Babel gives Reds Euro advantage

A Ryan Babel strike has given Liverpool a slender 1-0 advantage following the first leg of their Europa League play-off against Trabzonspor.

The Holland international fired home on the stroke of half-time but the Reds were denied the comfort of a second goal after Joe Cole missed a penalty in front of the Kop.
The scoreline keeps Liverpool as favourites to progress to the Europa League proper as Roy Hodgson tries to become only the second manager after Sven Goran Eriksson to guide three different teams to the competition's final.
Having fallen at the last hurdle with both Inter Milan and Fulham, Hodgson is desperate to make it third time lucky in Dublin.
However, the Liverpool manager has already made it clear he intends to use his full squad in Europe this term, and against Trabzonspor there were first starts of the campaign for new boy Christian Poulsen, Fabio Aurelio, Maxi Rodriguez and Babel.
Martin Kelly and Sotirios Kyrgiakos also made the XI as the likes of Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Martin Skrtel enjoyed a rest.
It was Kyrgiakos who almost headed Liverpool into an early lead after just five minutes when he connected with a tasty Maxi corner only to be denied by Trabzonspor custodian Onur.
Burak flicked a similar opportunity wide of Pepe Reina's goal shortly after but it was the hosts who were playing more football, Milan Jovanovic in particular impressing down the left.
Aurelio came close to breaking the deadlock with a free-kick which swerved just over the bar on 26 minutes as Liverpool continued to probe without creating many clear cut chances.
The visitors offered little by way of an attacking threat, though Burak might have made a name for himself again had his sweetly struck dead ball crept under rather than over the crossbar.
But it was Liverpool who eventually took the lead in first-half injury-time when Cole swept an intelligent throughball into the box, leaving lone striker Babel with the relatively simple task of side-footing past Onur.
It was to be the Dutchman's last act of the evening after being substituted during the interval for Fernando Torres, who within 30 seconds of getting a rapturous welcome from the Kop was trying his luck with a rasping effort from wide of the box.
A minute later Lucas wasted a free header after Jovanovic's corner, while debutant Poulsen whacked over from range. The Reds were starting to purr.
The second goal looked certain to arrive on 52 minutes when Serkan tripped Lucas in the box and Cole stepped up from 12 yards. The No.10's penalty kick was weak, however, allowing Onur to parry away.
Jovanovic was next to hold his head in hands when he was denied by a decent save after smart footwork from Torres sent him through on goal.
Trabzonspor should have made the Reds rue their profligacy on 59 minutes as Umut evaded the offside trap before being thwarted by a superb hand from Reina.
Poulsen seemed to have made it a dream debut with just under 20 minutes remaining when he tapped in after a goalmouth scramble - only to be denied by a dubious call of a foul from the referee. Television replays showed justice may have been done, though, as the Dane was standing in an offside position.
The Reds now take their lead to Turkey in a week's time.

Reds agree on Australian keeper Jones fee

Liverpool have confirmed a £2.3m fee has been agreed with Middlesbrough for the transfer of Australian international goalkeeper Brad Jones.

The 28-year-old stopper passed a medical on Monday afternoon and has agreed personal terms. He is expected to complete the paperwork on a three-year contract on Tuesday.
The Australia international spent the early part of his career as understudy to Mark Schwarzer, before battling it out with Ross Turnbull to become first-choice at the Riverside at the start of the 2008-09 season.
During his time in the North-East he picked up a League Cup winner's medal and was between the sticks for the club's famous UEFA Cup semi-final victory over Steaua Bucharest back in 2006.
He has since won two caps for Australia and was named in their 2010 World Cup squad.

Liverpool 1 - 1 Arsenal

A mistake by Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina allowed Arsenal to salvage a draw against a Reds side who had Joe Cole sent off on his Premier League debut.
Cole was red-carded for a lunge on Laurent Koscielny before David Ngog's driven shot put Liverpool ahead.
The lead lasted until the last minute when Marouane Chamakh diverted a cross against the post and Reina spilled the rebound into his own net.
Koscielny was then sent off for a second bookable offence in injury-time.
The late drama capped a frantic finish to the game, with Reina the unlikely culprit as victory eluded a Liverpool side who had resolutely held Arsenal at bay.
Reina had produced two key earlier saves to help maintain Liverpool's lead as the Reds had defended with discipline and determination to neutralise Arsenal after Cole had received the first red card of his career.

