Anfield Red

Momo Sissoko is hoping that Liverpool draw Valencia , if the Reds beat PSV in the Champions League.

Sissoko signed from Valencia in 2005, and played under Rafa Benitez for Los Ches when Rafa was in charge, and is hoping for a return to the Mestalla Stadium in the next round of the Champions League.

"It is in the back of my mind But we have two difficult games against PSV first.

"It would be good to go back to my old club and play in the Mestalla for Liverpool.

"I still have friends in Spain and Valencia. Some of them came to see me at the hotel in Barcelona for the last round, while others were at the Nou Camp.

"I still speak to my old teammates Roberto Ayala and Santiago Canizares but very rarely about football. We talk mainly about family and their children, things like that."

Sissoko is out of the first leg against PSV through suspension, and he admits it is a massive blow for him not to be involved : "It will be difficult to sit and watch the first game in Holland, I am no different from any player – I want to play every game."

Local Liverpool City Council Leader (and Everton Supporter) Warren Bradley has suggested a groundshare with Liverpool, when the Red's new stadium is built.

Liverpool's new stadium has been put on hold whilst new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks consider expanding the stadium from the original 60,000 capacity that was planned, and talk of a groundshare has always been a widely debated topic, and now Bradley has suggested that the new owners share with Everton.

"They’ve got their guys (Dallas firm HKS) looking at designs, infrastructure and everything. Are you telling me a commercial business in America doesn’t sweat the asset? They sweat that asset till they can’t get any more out of it. If they can consider increasing the stadium size, why can’t they consider a shared stadium?”

Liverpool have put alot of hard work into finding investment to cover the cost of the new stadium, and now that it seems it is about to happen, the Bluenose Evertonians want a new stadium, but want the reds to pay for it!

Everton can stick their groundshare idea where the sun doesn't shine!

Liverpool Co-Owner Tom Hicks says that Liverpool fans will not be priced out of buying tickets when the new stadium is built.

Construction of the new stadium was due to start on April 7th, but now Hicks and Gillett have reconsidered the idea, hoping to increase the capacity from 61000 to around 76000, but Hicks moved quick to assure fans that ticket prices will be affordable: " As you get into the technology of building a stadium, one of the things you do is have a broader menu of pricing,"

"You have cheaper seats for people that would be attracted to that and so there's a way that they can afford to go. And you have special seats and special amenities for people who are able to pay for that. But there won't be a bad seat in the house."

Tom also said that he and George Gillett want the new Anfield stadium to be the best around, and have looked into increasing the capacity to generate more money for the club; "We want to maintain the essential approval but we would like to find ways to improvewhat has been planned, because it was planned mostly seven years ago and a lot has changed in that seven years,"

"We go through that process to make things better for the fans. There will be some tweaks but I can't really talk about them.

"Our goal is to make Liverpool's the finest football stadium of all."

The new co-owner added that Rafa Benitez is the man they want in charge, and they will provide him with enough funds to compete in the transfer market : "Our job as owners is to create the right balance of generating as much revenue as the fans want to pay, the sponsors want to pay, the media companies want to pay and giving as much of it to the players as you have to to have a business that can go forward as a business,"

"The key is to have a smart manager like Rafa who will take a long-term view of how we can get better. I know enough from talking to him now that he wants to build for the long term.

"I'm not saying we won't spend for transfers, that may be what we do. But it's got to be in the context of a plan that makes Liverpool competitive every year for a long time.

"We have budgeted a big number, I'm not going to tell you what it is because it's part of Rafa's plan, but the new stadium is very important to that because with the higher revenues Liverpool have we will be able to compete with anybody."

Liverpool's top scorer Peter Crouch could return against Arsenal after having surgery on his broken nose.

Crouch suffered the injury against Sheffield United, where he was kicked in the face, and he has been sidelined since due to having surgery on his nose.

Liverpool face Arsenal next weekend, and after the dull 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, All our strikers are needed, and with Crouch being our top scorer, there is a good chance he could be back in action against the Gooners.

Speaking about Crouch , Rafa said “He is able to train with the ball, but we’re keeping him away from any physical contact,”

“I think he should be okay by next week, but we’ll see how quickly the nose heals. We don’t think it will be a big problem.”

Rafa Benitez says Harry Kewell is close returning to first team action after being out all season injured.

Kewell was injured at last year's world cup, and had originally planned to be back for the Barcelona game, but was still working on his recovery, and now Liverpool Boss Benitez says it could be just three weeks before we see him in a Red shirt again.

"Harry is getting closer all the time, He's had a long injury so we have to manage the situation properly, but he is almost ready.

