The recriminations over Liverpool’s defeat away to Wigan Athletic continued on Tuesday but they will not include a Football Association charge against their captain, Steven Gerrard, for allegedly flicking a ‘V-sign’ at referee Andre Marriner.
Liverpool reacted quickly to deny the claim, which followed Gerrard’s booking in the 82nd minute, after which he also mouthed an obscenity, for a heavy challenge on Wigan’s James McCarthy during the 1-0 loss.
The FA, it is understood, accept Liverpool’s version of events that Gerrard was not gesturing at Marriner. Indeed the midfielder was making the point that he had been brought down twice in bad tackles and there had been no sanction while he was annoyed at being cautioned. He was not specifically targeting the official.
Marriner saw the reaction of Gerrard, who captained England last week and could do without being attached to such controversy, and did not deem it worthy of further punishment while the FA have not asked the referee to reconsider the incident after receiving his match report and speaking to him. Read more »
Rafael Benitez couldn’t hide his disappointment after Liverpool crashed to a 1-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium.
A solitary strike from Hugo Rodallega was enough to give Roberto Martinez’s side all three points - and the Reds boss cited a below par first-half display as the main catalyst behind the loss.
“I have to be really disappointed and I can’t be happy after losing a game like that,” the boss told his post-match press conference.
“In the first half we didn’t do anything and we kept giving the ball away. We didn’t win any first or second balls and it was difficult to explain.
“We talked about our first-half performance during the break and in the second half our attitude was much better, but it still wasn’t enough.
“We had some chances but we didn’t play well enough. Everybody is really low after the game.
“It was a question of our attitude in the first half. The players showed their character in the second half. Sometimes we were in too much of a hurry with our play in the second half, but at least we showed character. Read more »
Jamie Carragher has revealed that he would be prepared to walk away from Liverpool if he is not offered a new contract.
Carragher has spent his entire professional career at Anfield and made his 600th appearance for the club earlier this season.
He remains happy with the Reds and the most loyal of servants, but there will only be one year remaining on his present deal when the current campaign finishes.
Negotiations have yet to begin about a renewal, although that could change in the summer as Liverpool are keen to let Carragher focus on playing before looking at his future.
But the 32-year-old has previously admitted that the time might come when he drops out of the starting XI and would have to start considering his options.
And Carragher insists he would not hesitate to join another club if Liverpool decide they no longer want him.
“The club will give me a new contract if they want to,” he told the Sunday Times. Read more »
Rafa Benitez is confident Javier Mascherano and Pepe Reina will sign new contracts before the summer.
The club has held discussions with both players over new deals – and Benitez believes talks are nearing a conclusion.
Asked if a deal would be struck with Mascherano before the end of the season, the boss said: “I think so.
“I was talking with him and his agent the other day and it is true Javier is happier.
“The conversations were very positive. When you talk with Javier he is very settled and happy.
“Everyone knew about some clubs (being interested in him) but talking with us he was fine.”
On Reina, Benitez added: “Pepe is another key player and it is 100 per cent he will continue with us.
“Everything is very close. I think we will have news about Reina and Mascherano very soon.”
Source: Liverpoolfc.tv
LIVERPOOL were today given a massive boost after Pepe Reina agreed a new long-term deal – now the club are hoping Javier Mascherano will follow suit.
Rafa Benitez has been desperate to get the future of his influential goalkeeper sorted out and he will be delighted that talks with Reina’s advisors have now reached a successful conclusion.
Signed from Villarreal in the summer of 2005, the Spanish international has been one of Benitez’s biggest success stories and is currently on course to win his fourth ‘Golden Gloves’ – the Premier League award for most clean sheets in a season.
There has never been any suggestion that Reina, 27, was looking to move away from Anfield – on more than one occasion he has reiterated his commitment to the club – but Benitez wanted him to have a deal that recognised his standing.
That is now the case and once Reina returns back to Merseyside following Spain’s friendly with France tomorrow night, the formalities of putting pen-to-paper on the contract that will take him through to the end of 2014/15 campaign. Read more »
Liverpool have confirmed Martin Skrtel has broken a metatarsal in his right foot.
Skrtel sustained the foot injury during his side’s Europa League win over Unirea Urziceni on Thursday night
Scans have confirmed Liverpool’s worst fears with the Slovakian breaking a bone in his foot which is set to sideline him for several weeks.
Reds boss Rafa Benitez
admitted it was a major blow to lose the big defender.
