Rafael Benitez

Rafa Benitez has laughed off speculation that he had a bust-up with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during the FA Cup defeat by Reading.

But, speaking ahead of a crunch Premier League game on Wednesday night against Tottenham Hotspur, Benitez brushed off the rumours of a falling-out with the influential midfielder.

“We have been joking about the rumours in the media that there was a fight,” said the Liverpool boss.

Gerrard will miss the visit of Spurs due to a hamstring injury, while Fernando Torres, Yossi Benayoun and Glen Johnson are also absent.

Daniel Agger could be available after a groin complaint as Benitez provided the latest update on the club’s injury situation.

This is the City of fourth victory in four games since dealt with Mancini. These additional three points to make City surged to a big four sequence positions, the position of the target at the beginning of their minilal this season.

Mancini said the team would not talk too much about the title associated with distance from the head of the league, Chelsea are still relatively far: seven points and four points from Arsenal who are in third position. However, he would dare to speak after two months in advance.

“We’re not going to see the standings for the time being. There are 17 action that must be lived and we will see later on. We’re just going to talk about the standings at one or two months,” he said.

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Patrick Vieira claims Manchester City could still compete for Premier League title when delivering himself in front of City fans at Eastlands.

French defensive midfielder has signed a deal worth £ 100,000 from Inter Milan with a contract for six months.

Vieira admitted the move was partly motivated by a desire to secure his position in the French squad ahead of the World Cup in June. “I hope that the club will also give me a chance to return to the French national team,” he added.

33-year-old player was going to wear number 24 and going back to make his debut against Blackburn Rovers on Monday at Eastlands.

According to the manager, Nicolas Anelka has returned from hamstring injury. So with Deco and Jose Bosingwa remain in the list of players.

“We are in good condition, Anelka ready to play and we are confident to do their best and to win. January will be an important month and we sure can make the best of this month.”

“Anelka is a very important player for us, he showed can play with Drogba and without Drogba. He played the first games in the Champions League without Drogba and done very well. For us it is very important to have him in this period.” he closed the conversation.

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson said Neville decided to hang the shoes at the end of this season is a lie news.

“I do not know where these rumors come from,” said Fergie. “Gary has not made any decisions and we have not made any decision.”

Neville has made 13 appearances for the Red Devils this season, but more exposed to injury.

“I always tell my players when you will make decisions about your future, make sure you do it in summer. You do not make decisions like we talked about in the middle of the season. That’s nonsense,” he explained.

Reina’s contract was ended until 2012. Still talking about brand-new contract with the club between Pepe underway.

Torres said that Pepe had an important role either inside or outside the field. “Pepe is an important player in the locker room, after Stevie (Gerrard) and Carra (Jamie Carragher). He always showed excitement around us, not only in the field but also in the locker room,” said Torres.

“He has followed a remarkable season. We should be happy because we have it and we hope that Pepe could any longer here,” he concluded.

The Premier League champions cruised into a 3-0 halftime lead with goals from Nani, John O`Shea and Carlos Tevez but had to withstand a spirited second-half fightback from the Championship (second division) strugglers.

Derby substitute Giles Barnes slotted home a penalty with 10 minutes remaining to give Derby hope of forcing extra time only for Cristiano Ronaldo to restore United`s cushion. Barnes set up an anxious finale with a stoppage time free-kick.

United, who have reached the final for the seventh time, will face either Premier League Tottenham Hotspur or Championship side Burnley in the Wembley final. Tottenham won the first leg 4-1 at home.

Victory came at a price for United, however, with midfielder Anderson taken off the field on a stretcher and Brazilian teenager Rafael damaging his hamstring.

“We don`t know exactly what it is yet but he`ll go for an X-ray,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports.

Derby appeared to be heading for a thrashing as United, with several first team regulars rested or on the bench, appeared to have killed off the tie within 35 minutes.

Portuguese midfielder Nani unleashed a swerving shot past former United keeper Roy Carroll after 16 minutes and O`Shea was allowed to move into the area unopposed to sidefoot the second.

