Match Report: Liverpool 1 - 3 Swansea

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admitted former club Swansea fully deserved the 3-1 victory which ended his side's defence of the Capital One Cup.

The Reds were well off the pace in the first half and trailed to Chico Flores' 33rd-minute header.

Even the introduction of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard at the interval could not prevent Swansea scoring a second on the counter-attack through Nathan Dyer and although Suarez pulled one back quickly Jonathan de Guzman scored an added-time breakaway.

"I thought the best team won. We were too slow, there was no tempo in the first half," admitted Rodgers, who left Swansea to take over from Kenny Dalglish at Anfield in June.

"It is disappointing. You can only hurt if you are the better team and I thought they were the better team.

"Swansea was bright and creative and was very good and it took the introduction of Luis and Steven to up the tempo in the second half.

"Then we looked like we could score and create chances but we couldn't get the goal.

"We got done on two breakaways but the best team won, which was clear. They took their chances very well.

"I am disappointed to be out of the competition but I don't think we can have any complaints."

Dalglish won this competition in February but even that was not enough to save him from the sack after a disappointing eighth-place league finish.

Rodgers, who made nine changes and included only three players over the age of 24, said he would use the result as experience for the future.

"I know the size of the job here so that again is another lesson for me in terms of where we are at, giving players the opportunity to come in," he added.

"We have a small squad playing in what was three competitions and I did what I have done in other games: rotated players, used fringe players and given younger players opportunity.

"That is all you can do as a manager."

Of the more experienced players on show Joe Cole, on his first start since a Europa League qualifier on August 2, was the most disappointing - being withdrawn at half-time.

"The club has invested an astronomical amount of money on a talented player and Joe had the opportunity," said Rodgers.

"He has been back fit a couple of weeks and his opportunities have been limited but you have to see.

"I thought it was difficult for him, it was too slow and it wasn't what I would expect from a team I tried to set up to be dynamic."

Rodgers Blasts Joe Cole For Wasting First Team Opportunity

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers slammed the performance of midfielder Joe Cole as he saw his side exit the Capital One Cup in the fourth round after suffering a 3-1 home defeat to his former side Swansea.

This was Cole's first start for Liverpool since the 2nd August in the Europa League qualifier away at FC Gomel, where he lasted 23 minutes before injuring his hamstring.

Speaking after the game Rodgers said to reporters, “The club has invested an astronomical amount of money on a talented player and Joe had the opportunity.

“He has been back fit a couple of weeks and his opportunities have been limited but you have to see. I thought it was difficult for him, it was too slow and it wasn’t what I would expect from a team I tried to set up to be dynamic.”

Cole was brought in on a free transfer by Roy Hodgson two years ago but has struggled to have an impact at Anfield which has led to many criticizing the £100,000 a week wages he is being paid.

The 30 year old spent the whole of last season at French side Lille where he impressed but decided to go back to Merseyside in an attempt to resurrect his career there, however after Rodgers' comments yesterday it looks as thought his first team chances are going to become increasingly limited.

Liverpool Will Bankroll Rodgers After His Patience Snaps

Liverpool will bankroll Brendan Rodgers’ attempts to strengthen his side in January after his patience finally snapped with the under-performing squad he inherited.

The thinness of Rodgers’ options were laid bare in the 3-1 defeat to Swansea City in the Capital One Cup, the urgency for reinforcements to relieve the pressure on Luis Suárez, Steven Gerrard and the club’s increasingly overburdened youngsters all too clear.

Joe Cole was the most high-profile failure, but there was an equally unfavourable assessment of Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson - players whose opportunities have been limited since the summer but fell woefully short of making a point to the manager.

Rodgers made reference to the “astronomical” costs of retaining players who are surplus to requirements, his frustration at the lack of strength in depth plain to see.

Although Cole, who is costing Liverpool around £5 million a year for the duration of his four-year deal, is an obvious target, Rodgers would offload all of his costly fringe players in January if he thought there was an interest and he could replace them.

