Rafa dismisses Juve link

Rafael Benitez has once again reiterated he is happy at Liverpool, despite speculation linking him with Juventus.

The boss refused to be drawn on the rumours when quizzed by reporters at his Melwood press conference and insisted he is only focused on preparing the Reds for Saturday's clash with Bolton.

"I am not here to talk about speculation," he stated. "People talk too much.

"I am really focused and concentrating on my team, my club and preparing for the game against Bolton. That's it, so I will not talk too much about this.

"I know that they were interested, that is part of the game now, but I am just preparing for this game and I am not ready to talk about it too much because I don't want to lose my focus.

"But I am really pleased here, really happy. I want to do my job as best I can and try to win against Bolton."

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Gerrard confident of top four finish

Steven Gerrard reckons Liverpool have "turned the corner" and are back on course for a Champions League place - despite being held at Wolves.

The Reds climbed above Manchester City into fifth in the Premier League with a goalless draw at Molineux, but they slipped further behind Tottenham in fourth after Harry Redknapp's men beat Fulham.
Wolves keeper Marcus Hahnemann had to make only one worthwhile save during the entire 90 minutes against the Reds, but Gerrard believes they would have buckled and been beaten in a similar sort of game earlier in the season.
And the England midfielder is urging his side to cash in on successive home games with Bolton and Merseyside rivals Everton in their battle to break back into the top four.
Gerrard said: "We will keep fighting for that fourth spot. We've got a couple of home games coming up and, if we take maximum points, I'm sure we'll edge into that top four.
"The important thing is that we are now playing better. We've turned the corner and we are a much more difficult team to beat now.
"We would probably have lost that game 1-0 a couple of months back.
"Confidence was certainly low a few weeks ago. The squad was suffering a lot of injuries and, when you are not getting the results you expect, it affects people's confidence individually and as a group.
"But we've had a couple of encouraging results. Stoke away was a tough game and we got a point and the lads performed fantastically well against Tottenham.
"Confidence is slowly coming back and, once that confidence is back, results will follow. We are very confident we can eventually edge into that top four."
Gerrard added: "There were a lot of people in the dressing room hurt at seeing us lying in seventh and eighth position in the Premier League and you learn a lot from these situations when times are hard.
"We have looked at each other and we wanted to put it right.
"The most important thing for me over the last four or five games has been the character and the desire the players have shown. Nobody is hiding and that's a big positive.
"Everyone knows this team has been through a difficult period. But we have shown we can dig in and battle. We know results will improve."
Gerrard made a quicker than anticipated return to action at Molineux after just a two-game absence following his recent hamstring injury.
Rafa Benitez again stressed how important a fit and firing Gerrard will be to Liverpool if they are to achieve a top-four spot after the draw at Molineux.
Gerrard said: "I was just pleased to get back. To play a full game after 13 days is encouraging. I just need to keep working hard in training and my form will get better."

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Another frustrating draw for Liverpool

Liverpool suffered a severe blow to their hopes of securing Champions League football as they were frustrated by Mick McCarthy's side in a goalless draw at Molineux.

The Reds actually moved above Manchester City on goal difference into fifth spot with a share of the spoils but have played two games more.

In contrast, it was a precious point for Wolves in their battle to stay in the top flight.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, whose agent has played down reports linking the Spaniard with a move to Juventus, saw his side dominate the opening 45 minutes in terms of possession.

But, in the absence of the injured Fernando Torres, they lacked a decisive cutting edge despite the return after a hamstring injury of skipper Steven Gerrard who was well policed by Michael Mancienne.

McCarthy opted for a change of formation with record signing Kevin Doyle the only striker in a 4-5-1 formation and they frustrated the Reds throughout the first 45 minutes with veteran defender Jody Craddock outstanding.

But after the break Wolves played with increasing belief and fluency and it was their turn to enjoy large spells of territorial dominance.

Doyle was a constant menace with his pace and power unsettling the Reds rearguard despite often being outnumbered.

Liverpool, who had taken 10 points from the previous four games, were quickly into their stride.

Gerrard's second minute corner was met by the head of Albert Riera at the near post but his effort flashed across the Wolves box.

Dirk Kuyt, bubbling with confidence after his double against Tottenham, tried his luck from 20 yards out but Craddock was able to make an important block.

Reds goalkeeper Jose Reina was booed every time he touched the ball by Wolves fans who remembered his part in the incident when Stephen Ward was sent off at Anfield on Boxing Day.

Liverpool enjoyed the lion's share of possession but Wolves coped comfortably and the best chance of the opening half fell to Doyle after 33 minutes in a Wolves counter-attack.

Jamie Carragher was isolated in the right-back role and unable to prevent Matt Jarvis from getting past him and sending in a low cross to the near post.

Doyle made a run across the Reds defence to attack the ball at the near post but poked his shot just wide.

Jarvis was posing the biggest threat for Wolves and another teasing centre picked out the run of Kevin Foley at the far post but his header was directed straight at Reina.

Christophe Berra got in a great challenge to halt the run of Maxi Rodriguez into the Wolves box at the expense of a corner just before half-time.

Gerrard was a peripheral figure for most of the first half but threatened after the restart when he seized onto a ball in behind from Lucas Leiva only for Berra to be alert to the situation.

Marcus Hahnemann had to be alert when backpedalling to palm away a looping first time effort from the edge of the area by Riera.

Ward then almost played the home team into trouble with a mis-timed back pass but Hahnemann raced 20 yards out of his box to clear from Kuyt.

Doyle was impressing whenever Wolves ventured forward but would have been disappointed not to hit the target after he found some space outside the box.

Wolves were playing with increasing fluency and the belief was starting to grow amongst their young players.

Kuyt curled a 20-yard shot past the post after Gerrard enjoyed some rare freedom and the game was more of an entertaining spectacle.

Benitez made his first substitution after 67 minutes with David Ngog replacing Riera and Kuyt moving into a wider role.

The impressive Doyle drilled a left-foot shot past the post after getting past Martin Skrtel.

Skrtel was booked after 73 minutes for a lunge at Ward.

McCarthy replaced Nenad Milijas with David Jones a minute later.

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Rafa assured fans about Gerrard's commitment

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has insisted that Steven Gerrard will not be leaving Anfield any time soon.

Rumours continue to circulate that the England international is unhappy with life at Anfield after a disappointing season that has seen the Reds stumble out of the Champions League and struggle domestically.

