Roy Hodgson Keen For Steven Gerrard & Raul Meireles To Flourish In Midfield Partnership

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is sure that in Raul Meireles and Steven Gerrard he has the partnership to lead the club back to the Champions League.

Hodgson, 63, brought in Meireles this summer to bolster the midfield in the absence of Javier Mascherano and Alberto Aquilani. The £11.5 million signing played behind Fernando Torres in Sunday's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in a role usually occupied by skipper Gerrard.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Hodgson earmarked the players as the double act to play the Anfield outfit back to the top four spots in the Premier League table.

"They [Meireles and Gerrard] are certainly interchangeable," the ex-Fulham boss was quoted as saying by skysports.com.

"We signed Meireles and the day after he went for 10 days away with Portugal and then came back for two days and made a substitute appearance against Birmingham.

"He had two training sessions and played on Thursday night and he played again on Sunday so it is very early for me to make very strong judgements about where his best position is.

"The work we do on the training field will show me how best to use him.

"He actually went out wide right late in the United game and did okay there also.

"All I can say is he has a lot of qualities and I'm sure we'll get a lot of use out of him.

"Most importantly he is a good and talented footballer and he is capable of playing anywhere across the midfield so we will see how we box it up together."

Liverpool To Sign Multi-National Quartet In January

It is believed that Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson will be given a transfer budget of £60m when the window opens once again in January, undoubtedly leading to wholesale changes after The Reds’ disappointing start to the new season.

So who are these fine young individuals who could kick-start Liverpool’s season, and more importantly, what will they bring to an ailing and disillusioned squad?

ASHLEY YOUNG

The first name on this list is a familiar one. Evidently Liverpool do not need a new free kick taker, with both Young and fellow international Steven Gerrard producing dead ball gold at the weekend, but the left side is (in the opinion of fans across several Liverpool boards) in further need of development. The emergence of Ashley Young as a target are strengthened by further rumours of midfielder Ryan Babel being released on a free, after failing to fulfil the potential he promised on arrival at Anfield in 2007.

KEISUKE HONDA

The man who can play just about anywhere was Japan’s world cup hero as his striking credentials did for Cameroon and Denmark, sending the Samurai Blue fighting onwards to the next round. ‘Kaizer Keisuke’ had his big break in December last year after being transferred from Dutch side VV-Venlo to CSKA Moscow, and his contributions sent CSKA to the quarter finals of the Champions League in lieu of tie favourites Sevilla. Undoubtedly, his versatility would be second to none if a move to Anfield should go ahead, and the quality of his finishing is arguably far in excess of a few names in Liverpool’s current set-up.

LEE CHUNG YONG

The Bolton winger could be flying onwards to Anfield, as a move for the best South Korean footballer since Ji Sung Park is being touted as a possibility. The ‘Blue Dragon’, as he is known, had a stellar World Cup and was a handful in what many neutrals predicted to be a difficult group containing Nigeria, Greece and sure bets Argentina.

On the domestic scene, Lee’s form has also been pleasing after the sceptics doubted his ability to make a smooth transition from the K-League to the Premier League last year. In his first season, Lee’s transfer value surged as a notably potent attacking ability became evident, helping him win the Bolton’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the year awards. At 22 years old, Lee’s career is about to peak, and it is up to Hodgson to take the initiative before somebody else does.

MARIO GOMEZ

The man who has been linked to about ten million different clubs is reportedly on Roy Hodgson’s new year shopping list. Gomez is well known for making a silk purse out of a cow’s rump, with a never say die attitude and a disquieting knack for finishing. A player with Gomez’ approach is precisely what Liverpool need right now, with play more often than not disjointed and lacking in cohesion, particularly in the attacking half of the pitch.

Gomez would undoubtedly take up a greater part of Roy Hodgson’s potential £60m January budget, but if Liverpool aspire to once more rub shoulders with the giants, then Gomez is exactly what they need. Getting on the phone and negotiating is easy – trying to prise Gomez away from the Allianz Arena will be anything but.

Daniel Agger Admits Frustration At Roy Hodgson's Style

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has revealed his frustration at new manager Roy Hodgson's style.

Agger, 25, has struggled to seal a starting spot under the ex-Fulham boss this season. After being shunted out to left-back, the arrival of Paul Konchesky saw him confined to a late substitute's role in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United yesterday.

Speaking to Sporten.dk, the player - who has been compared to ball-playing Liverpool defensive great Alan Hansen - declared he was struggling to adapt to the current regime.