Those players are fully aware they are welcome to talk to other clubs - although attracting any offers that would lure them from their comfortable, lucrative salaries on Merseyside will be as difficult in the New Year as it was last summer.

Left-back Jose Enrique has also failed to impress the manager, only featuring in emergencies, and with Andy Carroll already on loan and Charlie Adam sold, it is a damning indictment on the profligate spending prior to Rodgers’ arrival.

Suárez and back-up centre-half Sebastian Coates are the only signings left from the Kenny Dalglish reign who Liverpool is not actively trying to sell.

Liverpool’s American owners, Fenway Sports Group, will make money available to reinforce when the transfer window opens, although it is by no means a deep kitty.

Although they failed to back Rodgers in his pursuit of Clint Dempsey on transfer-deadline day in August, they will welcome a list of fresh targets for January which will once more include Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, his contract impasse having been monitored closely at Anfield since the summer.

Rodgers could assist his spending powers by reducing his wage bill even further, but he is not working under any guarantee there will any takers for his unwanted, high earning players.

The volume of money wasted at Anfield since their last successful spending splurge in 2007 is horrifying. Five years ago, former manager Rafael Benítez signed Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Martin Skrtel in the same calendar year in what represents the last successful sequence of purchases, but since then - with the exception of Glen Johnson, Suárez and last summer’s acquisition of Joe Allen, every major signing has been a failure.

Robbie Keane (£20 million), Alberto Aquilani (£20 million), Downing (£20 million), Henderson (£18 million), Carroll (£35 million), Adam (£9 million) and Enrique (£7 million) form a rogues gallery, evidence of the most wasteful era of spending in Anfield and, perhaps, Premier League history.

Cole, signed on a free transfer in 2010, cannot be excluded from this list given his extortionate wages. The Anfield board know Rodgers is paying the price for this legacy, which is why they have adopted a long-term strategy. The surrendering of their League Cup title is a setback, but the Northern Irishman can expect several transfer windows to assemble his own team.

So far he has only recruited Allen, who has been a success, and Italian striker Fabio Borini - currently injured after a difficult start - for significant fees.

Nuri Sahin is a loanee while teenager Samed Yesil and winger Oussama Assaidi were recruited for a relatively small price, on a completely different wage structure to the levels created by Rodgers’ predecessors.

Liverpool Launches £8 Million Bid For Theo Walcott

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants to bring Arsenal's contract rebel Theo Walcott to Anfield in January.

The 23 year old is out of contract with Arsenal at the end of the season and boss Arsene Wenger has said that he wants Walcott's contract issue sorted out by Christmas as he will have to sell the forward if they cannot agree terms.

During the summer Arsenal offered Walcott a five year deal worth £75,000 a week but he rejected the offer wanting a figure closer to £100,000 which is how much many of the England squad members are paid by their clubs.

Walcott has told reporters that money itself is not the main issue he wants to know that his aspirations to play as a striker for Arsenal will be met, and he showed this to his manager as he scored a hat trick for the Gunners in Tuesday night’s remarkable 7-5 victory.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is ready to offer both those things. He wanted to sign Walcott in the summer and will revive his efforts ahead of the January window.

Rodgers, who is desperately short of strikers after loaning Andy Carroll to West Ham and losing Fabio Borini to a broken foot, bemoaned his small squad following Liverpool’s Capital One Cup defeat by Swansea.

He wants to sign two forwards with Walcott his main target to share the goalscoring burden with Luis Suarez. And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted on Thursday that he may be forced to sell if Walcott fails to agree a new deal and the Daily Mail believes he want to test Arsenal's resolve with an £8 million bid.

He said, “I wouldn’t like to (sell Walcott). I’ve not even thought about that, because at the moment I think we will still manage to make a deal with him.

