[Liverweb] Man City Away Preview

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Liverweb Match Preview

Opponents : Manchester City
Date : Saturday November 26
Venue : City of Manchester Stadium
TV Coverage : ART Sport 4, Supersport 3SA, Setanta Ireland, TPS
Foot, Sportmania, Sky Sport 1(Italia), Sky Calcio 3

Head to Head - Premiership Head to Head
LAST corresponding Fixture : Manchester City 1 Liverpool 0

The Reds travel to City having qualified in midweek for the Last 16
of the Champions League. They go in search of the fourth successive
league win - something that hasn't happened since April 2003. Their
last three games have been won without a goal being conceded.

Squads : The Reds hope to welcome back Luis Garcia after he sat out
the game against Real Betis. However Xabi Alonso is still struggling
to shake off the knee injury he sustained last week against
Portsmouth

Antoine Sibierski is out for City whilst they are awaiting further
news on Claudio Reyna and his fitness. Joey Barton is available
again after suspension.

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Traore,
Warnock, Luis Garcia, Hamann, Gerrard, Sissoko, Zenden, Kewell,
Cisse, Morientes, Crouch, Sinama-Pongolle, Dudek, Josemi, Potter.

City from : James, De Vlieger, Mills, Onuoha, Dunne, Distin,
Richards, Jordan, Thatcher, Sun, Croft, Reyna, Sinclair, Barton,
Ireland, Musampa, Hussein, Sibierski, Cole, Vassell, Miller, Fowler,
Wright-Phillips.

Team Stats : The Reds go in search of their 75th win over Manchester
City in all competitions. If they got that win it would be coming
the 150th meeting of the two sides. However they are yet to win at
Manchester City since they moved in to their new ground.

The last win at City came in 2002 when Michael Owen bagged a hat-
trick as the Reds won 3-0. That win remains the only one at either
ground of City in the Premiership.

Back in 1982 the Reds recorded their biggest ever win at City. The
Reds won 5-0 that day. On the down side way back in September 1935
City thrashed the Reds 6-0.

In the 16 premiership games it's not always good that the Reds taken
the lead. On five occassions the Reds have failed to win having gone
in front. On one of those five occasions the Reds actually went on
to lose the match. The Reds have never come from behind to win in
any of the games either.

Player Stats : John Arne Riise will hope to play in his 150th
premiership game.

Momo Sissoko and Peter Crouch will look to play in their tenth
league game for the Reds.

Luis Garcia is one goal away from double figures in the league for
the Reds.

Stephen Warnock has been an unused premiership sub nine times so far
for the Reds.

Sami Hyypia is one premiership booking away from double figures in
his Reds career.

Robbie Fowler of Man City is one of two players too have scored for
both sides in this fixture whilst playing for each side. Ex-Red
Nicolas Anelka is the other.

Referee : Alan Wiley - taken charge of ten games so far this season
and shown an average of just over three cards per game. He has also
sent two players off.

He last officiated Man City back in August as they ran out 2-1
winners on the day. He is yet to take charge of a Reds game this
season.

Betting : Liverpool 6/4, City 13/8, Draw : 19/10

Liverweb Prediction : Manchester City 0 Liverpool 2

Email your comments to andy@liverweb.org.uk

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[Liverweb] News Latest

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The Reds are rumoured to have put in a bid for Serbian centre back
Nemanja Vidic.

The story first broke in Norway from generally very reliable sources
and has now been covered in the echo as well. see below

Reds in £4.5m swoop for Serb Nov 25 2005

EXCLUSIVE by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL have bid £4.5m for Serbian international defender Nemanja
Vidic.

Rafa Benitez hopes to secure the signing of a centre-half by next
week, but there remain some obstacles to overcome for Vidic to move
from Spar-tak Moscow to Merseyside.

Italian club Fiorentina are rivals for the defender's services, and
Benitez won't maintain his interest if he senses indecision from the
player.

Vidic is one of several defenders who've been in Liverpool's sights
all season and today's move doesn't necessarily signal the end of
the Reds' search.

Benitez hopes his offer will give him permission to speak to the 24-
year-old before deciding whether to press ahead with his purchase.

In the meantime, Benitez is also maintaining an interest in other
long-term targets.

It's understood Vidic has a clause in his contract which will allow
him to talk to the Reds for an offer of £4.5m.

But the Liverpool boss needs to be convinced Vidic is 100% committed
to joining the European champions, otherwise he'll look elsewhere.

Vidic excelled during the recent World Cup qualifying campaign when
Serbia and Montenegro finished above Spain in their group.

