Carra: League Has Never Been Tougher

Jamie Carragher believes the task of winning the league and claiming that elusive 'number 19' has never been tougher.

The club's vice-captain has won every domestic and European honour during 11 years in Liverpool's first team – except the Premier League.

It's a pill which becomes harder to swallow with each passing year, though Carra recently found comfort in the words of an Anfield icon who helped bring eight championship trophies home to Merseyside.

"I was reading something from Alan Hansen during the summer and it really brought it home to me," the 30-year-old told LFC Magazine.

"You can't criticise much of what Liverpool teams of the past did when Hansen was playing. Obviously they were the best team around but it was interesting to read him say that sometimes Liverpool won the league even though they didn't have a particularly great side.

"He went on to say that there is no possible way you could do that today. It struck a chord with me and I thought it was a fair point.

"I'm not saying bad Liverpool teams ever won the league – of course they didn't. But maybe a few years ago you could afford to carry a few players.

"I don't think that's possible now. Every position has got to be filled by a top player if you want to win things on a consistent basis.

"Look at the other top sides in the Premier League: even the full-back positions are filled with the best full-backs in the world now.

"Years ago you could probably get away with carrying the odd player here or there.

"It was good for me to hear that from someone who actually played back then rather than it coming from current players, where it'd probably just sound like an excuse.

"Basically what Hansen was saying was that it's more difficult to win the league now than in his day. The standards have been raised much higher over the past five to 10 years, especially with the Chelsea situation and what's happening there.

Xabi Alonso Hails “Unforgettable” Goals

Spain’s two goal hero in the 3-0 friendly win against Denmark, Xabi Alonso, hailed the match as a special occasion and described the brace that he scored as unforgettable.

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was brought on at half time in place of the unfit David Villa to take on an attacking midfield role. The normally defensive-minded player rose to the challenge and repaid the coach’s decision to bring him on by scoring two fantastic goals.

“It was a special game with a new coach and that was why it was so important to win and get off to a good start,” he said in the post match interview. “It is clear that I will never forget these two goals with La Selección.”

Alonso then heaped praise on the team as a whole and stressed that now that they have found the right balance and unity in the squad, it is essential “not to go crazy with making too many changes”.

One of the two debutantes who made it onto the pitch, Athletic Bilbao defender Andoni Iraola, also described the evening as unforgettable and acknowledged the team’s excellent fight back to dominate the second half.

But the other debutant and hero of the night, Diego Capel, remained modest despite his scintillating display that saw him chip in with two assists.

“I have been feeling very good recently and that’s why things have turned out well for me.

“But I will try to continue to work hard to build up the coach’s confidence in me,” the 20-year-old added.

Versatile Gerrard Is Left In The Lurch Yet Again

From link man to left midfielder, they will find a way to squeeze Steven Gerrard into this England team somehow.

They shoehorn the Liverpool midfielder into the side and encourage him to slide up and down the greasy pole that has become England's left midfield. Poor blighter.

Too good to leave out and too flexible to hold down his own position, he was stationed out there again last night. Good ol' Stevie G. Get him on the graveyard shift and let him get on with it.

Naturally he gave it his all, shuttling up and down the touchline in front of Ashley Cole and attempting to exert his authority on the game with those familiar, rampaging runs.

Never mind that England have players queuing up to play in The Problem Position, Fabio Capello is preparing the artillery for next month's game against Croatia in Zagreb.

A meeting of minds it is not. Instead, England's manager is planning to blitz Croatia opposite number Slaven Bilic with a brimful of big-name players.

One look at the names in England's midfield against the Czech Republic confirms that.

They don't come any bigger than David Beckham, of course, and he was joined by Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry and our man Gerrard.

Eight of the team who faced the Czech Republic have played in the Champions League Final, one believes he still could if he was allowed to join Liverpool (Barry) and two more will never set foot in the tournament (David James and Jermain Defoe).

Experience then over ingenuity. The tricksters were on the bench, relegated to a watching brief as the new England struggled to find another new dawn.

