Voronin To Liverpool: Let Me Stay At Hertha Berlin

The Reds' Ukrainian flop is enjoying himself in the Bundesliga and hopes to complete a permanent switch if the good times keep rolling.

There was a fair bit of scepticism from Liverpool's supporters when Andriy Voronin joined on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in 2007.

The Reds' scouting staff were in no way rewarded for their gamble, though, as the former Koln forward endured a fairly miserable season at Anfield before being shipped off to Hertha Berlin.

And now that he has settled again in Germany, the 29-year-old has no desire to return to Merseyside and fight with Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane for a starting spot.

"I'm getting along fine at Hertha," he told the newspaper Bild. "I've been well received by the players and there are no problems with the coaching staff and the manager. Things are also going well with the football.

"The most important thing is what Hertha want. If the club really are interested in me staying, I'm sure we'll be able to find a way."

Hertha sit third in the Bundesliga standings, two points behind surprise leaders Hoffenheim and second-placed Bayern Munich.

Insua Eyes Starting Spot At Liverpool

Anfield's Argie youngster is hoping to make his mark on the first team after his impressive showing against the Gunners at the weekend.

Emiliano Insua was handed his second Premier League start of the season when Liverpool visited Arsenal on Sunday evening, getting the nod ahead of Italian full-back Andrea Dossena.

The Reds could only manage a 1-1 draw against a 10-man Gunners outfit, but Insua caught the eye with his raiding runs and dangerous delivery from the left flank.

The 19-year-old Argentine was thrilled to get the gig at the Emirates, and he hopes to be given another chance when Bolton Wanderers travel to Merseyside on Boxing Day.

"The boss (Rafael Benitez) gave me an opportunity to show what I can do and maybe I might get another chance to play at Anfield against Bolton," he told Liverpool's official website.

"Anfield is always a very special place to play and hopefully I can stay in the first team squad.

"The manager has given me a lot of confidence and I will keep training hard in every session and always give my best, because when you get your chance you have to take it.

"There is a lot of competition for places at Liverpool but that is a good thing."

Insua arrived in England on an initial loan deal in 2007, before completing a permanent switch from Boca Juniors during the last transfer window.

Robbie Keane Denies Claims He Is Poised To Quit Liverpool

Robbie Keane has hit back at Mark Lawrenson's suggestion that he will leave Liverpool in next month's transfer window.

It follows suggestions from Mark Lawrenson, the BBC football pundit and former Liverpool defender, which he was told by Steven Gerrard that would Keane would go.

During a radio interview in Ireland, Lawrenson stated that Gerrard "thinks something is going to happen with Keane in January", though he later said that it was his own opinion.

Keane, who has scored just three league goals since leaving Tottenham, struck the equaliser in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Arsenal and said: "Other people outside the club have said a few things to create something that's not there, which is a bit disappointing.

"As a striker you get judged on goals no matter what else you do. I know I will score a lot of goals for this club. I'd prefer to be judged at the end of the season."

Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, has issued a blunt and sobering Christmas message to his team-mates over the club's repeated failure to maintain a Premier League title challenge.

"People keep talking about us being top of the league but we are not a small club, we are actually Liverpool Football Club," he said. "We are where we should be so it's no big deal. A lot of the supporters probably have not seen us win the title because it has been that long. They grew up on stories from their fathers and grandfathers.

"That is why winning the Champions League [in 2005] and the [cup] treble [in 2001] was great for the younger generation so they could see what it means to people.

"But it has been too long really since Liverpool won the title – the last time they did [1990], I was an Everton fan. We were top at Christmas a couple of times when I first got in the team.

"It is nothing to do with the mental aspect. Other teams have just been better than us."

Carragher is also expecting the traditional 'Big Four' to continue to face greater competition from the rest of the league. "Teams have been winning the league with over 90 points, which makes them look a great side," he said.

"But I think it doesn't say a lot for the league. It's a lot more competitive when teams take points off each other, it creates a better league."

Benitez: Clubs Are Interested In Me

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is said to be close to signing a new deal, but he has hinted a host of rival clubs have approached him.

Benitez has made no secret of his desire to secure a new deal at Anfield, but it would appear as if he has other options available to him.

“At the moment we can say negotiations are in progress, we are in talks,” Benitez told ABC. “We will see what happens.

“When you are coaching a great team, and this is a great team, everybody is always interested in you.

“I am grateful for the fact that they are showing recognition in my work in some places.”

The former Valencia boss has revealed his recipe for success and said: “I love to manage in England. I’m very happy with what I’m doing.

“I feel like you have more capacity to make your own decisions, without your role and projects being bigger (than in Spain).

“The truth is that I feel great, with a massive motivation and a huge belief. Our team are playing well and we aim to stay at the top for as long as possible and never to give up on anything.”

He added: “The balance between our attack and our defence can be one of our keys for success.

“I understand that the English’s winning mentality is excellent and if you mix it with a Latin vision of football it should be success guaranteed.”

Arbeloa Hits Back At Adebayor

Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has hit back at Emmanuel Adebayor after he accused the Spaniard of helping him get sent off.

Adebayor was dismissed for a second bookable offence during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Liverpool following a clash with Arbeloa.

The Togo striker accused Arbeloa of acting like he "had put a knife in him" after going down under Adebayor's challenge.

Arbeloa has rejected Adebayor's claims that he is a diver and says the Gunners hit-man has no-one to blame but himself for getting sent off.

"Adebayor is a player who uses his arms and elbows when he is playing and ususally that means a foul," Arbeloa told the Daily Star.

"I had nothing to do with the sending-off. I don't feel like it was my fault, it was what Adebayor did.

"I am a professional and I would never play-act to get someone sent off.

"I do not want to get involved in any controversy with Arsenal, but I received a blow in the face and a foul and if the ref then shows a yellow card that is not my problem."

Keane Still Has To Prove Worth To Rafa

The 16th substitution of Robbie Keane's Liverpool career on Sunday against Arsenal told you that, even in his absence, Rafael Benitez was not about to allow the striker to get carried away.

At least this time, Keane could walk off the pitch with a goal to show for his effort and it is his wish that he is judged at the end of the season rather on than the modest three he has scored thus far.

After a week in which Mark Lawrenson spilt the beans on Steven Gerrard's privately-held belief that Keane could leave in January, the goal against the Gunners came just in time for the Irish striker.

"It's not really been a frustrating time for me," Keane said. "Other people outside the club have said a few things to create something that's not there, which is a bit disappointing.

"But in the club, with the fans and everything, nobody is really frustrated. I know I will score a lot of goals for this club. It was nice to score against Arsenal and there will be a lot more to come. I'd prefer to be judged at the end of the season."

They are brave words for a man who, like many Liverpool strikers under Benitez, has come to learn that a reputation as a goalscorer does not ensure you will be played in your optimum position or that you will play there for the full 90 minutes.

Keane was replaced by Nabil El Zhar at The Emirates and there is nothing wrong with his fitness.

By his own admission, Jamie Carragher was still an Everton fan when Liverpool last won the league in 1991 and he said after the draw against Arsenal that there was no mystery as to what would make Liverpool successful.

