The Mad Magician won't play in the FA Cup Final.

The Football Association has turned down appeals from West Ham and Liverpool for wrongful dismissal for Hayden Mullins and Luis Garcia.

Garcia had only been on the field for two minutes when he tangled with Mullins. Garcia appeared to aim an elbow at fellow midfielder Mullins' back before the Hammers player pushed the Spaniard to the floor and referee Howard Webb showed both straight red cards.

Said Rafa: "Luis is very disappointed. I said to him after the game that he had made a big mistake as you can't lose your control before important games.

"Maybe for the future this will be good for Luis and the rest of the players because they can see what could happen.

"It is a big blow for us as he is a player who scores goals on important occasions. He can change a game and so of course we are going to miss him in Cardiff."

"I will not be the next England coach", Luiz Felipe Scolari has said. "I was one of numerous candidates. I will be the Portugal coach until the end of the World Cup. Last night there were 20 reporters outside my house. I don't like this pressure so I will definitely not be coach of England."

BBC Radio Five Live's football correspondent Jonathan Legard said the principal reason for Scolari apparently withdrawing his candidacy was because his family had received death threats, although the Brazilian made no reference to this at the news conference.

Luiz Felipe Scolari has been offered the job of England manager and is discussing terms with the Football Assocation, the BBC has been told.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick is in Lisbon to thrash out a deal with the Portugal manager who is Brazilian. Scolari, 57, who guided Brazil to victory in the 2002 World Cup, is out of contract after the 2006 finals.

Liverpool and West Ham have lodged appeals against the dismissals of Luis Garcia and Hayden Mullins.

The midfield duo were sent off following a scuffle late on during Wednesday's game at Upton Park.

Their cases will be heard by an FA disciplinary commission on Friday and both players will learn if their FA Cup dreams are alive or not.

Liverpool have kept hopes of a 2nd placed Premiership finish alive after two goals from Djibril Cisse gave them a 2-1 victory over their FA Cup Final opponents West Ham at Upton Park tonight.

The Reds have closed to within three points of Manchester United after a goal in either half from Cisse gave them three points despite Nigel Reo-Coker's 46th minute equalizer for West Ham. And with two games left to play, Liverpool continue to have more than just the FA Cup to play for.



Also, Luis Garcia and West Ham's Hayden Mullins are set to miss the FA Cup final after being sent off in Wednesday's dress rehearsal. Garcia appeared to aim an elbow in Mullins' back before going to ground after a shove by his rival as they jostled for the ball after 82 minutes.

Both Alan Pardew and Rafael Benitez are well versed in caginess. Of course they will want tonight's game to end without significant injuries.

But, just as importantly, they'll wish to deny each other important insights into their cup final intentions.

On that score, West Ham may not have a lot to hide. They have a small squad so don't have the luxury of keeping half a team under wraps.

Rafael Benitez can duck and dive with cup-tied Robbie Fowler changing Liverpool's shape, though not in Cardiff. Dietmar Hamann can come in, with Mohamed Sissoko given a rest. Xabi Alonso or Steven Gerrard could also drop out, along with the slightly hurt Harry Kewell. Djimi Traore might come in for either Jamie Carragher or Sami Hyypia, with Stephen Warnock also appearing.

You'd expect Liverpool to win tonight and the FA Cup Final. Indeed, it would be a disaster if they didn't at least lift the Cup - bearing in mind their superb victory over champions Chelsea. West Ham will be able to play without fear, hoping their pace and muscle up front works a small miracle.

Rafa Benitez admits he has made up his mind about whether Robbie Fowler will remain at Anfield but the Liverpool manager is keeping his thoughts to himself and the supporters guessing.

The former Manchester City striker looks set to return to the side against West Ham on Wednesday night after missing the FA Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea as he was ineligible.

FA CUP FINAL SELLING DETAILS

There is no branch allocation for this match.

Liverpool FC have released the following selling details for the FA Cup Final.
F.A. Cup Final

Liverpool FC v West Ham United F.C.

To be played at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff

on Saturday 13th May Kick off 3:00 pm.

Dates Of Sale

Tuesday 2nd May 2006

Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of THREE F.A. Cup matches this season.

Wednesday 3rd May

Main Stand, Paddock and Centenary Stand Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of TWO F.A. Cup matches this season.

Thursday 4th May

1. Kop and Anfield Road Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of TWO F.A. Cup matches this season
2. Fan Card holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of THREE F.A. Cup matches this season.

