The Reds recent powerful form continued with a home thrashing of Michael Owen’s Newcastle, a team yet to win since the return of former star Kevin Keegan as manager. $50 million man Fernando Torres followed a midweek hat trick with his 25th goal in all competitions, Jermaine Pennant got a rare score and Captain Fantastic once again closed out the books as Liverpool FC won their fifth consecutive Premiership match.
Tuesday shapes up as an excellent match, the boys are traveling to Milan for the second leg of the Champions League tie with Inter. The Italians are in good form as well, six points clear at the top of the Serie A after beating Reggina 2-0 yesterday. Until last Tuesday no English club had ever won at the San Siro but Arsenal (a 0-0 struggle against relegation-threatened Wigan today) beat stadium sharers AC Milan that night and knocked out the holders.
I favor the Reds to make it two English knockouts though not necessarily two wins if Javier Mascherano doesn’t shake a small injury to get on the pitch.
The team has clearly learned their lesson from Barnsley, even if Chelsea didn’t. Rafa and the players have done well despite the off-field ownership turmoil. After looking dead a month or so ago, the takeover bid from Dubai International Capital has been all over the media. A break in relations between Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Jr., the American co-owners, provided leverage for the Persian Gulf sovereign wealth firm to get back in the game.
The latest I’ve seen is that DIC will buy 98% of Gillett’s stake, 49% of the club,and Hicks the rest in order to retain control. The pair have an agreement giving each other veto over selling their respective stakes, limiting Gillett’s ability to cash in a 50% profit over what they paid just 12 months ago.
Hicks is publicly angry over how the Dubaians are operating, especially that they’ve leaked details of the negotiations to the media. Can’t say as how I blame him when the Emirates spokeswoman is described in the press as having said “that DIC, the investment arm of the Dubai government, would try to dominate Hicks by bankrolling the club with its superior financial clout, and pledged to work on forcing Hicks into selling his 50 percent stake.”
The Reds have a tough patch of games coming up, at Inter is just the beginning. The next four are Reading, away to ManUtd, the Everton derby (which could be the key battle for the fourth Premiership Champions League place) and away to Arsenal. Rafa seems to have gotten his rotation mania in hand and results from all five and a bit of luck could even see us climb over Chelsea.
Go Reds (whoever owns you)!
BillSaysThis 