But his mangager maintains that there is no reason to doubt Gerrard's commitment to the Anfield cause, and the player's preceived lack of form has been due to injury worries.

"I don't have any doubt at all about Gerrard's commitment - and nobody at this club has," Liverpool's manager said, accoriding to The Daily Mirror.
"Yes, he can maybe play better or he can play worse, but he will always try, that is absolutely guaranteed.

"People have talked about his form, but the consistency of form is something you can only find when you train every week and have training sessions in a row.

"If you are injured and have to start again, and injured and have to start again, then it's difficult for any player to show his best, be it Gerrard, (Fernando) Torres, (Yossi) Benayoun or whoever."

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Rooney would love to Stevie in the United red

Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has admitted he would love to see Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard play for the current Premier League champions at Old Trafford.

The Manchester United talisman claims the Liverpool captain would be a brilliant player under Sir Alex Ferguson, but admits it would be impossible for the Anfield hero to move to Old Trafford because he is “a Liverpool man through and through”.
Wayne Rooney claims Steven Gerrard had trials with Manchester United before he joined Liverpool, and in addition to being a brilliant player, Rooney claims he and his Anfield counterpart are good friends.
When asked which players he would like to team up with at Old Trafford, the Manchester United star told Goal.com: “It’s not for me to say because that’s the manager’s job, to bring the best players to Manchester United.”
“I’ve played with some great players in the past and would have loved to have played with some legends of the game.”
“Steven Gerrard is a very good mate of mine and he had trials at Manchester United as a kid, it would have been great to have had him at United, but that will never happen because he’s a Liverpool man through and through.”
“He’s a top-class player.”

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Villa to join his friend Torres in the summer

Valencia striker David Villa has hinted at hopes of joining Liverpool.

Villa has good friends playing at Anfield and is ready to move to England.

Villa said: “In the summer I had my own reasons for staying in Spain. Basically, my wife had to give birth first.

“But this time it will be different and I’ll analyse it again. I like the Premier League a lot. There are a lot of very important teams in England, who play very good football.

“It’s the league I follow the most, along with La Liga – and I’ve got a lot of friends playing there.”

One of those pals is Liverpool forward Fernando Torres, who only last week urged under-fire Kop chief Rafa Benitez to make Villa his top transfer target in June.

Villa’s scoring return in La Liga over the last decade is second to none. The 5ft 9in forward has never hit less than 15 goals in a campaign.

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Babel linked with move to Emirates

Liverpool winger Ryan Babel could be on his way to Arsenal.

The People says Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is offering bad boy Babel to Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger in a shock deadline-beating deal.

The Kop chief needs Babel to leave to give him funds for his top target Kenwyne Jones at Sunderland - and he is negotiating with Wenger about a buy or an exchange.

Babel has already snubbed a straight swap with Sunderland and is turning his nose up at Birmingham, but he would be keen on a dream move to the Emirates.

Benitez has asked Wenger if he can have cash for Babel, but the £11million asking price is too high.

However there is the option of a swap involving Spaniard Fran Merida. Merida is out of contract in the summer, so Arsenal could be willing to trade.

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Benitez clarifies himself over Jones move

Rafael Benitez has confirmed Liverpool have held talks with Sunderland over a deal to sign striker Kenwyne Jones although he is unsure about the current position of the deal.

Liverpool have been linked with Jones for some time, and Sunderland boss Steve Bruce hit out at Benitez on Friday for unsettling the player.

And while Benitez insists he did nothing wrong in the pursuit of Jones, he has confirmed that the two clubs are currently discussing a potential deal.

"I was not dealing with this," Benitez said. "(Managing director) Christian Purslow has been talking with (Sunderland chairman) Niall Quinn so they have to manage the situation because I was not doing anything.

"I prefer not to talk too much because we will create a debate so Christian and Niall will continue to talk if they need to talk. They were in contact but I don't know what the situation is now."

It is understood that Liverpool are privately angry at Bruce's comments, particularly as preliminary talks have been taking place between the clubs since last month.

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Gerrard to return against Wolves

Steven Gerrard has targeted Liverpool's game with Wolverhampton Wanderers for his comeback from injury.

The Reds captain had been ruled out for up to a fortnight with a hamstring problem picked up in last week's FA Cup exit to Reading but is expected to return to training in the next few days ahead of the trip to Molineux.

Gerrard, 29, hinted at a return in his programme notes from Liverpool's programme for the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.

He wrote: "I'm hoping to return in time for the Wolves game next week, that's my target.

"It's always a nightmare for me when I'm injured and I can't help the team."

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Babel to be swapped for Huntelaar

Liverpool winger Ryan Babel could swap Anfield for the San Siro after Italian giants AC Milan were reported to be considering a swap deal for striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar.

The Rossaneri are weighing up trading the Dutch duo after Huntelaar's failure to secure a first-team place at the Serie A outfit since his €15 million move from Real Madrid last summer.

Babel, who was previously linked with a move to Birmingham City, has also struggled to cement a regular role in Rafael Benitez's side amidst high-profile outbursts in the Dutch press and on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are also set to battle the Reds for the Huntelaar's signature with Babel's arrival expected to provide more options for Milan alongside first-team regulars Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato.

With both Babel and Huntelaar eager to prove their worth to Bert van Marwijk before he names his Holland side that will travel to this summer's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Huntelaar, 26, has also been linked with a loan switch to Bundesliga side Hamburger SV.

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Liverpool back in the mix for champions league spot

Dirk Kuyt's double strike injected new life into Liverpool's stuttering Barclays Premier League campaign as it secured a 2-0 victory over Tottenham.

The Holland international fired home in the sixth minute from the edge of the area and then converted a twice-taken penalty in second-half injury time.

Victory lifted the Reds to within one point of fourth-placed Spurs and eased the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez after early exits from the Champions League and FA Cup.

The importance of the match to Liverpool's top-four aspirations had been outlined by Benitez yesterday and his players responded in fine style.

It was a match the Reds could not afford to lose, having dropped two points thanks to Stoke's late equaliser on Saturday, and they did not disappoint an appreciative Anfield crowd.

There was a brief early scare when Jose Reina spilled a Gareth Bale cross under pressure from former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, but he reclaimed the ball bravely from the challenge of Jermain Defoe.

Reina picked himself up to hoist a long kick downfield which Kuyt knocked back to Aquilani, playing in the hole behind the striker.

The Italian's close control took him past Michael Dawson, who brought down the playmaker, but the ball rolled to Kuyt on the edge of the penalty area and he fired low past Heurelho Gomes' right-hand to give his side the lead.