Timing is everything, of course. Just ask Stewart Downing, days after he memorably - and quite rightly - pointed out that the England team had been picked long before he made the 500-mile trip to join up with the squad under Steve McClaren. Groundhog Day for Middlesbrough's left winger.

What more does he have to do to get in this England team? He was majestic in Middlesbrough's 8-1 victory over Manchester City on the final day of last season and masterful during England's 3-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago on June 1.

From Magic Touch to Out of Touch in the space of a couple of months? Come on. Perhaps Gerrard's goal against the USA at Wembley last May did for him.

He was out on the left that night and Capello deemed it such a success that he gave it another go against this willing Czech Republic team.

He responded, as he always does, with courage and commitment. He has copyrighted the swashbuckling run from deep for Liverpool and he applied that logic down the left.

He set up Defoe with a chance predictably blasted straight at Petr Cech, and generally made a nuisance of himself in a position that he has anything but perfected. A work in progress rather than a work of art.

At least Capello has surely called it quits when it comes to the thorny issue of Lampard and Gerrard. They cannot play in the same central midfield and they surely never will after Capello indulged one and threatened to isolate the other.

Gerrard is itching to play alongside Barry, the man he wants with him at Liverpool and alongside him in England's engine room.

He may have to wait. Owen Hargreaves, missing last night with tendinitis, is another favourite of the England manager, and he is expected to be fit for the squad to face Andorra and Croatia in next month's World Cup qualifiers.

Someone will have to be left out. Just don't expect it to be England's left winger.

Future Of Liverpool FC Target Gareth Barry 'Not Resolved'

Martin O’Neill believes Gareth Barry’s future is “not completely resolved”.

The Anfield hierarchy’s refusal to meet Villa’s £18m asking price has forced Benitez to look elsewhere.

But Villa manager O’Neill said: “We want him to stay I think that’s obvious. I think the fans want him to stay and for the length of time it has gone on it is hard to pre-empt anything. At this minute it’s not completely resolved.”

Benitez remains keen on bringing in another player before the transfer window slams shut on Monday week.

However, a move for Stewart Downing seems unlikely, while Espanyol are asking £16m for Albert Riera.

Reports in France claim Benitez is again keeping tabs on Grenoble’s Sofiane Feghouli.

Ryan Babel Ready To Step Up For Liverpool FC

Ryan Babel believes he is ready to take his game “to the next level” – with Rafael Benitez confident Liverpool will see the best of the Dutch forward this season.

Babel returned to Melwood this week after missing the start of the Premier League campaign while appearing for Holland in the Olympic Games.

The 21-year-old scored in the group stages and helped his country to the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by Javier Mascherano’s Argentina.

Babel experienced a testing debut campaign at Anfield after arriving from Ajax for £11.5m last summer, rarely playing a full 90 minutes and limited to just 15 league starts.

But with 12 months’ experience of English football behind him, Babel is eager to make a bigger impact this year.

“This will be my second season at Liverpool, and hopefully I can take my game to the next level,” said the Holland international.

“I’m just focusing now on getting my fitness levels back up to 100%. After that, we will see what players the manager brings in during the transfer market and what my role in the team could be.”

Babel will go straight into the first-team squad for Saturday’s home Premier League game against Middlesbrough.

And Rafael Benitez is expecting more from the player.

“We can maybe see the best from Ryan this season,” said the Liverpool manager. “I can see Babel emerging this season, we know his potential. With Babel improving, Daniel Agger coming back, the younger players coming through with the senior players of more experience, we have a good balance.

“Ryan’s a player that can change a game. He can be a second striker or a striker, or as a winger on either side. We can use his versatility. We know Ryan prefers to play as a striker, but it’s important to have experience in other positions, and it’s always better to play as a winger than be on the bench.

“He has been playing important games so I don’t think there will be any problems with his fitness, but our doctor and fitness coaches will check with him and then we will see about the weekend.