He's been linked with Arsenal and Aston Villa in the past, but
Fiorentina are the only other club to have made an offer to his
Russian club.

Liverpool have made no secret of their desire to recruit a new
centre-back, with Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher currently the only
senior central defenders at the club.

One other little story is actually concerned with the site

Season 1926-7

http://www.liverweb.org.uk/192627.htm

Not necessarily great on the pitch but I've added in a great picture
of the team that season to the season archive.

As the picture was also so big I've made a wallpaper out of it if
anyone wants to adorn their screen with it.

http://www.liverweb.org.uk/wallpapers.htm

Andy
Liverweb

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http://www.liverweb.org.uk/archive.htm
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mail me back and ask me.
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[Liverweb] News Latest

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Firstly this weeks teletext article has been written up and is here
in unedited format

Qualification to the last 16 is assured now and that's the main
thing that counts. Granted a win would have been better for us and
we had the chances to win the game but they didn't happen. On
another day they would have gone in and we'd have won handsomely.
The better thing these days is that we are creating enough chances
to win the games.

Alot is being written in the press about Peter Crouch and his lack
of goals but I think some of the press hype around him is over the
top. Headlines such as Reds through despite Crouch is very poor
reporting. Crouchy has the crowd behind him, the players behind him
and most importantly is contributing to a great team ethic. It
seems the minute we don't win it's all down to Crouch.

On Saturday we won at a canter and others scored goals but the
Crouch effort goes un-noticed by the press. The most important
thing for Crouch though is that we must stick behind him. If he
stays confident the goals will come and we'll all enjoy the silence
of the press afterwards as that is no doubt what will happen.

In other news - the reserves lost the other night

Liverweb Reserves Match Summary

Birmingham City 2 Liverpool 0

Liverpool : Paul Willis, David Raven, Zak Whitbread, Danny
O'Donnell, Godwin Antwi, Antonio Barragan, Jack Hobbs, Lee Peltier,
Beisan Idrizaj, Paul Andersen, Ramo Calliste

Subs Used : David Mannix for Lee Peltier (45), Adam Hamill for
Besian Idrizaj (60), Miquel Roque for Jack Hobbs (70)

Subs Unused : Dave Roberts, James Smith

Ref : I Scarr

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

The Reds went down to goals at either end of the game in this match
played at Solihull. Kuqi scored for Birmingham inside one minute
after an error from Zak Whitbread.

Antonio Barragan returned from injury for the Reds and played the
full ninety.

The Reds made a switch at half time replacing Lee Peltier with David
Manniz which did help the Reds in midfield but no great chances
came. In the final minute of the game Barrowman struck home to give
Birmingham a 2-0 win.

In other news Zak Whitbread has joined MIllwall on loan. He joins
initially until January but it's then expected to last until the end
of the season.

In the rumour mill the Reds are said to be interested in Marco di
Vaio. The Valencia striker is unhappy in Valencia and Inter are
string favourites to take him initially on loan. however allegedly
the Reds are interested in the striker too.

Andy
Liverweb

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
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[Liverweb] Real Betis Match Report

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Liverweb Match Report

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Liverweb

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Liverpool 0 Real Betis 0

Liverpool : Reina, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan, Hamann, Gerrard
(C), Zenden, Sissoko, Crouch, Morientes

Subs Used : Cisse for Morientes (67), Kewell for Crouch (83), Potter
for Gerrard (90)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Traore, Josemi, Warnock

Att : 42,077

Ref : Eric Poulat(FRA)

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

The Reds made it through to the last 16 of the Champions League
against Real Betis thanks to a goalless draw at Anfield. The Reds
were the better side and had enough chances to win the game but
failed to convert them.
Real Betis got the game underway attacking the Kop end in the first
half and it was the away side who nearly went through early on.
Reina though was sharp and out quickly to get tot the ball before
Joaquin could get there. At the other end Morientes and especially
Crouch were both looking to get involved in setting up attacks for
the Reds.

Morientes went close to breaking through the whole Betis defence on
eight minutes but his final touch just over ran the ball and Betis
were able to clear the ball. The main joy for the Reds in the first
half came down the right hand side. With the Reds exposing Oscar
Lopez more and more they were getting some crosses in from the
right. After Lopez was booked for a woeful challenge on Sissoko
though the Reds didn't attack him enough.

