Match Preview: Liverpool vs West Ham

Rafael Benitez has told his Liverpool players they need to be more attacking following their 1-0 win over Debrecen in the Champions League. Despite notching up 23 attempts on goal and dominating proceedings the Reds only managed to get seven of those shots on target and won by just the one goal.

This is what Benitez told skysports: "OK, we could have done it a little better by scoring another goal with the chances that we had, but because we didn't score (a second), we were thinking that they could've scored so it was more difficult until the end."

The task of improving their accuracy comes against West Ham United in the late kick off on Saturday. The Hammers looked out of sorts last weekend as they went down 1-0 away at Wigan Athletic and they haven’t won since the opening game of the season. Not surprisingly the away side are the favourites to take all three points in this encounter but on home soil Gianfranco Zola’s side are no pushovers and Liverpool will have to make the most of their chances at Upton Park.

There is a chance the Hammers could welcome back Kieron Dyer, Jack Collison and Herita Ilunga for the tie with Liverpool. All three remain doubtful and will face late fitness tests before they will know whether they can take part of not. Dean Ashton and Luis Boa Morte are ruled out for some time and neither stands a chance of taking part on Saturday. Liverpool’s injury list still includes Danny Agger and Alberto Aquilani, though El Zhar has a slim chance of returning for the trip to London.

On paper you would expect Liverpool to take all three points in this encounter, indeed that is what the bookies seem to think and the Premier League betting odds on a Liverpool win reflect this. However, the Hammers have a few players capable of causing any defence problems and it won’t be a walk in the park for Rafa’s men. Occasional England international Carlton Cole has a knack of scoring important goals and he usually ups his game against the bigger sides. Mark Noble and Scott Parker provide West Ham with a steady engine in midfield and Noble in particular can deliver the goods from corners and free-kicks. In defence Matthew Upson is a hard man to pass and makes few mistakes.

The key man for Liverpool could be former Hammer Yossi Benayoun. For me Yossi has been one of Liverpool’s best performers throughout 2009, perhaps since his winner at the Bernabeu in last season’s Champions League. Yossi bagged a hat-trick against Burnley last weekend and while I may be hesitant to suggest he’ll repeat the feat two weeks in a row it might be worth considering an online soccer bet on Yossi to bag anytime. The Israeli is in top-form and will relish the chance to play against his old club.

The fact the Reds played in midweek may make this game harder than perhaps it should be but I’m still expecting them to come out on top. The Hammers created just a handful of chances against Wigan last weekend and if they perform the way they did in that game Liverpool should have no problem in taking all three points.

How Bout Supporting the Homeless World Cup?

Hello ladies and gentlemen!

Sorry for the long absence and inconsistencies in my match reports. Nevertheless, in partnership with the best online football apparel store, SoccerPro, I'm here to present to you the 2009 Home World Cup apparels!

We're so used to seeing millionaire footballers prancing on the biggest stage yet there is a separate World Cup set for the homeless. A chance for them to unleash their potential despite their poor backgrounds.

And to fund the Homeless World Cup, SoccerPro is proud to bring you the limited edition Homeless World Cup T-Shirt and all proceeds go to the Homeless World Cup.

So why not invest in something that would bless someone and make a difference? Head down now!

Liverpool vs Burnley Preview

On paper, this is a fixture Liverpool should have no problem with whatsoever. Player for player they’re better all over the pitch and with home advantage few would back Burnley to get anything out of this game with their Premier League betting.  However, last season’s play-off winners have already beaten the likes of Manchester United and Everton this season so it is at least worth having a look at what the Reds are up against on Saturday afternoon.

After their 1-0 victories over United and Everton Burnley came up against Chelsea and lost 3-0 in a very one sided game.  Liverpool represent somewhat of a local derby for Burnley though and they’ll be eager to get yet another result against one of their more illustrious local rivals.

The Danger Men

It doesn’t matter how well organised a defence is when a decent free kick comes in and Burnley striker Robbie Blake has one of the best shots from a dead ball situation in the business.  Blake is also a decent forward and is the man who got the winner against Manchester United so he is certainly a player to watch out for. 

David Nugent has just joined the Clarets from Portsmouth and is a man who has something to prove in the Premier League.  I’ve never been convinced he has what it takes to be a success in the top-flight personally but he should see more action now he is at Turf Moore and has a chance to prove everyone wrong.

