Liverpoolfc.tv: Villa our only focus

Kenny Dalglish insists Liverpool must not be concerned with events at White Hart Lane when they travel to Aston Villa on Sunday.

With fifth place and Europa League spot still up for grabs heading into the final day of the season, the Reds will secure European qualification if they better Tottenham's result against Birmingham City.

However, should Spurs collect three points, they will take fifth spot.

Nonetheless, Dalglish will still be sending his players out fully focused on obtaining three points regardless of what may unfold in north London.

"We want to end the season with a victory that would give us a chance of finish as high up the table as possible," the boss wrote in LFC Weekly.

"That's always been our aim and as long as a higher position is attainable we'll continue to go for it. All we can do is concentrate on our own game and not worry about anyone else. We can't affect another team's results, so there is no point in worrying about it.

..............Read more on Liverpoolfc.tv

Video Goal Liverpool - Sparta Prague 1-0

LFC.TV: Kenny's kick-off call to arms

Kenny Dalglish is confident the Anfield faithful will still generate an intimidating atmosphere in Thursday's Europa League clash with Sparta Prague - despite the unusual kick-off time.

The second leg of the last 32 tie with the Czech side is scheduled to get underway at 6pm, rather than the standard 8.05pm for matches in front of the Kop in the competition.

Nonetheless, Dalglish is in no doubt the kick-off time will count for little by the time the game gets started.

The boss told his pre-match press conference: "Anfield has had some memorable evenings. European nights are always special for many clubs, but certainly for this club.

"Tomorrow night is obviously an earlier kick-off than what we're used to and it will take a bit of adjustment from the players and the fans also, but I'm sure that won't deter them from giving us their full support.

"We've got to get them on side early doors. The responsibility is on us to go and win the game, but fortunately for us that's nothing new - the responsibility has been on us many times to go and win games.

"They've (the players) gone past that, done it and been successful, so we just need to carry that trend and fashion on for the football club."

Liverpool ground out a goalless draw in last week's first-leg meeting in Prague.

Victory over Sparta will set up a last 16 clash with either SC Braga or Lech Poznan - but Dalglish was typically refusing to be drawn on anything other than Thursday's contest.

Asked by reporters about how he'd feel to lead the Reds all the way to the Dublin final, he replied: "We've got to win the game tomorrow night first. We don't need to run too fast. As we've always said, the next game is the most important one. We've got to concentrate on that and get as much as we can from it, so that's all we're going to try and do.

 ............Read more on Liverpoolfc.tv

LFC.TV: Pics and video: Reds in Prague

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Europa League: Liverpool - Naples 3-1 Steven Gerrard's hattrick

Europa League Highlights Liverpool Vs Steaua Bucarest

 

LFC.TV: Steaua under the spotlight

It's only the second time the two teams have met in a European tie, with the previous encounter coming in the UEFA Cup during the 2003-04 campaign.

After a 1-1 first-leg draw in Romania, in which Djimi Traore struck his first and only Reds goal, Harry Kewell settled the tie with the winner in the return leg at Anfield - a game from which Steven Gerrard is the only player who remains at either club that played in that meeting in front of the Kop.

Liverpool did cross swords with Romanian opposition in last season's Europa League competition in the form of Unirea Urziceni, with the Reds progressing 4-1 on aggregate.

Steaua come into the fixture on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Unirea on Saturday, though they are level on points at the top of the Romanian league with two other Bucharest-based clubs - Rapid and Dinamo - on 14 points.......................................Read more on Liverpoolfc.tv

Video goal Trabzonspor 1-2 Liverpool

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Europa League: Liverpool v Trabzonspor, Ryan Babel's Goal

LFC.TV: Poulsen reflects on Anfield debut

Liverpool.tv:

Christian Poulsen reflected on his Anfield debut against Trabzonspor and admitted it was a special feeling to play in front of the Kop.

Liverpool's No.28 played his first 90 minutes for the club during the Europa League Play-off and felt at home playing in the red shirt for the first time.