"It is nothing to do with the mental aspect," Carragher said. "The best teams win. Other teams have just been better than us.

"There is no secret ingredient, it is just the best team which wins the league in the end and hopefully that will be us.

"People keep talking about us being top of the league but we are not a small club, we are actually Liverpool Football Club.

"We are where we should be so it's no big deal, getting carried away.

"We are where we should be. A lot of the supporters probably have not seen us win the title, especially the young ones, because it has been that long.

"They grew up on stories from their fathers and grandfathers."

Carragher said that this season, the title race had been made more interesting by the failure of any side to pull away at the top.

"The last few years teams have been winning the league with over 90 points which makes them look a great side," he said. "But I think it doesn't say a lot for the league to be honest,” he said.

"It's a lot more competitive when teams take points off each other, it creates a better league and I think we have seen that this season. In the past, maybe, three or four seasons, Arsenal going unbeaten all season, Chelsea only losing one and always getting over 90 points.

“I think you want the league to be more competitive than that and I think it looks like it will be this season."

Milan To Swoop For Liverpool’s Dossena?

The Diavoli are allegedly pondering a January move for the former Udinese left-back, which could prompt a return to his roots for Jankulovski.

Milan are reportedly drawing up a back-up plan to reshuffle their midfield department after the serious injury suffered by Gennaro Gattuso. According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Rossoneri transfer gurus are tracking Liverpool full-back Andrea Dossena, who is struggling to settle in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old joined the Reds this summer, but he has failed to live up to his reputation so far and might plump for a move back to the peninsula next month.

Should Milan really bring in the Italian international, it is alleged that coach Carlo Ancelotti might push Marek Jankulovski further up the field into a midfield role, which would not be a novelty for the 31-year-old, as he played in this position during his spells with Udinese and Napoli.

However, there are also whispers that the Stadio San Siro outfit are pursuing Stefano Morrone and McDonald Mariga, but Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi has revealed that they have not been approached so far.

“We are flattered by this reported interest, but have not received formal offers up until now,” he told Sky Sport 24 this morning.

“We aim to get back into Serie A, and it is highly unlikely that we will release important players next month.”

Carragher: It's Tougher This Year But Titles Aren't Won By Mind Games

Jamie Carragher admits he would enjoy Liverpool winning this league championship rather more than he did their previous one. "It has been too long since the club won the title - the last time they did, I was an Everton fan," he said with a smile, recalling the triumph under Kenny Dalglish in 1990, when he was 12 years old.

Opinion is divided as to whether Liverpool will stay the course this time and the debate continued yesterday over the merits of Sunday's point at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal, who played for half an hour with 10 men after the dismissal of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Already shorn of Cesc Fabregas, who went off injured at half-time, Arsenal seemed to be there for the taking. Yet it was not until the final five minutes that Liverpool seriously threatened to score a winning goal.

"For the last 18 months we have probably been one of the hardest teams to beat. We do not lose many games," said Carragher, and he has statistics to back him up. Since the beginning of last season Liverpool have lost only five times in the league. No team have been defeated less.

For Liverpool, though, the challenge is to turn the draws into decisive wins. Victory at Arsenal would not only have completed a notable set this season, after the wins over Manchester United at Anfield and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, it would have given them breathing space at the top of the table and seen them apply pressure on their rivals.

The Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, questioned whether Liverpool had been "scared to push on", and Sammy Lee, the Liverpool coach, said they "had to be very careful not to lose [against 10 men]. If that sounds negative, I make no apologies." If fortune truly does favour the brave, might Liverpool finish short?

Unlike Wenger, Rafael Benítez has been reluctant to portray his team as champions-in-waiting. "For us to win the league, it's necessary for Chelsea, United and Arsenal, who have far greater economic resources than us, to have a bad season," the manager said last week. "It's rare that these three clubs fail at the same time."

There is certainly a measure of reassurance inside the Liverpool dressing room that no single club have so far blazed a trail, although Chelsea and United are expected to be more consistently imposing over the second part of the season. Wenger believes that the title winner will amass fewer than 80 points; Liverpool, one match shy of the halfway point, have 39.

"A lot of teams seem to be taking points off each other, which I think is better," said Carragher. "In the last few years, teams have been winning the league with over 90 points, which makes them look great but it doesn't say a lot for the league.

"Arsenal went unbeaten [in 2003-04] and Chelsea only lost one [in 2004-05] and always got over 90 points [in their title- winning seasons]. You want the league to be more competitive than that. It's a lot more competitive when teams take points off each other, it creates a better league and we have seen that this season."

Whatever the view on the point gained at Arsenal, there is consensus that Liverpool's home form is not that of champions. They might remain unbeaten but the four draws in nine games have been the source of frustration.

The tension at Anfield can be palpable, with the wait for a 19th championship playing its part, but Carragher says that the squad are taking their status of front runners in their stride. Next up for them is Bolton Wanderers at home on Friday.

"People keep talking about us being at the top of the league but we are not a small club," said Carragher. "We are Liverpool Football Club. We are where we should be so it's no big deal. We have had a couple of chances [to win the league]; we were top at Christmas a couple of times when I first got in the team, but there's still a long way to go."

For his team-mate Robbie Keane, scoring against Arsenal was a relief from the speculation that he will be moved on in January. "Other people outside the club have said a few things to create something that's not there. But in the club, nobody is really frustrated. I know I will score a lot of goals for this club. It was nice to score against Arsenal and there will be a lot more to come. I'd prefer to be judged at the end of the season."

Match Report: Arsenal 1 - 1 LiverpooL

Former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane dealt a fresh blow to Arsenal's fading title hopes as he secured a point for Barclays Premier League leaders Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal had striker Emmanuel Adebayor sent off in the second half, which hampered their hopes of finding a winner after Keane's goal had cancelled out Robin van Persie's strike.

Arsene Wenger's men went into the match eight points off the pace, and perhaps more significantly they were - and remain - out of the top four following Aston Villa's win at West Ham.

Despite taking the lead through a fine strike from Van Persie after 24 minutes, it proved a false dawn as the Reds levelled before the break when Keane latched onto a long ball up-field and lashed in a thunderous shot.

Arsenal were forced to play the final 30 minutes with only 10 men after referee Howard Webb showed Adebayor his second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

Liverpool were without manager Rafael Benitez, who was back on Merseyside recovering from an operation on his troublesome kidney stones.

His side could yet be knocked off top spot before Christmas by Chelsea, who play Everton tomorrow night - but for the Gunners, the new year looks set to be a hard battle to prove they have the stomach to somehow claw themselves back into contention.

Arsenal have beaten both United and Chelsea this season, but a failure to see off supposedly lesser sides has proved costly and resulted in them being overtaken by a resurgent Villa.

The leaders were, of course, set to present a stern test of Arsenal's credentials and there was a cagey opening to the game.

The first decent chance came in the ninth minute.

A long ball was knocked back by Keane from the edge of the Arsenal penalty area into the path of Reds captain Steven Gerrard, whose 20-yard effort was straight at Manuel Almunia.

Arsenal responded and a clipped ball in from Bacary Sagna on the right floated through to Adebayor, but his glanced, diving header just lacked the power to beat Jose Reina.

