Who are Liverpool playing? Never mind that, the real question is who are Liverpools players? (Colin Young)

Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: The debt has come through the club being bought out by an owner. You know very well that no matter which business is bought nowadays, its usually bought with debt. Because its a football club it seems to attract a different type of negative reporting particularly from some of our fans. When Manchester United Football Club went plc, it was inevitible somebody was going to buy it. Its unfair that because a particular family like the Glazers bought it, they should come under criticism when anybody could have bought it. I have to say theyve done their job well. They support me as manager and theyve supported the players. Ive never been refused when Ive asked for money for a player so what can I do other than carry on the way were doing it. Ive no complaints. - Sir Alex Ferguson.

Runner-up: Its similar to how it was at United when we won that first title. We just need a trophy to get us on a roll. When we won the League Cup in 1992, everybody was doing cartwheels because we had qualified for Europe. Thats what it meant. But it went on from there. We need the first trophy at City and, once we win one, the mentality will grow. I honestly believe there are a lot of talented players here. We have a great squad now When you look at it, United won the league and thats how it grows. Its about silverware, its a results business. Thats what happens. It grows and you want more. Its like goalscorers - if they have a lean time, they get worried. But if a striker scores one then things change and the others start to come. Its a mindset. The demands are huge but, once something happens, it sparks other things The rivalry lends itself to a great future for both clubs but, to be honest, you need to get to the end of the wait for a trophy before we can think like that. The banner is f! air, it is a fact. It is no good talking about ifs, buts and maybes. That is it - it is staring every one of us in the face. We have got to face up to it and deal with it. So what if they have got the banner up? Theyve got the banner up, no big deal. - Brian Kidd.

Trouble for Woy Hodgson: We will be trying to win but Im far from confident that will be the case. I couldnt have envisaged at the start of my time at Liverpool a more difficult situation than the one I find myself in. Were coming to Skopje, playing a good opponent, having very little chance to work with the first team and not having as many as 10 first-team players at my disposal. It couldnt be more difficult We are obliged to put our European fate in the hands of many inexperienced players. We can only hope they can get us through against an experienced and well-versed team in European football. In World Cup years it is a tremendous burden on the senior teams from countries like England, Spain, Italy and Germany to have to play matches on July 29. Everybody, most of all UEFA, knows you cant bring people off the beach, give them three days training and throw them into a first-class game. Does it detract from my first game? You could say that but there are plenty of games to come.

Maradona quote of the day: They called me to put out a fire and we put it out. But Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me. While we were still in mourning after losing to Germany, Bilardo worked in the shadows to throw me out. Ive given everything, everything.

Todays overview: Liverpools first competitive match of the 2010/2011 season focuses minds this morning ahead of the clash with FK Rabotnicki this evening. Doom and gloom has returned to Anfield according to many of the hacks with the Daily Mirror linking Hodgson with a move for Stiliyan Petrov but the deal for Luke Youngs is off.

Despite the fierce denials yesterday, Scott Parker is interested in a move to Spurs according to a host of reports. Harry Redknapp is! also li nked with a move for Craig Bellamy again. The rest of the transfer gossip is relatively tame except for a claim in The Sun that David Beckham is considering ending his career at West Ham.

Sparky Hughes is expected to be named Fulham boss and Daniel Taylor backs the appointment following his success at another mid-table Premier League side in Blackburn. The lack of real news is illustrated by The Sun who get all excited about Harry Redknapp signing a Russian donkey (not Roman Pavlyuchenko).

Liverpool start their Europa League campaign: Colin Young provides a guide to the players expected to represent Liverpool this evening. Who are Liverpool playing? Never mind that, the real question is who are Liverpools players? Roy Hodgson has been forced to take a Europa League gamble with a bunch of youngsters and unknown fringe players in Macedonia tonight and has admitted he may not be properly equipped for his first game in charge. The former Fulham boss is only a month into the biggest job of his career but he is well aware of the significance of sitting in the managers chair at Anfield. Every Liverpool boss since Bill Shankly took charge in 1959 has managed to win at least one trophy and, unlike at Fulham where he could simply enjoy the Europa League adventure last season, his new club are now in this competition to win it.