“We were really disappointed after the game because it was a good result but then we had the bad news about Martin,” Benitez told the club’s official website. “He’s had X-rays today and they confirmed he has a broken metatarsal.
“We have to check over the next couple of days how long it will take to recover.”
Liverpool have been handed a positive piece of injury news with the confirmation that Glen Johnson is back in light training after recovering from a knee injury which has sidelined him since December.
Johnson will not be available for this weekend’s game with Blackburn, but could be back in the reckoning for the trip to Wigan on 8th March. Read more »
Daniel Agger today reflected on making his 100th appearance for Liverpool and declared: ‘I hope to reach 200 even quicker.’
The Dane racked up his century for the Reds in Thursday’s victory over Unirea Urziceni, but believes he would have attained the milestone sooner had it not been for injuries.
“To play 100 games for Liverpool is a big thing for me,” Agger told Liverpoolfc.tv.
“To do it in four years means I’ve averaged 25 games a year, which is okay but I think I could have done it sooner without the injuries. But that’s the way it is.
“I hope I can get to 200 quicker. That’s definitely my target, but again it’s something I can’t control.”
Agger’s 100th run out came in the Europa League and while the centre-back concedes Liverpool are disappointed not to still be in the running for Champions League glory, he insists no-one at Anfield is feeling sorry for themselves.
Instead, the 25-year-old states Rafael Benitez’s charges will be doing all they can to bring some silverware back to L4 this season.
Reflecting on the Reds’ Champions League exit, he said: “We weren’t good enough, so we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. It’s our mistake and we just have to get the best out of the competition we’re in now. Read more »
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has admitted Glen Johnson is close to a return, but he will not be rushed back.
The Reds defender has been sidelined since suffering medial knee ligament damage in December, missing his side’s poor run of form this year.
The England international was a mainstay in the Liverpool team before his injury suffered against Aston Villa, making 17 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring twice.
And like returning striker Fernando Torres, Benitez says he will be eased back into contention.
“Johnson is very close,” he said. “I think next week he will be training with the team, or maybe at the end of the week, but it will be the same situation we have with Torres.
“He will need time and we will introduce him little by little.”
The Reds travel to Romania on Thursday to face Unirea Urziceni in the Europa League.
Taking a lead into the away leg after a 1-0 win at Anfield, Liverpool will be favourites to progress, and Benitez hopes there will be more opportunities to attack. Read more »
Steven Gerrard has named Zinedine Zidane as his all-time favourite footballer – claiming he could learn much from the French ‘genius’.
The Real Madrid and Juventus legend last year hailed our skipper as the world’s best player, and in an interview with FIFA.com Gerrard revealed the feeling was mutual.
“My favourite player of all time is Zinedine Zidane,” said the Scouser. “Just to see him play – the way he moves, the way he controls the ball, the way he passes – is an absolute privilege and there’s so much you can learn from that guy, he’s a genius with the ball.
“From an England point of view, there is Gazza. I like watching gifted players who are skilful, and Gazza is probably one of the most skilful English players there’s even been, so I would pick those two.”
Meanwhile, Gerrard is ready to take a crucial penalty if required at this summer’s World Cup despite missing in the shoot-out with Portugal in 2006.
He said: “I think, having missed the penalty, I’ll probably be a bit more composed next time and take my time a bit more.
“I’ll work that little bit harder in training to make sure I know what I’m going to be doing. It all happened really fast in 2006 and I felt after the penalties that I should have taken my time more. Read more »
Rafael Benitez insists Liverpool will adopt an attacking mentality in their attempt to bring Manchester City’s undefeated home record to an end on Sunday.
The Reds make the short journey to Eastlands this weekend looking to overtake Roberto Mancini’s fourth place side in the Barclays Premier League table by claiming three points.
And Benitez acknowledges a Liverpool victory can make a real statement of intent in the race for Champions League football.
“It will be a very important game for both teams,” the boss told reporters. “We know from our positions we are both fighting with Tottenham and Aston Villa, so we have to keep going until the end (of the season).
“We will try to win. If you cannot, it is better not to lose, but the main thing for us is to try and win.
“We will try to attack and we know we will have to score goals if we want to win.
“You never know how you can win – sometimes it is counter-attack, sometimes it is attacking, so we will try to find the right balance.
“They are an attacking team and we will have to attack too, so I think it will be more open (than against Unirea).” Read more »
