and 2-0, suggesting that if they do get some breathing space they go on to put the result beyond doubt.

The trouble with Liverpool hasn't been getting the breakthrough. Only twice have they failed to score at home - in the 1-0 defeat to Manchester United and the 0-0 draw with Birmingham.

Their problem has been getting the killer second goal. Rafa Benitez's team led 1-0 against Arsenal, Chelsea and Wigan but all three games ended 1-1.

With Villa in town, there are plenty of reasons to think Liverpool will struggle to get the win again.

The obvious statistic to take note of is that Liverpool have drawn five out of 10 at home while Villa have drawn five out of 10 away.

Liverpool's inability to finish off games will also hearten an Aston Villa side who haven't done too badly at Anfield in recent years.

Okay they have lost on their last four visits, but between 2000-2003 Villa won twice and drew twice in league visits to Anfield.

Confidence increases in Villa when you consider they have lost just once on the road this season - and that was a 1-0 reverse at Manchester City who remain unbeaten at Eastlands.

On top of this Villa are also no strangers at coming from behind to get a result on their travels.

Villa fell a goal behind at Bolton, Sunderland, Chelsea and Wigan but managed to get results and though they were 4-1 up in the 4-4 draw at Tottenham they were originally 1-0 down.

Obviously losing a goal doesn't dent their confidence.

11/4 about a draw in the outright market is big enough for us to get involved while it is hard to resist a spectaculative punt on Liverpool-draw in the half-time/full-time market given Coral offer 18/1.


Verdict: Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 1


Match preview courtesy of By Ben Linfoot of www.bettingzone.co.uk

Rafa Aiming To Cut Gap

Rafa Benitez has urged his Liverpool side to focus on catching the top three in the Premier League.

Liverpool have slipped out of the top four and appear to be in a race with Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City for the final UEFA Champions League place.

The Reds face Villa on Monday evening and Benitez believes it is time for his team to prove they are still a force to be reckoned with.

"Villa are closer to us now, as are Everton and Manchester City, so we know we cannot make any mistakes," said the Spaniard.

"The next target is to beat Aston Villa, then to beat West Ham and then the same against Sunderland. These are our next three league games.

"Then we go to Chelsea. That game will be the key; our targets must be short-term ones to win these games before we go to Stamford Bridge.

"Three wins and a cup win also on Saturday against Havant and Waterlooville, that is our immediate aim.

"The real key now is that if we want to reduce the gap at the top we must win the away games at Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United.

"Normally our performances in such games are not the best but if we really want to change something, the way the season is going, we must go into these away games with the teams above us knowing we still have a chance.

Liverpool's cause was not helped by victories for the top three on Saturday, with leaders Manchester United now 15 points clear and third-placed Chelsea 11 ahead.

Benitez said: "We are not thinking about the gap, we can see it. To change it we must win games in a row rather than to keep looking at the table and worrying.

"The problem for us this season has been the expectation. We were told we were spending big money and can be contenders but if you look at the last 10 years, the difference between Liverpool and the top has frequently been around 20 points.

"We need to gain some points now and see what situation we are in when we go to Chelsea next month."

Relief for Rafael Benitez

Speculation continued on Sunday morning in the newspapers about the future of Liverpool Football Club amid rumours that a Dubai-based group was prepared to launch another bid to the buy the club from American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

Dubai Investment Capital (DIC), the company beaten to the purchase of Liverpool by Hicks and Gillett are reported to be back in town with a £500m bid for the club.

Not only might this bid appeal to the Americans, rumoured to be increasingly concerned about their needs to refinance the debt they took on to buy the club in order to continue plans to build a new stadium, it might also appeal to the manager, Rafael Benitez.

The relationship between the Americans and the Spaniard have been publicly shown to be strained but if the Gillett and Hicks are leaving Liverpool, the Benitez's long term future at the club could be secure once again, with the Arabs keen to keep Benitez on board.

That was the argument Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star on Sunday made on the Sunday Supplement this week that Sunday morning's headlines will have pleased Benitez.

"It has got to be good news for him," said Hetherington, "because his relationship with the American owners is fraught to say the least.

"Gillett and Hicks don't understand the way that football works and the Jurgen Klinsmann situation was an example of that. I am not saying that clubs don't go around tapping up managers to replace the guy that they have got if they don't want him but they don't come out and admit it publicly.

"You can admire their honesty, they haven't told a lie, they haven't ducked. They have done it the American way, they Americans like being up front and bold about things. That's obviously the way they see things being done and should be done but it is not the way things are done in English football.

"It is good news for Benitez and I am certain that he will be delighted. DIC looked like taking control of the club before the Americans seemed to come from nowhere to pip them, and it has to be good news for Benitez if there is a changed of ownership.

"He is aware of what they (Gillett and Hicks) have been doing, they have been playing games and he has wanted to get his message across."

Liverpool Fans Crave Dubai Ending To Nightmare

Liverpool fans planning what is likely to be the first in a series of anti-American protests at Anfield tonight are in no doubt. Having seen their bid dramatically trumped by Tom Hicks and George Gillett last year, Dubai International Capital are the only solution to a crisis distinctly out of keeping with the club's dignified and illustrious history.

At the same time as angry supporters were bombarding Hicks's New York-based public relations advisers, Kekst, with abusive emails last week, desperate electronic missives were being sent to DIC's Dubai offices urging the country's fabulously rich ruling al-Maktoum family to launch a rescue bid for Liverpool.

That bid, which could be worth around £350 million, remains on hold today following a refusal from Hicks to allow DIC access to talk to his bankers, Royal Bank of Scotland.

Hicks wants to wait until after a £350 million refinancing is concluded in the next few days, believing that he will then be able to ask DIC for more money.

But DIC are anxious to strike immediately, fearing the financial position of the club will only worsen if the refinancing goes through. In addition to around £25 million of 'rolled up' interest, the refinancing is set to cost £15 million in fees to the banks, RBS and Wachovia. DIC are likely to reduce the value of their offer to Hicks and Gillett in order to ensure that no more money is wasted. Another £20 million is thought to have been spent on fees to architects for the delayed new £400 million stadium at Stanley Park.

Despite threats that they will walk away if the refinancing goes through, DIC remain committed to buying Liverpool. That will be welcomed by supporters who, according to one online poll last week, overwhelmingly want to see Hicks and Gillett replaced by DIC. Just one per cent want to see the Americans remain in charge while 83 per cent want to see DIC take over.

But would DIC necessarily be the answer? In terms of financial muscle there can be no question that they are far more powerful.Although DIC chief executive Samir Al Ansari, a lifelong Liverpool supporter, will want to run the club along proper commercial lines, he is backed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and will be able to call on tens of billions of pounds. Crucially, with the stadium plans on hold, DIC will be able to dodge the global credit crunch by borrowing from Dubai state funds at lower interest rates.

Gillett, the owner of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team, was never likely to be the sort of super-rich chairman Liverpool needed. That is why, as DIC stalled over the deal last December, he brought in Hicks to help him secure the club. Hicks, one of the pioneers of leveraged takeovers in the United States, has a wealth estimated at $1.3 billion (£665 million), according to last year's Forbes magazine 'Rich List'. But the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers owner has been hit hard by the credit crunch.

There is also a question of will. Hicks and Gillett only put up £7.5 million each to secure the costly loans taken out with RBS last year to buy the club in a £220 million deal. And the new refinancing deal has stalled largely because of the Americans' attempt to load that debt on to the club's books and their reluctance to put up more of their own cash.

DIC sources, on the other hand, insist they have a true and long-term commitment to Liverpool - despite leaks of a sensitive City document last year which set out how they could reap a 25 per cent profit if they sold out by 2012. DIC sources insist there was never any intention to sell the club on so quickly.

In the absence of any serious rival bidder, DIC are seen as the only way of ending what has turned from an American dream into a nightmare.

Anfield Owners Holding Out For A Windfall

Tom Hicks last night insisted he would not sell his 50% stake in Liverpool, as a game of brinkmanship developed between the club's American owners and Dubai International Capital, the corporation which would usurp them.

DIC, the investment arm of the Dubai government, is prepared to lodge a formal takeover bid for Liverpool this week having come to doubt the reported determination of George Gillett, Hicks's co-chairman at Anfield, to oust his business partner from the club after 11 troubled months in charge. But the company is adamant it will not pay an inflated price for a club who may be saddled with major debt in the coming days and who still require significant investment for a new stadium.

For their part, and despite frequent public denials, Hicks and Gillett are understood to be receptive to DIC's interest in the entire company, but only for a price that would give them a huge profit on their initial £218.9m investment. It is believed DIC inquired informally whether a £300m bid might be acceptable approximately 10 days ago and were told the Americans were seeking a far greater return. DIC's formal bid for Liverpool would have to be in the region of £350m.

