Match Preview: Newcastle United vs. LiverpooL

Liverpool and Newcastle United will face-off this weekend in their final fixture of 2008. While the away side are sitting pretty at the top of the Barclays Premier League table, their hosts are in decent, if not dazzling, touch themselves.

When Joe Kinnear took the reins at Newcastle in September, it appeared they were headed for an embarrassing relegation battle. In the period between Kevin Keegan’s controversial departure and the arrival of his interim successor, the Toon had sunk well into the drop zone. Indeed, only Tottenham Hotspur endured a more disastrous start to the season, when one considers that both sides were aiming for European football at season’s start.

Under Kinnear’s guidance, however, the Magpies have slowly regained confidence to the point where they might actually be called a Premier League-standard club once more. They have ground out results against dangerous and in-form teams – most notably Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge, just over a month ago – and have shown that, despite adopting a more workman-like approach than in previous years, they are still well capable of entertaining the Toon Army.

Newcastle’s Boxing Day defeat to Wigan Athletic was just their second loss in their last nine outings, and they currently sit 12th in the standings. However, they are still just two points above the relegation places, and some seven points shy of a potential UEFA Cup spot. Failure against the league leaders on Sunday could leave them brushing against the bottom three heading into the New Year, and frankly that’s a distinct possibility given both the quality of their opposition and the results of their last few encounters.

Liverpool’s recent record against the sleeping giants of Tyneside reads pretty darn well. Their last visit to St James’ Park culminated in a 3-0 win, but that scoreline doesn’t show just how comprehensively the Merseysiders beat their beleaguered and bedraggled hosts on a day that marked the beginning of the end of Sam Allardyce’s tenure. In all honesty, it could so easily have been 8-0 if Fernando Torres had brought his shooting boots.

And that was when Rafael Benitez’s job was in jeopardy amid a boardroom crisis that threatened to ruin the Anfield club. Now, circling at the summit of the standings, the Kop is rocking as they edge ever closer to what would be their very first Premier League crown, and their first English championship since 1990. They are refusing to get ahead of themselves, though, as the more seasoned Reds have seen more than their fair share of false dawns.

Nevertheless, Liverpool have a golden opportunity to claim pole position heading into 2009. They have been let off the hook by fellow front-runners Chelsea in recent weeks, as draws against Hull City and a 10-man Arsenal went unpunished. But after an impressive return to form against Bolton Wanderers on Friday, they will be pumped up and hoping to round out in style what has been their best start to a campaign in many a moon.


FORM GUIDE

Newcastle United

Nov 29 Middlesbrough 0-0 Newcastle United (Premier League)
Dec 06 Newcastle United 2-2 Stoke City (Premier League)
Dec 14 Portsmouth 0-3 Newcastle United (Premier League)
Dec 21 Newcastle United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)
Dec 26 Wigan Athletic 2-1 Newcastle United (Premier League)

Liverpool

Dec 06 Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 09 PSV Eindhoven 1-3 Liverpool (Champions League)
Dec 13 Hull City 2-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 21 Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (Premier League)
Dec 26 Liverpool 3-0 Bolton Wanderers (Premier League)


TEAM NEWS

Newcastle United

Jose Enrique injured his calf during the warm-up at Wigan and will sit out. The Spanish defender will be joined on the sidelines by fellow full-back Habib Beye (leg) and Australian striker Mark Viduka (groin).

Sebastien Bassong is suspended, meaning midfielders David Edgar and Charles N’Zogbia are likely to line up at the back.

Newcastle squad: Given, Coloccini, Gutierrez, Butt, Guthrie, N'Zogbia, Duff, Owen, Harper, Taylor, Geremi, Edgar, Xisco, Carroll, Ameobi, LuaLua, Gonzalez.

Liverpool

Alvaro Arbeloa will miss out again due to a hamstring injury, but Javier Mascherano is expected to slot back into midfield after suffering a bout of the flu – the Argentine battler was an unused substitute against Bolton.

The big news, however, is that Torres has been named in the travelling party and could make the bench. The EURO 2008-winning striker has been undergoing extensive treatment for a recurring hamstring problem.

Liverpool squad: Reina, Carragher, Agger, Hyypia, Insua, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt, Gerrard, Keane, Cavalieri, Darby, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Ngog, El Zhar, Torres.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Michael Owen (Newcastle United)

Even if he wasn’t facing the club with whom he rose to fame as a teenager, there’s no denying that the England exile would draw more attention than anyone else on the home team. He has netted seven times this season, although he will need to put on a fine display if injury-hit Toon are to hold off the table-toppers.

Robbie Keane (Liverpool)

Is the impish Irishman finally finding his feet with the Reds? Keane followed up his superb strike against Arsenal by bagging a Boxing Day brace against Bolton, and it would be far from surprising if he continued that scoring run on his trip to the North East.

Leader Liverpool Halfway To19th English Title

Liverpool is halfway toward ending the 19-year wait for its 19th English title. The Premier League leader just needs to stave off Chelsea and Manchester United for another 19 games.

The Reds began to look like credible champions again Friday by comprehensively beating Bolton 3-0 to end a run of three draws at Anfield that had elicited jeers from the home fans.

Cheers returned as the freezing supporters were warmed by the continued resurgence of offseason recruit Robbie Keane, who's two goals helped put Liverpool in pole position at the season's midpoint for the first time since 1996.

The Ireland striker's double came five days after he secured a point at Arsenal that helped quiet suggestions he would be sold by Liverpool in January after poor form led to him being benched by manager Rafa Benitez.

"It was a convincing win and I was pleased with the manner in which we played, moved the ball quickly and went forward," Keane said after taking his goal tally to seven since joining from Tottenham. "Now it's important we keep going. We've got a tough game against Newcastle. We'll go there with a lot of confidence after this win and hopefully we can come back with the three points.

"Newcastle are a good side and they've been on the up lately."

Liverpool will be hoping Keane maintains his form Sunday at Newcastle as Fernando Torres is still absent with a hamstring injury and Chelsea remains just a point behind in the standings.

