Failure to make it into the lucrative competition would be potentially disastrous for American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks as they continue their attempts to find fresh investment in the club which will enable them to mount a serious challenge to Manchester United and Chelsea next season.

Qualifying for Europe’s premier club competition is also vital if they want to attract new players and retain the services of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, as well as Benitez himself, who remains on the wanted list of Real Madrid and Juventus.

Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Birmingham on Sunday left Benitez’s team four points behind Manchester City, having played a game more than Roberto Mancini’s men.

Benitez’s side took the lead through Gerrard early in the second half but Liam Ridgewell equalised soon after.

Now Benitez concedes the Reds can no longer make any more mistakes if they are to claim the last Champions League spot.

“Before we did not have much of a margin for mistakes, now we have even less. We had to win our last six games before this, now we have to win five,” he said.

“Fourth place is very difficult, but we have to keep going because there are still a lot of points to play for.

“We have to believe that we can win all our games and we have to have confidence that our rivals will lose games.”

Benitez is banking on City, Spurs and Aston Villa, who all have tougher run-ins cancelling each other out in the scramble for fourth. He also feels Liverpool’s experience of high-stakes matches could prove a crucial advantage.

“Maybe the fact that we have experience in getting into the Champions League will be good for us and it is new for other teams. Now it is a challenge for us to win all our remaining games,” he said.

After a tiring defeat against Benfica in the first leg of their Europa League quarter final in Lisbon on Thursday, Benitez substituted leading scorer Torres 25 minutes from time and the striker looked less than impressed with the decision.

Benitez also has one eye on the return leg against Benfica at Anfield on Thursday when Liverpool have to will try to overturn a 2-1 deficit and he insisted the ice pack on the knee of the Spanish international was nothing to alarm fans.

“Fernando was exhausted. He was very, very tired and that is why I substituted him. Also it was to protect his knee. He was unhappy to come off because he wanted to help the team win, but we needed fresh legs,” he added.

Liverpool are not the only top six side to leave Birmingham with less than three points this season.

Both Manchester clubs, Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs all failed to defeat Alex McLeish’s competitive side, who have not been beaten in front of their own fans since September.

“The players deserve great credit for that record. The fans deserve a pat on the back too. They have helped us make our ground a cauldron this season,” McLeish said.

“We made it hard for Liverpool, just like we make it hard for everyone. We want to win in front of our own fans.”

Source: Supersport.co.za

The pain felt around Anfield following on Wednesday’s shock extra-time FA Cup defeat by second division Reading, was compounded Thursday by news that Torres, Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun had all sustained injuries during the 2-1 extra-time loss.

Torres, who lasted barely half an hour at Anfield, faces the longest lay-off of the trio.

The Spain striker is set to be sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury while inspirational club captain Gerrard, substituted at half-time, is expected to be out for a fortnight with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Israeli playmaker Benayoun – one of Liverpool’s better players in a terrible season so far for the Merseysiders – sustained a fractured rib against Reading and could be unavailable for at least a month.

Torres is to undergo an operation but England midfielder Gerrard may not need surgery.

“Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres both underwent scans earlier today (Thursday) after coming off in the FA Cup tie against Reading,” a Liverpool spokesman said.

“Steven has a hamstring strain and will be out for a fortnight, while Fernando has torn a cartilage in his right knee. The injury will require surgery and he is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

“Yossi Benayoun also suffered a fractured rib in the game and will be unavailable for between three and four weeks.”

The trio will miss this weekend’s match against Stoke and the subsequent Premier League encounters with Tottenham and Wolves but the Reds will hope to have Gerrard back in time to face Bolton on January 30.

But the extent of Torres’s injury means he is set to miss next month’s Merseyside derby against Everton and February’s league match with Arsenal as well as the fixture with high-flyers Manchester City.

As well as being a blow to Liverpool, Torres’s injury will be a concern to European champions Spain ahead of this year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

The injury setbacks came as pressure grew on Benitez, with former Liverpool captain Ronnie Whelan calling for the Spaniard to be sacked.

“He should have gone a long time ago,” Whelan told the BBC. “They have got to do it now.”

