Tale of the game
On Tuesday, City went to Stoke and were fortunate to take a point. So, after three straight league wins at the start of his career with City, manager Roberto Mancini has won just two of his next six games, taking seven points from a possible 18.
City are still without Carlos Tévez , back in Argentina for the birth of his second child, while Craig Bellamy and Vincent Kompany undergo tests. They face a Liverpool team still without Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson. When the teams met in November at Anfield, City led 2-1 but Yossi Benayoun levelled for Liverpool to take a point.
Who’s saying what?
Rafa Benitez:
“[Carlos Tevez] is a really good player but Manchester City have a lot of really good players so if he doesn’t play, they will use a player who will try to do the same as him. They are a top side with some really good players. I think it will be a really important game and will be a good game to watch.” Read more…
David Ngog’s 81st-minute winner spared Liverpool’s blushes as they began their Europa League campaign in disappointing fashion against Unirea Urzinceni.
The Romanian side’s defensive approach looked like earning them a draw in the first leg of their last-32 clash.
Liverpool dominated possession but were unable to break down the visitors and created few clear-cut chances.
But, with time running out, Daniel Pacheco knocked down Ryan Babel’s cross and Ngog headed in from close range.
Steven Gerrard went close to adding a second goal seconds later with a rasping shot that flew inches wide, but a second goal would have put an undeserved gloss on what became a difficult night for Rafael Benitez’s side. Read more…
Maybe Cesc touched the ball with his hand but you could argue that there shouldn’t have been a free-kick. Here is some post match interview with Arsene Wenger
on a vital win…
Yes, it was a very difficult game because we played against an organised Liverpool team. It was a very tight game as well but in the end we turned it in our favour because we were resilient.
We have shown good togetherness, good discipline as well, and then we got that little goal which makes a massive result for us tonight. Nobody realises what it is to play Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool on the trot. Physically and mentally it is very demanding, especially with two massive disappointments. It shows the team is solid, mentally strong and determined.
on the nature of the game… I think it was a highly tactical game against a Liverpool team that didn’t give us any space to play. We found it difficult to get our passing going because they were always in our way. Read more…
Benitez told his post-match press conference: “When you lose you have to be disappointed. It is always a difficult game against Arsenal and normally they have plenty of possession.
The Reds went down to Abou Diaby’s 71st minute header but the Spaniard felt they should have been awarded a stoppage-time spot-kick after Steven Gerrard’s free-kick was blocked by the arm of Cesc Fabregas.
“But I thought we did well. We defended well and had some chances. We had two or three situations when we were pushing and should have scored, especially at the end.
“Also we are really disappointed with the handball. It was very, very clear. The player was on the line. It was handball, so it has to be a penalty.” Read more…
Daniel Agger has called on his Liverpool teammates to replicate the fighting spirit that characterised their Merseyside derby success against Arsenal on Wednesday.
The Reds clinched a battling 1-0 victory over Everton at Anfield at the weekend to move back into the Barclays Premier League’s top four for the first time since October.
Now Agger is targeting a similar showing at the Emirates as Liverpool go in search of their first win away to Arsenal in 10 years.
“It was enjoyable but it was just three points,” said the Dane. “It was what we needed. We are fighting for fourth place and we got there but we’ll just keep looking at every game.
“The physical challenge was good and was what we expected. It’s all part of derby games. It was a tough game but we did well. We were well organised and when that is the case, it’s easier.
“Everybody in the team has got the right attitude and we want to show that every time we go on the pitch. Now we want to get a good result at Arsenal.
“That is the most important thing. Arsenal are a good team but every week it is tough. We need to go with the same attitude we showed against Everton and see where it takes us.” Read more…
Liverpool travel to the Emirates tonight on the back of seven unbeaten Premier League games, while the Gunners’ title bid is in tatters after one point from nine.
It has left skipper Gerrard convinced third place is up for grabs if his Anfield side keep up the form which has meant not conceding a league goal in four games.
Steven Gerrard reckons Arsenal’s ‘wounded animals’ are about to get another savaging - now his re-born Reds have rediscovered their taste for a scrap.
He said: “Arsenal will be a bit of a wounded animal. We’ve got to do what Chelsea and Manchester United did, give them little space and hit them on the counter.
“It’s a massive game for us and the target is to get a result where we can push on and try and get third place.
“Our target is a top-four finish but if Arsenal give us any sniff of catching them then we want to grab it.
“Having the Champions League experience and finishing in the top four for the past few years will hold us in good stead. We’re treating every game like a cup final.” Read more…
“Defensively we’ve been fantastic under Rafa Benitez and we’re showing that.”
Jamie Carragher says he has always had confidence in Liverpool’s defence after they notched up a sixth clean sheet in the last seven Premier League games.
The Liverpool back line was criticised after the poor start to the season left the Reds out of the title race.
But Carragher, 32, told BBC Radio Merseyside: “The last four or five years we’ve probably had as good a defence as any team in the world.
He added: “You have good times and bad times, like a striker will be on a great run of scoring, then he won’t score - that’s the way football goes.
“Pepe Reina has broken every record Ray Clemence has had. To break records at Liverpool is very difficult considering the players that have gone before.”
The Reds now take their good record into their away game with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where they were beaten 2-1 in the League Cup in October. Read more…
Dirk Kuyt’s 50th goal for the Reds ensured Rafael Benitez’s men moved into the top four for the first time since October - and the skipper believes the Reds are now in the mood to continue their excellent recent run when they travel to Arsenal and Manchester City over the next two games.
“It was a tough derby with passion, committment and plenty of fight from both sides,” said Gerrard. “We have beaten a good Everton side today with ten men and the boys should take a lot of credit.
“They have been on a fantastic run but we have beaten them with ten men and played some good football, so we’re really pleased.
“Our attitude was great and we stuck together. We always knew we’d be up against it today but we knew we could get chances from set-pieces, especially when you have players like Dirk Kuyt on the field.”
Both sides ended the game with ten men after Sotirios Kyrgiakos saw red in the first half and Steven Pienaar was dismissed in stoppage time, but Gerrard insists referee Martin Atkinson gave the game every chance to flow.
“I thought the referee was superb today,” he added. “Fans come to games wanting to see passion and fight from players. There were some mis-timed tackles out there, but we won’t be complaining about the referee. Read more…
The Italian media had claimed there was already a verbal agreement between the Spaniard and his would-be new employers and a meeting had taken place today with Benitez’s lawyers to finalise details of the contract.
There were even reports Benitez would make Liverpool trio Dirk Kuyt, Martin Skrtel and, somewhat oddly considering their fractious relationship, Ryan Babel his first signings.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez last night released a statement claiming he has no agreement with Juventus and will not be meeting the Italian club or their representatives, or any other club.
However, similar sources had suggested on Thursday a Juve delegation was in Liverpool only for that to prove to be false.
When asked about the manager’s future Kuyt said he did not believe there would be any change at the top.
‘As far as I know there is no doubt,’ said the Holland international.
‘I’ve not heard there is any trouble or indication the manager could leave so if that is not happening we just want to play football.’
Benitez did not help all the conjecture about his future on Friday when he said he was proud to be linked with one of Europe’s top clubs.
But he did also say he had a job to do an Anfield and was committed to that. Co-owner Tom Hicks’ surprise visit to watch yesterday’s 2-0 victory over Bolton also posed a few questions as to why he had attended a relatively low-key fixture when there was a Merseyside derby next weekend.
He was not, however, bringing a last-minute transfer window war chest for the Spaniard to spend to help Liverpool secure the Champions League football which is so vital to their future. Read more…