The Dubai company had proposed giving Gillett the financial backing he needs to purchase Hicks's stake in the club, Gillett having been enraged by his co-chairman's admission that they approached Jürgen Klinsmann about Rafael Benítez's job and by the amount of debt the Texan wants to put on to the club's books. But Gillett has not turned his doubts into a direct challenge to Hicks and is close to agreeing to a £350m loan with the Royal Bank of Scotland and US-bank Wachovia.

That would allow the Americans to refinance their original purchase of Liverpool last February, repay loans acquired to buy players in the summer and commence work on a 70,000-seat stadium. That in turn, the Americans believe, would allow them to name a higher price for Liverpool, although DIC doubts whether they can afford the £30m-a-year interest repayments and believes they will have to sell at a later date to avoid financial meltdown.

Until DIC raises its offer or the Americans lower theirs, the stand-off and the instability surrounding Liverpool will continue, though Hicks last night angrily denied reports that a deal to sell the club had already been struck.

"A report issued today claiming that the Liverpool Football Club has been sold to DIC is a complete fabrication," said Hicks in a statement. "I have not received any offer to purchase the club from the DIC or anyone else, much less accepted any such offer. Nor do I have any intention of doing so. The facts are that I and my family have always been, and remain, fully committed to co-owning the club; that no one in my family has ever indicated any intention or desire to sell our stake in the club; and that we expect and intend to be co-owners of the club and to actively and enthusiastically support the club's manager, players and fans for many years to come."

It is a turbulent background against which Liverpool face Aston Villa at Anfield tonight needing a win to break back into the top four, having been overtaken by Everton and Manchester City yesterday.

"Villa are closer to us now, as are Everton and Manchester City, so we know we cannot make any mistakes," said Benítez.

You're Not Fit To Run Our Club, Blast Liverpool Fans

Tom Hicks and George Gillett will be targeted by angry Liverpool fans on Monday in the first orchestrated show of dissent against their Anfield reign.

After weeks of voicing their support for Rafa Benitez, over the mounting threat to his position as Liverpool manager, Anfield followers are about to adopt a different approach by turning their fury on his bosses, Hicks and Gillett.

Influential website Reclaim The Kop, who organised the pro-Benitez demonstration prior to the Champions League tie with Porto two months ago, have launched a scathing attack on the Americans and urged a capacity Anfield crowd to follow suit against Aston Villa on Monday night.

In a press release, they claimed Hicks and Gillett were 'not fit to be associated with our club' and added that forcing them out might be the only way to save Benitez.

'We allowed ourselves to believe that they had a gut sense of Liverpool's specialness,' it said. 'They gave a good impression of understanding and cherishing The Liverpool Way, but the current situation is unworkable.

'There is a minimum acceptable standard of ownership and Hicks and Gillett have fallen badly short.

Rafa, with his ingrained sense of honour, dignity and morality, has been publicly humiliated by them and would have walked away by now but for one small thing the Americans will never get.

'He loves it here. He loves the club, the fans, the city and The Liverpool Way. More than anybody at the club, he is desperate to deliver for us that which we long for so badly.

'They will sack him in the summer. They have left themselves with no other option, so while it gives us no joy to recommend it, we have to drive them out.

'These are critical times for Liverpool FC. If Hicks stays, Rafa goes — simple as that. And if Rafa goes, the empire he is building crumbles. After giving Rafa a vote of no-confidence, he (Hicks) will have to sack him in the summer — unless the owners are not here. We have to give our answer loud and clear, starting on Monday night.'

Hicks denied on Thursday that he was considering selling his Anfield stake to Dubai International Capital but he may have second thoughts if vocal backing for Benitez turns into open hostility towards himself and Gillett.

Around 2,000 fans responded to a call from Reclaim The Kop in November and marched from a nearby pub to the ground, shouting slogans and carrying banners.

The protests were sparked by Benitez's fears that he was about to be ousted and his hold on power has been eroded still further by Hicks' recent admission that he offered the manager's job to Jurgen Klinsmann.

Doubts remain about Benitez's ability to survive beyond the end of the season. As he prepared for the Villa game, he insisted unity within the squad was a strong as ever and made light of an apparent refusal by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to back him publicly.

Gerrard shook his head when asked whether Tuesday's 5-0 FA Cup third round replay win was 'for the manager', while Carragher admitted he 'hadn't a clue' whether the 47-year old Spaniard could deliver the main prize of a Barclays Premier League title.

'I am not concerned about that one bit,' said Benitez. 'We have all spoken before about the importance of doing the right thing for the club, not individuals, and they were echoing what I have always believed.

'I have a fantastic relationship with the players, even if I wasn't invited to their Christmas party! The relationship is as good as ever, and Stevie and Carra know I have always supported them strongly.'

Racing Close On Leto And El Zhar Loans

Racing Santander are believed to be close to agreeing deals to take Liverpool youngsters Sebastián Leto and Nabil El Zhar on loan for the remainder of the season.

Racing are looking to build on their excellent first half of the La Liga campaign, which sees them lying sixth in the table and have identified Leto and El Zhar as players that can give them more strength in depth for the remainder of the season.

Francisco Pernia, chairman of Racing, confirmed that they were in discussions to take the two youngsters on loan.

"They are two players from Liverpool with whom we are conversing so that they can arrive at Racing for the rest of the season," he told Marca.

Leto, 21, was signed by Liverpool this summer from Lanús in Argentina for £1.85million and has featured four times in various cup competitions for Rafael Benitez's side. He plays on the left of midfield.

El Zhar is the same age as Leto, but has been a Liverpool a year longer, having signed from Saint-Étienne in 2006. He scored on his full debut against Cardiff City in the Carling Cup earlier this season and can play out wide or as a support striker.

Racing's coach Marcelino confessed that he has not seen the two players in action before.

"I do not know them. I do not know where either of them plays," he told a press conference on Friday.

However, he indicated that he was happy with the players provided to him thus far by Pernia and has no desire to take over the club's transfer dealings himself.

"Right now I do not have time to collect the sufficient information, analyse it and make decisions. I believe that it would result in rash decisions that are possibly incorrect."

Pernia concluded proceedings by saying that he would be working on potential targets until the end of the month "so that the final result at the end of the season is similar to the one we have now".

"As a fan I would like to sign Cristiano Ronaldo... But I am a manager," he concluded.

Mascherano Olympic Call-Up Sure To Anger Reds

Although there has been no official reaction from Liverpool, Javier Mascherano's call-up to represent Argentina in the Olympics in Beijing this summer will certainly not sit well with the powers that be at Anfield.

Argentinian Under-23 national team coach Sergio Batista has penciled in Mascherano in a list of players, which also includes Martin Demichelis and Juan Roman Riquelme from Bayern Munich and Boca Juniors respectively.

Batista said: "Riquelme is a player that I like very much. I spoke with him and he wants to be at the Olympic Games.

"I have also included Mascherano because he is very important for the midfield of any team and Martin Demichelis can give his experience to the defence.

"These three players will surely be in the friendly match that we will play on 6th February against Guatemala in Los Angeles.

"Then in August we will have to see if their clubs let us have them for playing in China."

If the Argentine FA get their way this would mean that Mascherano would be absent for the start of the Reds' next Premier League campaign, and one can be sure that Rafa Benitez and co. will not take this sitting down.

Dubai Group Now Want 'Both' Americans Out Of Anfield

After initially backing George Gillett to buy out Tom Hicks' share in the club, Dubai International Capital have now decided that they want both of Liverpool's American owners out.

Tom Hicks' stock has been in free fall at Anfield after declarations about a discussion with Jurgen Klinsmann, something that has seen more and more people side with the relatively quiet George Gillett.

Gillett has almost been relegated to a secondary role by Hicks - who has been having his way and doing much of the talking ever since the duo took over - and differences between the two have been growing for a few months now.

It all seems to have come to a head following the Klinsmann revelations, and there were suggestions that Gillett was looking to buy out Hicks' share, a move backed by Dubai International Capital (DIC).

However, DIC have realised that public sentiment is against both the Americans, and that as they continue to squabble for control, the distance between them and the club continues to grow.

That the owners want a re-financing - which would help them dump their £350m debt on Liverpool - has hardly helped raise their stock, and DIC have now backed down on their support of Gillett, and want to buy out both Americans and take control at Anfield.
The News of the World quotes a club insider as having revealed that club officials do not want the Americans in charge, even until the end of the season.

"In a strange way DIC may think it's worth waiting for the Americans' to refinance because it will lessen the value of the club because of the level of debt," the source is quoted as saying.

"But the best thing that can happen is for the pair of them to get out now. It's clear the old board has made a huge mistake selling to these two."

The Guardian reveals that a takeover bid of £500million is already on the table.

This rather generous offer would allow Hicks and Gillett to pay off their £350million debt, and make a cool profit of £75million each, something DIC will be lucrative enough for the owners.

The process could get underway as early as by the end of this week, various media sources are claiming.