“I am sure he will be okay. If he trains normally then he can be available for Middlesbrough.”

Riise: I Had To Make Overseas Move

Roma defender John Arne Riise has admitted he could not have played for another English club after leaving Liverpool this summer.

The 27-year-old Norway international, who will line up for his country against the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday night, made a summer move to Roma after realising his chances at Anfield could be limited during the final year of his contract as manager Rafael Benitez strengthened his squad further.

He did so after rejecting the advances of a series of Barclays Premier League suitors.

Riise said: "Clubs like Liverpool are always looking round the world for players, and there is always going to be someone new challenging you.

"It was sudden. One day I was a Liverpool player, the next I was going to leave.

"I just wanted to make sure I got the best possible club. There was no way I was going to be comfortable playing for another English club, and I had plenty of offers from other clubs in the Premier League.

"I didn't have to leave because I had another year left, but I did want to be playing regularly and I didn't feel that would happen this season if I stayed.

"I spent seven years at Liverpool and played more than 250 games. The challenge in Italy was the right one for my career and the time was right to change to another country."

Riise's departure came as disquiet behind the scenes at Liverpool rumbled on with Benitez and the club's owners seemingly at odds at times.

However, the Norwegian is convinced the Reds are heading in the right direction.

He said: "Of course there are problems between the owners and the manager, but hopefully they can resolve those problems and settle down."

Whatever the differences behind the scenes, the manager was granted at least one of his wishes this summer when he landed £20million striker Robbie Keane from Tottenham.

The Ireland captain will find himself in direct competition with Riise and his defensive colleagues this evening, and the Molde-born player knows exactly what to expect.

He said: "He is a fantastic player and a fantastic signing for the club.

"I knew he was a Liverpool fan from his childhood and this is the best move of all those he has had in his career. He could be the reason Liverpool will challenge for a title.

"Over the last couple of years, his work-rate has really improved and he is difficult to mark because he is always on the move.

"He is a good link-up player and a very very good finisher inside the box. He is a smart intelligent player and playing behind (Fernando) Torres could be very crucial."

Liverpool's Captain Gerrard Won't Even Walk On The Beach Barefoot

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's wife claims that her superstar husband is so obsessed with being clean that he won't even walk barefoot on a beach.

Recalling their first wedding anniversary getaway to Miami in June, Alex, 25, told the Daily Mirror: 'We didn't leave the pool on holiday because Steven doesn't like to get his feet dirty in the sand. The pool is cleaner.

'And if he reads a newspaper, he has to wash his hands straight away.'

England midfielder Gerrard, 28, who lines up against the Czech Republic at Wembley tonight, is not the only footballer with a strange hang up.

David Beckham suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, a condition that drives sufferers to carry out bizarre rituals.

Becks, 30, admits his compulsive habits include checking how many cans of cola he has in his fridge, counting clothes and placing magazines in symmetrical patterns.

Lee Admits Reds Struggles

Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee admits the side have not been firing on all cylinders so far this season.

The Reds followed up their below-par performance in the UEFA Champions League qualifier with Standard Liege with a far from convincing win over Sunderland last weekend.

Lee accepts there is room for improvement, but admitted it was vital The Reds got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start.

"It's always nice to get off the season under way with a win," Lee told the club's official website.

"I think we are fully aware of the fact we didn't play to our best but the important thing is to get off to a good start with three points away from home.

"Winning isn't all that matters but it's important that you start the season well and finish it well. We need to improve in all areas and that's what we are about anyway; making sure we improve on a daily basis.

"We know we aren't firing on all cylinders just yet but it was just nice to get off to a win, particularly away from home.

"We all want to hit the ground running and you can do no better than to get off to a win. But with Liverpool being Liverpool we are perfectionists. We are never happy whether it's 1-0, 3-0, 4-0 and we'll certainly be looking to improve in the coming days."

Liverpool To Target Wigan's Palacios As Riera Alternative?

