Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he plans to sign a centerback before the transfer window closes with his defensive options limited for today’s trip to Aston Villa.
Rodgers confirmed on Thursday that Uruguayan defender Sebastian Coates will miss most of the season after picking up an anterior cruciate knee ligament problem while playing for his country against Japan recently.
That has left Rodgers with Daniel Agger, Kolo Toure, Martin Skrtel and Andre Wisdom as his centerback options, with Martin Kelly still not fully fit after a cruciate problem of his own.
Photo: EPA
The former Swansea City boss also wants to send Wisdom, 20, out on loan for first-team experience, while Skrtel, 28, has recently had a knee problem and has also been linked with a move to SSC Napoli.
Rodgers denied that the Serie A side have made an approach, but revealed his transfer plans before the window closes again.
“It’s something that we’re looking at, certainly, a player to come into that position,” Rodgers said. “It’s to strengthen the squad, but also to allow some of our younger players to develop. For us to maximize Andre Wisdom and his talent, I need to get him some games. The idea is to get him out on loan, but I can only do that if we bring in someone with a bit more experience to come in and support the group. It’s two-fold really. It’s certainly a position we’re looking at.”
Photo: EPA
Liverpool impressed in their opening day win over Stoke City last weekend, but Rodgers is wary of Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke this weekend after the Belgium international fired in three goals in their opening two games.
“There’s no doubt Benteke is the reference point for the team — the ball goes up to him and he holds it up well. He’s a big, powerful boy,” Rodgers said. “They had a hard season last season, Aston Villa, but that first year when you come into a new club there are different challenges that you have to meet and [Aston Villa manager] Paul [Lambert] had that last year. I very much expect for them to have a very good season. They are very much a counterattacking team that set up to defend half a pitch, and then break out with the pace of Benteke and Gabby Agbonlahor.”
Liverpool completed the season-long loan signing of Frenchman Aly Cissokho from Valencia on Tuesday and the defender could feature today.
Lambert insists he has no problems with Chelsea’s Jose Mourinho claiming that their touchline interaction during the 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday was merely “banter” and he does not expect any Football Association action over his post-match comments.
The Scotsman also admitted he spoke to referee Kevin Friend after Branislav Ivanovic was only booked for appearing to elbow Benteke moments before scoring the winner. Then John Terry was not penalized for handball.
“I think there has been a lot made of me and Jose in the technical area,” Lambert said. “There was the odd little thing, but there was a lot of banter between us. I spoke to Kevin afterwards and obviously what is said in there stays in there, but I didn’t need to speak to him really – it was a clear handball. I’ve not said anything derogatory, so I wouldn’t have thought I’d get a rebuke.”
Lambert revealed defender Ciaran Clark should be fit for today’s game, despite coming off at Stamford Bridge after picking up a gash on his forehead following a clash with Oscar.
Nathan Baker remains a doubt with the twisted ankle he suffered against Arsenal.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB