Champions League Preview: Chelsea vs Liverpool

By Gareth Freeman

If ever there was a definition for an ‘uphill task’ it would have to be this game. Stranger things have happened though and Liverpool’s Champions League dream is not over yet, I’m not going to be betting on them going through but bigger comebacks have been staged and if anyone is capable of a pulling it off it is Rafa’s side.

Before the weekend no one had scored three goals against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but then Bolton came to town. Granted the Wanderers went 4-0 down before they managed to get their own three goals but it goes too show the Chelski defence is not impenetrable. Liverpool managed to put four past Blackburn themselves and all without Steven Gerrard, Blackburn are by no means the same standard as Chelsea but that game will certainly have given the Reds a boost.

The key to Chelsea’s victory in the last game was Michael Essien man-marking Gerrard, I expect the same to happen again and if Liverpool are too upset the betting odds and progress they’re going to need to combat Essien. If Gerrard is given a free-role and Essien follows him around the pitch I’m sure Rafa will have thought of some way of dealing with it, Benitez is a great tactician and I’m fairly sure he won’t be caught by the same trick twice.

Liverpool might have to rely on other players to create and get forward if Gerrard is marked out the game. Yossi Benayoun is a player who is capable of delivering on the big occasions and he could be the man to ignite Liverpool’s comeback. I’ve been really impressed by the Israeli since the turn of the year and his winner against Fulham in the dying stages showed how well he copes under pressure. Having Mascherano back will also be a massive boost for Liverpool and he was sorely missed in the first leg, hopefully he’ll be able to contain the Chelsea attack as Liverpool can’t afford to concede more than one goal.

Needless to say Liverpool do face a daunting task of having too score three goals at Stamford Bridge. The earlier they can put one away the better and it will set up a great game. My worry is that Chelsea will line up to defend and stop Liverpool going forward rather than attack themselves and just close the game off for the whole 90 minutes. One thing is for sure though, everyone will have to be at the top of their game if Liverpool are too make it through to the semi final stage.

Move On, With Hope in Your Heart

Liverpool 1 (Torres 6)
Chelsea 3 (Ivanovic 39, 62; Drogba 67)

The score line says it all. A 3-1 defeat at the hands of our old foe, Chelsea, means that Liverpool’s participation in this year’s Champions League is almost over. With the 2nd leg still to play at Stamford Bridge, it looks a more daunting task than claiming this year’s Premiership title.

It is this kind of situation that you hoped the second leg would be at Anfield. But last night, the “12th man” was helpless as they saw Chelsea put the Reds to the sword emphatically.

Despite Liverpool’s league double over them this season, a Chelsea under Guus Hiddink seemed a totally different proposition from the ones put up by former boss, Luiz Filipe Scolari.

To their credit, they played with much conviction, ruthlessness and control. A tinge of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea could be detected last night as they controlled the game well despite conceding an early goal.

With Anfield roaring the home side on, Liverpool found themselves on cloud nine after their number nine, Fernando Torres, volleyed home only after 6 minutes. The Spanish hotshot was able to convert after some good work down the right flank from Dirk Kuyt and Alvaro Arbeloa.

But Chelsea settled their nerves and responded immediately after a mistake from an off-coloured Fabio Aurelio. The Brazilian lost possession in his final third and a rampaging Salomon Kalou found Didier Drogba with a through-ball but the Ivorian striker could only blast it straight into Pepe Reina.

The in-form and revived striker caused the Liverpool defence much problem from then on and should’ve gotten himself a hat trick.

With Michael Essien doing a fantastic job patrolling just ahead of the defence led by John Terry, he effectively rendered Steven Gerrard a pedestrian throughout and the Liverpool captain was unable to link up with Fernando Torres. It was to be a very disappointing night for him.

But there won’t be a more disappointing sight than to see Liverpool conceding cheap goals, such as the two headers Branislav Ivanovic scored through two separate corner kicks.

Once again, Rafa Benitez’s zonal marking will be put to question. No doubt that the Liverpool players lost concentration on both occasion and were made to pay.

