Hicks Emerges With Little Credit But City Still Bank On Bellers

The bullish noises coming from Anfield last week that Liverpool is now on course to be the richest, most popular club in the world were tempered a little bit by their timing.

Having worked so hard to seal one of the most lucrative sponsorship deals around, Liverpool's owners would surely have been eager to have announced it a few weeks ago when Rafael Benitez might have been able to find some way to spend some money.

Instead, to the dismay of everyone at the club, Benitez was left with £1.5m to spend at the end of the summer when he had again shown his mastery of the transfer market by selling Xabi Alonso for £30m. Then, amazingly, a few weeks later, Liverpool announce they will be bringing in £80m over the next four years in a deal with Standard Chartered, which, appropriately given the club's financial situation, is a bank.

Of course, it came too late for Benitez to strengthen his squad but there is always January, by which time Liverpool may need to strengthen given their unpromising start to the season. Benitez will, of course, be blamed for this, even by those who should know better like Ronnie Whelan, who claimed on RTE last week that the side facing Debrecen had cost £250m and wondered why the manager had replaced Alonso with Alberto Aquilani who, as far as anyone can tell, has always been injured. The man he should ask is Tom Hicks.

With the transfer window closed, Hicks showed up last week to purr optimistically in his soothing Texan drawl.

If the Liverpool credo used to be that the club "exists to be a source of pride to its supporters -- It has no other purpose," Hicks has modernised that too.

"Our goal is to have less debt than any of the top clubs and that's a commitment we have made and will continue to make," Hicks said last week, an interesting statement considering the club was saddled with their current massive debt when he and George Gillett took over.

But Tom reappeared last week to make some new promises. With some reports questioning if Liverpool's new stadium would be built by 2018, Hicks made the right noises but pointed out that the "global financial markets" were not conducive to building anything right now.

When Tom Hicks took over Liverpool, the global financial markets were in love with guys like Tom Hicks and the new owners promised that the stadium would begin almost immediately, before deciding that they needed some new and impressive plans before anything could happen.

As they were working on those plans, the global financial markets that had been so kind to Tom Hicks imploded, thanks to men like Tom Hicks.

Tom now says he "doesn't know about the dates", a departure from a previous statement when he was able to give the date when the stadium would be built but not when it would be started.

Most of us would have assumed things worked the other way where a start date is set with a rough idea following of when the thing could be finished.

But then again most of us had no idea of the world of Tom Hicks until he came along, swiftly followed by the sub-prime credit crunch and the collapse of everything that was built on the highly leveraged philosophy. We would have assumed that to buy a club like Liverpool, you had to have a lot of money and we would have been wrong about that too. So we should say nothing.

We thought clubs were bought by people like the men who bought Manchester City, but Tom now says their plans to buy every good player they can is "unsustainable". When it comes to things being unsustainable, we should probably listen to Tom Hicks.

Benitez - Torres Will Get Better

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez believes Fernando Torres can get even better after watching his deadly striker score twice in a 3-2 win over West Ham.

A pulsating game in East London was decided by the Spaniard's second half header with just fifteen minutes left on the clock.

Torres opened the scoring in the 20th minute before West Ham's Alessandro Diamanti was fortunate to level from the penalty spot after slipping as he struck the ball.

Dirk Kuyt put Liverpool back in front four minutes before the break only for Carlton Cole to equalise for a second time on the stroke of half-time.

It was, though, Torres who had the final say and at the end of the game Benitez had nothing but praise for his compatriot.

"If he continues to play like he did today, he can be one of the best," said Benitez. "When you talk about the Premier League you talk about a lot of players with quality so it is not easy to pick just one, but he is among the best.

"He is a very good player and it is easy to see his qualities. If he is keen to learn, he will improve.

"He is a very good player and hopefully he will be better in the future.

"I was really pleased with him in the Champions League game in midweek. He didn't score but he created chances and space for his team-mates and worked very hard.

"Today he was a threat and that means the rest of the team can work in a different way.

"He is now fit and we are working hard with him to prevent injuries. If he cannot play one or two games, we have Kuyt or Ryan Babel who can score goals.

"Hopefully he won't be injured and he can score a lot of goals for us but we have different options.

"We were in control of the game and the reaction of the team was very positive. I could see that Kuyt was tired and Ryan was really good. His pace was crucial for us and the key at the end."

Liverpool Fans' Fury At Being Moved To Make Way For Sponsors' Guests

The curse of the prawn sandwich has struck again – and left Liverpool fans choking with anger.

Hundreds of Anfield season ticket holders turned up for the Champions League against Debreceni on Wednesday to find they had been moved to accommodate sponsors’ guests.

Former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane was so incensed with corporate guests on one occasion, he dubbed them the “Prawn Sandwich Brigade”.

Keith Ross, from Caernarvon, a season ticket holder in the Lower Centenary Stand, said: “I was given a seat in the corner at the Anfield Road end and couldn’t see a thing. Lots of us were moved and we were all unhappy.

“There were a few angry scenes with the stewards.

“It’s the first time I’ve been moved and I had no idea I’d end up there.

“It was a restricted view and just not good enough.

“What made it worse was that there were a lot of empty seats in the corporate area.

“They were obviously more interested in the hospitality than the football.

“I’ve been a season ticket holder for nine years.

“I have two tickets that cost me £1,400-a-season.

“I go to every match home and away and follow the club all around the world.

“If this is what it’s going to be like from now on, I won’t be going to any more home games in the Champions League. In fact, I’m thinking of cancelling my season ticket for next season.”

Liverpool, in common with all Champions League clubs, have to provide seating and hospitality lounges for sponsors and their guests.

This season their demands have increased, forcing Liverpool to move 2,000 fans from their regular seats.

A club spokesperson said: “It’s the first time Mr Ross has been allocated another seat because UEFA have extended the number of seats they require this season.

“It’s a requirement of all clubs participating in the Champions League, as set out in the UEFA charter.”

Liverpool officials admit they are unlikely to find a satisfactory solution until they have a new stadium.

Liverpool Pursue £240m Deal

Liverpool are pursuing a £240million naming rights deal to finally kickstart their troubled move to Stanley Park.

Carlsberg's 18-year shirt sponsorship with the Reds ends next year.

But the Danish beer brewers are prepared to match the £100m Arsenal received for a 15-year deal with Emirates.

Yet Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett want to smash existing records, asking far more than the Gunners got in 2004.

Hicks and Gillett see the numerous examples of US stadium sponsorship deals as the blueprint for the new Anfield.

The New York Mets baseball team and New Jersey Nets Basketball side currently claim the most lucrative naming rights deals.

They both secured a 20-year contract with Citi Group and Barclays worth £240m respectively.

Both Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants are negotiating similar returns for their new arenas. Liverpool are confident they can at least match the £12m-a-year which the top US franchises have secured, and will be looking to top them.

The club wants new partners on board well before completion of the arena, which is on hold due to the recession, but which the owners insist is merely delayed rather than cancelled.

New Reds managing director Christian Purslow sealed a record- breaking £80m shirt deal with Standard Chartered - and Hicks and Gillett know such lucrative deals are key to restoring stability at Liverpool.

The underfire Kop owners have launched a serious charm offensive over the last few days to try to win back the trust of the supporters.

Until the levels of debt at the club are reduced, they will continue to be perceived cynically for the broken promises of the past.

Match Report: West Ham United 2 - 3 Liverpool

Fernando Torres scored twice as Liverpool held off a brave fightback from West Ham to earn a deserved 3-2 victory in a five-goal thriller at Upton Park.

Torres put the Reds in front in the 19th minute with a fine solo goal but debutant Alessandro Diamanti levelled from the penalty spot.

Dirk Kuyt restored Liverpool's lead in the 40th minute but Carlton Cole levelled again a minute before the interval.

But the irrepressible Torres settled a pulsating contest when he headed home from close range in the 75th minute.

The victory, Liverpool's fourth successive win, lifted Rafael Benitez's side into third place in the Barclays Premier League and left West Ham in 14th.

The first half was full of incident and it was the home side who squandered a great chance to take the lead in the second minute.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher dithered over Glen Johnson's pass and let Zavon Hines in.

The striker could not have asked for a simpler chance but although he beat Jose Reina, his shot hit the near post before the Spanish goalkeeper gratefully gathered the rebound.

Another Carragher mistake on the halfway line gave Cole room to run at the Liverpool goal but this time Martin Skrtel made a wonderful saving challenge.

In the 15th minute the home team had another chance, Cole bundling the ball to Hines from Julien Faubert's cross but the chance came too quickly and Hines' connection was minimal.

Torres, meanwhile, acrobatically volleyed wide after 17 minutes before opening the scoring three minutes later.