Full Selling Details

We have received an allocation of 24436 tickets. The tickets are priced at £90, £65, £50 and £25. The percentage split on the allocation is as follows:-
£90-22%, £65-58%, £50-9%, £25-11%.

Within the allocation are 68 disabled spaces together with personal assistant tickets and 20 tickets for the visually impaired together with personal assistant tickets. These tickets are priced at £25 each with the personal assistants tickets free of charge.

Concessions at 50% of the face value of the ticket (£25 tickets only) are available to children under 16 who will be accompanied with an adult and to supporters over the age of 65.

Please note - The F.A. have only made the above concessions available within a portion of the areas priced at £25. In view of this we are unable to guarantee that concessionary tickets will be available to all qualifying applicants. In the event of this happening an alternative priced tickets will be offered but without a concession.

Shareholders

The allocation and selling arrangements for ALL Shareholders are as follows;

On holding

1 – 9 shares
1 ticket at 90 or £65 As Available

10 – 49 shares
2 tickets at £90 or £65 As Available

50 shares and over
3 tickets at £90 or £65 As Available

The ticket allocation to shareholders will apply to their registered shareholdings as at 24th March 2006. Any transfer of shares lodged for registration after this date will not qualify.

Shareholders can purchase their ticket(s) from the ticket office or on the Credit Card line, telephone number 0870 220 0408 from Friday 28th April until Monday 1st May 2006. The following information will be required: -

1. name and address
2. details of shareholding

Shareholders with shares registered under a nominee company, must give details of the nominee company and the account number must be supplied.

Shareholders applying by post should make immediate application to the ticket office detailing the ticket price in order of preference. Cheques should be made payable to Liverpool Football Club and endorsed not to exceed the maximum value of the highest priced ticket allowed under the allocation. The cheque will be completed by the Club to the actual value of the tickets available. Every effort will be made to supply the ticket(s) to the value requested but this can not be guaranteed. Please also see note regarding postal applications.

Corporate Members

The Corporate Sales Department will be writing to all Members to advise them on their ticket allocation.

Disabled and Visual Impaired Season ticket and Fan Card holders

The Ticket Office will write to the disabled and visual impaired supporters who qualify for a ticket.

Season Ticket holders and Fan Card holders

Tickets priced at £90, £65, £50 & £25 AS AVAILABLE will be allocated to Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their fan card a minimum of TWO F.A. Cup matches played this season, and to Fan Card holders who have a minimum of THREE F.A. Cup matches played this season recorded on their Fan Card.

Tickets will be available on the days detailed below for personal application at the ticket office, or on the credit card line telephone number 0870 220 0056 or online from our online sales page as follows: -

Tuesday 2nd May 2006 - Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of THREE F.A. Cup matches this season.

Wednesday 3rd May – Main Stand, Paddock and Centenary Stand Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of TWO F.A. Cup matches this season.

Thursday 4th May – Kop and Anfield Road Season Ticket holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of TWO F.A. Cup matches this season and Fan Card holders who have recorded on their Fan Card a minimum of THREE F.A. Cup matches this season.

We can guarantee that tickets will be available to all the above Season Ticket and Fan Card holders. Every effort will be made to supply the ticket(s) to the value requested but this can not be guaranteed.

Credit card bookings will be subject to a booking fee of 50 pence per ticket and a transaction charge of £2.50 per ticket will be applied to online bookings.

Season Ticket and Fan Card holders who meet the above criteria can also make application by post. This should be done immediately giving details of name and address and Fan Card number together with details of the ticket price in order of preference. Cheques should be made payable to Liverpool Football Club and endorsed not to exceed the maximum value of the highest priced ticket allowed under the allocation. The cheque will be completed by the Club to the actual value of the tickets available. Every effort will be made to supply the ticket(s) to the value requested but this can not be guaranteed.

Applications should be clearly marked showing whether you are a Season Ticket holder or a Fan Card holder.

Please also see note regarding postal applications.

Postal applications from Shareholders, Season Ticket holders and Fan Card holders should be made to: -

LFC Ticket Office
P.O.Box 204
Liverpool
L69 4PQ

All postal applications should be received by Wednesday 3rd May 2006.

Please do not apply if you do not meet the required criteria, any queries regarding the Fan Card please telephone 0870 220 2345.

After the above sale there will be a remaining balance of tickets and we will be writing to Fan Card holders who have recorded TWO F.A. cup matches this season to advise them on how the remaining balance will allocated. The forms will be dispatched Thursday/ Friday 27th/28th April.

The Millennium Stadium have informed both competing Clubs that they will NOT provide DUPLICATE TICKETS under any circumstances.

Tickets are STRICTLY non-transferable. Liverpool FC has to furnish details to the Football Association on all tickets purchased i.e. names and addresses of applicants corresponding to the seat details on the ticket issued to the applicant.

Liverpool FC will not take any responsibility for any financial losses due to lost, destroyed, or damaged tickets.

Postal Applications

It is recommended to supporters making a postal application to include with their application a self addressed special delivery Post Office envelope with the correct postage for the return of their ticket.

The Ticket Office hours are Monday to Friday 8:15 am to 5:30 pm. Saturday
29th April the Ticket Office will open at 9:15 am and close at 3:00. The Ticket Office will be open Sunday 30th April between 9:15am and 1:00pm.

The telephone booking lines will open at 8:30am Monday to Friday.

Rafa Benitez insists he is happy with life at Liverpool, despite renewed speculation about Real Madrid wanting him as their new manager.

Benitez was in Madrid to collect the Coach of the Year award after leading Liverpool to European Cup glory last season.

Although they failed to defend their crown this year, The Reds have improved greatly in The Premiership and made the FA Cup final by knocking Chelsea out in the semi-finals on Saturday.

As reported. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has claimed the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year award. It is the first time the 25-year-old has been named player of the year by his peers, although he was Young Player of the Year in 2001. Gerrard, who a day earlier helped Liverpool win their FA Cup semi-final, said: 'I am still in shock.

'To go through to another FA Cup final and win this special award in the same weekend is fantastic for me.'

Independent Online Edition: Benitez's safe hands milk the Special One's muddle

Liverpool's second big victory over Jose Mourinho's Chelsea carried more caveats than an index of government health warnings but it still had the power to provoke some intriguing questions.

It asked simply this: when the long race is run, when the starting assets of Benitez and his now bitter rival are most clinically assessed, who will emerge as the better football man? Whose heart will be most firmly attached to the spirit of the game? Whose will and ability to get the best out of the players - which of course is the the very kernel of the job - will prove more enduring? Perhaps most importantly of all, who will have proved that he had the safer hands and the least susceptibility to the dangerous impulses of ego?

In the aftermath of Liverpool's arrival in their second straight major cup final - at the expense of Chelsea - there could only be one answer. Benitez, yet again, showed that he understood the fine margins between victory and defeat and that a coach who projects himself far above his players, who comes down from the mountain top before every match with his personally inscribed tablets of stone, is not only risking individual results but his own long-term credibility.

Mourinho's, plainly, will hold for some time. A small blizzard of Portuguese titles, the Uefa Cup and Champions' League with modestly resourced Porto, and successive titles with the financial behemoth Chelsea is an astonishing body of work for any 43-year-old football man.

But then Benitez, three years older, does not compare so unfavourably: two La Liga titles for Valencia, triumphs swept from beneath the noses of a Real Madrid some way still from their current decay and Barcelona; a Uefa Cup win; a quarter-final place in the Champions' League after ransacking Gérard Houllier's Liverpool, before leading his new club to the Champions' League in his first season and on a fraction of Mourinho's budget, also speaks of dazzling accomplishment.

But the questioning has to be refreshed now - two years into their English careers, Mourinho and Benitez have developed a fierce rivalry made all the more remarkable by the imbalance of their resources, and any snap appraisal at the weekend would surely have left few in doubt about who was more comfortable in his own skin.

It says almost everything about what we have come to know of Mourinho that nothing he did before, during and after Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final had the capacity to create too much surprise.

His lack of grace, expressed on this occasion by his refusal to shake the hand of the victorious Benitez, has become a fact of football life. Nor could his bizarre team selection have raised too many eyebrows; leaving out all three of his three most creative wide players, and denying a fourth, the hugely expensive but lost Shaun Wright-Phillips, a place on the bench, was certainly bewildering, as was the sight of a full-back, Paulo Ferreira, playing in front of a midfielder, Geremi... but then so was his decision to play three of them from the start in Barcelona recently. That was a move which robbed Chelsea of their greatest strength, a formidably balanced midfield, and before Saturday's aberration seemed to have crowned a spurt of increasingly erratic behaviour.