After the recent good form from the Reds, scoring a heap-load of goals against Real Madrid, Man Utd and Aston Villa, they found it difficult against a well-organised Chelsea.

Javier Mascherano’s absence was a major blow as replacement, Lucas Leiva, was constantly harried off the ball and was found wanting at times.

Liverpool’s left flank was also in a state of paralysis as they were unable to provide the ammunition while also shaky in defence. Albert Riera’s physical presence was always going to pose a problem for the opponent and therefore, Hiddink’s decision to play Ivanovic at right back was justified as Riera found it difficult against Ivanovic.

Meanwhile, Fabio Aurelio had a stinker. The Brazilian left back was caught out a few times by a marauding Kalou and was outpaced and outsmarted by the Ivorian. No surprise that Benitez had to haul him off before the full 90 minutes.

But to be fair to them, nobody who wore red last night deserved any sort of praise. They looked flat and the title race seemed to have drawn their attention away. It’s alarming to see so many slip ups and lost of concentration at vital areas.

The scoreline will be a bitter taste in the mouth for most Reds but must be relived that Chelsea were unable to capitalise on the mistakes. Sad to say, the scoreline flattered the home team.

With a gargantuan of a task ahead at Stamford Bridge, even the most optimistic Liverpool fan would concede that there won’t be a glimmer of hope this time. Chelsea have put the tie beyond the Reds and probably won’t allow Liverpool put to 3 goals into their net without reply, even without the service of suspended skipper, John Terry.

Of course in football, you win some and you lose some. “Hold your head up high” they sing and you know we will bounce back. I’m hoping to see a spirited reply at Stamford Bridge next week even though hopes seemed to have deserted us on the European front.

And there’s still 7 league games to play, one last shot at glory. Maybe being put out of the competition is a blessing in disguise for the Reds as they can now concentrate their firepower on the final assault for the throne that was lost 20 years ago.

Win or lose, football still offers hope and it is why we called it a beautiful game. Enjoy it in victory and in defeat, we cry and we move on.

Walk on, with hope in your heart!

Champions League Preview: Liverpool vs Chelsea

By Gareth Freeman

It seems almost as if this fixture is a part of the regular football calendar now, rather than a random draw. This is in fact the eighth time these two teams have met in the Champions League and by now we’re all used to watching these two play out some enthralling ties. Chelsea’s semi-final victory over the Reds last year was a dubious one and I’m sure Liverpool will be keen too even the score this time around. Another stat that might give the Anfield faithful a bit of comfort, in four Champions League meetings at Anfield – Chelsea have scored just one goal.

I don’t think it really matter whether you’re at home in the first or second leg to be honest. The best team over two legs will win, its as simple as that. With Liverpool’s current form they should go into this tie as favourites with the sports betting odds but we all know how good Chelsea can be. Guus Hiddink will have to do without Nicolas Anelka though, the Frenchman has been in fine form this season and his presence will surely be missed by the Stamford Bridge side. Didier Drogba missed Chelsea’s victory over Newcastle at the weekend but it looks as if he will be fit for the game at Anfield. Drogba is without doubt a great player but for me he hasn’t been in top-form this season and if he isn’t fully fit he won’t be at the top of his game.

For me there are three players Liverpool need to really get the better of if they are too beat Chelsea – Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech. In Lampard Chelsea have a midfielder almost of the standard of Gerrard (ok, not really but he does score the odd cracker). Lampard is Chelsea’s star man and stopping him will be crucial if Liverpool are to progress to the semi-final stage. Terry has already admitted he is ‘dreading’ marking Gerrard and Torres but if there is a centre-half equipped for the task it is John Terry. If he is on top of his game chances will be few and far between but with Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun Liverpool have the players to make the most of even half-chances. Cech is probably the best keeper in the world and beating him is never going to be easy, lets just hope he doesn’t pull off a wonder game.

In the other Champions League tie on Wednesday night Barcelona welcome Bayern Munich to Camp Nou in a game that will decide Liverpool’s opponents should they progress. Barca and Bayern are the joint top scorers in the competition this year and if you’re betting backing over 2.5 goals might be a good idea. I’ll leave you with one last fact ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Chelsea - in 11 games against English opposition in the competition (inc. last year's final against Manchester United) Chelsea have only won three games. Liverpool's only other English opponent (without Chelsea) in this competition has been Arsenal, who they beat 5-3 on aggregate in last year's quarter finals.

