Rumour Mill: Liverpool wants £15M Swiss superstar

Liverpool are ready to make an offer for FC Basel star Xherdan Shaqiri after watching the winger put in a man of the match display against Manchester United.

The Reds have been linked with the midfielder for some time after first becoming aware of the players talent when he scored a blistering goal against England in a qualifier earlier this year.

The 20-year-old has continued to impress in the Champions League for Basel this term and on Wednesday night provided both assists as the Swiss side knocked United out of the Europe's premier competition.

Basel realise that they will struggle to keep hold of the winger and are prepared for a number of bids when the January transfer window opens.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is keen to strengthen his attacking options after watching his side waste a number of opportunities this season.

Shaqiri also fits in with the clubs transfer policy of signing the best young players available who have the ability to stay at Anfield for a number of years.

It is thought that Liverpool are ready to make a £15million bid for the Switzerland international, however, that figure could soon rise as there will be plenty of competition for the players signature.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona have also been linked with the promising young winger but Liverpool hope to convince him to choose Merseyside by offering regular first team football.

Liverpool are short of options for players in wide areas with Dirk Kuyt and Jordan Henderson often being asked to play on the wing, while Stewart Downing is the only natural left-footed winger.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

Source: SportsVibe

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Liverpool confirmed midfielder Lucas has successful operation on knee injury

Liverpool have confirmed midfielder Lucas Leiva has successfully undergone surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee which he injured last week at Chelsea.

The operation took place in Sao Paulo and the Brazil midfielder, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season, hopes to leave hospital on Friday.

   “'LFC medical staff were present during the procedure,” said a club statement.

“Lucas will now begin an agreed rehabilitation programme which will be overseen by the club's medical team.”

Late last night the 24-year-old wrote on Twitter: 'Busy day doing treatment, hopefully tomorrow I leave the hospital.”

Source: Daily Mail

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Video Preview: Liverpool v QPR

Source: YouTube

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Anfield News: Views for Today

Starting to get over the frustration of the Fulham match. Still simmering over that referee who gave us nothing all night, and it is not the first time this season that I have felt that a referee has not acted impartially. It is not just sour grapes about us losing another match against a team we should be beating. The amount of big decisions that could have gone either way, all went against us on Monday night.

But regardless of the referee he did not put the ball in the net against us to defeat us, an unusual mistake from our reliable Pepe Reina cost us the goal that eventually lost us the game, but if we don’t score then we are not going to win, so we have to be more clinical in front of goal because once again we created plenty of chances, especially away from home. This is happening too often, we seem to bemoan our missed chances every other game and it is costing us valuable points. We look as if we need a predatory striker really badly. Maybe Anelka could do a job as rumours of him returning are circulating.

Felt sorry for Jay Spearing the other night, I thought he was having a tremendous match stepping into the boots of Lucas, and like most people I was amazed at his dismissal. For me Lucas wasn’t missed against Fulham and that is down to the performance of Spearing. Jay will now miss the next 3 matches after his sending off and somebody else will need to fill this void, probably Henderson who might excel in this role. But we have to be appealing against decisions like that sending off instead of accepting them. What would Sir Alex do, would he just sit back and accept it, no I don’t think so he would be creating merry hell if it was against one of his players.

I’m worried about Suarez he seems to be a target for referees, supporters and the FA and I wouldn’t be surprised if he chucks it and moves to a different country who appreciate his talent. Suarez has been superb for us but he needs a bit of support up front and I would like to see us try and sign another striker in January.

Fair play to Kenny keeping the partnership of Agger and Skrtel in the team, because it must have been very tempting to bring back Jamie Carragher into the team. The defence has been playing really well making the opposition struggle to find the net against us.

Our midfield has been industrious and producing chances for our strikers and hopefully we will have Gerrard back soon to add to our midfield options. Jordan Henderson started the season slowly but I see him getting better with every game. I would like to see Dirk Kuyt play more as he has been left on the bench in a lot of games recently, I think he is a major player for us and gives us so much energy, but this shows our strength in depth when the likes of Kuyt can’t get a start.

I’m still not that convinced with Andy Carroll although he has been working really hard in recent games but I’m still looking for more link up play from him and to attack crosses more, but hopefully it will come I used to slate Lucas on his performances and never thought he would make it at Liverpool and look how wrong I was.