Naturally, Mourinho blamed defeat not on this team-sheet gibberish but the bad aroma of two of the decisions that the referee, Graham Poll, made in favour of Liverpool and, according to some unbiased professional observers, breaking an astonishing tendency to rule routinely for Chelsea in anything that sniffed of 50-50. No, Mourinho was emphatic, this was another mythical defeat of Chelsea by Liverpool.

Benitez, typically, refused to comment on Mourinho's team selection, other than in the most oblique way. However, he did say: "I was surprised by the things Mourinho said." Was he disappointed? "No, I was doing my job before the game, playing to win. I had two plans depending on how they came into the game: they could play with three strikers, 4-5-1 as normally, or with two centre-forwards. We had plans for that.

"For 60 minutes we had a fantastic game against good players. When you see [Arjen] Robben, [Damien] Duff and [Joe] Cole on the bench you know how strong they are. We are closer to Chelsea now. If you talk about one game with them we can win. If you talk about nine months we need a bigger squad.

"I like to win against the best teams. Chelsea are one of the best teams in the world. We must give credit to our players and our staff. We must be happy

"They brought on Cole, Duff and Robben. They can change everything. We don't have the same possibilities. We change some things, they can change everything. They can play three strikers, quick, with ability, good in the air."

In other words, Mourinho could do what he wanted. He could line up his solders any way he pleased.

Benitez's job of countering any Chelsea formation, interestingly, relied not on wild theory but accepted strengths. His team was freely predicted before the game; the question was how well they would perform, a challenge uncomplicated by the need to play in unfamiliar positions and instantly find old zones of comfort and confidence.

Extraordinarily, with the exception of the stalwarts Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia, and Steve Finnan and Harry Kewell - a wide player reminding Mourinho of the value of skill applied at pace - Liverpool were quite some way from their best. Steven Gerrard was anonymous for long passages of the game. Xabi Alonso was disappointingly peripheral at that time when Chelsea, at last provided with some width and skill by Mourinho, came surging back into the game, and if Momo Sissoko had been any more profligate with the ball at his feet he might as well have worn a blue shirt. Luis Garcia was himself, which is to say about as economical as Wayne Rooney's girlfriend let loose in Knightsbridge or Oxford Street. But then he conjured a goal touched by genius.

But Benitez's hands were indeed safer. He didn't burden his players with an unworkable game plan. He didn't offer an astonished opposition a huge start into the game. In future he will want better performances from key players, but there was a unity of purpose to Liverpool's effort.

By comparison, Chelsea had to grope their way into the match. They had to wade through their coach's ego.

In the first rush of his fame as a coach Mourinho, for whom the challenge of playing professionally was too much, said: "I hate to speak about players individually; players do not win trophies, squads win trophies. I cannot say I love a player. I love players who love to win." You cannot imagine Benitez saying such a thing, no more than you could any of the great coaches, however far you go back. Squads don't win trophies until they have been formed into teams of fine balance and well-distributed talent. You cannot win trophies by sticking a pin into a list of players.

Maybe that's not quite how the Special One arrived at his team on Saturday.

Maybe he did something rather more scientific. Unfortunately, the effect was roughly the same.

Mourinho or Benitez? You have to take your choice. For the moment at least it is not something to tax the brain - and still less the heart.

Steven Gerrard has capped another brilliant season at Anfield by being named the PFA Player of the Year by his fellow professionals.

At a gala ceremony in London's Grosvenor House Hotel today, the Liverpool captain beat off competition from Thierry Henry, a bunch of guys whose FA Cup chances were recently dashed and a young England International.

West Ham won over Middlesbrough at Villa Park today and will play the FA Cup final against Liverpool.

It will be West Ham's first FA Cup appearance since 1980.

Liverpool ended Chelsea's hopes of a domestic Double with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford in their FA Cup semi-final.

Didier Drogba missed two gilt-edged chances for Chelsea before John Arne Riise's free-kick put the Reds ahead. Luis Garcia brilliantly half-volleyed in from 20 yards to extend Liverpool's lead but Drogba headed in to set up an enthralling end to the game. Chelsea then put their rivals under siege and Joe Cole blazed a late chance over as Liverpool clung on for the win.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho (who clearly has no class) did not want to shake hands with him after their FA Cup semi-final.

Said Rafa: "They have a lot of good players but we do too. We have a great team spirit. We are in the final. My players have done a fantastic job."