"We know that at the halfway stage the hard work's still to come," Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said. "We're ready for that and we believe we can make significant improvements where they need to be made.

"We know we have to do it all again in the second half of the season and we have to improve against the other teams in the divisions."

While the Reds have been dropping points recently, they have been aided by Chelsea matching their inconsistency. Likewise, Chelsea beat bottom-placed West Bromwich Albion ahead of a two-mile trip across west London to face Fulham.

Striker Didier Drogba is expected to recover despite being removed with a thigh complaint after scoring in the 2-0 victory over West Brom, but Frank Lampard is prepared for a testing encounter against the league's third tightest defense Sunday.

"The fact they are not conceding many has got to be testament to their manager," Lampard said. "Roy Hodgson is very experienced, he has been all over the world, and he has got them organized not to concede but they have got threats up front as well."

Arsenal's fading title aspirations seem far-fetched after throwing away a 2-0 lead in stoppage time to draw at Aston Villa, which has a three-point lead over Arsene Wenger's side in fourth place.

The Gunners must bounce back against Portsmouth to remain ahead of Everton in the UEFA Cup qualification spot.

Everton hosts Sunderland after makeshift striker Tim Cahill scored again at Sunderland to produce a second win in three matches.

Also Sunday, West Brom could close the gap on Tottenham to just two points by upsetting the London club, Mark Hughes returns to Blackburn with a Manchester City side buoyed by thrashing Hull 5-1, Bolton faces Wigan in a Lancashire derby, and Stoke is at West Ham.

Manchester United, which is seven points off the pace with two games in hand, hosts Middlesbrough in Monday's only match. TV schedulers have given Aston Villa and Hull the longest time to recover from Friday's full program of matches by selecting their fixture for Tuesday night.

Rafael Benitez Goes Cool On Idea Of Bringing In Michael Owen To Boost Strike Force

Rafael Benitez maintains that new contracts for himself and his players come before possible January arrivals in his thinking but it appears that any funds that are made available in the new year will not be spent on bringing Michael Owen back to Anfield.

Owen's Newcastle contract expires in the summer, when he will be available on a free transfer, and one area where Benitez clearly needs extra options is attack, an issue that has been brought into sharp focus by Fernando Torres' injury problems.

Benitez now prefers to use Dirk Kuyt on the right flank, while Robbie Keane has struggled for goals and looked uncomfortable at the top of a 4-2-3-1 since arriving for £20.3 million from Tottenham in the summer and French youngster David Ngog is not ready to start in the Premier League on a regular basis.

The Spaniard attempted to sign Owen, who has fallen out of favour with England coach Fabio Capello, when he returned from Real Madrid in the summer of 2005 but was only able to offer around half of the £16 million Newcastle were prepared to pay.

Given his contractual situation, Owen, 28, would be available at a fraction of that fee - possibly even £2 million - but he will have to look elsewhere to kick-start his career as Benitez has no interest in taking him to Liverpool in the new year.

New strikers remain a strong possibility but Andrea Dossena remains determined to prove that Benitez does not need another to bring in another left-back.

That has been an area that Benitez has always struggled to fill and he had hoped that finally dedicating significant money would solve the problem when he paid Udinese £7 million for the Italian Dossena, 27, in the summer.

Dossena, however, has failed to convince and had lost his place to Fabio Aurelio before the Brazilian suffered a hamstring problem in last week's 1-0 Champions League victory over Marseille. But Dossena is adamant he can adapt to the English game and prove a success at Liverpool.

He said: "I am very happy at Liverpool. At the start of the season I found it very difficult because never before had I played so many games in such a short space of time. But now I talk regularly with the boss and with the physios and I am doing some things differently to try and improve my level.

"There are different demands on me here than I have ever had anywhere else. At Udinese, my place in the team was secure but at Liverpool there is so much quality in the squad that this cannot be the case. But I remain happy here and I will fight for my place."

Torres Confident Of Real Victory

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is confident his side will overcome Real Madrid in their Champions League last 16 clash.

Torres faced European heartbreak last season as Liverpool were knocked out in the semi-finals by Chelsea.

The Reds are unbeaten in this year's competition but now face a tricky test against the reigning La Liga champions.

However, Torres believes his team will book their place in the quarter-finals.

"We all realise that it is going to be a tough tie against Real Madrid," he wrote on his personal site.

"I don't like talking about a possible favourite, but I am sure that we are going to qualify for the next round."

However, the former Atletico Madrid player admitted he has not had much luck against the Spanish giants previously.

He said: "When I was playing my football in Spain, I used to score a lot against Barcelona, but found it harder when playing versus Real Madrid."

Torres also looked back on a fantastic first season for Liverpool and is hoping for more of the same in the new year.

It has been a mixed start to this campaign for the 24-year-old who has been blighted by injury.

However, Torres will have been buoyed to see his team sitting pretty at the top of the table and the Euro 2008 winner admits that the Premier League remains Liverpool's priority.

"I'm a bit sad to be coming to the end of this year," he wrote.

"The first nine months were unbelievable and at the end, even though I could not play regularly because of injury, there was recognition in the form of awards and nominations, like the PFA's, L'Equipe and being a finalist in the FIFA World Player award.

"I have said before that this has been my best year as a professional footballer.

"I adapted to Liverpool far quicker than expected, and to end the 2007-08 season winning Euro 2008 was a perfect finish.

"I hope that at the end of 2009 we can say the same celebrating another title.

"I hope to avoid injuries and that we win the Premier League title; it is the dream of every 'Red' - fans, coaching staff and players.

"And it would be great to sign off the season lifting the Confederations Cup with Spain in South Africa."

Michael Owen Desperate To Entice Rafael Benitez

For any club after a proven goalscorer, slightly shop-soiled, runs reliably if well-looked after, St James' Park today is the perfect place to pick up a bargain.

With just hours left until the chaos of football's January transfer bazaar, Michael Owen could not have hoped for a better pitch from which to hawk his wares.

