Liverpool face Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday lunchtime, and Henry Jackson selects the best XI to have played for both clubs.
Over the years, there have been some outstanding players to have represented the Reds and the Magpies (and some not so outstanding), contributing greatly to the success of both.
This combined XI is made up of players who did something of note for both teams – Ian Rush, for example, scored just two goals for Newcastle so doesn’t make the cut. Danny Guthrie is another who can’t force his way into the side despite a modest four years on Tyneside after leaving Liverpool.
This XI is desperately short of defenders so we’ve gone for a (very) attacking 3-4-3 shape – don’t worry that midfield and attack will make up for any problems at the back!
Goalkeeper and Defence
MIKE HOOPER
Hooper joined Liverpool from Wrexham in 1985, and in his eight years spent at Anfield he was a very able deputy to Bruce Grobbelaar in goal. He won six trophies at the club.
He signed for Newcastle from the Reds in 1993, having fallen further down the pecking order because of David James’ arrival, and spent two years at St James’ Park as an understudy to Pavel Srnicek.
BARRY VENISON
Kenny Dalglish took Venison to Anfield from Sunderland in the summer of 1986. The right-back was a solid squad player as Liverpool won the 1988 and 1990 First Division title, as well as the 1989 FA Cup. He eventually left for Newcastle in 1992.
Venison spent three years in the North East under Kevin Keegan, where he won the Division One title in 1992/93.
ALAN KENNEDY
Kennedy started his career at Newcastle, and was a member of the side that lost 3-0 to Liverpool in the 1974 FA Cup Final. The attacking left-back’s performances for the Magpies impressed Bob Paisley greatly over the years, and he joined the Reds in 1978.
He spent eight terrific years on Merseyside, cementing his place as one of the club’s greatest ever full-backs. He scored the winning goal in the 1981 European Cup Final against Real Madrid, and the decisive spot-kick against Roma three years later. Kennedy won five league titles at Liverpool, and made 359 appearances in total.
JOSE ENRIQUE
Enrique joined Newcastle from Villarreal in 2007, for a fee of £6.3m, and it was rumoured that they had beaten Liverpool to his signature. He spent four years there, and became a crowd favourite because of his decision to stay at the club despite relegation in 2008/09.
Dalglish signed him for Liverpool in 2011 but after a bright start to his Anfield career he’s now second choice to fellow Spaniard Alberto Moreno.
Midfield
DIDI HAMANN
Having spent five years at Bayern Munich, Hamann joined Newcastle for £5.5m in 1998. He impressed hugely in the centre of the Magpies’ midfield, and a year later Gerard Houllier bought him to Liverpool for £8m.
The German was one of the Reds’ most important players for many years, playing the defensive midfield role to perfection. He spent seven seasons there, winning a cup treble in 2000/01 and the 2005 Champions League. His influential dipslay in Istanbul, in which he was introduced at half-time with Liverpool 3-0 down, will forever go down in legend.
TERRY MCDERMOTT
McDermott spent a year at Newcastle in 1973/74, and like Kennedy, had to witness Liverpool tear them to shreds in the 1974 FA Cup Final. Paisley liked the look of him though, and he joined the Reds in November of that year.
In his eight years spent at Anfield, McDermott became one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players. He won three European Cups, scoring in the 1977 final against Borussia Monchengladbach, and five league titles.
The goalscoring midfielder rejoined Newcastle in 1982, and he spent two years there.
Barnes is definitely an all-time Liverpool legend, and the stuff he could do on a football pitch was majestic. The brilliant winger was a key player in arguably the Reds’ most entertaining team in history, during the late 1980s, and he two First Division titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup in total at the club.
The former England star remained at Anfield until 1997, but was well past his best when Dalglish, by that point Newcastle manager, signed him for Newcastle. He spent two seasons there, before joining Charlton Athletic in 1999.
PETER BEARDSLEY
Beardsley is adored by both Liverpool and Newcastle fans alike. He was one of the trickiest, most inventive English players of the last 30 years.
He moved to Newcastle from Vancouver Whitecaps in 1983, and spent four excellent years there, forming a great partnership in attack with an ageing Keegan.
