Liverpool are delighted to announce a link up with nPower Championship side Queens Park Rangers, and the link up with the two clubs will begin with immediate effect.
Under the current terms of the deal, Liverpool will be able to loan players to Q.P.R, and under this loan spell, the players wages will be fully paid by Liverpool, and Q.P.R are under no obligation to play the players loaned, and players may be recalled at any time. Added to this, Q.P.R and Liverpool will hold an annual pre-season friendly starting from next year, in which Q.P.R will host the match annually and keep all gate receipts. In total, Liverpool will pay Genk ?103,000 per year.
Liverpool, who had been looking for a feeder club ever since Shantanu Ambekar took control of the club, had offered Shantanu numerous choices, however, he felt Q.P.R was the best club to choose from: "We were offered a number of few clubs, and the Chairman cut down the choices to four. Looking at Q.P.R's recent success, and overly doing well in the Championship, I felt this was a great place for young players to be loaned out to gain vital first team experience. It's a link which the club itself will benefit from, and a link that the Chairman was very excited to have."
Club vice-chairman Aditya Mittal also released a statement regarding the new link on Liverpool's official website.
"Today we finally established a link between Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers. For both parties involved, its a wonderful deal. We will be able to loan young players to Q.P.R and they will be able to benifit from our young players and also from our financial rewards. Q.P.R was probably the best choice from the four avaliable, and we will find major benifits from this new link."
Serie A side Napoli have completed the signing of 23-year-old Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva for a fee of ?10m that could rise to ?12.5m.
After putting pen to paper on a four-year contract the Brazil international described the move as "a dream. I love this team and country, I will give my best and I want to win everything with Napoli."
Since joining Liverpool from Gremio in 2007 the midfielder made 78 league starts for the Reds, scoring just once, but he never settled in Merseyside. Lucas recently said to the papers in Brazil that he was not happy in England and said he "could not get used to the chaotic way of life in Merseyside. It is uncomfortable and I am mentally tired."
Lucas becomes Walter Mazzarri's fifth signing of the summer after Jose Ernesto Sosa, Hassan Yebda, Cristiano Lucarelli and Edinson Cavani.
Meanwhile, youngsters Peter Gulacsi, Vitor Flora, Nathan Eccleston and Daniel Ayala have joined Liverpool's newly affiliated club Queens Park Rangers on a season long loan.
Randers FC coaching staff celebrate Hyldgaard's equaliser
The overall class of Liverpool counted for little as they were held 1-1 by Danish side Randers FC at Essex Park Randers.
Randers FC were nearly handed the lead in the 54th minute through Danny Wilson's lapse in concentration but failed to capitalise. Liverpool finally took the lead when young winger David Ammo scored a powerful effort on 60 minutes.
With Randers FC staring at defeat, there was controversy as player Glenn Hyldgaard then had a penalty shout turned down. Hyldgaard went on to equalise for Randers FC after 85 minutes with a powerful strike beating keeper Brad Jones. In the end though Liverpool progressed with a 5-1 win on aggregate.
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Manchester City will play the Scottish side Hibernain in the Europa League play-off after the draw in Nyon this afternoon. Liverpool received probably the most straight-forward draw of all the British sides when they were picked to face Ukranian side Vorskla Poltava.
Celtic will take on Polish side Jagiellonia after being knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Club Brugge on Wednesday night. Aston Villa will fancy their chances of making the group stages after being drawn to play Omonoia from Cyprus, with the first leg at Villa Park.
Dundee United will make their first appearance in the Europa League this season when they take on Spanish side Getafe. The Scottish Cup holders were drawn at home in the first leg.
The playoff ties are due to be played on 19 and 26 August.
