Rick Parry Received Huge Liverpool FC Pay-Off

Liverpool dipped further into the red last year as their interest payments rose from £36.5m to £40.1m – as it emerged ex chief executive Rick Parry received a severance deal of more than £4m.

The annual financial results for Kop Football (Holdings) Limited were published today and revealed that the club made £4.33m in termination payments to “the former chief executive and coaching staff following a restructure of the Academy”.

It is understood to be one of the biggest pay-offs ever to a sports administrator, dwarfing the £1.2m Liverpool-born Brian Barwick received when he left the Football Association in 2008 and Keith Edelman’s £1.5m pay-off from Arsenal in the same year.

Parry, who became Liverpool’s chief executive in July 1998, announced he was quitting Liverpool in February 2009 after enduring difficulties in his relationships with both Rafa Benitez and co-owner Tom Hicks.

Dallas based Hicks at one stage publicly humiliated the Ellesmere Port born Anfield supremo, labelling him “a disaster.”

Liverpool made a pre-tax loss of £54.9m in the year to July 31, 2009, up £14m from 2008, a significant chunk of that figure being the crippling interest payments.

Turnover increased over the 12 months by more than £20m to £184.8m, a total largely attributed to increases in television revenue.

Meanwhile, operating profit – nothing to do with player sales, tax and interest – has increased by 10 per cent to £27.4m.

The information is a season old and does not include any of the figures from the record-breaking sponsorship deal that was struck with Standard Chartered.

One significant revelation, however, is the fact the club’s commercial and administrative team increased by nearly half to 275 full-time employees.

Commercial revenues, which include merchandise and sponsorship, grew by £13.5m to £67.7m. Included in this is a trebling in overseas revenues and highlights the work of Commercial Director Ian Ayre, who was made a director of the club last December.

As last year, the auditors – KPMG – have said that Kop Football (Holdings “is dependent upon short term facility extensions.

“These conditions indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt on the group’s and parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern.”

This once again highlights the need for significant investment or a full sale that would see Hicks and George Gillett finally leave Anfield.

Reserves Suffer Friendly Loss

Liverpool Reserves suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Badajoz in Northern Spain on Thursday night.

The Barclays Premier Northern Division season may have ended but John McMahon's side are playing in a string of friendlies across Europe before the end of May.

Spanish starlet Suso made his debut as a substitute and showed some silky touches.

The only goal of the game came from a direct free-kick which Martin Hansen couldn't keep out.

"It was a good test for the lads in a different environment and we did okay," McMahon told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"John Flanagan did really well again at right-back and it was good to give Conor Coady some more minutes in the second half.

"It was a poor goal to concede and Martin will be disappointed with it."

McMahon's side will play in Belgium next week when they take on Gent on Thursday night.

Sammy: Let's Put It Right

Sammy Lee today insisted Liverpool will do all they can to 'put things right' next season and rejoin the fight for major honours.

Sunday's defeat to Chelsea brought the Reds' hopes of a top-four finish to an end, and the assistant boss admits there has been an air of disappointment around Melwood as a campaign, in which he accepts the side has underperformed at times, draws to a close.

However, Lee is adamant players and staff alike are united with the fans' desire to see Rafael Benitez's troops bounce back strongly in 2010-11.

"It's been subdued (at Melwood) to be frank because of the realisation we haven't got where we wanted to be in this league," Anfield's No.2 told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We don't like losing and we've lost 19 times in all competitions this season, which is unacceptable here."

He continued: "We're very confident we can bounce back next season. We have to be. Liverpool is all about success and everybody demands success at this football club - rightly so.

"We'll be doing all we can in the close season to make sure we do bounce back. Staff, players and supporters, we've just got to make sure we put it right for next season."

Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Liverpool sparked wild celebrations in the away section of Anfield as Carlo Ancelotti's side moved to within touching distance of the Barclays Premier League title.

However, Lee insists those scenes will not serve as added motivation for the Reds next term as the players already hold a burning desire to achieve glory.

"We don't need anybody's celebrations to fuel our hunger for success," he said.

"We know what we've got to do, what this club demands and what our supporters demand, expect and deserve.

"Although it is disappointing to see other teams enjoying success, we certainly don't need anything to fuel our hunger.

"We've got that hunger deep inside and we have to channel that hunger into making sure we achieve what we want - and what this football club deserves - in future."

Liverpool will wrap up the 2009-10 season against already-relegated Hull City at the KC Stadium on Sunday.

Victory over the Tigers could see the Reds claim a sixth-place finish in the Barclays Premier League, should Aston Villa fail to beat Blackburn Rovers at home.

Lee added: "At the start of the competition, we aim to finish as high as we can and if sixth is as high as we can finish, then we have to aim for that. That is what we will be doing."

Hull's demotion to the Championship was confirmed by a 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic on Monday - though Lee is well aware Iain Dowie's side will still pose a threat to Liverpool.

"They're a dangerous proposition," he said. "They've got a number of players who can be a threat to us. Although they're relegated, they'll be a danger to us.

"It's been difficult for Iain. Everybody is aware of the situation he came into, but he's worked very, very hard there. But we're just concerned with our own job rather than anybody else's.

"We've got to make sure we try to do what we have to do, which, as always, is to gain maximum points from each and every game."

Why Anfield Has Become The Hung Parliament Of Football

Whilst the rest of Britain wakes up to the prospect of a hung parliament today, Liverpool fans could be forgiven for issuing a contemptuous laugh and wondering what all the fuss is about. They have, after all, been operating in that way for the best part of three years.

The candidates for power at Anfield may have been more subtle in their respective campaigns; there were no televised debates (bafflingly held in High-Definition, as if it were needed), no leaflets through doors and no insults for Rochdale-based women. But the battle has been just as fierce; for Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg, read Rafael Benitez, Martin Broughton and Christian Purslow.

The latest news out of Anfield is that the meeting between Benitez, the manager, and Broughton, the chairman he was yet to meet, HAS now taken place. After the furore over who cancelled on who, the pair - along with Purslow, who was also present - were able to agree on a suitable time to meet in London yesterday.

And, predictably, nothing was sorted out. Britain's government will take some working out over the next few days, but Liverpool's board-room is a blueprint for uncertainty.

The future of just about everyone is up in the air. Benitez is said to have been given a deadline of Monday to accept an offer from Italian giants Juventus. The Serie A outfit are prepared to offer the kind of financial freedom that Liverpool simply cannot, and the Spaniard has, smartly, refused to distance himself from such reports. He may baulk at the internal politics which operate at Anfield, but Benitez plays a pretty good game himself.

What he wants from Liverpool are assurances, and lots of them. He has a five-year contract, signed last spring, so his motives are not about personal finances. He, like just about every supporter, wants to know that the club will be sold sooner rather than later, and that co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks - the 'Margaret Thatcher' of this political analogy, if you like - will not be looming over L4 like a black cloud for very much longer.

He also wants to know how much money he will have to spend this summer - a summer in which most have accepted Liverpool require at least five quality new signings.

Of course, this being Liverpool, such assurances have not been forthcoming. How can they be when nobody really knows who is in charge at the club?

Broughton was brought in - pardon the pun - on April 16, with the instruction to oversee the smooth sale of the club. However, it has since emerged that his non-executive role means he has little or no involvement in the day-to-day running of the club.

That particular task falls to Purslow, the managing director drafted in by Gillett and Hicks to find £100 million-worth of investment, and help drive down the oppressive levels of debt at the club. He has so far failed in that particular task.

And therein lies the key issue. Whilst players from Fernando Torres to Yossi Benayoun to Alberto Aquilani have their futures in the air, whilst Benitez plays a high-risk game of cat and mouse with his superiors, and whilst the likes of Purslow and the owners attempt damage limitation and to deflect the critical glare away from themselves, the club simply cannot function with any great efficiency.

Tony Barrett in The Times this week stated that, though Benitez must shoulder a certain amount of blame for poor on-field performances, the true problem at Liverpool lies in the board-room - and in particular with Gillett and Hicks. The Mirror's David Maddock believes that Liverpool fans face a dilemma over whether they would prefer Benitez or Torres to stay at the club, such is the precarious financial situation at Anfield - one which Torres is purported to be increasingly alarmed about.

Others, such as The Daily Mail's Martin Samuel and Des Kelly, and The Telegraph's Henry Winter, see the political situation as a convenient smokescreen, there to disguise Benitez's obvious shortcomings, or enable the Spaniard to leave without fear of reproach.

The truth lies somewhere in between. Everyone at Liverpool, just like in the British government, is playing their own game, with their own agenda.

And, as is traditional with government fractures, the main sufferers are the ordinary people - in this case the Liverpool supporters. The longer Anfield remains a hung parliament, the more they will suffer.