Mourinho has been criticised for his graceless reaction to the defeat by Liverpool at Old Trafford and seemed reluctant to give the Reds much credit for their win. Instead he came up with FIVE! EXCUSES:

1. The first goal is always important especially in big matches. We had a big chance to score the first goal but we didn't.
2. The next situation, the ball goes to the box and there's a very fair challenge but (referee) Mr Poll gives a free-kick and after that Riise took it very well.
3. John Terry's header was disallowed. I think it was a goal.
4. Their second goal was a defensive mistake. When you make mistakes, sometimes you are punished.
5. [On the second half] The reaction was very good. They defend with 10 or 11 players. We dominate, score the goal and we have a big chance to go to extra time.

The Chelsea boss did not accept suggestions that his tactical decision to play full-back Paulo Ferreira in midfield had backfired.

Liverpool won The FA Youth Cup for the first time in ten years, emulating the class of Owen and Carragher, but they were given a tremendous battle by Manchester City.

As part of the GolTV broadcast of the liverpoolfc.tv weekly (broadcast Tuesday's at 4pm EST) the following advert will run.

LFC%20on%20GolTV.mov

Steven Gerrard has rejected speculation linking him with a summer move to Real Madrid and insists he is staying at Anfield.

Madrid's football director Benito Floro claimed he has put Gerrard on a priority list of transfer targets. But Gerrard, who has twice almost joined Chelsea, is not interested.

Gerrard said: 'I am settled and happy at Liverpool. I will be staying here until the day someone tells me they don't want me.' [ More Details ]

Look for these at Scallywags and other fine pubs near you - during the World Cup!

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists that midfielder Steven Gerrard will not be sold to Real Madrid.

Benitez is adamant his skipper will stay at the club and said: "The situation is very clear. Steven Gerrard is not for sale."

In case you missed it, we have just recently obtained the video for the Steven Gerrard and Pepe Reina Carlsberg Beer ad that was released a couple weeks ago. Let's hope Stevie has the same pin-point control on the weekend!

Real Madrid's footballing director Benito Floro has confirmed that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is on their list of transfer targets.

Gerrard, 25, signed a new four-year contract last summer to end speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea.

Real have targeted England midfielder Gerrard and Inter Milan striker Adriano as 'priority' signings.
Floro told Spanish radio station Cadena Star: 'Gerrard is a player on the list that we wanted to sign previously.'

Chris Kirkland admits he is unsure which club he will be at next season as he steps up his recovery from long-term injury.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper, earmarked as a future England international, is currently on loan at West Brom but has been out of action with a finger injury since January.

Baggies boss Bryan Robson is prepared to sign Kirkland on a permanent basis, but that will depend on whether the club can avoid relegation to the Coca-Cola Championship.

Mohammed Bhana has a good interview with Momo Sissoko where they chat about his play, his hopes and his team.

Avoiding the need to conjure up a miracle in a European Cup final against Milan by taking the trusted Premiership route with three games to spare, Liverpool are through to next year's Champions Leagye competition. And yet their qualification has again been shrouded in controversy and argument.

Interpretations of the offside rule have varied wildly since Fifa confused the subject of interfering with play and at Ewood Park on Easter Sunday it was Djibril Cisse's turn to expose the folly of current guidelines. Standing three yards offside as Robbie Fowler chested a long throw from John Arne Riise into the Rovers penalty area, the French international stuck out a leg then withdrew it to allow the onside Fernando Morientes to collect possession. The linesman decided that as contact had not been made, he did not interfere with play.

Robbie Fowler scored his fourth goal in five games to extend Liverpool's winning run to seven matches.

Fowler slotted into an open net from Fernando Morientes' pass after the offside Djibril Cisse was adjudged not to have interfered with play. Although it was controversial goal it has virtually guaranteed Liverpool at least third place in the Barclays Premiership - putting pressure on Manchester United for second - and gave Benitez a 46th birthday present to savour.

Cisse could have doubled the Reds' lead on the stroke of half time but Brad Friedel turned his strike onto the bar.

Blackburn piled on the pressure in the second half as Liverpool retreated but failed to seriously trouble Jose Reina.

The presence of European Cup-winning captain Steven Gerrard inspired Liverpool's next generation of players to take a firm hold of the FA Youth Cup with a 3-0 win at Anfield last night.