The Spaniard broke down the left flank, bamboozled James Tomkins and poked home at the near post.

Torres was proving to be a real thorn in West Ham's side and was confident enough to try his luck from 30 yards in the 26th minute but his shot was far too high and failed to trouble Green.

West Ham's woes continued moments later when Valon Behrami was forced out of the action through injury and replaced by Radoslav Kovac.

It was the second enforced change for Gianfranco Zola's side who lost Matthew Upson earlier in the opening half.

But the home side were back in the game in the 28th minute when referee Andre Marriner adjudged that Hines had been pushed by Carragher in the box.

Alessandro Diamanti stepped-up to take the penalty and even though he put the ball into the net, the striker appeared to slip as he connected with the ball and touched it twice.

Angry Liverpool players protested that the penalty should be ruled out as Diamanti had touched the ball more than once but Marriner rejected their protests.

But Liverpool went back in front five minutes before the end of an eventful opening 45 minutes.

An out-swinging corner from Yossi Benayoun was headed towards the far post by Steven Gerrard only for Kuyt to stick out a foot and poke the ball into the corner of the net in the 40th minute.

But a minute before the half-time whistle, England striker Cole rose highest in the six-yard box to meet Mark Noble's corner and head the Hammers level for the second time in the game.

Hines was giving Liverpool's defence a great deal of cause for concern.

Javier Mascherano could only bring the winger down in the 49th minute and his mistimed tackle earned the Liverpool player a yellow card.

A rare West Ham corner in the 59th minute almost caught out the Reds.

Debutant Diamanti sent an in-swinging corner into the Liverpool six-yard box and Reina had to tip the ball away for another flag-kick as it threatened to end up in the net.

Liverpool replaced goalscorer Kuyt with Ryan Babel on the hour as the Merseysiders searched for a winner.

A fabulous run into the West Ham penalty area by Benayoun almost brought Liverpool a third but the home defence cleared the ball at the last hurdle.

West Ham were suffering from the lack of a killer final ball. Kieron Dyer, on for Diamanti, made a superb run deep into the Liverpool half in the 68th minute but he could not supply the final ball to put Cole clear.

Liverpool's Babel tried his luck from 25 yards but his accuracy was found wanting as the ball went high over the bar and into the crowd.

But the Reds clinched the game in the 75th minute when Babel's cross was headed into the corner of the net by Torres from eight yards.

Kovac was then denied at the death by a brilliant Reina save.

Mascherano Should Show Some Loyalty, Claims Liverpool Boss Benitez

Liverpool's manager Rafa Benitez has bluntly warned his Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano to put any distractions to one side and recapture his best form for Liverpool, if he wants to extend his Anfield stay.

Benitez revealed yesterday there had been initial discussions about Mascherano's future but made it clear conditions were attached to any promise about renewing a contract that has just over two years to run.

The main one concerns snapping out of his downbeat mood over Argentina's faltering World Cup campaign and forgetting about Barcelona's ongoing campaign to entice him to the Nou Camp.

Mindful that the current European champions have yet to abandon a pursuit that began months ago, Benitez admitted he had personally warned one of their top officials to call off the hunt.

He sees Mascherano as a key presence in Liverpool's midfield but is ready to get tough with the Argentina skipper after sensing he is fretting almost as much as Diego Maradona about the threat to his country's qualification.

Lucas has increasingly been held up as a prime example of the commitment and dedication Benitez is looking for in midfield, and Mascherano will have to follow suit to convince Liverpool's demanding boss he is worth a new deal.

Benitez even suggested Liverpool are owed a debt of loyalty by Mascherano.

He said: 'He has to forget about everything else, like other clubs or the World Cup. It is not easy, but that is where his professionalism has to come through. He has to come back, focus his mind and start thinking about Liverpool.'

Supporters Will Be Wondering What Will Happen To Money From New Liverpool FC Shirt Sponsorship Deal

Liverpool’s new shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered is undoubtedly a major coup.

Few clubs could attract such a lucrative agreement, especially considering the recent economic downturn.

It highlights that after years of underachievement Liverpool now possess a commercial team capable of ensuring that off the pitch the club realises its potential.

However, supporters will rightly reserve their praise until they see where the bundles of cash end up.

Managing director Christian Purslow made all the right noises this week, insisting Rafa Benitez’s transfer kitty will be “hugely enhanced”.

But until that happens, the fear is that money will be swallowed up by paying off debts and servicing the massive interest repayments.

There is no reason to doubt the promise of lifelong fan Purslow, but after two and a half years of American ownership trust is in short supply.

Co-owner Tom Hicks joined the charm offensive this week as he praised the club’s financial strength.

Hicks’ declaration that everything is sweet at Anfield has fuelled criticism aimed at him from the other side of the Atlantic by angry fans of his baseball club Texas Rangars.

The Rangers have had to borrow $15million from Major League Baseball just to stay afloat and in the words of club president Nolan Ryan are “kind of hamstrung”.

They have missed out on big signings and there are major fears next season’s payroll will be slashed back.

Gerrard - Blips Inevitable

Steven Gerrard believes that Liverpool's title rivals will all endure difficult moments this season.

Rafa Benitez's Reds got off to a slow start this term, losing two of their opening three fixtures.

They have, however, bounced back in style and have won their last three in all competitions.

There is now a renewed air of optimism around Anfield that this could be the year their long wait for a top-flight title comes to an end.

Liverpool's cause will undoubtedly be helped by the fact that their strongest side contains no players set for African Cup of Nations duty in January, while a number of their Premier League counterparts will lose key men at a crucial stage of the season.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal will all see their numbers shorn in the New Year, with the tournament in Africa set to take place between January 10-31.

England international Gerrard feels that situation could play into Liverpool's hands, with the Reds having already got a domestic wobble out of the way.

"Everyone will have blips and some of the teams lose important players with the African Nations," he told the Reds' official website.

"It's a long season, there are a lot of games and a lot of football to be played yet.

"Chelsea, Tottenham and City have got off to good starts but there is a long way to go before you start predicting who will be up there at the end."

Liverpool: Lucas Leiva As Real Liverpool Player?

Lucas Leiva is a bit of an enigma really. He was brought to the club as "the best young Brazilian around" for a fee of £6m, which is quite a lot of money. He played a few times for the reserves, and did OK. He has always been on the fringes of the first team, much to most fans annoyance. His performances for The Reds up to February last season were not of Liverpool quality, and the fans had got on his back.

Roll on 7 months. Lucas, the former Brazilian U-21 captain, has been called up to the full Brazilian squad (something Aurelio cannot manage!). The last part of last season Lucas actually played quite well, but most put it down to luck. He went to the Olympics and came home with a Bronze medal. Then came pre-season. He was arguably our best player in pre-season. So far this season he has played extremely well, apart from one bad game against Villa.

So what do we make of this reformed player? He has come out in the press lately saying he would have left if it wasn’t for Rafa`s constant encouragement, and lets face it, you wouldn’t have blamed him! He is now saying he’s happy at Liverpool and glad that the fans are more appreciative. Now I will say this. I normally sit in the Kemlyn upper (sorry, it’s still Kemlyn to me!), and last season even up to the end, there was intense hatred of Lucas. This season however, things have changed, and changed in a big way.

Fans are now accepting him as a squad player. No longer are the pre-match talks about how Rafa is failing by picking that useless Lucas. It is accepted that he is doing a job for Liverpool, and doing it rather well. He’ll never be a Gerrard, but then why should we expect him to be. Gerrard is a phenomenon. He is up there with King Kenny as one of Liverpool's all time greats. You just don’t buy them for £6m.

I was in the Kop on Wednesday in Block 305, which has been the most vociferous in its attacks on Lucas. Not a whisper of discontent. Not one sarcastic comment. A few songs to praise him as well. It’s a whole new atmosphere when Lucas appears on our team sheet.

Long may it continue, and long may Lucas continue to improve at the rate he is doing at present.

Double Setback Was Hard To Take - Benitez

Rafael Benitez admits Liverpool were hit hard by the two early-season defeats which instantly halted all title talk on Merseyside.

Liverpool were beaten by Tottenham and Aston Villa in the opening three Barclays Premier League games, and Benitez said: "It was hard to take when we lost two games so quickly.

"But now if we can, say, win five in a row and other teams drop a few points then we will all be in the same position. Let's see how it all develops.

"There will be important games now for everyone, more difficult games maybe than before. We cannot influence that and there are four of the big teams playing each other this weekend."

Benitez has no new injury problems, and has defender Daniel Agger returning to training after a back operation.

The Spanish coach said: "Maybe the division is now shaping up to what we would have expected. We lost two games very early and everyone was saying we could not win the league.

