Goal Highlights: Newcastle 3-1 Liverpool

Liverpool endured another away day to forget as Newcastle gave new manager Alan Pardew the perfect start by sending the Reds crashing to a 3-1 defeat.

Kevin Nolan gave the home side the lead after 15 minutes before Dirk Kuyt levelled shortly after half-time as Liverpool turned up the pressure and looked the side most likely to go on and take all three points.

But late strikes from Joey Barton and Andy Carroll ensured it was Pardew and not Roy Hodgson celebrating come the final whistle as the Reds succumbed to their seventh league defeat of the season.

Hodgson was able to restore Fernando Torres to his starting XI after the Spain star had missed Liverpool's last outing against Aston Villa due to the birth of his son.

That was the solitary change made by the boss to the team that had produced such a pulsating performance, with Ryan Babel the man making way.

While Liverpool went into the game on a high following Monday's comprehensive dispatch of Villa, Newcastle had undergone a week of change following the dismissal of Chris Hughton.

The Magpies moved to replace him with Alan Pardew, and the 49-year-old took his place in the St James' Park dugout for the first time.

The Londoner had never managed to mastermind a victory over Liverpool in his coaching career prior to kick off, while no other club has inflicted more league defeats upon Newcastle than the Reds.

And it was the visitors who carved out the first real opportunity of note on 10 minutes when a half-cleared free-kick was worked back into the area by Raul Meireles. The ball broke for Sotirios Kyrgiakos, whose powerful drive was beaten away by Tim Krul. [Read more…]

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Transfer rumours: Ronaldinho, Suarez and Johnson

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson insists there is no truth in the rumours linking AC Milan star Ronaldinho with a move to Anfield.

Hodgson denied speculation linking both Ronaldinho and Ajax captain Luis Suarez, and although he admitted he was a long-term admirer of Aston Villa winger Ashley Young, he insisted there had been no communication between the clubs.

It has been suggested Liverpool would be willing to listen to offers for Johnson with the England international believed to be unsettled on Merseyside but Hodgson denied claims Glen Johnson would be offloaded in January, and insisted the new owners were looking to build the team long-term, and the club would spend sensibly.

The likes of Tottenham, Juventus and Bayern Munich have all been linked with the former Portsmouth man, but Hodgson insists the full-back is going nowhere.

Hodgson revealed there were also plans to award midfielder Lucas Leiva a new contract.

   "A couple of weeks ago, Damien Comolli mentioned to me about him wanting to get in touch with Lucas's agent to discuss a new contract, but I can't quite frankly remember where we are,"

"Certainly if you ask me the question 'Is Lucas welcome at the club and would we like to keep him?' then the answer is a resounding 'yes'." – said Roy Hodgson.

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Steven Gerrard will not be featured at Toon

Roy Hodgson has contradicted the verdict of Liverpool's head of sports medicine, Dr Peter Brukner, insisting Steven Gerrard will not be fit for the weekend trip to Newcastle.

Brukner gave a positive verdict on Gerrard's fitness on November 30, revealing the Liverpool skipper was on course to make a return from a hamstring tear at St James' Park.

However, Hodgson has ruled Gerrard out of the weekend encounter, insisting the following match at Fulham is a more realistic date for the midfielder's return.

Meanwhile, Hodgson also revealed Daniel Agger could make a long-awaited return from a calf problem against Fulham.

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Ronaldinho to Liverpool?

Seven years after Manchester United nearly signed him, Ronaldinho could be on his way to the Premier League.

According to ItaSportPress, Roy Hodgson is planning to swoop the former World Player of the Year from the San Siro on a free transfer - given that he is buried behind Pato, Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic on AC Milan's roster.

His $10million (£6.3million) annum wage demand, however, may be too much for Liverpool to pay for a player so far past his prime. The 30-year-old has also been linked with moves back to Brazil or to the Los Angeles Galaxy - not indications that he is serious about playing his best football.

Ronaldinho aside, Damien Comolli believes that the economic difficulties facing Europe will create a buyers market come January.

Would Ronaldinho be a good signing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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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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