'But there is urgency. How much I don’t know, but there is urgency. We want to sort it out before Christmas, one way or the other.”

Liverpool Set To Sign Joel Pohjanpalo

Liverpool is finally set to complete a deal for Finland goal machine Joel Pohjanpalo, almost nine months after he turned down a move to the Anfield club.

The 18-year-old Helsinki striker, who shot to fame with 33 goals in 23 matches for the club's reserve team last season, has already found the net 19 times at senior level, and a host of leading clubs have expressed an interest in his signature.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea have all sent scouts to watch Pohjanpalo, but it was Liverpool who looked to have jumped the queue in March, when he travelled to Merseyside for a week-long trial.

The Reds offered boyhood fan Pohjanpalo a place in the club's youth team, but he turned down the switch, believing he could develop faster by remaining in the Helsinki first team.

However, Liverpool have not taken no for an answer, and are now working on an improved contract offer for the player, with talks believed to be at an advanced stage.

Helsinki is set to receive around £1million for the starlet, who is contracted to them until 2015.

Liverpool and Newcastle On Alert As Hangeland's Contract Talks Stall

Fulham manager Martin Jol has hinted that towering centre back Brede Hangeland may leave the London club next summer, as talks over a new contract continue to falter.

The Dutch manager has seen two of the club’s most influential players leave the club during the summer transfer window, as Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey made the trip to north London to sign for Tottenham Hotspur.

Jol remains hopeful that the Norway international will sign a new deal, but with no progress after nearly six months of negotiations, Liverpool and Newcastle are carefully monitoring the developing situation.

'Our culture is that we always like to keep the players we want to keep,' former Tottenham boss Jol said.

'Brede is the only problem, but we've been talking to him for the last five or six months. We've made him a good offer so if he wants to stay that would be fantastic'.

Metro report that Brendan Rodgers and Alan Padrew have both expressed an interest in recruiting the defender, and would be able to sign him as a free agent next July when his deal at Craven Cottage expires.

Liverpool & Chelsea In The Race To Snap Up Charlton’s Prodigy

The Premier League giants have been alerted to another teenage prodigy raising eyebrows in the youth echelons of football, with Chelsea and Liverpool reportedly in pursuit of Charlton Athletic’s 15-year-old wonderkid Joe Gomez.

The 15-year-old is scheduled to play for England against Wales in an U16 fixture later this evening, and the Daily Mail report that scouts from the two Premier League clubs will be in attendance to see what the Charlton scholar is capable of.

The 15-year-old defender, who has also predictably caught the eye of the scouting teams at Manchester City and Arsenal, has been watched and rated in a number of his outings for Charlton’s U18 side, for whom he is a regular in despite his tender years.

Gomez is yet to sign a professional contract with the Addicks – due to his age – and the host of Premier League admirers are hopeful of convincing the promising youngster to opt for their club. However Chris Powell’s side remains hopeful the youngster will choose to continue his football education at the Valley, for the time being at least.

A number of young stars have been plucked from Charlton Athletic by Premier League clubs in recent years. Arsenal swooped for Carl Jenkinson in 2011 after the youngster impressed scouts, while Manchester United similarly raided the club for then-16-year-old Sean McGinty, who spent three years in Charlton’s academy.

Lucas Nearing Reds Return

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has revealed midfielder Lucas Leiva is on track to return from a thigh injury later this month.

The Brazil international has played just four times this season having been sidelined since November after an cruciate knee ligament operation.

"Lucas has been out on the field in the last week or so which is great," Rodgers told the Liverpool Daily Post.

"He's not doing multi-directional movements yet but he's doing a lot of straight-line running and endurance work.

"I'm anticipating maybe another three weeks but his professionalism is great and he'll get back probably sooner than is anticipated."

Dalglish Denies Suárez Racism Row Cost Him Liverpool Job

Kenny Dalglish has said he was not dismissed as Liverpool manager due to his defence of Luis Suárez and believes more senior Anfield figures should have taken responsibility for the club's handling of the striker's racism charge.