Valencia Waiting On £7m Sissoko

Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko could be on his way back to Valencia for a knockdown £7million.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has been asked by the club's owners to find a buyer for Sissoko to finance the £6m purchase of Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel.

American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett sanctioned the purchase of centre-back Skrtel believing that Sissoko's £10m move to Juventus was imminent. However, that fell through.

Benitez is now under pressure to get the best price while Sissoko is on Africa Cup of Nations duty for Mali.

I'm Staying At Pool, Insists Crouch

Peter Crouch has moved to put an end to rumours that he is on borrowed time at Liverpool.

The beanpole striker has been repeatedly linked with the likes of Portsmouth, Manchester City and Aston Villa ever since the arrival of Fernando Torres and Andriy Voronin, but despite having to get all too familiar with the feel of the Anfield pine, he insists that he has not thoughts of leaving.

Crouch said: "Everyone talks about me talking to clubs. Maybe it's because I'm not playing every game.

"But at a club like Liverpool you're not going to play every game.

"I've come to realise that this is the case at a club like this, whereas at somewhere else maybe you would play every game.

"But here we are competing for things and I certainly want to be a part of winning trophies.

"No-one's approached the club and no- one's approached me.

"There's a lot of speculation and, like I've said, that probably comes down to the fact that I'm not playing every game.

"But hopefully if I get a good run of games towards the end of the season then those rumours will go away."

Reds boss Rafa Benitez is eager to keep his squad together going into the business end of the season and has warned potential suitors that he is not looking to offload Crouch or any of his other players.

Skrtel Can't Wait To Play At Anfield

New Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has expressed his delight at moving to Merseyside - all he wants now is to make his debut.

Martin Skrtel became Liverpool's most expensive defender ever after completing his £6.5m move from Russian champions Zenit St. Petersburg last week.

And although he wasn't a Liverpool fan growing up, the Slovak is delighted to have been offered the chance to come to Anfield.

"To be the first Slovak to play for Liverpool makes me very happy," the defender told Liverpool's official website.

"Not many Slovakian players have had the opportunity to play in the English league. I have and I will give it everything to succeed here."

The defender also revealed that Liverpool's history was a major factor in him choosing them as his next move. "I know about the great history of Liverpool FC and the tradition.

"Watching the Champions League final when Liverpool played AC Milan in Istanbul left a big impression on me. That type of game doesn't happen every day.

"I watched it on the television and I thought at half-time, 'that's it'. What happened in the second half was absolutely unbelievable," he recalled.

Skrtel is also more than pleased to have his style of play likened to Jamie Carragher's. "I knew about Jamie before I came here," he said. "He is a very good player and it's a compliment for me to be compared to him."

Liverpool have badly needed another centre-back, especially now Daniel Agger has suffered a recurrence of his foot injury, but coach Rafa Benítez hasn't opted to use Skrtel thus far. Nevertheless, the Slovak knows it's only a matter of time until he gets his chance to impress the Kop.

"I can't wait to play at Anfield," he said. "The stadium is beautiful and Liverpool have got the best supporters in England, if not the world. I can't wait to play there for the first time."

The former Zenit man is currently lacking match fitness as the Russian league finished almost two months ago, but Skrtel explained he'd been working hard at the Reds' training ground to regain peak form.

"The manager has told me he will give me time to improve my fitness and fit in and I know about how tough the competition for places is here," said Skrtel, who has been given the No37 shirt. "That is a good thing for a club to have and I will give it my very best. I will be working as hard as I can so I can get into the squad and I will also try to learn to speak English as soon as possible."

But while he feels moving to Liverpool and England was the right decision to progress, he admitted that it had been tough to tear himself away from St. Petersburg and a team he'd just helped to the Russian Premier League title. "I was at Zenit for three and a half years and I really enjoyed my time at the club," he said. "Leaving was quite sad for me because I had some good friends there but that is the life of a footballer and now I'm looking forward to a new challenge at Liverpool. I will always have good memories of my time at Zenit."

Argentina Pick Riquelme & Mascherano For Beijing

Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme and midfielder Javier Mascherano will play for Argentina at the Beijing Olympics where the South American giants are the defending champions.

Coach Sergio Batista said Friday that Riquelme, who now plays at Boca Juniors, Liverpool's Javier Mascherano as well as Bayern Munich defender Martin Demichelis will be his over-age players.

Tournament rules allow three players over the age of 23 to be included in each squad for the Olympics which runs from August 8-24.

Riquelme is 29, Demichelis is 27 while Mascherano is 23.

Benitez: Focused On Football

Rafael Benitez believes his Liverpool players can put to the back of their minds the power battle raging at the club as they try to hang onto the coat-tails of the top three in the Barclays Premier League.

By the time Liverpool face Aston Villa on Monday at Anfield, they could be 15 points off top spot with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea all playing against teams from the bottom half of the table today.

If that is not a big enough problem for Liverpool's stars, the very public disagreements about the future financing and even ownership of the club is also hanging over Anfield.

American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are trying to negotiate a re-financing package with British and American banks, while Dubai International Capital wait in the wings with a potential new offer for the club.

Benitez said: "I am not finding it difficult to prepare for a game, I am trying to prepare for a game properly.

"The players are good professionals, they showed that with their performance against Luton in the FA Cup in midweek, and they also showed that the FA Cup is important for us.

"I do not think they are affected too much by things off the pitch, they are focused and they know we want to be as high as possible in the Premier League. They can continue to give their best."

Liverpool are in a battle with Villa, Everton and Manchester City for fourth spot, and Benitez expects Monday's challenge from the Midlanders to be strong.

He said: "There are four teams all very close, but we do have one game in hand. However, Villa are having a good season and they will have a lot of confidence.

"I have confidence in my team. We will fight for a good position at the top of the table, but I am not just thinking about fourth spot I am thinking much higher than that, as a target that is what we must be looking for.

"I have a responsibility, and especially now. That responsibility is to do the best for my club, to work hard and prepare well for every training session and every game.

"I am doing this and trying to concentrate. I am aiming to give the fans my best all the time and for the team to do the same."

Liverpool will be without Daniel Agger for the Villa game, the Danish defender having suffered a recurrence of his metatarsal injury.

Benitez said:"We are disappointed with what has happened to Daniel Agger. We felt he was ready.

"But when he was training last weekend, he felt something when he was tackling. It was right at the end of the session, it was not serious but enough to cause us concern.

"We have talked to specialists to try to find an answer. But he is now working hard again with the medical staff.

"He had been training well for two weeks, then he just had a little bit of bad luck and he is out again. Maybe it will be two weeks before he is ready again."

Meanwhile, Peter Crouch insists he is happy to stay at Anfield and fight for his place.

The 26-year-old has been the subject of much speculation having fallen down the pecking order after the summer arrival of club-record signing Fernando Torres.

However, he told the Liverpool Echo: "Everyone talks about me talking to clubs. Maybe it's because I'm not playing every game but at a club like Liverpool you're not going to play every game.

"I've come to realise that this is the case at a club like this."

George Gillett Ponders Over Hicks Buy-Out

Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is expected to spend the next few days deciding whether to buy-out partner Tom Hicks, despite the pair saying they remained committed to the club and that it would not be sold for the second time in the space of a year.

It is thought that Dubai International Capital (DIC) are preparing another bid to acquire a share of the club, and are prepared to back Gillett as he mulls over whether to make an offer to buy out the 50 per cent shareholding of his partner at Anfield.

According to reports, DIC is willing to join forces with Gillett and it is believed that he will weigh up his options over the next few days while persuading Hicks to sell his interest in Liverpool for a substantial profit.

However, it is believed that Gillett will not table the combined offer to Hicks and that he may instead approve a controversial £350 million refinancing plan for Liverpool's new stadium - a deal that is expected to be ratified sometime next week.

A source confirmed to the Guardian that a deal has been drafted which will then be presented to the Americans before they put their signatures to the £350m loan.

"It is a very delicate situation but DIC has reignited its interest," the source told the newspaper.

"The terms of the offer, which will be made to Tom Hicks, have been agreed and DIC are hopeful they will be finally be able to invest in Liverpool."

The latest twist in the Anfield saga could also have left the relationship further soured between the co-owners if the deal goes ahead.

However, a spokesman for the Americans yesterday said: "Any suggestion that Messrs Hicks and Gillett are contemplating a sale of the club or any portion thereof to DIC or anyone else is categorically untrue."

On the football front, Liverpool and Rafael Benitez will step out on Monday for their Premiership home game with Aston Villa with their minds focused on the pitch.

Five days later they will have to deal with non-league Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup.

Agger Suffers Fresh Foot Injury

Liverpool centre back Daniel Agger has suffered a recurrence of the metatarsal injury which has kept him out of action since September.

The Dane, who was days away from making a first team return, is now not expected to feature for the rest of January and could be out for longer.

"It's not easy to say when he will be back," said Reds manager Rafa Benitez.