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is reportedly considering a £6million offer for Honduran International Wilson Palacios from Wigan Athletic. With Benitez singling out Palacios as a possible alternative to Albert Riera, should he fail to sign him from Espanyol.

Liverpool have turned their attention to 26-year-old Riera, now that any deal to bring Gareth Barry to Anfield from Aston Villa looks dead in the water. With the Merseyside club also looking at impressive Honduran Palacios as a viable alternative to the Spanish midfielder.

However, Benitez will have to make a really substantial offer if he is to prise Palacios away from the JJB Stadium, according to Latics manager Steve Bruce. It was Bruce that first brought the attacking-midfielder to the Premier League, when he was boss at Birmingham City.

“We are always going to be seen as little unfashionable Wigan but I know I have some really good players,” said Bruce.

“We have done very well to tie up some of our best players to long-term deals, especially Wilson Palacios. Wilson has the ability to go to the top.

“Last season he was linked with Manchester United - I don't know if there was interest, but it was speculated on because of my past links.

“We worked hard to tie him down and sign a new contract.

“He knows this year is a big one for him and it is going to be hard.

“But he wanted to stay here and it would take an amazing offer to get him off us bearing in mind some of the fees being paid out for some players at the moment.”

With Benitez still fuming at his American owner’s blocking his move for England International Barry. The Anfield board will have to appease him by bringing either Riera or Palacios to Merseyside. Otherwise they could be set to collide again in a repeat of last season.

Liverpool Track Dane Sensation Jorgensen

Liverpool are about to look to Denmark again for untapped European talent, with the Merseyside club keeping tabs on Mathias Jorgensen at FC Copenhagen.

18-year-old defender Jorgensen was pointed out to Reds boss Rafa Benitez, by Jakob Friis-Hansen, who had previously advised Benitez on Daniel Agger and Nicola Savic. Friis-Hansen is set to become the Liverpool scout in the region.

“I have previously advised Liverpool over two Danes, with Daniel Agger and Nicola Savic, both of whom they purchased and are almost too happy with,” said Friis-Hansen to Sporten.dk.

“I gave them Mathias Jorgensen's name a long time ago and Liverpool are wild about him. They are keeping very good track of him.

“Liverpool see him as a very promising youngster, like I do, and clearly just like a player who will play for the Danish national team for many years to come.”

Jorgensen made his senior debut for Copenhagen in 2007 and made 16 appearances in the Danish Superliga last season.

Liverpool have also taken 14-year-old Marcus Sondergaard to train at the Anfield academy, but any move for the young Danish talent would have to wait until the player was 16.

"It is a great dream that is coming true," Sondergaard told Ekstra.

Aurelio Demands Title Challenge

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio says the Reds must mount a sustained challenge for the Premier League title.

The 28-year-old Brazilian is now entering his third season at Anfield and is keen to mark it with a League winner's medal.

"Each season the expectation is very big," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"I think that we can show to the supporters that this could be their year so we have to keep it [winning] going now."

Aurelio can play anywhere along the left-hand side but says his preferred role is at left-back.

He has seen his spell at Anfield disrupted by a series of injuries, the most recent being a torn abductor muscle picked up against Chelsea in last season's Champions League semi-final at Anfield.

"Unfortunately the injuries make you miss some games.

"I hope now this [the last injury] was the last one and I can have a great season."

The left-hand side of Liverpool's team has been a cause of concern for manager Rafa Benitez for some time.

In an attempt to address the problem in the close season John Arne Riise was sold to Roma and Andrea Dossena was signed from Udinese.

Dossena has been struggling to adapt to the pace of the English game but Aurelio feels the Italian will come good.

"He is a good signing and will be a good player for us and being honest I wish him all the best and for me and for Liverpool, which is the most important thing."

Benitez Insists Hicks Had The Funds To Bring Barry To Liverpool

Rafa Benitez has suggested Liverpool's American owners were split over his £18million pursuit of Gareth Barry.