Dalglish took him to Liverpool in 1987, and he was superb. He had technical brilliance, creativity and goals in abundance, and he won two league titles in his four years.
Having spent two seasons at Everton, Beardsley re-signed for Newcastle in 1993, at the age of 32. He was still terrific though, scoring 25 times in his first season back- his partnership with a young Andy Cole was lethal- and almost captaining them to Premier League glory in 1995/96. He’s now a coach at The Magpies’ Academy.
Attack
KEVIN KEEGAN
Keegan was signed from Scunthrope by Bill Shankly in 1971, and he went on to become a Liverpool legend. The diminutive striker scored 100 goals for the Reds, many of which were in big games, and he won the 1977 European Cup and three First Division titles before joining Hamburg in 1977.
With his career starting to wind down, Keegan joined Newcastle in 1982. He scored at an impressive rate there, and helped get them gain promotion from the Second Division in 1984.
He was a hero at both clubs, and is actually criminally underrated by some.
ANDY CARROLL
Having come through Newcastle’s youth system, Carroll became something of a cult figure at St James’ Park. His robust style was very old-school, but he was a talented player. 33 goals in 91 games was an impressive return for a player barely out of his teens.
Dalglish made the decision to bring him to Liverpool in January 2011, but the £35m paid for him remains utterly baffling to this day. Carroll never lived up to the hype, and barring an FA Cup semi-final winner against Everton, he was a huge disappointment. Injuries didn’t help, in fairness.
MICHAEL OWEN
Owen was the star of Liverpool’s team during the late 1990s, and he was widely seen as the most exciting prospect in English football. Having scored on his Reds debut, he went on to find the back of the net 158 times in just 297 matches, including a memorable late double against Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup Final. He won the Ballon d’Or that year too.
Having moved to Real Madrid in 2004, Newcastle snapped him up a year later. His time in the North East was a disaster, however, with serious injury problems restricting him to just 79 appearances in four years. 30 goals was far from a poor return though.
Manager- KENNY DALGLISH
The legendary Scot enjoyed a superb period as Liverpool boss between 1985 and 1991, winning three league titles and two FA Cups.
He had a short, if unsuccessful reign in charge of Newcastle in 1997-98, before returning to the Anfield hot-seat following the sacking of Roy Hodgson in January 2011.
What would your combined XI be? Let us know in the comments section below.
.
Liverpool face Newcastle at St James’ Park on Saturday lunchtime, and Henry Jackson selects the best XI to have played for both clubs.
Over the years, there have been some outstanding players to have represented the Reds and the Magpies (and some not so outstanding), contributing greatly to the success of both.
This combined XI is made up of players who did something of note for both teams – Ian Rush, for example, scored just two goals for Newcastle so doesn’t make the cut. Danny Guthrie is another who can’t force his way into the side despite a modest four years on Tyneside after leaving Liverpool.
This XI is desperately short of defenders so we’ve gone for a (very) attacking 3-4-3 shape – don’t worry that midfield and attack will make up for any problems at the back!
Goalkeeper and Defence
MIKE HOOPER
Hooper joined Liverpool from Wrexham in 1985, and in his eight years spent at Anfield he was a very able deputy to Bruce Grobbelaar in goal. He won six trophies at the club.
He signed for Newcastle from the Reds in 1993, having fallen further down the pecking order because of David James’ arrival, and spent two years at St James’ Park as an understudy to Pavel Srnicek.
BARRY VENISON
Kenny Dalglish took Venison to Anfield from Sunderland in the summer of 1986. The right-back was a solid squad player as Liverpool won the 1988 and 1990 First Division title, as well as the 1989 FA Cup. He eventually left for Newcastle in 1992.
Venison spent three years in the North East under Kevin Keegan, where he won the Division One title in 1992/93.
ALAN KENNEDY
Kennedy started his career at Newcastle, and was a member of the side that lost 3-0 to Liverpool in the 1974 FA Cup Final. The attacking left-back’s performances for the Magpies impressed Bob Paisley greatly over the years, and he joined the Reds in 1978.