Jermaine Jenas was booked in the 27th minute for bringing down Philipp Degen as he raced over the halfway line but Liverpool failed to make the free-kick count.

And moments later Defoe was lucky to escape with just a talking to from referee Howard Webb after diving in and standing on Degen's foot.

The Swiss international was on the end of yet more rough treatment in the 34th minute when Bale clashed heads with the makeshift midfielder, which led to the Wales defender being cautioned.

Javier Mascherano became the first Liverpool player to be booked when he lost possession and then slid in on Crouch.

In first-half injury time Kuyt's header from Albert Riera's inswinging corner was stopped by Bale yards from the line and Martin Skrtel blazed the rebound over.

Moments later Luka Modric's shot was saved well low to his left by Reina.

Liverpool have made a season of failing to hang on to leads and they almost gifted Spurs an equaliser straight after the restart.

Sotirios Kyrgiakos dithered on the ball before surprising Reina with a short back-pass which immediately put the goalkeeper under pressure from Defoe.

Fortunately for the Spaniard the Tottenham striker was adjudged to have fouled him seconds before Crouch rolled the ball into an unguarded net.

Wilson Palacios was next to go into Webb's notebook for pulling down Lucas as he attempted to run through the Spurs defence on the halfway line.

Riera almost doubled Liverpool's lead in the 52nd minute when his header from Jamie Carragher's cross beat Gomes but crashed back off the crossbar.

Considering their recent habit of conceding in the last minute the hosts desperately needed a second goal to give them a cushion but the longer the game went on without one the more confident Spurs became.

The danger was highlighted when Jenas' first-time shot from 25 yards had Reina going the wrong way before he stuck out a hand to deflect it behind.

Having sent on Alan Hutton for Vedran Corluka, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp then replaced Niko Kranjcar with ex-Reds striker Robbie Keane.

Liverpool should have made it easier for themselves in the 66th minute when Kuyt robbed Dawson on halfway to race clear but he opted to play in Degen to his right instead of shooting and over-hit his pass.

Liverpool continued to press and Kuyt volleyed over at the far post after Degen had flicked on Aquilani's free-kick while Riera was just wide with a 25-yard swerving left-foot shot. Spurs, however, continued to threaten and Hutton's spectacular volley curled around the outside of Reina's right-hand post.

Substitute David Ngog almost secured victory within minutes of coming on when he turned fellow substitute Sebastien Bassong but curled a shot across the face of goal. However, he won a crucial penalty in the first of five minutes of injury time when Bassong brought him down.

Kuyt scored the first effort only to be ordered to re-take by Webb, but the Dutchman held his nerve to send Gomes the wrong way and Liverpool heading in the right direction up the table.

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Gerrard thrashes rumours about leaving Liverpool

Steven Gerrard has dismissed as "fantasy" the wild rumours that he will quit Liverpool after a bust-up with boss Rafa Benitez
And the Anfield captain instead maintains that he remains totally committed to the club.

Both manager and skipper are dismayed by the persistent speculation - that was first aired on a national radio show - which claims the player had a furious row in the dressing room at half-time during the defeat by Reading in the FA Cup last week.

The rumours at claimed that Gerrard had a showdown with Benitez and coach Mauricio Pellegrino,and vowed that he would never play for Liverpool again. Use online free bets to bet if Gerrard will quit.

But last night, the England midfielder firmly set the record straight. “I've heard about a dozen versions of the same rumour and they're all as daft as each other,"Gerrard explained.

"I'd love to know who comes up with this kind of stuff because they must have an unbelievable imagination. Nothing happened, that's an absolute fact.

"And if anyone thinks this nonsense unsettles either me or the club then they're mistaken. If anything it's brought everyone even closer together because we've all had a good laugh about it.

"In the time since he's been here I've never had a problem with the manager or his staff, and certainly not at half-time in the Reading game when I was actually receiving treatment for the injury I'd picked up during the first half," he added.

"The important thing for me now is trying to get myself fit as soon as possible so I can get back to working with the manager and the team to try and improve our situation.

"All the stories about me leaving are unfounded. The fans can be assured that I am doing all I can to get back to top form and help Liverpool finish the season on a high."

Benitez too, explained that he and his skipper were laughing about the 'stupid' rumours yesterday, with the manager refusing to give them credence.

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Torres wants spanish duo at Anfield

Fernando Torres has called on Liverpool to sign either David Villa or David Silva as they look to get their season back on track.

Torres is currently sidelined for around six weeks due to a knee injury and, with Steven Gerrard also struggling for fitness this season, the striker believes the squad lacks players who can change matches.

Rafael Benitez is thought to have limited transfer funds available but, after Torres told the club's owners to invest more money in the team last week, he has now revealed that he wants to see Liverpool try to sign Villa or Silva from Valencia.

"If I could, I would take David Villa or David Silva to Liverpool as a partner in attack," he said in the Daily Mail. "I wish they could come. It would be a great asset for our team.

"We need match-winners like Rooney or Tevez. We need footballers who break the deadlock in matches. Liverpool is losing the Premier League in home matches against average teams."

Liverpool are reported to working on a deal to sign Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland.

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Masch believes win against Tottenham will be a big boost

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has told his team-mates to forget about their struggles and focus on beating Tottenham on Wednesday.

The Reds have endured a dismal first half to the season - and it all started with a 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane in their opening Premier League match.
Mascherano is expecting another difficult game when Spurs travel to Anfield but he would prefer to think of the positives.
Liverpool remain in the hunt for a top-four spot and beating Harry Redknapp's men would boost their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
"Tottenham is an important game for us because we can reduce the gap to fourth," Mascherano told Liverpool's official website.
"We'll play at Anfield with all the supporters behind us and this support is really important at the moment.
"They have some very good attacking players, so it'll be difficult to stop them. But we've done it before.
"This will be totally different to the first game because we're at home and this time we need to win. It will be really difficult for them.
"We cannot think about the past - we have to think in the present. Tottenham is the present and we have to win."
Reds manager Rafa Benitez has come under considerable pressure in recent weeks but Mascherano admitted after Saturday's draw with Stoke that the players had to take their share of the blame.
The Argentine is confident Liverpool can turn the corner and he has again called for the critics to stop singling out Benitez.
"It's easier for them to criticise one manager than 20 players," he said. "When the team is not playing well, the press criticises the manager and not the players, but we don't have to pay too much attention.
"We have to work, continue training hard and show all our things on the pitch.
"You have to realise that when we are playing like this, people will criticise Rafa, but we are a top side. We need to think about football and try not to worry too much.
"The mentality among all of us is really good and we want to take Liverpool to the place it deserves to be."