Peter Crouch had two great chances to score midway through the half
but on both occasions just missed. The second chance - a diving
header should have been buried but he just didn't quite hit the ball
square on. On thirty seven minutes Sissoko created a great chance
for himself but if only he could shoot! He blazed over after doing
all the hard work. A few minutes later and Joaquin showed everyone
how good he is. Out on the right hand side and faced with both Riise
and Hamann he danced past them as if they never existed but having
beat them he failed to put in a decent cross.

Half time arrived and time for a re-think in the dressing room. The
interval saw a presentation given to Phil Neal, Kenny Dalglish and a
young relative of Bob Paisley. The award was some form of award by
UEFA but sadly I couldn't hear what the commentator was saying. Phil
Neal got a huge round of applause as he went up for his. Then came
Dalglish and the chants of Dalglish went up around the Kop - just
like the days of old. The came the award for Bob Paisley and the
eerie chant of Paisley sang out around the ground. I love the chant
but there's something weird about it to me.

After the break the Reds got the game underway again and looked to
capitalise on their better possession. A minute in to the half and
Morientes had a golden chance but he seemed to dither before
shooting on goal. His slowness allowed the Keeper to come out and
make a save. Six minutes in to the half and Hyypia headed just over
the bar from six yards out. It was getting closer so persistence was
the key.

On fifty seven minutes the latest player to try and overhead kick at
goal was Momo Sissoko. He played keepie uppie on the edge of the box
before hurling himself in to the bicycle kick. His effort was
straight and feeble though to the keeper who collected with ease. A
minute later and Hamann picked up a booking which he really can't
complain about as he simply hacked his man down.

On sixty four minutes Morientes was presented with another great
chance - this time off a Crouch header down but his Volley sailed
over the bar from ten yards. t proved Morientes' last action as he
was subbed for Cisse a couple of minutes later. Cisse though played
right midfield and allowed Gerrard a chance to move further up field.

Steven Gerrard had a couple of good chances to score late on. On
seventy six minutes he cut inside his man before hitting a tame shot
straight at the keeper. Then on eighty seven minutes he really
should have scored when he raced clean through on goal. Gerrard
though shaped all to obviously to shoot right and the keeper saved
the ball with ease. Gerrard was subbed late on and replaced by
Potter for the final stoppage minutes of the game. Betis did put the
Reds under some late pressure and had we scored you wouldn't have
panicked quite as much as we did. That said seeing the away side
swing a corner in during the final second of the game panicked you.
The Reds cleared though and went off to the last 16 of the
tournament.

MotM: Peter Crouch - played really well throughout and is really
starting to show how he can play for the Reds. He brought the ball
down well and got in to good space to bring play up to his part of
the pitch. The goals will come for him but his all round play gets
this award.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
Match Stats
Liverpool Betis
46% Possession 54%
8 Shots On Target 2
11 Shots Off Target 3
6 Blocked Shots 1
5 Corners 3
13 Fouls 12
0 Offsides 4
1 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0

Email your comments to andy@liverweb.org.uk

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
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Whatever Liverpool FC you need it's all there in Liverweb. If it's not
mail me back and ask me.
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[Liverweb] Real Betis Match Preview

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Liverweb Champions League Match Preview

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Opponents : Real Betis
Date : Wednesday November 23 @ 7.45 pm BST
Venue : Anfield
TV Coverage : Premiere Sport Portal, Canal+ (Spain), Sky Sports
Extra, RTE2, ZTV Sweden, TSR2, 3+, SKY Calcio 14, CT-2, Sport TV
Multijogos

Tape Delay : Viasat (1hr 55mins), NTV+ Football(2hrs), TV3 Norway
(2hrs 5mins), Polsat Sport Extra (5hrs 45mins)

Highlights : ITV1

The Reds aim to make it throughto the last 16 in this game by
avoiding defeat. However a win for the Reds could set themselves up
to win the group. Real Betis arrive at Anfield knowing that a draw
would at minimum mean they will have UEFACup football to look
forward to in the new year. A draw coupled with a win for Chelsea in
the other group game will mean that Betis will have to be content
with that UEFA slot.

Liverpool have two injury checks to make on Xabi Alonso and Luis
Garcia who both limped out of the Portsmouth game on Saturday. Both
will have late fitness tests.

Real Betis are definitely without Olivera and also Dani through
injury and also miss Fernando Varela due to suspension.

League form : The Reds warmed up for this clash with an easy 3-0
victory at home to Portsmouth on Saturday. Zenden, Cisse and
Morientes were all on the scoresheet. The result moved the Reds in
to the top half of the Premiership as a result.