On television, he has a captive market to prove why England should remember its forgotten man. No doubt the eagle-eyed scouts and battle-hardened hagglers of a host of Premier League clubs will be in attendance, too.

Manchester City are ready with a £6 million bid. Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are all in need of added firepower. But the one man Owen would dearly love to entice will likely greet any evidence of his undimmed predatory instincts with fury – visiting Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.

It was Benitez who was forced, against his will, to kowtow to Owen's demand to move to Real Madrid when he first arrived in the summer of 2004. It was Benitez who refused to stump up the £16 million Newcastle offered when, his Spanish adventure failed, Owen returned to England, desperate to join the then-European champions.

Now it is Benitez who offers Owen hope for the future. He has just six months left on his contract at St James's Park. Newcastle will cash in should they receive an offer tempting enough, rather than lose him for nothing but a host of what-ifs in June.

It is thought Owen's representatives will use Liverpool's visit to St James's to try to engineer a meeting with both Benitez and Rick Parry, who controls the comings and goings at Anfield, although already there are those within the Liverpool camp who need no persuading as to Owen's merits.

"Michael Owen is still a terrific goalscorer and he will be a terrible threat to us," said assistant coach Sammy Lee. "He's someone we'll have to keep our eyes on when we play them. We know exactly what qualities Michael Owen has got."

Those qualities may not be enough to ensure the return of the prodigal. Owen's refusal to sign an extension have been interpreted as a stalling tactic to smoke out interest from clubs with better prospects.

The quality of Liverpool's prospects is not in question. The Reds were top of the tree at Christmas for the first time since 1996, arguably the last time they looked anything like title challengers.

But Steven Gerrard, Owen's close friend and no doubt a powerful ally should he want to bend Benitez's ear, knows the hard work is just beginning.

He said: "We know that, at the halfway stage, the hard work is still to come.

"A lot has been said about this Liverpool side in the past, about how we perform against the top sides in the league. Well after three games, and two of those were away from home, we are unbeaten against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

"That should have silenced some of our critics, but we know we have to do it again in the second half of the season. And we know we have to improve against the other teams in the division as well."

The Liverpool line, in the absence of Fernando Torres, will be led by Robbie Keane, finally starting to find his feet, and his shooting boots, after a difficult start to his time at the club he supported as a boy.

He said: "I enjoyed the position I played against Bolton, up front on my own. That's my best position and where I have played for the last 10 years, I enjoy it. But wherever the boss wants me to play, I will do it for the team, that's the most important thing."

Such positivity contrasts starkly with the black mood which has shrouded Newcastle for much of the season.

After a fillip in form which saw Joe Kinnear lead his side to six games unbeaten, defeat at Wigan and an ever-growing injury list have presented the much-maligned caretaker with a headache ahead of today's clash.

He said: "We've got about eight injured, so it's not looking good. We've got to get back on track even though a million and one things went against us in the Wigan game.

"We've been on a great run and we'll pick ourselves up. There's no doubt that whatever team I put out we'll give it our best shot."

Robbie Keane Hails Reds’ Spirit

Two-goal hero Robbie Keane today praised the "outstanding" team effort which helped table toppers Liverpool end their seven week wait for a league win at Anfield.

Having drawn consecutive home games against Fulham, West Ham and Hull, the Reds went into yesterday's clash with Bolton knowing that they needed to take all three points if they were to retain top spot.

After Albert Riera had given them a first half lead, Keane scored a superb second half double as Liverpool recorded their second 3-0 home win of the season.

Despite having produced arguably his finest performance in a red shirt since moving to Anfield in a £20m summer move from Spurs, the Irish striker refused to take the credit, preferring to spread the praise throughout the ranks.

And he also acknowledged the importance of Liverpool getting back to winning ways in front of their own fans.

"It was a good performance by the team from start to finish," he said. "It was important that we took all three points, especially after the last few games at home when we haven't got the results we have been looking for.

"But the best thing about it was that it wasn't just a win, it was a convincing win and it sets us up nicely for the Newcastle game later today."

Keane hailed Riera's opener as the catalyst to Liverpool's dominant display and believes grabbing a goal in the first half made life easier for them in the rest of the game.

With title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea both winning as well, the battle at the top of the Premier League is becoming increasingly fierce, but Keane remains adamant Liverpool should focus only on their own form and no one else's.

"We can't afford to concentrate on what anyone else is doing," he said. "All we can do is focus on our own games and I thought we were outstanding from start to finish against Bolton.

"They've been on a decent run of late but I can't remember them having a shot on goal and that shows how well we did.

"It was important for our confidence.

"We've been drawing games that we should have been winning but sometimes games aren't always as easy as people might think.

"Because of that it was really important that we got the first goal. That helped open Bolton up a bit and from that point on we were attacking them more and more."

Liverpool have no new injury worries ahead of today's game at Newcastle and having watched the victory over Bolton from the directors’ box, Rafa Benitez is hopeful of being back in the dugout.

John Aldridge: I’d Love To See Michael Owen Returning To Anfield

There’s been a lot of speculation about Michael Owen’s future recently and I must admit I would love to see him back at Anfield.

There’s no doubt we need another striker and I think he would be ideal for us.

He’s had a frustrating few years with injury setbacks but we’ve seen recently that he is getting back to his old self.

Owen has been around for years but he’s only just turned 29 and still has a great deal more to offer.

The Reds have done remarkably well to cope without Fernando Torres for so long this season but we are lacking goals.

We’ve missed Peter Crouch and if we had kept hold of him I believe our points tally at this stage of the season would have been better.

When you look at Manchester United’s trio of Tevez, Rooney and Berbatov, they’ve got better striking options than us.

There aren’t enough match-winners in our squad and that’s why we’ve drawn so many home games. Someone of Owen’s calibre would fit the bill and give us another option to Torres and Robbie Keane.

Owen is obviously in no rush to sort out his future and I don’t blame him for that. There’s an offer on the table from Newcastle and he obviously wants to see who else is interested as he is out of contract next summer.

