Tag Archives: Liverpool

Toon value to upset Liverpool

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There are two Premier League matches on Sunday, with the focus very much on the race for European places with Newcastle entertaining Liverpool and Tottenham hosting Swansea.

The Magpies of course surprised everyone with their successful start to the season but continue to impress and still remain in contention for an unlikely Champions League berth.

Alan Pardew’s men are five points behind fourth-placed Spurs and level with Chelsea going into the weekend’s fixtures, while a victory on Sunday will take the Toon 11 points clear of Liverpool.

That would surely secure a Europa League spot at the very least if it were to happen, although the match betting suggests Liverpool will take the points as they are priced at 7/5, with Newcastle at 15/8 and the draw at 12/5.

However, Newcastle look good value to pick up the win as they have bounced back from a blip in form to record back-to-back wins, looking impressive last week in a 3-1 win at the Hawthorns.

The Magpies have only lost twice at home all season – to Chelsea and West Brom – while they have won five and drawn two of their seven games at St James’ Park this year.

Papiss Cisse has made a hugely impressive start to his career on the North East with five goals in just six appearances – only Wayne Rooney has scored more in the Premier League in that time – and he must be considered in the goal scoring markets, priced at 11/2 First/Last Goalscorer and 3/2 Anytime.

The Senegalese forward has forged a useful partnership with Demba Ba on Tyneside and looks better value to reward backers given that his compatriot (5/1 First/Last, 11/8 Anytime) has scored just once on his return from African Cup of Nations duty and none in his last six games.

Liverpool did beat Newcastle 3-1 in the reverse fixture at Anfield and have won six of the last seven meetings but look a shade short in the betting considering their recent run of form.

Kenny Dalglish’s men have lost five of their last six league matches, winning only two of 11 this year, have lost their last three on the road and have recently been beaten by strugglers QPR and Wigan.

Pardew enjoyed a 3-1 win in this fixture last season in his match at the helm and he can celebrate again come Sunday, which would all but secure that top six berth.

Spurs’ title challenge has petered out of late while they are also in danger of missing out on the Champions League but remain strong favourites at 2/5 to get back to winning ways in the league, with Swansea on offer at 15/2 and the draw at 7/2 in the match betting.

Harry Redknapp’s men have not won in the Premier League since trouncing Newcastle in February but of course have kept their FA Cup run going, impressing in a 3-1 win over Bolton on Tuesday.

It has not all been doom and gloom though in the top-flight of late and with a bit more luck could have picked up better results, but Aaron Lennon’s expected return is a welcome boost as it will restore a bit more balance to what is arguably the best footballing side in the division.

Swansea though have enjoyed their debut in the Premier League and have now won their last three matches on the road, despite only securing their first away-day success in January.

The Swans have also recently beaten Manchester City at the Liberty Stadium so will not be over-awed going to White Hart Lane, although Everton eased to a 2-0 win in South Wales last week.

The price about the Swans will look tempting to some with all the pressure on the hosts to come up with the goods, but that could still work in Spurs’ favour and there is no doubt they have the talent to beat any side on their day – and they need to to keep pace with arch rivals Arsenal.

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Liverpool continue push for Europe

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Bet on the Premier LeagueThere is just one Premier League fixture on Monday night as Fulham host Liverpool, with the visitors in line to move into fifth spot as long as they don’t lose.

Liverpool trail Spurs by just one point but the Reds have a superior goal difference and a point at Craven Cottage would see them move into fifth, the only spot that comes with a Europa League place as a result of Birmingham’s Carling Cup win and Stoke’s upcoming FA Cup final appearance.

European football seemed beyond Liverpool just a few weeks ago but Spurs’ poor form has seen the Merseyside outfit close the gap and they will be desperate to bring European football to Anfield next season, even if it is not in the Champions League.

However, Fulham, who are 19/10 to secure the win, are a strong side on home soil and have enjoyed a return to form of late. The Cottagers have lost just three games at Craven Cottage this season and Liverpool will face a battle to take all three points on Monday night.

Fulham boss Mark Hughes is hopeful that Clint Dempsey, who has been struggling with a hamstring strain, will be fit to face the Reds. The American midfielder, who is 6/1 to score the first goal, is the Cottagers’ top scorer this season and Hughes will be eager for Dempsey to shrug off his injury complaint and take a place in the starting line up.