He spent eight terrific years on Merseyside, cementing his place as one of the club’s greatest ever full-backs. He scored the winning goal in the 1981 European Cup Final against Real Madrid, and the decisive spot-kick against Roma three years later. Kennedy won five league titles at Liverpool, and made 359 appearances in total.
JOSE ENRIQUE
Enrique joined Newcastle from Villarreal in 2007, for a fee of £6.3m, and it was rumoured that they had beaten Liverpool to his signature. He spent four years there, and became a crowd favourite because of his decision to stay at the club despite relegation in 2008/09.
Dalglish signed him for Liverpool in 2011 but after a bright start to his Anfield career he’s now second choice to fellow Spaniard Alberto Moreno.
Midfield
DIDI HAMANN
Having spent five years at Bayern Munich, Hamann joined Newcastle for £5.5m in 1998. He impressed hugely in the centre of the Magpies’ midfield, and a year later Gerard Houllier bought him to Liverpool for £8m.
The German was one of the Reds’ most important players for many years, playing the defensive midfield role to perfection. He spent seven seasons there, winning a cup treble in 2000/01 and the 2005 Champions League. His influential dipslay in Istanbul, in which he was introduced at half-time with Liverpool 3-0 down, will forever go down in legend.
TERRY MCDERMOTT
McDermott spent a year at Newcastle in 1973/74, and like Kennedy, had to witness Liverpool tear them to shreds in the 1974 FA Cup Final. Paisley liked the look of him though, and he joined the Reds in November of that year.
In his eight years spent at Anfield, McDermott became one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players. He won three European Cups, scoring in the 1977 final against Borussia Monchengladbach, and five league titles.
The goalscoring midfielder rejoined Newcastle in 1982, and he spent two years there.
Barnes is definitely an all-time Liverpool legend, and the stuff he could do on a football pitch was majestic. The brilliant winger was a key player in arguably the Reds’ most entertaining team in history, during the late 1980s, and he two First Division titles, two FA Cups and a League Cup in total at the club.
The former England star remained at Anfield until 1997, but was well past his best when Dalglish, by that point Newcastle manager, signed him for Newcastle. He spent two seasons there, before joining Charlton Athletic in 1999.
PETER BEARDSLEY
Beardsley is adored by both Liverpool and Newcastle fans alike. He was one of the trickiest, most inventive English players of the last 30 years.
He moved to Newcastle from Vancouver Whitecaps in 1983, and spent four excellent years there, forming a great partnership in attack with an ageing Keegan.
Dalglish took him to Liverpool in 1987, and he was superb. He had technical brilliance, creativity and goals in abundance, and he won two league titles in his four years.
Having spent two seasons at Everton, Beardsley re-signed for Newcastle in 1993, at the age of 32. He was still terrific though, scoring 25 times in his first season back- his partnership with a young Andy Cole was lethal- and almost captaining them to Premier League glory in 1995/96. He’s now a coach at The Magpies’ Academy.
Attack
KEVIN KEEGAN
Keegan was signed from Scunthrope by Bill Shankly in 1971, and he went on to become a Liverpool legend. The diminutive striker scored 100 goals for the Reds, many of which were in big games, and he won the 1977 European Cup and three First Division titles before joining Hamburg in 1977.
With his career starting to wind down, Keegan joined Newcastle in 1982. He scored at an impressive rate there, and helped get them gain promotion from the Second Division in 1984.
He was a hero at both clubs, and is actually criminally underrated by some.
ANDY CARROLL
Having come through Newcastle’s youth system, Carroll became something of a cult figure at St James’ Park. His robust style was very old-school, but he was a talented player. 33 goals in 91 games was an impressive return for a player barely out of his teens.
Dalglish made the decision to bring him to Liverpool in January 2011, but the £35m paid for him remains utterly baffling to this day. Carroll never lived up to the hype, and barring an FA Cup semi-final winner against Everton, he was a huge disappointment. Injuries didn’t help, in fairness.