Making a move for him would make sense but unfortunately I don’t believe it will happen.

I think there’s some previous between Owen and Rafa Benitez going back to when he left to join Real Madrid in 2004. But whether it’s Owen or not we need another option up front.

Rafa should get a close look at Owen at St James’ Park tomorrow and we’ve got to be wary of him.

He gets into good areas and has grabbed some real poacher’s goals recently.

He’s got nothing to prove against Liverpool because he did fantastically well for the club but I know the striker is desperate to get his England place back and will want to show Fabio Capello what he’s capable of.

We’ve done really well at St James’ in recent years but Newcastle are a different proposition now compared to a few months back.

Joe Kinnear has given them a bit of belief and the Reds will need to be at their best to get maximum points.

Robbie Keane Happy To Fit In Around Fernando Torres

Robbie Keane’s three fine goals in the last two Liverpool games have swept away the doubts over the Irishman’s qualities.

But the 28-year-old will step out at Newcastle tomorrow aware that Fernando Torres is hovering in the wings.

Torres, who wore all-white furs, hat and scarf in the Anfield directors’ box on Boxing Day to watch the Keane-inspired 3-0 demolition of Bolton, is not far from his comeback from a hamstring injury.

He could even be involved at St James’ Park and, when the Spaniard does return to Liverpool’s title chase, Keane’s problems could start all over again.

Fitting into a system with Torres up front and Keane in a deeper, support role, caused the Irishman immense difficulties earlier in the campaign.

His equaliser at Arsenal and two fine strikes to sink Bolton, have come with Keane in the roving, lone striking role he loves. And that is the position Torres will take up when he is fit again.

For now, Keane is just happy to have started to score regularly, but the fact that only one of his seven this season have come while Torres has been on the pitch, suggests a problem for boss Rafael Benitez when he returns to the dug-out after his kidney stones operation.

That too could be later today on Tyneside, the manager having also watched from the directors’ box on Boxing Day.

Keane diplomatically says: “I enjoyed the position I played against Bolton, up front on my own. That’s my best position and where I have played for the last 10 years, I enjoy it.

“But wherever the boss wants me to play, I will do it for the team, that’s the most important thing.”

Keane at last looked comfortable and confident in his role as Bolton were swept aside, Albert Riera grabbing the first with Keane’s double coming in four blistering second-half minutes.

He said: “I have always said that I know I will score goals, for me it has not been a problem.

“But it was good to see my first one go in. But even before that we had not been playing badly, we’d had them under a lot of pressure.”

Liverpool go into the Newcastle game top at this stage for the first time since 1996, and with a growing belief in their play.

Assistant boss Sammy Lee said: “It is good to still be top, and we hope to still be there going into the new year.

“It will be tough against Newcastle, a very difficult task, but on this form we are looking forward to it.

“What was pleasing was the quality of our play, and the patience we showed in possession.

“Robbie Keane scored twice, that’s terrific, but I just like seeing any Liverpool player scoring goals.”

But he warned: “It is only December, nobody should be getting carried away. But being top of the table shows the improvement this season.

“The players have never lacked belief, and we could hear the fans signing about being top, but there is still a long way to go.

“We have got 42 points from 19 games, it is still only half-way, and we must just keep working to get the maximum from every game.

“But the boys are enjoying their football, the desire and commitment has always been there, and we aim to keep it going.”

Match Report: LiverpooL 3 - 0 Bolton Wanderers

Liverpool went back to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a comprehensive victory over Bolton at Anfield.

Chelsea's victory earlier in the day put the London side in pole position until Robbie Keane's double and a goal from Albert Riera ensured the Reds went back to the head of the pack.

The win meant Liverpool have completed all of 2008 unbeaten at home in the league.

Missing Alvaro Arbeloa with a hamstring injury, manager Rafael Benitez re-jigged his back line, moving Jamie Carragher to right-back with Sami Hyypia slotting into the centre of defence.

Liverpool also restored Yossi Benayoun to midfield at the expense of Lucas, who was joined on the bench by fit-again Javier Mascherano, now recovered from an illness which meant he missed last weekend's game against Arsenal.

In-form Bolton - who have won three of their last five games - made one change from the side that beat Portsmouth last weekend, bringing in battling midfielder Fabrice Muamba for Kevin Davies, who was on the bench.

Benitez today sat in the directors' box after missing the game at the Emirates Stadium while recovering at home from a kidney stone operation. And he looked to have second-guessed Bolton boss Gary Megson.

In Liverpool's win at the Reebok earlier in the season, Steven Gerrard was man-marked by Muamba.

But Gerrard was playing much deeper in an orthodox 4-4-2, away from the attentions of Muamba.

Bolton had the first chance when Kevin Nolan almost chipped Jose Reina in the opening minute, but Liverpool were soon having plenty of possession, with Riera and Hyypia both going close.

Then youngster Emiliano Insua forced a fine save from Jussi Jaaskelainen with a low drive from the edge of the box.

Riera opened the scoring when he poked in a Gerrard corner after 26 minutes.

Trailing by that single goal at half time, Bolton sent on Davies for Jlloyd Samuel and Gretar Steinsson was cautioned within a minute of the break for a foul on Xabi Alonso.

The defender then flattened Riera seconds later, and referee Alan Wiley dished out a long lecture.

But all Megson's half-time words were wasted after 53 minutes when Keane grabbed the second. Gerrard fed a fine pass into his stride and the Irishman moved on to score past Jaaskelainen.

Agger was booked for a foul on Johan Elmander after 57 minutes, and 60 seconds later Keane hit his second and Liverpool's third.

Alonso broke from his own half, fed Benayoun on the right, with the wide man playing the ball straight into Keane's path to sidefoot home.

Bolton sent on Mustapha Riga and Ebi Smolarek for Matthew Taylor and Elmander after 66 minutes.

Liverpool were able to make a number of changes thanks to their comfortable lead - Riera, Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt all taken off with Sunday's trip to Newcastle in mind.

Why Liverpool Never Doubted Robbie Keane

Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee insists the club have never had any doubts over the qualities of £20milliion striker Robbie Keane.