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Celtoc v Jagiellonia
M. Haifa v NAC Breda
Red Star v CFR Cluj
Bordeaux v Tromso
Sporting Lisbon v Young Boys
Bayer Leverkusen v M. Tel-Aviv
Metalurg D v Aris
Amkar v Montpellier
Hibernain v Man City
IFK Mariehamn v Steaua
HJK v Rosenborg
Palermo v APOEL
Stuttgart v Dinamo Moscow
PAOK v Napoli
Teplice v Fenerbahce
FC Vaslui v Dortmund
Kalmar FF v PSV
Zilina v Zenit
Ekranas v Galatasaray
CSKA(Sofia) v FC Utrecht
Porto v Maribor Liverpool v Vorskla
Slovan Bratislava v Braga
Feyenoord v Baku
Trabzonspor v Austria Wien
Metalist v Fredrikstad
Krylja Sovetov v AA Gent
Anorthosi v Atletico Madrid
Litez v Valrenga
Aston Villa v Omonoia
AEK v BATE
Maritimo v LOSC Lille
Villarreal v Wisla
Besiktas v Brondby
Ventspils v Ajax
Rapid Wien v Dinamo Bucharest
Lech v Juventus
Dundee Utd v Getafe
Liverpool manager Shantanu Ambekar is not concerned by the weight of expectation at the club. The recently appointed Reds boss is preparing for his first real test of his six-week reign when Newcastle United visit Anfield on Saturday.
Ambekar has already tried to downplay fans' hopes ahead of the new campaign by claiming the club are already trailing the other members of the 'Big Four' in their preparation for the season. And the Indian insists he can manage the pressure that will come his way on Merseyside
"There are always expectations. But you must be realistic? In every league there are surprises every year," said the 39-year-old. "I've been feeling pressure since I started managing a club. I think that is part of the job.
"You could argue Mumbai FC and Liverpool are not to be mentioned in the same breath but that is not what I thought about it when I took over at Mumbai FC. I felt a lot of pressure on me to get good results for the team and I feel same pressure now. This pressure will only be finish when I am not in this job anymore.
"The experienced players and coaching staff here know we cannot do anything about expectations being thrust at us. All we can do is try to prepare each week to play a good game of football and try to win it."
Torres leads Liverpool past Harper 14th August, 2010
Torres celebrates his opener with Kuyt and Gerrard
Fernando Torres' brace and a goal by new signing Joe Cole gave new Liverpool coach Shantanu Ambekar a winning start to his Barclays Premier League career.
Newcastle's loan signing Hetem Ben Arfa wasted an early chance but Fernando Torres hooked in the opener just before half-time after Luis Suarez's square pass. Steven Gerrard chipped in for Joe Cole to head the second and Fernando Torres volleyed in a stunning third. Newcastle's Steve Harper was inspired in goal as Liverpool eased to victory.
It was a performance that captured Liverpool at their best under Shantanu Ambekar's attacking system. Newcastle United clearly could not cope with it and at times Liverpool's play was fluid, fast, and exciting.
Liverpool announced their intentions within three minutes when Torres tested Harper with a 20-yard shot in the third minute. Moments later a mazy run by Joe Cole saw him fire a shot across the face of the goal as Newcastle struggled to contain the Reds.
In the sixth minute, Liverpool wasted a great chance to take the lead when Torres robbed Sol Campbell on the half-way line and sprinted towards goal. But the Spain international's touch let him down and Harper grabbed the ball at his feet as the Liverpool striker looked to go around him.
However, Liverpool escaped in the ninth minute when Fabrico Colocinni won the ball from Steven Gerrard and sped into the penalty area. Instead of shooting, the Newcastle defender squared the ball to the unmarked Hatem Ben Arfa who looked certain to put the visitors ahead. However, Ben Arfa shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
It was a real let-off for Liverpool but they responded immediately with Gerrard putting Torres clean through on goal. However, Harper was alert to the danger and claimed the ball at the Spaniard's feet.
In the 20th minute Raul Meireles was foiled by a fine save from Harper after Joe Cole's pass had given the Portuguese a clear opportunity to put the home side ahead. Harper then saved from Jamie Carragher and Luis Suarez, with the debutant, curled a 20-yard effort around the post as the Reds increased the pressure.