In midfield Icelandic playmaker Joey Gudjonsson is probably their most creative player.  He has great technical ability and the ability to pick out a pass and is a man who has the capabilities to cause Liverpool problems.  Former Manchester United man Chris Eagles can deliver a good cross and the play-off final hero Wade Elliot is also a very useful player.

Injuries 

For Liverpool new boy Alberto Aquilani will definitely be sitting this one out, he is sidelined until early October with a foot injury.  Daniel Agger is out until the end of October with a back injury and will also play no part in this fixture.  However, both El Zhar and Fabio Aurelio may be fit in time to face Burnley this weekend as both players recover from respective knee injuries.

Burnley have no injury worries going into the tie with defenders Stephen Caldwell and Michael Duff both expected to recover in time for the game at Anfield.

With Liverpool’s obvious advantages over Burnley I can’t see the Clarets picking up any points at Anfield in all honesty.  The fight-back at Bolton should have given Rafa’s men a lift and if I was going to bet on the correct score I’d go for a 3-0 home win.  This fixture could be just what Liverpool need to kick-start their campaign and they should be able to beat Burnley with relative ease. 

Photos of 'Kop Comes to Asia'

Hello guys! Long time since I've updated. I'm sure many of you are here looking and scouring for the 'Kop Comes to Asia' photos and sorry for the delay. It was my honour to attend the game on Sunday and though I wasn't one of those fans that went round Singapore chasing them, many of those photos could be found in their official website and Facebook account.

Anyway here are some of the pictures taken by my friends that were there with me and as well as some shots from the official site. So sit back and enjoy!

I thought this was a nice shot

View from my position...and love the scarves and all

I'm the one in Liverpool shirt ;)

That's Rafa

And Kuyt!

And Alonsooooo!

Hope you guys enjoyed it!

Reds' No Mercy Showing in Singapore

Thousands Flocked to Kallang 'Kop'

Singapore XI 0

Liverpool FC 5 (Voronin, Riera, Nemeth x2, Torres)

No real surprise in the score line. 5-0 it reads and the Singapore Lions were no match to their superior opponent.

But the focus was definitely on the Singaporean fans who turned the Kallang National Stadium into a makeshift Kop End and I’m sure many of them thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Flocks of fans turned up hours before the kickoff at 7pm, armed with banners, flags and posters. These fans are epitomizes how important the club is to the fans even though geographically, we are thousands of miles apart.

The atmosphere, though surely is also miles away from the usual Anfield standard, I must commend the fans for putting in the effort to print out the thousands of song sheets and making sure that their love for Xabi Alonso is explicably shown.

Chants of ‘Xabi Alonso’ were even more prominent than Fernando Torres’, which surprised many including me. But perhaps after such adoration was being poured forth, Alonso might think twice before moving to Real Madrid.

The appearance of several key players also roused the crowd and much were reserved for manager, Rafa Benitez. And his decision to play Fernando Torres for more than 10 minutes will surely endear himself to the fans even more.

When asked whether Torres would play more than 10 minutes in the game, Rafael jokingly said ’12 to 13 minutes, maybe’.

But his heart must be tugged when he saw how much the Liverpool fans in Singapore wanted to see their idol in action. ‘We want Torres’ rang round the cauldron and Benitez must’ve been put to the spot.

When the tannoy announced his substitution, the crowd roared and cheered before he could even finish saying his name. ‘Number 9’ was all they need to hear. Oh, and ‘Number 14’ as well!

The Spanish hotshot did not fail to disappoint as he too, nets one of the goals though it’s probably one of the easiest goals that he’ll score.

It was a drab first half with both sides lacking a little imagination. Yossi Benayoun, David Ngog and Ryan Babel were the rare bright spark as Liverpool toiled on and Singapore defended stoutly.

But Liverpool took the lead through a deflected goal by Andriy Voronin, whose shot went off Baihakki Khaizan’s leg, Hassan Sunny stranded.

And then it was all down hill for Singapore as they seldom threatened the Liverpool defence. Possession was poor and distribution pretty atrocious.

Another star who received much adulation was Albert Riera and he did not disappoint the fans when he found himself in a good position before slotting home.

Hungarian youngster, Kriztian Nemeth, added a third when an on-form Dirk Kuyt provided him with an easy finish.