We have been on a great run recently until Monday night and I think it will just be a minor setback. We have been playing really well this season and playing some great football and the only poor performance was the defeat from Tottenham. When you think how badly we were playing last season and the way we are playing now, it is like night and day. Some of the football now is terrific, but we have to remember to be patient as we are work in progress.

I’m disappointed with some supporters and their comments after the Fulham match with the criticism I heard. Supporters should support the team but there seems too many ready to criticise when we suffer a bad result regardless of the performance.

I am happy with the way things are progressing and we are still on course for a top four spot and a mouth watering semi-final against Manchester City so keep the faith.

Written by Jamie McLaughlin, who writes for Anfield News

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Torres back at Anfield in January?

What the heck is this? Read it from Mirror writer, David Maddock’s article today. First of all, Chelsea won’t sanction such a move even though it was a loan deal.

Chelsea paid Liverpool £50 million in transfer fee for him in January and was warming the Stamford Bridge bench ever since.

   “His move to Chelsea has been a disaster hasn’t it? Unmitigated, debilitating disaster. He left Liverpool in search of honours he said, in search of a more powerful team and the bright lights of big competition. He found the Carling Cup.” – excerpt from Mirror

As all the Anfield faithful has brandish him as “Judas” when he left us for the Blues. The question is “Will Liverpool’s supporters welcome him back after one year?”.

We can’t hide from the facts that Kenny Dalglish would certainly welcome an additional striker to bolster his attacking option up front. Luis Suarez is a top class player, but he is not an out and out goalscorer like Torres. Andy Carroll hasn’t looked like a goalscorer either.

Liverpool and Chelsea are fighting for the Champions League spot come this May. It wouldn’t wise to lend a potent weapon to your closes enemy. Unless, the Blues has agreed to loan him out to Liverpool until the end of the league season without the option to recalled or revoked his loan tenure at Anfield. This option can worth to be consider by Dalglish but it’s a long shot.

   “He won’t be remembered as the man who won the European Championships for Spain, as a player who won a World Cup winners’ medal or a striker who was feared across the globe, but a faintly ludicrous figure who gets rolled out with the stiffs for games that don’t matter.” – more excerpt from Mirror

We certainly don’t know what has really gone wrong with Torres at Stamford Bridge? And most of us doesn’t have the interest to investigate further. Let bygones be bygones as the Reds are moving forward and whoever Liverpool bringing in the coming transfer window, hopefully can strengthen the team. Just hope it’s wasn’t a Fernando Torres.

Leave your thoughts on Fernando Torres making his loan move to Anfield in the comment box below.

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Fulham 1-0 Liverpool Match Report

Liverpool was hoping to keep their good run of form going in this testing trip to Craven Cottage. Liverpool had good memories of their last visit to Fulham when they had a convincing win with Maxi netting a hat-trick. Fulham have been unlucky with a couple of defeats in their last two games and with former Reds’ players Riise and Danny Murphy in their side the home side would be well up for the contest.

THE TEAM
Dalglish brought Suarez and Spearing into the side, Spearing making his first league start of the season for Liverpool to replace the injured Lucas. Jamie Carragher had to be content with a place on the bench as Dalglish stuck with Agger and Skrtel in the centre of defence. Andy Carroll was given another start as he looks to find his form in front of goal. Bellamy and Henderson also started as Dalglish left Kuyt, Downing and the unlucky Maxi on the bench.

THE MATCH
Liverpool started the game with great possession with most players getting an early touch of the ball, but it was Fulham that almost took an early lead when Dembele got behind the Liverpool defence from a clever pass from Ruiz but Reina came out sharply and made a great blocking save.

Liverpool had the next chance when Adam’s volleyed effort was deflected to safety. Then Carroll had a shot saved by Schwarzer as Liverpool continued to press. Schwarzer made another good save from a low shot by Adam.

Fulham looked threatening going forward too and Reina made a great save on the stretch from a great effort from Dembele and shortly after Reina had to be alert to an ambitious volley from Dempsey.

With the game going from end to end Henderson saw his curling effort come off the inside of Schwarzer’s far post and away to safety. Then a great run from Suarez to the bye line was then cut back to Carroll but his shot was well blocked to safety.