MICHAEL OWEN
Owen was the star of Liverpool’s team during the late 1990s, and he was widely seen as the most exciting prospect in English football. Having scored on his Reds debut, he went on to find the back of the net 158 times in just 297 matches, including a memorable late double against Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup Final. He won the Ballon d’Or that year too.
Having moved to Real Madrid in 2004, Newcastle snapped him up a year later. His time in the North East was a disaster, however, with serious injury problems restricting him to just 79 appearances in four years. 30 goals was far from a poor return though.
Manager- KENNY DALGLISH
The legendary Scot enjoyed a superb period as Liverpool boss between 1985 and 1991, winning three league titles and two FA Cups.
He had a short, if unsuccessful reign in charge of Newcastle in 1997-98, before returning to the Anfield hot-seat following the sacking of Roy Hodgson in January 2011.
What would your combined XI be? Let us know in the comments section below.
.
Naturally, after the nauseous heights of 2013/14, there may well be a hangover period for Liverpool, writes Danny Gallagher.
It does not require the hawk-eyed among you to notice that building work is well underway on the Lothair Road wing of Anfield, as the stadium finally goes about receiving much needed rejuvenation to bigger and better things.
It is inside the stadium however, on the hallowed Anfield turf, that the real construction project is underway. Albeit a metaphorical one, the Liverpool squad is currently a building site with which a Northern Irishman at the helm has to tinker and refine into a smoothly running machine once again.
Brendan Rodgers is a manager by profession – a tactician, a planner and an architect by character; in short, he builds things.
Evidence is aplenty both during his early Chelsea youth days and his commanding rise with Swansea City, where he embedded a successful philosophy and established solid Premier League status for the South Wales club.
Presently, after Liverpool’s faltering start to the current campaign, what Rodgers now has on his hands is an assignment of complete reconstruction, a need to breathe life back into a team which caused such artistic destruction during the previous campaign.
Mario and the media circus
People often like to break things down into simplistic lists when determining where issues occur in life. Said list for Liverpool would read; injuries, consistency, loss of Luis Suárez – all rather predictable, and perhaps in reverse order.
The latter holds no reason to be dwelled upon however, as the Uruguayan has finally embarked upon his Barcelona career following infamous bite-gate take 3. His ‘replacement’, a certain Mario Balotelli, is currently the catalyst of a whole media circus which surrounds the club.
It appears that the jury is still out on Mario, yet as the Italian has only just breached the two-month mark of his Anfield tenancy, voices of concern are incredibly premature.
Following last weekend’s disappointing 0-0 home draw against Hull City, the back pages of the national newspapers were ablaze with headlines condemning Mario’s missed opportunities and emphasising a lack of input towards an already lacklustre Liverpool side.
The reality however, was that following a reasonably quiet Saturday of football – with only West Ham’s impressive victory over Manchester City getting chins wagging – the media were in need of a protagonist to spice up the print and provide an additional talking point.
Arise Mario Balotelli, the old-reliable who, even if he were to remain in an empty house all day, would still be allocated column space in some form or another.
Balotelli is the sporting media’s dream.
Of course, it is perfectly true that his baron goal-scoring return to the Premier League has not aided his cause, yet constant scolding in the public eye serves no positive purpose.
Fans with a passion for the game only had to observe the vocal support that Kopites produced for Mario on Saturday, to realise the media’s berating doesn’t penetrate the walls of Anfield.
‘You’ve done a Spurs!’
An average phrase, with which copious ‘pundits’ are taking considerable pleasure in recycling this season when discussing Liverpool.
How Andre Villas Boas must wince when realising that he was essentially the culprit behind the coining of the expression.
What is being referred to here, for those who aren’t familiar, is the action of Tottenham Hotspurs spending upwards of £100 million during last summer’s transfer window – the entirety of the Gareth Bale transfer fee – on a vast array of potential-laden talent which thus far has not borne fruit.
Comparisons were immediately draw after Liverpool sanctioned the sale of Luis Suárez and began to attack the transfer market at a ferocious pace.
Now, less than 10 games in to the current campaign, some individuals are questioning the calibre of Rodgers’ summer acquisitions, eager to place them upon the same scrapheap as Spurs’ motley crew of purchases.