"He is going to see different surgeons and then we'll be able to analyse the situation," Benitez added.

The news is a significant setback for Liverpool, as the 23-year-old has been their prefered partner for Jamie Carragher in central defence since he signed from Brondby in January 2006 for £5m.

Agger's absence means Benitez is likely to accelerate the introduction of new defensive signing Martin Skrtel into the team.

The Slovakian international replaced Agger as the most expensive defender in the club's history following his £6m from Zenit St Petersburg on Friday.

Specialists have yet to confirm how long Danish international Agger will be out of action.

He featured as an unused substitute at Middlesbrough on Saturday and has made 36 first team appearances for the club, scoring two goals.

Liverpool Are Not For Sale, Insists Hicks

Liverpool co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks insist they remain 'fully committed to the club' despite Dubai International Capital reportedly preparing another bid to acquire a share of the Anfield team.

A year ago this month DIC were stunned by the last-minute failure of their bid to take control of the club but it is believed they are now set to try to buy the American's 50% stake in Anfield.

DIC yesterday made no attempt to play down speculation when a spokesman said: 'We do not comment on such things, we have nothing to say on this.'

However, a spokesman for Hicks was less equivocal.

He said: 'Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett remain fully committed to the club.

'Any suggestion that Messrs Hicks and Gillett are contemplating a sale of the club or any portion thereof to DIC or anyone else is categorically untrue.'

Liverpool will step out on Monday for their Barclays Premier League home game with Aston Villa with their minds focused just as much on beating non-league Havant and Waterlooville five days later.

By the time the troubled Reds walk out at Anfield, they expect to be even further adrift of the top three.

Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all play tomorrow away to teams in the bottom half of the table - Reading, Fulham and Birmingham respectively.

So no-one would be surprised if the gap between Liverpool and the top spot is a massive 15 points by then, with the Gunners and Chelsea also pulling further away from the Anfield men.

And that would even further reduce the chances of the Merseysiders making even a dramatic last-ditch bid to stay in the hunt.

But less than a week later, Liverpool are at home to the little Hampshire club in the FA Cup fourth round, a game they surely will win to keep themselves at least with the hope of one domestic honour this term.

The future ownership of the club will still hang like a dark cloud over Anfield, and boss Rafael Benitez knows that he must keep his side in with a chance of winning something.

But even the ever-optimistic Jamie Carragher, who made his 500th appearance for the club in the midweek cup win over Luton, knows time is up on the title bid.

He said: 'We are not stupid. You never throw the towel in, but for us to get back into contention for the title we would have to have an unbelievable second half to the season.

'And the rest would have to have an unbelievably bad second half to the campaign. We realize our best chance of silverware is the cup competitions. That is why they are so important.'

Liverpool need to beat Villa to maintain their hopes of a fourth-place finish and a Champions League spot, now clearly the minimum requirement for Benitez.

And Carragher insists that the players must not allow themselves to be affected by what is happening off the field at Liverpool. He said: 'You have to be strong mentally to play for Liverpool. Things happen off the pitch but you do not let it affect you.'

Miller: Liverpool's Subs Must Prove Themselves

Liverpool training coach Alex Miller has warned Liverpool's forgotten men that they'll need to improve on the practice pitch if they're to fight their way back into the team.

Speaking to LiverpoolFC.tv, first-team coach Alex Miller told Anfield's fringe players to do their utmost to get back into the side.

In the aftermath of the fine win over Luton Town, he said, "Confidence had definitely dipped in recent weeks because personal performance had dipped – when one goes the other goes. It takes a player of extremely strong mentality to retain their confidence when they are not playing well.

"The players who played in the 5-0 will now have a lot of their confidence back and the players within the pool have to realise that the team won 5-0 and they weren't in it. They have to now perform to the best of their abilities on the training ground."

Additionally, he spoke of the need for a coherent style of play.

"The important thing at this club has always been the football and hopefully that's the way it will remain," added Miller.

"I think the players responded very well to the manager on Tuesday with a 5-0 victory and it's nice to get a few goals for the fans after recent results.

"Is the FA Cup our best chance of silverware? No, I don't think that because it depends on who you draw and where you draw them.

"The important thing here is that we don't believe we are out of the championship race yet. If we win our game in hand it will help, and we've got all the other top teams to play and it is up to us how we do in these games."

Two players whose first team places are all but assured are Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who are battling it out for the top scorer accolade this season. Who will prevail?

"I think you'd have to bet on Fernando because he's a forward and will get more scoring opportunities," mused Miller.

"Stevie is coming from deeper positions and not getting so many chances. But he can score from any angle or distance, as everybody knows.

"He's fantastic at coming on to the ball and is within the top players in the world at that."

Liverpool, Chelsea, Madrid, After Caceres

Liverpool and Chelsea have joined Real Madrid in the chase to sign Uruguayan centre back Martin Caceres, who has been in outstanding form for Recreativo Huelva this season.

Caceres, who is 20 years of age, joined Villarreal last season and was immediately loaned out to Recreativo Huelva. At the Decano, his impressive performances have attracted interest from a number of top European clubs.

Earlier in the week The Sun revealed that Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea are fighting for the signature of the talented youngster, while La Liga league leaders Real Madrid are hoping to lure him to the Spanish capital.

The highly-rated charrua is aware of the interest, and has explained that, while he is comfortable at Recreativo at the moment, he would be interested in a move elsewhere if it will be an improvement for his career.

Although the English clubs have shown huge interest in Caceres, Real Madrid seem to be the front-runners to secure his services.

Sources indicate that the asking price for the former Defensor Sporting centre back is around 13 million euros.

Liverpool FC Deal Soon, Amount May Change

The keenly awaited refinancing of British soccer club Liverpool FC is set to be closed before the end of February, a source familiar with the deal said on Thursday.

The 300 million pound ($589 million) debt refinancing, expected to be completed by the end of November, has been delayed amid turmoil in the credit markets.

Banks, facing multi-billion pound losses linked to the U.S. sub-prime crisis, have tightened up lending, or are charging more to assume risk.

The deal will go ahead, although it may not include an additional amount, of about 40 million pounds, earmarked for the start of building a new stadium, the source said.

Liverpool's debt facility with Royal Bank of Scotland, taken out by U.S. billionaires Tom Hicks and George Gillett to acquire the club, expires in February.

Wachovia Corp, the fourth-largest U.S. bank, is arranging the refinancing.

Riise Firmly Behind Rafa

Liverpool star John Arne Riise has expressed his disappointment at the treatment being dished out on Rafa Benitez by the club's increasingly unpopular American owners.

The Spanish manager’s already tenuous relationship with his bosses was further fractured by the curious decision by Reds co-owner Tom Hicks to reveal that he had lined up Jürgen Klinsmann as a replacement back in November. Whatever the motivation behind the admission, it has only served to undermine Benitez publicly, as well as to rally the fans and players even more strongly behind their manager.

"It is sad that he (Benitez) has to experience what he has right now." said Riise. "The only way we can help him is by getting good results, to give him more confidence (from the owners)."

Benitez also would have been pleased and proud to receive the vociferous backing of an Anfield full house during the FA Cup third-round replay on Tuesday, as his name rang out before during and even a few minutes after the 5-0 demolition job.

The former Valencia coach's position at Liverpool has been the focal point of intense speculation over the last few months after his much-publicised row with the American owners over the club's transfer policy. It is now increasingly evident that clear-the-air talks held in December only resulted in temporarily sweeping the problem under the carpet.

Carragher Doubts Pool's Title Chances

Liverpool thrashed lowly Luton 5-0 in their FA Cup third round replay to seal their first win in five. Nevertheless, captain on the night Jamie Carragher has admitted that his side are out of this season's league title race.

Liverpool are way off the pace in the league after a succession of draws and many of the Anfield faithful are disillusioned following manager Rafael Benitez's heavy spending in the summer transfer window and the club's subsequent failure to progress.

Benitez's future has been cast in doubt in the past few weeks for various reasons, and matters on the field are equally unpredictable.

Carragher, who was made captain for the Luton game in honour of his 500th appearance for the club, was honest in his assessment of the Reds' title chances.

He said: "Only time will tell. I haven't got a clue."

Though behind his manager, there was a subtle jibe that he, like many of the fans, would prefer domestic success in the league to cup runs in Europe, as has been Benitez's priority during his Anfield tenure.

"It doesn't look like it is going to be this season," he admitted. "He [Benitez] has done very well but the league is the one we want."

"[It] would be lovely [to win the title] before I finish of course."

Carragher refused to excuse Liverpool's ability to keep pace due to lack of transfer funds.

"It makes it more difficult, the spending power of other clubs, but you only have to look at Arsenal – they don't spend the big money and they have won a lot under Arsène Wenger," he mused.

As is his style on the pitch, he remained defiant and determined that the side would fight in all competitions until the last day of the season.