Dalglish was at the forefront of Liverpool's belligerent support for Suárez after he was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra and handed an eight-match ban last season. He was often the only person to defend Liverpool's position with the club's owners, Fenway Sports Group, silent throughout and the managing director Ian Ayre extending an apology only after Suárez refused to shake Evra's hand at Old Trafford.

Asked whether the Suárez saga had cost him his job, Dalglish, who led Liverpool to the Carling Cup trophy and the FA Cup final, but only eighth in the Premier League last season after major investment in players, said: "I don't think so. That was up to them [the owners]. I can go to sleep at night knowing what I did I did to the best of my ability and if that does not come up to their expectations or they want to go in another direction – they own the club.

"The owners made the decision they thought was best. They don't want to make a decision which is detrimental to the club because if they did that they would hang themselves, they have a huge investment in it. I think anything that is not done in a positive manner cannot help you but I was only the manager. There are other people with greater intelligence than me and greater responsibilities than me when it comes to something like this.

"I think [it was] the club as a whole. It wasn't just me [making decisions]. The T-shirts [worn in support of Suárez at Wigan] were the players wanting to show their support for a team-mate. It might have been misguided and not have been right but it was not me who decided it."

Dalglish was highly critical of the process that led to Suárez being found guilty by an independent panel appointed by the Football Association. In an interview with TalkSport, he claimed he would not be as co-operative with the authorities should he find himself in a similar predicament in future. He added: "A lot of things were misguided, misinterpreted and misrepresented. I was always brought up to tell the truth and what I believed to be the truth, I said. If it ever came up again I would do it differently. I would be less helpful and less forthcoming and I think that is sad."

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Swansea

The main talking point in the build-up to this Capital One Cup tie will surround Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who will be coming up against his former employers for the first time on Wednesday night.

The hosting Reds have been tipped to make a number of changes to their starting lineup, with the likes of Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Jamie Carragher all believed to be in contention.

Luis Suarez may also start the tie because of Liverpool's lack of options in the goalscoring department.

Visiting Swansea is also likely to make a few alterations for the encounter. Veteran defender Alan Tate and Garry Monk should be included, while Luke Moore will lead the line as a lone striker.

Liverpool and Swansea have not faced each other too many times. In their previous two meetings, Swansea has won once. The other meeting finished in a draw. Swansea can play good football and has done so for much of this campaign. They will trouble Liverpool undoubtedly.

RECENT FORM:

Liverpool: DWWDL

Swansea: LWDLW

POSSIBLE STARTING LINEUPS:

Liverpool: Jones; Wisdom, Carragher, Coates, Johnson; Downing, Sahin, Shelvey, Assaidi; Suso; Suarez

Swansea: Tremmel; Tate, Monk, Davies, Situ; Britton, Gower, Michu, De Guzman, Routledge; Moore

Allen Looking Forward To Swans Reunion

Though there is lingering disappointment for the way in which Sunday's match against Everton ended for Joe Allen, a bigger focus for the midfielder is Wednesday's cup tie against Swansea City, his former club Wednesday's League Cup tie against Swansea City at Anfield was always going to draw interest mainly for pitting Brendan Rodgers against the club he used to manage, but it also marks a reunion for Joe Allen.

Until he joined Liverpool over the summer, in fact, Allen had spent more than half his life playing football for Swansea, having joined the Welsh side at the age of nine and spending the next thirteen years—bar a one month loan spell at Wrexham where he played in two games—there.

"It is going to be a strange fixture for me," Allen admitted, "and I'm looking forward to coming up against some good friends at a club I was at for many years. It will be an interesting game and one I'm looking forward to."

Given the length of time spent at his boyhood club, moving up the ranks as he refined his game and grew into a Welsh international and one of the most composed British-trained footballers in the game, calling his first match going up against Swansea "interesting" is probably a bit of an understatement.