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Has Rafa Benitez quit as Liverpool Manager?

Rafa Benitez was seen waving to the fans after the draw with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.So is he thinking to quit or what was that gesture for?

Liverpool don't seem to be going any were with the losses and draws with the teams at the bottom of the table or even the championship sides.It is certainly not helping in any manner as the way they are playing is certainly not good enough.

Aquilani the £20mil star summer signing is warming the bench when the three other star players Gerrad,Torres,Benayoun are already out injured.Its really become difficult to understand why Liverpool are playing so defensively.

After watching Aquilani his worth doesn't seem to be £20m at all.He always tends to give away the ball cheaply.

The mid-week clash against Tottenham on wednesday will be a decisive match for Liverpool qualifying for the champions league next season.


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Liverpool carry on their journey far away from the victory road

Rafael Benitez was denied a victory to lift the intense pressure on him when Stoke grabbed a last-ditch equaliser at the Britannia Stadium.

It was never pretty, but this much-derided Liverpool outfit stood up to be counted in a physical showdown.

And they went ahead when Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos scrambled home his first goal for the club early in the second period of a bitterly contested battle.

But Stoke's relentless aerial assault produced an equaliser from Robert Huth in the 89th minute.

It was a terrible blow for a Liverpool side facing pressure from all quarters, and they were even denied a winner in injury-time when Dirk Kuyt's diving header hit a post.

If under-fire Benitez believes the whole world is against him, he had plenty of evidence to support that theory here.

Benitez made six changes from the side humiliated in the FA Cup in midweek by Reading for a difficult away trip.

Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Daniel Agger are all injured, while Alberto Aquilani and Diego Cavalieri were dropped to the bench.

Jose Reina, Kyrgiakos, Martin Skrtel, Javier Mascherano, Fabio Aurelio and David Ngog all returned in a side that was dreadfully short of fire-power.

Stoke had Tuncay available after a hamstring scare while Salif Diao came in against his old club, with Liam Lawrence reverting to the bench.

This game was all about Benitez's future. His club are at an all-time low and the vultures are demanding his head.

Liverpool needed to do something to arrest an alarming plunge in form, with the manager and the club's status on the line.

Stoke fans were holding up giant P45s aimed at Benitez as this crucial game started, with Liverpool's fans belting out 'You'll Never Walk Alone' in open defiance of the position their team have got themselves into.

But Liverpool are a nerve-racked team these days, and that showed when Aurelio had the chance to send Mascherano away on his own but tried a ridiculous 40-yard attempt to expose an out-of-position Thomas Sorensen that sailed miles wide.

Liverpool struggled against Rory Delap's long throws from the start, Reina failing to get a positive punch on them, while at the other end the raw Ngog was being left on his own in an uneven battle with Stoke's giant defenders.

Lucas had two efforts blocked from the edge of the box, but too much of Liverpool's possession was wasted with woeful passing.

Stoke, though, always looked dangerous when the ball was in the air, or at Tuncay's feet.

Stoke lost Delap with a groin strain, Lawrence sprinting into the action, and a minute later Abdoulaye Faye also went off with a recurrence of a back problem to be replaced by Andy Wilkinson.

The half's only real flashpoint came when Liverpool had Lucas booked by referee Lee Mason for diving in the box, although replays suggested he was caught by Danny Higginbotham's challenge.

But without their star men, and way short on confidence, Liverpool's attempts to play a passing game constantly disintegrated against a combative Stoke.

The Potters' renowned attritional long ball game is always likely to be successful against any team in such a state and Liverpool constantly looked stretched under the barrage.

Stoke started the second period intent on taking control, and Lawrence saw a 20-yard free-kick deflected wide.

But then Liverpool took a leaf from Stoke's book, going ahead from a free-kick after 57 minutes.

Aurelio curled the ball towards the near post and Sorensen did not gather cleanly under pressure from Kyrgiakos, the Greek defender getting the final touch on the line to score his first goal for the club.

Stoke responded when Tuncay nodded over after Ryan Shawcross flicked on a Diao throw. Stoke replaced Mamady Sidibe with Ricardo Fuller after 66 minutes to freshen up their attack.

Diao was booked for dissent before Fuller tested Reina with a flicked header at the near post after 75 minutes.

Liverpool then sent on new boy Maxi Rodriguez for his first taste of English football after 78 minutes in place of Philipp Degen.

Stoke hurled their big men forward for every corner and Liverpool were forced into desperate defence at times, with Skrtel and Kyrgiakos giving everything.

Liverpool brought on Aquilani for Ngog after 87 minutes, Stoke piling on the pressure now with constant, dangerous set-plays.

And eventually Liverpool cracked. Matthew Etherington's corner was headed back across goal in the 89th minute for Huth to score from close range.

Reina was booked for time wasting but Kuyt's near miss almost provided a final dramatic twist in injury time.

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Torres , Gerrard & Yossi out and injured to increase Liverpool woes

Liverpool's hopes of salvaging a fourth-place finish from what has become a truly dismal season have been undermined by the news that striker Fernando Torres will be sidelined for six weeks, while captain Steven Gerrard is out for a fortnight and midfielder Yossi Benayoun misses up to four weeks.

Liverpool's season slumped to new depths on Wednesday night when the club were eliminated by Reading in the third round of the FA Cup and the game at Anfield came at some cost to manager Rafael Benitez as he seeks to fulfil his "guarantee" that the club will finish in the top four this season.

Torres was substituted in the first half at Anfield and scans have revealed that the striker will require knee surgery to repair torn cartilage. The Spaniard, who has scored 12 goals in 15 Premier League appearances this season, will definitely miss, amongst other fixtures, the upcoming games against local rivals Everton, on February 6, and Arsenal four days later.

He is also likely to miss out when Liverpool get their Europa League campaign underway with a two-legged fixture against Unirea Urziceni on February 18 and 25.

To compound Benitez's misery, he will also be without Gerrard, who was substituted at half-time against Reading, and fellow midfielder Benayoun for a period of time.

"Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres both underwent scans earlier today after coming off in the FA Cup tie against Reading," read a club statement.