Title Race Down The Wire

Fulham 0
Liverpool 1 (Benayoun 90+1)

Going down the wire seems a good expression of this season’s English Premiership title race but it’s more of an understatement after this weekend’s round of fixtures. Scintillating, fascinating and exhilarating. Those were the words epitomising 2 separate fixtures of the 2 closest title rivals.

Like a classic tug-of-war fashion, nobody seems to be giving up and when pressure seemingly gets on one side, they overcame and lived to fight another day. The battles were won but the outcome of the war is still a mystery.

And any slip-ups now surely will tip the scale. It’s either Man Utd or Liverpool, with Chelsea having an outside chance of sneaking it when nobody’s even talking about Guus Hiddink and his under-performing team.

United were set to face the team that were downed 5-0 by Liverpool last week while the Reds visited Craven Cottage to face the team that helped them a great favor last week after their shock 2-0 win over United.


That was the fascinating factor. In football, when adrenaline pumps and pressure gets on, form goes out the window and statistics doesn’t add up at all.

Villa, who were in dire form of late, visited Old Trafford to face a wounded giant. The humiliating defeat by Liverpool would surely give people the impression that United would have it easy at home as well.

But John Carew begged to defer. But sadly, despite some colossus effort, Villa still went down 3-2 with new kid on the block, Frederico Macheda scoring the winner in the 92nd minute of the game. Mark of the champions? Definitely.

Despite being outplayed at times and losing several key players, United managed to bounce back and avoid an embarrassing 3 games losing streak. The game was played at break-neck pace and it was end to end.

They were also playing after being put under intense pressure by Liverpool, one of those rare occasions where the ball was in Liverpool’s court and they managed to deliver it out. It is not, of course, without some minor hiccups.

Oh, I meant the crossbar and the post.

The last 2 games at Craven Cottage offered a comparison between the 2 title rivals and it’s fairly obvious to us that Liverpool have built up this newfound resilience in them which doesn’t last them to the 70th minute or the 80th minute but right to the end.

When United came and were outplayed, the fragility of their character was apparent. The heavy defeat by Liverpool did the damage and the players lost the plot. Paul Scholes thought he was in the beach of northern France playing beach volleyball while Wayne Rooney thought the corner flag at Craven Cottage had ‘punch me’ written on it.


Despite scoring 2 against Villa last night, the ‘best-player-in-the-world-tm’ showed that he’s the player you’ll want in better days but not on those dark and gloomy ones. A lack of determination and ‘get-stuck-in’ attitude meant that he was more of a liability.

In contrast, Liverpool lived true to the ‘it’s not over till it’s over’ motto made famous by Rocky Balboa. Despite severe frustrations and the seemingly familiar feeling of ‘it’s just not our day’, they fought on and found their deserved glory.

It came in the 91st minute, the 11th time Liverpool found the net beyond the 90th minute, a sign of character and resilience. This time, it was Yossi Benayoun who popped up with the beauty.

The Israeli captain infuriated the Reds camp last week after agreeing to travel for the international games and unsurprisingly, came back with a plaster and some medication for his foot.

The players came back from the international break giving Rafa Benitez some selection problems (not saying that it doesn’t affect Sir Alex but he should blame the red cards instead) but he still was able to field a pretty strong line up.

Eyes were lit up the moment they saw Andrea Dosenna on the left flank. Gerrard and Torres, the golden partnership, was reformed again.

Yet they were not able to put the ball in the net and with Dosenna’s headed balls more attracted to the goal frame and Gerrard’s lacklustre performance, it was probably meant to be yet another bad day at office.
We’ve seen Liverpool done it over the past few seasons when they were put in the driving seat to apply pressure on their rivals but fail to capitalize. This time round, Benayoun decided enough is enough and put an end to this mental blockage and misconception.