There is, however, some reason to doubt whether Allen will actually see the pitch on Wednesday given the ninety minutes he played against Everton on Sunday and that Rodgers will almost certainly need him against Newcastle on the weekend. If the player is truly looking forward to it, though, and not simply trying to make the right noises, then there's always the chance Rodgers could be convinced.

And even if Allen is looking forward to Wednesday, when he spoke to the media his mind was still at least in part lingering on Sunday's derby match—and, as was the case for his captain, on the poor decision that cost Liverpool the win in stoppage time.

"It was a great feeling for a split second because we thought we had won the game," he said. "Credit to Everton and the way they fought back, but we feel disappointed we didn't get the three points as we had a goal dubiously disallowed right at the end which would have given us the victory."

Still, despite the disappointing end to Sunday's match, Allen was eager to look for positives in the draw against Liverpool's local rivals:

"It was a tough and physical battle but we expected that and I enjoyed it. Goodison Park is a tough place to come for anyone, so at least with the point we maintained our unbeaten run and we want to climb up the table as high as possible.

"We are heading in the right direction and this was another positive performance from us."

Whether he starts or not, Wednesday offers the club the chance to take another positive step if they can get past Swansea and secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Laudrup Plays Down Rodgers Reunion

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup believes Wednesday's Capital One Cup clash with Liverpool will be a special occasion, but not because it marks the first meeting with former boss Brendan Rodgers.

The Northern Irishman left south Wales for Anfield in May, having guided Swansea to an impressive 11th place finish in their maiden Barclays Premier League campaign.

Despite having led Swansea to the promised land of the top flight, Rodgers can expect a hostile reception from the travelling support at Anfield, particularly after also prising midfielder Joe Allen away from the Liberty Stadium.

While the focus will be on Rodgers' facing his former club, Laudrup is unsurprisingly keen to divert attention elsewhere, not least because a win would send Swansea into previously unchartered territory.

The Swans have never advanced further than the fourth round of the League Cup, and could reach the last-eight for the first time in their 100-year history.

When asked if facing Rodgers added an extra spice to the occasion, Laudrup said: "I want to win every game we play, not only the ones where we are against ex-managers. There was one of those 10 days ago (against Roberto Martinez's Wigan) and we won that.

"But for me this is nothing different, I want to win all the games.

"I know there is something special when you see former players and coaches, but for me it is Swansea against Liverpool, not against Brendan Rodgers or Joe Allen.

"It's at Anfield and it is a big game in a competition where if we win we can claim a place in the record books of Swansea City."

Laudrup is set to make changes for the trip to Merseyside, and will be forced to replace goalkeeper Michel Vorm, who suffered a groin injury in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Manchester City.

Gerhard Tremmel will take the Dutchman's place with David Cornell coming onto the bench, and Laudrup is backing the pair to step up.

"I have confidence in Gerhard and also in David," he said. "Of course what I need to have is confirmation of how long it will be with Michel, but I have no problem using Gerhard and David.

"It is a very special position on the pitch and Gerhard has not played many games over the last year and a half and suddenly he will have to play a lot and he starts with two easy games at Anfield and against Chelsea at home!"

He added: "There will be changes, a couple of them are obviously enforced, but I don't know yet how many there will be."

African Hitman Back On Liverpool Radar

Liverpool is once again being linked with a move for striker Demba Ba.

The Senegalese international has a £7 million minimum fee release clause in his contract at Newcastle United, which is set to be re-activated when the January transfer window opens.

And, with Fabio Borini out until the New Year with a broken right foot, the Sunday Mirror claims Liverpool will look to raid the Magpies in the opening month of 2013.

Brendan Rodgers is short of options in attack at Anfield, with Luis Suarez the only fit senior striker currently on the club’s books. Andy Carroll – who cost the Reds £35 million from Newcastle last January – is out on loan at West Ham United and appears out of favour with the Reds boss.

