Now that it has rediscovered its scoring touch, third-place Liverpool goes to Newcastle hoping to improve its goals record on the road. Benitez' team has scored 14 goals from 14 games and has been shut out five times.
The sight of strikers Robbie Fowler, Fernando Morientes and Peter Crouch all scoring their first league goals of 2006 delighted Benitez, who is the focus of speculation about his future at Anfield.
``They were all waiting to score and it was important for their confidence that they did,'' the former Valencia coach said. ``Everybody will want to talk about Robbie's first goal since he returned here, but I was equally pleased with the goals from the other strikers too.''
Tottenham hopes to hold onto fourth place, which could mean a place in next season's Champions League, by winning at second-from-last Birmingham. Arsenal hopes to make up ground on its north London neighbor by beating Charlton at home.
FIFA has decided to keep a May 15 deadline for countries to name their 23-man squads for the World Cup in Germany.
"This course of action is intended to afford the players concerned adequate recovery time, although injured players may be replaced after this date following a specific procedure," FIFA said on Thursday.
Many coaches had lobbied for the deadline to be extended ahead of the June 9-July 9 tournament.
FIFA versus racism
FIFA passed anti-racism legislation on Thursday that could exclude teams for up to two years for violations.
Under the rules passed by the world governing body's executive committee, teams would see three points deducted for a first offense, six for a second and relegation for further violations.
Teams could also be disqualified from competitions, and member associations could be excluded for up to two years.
"The new rules take effect essentially as soon as we can notify the associations by way of a letter," FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren said. "It's not going to take a long time.
"It applies to all competitions throughout the world at any level. All matches of all types are covered."
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