The notion of course is nonsense. When the situation that Brendan Rodgers has upon his plate is fully appreciated, the magnitude of the enterprise that is the 2014/15 season becomes very apparent.
Grandiose expectations
Following the juggling act of accommodating eight new signings, keeping a sober ignorance of the Balotelli-infatuated media and dealing with the untimely (and completely avoidable… though that is another article in itself) injury of star striker Daniel Sturridge – Rodgers then somehow has to maintain the kind of blistering form and fluidity that saw Liverpool set alight the Premier League last season.
It may have been unfathomable and even slightly delirious at times, but Liverpool’s form in the previous campaign, taking the title decision down to the wire, unavoidably gives birth to overbearing levels of expectation.
It is in the nature of the sport to want more, and to see your team advance upon their previous labours.
But when, as Rodgers frankly put it last year, your team is performing at a level ‘a couple of seasons ahead’ of where they should be – how do you then supersede that with any level of logic and rationality?
That isn’t to say that fans should be happy with the Reds faltering back to a sixth or seventh placed finish. On the contrary, performance should still endeavour to gather pace.
Being realistic however, the only way Liverpool could improve upon last season, domestically, is by winning the league.
Is something like that possible following the sale of the controversial, enigmatic yet disbelievingly talented striker that propelled you to within an inch of silverware? Perhaps not – or at least not in the immediate aftermath.
But, with 29 domestic games still to run, passing critical judgement on the Reds and the transitional structuring of Rodgers appears very ill-timed.
Naturally, after the nauseous heights of 2013/14, this may well be the hangover period for Liverpool.
But with heavy building projects simultaneously occurring both inside and outside of Anfield right now, don your hard-hats and take patience as a virtue. The next domestic exploit comes in the shape of trip to Tyneside – we go from there.
.
Naturally, after the nauseous heights of 2013/14, there may well be a hangover period for Liverpool, writes Danny Gallagher.
It does not require the hawk-eyed among you to notice that building work is well underway on the Lothair Road wing of Anfield, as the stadium finally goes about receiving much needed rejuvenation to bigger and better things.
It is inside the stadium however, on the hallowed Anfield turf, that the real construction project is underway. Albeit a metaphorical one, the Liverpool squad is currently a building site with which a Northern Irishman at the helm has to tinker and refine into a smoothly running machine once again.
Brendan Rodgers is a manager by profession – a tactician, a planner and an architect by character; in short, he builds things.
Evidence is aplenty both during his early Chelsea youth days and his commanding rise with Swansea City, where he embedded a successful philosophy and established solid Premier League status for the South Wales club.
Presently, after Liverpool’s faltering start to the current campaign, what Rodgers now has on his hands is an assignment of complete reconstruction, a need to breathe life back into a team which caused such artistic destruction during the previous campaign.
Mario and the media circus
People often like to break things down into simplistic lists when determining where issues occur in life. Said list for Liverpool would read; injuries, consistency, loss of Luis Suárez – all rather predictable, and perhaps in reverse order.
The latter holds no reason to be dwelled upon however, as the Uruguayan has finally embarked upon his Barcelona career following infamous bite-gate take 3. His ‘replacement’, a certain Mario Balotelli, is currently the catalyst of a whole media circus which surrounds the club.
It appears that the jury is still out on Mario, yet as the Italian has only just breached the two-month mark of his Anfield tenancy, voices of concern are incredibly premature.
Following last weekend’s disappointing 0-0 home draw against Hull City, the back pages of the national newspapers were ablaze with headlines condemning Mario’s missed opportunities and emphasising a lack of input towards an already lacklustre Liverpool side.
The reality however, was that following a reasonably quiet Saturday of football – with only West Ham’s impressive victory over Manchester City getting chins wagging – the media were in need of a protagonist to spice up the print and provide an additional talking point.
Arise Mario Balotelli, the old-reliable who, even if he were to remain in an empty house all day, would still be allocated column space in some form or another.
Balotelli is the sporting media’s dream.