Despite a recent club statement indicating that Liverpool felt Aston Villa's asking price was too high, Benitez claimed co-owner Tom Hicks had assured him funds were in place.

Liverpool manager Benitez said: 'He told me we had the money. We have sold players for more than £20million during the summer, and he told me: 'If you sell players, you can buy with that, too.'

'I have the support of at least one of the owners. I sent e-mails to all of them, but he was clear we had the money. If the manager has an idea, and it is not a question of money, we have to make the right decision in terms of who we bring in. That has to be the decision of the manager.

'We have to be quicker as well. I thought this four years ago, and I think it now. If you are quicker, it is easier to sign targets.'

Liverpool are still trying to off-load Jermaine Pennant and Andriy Voronin.

Liverpool FC To Concede Defeat Over Gareth Barry

Rafael Benitez will step up his efforts to bring in midfield reinforcements – and finally concede defeat in his pursuit of Gareth Barry.

The Liverpool manager is determined to strengthen his left side and is set to make this his priority in the remaining two weeks of the transfer window.

Although the Spaniard still holds out hope that he can complete Barry’s move from Aston Villa, there is no sign from owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett that they will buckle from their refusal to meet the £18m asking price.

And that is likely to remain the case even if Liverpool raise more transfer funds from selling players on.

Time is running out for the likes of Xabi Alonso, Andriy Voronin and Jermaine Pennant to complete moves away from Anfield, as no official bids have come in for the players.

A scenario which further limits Benitez’s spending power as he continues to search for a left-sided attacker at the end of a summer in which Valencia’s David Silva, Newcastle’s James Milner and Albert Riera from Espanyol have all been considered.

Ryan Babel’s imminent return from the Olympics after his Holland side were knocked out may provide one solution to the current lack of width, but he is not a natural midfielder.

Benitez has already revealed he will make one more signing with the cash he currently has available.

But his chances of landing his top target Barry have rapidly deteriorated in the past few weeks, with Liverpool’s hierarchy publicly stating that they are unwilling to match Villa’s asking price for their captain.

The Midlanders then ensured the would be cup-tied in Europe until the new year when they fielded him in their Uefa Cup game with FH Hafnarfjordur last week.

Barry hit the net in the game and played a major part in Villa’s 4-2 win over Manchester City in their opening Premier League game on Sunday.

Liverpool will be the next visitors to Villa Park on August 31, and despite opening their campaign with an away win at Sunderland, centre-back Sami Hyypia is demanding considerable improvement.

“The first half in particular was not good enough, we know that,” he said. “It was tough for us at the start of the game. They came out of the blocks really quickly and set a really high tempo, which you’d expect because it was their first home game of the season.

“They put us under a lot of pressure and maybe we were a little bit slow to get going.

“It was certainly not the best game we have played but the important thing was that we got better in the second half and at the end Fernando popped up with a goal and that was enough to win the game.

“The most important thing is that we got the win. We have had pre-season and that was our first game in the league so it was good to get three points on the board and keep a clean sheet.”

Benitez Still Demanding Barry Signing

Rafa Benitez is still pressing Liverpool's owners to approve his planned £18m purchase of Gareth Barry despite the insistence of George Gillett and Tom Hicks that the midfielder is overpriced.

Having sparked a public spat between Martin O'Neill and Benitez, the interminable saga has now taken a new direction to reveal precarious tensions within Anfield. Having specifically blamed Rick Parry for failing to secure Barry's signing in his press conference on Friday, Benitez has since bypassed the chief executive to plead directly with Gillett and Hicks to sanction the deal.

"I have the support of at least one of the owners. I sent e-mails to all of them, but he was clear we had the money," said Benitez on Saturday. "If the manager has an idea, and it is not a question of money, we have to make the right decision in terms of who we bring in. That has to be the decision of the manager."

The claim that one of the owners supports Benitez's attempts to sign Barry is likely to have been met with scepticism by Parry. It seems inconceivable that, having previously rebuffed Hicks' call for him to resign, Parry would have published a statement declaring that Liverpool's owners felt Barry's fee was "too high" unless it had been ratified by both Americans.

