Results tagged “Jamie Carragher” from Liverpool FC News, Discussion & Debate | Liverpool Banter

FERNANDO TORRES confirmed his position in the top bracket of world strikers with one of the season's finest goals.

The Spaniard's sensational early strike against Blackburn had a touch of Marco van Basten at his best about it, such was the movement, control and execution of a stunning hooked volley that set Liverpool on the way to a comfortable 4-0 win.

He followed that up with an excellent header, outmuscling Rovers' powerful defender-turned-attacker Christopher Samba.

JAMIE CARRAGHER has billed tomorrow's Anfield showdown with Blackburn as "the biggest league game of my career".

But boss Rafa Benitez will have to decide whether or not to gamble on Steven Gerrard's fitness for a match which could take the Reds back on top of the table - at least until Manchester United meet Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later in the day.

Carragher is in no doubt about the enormity of the occasion.

GERARD HOULLIER has urged Fabio Capello to persuade Jamie Carragher to come out of international retirement - and hailed the Liverpool man as the answer to England's problematic right-back position.

THE Tory "shadow minister for Liverpool" has admitted he blundered when he picked out Manchester United skipper Gary Neville as a "good role model", adding: "I should have said Jamie Carragher!"

Chris Grayling back-tracked after Liverpool fans reacted with fury to his suggestion that youngsters without a father-figure should look to the example of the Old Trafford favourite.

They were angry because Neville once told a United fanzine: "I can't stand Liverpool, I can't stand Liverpool people, I can't stand anything to do with them."

JAMIE CARRAGHER believes Manchester United are now aware they face a real scrap with Liverpool for the Premier League title.

Rafael Benitez's side continued their impressive recent form by thumping Champions League-chasing Aston Villa 5-0 at home on Sunday.

With leaders United having lost 2-0 at Fulham the previous day, the gap at the top has closed to a single point, although the Old Trafford side still have a game in hand.

WHEN winning the first of his Premier League titles in 1993, Sir Alex Ferguson was famously on a golf course as Aston Villa's defeat to Oldham Athletic handed Manchester United the crown.

But even if the Old Trafford manager again declined the opportunity to watch the Midlanders' latest potentially championship-swaying loss, the reverberations would surely have been felt all the way from Anfield.

Twenty-four hours after United once again imploded in spectacular fashion by losing 2-0 at Fulham, Liverpool continued their ominous form with a 5-0 thrashing of Villa.

JAMIE CARRAGHER saluted a "great night" for Liverpool Football Club last night - then insisted the Reds can go on and win the Champions League.

"It's been a great night," said the Reds defender after a 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid.

"Obviously it's still early doors in the Champions League," he added. "We want to go on and do as well as we can and that means winning it.

JAMIE CARRAGHER believes Liverpool can already claim a notable Barclays Premier League achievement having overtaken Arsenal and Chelsea as main challengers to Manchester United's crown.

But the centre-back has warned that the Anfield outfit will not rest on their laurels as they aim for a first championship triumph since 1990.

Liverpool are enjoying their best season in the Premier League era and currently stand in second place, two points behind leaders Manchester United who play their game in hand at home to Fulham this evening.

JAMIE CARRAGHER believes that Liverpool must continue to become more like Manchester United if they're to win the Premier League title.

Earlier this season, Carragher's Anfield team-mate, left winger, Albert Riera hit out at their great North West rivals by branding them 'lucky' because of their tendency to win games with late goals.

But while there's not much love lost between Bootle-born Carragher and Sir Alex Ferguson's side, the 31-year-old defender has a begrudging respect for United's ability to secure the points in the closing stages of matches and believes that it is a vital commodity for his own team to possess if they're to thwart the Red Devils from equalling Liverpool's English record of 18 titles this term by breaking their own duck in the Premier League.

LIVERPOOL captain Jamie Carragher has warned the rest of the Premier League that the best is still to come from striker Fernando Torres.

With skipper Steven Gerrard injured, centre-back Carragher took the armband for Liverpool's 3-2 win at Portsmouth which took them back to the Premier League summit until Manchester United's 1-0 victory at West Ham yesterday.

Portsmouth led 1-0 and 2-1 before goals in the last five minutes from Dirk Kuyt and Torres snatched the points for the visitors.

THEIR objectives may be different but Jamie Carragher knows all too well that when Liverpool and Everton meet at Anfield tonight there will be an identical will to win.