The Republic of Ireland international scored twice in the 3-0 destruction of Bolton today, adding to the stunning equaliser he netted at Arsenal last weekend.

Those goals have wiped away the doubts and criticism of the 28-year-old, who now has seven goals for the season.

After Albert Riera had put Liverpool on the way to victory, it was Keane’s clinical finishing which meant there was no doubt they would stay top of the Barclays Premier League.

Lee, still standing in for boss Rafael Benitez, who was in the directors’ box after recovering from a kidney stones operation, was full of praise for Keane.

He said: “Robbie Keane scored twice, that’s terrific, but I just like seeing any Liverpool player scoring goals.

“Keane, Kuyt, Hyypia, I don’t mind, just as long as they are Liverpool goals.

“We don’t feel that Robbie has been out of form, despite what people keep saying.

“He has been working hard, tirelessly for the team, and that is the measure of the lad that he has kept on going.

“People have said things about him, but we know why we brought him to the club and we have had no problems at all with him, whatsoever.

“I do not feel he has ever lacked confidence here, he has kept going and done well.

“We have had no doubts in Robbie’s ability or his work-rate, and what he adds to this club is immense.

“We know the quality of the boy, we know what he is capable of and what he is doing for us and what he adds to the club. There is no problem with him here.”

Bolton boss Gary Megson saw, in his words, his team “cut apart like a knife through butter”.

Bolton had won three of their previous five league games, but were never in with a shout at Anfield.

Megson said: “That was a very disappointing result. We had set out to keep things tight early on, and hoped to catch them on the break.

“But we only troubled them in the opening few minutes. I was concerned by the manner of the goals we conceded.

“One came straight from one of our own corners, it went from their ’keeper to the back of our net in about six seconds. To concede a goal like that is not acceptable at this level.

“We set up to flood midfield with players, but changed that system when it clearly wasn’t working.

“But we did not want to play 4-4-2 at Anfield, because Liverpool go through you like a knife through butter when you do that.

“And that is what happened a few times in the second half when we did try to push more men forward.”

Rafa Given Large Grin And Tonic

Forget a spoonful of sugar – it was a bucketful of chances that helped the medicine go down for Rafa Benitez yesterday.

And it was just what the doctor ordered for the Liverpool manager when he returned to Anfield following a kidney stones operation.

Medics had told him to keep calm and he obeyed their instructions to the letter, resisting the urge to patrol his customary technical area.

Instead, after missing last week’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal, he sat back to watch the action in the relative comfort zone of the front row in the directors’ box.

And the sight he witnessed must have gladdened his heart with his side dominating their near-neighbours throughout in a match where the home team could – and should – have won by an even more convincing margin.

But win they did, leaving Benitez smiling as his team enters the second half of the campaign on top of the Premier League pile.

And the hopes of Kopites everywhere that Liverpool could be on course for their first title triumph since way back in 1990 are at last looking to have some foundation.

Bolton, on the other hand, never looked to be at the races in a game that Liverpool dominated throughout.

True, they did try harder in the second half – no doubt following an interval rollicking from manager Gary Megson – but it was all too little, too late.

And the scoreline could have been bigger if Liverpool had converted more of their chances and had Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen not pulled off late stops from Yossi Benayoun and substitute David Ngog.

It was striker Robbie Keane who made Rafa’s Anfield return much less of a worry with two goals that gave the clear impression that he is rediscovering his ability to beat keepers.

Keane followed up his goal against Arsenal last week by rifling in another in the 53rd minute.

He was the recipient of an inch-perfect through pass from his skipper Steven Gerrard – and the rest was simplicity itself.

The Irishman took a few paces forward before clipping a left-foot shot between Jaaskelainen and the post.

Five minutes later it was Keane again who put Liverpool further ahead after gratefully accepting a pass from Benayoun inside the penalty box.

This time he used his right foot to steer the ball home and put the game beyond any doubt with his fifth league goal of the season. Albert Riera had earlier set the Reds on their way when he pounced brilliantly in the 26th minute to turn Liverpool’s ninth corner of the game into a goal.

And the Spaniard did it, too, after moving over to the right wing from his customary position on the left flank!

He caught Johan Elmander ball-watching and breezed across him to prod the ball past Jaaskelainen from two yards out for his third goal of the season.

It was just reward for the Merseysiders who had spent the previous 25 minutes huffing and puffing but failing to blow the visiting defence down.

Riera had earlier given a warning of things to come, firing one particularly fierce low shot at goal from just inside the penalty area after 11 minutes in their first real breakthrough after non-stop attacking from the kick-off.

Then, after Benayoun had rolled the ball into the path of Dirk Kuyt 20 yards out from goal, the Dutchman failed to connect cleanly and what looked like being a great goalscoring chance evaporated.

Benayoun, restored to the first team at the expense of Leiva Lucas, really did look sharp and certainly keen to prove a point.

His right wing runs invariably ended up with a cross that so frequently posed problems to a Bolton defence that was regularly on the ropes. Emiliano Insua even moved upfield from his left-back slot to fire in a powerful shot which caused all kinds of problems.

And that was generally the theme of the game with Liverpool attacking at will and Bolton dropping back in numbers to defend.

Even the second-half introduction of striker Kevin Davies failed to give Bolton the kind of lift they so desperately wanted up front.

But for Liverpool in general, and Benitez in particular, it was just the kind of pre-New Year pick-me-up they needed.

Liverpool FC's Nabil El Zhar Is A Lucky Charm

He may be regarded as something of a lucky charm by supporters, but Nabil El Zhar is determined to make a more substantial contribution to Liverpool’s championship challenge.

The 22-year-old Morocco international gained his reputation after a succession of substitute appearances earlier in the season coincided with some notable late revivals from Rafael Benitez’s side.

Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Standard Liege and Wigan Athletic were all only beaten once El Zhar was thrown on from the bench to add devilment and the element of surprise to the Liverpool attack.