The away end of Craven Cottage was bouncing and singing “we’re gonna win the league” and were in raptures. So did Old Trafford 24 hours later. Such emotions and such excitement. With 7 games to go, the margin of error is getting thinner and the neck to neck race will really give fans of both sides the edge of the seat experience.

How many times have we, Liverpool fans, felt this way? Seldom. But finally we’re in it so I say let’s enjoy it. Whether we falter at the end or gain glory, I must say the team has moved on to another level with Rafa Benitez and what we’re going to achieve this season will be a perfect platform for the Reds next season.

Could Barry Be Set For Anfield Move At Last?

By Gareth Freeman

It was one of the longest and most drawn out transfer saga of last summer and in the end Benitez’s attempts to pries Gareth Barry away from Villa Park proved fruitless. He could get him at the second attempt though as Barry has come out and publicly said he would find it hard to stay at Villa if they did not achieve Champions League qualification.

Personally I think Villa have blown their chance to finish in the top-four, they face the daunting task of a visit to Old Trafford at the weekend and I don’t think they’ll get much joy there. The battering Liverpool gave Villa will undoubtedly have affected their confidence and I think it’s a fairly safe soccer bet that the current top-four will all qualify for next season’s Champions League.

There were many problems standing in the way of Benitez signing Barry last summer. The board refused to pay the asking price, Villa boss Martin O’Neill was adamant he would not leave for less than the £18million+ he wanted and Barry had over two years left on his deal. Now the Liverpool board have pledged their support to Rafa, the fee won’t be as high due to the fact he has just 15 months left on his deal and O’Neill seems to have softened his stance somewhat.

The one stumbling block could be Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is also a well known admirer of Villa’s England international but if I were Barry I’d probably opt for Liverpool. They’re perhaps more likely to mount a serious title challenge than the Gunners and Barry would get to partner Steven Gerrard in midfield – making it more likely he will truly cement his place in the England side.

I’m sure Barry would make an excellent addition to Rafa’s team. He has great vision, passing ability and an excellent work-rate. Xabi Alonso may be forced out by Barry’s move but as much as I admire Xabi I think Barry is a better player, just.

Right now though the most important thing for Liverpool fans is the current title race, and what a race it has become. Liverpool can go top on Saturday if they beat Fulham, at least until United play on Sunday anyway, but it won’t be an easy game. Fulham are good at home but in Liverpool’s current form I think they’ll see off the Cottagers and take three vital points. It could be a tight one though; perhaps a one or two nil victory for the Reds, my betting tip would be to go for under 2.5 goals or even the 1-0/2-0 Liverpool win.

Gerrard Ready for Contract Talks

By Gareth Freeman

What a few weeks it has been at Anfield! After a dark period where wins were few and far between, Liverpool picked up by smashing close rivals Manchester United and Aston Villa, off the field Benitez signed a new deal and now ‘captain fantastic’ Steven Gerrard is set to do the same.

Liverpool’s position in the league and Gerrard’s willingness to commit to a new deal show how far the club has come under Rafa’s guidance. There was a time when fears of Gerrard leaving for Chelsea were well founded but now it looks as if he is set to sign, probably for the rest of his career.

Needless to say, having Gerrard committing his long-term future to the club is a massive bonus and even if the title is still a long-shot this season, Liverpool can be safe in the knowledge that they will be serious contenders next season after this season’s showing.

Here are a few snippets from Gerrard’s interview.

"I have never been happier throughout my whole career than I am at the moment," The Liverpool skipper said.

"I have two years left on my contract and if there was a chance to extend it, I am sure I would.

"I am playing in a top team, with world-class players and I believe in the manager. Going forward, I am sure we can be successful."

He added: “I am captain and we are winning. Our relationship (with Benitez) has got stronger as time has gone by.

"For years and years I have moaned about not being involved in a title race and being far away from the others.

"At the moment, I am playing in a team that's capable of beating anyone in the league."

When Rafa first took charge at Anfield he had a tendency to play Gerrard out of position but he has now cemented his role in the middle of the park just behind Torres. His relationship with Benitez to begin with was probably not helped by the fact he held Gerard Houllier in such high regard either. Now the pair are working as a unit, Liverpool are the most successful team in Europe in recent years and they still have a shot at the title.