"Steven has a hamstring strain and will be out for a fortnight, while Fernando has torn a cartilage in his right knee. The injury will require surgery and he is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

"Yossi Benayoun also suffered a fractured rib in the game and will be unavailable for between three and four weeks."

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Liverpool sign Maxi on a free transfer

Liverpool have signed Argentina international Maxi Rodriguez on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid.

The 29-year-old winger has penned a three-and-a-half-year deal with Rafael Benitez's side after spending four years in the Spanish capital.

After passing a medical and agreeing terms Maxi put pen to paper on the deal, which is subject to international clearance.

Reds boss Benitez told his club's website: "We were looking for players with character and a good mentality. He has played for Argentina and Atletico Madrid and is a player with personality.

"He can play in three positions - on the right, left or as a second striker - and is someone with a very positive mentality, which is what we are looking for.

"He is comfortable on the ball, can pass and keep possession. He is good at getting into the box and scoring goals and a good finisher. Every year he gets five to 15 goals from the right side of midfield.

"I know he was not doing as well as he did in the past at Atletico Madrid, but he is doing really well with Argentina and wants to impress for the World Cup.''

Benitez hopes Maxi will settle quickly with the help of compatriot Javier Mascherano and former Atletico team-mate Fernando Torres.

"He knows Mascherano and Torres and he can provide a lift for some players,'' said the Liverpool boss. "I think he will adapt to English football because he is a clever player and takes up good positions on the pitch.

"It is a question of adjusting to the pace of the game and he will need some time, but with these players around it will be easier for him.

"Rodriguez will be a different kind of player for us and also competition for Dirk Kuyt on the right side, along with Nabil El Zhar and Yossi Benayoun.

"He will give us the opportunity to manage some of the other players and rest them if necessary to keep the level of the team.

"I have been talking with him and he is really pleased and ready to come here. I have told him what we are expecting from him and he is ready for the challenge.''

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Liverpool crash out of FA cup and its high time now that rafa should deliver or rather quit

Liverpool's disastrous season plunged to new depths as they suffered a humiliating FA Cup exit at Anfield to Reading.

The Reds lost Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to injuries and were stunned by the Championship side, who forced extra-time before substitute Shane Long headed the winner in this third round replay.

Gerrard had seen a shot deflected home by Reading defender Ryan Bertrand to give Liverpool the lead in the final seconds of the first-half.

They held that lead until injury-time, when Gylfi Sigurdsson equalised from the spot. However, Liverpool were a shambles in extra-time and Long's winner was no more than Reading deserved.

Liverpool were boosted ahead of the tie by confirmation that the deal to sign Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez had been completed.

The 29 year-old has signed on a free transfer, having negotiated his way out of a problem over his pay-off from Atletico Madrid which had held up the deal at the weekend.

The Royals were quick to make their presence felt with some uncompromising tackling. Matthew Mills got away with a warning for clattering into Torres, before Jem Karacan was booked for flattening Steven Gerrard in the first four minutes.

And although Liverpool had the majority of the early possession, Diego Cavalieri had to make a fine save from Sigurdsson's free-kick, then a shot on the turn from Simon Church.

Dirk Kuyt needed treatment following a fierce challenge by Bertrand, before Reading should have taken the lead after 22 minutes when Church's cross was allowed to reach the far post - where Grzegorz Rasiak missed the target from three yards.

Liverpool's problems worsened after 29 minutes when Torres went off, replaced by David Ngog. The Spanish international had never rally recovered from that early bodycheck from Mills and headed straight down the tunnel with Liverpool doctor, Mark Waller, for treatment seemingly to a knee injury.

The home side, at best, were aimless, but did manage to put together a 40th-minute move which almost bore fruit. Philipp Degen's strong angled run to the edge of the box produced a pass for Yossi Benayoun, who curled a shot narrowly wide.

Mills was booked for a foul on Benayoun before Liverpool grabbed a fortunate lead when Gerrard's angled shot clipped Bertrand and deceived Adam Federici at the near post.

Liverpool's troubles worsened when Gerrard failed to appear after the break, Ryan Babel coming on to join Ngog up front. The Liverpool skipper was believed to have suffered a hamstring strain.

With both talismen off the pitch and injured, it was left to Liverpool's supporting cast to get through this tie.

Degen was booked for diving by referee Phil Dowd, having fallen in the box but without a hint of an appeal.

Liverpool's response to their adversity was surprisingly positive, and they pinned Reading back, with the visitors bringing on midfielder Brian Howard for Kalifa Cisse on the hour.

Next on for Reading was Jimmy Kebe for Rasiak five minutes later - and someone they were still ahead after 80 minutes when McAnuff ran 60-yards right through Liverpool's defence before sidefooting wide from 12 yards with only Cavalieri to beat.

Reading continued to press for an equaliser, and Church sent a free-header over the bar from 10 yards with five minutes left.

But Reading got their reward when Benayoun was adjudged to have clipped Long's heels, and Sigurdsson stepped up to fire home the penalty which took the tie into extra-time.

Emiliano Insua's run created a chance for Babel to force Federici into a low save, but it was still Reading looking the more confident.

And they stunned the Kop by taking the lead after 100 minutes. Brynjar Gunnarsson pushed the ball between Insua's legs on the right and crossed for Long to head home from close range.

Liverpool tried to respond, but even when Benayoun was clear, he could only manage a weak shot that Federici saved with his legs.

The second period of extra-time saw Liverpool struggle desperately to save themselves. But their nervous play was riddled with mistakes and terrible passing.

Jamie Carragher, Babel and Ngog all had shots which failed to trouble Federici, and Reading more than deserved their victory.

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Purslow confirms Liverpool are in no intention to sell star players

Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow says the club would never choose to sell Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard.

Speculation that the Reds may have to cash in on their biggest assets increased at the weekend, after comments from Anfield boss Rafael Benitez.

When asked what would happen if the club received massive bids for their star men, the Spaniard reportedly responded: "We would have a conversation and decide what's the best for the club."

But despite that Purslow says the Spanish striker and England midfield are going nowhere, and revealed that the club could have new investors in the next few months.

He told the Liverpool Echo : "Nothing could be further from the truth than reports which suggested the club would choose to sell its star footballers. Full stop. The idea that we would ever wish to sell our top players is completely against the interests of this club.

In fact our key priority since the summer has been to secure our senior players on long term improved contracts, because we remain of the view that our starting eleven compares with anybody in the Premier League.

"Our plan - and what we are working on - is to try and improve the team; not to be so stupid as to reduce the quality of our squad."