There will be no press conference from Benitez ahead of his side's final Premier League clash with Hull City on Sunday but, like the British parliament, it is up to someone, anyone, to let the public know what is what. And fast.

Reina Makes Owners Plea

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina admits the club need to find new owners in order to keep the best players at Anfield.

A number of Reds stars have been linked with moves away following their failure to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League with vultures circling over Fernando Torres' head.

Reina is adamant it is vital to the club's future to keep hold of Torres and improve the squad if they want to be challenging for honours again after a massively disappointing campaign this term.

"It is important players like Fernando [Torres] see the club moving forward," Reina told the Daily Express.

"Let's see how it goes with the owners and the sale of the club. Once we are done with that, let's build a proper team, a proper squad, a competitive squad."

Reina, who recently signed a new six-year deal at Anfield, insists he has no regrets about pledging his future to the club despite the turmoil surrounding the side.

"Liverpool are one of the best clubs in the world. I see no reason to leave," added Reina.

"I've decided to play many years for Liverpool and I have no regrets at all with that.

"Any kind of player around the world will feel attracted by Liverpool.

"We are a massive club. Of course players will want to come."

Rafa Set For Anfield U-Turn

Rafa Benitez could shock Liverpool fans with a dramatic U-turn to spurn Juventus' advances.

The Anfield boss seemed on the verge of quitting this week, and there were even fears that the Spaniard could be gone before Sunday's final game of the season against Hull.

But Juve are wavering in their pursuit of the Liverpool manager, and have now changed the terms they have offered to the 50-year-old.

And sources close to the Spaniard have suggested that he may now turn down the Italian club, and instead concentrate his energies on securing assurances about his future at Anfield.

Juventus are becoming increasingly frustrated with the Spanish coach, after earlier talks that convinced them he would move to Turin.

They had offered him an unprecedented deal which would have ripped up the traditional model of Italian management, to instead allow him extended powers in the style of an English supremo, at a massive cost.

But since those initial talks, there has been a change in the power structure at the Turin club, and new president Andrea Agnelli has a very different view of how he wants the business to be run.

His first move was to appoint a director of football, which is anathema to Benitez, and was a role that he insisted couldn't exist if he is to become boss.

That director, Beppe Marotta, formerly of Sampdoria, is known to favour the appointment of an Italian coach, and has already sounded out Zenit coach Luciano Spalletti, and the highly regarded Sampdoria coach Cesare Prandelli.

Juve are still talking to Benitez, but they have reduced the role they will offer to that of a coach working with a director above him, and they also want to pay significantly less for the reduced role.

They have told Benitez that they will now refuse to pay a big compensation figure for him, and that he will have to get himself out of Anfield within the next few days with an agreement Liverpool will release him for nothing.

But the manager is having second thoughts about such a reduced role, and now he will consider staying at Anfield, if he can negotiate the terms he believes will allow him to resurrect his side's fortunes.

Benitez will speak to new chairman Martin Broughton before the weekend, after twice cancelling meetings with the executive, and he will look for clarification of the club's position.

The Spaniard is aware that Fernando Torres is likely to leave this summer, and he will demand the money from that sale - upwards of £70million - to spend on new players. He will also ask for any money from the possible sale of Steven Gerrard.

Benitez also seems likely to demand that he wrestles power at the club from MD Christian Purslow, who he wants to be restricted to a commercial role.

The Liverpool boss seems unlikely to go to Juventus even if Broughton can't meet his demands, but that does not mean he won't quit Anfield.

There has been interest in the Champions League winning coach from AC Milan, and if Jose Mourinho goes to Real Madrid, then he would be a contender for the Inter job.

Liverpool Open Talks With Real Madrid's Rafael van der Vaart Over Possible Move

Liverpool have begun preliminary talks with Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart regarding a possible move to the Premier League, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

The report also claims that the Reds are eyeing possible moves for Van der Vaart's club-mates Royston Drenthe and Guti, though any deal for the latter is believed to be highly unlikely, despite the fact that the player would be available on a free transfer.

However, any transfer dealing at Anfield is likely to be put on hold for the moment until the future of manager Rafael Benitez is decided.

There is also massive uncertainty at the club regarding Fernando Torres, who has been linked with Chelsea and Manchester City this week.

Until the striker is sold or decides to stay at Anfield, it will be difficult for the Reds to formulate any clear transfer policy in a close-season where rebuilding is key.

Liverpool Ready To Offer Player Swap To Snap Up £14m Marseille Hotshot

Liverpool boss is hoping to make a successful move to bring in Marseille striker Mamadou Niang to Anfield. Rafa Benitez is counting on prospective new owners will hand him a cash boost in the summer so that he can correct his faltering squad. If he can’t get cash injection he is looking to offer players in return for the Senegalese international.

The 30 year old OM captain has had a great season, finishing as joint top scorer in Ligue 1 but Benitez may feel that he can persuade the adaptable forward to make a move to the cash rich Premier League. Niang has great strength and the ability to hold up the ball well and could work very well alongside Fernando Torres.

The £14m rated Marseille man has plied his trade in France ever since turning pro at Troyes almost 13 years ago and Benitez may feel that he may be ready for a fresh challenge. Liverpool are ready to offload the likes of Albert Rieira, Ryan Babel, Philipp Degen and Yossi Benayoun and if the French club shows an interest in any of those deemed ’surplus to requirements’ at Anfield then this would greatly aid any bid for Niang.

Melwood Injury Latest

Sammy Lee admits Jamie Carragher and Maxi Rodriguez face a race against time in order to be fit for Liverpool's final game of the season against Hull City on Sunday.

Carragher sustained a twisted ankle during the clash with Chelsea, while Maxi picked up an adductor injury.

Both players limped off against the Londoners and are yet to resume training.

"They picked up knocks on Sunday and haven't trained with the team as yet," Lee told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It's still early days and we're not too sure whether they'll be ready for the weekend, but we're just taking it day by day."

The Reds were boosted by the return of Martin Skrtel to training on Wednesday, though Lee admits the Hull game could come too soon for the Slovakian.

"Martin Skrtel joined us for training yesterday, which was a nice plus," said the assistant boss.

"The weekend may come too soon for him but it's good to have people coming back."

Jamie Carragher Lines Up Charity Testimonial Match

Liverpool will play an Everton XI in Jamie Carragher's charity fund-raising testimonial match on 4 September.

The 32-year-old former England defender supported the Toffees as a boy before joining Liverpool's youth set-up.

All proceeds from the game at Anfield will benefit local charities through Carragher's 23 Foundation.

"It has been in the pipeline for four or five months and I'm delighted now that I can start to talk about it properly," he said.

"Everton were always my first idea. If we had gone for a foreign team, they would have incurred appearance fees and travel costs.

"But that is not what this game is going to be about; the money we raise is for the city of Liverpool and Merseyside in general.

"Everyone knows I was an Evertonian when I was a kid and I thought it would be appropriate for the two teams in my life to have a game of football."

Former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, Dietmar Hamann, Jamie Redknapp and Michael Owen have all confirmed they will take part.

Hicks: I Have Paid A Terrible Price

Tom Hicks says he has paid a 'terrible price' during his co-ownership of Liverpool but has implied it could take two years to sell the club.

The American businessman and co-owner George Gillett are ready to listen to offers for the Reds after appointing new chairman Martin Broughton to help find buyers.

But when announcing plans to sell, Hicks also indicated that he believed the club has tripled in value under his control to an asking price of effectively £800million.

This suggested the Texan will not be willing to accept a cut-price, quick conclusion to his turbulent time at Anfield, which began in February 2007, and he has now reinforced that fact.

"From discussions we've had over the last two years, there are plenty of those people [potential investors in Liverpool] out there," Hicks said in The Times. "We've owned it three years. We won't own it for five.

"I can still be a fan. But I've paid a terrible price. I'm 64 years old. I don't want that any more.

"Jerry Jones [the Dallas Cowboys owner] is a good friend of mine, but his life and his family's life is the Dallas Cowboys. Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks are his life. This isn't my life."

Rafa Must Make Intentions Clear - Smith

Liverpool legend Tommy Smith has labelled the Reds' campaign as "the season from hell" and pleaded with Rafa Benitez to clarify his future.

Liverpool are in turmoil both on and off the pitch, having failed to qualify for the Champions League and with uncertainty regarding the Anfield outfit's future ownership.

And speculation continues to link Benitez with a move to Juventus at the end of a season that delivered another hard blow with Liverpool's elimination from the Europa League in the semi-finals last week.

It has all been too much for Smith, who spoke out in his Liverpool Echo column.

"Rafa has always said he loves the club, the fans and the city. For the sake of all three, he must now come out and make his intentions clear - one way or the other," Smith said.

