Liverpool: Liverpool

Jamie Carragher has been ruled out for six months with a broken leg.

The England international was injured in a tackle by Blackburn's Lucas Neill, who was immediately red-carded in the 3-1 victory for the Anfield side.

And Liverpool's worst fears were realised when an x-ray confirmed the Reds' defender has broken his right leg and is out of action for up to six months.


Carragher's injury is a blow to manager Gerard Houllier, who will also be without Czech international Milan Baros until the new year after he suffered a broken ankle when he fell awkwardly after a tackle from Markus Babbel.

Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann wants to stay at Anfield beyond 2005.

The German international is currently working his way back to full fitness after surgery on a shin injury which has restricted him to just one substitute appearance so far this season.

But he could be in line to play some part in the second leg of the Reds' UEFA Cup second-round tie against Steaua Bucharest at Anfield on Thursday, which is poised at 1-1.

With all the speculation over Michael Owen not yet signing a new contract despite having just over 18 months remaining, the fact Hamann has only a similar time left has gone largely unnoticed - although not by the player himself.

Well they did ok tonight they got through to the next round of the UEFA cup and played some good football.

Liverpool have rubbished claims that manager Gerard Houllier has been offered a job setting up a football academy for the Australian FA.

And they have also revealed that they will be taking legal advice over a newspaper report that Liverpool directors have already sounded out Martin O'Neill to be Houllier's successor at Anfield.

Gerard Houllier has been told his squad is not up to Liverpool's standards by two Anfield legends.

Tommy Smith and Ian St John, team-mates in the Bill Shankly era, have both criticised the current Liverpool manager over his record in the transfer market.

Liverpool have now won just 15 of 41 Premiership matches since they topped the table last November, 13 months which have seen Houllier's future questioned.

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has admitted he may have to consider leaving Anfield if the club cannot match his ambition.

England international Gerrard recently agreed a new four-year contract with Liverpool and hopes to help them into the Champions League.

But Liverpool are currently struggling to stay in contention for the Premiership's fourth Champions League qualifying spot and Gerrard admits he will not be content with such a situation forever.

Liverpool striker Michael Owen will not return to the first team until the new year as he is still struggling to overcome a thigh injury.

The news that the England forward will miss the entire Christmas programme is a blow to under-fire manager Gerard Houllier, who is facing mounting criticism after his side slipped to ninth in the Premier League following a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton on Saturday.

Talk around Anfield last week had been about Owen possibly returning this coming weekend for the game against Wolves but the player has suffered another setback.

Owen last played in the UEFA Cup second round second leg victory over Steaua Bucharest at Anfield on November 27 but limped off a minute from time with the thigh injury.

It looks like Owen came back to early and the way Liverpool are playing they needed him in the side,things don't look great for them at the moment and Houllier is on rocky ground.They have some great players and should be able to play alot better than they are at the moment 9th position isn't very good for them.

Liverpool do seem to be struggling and losing owen will only make it worse,i can't understand why though.They have some fantastic players but could it be down to the manager? wrong team selections,tatics?

Maybe Houlier should go..

Well they do seem to be going through a rough patch but Djibril Cisse is anxious to join his fellow Frenchman Florent Sinama Pongolle at Liverpool.The Auxerre striker is being chased by a number of top clubs but professed his desire to move to Anfield...

Yeah I like that Cisse has still pledged his desire to join us, and told the Manc scum to take a run and jump.
Our team is in a real mess at the moment though, and it's mainly down to GH's tactics and team selections. Because of this team confidence and morale is at an all time low.

Various sources in France including L'Equipe are reporting that Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse has signed a 5-year contract with Liverpool.

It is reported that the player had a medical with the Reds earlier last month which ties in with our Insider report on 28th November.

Although everything looks in place for a transfer to go through, the reports in France suggest the deal will not be rubber stamped until the summer.

If these reports are accurate, the player will cost Liverpool approximately �14million.

www.koptalk.com

Although I like the look of Cisse I'm still quite angry with GH as he's spending something like �14mil on a striker when it is a MIDFIELDER we are crying out for. Also, as lively as Cisse looks he's not exactly a prolific scorer is he? The way GH developes players we'll most likely have another Heskey on our hands.

John i hope he isn't another heskey lol

I havn't seen him play that much but what i've seen of him he looks quite usefull..

Liverpool and Chelsea have both been linked with Dundee United youngster Mark Wilson.

The 19-year-old former Scotland Under-14 captain has progressed through the ranks at international level and has been tipped to leave Scotland for the Premiership.

Wilson is a right sided defender but is also comfortable as a centre-back or in midfield.

It is claimed that scouts from several clubs have been monitoring the player who was promoted to the first team from the youth system and has established himself at a first team regular ever since.

He is under contract until June 2006.


www.koptalk.com

Jeeezzz!!! We've already got enough right sided defenders at the club. Carragher, Otsomober, Finnan, Babbel (on loan).

We need midfielders Gerard, MIDFIELDERS!!!

Hrmm GH doesn't seem to make good choices on who he buys does he now.

On another note.

Kewell reportedly told Yeovil defender Hugo Rodrigues he dived to win a penalty - which Danny Murphy converted - in Liverpool's 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Huish Park.

Well i watched this and it looked a blatent dive to me,i mean come on who needs to do this agaisnt a real less quailty opposition,unless you are a team badly struggling eh?

Michael Owen's agent Jon Holmes has once again cast doubt over the striker's long-term future at Liverpool.

Owen, 24, has less than 18 months left on his contract at Anfield and has been the subject of repeated transfer rumours in recent months.

Real Madrid and Chelsea have both been linked with a move for the England forward, who has reportedly become frustrated with Liverpool's lack of success.

Looks like the move may be on!

Auxerre striker Djibril Cisse has reaffirmed his desire to join Liverpool after spending a couple of days inspecting the facilities at Anfield.

The French international, 22, is poised to join the Merseysiders in the summer after six seasons at Auxerre, snubbing the advances of several of Europe's top clubs in order to clinch a move to Gerard Houllier's side.

The thing with liverpool is they have always been a big club but since the 70's 80's they just don't seem to be consistant enough,they need to get rid of a few and bring in some new faces.

Well things don't look great at liverpool at the moment but they have moved to ease the goalkeeper crisis by signing Southampton's Paul Jones on a month's loan.

First-choice Chris Kirkland is out for two months after breaking a finger last month and Jerzy Dudek limped out of the 1-0 midweek victory at Chelsea with a groin injury to give Frenchman Patrice Luzi his Reds' debut.

However, with Luzi now the only fit senior goalkeeper at the club, Houllier has sought short-term cover and Jones, out of favour at St Mary's has answered his SOS call.

It looks like new goalkeeper Paul Jones goes straight into Liverpool's squad for the clash with Aston Villa.

Also in the news Auxerre have revealed that Djibril Cisse will definitely be a Liverpool player next season.