Liverpool started the season fancied to end the club’s 20-year-wait for the English title but they are currently 12 points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Benitez recently “guaranteed” the five-times European Cup winners would finish in the top four and so qualify for next season’s Champions League but they are currently seventh in the table, having already crashed out of this season’s tournament at the group stage.

Now the only chance Liverpool, desperate for finance but hampered by the stand-off between feuding American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, have of winning a trophy this season rests with the Europa Cup.

It was only last year that Benitez signed a contract extension that is set to keep him with Liverpool until 2014 and doubts remain over whether, even if they wanted to sack him the club would be willing to afford the multi-million pounds pay-off they would have to give the Spaniard.

A defiant Benitez, speaking after the Reading match, said he’d got used to criticism.

“For three months everyone was talking about me. At the end, as a manager you have to be disappointed but then move forward and think about Stoke on Saturday,” added the Spaniard, who has been in charge at Anfield since 2004.

“We are frustrated but you have to carry on.”

And as the knives were being sharpened, Benitez did at least receive support from former Liverpool striker John Aldridge.

“We can turn the tide, I don’t think to get rid of Rafa now is the answer,” he told Sky Sports.

Source: supersport.co.za

Saturday’s setback was Liverpool’s fifth reverse in just 11 Premier League fixtures and they trail leaders Chelsea by nine points, with champions Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham all ahead of them in the table.

Benitez also has Champions League qualification to secure and cannot afford another defeat on Wednesday away to French club Lyon, who earlier in the competition won 2-1 at Anfield.

Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, the undisputed top talents in his squad, are both struggling for fitness so Benitez is not short of problems.

“In football you have to keep calm and try to find solutions,” the Spaniard insisted.

“We have to think about what we have to do now. We have too many injuries and I have to analyse how many players I have available.”

Torres netted a fine equaliser to cancel out Bobby Zamora’s opener for the home side but was taken off after 65 minutes with the score at 1-1.

Not long afterwards substitute Erik Nevland put Fulham back ahead with a cheeky back-heel and Liverpool found themselves down to nine men after first Philipp Degen and then captain Jamie Carragher were shown straight red cards. United States international Clint Dempsey wrapped up the scoring late on.

Benitez attempted to justify his decision to rest Torres on the grounds a similar policy had worked last week against Manchester United, when he scored the first goal in a 2-0 victory.

“We decided to play Fernando against United and that was difficult because he was not 100 percent fit. Afterwards he needed four days to recover,” explained the manager.

“I took him off because we don’t want to lose an important player like Fernando for one month.”

Benitez also made it clear he would appeal against both red cards, with Degen having been found guilty of a reckless lunge at Dempsey and Carragher hauling Zamora down to prevent him going clear.

“We will have to appeal. The first one was, for me, a yellow card and the other one it was clear that ‘Carra’ was kicking the ball. I saw it on a replay. Two incidents in a few minutes when we were losing was difficult to take.”

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson had little sympathy for Degen however.

“I’m not a referee but we know you are not allowed to lunge at players and if you do in a fairly aggressive way – and don’t take the ball – then there’s a good chance of something happening to you,” he said.

Reflecting on the match, Hodgson added: “Every time you take a scalp like Liverpool’s you’ve got to be happy.”

Damien Duff’s inability to last longer than half time was a disappointment for Fulham but Hodgson was hopeful the Republic of Ireland winger would not have to miss the forthcoming World Cup play-off double header with France, although he would play no part in Thursday’s Europa League game in Rome.

“It’s an injury he has been struggling with for a while,” he said. “It stems from his Achilles, although it’s a little bit more complicated than that.”

“There is no way I would even consider him for Roma. I will ask the medical staff to take as long as they need to try to get him back into shape as quickly as they can.

“And if he’s fit for next Sunday then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t play for the Republic. It is very hard stopping Damien Duff playing for the Republic of Ireland. You have to lock him in a cage.”

Xabi Alonso

The Spaniard spent five successful seasons at Anfield before leaving for Real Madrid in a £30million move this summer.

However Reds manager Rafa Benitez tried to offload the 27-year-old 12 months ago to raise money for prospective signings, in particular Gareth Barry.

At the time the former Real Sociedad ace had struggled for form making just 16 Premier League starts in 2007/08 but an outstanding campaign last time out saw Real lodge their interest.