He said: "The manager's philosophy is that we play football in attack, but not at the back. That's not my style.

“I'm not that type of player. I like to keep the ball on the ground, and that's what I'll keep doing. Time will show if he [Hodgson] doesn't want to play me because of that.

"I'll try to change myself, but I will never be a player who offloads the ball at every opportunity.

"I'll fight for my chance. I know what I stand for, and I think he [Hodgson] does too."

Cole: Judge Us In May

Joe Cole is adamant it is far too early to be casting any judgement on Liverpool's start to the 2010-11 Barclays Premier League season.

Following Sunday's 3-2 reversal at Manchester United, the Reds are currently in 16th position in the table with five points from their opening quintet of matches.

However, himself a new arrival at Anfield, Cole believes Liverpool will require time to fully acclimatize to the summer changes made at the club - and the 28-year-old is in no doubt he saw enough in the Reds' spirited second-half performance at Old Trafford to suggest they'll soon be on firing on all cylinders.

"Judge us in May," Cole said. "We have had a tough start to the season with the fixture list and with Fernando not being match fit, and also the change of personnel with the change of manager.

"We will pick up, I am convinced. If we keep passing the ball the way we did (against Manchester United) we will be fine."

He added: "We have got to try and take the positives. We passed the ball well, scored two goals and we were beaten by a great team and a player on top of his game.

"But we will be alright, we just need to keep going."

Carra Targets Home Wins

Jamie Carragher today insisted Liverpool can take heart from their second-half performance during Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Manchester United.

Steven Gerrard's quick-fire brace saw the Reds level the scoreline at 2-2 after Dimitar Berbatov's double had put United into a two-goal lead at Old Trafford.

However, the Bulgarian headed home an 84th minute winner to secure victory for Alex Ferguson's side - a goal Carragher admits he was left disappointed with his own contribution to.

Nonetheless, though frustrated by the reversal, the vice-captain is confident Liverpool's display in the second period bodes well for the rest of the season.

"Any time you lose a big game, you are always bitterly disappointed," said Carragher.

"To come back from two goals down was a fantastic effort from the lads but I thought we did well for the 90 minutes.

"We were not really asked too many questions and there are not too many teams who can say that after going to Old Trafford.

"If you look at the goals they scored, it was similar in a way to what happened at Manchester City.

"Pepe (Reina) hasn't really had a lot to do yet we have still ended up conceding three times.

"The first was poor from a set piece, you have to hold your hands up and say the second from Berbatov was world class; he is capable of that.

"But for the third, I was really disappointed with myself. I should have done better with the challenge on him. It's the small details that count and it's so frustrating that (United) have been able to get the win.

"It's a funny situation, really. Last week, we were not happy with the performance at Birmingham but came away with a point; this week we're happy enough with the performance but have come away with nothing."

John O'Shea's 70th minute challenge on Fernando Torres on the edge of the United box, which resulted in the free-kick from which Gerrard netted his second of the afternoon, was a key talking point after the contest, with some suggesting the defender could have received a straight red card for the foul.

Carragher, though, was philosophical in his reaction to the incident, instead preferring to concentrate on the positive aspects of the Reds' spirited display.

"Those things (the O'Shea yellow card) can go either way," Carragher said.

"If he gets sent off, we would have more of a chance against 10 men but what happened has happened.

"There is still a long way to go. Though we have not started great in terms of results, there are a lot of things to take into account and this is a transitional time. But we have just got to remain positive.

"A few wins and everything will look different.

"We have got two home games coming up in the Premier League and we need to make them count.

"We've had a great start in the Europa League and we just have to make sure we keep on believing."

Liverpool Wonderkid Making Waves At Anfield

Liverpool starlet Raheem Sterling showed his potential with a clinical brace for the U18s against Leeds.

One of the hottest properties in English football, Sterling was coveted by a string of Premier League sides back in January before deciding to join the famed Liverpool academy from QPR.

At the time the Liverpool managing director, Christian Purslow, said: "Raheem is a very exciting young English player whose progress was being closely monitored by many other leading clubs and I'm delighted he's joining us."

Arsenal were thought to be close to agreeing a deal for the player, but the winger decided to join the Reds as the Merseyside club pipped their Premier League rivals to the signature.

Roy Hodgson was clearly impressed, including the 16-year-old in Liverpool's senior pre-season tour. The youngster has continued to shine at youth level ever since.

Two second half strikes were more than enough to see off the Whites, with a 50th minute opener being consolidated with just three minutes left on the clock.