"But this season will be different, it will be much more difficult for the usual top four to win so many games, all the big teams will drop points.

"Manchester City now are genuine contenders, Aston Villa and Spurs will be in the race too, along with the top four from last season.

He added: "Our players are starting to find their form, Dirk Kuyt is scoring, Yossi Benayoun is scoring, and we have started well in Europe.

"It is only a matter of time before Fernando Torres starts to score more regularly."

He added: "We have plenty of options now, most of our players are fit so the choice is good for me when you have more players available.

"It can be a headache, but a nice one with a variety of players to choose from.

"Maybe Fernando is not quite at his best, but we have plenty of others scoring goals.

"But when our top scorer starts scoring more regularly, then we will have a very strong side to put into any game.

"But I am not worried about Fernando. He was very positive in the Champions League match making space and chances for others, and if he can keep doing that will be fine for me."

Match Preview: West Ham United vs. Liverpool

Liverpool travel to West Ham on Saturday evening aiming to keep pace with the leading pack.

The Reds have won their last two Premier League games to steady the ship after losing two of their first three encounters.

West Ham have not won since the opening day of the season and they will be keen to secure their first home success of the campaign.

Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola is still missing left-back Herita Ilunga with a cheekbone injury meaning James Tomkins will continue in defence.

Midfielder Luis Boa Morte remains sidelined with a knee problem, but Valon Behrami is pushing for a recall after making his return from a long-term injury as a substitute in last weekend's defeat to Wigan.

Alessandro Diamanti is pushing for a place in the starting line-up after impressing off the bench against Wigan and he could partner Carlton Cole in attack.

New signing Guillermo Franco is unlikely to feature having only signed for the club on Thursday.

Javier Mascherano is set to return to the Liverpool starting XI against his former club after recovering from a back problem.

The Argentine made a late cameo against Debrecen in midweek and he is set to return in midfield alongside Lucas Leiva allowing Steven Gerrard to resume his partnership with Fernando Torres in attack.

Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani is still missing as he recovers from an ankle problem, while the game has come too soon for Daniel Agger who is expected to return to action next week.

Fabio Aurelio is set to content himself with a place on the bench as he continues to find his fitness after a knee problem.

Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun are both likely to start against their former employers.

It Will Be Tough To Beat Liverpool Rivalry, Insists Ferguson

Manchester City may have spent £120million on new players - but Sir Alex Ferguson will always regard Liverpool as Manchester United's true local rivals.

Not since 1968, when United won the European Cup and City finished top of the old Division One have Manchester's two giants met on anything like an equal footing.

But the pair go head to head at Old Trafford on Sunday with far more than bragging rights at stake.

United are looking for victory to enhance their chances of landing a record fourth consecutive title, while City bid to extend a four-match winning streak that will raise optimism about a sustained championship challenge.

However, while Ferguson is aware of the threat, after 23 years of dominance over City, his natural instinct remains to view the threat from Merseyside as more acute and dangerous.

"I don't know. I don't think so," replied Ferguson when asked whether the derby could one day be bigger than those titanic tussles with Liverpool.

"To me Liverpool will always be the derby game.

"It is just because of the history. When I came down here they were the king-pins of England. They had won four European Cups and quite a few league titles.

"My aim was to do well against them and to try and turn that round. It is hard for me to go against that history."

The United boss sent a few barbs in City's direction as he assessed Sunday's game, mainly in the assessment of what constitutes success for a club who have achieved so little for so long but now find themselves muscling their way onto the top table.

There is, though, one pretty significant irritation, in the shape of the provocative Carlos Tevez poster proclaiming: "Welcome to Manchester."

Ferguson was unhappy at the time when it went up at one end of Manchester's busy Deansgate shopping area, emphasising as it did City's claim to be the city's only club bearing in mind Old Trafford is outside the boundaries. It still irks him now.

"That stupid poster upset us," he said.

"It showed an arrogance. It was naughty. It showed a cockiness that wasn't required at the time because they hadn't done anything.

"The season hadn't even started."

Even Ferguson was smiling when he described the contest as "small", knowing just how much attention will be focused on it, not just in Manchester and the north west of England, but worldwide.

Yet the words he has kept hearing about City relate to their ability to reach the top four, breaking, as it would, the cartel that has existed in England for too long.

Ferguson himself has no interest in the top four - only in being number one.

"The things City are doing don't particularly worry me," he said.

"What we concern ourselves with is winning the league.

"People talk about trying to get into the top four. That is not the question. The question is who is number one.

"Manchester City have been given the chance to be better than Manchester United.

"But when you spend that kind of money there is an expectation. The challenge has to be for them to try and win something, whether it is the league or the FA Cup.

"They will be expected to challenge for these trophies without doubt."

Liverpool Boss Rafa Benitez Backs Fernando Torres To Return To Free-Scoring Ways

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has backed Fernando Torres to swiftly discover his deadly touch in front of goal.

The Spanish striker has three goals so far this season, but freely admits that he has not yet reached the incredible standards he has set in two breathtaking seasons in the Premier League.

Benitez, though, is untroubled by the relative lack of form and goals from the Anfield forward, and instead draws a massive positive from the fact that his team are still leading scorers in the top flight, without relying entirely on Torres.

"You know Fernando, he will score goals, there is no doubt about that, so we are not worried at all about him. I think if he gets a goal then he will go on a run and get many more," Benitez said.

"I think he looked much better in the Champions League in midweek. He had to work all summer with his national team and missed a lot of pre-season, but he looked stronger and brighter, and that is encouraging.

"He is working very hard and we have complete confidence he will score goals. He has shown he is prepared to work hard and we know the goals will come."

Benitez is pleased that Liverpool have shown they can cope even without their top scorer dominating so far, with the likes of Dirk Kuyt and Yossi Benayoun impressing in front of goal.

His side travel to West Ham this weekend, and the manager believes when Torres really starts to fire, the Reds will be a difficult proposition for any opponents.

"We are happy that we are scoring goals even when Fernando isn't," Benitez added. "To be able to find goals from other players and not just your top scorer is a very good thing, and I think we are in a good position."

Javier Mascherano could return to the Liverpool side to face his former club at Upton Park, but Benitez is unlikely to make many more changes from the team that beat Debrecen in midweek.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard Predicts African Impact On Premier League Title Race

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is anticipating that January's African Cup of Nations could have a decisive influence in this season's Premier League title race, with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea losing vital players to the three-week tournament, at a time of year when key points can be collected for the top sides.

"Everyone will have blips and some of the teams lose important players with the African Nations. It's a long season - there are a lot of games and a lot football to be played yet," the England international told the Reds' official website

"Chelsea, Tottenham and Man City have got off to good starts but there is a long way to go before you start predicting who will be up there at the end."

Liverpool travel to London to face West Ham United at Upton Park this Saturday evening, and Gerrard is confident that fans will see an improvement in the team's performance after a somewhat disappointing 1-0 win over Debrecen in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The Reds' finishing in particular was poor, but the talismanic midfielder is convinced that the best is yet to come from last year's Premier League runners-up.

"The confidence is slowly starting to filter back into the side," he added. "Obviously we were disappointed to lose those two games close together but we are building slowly.

"We know we are a good team, we know we have good players. It does take a while to get back to your best after losing two games you don't expect to lose but we're happy with the progression. Now we've got to go get a good win on Saturday.

"We know it's very early and we know when the prizes are given out - at the end of the season. But it was important to recover and get back to where we want to be - and now we're close to that.

"We've also got some players coming back from injury. Fabio Aurelio has a lot of quality and is a very experienced player, so it'll be nice to get him back. And Alberto Aquilani looks a very exciting player. It will be nice to have the option of playing him, though he's not ready just yet.

"There's a couple of big fixtures, so if we concentrate on our own performance and get a win, hopefully the table will look more in our favour come Monday.

"Upton Park has always been a tough place to go. We got a good win there last year when we were well organised and dangerous on the counterattack. I'm sure that will be the plan again at the weekend."

Rafa Won't Risk Agger

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has revealed he will not take any risks with Daniel Agger's fitness.

Agger is close to returning to action after undergoing a minor back operation last month.

The Dane has yet to feature this season due to the problem, but Benitez believes the classy central defender could be back in action next week.

Liverpool's injury problems are easing with Fabio Aurelio making his first appearance of the campaign as a late substitute against Debrecen in midweek and other long-term absentee Alberto Aquilani set to start training in the next few weeks.

"Aurelio is now ready for a comeback, Mascherano is also over his problem while Danny Agger is very close to a return and (Alberto) Aquilani is also getting close to being involved in full training," said Benitez.

"When the majority of our squad are fit, we can manage games with more confidence.

"Agger is a risk, he could play now, but he has been out for a long time and we have to be careful with him. But I believe that next week he could be available."