Brede Hangeland missed Fulham’s 3-0 win at Sunderland last time out through illness but is available to face Liverpool. Reds striker Andy Carroll is now fit following a knee problem and Hangeland’s aerial presence could be crucial in keeping the £35million January buy at bay during the showdown. Carroll is 13/8 to score at any time, while Fulham are 12/5 to keep a clean sheet.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has reported no new injury concerns but the visitors will again be without Steven Gerrard, who has a groin problem, and Daniel Agger, who has a knee injury.

Both teams head into the fixture on Monday in decent form and Fulham, who are safe from the drop, will be keen to break into the top eight as they seek to finish the season strongly.

Liverpool have lost just once in their last six league fixtures, while Fulham have won their last two in a row and have been beaten just twice in their last eleven games.

It should be a tight affair but Liverpool’s need for points and the possibility of a place in Europe should inspire them to another victory under Dalglish, with Liverpool 7/5 to take all three points.

Champions League football may elude Liverpool this season but the signs look encouraging for next year with Messrs Carroll and Luis Suarez leading the attack. Dalglish is expected to become the club’s permanent manager following his successful temporary stint, and a spot in next season’s Europa League would be just reward for the Reds’ efforts since the Scottish manager took control.

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City set for Liverpool tussle

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Liverpool and Manchester City go head-to-head at Anfield on Monday with one side having little to play for and the other facing a crucial five days which will define their season.

In the past you’d expect the team still fighting for honours to be the Reds but it is City who are still in the hunt for European football and the FA Cup. City manager Roberto Mancini certainly won’t be looking to far ahead, despite an FA Cup semi-final to come next Saturday, as he looks for his multi-million pound squad to make sure of Champions League football. In contrast all Liverpool have to look forward to is what the future might bring.

We preview what should be an intriguing contest on Merseyside on Monday night.

For City fans all that might be on their minds is the giant arch of Wembley and the chance to end rivals Manchester United’s hopes of winning the treble. However, Monday represents a tough challenge for City on their quest for Champions League football. Mancini says he wants his team to attack the challenge of securing a place in the top four in an aggressive fashion and got his wish last week when they tore Sunderland to pieces.

City (1/5 top four finish) were hardly challenged by the Black Cats but it was the way they went about finishing off the Wearsiders that was so impressive. Even Mario Balotelli looked to have the bit between his teeth last week and the Eastlands faithful will hope the Italian can continue to make amends after all his off and on-field exploits. Balotteli is 7/1 to be the unlikely hero and score the last goal in what is likely to be a tight game.

City have a rock solid defence and Mancini will set up his team first and foremost not to lose, despite his talk of being aggressive. It certainly won’t be as negative as the game at Chelsea but don’t expect them to be going gung-ho at Liverpool.

The Reds are liable to be fairly cautious themselves, based on how Dalglish has set up his team recently. With that in mind under 2.5 goals might be worth a look at 4/6, especially when you consider there has only been over three goals in total in one of the last five meetings at Anfield.

Liverpool haven’t had the best of weeks in the build-up to this game with the news Steven Gerrard will miss the rest of the season after a groin operation. He joins Daniel Agger in the stands for what remains of this campaign, while Dalglish won’t be able to call on Glen Johnson or Martin Kelly for this game.

The defeat at West Brom might have been hard on the Reds but they are looking like a team running on empty. Liverpool are eight points behind Tottenham in the battle for fifth and despite what they say many of the team looked to have given up on European football next season.

The Reds are there for the taking and it will be up to City to take advantage of them. With that in mind 17/10 for City to win looks a good value bet, despite Liverpool’s habit of upsetting the applecart in the past. The Reds are 13/8 to get the win, while the draw is 11/5. City could take a draw and still be comfortably in control of their own destiny in the race for the Champions League.

Don’t expect the game to be a great advert for the Premier League but it should have enough to keep City and Liverpool fans on the edge of their seats.

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Can Carroll fire Liverpool?

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Liverpool have enjoyed a productive January transfer window as the Anfield side attempt to salvage their season and there have been plenty of changes in the red half of Merseyside (Match Betting – Stoke 3/5, draw 11/4, Stoke 5/1).