"It was a very tough game but we deserved to win because we produced a good team performance," Rodolfo Borrell told Liverpoolfc.tv.

The Liverpool U18 side remains unbeaten thus far in the 2010/11 season, and show great signs of promise for the future at Anfield.

Sterling as seen as the jewel in the crown, and the England youth international could work his way up the Liverpool ranks quicker than first imagined.

Investment Group Blackstone Refuse To Refinance Loans For Liverpool Co-Owner Tom Hicks

Investment group Blackstone has pulled out of talks to refinance loans taken out by co-owner Tom Hicks to retain control of Liverpool, according to The Guardian.

Weekend reports had claimed the American intended to cling to power by securing the cash to repay the £237 million owed to the Royal Bank of Scotland before the mid-October deadline. Without the money, Hicks and business partner George Gillett would be forced to relinquish their spots at the Anfield helm to the organisation.

Negotiations about a £280m, two-year package with GSO Capital Partners - the debt restructuring arm of the private equity group - which would have seen Hicks take sole charge had been understood to be close to reaching conclusion. However, GSO has now walked away from the Texan millionaire, with their withdrawal rumoured to be motivated by fan group protests.

Hicks and Gillett had put Liverpool up for sale in April after failing to find the funds to meet RBS' requirements. Reported interest from Kenny Huang and Rhone Capital has not led to a change of stewardship and now the Liverpool board is believed to be ready to throw out any proposal from Hicks even if it led to an investment in player transfers and stadium plans.

Liverpool Fans Plan ‘Direct Action’ Protest As Tom Hicks’ Buyout Hits The Buffers

The Spirit of Shankly fans group will lead a sit-in at Anfield after this weekend’s match with Sunderland to demonstrate “the growing anger and frustration towards the ongoing ownership saga” at the club.

Further “direct action”, including a protest march, will take place around the following weekend’s game against Blackpool, also at home.

SoS, like many Liverpool fans, want the club’s owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, as well as the other board members and those responsible with finding new buyers, to keep them better informed about what is happening at the club.

SoS have raised questions on their website about the role of BarCap in the proposed sale of the club, and will hold an EGM on Saturday before the Sunderland game.

With an October deadline looming for Liverpool to repay loans to RBS, Hicks is making increasingly frantic efforts to refinance the debt and take sole control, as we reported three days ago.

For now, he has been stymied in his efforts to borrow money from Blackstone subsidiary GSO Capital Partners, as The Guardian reports here. On the one hand, Hicks’ inability to raise finance via GSO will be greeted with optimism by some fans because it decreases the chances of the Texan’s long-term involvement.

On the other hand, there is still no viable alternative owner in the picture, certainly not one that has produced a costed bid with proof of funds.

Speaking about the ongoing struggle for stability at Liverpool and the campaign to remove Hicks and Gillett, SoS said today: “Angry at the massive debts, crippling interest repayments, and the lack of a new stadium, supporters feel that the promises made to them when the pair took over have been reneged upon.

“Supporters have actively campaigned to rid the club of the duo. However, their anger has increased significantly, following the lack of action in the supposed sale process, recent speculation that Tom Hicks is to attempt to take sole charge of the football club with further refinancing, and a document which Spirit Of Shankly has seen, showing that Barclays Capital, who it is understood are in charge of the sale process, have also been looking to refinance the existing debt.

“These recent developments have raised the temperature of supporters, and action is the only way they feel they can make their point known. Action is expected to escalate and continue in the coming weeks, with supporters looking to physically display their anger and make their feelings known.”

Match Report: Manchester United 3 - 2 Liverpool

Sir Alex Ferguson was indebted to the "genius" of Dimitar Berbatov after the Bulgarian's brilliant hat-trick floored Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Every single member of the United side had need to thank Berbatov at the end after they had tossed away a two-goal advantage against Merseyside opposition for the second weekend running, only for the former Tottenham man to net the winner six minutes from time.

In some very perceptive programme notes, Ferguson suggested to lose a winning position once was bad luck, twice is downright careless.

Now Liverpool can be added to Fulham and Everton as teams United have thrown winning positions away against this season.

They were only spared the sight of Ferguson's fury stripping paint off the home dressing room because of Berbatov, whose header denied Liverpool, who had levelled through Steven Gerrard's double.

The other part of Ferguson's pre-match missive was the declaration that "you must have faith and we are being rewarded this season for our confidence in a player who has a touch of genius about him".

Genius was an apt word to describe Berbatov's contribution, in particular the astonishing overhead kick that had put United two ahead midway through the second-half of a slow burner of a game that eventually turned into a classic.

