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Pics: Welcome
back, Lucas
24 jan 2012
Six weeks after undergoing an operation on his anterior
cruciate ligament, Lucas Leiva was back at Melwood this
morning as he continues his road towards full fitness.
The Reds' midfielder has been taking the first steps on his
rehabilitation programme back home in Brazil over recent
weeks, but he returned to Melwood today and was given a warm
welcome by staff and teammates alike.
Two fixture
changes
24 jan 2012
Two of Liverpool's Barclays Premier League fixtures in March
and April have been switched for live television coverage by
Sky Sports.
The Anfield clash with Arsenal stays on Saturday, March 3,
but the kick-off has been brought forward to 12.45pm.
The away trip to Newcastle United has now been moved from
Saturday, March 31, to Sunday, April 1, and will kick-off at
1.30pm.
What our world
XI say about Stevie
18 jan 2012
 Since
making his return to action against Blackburn, Steven
Gerrard has scored a crucial goal in a League Cup
semi-final, signed a new contract and been hailed as
Liverpool's greatest all-time player by Reds legend John
Aldridge.
And last Friday manager Kenny Dalglish agreed: "He has
certainly made a huge contribution to the football club.
Other people have different opinions, but he wouldn't be far
away from being mentioned as the greatest player for
Liverpool Football Club."
Aldridge and Dalglish add their names to a long list of
footballers, past and present, who have gone on the record
to praise Gerrard over the years and here we bring you a
randomly selected World XI that includes some of his most
talented admirers (and Gary Neville).
Pepe Reina
Capped 24 times by Spain
"Stevie is the badge of this football club, the soul of this
team. Just by the fact that he is on the pitch it is an
inspiration for us. He always leads by example and anything
he does, he does with passion and a lot of commitment. He is
a born winner." (October 2011)
Gary Neville
Capped 85 times by England
"Steven Gerrard is undoubtedly a world-class player and I
wish he'd played for United. 'Come play for United,' I said
one day to Steven when we were in the hotel. 'The fans will
take to you in no time.' He just laughed, and said: 'I'll do
it if you go to Anfield.'" (January 2011)
Jamie Carragher
Capped 38 times by England
"Stevie is just an unbelievable talent, we all know that.
But he keeps on producing when it matters and, to me, that
makes him the best player the club has ever had and the most
influential player ever in the Premier League." (November
2010)
Alan Hansen
Capped 26 times by Scotland
"Liverpool supporters love him, he is part of the place. If
he doesn't play there is something missing. It is just great
to have players of the quality of Gerrard in the team
because with him in the team Liverpool can beat anyone."
(April 2010)
Marcel Desailly
Capped 116 times by France
"A wonderful player. I can hardly think of another player
who can deliver a shot with such perfection and beauty. Such
a versatile performer: good at winning the ball from
opponents, always trying to create something for teammates,
and lethal when he shoots on goal. Also, he is a leader."