"We are not stupid, you never throw the towel in but for us to get back into contention for the title we would have to have an unbelievable second half to the season and the rest would have to have an unbelievably bad second half," he declared. "We realise our best chance of silverware is the cup competitions. That's why they are so important."

Liverpool are fourth in the Barclays Premier League, 12 points off leaders Manchester United.

Prandelli Lined Up As Benitez’s Successor?

Cesare Prandelli has sparked speculation that he could be set to succeed Rafa Benitez as manager of Liverpool.

It is widely expected that Benitez will not be on the Liverpool bench at the start of next season due to his frosty relationship with the club’s American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Hicks recently revealed that they had approached Jurgen Klinsmann about possibly replacing Benitez if the Spaniard left.

"We attempted to negotiate an option as an insurance policy to have him [Klinsmann] become manager if Rafael left for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the press - or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason," Hicks said.

Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli, who is one of Italy’s best coaches, was asked about the possibility of him taking over at Liverpool, to which he replied: "In football never say never."

Prandelli is preparing his side for this evening’s Coppa Italia second leg tie against Ascoli in Florence. The scores are 1-1 from the first leg.

“We want to win tonight against Ascoli and get through first of all,” Prandelli explained to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“We can go far in this competition. I will play players who haven’t had much of a run recently and hope that they will make my future selections tough for me. Anyone who is picked will demonstrate what it means to be a Fiorentina player.”

Havant Heading To Anfield

Non-league Havant & Waterlooville booked a dream trip to Anfield after shocking League One leaders Swansea in their FA Cup third-round replay.

In an action packed game, the Blue Square South side stormed into a three-goal lead through Garry Monk's own goal and strikes from Jamie Collins and Rocky Baptiste.

Swansea hit back through Guillem Bauza and Jason Scotland but it was Tom Jordan who sealed a fourth-round clash with Liverpool on 65 minutes.

The Hawks were ahead after just four minutes when Mo Harkin's curling cross was headed past his own goalkeeper by Monk.

And Havant grabbed a second on 25 minutes when an unmarked Collins poked home Brett Poate's corner.

Incredibly on 37 minutes Baptiste made it three after tapping in from Richard Pacquette's cross-shot.

Bauza pulled one back straight away with a brilliant 25-yard strike before Leon Britton saw his penalty saved by Kevin Scriven after Bauza had been brought down in the area.

The drama did not let up in the second half with Scotland tapping in after Bauza hit the post.

But despite Swansea piling on the pressure, Jordan grabbed the decisive fourth when he headed in Poate's cross.

Roberto Martinez's side struck the woodwork through Thomas Butler and Britton but it was Havant's night.

More Trouble At Liverpool - Reports

The future of Liverpool and their American owners has once again been cast in doubt amid fresh reports of financial trouble.

The Independent reports that Tom Hicks and George Gillett are at loggerheads with the rest of the club's board.

The cause of the dispute is the way in which the pair plan to refinance the loan with which they secured ownership of Liverpool last year. The loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland is due to be repaid at the end of next month and, rather than inject their own money, Hicks and Gillett are intent on securing a second loan of around £350m to pay off the first.

'The businessmen want to put the new debt directly on to Liverpool's books, guaranteed, crucially, against club assets, not their own,' reports newspaper.

The club's board are understandably aghast at this proposal, not least because it directly contravenes the American's pledge not to plunge the club in 'Glazer-style' debt. 'Now, it seems, that is exactly what they were planning. Neither has spent any of their own cash yet. Unless they guarantee the new loans with their own money - which they may be unwilling or unable to provide - the impasse will continue,' says the newspaper.

With neither party willing to budge, a sale becomes increasingly likely. The newspaper cites a 'major football financier' claiming that 'Hicks and Gillett had agreed a deal in principle to sell the club for £350m, and that a process of due diligence was under way.'

Benitez Focuses On Victory

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez refused to be drawn over his future with the club, after watching the Reds beat Luton Town 5-0 in an FA Cup third round replay at Anfield.

Comments from co-owner Tom Hicks about an approach to Jurgen Klinsmann hit the headlines earlier on in the week, but Benitez focused solely on his side's victory over the Hatters.

Benitez told Sky Sports: "We weren't really thinking about it because we know it's important to progress in the FA Cup.

"I was not thinking too much about this, I was thinking about the game. I'm really happy because we won 5-0 and progressed in the competition.

"We knew it would be difficult to score the first goal, but afterwards it would be an open game.

"We had a lot of chances and they worked really hard with a lot of players behind the ball. We were trying to do our job and they were trying to do theirs."

Tom Hicks Is 'Undermining' Rafa Benitez, Says Alan Hansen

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks’ admission that he held talks with Jurgen Klinsmann can only “undermine” manager Rafael Benitez.

That is the verdict of former Liverpool star Alan Hansen, who is at a loss as to why Hicks went public on the situation.

In his column on the BBC Sport website, Hansen said: “I haven’t got a clue why he has come out and said this.

“Maybe the story was going to come out and he thought he’d be better off making a statement first.

“Whichever way you look at it though, these events cannot do anything but undermine manager Rafael Benitez.

“His position is not untenable, but for one of the owners to come out and publicly say he had talks with the man who was heavily linked with Benitez’s job - well, it puts even more pressure on the Spaniard.

“Insurance policy or whatever Hicks wants to call it, the fact is he met Klinsmann and offered him the job if Benitez went, which is remarkable.”

Liverpool Anger As Hicks Reveals Secret Approach To Klinsmann

Tom Hicks's admission that Jürgen Klinsmann was approached to succeed Rafael Benítez has spread internal division at Liverpool into the boardroom, with the other co-chairman, George Gillett, and the chief executive, Rick Parry, enraged by the public revelations which have undermined the Spanish manager and exposed the Americans' ownership to ridicule.

Hicks had intended to draw a line under the uncertainty about Benítez's future - at least until the end of the season - by saying that although he had spoken to Klinsmann last November he now backed Liverpool's current manager after the club qualified for the Champions League knockout stages. Instead the Texan has fuelled the infighting at Anfield as well as damaging Benítez's long-term prospects at the club.

Gillett is understood to be livid with his business partner at the embarrassment the Klinsmann revelations have caused and the fury it has provoked against their reign among the Liverpool support. It is not the meeting with the former Germany national team coach which has irked Gillett, however, because he himself was present at Hicks's Californian retreat when the Liverpool owners tried to secure their "insurance policy" against Benítez's rumoured departure. Klinsmann has since accepted an offer to coach Bayern Munich from July 1 and Gillett had intended the clandestine meeting to remain private.

The falling-out comes at a sensitive time for the Liverpool co-chairmen, given that they have six weeks to secure a £350m loan that would refinance their purchase of the club and enable work on a revised stadium project to commence. Failure to finalise a deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland and the US investment bank Wachovia, which rests on personal guarantees from the American pair, would heighten problems for Gillett and Hicks and increase the prospect of Dubai International Capital launching a fresh takeover bid. Sources close to the owners, however, are adamant the loan will be in place within the next few weeks.

Benítez could sue Hicks for constructive dismissal after this week's comments but he would have to resign from a job he cherishes before taking legal action and he is not considering that option at present. He would also risk losing a £6m pay-off should he walk away from Anfield.

Liverpool's former manager Kenny Dalglish yesterday insisted Benítez did not deserve to be treated so poorly for his public outburst against the Americans' transfer policy last November and said instability at the club had begun to affect the playing staff. "I think it's a disappointing phase when Liverpool, who have never washed the dirty linen in public, have contributed over the past two or three months to a lot of headlines which really you had never seen before," he said.

Steven Gerrard: We Must Start Making The Right Headlines Again

Steven Gerrard admits Liverpool must ensure they command the headlines for the right reasons after helping the Anfield outfit into the fourth round of the FA Cup last night.

The midfielder netted a hat-trick as Coca-Cola League One outfit Luton Town were overwhelmed 5-0 in their third round replay.

Ryan Babel and Sami Hyypia were also on target to secure Liverpool a home fourth round tie against Swansea City or non-league side Havant and Waterlooville on Saturday week.

Last night’s game came after the admission from the club’s co-owner Tom Hicks that Jurgen Klinsmann had been approached in November with a view to taking over from manager Rafael Benitez.

But Gerrard believes the players are focused on winning games to help ease the uncertainty at Anfield.

“A lot was said in the media about the club so it was important that the headlines were about the football and a good win,” said Gerrard, who now has 15 goals for the season.

“We’re aware of it (the off-field situation), every time we pick up a paper or switch on the TV, so it’s important we stay focused on winning football matches.

“It’s not particularly about the manager, it’s about the team, about progressing into the fourth round, so we’re happy we’ve done that.

“It’s important we keep winning football matches and making sure the only headlines are about football and not what’s happening off the pitch.”

Benitez would not be drawn on the revelations of the past few days, instead choosing to focus on the backing offered to him by the Anfield crowd last night.