Ian Herbert also previews the match. Tonights opponents go by the nickname of the Romantics but forgive Liverpool if they dont share in the heartwarming cup story as they travel into Europe a full seven weeks earlier than they would have wanted. The first 7am check-in of the season at Liverpool Airport sent Roy Hodgsons side on their way into Europa League third qualifying round combat against FK Rabotnicki of Macedonia and the manager can only hope that they dont play, as well as sound, like a robotic dog from the former Sovi! et era. It is a journey into the unknown for everyone except assistant manager Sammy Lee, who encountered the dog and pretty much tamed it when the Bolton Wanderers side he briefly managed sneaked through 2-1 on aggregate against Rabotnicki in the 2007-08 Uefa Cup. Liverpools illustrious European history has not included a flight into Macedonia and beautiful though the city of Skopje looked yesterday, Hodgson has taken enough experience with him Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos as well as Alberto Aquilani, Lucas and new Serbian winger Milan Jovanovic to suggest that he knows there is potential for a mugging.

Rory Smith also looks forward to Liverpools first competetive game of the new season. It is, in Hodgsons defence, not hard to understand his anxiety. Liverpool will start their season under-resourced and underprepared, the manager believes. Many of their senior players are absent. Their ability to ready themselves for Thursday nights Europa League third qualifying round tie against FK Rabotnicki in Macedonia has been undermined by the lack of time between the draw, made last week, and the match itself. Surprising as it is to hear a Liverpool manager play down his sides chances against a team of such limited reputation, Hodgson admits he is far from certain his ersatz team can emerge unscathed from what should, on paper, be a mismatch. That he is unimpressed at the prospect of facing unknown opponents in an unfinished stadium with an unfinished team is evident.

The main transfer story in the Daily Mirror is dreamt up by Alan Nixon: Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson wants Aston Villa midfield general Stiliyan Petrov as the shock replacement for transfer-seeking Javier Mascherano. Hodgson admires the Bulgarian stars style and is ready to pay around 7 million for him as he looks to cash in on Argentinian Mascherano by selling him to Inter Milan coach Rafa Benitez. The Kop are looking to land both Petrov and right back Luke Young in a surprise double raid as they try to bring in seasons p! rofessio nals for a demanding campaign. Petrov, 30, is one of the Premier Leagues most respect operators and a key man for Martin ONeill who brought him to Villa from Celtic where he was also a legend.

The Sun report that Luke Youngs move to Liverpool is off. Luke youngs cut-price move from Aston Villa to Liverpool has collapsed. Youngs agent confirmed the clubs had agreed a fee, believed to be 2.5million. The full-back, 31, did not travel with Villa to a pre-season tournament in Portugal last night but failed to thrash out a deal with Kop boss Roy Hodgson.

Scott Parker to Spurs could still happen: West Hams statement yesterday seemed to suggest Scottie Parker would not be leaving Upton Park this summer, a couple of the papers disagree.

Matt Barlow: Sullivans stance is frustrating the 29-year-old, who is far from comfortable in his role as the only West Ham player not for sale, and for whom the idea of one more fling in the Champions League has a certain appeal. Aston Villa are also interested in Parker and Liverpool will be too if Javier Mascherano gets his wish of a transfer to Inter Milan Parker is understood to be disappointed with the boards refusal to even entertain Tottenhams interest. Spurs are expected to return with an improved offer but Levy is reluctant to pay too much for a player with little resale value. Parker, who turns 30 in October, is limited in his options. With three years left on his contract he can issue a transfer request but is more likely to wait for the next move from Spurs. Either way, the stage seems set for a conflict between West Ham and their best player.

David Hytner adds: Parker is tempted by what would be a hugely contentious switch there is no love lost at Upton Park for Tottenham and he is surprised at the stance that Sullivan has adopted. At the very least, Parker would welcome the chance to listen ! to what is on offer at White Hart Lane. Spurs may provide Parker, who is 29, with his last shot at the Champions League Harry Redknapps team will enter the competition in the final qualifying round after their fourth-placed finish last season and their offer is the same as West Ham paid Newcastle United for him in June 2007.

Ian Herbert adds to the chorus. Tottenham Hotspur are likely to table another bid for West Hams Scott Parker, in the hope that probably a last chance of Champions League football will persuade the 29-year-old midfielder to move. Spurs 7m bid for Parker raises doubts about the clubs faith in Tom Huddlestone and Wilson Palacios and would seem to spell the end of Jermaine Jenas White Hart Lane career if another bid is forthcoming. But the West Ham chairman, David Sullivan, clearly sees the retention of Parker as part of his commitment to fans to build a better club and that suggests that a substantially bigger offer would be needed.

