What? ... No i'm not bloody offside! Meow...Liverpool fought hard on Monday night in an attempt to take three points from Tottenham Hotspur but with no goals from either side the highlight of the game ended up going to a little mischievous cat. The Reds played well but just couldn't find a goal as Spurs showed some staunch defending.

After another frustrating draw at Anfield, this time against Spurs, Liverpool had to settle for a scoreless draw with the Londoners.
Despite taking the game to 3rd placed Tottenham, Liverpool failed to break down a stubborn defence in which Dawson, King and Parker at times excelled at repelling everything Liverpool threw at them.

Spurs played for a scoreless draw, Spurs got their scoreless draw.
While Liverpool's attackers could and should have done more, Tottenham's defending merited the scoreless draw. King and Dawson were outstanding, with Parker almost as important. After a paucity of clear cut chances for both sides, each could have scored the winner in the last five minutes, with Friedel and Reina making huge saves on Bale and Suarez.

As I predicted earlier today, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has left Luis Suarez on the bench for tonight's game with Spurs at Anfield. Jose Enrique is injured, which probably means Glen Johnson will play at left-back.Full Team: Reina; Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Spearing, Adam, Gerrard, Kuyt, Bellamy, Carroll.

For much of this season, Spurs number one Brad Friedel has quietly gone about his business and at times, solid performances across the back four have provided him with little to do. When called upon, the American is an uncomplicated keeper who has brought calm between the posts where once there was chaos.

Kenny Dalglish has made five changes for the game against Wolves tonight.FULL TEAM: Reina, Enrique, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Spearing, Adam, Kuyt, Henderson, Bellamy, CarrollSUBS: Doni, Carra, Coates, Kelly Aurelio, Shelvey, DowningIt looks like Steven Gerrard has been rested for this game, which is understandable after the heavy fixture list recently.

Back down to Earth for Liverpool, as they travel to the West Midlands to face 19th-place Wolverhampton. It's a stark contrast from the action of the past week, facing opposition at the bottom of the table, away from Anfield, and with nothing immediately at stake. And if you've paid attention to Liverpool at all this season, it's cause for concern, with form against the mid- and lower-table sides worlds apart from the displays we've seen the last two times out.

There really isn't much that needs to be said here. Manchester United v. Liverpool, the FA Cup, Anfield. Manchester United: De Gea; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Valencia, Welbeck, Park. Subs: Lindegaard, Fabio, Ferdinand, M Keane, Pogba, Berbatov, Hernandez Liverpool: Reina; Kelly, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique; Carragher, Maxi, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing; Carroll Subs: Doni, [.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Carragher, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Maxi, Carroll.
Subs: Johnson, Coates, Kuyt, Adam, Doni, Shelvey, Bellamy.

Man United: De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Valencia, Welbeck.

Liverpool: Reina, Kelly, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Carragher, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Maxi, Carroll.
Subs: Johnson, Coates, Kuyt, Adam, Doni, Shelvey, Bellamy.

Man United: De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Park, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Valencia, Welbeck.

Kenny Dalglish has made four changes to the side that beat Manchester City for today's crunch clash with Manchester United. With five defenders named in the staring eleven, it looks like Kenny Dalglish may (unfortunately) go with a more defensive formation.Here is the full team: Reina, Kelly, Enrique, Agger, Skrtel, Carragher, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Maxi, Carroll.

De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Park, Welbeck.

Bench: Lindegaard, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Hernandez, Fabio, M.Keane, Pogba.

LFC: Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Maxi, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Carroll.

"CONFIRMED LINE-UP: Liverpool vs UNITED" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia.

Andy Carroll and Maxi Rodriques have been dropped for tonight's Carling Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester City at Anfield.Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt come into the team to replace those two. Here is the full team:Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Gerrard, Downing, Bellam, Kuyt.

After months of praise for being one of the best defensive units in the Premier League, Saturday's game against Bolton saw Liverpool's normally stout defensive line concede three against the side with the worst home record of any club in the seven leagues that make up the top end of the English footballing pyramid.

That's how we all feel mate...If i walked into a club, thinking and acting like i was better than everybody else, i'd most probably, within an hour and a half or so, get battered. Which is exactly what happened to Liverpool on Saturday. They walked into Bolton's club, acting like they were better than them, like the three points were theirs before they'd kicked a ball and then, they were battered.