Despite handing in a transfer request in July ,Alonso admitted that he had decided to leave the club after they had tried to sell him against his wishes a year previous.

“It was a very difficult decision for me to make,” he told Sky Sports News.

“After five years I have experienced wonderful nights at Anfield, to have experienced the support of probably the best fans in the world.

“That’s why I have always been very grateful and I will always have them in my mind and it has been a pleasure.

“Last summer the club proposed me that I might have to be sold to find funds for new players.

“It was a difficult decision or difficult moment to accept that. I accepted that as a professional and that moment probably changed my mind and I thought that maybe from that moment that maybe it was time for a change.”

Alonso has since admitted that his relationship with Benitez deteriorated when he demanded to leave but the Spanish international reveals that their relationship was always a professional one.

“There has been a lot of rumours but I have always said that it has been simply a professional relationship,” he added.

“I have always tried to do what he asked to do. What he asked of me on the pitch to do the talking on the pitch and that’s that as far as that.”

Source: football365.com

Rafa Benitez

Liverpool finished second last term after amassing a club record 86 points in the Premier League, but the Anfield faithful will want to go one better this time around.

The Reds are desperate to end their 20-year wait for the championship crown and Benitez believes his squad is strong enough to beat any of their rivals, but concedes there is still room for improvement.

“You have to do everything almost perfectly because in the Premier League you cannot lose many games,” Benitez told the Liverpool Echo.

“You need a good atmosphere, and we have a good squad now.

“The understanding is really good now between the players. The main thing for me is to be contenders.

“We have to be there in the top four and close, then see what happens.

“Chelsea, United and Arsenal are very strong, and this year you’ll have Tottenham, Aston Villa and City. It’s clearly the most difficult league.

“We are strong enough to beat anyone and we need to be consistent.

“We got 86 points – a record for the club in the Premier League – but we still need to improve. But we have a lot of confidence.”

Source: teamtalk.com

Torres, who has scored 16 times for his club this season, missed Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Newcastle after suffering a hamstring problem in training on the eve of the Anfield match.

His compatriot Alonso did start but was forced off after falling victim to a shocking challenge by Newcastle’s Liverpool-born midfielder Joey Barton which saw him sent off.

Alonso left the pitch on a stretcher but Benitez played down fears that the midfielder will miss the final three matches of the season.

He also insisted Torres could have featured on the substitutes bench but decided not to gamble his fitness at such a crucial stage in the season.

“Torres had a problem with his hamstring and in the end we decided to leave him out of the squad,” said Benitez, after goals by Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt and Lucas halved United’s lead at the top of the table to three points.

“We had to decide whether to put him on the bench because to start with him would have been very dangerous.

“If he had been on the bench he would have needed a proper warm up and that is also a risk. We thought it best to leave him out altogether.”

Benitez said he was hopeful Torres will be fit enough to start next Saturday’s game at West Ham, a match Liverpool must win if they are to pip United for the title.

“Alonso took a heavy knock but he should be ok in a few days,” added Benitez, who also comfirmed Javier Mascherano has suffered a twisted ankle.

“I can’t comment on the tackle (on Alonso). I didn’t see it. It was too far away.”

United remain clear favourites to win the title as they have an extra game in hand. But Liverpool have won seven of the last eight league games and Benitez is refusing to concede defeat in the race for the Premier League.

“Manchester United are a good team with big players. But they have to make two big mistakes but we are there to take advantage if they do,” he added.

While Liverpool remain in the hunt for the title, Newcastle are in serious trouble of being relegated after 16 successive seasons in the top tier.

Caretaker manager Alan Shearer could not hide his anger at Barton for his red card which will rule him out of the last three matches of the season.

It was Barton’s first game since the end of January after suffering a metatarsal injury.

“The sending off was the correct decision,” said Shearer, who is set to fine Barton two weeks’ wages.

“We will miss him for the rest of the season. I’m not happy about it. I feel he’s let me down, the club down and he’s let himself down without any doubt.

“You can’t say he was unlucky. It was the right decision and he’s apologised.”

Newcastle are three points adrift of safety with three games remaining. Their next match is against fellow strugglers and north east rivals Middlesbrough on May 11.

“That match will go a long way to deciding our future,” added Shearer. “The Liverpool game was always going to be difficult.

