Neville Plays Down Carragher Tackle After Fergie's Blast

Gary Neville has attempted to calm the row between Manchester United and Liverpool over Jamie Carragher's tackle on Nani.

Neville - famed for his open disregard for bitter-rivals Liverpool - played down the tackle that left his Portuguese team-mate needing stitches.

Sir Alex Ferguson labelled the over-the-ball challenge a "disgrace" but Neville, speaking at the opening of a football academy in Portugal, refused to be dragged into a war of words.

"It is obvious that it was not a good tackle and Jamie knows it, but these are things that pass in the world of the football," the recently-retired defender said.

Liverpool Under-18s Focusing Back On The League After FA Youth Cup Exit

Following Sunday’s FA Youth Cup quarter-final defeat Liverpool under-18s will continue to try and reel in leaders Everton in the FA Premier Academy League Group C table

Rodolfo Borrell’s side suffered a cruel 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield – a match in which two players from both sides were sent off.

The defeat meant it was United who set up a two-legged Youth Cup semi-final with Chelsea.

So Liverpool now must refocus their energies on the Academy League, where they return to action this Saturday at Newcastle United this Saturday (kick-off 11am).

Liverpool is fourth in Group C and may be 10 points behind neighbours Everton, but they do have four games in hand and have to play their Mersey rivals. Having missed out on a 10th straight victory and seen their 12-match unbeaten run ended by United, Liverpool must make sure they put that behind them.

Borrell said: “Obviously they are young but they have to learn and learn quick if they want to make the step forward into our first team because they are not too far away.

“Liverpool is a club with a winning atmosphere.

“You need to create players who are mature in these situations.

“Winning games is part of creating a winning mentality.

“The lads need to understand they are at Liverpool and they need to bounce back as soon as possible.”

With Stephen Sama and captain Conor Coady both red-carded they both face a spell on the sidelines.

Dalglish Predicts Euro Comeback

Liverpool might have lost away to Braga in the first leg of the Europa Cup round of 16, but manager Kenny Dalglish believes they will make a comeback in the second leg.

"At 1-0 we're still in it,” he said. “But if we play like that at Anfield we have no chance. The way we started the first 35 minutes was terrible.

“You don’t know if it is a good result or bad result until the second leg.”

The legendary manager for Liverpool says Andy Carroll might be the key to a successful second leg match. “We looked a lot more threatening when Andy came on. He is a good option for us.”

The second half was also promising for Liverpool, with the side at least showing potential to beat their opposition. "To give the lads credit, they picked things up and raised the tempo and with a bit of luck we could have got an equalizer,” Dalglish said.

Liverpool went to Portugal as favourites to take down Braga, who are currently 6th on the Liga Sagres table. Andy Carroll made his European debut for the side as a substitute, coming on in the 57th minute.

While Braga coach Domingos Paciencia’s side now holds the lead in the cup tie, he is still remaining very cautious about what can happen in the second leg at Anfield. "I am optimistic but I know Liverpool is a big team, one of the teams who can win the competition so we have to be very careful."

Lucas Calls For Carroll Patience

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva insists it is unfair to heap unrealistic expectations on club record signing Andy Carroll.

The £35million January arrival from Newcastle has made just two substitute appearances, totalling 49 minutes, in the last week having finally recovered from a thigh injury which has sidelined him since December 28.

Already in those short spells the 22-year-old has given a glimpse of what he can offer Liverpool in the future, with his aerial power and hold-up play something the team have been lacking for several seasons.

But Lucas believes people should not expect Carroll to come in and improve Liverpool's fortunes overnight, even though it was he who provided the change of gear when he came on in the second half of the 1-0 Europa League last-16 first leg defeat in Braga.

"Andy won every single ball in the air and that gave us a chance to step up," said the Brazil midfielder.

"He provides another option because as well as being able to play on the ground we have a target man who can hold the ball and score goals.

"We are happy with what he did against Braga but he has been out for a few months and it would be unfair to put any pressure on him."

Lucas was frustrated by the result in Portugal which ended their 12-match unbeaten run in Europe this season but is confident they will turn it around next Thursday.

"We are disappointed with the result but I think we can change it at Anfield," he added.

"I think we knew it would be a difficult game because Braga beat Arsenal at home as well.

"We couldn't hold the ball as we would like and we were maybe defending more but aside from the penalty (for the goal) they did not have many clear-cut chances.