The sports betting odds on Liverpool winning the league have been slashed from 30/1 to 3/1. United are still favourites with odds of around 1/3 (they were 1/50 at one point I think) but that goes to show how much progress Rafa’s men have made in the last couple of games. I’ve had a look through United’s remaining fixtures and they’ve got to face Arsneal, Spurs and Man City who are sides who have caused United problems over the years. Unfortunately all those games are at Old Trafford and I wouldn’t go betting on United slipping up too often. However, the manner in which Liverpool defeated United at Old Trafford goes to show they’re not invincible there and the race is wide open for the Premier League crown.

Reds Blow Title Race Wide Open

Liverpool 5 (Kuyt 7, Riera 33, Gerrard pen 40, 50, pen 65)
Aston Villa 0

What a fantastic 10 days for the Liverpool fans. They must’ve thought they’re in some kind of dreamland. 13 goals scored against Real Madrid, Man Utd and now, Aston Villa with only 1 conceded.

And what a way for the players to show their willingness to play for Rafa Benitez, after finally signing a new 5 year contract, showing his intent to continue on his good works at Liverpool.

Liverpool were irresistible and totally blew Aston Villa away as the visitors stood absolutely no chance to stop this machine with all momentum.

With Man Utd’s reply to last week’s 4-1 drubbing being a weak and laughable 2-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham, Liverpool smelled blood. Chelsea, their closest competitor to dethrone Man Utd, too, were found wanting at White Hart Lane. Guus Hiddink suffered his first defeat and it was pretty untimely.

Playing with the gift of retrospect, Liverpool were pumped up. They knew they have half the battle won when both teams fumbled. Yet it will come down to nothing if they don’t put Villa to the sword.

Villa’s form went pear-shaped since February and touted to take over Arsenal’s place in the top four, they bottled it and are now losing touch with the Gunners.

The visitors came to Anfield with in dire form. Yet it was fate that brought them right in front of the marauding red machine. By the time the clock reached the half hour mark, the Villains were already being put to the sword and only thing they could do was damage limitation.

Anfield was in buoyant mood, brought about with the hopes and enthusiasm of that minute, just minute, possibility of the Premiership crown finally landing its feet in Merseyside for the first time in 19 years.


As the Rafa Benitez banner says, “Siempre es Possible”. Liverpool fans were hoping and praying for that miracle. Anything IS possible.

Actions speak louder than words and Dirk Kuyt was the first to prove that he is desperate and hungry for Premiership glory. Steven Gerrard’s freekick was headed onto the post by Xabi Alonso and the Dutch striker pounced on the loose ball and blasted it past the stranded Brad Friedel.

He booted the ball with such conviction and passion. It’s as if he knew it will land in the back of the net. Maybe he knew something more.
Aston Villa managed to find their feet and played some fantastic football down the flanks, with James Milner a thorn in the side. The physical approach of former Liverpool striker, Emile Heskey, and John Carew gave the home side much problem.

Soon it turned into an open and expansive game, end to end stuff. But the second and crucial goal came from yet another route one approach from the Reds.

Pepe Reina’s long punt was not dealt with by the Villa defenders and surprisingly, Albert Riera was on the end of it. The Spanish winger was in inspired form yesterday and all he needed was a touch and he placed a volley into top left corner.

It was a magnificent goal which involves minimal set-up and straightforward. Let’s not even go into the technique required to score such goal.

Then came Steven Gerrard to put the game to bed with a brilliant hat trick, his first in the Premiership surprisingly. The skipper is in fine form and despite not having the best game, he still managed to bulge the net thrice.

Two of them came from the penalty spot. First, Albert Riera was brought down by makeshift right-back, Nigel Reo-Coker, and he made no mistakes.

Then an unfortunate Brad Friedel was sent off for obstructing Fernand Torres. It was unintentional and he could’ve done nothing to avoid it. The former Liverpool goalkeeper was applauded off the field and hopefully he could get the red card rescinded.

Gerrard placed it at the same spot again and Brad Guzan had no chance. The replacement goalkeeper’s first job was to pick the ball out from the net.