Of course, it is perfectly true that his baron goal-scoring return to the Premier League has not aided his cause, yet constant scolding in the public eye serves no positive purpose.
Fans with a passion for the game only had to observe the vocal support that Kopites produced for Mario on Saturday, to realise the media’s berating doesn’t penetrate the walls of Anfield.
‘You’ve done a Spurs!’
An average phrase, with which copious ‘pundits’ are taking considerable pleasure in recycling this season when discussing Liverpool.
How Andre Villas Boas must wince when realising that he was essentially the culprit behind the coining of the expression.
What is being referred to here, for those who aren’t familiar, is the action of Tottenham Hotspurs spending upwards of £100 million during last summer’s transfer window – the entirety of the Gareth Bale transfer fee – on a vast array of potential-laden talent which thus far has not borne fruit.
Comparisons were immediately draw after Liverpool sanctioned the sale of Luis Suárez and began to attack the transfer market at a ferocious pace.
Now, less than 10 games in to the current campaign, some individuals are questioning the calibre of Rodgers’ summer acquisitions, eager to place them upon the same scrapheap as Spurs’ motley crew of purchases.
The notion of course is nonsense. When the situation that Brendan Rodgers has upon his plate is fully appreciated, the magnitude of the enterprise that is the 2014/15 season becomes very apparent.
Grandiose expectations
Following the juggling act of accommodating eight new signings, keeping a sober ignorance of the Balotelli-infatuated media and dealing with the untimely (and completely avoidable… though that is another article in itself) injury of star striker Daniel Sturridge – Rodgers then somehow has to maintain the kind of blistering form and fluidity that saw Liverpool set alight the Premier League last season.
It may have been unfathomable and even slightly delirious at times, but Liverpool’s form in the previous campaign, taking the title decision down to the wire, unavoidably gives birth to overbearing levels of expectation.
It is in the nature of the sport to want more, and to see your team advance upon their previous labours.
But when, as Rodgers frankly put it last year, your team is performing at a level ‘a couple of seasons ahead’ of where they should be – how do you then supersede that with any level of logic and rationality?
That isn’t to say that fans should be happy with the Reds faltering back to a sixth or seventh placed finish. On the contrary, performance should still endeavour to gather pace.
Being realistic however, the only way Liverpool could improve upon last season, domestically, is by winning the league.
Is something like that possible following the sale of the controversial, enigmatic yet disbelievingly talented striker that propelled you to within an inch of silverware? Perhaps not – or at least not in the immediate aftermath.
But, with 29 domestic games still to run, passing critical judgement on the Reds and the transitional structuring of Rodgers appears very ill-timed.
Naturally, after the nauseous heights of 2013/14, this may well be the hangover period for Liverpool.
But with heavy building projects simultaneously occurring both inside and outside of Anfield right now, don your hard-hats and take patience as a virtue. The next domestic exploit comes in the shape of trip to Tyneside – we go from there.
.
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Daniel Sturridge is hoping to form a successful partnership with Mario Balotelli after the Italian scored just his second Liverpool goal against Swansea on Tuesday night.
Balotelli helped his side secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the Capital One Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield, notching their equaliser in the 86th minute – only seven minutes after his introduction as a substitute.
The goal will ease some of the pressure on the striker who had come under scrutiny after scoring just once in his first 11 games for the club since a £16million summer switch from AC Milan. And Sturridge, who has not featured since September due to a calf injury but is nearing a return, cannot wait to work in tandem with his team-mate.
“We get on well off the field and in the changing rooms,” he told talkSPORT. “We’re always laughing and joking.
“It’s not hugely important to be friends to have a great (football) relationship with somebody, and if you’re not friends you can still have a great partnership, but you can also be friends and have a great partnership.
“Once I get back fit I’m hoping we can strike up a partnership.
“Last season with Luis (Suarez) we had a great relationship up front and scored a lot of goals. Hopefully this season it will be the same.”
Balotelli developed a reputation as a larger than life character during his two-and-a-half year spell with Manchester City but Sturridge insists he is “misunderstood” and launched a robust defence of the 24-year-old.