Goals:
M Davies 4'
Reo-Coker 29'
Bellamy 36'
Steinsson 50'
So is this what FSG feared when appointing Dalglish? A manager that should be, hopefully, exempt from criticism, but there has been so much to criticize in tactics, personnel, and transfer dealings lately.

Reina, Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Gerrard, Adam, Henderson, Maxi, Bellamy, CarrollJaimie Kanwar<!-- adsense -->

Kenny Dalglish believes Craig Bellamy must be handled carefully if he is to avoid another serious injury.
The Wales striker is keen to play in every game he can, but the Liverpool boss feels a more restrained approach is needed.
Bellamy has made just nine starts in all competitions this season, but has come off the bench 11 times.

Liverpool face a tough game against Bolton on Saturday, and one of the players likely to start the game for the Trotters is former striker David N'gog. Pepe Reina believes the Bolton game is a 'must-win' for Kenny Dalglish's team, and he's identified N'gog as a potential threat.In an interview with the official Liverpool site, Reina was full of praise for his old team-mate:"He is a great player.

It's a fortress, but there's just too many draws...Liverpool were held to another draw at Anfield yesterday as they struggled to get anything past Tony Pulis's Stoke side. The Potters played in their stereotypical way and whilst they would have been extremely happy with the point Liverpool were left frustrated.

Tried to replicate the formation from the 2-0 win against Stoke last season, starting with three center-backs for the first time this season. Didn't work. Tried sending Carroll on for final thirty minutes. Didn't work. Bellamy couldn't change matters either. Another disappointing, frustrating draw at Anfield.

Starting Line-up: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Carragher, Coates, Enrique, Henderson, Adam, Gerrard, Downing, Kuyt

Subs: Aurelio, Carroll, Doni, Shelvey, Kelly, Flanagan, Bellamy

What do our fans think of tonight's surprise line-up?

By Chris Wright

"You got once chance, mon frere!"

It was a bit of a strange, suffocating old game but, thanks principally to Kenny Dalglish switching to a flat-back nine for the majority of the second-half, Liverpool came away from the Etihad with the slimmest of advantages (City's first back-to-back home defeat since February 2008) to take back to Anfield for the second leg.

Goals:
Gerrard 13' (pen)
The same template we saw when Liverpool traveled to Stamford Bridge, and more than a hint of Benitez-era Champions League matches. Get the goal, kill the game. So, will one goal be enough in two weeks time?
If not for Joe Hart, Liverpool would have taken the lead even earlier.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has sprung another minor surprise tonight by leaving Jose Enrique on the bench for the Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Manchester City.Starting line-up:Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Gerrard, Spearing, Downing, Henderson, Bellamy, CarrollSubs : Jose Enrique, Coates, Kuyt, Carragher, Shelvey, Adam, DoniIt seems likely that Johnson will play at

2:45pm ET, live in the US on Fox Soccer Plus
Last four head-to-head:
0-3 City (a) 01.03.12
1-1 (h) 11.27.11
3-0 Liverpool (h) 04.11.11
0-3 City (a) 08.23.10
Previous rounds:
Liverpool: 2-1 Chelsea (a); 2-1 Stoke (a); 2-1 Brighton (a); 3-1 Exeter (a)
City: 1-0 Arsenal (a); 5-2 Wolves (a); 2-0 Brum (h)
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 5-1 Oldham (h); 0-3 City (a); 3-1 Newcastle (h)
City: 2-3 United (h); 3-0 Liverpool (h); 0-1 Sunderland (a)
Goalscorers (Carling Cup):
Liverpool: Suarez 3; Maxi 2; Bellamy, Carroll, Kelly, Kuyt 1
City: Dzeko 2; Agüero, Balotelli, Johnson, Hargreaves, Nasri 1
Referee: Lee Mason
Guess at a line-up:
Reina
Johnson Skrtel Agger Enrique
Spearing Adam
Bellamy Gerrard Downing
Carroll
Yes, it's the Carling Cup.