Tevez nodded in a Rafael cross to leave Derby`s players looking crestfallen and United could have been further ahead before the halftime whistle.

Derby improved after the break and carved out several decent chances before Paul Green had his ankles clipped in the penalty area by United defender Jonny Evans and Barnes beat reserve keeper Ben Foster from the spot.

Ronaldo, who started on the bench, slotted a penalty past Carroll soon afterwards following a foul by Carroll on Tevez. Derby were rewarded for their effort again when Barnes squeezed a free kick inside Foster`s near post but United held on.

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City, who are in talks with AC Milan over a possible world record transfer for Brazilian playmaker Kaka, will pay close to 20 million euro ($26.29 million) for the 24-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam holding midfielder, according to German media.

“We have had contact with Manchester City and have agreed to release the player if he can strike a deal with the English club,” Hamburg spokesman Joern Wolf told Reuters.

“Now it is up to the player and his agent to agree on a contract with that team.”

De Jong, whose contract with Hamburg expires in 2010, had confirmed late last week he had received an offer and said he still had two weeks to decide before the end of the transfer period. On Monday he said the deal was far from done.

“I cannot say anything. Nothing is finished,” he told reporters upon the team`s return from a training camp in Spain.

Hamburg coach Martin Jol said that if the deal went through, the funds would be used to bolster his squad.

“My idea is to take a step back in order to move three steps forward,” Jol told reporters.

City, in the bottom of half of the Premier League table, are the richest club in the world after being taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

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Reports in the national press on Tuesday morning suggested Benitez’s contract talks were in danger of collapse because of the Spaniard’s apparent demand to have total control of Liverpool’s transfer policy.

Benitez found himself in a power struggle with American duo Tom Hicks and George Gillet last season over his future, but he insists there is no trouble on the horizon with the pair.

“My agent only received the draft document of my contract on Monday evening so my surprise is that some journalists can talk about there being problems before I have even read it properly and discussed it,” Benitez told the Liverpool Echo.

“We have agreed the length of contract and we have agreed the salary. Now we have to discuss my role and my responsibilities as manager of the club.

“But we haven’t had the opportunity to do that yet.

“Someone has information and clearly wants to create a mess, but I haven’t discussed anything yet because, as I say, the contract only arrived on Monday night.

“I don’t have any problems at all with the American owners.”

The Reds chief also rejected rumours that he was set to go head-to-head with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson again for the signing of Brazilian defender Anderson.

Both Liverpool and United have been credited with an interest in the Fluminense ace, but Benitez has denied Anderson is on his list of transfer targets.

“That is not true,” added Benitez. “We are not trying to sign that player.”

football365.com

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been plastered all over the headlines in recent times, but more for his tactical decisions off the pitch than on it.

The Spaniard stunned England last week when he unleashed a stinging tirade at Sir Alex Ferguson, claiming that the Manchester United boss was unpunishable despite constantly complaining about referees and fixture lists and so on.

Some have suggested that this ploy could work against the Reds, particularly after their frustrating draw against Stoke City at the weekend.

But Fernando Torres, Benitez’s star recruit, has insisted that the entire squad is behind the gaffer.

“He thinks he had to say those things about Ferguson and he has our support, we are with our manager,” the 24-year-old said in The Guardian.

And why wouldn’t they back a man who has led Liverpool to undoubtedly their best-ever start to a Premier League campaign?

Even after Saturday’s stalemate in Staffordshire, the Merseyside giants hold a four-point lead as they chase their long-awaited 19th English championship.

And Torres reckons there is no manager on the planet who is more capable of bringing to title back to Anfield, pointing to his exploits in Spain.

“Of course [Benítez] is as good as anyone,” the European Championship winner said. “He can compete with anyone, he won the Spanish league with Valencia after 15 years [their first title in 31 years, actually].

“Real Madrid and Barcelona were fighting for the title and he arrived in his first season and won the title. This is very difficult in Spain. Now he has to do the same thing with Liverpool.”

Mike Maguire, Goal.com