Liverpool host Reading on Wednesday night in an FA Cup third-round replay. They are out of the Champions League and Carling Cup, and no certainties to qualify for Champions League football next season.

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Revised date for Tottenham visiting Anfield

Liverpool's crunch clash with Tottenham Hotspur has been rescheduled.

The Reds were supposed to play rivals who are challenging them for a place in the top four at Anfield last Sunday but the fixture fell foul of the elements.

The match has now been rescheduled for Wednesday, January 20 (8pm kick-off).

It initially raised the prospects of Liverpool facing a fixture pile-up at the end of the season but, much to Rafa Benitez's relief, a slot has now been found.

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Rafa hopes of quick return for Johnson

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez insists Glen Johnson is making good progress from his knee injury.

Johnson suffered a knee ligament problem during his side's 1-0 win over Aston Villa at the end of December.

Reports have suggested that the injury could sideline Johnson for up to three months, with Liverpool initially suggesting the England right-back would be back in action in a month.

Benitez is refusing to put a timescale on the former Chelsea and Portsmouth star's return to action, but is happy with his recovery to date.

"I was watching him yesterday and he seems okay," said Benitez.

"It's a question of time. He's progressing but we have to wait."

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Liverpool start their summer spending with a brilliant signing

Liverpool are on the verge of tying Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh to a pre-contract arrangement valued at around £25 million.

A number of big clubs - including Arsenal, Inter and Juventus - are said to be interested in the highly rated Moroccan, whose term at the Stade Chaban Delmas expires in the summer.

The Gunners had hoped to lure the player to London this month, but Chamakh has made it clear that he would prefer to serve out the remainder of his contract with les Girondins.

However, the 26-year-old has also said that he will make a decision on his future by the close of the current transfer window, and it appears that Anfield will be his destination.

It is claimed that Chamakh and the Reds undertook a string of in-depth discussions over the weekend, and that the French-born star has agreed to a lucrative deal.

And while Bordeaux will receive nothing for the loss of their key forward, the player himself will reportedly snare a £12m signing-on fee and wages of around £60,000 per week - which adds up to £25m.

It seems an extravagant outlay for a club struggling to make any headway in the January sales, but Liverpool owner Tom Hicks has promised big-money signings in the summer.

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Torres gunning for cup glory

Fernando Torres is hoping to win the FA Cup this season, but also believes that Liverpool can still finish in the top four.

"I remember watching the 2006 FA Cup final when Liverpool played against West Ham, it was a great match," said the Liverpool striker. "Pepe, Stevie and Carra have told me all about it.

"In this country it is the most important trophy after the title. If we won it then we would play in the Community Shield. Winning gives you the chance to get more honours and that should always be our aim.

"Of course we want to finish in the top four too. If we could do that and win the Cup it would be the best season we've had for the last three or four years.

"I know we finished second last year, but to win something and finish in the top four would be better than that."

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Liverpool to swap Babel for Sunderland ace

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is willing to send Ryan Babel to Sunderland in a swap for Kenwyne Jones.

The People says Benitez can only afford the £11million-rated Trinidad & Tobago target man if Babel goes to Steve Bruce's club.

The Kop manager has limited funds and cannot match Birmingham and Stoke if it comes to a straight cash auction for 25-year-old Jones.

However, Benitez has let leading agents work on his behalf to set up a potential swap involving Dutchman Babel, who is also rated at £11m by the Anfield outfit.

Liverpool believe Jones would fancy joining them and playing alongside Fernando Torres - or taking the Spaniard's place if he has to rest his injury.

Jones is not excited by the idea of joining Birmingham or Stoke, who have a lower profile. Liverpool may drop their valuation on Babel - Sunderland rate him at £8m - to make the move happen.

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Torres reveals Liverpool's best yet to come

Fernando Torres believes that Liverpool can turn their fortunes around in the second half of the season, warning the club's rivals "our best is still to come".

Despite currently standing seventh in the Barclays Premier League table, the Spanish hitman is looking to the Reds' domestic history under Benitez, during which they have excelled in the latter half of the year, as the inspiration to turn the current campaign into a success.

He said: "Unfortunately this season is not turning out how we’d wanted, but our best is still to come. Let’s hope that we can put a string of good performances together come the end-of-season run-in and the most pivotal moments, and that we can put right what we’ve not done so well up to now.

"And who knows, in May we might well be talking about how good a season it’s been. We’ve still got objectives to aim for.

"We’re extremely confident that we can regain the position [in the table] that we deserve and that it’s still in our hands. We’re virtually the same team that finished second in the Premier League last season and we’re going to do everything we can to improve our situation."

Torres, 25, also revealed his hopes to achieve the pinnacle of his international career when Spain travel to South Africa for this summer's World Cup.

Vicente del Bosque's side are strong favourites for the competitions following their success at the 2008 European Championships and El Nino has vowed to grasp the opportunity with both hands.

He added: "We all dream of winning another final, particularly at a World Cup which is what every footballer aims for. I think that at one time or another we’ve all pictured ourselves being photographed lifting the World Cup.

"Let’s hope that it happens this time round. We know it’s difficult, but we’re going to give everything we’ve got because we’re in good form and we may not find ourselves in a situation like this again."

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Hicks hints at big spending during summer

Tom Hicks has promised Liverpool will spend "big" in the summer after insisting their financial position is better than portrayed in the media.

A day after his son was forced to resign as a club director after inviting one fan who e-mailed him to 'Blow me, f**kface,' Hicks Sr responded to another e-mail enquiry rather more politely.

According to The Times, Hicks wrote in response to a fan concerned about the financial state of the club: "Our debt is very manageable (see Man U) and we never use player sales for debt service. Our interest on £200million is about £16million. The new stadium will be the game-changer.

"January is a poor quality market. The summer window will be big.
"We are working hard on the new stadium. We have an excellent management team and manager. We know we need more depth on the squad and will address it this summer. We hope to have a stronger second half of the season."

Hicks' email comes in the wake of reports Reds boss Rafa Benitez would be given limited funds in the January transfer window, and any more money raised through the sales of players would instead be saved for the summer.

Liverpool have already received around £6million from the sales of Andriy Voronin to Dinamo Moscow and Andrea Dossena to Napoli.

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Liverpool legend calls for Liverpool to sack Rafa

John Aldridge has criticised Rafael Benitez's tactics and called for the Liverpool board to sack him.

“This is the lowest point in my lifetime as a Liverpool fan," said the former Liverpool striker.