The arrival of Cole at Anfield on a free transfer had been heralded as one of the transfer coups of the summer, with Liverpool desperate for the kind of creativity and invention the playmaker would bring.
But, instead of the England international arriving to help restore Liverpool's fortunes, his Premier League debut for the Merseysiders quickly turned into a nightmare.
He had been deployed in his favoured position in the hole behind striker Ngog but he cut a subdued figure as he failed to get into the game, with Arsenal quickly closing him down on the rare occasions he was in possession.
His afternoon got worse on the stroke of half-time when he produced a reckless challenge on Koscielny and referee Martin Atkinson wasted little time in producing a straight red card.
Koscielny was stretchered off, although he did come back out after the break.
Hodgson can understand Cole red card
Cole's dismissal had come shortly after a Glen Johnson shot had been tipped over the bar by Arsenal keeper Manuel Almunia and an Ngog header from a Gerrard corner had been cleared off the line by Gael Clichy.
Those were rare chances in an opening half in which Arsenal had easily dominated possession and looked the more threatening.
It appeared the Gunners, with the numerical advantage of an extra player, would only add to the danger they posed but they were jolted out of any sort of complacency.
The visitors gave possession away on the edge of their area and Javier Mascherano seized on the loose ball to play in Ngog, who angled in a shot which Almunia will be disappointed to have let in at his near post.
Arsenal were shaken and the 10 men of Liverpool seized the initiative, with Ngog wasting a promising chance to add to the lead when he headed a Steven Gerrard free-kick over from six yards.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had insisted beforehand that his side were ready to launch a title assault this season and this was an early test of their credentials.
The visitors passed and probed and went close as Thomas Vermaelen headed wide from a Tomas Rosicky cross, before Reina tipped a Theo Walcott free-kick round the post.
Reina also tipped a Rosicky strike just over the bar but Arsenal were frustrated by the fortitude of a Liverpool side showing the type of character and combativeness they hoped would secure a notable win - even with a groggy Daniel Agger struggling after being hit by a ball in the face.
However, when Rosicky whipped in a cross into the Reds area in the 89 minute, Reina's normal assured manner deserted him and Arsenal were provided with a share of the spoils.

Liverpool 2 - 0 Rabotnicki Skopje (agg 4 - 0)

Joe Cole impressed on his competitive debut as Liverpool booked their spot in the Europa League play-offs draw with a 4-0 aggregate win over Rabotnicki.
Cole's curling cross after a corner set up David Ngog to nod in before the French striker soon created the second.
Ngog was hauled down by Fernando Lopes and the recalled Steven Gerrard poked home the penalty as half-time loomed.
Rabotnicki's best efforts came late on with Martin Kelly denying Marcio and Filip Petkovski hitting the right post.
Liverpool's future ownership may remain uncertain, with several parties reportedly keen on replacing Tom Hicks and George Gillett, but on the pitch the team look in relatively healthy shape.
It may not be Europe's premier event, but Roy Hodgson will be delighted with his team's efforts on the night he strode into Anfield for his first home match as manager.
Hodgson said he would put out the "strongest team possible" and dutifully introduced his England quartet who sat out last week's 2-0 victory in Skopje, with starts for Cole, Gerrard.
It was Ngog's double strike in the opening leg which set up his side's easy passage on Thursday and although the 21-year-old French striker was on the scoresheet again, it was Cole - so often an observer in the World Cup for England - who caught the eye.
The former Chelsea star orchestrated most of Liverpool's forward movement, and on 13 minutes he began a move that led to Ngog wasting a glorious chance when one-on-one as he casually allowed the keeper to swipe the ball from his feet.
Two minutes later, Cole's clever curling through-ball fell to Dani Pachecho and again the Liverpool's strikeforce proved negligent with the Spaniard too slow to react.
But Cole's artistry was finally rewarded as he picked up Gerrard's short corner and delivered a perfect bending cross for Ngog to head in from close-range.
With the Macedonian side increasingly pushed backwards as Gerrard and Cole dictated the pace and possession, the Anfield faithful were soon celebrating a second goal.
Lopes clumsily hacked down Ngog with five minutes to the break to leave Gerrard to coolly slot in the spot-kick for his 35th European goal for the club.
With the visitors restricted to one long-range free-kick from Nikola Gligorov in the first half, little changed after the break as the hosts continued to dominate with the ball.
They could even afford to bring on midfielder Alberto Aquilani for the impressive Gerrard on the hour, and Cole showed no signs in relinquishing his hunger for pressing goalwards.
Low saves from Martin Bogatinoc twice denied Cole before Ngog headed a Johnson cross narrowly wide.
But with just a few minutes left on the clock, Rabotnicki came close to scoring three times.
Gjorgi Mojsov had a reasonable penalty shout turned down and was booked for falling over Martin Skrtel's challenge and then Kelly was forced into a desperate clearance with Marcio inches away from heading in a consolation.
The Macedonian outfit poured forward and Petkovski was unlucky with a half-volley crashing against the woodwork from 10 yards out.