Gerrard and Jamie Carragher were among a crowd of 12,744 who witnessed first-half goals by 17-year-olds Robbie Threlfall and Ryan Flynn to leave Manchester City with a huge task to salvage the final. Only a very poor performance will stop Anfield's class of 2006 lifting the cup at Eastlands next Friday, after an impressive performance by Steve Heighway's crop of young talents.

In December 2004, David Moores, chairman of and largest investor in the fabled Liverpool Football Club, appeared to be distraught as he addressed his team's board. Moores fretted that the financially strapped club would have to scuttle plans for a 170 million ($290 million) stadium.

The new ground across Stanley Park from their Anfield home was needed to bring in receipts the Reds need to remain competitive on the pitch against much wealthier rivals like Manchester United and Chelsea. "These past 12 months have not been easy," said Moores during the meeting. "We are looking at all roads to get investment into this club, including offers already on the table."

A full year and a surprise European championship title later, the club's inner circle must have been shocked to hear the same sentiments from Moores.

The lowdown? An undercapitalised team like Liverpool cannot consistently compete with rich clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal without a modern stadium. The Reds pull in only £33 million from stadium revenue; Manchester United gets more than double that.

Pepe Reina will eclipse the great Ray Clemence if Liverpool's defensive meanness continues at Ewood Park this Sunday.

Reina has already re-written the record books once in his debut season, having gone longer than any Liverpool keeper in history without conceding a goal.

But as he prepares for his 50th appearance for his new club, Reina has another proud landmark in sight.

If he concedes no more than two goals in Lancashire this weekend, the Spaniard will beat Clemence's impressive goals against record during his first 50 games for Liverpool.

The PFA's 33rd annual awards dinner, to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, will take place on Sunday, April 23, when the PFA's Player of the Year will be named.

Liverpool skipper and European Championship hero Steven Gerrard is one of six nominees. Arsenal captain Thierry Henry - winner in 2003 & 2004 - a bunch of Chelski players and England International Wayne Rooney are also nominated.

Tomorrow the club's under-18 side play the first leg of the FA Youth Cup final against Manchester City, determined to emulate the victorious team of 1996.

Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher were among those who inspired the last success, but there will be a notable difference if the class of 2006 repeat their feat.

Gone is the traditional scouse monopoly of the youth team, replaced instead by a combination of local, foreign and broader English talent.

The recruits of Paco Herrera have combined with Steve Heighway's Academy boys to create a, thus far, successful merger of Melwood and Kirkby starlets.

One of those who epitomises the philosophy of the sadly departing Herrera is 17-year-old Jack Hobbs.

Restricted from signing the most promising English youngsters under-16 due to Academy rules, Herrera and his assistant Frank McParland have been working overtime to ensure by the time such players hit 17, a professional Anfield contract is on the table.

Rafa has reiterated his belief Mark Gonzalez will be a huge hit in the Premiership after watching the winger torment Real Madrid at the weekend.

The Chile international, currently on loan at Real Sociedad until the end of the season, was on target during a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.

Gonzalez's man-ofthe-match performance drew plaudits from the Spanish press, who told how the winger 'excited the Bernabeu' and proved a 'nightmare for Madrid'.

Liverpool remain confident the 21-year-old will be handed a work permit this summer after their application was denied last year.

The plans for Liverpool's new stadium have been re-approved by the local council without any alterations in the original scheme.

The Anfield club had to re-submit their plans, originally agreed almost two years ago, to make sure they conformed to new planning law. And at a meeting of Liverpool council's planning committee today those plans - for a 60,000 ground on nearby Stanley Park - were once again given the go-ahead.

The Liverpool Echo reports that Djibril Cisse's hopes of extending his Liverpool career are appearing increasingly remote.

The Frenchman's impressive performance at The Hawthorns last Saturday convinced Rafael Benitez to hand him another opportunity down the Reds' right flank, but this is unlikely to convince Rafa that there is a place for the him in next season's side.

Cisse simply doesn't fit into the striking strategy Benitez has evolved for his Liverpool side. With Fernando Morientes unlikely to have any sell-on value, and Peter Crouch vital to Benitez's forward planning, Cisse is the obvious man to make way.

Liverpool Football Club has lost out on an £11m European Union grant to assist in the construction of the new stadium.

On 29 March Liverpool was forced to announce that it was in talks with a number of parties "regarding a potential investment of new funds into the club".

Putera Sampoerna, the Indonesian billionaire, and Mansion, the gambling company seen as possible buyers of the club.