Dirk Kuyt Eager To Score Goals That Supplement Fernando Torres And Steven Gerrard’s Efforts

Ask any observer to pinpoint a weakness in Liverpool’s squad, and it won’t take long before conversation gravitates around a familiar failing.

In Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, Rafael Benitez boasts perhaps the most devastating attack partnership in Europe.

But beyond the fearsome duo, the Spaniard does not appear to have the wealth of striking options available to many Premier League rivals.

However, in the past week Dirk Kuyt has posted a timely reminder of his natural predatory instincts.

With Gerrard operating in a deeper midfield role, Kuyt has filled the gap vacated by the skipper to good effect, following his goal in the 4-0 romp over Burnley last Saturday with the solitary strike that saw off Debrecen in Liverpool’s opening Champions League group game on Wednesday.

And when asked about possibly acting as cover for Torres or Gerrard, Kuyt says: “It could be important this season. When you speak of Torres and Gerrard, you’re talking the best players in our team.

“The likes of me, Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera and those in front want to be as helpful as possible scoring goals as well. We’re doing that at the moment so it is very positive.

“I try to fill that role (Gerrard’s), fill in that position, and I’m delighted to have come up with goals on Wednesday night and at the weekend. But this team has lots of quality throughout.

“For me it isn’t important where I play, as long as it works for the team. Stevie played the last two in midfield and I was in behind Fernando, and I am enjoying my time there as much as I did on the right.

“I’m just glad I could be important this season with a few goals and assists. Hopefully I can do a bit more too.”

Kuyt now has 12 European Cup goals for the Anfield outfit, moving him alongside Terry McDermott in third place in the club’s all-time scoring list for the competition and behind only Ian Rush (14) and Gerrard (28).

It was enough to edge Benitez’s side past Debrecen, the unheralded Hungarians unable to capitalise on a misfiring Liverpool performance.

“Of course we wanted to win with a few goals, but the second didn’t come and in the end the most important thing is the win, especially with it being our first game,” says Kuyt.

“The second could have killed it off, but they defended very deep. We know we have to play better than this, and we will.

“I’m happy with the goal, especially in Europe, because we all know how special this competition is to us.”

While Kuyt has netted in successive games, Torres has raised some concern for a clutch of ineffective performances for both club and country in the past fortnight.

But Kuyt says: “We as players don’t talk about Fernando Torres not scoring. He’s a top striker, a quality player and it’s not always just about scoring the goals. Stevie said we have more who can come up with them now.

“We won 4-0 against Stoke and again on Wednesday and he didn’t score, but I can tell you in the next couple of games he will be there again, because he is the best in the world. There are no concerns whatsoever for me or the team.”

Liverpool made hard work of their midweek victory, but the three points puts them joint top of the early Group E standings ahead of the next game in Fiorentina, for whom star striker Alberto Gilardino is suspended after his red card in the 1-0 defeat at Lyon.

And Albert Riera says: “It was very important to win the first game though, especially for our confidence. We would have preferred to win comfortably but at least we won.

“The other teams know how we are playing and this sometimes makes things difficult, but we were trying to find space in the middle and trying to play really good football when perhaps we should have played more long balls because they were not going to let us play the kind of football what we wanted to. But we like to play good football at home and we will play better than this.

“We have had a strange start to the season but we are going better now and our confidence is improving.”

Riera has started Liverpool’s last two games after admitting to a flare-up with Benitez over his lack of first-team opportunities during the opening weeks of the season.

But the Spanish winger adds: “I have already said that if the season starts and a player is not playing but he is still happy that this is not right. All the players want to play and I am the same.

“If the day comes when I am happy to sit on the bench then I would prefer to retire because I always want to play.

“You need to have respect for your team-mates though, because if I am playing it means someone else won’t be, but I feel that I can give something to this team and that is why I want to play.

“I played a lot of games last season and I hope it is the same this time.”

Rafael Benítez: Premier League Wide Open

Rafael Benítez believes the Premier League title race is so open that at least six other teams pose a legitimate threat to his Liverpool side’s ambitions.

The Spaniard has identified Manchester City and Aston Villa as realistic contenders to dethrone champions Manchester United or replace Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea in the Champions League spots, although he perhaps surprisingly omitted mentioning Tottenham among those sides he sees as rivals.

“There are a lot of good teams in the division now,” the Liverpool manager said. “It will be more difficult for all of the teams to win games and maybe everyone will lose more this season than before.

“That would be good for us because we have already lost twice this season. But maybe over the next five games all of the others will drop points and we will not, so it will be back to how it was at the start of the season.

“I cannot say how many points you will need to win the title at this stage, because it is so early. But it will be more difficult for everyone.”

Saturday’s evening trip to West Ham – the first game held at Upton Park since the crowd trouble which marred Gianfranco Zola’s side’s Carling Cup win over Millwall – represents a chance for Liverpool to remind their rivals of their own title credentials, especially with four of those sides facing each other.

Tottenham, currently joint second with the two Manchester clubs, travel to Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, just hours after City and United have clashed at Old Trafford.

“It will be the same throughout the season,” said Benitez, “with difficult games for all of the teams. But all we can think about is our own game and making sure we do our job. We cannot influence any of the other games or what happens in them. We are only concerned with making sure we do what we can.

“West Ham will be very tough, we know that, and probably not the same as the 3-0 win we got at Upton Park last year, when we scored very early. They are a good team, a difficult team, with a good manager who has a strong idea of how he wants to play football.”

Torres Dreams Of Facing Gerrard In Final

Fernando Torres has declared that he wants to face club-mate Steven Gerrard in next summer's World Cup final.

Torres and Gerrard have struck up a special playing partnership at Liverpool, and have become close friends. Now the Spain international dreams of facing the England midfielder in next summer's final in South Africa.

Torres said: "We have a fantastic relationship and it's amazing to play alongside someone like Stevie. He has quality and pace and is the greatest player I've ever played with. I hope to play with him for many years.

"From my first day he was asking if I needed anything and he's been a great support to me. Now I want to play against Stevie in the World Cup final. England against Spain in the final would be special.

"If I could play against a friend like him that would be great, because whatever happens one of us will be a winner."

Torres goes into Saturday's clash with West Ham United admitting that he has not been at his best this season. But the striker maintains he is not in need of a rest after his summer exertions in the Confederation Cup.

Torres scored 17 goals in an injury-hit season last term, that followed his heroics in Spain's Euro 2008 triumph. This season Torres has hit three goals in six appearances, meaning he now has 53 strikes in 90 games for the club.

But he knows that his form has been patchy, and he wants to put that right.

Torres explained: "It was a really long season for me last time with so many games for Liverpool and then playing for Spain in the Confederations Cup. I played a lot of minutes and I was a little bit tired. I haven't been at my best so far this season but I feel like I'm getting better. I'm focused on trying to get back to 100 per cent as soon as possible and I'm ready to play in every game.

"We have a lot of things to achieve for Liverpool this season and I want to stay fit. We have a lot of games coming up and then the World Cup at the end of the season."

Torres, now in his third season with the club, admits the lack of trophies so far is a growing concern for him.

He said: "I've already had some special moments in my career like winning the European Championships with Spain. After the Euros it was very special to go home because people treated us as heroes. I want to experience things like that here. I hope to stay at this club for a long time and my target is to be remembered here as one of the top players.

"I could feel from the first day I arrived here that the main thing was the Premier League, not the Champions League. I know how important the league is to the fans and to be honest I would prefer to win the Premier League myself."

He added: "Twenty years without winning it is a long time. I'm sure that day will come and when it does it will be fantastic for the players and the fans. I'll give everything to achieve that for the fans. I have to do more things for Liverpool and I know I can improve.

"I hope to come back in 20 years to watch games at Anfield as a supporter. When that happens I hope people will recognise me as a player who played in the team which ended the club's long wait to win the Premier League."

Liverpool Owner Tom Hicks Promises Rafa Benitez Transfer Funds

Tom Hicks, the owner of English soccer club Liverpool, has promised that some of the income from the club's world record shirt sponsorship deal will be given to coach Rafa Benitez to use in the transfer market.

Hicks and his co-owner, George Gillett, have received some criticism from the club's fans over the level of their investment, but Hicks insists the club will continue to spend as it seeks to capture the English title for the first time in nearly two decades.

"Knowing Rafa Benitez I suspect he's got his eye on part of it," said Hicks. "As we build our revenues it gives ability to be more competitive on the pitch and, this is a very important one, but we think we have other opportunities in the future as well.

"Everybody involved with Liverpool wants to win the Premier League, it's been too many years and it's our goal."