His cameo performances were enough to impress Benitez and he has since become a regular feature in the matchday squad.

Another substitute appearance earlier this month at Blackburn Rovers helped turn what was a frustrating goalless stalemate into a comprehensive 3-1 success.

El Zhar was handed his biggest assignment yet at Arsenal last Sunday, and almost snatched all three points with a header that flashed narrowly off target in the final minute.

“It’s not easy to come to Arsenal and win but I think we played a decent game,” he says. “I had a good chance at the end, but it was a good performance. It’s good to be at the top at the moment.

“I feel as though I am more at home at the club now. I’ve been gaining more confidence by coming on more, and now I just have to keep on going, work hard and try and get more games under my belt.”

El Zhar was signed from French side St Etienne in October 2006, and announced his arrival on the Anfield stage a year later when scoring a blistering 25-yard thunderbolt into the Kop end on his full debut in the Carling Cup win over Cardiff City.

The winger was a key member of the title-winning reserve team last season and has broken into the full Morocco team, again scoring on his debut against Belgium.

Despite the vote of confidence from Benitez this season, El Zhar has yet to start a Premier League game for Liverpool.

And the youngster acknowledges that represents the next step in his development.

“The manager has said to me that he wanted to give me more chances in the first-team this season,” says El Zhar. “He told me that I had to work hard and listen to advice and take my opportunities when they come.

“He hasn’t said anything in particular to me. I just know what I have to do, stay focused and take my chance.

“I feel that I’m doing okay, but I know I can do better. I am getting more confident and I am improving with every game, then we will see if I can start games.”

El Zhar arrived at the club having impressed as a support striker but, having been employed on both flanks with Gary Ablett’s reserve side, has fashioned a role as a wing man for Benitez.

“I used to play as a second striker but I’ve played on the left and right hand side at Liverpool,” he says. “I think I’m better down the right because I am right footed, but I will play anywhere in the forward line.

“I hope to play more games this season and prove myself. When you are playing with world class players like Steven Gerrard you can only improve.”

The 1-1 draw at Arsenal and Chelsea’s failure to win at Everton the following day meant that Liverpool were top at Christmas for the first time since 1996.

And while El Zhar reckons Benitez’s side have shown they have the quality and determination to remain ahead of the pack, he accepts the Anfield outfit must stop dropping points at home.

“I’ve no doubt that we can keep going on at the top of the league,” he says. “Liverpool are a top team, and we all know that we have to work hard. The whole squad knows that they have to be playing well and working hard to get into the team and stay there.

“By beating United and Chelsea, and the draw at Arsenal, we’ve shown that we can do well against the other top teams. But we’re going to have to start winning more games at home if we want to remain contenders for the title.

“There’s a long way to go, so we have to stay focused and try to stay at the top. As a professional you have to keep your focus for every game, and now we’re just thinking about the Newcastle game.”

And Lee says: “There are never any easy games in the Premier League. People talk about our home form, but there are opposing teams who are organised and prepared.

“We just have to make sure we are better prepared and better organised and we can impose our game plan on them.

“We are all working extremely hard to maintain where we are at the moment.”

Lee adds: “Everyone else is talking about winning the league. For me, we just have to talk about winning the next game.

“Whenever I have been involved here the mentality has been a winning one and it is all about togetherness.

“We feel being top at Christmas is an achievement, but we won’t blow our own trumpet. We are always optimistic and our aim is to win things and be at the top.

“I don’t want to sound conceited about that, but we are in a position where we expect to be in.”

Liverpool Target Emile Heskey In £4m Deal

Liverpool are to make a £4 million bid to bring Wigan striker Emile Heskey back to the club.

Heskey has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs in the January transfer window, with Tottenham also known to be keen admirers of the 30-year-old England international.

However, should Heskey press for a move from the JJB, Liverpool is thought to be his prefered destination.

Manager Rafa Benitez is desperate for forward reinforcements to cover Fernando Torres, who is developing a history of hamstring problems.

Heskey's contract at Wigan expires at the end of the season, allowing him to move on a free transfer, and as such Wigan manager Steve Bruce is likely to cash in rather than see the striker leave for nothing.

Bruce will not permit Heskey, who spent four years at Liverpool before exiting in 2004, go on the cheap, but a £4m offer would be tempting, and help make Amr Zaki's loan move from El Zamalek permanent.

Liverpool currently sit top of the Premier League table by one point from Chelsea.

They are unbeaten at Anfield this campaign. However, they have recorded only five home wins, with four draws, and midfielder Javier Mascherano has called on his team-mates to ensure they consistently pick up three points at Anfield.

He told the Sun: "We have to win at home because we need to get the confidence of the team back.

"We have had many good performances away from home and we need to try and reproduce that at Anfield.

"We can't use how teams play at Anfield as an excuse. We know a lot of sides come to defend but we need to find spaces and a way we can beat them."

Lucas Leiva: Liverpool Are Slipping Into Top Gear

The last time Liverpool faced Bolton Wanderers, Lucas Leiva was given just a six minute run out towards the end of a convincing 2-0 win for the Reds.

That victory came just over a month ago at the Reebok and though Lucas would settle for the same when the two sides meet again at Anfield today, he is hoping that his recent upsurge in form will be rewarded with a little more time on the pitch.

“I can remember that game well because Dirk Kuyt and Stevie Gerrard both scored good headers,” he recalled.

“Then, when I came on I had a chance to make it 3-0 but I was not able to take it but I was still happy with the result and with the three points that we won - even though I was a bit disappointed that I had not been able to score.

“The result was the most important thing and if we got the same result today I think we would all be happy.”

A lot has happened to Lucas since the last meeting between Liverpool and Bolton, some of it best forgotten and some of it providing much happier memories for the Brazilian.

In the league game that followed Liverpool’s most recent victory over Gary Megson’s side, the Reds faced Fulham at Anfield and in a disappointing draw sections of the home crowd made it quite clear that they were not happy that Rafa Benitez had selected the 21-year-old central midfielder ahead of Xabi Alonso.