Other parties that have expressed an interest in investing in Liverpool in the past include the billionaire Kraft family of the US and Steve Morgan, the Merseyside housing tycoon.

A Jamie Carragher interview pulled from Sky. Can someone please let us know when this was broadcast?

Birthday boy Robbie Fowler is doing everything he can to make boss Rafael Benitez's decision about his future at Liverpool as difficult as possible.

Fowler struck seconds before the break to secure a 1-0 win over a defiant Bolton on his 31st birthday.

And his all-round play will give Benitez plenty of food for thought as he plans for the future.

Of the match, Benitez said: "That was good for Robbie to score on his birthday, and I know that it means I will be answering questions about his contract situation.

"All can say is that I want to see him scoring goals and playing well; if he does that it will be good for everybody."

Rafael Benitez has held preliminary discussions with Robbie Fowler about the Liverpool star's future at Anfield, reports Football365. What is becoming increasingly evident is that Benitez is coldly assessing Fowler's long-term potential without any sentimentality, and he obviously has doubts.

Although Benitez declined to shed any more light on the prospect of Fowler winning a new contract when his current short-term deal ends this summer, the carrot was clearly being dangled for Fowler to finally prove his worth.

Benitez said: "I have been talking with Robbie and I am happy with him. We are not in a hurry and he knows why. We have two clear options, for Robbie to stay or look for another team. We need to decide but he knows our idea and is continuing to work as hard as he can on his fitness."

The youth team has reached the final of this year's FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1996, when we won the trophy. The first leg, against Manchester City, will take place at Anfield on Thursday 13th April, kick off 7:30pm.

The youth team is a mixture of players from the Academy and some who are based at Melwood. This is a great opportunity to see the stars of the future, whilst also giving them the backing they need in their attempt to build a first leg lead to take back to the City of Manchester Stadium.

Tickets are priced at 7 pounds for adults and 3 pounds for under 16's and the Over 65's. Tickets are available now from the Ticket Office, on the Credit Card Booking Line 0870 220 2151 or via The Official Club Site (available until Monday 10th April).

It is recommended that supporters purchase tickets in advance of match day.

The Executive Committee of the Official LFC Supporters Toronto Branch invites you to take this opportunity to help shape the direction of the Club by participating in a membership survey.

The 17th Hillsborough Memorial Service, a memorial of the disaster in Sheffield that cost 96 fellow fans their lives, is to be held at Anfield on Saturday, 15th April 2006.

The service will be inter-denominational and will take place on the Kop at Anfield. It will commence at 2.45pm, include a minute's silence at 3.06pm and concludes at about 3.30pm with the singing of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. There will be readings from Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler. All are welcome to attend the service.

Rafa Benitez can underline the vast improvement he's inspired at Anfield by leading Liverpool to the 70 point mark for only the second time in 10 seasons this weekend.

Victory over Bolton would be a significant landmark for the Reds' boss as he edges closer to securing Champions League qualification.

Such is Liverpool's vastly superior goal difference to most of the chasing pack, the Reds effectively need to win only twice more to be certain of a top four position.

If results go their way, they could even be sure of their Champions League place by defeating Bolton on Sunday.

A council spokesman has said that the plans for Liverpool's new standium have to be re-submitted to see if they comply with new planning regulations and rules.

The new stadium, planned for Stanley Park, was given the go-ahead by Liverpool City Council's Executive in February 2005.

England assistant Tord Grip says he is not worried that Michael Owen might play only one competitive match before the World Cup squad is announced.

Owen is unlikely to be fit until Newcastle's final game of the season, against Chelsea on 7 May, and England's provisional squad is named a day later.
Grip told BBC Sport: 'That is not a big worry, I must say. The worry is if he gets a reaction after his first game.

'He is a proven goalscorer and you always need that in a team.' " Erikkson has already stated that he would consider an injured Owen for selection to the England Squad.

Here's some more Ronaldinho footie exploits from a Nike ad.

Rushden and Diamonds striker Lee Tomlin is to join Liverpool on trial.

The 17-year-old made his League debut in October when only 16, has started only four games for Rushden and is still awaiting his first senior goal. He has been a revelation for the Nene Park side since making the step up from the youth academy to the first team squad last October.

Say R&D assistant manager Geoff Harrop: "He's a goalscorer, there's no doubt about that. He's sharp in the box and he gets into the right positions, he has great awareness and this is a good opportunity for him to show that at the highest level."

Check out Steven Gerrard's New Trophy Room.