Rodgers has urged the club’s American owners to make funds available at the next opportunity, according to the report, with a strike partner for Liverpool’s Uruguayan hitman at the top of the agenda.

With Ba not set to feature at the African Cup of Nations early next year, it’s little surprise that interest in his services has risen, and Liverpool will be looking to capitalize on the relatively low release fee. It's not the first time the club has been linked with a move for the player this month either, with The Daily Mail claiming a fortnight ago that he was on the radar.

Liverpool Target Ex-Chelsea Striker In Loan Swoop

Liverpool is being linked with a shock loan move for ex-Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.

The 34-year-old Ivory Coast international left Stamford Bridge for China in the summer, joining Shanghai Shenhua on a free transfer after lifting the Champions League trophy under Roberto Di Matteo.

However, The Sunday People claims Drogba could make a quick return to the Premier League, joining Liverpool on loan when the Chinese season comes to an end next week.

The paper claims that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers will make an ‘extraordinary SOS call’ to bring the player to Anfield on a two-month deal, with Drogba looking to maintain his fitness ahead of the African Cup of Nation, which begins in January.

Rodgers already has a relationship with Drogba from his time on the Chelsea coaching staff, and the striker’s parent club is reportedly willing to agree the deal providing Drogba returns for the start of the new season.

Liverpool is desperately short of options in attack, with Uruguayan hitman Luis Suarez the only fit senior forward currently on the club’s books.

A move to Merseyside could jeopardize Drogba’s position as a Chelsea legend however, especially if he played for the Reds in the clash against the Blues in west London on November 11th.

There is still plenty of work to be done before the veteran pulls on a Liverpool shirt however, and if Drogba really is available, then there is little to stop other European clubs from attempting to broker a deal.

Liverpool Plot Lower League Goalkeeper Raid

Liverpool is being linked with a shock move for Middlesbrough goalkeeper Jason Steele.

The England U21 international is available for the right price in the January transfer window, according to The People, with Reds boss Brendan Rodgers considering a move.

Pepe Reina’s in-different form at the start of the season has raised questions over the No.1 spot at Anfield, with Australian international Brad Jones taking the Spaniard’s place between the sticks for Liverpool in Sunday’s 2-2 Merseyside derby draw at Goodison Park.

Whilst Reina had been nursing a hamstring injury picked up on international duty, the stopper was fit enough to take his place on the bench for the match. Reds boss Rodgers denied the keeper had been axed in favour of Jones.

Either way, it’s led to speculation over Liverpool making a move for the one-cap Great Britain international, who has been in sparkling form for Boro in the Npower Championship this term.

Were Steele to make the move from Middlesbrough to Liverpool, he’d be following in the footsteps of Jones, who completed the same transfer for £2.3 million in the summer of 2010.

Ajax Demand €30 Million For Liverpool Midfield Target

Liverpool have once more been linked with a January move for Ajax star Christian Eriksen – but will have to pay €30 million to land their man according to reports.

In recent weeks The Reds have been heavily linked with a move for the Danish international, who admitted it was ‘special’ to be associated with a transfer to the Anfield club earlier this month.

Liverpool are expected to be active in winter window after a disappointing summer in the market which saw them fail to bring in a striker on deadline day despite allowing Andy Carroll to join West Ham on loan.

The 20-year-old has been watched by a host of Premier League cubs and has been linked with a move to Manchester United in the past.

However Liverpool appear to be the most keen on securing Eriksen’s services and will make a move for him when the January window opens, with some claiming he is viewed as a long-term replacement for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

According to the National, The Anfield club are keen on securing players who can operate through the middle or out wide, although they will not overspend on individuals as they have done in the past.

However the paper reports that if Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers wants to land Eriksen, he will have to part ways with €30 million, while Ajax are said to be more willing to sell up in the summer rather than mid-way through the season.

