Itandje quits Liverpool

Liverpool keeper Charles Itandje will join Greek side Atromitos on 1 January 2011 after being released from his contract.

The French-born 28-year-old, who recently switched nationality to Cameroon, joined Liverpool in 2007.

However, he made just seven appearances for the club and none since he was widely criticised for his antics during the 2009 Hillsborough memorial service.

Members of the congregation complained Itandje disrespected the service and he was suspended by the club for 14 days.

However, he never forced his way back into the first-team reckoning and, following a loan at another Greek side Kavala last season, he will now move to the country on a permanent basis to join Atromitos.

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Goal Highlights: Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa [VIDEO]

Ryan Babel helped to ensure that Gerard Houllier's Anfield return ended in disappointment as Liverpool eased to a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on Monday night.

The Dutch striker came in for the missing Fernando Torres and capped an impressive showing with the killer second goal as the Reds bounced back from last week's frustrating defeat at Spurs.

The No.19's clinical drive came straight after David Ngog's diving header had given the hosts a 14^th minute lead and helped secure a win that has propelled Roy Hodgson's men up to eighth in the table, seven points adrift of Manchester City in fourth spot.

Maxi Rodriguez then put the seal on a solid all-round showing when he netted the third of the night by guiding home Ngog's cut back on 55 minutes.

The pre-match chatter had been firmly focused upon Houllier's first L4 experience as an opposition manager but as the team news filtered through, the spotlight shifted towards Babel, who was named in the side in place of Torres.

The Spaniard had withdrawn from duty after it emerged that his wife had gone into labour, providing the Dutchman with another chance to show what he could do in a much-craved striking role.

The former Ajax man looked up for the occasion too, but it wasn't just him who had the bit between his teeth. There was an energy to Liverpool's play right from the word 'go' and they could have been ahead inside two minutes when a Raul Meireles free-kick from the right caused chaos in the Villans' penalty area.

The visitors failed to clear their lines on at least two occasions and were left to heave a huge sigh of relief when Dirk Kuyt seared a volley off target from Ngog's knock down. [Read more…]

  

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Pepe Reina howler almost cost Liverpool qualification in Europa League

Pepe Reina held his hands up after his mistake prevented Liverpool celebrating progress to the knockout stages of the Europa League with a victory.

An uncharacteristic 61st-minute blunder from Reina – who claimed to have been bothered by a laser pen in the crowd during the first half – saw the goalkeeper allow a tame Eder Bonfim header to squirm through his grasp and over the goalline to earn Steaua Bucharest a 1-1 draw in Romania.

However, the 3-3 draw between FC Utrecht and Napoli meant Liverpool did enough to win through as Group K leaders with a game to spare.

But Reina, who was captain for the evening in the absence of injured duo Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, accepted the result could have been better but for his mistake.

An experimental Liverpool team packed with fringe players and youngsters had taken the lead through Milan Jovanovic's 19th-minute header.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson chose not to dwell on Reina's error, and instead pointed to an encouraging performance from his much-changed team.

Cole made his comeback after more than a month out through injury, while Ryan Babel, Milan Jovanovic and Fabio Aurelio were all handed rare starts in a team that also included youngsters Martin Kelly, Dani Pacheco and Danny Wilson.

And Hodgson believes his policy of giving the whole squad an opportunity in the Europa League is paying dividends.

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Martin Kelly and Daniel Pacheco signed new deals

Kelly made his England Under-21 debut against Uzbekistan in August

Liverpool defender Martin Kelly and striker Daniel Pacheco have signed contract extensions to keep them at Anfield until 2014.

Home-grown 20-year-old Kelly, who made an impressive full Premier League debut in November's 2-0 win over Chelsea, has added another three years to his deal.

Pacheco, 19, who had been linked with a move to Real Sociedad in the summer, has extended his contract by two years.

The Spaniard was top-scorer at the 2010 Under-19 European Championship.

Kelly, who can also operate at centre-back, may find himself called upon more regularly over the next three months as Liverpool seek cover for injured captain Jamie Carragher.

Kelly impressed during a brief period on loan at Huddersfield in 2009.

Pacheco, whose appearance in Thursday's 1-1 Europa League draw against Steaua Bucharest was his first since September's Carling Cup defeat on penalties to Northampton, has struggled to force his way into manager Roy Hodgson's thoughts.