Arsenal then snatched the lead through Van Persie after 24 minutes.

Samir Nasri, fit again after an ankle problem, chipped a high ball through from just inside his own half towards the edge of the Liverpool penalty area.

The Dutchman collected it on his chest before turning two defenders and spinning to fire a right-footed shot into the net.

Liverpool, whose form has dipped in recent weeks, were clearly rattled after having looked quite comfortable.

However, slowly they found some composure and were level three minutes before the break.

The ball was pumped from deep inside the Liverpool half by Daniel Agger and bounced over centre-half Johan Djourou into the path of Keane.

The former Tottenham striker - barracked by sections of the home crowd - let the ball bounce again on into the Arsenal penalty area before blasting it past Almunia, wheeling away in delight at having silenced the jeers.

The Reds almost got another ahead of half-time, but Gerrard was just unable to convert Dirk Kuyt's low ball across goal when he arrived at the far post.

Almunia then produced a finger-tip save to deny the Dutchman and keep things level at the break.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas had sustained what looked like a knee problem in a tackle with Spanish compatriot Xabi Alonso at the end of the first half, and was unable to continue, with Abou Diaby coming on.

Liverpool started strongly, as Almunia was forced to beat away a snap-shot from Lucas.

The tempo of the match increased as the hour approached, but it was the visitors who remained in the ascendancy as Agger headed wide following a corner.

Referee Webb then caused a storm when he reduced Arsenal to 10 men after Adebayor was shown a second yellow card for a hefty challenge on Arbeloa, who fell to the ground clutching his face.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was incensed, but replays suggested the Togo striker had indeed gone in with a raised boot, rather than a flaying arm, and as such probably merited a caution.

The atmosphere in the Emirates was highly charged, and Van Persie was another in the book when he fouled Agger.

To their credit the Gunners responded by pressing Diaby further forwards as they looked to get back in front.

Tempers, though, were never far from boiling point as Sagna became the third Arsenal man into the book when he tripped Albert Riera.

Nasri sent a 25-yard effort wide before a deep corner was whipped across the Liverpool goal from the right.

Almunia saved bravely at the feet of Kuyt as the visitors pressed for a winner.

Agger fired a 25-yard strike just over as both teams had to settle for a point.

Arsene Wenger Brands Emmanuel Adebayor Sending Off 'A Joke'

Emmanuel Adebayor has accused Alvaro Arbeloa of going down "as if I put a knife in him" following his controversial sending off in Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has also risked Football Association disciplinary action by describing Howard Webb's refereeing as "a joke" and claiming the official had employed two different sets of rules.

Adebayor received a second booking for a challenge on Arbeloa when he raised a foot to step over the ball and then lifted an arm to shield the ball. "He threw himself on the floor as if I put a knife in him," said Adebayor. "Of course I'm annoyed. I cannot say he cheated but what he did wasn't fair play. I hope when the referee goes home and watches it on the TV, he will see it was a foul but I didn't deserve a card. It was a mistake. He said it was for the leg but if I don't put my body in there I would never score a goal. We have to protect the ball."

Wenger, whose frustration was compounded by a knee injury to Cesc Fabregas, was also furious. "I would love to have sendings-off like that at home when we get kicked off the park," he said. "It was very soft. The first booking wasn't justified either. It is just unbelievable. If he sends Adebayor off, he has to send [Robbie] Keane off in the first half. We have two different rules.

"Every week, when we play away from home, you say: 'People get in your faces and you cannot cope.' Have you seen anybody sent off? Do you want me to show you our players after the game? It's a joke. We would have won. They [Liverpool players] know Adebayor didn't touch him. I can't tell you what I said to the fourth official at the end. It would be good for your newspapers, but not for me."

FA rules do not allow an appeal for a second yellow card, meaning Adebayor will miss the Boxing Day match at Aston Villa. Wenger is also waiting to discover the extent of the medial knee ligament damage to Fabregas following a challenge with Xabi Alonso. "It is difficult to assess – It could be one week or three weeks," he said.

Rafael Benitez's Team Lack Belief In Title Race

The case for Liverpool winning their first league title since 1990 may have been given credibility by a satisfying result in North London, but it worsened the more you studied the detail.

Top of the table is never a bad place to sit, but you do wonder how Rafael Benítez’s side are still there after drawing four of their past five Barclays Premier League matches. And you pondered how they expect to remain there unless they resolve the attacking side of their game; an issue that is not purely a question of getting Fernando Torres fit but one of attitude.

The league leaders had the opportunity to push for victory in the second half at the Emirates Stadium yesterday. Arsenal had lost Cesc Fàbregas to a knee injury at half-time and then Emmanuel Adebayor, inset, to a second booking (both cautions easily justifiable despite the boos) with almost half an hour to go.

Here was the chance for Liverpool to apply pressure to a team with obvious defensive vulnerabilities, even with 11 men and, significantly, to record a result that would have been noted as far away as Japan, where Manchester United were involved in the Club World Cup.

Such pressure failed to materialise and if it was understandable that Robbie Keane should start alone up front, it seemed odd that no one should be shoved up alongside him in a bold push for victory. The obvious switch would have been to move Dirk Kuyt alongside the isolated Keane but the Dutchman came inside with only nine minutes to go and ended up playing off the teenage David Ngog.

None of these changes amounted to an attempt by Liverpool’s bench to swing the momentum of the game away from an Arsenal team fired up by what they perceived to be the unjust dismissal of Adebayor.

We must assume that Liverpool would have been no more adventurous had Benítez been sat on the sidelines rather than recuperating at home from surgery to remove kidney stones. Television on, phone clasped to his ear, the Spaniard yabbered away to Xavi Valero, the goalkeeping coach, for the entire afternoon, directing operations from his armchair. If he wanted two centre forwards, he need only have said so.

Perhaps, from a couple of hundred miles away, he did not sense that this was a chance for Liverpool to make a statement, but Wenger appeared as mystified as the rest of us by Liverpool’s lack of adventure. “Were they tired or scared to push on?” the Arsenal manager asked, pointing out that a couple of Liverpool players were suffering from fatigue. “I am convinced that Liverpool will drop many points. Why? Because they already have. They have four draws at home so they dropped eight points there. Why won’t they drop those again in the second half of the season?”

The expected return of Torres, perhaps as soon as Boxing Day, is one riposte. The Spaniard not only brings goals but also a more expansive way of playing. Yesterday Liverpool relied largely, and successfully in the case of Keane’s spectacular equaliser, on balls over the top.

With only one league defeat, fewer than any of their rivals, Benítez might consider that his team remain on course for the trophy that players such as Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard covet above all others.

But after the frustration of draws against Fulham, West Ham United and Hull City, this was another game when you were left to wonder if Liverpool are capable of closing the deal — not only in these matches but in the championship race itself.

Do they have the belief that victory can be theirs? Are they, to borrow a phrase from Sir Alex Ferguson, “ready to win”? In the specifics of one afternoon, and in the broader sweep of things, you would have to conclude that they are probably not.