Eriksen himself has previously insisted he will not be leaving the Dutch club until the end of the season at the earliest, and with Liverpool prioritizing a move for a striker in January a summer move may suit all parties.

That may include a move to take Marseille forward Loic Remy to Merseyside, who the National claim could make a move to Anfield in January.

Liverpool Identified Spain Midfielder As Joe Allen Alternative

Liverpool had reportedly identified Spain midfielder Benat as a potential summer acquisition, had they failed in the pursuit of Swansea star Joe Allen.

The Reds completed the signing of Allen in July for a fee of £13.5 million, with the Wales international following Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers from the Liberty Stadium to Anfield.

Rodgers had outlined the signing of Allen as a top priority after moving to Liverpool but, naturally, would have had alternative players in mind had the Reds been unable to sign the 22-year-old.

According to respected Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, among the possibilities for Liverpool - prior to the signing of Allen - was Real Betis' Benat, who could now leave La Liga in the January transfer window.

Benat has a €10 million release clause written into his contract with Betis, which may appeal to Liverpool should Rodgers decide he wants to bring further midfield reinforcements to Anfield in the New Year.

The 25-year-old has the attributes to fit into Liverpool's high-intensity, possession-based system adopted by Rodgers since his arrival, although they may have to fend off interest from Arsenal should the Reds formalize an approach.

Liverpool Striker Target Linked With Italian Return

AC Milan could rival Liverpool for the signature of prolific Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, reports talkSPORT.

The 29-year-old - who spent a season at the San Siro before moving to the Bundesliga in 2010 - has been linked with a host of top European clubs, as he continues his scintillating scoring form.

In addition, Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo is one manager believed to be considering an attempt to sign Huntelaar, as Fernando Torres continues to flounder at Stamford Bridge.

However, Chelsea could face direct Premier League competition for his signature, as Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers plans to strengthen his Anfield attack in January.

The Dutch international has scored 40 league goals during a two-year stint in Germany, but will be out of contract at the end of the season, meaning Schalke could be forced to sell him, in order to avoid losing Huntelaar on a free transfer next summer.

According to sources in Italy, the forward could make a shock return to Serie A, with Milan languishing in mid-table, and on the lookout for a new striker, in a bid to fill the void left by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint Germain in August.

Match Report: Everton 2 - 2 Liverpool

Luis Suarez was controversially denied an injury-time winner as Liverpool had to settle for a Merseyside derby draw with Everton.

Suarez reacted first to fire into the roof of the net with time almost up only to see his effort ruled out by the assistant referee, who adjudged him offside.

Television replays immediately showed the former Ajax striker was onside as he poked the ball beyond Tim Howard for what would have been his hat-trick.

Earlier, Everton displayed all the qualities which have kept them in the top four this season as Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Goodison Park.

When Suarez headed in his sixth goal in eight league matches in the 20th minute, after Leighton Baines had earlier turned the Uruguay international's cross-shot into his own net, the Reds appeared in control.

However, in a pulsating first half Leon Osman pulled one back almost immediately before Steven Naismith equalized 10 minutes before half-time.

The remaining 55 minutes subsequently failed to match what had gone before, and although both sides could have won it after the break, the point was enough to keep Everton in fourth, six points ahead of their near-neighbours.

Liverpool fielded five derby debutants - Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom, Nuri Sahin, Suso and Joe Allen - with Everton having just two in Kevin Mirallas and Naismith.

That may have contributed to what was a first 45 minutes so open it belied its history of being the oldest and longest-running cross-city rivalry in English football.

Suarez opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Steven Gerrard's pass sent Jose Enrique, on his first start since October 2, racing down the left and although his cross flashed through the six-yard area it was collected by the Uruguay international, whose drilled cross-shot return was deflected in by Baines.

His reaction was to race to the dug-out and dive full-length - in a celebration reminiscent of Jurgen Klinsmann's for his debut goal in English football in 1994 - in front of Toffees boss David Moyes after his pre-match comments about players going to ground easily.