The Daily Mail believe Tottenham are planning to offer Manchester City a cheeky 4million for Craig Bellamy. In January 2009, City beat Spurs to sign Bellamy from West Ham for 14m, but they now need to sell players before the season starts to meet new 25-man Premier League squad rules.

Mark Hughes to be appointed new Fulham boss: The Daily Telegraph report on the appointment. Mark Hughes is set to be named Fulham manager within the next 24 hours after agreeing to fill the vacancy left by Roy Hodgsons departure to Liverpool. The former Manchester City manager moved back into contention following Fulhams failure to persuade Martin Jol to quit his post at Ajax to move to Craven Cottage. Hughes has been without a job since being sacked by Manchester City last December and replaced by Roberto Mancini.

Daniel Taylor feels Hughes could do well at the Cottage. At Fulham he will find a much tighter group of players, bonded already by a sense of togetherness. Fulham did not always play illuminating football on their way to the Europa ! League f inal last season, but they did show the kind of collective spirit that Hughes himself demands of his teams. There is a strong desire at Craven Cottage not to be patronised or belittled and that, too, should appeal to Hughess competitive nature. Added to that, it is almost certain he will try to make Bellamy one of his first signings, and possibly Santa Cruz as well. Above all, one imagines he will already have 21 November circled in red in his diary the date Mancini brings his team to Craven Cottage.

David Beckham for West Ham: The Sun report that David Beckham has promised to tell West Ham soon whether he will end his career at Upton Park. Former England skipper Becks, 35, was born in East London. The LA Galaxy midfielder hopes to make his comeback from an Achilles injury in the next few weeks then return to Europe in January.

Arsenal: Matt Barlow suggests Sol Campbells move to Newcastle has put the pressure on Arsene Wenger. The sight of Sol Campbell beaming and wafting his Newcastle No.5 shirt around in the breeze by the Tyne will have sent a shiver of unease around Arsenals corridors of power. Arsene Wenger returns to his desk at the training ground after the pre-season training camp in Austria with problems starting to pile up Wenger had been confident Campbell would accept another one-year deal at the Emirates but the 35-year-old has negotiated a 35,000-a-week deal at Newcastle with the option of a second year and far greater first-team responsibilities. At this stage of my career, I couldnt have wished for a better move, said Campbell but his decision increases pressure on Arsenal, who have lost William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Philippe Senderos.

The Sun claim Serdar Tascicould still make a 10million switch to Arsenal. The Gunners have held talks with Stuttgart but are yet to bid for the German defender. Age! nt Uli F erber said: Serdar admires English football and has huge respect for Arsenal.

Manchester United: The Sun suggest Manchester Unitedare leading the chase for Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan. A number of clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, are tracking the Rosenborg star, 24. But Annan is believed to prefer Old Trafford. United have yet to make an official bid but Annans agent, Lars Petter Fosdahl, said: Were expecting one of the top English clubs to try to sign him. Thats what Anthony wants.

The Daily Mail link United with a new keeper. Manchester United are monitoring Danish goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard as they look for a long-term successor to Edwin van der Sar. The 26-year-old plays for Norwegian side Aalesunds and and could take the place of Ben Foster, who was sold to Birmingham for 6m this summer.

Transfer gossip: The Sun have a host of transfer rumours, including David James to snub Celtic for Bristol City, Besiktas fancy John Carew, West Ham are after Piet Velthuizenand Wigan could sign Humberto Suazo.

The Daily Mirror run with Coventry chase ex-jail bird Marlon Kingand Wolves rule out signing Michael Mancienne.

Harry Redknapp signs Russian donkey (notPavlyuchenko): The Sun get all giddy with excitement after Harry Redknapp said he wouldsave Anapka. The Sun told yesterday how Spurs boss Harry Redknapp signed Anapka after we rescued her from a brute who made her parasail 150ft up. And now Anapka is keen to show her new boss that shell be a great ass-ett to his team. The summers most talked-about transfer was finally completed yesterday as ex-owner Vasily Umaraliev officially handed Anapka over to The Suns Gary. We are now in talks with Government officials to get permission to bring her back to the UK, where Harry, 63, wants to give her a home at a pet sanctuary.

The Sun also have a report on C! arlos Te vez new girlfriend and report that Dimitar Berbatovs family last night feared his brother had been snatched by mobsters. The Manchester United striker was said to be monitoring developments in their native Bulgaria, where troubled Asen has not been seen for a month.

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