Ferguson is not the only one in these parts who still feel this is the biggest fixture of the Premier League calendar.

Chelsea, Arsenal and even Blackburn may have won the title since Liverpool last did so in 1990. But with their 18 league championships and five European Cups, they remain the most successful English side, even if United have now joined them on the domestic front.

The atmosphere was crackling at kick-off, although the early action failed to match it.

United did create one excellent opportunity, which Nani wasted when he fired wide after Wayne Rooney's shot had bounced kindly for him after striking Gerrard.

But the game was low on incident until Berbatov broke the deadlock by nodding home Ryan Giggs' corner at the near-post.

TV replays did not show Fernando Torres in a good light.

His performance at Birmingham last week was branded "diabolical" by TV pundit and former Liverpool skipper Jamie Redknapp.

Clearly needing a goal, Torres was again struggling to make an impact.

New United captain Nemanja Vidic, who has suffered more than most at the feet of a man who remains one of the world's best strikers, tidied up one opportunity that had come Torres' way via a fortunate bounce off World Cup final referee Howard Webb.

The Liverpool forward also trundled a disappointing shot way off target after managing to get a quarter of a yard in front of Vidic as the pair turned on the edge of the area.

All this was forgivable. Just allowing Berbatov, who had already got in front of the former Atletico Madrid star as Giggs strode up to take the corner, just to stoop for it unchallenged, would not have impressed Roy Hodgson very much.

If defensive questions needed to be asked about that, there was nothing more to do than simply admire Berbatov's brilliance when he doubled his side's lead just before the hour.

It was almost impossible to believe it took just two touches to get Nani's right-wing cross into the net.

But it was precisely that. The first to control with his knee. The second to dispatch an overhead kick which left Pepe Reina rooted to the spot as it bounced in off the crossbar.

In any normal season, the contest would have been over.

However, there is a fallibility about United just now that clearly refuses to rectify itself no matter how harsh Ferguson's words.

The rashness with which Jonny Evans lunged in on Torres as the striker checked back inside the box gave lie to the theory United can operate effectively without Rio Ferdinand, overlooked for the captaincy and missing with a virus.

On the second occasion, John O'Shea could count himself mightily relieved Webb did not reach for the red card once he decided the Irishman had dragged Torres to the ground just outside the box.

The consequences of Webb's ruling would be felt in the eventual outcome.

With both situations though, Gerrard found the corner of United's goal with precision, racing gleefully to the ecstatic visiting fans the second time around to hail a position he could not have expected his team would be in 10 minutes previously.

It looked like United had blown it. Berbatov had other ideas and rose to meet O'Shea cross to give his side victory.

Sir Alex Ferguson Claims Liverpool Depended On Decisions From Officials In 3-2 Defeat To Manchester United

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out at refereeing decisions made in the 3-2 win over rivals Liverpool.

The Red Devils led 2-0 after two Dimitar Berbatov goals but surrendered that lead by conceding a penalty and a free-kick which were both scored by Steven Gerrard before Berbatov secured the win for United late on

Jonny Evans gave away a penalty after fouling Fernando Torres moments after Berbatov had given the hosts a second goal lead, before Torres won a free-kick on the edge of the area after being pulled back by John O’Shea.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Ferguson said his side should have won by a more convincing margin before launching an attack on the officials.

“From the game we [thought] it’s going to be 10 but it ends up 2-2 [after the refereeing decisions]. It was a travesty of a scoreline but a great result at the end of the day,” he said.

“They didn’t offer anything, they depended on decisions from the linesman. Edwin [Van der Sar] didn’t have a save to make, [Paul] Scholes controlled the midfield and we looked dangerous through Nani and Berbatov.”

Berbatov controlled the ball well in the area before executing a terrific overhead kick to put United 2-0 ahead, and Ferguson praised the striker, who became the first man to score a hat-trick against Liverpool for the Red Devils since Stan Pearson 64 years ago.

“The second goal was unexpected really, a surprise attempt and fortunately - not many of those overhead kicks go in the net - but it did today,” he said.

“There was a lot of criticism. It happens when we buy a player for a lot of money but he started pre-season very good and he’s carried that one but there has never been any doubt of the quality of the man.”

Liverpool’s defeat leaves them low in the bottom half of the table, and Ferguson admits criticism will have been served to whoever lost the game.

He said: “It was always going to be that sort of a test. If one doesn’t win, it will be a catastrophe and that’s what they will be talking about and it will have been the same if we didn’t win but fortunately we did win.”