"We had chances to score but unfortunately we didn't. Now at Anfield we have to make sure we score more goals and get through to the next round."

Skrtel Relieved To Avoid Carroll

Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel thinks rival Premier League defenders will now share the fear that he experienced when facing Andy Carroll.

Newcastle received £35million on January's transfer deadline day as their former No.9 moved to Anfield and became the most expensive British footballer in history.

Liverpool signed Carroll, 22, as a replacement for Fernando Torres, who joined Chelsea, and a partner for fellow January arrival Luis Suarez.

Carroll's record-breaking fee was somewhat of a shock, but Skrtel was not surprised after enduring a torrid evening against his new team-mate in December when the England international scored in Newcastle's convincing 3-1 win.

Slovakia defender Skrtel told Liverpool's official website: "I remember this game and it was very difficult for us defenders because he is a great player.

"He's strong and a big lad and it's very difficult to play against him.

"Now I am happy he is in our team. It's good to have a player like him in our team.

"He's definitely one of the toughest strikers I've played against in the Premier League. He's strong, he is good with his head and he can keep the ball.

"I don't know how defenders will feel but they could be scared because Carroll and Suarez is a very strong forward line."

Balazs Dzsudzsak Could Be The Answer To Liverpool's Left Midfield Problems

Goal.com's Stefan Coerts believes that PSV winger Balazs Dzsudzsak is ready for the next step in his career and could the answer to the problems Liverpool has on the left wing.

When PSV announced the capture of Balazs Dzsudzsak from Debreceni in October 2007, most followers of the Dutch game weren't too impressed. He had by then already made his debut for Hungary's senior side, but was still relatively unknown to the mainstream.

Dzsudzsak didn't need long to make an impact though as he quickly developed into an important first team member at the club. The left footer made his official PSV debut in the 1-0 win over Feyenoord in January 2008 and eventually netted three goals in 17 Eredivisie appearances to help his side to the Dutch title in his first season in the Netherlands.

From there on, the Hungary international has become integral for PSV, scoring 42 goals in 107 Eredivisie appearances to date, and has been one of the most efficient players around in the Dutch league in recent years.

The Debrecen native has become a star name at Philips Stadium this year and aside from scoring 14 goals and giving 12 assists in the Eredivisie, Dzsudzsak has also been PSV's standout player in the Europa League.

His good performances have not gone unnoticed elsewhere and he has been linked with clubs such as Atletico Madrid, Lille, Juventus and Liverpool in the past couple of months. A January transfer seemed to be on the cards for Dzsudzsak, but he instead decided to sign a contract extension until the summer of 2015.

Dzsudzsak's contract renewal hasn't scared off potential suitors though as Liverpool in particular is still closely monitoring his performances. Liverpool is desperate to add a new left midfielder to their squad in the summer transfer window and the PSV star looks like the perfect candidate.

Liverpool is expected to make a move for a left winger in the summer transfer window. They have not only been linked with Dzsudzsak in recent weeks, but also with Aston Villa attacker Ashley Young. However, the England international won't be available on the cheap and Liverpool is unlikely to pay over €25 million again after this winter's spending spree, making Dzsudzsak their top target.

Dzsudzsak himself recently declared that he wasn't interested in leaving PSV during the winter transfer window as he was not done learning yet in Holland. Nevertheless, he might be underestimating himself. The 24-year-old is not getting any serious opposition in the Eredivisie and needs to move on if he's to continue developing into a better player. Dzsudzsak has all the right attributes to succeed in a bigger league and he would become a starter at Liverpool.

Even though Dzsudzsak has only just signed a new deal without a minimum fee release clause, there's little doubt that PSV would allow him to move on if the price is right. Sporting director Marcel Brands has verbally agreed not to frustrate a potential move to England, Germany, Italy or Spain and it's very much likely that the Eredivisie will lose its third star player in the space of six months after the departures of Ibrahim Afellay to Barcelona and Luis Suarez to Liverpool.

Sylvain Marveaux Is 'Quick And Powerful Like Florent Malouda'

Rennes midfielder Sylvain Marveaux has been linked with a move to Liverpool since the end of last year. This weekend, the 24-year-old claimed that he was 'very close' to signing an agreement to join Kenny Dalglish at Anfield this summer.