Comment: Robbie Keane Proves It Was Business As Usual

Would Rafael Benitez have as much influence from the sofa as he would from the dugout? Well, Robbie Keane was taken off before the end so there’s your answer.

As Sammy Lee said, his presence would be missed. But as his assistant also said, it would be business as usual.

Unfortunately for Keane, that’s exactly what it was.

Maybe goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero’s phone ran out of battery (perfectly conceivable given the amount of time he spent on it) and Lee took a wild guess at what his manager would be thinking with nine minutes left to play against 10 men in a game there to be won.

Or maybe Benitez had left to put the kettle on in time for his half-time brew and missed a rare glimpse of what Keane is really capable of.

Because in that moment, he showed his true worth – and showed why he needed to be on the field for the duration of the contest.

Keane proved he has the ability to sniff on scraps like a hungry rat and gobble them up with just as much ferocity.

And in times when there’s no Fernando Torres to call on, that is an invaluable weapon to have at any stage of a football game.

Especially, you would think, in the final 10 minutes of a finely-balanced encounter.

Before the equaliser, Liverpool were a bit like the hoof forward by Daniel Agger that set the goal up – heading nowhere and hoping for the best.

But it was the best possible response from Keane, who watched all (count them) two of its bounces all the way on to his right foot and the half-volley was unstoppable.

So why is he not capable of producing something like that in the later stages? Why would he not, particularly with the confidence coursing through him on making such a stunning impact on his return to north London, be able to compose himself and execute such skill during a late chase for a winner?

The type of questions that Benitez was able to avoid yesterday. He would have been only too happy to face them if he had been there, of course, and would have had his considered replies and responses at the ready.

And to be fair to him, has Keane’s replacement Nabil El-Zhar’s glancing header crept in, that would have been the most emphatic answer of all.

But after deciding that his £20million signing wasn’t good enough to be one of his three substitutions in the search for a winner against Hull, the willing soldier was once again been excluded from the final battle yesterday.

And there will be disbelief that Keane spent part of the afternoon cupping his hands to his ears and revelling in the silence, yet ended it with an over-riding feeling of disappointment.

Not just over his personal experience, of course, but over the fact that Liverpool missed another great chance.

Not the one Steven Gerrard slid in to fire wildly wide not long after Keane made it 1-1, but the one that means they have again failed to ease further away from the chasing pack.

Adding a point to the lead may be an outcome that was seen as acceptable before the game because away to Arsenal is still a tough ask, despite the somewhat limited squad currently under Wenger’s guidance.

But that extended lead will be wiped out completely if Chelsea record their 12th successive victory on the road tonight. Rarely have Everton, especially in modern times, had such universal support across Merseyside.

But that’s what it’s come to. Hoping they can get a first win for eight years against Chelsea and hoping that David Moyes can lift his threadbare squad to a result he has never achieved against them.

It is possible of course, but wouldn’t have been necessary if Liverpool had made the most of their chance to guarantee being top over Christmas.

If they had really gone for broke when Emanuel Adebayor’s rash second booking reduced Arsenal to 10 men. If they had put more men in front of the ball and not acted as if the Gunners, without their main target man, were somehow more of a threat.

If Keane had been allowed to complete a game, maybe?

“Nothing,” was Arsene Wenger’s response when asked what a point means in the title race. And he has a point too.

But it will certainly have meaning if Chelsea break the pattern of this most unpredictable of Premier League seasons and actually pounce on a rival’s slip-up.

Then this will be another occasion when Liverpool pay the price for a game in which more points are dropped than are gained.

And that definitely can’t be dismissed as meaning “nothing”.

Sammy Lee: Arsenal Draw Is A Missed Opportunity For Liverpool

SAMMY LEE admitted Liverpool had missed an opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League after being held by 10-man Arsenal.

Robbie Keane’s equaliser three minutes before half-time earned the visitors a 1-1 draw at the Emirates after Robin van Persie had given the Gunners the lead midway through the first half.

But the game’s main incident came in the 63rd minute when Emmanuel Adebayor was controversially dismissed by referee Howard Webb for a second bookable offence.

With Rafael Benitez having not travelled as he recovers from last week’s operation to remove a kidney stone, assistant manager Lee assumed control at the Emirates.

And he revealed Liverpool’s players were disappointed not to have made their numerical advantage tell and open up a four-point lead on second-placed Chelsea.

“We’d have settled for the point beforehand, but the way the game went the lads are a little it disappointed,” said Lee.

“Part of the disappointment was that we couldn’t open them up when they went down to 10 men. Arsenal, to their credit, made sure they couldn’t succumb to our control we had at the time. They kept their shape and stayed compact.

“We tried to make the most of the numerical advantage and we don’t think that we did that, which is why we feel disappointed.

“We had to make sure we went forward without getting caught out at the back. Our lads did well. Arsenal are very well organised but so are we.

“There’s no question we weren’t trying to win. This is Liverpool and we try to win every game.

“Great credit must be given to Arsenal for the way they responded to going a man down. But credit must also go to our lads who came from behind and made sure that we got a point out of the game,” Lee added.

The result means Chelsea can leapfrog Liverpool and go a point clear at the top of the table at Christmas with victory at Everton this evening.

A convalescing Benitez watched the game on television at his Wirral home, and kept in constant contact with the dugout through the mobile phone of goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero.

And Lee added: “Rafa was in contact throughout the game, so he’ll have run up quite a big phone bill! The way technology is these days, there was never going to be a problem staying in touch.

“He was in contact before and during the game. It’s a great testament to his professionalism. He has been in a lot of pain. I hope he can settle down now and get himself ready 100% for the games over the Christmas.

“He said he was pleased for the boys, and was very, very positive. He realised what a good point it was because we consider Arsenal to be a very, very good footballing team.”

Keane’s goal was only his third league strike of the campaign, and came just a week after contentiously being kept on the bench as Liverpool laboured to a 2-2 draw at home to Hull City.

And Lee said: “Goals always give you confidence. But Robbie has not been lacking in confidence, and if you saw him today you could see he wasn’t lacking in any confidence.

“We’ve mentioned it before, but when Rafa and ourselves sit down and pick a team, we do so taking into account everything for every single game.

“We are fully aware of the programme ahead of us and we have to use all out players. It’s a long arduous season, a gruelling campaign and we have to make sure we have everybody ready.”

Of Adebayor’s sending-off, Lee said: “I haven’t seen it since. It might be Arsene Wenger’s line but it’s not bad to copy him.

“It was a foul, to be honest. However that was translated is down to the referee.”

Liverpool Fail To Seize Title Initiative

Having already beaten Manchester United and Chelsea this season, a point against Arsenal at the Emirates would usually be viewed as a great result for a Liverpool team going for the league championship.

But when Arsenal went down to 10 men early in the second-half with the score at 1-1, I expected Liverpool to go over the top, create some chances and go for the win.

It didn't happen, though, and the end result was another draw – Liverpool's fourth in five league games. All of the top teams are dropping points at the moment, especially at home, but the simple fact for Liverpool is that they could have been nine or 10 points clear of the pack by now. But they failed to beat any of Fulham, West Ham or Hull at Anfield, teams you would have expected them to put away.