"Rafa has said nothing publicly to suggest he is still up for the challenge, ready to try and sort out the problems and go again. That is only adding to the anxiety and fuelling more controversy.

"We all know the problems the American ownership has brought - and at times caused the manager. It can't have been easy for him to a degree but in truth he has made mistakes which cannot be blamed on (Tom) Hicks and (George) Gillett.

"Not only has this campaign been the season from hell, with 19 defeats, the manager is giving every indication he has had enough and wants out.

"One word sums up the whole, sorry state of affairs at Liverpool these days - embarrassing.

"Granted, Rafa's bought some really good players - but others seem happy to pull on the red shirt yet have no idea what it means to wear it.

"This squad isn't good enough and does not have enough depth to it. That is a crying shame because we've had such a strong spine with players like (Jose) Reina, (Jamie) Carragher, (Javier) Mascherano, (Steven) Gerrard and (Fernando) Torres to have built around."

Smith, who made 638 appearances for the club, believes the fans deserve better.

He added: "These Liverpool supporters are always there through thick and thin - and right now it is very thin times indeed for them all.

"The manager must first come out and make his intentions clear. Then we have to pray that soon the club is sold to owners who have the clout to invest in it and get us back on track.

"For the sake of those wonderful fans, I hope they get some good news soon. Because they deserve it."

Jamie Carragher Only Wants To Play For Liverpool FC

Jamie Carragher will discuss his Liverpool FC future at the start of next season but the defender has stressed he does not want to play for anybody else.

Reports in March suggested the 32-year-old would walk out on the club he joined as a youngster if he did not get a new contract offer with terms that suited him.

However, Carragher said he wanted to finish his career with Liverpool FC and had already broached the subject with manager Rafa Benitez, whose own future remains in doubt after a disappointing season and speculation about a move to Juventus.

"I’ve spoken to the manager about it and we both agreed that it would be better if we talked about it at the start of next season," said the centre-back.

"There was an interview with a national newspaper and the headline was a bit misleading, saying that I would be prepared to leave Liverpool.

"Really, I said that if Liverpool didn’t want me, I’d be forced to sign for someone else because I’d have no other option.

"I don’t want to retire yet. I understand at my age, you can only make decisions season by season.

"But I want to finish my career at Liverpool. I don’t want to play for anyone else."

Carragher is keen to take up a coaching role when his playing days are over but does not feel his temperament is suited to youth development work.

"I’ve passed the UEFA B coaching badge and I’m considering the A badge at Lilleshall this summer," he said.

"I still haven’t made my mind up what I’m going to do when I’m finished, but I’m doing this so I’m prepared and to see if I enjoy it.

"If I did go into coaching, it would have to be at a senior level.

"I’m passionate about football and all I’ve ever wanted to do is win.

"I’m not really the kind of person to have the patience to improve the kids at the Academy."

Reds Facing Rafa Riddle

New Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton could have to choose between keeping Rafa Benitez or Fernando Torres.

Kop boss Benitez will this week deliver a series of ultimatums designed to regain near-total power over the club when he finally meets Broughton.

Yet Manchester City target Torres' relationship with the manager has cooled to such an extent there is now more chance of him staying if Benitez goes.

Juventus are still keen on making the Spaniard their new boss.

But if Benitez decides he wants to stay, then Broughton faces a dilemma over whether to sack him - and pay £16m in compensation.

The prospect of having to wait for a top-notch boss to become available could then force them to turn to Kop legend Kenny Dalglish as a stop-gap.

Liverpool's Skrtel Back In Training

Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel has returned to training and should be fit for Slovakia's World Cup campaign.

The 25 year-old had been suffering from a broken metatarsal since Liverpool's 3-1 victory over Romanian side Unirea in the Europa League back in February.

Skrtel has now returned to full training at Liverpool's Melwood training ground, according to the Liverpool Echo.

The Slovakian is in his third season at Anfield and has played 24 times for Liverpool this term, scoring a solitary goal.

Skrtel has played 36 times for his country, scoring five times and will be eager to star for Slovakia at the World Cup, having now returned to fitness.

Jamie Carragher Tips Pepe Reina To Captain Liverpool

Jamie Carragher believes that Pepe Reina has the capability to one day become a fine captain of Liverpool.

Reina recently inked a new six-year contract at Anfield and Carragher claims that the Spaniard has a natural aura of leadership that means players automatically look up to him.

"A six-year contract is virtually unheard of, so they must be giving him a few bob," Carragher quipped, speaking to LFC Weekly Magazine.

"I joked with him that nobody else must want him if he's staying here for six years!

"In all seriousness, I was very surprised that he didn't get in the PFA Team of the Year because he's been outstanding all the way through for us."

Carragher maintains that the responsibility of leadership falls on a wider circle than just one player though, and the veteran feels that Javier Mascherano could also one day lead the Reds out.

"In every team, you need four or five leaders and Pepe's become one of them now. As local lads, me and Stevie [Gerrard] fall into that bracket, then there's Mascherano," the former England international added.

"Even though you don't see many 'keepers as captain, I'd imagine that if Pepe was still here in five or six years' time and if Mascherano signs his contract, one of those two would become captain."

Carragher has obviously been checking the Castrol Rankings, which have Reina as the third best Liverpool player this season, rated at No.73. Only Dirk Kuyt (69) and Fernando Torres (5) are higher.

Liverpool Rubbish Torres Chelsea Rumours

His current contract runs until 2014 and Liverpool have absolutely no desire to offload a player who is idolised on The Kop.

Torres is currently working his way back to fitness following knee surgery last month and is channelling all his efforts into being ready for the World Cup.

However, it will be touch and go if he is ready for Spain’s opening game against Switzerland on June 16

Peter Brukner, Liverpool’s new Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science, said: “He’s doing well.

“He’s certainly tremendously committed to his rehab, as are the staff here.

“Whether he’ll be fit for the first game or not is uncertain. We’re anxious not to hurry him along too much because we want the long-term benefit. But we are aware he’s got the short-term goal of playing in the World Cup.

Fiorentina Have Always Been Interested In Alberto Aquilani

After a disappointing first season at Liverpool, Alberto Aquilani could be quickly on his way back to Italy, according to his agent.

The 25-year-old has spent plenty of time on the sidelines this season after a hefty transfer from Roma, and only recently begun to hit his stride for the Reds as the campaign winds to a close.

But with interest from his former stomping ground - namely Fiorentina - Aquilani could be soon returning to Serie A.

"It's too soon [to speak about a possible deal]. First of all he must finish the season well and then once we understand Liverpool's future plans we can make concrete decisions," his agent Franco Zavaglia told firenzeviola.it.

"The interest of the Viola is not new. People have talked about it for three years.

"There are many things to consider. If [coach Rafa] Benitez is taking his time to understand Liverpool's future then you must imagine what it's like for Aquilani."

Zavaglia concluded by reiterating that a transfer was possible, but no decisions are expected in the immediate future.

Sanchez Seeks Summer Switch

Chilean starlet Alexis Sanchez has opened the door for a summer move to England or Spain.

The 21-year-old forward currently plies his trade in Serie A with Udinese, but harbours ambitions of testing himself in the Premier League or Primera Liga.

His talents were spotted by Udinese at a young age and they snapped him up in 2006.

He was loaned out to Colo Colo and River Plate as he continued to learn his trade, before moving to Italy in 2008.

Sanchez has continued to shine in Europe, helping to raise his profile and attract plenty of interest from afar.

The likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Lyon are all reported to be monitoring his progress, keen to bring the exciting youngster on board.

He will get another opportunity to showcase his considerable talent at this summer's World Cup and is tipped to make a big impact in South Africa.

Should he live up to his billing that could be enough to persuade a top club from England or Spain to open their chequebook.

Sanchez said: "My agent has told me that a lot of big clubs have asked about me.

"I'm still focused on Udinese, but I have personal ambitions this summer and England and Spain are sensational leagues."

Liverpool Target Ajax Hotshot: Rafa Could Net Bargain Of The Summer

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is hoping to secure a deal to snap up soon to be out of contract striker Marko Pantelic this summer. The Serbian international joined Ajax last summer on a one year deal and has been in marvelous form and has formed a wonderful partnership with Uruguayan international Luis Suarez.

The journeyman forward has plied his trade all across Europe including spells in Greece, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Serbia and Germany. His move from Hertha Berlin to Amsterdam followed four solid seasons in the Bundesliga but few could have expected the Belgrade born veteran to make such a splash in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Pantelic managed 20 goals for Ajax this season and was one of the catalysts of a hugely improved season for Martin Jol’s side and now the Anfield manager is hoping to snap up 31 year old in the summer as he looks to add more attacking options to his Liverpool squad.

