Full-Time Highlights: Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland

Luis Suarez fired his second brace in four days as Liverpool beat Sunderland 3-0 at Anfield.

On a day when the club signed another striker in Daniel Sturridge, top scorer Luis Suarez took his tally for the season to 18 - one more than his total for 2011-12.

He also assisted the opener for Raheem Sterling as the Reds made it three wins from four festive fixtures and climbed to eighth in the table.

Ineligible to play after signing a contract earlier in the day, Sturridge will have liked what he saw from the directors' box. Just as they did at QPR three days ago, the Reds established a firm lead inside the opening 45 minutes - and again Suarez was central.

The first might have come through Stewart Downing on 12 minutes when both Suarez and Steven Gerrard stood aside to allow him a dead ball effort. The England man didn't disappoint but was denied by a scampering save from Simon Mignolet.

Instead it was Sterling who secured the opener on 18 minutes, the second goal of his first full season in the Liverpool team. His lob over the visiting goalkeeper followed fine work from Suarez, who in one movement twisted his body and launched a ball over the top of the Sunderland defence.

Martin O'Neill's side had several chances to breach the Kop net in the first period, but James McLean was twice wasteful with just Pepe Reina to beat. The Liverpool goalkeeper had to work harder to prevent Matt Kilgallon scoring with a half-volley from close range but he was up to the task with a superb reflex save.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

Read More

Sturridge joins Liverpool FC

Liverpool Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of striker Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea.

The 23-year-old becomes our first signing of the January transfer window after penning a long-term contract at Melwood today.

Afterwards he told Liverpoolfc.com of his joy at sealing the deal.

"I am humbled and happy to be here," said Sturridge.

"Brendan Rodgers said he sees me here for a long time - and I also see myself here for a long time. I've not signed here to play for a couple of years and then move on.

"I've signed to be here for as long as possible. It's a humongous club - for me, one of the biggest in the world - and to have the fans and world-class players we have here is amazing."

Sturridge began his professional career at Manchester City, where he finished top-scorer as City lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2008.

Source: Official Liverpool FC

Read More

Liverpool move for £12M striker

Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge is due to have a medical at Liverpool today ahead of a £12million transfer.

Liverpool have agreed a deal with Chelsea for the 23-year-old England international and a £60,000 per week contract with the player.

Liverpool are desperate to bolster their forward line, with Luis Suarez their only fit out-and-out striker and boss Brendan Rodgers has been keeping tabs on Sturridge since the summer.

Liverpool cannot officially register any new signing until 2 January when the transfer window opens.

The former Manchester City striker has made seven league appearances for Chelsea this season, scoring one goal.

His last league appearance for the Blues was in the 2-1 defeat by West Bromwich Albion on 17 November.

Sturridge has not featured since Rafael Benitez arrived at Stamford Bridge, due to a hamstring injury.

Source: Sky Sports

Stay tuned for more updates.

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

Read More

Post-Match Interviews: Liverpool vs Fulham

Watch Brendan Rodgers and Martin Jol post-match press conference.

   “I thought Stewart was brilliant today, in every aspect of the game,”

Read More

Full-Time Highlights: Liverpool 4-0 Fulham

Liverpool signed off from 2012 at Anfield with a 4-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Fulham on Saturday night.

Martin Skrtel's emphatic finish gave the Reds an early lead as he volleyed powerfully beyond Mark Schwarzer after controlling a corner in the box before Steven Gerrard doubled the lead before half-time with a neat finish.

Stewart Downing extended Liverpool's advantage by cutting into the box and firing into the Kop end net in the early stages of the second half.

Luis Suarez wrapped it up in stoppage time to send Brendan Rodgers' side into eighth in the table, just five points off third-place Arsenal.

The Reds went into the day's late kick-off aiming to bounce back to winning ways following last weekend's 3-1 Anfield reversal at the hands of Aston Villa.

Rodgers made a handful of changes in order to hand some of his stars a breather ahead of the hectic Festive period, meaning starts for the likes of Suso and Downing while Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen began on the bench.

Liverpool began the brighter of the teams and after Daniel Agger had headed over and Jonjo Shelvey's flick had caused panic in the box, Skrtel thumped them into an eighth-minute lead as he controlled Gerrard's corner inside a crowded box and lashed a volley into the back of the net.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

Alternative video source: FootyTube

 

Read More

Rumour Mill: Liverpool want Miguel Pérez Cuesta move

January transfer window just twenty one days away from now. The rumour mill are back and news of every strikers in the Europe continent has been linked to Liverpool FC, yet again.

Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers will consider a move for Swansea centre-forward, Miguel Pérez Cuesta or short for, Michu if he misses out on top strike target Daniel Sturridge in January.

The former Rayo Vallecano striker has been prolific for Swansea City since his arrival in the summer and has already netted 13 goals in 18 appearances for the club. The centre-forward leads the Premier League scoring charts, ahead of Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez and Demba Ba.

Swansea manager, Michael Laudrup does not want to lose Michu and on Thursday claimed it would take a £30million bid to change his mind.

But even a more realistic bid of around £10million would represent a fine piece of business for a player who cost £2million just six months ago.

Brendan Rodgers knows he needs to bring in attacking alternatives and support for the Uruguayan but will surely face competition for Michu’s signature if Swansea show any willingness to listen to offers in January.

Michael Laudrup signed Michu within a month of taking charge of the Liberty Stadium side and clearly the Dane was aware of the former Rayo Vallecano man’s ability, having managed both Getafe and Real Mallorca in La Liga prior to moving to South Wales.

Michu is clearly enjoying life at Swansea but may feel that a high-profile move could aid a push for a senior Spanish national team call-up.

Liverpool's owners FSG have promised their manager the funds needed to push for a top four position and it looks as if a deal for Michu could materialise due to Rodgers relationship with his old club.

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

Read More

Full-Time Highlights: West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool

A James Collins own goal fired Liverpool into the top half of the Barclays Premier League table and clinched a thrilling 3-2 win for the Reds at Upton Park against West Ham.

Brendan Rodgers' men made it back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season and leapfrogged above the Hammers - but they had to come from behind late in the game to do so.

Glen Johnson put them into the lead after just 10 minutes when he produced a goal-of-the-season contender from the edge of Jussi Jaaskelainen's penalty area.

Mark Noble slotted from the spot after Joe Allen was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area before Steven Gerrard turned a Matt Jarvis cross past his own 'keeper to give West Ham the lead.

However, Joe Cole struck against his old club to equalise and then Collins turned a Jordan Henderson cross  into his own net to send the travelling Reds into euphoria.

All the build-up to the clash revolved around the absence of Luis Suarez, who was ruled out after picking up his fifth yellow card against Southampton, but his replacement Shelvey proved to be the hero of the hour.

Upton Park was on its feet on six minutes when Jarvis's cross was scrambled clear by Daniel Agger and Mohamed Diame fired the loose ball against Carlton Cole, who deflected it a yard wide of Pepe Reina's post.

The Hammers posed a real threat down the left flank with Jarvis, who was constantly keen to spin a deadly cross in behind Martin Skrtel and Agger and this would prove to be a real thorn in the Reds' side throughout the match.

Full report: Liverpool FC Official

Read More

Full-Time Highlights: Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1 Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers was left ruing a penalty that wasn't given as a Gareth Bale-inspired Tottenham prevailed 2-1 at White Hart Lane.

Bale scored one and set up another within 16 minutes before Liverpool launched a gallant comeback.

Steven Gerrard was denied a penalty and Luis Suarez had an effort cleared off the line before a Bale own-goal made it a tense final 20 minutes for the home team.

Andre Villas Boas' side hung on and the result leaves Liverpool 10 points away from the top four.

Rodgers named an unchanged side from that which drew 0-0 at Swansea on Sunday, and they were soon to find themselves behind. Bale had already tested Pepe Reina with a vicious free-kick when, on seven minutes, the Welshman whizzed beyond Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Joe Allen before directing a perfect cross towards an unmarked Lennon at the back post.

Liverpool seemed to respond well and Suarez was soon to be denied by Hugo Lloris from 18 yards. Henderson then missed an open goal from just outside the box - though he was under heavy pressure from Kyle Walker.

These are the moments which turn games and sadly for Liverpool they were soon to find themselves 2-0 down, again thanks to the brilliance of Bale. His eighth goal of the campaign came from a lashed free-kick on 16 minutes which appeared to take a deflection off the wall and totally wrong-footed Reina.

A dangerous Downing cross was missed by both Jose Enrique and Suarez, while Enrique had a snapshot on the turn saved after excellent work from Johnson.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

Read More