Hicks also spoke about the improved relationships between himself, Gillett and Benitez. "Everything is very stable. I think the management situation at the club has dramatically improved," said Hicks. "There is a real sense of optimism."

Rafa Benitez: Out. Jose Mourinho: In?

What are the odds on that earth-shattering scenario to shake up the whole of football, let alone Anfield? Maybe pretty long odds, I would suspect. For the moment.

For me, this is a distinct possibility. This bombshell might not be quite as farfetched as it sounds. Let me explain. Rather let me light the blue touch paper and retreat to safety!

Liverpool are desperate to break Manchester United's stranglehold on the League title, which was once the private domain of Anfield. And patience is wearing thin with Rafa Benitez to deliver. Sir Alex Ferguson's dominance in the domestic league is something that has become far more than a mere irritation; it has become the club's Holy Grail.

Last season, with Fernando Torres looking to be Benitez's best buy by a long way, the club came so tantalisingly close. This season they were heavily favoured by pundits and by their own fans, as finally being in a position to mount a realistic challenge and eventually take the championship crown. Two early defeats have badly deflated such high expectations. Patience with Benitez is even thinner.

Failure to win at West Ham United on Saturday, in yet another massive ESPN live Premier League game to follow the thoroughly entertaining Spurs-Manchester United event, would heap enormous pressure on the manager. Patience with Benitez will be at an all-time low ebb.

And, if the pressure doesn't reach fever pitch at Upton Park should Liverpool win, then it could easily occur if Liverpool lose touch with the leaders at any stage in the near future.

At the moment Chelsea and Manchester City are setting the pace as both have 100% records. City's credentials will be tested to the limit in the Manchester derby, so it's Liverpool's big chance in East London to close the gap. Benitez dare not fail in this task.

The Champions League has been Benitez's field of expertise, and, indeed, saving grace, but it is the domestic title that their fans now crave above all else. Strange, because, it is the opposite at a club like Chelsea, who would dearly love to be taken seriously as one of Europe's elite by winning the Champions League. Don't get me wrong, their fans want to win the league as well, but the clubs priority is to finish at the summit of Europe.

Jose Mourinho delivered back-to-back titles, but never quite conquered the Liverpool hurdle in Europe. Mourinho's mission at Inter is to deliver the Champions League having won the league title in his first season. Any failure in Europe might be hard for Mourinho and Inter to accept, which might make his tenure in Italy far less secure.

Now, if Mourinho was returning to the Premier League, there would be two likely destinations, Old Trafford, or... Anfield.

There has been plenty of speculation that United's American owners would covet Mourinho the day Sir Alex opted to retire. But that might not be for another couple of seasons, and while Sir Alex likes the Portuguese coach and would not object to him taking over his mantle, Mourinho might feel uncomfortable with that, and he would surely wish to retain Sir Alex in some sort of advisory role.

However, there would be no hesitation on Mourinho's part on ousting Benitez. They never really got on during their conflicts in England and abroad when Mourinho was boss at Stamford Bridge. And Mourinho loves the Liverpool heritage, and would put them on his potential wish list for a return to English football.

I believe it is inevitable Mourinho will return. And, it will only be at a club that matches his ego in terms of size and paying power. The only club likely to challenge Liverpool for Mourinho's services, would be big spending Manchester City.

But they will stick with Mark Hughes, while they continue to be successful and Hughes has got off to a flyer this season with all his new signings in place, and more to come in the January transfer window.

So, logically, it is Mourinho for Anfield if Benitez fouls up in the Premier League this season, and already he hasn't made a very auspicious start.

Ngog Strike Sinks United

David Ngog staked a first-team claim with the winning goal as 10-man Liverpool Reserves beat arch-rivals Manchester United 1-0 on Thursday.

The French striker fired in the opening minutes but the Reds had to work hard to maintain their lead at Prenton Park following the first-half dismissal of midfielder Damien Plessis.

John McMahon's second string have now collected six points from their opening three Barclays Premier Reserve League (North) games and look set to be fighting at the right end of the table after last season's disappointing campaign.

Liverpool made a flying start on four minutes when David Martin took a leaf out of Pepe Reina's book by launching the ball right down field towards Ngog. The Frenchman controlled under pressure before coolly nodding past the oncoming Ron-Robert Zieler.

United hopeful Federico Macheda, whose winner against Aston Villa last season played a huge part in denying Liverpool the title, almost equalised eight minutes later after dancing into a yard of space in the box. His low drive brought a fine reflex save from Martin.

United continued to press but McMahon's two lines of four, marshalled by the impressive Victor Palsson and Chris Mavinga, were defending well.

There was almost a second for the Reds on the break when David Amoo zoomed past Joe Dudgeon before squaring to Nathan Eccleston. The 19-year-old beat the 'keeper but his finish was cleared off the line by right-back David Gray.

The further the half progressed, the better Liverpool became, and they almost fluked another goal when Amoo's cross swerved over the 'keeper and onto the roof of the net.

The Reds' dominance looked set to continue but the task of claiming north-west bragging rights became a whole lot tougher on 34 minutes when Plessis received a straight red after going in studs showing on United No.10 Magnus Eikrem.

McMahon quickly shuffled his pack, introducing Jay Spearing for winger Alex Kacaniklic.

Eccleston nearly created some breathing space when he thundered past two men before blasting too close to Zieler from a tight angle.

Liverpool started brightly in the second half, Ngog heading Spearing through on goal. The Wirral-born midfielder was just about to shoot when he was stopped in his tracks by a superb last-ditch tackle from centre-back Ritchie De Laet.

Macheda almost levelled things on 56 minutes after a defence-splitting pass brought him one-on-one with Martin, who saved well with his feet.

United were starting to take advantage of their extra man as one close shave followed another. Defender James Chester could have had a brace.

The visitors' wastefulness in front of goal should have been punished with 20 minutes remaining but Ngog missed the target with a header from five yards.

Match Report: Liverpool 1 - 0 Debrecen

Dirk Kuyt's 12th goal in 35 Champions League games for Liverpool saw the Anfield men claim an opening Group E victory but there was nothing to suggest a Madrid final in May is on the cards.

The Dutchman is now Liverpool's third-highest scorer in this competition and they were more than thankful for his eventual winner in the final seconds of the first half.

The Hungarian champions did their best, while Liverpool were some way short of their peak.

Rafael Benitez took charge of his 300th Liverpool match as the Reds produced their 100th victory in this competition - their first was 45 years ago - but the Spaniard would have wanted a better display than this to mark a little piece of Liverpool history.

This was Debrecen's debut in the group stages but if they cannot improve on this showing they may well not win a point.

Liverpool kept faith with the side that had produced their best performance on Saturday in beating Burnley 4-0, with Fabio Aurelio on the bench for his first involvement of the season following a knee injury.

But they were sluggish and uninspired and it took them an awfully long time in the first period to get some reward for their almost total domination.

In fact there were barely a couple of seconds left in the half to restart the match when Kuyt forced the ball home after Vukasin Poleksic had palmed out a Fernando Torres drive.

Before that it had been virtually one-way traffic towards the Hungarian champions' goal.

Such was the general wastefulness, even Steven Gerrard was squandering chances regularly. Three efforts sailed wide, a header dropped over the crossbar and a low drive flashed inches wide.

Albert Riera was equally at fault. Three times he was put away, and on each occasion Poleksic got a hand on the efforts.

Gerrard even found himself booked for taking a free-kick too quickly by Portuguese official Pedro Proenca, who had clearly pointed to his whistle telling the Liverpool skipper to wait.

It was unnecessary, and could come back to haunt the England star as the competition progresses and suspensions become damaging.

And so it went on. The nearest Liverpool came before Kuyt's strike was after 30 minutes when Norbert Meszaros kicked off the line from the Dutchman after another Poleksic save from Riera.

The only time Jose Reina was called into action was to touch over a 20-yard effort from Meszaros.

Liverpool improved after the break, which was not difficult, and Gerrard smashed a swerving 25-yarder just over the crossbar before Yossi Benayoun went on a brilliant run past a string of defenders before forcing Poleksic into a fumbling save at the foot of the near post.

Lucas saw a powerful header flash wide but Liverpool were seemingly playing with a belief that one goal was enough.

But that is a dangerous policy, and Debrecen caused some worrying moments towards the end as they almost took advantage of a succession of set-plays.

Ryan Babel came on with 10 minutes left for Riera, his first appearance since yet another outburst over his lack of matches, and he produced one clever juggling act to fire just wide.

But Adamo Coulibaly, Debrecen's French frontman, almost punished Liverpool by forcing his way through and stabbing a shot wide after 82 minutes.

That Liverpool sent on the defensive Javier Mascherano for the inventive Benayoun with three minutes left, and then Aurelio for Kuyt in injury time, said everything about Benitez's concerns and frustrations about what he was watching.