The Merseyside outfit have at times relied too heavily on Fernando Torres to provide the firepower for the club and Benitez knows that he needs to bring in more options up front and believes he can persuade Pantelic to make the move to the Premier League.

'Mavinga Has Quality'

John McMahon believes Chris Mavinga could prove to be a very good prospect in the future after another excellent showing from the French defender at Sunderland.

The former Paris St Germain ace gave an outstanding display during the 1-0 win in what was John McMahon's side final game of the season.

Lauri Dalla Valle scored a superb goal but it was the display of Mavinga that caught the eye.

"It was good to end the season with a decent victory as Sunderland away is a tough place to come to," McMahon told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"Chris was very good for us and we are pleased with him. He started the season really well and then had a dip but he has ended the season in good form.

"He is a good prospect and can get better. He is a good lad and he has good attributes.

"Sometimes you have to recognize what you can do on certain pitches and that was never a good footballing surface. We made good decisions and did well."

McMahon also spoke about the progression of Dalla Valle after completing his first full season at Melwood.

"Lauri is capable of scoring goals like that," he added.

"It was good link-up play between him and Nikola Saric and he showed his quality.

"I think there is a lot more to come from Lauri and all of the players. He has still got a lot to do in terms of his progression, timing of his runs and how to use the ball. He has got really good attributes and hopefully he can keep progressing.

"Lauri is new to the Reserve set-up this season. The U18s had a striker shortage so we decided to keep Lauri with them for the first part of the season."

Academy U18s captain Conor Coady made his debut as a second half substitute and McMahon added: "Conor deserved his chance and it was nice to give him a chance.

"He has been in the squad a few times now and he has an outstanding attitude."

Dalla Valle Sinks Black Cats

Liverpool Reserves ensured they ended their 2009-10 Barclays Premier Reserve League North campaign with a victory thanks to a 1-0 success at Sunderland on Tuesday evening.

Lauri Dalla Valle gave John McMahon's men the three points with a finely worked move that resulted in the 18-year-old finding the back of the net from 20 yards on 34 minutes.

Sunderland pressed for an equaliser in the second half, though their cause was hindered by the dismissal of Liam Noble 15 minutes from time, with the visitors remaining resilient.

The result brought the Reds second-string's five-match losing streak to an end as they collected their first win since a 2-1 triumph at Bolton on March 29.

McMahon's side went into the clash in the North East having lost every match in April - a sequence that extinguished their hopes of clinching title success.

Still, there was no question the boss would demand 100 per cent from his players in their final league fixture of the term.

Liverpool had dispatched the Black Cats 2-0 at Prenton Park earlier in the campaign - a game notable for Alberto Aquilani’s Reds debut as a late substitute.

Dani Pacheco and Robbie Threlfall were the scorers that October evening on the Wirral, but neither player was involved this time around.

Instead, Academy starlets Conor Coady, Alex Cooper, Deale Chamberlain and John Flanagan were included in the 16-man squad that travelled to the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground in Hetton-Le-Hole - birthplace of legendary Anfield boss Bob Paisley.

It was the hosts who made the brighter opening and only a fine block by Martin Hansen prevented Oumare Tounkara from putting Sunderland into a third-minute lead after the striker was sent bearing down on goal by 'keeper Trevor Carson's long punt forward.

Liverpool's custodian fashioned a similar chance for Dalla Valle soon after, with the Finn firing a dipping volley into the arms of Carson from the right corner of the box.

Back came Sunderland and after Liam O'Mahoney's strike ricocheted off Victor Palsson on 14 minutes, Liam Noble clipped an effort millimetres the wrong side of the upright.

Dalla Valle headed wide from Gerardo Bruna’s corner 10 minutes later as the open start to the contest continued - however the latter was forced off just after the half-hour mark, with Cooper his replacement.

But Dalla Valle did find the target in the 34th minute with a goal that exemplified his vast potential.

Collecting the ball on the right wing, the striker played an exquisite flick inside to Nikola Saric. The Dane motored forward towards the Sunderland goal prior to returning possession to Dalla Valle, whose touch took him away from Michael Kay before the No.9 slipped a low left-footed drive beyond Carson's reach from the edge of the box.

It ensured Liverpool went into the half-time interval holding a well-earned lead.

Sunderland made a pressing start to the second half, though the Reds defence - powerfully led by Chris Mavinga - managed to repel the early onslaught, with only David Dowson's run and shot testing Hansen in the opening exchanges.

Alex Kacaniklic then skewed a volley wide on the hour after Steven Irwin’s cross had only been half cleared to the edge of the box by Sunderland before Adam Reed struck a long-range effort into the midriff of Hansen.

The Dane thwarted the Black Cats' midfielder again moments later, smothering an attempted overhead kick.

Sunderland went closer still in the 67th minute when O'Mahoney crashed a close-range header against the crossbar from Conor Hourihane's dangerous cross, when perhaps the winger should have done better.

However, the home side were reduced to 10 men with a quarter of an hour remaining when Liam Noble collected two yellow cards in the space of three minutes following rash challenges on David Amoo and Irwin .

With Liverpool holding the numerical advantage, the visitors were able to see out the latter stages in relative comfort and claim their first victory in over a month to fittingly end a season of real encouragement on a high.

Financial Expert David Bick Fears For Liverpool's Future As Board Deliver Nothing But 'Broken Promises'

Liverpool need a "rescue" rather than just a takeover, according to football finance expert David Bick, who believes the club is at an important cross-roads in its history.

Bick, chairman of Square 1 Consulting, believes fans of the Reds should not be fooled by financial results set to be released by the club, which he believes will see them announce a profit of around £35 million.

The expert sees similarities with Manchester United's figures last year — where the club's profits, a result of Cristiano Ronaldo's sale, paved the way for a bond issue that alleviated the club's short-time problems but only caused greater long-term concerns.

Bick also believes the Merseyside club, whose owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have reportedly set an asking price of around £500 million, has been over-priced and needs investment in almost every aspect of the club's infrastructure — starting with a new stadium.

"Liverpool has potentially reached its most important historic point," Bick wrote in an open letter, as reported by ESPN Soccernet.

"The club has now gone 20 years without winning the English league title. It has never won the Premier League. It was drummed out earlier than expected from this year's Champions League and now, as one of the world's biggest clubs, faces the ignominy and reality of failing to qualify for next season's premier European competition.

"To my mind, the people running the club over the last two decades must bear the bulk of the responsibility and the brunt of the criticism.

"Whether it comes down to incompetence or thoughtless arrogance at Liverpool, we have seen the club left behind by the other great clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs. They have rebuilt their stadium to high standards and, largely speaking, to capacities that accommodate their substantial fan bases.

"Yet all Liverpool fans have heard is talk and a string of broken promises."

While their rivals have adapted to the modern game and taken advantage of the money-making avenues open to them, Bick reckons Liverpool's owners have long been slow to adapt.

"The other clubs have built their revenue streams or attracted owners that have given them the wherewithal to compete effectively at the top of the modern game," he noted.

"It seems to me that the Liverpool fans are being treated to a 'product' that is rooted in the 1970s. Sadly, in very recent times, Liverpool has also been owned by people who have said much and delivered little of the stated vision. Replacing them is a very urgent imperative.

"Liverpool claimed in a recent statement that it has 'overseen a significant improvement in the financial performance of the club since 2007'. Well, that's difficult to assess. The management has not published accounts for Kop Football (Holdings) Limited - the main trading company - since the filing for the year to 31 July 2008 and, in that year, the business showed net losses of over £42 million and net interest payments on debt of £35 million not covered at all (let alone adequately) by operating profit - pre-player amortisation and trading - of £25 million."

Manager Rafael Benitez's agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, revealed exclusively to Goal.com UK on Tuesday that assurances over transfer funds would be vital to keeping the Spaniard at the club. Bick believes that, if the club's finances are as bad as he suspects, Benitez might be disappointed with what he is told.

"Debt remains stubbornly near a reported £240 million, so what profits are produced do not leave much, if anything, for the manager to work with, even if we believe rumours of a £35 million profit for the year that will end this 31 July," Bick said.

"In short, Liverpool's financial structure can't work in my opinion and, since the sale of the club in 2007, it was never going to.

"If the manager cannot operate competitively in the transfer market, he has no chance of competing regularly in the top four. We have now seen the first concrete sign of this with the failure to even stay in the top four.

"Right now, Liverpool is at risk of losing its manager and some of its best players, demoralised by a recent Europa Cup semi-final defeat and a poor season. While no-one is irreplaceable, such an exodus will leave a new owner with an even more difficult task. Therefore, the new chairman of Liverpool needs to act with some swiftness."