He then put the game to bed with a fantastic diving header which was sandwiched between a Fernando Torres tap-in goal. It must’ve been a fantastic experience for the highly rated striker.

Many fans were sad to see the game end but many stayed on as ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was played through the tannoy and there’s not a more beautiful sight than a united group of fans singing the club anthem.

It’s a fantastic experience for many fans who might not have a chance to enjoy the atmosphere of Anfield and the match wasn’t much of a disappointment either. Though the crowd was quiet at times, we know how Singaporeans are usually pretty hard to get warmed-up and passive.

Yet there are pockets of hardcore fans who tried their best to bring up the atmosphere and there were times where I really felt the goosebumps. Of course, it’s fun joining in chanting of Torres and Alonso.

As an anecdote, a Man Utd fan came for the wrong occasion and he was quickly spotted by the fans who jeered him for his terrible decision and it got a little rowdy so much so the auxiliary police had to step in.

Great experience there at the National Stadium, though I thought fans could’ve been more enthusiastic and louder but it was good enough in my opinion. Ticket was $88 but at the end of the day, it was all worth it!

Worrying Words From Xabi; Chelsea Join Johnson Hunt

By Gareth Freeman

The transfer window hasn’t been as exciting as it could have been from a Liverpool perspective so far. The financial troubles of the owners seem to have curtailed the Reds’ ability to spend big in the transfer market and top-target David Villa seems determined to stay in Spain.

The upside of that is he won’t be going to Manchester United or Chelsea either but it would have been quality to see him lining up alongside Fernando Torres at club level.

The key thing for Rafael Benitez is to keep his existing squad in tact and add a few quality players. Liverpool looked at times last season like champions and one man who was instrumental in this was Xabi Alonso. For me he is as important to the side as anyone, including Steven Gerrard and Torres, but he has made some worrying noises concerning his Liverpool future.

"Would you be disappointed if you end up having to stay at Liverpool next season?" he was asked while on international duty with Spain at the Confederations Cup.

"I can't answer that question," was Alonso’s reply.

I really don’t know how to interpret this other than that he doesn’t want to stay, I just hope I’ve got the wrong end of the stick!

Despite the financial worries of Tom Hicks and George Gillet Rafa has still managed to table a bid of £18million for Portsmouth and Englnd right-back Glen Johnson. Chelsea have matched that bid but Johnson was let go by the Stamford Bridge side earlier in his career so it remains to be seen whether he would go back.

The move for Johnson is intriguing in itself, whether or not he decides to join. He can also play in midfield and is very much one of the marauding full-backs who likes to join in with the attack as often as possible. Out of all the ‘top four’ teams I would argue that Rafa perhaps has the most defensive attitude when it comes to full-backs and the move for Johnson may suggest a planned change in tactics.

If Alonso leaves and Johnson does opt for Chelsea it would certainly be a blow but not a massive disaster. Granted Alonso is a top quality midfielder but if Real Madrid is indeed his chosen destination Liverpool should get an excellent price for him and invest that in another top player.

In terms of Real Madrid they’re apparently willing to let the Dutch trio of Rafael Van der Vart, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben leave, all three of which could add something to the Liverpool side and would be decent acquisitions in exchange for Alonso (plus cash of course!). If Johnson makes the switch to Chelsea Rafa will probably find another attacking full-back and he is by no means the only (or even best, in my opinion anyway) option.

Even though the season is still some time away it is sometimes a good idea to check out what other people are thinking in terms of the league title. The bookies currently have Liverpool as third favorites with their Premier League betting odds and the Reds are currently priced at 4.3 (100/30), Chelsea are second at 3.6 (13/5) and Man United are favourites at 2.96 (2/1) so there isn’t a lot of difference between the three sides in terms of odds.

I wouldn’t go betting on the winner of the Premier League myself just yet, it is far too early, and if you’re planning on having a flutter I would wait until the majority of the transfer activity has been concluded.

Stevie G as James Bond?

This is juicy stuff! This was taken off from CNN and apparently, Liverpool's number 8 wants another role and that is the famous 007. The following are the excerpts of the interview done between CNN and Steven Gerrard.

THE NAME'S GERRARD, STEVEN GERRARD...