Key man Fernando Torres may well be on his way to Chelsea before the window slams shut at 11pm today, Monday, but the Reds have secured a ready-made replacement in the shape of Andy Carroll from Newcastle.

The Magpies rejected two offers from Liverpool before “reluctantly” agreeing to a transfer after Carroll handed in a transfer request at St James’ Park and Newcastle then accepted a £35million offer from the Reds.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has already snapped up Uruguay international Luis Suarez in January and the club legend will be hoping his new-look strike-force can help push the Reds up the Premier League table and possibly even challenge the likes of Chelsea and Spurs for the fourth spot (Liverpool 20/1 to secure a top four finish).

On paper Torres certainly has a better pedigree than Carroll, having played at the top level of football in both Spain and England for a number of years and with a fantastic goalscoring record, while Liverpool fans may question the player’s price-tag after just half a season in the Premier League, albeit a highly impressive one.

However, it is worth noting that the current campaign has been a fairly disappointing one for Torres in comparison to his previous exploits and after the striker handed in a transfer request it seemed inevitable he would leave before the window closed.

Torres’ switch to Stamford Bridge has not yet been finalised but following Carroll’s arrival on Merseyside it seems almost certain he will be a Chelsea player before 11pm today.

Liverpool currently trail fourth placed Chelsea by nine points in the Premier League table but the arrival of Carroll and Suarez could prove vital in their hunt for Champions League football next season.

The Reds remain massive outsiders to secure a spot in Europe’s top competition but if they can go on an unbeaten run things can change quickly – as has already been perfectly demonstrated by Chelsea this season after they relinquished a five-point lead at the top of the table, their own title hunt is now in tatters according to most pundits.

Carroll has not played since December 28 with a thigh injury but should return to action soon and if he can pick up where he left off he could well be the crucial man for Liverpool in their hunt for European football, while Suarez also has a prolific strike record and if he can adapt to life in England quickly he could prove another shrewd bit of business.

Torres may have struggled at Liverpool this season but there is no denying his talent and many pundits had suggested he is no longer happy at Anfield long before he announced his desire to move on.

The fact Torres has been unsettled could well account for his lacklustre displays and a move to Chelsea could see the Spanish star return to form, having shown glimpses in recent weeks, while the chance to link up with the likes of Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba at Stamford Bridge will have been hard to resist.

With Anelka, Torres and Drogba leading the line the Chelsea squad will receive a much needed boost following their unprecedented slump and they could yet challenge for the title at the end of the campaign, although it will take a massive effort with Manchester United currently 10 points clear of Carlo Ancelotti’s men (Chelsea 7/1 to win the Premier League).

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Can Kenny revive Liverpool?

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The Return of the King – as it was billed – hasn’t exactly gone to plan three games in. So here we take a look at what impact Kenny Dalglish is having on Liverpool (2/1 – Top 6 PL Finish) and assess whether he really is the man to restore the club to their former glories.

To Liverpool fans, Dalglish was the ONLY man who should have been given the chance to make the Reds great again. Many, after learning he wanted the job as Rafael Benitez’s successor in the summer, could not understand why the Scot was overlooked by the club in favour of Roy Hodgson.

Hence, as soon as results went wrong for Roy (which was pretty much from the word go) and rumblings of player discontent at Anfield and Melwood grew louder, there was such a clamour for him to be sacked and Kenny installed as new manager.

The hordes on The Kop got their way in the aftermath of another sorry display from Hodgson’s side – the 3-1 reverse at Blackburn earlier this month – and, suddenly, everything seemed brighter on the Red half of Merseyside.

No-one was expecting Dalglish to wave a magic wand and watch immediately as the hugely-underperforming squad began to swat teams aside like Dalglish’s best-ever side of 1987-88 used to, but the former Newcastle and Celtic chief was expected to rejuvenate the squad, unite a bickering staff and, generally, get the club back on track after three years of rocky mismanagement, poor results and under-investment.

Cynics will say the only way Liverpool can compete again with the top four is if they spend money on new players like Manchester United, City and Chelsea have done in the past few years as, remember, the current squad at Anfield is the product of months of skimping and saving, selling top players (Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso most notably) and shopping in the bargain basement sections for free transfers (the names Milan Jovanovic and Sotirios Kyrgiakos come to mind here).