In last season's corresponding fixture, the Mersey rivals faced off with a place in the Premier League top four at stake and it was the Red side of Stanley Park which ended up celebrating a crucial win which put them firmly on the road to a Champions League slot.

This time around, Liverpool are aiming even higher with the Premier League title itself now a realistic target while Everton are again looking to secure the kind of result which would put them right in the mix for a top four finish.

JAMIE CARRAGHER underlined the importance of Fernando Torres's return as he made a scoring comeback at Preston on Saturday.

But the defender believes that the position Liverpool have got themselves into during his absence is a good indication of their ability to cope without him.

With Liverpool taking a three-point lead at the top of the Premier League into the new year, they have maintained a challenge for the title without the Spanish star.

JAMIE CARRAGHER is desperate to secure title glory for the club's younger generation of supporters - but is bracing himself for the most competitive race in Premier League history.

Domestic football's biggest prize is the only piece of silverware missing from Carragher's CV and he is determined to ensure the club's 19-year wait for a 19th league crown is ended next May.

"A lot of the supporters probably have not seen us win the title, especially the young ones, because it has been that long," he said.

JAMIE CARRAGHER believes this season's race for the Premier League title will be the most open of recent years - while pointing to the fact he was an Everton fan the last time Liverpool claimed the championship.

The Anfield outfit continued their good form against their championship rivals with a 1-1 draw at Arsenal on Sunday.

Rafael Benitez's side have already beaten Chelsea and Manchester United and secured a draw at Aston Villa earlier in the season to raise hopes of a first crown since 1990.

ANY player who scores an own goal is going to be disappointed, particularly when that player is someone who cares as much about the club as Jamie Carragher does.

There were a few people in the media who couldn't wait to have a pop at Carragher after he put through his own net against Hull.

Some were all too happy to point out this isn't the first time he has scored an own goal but I look at it from another perspective - how many goals does Carragher save Liverpool every season by making last ditch interventions and getting himself into the kind of positions where other defenders would be too scared to go?

LIVERPOOL defender Jamie Carragher has admitted that it is important for the Anfield outfit retain its Scouse heartbeat.

Along with Whiston-born captain Steven Gerrard, Carragher, who hails from Bootle, remains one of the most influential players at the club.

However, with the pair the only Englishmen let alone Merseysiders in Rafael Benitez's first-team squad, Carragher is eager to see more local lads come through the ranks to bridge the gap between the end of their Anfield playing days.

JAMIE CARRAGHER has spoken of his desire to see locally produced players follow in his footsteps by making it into the first team ranks at Liverpool on a regular basis.

The Reds defender was delighted to see reserve team graduates Stephen Darby, Jay Spearing and Martin Kelly thrust into the action as second half substitutes in Liverpool's 3-1 win over PSV on Tuesday.

Though Carragher acknowledges it is tougher than ever for young players to make the grade at Anfield, he remains hopeful the trio can continue to stake their claim for places in Rafa Benitez's squad.

JAMIE Carragher admits he looked up to Liverpool's former captain Paul Ince when he was beginning his Anfield first-team career.

But tomorrow Carragher will be aiming to heap more woe on the Blackburn boss when Liverpool visit Ewood Park intent on maintaining their slender hold on the Barclays Premier League summit.

Carragher made his Liverpool debut a few months before Ince joined the club from Inter Milan in 1997.

JAMIE CARRAGHER has urged Liverpool to demonstrate the character to overcome the absence of Fernando Torres and rediscover their goalscoring touch.

Rafael Benitez's side moved clear at the top of the table with a goalless draw at home to West Ham United on Monday night.

But a second successive Anfield stalemate brought jeers from sections of the crowd frustrated at another missed opportunity of making a significant statement as they chase their first championship crown since 1990.

JAMIE CARRAGHER admits Liverpool are going to have to do more to maintain their place at the top of the Premier League.

A goalless draw at home to West Ham was enough for the Reds to displace Chelsea at the league's summit but, having dropped another two points at home, Carragher knows Liverpool have to get back to winning ways at Anfield sooner rather than later.

But the centre-back also insisted it is important to take the positives from the situation, particularly with Liverpool currently occupying the league position they are aiming for.

"It's disappointing when you're not winning your home games because that is always what you want to do," he said.

."