STEVEN GERRARD TELLS CNN HE SEES HIMSELF AS A FUTURE JAMES BOND AND HOPES TO FEATURE IN A FILM AT CANNES

In an interview with CNN’s monthly film show ‘The Screening Room’ at the Cannes Film Festival, Liverpool and England footballer Steven Gerrard reveals that one day he hopes to appear in a movie at Cannes. He adds that he sees himself as an all-action hero, in the mould of James Bond, while his wife Alex would be his ideal Bond girl.

To watch the interview please click here: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2009/05/26/curry.steven.gerrad.intv.cnn


JUSTIN ARMSDEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Hello, again. As we continue to hone in on the Champions League football final on Wednesday, one man who knows all about winning it is Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. But when he caught up with CNN’s Neil Curry at the Cannes film festival, it was all about action on the screen rather than the pitch.

NEIL CURRY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Steven, what brings you to Cannes?

STEVEN GERRARD, LIVERPOOL MIDFIELDER: A couple of reasons, really. Obviously, to enjoy the festival, but also to show some support to two close friends who’ve got a screening later for their new movie.

CURRY: Tell me about them. Tell me about their film.

GERRARD: It’s called Charlie Noades RIP . And it’s a comedy. I’ve actually seen the film. I’ve been lucky enough to see it before everyone else, and it’s a fantastic film. It’ll have you laughing all the way through it.And I just hope that people enjoy it like I did because if it does, it will be a, you know, a big hit.

CURRY: Have you managed to see much of the filmmaking process through your friends?

GERRARD: Not really, but you know, I obviously see little glimpses of it because they’re involved in the film industry, and I spend quite a bit of time with these people, so – but I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, no.

CURRY: And do they – conversely, do they follow you around to the games and stuff?

GERRARD: Yes, of course. You know, that’s another reason why I’m here. Every week, they follow me to watch Liverpool, obviously, and to watch the England games. So, it was nice to sort of return the favour, if you like, and come and show them some support, because I know this a big event for them.

CURRY: Yesterday, we were talking to Eric Cantona, who has a film here. Last year, Maradona had a film and Zidane had a film. Can we ever see yourself in a film here, you think?

GERRARD: Who knows? You know, maybe one day. You know, I’m coming – getting old now as a footballer, if you like, coming up to 29. So, maybe in years to come I might go down that road, but they’re certainly legends in the game, and they’ve certainly done well after football. So, maybe I might follow in their footsteps.

CURRY: Cantona was talking about some of the connections between film and football, and he was talking about managers and how – he was comparing the director Ken Loach with Alex Ferguson and saying that directors and football managers are quite similar in what they have to do to actors and players.

GERRARD: Yes, I can understand where he’s coming from there because they’re sort of like the bosses, and they can throw a lot of people around. And it’s important that they get their jobs right for the team on the football side and also for films to be successful. So, I can understand where he’s coming from, yes.

CURRY: He also said that good football managers and good directors give confidence to their actors and confidence to their players. What’s Rafa Benitez like as a director, if you like?

GERRARD: Well, he’s certainly a fantastic manager, and as you say, he is similar to a film director, if you like. And he does an awful lot of stuff behind the scenes to make sure that the team is successful. And I personally have a lot of confidence in him that he can make the team successful in the future. So, really pleased to have him and that he’s signed the new contract.

CURRY: Now, here in Cannes, we’ve been talking to actors about their recollections of lifting the Oscar or directors collecting the Palme d’Or. It’s difficult to imagine what it’s like to do that unless you’ve been there. So, put it in football terms. What’s it like to lift the Champions League trophy? What’s going through your mind?

GERRARD: It’s difficult to put into words, you know, the feeling that you get when you put that trophy above your head. It’s certainly the best experience I’ve ever had football-wise. I can, you know -- it’s so difficult to describe the feeling, but I’m sure, you know, film stars and directors can relate to it when they win their big awards like the Oscars, I’d say.

CURRY: Just wondering if were to be in a film, what kind of role would you like to have, and who would you like to co-star with?

GERRARD: I’ve never really thought about it, to be honest. Well, I’d like to maybe go down the Bond route, the all-action hero type role. I think that’s a bit of me.

CURRY: Who would your Bond Girl be?

GERRARD: It would have to be my Alex, my wife. You’re getting me into trouble if I say anyone else.