He certainly could not afford to see a couple of points thrown away by a piece of sloppy defending and there were certainly a few of those.

Jamie Carragher Targets Early Champions League Qualification For Liverpool

Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher is looking for the Reds to seal qualification for the knock-out phase of the Champions League as soon as possible, after a 1-0 over Hungarian side Debrecen at Anfield last night.

The Reds enjoyed over 20 attempts on the opposition goal, but Dirk Kuyt's strike proved to be the only time they actually managed to find the net, and Carragher, although perhaps disappointed by the manner of his side's performance, acknowledged that it was the victory that was the important thing.

"We didn't play that well, we know that," the former England international admitted.

"We really played well on Saturday to get a good result but we had to make do with 1-0 here.

"The main thing is to qualify from the group as quickly as we can and we have made a good start."

Liverpool now move back to Premier League matters, and travel to London to face West Ham United on Saturday evening.

Liverpool FC's Confidence Returning, Says Dirk Kuyt

Striker Dirk Kuyt says Liverpool FC's confidence has returned thanks to three successive wins following a shaky start to the season.

Having lost two of their first three Premier League matches, Rafa Benitez’s side seem to be back on track, although last night’s laboured 1-0 Champions League win over Debrecen showed there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Liverpool FC head to West Ham on Saturday looking to maintain their winning run and close the gap on leaders Chelsea, who play fourth-placed Tottenham, and Manchester United and City, who face each other in the derby on Sunday.

And Kuyt, who scored his third Liverpool FC goal of the season against the Hungarians, insists they go into the game buoyed by recent results.

"Everyone knows we had a bad start, losing against Spurs and Aston Villa, so we had to try to get the confidence back, try to change things," he said.

"That’s what we’ve done by winning three games in a row, and now we’re looking forward to Saturday.

"Every game is difficult as everyone knows. The Premier League is a very hard league but we have the quality to win these kinds of games.

"At this stage we just have to look at ourselves, win our games and then in a couple of months see where we are."

The Holland international’s goal against Debrecen was his 12th in the Champions League, putting him level with former midfielder Terry McDermott in joint third on the list of Liverpool FC's all-time top scorers in the European Cup.

Only current captain Steven Gerrard (28) and Ian Rush (14) stand above Kuyt but the 29-year-old is just pleased to be contributing to the club’s success.

"It’s always nice to be important for the club, especially when it comes to Europe," added the Dutchman, who again played as support striker to Fernando Torres with Gerrard dropping back into a more orthodox central midfield position.

"Champions League games are always special, so I’m happy I scored again and now I’ll try to keep going.

"What I would like to do is become more and more important for the team and try to do my best.

"I’m happy with my performances so far this season but I need to keep going.

"I’m feeling really confident. I’ve played the last two games in a slightly different position but for me that doesn’t matter.

"I just want to be important for the team."

Goalkeeper Jose Reina, who had one serious save to make all night against the Hungarians, certainly appreciates the effort of Kuyt, who seems to always score important goals in European matches.

"It seems like it’s his competition," said the Spain international.

"He always scores in the Champions League, he’s got into the habit and let’s hope he keeps on scoring a lot of goals. He did a good job."

Liverpool struggled to hit anything near top form against Debrecen, making their debut in the group stages, and Reina accepts it was a frustrating night.

However, tougher tests await in Italian’s Fiorentina and France’s Champions League regulars Lyon.

"The job is to qualify and it is not easy. We have to think about getting as many points as possible but if we get them little by little we will get through," added Reina.

"It was a difficult game, we knew they’d go into it with a lot of motivation as it was their first match in the Champions League.

"They didn’t make things easy for us but we’ve fulfilled our objective, which was to win and now we can look forward.

"We’ve a difficult trip ahead of us to Fiorentina and we need to try to get the points there.

"It will be tough as Fiorentina play in one of the top leagues but if you look at any team in the Champions League you cannot say ’We’ll beat them easily’."

Liverpool Star Fernando Torres Vows To Halt Manchester United Dominance And Insists Premier League Is Better Than Spain

Fernando Torres is sure the English top flight is still the world's greatest league - and is determined to help Liverpool become its champions once again.

The Reds travel to West Ham in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday as their quest continues to bring home the trophy that has eluded them for almost 20 years.

The division has changed beyond recognition since the last time Liverpool were crowned champions in 1990, with the influx of superstar foreigners like Spanish striker Torres placing it in the eyes of many above any other leagues across the globe.

Such feeling has cooled somewhat after a summer which has seen the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso arrive in Spain to boost the Primera Division's box office appeal.

But for Torres, who spent 12 years playing in his homeland with Atletico Madrid, there is no doubt that England is the place to be.

"As a competition it is the best one," said Torres. "When you are talking about organisation, respect, and having all the stadiums full every weekend, it is really nice to see that.

"In Spain they have some of the better players in the world, but as a competition, it is not as big as the Premier League.

"I was playing in Spain, and I can tell you honestly, the Premier League is a much better competition."

Liverpool will be hoping for success both at home and abroad this year, but with the drought in league success ongoing and the prospect lurking of Manchester United overtaking the Reds' record all-time haul of 18 titles, Torres admits that the Premier League may have to take priority.

"We know that for the fans, for the club and for the majority of the players, the Premier League is a fantastic competition and we have had plenty of years not winning it, so maybe it is the priority," he said.

"We don't feel the pressure, but we know it would not be the best for Liverpool fans to see Manchester United with more English titles than us.

"But I think we are on our way, we are doing everything in our power to win trophies and we will see what happens at the end of the season."

The Spain striker said he was looking forward to giving the fans something to celebrate.

"I think the supporters cannot imagine what it would be like," Torres added. "I saw when Liverpool won the Champions League, all the people around the city, and I remember when Spain won the European Championship and millions of people were in the street. I think it will be something similar.

"Twenty years with no trophy in the Premier League is a long time, so it is very exciting for all of us."

Liverpool did not make the best start in their mission, suffering two defeats in their opening three league games.

But recent victories over Bolton and Burnley, along with a winning start this week in the Champions League against Debrecen, has given the side some momentum and Torres believes they are heading in the right direction.

"We are recovering the confidence now after winning three games in a row," he said.

"We have to keep on like this, but also improve, and keep working hard because there are difficult games coming.

"But we are on our way. There are some players injured and they will come back soon to help the team, but we don't have time to think in terms of the recovery of players and improving then - we have to win now.

"If we lose points in the coming weeks it will be very difficult to stay at the top come January and February."

Somebody likely to play a key role in the weeks to come is midfielder Lucas, who has been given a run of starts since Alonso's departure and who Torres believes is becoming an integral part of the first XI.

"He is an international from Brazil, and this is not easy," Torres said. "He is a fantastic player and he has to make a step forward now because Xabi has gone.

"He has the responsibility to become an important player for Liverpool and he has a real chance this season.

"He is playing in almost every game and we have real confidence in him.

"I am sure that he will get better in the future because he is still young. I hope he can be one of the best players for us this season."

Torres Happy At Anfield

Fernando Torres has insisted he is looking forward to staying at Liverpool for a long time to come.

The Spanish striker has enjoyed two successful seasons with the Reds but speculation regularly resurfaces linking him with a return to his homeland.

However, Torres maintains that he is enjoying life at Anfield and does not plan to leave in the near future.

"I have four more years on my contract and I am really happy," he told Sky Sports News.

"I don't think about going back to Spain. I don't know how I will feel in a couple or 10 years but I am really happy in England and I would like to play here for a long time."

Torres admits that he particularly likes playing alongside captain Steven Gerrard, who has found excellent form over recent weeks.

"Steven is a very important player for us in that position and makes a lot of goals," explained the 25-year-old.

Torres has shown only glimpses of his sparkling talent so far this term and there have been a couple of incidents when he has made it clear that he has disagreed with refereeing decisions.

He accepts that he has been too easily distracted at times but he is looking to remedy the problem immediately.

"These have been mistakes and I need to stay focused and forget about the referee because he is just doing his job," Torres commented.

Tom Hicks Hopes £100m Middle East Investment Drive Will Help Fund Liverpool's New Stadium

Merrill Lynch has been instructed by Tom Hicks, co-owner of English soccer club Liverpool, to find a minority investor prepared to pay UK£100 million for a 25 per cent share of the Premier League team.

'It is understood the firm is now targeting businesses or wealthy individuals in the Middle East who would be prepared to buy a minority stake, allowing the Americans Hicks and (co-owner George) Gillett to retain majority control,' reports The Guardian newspaper.

'The co-owners value the club at £500m, despite postponing the proposed new stadium indefinitely in the current economic climate, but a minority shareholding would come at a discount.'

