Premier League Player Ratings: Liverpool 2-2 Man City
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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez concedes Champions League hopes rest on make-or-break Manchester City clash
All or nothing: Under-fire Benitez knows his side must win
Saturday, 21 November 2009
Channel 27: "Live"Liverpool - Manchester City - 8:45 pmRafael Benitez acknowledges that Liverpool's clash with Manchester City on Saturday is 'make or break' to their hopes of ensuring Champions League football next season.
The stakes are very high for boss Benitez, who has sent four players - Yossi Benayoun, Albert Riera, Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio - to Belgrade this week
for unorthodox placenta cell treatment on their injuries.Now all four, plus injured trio Fernando Torres, Daniel Agger and skipper Steven Gerrard, should be available to face Mark Hughes' ambitious side.
Benitez said: 'This is a big game, an important game. But then all Liverpool games are important. But this could be described as a make-or-break game for our season.
'We are aware of City's ambitions. They have spent some money on good players and they also have a good manager with experience.
'We want to progress and we want to be higher in the table. We want to continue playing big teams and playing for something important.
'But it is too early to talk about final league positions, but clearly it is a big game for both clubs. But we must be confident we can win.
Make-or-break: With Fernando Torres back from his spell on the sidelines, confidence is high at Anfield that they can win their must-win clash against City
'I am not amongst the managers, 80 per cent I am told, in the Premier League who believe City will finish in the top four. We will be in the top four.'
Although City have been left clutching at draws recently, failing to win from their last five games, Liverpool are also under pressure to break their own poor form in the league following their 2-2 home draw with newly-promoted Birmingham nearly a fortnight ago.
Benitez added: 'The aim is to kick-start our season. 'We must improve and a win will be a real lift for everyone.' 'We know City have money and they have spent a lot, but we must not just keep looking at what they are doing. 'What we have to do is to keep going, keep playing at our best. 'We are not in a good position in the table or in the Champions League. 'But we cannot change what has already happened.
'We need to win two or three games and the attitude will be totally different, with the fans and players having more belief.
'It is normally against good teams that we do best because the games are more open. We did it against Manchester United, and we aim to do the same to City.'
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CARLOS TEVEZ is ready to silence the Liverpool hate mob today by leading Manchester City to a famous Anfield victory.
The Argentinian was linked with a switch to the Reds in the summer.
But instead he left Liverpool's deadly rivals Manchester United in a £25million cross-city switch to Eastlands.
And the hitman is now certain of a hostile reception when he pitches up on Merseyside this lunchtime.
Tevez says the fans' jeers will not bother him and has warned the Kop that City are after their Champions League place.
He insisted: "I don't care if the crowd are against me. I know City's fans care about people who care about me."
Tevez quit Liverpool's hated rivals Manchester United in the summer.
But instead of moving to Anfield, he sealed a £25million switch to Eastlands.
City are one place above the Reds in the Premier League table and are being hotly tipped to challenge the traditional big four.
Rafa Benitez's team have lost five league games already this term and their Champions League destiny is hanging by a thread.
But Tevez has no sympathy for Argentinian pal Javier Mascherano and his team-mates with a huge prize up for grabs.
The City striker added: "If Liverpool keep on having problems, it will help us qualify for next year's Champions League.
"Of course, we have to focus on ourselves and on what we do. But it is not bad news for us that Liverpool are struggling so far this year."
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if losing is all it takes to get rafael the sack, i hope we get trashed
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Bellamy has scored five times for City this season the ex-Pool player might start in place of Tevez tonight.
Mark Hughes is giving serious consideration to dropping Carlos Tevez for Manchester City's trip to Liverpool today.
The ex-Manchester United striker has struggled to produce his best form since joining City for £25m in the summer, and made an alarming claim after Argentina's game against Spain last weekend that he could quit following the World Cup because he feels 'saturated' by playing too much.
Hughes, who may pair Emmanuel Adebayor with Craig Bellamy, said: 'On occasions, players say things probably from an emotional perspective rather than a clear-minded perspective. We lose things in translation when they come across the water so I'm always wary. But it's not a concern for me. It's not something I've seen in his play or general demeanour.'
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i dont think pool can win.
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i dont think pool should win
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anybody wana guess who am i supportin for this match?
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no prize for guessing correctly who though, right?
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haha..
i see you got back mod status. congratz!
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lol ty
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I will rather pool lose so as to get kenny to be temp caretaker!
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I think Benitez is taking a big risk tonight, and liverpool knows that they are in dire need of a win tonight to push city, spurs and villa for the 4th spot. Firstly, benitez is risking it all by playing all unfit players like torres, gerrard, benayoun, agger, aurelio, johnson, riera.
They have a crucial Champions league game next week which is another must win game though their CL fate depends mostly on fiorentina vs lyon. I think that tonight benitez might just lose some of his players because he rushed them back for the city game instead of giving them a rest. His plan might just backfired.
City on the other hand is on a run of 5 successive draws. They have the ability to win games but just isnt doing it. They have only lost one this season, to a dubious owen goal in the machester derby. I think they will give liverpool a tough time and might just steal a win tonight.
tonight at 845pm, it will be the fight for 4th place. We will see 2 good keepers in given and reina. Torres will be up against Toure and Lescott. Adebayor will be up against Agger and Skrtel (since carragher still suspended). We will see gerrard, robinho, tevez, barry, mascherano, benayoun, ireland, nigel de jong, lucas(?? HAHAHA), santa cruz, swp, babel.
It will be an exciting match at 845pm. I would say Man city to draw or win Liverpool!!
After this at 11pm, it will be Sunderland against Arsenal
And then 1pm, it will be Man Utd against Everton.
What a night of Football!!!!! There goes my exam revision....
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Have you studied enough for your exams already? If not, don't bother studying, cos will fail anyway = D (just kidding.. study hard lar)
But really, a good batch of hard hitting games tonight. Can't wait.
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MAKE OR BREAK?
I SAY BREAKKKKKK!!!
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liverpool will win big.at least a 2-goal margin.
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It is strange that Ah Ben keep playing Kuyt as right wing when torres is injured.
But, he is desperate and every match is make or break for him.
Not forgetting he have a CL match to WIN next tuesday.
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Gone... Agger is out already... head injury.
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Originally posted by Poignant:
if losing is all it takes to get rafael the sack, i hope we get trashed
so limpper needs an alter ego to squirt his rubbish?change your avatar lah, why make it so hard on yourself?
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agger and gerrard clash of leg and head... both lying on the floor... hahahahaha
gone... babel also out already... benayoun is on now...
2 subs within 18 minutes!!!
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its either a close match, a 1-0 or a draw. looks like it is going to be a bored score draw.
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WAHAHAHAHA.... adebayor own goal!!!! hahahahahaha
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Liverpool score liao... 1-0
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Originally posted by MaNyZeR:
WAHAHAHAHA.... adebayor own goal!!!! hahahahahaha
No la.. Skertel score one la.. U see him so happy. He got the last touch, -
Liverpool defense so lousy.. 1-1
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Adebayor scores!!! This time against skrtel!!! Score tied at 1-1... Final will also be 1-1...
Money money money money money!!!!!! Come come come!!!!!