The Red Devils boss also confirmed that the decision to substitute Ryan Giggs was down to illness.

“He was ill at half-time, feeling really queasy. Rio Ferdinand was last night also,” he concluded.

Roy Hodgson Targets Champions League Qualification After Defeat To Manchester United

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is targeting Champions League football, admitting his side is not in the title race after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United.

Hodgson's side had trailed by two Dimitar Berbatov goals until a penalty and free-kick from Steven Gerrard brought the visitors back into the game.

But the Bulgarian completed his hat-trick to seal the win, leaving Hodgson to assess aims for the rest of the season.

"To use words like catastrophe is a bit strong unless you are talking about winning the league," he said, according to Sky Sports.

"Our aim is to get better, to get to the Champions League, and maybe that is where I have got to have my focus."

Despite the defeat, Hodgson was keen to stress his side had improved at Old Trafford.

He added: "We have had a remarkably hard start to the season.

"Our performance today was clearly a lot better than our last two Premier League performances [a narrow victory over West Brom and a goalless draw with Birmingham City].

"We were playing against a top team and we can take a lot of credit from the way we went about our business and got ourselves back into the game.

Roy Hodgson: Fernando Torres Is 'Not Firing On All Cylinders'

Roy Hodgson has admitted Fernando Torres is still not at his best, despite the striker having a hand in both of Liverpool’s goals against Manchester United.

The Spaniard has struggled to reach peak fitness in time for the start of the campaign after he suffered an injury-plagued summer, in which he still featured for his national side in South Africa.

Torres won Liverpool’s penalty for their first goal and the striker’s movement caused problems for John O’Shea, which led to the United defender fouling the 26-year-old. Steven Gerrard scoring from the resulting free-kick.

Hodgson has defended the form of his striker and still maintains Torres needs a combination of games and training before he can get back to his best.

“I don’t think he [Fernando Torres] is firing on all cylinders,” Hodgson told Sky Sports.

“Fernando’s [Torres] performance was a lot better [than last week against Birmingham City]. He is a player who needs more games, more time and more training.

“Manchester United do not often surrender possession, so it was difficult for him.

“We’ll get a tremendous amount of use from him this season.”

After watching his side pull level from two goals behind, Hodgson could do nothing to prevent Dimitar Berbatov from completing his hat-trick and subsequently earning United the three points.

“We deserved to get back in the game, we were unlucky to go 2-0 down,” said Hodgson.

“Conceding late is always tough, and we’re disappointed in that but otherwise we made a really good effort to bring us back into the game.

“If we had more composure we could have seen the game out.”

Previous encounters have been billed as high-intensity affairs but Sunday’s fixture was subdued, with both sides opting to withhold any full-blooded challenges. Hodgson believes the cagey start from both teams was the result of a good defensive display all round.

“A lot of teams have respect for each other,” explained Hodgson.

“We contained well and their front players didn’t receive too many balls.

“It was more a question of good defending and the goals meant we were forced to create chances and it opened up in the second half.”

Liverpool To Sign Impressive £12m Midfielder As Lucas Leiva Heads For Anfield Exit

It seems that Lucas Leiva has a fair few detractors among the Liverpool faithful so the idea of the Brazilian leaving the club will please many and the idea that impressive Swiss international Gokhan Inler may take his place would probably make quite a few Anfield supporters doubly happy.

The Udinese man has been a consistent performer in Serie A for four years now and the £12m rated 26 year old has been linked with a move away from Italy for some time and it appears that Roy Hodgson is a big fan and wants to bring him to Merseyside.

Clearly as former boss of the Switzerland national team Hodgson will have done his homework on Inler who is a good box to box player with a great engine and the physicality to make it in the Premier League. Quite where Lucas may head is another matter.

Rafa Benitez was reported to have been interested in bringing the 23 year old to the San Siro but talk of that potential transfer seems to have faded of late.

Reina & Torres Set To Leave Liverpool As Tom Hicks Plots £280 Million Buyout Of George Gillett’s Shares But No Funding Of New Signings Or Stadium

The power struggle at Liverpool is set to account for Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres, a report claims.

In a move that will certainly add to the despair among Liverpool fans, Tom Hicks is set to gain sole control of the Anfield club and thus delay its sale by two more years, possibly triggering the departures of key players Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres.

Despite Liverpool fans’ contempt towards him, Tom Hicks is on the verge of striking a £280 million deal with the Blackstone/GSO Group to buy out partner George Gillett, according to a report in The News of the World.