Gillett claimed last weekend: "The club is in outstanding shape. Economically, it's never been stronger. We just paid down our debt very substantially. We have less debt per dollar than any club in the league."

Chelsea, Arsenal And Liverpool Told Di Maria Will Cost £45m As Argentina Star Clinches Benfica Mega-Deal

Benfica have handed Argentina star Angel di Maria a gold-plated contract in a bid to see off interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

The winger is about to sign a one-year extension on his contract that will see his buy-out clause raised from £27million to a prohibitive £45m.

Di Maria has been tracked by many of the best clubs in Europe, including Real Madrid, Inter Milan and the Barclays Premier League trio, which he admits is flattering.

Nonetheless, he is poised to clinch a deal to 2013 that will see his wages rise by more than 50 per cent from £90,000 a week to a staggering £140,000.

'I live in the present and not the future,' said the 21-year-old. 'My deal is with Benfica although I am pleased by the news of interest from foreign clubs in me.

'This season is decisive for me and I still want to help Argentina fight for the 2010 World Cup.'

Benfica have previously insisted they would not sell the former Rosario Central player for anything less than his release clause and he could come under the spotlight again if he and Argentina get to South Africa 2012.

The tricky winger starred in his country's march to gold at the Beijing Olympics, scoring the only goal in the final against Nigeria and also hitting the net in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over Holland.

Benfica are now set to turn their attention to improving Brazil defender Luisao's contract. The 28-year-old has been attracting Manchester City.

Madrid's Champions League Final A Big Prize For Liverpool FC Goalkeeper Pepe Reina

Pepe Reina was as surprised as anyone at Anfield when he saw the weekend headlines.

The Reds goalkeeper stood accused of writing off Liverpool’s hopes of Premier League glory.

After an interview given in his native tongue prior to the resounding win over Burnley, the Spaniard was quoted as saying the title “is not a realistic objective” this season.

However, it appears that something was clearly lost in translation.

Rather than being down in the dumps, Reina is bullish about what this Liverpool side is capable of achieving over the next eight months.

But the 27-year-old insists it would be foolish to burden his team-mates with any bold predictions.

“What I meant was that it’s unrealistic to be talking about winning trophies in September,” he said.

“I’m certainly not pessimistic. It’s just too soon to speak about anything like that and I prefer to wait.

“It’s impossible to win or lose anything at this time. You can only win things in May.

“What I wanted to say is that we have to go little by little, step by step and think game after game. Let’s not put ourselves under stupid pressure.”

After a difficult opening to the season, which saw defeats at the hands of Spurs and Aston Villa, Reina believes the Reds are finally finding their feet.

Back to back wins over Bolton and Burnley have boosted confidence ahead of tonight’s opening Champions League group clash with Debrecen at Anfield.

“It was a really good performance on Saturday and it was important to win in front of our fans after losing to Villa at home,” Reina said.

“A clean sheet and three points was very positive and now we have to keep working hard.

“With players coming back late in pre-season it was tough at the start of the season and it took time for us to get going.

“Now we have a run of matches without any interruptions it will be easier to prepare for every game.”

Reina has played his part in some memorable European campaigns since he arrived at Anfield from Villarreal in the summer of 2005.

And this season he has added motivation with next May’s final being played in his home city of Madrid.

“The Champions League is a competition all players love playing in and I’m really looking forward to getting started,” he said.

“It’s crucial to win the first game, even more so when we’re playing at Anfield. We’ll go out very motivated because whenever we play in front of our own fans we give our all so that we can reward their support with a win.

“We always go a long way in the Champions League and our objective is to play in the final at the Santiago Bernabeu. It’ll be hard but we’ve already played in two finals in this decade, and we want to finish it by playing in another.”

Debrecen have reached the group stage for the first time in their history. The Hungarian champions are expected to be the whipping boys of Group E, which also includes Lyon and Fiorentina, but Reina is wary of writing them off.

He said: “Debrecen are opponents who merit as much respect as Real Madrid or Barcelona.

“The fact they are in the Champions League speaks for itself – it means they are a good team.

“We’ll know everything there is to know about Debrecen because Rafa Benitez and his staff make sure we have all the information on our opponents so that we know their strengths and weaknesses before every match.

“They will come to defend and we have to be ready for a tough game.

“We’ll go out very focused, our attitude will be very positive and we’ll play with a determination to get the three points.”

Lucas: Rafa's Patience Has Saved My Liverpool Career

Brazilian Lucas believes that only the patience and indulgence of manager Rafa Benitez has saved his Anfield career.

The midfielder, who has finally begun to justify the faith shown by the Liverpool coach, explained yesterday that he suffered some dark times that could have shattered his confidence and forced him out of the club.

But even in his bleakest moments, Benitez supported him, and expressed the confidence that he had the talent to prove he can become one of the finest midfielders in world football.

Lucas has become an automatic choice at Anfield, and even the fans who used to boo him have begun to accept he could just be the man to replace the departed Xabi Alonso.

Yet as he lines up tonight against Hungarian side Debrecen in the opening round of Champions’ League side, Lucas explained that it wasn’t always that way.

“The manager has given me incredible support and confidence. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here at Liverpool any more,” the Brazil international conceded.

“There were times when the fans turned against me, and that made moments where I doubted myself. But he said he believed in me and my ability, he told me to keep going and get through it, and I took confidence from that.

“In the end, it made me a stronger person. I am mentally and physically stronger now after what has happened. I remember I played against Fulham last season and was booed, probably because I replaced Xabi for that game and the team didn’t play well.

“I was sent off against Everton too, and they were difficult times. But now I try to understand the fans, and I understand that you can sometimes play badly in football as well as play well.

“I scored an own goal at the start of the season against Aston Villa, but because I have confidence and the mental strength from the experience I have had, I knew that these things happen, you have to accept them and deal with them and keep working.”

Benitez has never had any doubts in the midfielder, and he believes that as an all-round package he has the potential to offer as much as anyone in the Premier League, and the talent to replace even a player as popular as Alonso.

Lucas was voted Brazil’s player of the season when he was just 19, and was made captain of his home town club, before starring for his country in World under-19 Championships and the Olympics.

Liverpool stole in to sign him just 24 hours before a Manchester United delegation was due to arrive in Brazil to confirm his signature, and the Anfield boss believes that he will eventually show just why he was regarded as the greatest young talent in that supremely talented footballing nation.

“What he has is an all round ability. He can shoot, head, pass, run, create and score. He is not a 10 out of 10 in any of those, but he is close to 10 in all, and when he puts them all together he has the capacity to be a very fine player,” Benitez said.

“I have never had any doubts about him. He was the best player in his entire country at 19, and it was just a question of him adapting to the pace and physical strength of the Premier League.”

Lucas has done that by putting on 4 kilos over the past two years, and now he is ready to take a step forward. “I have worked to put on the weight, and I feel I am getting better and better. I am happy and I want to be an important player in Liverpool’s history.”

Lucas Leiva Wants To Emulate Steven Gerrard At Liverpool

Liverpool's much-maligned midfielder Lucas Leiva believes that his good form so far this season shows how much he has improved during his time at Anfield, and he is hopeful that now he has a positive future ahead of him on Merseyside.

The Brazilian also feels that playing alongside some of the game's biggest stars means that he cannot fail to better himself in Rafa Benitez's side.

"I'm in my third season now and I'm playing more games," Lucas is reported by The Sun as saying.

"When you have players like Steven [Gerrard] and Javier Mascherano around, you can always learn and they can also help you."

And Lucas drew a direct comparison between himself and Gerrard, implying that the England star did not arrive in the Liverpool first team as a fully-formed superstar.

He said: "Steven, 10 years ago, started like me. But when you are focused and you work hard you can get a chance."

Fernando Torres: Liverpool FC Captain Steven Gerrard Is World's Best Player

Fernando Torres hailed Steven Gerrard the ‘greatest player in the world’ and insists: Liverpool would be lost without him.

Speaking ahead of the launch of his new book, Torres added he believes their inspirational skipper is ‘irreplaceable’ and has vowed to help land him a long overdue first ever Premiership winners medal - and the World Player of the Year Award.

Torres insists Gerrard is the heartbeat of the club and the key factor behind their European and domestic ambitions.

He said: “He is without doubt the greatest player I have ever played with. He has everything.

“At Liverpool, he is irreplaceable. Every big club has a standard bearer, a home-grown talent, someone with a lifelong commitment to the cause. “People come and go but he’s always there. It’s him and ten others. He’s everything to the side. That’s Steven Gerrard at Liverpool. I can’t even begin to imagine the place without him."