“The supporters were amazing as always,” he said. “I was really pleased with them, and I don’t really need to say anything else because they are fantastic.”

Of questions on his future, Benitez added: “I know you must ask about this, but I prefer to enjoy the day; we have won 5-0 and progressed in the FA Cup and had a good day.

“I would like to talk about the performance on the pitch and that means the team is winning games. I am really pleased to be here.”

Gerrard handed over the captain’s armband last night to Jamie Carragher, who was celebrating his 500th appearance for Liverpool.

The two teams formed a guard of honour to welcome the centre-back on to the pitch before the game, with the defender’s son James the Liverpool mascot for the evening.

And Benitez said: “There were celebrations tonight for Carra’s 500th game, but the players were concentrating on doing a professional job and did very well.

“The FA Cup has always been important for us. We will try to progress and win the competition if we can.”

It took Liverpool until the stroke of half-time to break down a stubborn Luton rearguard with Babel’s opener, and Benitez said: “We knew that we needed to score and early goal and open the game up.

“We couldn’t do that and Luton defended well and we had a lot of opportunities, but as soon as we scored the first goal the game opened up and it was easier for us.

“The supporters enjoyed the game. We scored five goals, Carra celebrated his 500th game and Gerrard got a hat-trick, so it was really good.”

After criticism of his team selection in the 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road in the original tie last week, Benitez fielded a strong line-up that included both Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

And the manager explained: “We will play against Villa on Monday so there is plenty of time to rest the players before then. You know my idea is to protect the players and keep them with fresh legs, and we can do that.”

Luton manager Kevin Blackwell admitted his patched-up side were outclassed but he was proud of the way his players performed against a team he feels could win the competition.

He said: “There is no doubt they (Liverpool) have ability in abundance and have done exceptionally well for Rafa. It was an awesome team they put out. Clearly they have done a great job for the manager.”

Blackwell announced last week he would be leaving the cash-strapped club next month, but despite news of a potential deal to safeguard the future of the Hatters, he insisted he had not thought about changing his mind.

He said: “I don’t know what is around the corner.”

LiverpooL 5 - 0 Luton Town

Under-pressure Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez saw his side ease their way into the fourth round of the FA Cup thanks to a hat-trick from Steven Gerrard.

League one Luton collapsed in tonight's replay at Anfield after going behind to a late first-half goal from Ryan Babel.

Sami Hyypia was also on the scoresheet to give Benitez some breathing space after the shock revelation that Jurgen Klinsmann had been sounded out about the possibility of becoming the club's next manager.

Benitez selected a strong side, knowing defeat was not an option after the shock admission from co-owner Tom Hicks.

Jamie Carragher was named captain on his 500th appearance for the club while Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso were also in from the start.

Luton received a boost ahead of the game with the news a deal had been agreed with a consortium led by television presenter Nick Owen to buy the club.

The Kop made their feelings know about the manager from the start with chants of "Rafael Benitez" ringing around the ground.

Jermaine Pennant split the Luton defence after three minutes and found Gerrard. He raced forward but was crowded out.

Pennant then found Peter Crouch three minutes later, only for the striker to miss a good chance, heading wide from close range when it seemed easier to score.

Babel almost gave Liverpool the lead in the ninth minute after being released by Gerrard.

He beat goalkeeper Dean Brill with a curling shot from 20 yards but his superb effort came back off the post.

Then Crouch hooked the ball high over the crossbar following a cross from Gerrard and Torres followed suit in the 14th minute.

Liverpool, as expected, were running the show and Babel again came close in the 17th minute when his effort was blocked by Richard Jackson.

Luton were making a decent fist of it after shipping out a number of players in the past week.

Despite their lowly status, the third-tier club were being backed by a good number of supporters, who made themselves heard.

Babel was wasteful in the 38th minute when he sent his effort over the crossbar from the edge of the area after Crouch had played the ball back to him.

Veteran Luton defender Don Hutchison then launched himself at a shot from Gerrard on the stroke of half-time to make a clearance.

The breakthrough finally came in first-half stoppage time when Babel rifled a shot beyond Brill and into the corner after being released by Torres.

Alonso tried his luck straight from the kick off by trying to lob Brill but the goalkeeper was alert to the danger.

John Arne Riise strode forward for Liverpool in the 51st minute, only for his effort from distance to finish wide.

Gerrard made it 2-0 a minute later when he headed in from close range after Crouch flicked on a cross from Pennant.

Liverpool raised the tempo and Torres saw his shot deflected to safety by Kevin Keane in the 56th minute.

They extended their lead a minute later after Gerrard swung in a corner from the left.

Hyypia claimed the goal although Luton defender Matthew Spring seemed to get a touch at the last minute.

Gerrard scored his second of the game and made it 4-0 in the 64th minute, stroking the ball into the corner.

It came after Hutchison had only partially cleared a shot from Torres inside the area.

Gerrard completed his hat-trick in the 72nd minute with a thumping 30-yard drive that wrong-footed Brill after being set up by Riise.

Substitute Dirk Kuyt should have made it 6-0 only to head wide from close range 10 minutes later following a cross from Pennant.

Luton were happy to play out time but at least the cash-strapped club have the promise of a financial windfall and new owners.

Liverpool, meanwhile, can now look forward to a visit from either Swansea or non-league Havant and Waterlooville.

FA Cup Preview: Liverpool vs. Luton

League One strugglers Luton Town travel to Anfield for their lucrative FA Cup third round replay against Liverpool.

You could virtually copy and paste the previews of Liverpool’s last two matches, for nothing has changed. Off the field politics continues to play a prominent yet unwanted role. On the field the Reds look lethargic, drawing games against lesser sides and relying as always on the exceptional Fernando Torres to dig them out of holes.

Two more points were dropped against Middlesbrough on Saturday – the first half was particularly shambolic, something Liverpool fans have almost resigned themselves to as their side’s stuttering start to 2008 (three 1-1 draws) continues.

The gap to leaders Manchester United is now 12pts, but the bitter truth is that Liverpool’s rivals are no longer United, Arsenal and Chelsea, but actually Everton, Manchester City and Aston Villa. As far as the Premier League goes, the aim must now realistically be fourth spot, a step backwards from previous seasons.

Nobody knows what will transpire at Anfield in the summer (you have to question the sense in Hicks making public his approach to Jürgen Klinsmann, a move that has strongly undermined Benítez) but Liverpool need trophies to appease their owners and, most crucially, the fans.

Thus this FA Cup replay against Luton Town just got a whole lot more important. Supporters expect the Reds to win Tuesday night’s game at Anfield, but it is the manner of the win that is significant. Hitting the League One strugglers for four or five will yield greater satisfaction and boost squad morale far more than a drab 1-0.

This may be a game against inferior opposition, but it remains an opportunity for those not named Torres or Gerrard to step up to the plate.

Convention says a win is better than a draw, but for Luton Town, a club on the brink of insolvency, nothing could have been finer than the 1-1 FA Cup draw with giants Liverpool nine days ago. John Arne Riise’s own goal gave the Hatters that all important equaliser, earning them a lucrative rematch at Anfield and a windfall of up to £500,000.

It all helps, but until a buyer is found this continues to be a club in dire straits. The latest setback occurred as boss Kevin Blackwell tendered his resignation. Unlike a well known brand of quick drying wood stain, Blackwell stated that Luton Town “did not do what it said on the tin.”

Disillusioned with the club's predicament, Blackwell released a statement last Friday: "We have ended up managing a squad of players who do not know if they are being paid or have a future with the football club,” he said. “It is now our belief that no possible future scenario for this club can match in any way shape or form what we came here to do.

"Ironically we no longer have contracts that would require us to give notice but we are acutely aware that just to walk away would simply add to the short-term problems. We will therefore continue work under our basic terms and conditions for approximately one month, leaving the club after home game against Bournemouth on February 9th."

The final straw proved to be a broken promise that nobody would be sold before the Liverpool rematch. As it is, star players David Edwards (Wolves) and Chris Coyne (Colchester) have been cashed in, with three others out on loan and further bids placed for Brill, Calvin and Talbott – all of whom started against Liverpool last weekend – being considered.