Fletcher Absence Exposes United Frailties

FC Barcelona 2 (Eto'o 10, Messi 70)
Man Utd 0

Who would’ve thought Man United would miss someone so dearly. This year’s Champions League final was dubbed to be a gladiator-esque showdown of Man Utd’s Portugese whinger… oh I mean winger, Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentinian, Lionel Messi.

But it was the absence of a certain Scottish midfielder which ultimately tilted the balance of the game in favour of the Spanish champion. He’s never in the limelight, seldom scores breath-taking goals and not really blessed with the good looks (well, he’s a Scot after all…).

Man Utd boasts a squad full of stars but the one truly needed in a big match was actually Darren Fletcher.

United missed his tenacity, big time. The industrious midfielder was wrongfully sent off in the semi-final match against Arsenal and the suspension was such a bitter blow to them.

No wonder rumour has it that Sir Alex Ferguson was willing to trade a get-out-of-jail card with Barcelona, Fletcher’s freedom for either Eric Abidal’s or Daniel Alves’. That was how important Fergie sees his fellow Scot.

On the hindsight, the suspension of Abidal and Alves plus the injury to Rafael Marquez seems to be irrelevant. With 3 out of Barca’s 4 first-choice defenders missing, United failed to capitalise on it.

But Barcelona and their coach, Pep Guardiola, were unwilling to let Man Utd get away with it. The obvious was staring them in their faces. Man Utd’s midfield lacks steel and the player who’s willing to do all the dirty work.

Looking back, great teams were built around a strong man in midfield, someone willing to sacrifice creativity for stability. Think Roy Keane of the all-conquering Man Utd class of ’99, Patrick Vieira of the ’04 Arsenal Invincibles and Claude Makelele of the ugly but effective Chelsea.
Fast forward to the current United squad, I see Anderson and Michael Carrick. Hmmm… Not so sure about that. To make things worse, they were up against Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. These were the 2 players pivotal in Spain’s European Cup conquest last year.

It was a joy to watch as the Spanish duo took hold of the game after a nervy first 10 minutes where their fellow Iberian, Ronaldo, was having a showboating session.

But thereafter, they controlled the game with finesse and put up a master-class performance. They didn’t score the goals but they pulled the strings from midfield and all we saw was players in white bumbling around them haplessly.

Didn’t some part of the game looked like they were having a practice session with Man Utd, playing ‘pig in the middle’ or ‘Monkey’ with them?

Anderson was woeful and got found out in this game. If he was supposed to do Fletcher’s job then I think he should look for employment elsewhere. Michael Carrick, for being hailed as ‘a great passer of the ball’ and even ‘world-class’ by the English papers, unsurprisingly, looked bereft of ideas and nothing near latter description.

It was Iniesta who made it all happen when he barged through the centre of Utd’s midfielder and played a controlled pass into the path of Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroonian striker glided into the penalty area with surprising ease as Man Utd’s defence stood hesitant and watched on.

Pep Guardiola must’ve watched Liverpool’s 4-1 triumph and asked his fleet-footed attackers to run at the lumbering Nemanja Vidic like how Fernando Torres embarrassed the Serbian giant in the Theatre of Dreams.

The striker made no mistake as he fire it past a bemused Edwin van der Sar. He must be wondering how Barca sneaked in so easily.


The answer was found in Man Utd’s strangely passive way of defending in the match. They played the game in fear, showed too much respect for Barca and were peeing in their pants every time Thierry Henry or Leo Messi were on the ball.

Seeing how English teams totally dominate the European football scene for the past few seasons through their fast-paced and gritty approach to games, United failed to use that as their advantage and paid for it.

Chelsea, who was Barca’s semi-final opponent, gave Man Utd a perfect example of how to stifle the football artisans. If not for the incredulously biased referee, it would have been another Chelsea vs Man Utd final.

Liverpool, too, gave Real Madrid a royal spanking 2 months back. Just like Chelsea, it was all about putting pressure on their midfielders, denying them space and time plus upping the ante through speed and a more direct approach.

Yet United players stood and watch as Barca seized the initiative and made them pay. Their midfield quartet failed to close down Xavi and Iniesta, giving the playmakers all the time in the world.

Would Darren Fletcher allow that? I think not.

Also, Barca cleverly exploited the lack of defensive midfielder on Utd’s part and used Messi as a deep-lying striker. Smart, ain’t it? He was a striker yet he dropped off so deep that Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic was caught in a dilemma. Should they continue marking him or let him drift into space.