If Chelsea fail to win at Everton tonight, then Liverpool will spend Christmas at the top of the Premier League. On that basis alone, you would have to admit that the half-term report would say they have done brilliantly, but they have more to do to show that they will ultimately be genuine title contenders.

They could have made a real statement by putting more points on the board. Let's be fair, they aren't the only club to fall into that category because the title race would have been over by now had Chelsea not dropped so many points at Stamford Bridge.

But the real winners with the way things stand at the moment are Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United.

They went to the Club World Cup in Japan last week with the prospect of being some distance behind the leaders on their return to England.

They now lie seven points behind Liverpool, but with two games in hand. Sir Alex would have worried that, with United's schedule and slow start to the season, there would have been no way back by now. His big bonus, though, is that they could be right back in it after Christmas.

Liverpool are obviously missing the goals of Fernando Torres at the moment, but the baffling thing for many people, myself included, is the Robbie Keane situation.

Against Hull last week, Rafa Benitez chose to keep Keane, a £20 million striker, on the bench as his team attempted to get a winning goal. Keane scored a wonder goal against Arsenal, but was then taken off instead of being given the full 90 minutes to make something happen.

That's 16 times now that he has been taken off this season. Rafa can point to the fact that he has started 19 times, but if a centre-forward is judged on his goals, he needs to be on the pitch to get them.

There has been talk of Emile Heskey returning to Liverpool from Wigan in January. Heskey is a great player, but I'm not convinced that he is the answer. If he is, then why was he sold in the first place?

The perfect answer would be Didier Drogba, but I'm not sure iverpool would be able to get him from Chelsea. Liverpool do lack height, though, and the one thing that Drogba offers is the knowledge that, whatever is hit down the middle, he will get a head to it.

Liverpool can play it out wide and also use the pace of Torres through the middle, but teams need variation and height is the one thing they don't quite have at the moment.

Because of the way Rafa wants his team to play, Liverpool are cautious and they don't really go after teams, so the fans have had to be educated into understanding the style of play.

People will accept it when you are top of the league, but that won't be the case when you are struggling.

The league title is the thing that matters most to Liverpool supporters, however, and everybody on the red half of Merseyside wants to see the team where they are right now.

Winning the title has never been easy, though. When you are top, the pressure to perform never goes away, but if Liverpool think the pressure is on now, just wait until March and April because they can multiply it by 100 then.

Once you get the Champions League games and league fixtures coming at you thick and fast, it becomes much more difficult.

But Liverpool are top of the league right now and they have at least given themselves their best chance of finishing up as champions for the first time since 1990.

Arbeloa Reacted Like I’d ‘Put A Knife In Him’ – Adebayor

Angry Emmanuel Adebayor has accused Alvaro Arbeloa of acting as though the Arsenal man “had put a knife in him” following a stormy encounter at the Emirates.

Adebayor was sent off for a second bookable offence on 63 minutes of the 1-1 draw after clashing with Liverpool defender Arbeloa.

The Arsenal striker had already been cautioned during the first half for a foul on Emiliano Insua when he challenged strongly on Arbeloa. And an unhappy Adebayor believes the Spain international’s reaction influenced referee Howard Webb into sending him off.

“The defender threw himself on the floor as if I had put a knife in him, “said the forward. “Of course I am annoyed. We are all here to play and if you win or lose then you want to do it with 11 players on the pitch.

“I cannot say the defender cheated but what he did was not fair play at all.”

Adebayor accepted the tackle was a foul but added: “I hope when the referee gets home and watches it on the television, he will see it was a foul but I did not deserve a card. I was at risk from him. The referee said it was for the leg but if you don’t put your body in there then I would never score a goal in this league.

“We have to protect the ball which is normal and that’s what I tried to do.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was similarly angered by the decision to dismiss Adebayor.

“It was a very soft sending-off,” said Wenger. “Whenever we play away from home, we’re told that teams will get in our face and that we are up against it and we just have to deal with it. It’s a joke. I don’t think either of the bookings were justified. It is unbelievable. If he sends Adebayor off then he has to send Keane off earlier on.

“Ask Arbeloa what he did to him. They know he didn’t touch him.”

Wenger added sarcastically: “I have seen Arbeloa after the game and he has a blue face everywhere.”

Despite still being eight points behind leaders Liverpool, Wenger believes his team can still win the title because the Anfield outfit will drop “a lot of points” between now and the end of the season.

“The title is won in May and it’s only December,” said the Frenchman. “Mathematically we will fight until the very end. I believe that Liverpool will drop many points, I am convinced of that. Liverpool have already dropped lots of points, four draws at home, that’s eight points. Why should they not drop eight points again in the second half of the season?”

Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee, deputising for the absent Rafael Benitez, also believes Arsenal remain championship contenders.

“We haven’t knocked Arsenal out the title race,” he said. “I don’t know anything that has been won and lost in December. Arsenal are a great football team and have great quality throughout and it would be remiss of me to say they are out of the title race.”

As well as seeing Adebayor dismissed, Wenger revealed Cesc Fabregas was forced off at half-time with a medial knee ligament problem following a tackle by fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso, that could sideline the midfielder for several weeks.

And of the game, Wenger added: “We had a nervy start and we weren’t in control enough. In the second half we played higher up and you could see we got much more control of the game, we could have won the game.

“It’s very disappointing. We had great spirit and great strength and great commitment. I’m not happy with the defending for their goal.”

Robbie Keane Was 'Superb' For Liverpool - Lee

Little Sam has heaped praise upon the Reds' struggling striker after his encouraging showing against the Gunners at the weekend.

Robbie Keane went some way toward silencing his critics on Sunday as he struck Liverpool's leveller against Arsenal in a frenetic encounter at the Emirates.

The Irishman has been under the pump lately. A lack of goals and playing time has led to rumours of a swift return to Tottenham Hotspur, the club he left in a £20 million deal only last summer.

But the 28-year-old's thumping half-volley into the roof of Manuel Almunia's net reminded everyone of the brilliant, instinctive finisher who scored over 100 goals in six seasons at White Hart Lane.

Rafa Benitez's right-hand man, Sammy Lee, was thrilled with Keane's showing, which was especially impressive given he was again played out of position as a lone striker in Fernando Torres' absence.

"Goals always give you confidence but Robbie Keane has not been lacking confidence. He looked superb today," Lee told the press.

Nevertheless, there are doubts as to how central a figure the former Inter Milan striker will be once Torres returns to action. Benitez seems to prefer Steven Gerrard playing behind the front-man, for the most part, rather than using a traditional strike-pairing.

But Lee hinted that Keane should be given plenty of opportunities as the season progresses: "We know the program we have ahead of us and some players will play some games, and some will play in other games."

Sammy Lee: Arsenal Ain't Out Of The Race

The Reds' stand-in gaffer has dismissed the notion that last night's draw at the Emirates has eliminated the Gunners from title contention.

Robin van Persie and Robbie Keane each struck in the first half to give Arsenal and Liverpool a share of the spoils in a heated affair at Ashburton Grove.

It was billed as a do-or-die clash for the Londoners, with pundits all across the country declaring that anything but victory would shatter their hopes of claiming a fourth Premier League crown.