The saga surrounding the building of New Anfield — which Hicks and Gillett promised to start work on soon after arriving at the club in 2007 — has been a major controversy in the last three years, and Bicks believes it is essential work is started sooner rather than later.

"Financially at least, Liverpool must have a new stadium if it is to have any hope of restoring past glories," he writes.

"But the finance for that, and any subsequent financial benefit to owners, must accrue to those who put up the money. In any case, this will not be a conventional acquisition of a football asset - it is more likely now to be a rescue.

"The new owners will need to be people of high calibre. They will need to have access to very large sums of money to build the new stadium, revitalise the management and allow for a well thought-through strengthening of the playing squad.

As a result, things could get worse before they get better for Reds fans.

"Once decline becomes precipitous, even money may not prevent the decline spiralling into permanency," Bick warned.

Yossi Benayoun Brands Liverpool 'Failures' After Missing Out On Champions League Qualification

Liverpool winger Yossi Benayoun has delivered a scathing assessment of the Reds' disappointing campaign, branding Rafael Benitez's side "failures" after their inability to qualify for next season's Champions League.

The Merseysiders also performed underwhelmngly in the domestic cup competitions as well as the Premier League, and exited the Champions League at the group stage and the Europa League, their consolation prize, at the semi-final stage.

Benayoun acknowledges that things need to improve quickly at Anfield, with the onus on the players to produce a positive reaction next season.

"Our objective was clear at the outset, and missing out on the Champions League cannot be viewed as anything other than failure," the 30-year-old told reporters.

"It is not even up for discussion. A club like ours must be setting their sights on being in the Champions League, and it is not good enough that we have fallen short.

"It happens sometimes, even to the best, but there can be no excuses. We have failed and we have to make sure it does not happen again. The way you react to adversity is so important, and we must respond positively."

Yossi Benayoun Begging Liverpool Bosses To Keep Steven Gerrard & Fernando Torres

Yossi Benayoun has urged Liverpool to make sure superstars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres stay at Anfield.

And the Israeli midfielder backed boss Rafa Benitez, whose future will be decided at a meeting with chairman Martin Broughton this week.

Benayoun, distraught after his extra-time goal against Atletico Madrid was then cancelled out last Thursday night, implored the Liverpool hierarchy to make the right decisions this summer.

He said: “A club like Liverpool must do ­everything they can to keep players like Stevie and Fernando.

“But a lot of things can change and, in a few weeks, we will know better.”

Liverpool, whose tame Anfield surrender to Chelsea on Sunday was their 19th defeat of the season, saw their last hope of silverware disappear in the Europa League semi-final defeat to Atletico.

The 2-0 loss to Chelsea meant they will not even finish in fourth place in the Premier League, missing out on the Champions League.

And Benayoun added: “It is difficult to speak about next season.

“We don’t know what changes there will be with the players and the staff. Personally I don’t know whether I will be here or if I won’t.

“A lot of things can happen. We will have to wait and see. Liverpool is a great club and I enjoy it. But a lot of things are happening and we will have to see.

“If it depended on me, I would stay and retire here. The fans are the best in the world, but it depends on a lot of things. It will be very clear soon.”

Broughton has been appointed by unpopular American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the club’s sale.

Benitez, in charge for six years and wanted by Italian sides Juventus and AC Milan, has been frustrated by the in-fighting and a lack of transfer funding.

The word at Anfield on Sunday was that Benitez will go possibly even before the last game at Hull on Sunday.

Benayoun said: “When you are at a big club and things go bad, it is normal for the pressure to be put on the manager.

“We have tried to do our best, but it hasn’t been good enough.”

Jamie Carragher Set To Be Fit To Face Hull City With Liverpool

Liverpool veteran Jamie Carragher should have recovered from an ankle problem in time to face Hull City in the Reds' final game of the Premier League season at the weekend, according to a report from The Liverpool Echo.

The defender turned his ankle in the weekend home defeat by Chelsea and completed the squad's lap of the pitch to say thank you to the fans at the end of the game in a pair of flip-flops to ease the pressure on the injury.

However, the injury is not believed to be serious and Carragher should line up for the Reds at the KC Stadium.

Should Carragher play in East Yorkshire then it will be his 630th appearance for the club, putting him seventh in the list of Liverpool's all-time appearance makers.

The player himself is happy that he has once again managed 50 games over the course of the campaign.

"My target at the start of every season is to play in 50 games so I'm glad that I have achieved that again," he said.

"You have to have a bit of luck with injuries to make sure that happens and I have been fortunate throughout my career not to suffer with little niggles.

"At a top club like Liverpool, there are always players who want to take your place, so to play 50 games (a season) here is something that I am proud of."

Fernando Torres May Miss World Cup Group Stage Because Of Knee Injury

Liverpool and Spain striker Fernando Torres may not be fit for the entire group stage of the World Cup because of fears a rushed return may cause him long-term knee problems.

The Reds medical team is monitoring Torres' rehabilitation from knee surgery after he tore the cartilage in his right leg against Benfica in the Europa League last month.

And despite initial reports suggesting the star striker would be back in time for the World Cup, Liverpool's new head of sports medicine Peter Brukner cast doubt on his participation in Spain's opening matches.

'You can't be absolutely certain of anything but at this stage, if he continues to progress the way he is, he should be fit to play at some stage during the World Cup,' Brukner explained.

'Whether he'll be fit for the first game or not is uncertain.

'We're anxious not to hurry him along too much because we want the long-term benefit, but we're aware he's got the short-term goal of playing in the World Cup.

'Hopefully we can get a compromise between those two where he plays in the World Cup and he's fit and well for Liverpool next season.'

After an injury-ravaged campaign for Liverpool in 2009/10, Torres himself raised fears over his long-term fitness if he continues to play in the Premier League - leading to speculation over a possible move this summer.

But Brukner believes the second of Torres' two knee operations this year will see him back up to full speed to continue his Liverpool career next season.

'In the first few minutes of the Benfica game here at Anfield, he hyper-extended his knee and re-injured it,' said Brukner, who will join the Merseysiders' medical team permanently after he serves on the backroom staff for Australia at the World Cup.

'We felt even with a period of rest it wasn't going to heal by itself and it needed another telescopic surgery just to trim the area that's been torn.

'That would enable him to fully recover and play, not just in the World Cup but for many years to come for Liverpool.'

Inter Milan Make Liverpool's Fernando Torres Their Top Summer Target

Inter Milan are planning summer swoops for one of the Premier League's leading striker, according to reports from Italy.

According to SportItalia, Inter chairman Massimo Moratti believes the recent confirmation that Liverpool will not be in the Champions League next season has opened the door for Fernando Torres to leave the club.

Despite the Spaniard's reported £70 million transfer tag, Moratti is not scared and will lodge a bid for a player he has long admired at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, according to Mediaset, Carlos Tevez's recent run-ins with Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini have alerted the Nerazzurri to his availability, and they will look to lure him to the Giuseppe Meazza in the summer.

The reports suggest that out-of-favour Inter forward Mario Balotelli might well be used as a makeweight in either deal, depending on which club they can persuade to take him.

Rafa Benitez Wants To Stay At Liverpool, Claims Agent

Rafa Benitez has still not received any offers from Juventus or any other club and wants to stay at Anfield, the Liverpool FC manager's agent claims.

Speculation in England and Italy has linked Benitez to a move to Turin and the 50-year-old is believed to be the number one candidate to succeed coach Alberto Zaccheroni this summer.

Benitez is also a reported target of Real Madrid, but his agent has insisted the Spaniard does not intend to leave Liverpool FC.

"We have not received any offers from any club," Manuel Garcia Quilon said on Tuesday.

"Benitez’s aim is to remain at Liverpool and try to help the team improve with new owners.

"He is under contract and his wish is to remain at Liverpool."

Benitez, who is under contract at Anfield until June 2014, has a meeting scheduled with new Liverpool FC chairman Martin Broughton this week to discuss the plans being put in place for next season.

Broughton, the chairman of British Airways, has been brought in by co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the sale of the club.

Last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea ended Liverpool FC’s hopes of playing in the Champions League next season.

Juve will also miss out on playing in Europe’s elite club competition as they have no chance of finishing in the top four in Serie A.

Ian Wright: Liverpool May Have To Wait Years To Play Champions League Football Again

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright is not optimistic about Liverpool's prospects of bouncing back quickly from their disappointing season.

The former England international reckons the Reds supporters should prepare themselves for what could be a lengthy period of transition, with Champions League football becoming a distant dream rather then a regular reality.

And Wright believes that Manchester City are waiting in the wings to take Liverpool's place in the big four.

"They've won it [the Champions League] five times, as their fantastic fans love to remind us," Wright told The Sun.

"But the stark reality is Liverpool may have to get used to life outside the Champions League.