“Rafa's departure would be an upheaval but he would've lost his job by now if he was at another top club. The question is - do Liverpool have the money to pay off the remainder of his contract?

“Liverpool must finish in the top four, whatever it takes. Anything else would be a disaster for the club already weighed down in debt. Sadly, I can't see any way they'll claim that final Champions League spot - unless they get back on track soon'

“Benltez can't claim injuries are the problem, as both Torres and Gerrard are now fit and playing.

“However, he’s still employing baffling tactics - such as sending out a defensive team against the Premier League's bottom club and getting beaten.”

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Liverpool ready to cash in on Torres according to Rafa

Rafael Benitez has admitted Liverpool could consider an offer for Fernando Torres if they fail to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Liverpool's financial issues have been well documented and it has been suggested that Benitez will only be given a small percentage of the funds raised from selling his fringe players this month.

Nonetheless, Benitez had previously been adamant that Torres would not be sold under any circumstances, saying earlier in the season that he was "not for sale at any price" and that he would leave the club if forced to sell his star striker.

However, with Liverpool's hopes of finishing in the top four still in some doubt, the Spaniard has admitted that - should they fail to reach their target - they would have to consider allowing Torres to leave if Manchester City came in with a £100 million offer.

When initially asked about the situation, Benitez said: "At the moment we have to do the best for the club - and the best for the club is trying to improve the squad."

Pressed further, though, he added: "We would have conversations if we had to decide about this. Finishing in the top four is the key to keeping everyone together."

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Voronin completes Russia switch

Dynamo Moscow have completed the £1.8million signing of Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin.

Snow prevented the 30-year-old flying to the Russian capital earlier this week, but Dynamo have finalised the deal before their first team head for a winter training camp in Belek, Turkey, on Sunday.

CSKA Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg also enquired about the Ukraine international, but Dynamo made the strongest offer as they seek to fillthe void left by Russia striker Alexander Kerzhakov, who is set for areturn to Zenit.

Voronin has sought help from Everton's summer Russian recruit Diniyar Bilyaletdinov as he hunts for a new home.

Bilyaletdinov, who left Lokomotiv Moscow for Merseyside in August, put his Merseyside rival in touch with a estate agent.

Both Dynamo and Voronin have been coy on the impending transfer, with the club's sporting director Konstantin Sarsania only revealing they were about to sign a 'foreign striker'.

Voronin said: 'I've had some very good offers and everything will be determined soon.'The Anfield flop, who has scored six goals in 33 appearances since joining Liverpool on a free transfer two-and-a-half years ago, also hit back at critics who say he has wasted his talent.

'With regard to the strange comments about my footballing achievements, I prefer to answer that on the pitch,' he said.

'Perhaps to coaches who have won world championships and European Cups, my successes seem insignificant, but I want to believe that there are things still to achieve in football and I hope I will prove it with my new club.'

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Tottenham clash at Anfield called off due to bad weather

Liverpool's match against Tottenham on Sunday has been postponed. After discussions between the club, police and the Premier League it has been agreed that the safety of fans meant that this match had to be postponed

'The football side of the club obviously wanted to play the match.

'But this is a safety issue. The local roads around Anfield are little more than sheets of ice and very dangerous. The police and the local council both agreed with our request to the league.'

People will argue that more time should've been given before this announcement but conditions weren't expected to improve so if they're dangerous now they'd be dangerous on Sunday as well.


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Liverpool confident of Chamakh deal

Liverpool are confident of seeing off fierce competition for Marouane Chamakh and agreeing a deal to sign him on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Bordeaux's Morocco striker has confided to friends that he sees his future in England, when his contract runs out in the summer, and talks have already taken place over making Anfield his new home.

Arsenal have been tracking him for months and Tottenham are also keen, while Sportsmail understands Chelsea are also attracted to the idea of expanding their attacking options without paying a fee after relying heavily on Didier Drogba in recent seasons.

Last month, Chamakh reiterated his desire to see out the season with Ligue 1 leaders - and current champions - Bordeaux.
But the 25-year-old will leave the Stade Chaban Delmas on a free at the end of the season, with Arsene Wenger perpetually linked with a move to the Emirates as a potential replacement for the injured Robin van Persie.

Chamakh has not been short in coming forward, telling the Moroccan media of his various suitors.
'My agent has been contacted by Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton, Chelsea and Sunderland in the Premier League along with other clubs like Sevilla, Inter and Juventus.
'However, we do not have a concrete offer on the table at the moment and it is still a bit soon for such things.

'When the season ends, I will meet with my agent and we will evaluate all of the offers and decide what is the best for me from a footballing point of view. The economics are not the only important thing for me.'

Despite being highly rated, Chamakh has rarely showed signs of becoming a prolific goalscorer.
After previously failing to register more than 10 goals in a season, Chamakh hit 14 league goals in 34 last season, but has returned just six in 19 Ligue 1 outings this campaign.


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Torres hails Reina as world's best

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres believes that team-mate Pepe Reina is currently the world's best goalkeeper.

Reina has been in fine form for the Reds in what has so far been a difficult campaign for Rafa Benitez's side, and Torres feels that there is no finer keeper currently playing.

"Like always he's having a really good season. For me he's now the best keeper in the world," the forward told the Reds' official website.
"In Spain everyone knows he's a very good keeper and in England there is no doubt he is the best. He's played at a top level since he signed here and won many Golden Gloves - and hopefully he'll win one more this season.

"He's having a massive season and at [Aston] Villa we won the game thanks to him. We must be really happy to have him in the team and hopefully he'll be here for a long time."

But Reina doesn't just contribute on the pitch. Torres also rates him as one of the Anfield dressing-room's great characters, a man who lifts his team-mates.

He can also joke with Torres about the striker's past success when playing against him.

"Pepe is one of the most important players in the dressing-room," he added.

"After Stevie [Gerrard] and Carra [Jamie Carragehr], I think he's the most important. He's always happy round the place - not just on the pitch but in the dressing-room.

"When you see Pepe he is always happy and trying to be positive. He is a really good professional.

"I always scored against him when we played in Spain - he was one of my favourite keepers! We always talk and laugh about that. I don't know why I always score against him."

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Torres working very hard to get his fitness back and help Liverpool

Fernando Torres believes he is now getting back to full fitness as he puts in extra hours to help get Liverpool's season back on track.

Liverpool have struggled in the league as well as exiting the Champions League at the group stage and have been hampered by injuries to key stars like Torres and Steven Gerrard.

