NEWELL BLOCKS BRILL TRIAL

Luton manager Mike Newell has knocked back an approach from Liverpool for teenage goalkeeper Dean Brill.  

Scouts from Merseyside have been watching the 17-year-old, who has already made four starts for the Coca-Cola League One side.
  
Newell told Luton Today: "Liverpool were in touch asking about a possible trial, but I rang them last week to say that Brilly was in the squad for the Boston game so he wouldn't be able to go up.
  
"If they want to look at him again in the future then they're more than welcome to do that."

DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR REDS

Wayne Rooney could make his Manchester United debut against former Merseyside rivals Liverpool.  

The 18-year-old, who completed his

CITY FAIL IN HENCHOZ BID

Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan narrowly failed in a deadline-day swoop for Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz.  

Blues chief Keegan had been keen to snap up reinforcements at the back ahead of the 31 August deadline.
  
The failure to attract Belgian international Daniel van Buyten to City on a permanent basis following his impressive loan spell last term has left Keegan with a shortage of options at the back.
  
But Swiss star Henchoz had looked set to quit Anfield after Keegan's late bid for the player on Tuesday.
  
City had been led to believe that the former Blackburn defender would be allowed to leave on a free transfer after dropping out of the reckoning under new Kop boss Rafa Benitez.
  
But City pulled the plug on a move for Henchoz when Liverpool slapped a

IRELAND CONSIDERING MOVE TO ANFIELD

ANFIELD could become a venue for Ireland's international football and rugby matches, it emerged last night.  

Construction work at Dublin's famous Lansdowne Road arena means Ireland's main sporting matches may have to be played out-side the country.
  
And Liverpool's Anfield stadium has been mooted as a strong possibility, given the city's strong Irish community.
  
The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is also among venues being considered.
  
Ireland's Croke Park is considered the only viable alternative for internationals in Ireland, but under Rule 42 of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) constitution, all foreign games are banned at the stadium.
  
Fran Rooney, chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), said the ruling body had been approached by a number of British clubs but said, at this stage, it was important to have options.
  
"It's still a long way off - we are looking at the qualifiers for the 2008 European Championships - but I am confident Irish fans will support us anywhere," he said.

ALEX EYE MELLOR

Crewe could rekindle their interest in brokering a loan deal with Liverpool for Neil Mellor. The 20-year-old striker was checked out in his return for the Reds' reserves against Nottingham Forest at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground last night.  

It was Mellor's first action since injuring his knee during a pre-season session, which forced him to miss Liverpool's tour of the US and Canada.
  
In the summer, the youngster agreed in principle to join Crewe on a season-long loan.
  
But after Gerard Houllier was sacked he opted to stay at Anfield to see if he was in new manager Raphael Benitez's plans.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has admitted he wanted to sign Jonathan Woodgate this season - but could not afford the defender.  

Real Madrid paid Newcastle more than

RAFA FRUSTRATED BY VALENCIA ROW

Rafael Benitez is still locked in a battle to secure money from former club Valencia - four months after he moved to Anfield.  

Benitez and Valencia are engaged in a legal battle over bonus payments due for winning two La Liga titles and the Uefa Cup in three seasons at the Mestalla.
  
Their row prevented Benitez returning to his former club to sign the likes of Mista in the summer as the Spaniards refused to conduct any business with Liverpool.
  
Benitez confirmed: "In Valencia, they are used to crucifying people who leave of their own accord, it is almost as if you cannot step out of the Mestalla without a bodyguard.
  
"They just had one of the most glorious periods in the club's history but look at the situation we are in now.
  
"The legal committee of the football federation have said I have to be paid but Valencia are making a fuss about it to try and reduce the amount of money.
  
"They are claiming economic, sports and moral damages. Did I harm Valencia in any way by winning it titles?"

GERRARD JOINS ERIKSSON'S INJURED LIST

England may be without Steven Gerrard for tomorrow's opening World Cup qualifier against Austria in Vienna. The Liverpool midfielder pulled out of training yesterday with a sore groin and is expected to miss training today before a decision is made.  

Having lost Paul Scholes a month ago, when the Manchester United man announced his retirement from international football, and Nicky Butt to a hamstring injury this week, Sven-Goran Eriksson suddenly finds his area of greatest strength looking thin.
  
"Steven felt a tightness in his groin during the last 10 minutes of training today," a Football Association spokesman said. "Medical staff will continue to treat him and, though it is possible he'll miss training tomorrow, we are confident that Steven will be fit for the game on Saturday night."
  
If there is any doubt, though, Eriksson is unlikely to take chances in light of the second Group Six qualifying game in Poland next Wednesday.
  
The Liverpool captain has a history of groin, back and hamstring trouble and the problem is thought to be aggravation of a previous injury. Having played on the left of midfield in Portugal, he was expected to take up his preferred central role along side Frank Lampard. Now a midfield in which Eriksson was having difficulty deploying its most talented components to best effect is missing half the parts altogether.
  
Owen Hargreaves is favourite to fill the defensive midfield role, and the problem position on the left probably lies between Joe Cole and Wayne Bridge. Another possibility, which may be favoured by the captain David Beckham, is that he should go inside and Shaun Wright-Phillips be brought in on the right. The Manchester City man has started the season in the same scintillating form he sustained through the last campaign and, when he came on for his England debut last month against Ukraine, he scored the best of England's three goals.
  
Eriksson is already making shift at back and front. In defence he is without Sol Campbell, who is injured, and Rio Ferdinand, suspended for missing a drug test. In attack Wayne Rooney is still recovering from the metatarsal injury that saw him limp out of England's Euro 2004 quarter-final with Portugal. The coach generally applies a rule that any player unable to train within two days of a match is not considered. By that yardstick he will be without Gerrard too.

Rumours are flying that Liverpool may have a fight on their hands with Arsenal and Manchester United as the club are linked with Atletico Madrid defender Pablo Ibanez.  

The 23-year-old has been putting in some solid performances at the back for Atletico Madrid which has caused the three English giants to send scouts to the Vicente Calderon stadium to see him play and it appears the reports were positive.
  
Atletico will not want to lose one of it's hottest prospects as they try to climb back up the hierarchy of Spanish football once again. A forever present in the Spanish top three, Atletico were relegated in 2000 after a season in which Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink lead their attack and scored 30 goals.
  
If the player would be allowed to leave the club, however, other clubs may be bidding for his services as well. It is known that Internazionale manager Mancini is a big admirer of the player and he tried to bring him to the Giuseppe Meazza stadium this summer.

Dietmar Hamann has conceded that Liverpool must swiftly emerge from the comfort zone if they are to be a Premiership threat.  

With four new signings from Spain joining French arrival Djbril Cisse at Anfield during the summer, there is a huge turnaround of personnel that will take time to bed in.
  
But the German international insists there simply is no time - and he believes the players have to shake off the lingering effects of the Houllier-era if Liverpool are to avoid a disastrous season.
  
Even Liverpool fans are saying that Rafael Benitez's new-look squad must be given time to develop, but Hamann dismisses that argument.
  
"I don't think we should use the fact we have a new manager or new players at the club as excuses not to get results," he said.
  
"Yes, it takes time to gel, but Chelsea have started the season with four or five players who are new to English football and they have won every game.
  
"They are proof that it can work straight away and we need to make it work now as well."
  
Liverpool are already eight points behind leaders Arsenal and Chelsea, and with the Champions' League starting next week, Hamann says: "The way Arsenal and Chelsea have started means we cannot afford to lose any more ground.
  
"We have to perform now and only if we do that can we stop people criticising us and get them supporting us."