“But as far as we’re concerned it’s gone. We’ve forgotten about it and we’re now focused on getting ready for a massive game against Middlesbrough next Monday.

“It’s the biggest game of my Newcastle carerer. It’s the biggest game for anyone involved in the club now.”

Source: soccernews.com

Benitez’s side trail 3-1 from the first leg at Anfield last week and need an heroic peformance in west London to reach the semifinals.

History is against Liverpool, who have never won away from home in Europe against an English team and have not scored three goals at Stamford Bridge since 1989 when they won 5-2.

As if that wasn’t enough to discourage Liverpool, they will also have to become the first team to score three times at the Bridge in a European match.

But Liverpool are no strangers to European miracles under Benitez. Their most famous comeback was in the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan when they fought back from 3-0 down to beat the Italian team on penalties.

Liverpool have already won 1-0 at Chelsea this season, while Bolton scored three times in their defeat there on Saturday and Benitez believes the Reds can produce another Istanbul-style revival on Tuesday.

“The experience of Istanbul will help us, it shows you can come back from a big score. And it is important to realise that Bolton scored three there on Saturday, anything can happen,” Benitez said on Monday.

“We have already won at Stamford Bridge this season. We ended their long unbeaten home record and that is a massive boost to our confidence.

“We can do it, if we work together and we score in the first half. If we do not do that it becomes increasingly more difficult, mentally.

“If we score a second goal then they will be under real pressure. But we know we must be almost perfect.

“People have written us off. Maybe we have nothing to lose, which means we can be positive, relax and hopefully then not make mistakes.

“We want to score an early goal, that is very important. But we will need to be calm and not lose our concentration. Bolton scored three, so it can be done, but Chelsea had already scored four, so you can see how hard it is to beat them at Stamford Bridge.

“Chelsea are a very good team and it will be very difficult, but we have been scoring a lot of goals against Manchester United, Real Madrid, Aston Villa and now Blackburn, so our form is very good.”

Benitez is ready to risk captain Steven Gerrard after resting the midfielder in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Blackburn to aid his recovery from a groin injury.

“Steven is getting better, he will train with the squad and we will make a decision nearer the match. Obviously we want him in the side, winning is easier with him than without him,” Benitez added.

“Everything can change if he can play, and plays well, and it is not a massive risk if we use him.”

Benitez, who will also have Javier Mascherano available after the Argentina midfielder missed the first leg through suspension, was encouraged by the way his side destroyed Blackburn so soon after the Chelsea defeat.

“The team produced a superb display, scored plenty of goals and certainly showed that we can score three goals in a match,” he said.

“And Blackburn have a lot of very tall players, and we handled that well, and that gives us another positive message ahead of the second leg.”

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina agrees with Benitez that the Istanbul triumph – which came before he joined the club – is the perfect inspiration.

“Istanbul should be the inspiration for us. We know that the tie is really difficult, but still we have hope,” Reina said. “We know already that if anyone can turn this around, it’s Liverpool.

“We have to attack and score three goals. Even if we concede one, we’ll have the chance to go to extra-time.

“We won 4-1 at Man United this season and no-one expected us to do that. We know already it’s going to be almost impossible, but if there’s someone who can do it, it’s going to be Liverpool.”

Source + Pic: supersport.co.za

The former Valencia boss, who led the Reds to Champions League glory in 2005, has been in contract talks with the club for much of the season. He told the club’s website: “My heart is with Liverpool Football Club, so I’m delighted to sign this new deal. “I love the club, the fans and the city and with a club like this and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying.

“I always made clear I wanted to be here for a long time and when I complete my new contract it will mean I have spent over a decade in Liverpool.

“The club is greatly respected around the world due to its incredible history and tremendous heritage. It is my aim to uphold those values and help create a new chapter in our history.

“Throughout this process, I would like to thank the owners for their hard work in finalising the deal. All of us at the club want the same thing, which is to be successful by winning major trophies.”

Joint-owner Tom Hicks said: “It is wonderful news that Rafa has made a long-term commitment to the club. Since he became manager in 2004, he has been responsible for the great progress we have made.

“I know he will continue to build on his achievements as he has a tremendous hunger and desire to bring more success to the club – success our fans and everyone connected with the club deserves.”