FORM GUIDE

Liverpool

Middlesbrough - Liverpool 1 - 1 12/01/2008 PREMIER LEAGUE
Luton - Liverpool 1 - 1 06/01/2008 FA CUP
Liverpool - Wigan Athletic 1 - 1 02/01/2008 PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester City - Liverpool 0 - 0 30/12/2007 PREMIER LEAGUE
Derby - Liverpool 1 - 2 26/12/2007 PREMIER LEAGUE
Liverpool - Portsmouth 4 - 1 22/12/2007 PREMIER LEAGUE



Luton

Luton - Swansea 1 - 3 12/01/2008 LEAGUE ONE
Luton - Liverpool 1 - 1 06/01/2008 FA CUP
Luton - Yeovil 1 - 0 01/01/2008 LEAGUE ONE
Port Vale - Luton 1 - 2 29/12/2007 LEAGUE ONE
Bristol Rovers - Luton 1 - 1 26/12/2007 LEAGUE ONE
Luton - Tranmere 1 - 0 22/12/2007 LEAGUE ONE




TEAM NEWS

Liverpool

It’s fantasy Rafa time once again as we try to guess Benítez’ team selection. Inevitably enough, rotation should be the order of the day in a game that should not need Gerrard or Torres to be won. Jamie Carragher will captain the Reds in his 500th matchMartin Skrtel may gain his first taste of English football but Daniel Agger has suffered another injury setback. Ryan Babel could return to the side after impressing as a substitute against Middlesbrough, while Peter Crouch and Dirk Kuyt look likely to start up front.


Luton

The Hatters really are in deep trouble as Blackwell has revealed players may pull out of the match for fear of getting injured and scuppering potential transfers elsewhere. Members of the squad have received just four-and-a-half weeks' wages in three months. New captain Chris Perry is a doubt with a thigh strain, but more worryingly so is goalkeeper Dean Brill - the club have no fit reserve. Matthew Spring returns from suspension and Sam Parkin from a long-term injury.




PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool – Peter Crouch

Crouch appears to have become fourth choice striker at Anfield now as he jostles with Voronin and Kuyt for the right to partner Torres in the big games. Looking at the stats gives you an inclination as to why: midway through January, Crouch has yet to score a goal in the Premier League.

The big man was left out again at Middlesbrough, but the last of this season’s five goals was against Luton in the original third round tie. This may predominantly be a game for the Reds’ second-string but with Kuyt and Voronin also misfiring the England international must take his chances to convince Benítez of his worth.

Luton – The whole team

Desperate times call for innovative measures... recommending readers keep an eye out for Luton Town during this difficult time. The club appears to be on its last legs but all fans of football must hope a buyer is found and the Hatters' future secured. As the world's richest teams become increasingly financially and sportingly dominant it is easy to forget about the trials and tribulations of those beyond the Premiership.

Rush: Red Faces All Round

Liverpool are in danger of becoming a laughing stock under the ownership of George Gillett and Tom Hicks, according to Kop legend Ian Rush.

Rush accused the American tycoons of undermining the great traditions at Anfield after they admitted lining up Jurgen Klinsmann to replace Rafael Benitez as manager.

"Now people are going to say the club is a laughing stock," said Rush, who scored a record 346 goals in 640 Liverpool appearances.

He added in The Sun: "In many ways, you can understand that because this is not the way Liverpool normally do things.

"The tradition of the club - and the very thing that has made them so hugely respected throughout the world - is to do everything in-house, not out in the open like this.

"Look at Newcastle - we certainly don't want to get like that. That's just change for the sake of it. With Harry Redknapp turning them down, it's just going to drag on and on. That doesn't help anyone.

"Now we all know that in football these days there's only one winner - the owners.

"But admitting that Klinsmann was approached is poor timing and puts a lot more pressure on Rafa.

"It's not just upsetting for Rafa but for the players and the fans as well. Everything seemed to be dying down a bit but now it's all been blown up again."

Benitez fell out with Gillett and Hicks towards the end of last year over the clubs transfer policy and the co-owners claim their fear the Spaniard would walk away prompted them to seek "an insurance policy" in the shape of Klinsmann.

They also said they wanted to learn more about English and European football from Klinsmann, who had two spells at Tottenham as a player.

But Rush questioned their motives, insisting Benitez knew far more about both areas of the game than the German.

The former striker fears Benitez will now be seen as "a dead man walking" but urged Gillett and Hicks to give him until the summer to show progress was being made at Anfield.

Liverpool Seek Cup Win While Luton Happy With The Cash

Jamie Carragher will captain Liverpool on his 500th appearance for the club when they face Luton Town in an FA Cup third-round replay at Anfield on Tuesday.

The Reds should end a poor run of four successive draws when they face the League One (third division) side, who surprisingly held them to a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road nine days ago.

Since then the financial problems which have forced Luton into adminstration this season have bitten even deeper with several players having left and manager Kevin Blackwell announcing that he will be departing next month.

At least impoverished Luton should bank around 500,000 pounds ($980,600) from the match. The only result beleaguered Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez wants is a resounding win to help quash, for a while, the never-ending speculation surrounding his position.

Tuesday's only all-Premier League replay is at the Madejski Stadium where Reading face Tottenham Hotspur for the third time in 18 days following their 6-4 league defeat at White Hart Lane on Dec 29 and their 2-2 Cup draw there the following week.

Two Premier League sides are on a hiding to nothing with Fulham visiting League One club Bristol Rovers and Derby County, with only one league win all season, facing Sheffield Wednesday of the Championship.

Benitez - We Must Do Better

Rafa Benitez believes that Liverpool need to improve if they are to get anything from this season, starting in the FA Cup third round replay against Luton on Tuesday night.

The Spaniard has seen his side record four consecutive draws in all competitions and are yet to post a victory in 2008.

The disappointing cup draw at Kenilworth Road was followed up by another 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough on Saturday, a result which leaves the Reds 12 points behind leaders Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title.

Benitez is well aware that performances must improve quickly and has challenged his players to show their quality over the next few weeks.

"We know we must improve," he told the club's official website.

"Clearly we talked about this after the game, but the players know when we have played badly.

"The mentality and the attitude must always be 100 per cent commitment, must always be 100 per cent for winning from the first minute. We must think about this.

"All of us need to improve. The players know that some players are playing well and scoring goals, so we need to see the other players doing what they were doing at the beginning of the season when we were scoring goals from everywhere.

"The players and the staff know we must play better and give the fans more. We will try and do that against Luton at Anfield.

"The quality is there. We were playing some fantastic football at the beginning of the season and also in some of the Champions League games. The football is there, but maybe it's a little bit of confidence that we need at the moment.

"When you have chances and you don't score, everybody starts talking about how we got another draw, so the players can maybe lose confidence.

"But it's simple how you can change this: winning, scoring goals and playing well."

Hicks Confirms Klinsmann Talks

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has cast more doubt over Rafa Benitez's future at Anfield after confirming the club lined up a move for Jurgen Klinsmann before the German moved to Bayern Munich.

Benitez's position at Liverpool has been the subject of virtually constant speculation ever since his row with Hicks and fellow co-owner George Gillett.

During that time, Klinsmann was strongly linked with a move to Liverpool with the American pair believed to be big admirers of the former Germany coach.

And Hicks has now sensationally admitted that the tried to negotiate an option to bring the former Tottenham hero to Anfield as a replacement for Benitez.

He told the Liverpool Echo: "We attempted to negotiate an option, as an insurance policy, to have him become manager if Rafa left for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the UK press."

"Or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason."

Benitez has played down the rumours over his future saying he is happy at Anfield, but Hicks' comments could see the Spaniard's position become untenable.

Hicks does, however, insist Benitez does now have his full support.

He added: "After George and I had our long and productive meeting with Rafa following the Man United match, we put all of our issues behind us and received Rafa's commitment that he wanted to stay with Liverpool.

"We never reached agreement on an option with Jurgen, and we are both pleased for him that he has a great opportunity to return to Germany and coach a great club team.

"Rafa has both of our support, and our communication has greatly improved."

Lawro: Liverpool Promises Don't Ring True

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson says the actions of the club's co-owners are "very very strange" after it was revealed they met Jurgen Klinsmann.

American investor Tom Hicks had talks with the former Germany boss, but insists that was an "insurance option" should Rafa Benitez leave for Real Madrid.

Mirror columnist Lawro, a stalwart of the famous Liverpool sides of the 1980s, believes Hicks and business partner George Gillett are making some poor decisions.

He said: "I just find some of the things they are doing are very very strange indeed.

"They have wanted Klinsmann to say: 'I will take the job if Benitez goes', which is strange in itself. Because how would that come about?

"Their actions are very, very difficult to work out and I think the majority of Liverpool fans are looking at this and thinking it doesn't bode well for the future."

Lawrenson believes Benitez's response to the news could go either way. He added: "Benitez could say: 'That's out of order' and walk or he could turn around and get on with things - it's purely down to his reaction."

Supporters have already marched through the streets of the city this season to back their beleaguered manager, and Lawrenson added: "The vast majority of Liverpool fans are pro-Benitez. I think they will be even more so against Luton."

"When these two Americans took over the club, it was supposed to be a brand new dawn, a new stadium was on the way, etc, etc, etc but something just doesn't ring true - I sometimes think the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing."

Hyypia: End The Speculation About Rafa's Reds Future

It is about time the onging speculation concerning the future of Rafael Beneitez as Liverpool manager was ended once and for all by an unequivocal statement from the club. That is the view of Sami Hyypia, the long-serving Liverpool central defender.