The former France under-21 international is valued at £7 million but is out of contract at the end of the season.

Goal.com's Ligue 1 expert Robin Bairner shares his insight into the player who might well be playing in front of the Kop next year.

Can he succeed in England?

Players coming out of Ligue 1 tend to be fairly well suited for the Premier League because they are used to playing in a physical environment on a regular basis, so Marveaux would stand a good chance of adapting to life in England. He has been compared before to Florent Malouda. He's technical and strong, but above all, he's quick and powerful. These are all attributes that would suggest he can be successful in England.

How important is he for Rennes?

Marveaux is a player that could potentially be very important to Rennes, but injuries have really prevented him from developing into a top star for them. Indeed, he's not played for Frederic Antonetti's men since the winter break due to a hamstring complaint. Marveaux started the season by picking up a problem on the opening day, but after a month out he became a central figure in the club's positive form. A groin problem in November has ended his season, with only 10 games played and one goal scored. In truth, Rennes have already learned to live without him, with players such as Yacine Brahimi and Jires Kembo-Ekoko - raw but exciting - coming through their ranks.

International class?

He has played for the French under-21 side but is now 24 and is yet to make his debut for the national team. Quite simply, it is because of injuries. He's always been susceptible to strains, missing the European under-19 championships in 2005 due to knee ligament damage. This unwelcome characteristic was most notable during 2008-09, when he missed virtually the whole campaign due to a torn hamstring, playing only the first two games and three of the last four. Though he was highly impressive when he was on the field, clearly his long-term development was hampered, harming his potential to play at the very top level. His natural flair and physical attributes are enough to get by in the domestic game, but with more reliable options out there, he's not been drafted into the France squad yet. Could he be in the future? Potentially, but he'd have to stay fit.

The decent crosser that Liverpool need?

While Marveaux is a wide player, he's featured mainly as one of new breed of wingers who like to be played on the opposite flank, allowing them to cut inside and shoot. Marveaux's skills tend to be in beating players rather than providing quality into the box from a wide area.

Interesting facts?

His brother is Joris, a central midfielder for Montpellier. He played with Yoann Gourcuff in Rennes' youth academy.

Liverpool Boss Plans Progression Of Potential Stars

Kenny Dalglish has insisted that the FA Youth Cup result against Manchester United is less important than the players progressing.

The two rivals met in the quarter-finals of the U18 competition yesterday, and whilst bragging rights could be a factor, it's not the most important thing for the Liverpool boss.

"It's a fantastic day for the kids to be playing at Anfield once again, particularly against Manchester United, whose youth system has been fantastically successful for them over the years," Dalglish told the official Liverpool website.

"Their principle has been the same as ours: it doesn't matter if you don't win the FA Youth Cup, it's about getting players through."

The U18 side has been earning rave reviews this term, and smashed Southend United for nine in an earlier round of the junior competition.

Skipper Conor Coady and wing wizard Raheem Sterling are just two of the young players who have found themselves involved with the first team squad this season, and whilst winning the competition is important for King Kenny, it's not the key factor.

"It's great that we're in it and it's special for the lads because it's the Cup. It's not just the first team who has competition with Manchester United - it's all levels, but we'd sacrifice the Youth Cup to get that number and quality of players," said the boss when referring to the 'golden era' of the Red Devils.

Liverpool vs Manchester United Youth Tie Marred By Hillsborough Abuse

Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has branded the Manchester United fans who sang vile chants about the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters at yesterday's Youth Cup tie at Anfield as "disgusting".

Three United fans were arrested and six ejected from the ground during the match, which the visitors won 3-2 from 2-0 down with both sides having a pair of players sent off.

"I have never seen anything like that before at a youth game and I never want to see anything like it again. It was disgusting," said Aldridge, who was in the team at Hillsborough when 96 Liverpool fans died in 1989.

"You get used to banter from United’s fans when they come to Anfield but to hear those songs about Heysel and Hillsborough was just horrible.

Aldridge added in the Liverpool Echo: "The level of abuse was absolutely sickening.

"There was evidently a group who had just come to cause problems and I felt sorry for the families in the Manchester United end who just wanted to watch a game of football."

Study Shows That Liverpool Is Top City For Football Talent

The Premier League has not exactly been a golden age for either Liverpool or Everton.