Nonetheless, Benitez is refusing to give up on signing Barry. As well as continuing to plead with Hicks and Gillett, Benitez is prepared to sell Xabi Alonso, as well as Jermaine Pennant and Andriy Voronin, in order to finance the purchase of the Aston Villa captain.

However, according to The Guardian, Liverpool are yet to receive a single firm offer for any of those players and 'even with success on that front, Benitez will need Hicks and Gillett to sign off an £18m deal that neither believes represents good value for the 27-year-old Villa captain. Without a U-turn from the Americans, and they are wary of another public spat with the popular Spaniard, or Villa reducing their valuation on a player who is now cup-tied for Europe until February, the damaging impasse will continue at Anfield.'

Rafa Refuses To Rule Out Alonso Departure

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has left the exit door ajar for Xabi Alonso, admitting there is business still to be done before the end of August.

Alonso's future has been up in the air all summer, as Benitez initially hoped to sacrifice his compatriot in order to raise funds for the purchase of Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

The Basque native was on the verge of joining Juventus earlier in the summer, but that move collapsed due to the Reds' refusal to lower their £16million asking price.

Despite lingering interest from Arsenal in particular, it appeared until recently that the 26-year-old would remain at Anfield given his impressive form during the summer, both at EURO 2008 and in pre-season.

However, the revelation that Liverpool's co-owners recently vetoed the Barry deal has put Alonso in the shop window once more, as it is understood there is room (or funds, perhaps) for only one or the other.

And while Benitez hinted that he would much rather keep hold of his chief playmaker, he admitted that the confusion over the club's monetary situation has complicated matters.

He said: "When I was first talking with Xabi (about a transfer) we needed money. After these months it is not a question of money. We would have to have a massive offer because Alonso is a great player.

"But if we sell one or two players we have enough money to bring in one more good player.

"Don't forget we will need eight British players - and the left-footer we were talking about can play in three positions too."

Hyypia Heaps Praise On Spanish Hotshot

Veteran Liverpool centre back Sami Hyypia has praised his teammate Fernando Torres for his winning strike in their opening Premier League match against Sunderland on Saturday.

Liverpool were finding it hard to break down the plucky Black Cats at the Stadium of Light, until Torres unleashed a pile driver from outside the area. The shot was perfectly struck, beating Craig Gordon in the Sunderland goal at his near post. This 83rd minute strike turned out to be the winning goal, and Hyypia has hailed his teammate for giving the team a perfect start to the season.

Speaking to Liverpool’s official club website, Hyypia commented, “It was a good finish from Fernando. I was just behind the shot and I could see exactly where it was going. It was a great strike and it gave the keeper no chance.

“The most important thing is that we got the win. We have had pre-season and that was our first game in the league so it was good to get three points on the board and keep a clean sheet.”

Torres joined the club last year from Atletico Madrid in a deal worth £20m, and has since scored an impressive 25 goals in 34 league starts for Liverpool.

Despite the win, Hyypia was insistent that the team must develop over the next couple of weeks, and look to improve on what in truth was a poor performance against Sunderland.

“We have to be happy with that but we have to look at what we can do better because there are many, many things that we can do better.

“The next game is at home against Middlesbrough on Saturday so hopefully we will do a lot better then.”

Hyypia was also quick to praise Sunderland’s performance, saying, “It was tough for us at the start of the game. They came out of the blocks really quickly and set a really high tempo, which you'd expect because it was their first home game of the season.

“They put us under a lot of pressure and maybe we were a little bit slow to get going.”

Finnan In Liverpool 'Limbo'

Liverpool defender Steve Finnan admits he is uncertain if he still has a future at Anfield.

Finnan was a regular in his first seasons on Merseyside after being signed by former Reds boss Gerard Houllier from Fulham in 2003.