The final nail in the coffin came when Ferdinand decided to take the latter option as he misjudged the flight of Xavi’s cross and allowed a 169cm midget (average Asian height, though…) to score from a free header.

It was as if he had read the English newspaper on the previous day as they described Ronaldo to be more of an aerial threat than him. Well, that certainly is shuts them up. This “Next Maradona” could be the real deal.

With their treble at stake, Man Utd put up no fight at all. The 5 shots in the first 10 minutes were actually all they could muster. And unsurprisingly, Ronaldo showed his usual petulance after being in the pocket of Carles Puyol throughout.

They were out with a whimper.

Man Utd could blame no one, to be honest. The loss of Fletcher was pivotal and the sheer brilliance of Barca outclassed the English champion. Players whom you would put your money on to drag them back into the game went missing. United was clearly not at their best.

So there goes the chance of winning a second treble in Sir Alex’s reign. But what a sweet victory for Pep Guardiola. Only his first season in charge of a club of this stature, he took them into greater heights by being the first Spanish team to win the treble.

They could dominate in the years to come, with Xavi, Iniesta and Messi being the spine of the team. Man Utd, meanwhile, should not take the knee-jerk approach to this as it was a bridge too far but would be exaggerating to say they’re in any sort of trouble.

With this team, this defeat could be a blessing in disguise as the problems and shortcomings of the squad will now be even more apparent and it’s just the right time to make amends through signings and pre-season training sessions.

All in all, Barca was not only the champion of Europe but more of a champion of football. Kudos!

Good News, TRC Readers

I've finally gotten the tickets to the Liverpool vs Singapore match on 27th July. After a long wait and plenty of patience, it paid off and although it cost $88, most would agree that it's pretty decent even in face of the current economy climate.


Though I wasn't lucky enough to get myself a seat in the East Stand, which is going to be transformed into a Kop of Asia, Singapore style! Still, I can't be much happier to have acquired the tickets and will be watching alongside some Arsenal and ManYoo fans.

That really says about the craziness and passion of the fans here. I guess it's a one-off match where allegiance will be put aside for some top class football.

If you're in Singapore, reading this and have yet to get it, PLEASE DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER!

Anyway as I've mentioned, this is good news for all of you because...

I'll be there and will bring you pictures, videos and most importantly, my personal account of this event. So stay tune!

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Tottenham

Liverpool welcome Spurs to Anfield for the final game of what has been a good season in some ways and a disappointing one in others. Rafa’s men may have ended the season without any silverware but they’ve mounted their best title challenge for well over a decade and for large parts of the season they were the best team. That doesn’t really matter now but it shows great signs of improvement and if Rafa makes one or two signings the red half of Merseyside could be celebrating something special this time next year.

For now though Liverpool have to make sure they beat Spurs and take the second spot. I expect them to see off Tottenham to be honest, they’ve become a good side under the guidance of Harry Redknapp but they don’t travel to well and Liverpool will want to end the season on a high and boost the points tally.

It will be a return to Anfield for Robbie Keane and I’m sure he’ll want to get among the goals and prove Rafa wrong. I’m not sure he will to be honest and I wouldn’t go backing him to score in the game with my own football betting. I’m sure most people would agree that Benitez made the right move in letting him go and he hasn’t really impressed since his move back to Spurs.

The key player for the opposition could well be keeper Heurelho Gomes. The Spurs keeper got a lot of stick at the start of the season for some high profile and costly errors but he has been a revelation in the latter part of the campaign. Gomes has pulled off some truly unbelievable saves and kept Carlo Cudicini out of the side and it will take a bit of work to get past him.

Redknapp hasn’t been impressed with his strikeforce since he took over and Roman Pavlyuchenko looks set for a summer exit. It might be a safe football bet to back the Liverpool clean sheet in all fairness as Pepe Reina is going for the golden glove award and we saw from Jamie Carragher’s antics last week that it is an important award for the team to win.

The match is fairly unimportant in all fairness but I still expect Liverpool to finish on a win. Even though Spurs still have European qualification to play for I don’t think they’ve got enough quality in the team to get a result at Anfield and Liverpool should be able to pick up all three points and go into the summer break full of confidence.