Harper pulled off another reflex save on the half-hour when Glen Johnson's cross was headed back to Gerrard by Agger. The England midfielder's volley was punched clear by an inspired Harper.
Steven Gerrard, handed the free role behind the two strikers, was beginning to move forward with increasing regularity as the half wore on. But the English international shot was way off target when he tried his luck from 30 yards.
Dirk Kuyt had a clear sight of the target but his shot only troubled the fans in the second tier of the Kop end. A superb run by Suarez down the left ended with Gerrard just failing to control the ball enough to fire past Harper, who collected the ball comfortably at his near post.
But Liverpool finally broke the deadlock when Suarez broke down the right and crossed for Torres to score from point-blank range. Liverpool made it two in the 49th minute with a well-worked goal. Torres supplied the overlapping Gerrard, whose cross found Joe Cole who finished with a diving header for his first Liverpool goal.
Liverpool's third goal of the match arrived in the 52nd minute courtesy of World Cup winner Fernando Torres. In a move of elegant simplicity, Liverpool ripped open Newcastle's defence when Gerrard and Torres exchanged passes. The accuracy of Gerrard's return ball allowed Torres the chance to send an angled volley beyond Harper.
In the 54th minute Suarez could have made it four but although he rounded Harper, his shot crashed off the top of the crossbar from just two yards out. Liverpool continued to flow forward effortlessly and Kuyt almost made it four in the 66th minute but Harper dived low to his left to tip the ball around the post.
Harper denied Kuyt again in the 76th minute when he punched away a rising drive from the Liverpool winger. Three minutes from time substitute Christian Poulsen was denied a goal when Coloccini cleared his goalbound effort off the goal-line. But it had been an electric performance from Shantanu Ambekar's Liverpool who enjoyed a rapturous ovation at the final whistle.
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Liverpool boss happy after easy win 14th August, 2010
No complaints by Ambekar
Liverpool boss Shantanu Ambekar declared himself more than content with his side after a comfortable defeat of Newcastle United on opening day of the season.
A classy and dominant display from Ambekar's men saw them cruise to a 3-0 victory once Fernando Torres broke a spirited Newcastle United resolve on the stroke of half-time. Joe Cole the debutant stooped to score a header after the interval before Fernando Torres' second and a stunning drive capped an excellent all-round display.
Liverpool have got all three points from their opening fixture for the first time in three seasons and look to challenge for the title; a performance that makes Ambekar happy.
"We played very well in the first half," said Ambekar. "Only for their keeper or else we could have been 5 or 6 nil up at half time. We were lucky to score in the last minute of the first half. Then the game was more easy in the second half. I am very proud to work with this team because they have a lot of quality. We are very happy."
Ambekar singled out new-signing Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles for special praise. He added: "All of the players did a very good job. Joe Cole, Konchesky and Suarez made a good debut but in my personal opinion the best player in this match was our another new signing Meireles. He did a very good defensive job and then going forward."
By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
Published: 17th August, 2010
THE Liverpool and England first choice right-back Glen Johnson is facing up to three months out with an ankle injury according to reports.
The 24-year-old damaged ankle ligaments in a challenge with the Newcastle United defender Joe Enrique in a 3-0 victory at ANfield three days. He missed training on Monday and Tuesday, although swelling around the injury meant that Liverpool's medical team were unable to ascertain the full extent of the damage immediately.
Johnson, who will miss England next six qualifiers, faces a battle to return in time for the busy Christmas and New Year period. Liverpool's manager, Shantanu Ambekar, had hinted that he may give the new signing Xherdan Shaqiri a run in the team.
Dude but if either of torres or suarez are ruled out for a considerable peroid of time, who will you play ?? I mean during a particular match , if you run out of striking options , what will you do ?
I have Jovanovic or Pacheco and then I will play Chhetri. He hasnt been great and his stats are that good either but he will play some part this season.
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. He will make a reserve appearance soon.