Hicks told the Reds’ board that the refinancing agreement will be signed by October 1, a move that will give the American until 2012 to find a buyer.

And in a detail that will deeply concern the club's fans, the GSO deal does not include any cash injection for transfer deals or plans to build a new stadium.

Hicks delivered the news in a three-hour board meeting in London on Wednesday.

One point that may still block his plans is Gillett’s past insistence that a deal should include plans for cash to be invested in new players and a new stadium.

But with Gillett allegedly defaulting on his own loan to RBS (the Royal Bank of Scotland), he has been forced to concede a degree of power to his business partner.

Meanwhile, Hicks told chairman Martin Broughton that he will not accept selling the club for the value of its debt (£282m).

Broughton was appointed in April at the request of RBS as a condition for the bank extending its loan to the two American co-owners for a further six months. He previously said his objective was to find a new owner willing to wipe out the club's debt and build a new stadium.

But there has been no formal bid for the club since the sale process began, and Hicks believes that gives him the legal right to pursue the GSO deal.

Despite intense speculation at the time, neither Chinese businessman Kenny Huang nor Syrian Yahya Kirdi made formal offers for the shares of Hicks and Gillett.

The Texan thinks the involvement of Blackstone would attract investors in the future. However, club sources are unconvinced that, after failing to sell the club for a high valuation, Hicks will succeed in doing so two years from now.

There has been a legal battle on this issue since June and a court hearing looks destined to decide the future of the Merseyside club.

It is unlikely that the club would attract investors in two years’ time as consecutive seasons without Champions League football would only hinder the club’s financial progress and status.

Players such as Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina have publicly demanded a change of ownership, and the fear now is that if Hicks succeeds in gaining sole control at Anfield it may well signal the end of the highly-rated Spanish pair's time with Liverpool.

Permission for the new arena on Stanley Park will have expired by September 2011, and the GSO deal will increase the interest rates on the rising debt.

Blackstone’s chief executive, Schwarzman – a friend of Hicks – is worth an estimated £3bn and many have concluded that Hicks has successfully convinced an old pal to help him out in a troubled time.

"A few weeks ago we were saying Hicks needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat," a Kop source told Sport of the World.

"It seems he's pulled out one of the biggest, wealthiest rabbits in Wall Street."

James McKenna, spokesman for Spirit of Shankly, the Liverpool Supporters' Union, expects fans to react angrily to any attempt by Hicks to keep control of the club.

"This is the latest in an on-going soap opera but we don't want either Hicks or Gillett involved in the club and these plans will be met with the fiercest of protests," he told BBC Sport. "These reports are a worry."

Reds Ace Wins Star Prize

Liverpool FC's new Superleague Formula race star Frederic Vervisch produced a stunning performance to claim the top prize in Portugal.

In only his second drive in the red car of Liverpool, Vervisch claimed the €100,000 prize for winning the dash-for-cash Super Final.

What made the victory more impressive was the Reds driver had tyre problems but he showed all his quality to win the race.

He produced a superb standing-start and then a brilliant defensive display to hold off the charging John Martin (Beijing Guoan) and Davide Rigon (RSC Anderlecht).

Starting from fourth on the grid, the young Belgium made an incredible getaway to dive into the lead at turn one as pole man Robert Doornbos (Corinthians) made a slow start and was then touched into a spin by Tristan Gommendy (Olympique Lyonnais) which ended both drivers' races.

For the remainder of the five-lap event, Vervisch, who, unlike his two adversaries was on old tyres, fought desperately to hold off the Beijing and RSC Anderlecht drivers, using his superior pace out of the last corner to stay out of their reach on the start/finish straight, before they closed up to his tail again in the twisty sections of the circuit.

He crossed the line with an advantage of just 0.471 seconds at the chequered flag for a memorable win.

An ecstatic Vervisch said: "I'm speechless. This is the best result of my career and more importantly the money I have won means that I can continue in Superleague Formula for the next rounds.

"I'm really, really happy because I knew I wouldn't be the fastest in the Super Final and I didn't expect to win because I had no new tyres left.

"But I made a great start, tried to use the push-to-pass at the right moment and just hold on."

Premier League Preview: Manchester United vs Liverpool

With 36 English titles between them, Premier League games don't get much bigger than Manchester United against Liverpool.

The two North West giants continue their intense rivalry at Old Trafford on Sunday in a fixture that always serves to make the heart beat a little faster for supporters of both sides.