“Mario has been under the microscope,” he added. “That will always be the case when you play for a big club. You are going to have a lot of eyes on you.
“Mario’s a great guy, and he’s misunderstood sometimes. A lot of people are harsh on him. I get on really with him though. I have nothing but good words to say about him.
“He’s working hard on the training field. People have told me he’s working tirelessly to play the way we play.
“It’s difficult moving to a new club and having new team-mates, it doesn’t (always) just click straight away.
“Everybody is helping him and he’s playing well. Sometimes you don’t get the breaks in terms of scoring goals. Every striker goes through times when they don’t score.
“A lot of stories have been put out about him in the past which aren’t true. For him, it’s difficult to shake off the celebrity (tag).
“He’s a likeable person. I don’t have any bad words to say about him. People don’t realise what he’s been through in his life to get where he is today.”
.
Daniel Sturridge is hoping to form a successful partnership with Mario Balotelli after the Italian scored just his second Liverpool goal against Swansea on Tuesday night.
Balotelli helped his side secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the Capital One Cup fourth-round tie at Anfield, notching their equaliser in the 86th minute – only seven minutes after his introduction as a substitute.
The goal will ease some of the pressure on the striker who had come under scrutiny after scoring just once in his first 11 games for the club since a £16million summer switch from AC Milan. And Sturridge, who has not featured since September due to a calf injury but is nearing a return, cannot wait to work in tandem with his team-mate.
“We get on well off the field and in the changing rooms,” he told talkSPORT. “We’re always laughing and joking.
“It’s not hugely important to be friends to have a great (football) relationship with somebody, and if you’re not friends you can still have a great partnership, but you can also be friends and have a great partnership.
“Once I get back fit I’m hoping we can strike up a partnership.
“Last season with Luis (Suarez) we had a great relationship up front and scored a lot of goals. Hopefully this season it will be the same.”
Balotelli developed a reputation as a larger than life character during his two-and-a-half year spell with Manchester City but Sturridge insists he is “misunderstood” and launched a robust defence of the 24-year-old.
“Mario has been under the microscope,” he added. “That will always be the case when you play for a big club. You are going to have a lot of eyes on you.
“Mario’s a great guy, and he’s misunderstood sometimes. A lot of people are harsh on him. I get on really with him though. I have nothing but good words to say about him.
“He’s working hard on the training field. People have told me he’s working tirelessly to play the way we play.
“It’s difficult moving to a new club and having new team-mates, it doesn’t (always) just click straight away.
“Everybody is helping him and he’s playing well. Sometimes you don’t get the breaks in terms of scoring goals. Every striker goes through times when they don’t score.
“A lot of stories have been put out about him in the past which aren’t true. For him, it’s difficult to shake off the celebrity (tag).
“He’s a likeable person. I don’t have any bad words to say about him. People don’t realise what he’s been through in his life to get where he is today.”
.
Newcastle will travel to Tottenham in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals after beating holders Manchester City on Wednesday.
There will also be a clash between League leaders as Championship pace-setters Derby will host to Chelsea, who are currently top of the Premier League standings.
Bournemouth knocked out West Brom on Tuesday night and they will try to pull off another upset when they play host to Liverpool.
And the home fans will also be hoping for an upset at Bramall Lane, where last season's FA Cup semi-finalists will play host to Southampton as they look to reach the last four of another domestic Cup competition.
Capital One Cup quarter-final draw:
Derby v Chelsea
Tottenham v Newcastle
Bournemouth v Liverpool
Sheffield United v Southampton
Matches to be played in the week commencing December 15.
Newcastle will travel to Tottenham in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals after beating holders Manchester City on Wednesday.
There will also be a clash between League leaders as Championship pace-setters Derby will host to Chelsea, who are currently top of the Premier League standings.
Bournemouth knocked out West Brom on Tuesday night and they will try to pull off another upset when they play host to Liverpool.
And the home fans will also be hoping for an upset at Bramall Lane, where last season's FA Cup semi-finalists will play host to Southampton as they look to reach the last four of another domestic Cup competition.
