Rafa has told the players to stay focussed on tomorrow’s clash against Manchester City as the reds look to cement their qualification for next years Champions League.

Will we ever know the reasons why Javier Mascherano was reduced to a couple of starts and a couple of substitute appearances by West Ham United? The Argentinian has put it behind him and enjoying his new Anfield career.

The arrival of the new chairmen at Anfield and their promise to fund Rafa’s transfer raids, coupled with Benitez’ constant team changes in his search for perfection, have left the Liverpool players under intense pressure to perform.

As far as transitions in power at one of the World’s biggest football clubs goes, the hand over from David Moores to George Gillett and Tom Hicks, has gone down as one of the best.

George Gillett Jnr, Liverpool’s new co-Chairman, has spoken to the official website about the Arsenal game and the future of our club.

The famous home red shirt will have one more crack at the Premiership title next year as Liverpool are set to keep it, but both the Liverpool away shirt and the Liverpool European away shirt are set to be replaced in the summer.

Javier Mascherano looked like a decent signing for Liverpool at Villa Park today. And, er, that’s about it.

Liverpool travel to Villa Park for a 1.35pm kick off tomorrow (Sunday 18th March 2007) and the reds will be looking for three vital points after Arsenal moved ahead us to 3rd in mid-week.

Dirk Kuyt’s 10 goals in 30 games for the reds is ‘not good enough’ he has admitted in this weeks LFC Magazine but insisted that as he adapts to the English game he will become a more complete Liverpool goalscorer.

In dramatic developments today, work on the new Anfield stadium has been temporarily halted after Liverpool’s new owners, days in to taking control of the new club, are looking at plans to build the Premiership’s biggest football stadium.

“Rafa wouldn’t get anything better than Liverpool, or I wouldn’t think so,” Carragher said of the tabloid rumours that Real may be interested.

“He can buy his own players here. He’s one of the best managers around. He proved that at Valencia, and he’s already proved it here. Hopefully we can go on again over the next few years and win more things.

“All the players enjoy working with him. I’m sure you can see the difference he’s made over the last few years, especially in Europe. Next season we want to push on and do well in the Premiership as well.”

A tale of two players – Jose Reina ready to return to one of his old clubs Barcelona in potentially Liverpool’s biggest game of the season, while Harry Kewell stares down the barrel of the end of his Anfield career.

Javier Mascherano, who is widely expected to complete his move to the reds shortly, has spoken of his desire to impress at Liverpool and put the West Ham months behind him.

Almost overshadowed by Liverpool’s off-field antics, tomorrow at 12:45 the 205th Merseyside Derby will kick off at Anfield.

Liverpool’s proposed takeover by Dubai Investment Capital has collapsed after a board meeting at Liverpool failed to ratify the groups offer.

Liverpool maintained their streak of fine form, with a 2-1 victory away at West Ham United tonight.

Just as the transfer window was finally getting ready to slam shut, Liverpool have completed the signing of Javier Mascherano, the Argentinian World Cup star, who has been rotting away out of sight at Premiership strugglers West Ham United.

Saturday’s victory against Chelsea was an enormous psychological boost for the reds according to Spaniard Xabi Alonso, but title talk is not on the players minds, he insists.

Rafael Benitez’s 100th game in charge ended with his first victory over Mourinho’s Chelsea in the Premiership.

After a tumultous week, the reds roared back with a 3-0 win away at Watford.

Rafael Benitez today insisted that the doom and gloom merchants are wrong, and that the reds still have plenty left to play for, as he added another Spanish-speaking South American to the Liverpool ranks.

West Ham’s want-away Argentinian world cup star Javier Mascherano has undertaken and passed his medical at Anfield.

Liverpool’s scouse centre-half has insisted that it will be Rafa Benitez who will be the first Liverpool manager since Kenny Dalglish in 1990 to win the title with the reds.

A number of tickets have been returned for this Saturday’s Premiership clash against Watford at Anfield.

Rafa was pleased and relieved at today’s 4-0 drubbing away at Wigan Athletic.

Steve Finnan has been speaking about the disappointment of the weekends game and how the Liverpool players are keen to get back on the winning trail

Jamie Carragher today contributed to Steven Gerrard week by hailing his good friend as the best player in the world. 2