Zinedine Zidane
Capped 108 times by France
"Is he the best in the world? He might not get the attention
of Messi and Ronaldo but, yes, I think he just might be. If
you don't have a player like Steven Gerrard, who is the
engine room, it can affect the whole team. He has great
passing ability, can tackle and scores goals, but most
importantly, he gives the players around him confidence and
belief. You can't learn that - players like him are just
born with that presence." (March 2009)
Patrick Vieira
Capped 107 times by France
"The best midfielder I would say is Steven Gerrard. I really
rate him as a player and as a man. I think he is still one
of the best. He is so powerful and strong. He can attack, he
can defend and he can score." (October 2008)
Kaka
Capped 82 times by Brazil
"England have always had individually strong players and I
am a huge fan of Stevie Gerrard. He has the heart of a lion
and is the icon of the modern footballer with his ability to
attack and defend so well. He is the world's most complete
modern player." (November 2009)
Carlo Ancelotti
Capped 26 times by Italy
"He is the complete midfielder. He can be a holding
midfielder; he has fantastic shots, passes and skills. When
I played, there were players like Giancarlo Antognoni and
Rainer Bonhof but today Gerrard, full stop." (November 2010)
Pele
Capped 92 times by Brazil
"Gerrard is an excellent player, absolutely world class. If
I was a manager, everywhere I went I would buy Steven
Gerrard. He is what Brazil needs, because he is always
looking forward and has a big heart. Two years ago I saw
Gerrard play and then I saw him in Tokyo in a game against
Sao Paulo. I said then that Gerrard is a great player. To me
he is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is an
excellent player." (June 2006)
Thierry Henry
Capped 123 times by France
"For me, and I have always said this, he will be regarded as
one of the greatest midfielders ever when he finishes his
career. No doubt. The guy is always putting his foot in,
always scoring and doing what he has to do to make his team
win. That is what football is all about. He, for me, is
Liverpool." (November 2008)
Manager: Alex Ferguson
"He has become the most influential player in England, bar
none. More than Vieira. Not that Vieira lacks anything, but
I think that Gerrard does more for his team than Vieira
does, and has way more to his game. I've watched him quite a
lot. To me, Gerrard is Keane. Everywhere the ball is, he
seems to be there. He's got that unbelievable engine,
desire, determination. Anyone would love to have Gerrard in
their team." (May 2004)
Carroll: We
can get top four
18 jan 2012
 Andy
Carroll insists Liverpool are still well in contention for
Champions League qualification.
The New Year fixtures have left the Reds five points adrift
of Chelsea, who currently occupy fourth spot.
But the unpredictable nature of this season's Barclays
Premier League means Carroll remains full of hope - so long
as Liverpool can start replicating their excellent cup form
in all fixtures.
"The league games are just as important as the cup games
we've got to look forward to because we want to stay in
contention at the top end of the table," Carroll told the
Matchday Programme ahead of our 0-0 with Stoke.
"The objective is qualifying for the Champions League and we
are up there and still in with a great chance of achieving
that aim.
"I think it's quite possible, especially when you consider
some of the results that we have seen over the Christmas
period with the top teams, including Man Utd, losing
matches. We're still in there without a doubt.
"We've done really well against the top teams and our away
form has been great but in some of the home games we've
struggled to put our chances away and I think that's where
we need to make sure we start to punish teams.
"Hopefully we can start taking our chances and score more
goals as a team.
"There's a great spirit among the lads. In the dressing
room, everyone is friends. That shows in training and I
think you can see that spirit in the games too."
Meanwhile, Carroll has spoken of his joy at repaying the
fans for their support with a goal against Oldham in the FA
Cup third round.
"The supporters have been brilliant to me ever since I came
here and it was great to hit the back of the net," he added.
"Hopefully I can now go on a goalscoring run."
e-Petition:
60,000 still needed
18 jan 2012
Over 35,000 people have signed an e-petition calling for a
new inquest into the death of Kevin Williams at Hillsborough
but 65,000 more signatures are still required before
Thursday.
Anne Williams, who lost 15-year-old Kevin at the FA Cup
semi-final in 1989, started the e-petition as part of an
appeal into overturning the accidental death verdict placed
on her son.
Mrs Williams claims Kevin was still alive at 4pm and did not
die from traumatic asphyxia. Original inquests into the
disaster ruled all the victims were dead by 3.15pm.
Her calls to the Attorney General have so far been rejected
on three separate occasions.
"I want a fresh inquest for Kevin and I want it to run up
until 4pm when he died," she said.
"Kevin was not brain dead at 3.15pm as they said he was and
we can prove that he did not die of trauma asphyxia. He had
different injuries.
"Witness statements have been suppressed so the jury did not
know what actually happened to Kevin.
"Kevin was saveable, but they cordoned off the care on the
day. Kevin was pulled out at 3.28pm and he was alive then.
"There was an off-duty police officer who found a pulse at
3.37pm and he tried to flag an ambulance down.
"I want the Attorney General to look at the evidence again
and send Kevin's case back to the divisional court
recommending a new inquest into the death of my son."
Anne needs 100,000 e-petition signatures by January 19 this
year so that the issue can be debated in parliament.
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