It was amazing how the score remained 0-0 at the half with all the chances that were produced by both teams.

Liverpool started the second half on the offensive with Agger having a 30 yard effort deflected wide before Enrique being denied his first Liverpool goal by Schwarzer. Chances were still being created at both ends with Zamora being thwarted by Agger before Adam’s surging run was ended by a late challenge by Senderos on the edge of the box. Bellamy’s free-kick was blasted into the defensive wall with Agger heading wide from the resulting corner.

Johnson played a great pass through to Bellamy but he dragged his shot well wide of the target. Liverpool thought they had taken the lead when Suarez brilliantly put the ball in the Fulham net from a clever pass by Enrique but his effort was ruled out for offside.

But the game changed in the 71st minute when Jay Spearing was shown a straight red card after crashing into a tackle on Dembele. Dalglish brought on Kuyt and Downing for Carroll and Bellamy just after the sending off.

Dempsey saw an effort come off the Liverpool bar with Reina beaten before Downing was denied by a brilliant save from Schwarzer onto the post. But Liverpool were stunned inside the last 10 minutes when a Danny Murphy shot was spilled by Reina which saw Dempsey fire the rebound into the net from close range.

Liverpool tried in vain in the remaining minutes to salvage a point as Fulham held on leaving Liverpool frustrated at the outcome of a game that had many chances and many controversial refereeing decisions.

SUMMARY
I thought Dalglish sent out a very attacked minded team and I was pleased to see Bellamy and Carroll starting along with the impressive partnership of Agger and Skrtel keeping their place at the expense of Carragher. I expected Spearing to replace Lucas in the midfield with his style of play. Liverpool played very well in what was a very good game with Fulham adding to the spectacle as the game ebbed and flowed. Another night of bad luck and missed chances which are proving costly in our quest for a Champions League place. But I’m sorry I have to say the referee was no “Friend” of us as every big decision went against us, the sending off was ridiculous as no Fulham player appealed for anything in what was a terrific tackle from Spearing. Senderos should have been shown red and Liverpool could have been awarded a couple of penalties one with Adam running into the box to be taken out by Senderos then Suarez going round Hangeland only to be impeded and Suarez puts the ball into the net only to be flagged for offside when he was onside. Suarez once again getting no protection from a referee. But we did lose the match because our Mr. Dependable Pepe Reina made a big mistake which cost us the game. I am very frustrated with the missed chances and the referee but I am proud of the performance and if we keep playing like this we will do ok.

Man Of The Match - Skrtel - defended superbly all night and made some great clearing challenges and headers.

Written by Jamie McLaughlin, who writes for Anfield News

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Video Highlights: Fulham 1-0 Liverpool

Source: DailyMotion

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Preview: Fulham v Liverpool

Liverpool FC have been enjoying their short stays in the capital.

Already this season Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool FC men have celebrated a first ever victory at the Emirates Stadium and two impressive wins at Stamford Bridge.

September’s day to forget at Tottenham remains the only blot on their copybook.

Liverpool FC return to London on Monday night with the glorious memories of last season’s trip to Craven Cottage still fresh.

Damien Duff looks doubtful for Fulham's Monday night game at Craven Cottage.

The Republic of Ireland international was forced off in the first half of their Europa League 1-0 defeat at FC Twente following a recurrence of a calf injury.

Mousa Dembele also limped off but could feature at Craven Cottage, while Clint Dempsey should return from a thigh complaint.

Bryan Ruiz comes back into contention after being cup-tied against former club Twente.

The loss of midfielder Lucas through long-term injury provoked a somewhat hysterical reaction at Anfield.

The Brazilian has developed into an excellent player, but his absence should not derail his team’s recent upsurge.

Expect Jay Spearing to rise to prominence as a replacement, while Maxi Rodriguez will look to build on last season’s Craven Cottage hat-trick.

Fulham may have to revert to a defensive formation or suffer the consequences of an open contest as they did in their last meeting with the Merseysiders.

Fulham probable starting line-up: Schwarzer, Baird, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Dempsey, Murphy (c), Etuhu, Ruiz, Zamora, Johnson

Liverpool probable starting line-up: Reina (c), Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique, Spearing, Adam, Rodriguez, Kuyt, Downing, Suarez

Red's Fury™ Prediction: Fulham 0-2 Liverpool

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