"England's most successful team in Europe's elite competition will finish sixth at best in the Premier League this season and be reduced to playing in the Europa League.

"And if Wednesday’s game at Eastlands goes the way I expect it to, I fear it could be five years or even longer before the Kop are able to muscle their way back into the top four.

"If Tottenham win, they will secure fourth spot and finally be able to get that lasagne-eating monkey off their backs and hold their heads up high in the company of Arsenal fans, who have taunted their north London rivals about their European inadequacies for so long."

But Wright believes it will be City who will prevail, and beat Tottenham Hotspur at Eastlands on Wednesday night to put themselves in the box seat for fourth place heading into the final weekend of the season.

Should the Citizens achieve the feat, Wright anticipates a rush of summer activity at the City of Manchester Stadium.

"Stars moving to Eastlands on bank-busting contracts would no longer have to use money as a reason," he explained.

"They would be able to say they were joining to play Champions League football.

"It would make the blue machine even more unstoppable in their quest for domestic, European and, dare I say it, global domination.”

"And it would also leave Liverpool out in the cold."

Martin Jol Flattered To Be Linked With Liverpool Job

Reports linking Ajax and former Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol with Liverpool have been welcomed by the Dutchman.

There is speculation that Reds boss Rafael Benitez could be leaving the club in the summer with Juventus reportedly interested, meaning the Anfield job will be vacant.

Jol guided Ajax to a 15-match winning run at the end of the season but it was not enough to win the Eredivisie as Steve McClaren’s FC Twente held onto top spot.

"Liverpool are one of the best clubs in Europe and it is flattering to be linked with them," Jol told the People.

Benitez is holding talks with Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton this week to assess his options for this season.

Regarding his future, Benitez said: "Everyone is asking about my future but the future of the club is more important.

"Still I do not know what is going on in the club. I don't know if we will have any investors so there are a lot of questions - not just, for me, one question.

"For me the club has to answer a lot of questions. We have to wait and see what is going on. The future is maybe tomorrow or maybe one week; at this moment it is something we don't know."

Benitez Set Deadline To Accept Juventus Deal

Rafael Benitez was coming under renewed pressure from Juventus to take or leave their job offer last night, and, with the Spaniard growing increasingly fearful of Fernando Torres' departure this summer, he wants assurances from the club's executive chairman that money generated from star players leaving will be his to invest.

Though Benitez rejected Roberto Mancini's claims two weeks ago that Manchester City can afford the probably £50m-plus it would take to buy Torres, the Liverpool manager does seem to view that prospect as a genuine risk, with Liverpool reduced to Europa League football, and wants an imminent meeting with the club's executive chairman, Martin Broughton, to address it. "I would like to have a meeting with the chairman sooner rather than later to know his idea about the future," Benitez said last night, in a significant sign that his heart is on Merseyside if he can overcome his doubts.

"Still we are working hard and planning for the future. Liverpool is a massive name in England and again in Europe. Everybody knows about the history of the club and our fans, so we can attract players and improve the squad."

Benitez will also want to discuss with Broughton the Spaniard's own relationship with the club's managing director, Christian Purslow, as well as to know what realistic chances there are of a change of ownership to ease the financial gulf between the club and those in the European elite. Benitez is so in the dark about the running of the club, that he is still unsure who appointed Broughton and where the chairman sits in the chain of command. Benitez must weigh the answers he gets quickly, with Juve making it clear that they want a decision this week on the four-year contract worth £3.5m a year after tax which awaits him in Turin. Though Purslow insists that his relationship with Benitez is in good order, the feeling does not seem to be mutual.

The odds still seem balanced against Benitez staying, given the growing sense yesterday that Liverpool's general state of chaos may see the club hemorrhage players this summer. In the aftermath of the 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea two of the club's best contributors over the past eight months hinted they expect departures and one of them, Yossi Benayoun, indicated that he might be ready to leave Anfield this summer.

"It's very difficult to speak now about next season. We don't know what changes there will be – the players, the staff. So it's too early to speak," the 29-year-old said. "Liverpool is a great club and I enjoy it but a lot of things are happening in this moment and we will have to wait and see. I can't say much. [Rafa] brought me here and I'm grateful for this, but there are people who decide. I don't need to speak for Rafa because he's proved himself during his time here that he's a big manager. The people above will take the right decision for the club."

The Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva reinforced the feeling of uncertainty. "Everyone is aware of the doubts over Rafa's future," he said. "We do not know what is going to happen or if some players will come and some will leave. We can only wait."

It is unclear what stance Broughton will take with Benitez on the issue of reinvestment, given the continued uncertainty over a prospective new owner, the £20m loss in income which accrues from Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League and Liverpool's apparent willingness to see the Spaniard go. The club will not sack Benitez but will not stand in his way if he decides that his future lies elsewhere, though there are suggestions that Liverpool's owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, are keen that the meeting Benitez has requested with Broughton should go ahead and that they, at least, have some desire to see him stay as the pursuit of a new investor continues.

Liverpool FC Stage Their Lap Of Dishonour

Arms folded, heads bowed and gazes fixed firmly at the floor, never can a group of players have appeared more uncomfortable when embarking on a lap of honour than at Anfield yesterday.

Shuffling resignedly around the pitch perimeter, Liverpool's squad sheepishly responded to the half-hearted applause from those supporters that opted to stay behind after the final whistle.

As a symbol of a hugely under-whelming, disappointing and tortuous season, it could not have been any more appropriate.

And having seen Liverpool end their Anfield campaign the way they began it with a morale-sapping defeat, the fans that trudged home were left to ponder an uncertain future for Rafael Benitez and his players.

The Spaniard's post-match refusal to dismiss speculation of an imminent departure once again fanned the flames that his tenure as manager is drawing to a close

If this does prove his home swansong, it was a pretty ignominious one. Five years ago today, Chelsea provided the opposition for Benitez's greatest-ever occasion at Anfield as the Londoners were swept aside on a wave of emotion in that famous Champions League semi-final.

By contrast, yesterday was arguably his worst, the visitors underlining how far Liverpool have fallen since thrillingly challenging for the title just 12 months ago.

The chants of “we're going to win the league” emanating from the away end would not have overly irked a home support that could at least clutch some sort of silver lining given Chelsea's win means Manchester United are unlikely to surpass Liverpool's record of 18 titles. For now, anyway.

More pointed, though, were the strains of “you're ancient history”, a dagger in the heart of every Liverpool fan who fears that, unless there are radical changes both on and off the field this summer, such taunts could well become fact.

No wonder Benitez has clearly had enough of the inertia, false promises and apathy of co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks. While hardly blameless for a season of underachievement, the Spaniard hasn't been helped by the unrealistic balance between resource and expectation.

And Benitez won't be the only one considering his future at Anfield. The biggest cheer during the lap of honour was reserved for when Fernando Torres, recovering from the knee operation that ended his season a fortnight earlier, wandered on to the field to join his team-mates.

How Liverpool have missed Torres. And how their fans will pray to see the striker in a Liverpool shirt again, the club bracing themselves for a transfer window in which Torres, along with prize assets Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard, will have their loyalty tempted by the lure of riches and silverware elsewhere.

But who could blame them for going? The longer the uncertainty over investment and the sale of the club continues, the more likely it is players will move on in search of stability and a realistic chance of major honours.

They deserve better. Benitez deserves better. And the supporters deserve better.

Of course, not every exit this summer will be a great loss. This Liverpool squad, while sorely lacking strength in depth, has simply not been good enough in a season in which teams as average as Aston Villa, Portsmouth and Fulham have all reached major finals.

With victories for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur the previous day making Champions League qualification highly improbable and Everton's failure to beat Stoke City already ensuring a Europa League berth, Liverpool realistically had little other than pride to play for yesterday.

Indeed, conspiracy theorists will have rubbed their hands in glee when Steven Gerrard's unfortunate backpass was intercepted by Didier Drogba in the 33rd minute to send Chelsea on their way to an ultimately comfortable victory.

But conveniently overlooked among all the talk of Liverpool making life easy for Chelsea was that the Londoners might just win because they are the better team. After all, Carlo Ancelotti's title-chasers started the day a mammoth 28 points ahead of their seventh-placed opponents.

While the reminder from Sir Alex Ferguson to Liverpool's players “not to throw away their history” was as unnecessary as it was patronising, the United manager was somewhat more on the money with his assessment after the game when he said: “Liverpool have lost 19 games this season so maybe you shouldn't expect them to beat Chelsea.”

So it proved. Liverpool were in the ascendancy during the opening half-hour but, once Drogba intervened, the outcome was never in doubt, leading to a surreal, hushed atmosphere among the home support.