While the Anfield outfit has twice finished runners-up since the rebranding of the top flight in 1992, the best their Goodison neighbours have managed during the last 19 years is fourth place.

It’s a far cry from the 1980s when Merseyside ruled the roost. But there is one league table in which the city can still claim to be champions.

A recent study has discovered the city of Liverpool has produced more top-flight footballers than any other English provincial city during the Premier League era.

The tally of 62 players who have gone on to appear in the elite division of English football betters the 55 from second-placed Birmingham and the 42 who have come from down the East Lancs Road in Manchester.

Players such as former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler, Everton defender Tony Hibbert, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Newcastle United midfielder Kevin Nolan are among those to have emerged from the city.

Boffins at the Cambridge-based website TrueKnowledge.com, who use specially-designed software to search the internet for questions asked by users, analyzed the 1,383 English-born players who have appeared in the Premier League.

Merseyside was ranked third when statistics for counties were assessed, producing 6.59 players per 100,000 of its population, which was less than North Yorkshire (7.69) and leaders County Durham (8.70).

Liverpool may have lost to Manchester United in the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals yesterday, but there is still plenty of encouragement in the Academy ranks on both sides of Stanley Park.

Everton are top of the FA Premier Academy League Group C division with their neighbours in fourth, 10 points behind with three games in hand and a goal difference of 21 which is two more than Everton and considerably better than everyone else in the 10-team North West section.

And Everton Academy coach Neil Dewsnip says: “It is great that the two teams are at the top of their section. It is good for both clubs and the city.

“Hopefully it will carry on to the end of the season. It is not quite the first teams, but it is still good for everyone.”

On Liverpool having produced the most Premier League players, Dewsnip adds: “It is massive pat on the back to the raw quality here. And also a good sign for both clubs and Tranmere as well.

“Football is a big part of life here and it is great to see so many doing well. They don’t all make it here, but it shows they get a good grounding and can go elsewhere and still do well.”

The study was headed by TrueKnowledge programmer and Liverpool fan Matthew Mason in response to a conversation with his colleagues one day.

And he agrees with Dewsnip that the fact football plays such a central role in Liverpool city life largely explains why so many footballers emerge from its boundaries, support passed down through the generations.

“That has got a lot to do with it,” says Mason. “If you are a big football fan yourself it has got to be your dreams to have your kids playing for your team.”

Of the idea for the survey, he adds: “It started when we were having a discussion about where the hotbeds of footballing talent were in England.

“I am pleased with the result. I am not too sure that Liverpool can lay much claim to any sort of victory at the moment, but we will take anything we can get.”

To ensure a fair comparison, only footballers born within the boundaries of the City of Liverpool were included in its total, and not those from neighbouring Merseyside boroughs such as Sefton, St Helens or Knowsley, which meant the likes of Kirkby-born Leighton Baines and Billinge-born Leon Osman did not count towards the city’s total.

Surprisingly, Liverpool’s Scouse heartbeat of Jamie Carragher (born in Bootle, which is in Sefton) and Steven Gerrard (born in Whiston and brought up in Huyton, both of which are in Knowsley) are also not included in the city’s 62-player count.

But the same strict boundary rules were applied to Manchester and Birmingham, and were why London – with a population of more than seven million – was broken down into boroughs, the leading of which is Lambeth.

The research also discovered those English counties in the bottom half of the country’s median weekly wage table more often than not produced the most Premier League footballers.

County Durham is one of England’s poorest counties with a median weekly wage of £419.90 – only Cornwall, with £408.60, has a lower figure – Merseyside’s is £452.60.

The exceptions are London and Berkshire, which have both produced a large proportion of top-flight footballers and have higher median weekly wages of £598.20 and £569 respectively.

Simon Chadwick, professor of sport business strategy and marketing at Coventry University, believes there could be two main reasons for Berkshire’s appearance in the top 10 – despite npower Championship side Reading, who have spent just two years in the English football’s top-flight in their 140-year history, being the county’s only professional football club.

“One explanation for this could be that football has much broader appeal and reach than might have been the case in previous decades,” says Chadwick.

“It may nevertheless also indicate that Premier League football is becoming a career option and a sport that is potentially appealing much more to a middle-class audience.

“As such, one might conclude that the socio-demographic composition of Premier League players has changed somewhat over the last two decades.”