Standard Chartered Deal Offers Liverpool Prospect Of Stadium Move

Christian Purslow, the managing director of Liverpool, has vowed to invest the proceeds from the club’s record-equalling £80 million sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered, the London-based international bank, in team rebuilding and ruled out the prospect of income from the agreement being used to reduce debt.

As revealed in The Times on Saturday, Standard Chartered will replace Carlsberg as Liverpool’s main sponsor from July 2010, having tied up a deal worth £20 million per season, a figure that matches the most lucrative secured in football, Manchester United’s agreement with Aon, the insurers, which begins next season.

With the level of Liverpool’s debt estimated at £350 million, a figure disputed by Purslow, there had been fears that a significant portion of the revenue from Standard Chartered would be used to reduce the deficit built up by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr., the co-owners, after their purchase of the club in 2007. But Purslow said that this will not be the case.

“The fans will be pleased and relieved to know that Liverpool’s revenues, profits and income is the club’s,” Purslow said. “It stays in the club, it doesn’t go out of the club, its job is to support our football team and so I can assure you, as we drive forward our turnover, we will invest a sensible element in our wage bill and a sensible level of our profits in our transfers.”

Purslow added that heightened commercial activity must be the bringer of success on the pitch. “I hate words like ‘brand,’ ” he said. “I want us to be the best football team in the world and there is a pretty clear link between being the best team and having the best performance off the field.

“But I stress doing so in a way where we pick our spots and our partners carefully, and we never lose sight of why we are doing it and who we are doing it with. We are doing it for our football club and in a way that is consistent with our history and our soul.”

The lack of a new stadium has long been cited as a cause of Liverpool’s inability to maximise their commercial potential and having promised to have “a spade in the ground within 60 days” of their takeover, Hicks and Gillett have backtracked, arguing that the credit crunch has made plans to build a 60,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park unfeasible. Purslow, though, remains confident that the dream will become a reality once lending for such projects becomes more affordable.

Tom Hicks Signals Era Of Stability At Anfield

Tom Hicks, the Liverpool co-owner, has joined the charm offensive after the signing of the most lucrative sponsorship deal in the club’s history by promising to cut debt levels at Anfield and claiming a new era of stability is under way.

The Texan businessman went as far as to compare Liverpool’s financial situation favourably with Manchester City, arguing that the business model at the City of Manchester City Stadium is “not sustainable”.

Hicks, who also revealed that Carlsberg will continue its association with Liverpool despite being ousted as the club’s main sponsor after the signing of an £80 million four-year agreement with Standard Chartered, the international bank, is the latest figure at Anfield to claim that Liverpool are in rude financial health, in the wake of similar statements by George Gillett Jr., his co-owner, and Christian Purslow, the managing director.

“You have to look at cashflow rather than accounting, and we intend to operate Liverpool where it has a very strong positive cashflow so we have the resources to be as competitive as possible on the pitch — that’s our commitment,” Hicks said. “Our debt levels are at a comfortable level and we are going to continue bringing it down. Our goal is to have less debt than any of the top clubs.

“We are seeing for the first time the real power of the brand and the power of a well-managed club. I feel very good about the entire club. The total sponsorship contracts should probably bring in £25-26 million of incremental revenue a year. It’s a huge development for the club.

“We have an existing contract with Carlsberg until the end of the season. Between now and the end of the season we will finalise new arrangements where we will retain the Carlsberg special sponsorship packages. They will be one of our key sponsors, just not on our shirts.”

Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, hopes to add to his squad when the transfer window reopens in January, something of which Hicks is aware. “Knowing Benítez I suspect he’s got his eye on part of it,” Hicks said. “As we build our revenues, it gives us the ability to be more competitive on the pitch. Everything is very stable. I think the management situation at the club has dramatically improved. There is a real sense of optimism.”

While Liverpool, who met Debrecen at Anfield last night in the Champions League, spent modestly during the summer transfer window, City’s outlay was in excess of £120 million, a figure that Hicks says flies in the face of economic reality. “It’s not sustainable at City, they won’t continue to invest like that as it doesn’t make good economic sense,” he said. “Hopefully they will make the improvements they need to make and then run it more like a business. The smart clubs operate for the long term.”

Torres Exclusive: Day I Realised I'd Never Walk Alone

His head may have been in Madrid but his heart was already in Liverpool.

Even though Fernando Torres didn’t actually realise it, his fate was already sealed.

A flick of the arm, a fleeting connection with a defender jostling for the ball and the ripped skipper’s armband revealed his destiny. The words were clear: ‘We’ll Never Walk Alone’

It wasn’t a ‘come and get me plea’ to Rafa Benitez. Far from it. Instead, the words were meant to signify the bond that existed between Torres and his friends. It was their motto. A play on the words used in famous song adopted by Liverpool Football Club as their anthem.

His friends had the words tattooed on their forearm. Torres, aware of the controversy it would cause opted out so they gave him an armband with the words inscribed on the inside. Their secret – until a clash with a Real Sociedad defender on April 23, 2007 revealed them to the world.

“Destiny seemed to have decided that if I ever left Atletico Madrid it would be for Liverpool,” he said.

“It happened in San Sebastian, in northern Spain, when I was playing for Atletico Madrid against Real Sociedad. I was battling with a defender, and the captain’s armband I was wearing came loose and fell open.

“As it hung from my arm, you could see the message written on the inside, in English. We’ll Never Walk Alone. It wasn’t what I had intended but right there and then I became identified with Liverpool. I hadn’t planned for it, and a future at Anfield hadn’t even crossed my mind but that moment of chance. That accident came to symbolise the next big step in my career: my captaincy at Atletico gave way to the words that define Liverpool.

“All my best friends have the words tattooed on their arms. We were eating together once and they suggested that I do the same. I told them I couldn’t. ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is a phrase so intimately linked to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, so clearly associated with Liverpool, that I didn’t think it was a good idea.

“I was an Atletico player and a rojiblanco through and through. They decided to give me a new captain’s armband for my birthday with the phrase on the inside so that, even if I wouldn’t get it tattooed on my arm, we would never walk alone.

“I gave the armband to the Atletico kit man, who kept it with the team’s shirts. When it slipped down that day against Sociedad, an eagle-eyed photographer snapped the picture and I was immediately linked to Liverpool.

“Maybe that day I took my first steps towards Anfield, or maybe it was because I already shared things with Liverpool. I identify with the values that define the club: hard work, struggle, humility, sacrifice, effort, tenacity, commitment, togetherness, unity, faith, the permanent desire to improve, to overcome all obstacles...Once a week Liverpool fans feel like the most important people on earth and make the players feel like it to. They give everything and they ask for nothing in return.

“Liverpool FC is a club that despite being used to winning never succumbs to the temptation to start cruising. If you play well the fans enjoy it, and if you play badly they help you get over it. The Liverpool family helped me off the pitch too. It’s as if you live in a neighbourhood where everyone knows you and everyone joins forces for the same cause: the team. Good people, honourable people, who have always got back on their feet however many times destiny has knocked them down. The harder things have been, the more united they have become.”

Torres was tracked by virtually every club in Europe. He wanted to play out his career at Atletico Madrid but eventually realised he must move to achieve his footballing dreams. When Liverpool came calling it provided him with a date with destiny.

He added: “Having turned down various proposals, Rafa Benitez’s call made me reflect and start to have doubts for the first time. I decided it was the right moment to leave and I asked Miguel-Angel Gil Marin, Atletico’s owner, to listen to Liverpool’s offer.

“I didn’t know that Liverpool was the most successful club in England. Since Rafa went to Anfield and took Spanish players with him I had got to know Liverpool better but I didn’t realise that. I thought they were some way behind the teams that I assumed dominated English football: Manchester United and Arsenal. I was surprised when I found out just how incredible their history was and how many titles they had won.

“Istanbul revealed Liverpool’s true spirit. The Spanish television channel Canal Plus broadcast a report about the history of the club after they had won their fifth European Cup in Turkey – about the tragedies at Heysel and Hillsborough, the connection between players and fans, the struggle against adversity.

“The commitment to overcome difficulties and stand tall, the ability to face up to every situation and beat it, it is reserved for true giants. Liverpool FC is a special and complete club, one that plays and fights, that gives everything for the people that follow it.

“I had heard the names that are most associated with Liverpool: Dalglish, Rush, Souness, Keegan, Owen, Fowler, McManaman, Hamann... As someone who has always followed those players who come through the ranks at their clubs, I was especially interested in a young lad from the youth team called Steven Gerrard.

“In the 1980s Liverpool were practically invincible. I was told that the European ban they suffered after Heysel made them stronger domestically, even though they had an important handicap with less of a presence on the international club stage. Rafa Benitez, who has changed things at the club and revived some of the old Liverpool philosophy, giving the club a global presence again."