But Sammy Lee, who deputised for the unfit Rafael Benitez as Reds boss, has warned that Arsene Wenger's men are not done with yet.

"I don’t think we have knocked Arsenal out of the title race," Lee, who won three league titles during his playing days at Anfield, told the press.

"They have great quality throughout and would not want to say that. I have too much respect for Arsenal as a club to say that."

Gunners boss Wenger criticised Liverpool's less-than-ambitious approach during the second half, particularly after Emmanuel Adebayor was controversially sent off.

Lee admitted that his charges were upset at not claiming all three points, and he insisted that they never stopped playing for the win.

"There are all kinds of cliches about a game like that but you would have settled for the draw before the game," he said.

"But the players are disappointed. To come to a place like Arsenal and draw is a good result.

"Being Liverpool we always go out to try and win the game and so we are disappointed — especially when against 10 men — but you have to give a load of credit to Arsenal."

Christmas Shopping: Who Should Liverpool Buy?

Many hope for Christmas to come early, but in football it comes a little late. What should Liverpool do in the January transfer window?

Liverpool have enjoyed their best start to a season in many a year. They currently sit top of the Premier League table, leading Chelsea by a point, and are eagerly awaiting a Champions League last 16 showdown with Real Madrid. Nevertheless, there are queries aplenty as to whether the most drought-stricken of England’s 'Big Four' can sustain their push for a first EPL title – and, most of all, whether they boast the required quality of personnel to hold off their rivals.

While Liverpool have failed to mount anything resembling a title challenge in recent memory, little of the blame can be laid at their defenders’ feet. Pepe Reina picked up his third consecutive Golden Glove award last season and is well in the running for number four; Jamie Carragher, despite his recent blooper against Hull City, still marshals his back-line with aplomb; Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are two of the most promising centre-halves in Europe, while the Reds could not ask for better cover than Finnish legend Sami Hyypia.

There is some uncertainty over Agger’s future, however. The Danish defender has been targeted by a number of clubs, including Real Madrid and AC Milan, since the summer, and it was thought he could scoot off after losing his starting spot earlier this season. Furthermore, delays over a new contract have kept alive the Rossoneri’s hopes of landing the talented 23-year-old. But Skrtel’s long-term injury has seen Agger settle into the first team once more, and it is most unlikely that manager Rafael Benitez would let the player leave at this point in time.

The core of the Kop rearguard is solid and sorted, but the same cannot be said for the wide areas. Alvaro Arbeloa has been consistent at right-back, but in truth the Spaniard has had to deal with absolutely no competition for his place since Steve Finnan left for Espanyol during the summer. Philipp Degen has been injured much of the time after joining from Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer in the off-season, and expectations were relatively low anyway, after his indifferent spell in Germany.

Much more disappointing has been Andrea Dossena. There was a bit of buzz surrounding the Italian international when he completed a €9 million move from Udinese, where he had established himself as an aggressive, attacking wing-back of considerable quality. But the 27-year-old has made no impact whatsoever in England, and he is being heavily tipped for an immediate return to Serie A. Whether that eventuates remains to be seen, but Rafa is known for his ruthlessness where flops are concerned (ask Mark Gonzales, Jan Kromkamp and Josemi, to name but a few).

As for fresh faces, England wing-back Glen Johnson is thought to have caught the Kop’s interest with his excellent form for Portsmouth; he could provide a more attacking alternative to Arbeloa. Perhaps the left flank is of more concern, but Benitez may opt to entrust Argentine youngster Emiliano Insua with the job of covering the injury-prone Fabio Aurelio. However, Real Madrid’s Gabriel Heinze has been mentioned in the press this month.

In the centre of the park, few teams in Europe boast the sort of talents Liverpool possess. Uncertainty over Xabi Alonso’s future has died down - rumours concerning Arsenal, Juventus and Gareth Barry linger, but have yet to regain their former momentum - and the Basque playmaker is quite possibly the Premier League’s form midfielder this season. Javier Mascherano continues to cement his reputation as one of the world’s best holding players, while Steven Gerrard’s importance goes without saying.

There have been some grumblings about young Lucas Leiva, though, as the Brazilian is yet to deliver on the huge promise he showed while at Gremio. Boss Benitez has faith in the former Bola de Ouro winner, but even that hasn’t completely quelled rumours of a potential sale. Manchester City’s Michael Johnson has been put forth as a possible replacement, albeit very tentatively.

However, the bulk of the focus is again on the Merseysiders’ flanks. While Albert Riera has settled well since joining from Espanyol in the summer, and Dirk Kuyt has been as indefatigable as ever in his new role on the right, the rest of Anfield’s wide-men could be on their way. Yossi Benayoun has made it clear that he will leave the club if his first-team prospects don’t improve, but the Israeli should stick around until season’s end. Ryan Babel is similarly frustrated, and the Dutch forward recently confessed that he attempted to wangle a loan return to Ajax only to be thwarted by Benitez & co.

Then there is Jermaine Pennant. The English winger has plummeted down the pecking order at Liverpool, so much so that he finds himself behind even Moroccan reserve Nabil El Zhar. The 25-year-old knocked back moves to Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers during the summer, but now he seems certain to leave Liverpool sooner or later.

Tottenham Hotspur have registered an interest in Pennant – Spurs boss Harry Redknapp tried to take him to Portsmouth in the last transfer window – and it is thought a swap-deal involving Aaron Lennon has been put on the table. The Reds have been repeatedly linked with the 21-year-old over the last couple of years, and his ability to tear up either wing with his pace and guile could give them an extra edge going forward.

Less than six months into his Liverpool adventure, Robbie Keane could be headed for the scrapheap. So much was expected of the Irishman when he joined from Spurs; his record at White Hart Lane was impeccable, after all, particularly during his last two seasons there. But his nervy performances have failed to justify his €20 million price tag, and already rumours have sprung up of a return to North London – even though Premier League law rules out that possibility. The ex-Inter man should be given until at least the end of the campaign to turn things around, but Benitez may nevertheless draft in another striker next month.

Fernando Torres’ hamstring trouble has exposed the somewhat one-dimensional nature of the Reds’ attack, as they have struggled since his latest setback. Keane and Kuyt have been rotated through the centre-forward slot in El Nino’s absence but neither have found any great consistency, although Dutchman Dirk has had some good moments. French youngster David N’Gog has earned mixed reviews when given a chance, while Babel remains curiously under-used up top.

So a new body may be required, and that could mean a surprise return to Merseyside for Emile Heskey. The Wigan Athletic targetman spent over four seasons with Liverpool before his ignominious departure in 2004, and he is back in fashion after a string of scintillating showings for Fabio Capello’s England. The 31-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Benitez is thought to fancy him as an ideal back-up for Torres, who is reportedly in Man City’s sights.

Heskey is not the only ex-Red on Rafa’s radar, though, as Michael Owen could finally return to Anfield after leaving for Real Madrid four years ago. The 29-year-old is embroiled in a contract dispute at Newcastle United, and Liverpool are one of several clubs eager to make use of his inimitable goalscoring talents.