Without putting any restrictions on the data, London (322 players) comes out as the county where most Premier League players have been born, with Greater Manchester (115) second and West Midlands (96) third.

And Trueknowledge.com founder, William Tunstall-Pedoe, says: “If our data helps Premier League scouts uncover the next generation of Rooneys, Gerrards and Beckhams and years from now England win the World Cup thanks in some small part to our data, it would be fantastic.”

Keegan: Shanks Would Be Loving It

Kevin Keegan believes the legendary Bill Shankly would be delighted to see Kenny Dalglish back at the Liverpool helm.

Keegan was signed by Shankly from Scunthorpe United in 1971 before being replaced as our No.7 by Dalglish following a move to Hamburg six years later.

Few are better placed, then, to comment on what Shankly would make of The King's return.

"Well he'd be delighted to see someone like Kenny Dalglish back there," said Keegan.

"No disrespect to the ones who have been there before him, because Roy Hodgson and Rafael Benitez are good men, but he knows the club just like Bill Shankly knew the club.

"He cares about the club, he knows what it takes, he knows what the people want, you know, and I guess he'd have a good idea of how he can provide that over a period of time.

"He will need time, it's not going to be one of these jobs you're going to step into and solve the problems. You're not going to solve those problems over two or three months."

Liverpool Revival Under Kenny Dalglish Puts The Heat On Alex Ferguson

This time 12 months ago the nation was wearily, queasily familiar with the exact nature of the personal relationships within the Chelsea dressing room, so presumably Fernando Torres knows what he is saying when he claims the camaraderie and professionalism of his new employers compares favourably with the "chaos" he left behind at Liverpool.

Anfield fans would appreciate a period of silence from their former favourite now. Torres made his point eloquently enough when he indicated he wanted to leave, yet he continues to disparage his previous club in public as if seeking to reassure himself that he made the right decision. "There are more personal relationships and jokes between the players at Chelsea than there were at Liverpool," Torres has said. "Everything was much more serious there. Here you don't have to prove you are a professional; it is assumed."

Torres has a talent for comedy if he can say this stuff with a straight face and not even mention the Chelsea dressing room being relaxed enough to permit the occasional air rifle, though his allegation that Liverpool have no sense of humour does not ring true. Scousers generally do and, while there may not be enough of them in the first team at the moment to play up to the regional stereotype, Liverpool always seem a happy squad to the journalists who work in the room next door and can hear the singing that accompanies a win.

Hurtful as his comments may be, at least Torres has a point of view and is not afraid to express it. In fact, he seems to be on a one-man crusade to promote plain speaking in football. "People aren't honest in the world of football," he said. "You can't say the truth or be clear with people. It's a business and nobody is anyone's friend."

These top players do lead sheltered lives. Try to think of another type of business that works differently, or any other walk of life apart from football where a man of 26 can complain that nobody is his friend. That is what the world is like, Fernando, and most people are not paid £170,000 a week to help them deal with it. Perhaps Torres is trying to assuage doubts about whether he joined the right team or when he may start scoring again, unless he simply watched Luis Suárez taking Manchester United to pieces last week and felt a pang at seeing himself so adequately replaced. "I knew I was an idol for the fans but it wasn't the same any more," he said, as if trying to convince himself. "Liverpool needed time. I don't have that."

Fair enough, though estimates of the amount of time Liverpool may need are falling with every performance under the only manager in the Premier League who looks happy in his work. The unmistakable Anfield resurgence has come too late to claim any of this season's domestic prizes but with a couple more signings over the summer and a permanent deal for their new/old manager – why delay the inevitable? – Liverpool could clearly be back among the contenders next time round.

Coupled with United's recent stumbles to let Arsenal climb back into the title race and give even Chelsea hope that all may not be lost, that raises an interesting question. What happens if United do not win their 19th title this season? Sir Alex Ferguson is bound to retire or step aside at some point in the nearest future and for a long time it has been supposed that his final ambition is to complete his perch-clearing operation by taking his side past Liverpool's 18 titles, a monumental achievement considering the score was 16-7 to Merseyside when he arrived in Manchester.

For most of the season United have appeared on course, even if they were taking a somewhat pedestrian route to the most glittering prize of all, but should they fall away again this year, what certainty is there of a 19th title next season or the season after that? By that stage Ferguson will be into his seventies and Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will not be far behind him.