If that was a low point for Lucas, his recent performances have provided much more promise with a man of the match display at PSV and a more than decent game in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday being the highlights.

He does not wish to dwell on the bad times though, preferring to look ahead to what he hopes will be even better days in a red shirt.

“I have had some bad times, especially after the game against Fulham,” he admitted.

“But I am trying to improve with every game and even though I thought I made some mistakes against Arsenal I thought that I did okay.

“Hopefully I will be able to show my quality because I want to have a role at this club, especially at a time when we are all fighting so hard to stay at the top of the league.”

On paper, Liverpool’s draw at the Emirates is far from being a bad result, especially as Arsenal had already tasted victory against Man United and Chelsea.

But the way the game panned out, with the Gunners being reduced to ten men and Liverpool being territorially dominant for long passages of play, there is a sense of disappointment they were unable to take all three points.

Lucas readily admits this is the case but knows full well the Anfield outfit cannot afford to take any negative vibes into their latest League game.

“We are disappointed that we did not manage to get all three points against Arsenal because we went there to win,” he said.

“But now we must only think of the next game and focus on Bolton because we cannot change anything.

“Bolton are playing well at the moment andhave had some good results so we know they will be difficult opponents but we are playing at Anfield in front of our fans so will be looking to win.

“This is the first of two games over a few days and if we can take all three points in this one it will give us more confidence when we go to Newcastle on Sunday.

“Like every game, there were positives and negatives about our performance against Arsenal.

“We have to learn from the things that we got wrong and improve on the things that we could have done better but we can also take confidence from what we got right.

“We scored a really good goal and created some other chances while Pepe Reina was not given that much to do so the job we did must have been a good one even if we feel it could still have been better.”

Anyone who was at the Reebok on November 15th would have been stunned had they been told following Liverpool’s comfortable win that the Reds would take just seven points from their next five matches, particularly with fixtures that included home games against Fulham, West Ham and Hull.

But that is exactly what has happened as Rafa Benitez’s men have stumbled, at home especially, with vital points being dropped.

Looking at the season so far as a whole, though, gives Lucas belief that Liverpool have fully earned their right to be there or thereabouts at the top of the league and that they are there on merit.

“We have shown quality,” he said. “You cannot be towards the top of the league having played so many games unless you have done this.

“After 18 games we have lost only once and this proves that we are difficult to beat.

“We would have liked to have won more games and got even more points but we cannot be too disappointed because we are competing at the top of the table and that is where we want to be.

“Obviously, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal and now Aston Villa are all up there with us but we have to be confident in our chances and believe in ourselves.”

If they are to continue to fight it out at the top, Liverpool’s recent home form must improve dramatically and Lucas is hoping that the testing Christmas period will get off to the best possible start with a win over Bolton.

He said: “Having just one day to recover between games is not ideal but it is a tradition in this country and I know that it is something that the fans enjoy.

“All we can do now is focus on Bolton then think about Newcastle once that is out of the way.

“We have drawn our last three games at home against Fulham, West Ham and Hull so we know that we need to get back to winning ways at home.

“But Bolton will come to Anfield and try to make things difficult for us so we must be ready for them and do everything we can to get the three points.

“We are waiting for a win at home because Anfield is such a special place for everyone at Liverpool – the fans, the coaching staff and the players.

“We know it will help our chances of staying at the top if we make Anfield an even more difficult place for teams. That is what we will be trying to do.”

Liverpool Winger Pennant Eager To Revive His Real Madrid Deal

The surprise transfer of Jermaine Pennant to Real Madrid could be resurrected today when Juande Ramos meets the Spanish champions’ money men to insist he still wants the deal to go ahead.

Pennant, 26, has expressed a desire to join the Spanish club rather than become a free agent at the end of the season, and believes he can force himself into the starting line-up, alongside some of the biggest names in European football.

Sportsmail revealed how Real had agreed to pay Liverpool £3.5million for the former Arsenal winger.

A Madrid source confirmed: ‘Pennant interests our coach because he is quick and can provide crosses. He’s the type we’re looking for — and at the right price. If terms can be agreed, there’s a chance a transfer may happen in January.’

The deal appeared to have collapsed because Madrid insist on a non-negotiable salary of around £30,000 a week. But sources close to Pennant last night stressed he has not priced himself out of any transfer.

‘Jermaine has not made outrageous demands,’ said a friend. ‘It is wrong to say this — he is a player with much to offer and is keen to see what’s available.’

Pennant’s agent Sky Andrew is due for initial talks with Real, if Ramos can convince the club to pay the fee and salary package.

Figures of £60,000 a week given to the club relating to Pennant’s wage demands did not come from Andrew, who remains confident his negotiating skills mean a deal is still possible.

Pennant has only started two Barclays Premier League matches for Liverpool this season and a loan transfer to Stoke or Wigan is also an option.

Wigan winger Antonio Valencia remains a target for Madrid, but the asking price of at least £15m is beyond the budget of the Spanish giants, who recently captured Lassana Diarra from Portsmouth.

Liverpool FC Get Flight To Madrid

Airline Ryanair has announced a one-off return flight to Madrid for Liverpool FC fans travelling to the Spanish capital.

Usually, the route is available only in the summer, but the airline has bowed to popular demand.

Large numbers have called the Ryanair telephone lines inquiring about flights to Madrid for the Reds Champions League away match on February 25.

The special flight will depart Liverpool at 9am on February 25 and return from Madrid on February 26 at 1pm.

Seats are strictly limited, and fans are advised to visit the airline’s website as soon as possible with fares starting at £120.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “We will operate a special Champions League flight to ensure that Liverpool are well supported and help fans get to the match and back safely.”

Wigan's Bruce Won't Rule Out A Bid For Liverpool's Pennant

Wigan Atletic manager Steve Bruce remains coy about the prospect of a bid for Liverpool's out of favour winger, Jermaine Pennant.

The Latics have been credited with interest in the 26-year-old, who has been deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield.

Pennant has emerged as an in-demand commodity ahead of the winter transfer window, with Celtic also rumoured to be interested.