Yes, some of the £60million or so acquired from the sales of Alonso and Mascherano were ploughed back into the club to finance deals for the likes of the hugely-disappointing Glen Johnson (£18million), the promising Raul Meireles (£11.5m) and, the somewhat baffling, Christian Poulsen (£4.5m) but major investment in new, young players has been lacking.

Finally, talk of big-money swoops for Ajax’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, Villa pair Ashley Young and Stewart Downing and astute raids for experienced performers like Mark van Bommel and ex-Red Stephen Warnock are taking up the column inches, and it seems Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, understand the need for new players – and fast – if a scrape with relegation is to be avoided.

But it is with Dalglish who the fans are pinning their hopes on most. This is the man voted as the club’s greatest-ever player by the official website recently, the man who was handed the player-manager’s job in 1985 – a surprise at the time – but then duly went on to win the double in his first season in charge and went about assembling that team of 1987-88, regarded by many Liverpool fans as the best attacking side ever, as he gathered more titles and another FA Cup before stepping down in 1991.

That came in the aftermath of Hillsborough – something which severely dented Dalglish’s love for football at the time. He appears to have recovered, however, and currently looks like a child in the pic ‘n’ mix section, having to pinch himself that he is once again in charge of the club he adores.

One of Dalglish’s immediate jobs is to restore confidence and, even though two defeats and a draw do not particularly reflect a change in the club’s fortunes under the 59-year-old so far, there does appear to be a renewed sense of optimism with everyone seemingly pulling in the right direction ahead of Saturday’s trip to Wolves (Liverpool 5/4, Wolves 21/10, draw 11/5 – match betting).

It remains to be seen whether Dalglish’s second coming will, in time, be viewed as a masterstroke or fan-led folly, but one thing is certain, one of the biggest characters in the game is back – and he will give everything he has to get Liverpool fighting among the big-boys once again as soon as possible.

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Big Sam out to increase pressure on Liverpool

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Bet on the Premier LeagueSam Allardyce reckons there is no better time for his Blackburn Rovers (5/1 to win) side to travel to Anfield to face Liverpool as the hosts are in the midst of an on-the-field crisis.

Liverpool (4/6 to win, 12/5 draw) have had a disappointing season under Roy Hodgson and their plight has been much-documented. They sit in the Premier League relegation spots with only six points from their opening eight games.

In previous seasons many football fans would not give Blackburn much of a hope at Anfield, but this season things are different.

Liverpool have lost four games already in the league and have been defeated at Anfield by Premier League new-boys Blackpool and, even more embarrassingly, by League Two side Northampton Town in the Carling Cup.

Allardyce goes into the game without captain Chris Samba after his sending off in the draw with Sunderland last time out. Ryan Nelsen is set to come in and replace him, while strikers Benjani (8/1 to be first goal scorer) and Jason Roberts are back in contention.

The experienced manager admits it is a “good time” to be facing Liverpool, but he expects a tough challenge from Hodgson’s side as they look to put in a good performance in their first home game under their new owners.

“They’ve had a difficult time results wise of late, they had a good result in Europe but from our point of view we have a better chance than normal to get a result at Anfield on Sunday,” said Allardyce.

“We have still got to play at our best and I think this time it gives us a better chance of getting a result. You can be at your best many times at Anfield and it still wouldn’t be good enough to get you anything.

“I think at this moment in time it might be good enough to get us something.”

Hodgson is expected to recall captain Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to the first team after they sat out the Europa League draw with Napoli on Thursday (Liverpool 11/1 to win Europa League).

Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger are also available for Hodgson as the manager looks to stop a rot that has seen Liverpool endure their worst start to a top-flight campaign for more than 50 years.

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Cole eyes Liverpool upturn

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Joe Cole is hoping Liverpool put the false start under the control of New England Sports Ventures (NESV) behind them and get on with the business of restoring the club to its former glories (Liverpool 9/1 – Top Four Finish).

Boston Red Sox supremo John W Henry took over at Anfield last week, after a turbulent few days in court, only for the turmoil to continue on the pitch at Everton with a 2-0 defeat in Sunday’s Merseyside derby.