The backdrop to this encounter involves a season which has barely got underway but has already had its fair share of drama for the two teams.

United have already fallen four points behind defending champions Chelsea after throwing away winning positions to draw in away games against Fulham and Everton, while Sir Alex Ferguson’s side also had a below-par night against Rangers in the Champions League.

Liverpool have a new manager, Roy Hodgson, who has made a mixed start as the Reds look to recover from last season’s disastrous seventh place finish which eventually led to the departure of Rafael Benitez to Inter.

Admittedly Hodgson’s charges have had a very difficult run of fixtures to open the new campaign, along with European commitments to be balanced, but defeat on Sunday would mean an unsatisfactory return of one win from five league games.

Therefore the pressure is on for the new man at the helm to pick up some sort of result at Old Trafford in a game the significance of which his opposite number knows all too well.

Ferguson – who once famously said his aim at United was to knock Liverpool off their perch at the top of the domestic game – used his pre-match press conference to re-iterate just how big the game is.

"I sound like a parrot but this is 'the fixture'. There is no question about that," he asserted.

"It doesn't change. The form fluctuates quite a bit but we won the last game so hopefully that turns it back towards us again.

"Roy has the experience. He has gathered a wealth of experience in Italy, Switzerland and Finland and the job he did at Fulham was absolutely extraordinary.

"But our approach will not change. We have to express ourselves the way we always do.”

A win in front of their own fans will certainly be the target for United, although they will be wary of their fierce rivals.

Liverpool have tasted victory in three of the last four games in the head-to-head, although the last meeting saw the Red Devils win 2-1 thanks to a winning goal from Ji-Sung Park.

Whatever the result on Sunday there is sure to be incident, with the final result potentially significant in setting up a positive or negative season ahead for either side.

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United

Antonio Valencia begins a long injury absence after picking up a serious ankle injury in midweek.

Many of United's other key players will be feeling fresh after Sir Alex Ferguson made 10 changes for the Champions League draw against Rangers.

Anderson is back in first-team contention after a long absence with a knee injury, although is unlikely to start the match.

Rio Ferdinand is expected to make his first Premier League start of the new season alongside Nemanja Vidic - a player who has struggled against Liverpool in the past - in the centre of United's defence.

Possible Starting XI: Van der Sar; O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Nani, Fletcher, Scholes, Park; Rooney, Berbatov.

Liverpool

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will return for Liverpool after being rested, along with Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel, for Thursday's Europa League win against Steaua Bucharest.

England midfielder Joe Cole, who set Liverpool on their way to victory against Steaua with a goal after 30 seconds, will also make his return to Premier League action after completing the three-match suspension he incurred for a red card against Arsenal on the opening day.

Fabio Aurelio (Achilles) and Dirk Kuyt (shoulder) are both still sidelined.

Possible Starting XI: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky; Poulsen, Meireles; Jovanovic, Gerrard, Cole; Torres.

Roy Hodgson: Result Against Manchester United Is Not Pivotal To Liverpool's Season

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is hoping his team can avoid a second defeat in Manchester as they visit Old Trafford on Sunday to play Manchester United.

The Reds have had a difficult start to the season having already played Arsenal, Manchester City and Birmingham, games that have seen them secure only two points, with the home victory against West Brom the only shining light on their campaign so far.

However Hodgson believes a win at Old Trafford would provide a massive confidence boost, although has stated that the result will not be pivotal at the end of the season.

"You might get the shots in the arm which you help you or the kicks in the backside which bring you down, but the health of a football club should be judged by what goes on on a daily basis," Hodgson told Sky Sports.

"It is a part of football life and players need to be aware of that.

"If you have had the kick in the teeth, and it might be deserved, that is the reminder you have to do better.

"But when you get the shot in the arm that is the little reminder you have to be careful to keep your feet on the ground because around the corner disaster awaits.

"Having said that, we have had a really difficult start in the league and that does not get any easier, us having to go to Manchester United.

"But I see very positive signs and I'm very confident that the longer we work together, come May hopefully we will have a decent season behind us.

"This match has come a little bit early. Five games into the season is a poor time for barometer readings - they need to come at least a third of the way through the season.

"I would be very surprised if the intelligent people out there who understand the season is a marathon not a sprint will start reading too much into a defeat for one or the other teams."

Hodgson also admitted Liverpool will have to defend well if they are to get anything against United but has revealed he will use the same structure that proved successful in the Reds' 4-1 win over Steaua Bucharest at Anfield on Thursday night.