Liver Bird: Reds Beat Oldham 5-1

Gerrard kisses the ball after netting his peno... Liverpool put five goals past an Oldham side that took the lead at Anfield on Friday night. A very different starting line up for Liverpool allowed Dalglish to try something new and for once Liverpool could be described as clinical rather than wasteful.

Gerrard kisses the ball after netting his peno...Liverpool put five goals past an Oldham side that took the lead at Anfield on Friday night. A very different starting line up for Liverpool allowed Dalglish to try something new and for once Liverpool could be described as clinical rather than wasteful.

Andy Carroll has surprisingly been dropped for tonight's FA Cup 3rd round tie against Bolton, but Steven Gerrard returns to the starting line-up, as does Jonjo Shelvey, Fabio Aurelio and Jamie Carragher. Here is the team:Reina, Kelly, Carragher, Aurelio, Gerrard, Spearing, Kuyt. Shelvey, Maxi, Bellamy.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish called on his team to be more clinical after they were defeated 3-0 by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The visitors enjoyed a large share of possession but again failed to make it count, which has been their Achilles heel for most of the season.
It was Liverpool's first game without Luis Suarez after the club decided against appealing his eight-game ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra.

Goals:
Agüero 10'
Yaya Toure 33'
Milner 75' (pen)
Mistakes punished by cruel, efficient competency combined with continued Liverpool impotence in front of goal. An added bonus of a referee error, a game-ending penalty given for Yaya Toure's dive, mere moments after fleeting good fortune when Barry saw red for two soft yellows.

Manchester City 3 Liverpool 0: City go top as Reina gives leaders an easy night

Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League after bouncing back to winning ways with a convincing victory over Liverpool.

View the full story here: The Mail

A news article on 2012-01-03 21:56:50 from: The Mail

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Liverpool's usually dependable keeper Pepe Reina could have guessed it wasn't his night when he let Sergio Aguero's effort squirm under his body to give Manchester City the lead in this evening's match. As if to reinforce the point, when the Spaniard attempted to blast the ball into the net in disgust afterwards, it his [.

Kuyt back and Gerrard on bench as Suarez ban begins

THE ANNOUNCEMENT that a decision had been made not to appeal the eight-game ban imposed on Luis Suarez by The FA's independent panel meant that the suspension kicked in immediately and so Suarez would not be available for tonight's match against Manchester City.

And people say he's past it!...Liverpool put three past Newcastle United at Anfield on Friday night after finally figuring out how to convert their chances. In a game where the Reds didn't have many attempts at goal, the finishing was this time on song. Newcastle took the lead but the Reds came back to take all three points.

Gerrard Scores From Acute Angle In Newcastle Win

And people say he's past it!... Liverpool put three past Newcastle United at Anfield on Friday night after finally figuring out how to convert their chances. In a game where the Reds didn't have many attempts at goal, the finishing was this time on song.

Liverpool were desperate for a win after drawing 5 of their last 6 home games.

To make matters worse they had to lineup without top goal scorer Luis Suarez, after the striker received a one match ban from his finger gesture to Fulham fans. This could be a sign of things to come in the new year as his 8 match ban for racism is still under appeal.

Liverpool were desperate for a win after drawing 5 of their last 6 home games.

To make matters worse they had to lineup without top goal scorer Luis Suarez, after the striker received a one match ban from his finger gesture to Fulham fans. This could be a sign of things to come in the new year as his 8 match ban for racism is still under appeal.

Goals:
Agger (og) 25'
Bellamy 29' 67'
Gerrard 78'
Another tepid, frustrating, harsh 1-1 at Anfield. Until Gerrard came on at the hour mark.
As usual, Liverpool were the better side from the start, but neither keeper had a save to make in the first half. More often than not, Liverpool's possession ended at the edge of the final third, mainly with shots from distance charged down by Newcastle defenders or crosses just too high/far for Carroll.

Despite scoring in the last league game, Maxi Rodrigues has been dropped AGAIN for tonight's game against Newcastle. Full Liverpool line-up:Reina, Johnson, Enrique, Skrtel, Agger, Adam, Henderson, Spearing, Downing, Carroll, Bellamy. SUBS: Doni, Maxi, Kuyt, Gerrard, Carragher, Shelvey, Kelly.