While much of the transfer gossip has centred on the playing squad, there are also a few questions concerning the manager's position. Benitez is yet to finalise the contract extension he was promised last season, as the club's American owners have been as hesitant to sit down at the negotiating table as to free up transfer funds. But recent reports indicate that a new deal has been agreed and needs only to be inked, meaning Juve and all other suitors should start looking elsewhere.

Match Preview: Arsenal vs. LiverpooL

The incentive for breaking into the top four places of the Premier League was vividly illustrated on Friday when the draw for the Champions League Round of 16 was made, and these two residents of England's 'Big Four' were handed mouth-watering ties. Arsenal will play Roma in February, while Liverpool take on Real Madrid, as both English clubs seek to reach the quarter-finals for the second year in succession. Last season, of course, they met each other at that stage of Europe's top club tournament; and on Sunday they meet again for the first time since then, with precious Premier League points at stake.

Current League leaders Liverpool will probably be pleased to be on the road again after their recent dropped points and inhibited displays at Anfield; but then again they may view a trip to the Emirates with some disquiet, having failed to beat Arsenal away in ten attempts since February 2000 (eight Premier League games, one FA Cup tie and a Champions League clash). The Gunners won six and drew four of those; but nevertheless they have still been beaten more often (14 times) and dropped more points (60) in the Premier League against Liverpool, than against any other club.

The two sides were great rivals in the last few seasons of the old Football League, alternating as champions in the four seasons between 1987-88 and 1990-91 - when George Graham and Kenny Dalglish were the respective managers, Alex Ferguson's Manchester United were yet to hit their formidable trophy-winning stride, and Chelsea were nowhere near the top four. The Reds and the Gunners remain major adversaries, as members of the 'Big Four', and there are any number of reasons why Saturday's meeting will have a special resonance.

The Arsenal camp harbour a grievance following last April's Champions League elimination. They claim they were denied a clear penalty towards the end of the Emirates leg when Dirk Kuyt hauled down Alex Hleb in the area. And they feel the penalty awarded to Liverpool for a foul by Kolo Toure on Ryan Babel, immediately after the Gunners had equalised to move ahead in the tie on away goals, was harsh. The fact remains that Liverpool won that epic collision 5-3 on aggregate, and progressed to the semi-finals where they suffered their own torment at the hands of Chelsea.

Arsenal strikers Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor have both suggested that revenge on Sunday would be sweet.

Both Arsenal and Liverpool are unbeaten in their games against fellow Big Four rivals this season. That is another way of saying each can point to a home win against Manchester United and an away win against Chelsea already in this campaign. Obviously both will want to preserve their 100% record in Big Four meetings. But for the Gunners, it has been - and continues to be - a matter of brinkmanship. Whereas Liverpool have been first or second all season, Arsenal's inconsistency has seen them vacillate, and after last weekend's results they found themselves in fifth-place, their Champions League slot having been usurped, at least temporarily, by Aston Villa, whom they meet at Villa Park on Boxing Day.

That means they must again strive to keep their title hopes alive by pulling a win out of the bag against another of the big boys. It was the same when they took on Manchester United and then Chelsea in recent weeks: defeat in either of those games might have effectively ended their aspirations to win a fourth Premier League crown and 14th top-flight title overall. They won; but the value of those epic victories has been undermined by dropped points in other games. Arsenal have already lost five times in the League - to Fulham (away), Hull (home), Stoke (away), Aston Villa (home) and Manchester City (away) - and history suggests they cannot lose any more and still go on to claim the championship. So this weekend they must again take all three points to remain in touch at Christmas.

Yet Liverpool's form has also been less than convincing recently. They remain top, but as much because of the stumblings of their rivals as through the irresistible quality of their own performances. Nevertheless they hold a substantial eight-point lead over their North London hosts, and will be striving to make that eleven.

Arsenal have been hit-and-miss all season. Their seeming inability to string a winning sequence together was again evident at The Riverside last week. They took an early lead through Emmanuel Adebayor in a dominant opening against Middlesbrough, but were pegged back in a 1-1 draw. Indeed, Wenger's side have won only one of their last four games in all competitions.

However, Liverpool are not exactly in outstanding form themselves at the moment: they've drawn three of their last four League games, and will be anxious to start turning those stale-mates into victories that yield maximum points if they are to realise their ambition of lifting a first Premier League crown - their first top-flight title since 1990.

Arsenal striker Adebayor has warned his team-mates against assuming that wins against two of the top teams mean another can be expected against the leaders. “We have to forget about what we have done against Chelsea and Manchester United,” the Togo striker said. "We have done that so the most important thing is just to keep focused against Liverpool.

“If we think because we have beaten Manchester United at home and Chelsea away we are going to win easily against Liverpool then we have got everything wrong. We all know how important this is for the club so we will just try to keep our dreams alive. For us the most important thing is to keep positive. We have a good chance because we play at the Emirates Stadium in front of our own fans. We always play quite well there.

“As a player you dream of playing in these big games. When I was young I had a chance to watch Arsenal against teams like Liverpool and Manchester United. Now I have a chance to be in those games.”

But Liverpool's Alvaro Arbeloa also believes his team can bounce back from their disappointing home draw against Hull and get what they need against the Gunners. He said, “We believe in ourselves and we can get a good result there.”

Liverpool's preparations for this game have been overshadowed by the hospitalisation of manager Rafael Benitez. The Spaniard has been bed-ridden following surgery to remove kidney stones, so assistant manager Sammy Lee has been taking training during the week. Lee, though, doesn't think the absence of Benitez has been a major distraction.

He said: "We have already planned what we are going to do so we will just be sticking to that. The main man may not be here, but we have to keep things going so he can just pick up from where he left off when he comes back."

Something else Liverpool have tried to shrug off this week is the speculation surrounding Robbie Keane. The ex-Tottenham striker has been the subject of rumours suggesting he could be leaving the club in January, which the Reds have denied - although he is likely to be named as a substitute again at the Emirates, even through Fernando Torres is still recovering from a hamstring injury.

Twenty seasons ago, uniquely in English League history, the fate of the title was decided in the very last match of the season, Liverpool v Arsenal at Anfield, in which either Liverpool or Arsenal would be crowned champions. Liverpool, who had already won the FA Cup, would win the coveted double if they beat, drew with or even lost to Arsenal by one goal to nil. The Gunners had to win by 2-0 to claim their first title since 1971. And Arsenal, leading 1-0 through Alan Smith from early in the second-half, scored the vital second in the dying minutes to win the championship in the most dramatic finale to any season before or since. Ironically, the scorer of the late, winning goal, Michael Thomas, later left Arsenal to join Liverpool. And Arsenal fans attending Sunday’s game at the Emirates are being urged to celebrate the 20th anniversary of that historic win by wearing yellow shirts – as their team had done on 26 May 1989.

Two of the players likely to be involved in Sunday's game share the distinction of having most shots off target so far this season - Steven Gerrard and Robin van Persie have both racked up 29. Indeed, as a team Liverpool have had the most shots off target - 136. Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor shares with Steed Malbranque (Sunderland) the highest number of assists (seven), and Adebayor has also been flagged offside more times than anyone else (32). And Arsenal have had more corners (134) and more woodwork strikes than any other Premier League team. But Pep Reina has kept the most clean-sheets (ten).