The other goal came from a freekick, sandwiched between the two penalties. Despite a multitude of men forming the wall, there was no stopping the skipper from placing the ball at the right bottom corner.

By then it was well and truly over with the Reds home and dry. Who would’ve thought that Liverpool would so comprehensively dispatch Villa with such ease and it was as if everything were going in their favour.

Even when Fernando Torres being a virtual spectator throughout, other players rose up to the challenge and gifted the Anfield faithful some hope.

You’ll have to feel sorry for Villa. They didn’t play particularly badly but were already K.O-ed before they even saw it coming.

Liverpool were not in their profligate self and were clinical. Something you’d see from a team brimming with confidence.

And now, the title race is truly heating up and even IF Liverpool doesn’t win it, I’d know that at least I know that they tried their best. I mean, I don’t remember seeing Liverpool still challenging at this stage in any other seasons.

This season is going to be special. Either we go on and win it or we can take it as a spring board for better things to come next season. Hang on tight, because this is going to be edge-of-your-seats stuff!

Rafa's Love Story With Liverpool Continues

"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.”

These were the words that finally give the red half of Liverpool a good sleep tonight. After a ‘hard-to-get’ game played by Benitez and Liverpool, many Reds would’ve felt the uncertainty of the direction of the club.

At long last, we could all look past those doubts and fears, continue to build on this legacy and look forward into a bright red future.

Actually, I was stoked when I saw the news. I was beaming with joy when I finally saw him put pen to that precious contract. The least said about the other 129 rough drafts of the contract the better.

It had been a rollercoaster ride for the Liverpool fans, for the owners and for Rafa himself. There were times where it seems imminent that Benitez would leave the club after seemingly being in the same situation half a decade ago at Valencia.

“I want a sofa but they got me a lampshade.” Such was his hunger for control and a say in everything, including transfers.

Robbie Keane, a major signing in the summer, was probably that lampshade. Though it was disposed off as quickly as Ronaldo going to the ground, one have to wonder if Keane was really a Benitez signing.

The doubts brought tensions within the club. Papers talked about it. Fans questions it. With each passing week, the hopes of him signing the contract seem gloomier and less probable.

We all know Benitez is a meticulous man and wants to have a hand on everything within the club. From the top to the bottom, he wants to be in control and through Liverpool’s playing style, you could see that.

As owners, surely you’d be put off by that. You want someone who manages, not being a control freak and busybody.

Yet his tactical acumen, especially in Europe, probably made Tom Hicks overlooks all of that and accepts the he is the man for this job. After seeing Liverpool steamrolled past Real Madrid last week and demolished Man Utd over the weekends, there is probably no question to his ability.

Tom Hicks, probably read Sun Tzu’s Art of War and realized that only by retreating, you’ll gain the advantage in advancing forward. He removed Rick Parry from his post a few weeks back and it was seen as a victory for Benitez.

We don’t know for sure whether Parry and Benitez had a good working relations but it seems like with the removal of Parry, the Spanish manager would have more control and say in areas such as transfers.

It has been a wonderful 8 or so days for most Liverpool fans. A place in the quarter finals of the Champions League, still in contention for the Premier League title at this stage and some exciting up and coming stars, his signing will no doubt be the icing on the cake.

But it is still only the tip of the iceberg.

I was surprised by the length of contract. 5 years it is. I was pretty adamant that he would at most sign an extension of 2-3 years. But that is an indication that he is here to stay. He might move on anytime from now to 2014 but that definitely signals his intentions.

Of course looking forward, there’s still lot of work to be done. One or two top class players are still needed and of course, contract renewals to key players need to be addressed.

Benitez’s first challenge comes only a day after the joyous occasion and that is the quarter final draw of the Champions League. He obviously have the European Cup in mind, as we’ve already been dumped out of the domestic cups and Premier League is still Man Utd’s to lose.

On the transfer scene, he is surely looking to bolster the squad, with rumours claiming that he is targeting ‘an England international’. I know, I can hear the murmurs. It’s Wayne Rooney I bet (just kidding of course).