An early Javier Mascherano shot was deflected wide for a corner, while Alberto Aquilani was much closer with a dipping drive from 25 yards that clipped the top of the crossbar.

However, the Italian should have done better in the 29th minute when, having been released by a fine pass over the top from Maxi, he dawdled too long and allowed Branislav Invanovic to bundle him off the ball before having the chance to shoot.

That was as good as it got for Liverpool. Chelsea's early nerves dissipated once ahead and, after Lampard was narrowly wide with a 20-yard drive, only a last-ditch Sotirios Kyrgiakos challenge denied Nicolas Anelka as the former Liverpool man shaped to shoot.

Chelsea thought they were denied a clear penalty in first-half injury time when Salomon Kalou fell under pressure from the pursuing Lucas, but television replays confirmed Alan Wiley's decision to wave away appeals was correct; any contact from Lucas was minimal and Kalou had in fact tripped over his own leg.

But the visitors eventually extended their lead on 54 minutes when Drogba released Anelka to deliver a low ball across goal that Frank Lampard slid home.

Reina made a good save from Florent Malouda late on as Liverpool, having played an arduous 120 minutes less than three days earlier in their ultimately futile attempt to reach the Europa League final, struggled to muster any meaningful response.

Chelsea can now look forward to clinching the title next weekend. Liverpool, though, have absolutely no idea where they are heading.

Rafael Benítez Blames American Owners For Liverpool's Lack Of Depth

The Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez has criticised the club's American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett for failing to invest heavily in the squad, leaving Liverpool short of depth in a season that has seen them miss out on the Champions League for the first time since 2002-03.

"Always in the past two years the manager here has been taking responsibility for everything. The reality is that, if you compare with other teams in terms of money, power and the option you have in the market, so you can analyse carefully and then you have answers," said Benítez.

"The fans are very clever, they know what is going on. It is very clear that things are like this now and still we have to carry on going forward.

"Next season we have to do almost everything perfect and, if we make one or two mistakes, we don't have the possibility to react so it is more difficult for us."

Benítez, who has been linked with a summer move to Juventus – who were also ruled out of a Champions League spot in Serie A after a 1-1 draw at Catania – once again refused to clarify his future.

"I have four years of a contract [left] so we will see," said Benítez when asked if he would be at Anfield next season. "I was talking about the speculation during the last two or three weeks and I cannot be talking about it all the time.

"We will prepare for the next game [at Hull] and then start thinking about things for the future. The fans want to know [whether Benítez will be in charge next season] but I want to know what is going on next week against Hull.

"Now we have to concentrate on another game and then prepare for the future."

When asked whether he had heard from the new chairman, Martin Broughton, brought in by the American owners to oversee the sale of the club, Benítez added: "Not yet. I will have a meeting with the chairman in a few days."

Benítez rejected the suggestion that the lacklustre post-match lap around Anfield was his farewell to the supporters.

"We have to say thank you to our fans, as always, because they have been very good," he said.

"We approached the game thinking about winning but we are very disappointed because it was a game that was equal and then we conceded the goal and things changed. When we conceded the second goal, against Chelsea that is normally the end."

Lucas: We Had Nothing

Lucas Leiva admits beating Chelsea was always going to be a tough ask following the exhausting 120-minute clash with Atletico Madrid on Thursday.

The Reds signed off their home campaign with a 2-0 defeat on Sunday - three days after crashing out of the Europa League.

Lucas told Liverpoolfc.tv: "It has been a disappointing few days for us because we wanted to win our final home game of the season for the fans.

"We tried to win it but unfortunately they were better in front of goal than us. I thought we started well but then we conceded a goal and it was difficult.

"When you play extra-time you always feel more tired and we were feeling a little jaded in the second half, but hopefully next season will be a lot better than this one.

"It was important to show our appreciation to the supporters at the end. They support us all of the time and give us confidence and I hope we can repay them next season."

Lucas is now targeting a victory at Hull next week in the final game of 2009-10.

"We owe it to our fans to put on a good performance next Sunday and win the game," he added.

"We are professionals and we have to give our all for the supporters who will be travelling to Hull to give us great backing as always.

"We need to finish as high in the table as we possibly can. We have already qualified for the Europa League so we need to play well in our final game."

Hodgson Cools Liverpool Link

Roy Hodgson insists he is happy at Fulham after speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool.

The Cottagers manager has been revered of late for the job he has done at Fulham, after guiding them to a Europa League final to be played against Atletico Madrid later this month.

His side have come on leaps and bounds since they narrowly avoided relegation in the 2007/08 campaign, and Hodgson has been tipped to succeed Fabio Capello as England manager in recent weeks.

With matters at Liverpool clouded in uncertainty and Rafa Benitez's position reportedly on a knife edge, the Fulham boss has now been linked with a move to Anfield.

However, the experienced tactician has dismissed such suggestions and insists he is happy at Craven Cottage.

"I am happy here at Fulham," he said. "I have got a contract here at Fulham. I am happy with the job I am doing.

"My name is sufficiently strong at the moment to be linked with other jobs and, of course, that is flattering and it is nice to hear.

"But as far as I am concerned it is speculation because I am at Fulham.

"We all prefer praise to criticism and love to hatred. It would be ludicrous to suggest I am not enjoying people saying and writing nice things about me and the team.

"But I am trying to keep a level head and keep things in perspective."

Fulham managed a 3-2 win over West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday but all eyes are geared towards that Hamburg final on 12th May.

Benayoun Unsure On Reds Future

Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun is unsure whether he will still be at Anfield next season.

The Israel international has been a popular figure on Merseyside following his transfer from West Ham United and admits he would prefer to spend the rest of his career with the Reds.

However, Benayoun, who signed a new deal last July that ties him to the club until 2013, said: "It's very difficult to speak now about next season.

"We don't know what changes there will be - players, the staff, so I think it's too early to speak. I don't know personally even if I will be here or I will not be here. A lot of things can happen.

"It's nothing to do with (Rafa Benitez's future). I'm enjoying it here at this moment.

"If it depended on me, I would stay here and retire in Liverpool. The fans are the best in the world, but it depends on a lot of things. It will be very clear soon and we will just have to see in a few weeks."

Rafael Benítez Demands Answers Amid Uncertainty Over Liverpool's Future

Liverpool's manager, Rafael Benítez, has called on officials at the club to "answer a lot of questions" about the future direction things will take.

The Spaniard has a meeting scheduled this week with the chairman, Martin Broughton, in which he expects to be given detailed information about what plans are being put in place for next season and beyond.

Broughton, also the chairman of British Airways, has been brought in by the co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to oversee the sale of Liverpool but it has taken him nearly three weeks to schedule a meeting with Benítez.

That has not pleased the manager, who would like to stay at Anfield despite strong interest from Juventus.

Benítez, 14 months into a five-year contract, wants an enhanced transfer budget in order to bring in the five players he feels they need to get back into Champions League contention, never mind a title challenge.

"We have plenty of time in this season, I still have four years of my contract left and I still I have to talk to the new chairman," said the Spaniard. "It [the meeting] is to talk about the future. Everyone is asking about my future but the future of the club is more important.

"Still I do not know what is going on in the club. I don't know if we will have any investors so there are a lot of questions – not just, for me, one question. For me the club has to answer a lot of questions. It is very clear: we have to wait and see what is going on. The future is maybe tomorrow or maybe one week; at this moment it is something we don't know."

Benítez refused to clarify his future plans after Sunday's 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea, which ended their hopes of Champions League football for next season. But he expressed his frustration at the campaign which appears to be going on around him concerning his future. He is unhappy about the way Juventus have publicly targeted him but also hinted there were may be factors at work within Liverpool to try to force his hand.

"If I have a conversation with him [Broughton] we will try to keep it private," said Benítez in his now-familiar cryptic style. "At this point we have to concentrate on next Sunday's game at Hull. There are too many rumours in the press and I know some people are just trying to create a mess.

"To be fair we were trying our best last week, signing [Charlton's two-footed midfielder] Jonjo Shelvey because still we have the same mentality – to improve the club and do the best for the club. I try to do my best every day."

Liverpool FC Get A History Lesson From Chelsea Fans

Away supporters never miss a chance to mock fans in the grounds they visit and the Chelsea followers who crammed into the Anfield Road end yesterday were no exception.

But while most of their singing was typically banal, turgid and witless, one chant which started just before the end of possibly the most soul destroying 90 minutes of the season summed up the direction in which Liverpool are headed.

“You’re ancient history,” they crowed, over and over again. In many ways, they are right. While folk dressed in Blue celebrated the victory that effectively clinched their third Premier League title, all those in Red had nothing to console them.

The days when Liverpool ruled the roost, collected trophies at will and dwarfed their rivals are long gone, nothing but a distant memory; today they stand as far away from being crowned champions of England as they have ever been since 1990.