"We are going to put a team out which will defend well and attack well - something which we have tried to do in every game we've played so far," he continued

"Sometimes we will succeed better than others but that is football.

"The first thing to do when you go to Old Trafford is to defend well because there are some very good attackers.

"They are very dangerous offensively so if your defensive set-up is wanting then they will punish you.

"But we won't change our system from the way we played on Thursday.

"The things we tried to do against Steaua were exactly the same things we tried to do against West Brom and Birmingham with less success.

"Nothing changes. We know what we have to do, we know what principles we work under and we will keep working at it and keep trying to produce it on the field."

Paul Konchesky Calls For 'Sensible' Refereeing In Manchester United Clash

Liverpool defender Paul Konchesky has pleaded with referee Howard Webb to keep his head cool as they clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The left-back, a summer signing from Fulham, has also told Webb to appreciate that tackles will without doubt be flying in as both teams will want to record an important victory over their fierce rivals.

“You hope the referee understands it is a big game,’’ Konchesky told the Daily Telegraph.

“I won’t alter my style. You need a strong ref. It is a big derby and there are going to be tackles flying about, so you need a sensible ref who isn’t going to be silly and send people off left, right and centre.

“You can’t hold back, it is a big game. This is a massive game for the club. Hopefully we will have a sensible ref.”

Webb, who showed 14 yellow cards when he took charge of the World Cup final in South Africa, has been criticized for being too strict but did admit that he should have sent off Nigel De Jong as well as John Heitinga and he will be hoping for a quieter afternoon at Old Trafford.

However, Konchesky is relishing the game against United.

“The derbies up north are bigger than the ones in London,’’ said the former Fulham defender.

“No disrespect to Fulham, if you go to Old Trafford and come away with a draw it is a massive bonus, but going with Liverpool you expect to win. That is the expectation of the club and the fans. They are fanatical fans and this is what they live for.

“Every day, you get out of your car and there are Liverpool fans wanting to talk to you. It is a good thing but we need to pay them back and bring silverware for them. The feeling in the club is we want to be up there fighting for the Champions League.’’

Liverpool Boss Interested In £14m Serie A Forward As Potential Torres Partner

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has earmarked Uruguayan international Edinson Cavani as a January transfer window target as he looks to bring in more attacking options.

The Palermo forward is currently on loan at Napoli and has scored in his opening two matches for the club and was expected to make a move to Naples a permanent one next summer but the Anfield manager hopes to persuade the powerfully built striker to move to Merseyside.

Cavani has been a big success since his move from Montevideo to Italy in 2007 and helped his country to a fourth place finish at this summer’s World Cup and his physicality and strength could well suit a move to the Premier League.

The 6ft 2in striker is also something of a flair player and is known for his superb close control and Hodgson may well see the £14m rated man as an ideal foil for Fernando Torres.

A potential move to Liverpool may well depend on how well Napoli fair this season after last season’s impressive top six finish.

O'Neill In Line For Anfield

Martin O’Neill is in line for a sensational return to football – as the next Liverpool boss.

Two of the consortiums trying to buy the Merseyside club want to take ex-Aston Villa chief O’Neill to Anfield if they are successful with proposed takeovers.

They rate O’Neill, 58, a far better bet to bring back the good times to the crisis-torn Reds than current Kop gaffer Roy Hodgson. That will be a massive blow to Hodgson as he battles to restore stability at Liverpool following his summer switch from Fulham.

The ex-Inter Milan coach is already ­under intense pressure after a shaky start to the season. His side head to Manchester United today having won just one of four league games.

Hodgson knows a change of ownership at the club is essential to make long-term progress. Yet, should that happen, he could well find himself surplus to requirements.

O’Neill stunned the football world last month when he quit Villa only five days before the new campaign kicked off.

He had become fed up with a change in direction under Villa owner Randy Lerner, which meant a drastic reduction in transfer funds.

However, his shock resignation now appears to have put him in position to assume the Liverpool reins - depending on the outcome of the club’s on-going power struggle.

Joint-owners Tom Hicks and Tom Gillett are refusing to sell their shareholding for anything less than £600m.

But that stance could be about to change as the Royal Bank of Scotland threaten to seize control of the club if the

Yanks fail to pay off debts totaling £280m before October 11.

The RBS would then sell Liverpool at a reduced price to one of a number of interested parties - bringing O’Neill’s name into the frame.

And there’s no question the ex-Celtic coach, linked with the Anfield hot seat throughout his career, would relish the challenge of steering Liverpool back to the top of English football.