Suppose Liverpool were to win the 19th title. The possibility may appear remote, given that Anfield has not seen a table-topping finish in over 20 years, yet if United and Chelsea are not what they were, you would have to give Liverpool a chance. Even now you would back Dalglish's Liverpool against Manchester City.

Dalglish, of course, was the Liverpool manager when Ferguson came down from Aberdeen and, as his return has gone better than anyone could possibly have imagined, this already far-fetched story could still turn full circle. Put simply, if Fergie does not win the 19th title this year, he lets his oldest rival in with a chance of stealing his thunder. Just a chance, no more than that, but it is one more worry a 69-year-old does not need. Ferguson has even less time than Torres. He needs his players to put this season to bed.

Kenny Dalglish Offered Two-Year Managerial Deal

Liverpool is believed to have offered Kenny Dalglish a two-year contract to become their manager on a permanent basis, although the Scot was hoping for a contract twice that length.

Dalglish was brought in after the departure of Roy Hodgson, who was asked to leave after a poor set of results coupled with a difficult relationship with the fans.

The appointment of the former Celtic boss has since breathed new life into the club, with the Merseysiders still in the Europa League and now, flushed with the success of a recent 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Manchester United, targeting at least another Europa League campaign next season.

The Express reports that the club's owners have been impressed enough to offer Dalglish a two-year deal to prolong his tenure as boss - though it is also reported that the 60-year-old wanted a four-year contract instead, and is now looking for a solid financial package to compensate for the shorter contract length.

Marveaux 'Close' To Reds Deal

Rennes midfielder Sylvain Marveaux claims he is 'very close' to agreeing a deal to join Liverpool next season.

Marveaux is out of contract in the summer and has been heavily linked with a free transfer switch to Liverpool in recent months.

Reports claimed the 24-year-old had been a guest of the club for the home game against Wolves earlier in the season and he has also attracted interest from Newcastle United.

It now appears Liverpool are close to tying up a deal to add the former France Under 21 international to their squad for the 2011/12 campaign.

"I am very close to reaching agreement with Liverpool about joining them next season," Marveaux is quoted in The People.

Marveaux has spent his entire career with Rennes and the Ligue 1 title hopefuls are resigned to his departure in the summer.

The left-sided midfielder is currently recovering from a groin operation he underwent last month and is not expected to play again this term.

Dalglish Convinced Kayal Can Be Premier League Star

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is a huge fan of Celtic midfielder Beram Kayal.

The Observer says Dalglish arrived at a recent Old Firm game with thoughts of Emilio Izaguirre.

But he left raving about the impact of Kayal, whom Liverpool's manager and many others believe would have no problems adapting to England's top flight.

Manchester United have also been linked with the Israeli midfielder.

Rai Backs Lucas At Liverpool

FIFA World Cup™ winner Rai has backed fellow Brazilian Lucas to win over his critics at Liverpool. Midfielder Lucas has been a regular for the Reds since 2007 but often finds his ability questioned by fans and the media.

However, Liverpool managers Rafael Benitez, Roy Hodgson and now Kenny Dalglish all have shown enough faith in the former Gremio man to give him regular starts, and 1994 FIFA World Cup captain Rai believes he will eventually convince others of his ability.

"Lucas was so young when he first got into the Brazilian national team after making such a good start with his club [Gremio] and in my opinion, his ability is at a level that justifies him being in the group of the national team," Lucas said to Press Association Sport. "He has the quality to play in Liverpool's side.

"I don't follow the Premier League extremely closely but I think he can change people's opinion of him because he's got the qualities to do it, in my opinion. Maybe the national team is the place to give him more confidence, and to then show it in Liverpool too."

Brazil is in the fledgling stage of a new era under coach Mano Menezes, who replaced Dunga after last year's FIFA World Cup disappointment. Menezes' difficult challenge sees him trying to change both the Selecao's footballing philosophy and attitudes away from the pitch.

"He's experienced enough for this challenge," said Rai. "He's given me a good impression in his first six months, he has tried to restructure the team and to bring in some new, young players. It was very important to get the respect of the players because these days players are big stars and the leader, the coach, has to be strong with the group.

"I think he's made a good start. It's a very difficult job. I once said to my friends, other players, `if one day you see me as a national team coach, take me to the jail because I'm crazy!' It's a very difficult job, of course, not only because of the work on the pitch but the atmosphere, and in Brazil we don't have many very good coaches for this kind of opportunity."