Liverpool, you see, is a club on its knees. Torn apart by internal civil war – step forward, for starters, Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett – crippled by debt and possessing too many players who are not good enough to help drag it off the canvas, they are headed in one direction.

Such words do not come easy to compose but, then again, watching Liverpool has been anything but a walk in the park during the past nine months and, astonishingly, a new nadir was reached here against Chelsea.

All talk, of course, before Carlo Ancelotti brought his team to Merseyside centred around the number ‘19’, a reference to the fact that Manchester United are within an ace of overtaking Liverpool as the most successful club in the country.

Fittingly, all talk after Ancelotti and Co had departed also centred around the number ‘19’ but that was only because Chelsea had won to inflict Liverpool’s nineteenth defeat of the campaign without coming out of a hack canter.

Truly, truly demoralising. While Rafa Benitez’s men made a bright start to this contest, the highlight being Albert Aquilani skimming the bar with a 25-yard drive, by the final whistle they had been contemptuously swept aside.

Unable to conjure a shot on target or a tackle in anger, the only defiance showed was when Jamie Carragher’s son, James, waved an arm at the away section on the players’ lap of gratitude – some would call it a lap of dishonour – as if to say ‘We are Liverpool!’

That was, perhaps, the only heart warming sight of a miserable afternoon, one that exposed Liverpool’s myriad problems in gory detail; no wonder many were wondering how or from where a Red revival will come.

On the evidence that was presented yesterday, it might be more pertinent to ask ‘if’ recovery is possible; with little money for signings, the manager’s future under a cloud and players perhaps contemplating moves away, the situation is exceptionally fraught.

Mind you, it says everything about the farcical state of the club at present that the current Liverpool chairman could not attend a Liverpool game because of his lifelong allegiances to Chelsea.

Martin Broughton, it must be stressed, is blameless for all the current ills but on a day when a show of unity was needed, his failure to attend – and his quotes ahead of the match – did not send out the right message, in any shape or form.

Yes, some players had done their best to make the right noises in the build up – most notably Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger and Steven Gerrard – promising there would be no surrender but their words ultimately fell on deaf ears.

Haunted by everything that has happened since last August, Anfield – the visiting section apart – was like a morgue during the opening half hour, with many numb from so many chastening experiences. Others, evidently, were completely.

How has it come to this? Games with Chelsea in recent years have guaranteed a fabulous atmosphere, the mutual apathy between the clubs ensuring there was always a buzz inside this famous old ground at the prospect of a bitter scrap for three points.

It made the tone here all the more unpalatable. No matter how bad things are, never should a logical Red turn up to a game and want their team to lose; the ‘spirit of Shankly’ has been much spoken lately, so we ask – is wanting to lose a Shankly ideology?

You all know the answer to that. Yet the fact that subject has even been debated is another, painful indictment on this lamentable campaign; wanting to lose to the side that has been barracked for years about having no history? Come on.

True, a title triumph for Chelsea is absolutely the lesser of two evils but you get the point; emotions yesterday were borne of frustration, the fact that Liverpool were again forced to watch others fight for the ultimate prize too much to handle.

We can only speculate quite what would have happened if Liverpool’s bright start had yielded a goal – Chelsea hardly showed themselves to be a side of the highest calibre – but once Gerrard’s stray back-pass was seized upon by Didier Drogba, the game was up.

Frank Lampard put the gloss on the victory for Chelsea early in the second half and from that point the action resembled a training match, with both sides desperate to hear the final whistle for wildly differing reasons.

Chelsea’s players, predictably, revelled in their success, Liverpool’s players skulked off, disappearing down the tunnel before emerging shortly after with their families, to walk around the pitch, some appearing almost embarrassed by the ordeal.

Were some waving apologies? Were others waving goodbye? You get the impression that when the time comes to do something similar in 12 months, the squad will have a different look to it.

Will Benitez be at the helm? Again, that is to be decided. Clearly some fans will be happy for him to go to Juventus or wherever, fearing that his project has gone stale, others – the majority – still believe he is the man to take Liverpool forward.

Whatever happens, there is an enormous job to be done over the summer, the most important being to sort the financial mess out; this is something Broughton and Christian Purslow dare not get wrong

If they do, crowing fans in the corner of Anfield will become commonplace – and the notion of Liverpool being a successful club will be ancient history.

Alan Hansen: Liverpool Are Facing An Uncertain Future And Need An Overhaul

A title race may never be over until it is mathematically decided, but Chelsea can certainly head into the final game of the season knowing they have done all of the hard work.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have faced the toughest test of their run-in and emerged as convincing winners.

The question, in reality, was never likely to be whether Liverpool had the right attitude to beat Chelsea, but whether they had the right attributes.

In the end, they offered as bad a performance as they have produced this season.

That should not detract from the fact that Chelsea played extremely well at Anfield, inspired by the two players who have added to their squad most this season, Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou. Both excelled on Sunday. Malouda has had an excellent season and Kalou has had a great four or five weeks as the campaign reaches its climax.

There was a stage when neither looked like they would be a Premier League player, when you assumed both would be shipped out, judged to be of insufficient quality. Malouda, though, has blossomed this year, and Kalou's recent contribution towards Chelsea's title push has been hugely important.

Manchester United had a similar situation at the start of their run of three league championships in as many years with Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic.

They struggled to impose themselves on the side when they arrived, but with time they have developed into great players. Both were awesome at Sunderland, as Sir Alex Ferguson's team secured the win which takes the title race to the final weekend.

Whatever happens next week, the differences between Chelsea and Manchester United are not vast by any means. While it has been a terrific campaign in terms of the interest and intrigue across the league, it has not been a great one for quality, as has been proved in the performance of the English teams in the Champions League.

United, Chelsea and Arsenal have all been a lot easier to beat this season than in previous years, as their defeat tallies show. It is among Europe's elite that such a weakness is truly exposed, though. If you are easy to beat in the Champions League, then you will get beaten.

That is why, regardless of whether Chelsea maintain their lead on Sunday to win the title or United manage to overhaul them, both need a considerable revamp in the summer.

Chelsea will no doubt look to strengthen their midfield, but it is their squad that has been weakened most noticeably over the years.

Under Jose Mourinho, it was always said that Chelsea's second string would finish in the top six in the Premier League, but that is simply not the case any more. They require four or five players to return them to that sort of level. Winning titles and, particularly, winning the Champions League is not about 11 players, it is about 20, and there is no question both sides need new personnel if they are to continue to be successful.

At least Ancelotti and Ferguson will only have to look to buy a handful of players this summer. Liverpool, on the other hand, may need to go into double figures before they have a squad worthy of returning them to where everyone at the club feels they deserve to be.

The worry now that their exclusion from next season's Champions League has been confirmed is whether they will be able to attract the right players to help rebuild the club.

Liverpool's supporters are the best in the world, but players do not join clubs because of the fans. They come first for money, and then for what is on offer. Without the lure of the world's biggest club competition, Liverpool simply cannot compete.

The only solace is that Liverpool are still Liverpool; they still have the history and tradition to attract players. That will only last so long, though. Should they go three or four seasons without Champions League football, even that lustre will fade.

That is why this is the most crucial period in the club's history. At the end of last season, it would have seemed impossible that they would be in the position they are now. That is the nature of football, though. It is easy to fall from grace, but extremely difficult to rise to prominence again.

Sir Alex Ferguson Disappointed With Steven Gerrard Mistake That "Gifted" Chelsea A Goal

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has bemoaned Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard “gifting” Chelsea a goal in the Blues 2-0 victory at Anfield on Sunday.

A poor back pass from Gerrard gave Chelsea striker Didier Drogba the opportunity to score the first goal in the critical Premier League battle at Anfield.

The Blues just need to defeat Wigan Athletic at home on Sunday to end United’s run for a record 19th Premier League title, and Ferguson knows that his side’s chances to win the title are very slim.

"I just saw it after the game. It was a great gift, Ferguson told The Sun.

"There is nothing you can do about it. You just have to get on with it."

After defeating Sunderland on Sunday, United remain a single point behind Chelsea in the standings, but there is only one game remaining in the season for the Red Devils to overtake the Blues for the title.

United must defeat Stoke City at Old Trafford and hope that Wigan can beat or draw Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next Sunday, and Ferguson knows that it is unlikely, but believes that in football anything is possible.

"You never know what can happen. Football is a crazy game.

"Manchester City did us a great turn by beating Chelsea twice and Wigan are another neighbour, but listen; we know we are clutching at straws a little bit."

"All we can do is win our game against Stoke.

"Obviously, I would not insult Wigan in any shape or form because they are a really good football team and they will have a go. But the important thing is for us to win our game and enjoy it."