Upfront, we need a more consistent and able cover for Fernando Torres. With the departure of Robbie Keane, the frontline looked thin at times with only Ryan Babel and David N’Gog to look to.

Both of our flanks need to be further strengthened as well. Dirk Kuyt looks capable enough but is not the final solution. Albert Riera looks promising at first but his form dwindled towards the latter half perhaps due to his fitness level.

I’ve talked too much here of course. I’m going to let Rafa Benitez do his job. Well on, Rafa, we’ll be behind you!

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Aston Villa

By Gareth Freeman

Winning the league may still be a long-shot but this is now a massive game. Had the game been a draw the race would have been all but over but for Liverpool to win so emphatically gave at least a glimmer of hope the trophy could be heading to Anfield. The win may have been a historic one but it will count for very little if they don’t follow it up with a win over Aston Villa.

Based on recent performances I would expect Liverpool to beat Villa at Anfield. They were fairly poor against Spurs last weekend but there could be a reaction from their players to that performance. They’ve also just dropped out of the top-four for the first time this season and no doubt they’ll want to get back into those much-coveted Champions League places.

Villa have impressed me a lot this season. They muscled their way into perhaps even challenging for the title at one point and played some pretty impressive stuff along the way. In Emile Heskey they have an excellent target man and he is always a danger. He can really bully defenders and is one of the best in the game at holding the ball up. There is also the ‘ex-player’ syndrome and I wouldn’t be surprised if Heskey upped his game at Liverpool. Personally I never thought he was quite good enough to be in a top side but he’s got the chance to prove me wrong now he is at Villa, who despite their recent drop are fast becoming a ‘top side.’

Ashley Young had a good game against Tottenham last week and ran Didier Zokora ragged in the first half. Redknapp took Zokora off and replaced him with Corluka just over half and hour into the game because he just couldn’t deal with the nippy winger. One criticism of Young this season is that he hasn’t performed as well against the bigger teams and hopefully whoever is marking him will be able to cope. James Milner is maybe overshadowed by some of his team-mates but the ex-Leeds and Newcastle midfielder has been outstanding all season. He delivers some excellent crosses and has created plenty of chances for Villa this season and has really improved under O’Neill’s guidance.

One area where Villa look less convincing is their defence. I just don’t really rate their central defenders but their full-backs look fairly decent. Torres will almost certainly find space to exploit against the Villa defence and it could be a profitable afternoon for the Spaniard.

Villa are obviously quite close to Liverpool in terms of points but I think Rafa’s men will emerge victorious. Villa have been on a bad run and won’t be looking forward to a trip to Anfield. There should be no under-estimating the importance of the win over United. The manner of the victory should give the players the belief and drive to push United all the way even though I can’t see United slipping up in enough games to let anyone else in. Because of the way both sides play and Villa’s questionable defence my advice on this game if you fancy betting would be to have a soccer bet on over 2.5 goals.

The odds won’t be great on Liverpool winning but I think both teams have the ability to get a few goals and the Reds have been in free scoring mode at the moment. If they can score four against Real Madrid and Manchester United I reckon they can put at least two past Villa, if not more, and Villa are more than capable of nicking a goal even against Liverpool’s generally solid defence.

First Real, Then United

Manchester United 1 (Ronaldo pen 23);
Liverpool 4 (Torres 28, Gerrard pen 44, Aurelio 77, Dossena 90);

“This has to be the best week since 2001”, harped Sami Hyypia, the veteran Liverpool defender who was hailed as one of the heroes at the Theatre of Dreams (or Nightmare, depending on which side you support).

The Finnish defender put the 4-1 win over Man Utd and 4-0 over Real on par with Liverpool’s 2001 Treble season where they won the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.


It was a whirlwind week for Rafa Benitez’s Reds as they scored 8 goals in 2 games. Seems like no big deal but it was against the might of Real Madrid and the champions of Europe and the world (depending if you believe the Club World Championship is an accurate portrayal or not), Man Utd.

As a Liverpool fan, it was to my dismay that I missed out (I had to watch a replay) on probably the result of the decade. I love to see Liverpool dominating in Europe, which has became a norm. But to see us so comprehensively defeat Man Utd at their backyard is something else.