Sir Alex Ferguson Blasts Jamie Carragher For Nani Tackle

Sir Alex Ferguson has pulled no punches in an attack on Jamie Carragher, following his controversial tackle on Nani in Manchester United's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool last weekend.

Ferguson recently revealed that Nani would probably not return until early April after sustaining an injury during his squad's defeat at Anfield on last Sunday.

Carragher escaped with a booking from referee Phil Dowd, though attempts by the defender to apologize to Nani after the game saw him turned away from the United’s dressing room.

Commenting on the issue, Fergie said: 'Obviously it was a disgraceful tackle, we know that, but you just move on.'

'We sent him to hospital to see what they could do and our own doctor and the surgeon there managed to get it stitched up, which was fantastic, the best news we could have got.'

Sir Alex was quick to stress that infection of the wound remains the biggest worry for the team, as Nani has to have his leg examined every day to ensure there is no moisture in it so that it can dry up with ease.

No Option But To Operate On Steven Gerrard

Liverpool medical chief Dr Peter Brukner insists surgery was the only solution to Steven Gerrard’s troublesome groin injury.

The Reds skipper went under the knife on Thursday and will be sidelined for up to four weeks.

Brukner and his team had tried to nurse Gerrard back to fitness after he suffered the problem in the win over Chelsea on February 6.

Gerrard sat out three games before returning to face West Ham and Manchester United but it flared up again and he missed Thursday’s 1-0 Europa League defeat to Braga.

“Steven had a minor operation on Thursday and will be out for around three to four weeks,” Brukner said.

“We tried to manage it for a few weeks and he had a short break but he still wasn’t able to play at his best because of it. In the end we decided to go down this route. It’s nothing too serious but he needed to get it done.

“He has had a lot of problems in that area and they never completely go away. We needed to get on top of things. But it wasn’t a major problem and we’re hoping he will get back playing quickly.”

Gerrard will be sidelined for next Thursday’s second leg against Braga at Anfield and the league trip to Sunderland three days later.

He will also miss England’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales on March 26 and the following friendly against Ghana at Wembley.

Liverpool’s trip to West Brom on April 2 is likely to come too soon for him but he could return for the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final on April 7 if the Reds get past Braga.

The club’s head of sports medicine and sports science is confident Gerrard will be back play a key role in the final month of the campaign.

“Steven will be fine,” Brukner added. “He will make a good recovery and we will see the best of him again next month.”

Losing Gerrard is a major blow for boss Kenny Dalglish who is also currently without Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio, Martin Kelly and Jonjo Shelvey.

The skipper missed six games towards the end of 2010 after tearing his hamstring playing for England against France.

Dalglish and his squad have remained in Portugal following Thursday’s defeat to Braga for a weekend training camp.

Alan Kennedy: Pepe Reina Is Irreplaceable At Liverpool

Former Liverpool defender Alan Kennedy insists that keeping Pepe Reina on Merseyside should be the top priority for the club.

The Reds missed out on the Champions League last season and remain likely to face a similar situation this time around as well.

And with the Spaniard having recently been coy about his future, Kennedy believes that the former Villarreal shot-stopper is "irreplaceable".

"It has been suggested to me that Pepe Reina is unsettled because of the direction the club has been heading in over the last couple of years," said the ex-Red, according to The Mirror.

"But I’d be amazed if [manager] Kenny [Dalglish] thought it would be a good idea to cash in on him like he did with [Fernando] Torres because, for me, Pepe is irreplaceable.

"After spending the last five or six years at Liverpool, his talent and experience make him the best goalkeeper in the world.

"He may be feeling a bit disillusioned about things at the moment, but I think he is crucial to Liverpool being a successful club in the next few years.”

He added: "It hasn’t taken long to see that getting rid of Torres was a masterstroke.

"Fernando was a terrific player for Liverpool, but he has had a difficult few seasons and when strikers suffer a long-term loss of form like he has you wonder whether their time is up. It was a great piece of business generating £50million because Kenny was able to bring in two strikers for the price of one in Luiz Suarez and Andy Carroll.

"It’s a totally different scenario with Pepe because, for me, any replacement is going to be a step down."

