Liverpool turn their attentions back to the Premier League this weekend when they welcome Stoke to Anfield after two games in the FA Cup and Carling Cup.
The Reds go into the clash boosted by the news that skipper Steven Gerrard has signed a new long-term deal which is likely to see him end his playing career at Anfield.

Gerrard signed a new deal this week...Liverpool face Stoke at Anfield on Saturday in the Premier League. After a winning performance at the Etihad in the League Cup, the Reds are brimming with confidence. Interestingly, the last time visitors Stoke lost in the league was at the Etihad, Pulis's boys are on a bit of a roll.

Despite the recent bold pronouncements by new NI boss Michael O'Neill regarding his intention to stop players from the North opting to play for Ireland rather than his IFA team, it would seem, going by player statements in the past week, that his misguided mission is likely to continue falling on deaf-ears with players and supporters alike.

Despite the recent bold pronouncements by new NI boss Michael O'Neill regarding his intention to stop players from the North opting to play for Ireland rather than his IFA team, it would seem, going by player statements in the past week, that his misguided mission is likely to continue falling on deaf-ears with players and supporters alike.

By Chris Wright

You may be aware that, in glorious 20-20 retrospect, Tottenham were fairly hard done to against Stoke yesterday. The Potters ran out as 2-1 winners, but it turns out that Spurs were denied by a couple of goal-line handballs, had a man sent off rather softly and saw an Emmanuel Adebayor goal disallowed for offside despite Marc Wilson playing him on by a couple of feet.

By Alan Duffy

In recent years, there has been a constant trickle of players from Northern Ireland switching allegiances to the Republic, including Manchester United's Darron Gibson and Stoke City's Marc Wilson. Now, Northern Ireland legend Gerry Armstrong, who is currently the Irish FA's 'elite player mentor', has suggested that ditching 'God Save The Queen' could entice more players from the country's nationalist background to play for the North.

Click HERE to listen
This is episode 2 in our series as excitement builds ahead of the playoff clash with Estonia. On this epsiode, two dedicated Irish supporters join us to give their views.
We have John from YBIG.ie, a Raheny man looking forward to jetting off to Tallinn.

After lots of thought, but surely little understanding, here's my week 7 team. Good night, and good luck.

Familiar faces will be reunited when Stoke welcome Liverpool to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, with Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy both set for their respective debuts.
Former Reds striker Crouch became Tony Pulis' record signing on transfer deadline day after leaving Tottenham in a £10million deal and he is expected to start this weekend.

Familiar faces will be reunited when Stoke welcome Liverpool to the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, with Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy both set for their respective debuts.
Former Reds striker Crouch became Tony Pulis' record signing on transfer deadline day after leaving Tottenham in a £10million deal and he is expected to start this weekend.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has announced a provisional 32 man squad to face Slovakia and Russia in September's crucial Euro qualifiers.
Kevin Doyle is his biggest concern, having departed the squad on Tuesday with a recurrence of a knee ligament injury suffered in the 2-1 win over Macedonia in March.

Giovanni Trapattoni has been hit with a number of injury pull-outs prior to Wednesday night's friendly international against Croatia in Dublin.
Everton winger Seamus Coleman left Goodison Park on crutches on Friday night, and while Ireland can withstand losing players for this week's game, Trapattoni won't want to be losing players for the key games in September against Slovakia and Russia.

Giovanni Trapattoni has been hit with a number of injury pull-outs prior to Wednesday night's friendly international against Croatia in Dublin.
Everton winger Seamus Coleman left Goodison Park on crutches on Friday night, and while Ireland can withstand losing players for this week's game, Trapattoni won't want to be losing players for the key games in September against Slovakia and Russia.

By Chris Wright

Flares? Shamless play-acting? Neo-Nazism? It truly was a European night at the Britannia yesterday evening, with Stoke securing themselves a narrow first-leg lead in their Europa League third-round qualifying tie with Hajduk Split courtesy of a Jonathan Walters header.