The Republic of Ireland right-back was a part of the Liverpool side which won the UEFA Champions League in 2005, but he has since fallen behind Alvaro Arbeloa in current manager Rafa Benitez's pecking order.

Switzerland international Philipp Degen's arrival has added to the uncertainty and Finnan has been linked with a cash-plus-player move to Aston Villa in Benitez's summer-long pursuit of Gareth Barry.

And 32-year-old Finnan admits he is waiting to decide on his future, telling Sky Sports News when asked about his situation: "Limbo sounds about right.

"I haven't got a clue, to be honest with you. I haven't played many games recently, so I honestly can't say.

"There is a big squad there and everyone is fighting for their place, and I just have to train well and take the chance if I get it."

Finnan also hinted that he may seek a move away from Liverpool if he continues to fail to force a place in Benitez's first XI.

"I haven't played, but I will just wait and see and when the transfer window closes, we will know then," he added.

"I will wait and see if I can get into the team; if not, then obviously I want to play, so we will just have to take it from there."

Finnan also revealed he has spoken to Benitez about his situation, but was not elaborating.

"We have spoken about it, but at this time, I don't think I will say too much more," he concluded.

Mascherano Goes For Gold

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has high hopes of retaining the Olympic gold that he won with Argentina four years ago in Athens.

The Albiceleste have been in fine form in this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, and will face their biggest rivals Brazil in the semi-finals on Tuesday.

The energetic 24-year-old is out for revenge after Brazil beat Argentina in the final of the Copa America last summer, a tournament many believed Argentina should have won.

Speaking to RTE Sport, Mascherano said, “It will be a difficult match, but I think we’ll play much better than them.

“We will not make any mistake against them, or we may pay for that.

“We lost 0-3 in the Copa America final. Now there are some different players (in the Argentine team), but we still have four or five players who played that match in the team now.”

Benitez To Have Two Olympians Back For Next Match

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is pleased that two of his three Olympians are set to return from China in time for the Reds’ next game, against Middlesbrough.

Rafael Benitez will be welcoming back at least two of the club’s players who have been representing their countries at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Ryan Babel will definitely be available for selection for Saturday's game with Middlesbrough after Holland lost their quarter-final to Argentina, who have fellow-Red Javier Mascherano in their side.

Brazil, who have Liverpool midfielder Lucas in their squad, will play arch-rivals Argentina in the all-South American semi-final tomorrow, so either Lucas or Mascherano will be at Anfield ahead of the Boro game.

Benitez told the Mail Online: “It has been good for the three players to be involved in the Olympics and we are proud of them.

“But it is also good for Liverpool that Argentina and Brazil clash in the last four, because only one of our lads will be in the final.”

Liverpool’s season got off to winning start without their three Olympians, when the Reds won 1-0 away to Sunderland on Saturday, thanks to a late Fernando Torres goal.

Liverpool Desperate To Finalise Deal For Unsettled Villa Star Barry

Rafael Benitez remains desperate to complete his long-running pursuit of Gareth Barry before the end of the month, but has denied that complications in finalising the transfer brought him to the verge of quitting as Liverpool manager.

Benitez watched his side bounce back from their disappointing Champions League stalemate against Standard Liege with a somewhat fortunate 1-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday, but post-match talk immediately turned to off-field matters.

Reports over the weekend suggested the manager was considering his position after disagreements over the Barry move - Benitez is eager to add the England international but chief executive Rick Parry has questioned the reputed £18million asking price as well as the player's age - but the Spaniard moved decisively to quash such rumours.

He said: 'My commitment is 100% - with the fans, with the players and with the club in general. I say 100 times my family is happy here - we want to win trophies at this club because it is a massive club.'

He added: 'I will not talk about any player - but in April I was talking about this (behind the scenes).

'We tried to do things in confidentiality, but sometimes you cannot and you need to explain before the end of the transfer window. If the manager has an idea and it is not a question of money, then we have to make the right decisions in terms of whom we bring in. That has to be the decision of the manager.'