Reds Crash Out After Cup Thriller

Liverpool crashed out of the FA Youth Cup after Manchester United came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds looked to be cruising into a semi-final showdown with Chelsea after a brace either side of half-time from the in-form Adam Morgan gave them a two-goal cushion.

However, a bizarre penalty incident on 58 minutes changed the whole complexion of the game when both Stephen Sama and Paul Pogba were given their marching orders.

Larnel Cole eventually reduced the arrears with a re-taken spot-kick before Ravel Morrison stunned a packed Kop with a composed finish to level matters just three minutes later.

With extra-time beckoning both sides pushed for a winner but sadly for Rodolfo Borrell's charges it was the visitors who got it when Morrison unleashed a stunning volley four minutes from time.

In the dying seconds Conor Coady and Tyler Blackett were also shown straight red cards following an altercation as both teams ended the match with nine men.

Ahead of the clash a crowd of over 10,000 had turned up at Anfield to provide their backing for one of the Reds' best Youth teams in years and they were almost celebrating a goal for the hosts inside two minutes.

Pogba brought Sterling's marauding run to an abrupt halt and from the resulting free-kick Suso forced a smart save out of Sam Johnstone in the visitors' goal.

The Spaniard certainly seemed up for the occasion and fizzed in another low effort just seconds later but the United stopper was once again equal to it.

The Reds had the bit between their teeth in the early exchanges and Andre Wisdom came within a whisker of marking his first appearance in this season's competition with a goal but his near post header dropped inches over the crossbar.

Next, the lively Morgan let fly from distance but his shot was deflected, allowing Johnstone to gather with relative ease.

The away side had barely threatened but gave a warning of their threat on the counter attack just shy of the quarter of an hour mark when Morrison exchanged a one-two before curling a delightful effort just past the upright.

It was developing into the entertaining spectacle many had predicted and on 22 minutes Liverpool carved out the best opportunity of the half.

Sterling broke dangerously down the left and showed good awareness to pick out Suso with a low centre. The diminutive attacker caught his first-time effort sweetly but was denied by a magnificent stop from Johnstone who kept the ball out via an outstretched leg.

Few could have argued that the hosts had looked the more dangerous without truly hitting top gear and just when it looked like the first period would peter out they broke the deadlock on 33 minutes.

A clever pass from Krisztian Adorjan found Sterling in space 30 yards from goal. The jet-paced winger dropped a shoulder before feeding it back into the path of Morgan who raced through to steer a shot into the far corner of the Kop end net.

It was the frontman's 13th of what is proving to be a prolific campaign and his 10th in his last eight outings.

The goal seemed to settle the Liverpool players' nerves and they began to play with the freedom that has been a feature of their season so far.

On 41 minutes they split United's defence with another incisive piece of play but when Sterling cut in from the right he saw his low drive brilliantly beaten away by Johnstone.

Being the perfectionist that he is, Borrell would have no doubt demanded more from his troops during the break and within eight minutes of the restart they had doubled their advantage.

The ever-creative Adorjan released a sublime ball in behind the full-back for Brad Smith to overlap and drill in a low cross that Morgan bundled home from close range.

On most afternoon's that would have been game over but just moments later Sama received a straight red card after he was harshly adjudged to have felled Ryan Tunnicliffe in the area.

Pogba duly converted from the spot but his exaggerated run-up was deemed poor sportsmanship by the referee who then gave him his marching orders by showing him a second yellow card for dissent.

The bizarre incident had everyone scratching their heads and when the game finally got back underway Cole reduced the arrears when he sent Tyrell Belford the wrong way with a composed kick.

With 10 against 10 Liverpool would have fancied their chances of re-establishing their dominance but just three minutes later the visitors stunned Anfield by pulling level.

Cole danced down the right and muscled his way beyond Smith before crossing low for Morrison to gleefully steer home at the far post.

It was a huge blow for the home side and their approach play suffered in the aftermath of such a crazy opening to the second period.

Gradually they began to dictate the pattern of the proceedings again as Borrell shuffled his pack by replacing Craig Roddan with Matty McGiveron and goal-hero Morgan with the enigmatic, Toni Silva.

However, with normal time ebbing to a close the nearest the Reds went to restoring their lead was on 76 minutes when Sterling burst free of the defence, only to underhit his through ball for Silva.

United had grown in confidence as the match had developed and with four minutes remaining they broke forward to clinch an unlikely victory courtesy of Morrison's acrobatic volley.