Normal service without Houllier

The Liverpool caretaker manager Phil Thompson puts his tactical nous to the test at bottom-placed Leicester City this afternoon with the support of the club's board ringing in his ears.

The directors met on Thursday and reaffirmed their decision not to appoint an interim manager while Gerard Houllier recovers from open-heart surgery. The backing for Thompson includes the green light to buy and sell player's earmarked by Houllier.

"Things will go on as normal between myself and the chief executive Rick Parry," said Thompson yesterday. "I have been told by the chairman David Moores and by Rick that I am in charge while Gerard is away. I've got full rein and I'll try and take things along in the same way that Gerard would have.

"If I knew Gerard liked a player and he became available, I would try and make it happen. When he is not around and decisions have to be made, I will make them."

Those signings will not include the Nigerian defender Taribo West, who yesterday rather cryptically claimed he had agreed a four-year deal at Anfield. The Derby centre-half Chris Riggott - an England Under-21 international valued at around £5m sterling - appears a more plausible option, should he become available, as Thompson attempts to overcome an injury list that includes Stephane Henchoz, Markus Babbel and Gregory Vignal, all defenders, with another, Djimi Traore, beyond instant recall on loan at Lens.

Thompson visited Houllier at the cardiothoracic centre at Broadgreen yesterday and found the Frenchman making steady progress in his recovery from the acute aortic dissection suffered during last Saturday's 1-1 draw with Leeds.

"He was stronger, sitting in a chair and was talking a lot better," he said. "The next step is for him to come out of intensive care. I've just got to make sure I win every week to ensure he carries on improving." Having relied heavily on discussions held with Houllier before his illness for that historic 2-1 victory against Dynamo Kiev, this afternoon's game at Filbert Street will see Thompson's Liverpool perform for the first time. The previously hamstrung Michael Owen returned to training yesterday and is a possibility for next week's Champions League game at Boavista, but he will not feature today.

In his continued absence Liverpool may include the England striker Robbie Fowler against City, with any hatchet long since buried after his public fall-out with Thompson earlier this season.