Real Betis lost on Saturday to Sevilla - their local derby. In fact
Betis have failed to win away from home this season in La Liga. At
home they have just two wins - their last came in October and they
sit one place above the bottom so far this season.

Squads :

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Traore,
Warnock, Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Sissoko, Hamann, Luis Garcia, Zenden,
Morientes, Crouch, Cisse, Kewell, Carson, Sinama-Pongolle.

Betis : Arzu, Capi, Doblas, Israel, Juanlu,Rivas, Assunçao,
Castellini, Edu, Joaquín, Melli, Rivera, Cañas, Contreras, Fernando,
Juanito, Óscar López y Xisco

Team Stats : Liverpool have conceded just the one goal in the
Champions League proper since Hernan Crespo scored his second and
Milan's third in Istanbul. Of course the Reds still came back to win
the trophy that night in May. The Reds are one of just four sides to
have conceded a single goal in this season's competition proper.

The Reds are two goals away from conceding their 100th goal in the
top European competition (qualifiers included).

After the first four matches Betis had been awarded the most yellow
cards this season.

A win for the Reds in this match would be their 10th against Spanish
opposition in all UEFA Competitions. This is the 22nd game between
the Reds and Spanish sides. The current nine wins of course includes
two wins which saw the Reds lift a European Trophy - this cup in
1981 against Real Madrid and the UEFA Cup in 2001 against Alaves.

Real Betis have won just once against English sides in five games.

Player Stats : Sami Hyypia and Djibril Cisse hope to maintain their
record of appearing in every Champions League match this season.

Sami Hyypia in fact has played in every minute of the Reds' last 54
European matches.

Jamie Carragher will play in his 75th European game in this one.

Fernando Morientes with 87 has the most European appearances from
the two squads. A hat-trick for the Reds' striker would ensure he
reached 30 goals in the main Champions League competition.

Peter Crouch is looking to play his 10th European career appearance
in this one. That feat is also hoping to be achieved for Betis by
Juanito Gutierrez and Oscar Lopez.

Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso are one booking away from a suspension.

Referee : Eric Poulat (FRA) - first time a French ref has arrived
for a Champions League game at Anfield. In away ties they have
reffed 5 times and the Reds have won 3 and drawn 2 of the games.

The Frenchman will officiate his 11th Champions League game in this
one. The 41 year old has taken charge of two groups games so far
this season. This is only his second visit to England - his other
visit came in 2003 where he oversaw a Man United win.

Betting : Liverpool 8/11, Betis 10/3, Draw : 11/5

Group Winner odds : Liverpool 11/10, Betis 14/1

Tournament winner odds : Liverpool 14/1, Betis 150/1

Liverweb Prediction : Liverpool 2 Real Betis 0

Email your comments to andy@liverweb.org.uk

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[Liverweb] Reserves in Action

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The Reds reserves are back in action again tonight. They play away
to Birmingham City. The game is played at Solihull Borough FC and
kicks off at 7pm.

The Reds field a very young side once again and include Paul
Andersen who is technically again appearaing as a trialist. He
moves to the Reds in January.

1. Paul Willis
2. David Raven
3. Zak Whitbread
4. Godwin Antwi
5. Danny O'Donnell
6. Jack Hobbs
7. Antonio Barragan
8. Lee Peltier
9. Ramon Calliste
10. Besian Idrizaj
11. Paul Anderson

Substitutes:-

12. David Mannix
13. David Roberts
14. James Smith
15. Miki Roque
16. Adam Hammill

No Birmingham team news available yet.

The clash sees the Reds in 9th against a Birmingham side in tenth
spot. Both teams have 14 points but Birmingham have a -1 goal
difference as opposed to the Reds' 0.

Last time out the Reds played Man City which saw Pongolle score and
get sent off in the same match. Away from home this season the Reds
have won all their three games so far.

The man to watch for Birmingham at the scoring end if he plays is
Neil Kilkenny. He has four goals for Birmingham this season and is
also the man who was sent off against the Reds in the Premiership
game earlier this season.

Andy
Liverweb

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[Liverweb] Portsmouth Match Report

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Liverweb Match Report

Liverpool 3 Portsmouth 0

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock, Zenden,
Garcia, Gerrard (C), Hamann, Crouch, Cisse

Subs Used : Morientes for Garcia (22), Alonso for Cisse(69), Josemi
for Gerrard (83)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Traore

Att : 44,394

Ref : P.Walton

Goals : Zenden 22, Cisse 38, Morientes 79

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

Well that has to be the easiest and dullest 3-0 win we'll have this
season. As I write this I'm shocked that Alain Perrin is still in a
job. Portsmouth were the worst side so far at Anfield and the score
flattered the visitor's. With a Champions League game coming up this
week this was ideal a we certainly shouldn't be tired after this
match.

