Liverpool has in the last four days played in two different games. The first was in Trabsnor in Turkey and the second took place this afternoon at Anfield. Several seasons ago both of the teams would have I suspect have been a walk over, but since then, the team for many reasons on and off the pitch has been in a steep decline.

We can have the usual arguments about whether the players are not good enough and whether there has been enough money in the transfer account for us to purchase the calibre of players that are needed to bring the squad up to date. These though will not help the fact that the players still seem to be unable to give their best for the club.

The team for Thursday's trip to Trabznor , saw several of the senior players left out, to enable them to rest for the West Brom game this afternoon. This of course left Roy to make up a squad that included several of the youngsters who have moved up from the academy. The addition of Joe Cole to the team though meant that they should have played a lot better than they did.

Daniel Agger welcomes imminent arrival of Paul Konchesky to Liverpool FC

DANIEL AGGER today welcomed the imminent arrival of Paul Konchesky - even if it means he will face a bigger fight to get in Roy Hodgson's new look Liverpool team.

Liverpool FC 1, West Brom 0: Dominic King sees Fernando Torres slip back into the groove

THE applause was loud and the welcome was typically warm; the Kop instantly make big Liverpool signings feel at home and Raul Miereles was the latest beneficiary of the red carpet treatment yesterday.

Raul Meireles is living in dreamland having signed for Liverpool FC

RAUL MEIRELES has admitted signing for Liverpool is a dream come true - as Roy Hodgson backed his £11m capture to bring star quality to the Reds midfield.

Roy Hodgson hopes Spain won't pick Liverpool FC's Fernando Torres for internationals

LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson paid tribute to the quality of Fernando Torres after his strike proved enough to beat 10-man West Brom - and then voiced his hope Spain would not pick him for their forthcoming internationals.

Liverpool FC's Roy Hodgson to get all Javier Mascherano money to spend on players

ROY HODGSON has been given the green light to reinvest every penny Liverpool will receive from Barcelona for Javier Mascherano on new recruits.

Carly Zucker, wife of Liverpool FC star Joe Cole, victim of eight-man motorbike carjacking

THE wife of Liverpool FC's star summer signing Joe Cole was the victim of a violent carjacking by eight thugs on motorbikes.

Brooding Milan Jovanovic hungry to make Liverpool FC a successful move for him and his family

FIRST came the crushing disappointment, then followed the quiet reflection; now the time has arrived for Liverpool to continue their fight back.

Tommy Smith: Give Roy Hodgson great credit for Liverpool FC's Europa League win in Turkey

WELL done to Liverpool - and well done Roy Hodgson. After the dismay of losing 3-0 at City and the controversy over Javier Mascherano, the last thing anyone really needed was to be heading to eastern Turkey to defend a 1-0 lead with top stars like Gerrard, Torres and Agger all missing.

Liverpool FC skipper Steven Gerrard wary of Europa League opponents

STEVEN GERRARD believes Liverpool will need to be on top form to progress from the group stage of the Europa League.

Dominic King: Javier Mascherano's Liverpool FC reputation ruined by act of desperation

SO he has got his wish; 13 months after expressing his intense desire to join Barcelona, Javier Mascherano is finally on his way to Catalonia.

Liverpool FC through in Europe as Dirk Kuyt vows to stay at Anfield

DIRK KUYT today promised Liverpool fans a bright, new future as he reaffirmed his commitment to the club.

Trabzonspor 1, Liverpool FC 2 (agg: 1-3): Dominic King sees a late Reds rally avoid a Europa leak

THEY stood in the teeming rain, 91 hardy souls, barely able to comprehend the events which were unfolding in front of them, fearing their world was about to cave in.

Roy Hodgson wants to build Liverpool FC team around Dirk Kuyt

LIVERPOOL manager Roy Hodgson insists he wants to build his team around people like Dirk Kuyt and has no intention of selling him.

No bids for Dirk Kuyt insists Liverpool FC manager Roy Hodgson

ROY HODGSON today insisted Liverpool have not received an official bid from Inter for Dirk Kuyt - as he turned the spotlight on the player's agent.

Liverpool FC's Joe Cole ready to put penalty miss behind him in Europa League clash with Trabzonspor

THE two biggest names may have remained at home but that did not temper the excitement of the residents in Trabzon when Liverpool's squad touched down here yesterday.