"At the moment he can take part in parts of the training sessions, such as the warm-ups or when we work on passages of play, and he's probably ten days or so away from being able to take a full part.

"I would think he will be ready to play football for us within the next two to three weeks. If he is fit then of course we can use him. It will be good for us and for him."

If Kewell got back to fitness, he could go straight back in on the left, as Mark Gonzalez is also injured, and Rafa has been switching between Riise and Aurelio in midfield, but neither of the two have yet found their form in that position.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has today said he is going nowhere, despite constant reports linking him to Real Madrid.

Real Madrid are reportedly seeking to offer Rafa Benitez a huge contract for him to replace Fabio Capello, and he has been linked with the job in the past, but the Boss gave the news all Liverpool fans wanted to hear : He is staying at Anfield.

Speaking today about the Real Madrid stories, Benitez said : "I think it's important the fans know I am completely committed to Liverpool Football Club and I'm going nowhere.

"I know there's been a lot of speculation in the Spanish media linking me with Real Madrid.

"Any manager would be honoured to be associated with such a famous club, especially as Madrid is my home city and also my former club. However, I want to make it clear I am very happy at Anfield and very happy in England and I'm genuinely excited by what the future holds for Liverpool.

"I've had some extremely positive discussions with the new owners and share their enthusiasm and determination to take this club back to the very top.

"I will be sitting down shortly with both Mr Gillett and Mr Hicks to discuss things face to face, but an enormous amount of work is already underway in preparation for the way forward"

This wont stop the rumours though, as they come around all the time, no doubt there will be some crap in tomorrow's papers that he is ready to quit .

After beating Barcelona in the Champions league, we have not had a game for 12 days, but in that time we have slipped to 4th in the league, and now need goals today to help us keep the pressure on Arsenal, so , with Kuyt admitting himself he is not on his best form, should Robbie Fowler start todays game?

No one needs to be told about what Fowler can do, everyone knows that if you give him a goalscoring chance, he will put it in.

He has not been in the squad for Liverpool's last two games, but with Crouch out injured with a broken nose, Liverpool have 3 strikers to choose from, so who should play?

Kuyt has scored 10 goals in 30 games this season, Bellamy has 9 in 27 games, Crouch has 12 in 23, and Fowler has 7 goals in 7 games. (all excluding sub appearances).

Fowler's league goals have all been penalties (3), but, given the opportunities we have wasted this season we need a goalscorer. Bellamy provides pace, Kuyt works non stop for the team, but we need the ball in the back of the net, and having beat Villa convincingly at Anfield earlier in the season , we need to go there and get the win after Arsenal beat them 1-0.

Fowler paired with Bellamy today could do the business, what do you think?

Rafael Benitez has insisted he wants to stay at Liverpool, despite again being linked to the Real Madrid manager's job.

Real Madrid have been long term admirers of Benitez, and recently Rafa has been targeted as a replacement for Fabio Capello, but the Liverpool boss has again stated his desire to stay at Anfield.

Earlier in the week, Rafa said : There are always a lot of rumours in the newspapers and a lot of people have been talking about Madrid, I have read in some papers I’ve had meeting with people from Madrid. This is not true.

"What’s clear is I’m very happy at Liverpool"

He reiterated his comments ahead of Liverpool's game v Aston Villa :

"My responsibility is to say to the owners how to improve the team. I will put my ideas to them. Afterwards they will decide, The key is the team and after that we can go forward.

"It is not a question of money. It is a question of keeping going in the right direction."

"I am really happy here and I want to stay. I want to be here for a long time because I have confidence we can go forward. "

Momo Sissoko says he wants to be as influential for Liverpool as Patrick Vieira was for Arsenal.

When Sissoko was signed, the comparisons were being made, and he has already established himself as a fan's favourite , after showing he is never afraid of a challenge and is willing to work for the team, with a string of great performances.

Speaking about Vieira, Momo said : "I am aware there have been comparisons to Patrick.

"He was a great Arsenal player and was a huge influence on the English game in his time here.

"I am only 22. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of work to do on my game. If I want to be like Patrick then I have to work hard to become a better player. Maybe one day people will say that the comparisons were valid – that's my goal."

Sissoko signed from Valencia for £6million in 2005.

We are now in the proud position of 4th place as the Rafa Benitez progress march continues, light years away from Chelsea and the Mancs and falling way behind a developing Arsenal.

Champions League hysteria is taking over our proud club. History states we are the geatest British club side ever but for how much longer ?

Champions League daydreams or Premiership reality ?

You get nothing for coming second – fouth is a bloody disgrace….