Sami Hyypia believes the persistent uncertainty surrounding Benitez's position at Anfield is undermining the club and should be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Last autumn's row between Benitez and club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks sparked widespread speculation that he Spaniard's days at Anfield were now numbered.

And Hyypia for one is fed up with the incessant rumours - not least because he believes it is affecting the whole team.

Liverpool's performances and results in recent weeks have been distinctly below par, and Finnish international Hyypia has urged the club's hierarchy to resolve the situation regarding the manager so that Liverpool can get their season back on track befoire it is too late.

"We seem to be becoming like Newcastle," Hyypia told The Mirror.

"Every time we pick up a paper, there seems to be something new. But our job is to concentrate on the games.

"In the football world there are some things that happen very quickly and you can't do anything about them. The players hope that if there are arguments, they can be sorted out."

On a more positive note, Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt is backing his Spanih team-mate, Fernando Torres, to win this season's Player of the Year award.

Torres underlined his value again on Saturday when he produced a stunning 25-yard effort that salvaged a 1-1 draw for Liverpool against Middlesbrough.

It was the 17th goal of his first season in English football.

Kuyt does admit, however, that Liverpool have become too reliant on Torres and captain Steven Gerrard to provide the goals this season. Those two have scored 18 of the Reds' 35 League goals.

"Torres is having an unbelievable season especially as he's coming from a foreign country and not speaking English very well," said Kuyt.

"He's definitely a quality player and one of the best players in the League at the moment. He's one of the best in Europe.

"He's got everything, he's really quick and he's got a good finish and great ability. He's frightening for defenders to deal with.

"Definitely Fernando and Stevie G have a chance to be footballers of the year. They've done really good things this year for Liverpool."

Atlético Open Sissoko Talks With Liverpool

Atlético de Madrid have contacted Liverpool with a view to signing Mohamed Sissoko during the window transfer window as Maniche prepares to leave.

Los Colchoneros' coach Javier Aguirre has always insisted that he would only sign players if other leave and a change of midfielders now looks to be on the cards.

Marca believe that Atlético have been met with a favourable response after enquiring about Sissoko and a deal could be negotiated this week.

Maniche is on the verge of completing a loan move to Inter and that will free up a space as Aguirre sticks to his strict policy of having a 24-man squad.

Sissoko looked set to be joining Juventus and he had said publicly that he believed the deal would go through, but La Vecchia Signora now appear to have pulled out.

Inter have also been linked with the Mali international, but that appears to be an unlikely proposition with Maniche joining.

Liverpool and Atleti have a good relationship after lengthy talks last summer about the transfer of Fernando Torres brought the clubs closer together.

Another factor in the Spanish side's decision to try and sign Sissoko is the recommendation of Jesús García Pitarch who was instrumental in signing him for Valencia from Auxerre in 2003.

Pitarch now works for Atlético and has advised the board and coach about the technical characteristics that the midfielder will bring to the side.

Rafael Benitez On Collision Course With Owners

It was a throwaway remark but it carried within it a damning indictment. "We seem to be becoming like Newcastle," said Liverpool's veteran centre-half, Sami Hyypia. "Every time you pick up a paper, there seems to be something new."

The papers Rafael Benitez would have picked up in the team hotel in Yorkshire on Saturday morning contained leaks from Bayern Munich that their newly appointed manager, Jurgen Klinsmann, had been offered his job.

The relationship between the owners of Anfield and their manager continues to corrode like the rusting bits of steel you still stumble upon in this part of Teesside.

With its horizons framed by the black Cleveland Hills and refinery chimneys, Liverpool have never enjoyed the Riverside Stadium and, as if to emphasise it, their bus was involved in an accident on its journey to a scene of regular crashes. Under Roy Evans, Liverpool were swept away in a League Cup semi-final here and four years later, in November 2002, their last credible title challenge began to come adrift at the Riverside when Gareth Southgate stuck home a loose ball. Liverpool, hitherto unbeaten, did not win again for another two months.

For Gerard Houllier it marked the beginning of the end and until Fernando Torres scored Liverpool's first goal on Teesside for six years, you might have said the same for Benitez.

Hyypia, like virtually all footballers, knows that the politicking between boardroom and dug-out is outside their orbit and perhaps their understanding. "We have to keep concentrating on the game," he remarked, something Liverpool have not been doing well lately. "That is our job. In the football world, some things happen very quickly and you can't do anything about them. If there are some arguments, the players hope they can be sorted out."

The only men who can sort it out - with a single statement confirming that Benitez will continue to manage Liverpool at least until the end of the season - were not at Middlesbrough. Had they been, George Gillett and Tom Hicks would have noted a vast banner carrying a picture of the Boro chairman, Steve Gibson, who was hailed as, "One of Us". The Americans, even if they decide not to sell out to Dubai, are unlikely to see anything similar at Anfield.

Yet there is evidence that the drip-drip of uncertainty has begun to seep into the dressing room, however much the players might fix their gaze at the pitch. The unease surrounding Benitez broke to the surface in Liverpool's last game in the North-East - the 3-0 demolition of Newcastle that exposed the full inadequacies of Sam Allardyce's regime - when Benitez accused Hicks and Gillett of not understanding the transfer system.

Since then, Liverpool have lost to Reading, Manchester United and Chelsea and stumbled to four straight draws, each more unconvincing than the last. And to underline football's perversity, Liverpool have also produced the kind of great escape in the Champions League they so rarely conjure up domestically.

Southgate is fortunate to be in the employment of a man who is reluctant to sack or panic and who has invested deeply in home-produced talent. "The game is crackers at the moment so Rafa's situation doesn't surprise me," he said.

The Middlesbrough manager had his own problems. Illness threatened to deprive him of both Mark Schwarzer and Gary O'Neil and injury did for Jonathan Woodgate, whom he would have needed against Torres. Instead, David Wheater, another young product of the Middlesbrough academy, largely shackled a striker who even at 23 is approaching greatness. Wheater had spent last season on loan at Darlington and confessed that this felt like more than just a point. To Liverpool it would have felt much, much less.

Juventus Pull Out Of Sissoko Race

Unsettled Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko’s protracted move to Italian-giants Juventus appears to have fallen through after club president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli admitted that the Turin giants were unlikely to make any signings during the January transfer window.

Sissoko, who has fallen out of favour with current Liverpool incumbent Rafa Benitez, looked likely to complete his move to the Serie A side after admitting on Thursday that a conclusion to the deal was “very close”, with his manager adding that The Reds were just waiting for the “right club and the right offer” before the 22-year old could leave Anfield.

Even Rafa Benitez admitted that he was trying to find a solution for the Mali international after the 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough.

It was widely believed that Juventus’ manager Claudio Ranieri was keen on the athletic midfielder, but it now appears that they have withdrawn their interest and are satisfied with the squad they have available at the club.

Said Cobolli-Gigli: "Juventus will not make any acquisitions in the January transfer market. It's normal to dream of big players but, in order for dreams to come true, we need to wait for the right moment.”

While the Mali international’s ambition to play for the Italian side may have collapsed, he certainly won’t b e short of suitors if he does exit Merseyside, with reported interest from former club Valencia among others.

As for Juventus, the debate is on about Ranieri's continued support for Tiago Mendes, which is supposed to be the reason for the refusal to sign Sissoko.

The player is now being linked with Inter, who are also expected to sign Maniche on Monday.

Banks Set To Back ‘New Anfield’

Tom Hicks and George Gillett have moved closer to securing a bank deal that will allow them to press ahead with their ambitious plans for a 70,000-seat new stadium for Liverpool.

The Americans, who for several months have been locked in talks with Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia over a £350m refinancing loan, are now optimistic an agreement can be struck by the end of the month – and possibly as early as next week. The injection from the banks is necessary to cover the £270m of loans Hicks and Gillett took out to purchase Liverpool last February and help fund their new ground.

The Americans spent nine hours in New York on Tuesday with Rick Parry, Liverpool’s chief executive, discussing two rival architectural designs for ‘New Anfield’ and will make a decision on which option to take as soon as the package from the banks comes through. The Dallas-based company HKS produced a revised version of their original plans which were scrapped last month as the project became simply too expensive to proceed with, while Manchester-based AFL came up with their own proposals as the two firms went head to head.

Both companies were asked to produce a full set of proposals with detailed costings, designs, time scales and planning information. Parry says he was impressed by what he saw, but Liverpool are not yet willing to put their own deadline on when a decision will be made. Parry maintains, however, that whichever plan gets the nod it will produce an “excellent result”.

“We had two very detailed and very informative presentations which were very thorough and extremely professional,” he said. “It has been another big step forward to finding the best possible solution.”

Despite the snags over the new ground, and continued doubt over the future of team manager Rafa Benitez, Hicks and Gillett are adamant that they do not intend to sell the club and cut their losses, despite continuing speculation to the contrary.