By Chris Wright

Flares? Shamless play-acting? Neo-Nazism? It truly was a European night at the Britannia yesterday evening, with Stoke securing themselves a narrow first-leg lead in their Europa League third-round qualifying tie with Hajduk Split courtesy of a Jonathan Walters header.

Giovanni Trapattoni has named his 32 man Ireland squad for the international friendly against Croatia on August 10th. The squad includes Darron Gibson, Marc Wilson, James McCarthy and Mark Walters, who all missed the end of season Carling Cup games in June due to injury.
Goalkeepers
Shay Given
Keiren Westwood
David Forde
Defence
John O'Shea
Paul McShane
Kevin Foley
Seamus Coleman
Stephen Kelly
Stephen Ward
Richard Dunne
Sean St.

FIFA Player Eligibility in the Context of Ireland: The Actual Rules, the Real Facts and Dispelling the Prevailing Myths.
By Daniel Collins (daniel_d_collins@hotmail.com).
"National identity ... is the foundation of national teams."- Ángel María Villar, FIFA legal committee chairman (June, 2011).

Ireland captain Robbie Keane has warned players to commit fully to Irelands cause or not play at all.
Keane has been bemused by the high number of players who have pulled out from international duty for the Carling Nations Cup this past week.
Ireland have had plenty of problems with mystery initially surrounding the failure of James McCarthy, Jon Walters and Marc Wilson to report for duty.

Speaking ahead of tonight's Carling Nations Cup game against Nigel Worthington's IFA team, Ireland captain Robbie Keane has waded into the eligibility issue stating that it was "totally up to the players" themselves if young Irish internationals from the North decide to play for Ireland rather than the IFA team.

As Preston North End's Northern Irish born Daniel Devine has opted to play for the Republic of Ireland instead of the football association who developed him at under-age level, it seems I have an excuse to write a bit relating to Irish football for this blog.Devine is just the latest player of Northern Irish nationality to declare for the Republic after Darron Gibson, Shane Duffy, Marc Wilson,

Ireland's Marc Wilson is pinning his hopes on a successful FA Cup campaign as he looks to overcome the heartache of missing last season's Wembley final show-piece.
The County Antrim born Irish international was a regular starter for Portsmouth under Avram Grant in a memorable run to the FA Cup Final which included the excellent 2-0 semi-final success against a strongly-fancied Tottenham Hotspur side at Wembley Stadium.

Ireland's Marc Wilson is pinning his hopes on a successful FA Cup campaign as he looks to overcome the heartache of missing last season's Wembley final show-piece.
The County Antrim born Irish international was a regular starter for Portsmouth under Avram Grant in a memorable run to the FA Cup Final which included the excellent 2-0 semi-final success against a strongly-fancied Tottenham Hotspur side at Wembley Stadium.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has named his starting team for the Carling Nations Cup opening game against Wales tomorrow evening.
Trapattonni has confirmed ten of his line-up and has yet to decide between Darron Gibson and Paul Green for the central midfield role alongside Glenn Whelan.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has confirmed his 22-man squad for the Carling Nations Cup opener against Wales at the Aviva Stadium next Tuesday, February 8.
James McCarthy has been added to the senior squad and alongside the inclusion of Wilson, Coleman and Clarke makes for a very exciting blend of young Premiership talent and more experienced campaigners like Keane, Duff, Dunne and Given.

Irish international Marc Wilson believes he is ready to try and gate-crash Stoke's central midfield between now and the end of the season.
But he admits the successful Rory Delap/Dean Whitehead combination may remain a tough nut to crack.
That pair recently enjoyed eight successive Premier League games on the trot, but an enforced reshuffle at Manchester United and an FA Cup tie against Cardiff has left Wilson starting the last two games to much acclaim.

Irish international Marc Wilson believes he is ready to try and gate-crash Stoke's central midfield between now and the end of the season.
But he admits the successful Rory Delap/Dean Whitehead combination may remain a tough nut to crack.
That pair recently enjoyed eight successive Premier League games on the trot, but an enforced reshuffle at Manchester United and an FA Cup tie against Cardiff has left Wilson starting the last two games to much acclaim.