But Cole, who joined the club on a free transfer from Chelsea in the summer, wants the players to reward the new owners for providing some much needed stability after the reign of George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

The  28-year-old told Liverpool’s website: “We’re happy that it’s all sorted out and the club’s got some direction again. I know the fans are happy.

“They (NESV) seem genuine and they seem like they are doing it through passion. Everything seems great.

“I definitely think they can help us get back up there.”

Liverpool’s first attempt to bounce back comes at Serie A outfit Napoli in the Europa League on Thursday night although they will have to do it without captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres (Napoli 10/11, draw 5/2, Liverpool 3/1).

Boss Roy Hodgson has elected to leave his two best players behind as he juggles European commitments with the Premier League.

Liverpool (7/10 to win the game) entertain Blackburn Rovers (4/1) at Anfield on Sunday which is a crucial game given a domestic run of one win in eight league games.

Hodgson has also left out midfielders Lucas and Raul Meireles for the trip to Italy while Glen Johnson and Dirk Kuyt are injured and Daniel Agger is now suffering with illness.

“Some of the more important senior players won’t travel because their participation on Sunday is going to be so important to us,” said Hodgson.

“It’s not just a question of playing three matches in a week it’s also a question of injury.

“I don’t think our squad is so strong that I can afford to risk them.

“But it’ll still be a strong team we put out there and I think it’s a chance for some players who have been on the fringes, like David Ngog and others like Ryan Babel who has had very few chances.

“It’s yet another opportunity for these players to blast their way into the team and force me to look at them in a different light, to make sure they are players that are first on the list and not down the pecking order.”

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Henry faces up to Liverpool task

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New Liverpool owner John W Henry has admitted he faces a tough task in reviving the club’s fortunes but is confident the Reds will again be able to compete with the best soon (Liverpool 11/1 to be relegated).

Henry’s NESV group finally became the new owners of the Merseysiders on Friday following several nervy days of court battles both in the High Court in London and in Texas as former custodians, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, attempted to block the reported £300m deal.

Henry, who initially said he would not be watching the Merseyside derby at Everton on Sunday but in the end was at Goodison Park for the 2-0 defeat, admitted there is plenty of work to be done to get the club back among the elite – both on and off the pitch.

“What am I thinking? How much work this is going to be. How steep the learning curve is going to be. This is not going to be easy,” he said.

“We realise the challenge that lies ahead if we are going to go toe to toe with the other big clubs.

“We are not asking for a long honeymoon. This is a contact sport we are in and the going can get rough sometimes. We realise that.”

Henry plans to meet Liverpool fans’ groups in the next few days to listen to their concerns but he insisted he has a good track record in reviving sports clubs and hopes the success NESV have enjoyed with the Boston Red Sox can be emulated at Anfield.

“We are not going to make any promises but we are going to listen and consider,” he added in the Liverpool Echo.

“There were big financial issues but in the end we made a decision we really wanted to compete at this level.

“I don’t have ‘Sheikh’ in front of my name but we look at revenues in sports as being the ability to send out a strong team on the field.

“When we arrived at the Red Sox, the New York Yankees were a juggernaut and it wasn’t that much of rivalry.

“I believe we turned it into a rivalry where we have gone toe to toe with the Yankees even though they have got a much higher revenue.

“They keep going up but we have gone up faster. When we looked at Liverpool, the first thing that struck us was there are opportunities here to really build a winner.”

Liverpool’s revival on the pitch cannot come quickly enough following a shocking start that was compounded by the derby defeat on Sunday, but they have a Europa League clash next up on Thursday when they go to Italy to face Napoli (Liverpool 10/1 – Europa League Outright).

Under-pressure boss Roy Hodgson has yet to lose in Europe this term but the Reds’ dismal Premier League form so far has left his side second bottom of the table, ahead of West Ham but only on goal difference.

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Liverpool agree sale in principle

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The board of directors at Liverpool (Evens – Premier League Top 6 finish) has agreed the sale of the club in principle, subject to the approval of the Premier League, to New England Sports Ventures.

The potential takeover is also subject to the resolution of a legal dispute between the two owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who did their best on Tuesday night to avert the sale and regain control at Anfield.