It was Rafa Benitez’s 100th win and how sweet it must’ve been to gain it at Old Trafford. The manager’s call for respect came with two huge results. I would go on my knees now and beg the Liverpool owners to make him sign the contract. There’s no other manager I would want at helm.

He too, proved that his theory right. He mentioned about the fact that if Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres started more games together, Liverpool would’ve been even closer to United than they are now.

The dynamic partnership was formed last season and it was definitely fruitful thus far. It was as if they’re match-made in heaven. All credit to Benitez, whom dovetailed them into one of the most potent strike force in the football world. The annihilation at Old Trafford was the byproduct of it all.

The duo gave a master-class performance and showed the world that the 4-0 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday was no fluke. It wasn’t a one-off performance.

What they did to former World Player of the Year, Fabio Cannavaro, and Portugese defender, Pepe, they inflicted it on Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand as well.

For Torres, a seemingly frail figure, it is beyond imagination that he outpaced and out-muscled Vidic with such ease. The boy is on fire. He tormented the acclaimed ‘best defender in the Premiership’ to the point that the Serbian thought that an early shower was the best way to exit the match (He was sent off).

And what a celebration too, for the Spanish striker. Raising up 5 fingers, a reminisce of Robbie Fowler’s taunt at United fans during his time at Man Citeh.

For Steven Gerrard, it’s probably more personal. For all the disappointments at Old Trafford and seeing them almost equaling his beloved team’s English league title record, he yearns to see his team be over and above their rivals.


Indeed, he showed his desire when he led by example and was nerveless when he dispatched his penalty with ease. The large frame of van der Saar and the barisan crowd in Old Trafford didn’t put him off.

Pre-match, Wayne Rooney stoked fire the proportion of the Australian forest fire by stating how much he hated Liverpool. Well, that came as a surprise. Nobody saw that coming from a Evertonian Scouser (Sense my sarcasm).

How much it must have amused the Reds as they saw him throwing tantrums and hands on his head on more than one occasion. The camera never fails to pan his direction after each of the 4 goals.

Yet we should continue to focus on Liverpool. After the heroics of Gerrard and Torres were followed up the up and rising of two unlikely heroes.

Fabio Aurelio, so often named a sicknote, put on a fabulous performance in continuation of his midweek contributions. He’s pretty injury prone but one could see his ability once he is able to consistently feature in the side and how important he is to Rafa’s plan.


With Vidic sent off with a rugby tackle, Aurelio was given a chance to further punish United. And he did with his wonderful left foot. It arced above the wall and whistled into van der Saar’s net. The Dutch goalkeeper totally rooted to the spot.

Just when you thought 3-1 was an exceptional result, Andrea Dossena puts the icing on the most magnificent cake any Liverpool fan could’ve imagined with a fourth, right on the 90th minute mark.

Once again, a long ball was not dealt with and all the Italian defender needed was a touch before the ball was lobbed over van der Saar (rooted again) and into an empty net. He definitely didn’t impress anyone with his performances all season, considering he cost 7 million pounds. But in the last two matches, he probably has attained a cult hero status at Anfield.

‘Robbie Keane who? We have Dossena!’ - One of the fans said with delight.

Indeed it seems like a dream. The results have definitely given Liverpool a breath of life and a dose of confidence. It didn’t, of course, blow the title race wide open in any account but Liverpool and Chelsea must’ve sensed blood. United is still with a game in hand and 4 points ahead.

Barring a catastrophic and calamitous self-destruction of United, the title is still theirs to lose. But the 4-1 result must have been like a mortal wound inflicted and doubts of their invincibility must have crept in.

Now, we’ll have to see how Alex Ferguson’s men react to it. Will they come out stronger like before or would they shun away responsibilities like how Ferguson dodged BBC/Sky Sports reporters after the defeat?

Whatever it is, the result definitely brought about a breath of fresh air into the Premiership. This could go down the wire!

We might not win it this season but I feel that we’re much closer now and this season could very well be a springboard for next season, where I feel a few players of the right caliber could bring us to higher level.