A language breakdown has prompted Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez to swap full-back Josemi for Villarreal defender Jan Kromkamp. The transfer is set to go through in January after both players have struggled to learn their new languages.

Benitez said: 'Josemi is a right-back with some problems here with English, and Kromkamp has problems with Spanish. Josemi has improved his English, but for him and his family it has been difficult. Kromkamp has the same problems because I think 100 per cent of the team at Villarreal only talk Spanish, no English, and that has been really difficult for him.'

Dutch international Jan Kromkamp is set to join Liverpool from Villarreal in an exchange deal which will see right-back Josemi move in the opposite direction.

Liverpool have made it nine wins out of nine in the Premiership after goals from Peter Crouch, Steven Gerrard and Djibril Cisse gave them a magnificent 3-1 win over a crumbling Everton side at Goodison Park.

Initially up by two after goals by Crouch and Gerrad early on, James Beattie, who had a header controversially ruled out, pulled one back four minutes before half-time. Cisse fired in Liverpool's third after 47 minutes and Everton were reduced to nine men when Phil Neville and Mikel Arteta were sent off.

Beattie's header may have ended Liverpool's sequence of 761 minutes of Premiership action without conceding a goal, but it was another impressive performance for Rafa's squad.

Today is the 202nd Merseyside derby and Everton manager David Moyes has challenged his players to prove their worth. Everton have lost their last two games 4-0 and are hovering just above the relegation zone in what has proved a disappointing season which began with their Champions League exit at the group qualifying stage. They were also embarrassingly dumped out of the Uefa Cup by Dinamo Bucharesti as they lost their first eight Premiership matches.

The Reds are on the warpath, bidding for a ninth successive League win, and fourth on the road. They have double as many points as Everton (34 to 17) while being the busiest of all Premiership clubs. This will be their 33rd game of the season - Everton's 24th. The Reds have not dropped a point since the 2-0 loss, away to Fulham on 22 October. It was also in that game they last conceded a League goal.

Paul Eaton 16 December 2005

Liverpool have been drawn to face Benfica in the "Super Sixteen" phase of this season's Champions League.

The first leg has been provisionally pencilled in for Tuesday February 21, 2006, at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon with the return at Anfield two weeks later on Wednesday March 8.

Benfica knocked Manchester United out of the competition with a 2-1 victory in the final round of group games, despite having a number of their best players missing including Liverpool target Simao.

Full draw:

Chelsea v Barcelona
Real Madrid v Arsenal
Werder Bremen v Juventus
Bayern Munich v AC Milan
PSV Eindhoven v Lyon
Ajax v Inter Milan
Benfica v Liverpool
Rangers v Villarreal

Final
Sao Paulo (Brazil) vs Liverpool (England)
FOX Sports World Canada
Su Dec 18 5am ET
LIVE

The Official L.F.C. Supporters Club: Toronto, Canada, will not be broadcasting the FIFA Club World Championship “LIVE” at our host pub Scallywags, due to the early/late kick off times. Scallywags will be broadcasting replay’s of each game and those times will be reported at: http://www.scallywags.net/sports_broadcast_dec2005.php

The games are available “LIVE” in Canada through Fox Sports World Canada at the following times:

Thu Dec 15 05:00AM Eastern
Length: 2 hr 30 min LIVE
FOX Sports World Canada
FIFA Club World Championship - Semifinal 2
Liverpool (England) vs Saprissa (Costa Rica)

Depending on the result above:

Sun Dec 18 02:00AM Eastern
Length: 2 hr LIVE
FOX Sports World Canada
FIFA Club World Championship - 3rd Place

Sun Dec 18 05:00AM Eastern
Length: 3 hr LIVE
FOX Sports World Canada
FIFA Club World Championship – Final