SOCCER NEWS ROUND-UP:STEVEN GERRARD has declared Liverpool have "turned a corner" in the wake of the 0-0 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He believes that a fifth consecutive Premier League match without defeat represents genuine proof that Liverpool are moving in the right direction.
The England international, who returned to the side at Molineux after being out for 13 days with a hamstring strain, admitted that confidence has suffered during a disappointing season. Gerrard, however, highlighted the “character” and “desire” that Liverpool have demonstrated in recent weeks to avoid defeat at Stoke City and Wolves as a cause for optimism and a reason to believe that fourth place can be salvaged.
“I think it is a point gained rather than two lost,” said Gerrard. “We’ve got a couple of home games coming up and, if we take maximum points, I’m sure we’ll edge into that top four. The important thing is that we are playing better. We’ve turned the corner and we are a more difficult team to beat now.”
West Ham United fear they could miss out on two of the strikers they are attempting to sign. Eidur Gudjohnsen is close to a loan move to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City’s Benjani Mwaruwari has opened talks with Blackburn Rovers.
Gudjohnsen’s negotiations with West Ham had progressed as far as his undergoing a medical on Tuesday evening. But interest was registered by the Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, with the 31-year-old’s agent and Gudjohnsen, who is currently with Monaco, has been persuaded that the pursuit of a Champions League place suits his ambitions better than a relegation struggle.
The Icelander is set to move to White Hart Lane on loan until the end of the season, to the disappointment of West Ham’s new co-owner, David Sullivan.
The London side have signed the Blackburn forward Benni McCarthy for around €2.9 million, on a two-and-a-half-year contract, but their attempt to sign Gudjohnsen could have cost them another of their targets, Benjani.
Blackburn Rovers, conscious that McCarthy was likely to move on, stepped in and have begun talks with the Zimbabwean striker. Blackburn have signed Yildiray Basturk from Stuttgart for the rest of the season. Burnley have signed Leon Cort from Stoke for €1.7m. Portsmouth, whose transfer embargo has been lifted, have signed Quincy Owusu-Abeyie on loan from Spartak Moscow.
- Guardian Service
