Football News; Liverpool 1-0 Everton

Liverpool 1-0 Everton: Liverpool tighten their grip on fourth place

Liverpool ultimately edged past Everton, thanks to Fernando Torres, in a Merseyside Derby that perfectly encapsulated why these teams lie fourth and fifth.

Liverpool with aspirations of the title, showed why their title challenge petered out long ago. A bright opening, some excellent football and a great goal petered out, into what was at times a nervy finish, as for the umpteenth time this season they failed to finish off opponents they had dominated.

Everton meanwhile, after being overrun for the first half, hung in there, and clawed their way back into the game. In the second half they at least held their own with Liverpool, and arguably looked the better side, without looking likely to score.

Torres, and Gerrard were again prominent for Liverpool, with Torres scoring the opening goal after only six minutes. Alonso dispossessed Everton's Yakubu at the second attempt in the 18 yard box, Kuyt helped the ball on, and Torres took two touches to dispatch it past Tim Howards right hand post, to put Everton behind. Goal number 28 for him, and Liverpool again can only be grateful their much maligned owners funded Torres purchase.

Ryan Babel also caught the eye, but too often failed to deliver when in good positions. More than once his final ball was wanting and he is fast becoming a frustration. Liverpool are hoping he can be a modern day John Barnes in his pomp, all power and pace, but his crosses and choice of pass/ shot at the crucial moment are woeful at times. That said he seems to be one goal, and a lot of confidence away from exploding into life.

For Everton, their main attacking threat came from Yakubu (more Lenny Henry, than Theirry Henry as one wag has put it) and Arteta. Missing Cahill, and with Anichebe on the bench, Everton struggled to really unsettle Liverpool's backline.

Overall, Liverpool vs Everton was a good but not great game. Liverpool deserved their win, but showed why they are still way off the pace in the Premier League title race. Everton, showed last season was no fluke, and can be satisfied with their progression this year. Liverpool now look odds on to gain that coveted Premier League fourth position again and maybe Rafa Benitez can continue his reign!

Champions League: Arsenal vs Liverpool

It's Beauty & the Beast as Arsenal take on Liverpool in the Champions League

Wednesday is the first of three Arsenal vs Liverpool games, with the two-legged Champions League tie, being sandwiched by a Premier League game at the Emirates.

Both teams are in mixed form, though it has to be said, Liverpool are playing better than Arsenal at the moment, and of course they are the Champions League specialists. Liverpool will be relieved Javier Mascherano is available to play, and he will even be rested, after being suspended for the game against Everton.

Liverpool will go for the same team they've been playing in the last ten games or so, with Benitez following his pattern of tinkering with the team early in the season, until his rivals are out of sight, then stumbling on a winning formula for a late charge and some glory nights in Europe! They could have achieved so much more!

Arsenal meanwhile, are in a bit of a crisis. Make no mistake, they were lucky to get the win at Bolton, and were woeful for the first hour. Adebayor has stopped scoring, Fabregas has gone missing as has Hleb, while Van Persie may have returned, he is not firing on all cylinders after a long time out.

Liverpool will take on Arsenal with the hope of keeping it tight, and play on the counter attack, with the likes of Torres, Babel and Gerrard, expected to do the damage and swing this Champions League tie their way. Arsenal, meanwhile will be happy as long as they don't concede at home.

Wenger believes that in the Champions League, teams that don't score away, find themselves under huge pressure in the home leg. However he does concede that the support for Liverpool at Anfield does have an impact, particularly in the Champions League.

Arsenal vs Liverpool in the Champions League is soooooooo difficult to call, but overall we think Liverpool will edge Arsenal out, and take the semi-final place.

Liverpool: Alonso going nowhere

Liverpool say Alonso going nowhere as the rumours continue

Rafael Benitez has reiterated that cultured midfielder Xabi Alonso will not be sold under any circumstances. Moreover the Liverpool manager made a point of meeting Alonso's agent to emphasise this when he was at Anfield for the Inter Milan game.

A number of Spanish clubs have been linked with the Liverpool playmaker including Barcelona and Athletico Madrid, with rumours of the players reportedly fractured relationship with Benitez continuing to find their way into the papers.

Benitez has sought to play down such talk, pointing to the fact that players often don't like the manager when they don't play!

It seems to us that this is like the dreaded vote of confidence. You can be surer of no other thing that when a manager says a player will never be sold, he promptly will be. There's been to many briefings too the media on Alonso moving, and Liverpool already seem to have lined up his replacement in Diarra. It will be a sad loss to Liverpool when he goes, and we are at a loss to see why he isn't in the team. Then again Benitez and his rotations are beyond most people!

Premier League Results: Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland

Crouch exposes Rafa's folly, as Liverpool overcome Sunderland

A goal and an assist from Peter Crouch, enabled Liverpool to eventually overcome a dogged Sunderland at Anfield. Rafa Benitez's incredulous decision to previously stick with a woefully out of form Dirk Kuyt, was exposed by Crouch's contribution. Put simply, Crouch consistently gets and makes goals, Kuyt doesn't. Where would Liverpool be if Crouch had not been warming the bench so often? A lot closer to the top would be the answer from most Liverpool fans.

In the first half Liverpool were all toil, neat play, but precious little end product. Only Pennant caught the eye with his pace and direct running. On the left, Lucas who was preferred to Harry Kewell was not providing any width, having a tendency to drift in-field. That said he still worked harder, and looked more effective than Kewell has in recent games.

Sunderland, undertstandably were out to contain Liverpool and get a point. Anything else to them was a bonus, and they showed virtually zero attacking threat throughout the game.

Sunderland were eventually prised open, when after an attack broke down, Jamie Carragher of all people, took on the opposite fullback and crossed superbly for Crouch to head home. Soon after Crouch flicked on Gerrard's touch, Torres sped away and finished superbly to wrap up the game for Liverpool. In the 89th minute Nosworthy was adjudged to have upended Pennant, and Gerrard stepped up to convert to seal a 3-0 win for Liverpool.

Roy Keane afterwards was disappointed not to have got at least one penalty, particularly when Carragher blocked a shot unintentionally with his arm.

Benitez will have been pleased with the confidence boosting win, and with the fact that Pepe Reina became the fastest keeper to reach 50 clean sheets in the clubs history. Then defending has never really been the problem for Liverpool during Benitez's reign, its at the other end Liverpool have problems. Until they can complement their central midfielders and Torres with players who would get into the squads of Manchester United and Arsenal they will always be scrapping for fourth, maybe third spot.

Rafa Benitez Latest

Benitez position looking untenable as owners admit Klinsmann contact

Rafael Benitez's position at Anfield was looking ever more untenable last night, as Liverpool's American owners admitted to meeting Jurgen Klinsmann, with a view to him taking over at Anfield.

Trying to portray it as an act of insurance, in case Benitez left, this latest revelation further undermines Liverpool's beleaguered manager. Benitez has no intention of resigning at Liverpool, however his only hope of surviving beyond the summer would appear to be if the Americans quit first and sell up to the now circling DIC group.

It all must be so frustrating for Liverpool fans as a season that started so brightly, has unravelled so quickly and is in danger of ending in farce. Despite only being beaten twice, Liverpool are way off the pace in the Premier League and all the uncertainty surrounding the manager is clearly affecting performances and results.

It's hard to see this being resolved without a parting of the ways, the only question being who goes first! Footy Focus thinks the Americans might just be the first to go!