Two “excellent” bids were received last night but the US owners tried to block the sale by replacing managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre with Mack Hicks and Lori Kay McCutcheon.

Hicks and Gillett argued that the English directors were not acting in the best interests of the club by saying the NESV bid, and another from Asia, “dramatically undervalued the club”.

Purslow, Ayre and chairman Martin Broughton are taking legal action over their possible exits and are trying to force through a sale.

Broughton told the club’s website: “I am delighted that we have been able to successfully conclude the sale process which has been thorough and extensive.

“The board decided to accept NESV’s proposal on the basis that it best met the criteria we set out originally for a suitable new owner. NESV’s philosophy is all about winning and they have fully demonstrated that at the Red Sox.

“We’ve met them in Boston, London and Liverpool over several weeks and I am immensely impressed with what they have achieved and with their vision for Liverpool Football Club.

“By removing the burden of acquisition debt, this offer allows us to focus on investment in the team. I am only disappointed that the owners (Tom Hicks and George Gillett) have tried everything to prevent the deal from happening and that we need to go through legal proceedings in order to complete the sale.”

NESV are partly owned by futures and foreign exchange trading advisor John W. Henry, who has an estimated fortune of £540m, and own a number of sporting companies, including the Boston Red Sox, New England Sports Network, Fenway Sports Group and Rousch Fenway Racing.

Liverpool’s off-field problems have had a huge effect on matters on the pitch with the Reds (11/1 to be relegated) enduring their worst start to a season since 1953-54, when they were relegated.

Roy Hodgson’s men have won just once this season in the Premier League – a 1-0 victory over West Brom at Anfield – and have slipped to 18th place in the table, while they were also dumped out of the Carling Cup by League Two minnows Northampton.

Liverpool (10/1 – Europa League outright betting) do top Group K in the Europa League after a win and a draw in their first two matches but will be looking for a dramatic turnaround of their domestic form to try and ensure of qualification for next year’s European competitions.

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Deschamps on Liverpool snub

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Marseille manager Didier Deschamps has revealed he was interviewed for the-then vacant Liverpool manager’s job this summer but decided to stay in France (Marseille 8/1 – 90 minutes v Chelsea).

The position became vacant after Spanish tactician Rafael Benitez finally ended his six-year reign at Anfield to take over from the departed Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.

Several names were linked with the Liverpool hot-seat and even former Reds great Kenny Dalglish revealed that he was keen to have another crack at the whip, having led the club to glory between 1985 and 1991.

But Anfield officials opted to bring Roy Hodgson from Fulham and the much-travelled manager was charged with the task of trying to get the once-great club back into the upper echelons of English football (Liverpool 80/1 – Premier League outright).

Deschamps enjoyed considerable success as a player with Marseille, Juventus and a one-year spell at Chelsea, and he has slipped seamlessly into management, taking charge of Monaco, Juventus and now Marseille.

But he could have been managing in the Premier League this season after revealing that he held long discussions with the Liverpool board before deciding to show loyalty to his current employers.

“I am very proud that a club of the standing of Liverpool showed interest in me this summer,” he said. “But, to be fair, it wasn’t good timing. I had just started pre-season training with Marseille.

“I don’t think the fans or the club officials would have been very pleased if after two days back I was looking to join another club.”

Deschamps took over at Marseille in 2009 and promptly steered the club to their first title in the French top flight in 18 years.

The Stade Velodrome outfit have enjoyed a steady start to the defence of their title and currently sit in sixth place in Ligue with 11 points from their first seven matches.

They have already conceded nine goals this term and will doubtless come under intense pressure from a Chelsea side full of confidence, despite the weekend blip against Manchester City.

The Blues have become almost unbeatable at home, but will not have inspirational striker Didier Drogba in their ranks, as he sits out the final match of a two-game ban.

Frank Lampard and Yossi Benayoun are still out but Ashley Cole returns after being rested for the 4-1 win over MSK Zilina.

The French outfit have yet to pick up a point in the Champions League this season, with a 1-0 reverse to Spartak Moscow in their opener but, having played at Stamford Bridge during an illustrious career, Deschamps knows his difficult it will be for his side to come away from west London with anything to show for the efforts on Tuesday night.

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