Gillett added: “With Rafa continuing to manage the team, we can look forward to more great football and success on the pitch.

“He has special abilities and qualities which are admired here at the club and around the world.

“Coming after our excellent wins over Real Madrid and Manchester United, this gives us great momentum going into the final stages of the season.”

Source: teamtalk.com

Pic: footballingworld.com

He was not a regular starter and was surprisingly left on the substitutes’ bench at times when he appeared to be a good option for the Reds. Keane, who secured a swift move back to Tottenham in the winter transfer window, insists he made the right decision to join Liverpool. But he admits he was perhaps not suited to working with Benitez, and has hinted that he would have liked to be treated with more respect.

“Of course I wish it had gone differently, but I have no regrets,” Keane told Icon magazine.

“I do believe with a different manager it would have worked for me, but different managers have different methods and some have different ideas than those you are used to or believe in.

“People have their own opinions of Benitez. I have nothing against him and will leave people to make their own minds up about him.

“When you’ve been around for a while as a player, all you want is a bit of respect and to be treated the way you feel you deserve to be.”

Keane claims the best manager he has ever played under is Gordon Strachan, who signed him for Coventry in 1999. Keane was still a teenager when he joined the Sky Blues and he believes Strachan helped him fulfil his potential.

“My time at Coventry was very important,” Keane explained.

“I got to work with Gordon Strachan, the best manager I have ever played for.

“He is a fantastic man-manager who has always known how to get the best out of a player.”

Source: football365.com

But despite this latest setback in Liverpool’s bid to end their nineteen-year title drought, manager Benitez insisted they still live in hope of overhauling Sir Alex Ferguson‘s European champions.

“It is clearly more difficult for us now. We have to win against Middlesbrough and Sunderland if we are to win the trophy,” Benitez said.

“This is a bad result because we could have done better with our first-half chances. I have confidence that we can still do it, though.

“We just need to win against Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

“It is not easy to say that United will slip up, but there are still 12 games left to play, so it is not finished yet. It is clear that we will have to go to Old Trafford and beat them, though.

“United can clearly win games with their quality, but if they lose, we have to win and be there to take advantage.”

Liverpool must now put domestic issues to one side as they prepare for Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 first-leg clash against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu.

And Benitez admitted that there is still doubt as to whether captain Steven Gerrard will recover from a three-week hamstring lay-off in time to face the nine-time European champions.

“We will see about Gerrard on Monday. He has to train and we will then chat with him and the doctor,” Benitez said. “He is improving, but it is not easy to say.”

City were unfortunate not to end their six-month wait for an away league victory. Alvaro Arbeloa’s own goal on 51 minutes was the least they deserved and the visitors could have scored more.

Craig Bellamy’s performance against his former club was key to their impressive efforts and boss Hughes admitted that the Wales international had a point to prove to Liverpool.

“You always get players wanting to do well against their former clubs and Craig is no exception in that sense,” Hughes said.

“He is a proud man and he probably feels that he didn’t get a fair crack of the whip when he was here at Liverpool.

“But he is a quality player and he has done extremely well for me in the short time that he has been at the club.”

Hughes, a two-time title winner during his playing days at Manchester United, admitted that his former club are now in pole position to win the league after this result.

“There are still games to go, so Liverpool can come back, but they will be looking at United to slip up for that to happen,” he said.

“United don’t look like slipping up very often, though, so it is going to be difficult for Liverpool now.”

In the first half, Liverpool were simply awful. Gerrard’s absence left a huge hole behind lone striker Fernando Torres and it was not filled well by the lightweight Israeli, Yossi Benayoun, who failed miserably to trouble City goalkeeper Shay Given and his back four.

City were in confident mood, though, and it did not take long for them to be rewarded after half-time.

Robinho’s pass to Vincent Kompany sprung the offside trap and the Belgian midfielder pulled the ball back for Bellamy, whose shot beat Jose Reina via a wicked deflection off Arbeloa.

It was a deserved opener and City grew in stature, with Ireland having a goal ruled out for offside before Robinho sent a free-kick narrowly wide.

But out of nowhere, Kuyt hauled Liverpool level on 78 minutes with a close-range strike.

Source: supersport.co.za

Pic: thesun.co.uk