I'm Staying At Pool, Insists Crouch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Skrtel Can't Wait To Play At Anfield

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Argentina Pick Riquelme & Mascherano For Beijing

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

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

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

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

Benitez: Focused On Football

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

George Gillett Ponders Over Hicks Buy-Out

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Agger Suffers Fresh Foot Injury

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liverpool Are Not For Sale, Insists Hicks

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

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

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

However, a spokesman for Hicks was less equivocal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Miller: Liverpool's Subs Must Prove Themselves

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liverpool, Chelsea, Madrid, After Caceres

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liverpool FC Deal Soon, Amount May Change

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

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

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

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

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

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

Riise Firmly Behind Rafa

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

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

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

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

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

Carragher Doubts Pool's Title Chances

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prandelli Lined Up As Benitez’s Successor?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Havant Heading To Anfield

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Trouble At Liverpool - Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benitez Focuses On Victory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liverpool Anger As Hicks Reveals Secret Approach To Klinsmann

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steven Gerrard: We Must Start Making The Right Headlines Again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LiverpooL 5 - 0 Luton Town

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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