Ironically, later in the half, it was one of Moyes' own players Phil Neville who was booked for diving on the edge of Liverpool's penalty area.

That prompted a swift retort from injured Reds defender Glen Johnson on Twitter.

"Haha classic P Neville battering Luis for diving, then what does he gets booked for....?! Haha," he wrote.

Six minutes later Osman's slight trip on Sterling presented Gerrard with the chance to curl in a free-kick and Suarez's deft header helped the ball past Tim Howard and into the far corner of the net.

For a team whose problems in scoring were well documented, things seemed to be going better than expected for Brendan Rodgers' side.

But Everton have not forced their way into the top four this season on a wing and a prayer, and they produced an instant response.

When goalkeeper Brad Jones, still deputizing for the recovering Jose Reina who was on the bench, could only punch a corner to the edge of the area, Osman controlled and volleyed home.

The game, surprisingly, became even more open with Suarez shooting just wide before Marouane Fellaini, back from injury after two matches out, ran the ball out of play as he bore down on goal when teed up by Nikica Jelavic.

Derbies can do strange things to people - highlighted by Neville's diving aberration - and the sight of Tim Howard, one of football's genuine nice guys, hurtling out of his goal in an attempt to get 17-year-old Sterling sent off for what he thought was a second bookable offence was ungentlemanly and unnecessary.

But the hosts soon put the focus back on football when Fellaini's cross was left by Martin Skrtel and Naismith nipped in front of Enrique to equalize from close range.

Everton poured forward with the excellent Mirallas marauding down the left against the inexperience of Wisdom and Sterling.

The Belgian had one shot turned away by Jones and another blocked by Skrtel after a brilliant turn took him past Wisdom, reluctant to make a challenge in the penalty area, while Seamus Coleman also blazed over.

After such a rousing 45 minutes, the second half failed to live up to those standards.

Everton suffered a blow when Mirallas failed to appear after the break and was replaced by Magaye Gueye while Rodgers made a tactical switch by bringing on Sebastian Coates, another derby debutant, and Jonjo Shelvey to go 3-4-1-2.

Chances continued to be created with Sterling clipping an excellent chance wide having been put through by Enrique while Jelavic, surprisingly quiet in such an open game, just failed to connect in the six-yard box before heading wide Leighton Baines' free-kick wide.

Suarez, never far from the action, was fortunate to escape with a yellow card after standing on Sylvain Distin's Achilles after the ball had gone.

Gerrard had a shot blocked by Phil Jagielka before Suarez was incorrectly denied an injury-time winner.

Gerrard Bemoans Controversial Decisions

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes the Reds have every reason to feel sorry for themselves after controversial striker Luis Suarez was denied a late winner in the Merseyside derby draw at Goodison Park on Sunday.

David Moyes’ side overturned a two-goal deficit to grab a draw in a high quality encounter at Goodison Park, but Liverpool can count themselves unlucky not to have taken all three points as Uruguyan striker Suarez had the ball in the net in the closing minutes only to see his effort ruled out by the linesman’s flag.

Earlier Everton had equalized following a throw which should have gone to the visitors.

“I’ve seen it (Suarez’s disallowed goal) again and we can feel sorry ourselves because it was a clear goal,” Gerrard said.

“We should have taken away the three points rather than just one. There is no offside and it’s difficult for me to explain it. The only person who can explain it is the linesman.

“I asked him after the game if it was offside and he said ‘I think so’. That’s not good enough. If every decision in this league is based on ‘we think so’ then we’re in trouble.

“The linesman got it badly wrong. The benefit of the doubt is supposed to go to the attacking player anyway.

“And for their second goal, it’s a clear throw-in to us. The linesman (not the one who flagged Suarez offside) gives us the throw but the referee (Andre Marriner) saw something different.

“He gave Everton the throw and their second goal came from that.”