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/ 14 May 2008

Gerrard wants Liverpool to spend big

Steven Gerrard admits Liverpool will only challenge for the Premier League title next season if Rafa Benitez spends big money. Gerrard is desperate to make up for another disappointing domestic campaign after Benitez’s side slipped out of the title race by Christmas and finished nine points behind champions Manchester United.

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/ 30 April 2008

Benitez unrepentant over Drogba accusation

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez stoked up a row over Didier Drogba’s theatrics after refusing to retract his claims that the Chelsea striker is a diver. Benitez angered Chelsea boss Avram Grant by revealing he showed his defenders a video dossier of Drogba exaggerating fouls before last week’s Champions League semifinal first leg.

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/ 29 April 2008

Torres wants one more Champions League fairy tale

Fernando Torres has been living a dream in the Champions League this season but the Liverpool striker wants one more fairy tale in his side’s semifinal second leg against Chelsea on Wednesday. Torres has made a big impact in his first Champions League campaign and his goals have been instrumental in Liverpool’s march to the brink of a third final in four seasons.

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/ 9 April 2008

Ballack helps Chelsea into semifinal

Michael Ballack put Chelsea on course for another Champions League semifinal collision with Liverpool as his goal set up a 2-0 win over Fenerbahce in Tuesday’s quarterfinal, second leg. Ballack’s first-half header was followed by a late Frank Lampard strike at Stamford Bridge to send Avram Grant’s side through 3-2 on aggregate.

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/ 3 April 2008

Arsenal and Liverpool draw as Chelsea lose

Arsenal and Liverpool fought out a pulsating 1-1 draw while Fenerbahce came from behind for a 2-1 home win over Chelsea in Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal, first-leg matches. Liverpool soaked up intense second-half pressure from Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium to earn the away-goal edge for Tuesday’s return leg at Anfield in their all-English clash.

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/ 12 March 2008

Liverpool send ill-disciplined Inter crashing

Inter Milan’s ill discipline cost them again as Liverpool won 1-0 at the San Siro on Tuesday to progress to the Champions League quarterfinals 3-0 on aggregate. Nicolas Burdisso was sent off just five minutes into the second half of the second-round, second-leg tie to scupper the Italian champions’ hopes of reaching the next round.

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/ 9 March 2008

Benitez praises Liverpool’s ‘perfect’ victory

Rafa Benitez hailed a ”perfect” victory over Newcastle, which sees Liverpool travel to Inter Milan in the Champions League highly confident of finishing the job they started at Anfield three weeks ago. Another inspirational Fernando Torres performance propelled Benitez’s side to a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Newcastle at Anfield on Saturday.

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/ 6 March 2008

Benitez hails ‘on-fire’ Torres

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez hailed Fernando Torres as ”on fire” after the Spanish striker hit his second successive Anfield hat-trick to lift his club into fourth spot on the Premier League table on Wednesday. Torres sentenced West Ham to their second 4-0 defeat in four days after a sizzling performance by Benitez’s side.

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/ 16 January 2008

Gerrard treble gives Benitez a boost

Rafa Benitez finally got some good news as Steven Gerrard’s hat-trick helped Liverpool cruise into the FA Cup fourth round with a 5-0 win against crisis-ridden League One outfit Luton on Tuesday. Benitez’s position looks increasingly untenable after Liverpool’s American owners admitted they held talks with Jurgen Klinsmann over the manager’s job late last year.

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/ 7 January 2008

Benitez fights for Liverpool future

Rafa Benitez has enjoyed hero status among Liverpool fans for much of his reign but he looked distinctly mortal as he trudged across Kenilworth Road’s sodden turf on Sunday. Benitez, brow furrowed and hands thrust deep into his pockets, cut a dejected figure and understandably so after a day he will want to forget in a hurry.

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/ 31 December 2007

Liverpool frustrated by dogged City

Liverpool missed the chance to close within eight points of Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday as they could only draw 0-0 at Manchester City. Rafa Benitez’s side still have a game in hand, and City remain unbeaten at home this season, but with Manchester United losing on Saturday and Arsenal only drawing on Boxing Day, this still felt like an opportunity missed.

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/ 28 December 2007

United ready to flex muscles as title race hots up

Louis Saha expects Manchester United’s superior squad to give the champions a decisive edge as the Premier League title fight hots up. Sir Alex Ferguson rested Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs, Anderson and Patrice Evra against Sunderland on Wednesday but United still coasted to an emphatic 4-0 victory that took them back to the top of the table.

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/ 25 December 2007

Wenger starts title countdown

Arsene Wenger is already counting down the days until the end of the season as Arsenal try to hold onto their position on top of the Premier League. Wenger’s side lead Manchester United by one point and the Gunners boss knows that the last four teams to be in pole position on Christmas Day went on to win the title.

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/ 1 November 2007

Lampard shines for Chelsea, Ramos gets winning start

Frank Lampard’s hat-trick helped League Cup holders Chelsea snatch a dramatic 4-3 win over Leicester on Wednesday. Avram Grant’s side were slipping towards an embarrassing fourth-round defeat against the managerless Championship side — who lost Gary Megson after just six weeks to Premiership strugglers Bolton — until Andriy Shevchenko equalised with three minutes to play.

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/ 19 October 2007

Problems mount for Chelsea

When Avram Grant sent his Chelsea players away for international duty last week, he must have thought he was beginning to get the troubled club back on track. The storm of controversy generated by Jose Mourinho’s dramatic exit and Grant’s ascension as his replacement had finally dissipated after wins over Valencia and Bolton.

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/ 26 September 2007

Liverpool, Arsenal win convincingly

Fernando Torres scored three goals on Tuesday to lead Liverpool to a 4-2 English League Cup win at Reading, while Arsenal also reached the fourth round with a 2-0 win over Newcastle. Manchester City, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Cardiff, Luton and Blackpool were the other teams to advance.

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/ 24 September 2007

Wenger ready to unleash young guns

Arsene Wenger will let Arsenal’s youngsters off the leash when he sends the club’s next generation of stars into League Cup action against Newcastle on Tuesday. Wenger’s side have enjoyed a superb unbeaten start to the season and sit top of the Premier League thanks to the effervescent displays of Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie and company.