However, both players have returned to action in recent weeks and, while Torres has looked short of fitness at times, the former Atletico Madrid striker is convinced he is finally getting over the effects of the groin injury that kept him out of six matches in November and December.

"I am good now," he said. "Much better than a couple of months ago. I need to keep working three, four or five hours more than the rest of the squad because I need to keep recovering for the rest of the season.

"One of the reasons I'm working really hard is because I know in this situation Liverpool need every player fit. It's a difficult time but it's worth it if I want to play. I do the normal training session with my team-mates but before and after I have to do treatment, exercises and gym work to make my leg strong enough.

"We are doing a good job and I'm feeling nothing bad in my leg. I have been able to play 90 minutes in the last four games so I'm really happy with the progression. Maybe I'll have to do this all season."

He added: "It's frustrating because I've never been injured before - not at Atletico and only one small one during my first season here. The last two seasons have been the first time I've had consecutive injuries.

"Always when the team is not in the best moment it's frustrating if you can't help your team-mates. It's really hard watching the games from the stands.

"I'm not old but I'm not that young, so I need to look after myself with extra work. I know I have to work harder in order to play three games a week until the end of my career. I need to work harder than before."

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Dossena off to Napoli for £4.4m

Andrea Dossena has agreed a return to Italy with Serie A side Napoli, according to reports in Italy this evening.

The left-back has been widely expected to leave Liverpool during the transfer window, with talks having taken place with Atletico Madrid also.

Napoli’s sporting director is reported to have flown to Merseyside on Monday to agree the deal, at the third time of asking having previously attempted to sign the defender in the summer. Previously Atletico looked the more likely destination having held talks over a loan move linked to Maxi Rodriguez’s imminent move in the opposite direction.

Dossena never settled in English football but will always have a place in Liverpool fan’s hearts after scoring, incredibly, the final goal in both the 4-0 win over Real Madrid and the 4-1 win at Old Trafford in a famous week last March.

Rafa Benitez will now be free to complete the signing of Rodriguez and move on to other transfer window targets.

One of those targets for Benitez is to offload Ukranian forward Andriy Voronin, who has spent the last week sunning himself in Miami. The Mirror reports this morning that a £1.5m move to Dynamo Moscow is poised to be completed. Fantastic news for Liverpool fans!

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Maxi ready to take pay cut to play for Liverpool

Maxi Rodriguez is willing to take a pay cut to seal a move to Liverpool.

The Atletico Madrid midfielder wants to play regular first-team football to cement his place in Argentina's World Cup squad.

The 29-year-old, who has also been linked with Boca Juniors and Juventus, is out of contract at the end of the season but, according to Spanish newspaper AS, will lower his £4.4million-a-year wage demands to secure a short-term move.

Rodruiguez is close friends with Reds midfielder and countryman Javier Mascherano but manager Rafa Benitez needs to sell before he can splash out with Andrea Dossena or Andriy Voronin the most likely to head for the Anfield exit.

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Gerrard rescues Liverpool at the Madejski stadium

Steven Gerrard rescued Liverpool again with an equaliser at the Madejski Stadium to earn an FA Cup third-round replay against Reading and avoid an embarrassing defeat.

It was hardly the most influential performance from Gerrard but the Liverpool skipper produced a goal when his side needed it most, as he does so often, meaning the two clubs will meet again at Anfield.

Simon Church had bundled in an opener to give the hosts the scent of an upset but Gerrard levelled before the break for Rafael Benitez's men.

Liverpool had been defeated on their last visit to Reading's stadium, little more than two years ago, but plenty has changed since the days of Steve Coppell's men upsetting the heavyweights in the Premier League.

The Royals head back into Championship action sitting just above the relegation zone in 20th place and there is a feeling of frustration from fans against chairman Sir John Madejski, who is yet to appoint a new manager following Brendan Rodgers' dismissal last month.

Reading chief scout Craig McDermott has been in charge and while survival is the priority, a run in the FA Cup tends to boost confidence. They also had Brian Howard, who scored a famous winner for Barnsley against the Reds in 2008, on the bench after a jaw injury.

Liverpool's season has seen them knocked out of the Champions League and also struggle to keep pace with others teams in the hunt for a top-four place in the Premier League, so the cup has been seen as one of their only genuine chances of success.

With that in mind, Benitez picked a strong team - Gerrard and Fernando Torres started - but they started poorly, not helped by the tricky conditions at Reading's ground, a venue that also hosts rugby games for London Irish.

The hosts had the ball in the net when Jobi McAnuff met Pepe Reina's punch but the header was correctly ruled out as Grzegorz Rasiak was offside and also impeded the Liverpool goalkeeper to allow the finish to trickle over the line.

Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici was fortunate to escape further punishment when he handled outside the penalty area, claiming a ball Gerrard pushed through to Fabio Aurelio. Martin Atkinson only awarding a free-kick.

The West Yorkshire referee was also lenient when he turned down a Reading appeal for a penalty when Martin Skrtel tugged on Gylfi Sigurdsson's shirt, but Emiliano Insua finally went in the book when he fouled McAnuff on the right flank.

That led to Church's strike. Ryan Bertrand swung over the deep free-kick to the far post, with most Liverpool players expecting the ball to drift out of play.

They did not count on Rasiak darting around Lucas Leiva and pulling the ball back from the byline. Church used his shins to tap in from close range for his fifth goal of the season.

Liverpool looked to Torres to get them back in the game and the Spain striker headed just wide when Dirk Kuyt crossed from the right channel.

It was their other talisman, Gerrard, who grabbed the equaliser. The midfielder picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and shaped to cross, with Kuyt stepping over the delivery to fool Federici.

Gerrard sent Torres through before the break and Federici spread himself well to block the finish, and Aurelio also drilled wide when sent through.

Reading's disgruntled fans spotted their former manager on his duties as a pundit and chanted "we want our Coppell back", as they hope for a return to the days of success.

The club have been in freefall since relegation from the top flight two seasons ago and the likes of Kevin Doyle and Stephen Hunt have been sold - but at least the current players were not giving up. Sigurdsson unleashed a swerving shot that required a decent Reina save.

Torres had threatened just after the break when he went just over the crossbar from the edge of the area.

Federici appeared to pull a hamstring midway through the second half, so Ben Hamer came off the bench and saved on the line from Alberto Aquilani before the end. Torres headed just over in stoppage-time.

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