WORLD CUP FINALIST PLAYERS BACK IN TRAINING WITH LIVERPOOL FC

Enjoy the photos of our two World Cup finalist players: Torres (Spain) and Kuyt (Holland):

TORRES STAYING AT LIVERPOOL FC

Striker Fernando Torres is staying at Liverpool as he wants to write his place in the history books by bringing a long-awaited league title back to Anfield.

The 26-year-old was linked with a move away from Merseyside after a disappointing seventh-placed Barclays Premier League finish, with Chelsea and Manchester City reportedly ready to make British record bids. However, those who speculated about the World Cup winner's future did a major disservice to the player's love for, and loyalty to, Liverpool.
"I know that one trophy here at Liverpool - maybe the Premier League - means more than three or four with another club," he said.
When former manager Rafael Benitez brought the Atletico Madrid star over from Spain to sign for the Reds in the summer of 2007, Torres was given a DVD highlighting the club's long and glorious history.
While he was holed up in Liverpool city centre awaiting the completion of the finer points of his transfer it was those iconic images on his television set - and subsequently the response from fans who immediately took him to their hearts - which cemented his relationship with the Anfield club.
But Torres did not fail to notice that on the DVD there was no mention of a league title since 1990 - and that is something he is desperate to rectify.
"This was my target from the day I came and it's still my target," he added. "Hopefully this season we can feel this sensation here at Liverpool.
"This is the best club in the country so the targets and expectations are always high.
"At Liverpool the aim is to fight for every title. It was difficult last season but we are sure we can improve this season."

Rabotnicki Skopje 0 - 2 Liverpool

David Ngog's double strike eased an inexperienced Liverpool side to victory over Rabotnicki in their Europa League third qualifying round first leg.
In his first competitive game in charge, Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson left out 10 of his World Cup stars, including captain Steven Gerrard.
But Liverpool were comfortable, opening the scoring when Ngog lofted over the goalkeeper after a defensive mix-up.
Ngog's second was a cool six-yard volley from Martin Kelly's cross.
For Hodgson, the victory was vindication of his decision to leave most of his key players at home, a risky strategy considering the Europa League represents Liverpool's only hope of European glory this season.

Hodgson had criticised governing body Uefa for making Liverpool play a qualifying game only 18 days after the World Cup and left the likes of Gerrard, new signing Joe Cole, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson back in Liverpool.
Argentina duo Javier Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez did not travel either, as well as Spain's Fernando Torres, goalkeeper Pepe Reina and Dutch forwards Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel.
But the patched up Liverpool team proved to have more than enough strength and guile to hold off an enthusiastic but limited FK Rabotnicki side, who should not pose any problem in the second leg at Anfield on 5 August.
From the start, Liverpool's game plan appeared to focus on being tight in defence and worrying about attack secondarily.
And with only half of the starting XI being first-team regulars it was perhaps telling that three of the experienced players called on were defenders, in Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Krygiakos - all of whom played in the World Cup group stages for Slovakia, Denmark and Greece respectively.
That defensive unit gave Liverpool the solid platform to build on as, after a slightly disjointed start, the Premier League side grew in confidence and controlled the game.
The only clear-cut chance of the first half produced the opening goal when captain Lucas chipped his free-kick towards the edge of the area for Ngog to chase.
The Frenchman was rewarded for his endeavour when goalkeeper Martin Bogatinov and Egzon Belica both missed the ball and he was left to comfortably lift his finish over the keeper.
Rabotnicki were limited to one first-half chance but Ze Carlos's long-range strike was easily collected by Brazilian compatriot Diego Cavalieri.
Liverpool often looked in cruise control in the second half with their main threat coming through the impressive Ngog.
The 21-year-old striker scored eight goals in 37 appearances for Liverpool last season, a return which could not make up for the loss of Torres for long periods through injury.
But the France under-21 international showed glimpses of real quality against the Macedonian side in a display which suggested he may be able to force his way into Hodgson's thinking this season.
Ngog's second goal came when he met Kelly's cross from the right with a neat volley on the edge of the six-yard box which flew into the top right corner.
Another striker on show for Liverpool was Milan Jovanovic, who signed on a free transfer from Standard Liege this summer.
But playing on the left of a front three for the most part, the Serbia international was unable to mark his debut with a goal.
Liverpool used much of the second half as a training exercise, with Hodgson throwing on youngsters Stephen Darby, Lauri Dallaa Valle and Nathan Eccleston as his first competitive game in charge went almost entirely to plan.