Liverpool are seeking their first Premier League win in nine attempts at Arsenal. The last time they won on the Gunners' home patch - which was Highbury at the time - Titi Camara scored in a 1-0 win on 13 February 2000.

Remarkably, the two teams haven't managed an away League win - in London or on Merseyside - in nine meetings, although the Gunners won twice in four days at Anfield in early January 2007, beating Liverpool 3-1 in the FA Cup then 6-3 in the League Cup.

The overall League record between the teams (home and away) is played 168, Arsenal 58 wins, Liverpool 68, Draws 42. In the Premier League only, the record is Arsenal 9 wins, Liverpool 14, Draws 9. At Arsenal only, the Gunners have achieved 37 wins, Liverpool 20, and 27 games have been drawn. In the Premier League at Arsenal, the home team have six wins, Liverpool five, and five have been drawn.

This game is being dedicated by Arsenal to the Teenage Cancer Trust - which means the Gunners' players, staff and directors are all donating a day's wages to the Trust, the club's chosen charity this season. They are aiming to raise £300,000 during the course of the campaign, and there will be other fundraising activities at the Emirates on Sunday.

Manager Arsene Wenger is also supporting the charity by donating a day's wages, and captain, Cesc Fabregas, said: "I encourage all supporters to follow our lead and give what they can. The team and I have met some patients from Teenage Cancer Trust units on several occasions throughout the partnership so far and we're all struck by the strength and courage they show in fighting this disease.

"We understand the importance of these units, which give young people a sense of normality in their lives while being treated for cancer, so we want to ensure we do the best we can for them throughout the whole partnership.

Fabregas added: "The dedicated matchday highlights the work of the charity and gives players, staff and supporters the chance to do something, however small, to reach this target. I visited the Teenage Cancer Trust unit back in August so I know what this means to the charity and the teenagers it helps."


FORM GUIDE

Arsenal

13 Dec (Premier League) v Middlesbrough (A) DREW 1-1
10 Dec (Champions League) v FC Porto (A) LOST 0-2
06 Dec (Premier League) v Wigan (H) WON 1-0
02 Dec (Carling Cup) v Burnley (A) LOST 0-2
30 Nov (Premier League) v Chelsea (A) WON 2-1
25 Nov (Champions League) v Dynamo Kiev (H) WON 1-0

Liverpool

13 Dec (Premier League) v Hull (H) DREW 2-2
09 Dec (Champions League) v PSV Eindhoven (A) WON 3-1
06 Dec (Premier League) v Blackburn (A) WON 3-1
01 Dec (Premier League) v West Ham (H) DREW 0-0
26 Nov (Champions League) v Marseille (H) WON 1-0
22 Nov (Premier League) v Fulham (H) DREW 0-0


TEAM NEWS

Arsenal

Midfielder Samir Nasri could be back following an ankle injury, but defender Kolo Toure is again a doubtful starter with a calf strain. Striker Nicklas Bendtner could be ruled out by a knee problem, but Theo Walcott (shoulder) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) are still out, and striker Eduardo suffered a hamstring problem on his return from breaking his leg.

Squad: Almunia, Sagna, Nasri, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Wilshere, Eboue, Fabianski, Vela, Ramsey, Van Persie, Adebayor, Bendtner.


Liverpool

Manager Rafael Benitez could be back on the bench after an operation to remove kidney stones, but at least he has no new injury problems to worry about. Striker Fernando Torres (hamstring) is out for at least one more week, while full-back Fabio Aurelio (calf) may return after three games out. Dirk Kuyt started last weekend's draw with Hull as the main striker, supported from midfield by captain Steven Gerrard, who scored both goals as the Reds staged a dramatic come-back. Defenders Philipp Degen (metatarsal) and Martin Skrtel (knee) remain on the sidelines.

Squad: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Agger, Dossena, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Lucas, Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Keane, Ngog, Cavalieri, Insua, El Zhar.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal

Emmanuel Adebayor has scored 11 goals so far this season - and 57 altogether for the club he joined from Monaco in January 2006. He was on target in each of Arsenal's last two league games, netting the winner against Wigan and the Gunners' goal at Middlesbrough. And with Samir Nasri scoring twice in Arsenal 's win over Manchester United, and Robin van Persie grabbing both when they beat Chelsea, Adebayor may fancy his chances of getting on the score-sheet against the third of their big rivals - with a brace? The Togo striker has rehabilitated himself with the Arsenal fans after a summer spent prevaricating over a possible move to Italy or Spain, and he was on target against Liverpool in both legs of last season's Champions League tie.

Liverpool

Steven Gerrard's reputation as an inspirational leader has been further enhanced this season, his drive and determination clearly illustrated a week ago at Anfield when his side were trailing 2-0 to Hull City before he hauled them back into the game with two goals. The midfielder has already contributed 12 goals in all competitions to Liverpool's cause this season, and is likely to play a key role against the Gunners. He more than anyone at Anfield, with the possible exception of fellow-Scouser Jamie Carragher, is desperate to end the Reds' 19-year title drought, and can be expected to drive his team-mates on from midfield on Sunday, rampaging forward in search of a sight of goal whenever he can.

Kuyt Confident Ahead Of Arsenal Clash

Having beaten both Chelsea & Manchester United already this season, Liverpool's Dutch international forward Dirk Kuyt is hoping to add Arsenal to the list today.

Liverpool's Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt is hoping the Reds will use last season's Champions League victory over Arsenal as a springboard for success in the Premier League fixture this afternoon.

The 28-year-old says Liverpool should not be scared ahead of the trip to the Emirates although he realises that last season's results may have no bearing on Sunday.

"When we played there [at Arsenal] in the Champions League it was a good night for all of us because we produced a good performance as a team and managed to get a good 1-1 draw," Kuyt told Liverpool's official website.

"That set us up perfectly for the second leg where we made it through to the semi-finals so we do have good memories of the Emirates from last season but they don't count for anything in this game.

"We know that it will be tough and we will be looking for a similar performance, only this time we will be looking for a win rather than a draw because it is a different situation."

Like Arsenal, Liverpool have beaten both Chelsea and Manchester United in the league this season but find themselves eight points ahead of the Gunners, a lead which Kuyt is hoping to use to their advantage.

"We did really well to beat both Chelsea and Manchester United and now we will be looking to do the same against Arsenal," the former Feyenoord star remarked.

"They are a good team, though, and if you look at their game against Chelsea recently they played really well in that one and got an excellent win.

"But we are confident in ourselves and we know if we play as well as we can we will have a really good chance of getting the kind of result we are looking for."

Having dropped points against some of the less fancied teams in the league, the Dutch international wants Liverpool to push forward now and mount a real title bid.

"We have already sent a message out by beating United and Chelsea and now we just want to win every game.

"That's what it's all about, keeping on going and trying to stay on top of the league.

"We were disappointed not to beat Hull but the game against Arsenal is another big game and our away form is very good so hopefully we can keep that up with another good performance and maybe a positive result."