Before the kick-off on Thursday night the referee delayed the start to allow the club's anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' to finish on the PA system.

"It was something really special being out on the pitch hearing the Kop singing 'You'll Never Walk Alone," Poulsen told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"I was sat in the stand for the Arsenal game and it was great to see it, but to be out there on the pitch with them tonight was fantastic.................Read more on Liverpoolfc.tv

LFC.TV: Roy's Europa preview

Liverpoolfc.tv:

Roy Hodgson admits he will face something of a balancing act to keep Liverpool fighting on all fronts if they're to progress in Europe this season.

The Reds take on Trabzonspor in the first leg of the Europa League play-off tie at Anfield this evening aiming to take a big step towards the group stage of the competition.

It's a tournament Hodgson holds fond feeling for, having guided former club Fulham to the Hamburg final last term against all odds.

However, he acknowledges an extended European jaunt - in addition to the international scheduled - can have a knock-on effect on a team's domestic aspirations, such is the demand it places on players.

But the manager will be doing all he can to ensure that does not happen at Anfield this season.

"I had a good squad at Fulham and we didn't have too many injuries, so I was quite fortunate in that respect," Hodgson told a pre-match press conference.

"But, quite frankly, if you're at a club like Liverpool or Fulham, you've got a lot of players playing international matches and I think asking a player to play 70 matches a year is totally out of the question.

"I don't think any club can carry the strength or depth of squad to deal with 70 matches, so you'd need an awful lot of luck to go all the way.

"I thought last year's experience with Fulham in getting to the final cost us several places in the league."

..................................Read More on Liverpoolfc.tv

Liverpool v FK Rabotnicki

Liverpoofc.tv

Roy Hodgson celebrated his first home game as Liverpool manager by watching his side cruise into the play-offs of the Europa League with a 2-0 victory over FK Rabotnicki.

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First half goals from David Ngog and Steven Gerrard secured a 4-0 aggregate victory over their Macedonian opponents as the Reds booked their place in Friday's draw for the next play-off round of the competition.

With Liverpool's four English World Cup players named in the starting line-up - including a home debut for Joe Cole - there was a buzz around the stadium before kick-off, while the inclusion of Spanish starlet Dani Pacheco added further to the feel-good factor which has been enveloping the club over recent weeks.

Liverpool - backed by an enthusiastic home crowd who had turned out in their thousands despite the first leg cushion - started on the front foot and had the ball in the net after just seven minutes, but David Ngog was flagged offside as he bundled the ball home following a rampaging run by Glen Johnson.

The French striker should have opened the scoring four minutes later when set through on goal by Steven Gerrard, but visiting goalkeeper Bogatinov made a smart stop as Ngog delayed his shot.

With Hodgson's men enjoying total control and playing some eye-catching football, Pacheco and Gerrard both tried long range efforts before the opening goal finally arrived after 21 minutes.

Ngog - whose two goals last week put the Reds firmly in control of the tie - broke the deadlock on the night with a fine header from Cole's deep left wing cross.

Cole the provider almost turned into Cole the goalscorer minutes later, but his curling effort from the edge of the area curled just the wrong side of the woodwork.

It was only ever going to be a matter of time before the second goal came long, and it duly arrived six minutes before the break when the lively Ngog was fouled in the area and Gerrard stepped up to confidently stroke the penalty into the corner of the net................Read all

LFC.TV: Roy delight at Cole bow

Liverpoolfc.tv

Roy Hodgson admitted he was thrilled with Joe Cole's competitive Liverpool debut after the midfielder played a starring role in the 2-0 Europa League victory over FK Rabotnicki on Thursday evening.

Hodgson admitted he was buoyed by the industrious performance of the summer signing, who can consider himself highly unfortunate not to have marked his home bow with a goal.

"His energy and enthusiasm tonight meant he had a really good home debut," the boss told reporters at a post-match press conference....................................Read more