More outlandish speculation saw Pennant linked with Real Madrid in today's batch of rumours, a side that have also run the rule over Wigan's own highly rated winger, Antonio Valencia.

Steve Bruce was reluctant to discuss the fate of a player at a rival club, but admitted that he admires Pennant from their time together at Birmingham City.

He told a press conference: “He’s going to Wigan yesterday and Real Madrid today.

“With speculation you’re never going to get me to comment on other people’s players, that’s for sure.

“I had Jermaine before so I know what he’s all about, he’s a very good player but that’s the way it is at the moment.”

Bruce also addressed the issue of his own players being seen as rich pickings for some of the league's bigger clubs, with Valencia and the likes of Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios seemingly ready to leave the JJB.

He explained: “The biggest challenge I’ve got is keeping hold of the squad I’ve got.

“For a calendar year we’ve taken something like 54, 55 points which is an incredible achievement for a club like ours. That proves to me over a year that we’ve got some good players here.

“The last thing we want to be doing is trying to sell them but also I am a realist. I know that the big clubs are circulating because we have got some really good players.

“I want to try and keep them all together and if I can add one or two then of course I will.”

Carlsberg: Liverpool Are For Sale

Carlsberg bigwig says "it is a badly kept secret" that Liverpool Football Club is up for sale.

The international marketing director of Liverpool's main sponsor, Keld Strudahl, has welcomed any takeover by DIC and bemoaned the decision to postpone plans for a new stadium.

"That Liverpool is for sale is a badly kept secret but nobody has the money to invest right now," he told The Guardian. "The only people who can invest are those not interested in making a profit.

"If DIC become the new owners, I cannot foresee any problems working with them.

"We had a good dialogue with them before Hicks and ­Gillett. As the main sponsor, we saw their business plan and it looked good.

"As far as I understand, DIC is as big a player in a potential Liverpool takeover as previously believed. You shouldn't underestimate the impact the credit crunch has had on clubs. At the moment there are not a whole lot of investors interested in buying Premier League clubs."

Strudahl clearly suggests that Liverpool are standing still with Tom Hicks and George Gillett as owners, saying: "While we have a good relationship with Tom Hicks, we are naturally unhappy that the planned new stadium has been postponed. That cannot be good for Liverpool as a long-term business."

Insua Determined To Succeed At Liverpool

Liverpool's young Argentine left-back has spoken of his desire to succeed in England, after recently signing a new contract that will keep him at Anfield for another three years.

Emiliano Insua is determined that he will be a success in the English Premier League with Liverpool. The 19-year-old defender staked a claim to be the Reds' permanent left-back during the weekend's 1-1 draw with Arsenal, and today told The Liverpool Echo of his will to suceed where other young South Americans have failed.

"I got my chance at Arsenal after playing well in training and I really enjoyed the game," he said.

"It was a difficult match to play in because Arsenal are a very good side. It was amazing when I walked out there and saw 60,000 people. I had never played in a game as big as that before and I think I played well.

"I tried to do the simple things well and to get forward as much as I could to help the attack. Now I hope to keep going in this way and stay in the first team. I want to play every game.

"Always in training I am working hard and I will continue to try to do my best. The boss gave me an opportunity to show what I can do and hopefully I’ll get another chance against Bolton on Boxing Day. Anfield is always a very special place to play."

Insua made his debut for the Reds in the 2006/07 season, making two first-team appearances. He followed that up with three more last season, as well as playing a key role in the reserves' capturing of the Premier Reserve League crown.

He was recently rewarded with a new contract which will keep him on Merseyside until the summer of 2011, and the young Argentinian appears delighted with his situation.

"Signing for Liverpool was a fantastic moment and one I didn’t expect at such a young age," he added.

"Every Argentinian footballer sets out to play in Europe and I just want to make the most of the opportunity. I know how fortunate I am to be at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"This year, I have played in the Carling Cup and got my chance against Blackburn and Arsenal in the Premier League. The manager has given me a lot of confidence. There is a lot of competition for places at Liverpool but that is a good thing.

"There are a lot of great players here but my job is to show that I can play with them. We have a chance to win the title this season and this squad of players will fight until the end."

Arsenal Go Back In For Liverpool's Xabi Alonso

Arsene Wenger will revive his interest in Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso after losing captain Cesc Fabregas for four months with knee ligament damage.

London's Evening Standard - the Daily Mail's sister paper - understands that Arsenal made a £14million deadline day bid for the Spaniard in August but Wenger refused to meet the Anfield club's valuation of £17m.

The Gunners manager is notoriously reluctant to spend big money but the fact an offer was made at all reveals that, privately at least, there is an admission that the midfield needs to be strengthened.

That feeling will only be exacerbated by Fabregas's absence, the result of a tackle with Alonso during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Premier League leaders Liverpool.

New chief executive Ivan Gazidis will formally join Arsenal on January 1 and brings with him great experience in player contract negotiations from America.

A source close to the board blamed the club's failure to land Alonso in August on the delay in naming a successor to David Dein, who departed as chief executive last year.

The source said: 'Hopefully Gazidis can come in and recognise that Wenger needs someone like Dein in his ear to reassure him that the money is there to spend.'

Alonso is close friends with Spain team-mate Fabregas, who said in the summer that Alonso's possible arrival in London 'would be perfect - I'd love it'.

Inaki Ibanez, Alonso's agent, had previously insisted his client would leave Liverpool in the summer after becoming frustrated with a lack of first-team football, having only a year earlier signed a deal to stay until 2012.

Subsequently, Alonso has become a key part of Rafa Benitez's side but Ibanez left the door open to a move by stating ambiguously: 'We will see what happens in January.'

Should Liverpool wish to do business, the asking price may be lowered as Alonso would be cup-tied in Europe.

Other Arsenal targets include Yaya Toure, the Barcelona midfielder, Juventus youngster Sebastian Giovinco and Stephane Mbia of Rennes, who claims to have been the subject of a failed 11th-hour bid from Arsenal in August.