The two sides came out on a cold and sharp Saturday afternoon with
the Reds looking for their third straight league win. The Reds lost
the toss and were forced to attack the Kop end in the first half.
From very early on you could see how poor Portsmouth were and this
game was there for the taking. The Reds kicked off and were on the
attack early doors. The first great chance of the day fell to Peter
Crouch on twelve minutes when he headed a Gerrard corner to the Kop
goal only to see Ashdown put up an instinctive arm to deflect the
ball away. Four minutes later and Cisse headed goalwards from Finnan
but his one was to weak for a goal.

Luis Garcia took a bad knock shortly after and was hobbling around
for ages. The lack of activity on the bench for me was poor as no-
one seemed to realise he wouldn't be able to continue. You really
got the gist when he just didn't want the ball played to him.
Finally midway through the half Morientes came on in place of him
and pushed Cisse out right.

The Reds took the lead shortly after a penalty was awarded. Bolo
Zenden cut in from the left side and megged his man before falling
down. Our first reaction was 'get up son' but then we heard the
whistle from the ref and he gave a penalty. We were completely
shocked but then Crouchy went over to grab the ball. With Cisse
standing on the penalty spot waiting for the ball Crouch took
command. Crouch stepped up and hit the kick in the ideal place for a
keeper to save. However Zenden followed in the rebound and headed
home despite a late attempt to save it by Vignal.

Crouch got away with the spot kick but he certainly didn't let it
get to him. Three minutes later Crouch showed that he's been
watching too many Cisse videos lately as he attempted an overhead
kick from the edge of the box. At the other end Portsmouth simply
weren't causing any problems to the Reds. They had one feeble shout
for a penalty but Viafara just fell over as he got to the box.

The Reds doubled their lead six minutes before half time through
Djibril Cisse but there's no way he intended to score for me. He
broke down the right and went to cross the ball towards Morientes
and Crouch in the middle. He misjudged his cross but suddenly
Ashdown started flapping at it and it sailed over his head and into
the back of the net. Cisse knew it wasn't meant and you could see
that from his celebration but the goal was welcome all the same.

The second half was pretty much a none event to be honest. The Reds
knew they were home and dry whilst playing in second gear so why
over exert. Peter Crouch went through on goal ten minutes into the
half but his shot from the edge of the area was saved by Ashdown and
it just wasn't gonna happen from the lad. He's trying really hard to
score and the main thing is he's not hiding away. He's there in the
position to score it just needs to go in.

The nearest Portsmouth came to scoring in the match was on sixty
eight minutes as they won a header from a corner. Reina half saved
it and Finnan completed the job by clearing off the line. The Reds
brought on Xabi Alonso for Cisse just after this to alter things
around a bit - Gerrard went right midfield but the game simply was
dull. One very noticeable part of the afternoon though was the
lovely Red sky over the top of the Kop stand. Yes that's how dull
the game was - we watched the sky go Red.

The Reds did finally get a third goal on seventy nine minutes thanks
to Morientes. Finnan crossed the ball to the back post. Crouch
knocked it down and between Hyypia and Morientes the ball was
brought under control and Nando smacked it home for a third goal on
the day. Portsmouth fans were still singing away determined at least
to enjoy the long trip to Anfield. Josemi came on for Gerrard and
Carra took the captains armband on. One minor late scare in the game
came when Alonso limped off after a tackle in the centre circle. Not
able to carry on Alonso limped down the tunnel to leave the Reds
with ten men for the remaining three minutes.

Overall this was dull but certainly job done for the Reds which was
important. You can only beat what is put in front of you at the end
of the day as well so the Reds win was good from that respect.
Crouch is going to score one day soon and he deserves credit on this
because he had the guts to heap pressure on himself to score with
the penalty and even after the miss his head stayed up and he had
chances.

MotM : Bolo Zenden - best game for the Reds so far. Bolo was
involved throughout the game and worked hard going either outside or
inside his man. When you come in to the side it's important to work
hard and play to stay there and that's exactly what the Dutch man
did.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
Match Stats
Liverpool Portsmouth
66% Possession 34%
8 Shots On Target 4
3 Shots Off Target 2
2 Blocked Shots 1
5 Corners 5
7 Fouls 8
3 Offsides 1
1 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0

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