Phil Thompson: A top four finish for Liverpool FC matters much more than Europe

I'VE got fantastic memories of the old UEFA Cup - now the Europa League - both as a player and as assistant manager with Gerard Houllier in the treble year of 2001.

Phil Thompson: Javier Mascherano's refusal to play for Liverpool FC made me cringe

IT made me cringe to see Javier Mascherano refusing to turn out for Liverpool at Manchester City on Monday night.

Liverpool FC jury: Fans give their views on Javier Mascherano and the road ahead for the Reds

A PROFESSIONAL footballer not being in the right frame of mind to play can only be interpreted one way... unprofessional!

The rumour-mill has it that Dirk Kuyt is pondering his future at Anfield and is considering a move to Rafa Benitez's new club, Inter Milan, after a £15million bid last week. The fact that Rafa wants Kuyt should be no surprise to anyone as he could have had a broken ankle and he would have still been in Benitez's starting eleven.

Inter Milan set to test Liverpool FC resolve on Dirk Kuyt

INTER MILAN are ready to step up their attempts to prise Dirk Kuyt away from Anfield by making a formal offer for the Liverpool forward.

Mystery bidder is being lined up to buy Liverpool FC

Renowned deal-broker Keith Harris claims an overseas buyer is considering making an offer of between £400million and £500million for Liverpool.

John Aldridge: Mascherano's selfishness undermine's support

MIDFIELDER Javier Mascherano's refusal to face Manchester City on Monday night was selfish and unprofessional.

Javier Mascherano's refusal to play for Liverpool FC shows the power of football's transfer rebels

JAVIER MASCHERANO'S refusal to play for Liverpool at Manchester City has highlighted the ever-increasing issue of player power in modern football.

Football Forum: 'Time to cash in on Mascherano'

I'M quite upset that Masch wants to go as he is a good player, however the way he's handled the situation refusing to play at Manchester City is very unprofessional of him, and as a person he went down in my estimation.

Last night was the night that Liverpool, under new manager Roy Hodgson had its first game away from home. They were playing Manchester City, who for all their money should have been any easy team to beat. What happened though left the supporters with the feeling that the ghost of Rafa was in the stadium.

Roy, who earlier in the day was forced to change his team selection, due to the exclusion of Mascherano, put out what seemed on paper, a team capable of beating anybody.

The team was: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Skrtel, Kuyt, Gerrard, Lucas. Jovanovic, Ngog and Torres.
Substitutes: Jones, Babel, Aurelio, Kyriakos, Maxi, Poulsen and Pacheco.

Have your say on Javier Mascherano's no-show for Liverpool FC's game at Manchester City

WANT-AWAY midfielder Javier Mascherano reportedly refused to play for the Reds in last night's 3-0 defeat at Man City as he waits for clubs chasing his signature to meet Liverpool's valuation.

Liverpool FC boss Roy Hodgson warns Barcelona - We won't be bullied on Javier Mascherano!

ROY HODGSON today warned Barcelona that Liverpool will not be bullied into giving Javier Mascherano the move he desperately craves.

Manchester City 3, Liverpool FC 0: Reds display shows the impossible task they face

IT had just turned to 7.50pm, when the pitch announcer cleared his throat and urged the City Of Manchester Stadium crowd to look up at the giant screen in the corner.

Football Confidential: Javier Mascherano latest plus Liverpool FC & Everton post-mortems (AUDIO)

ECHO Head of Sport John Thompson and Chief Football Writer David Prentice discuss the implications of Javier Mascherano's non-appearance in Liverpool's defeat at Manchester City and the Reds' abject defeat at Eastland itself

James Pearce: Javier Mascherano leaves Liverpool FC fans with final insult

LIVERPOOL'S rain-soaked supporters who made the trip to Eastlands were let down big time last night.

By Chris Shaw

That tonight's match is seen as the first real test of Manchester City's title credentials, rather than Liverpool's, is testament to how the landscape has changed for both clubs since being taken over by foreign businessmen in 2007. Both teams have taken diverging paths since then - City were taken over again just a year later by oil-rich investors from Abu Dhabi who began a heavy recruitment program, whereas Liverpool have stumbled from crisis to crisis under unpopular American owners. City's endless wealth has allowed them to assemble a squad full of star players, while the Reds have been content just to hold on to the ones they have.