His only Premier League appearance so far this season was as an 86th-minute substitute against Manchester City in August.

He is yet to score in 13 appearances for the Reds.

Source: BBC Sport

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Europa League: Steaua Bucharest 1-1 Liverpool

Liverpool sealed a place in the last 32 of the Europa League after a 1-1 draw with Steaua Bucharest in Romania on Thursday night.

Milan Jovanovic headed the Reds into a 19^th minute lead when he converted Ryan Babel's cross, somewhat against the run of the early play.

Steaua drew level on the hour when a rare mistake from Pepe Reina allowed a tame header from Eder Bonfim to roll over the line.

Both sides had chances to win the game, with Sotirios Kyrgiakos coming closest when he cannoned a header against the crossbar.

However, the result was enough to secure a safe passage into the next stage of the competition for Liverpool with a game to spare.

The Reds touched down in the Romanian capital on Wednesday afternoon minus the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Fernando Torres, Raul Meireles, Glen Johnson and Dirk Kuyt.

Instead, Roy Hodgson decided to utilise the depth of his squad ahead of Monday's Barclays Premier League showdown with Aston Villa by naming a youthful travelling party that included teenage defenders Jack Robinson and John Flanagan. [Read more…]

Watch the goal highlights here

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Successful operation for Jamie Carragher

Liverpool have today confirmed Jamie Carragher has undergone a successful operation on the shoulder he dislocated at Tottenham last weekend.

Carragher is expected to be out for three months.

   "The operation went well,"

"It also confirmed this was the correct course of action to take to ensure Jamie makes a complete recovery." - said Peter Brukner, Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science at Anfield.

Carragher will now set out on the road to full fitness after undergoing successful surgery.

Source: LiverpoolFC.tv

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Jamie Carragher out for three months

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is likely to be out for three months after being told he requires surgery on his dislocated shoulder.

The 32-year-old suffered the injury in Sunday's Premier League defeat at Tottenham.

Carragher underwent a thorough examination at Liverpool's training ground yesterday but medical staff were unable to make a full assessment until this morning.

Carragher told the club's website:

   "I'll be having surgery at the end of the week.

"The average is about 12 weeks. I'd like to come back before that but I've got to make sure it's right.

"It will probably be late February or early March when I'm looking to come back.

"It's difficult for me when I'm injured. It hasn't happened very often, and I'm very lucky with that I suppose, but maybe it's caught up with me a little bit now.

"I've been here before with a broken leg which put me out this length of time.

"It's not easy but you've got to get on with it, and it makes you more determined to get back.

"I'm sure towards the end of the season when people are maybe feeling a little bit tired I'll be raring to go."

The news is a huge blow for Liverpool, who are already without captain Steven Gerrard and Carragher's fellow defender Daniel Agger.

Gerrard is expected to be out for another three weeks with a hamstring injury sustained on England duty while Agger is hoping to return mid-December after a calf problem.

Carragher had captained the side in the absence of Gerrard at White Hart Lane when he was forced off with three minutes remaining.

Following his exit Liverpool conceded an injury-time goal to Aaron Lennon to lose 2-1, a defeat which leaves them 10th in the table.

Source: The Telegraph

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Goal Highlights: Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool

And we usually love Lennon in Liverpool. On Sunday, though, it was a name to be cursed as the Tottenham winger, Aaron, struck the late, injury-time goal which denied Liverpool a point in an encounter they should, perhaps, have won. Instead it was a hard day’s night back up to Merseyside.

Spurs confirmed their status as the Premier League comeback kings with 16 points now earned from losing positions during this roller-coaster campaign and in a roller-coaster of a match which ended an week in which Arsenal have been beaten and qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League secured. The good times roll.

It was a game that had everything. To add to the goals there were injuries, the most serious of which was a dislocated shoulder suffered by Jamie Carragher, a missed penalty, yet another one by Jermain Defoe, who has incredibly failed from four of his past five, controversy over penalty appeals and chances galore. Fernando Torres will be tormented by two clear, one-on-ones which he fluffed, a shadow of his former self, all hesitancy when he used to be pure instinct. [Read more…]

  

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