Well, I do hope that the forthcoming home match is a victory.

Hai antishjai03,

My colleague (also a fan of Liverpool) felt that the club really had some good luck with Champions League matches.

He cited an example like, Liverpool managed to beat giants like Barca last season to enter the final.

For this season, the same thing happened. The Reds were almost disqualified, but they made it in the end.

Luck matters, agree??

But this not the case for Liverpool against West Ham Bad referee cost LIverpool 3 points. I did not watch the match but a friend told me that the last min penalty was not 1. Also there was hand ball in the West Ham but again this was not penalty according to the referee

I missed the match too (West Ham v Liverpool).
And, I didn't hear any complaints from Liverpool fans either.
Guess what. I think this speculation is right - EPL referees tend to side home team.

Saturday's gossip

Javier Mascherano is expected to make his loan move permanent by signing for Liverpool next week in a £17.1m deal. (Daily Mail)

Bolton manager Gary Megson has opened talks with Liverpool in a bid to seal a permanent £2m deal for on-loan midfielder Danny Guthrie at the end of the season. (Daily Star)

Fabio Capello is to name Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard as his captain for the friendly against Switzerland, but the role of permanent skipper is still up for grabs. (Various)

Premier League clubs spent a record £150m in January, surpassing the total of all top divisions in France, Germany, Italy and Spain (Times)

Source - BBC

Liverpool v Sunderland

Anfield
Saturday, 2 February
Kick-off: 1715 GMT



Javier Mascherano will return from a one-match suspension for Liverpool's game at home to Sunderland.

Alvaro Arbeloa and Andriy Voronin are out with long-term injuries but Daniel Agger is now back in full training and is expected to return later this month.

Sunderland midfielder Kieran Richardson could return to the squad after shaking off a hamstring problem.

Dwight Yorke is out with a calf injury, while new £4m signing Andy Reid is recovering from a knee problem.


Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez:

"Players must look at themselves and say 'how can I improve?' That is what we must do, everyone must improve.

"The team have quality and now we need to show our supporters that the commitment is there and we want to progress. We will do it.

"This has been a frustrating time for me as a manager and we must play well and give our supporters something to make them happy."


Sunderland manager Roy Keane:

"We are stating the obvious when we say we are putting pressure on ourselves at home, and our home record has kept us in with a chance of doing well in the Premier League.

"We need to pick up, certainly for the short-term, but also for the long-term.

"If you want to have any success for your club, your home form is vital, of course, but you have to pick up something on your travels, and that is something we have not done.

"It builds up a bit of momentum if you can start picking up results, and we have not been able to do that this season."


Source - BBC

Reds v Black Cats - Match facts

Liverpool have not won in five league games, and are on their longest mid-season winless sequence in the Premier League since Gerard Houllier's side went 11 without victory between 9 November 2002 and 11 January 2003.

The Merseysiders are all but out of the title running, which was their priority at the beginning of the season, and three places and three points outside a top four Champions League spot, but will see this game as an excellent change to get back on track as Sunderland have only gained two points on the road this season.

Liverpool have only won two of six home Premier League matches against Sunderland; the Black Cats are chasing a 50th league victory over the Reds from their 150th meeting in a major competitive match.


Source - BBC

Xabi Alonso will be making his 150th appearance in a Liverpool shirt, if selected for the home match against Sunderland on Feb 2.

Hey Liverpool fans my heart wana say dont forget to watch your team performance tonight it will be memorable and are back on the track now. Alonso will make our special night today

Are you sure Alonso will be in the starting line-up? @antishjai03