Capital One Cup quarter-final draw:
Derby v Chelsea
Tottenham v Newcastle
Bournemouth v Liverpool
Sheffield United v Southampton
Matches to be played in the week commencing December 15.
Liverpool defender Kolo Toure has no doubt team-mate Mario Balotelli is one of the best players in the world and is backing the striker to go on a scoring run following his goal in Tuesday night’s Capital One Cup win over Swansea.
On an eventful evening for the maverick frontman, Balotelli helped his side secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the fourth-round tie at Anfield, notching their equaliser in the 86th minute – only seven minutes after his introduction as a substitute.
With it being just his second goal in 12 games since his move to Liverpool and first in nine, the close-range finish was a welcome boost for Balotelli, although he was also involved in a couple of moments of controversy.
One was an off-the-ball confrontation with Swans midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and there were further words exchanged between the pair after the final whistle as they headed off the pitch.
Another came pre-match, when Balotelli was sent away from a warm-up exercise by Reds coach Mike Marsh, something Liverpool assistant boss Colin Pascoe later stressed had happened because of no issue other than the player having suffered a minor knee problem.
As for the man himself, Balotelli expressed his relief at finding the net again with a message on his official Twitter account simply reading: “Finally!”
And Toure, who also played with the 24-year-old at Manchester City, has every confidence Balotelli will soon be celebrating more goals.
“For strikers, goals are like food,” said Toure, quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“Mario needs to feed himself by scoring goals. Now he’s got that one he will do that now, definitely.
“Getting that goal will be fantastic for his confidence. He is a great player, he has just been lacking goals.
“Mario is my mate and I’ve tried to help him like (Liverpool captain) Stevie (Gerrard), the manager (Brendan Rodgers) and everyone else in the dressing room.
“We all know he’s a top player. I always tell him ‘you need to get out there and show you are one of the best players in the world’.
“He is one of the best. He has just been missing goals but they will come now.”
In a hectic finale to the tie, Balotelli’s goal was followed by a red card for Swansea defender Federico Fernandez in stoppage time – the latest in a series of refereeing decisions that has left the Welsh outfit’s boss Garry Monk fuming – and then a 95th-minute headed winner from Dejan Lovren.
The visitors had earlier taken the lead in the 65th minute through a fine volleyed effort by Marvin Emnes. The Dutch striker, who joined Swansea permanently over the summer after spending the second half of 2013-14 on loan with them from Middlesbrough, was making his first start of the season and netting his second goal of the campaign – the first having come in the previous round of the competition. And Emnes is delighted to be making an impression.
“I was in the right place and I hit it right into the corner,” the 26-year-old told www.swanseacity.net. “It was a good goal and I’m delighted to have scored.
“Every time you have a chance to impress the manager you have to take it. That was my first chance of the night and I took it, which was very pleasing. “But the game is 90 minutes long and everything changed within a few moments.
“They got their equaliser, then the red card is shown and they get a winner with virtually the last kick. We had worked so hard and to lose like that is very disappointing, particularly for our fans.”
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Liverpool defender Kolo Toure has no doubt team-mate Mario Balotelli is one of the best players in the world and is backing the striker to go on a scoring run following his goal in Tuesday night’s Capital One Cup win over Swansea.
On an eventful evening for the maverick frontman, Balotelli helped his side secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the fourth-round tie at Anfield, notching their equaliser in the 86th minute – only seven minutes after his introduction as a substitute.
With it being just his second goal in 12 games since his move to Liverpool and first in nine, the close-range finish was a welcome boost for Balotelli, although he was also involved in a couple of moments of controversy.
One was an off-the-ball confrontation with Swans midfielder Jonjo Shelvey and there were further words exchanged between the pair after the final whistle as they headed off the pitch.
Another came pre-match, when Balotelli was sent away from a warm-up exercise by Reds coach Mike Marsh, something Liverpool assistant boss Colin Pascoe later stressed had happened because of no issue other than the player having suffered a minor knee problem.
As for the man himself, Balotelli expressed his relief at finding the net again with a message on his official Twitter account simply reading: “Finally!”
And Toure, who also played with the 24-year-old at Manchester City, has every confidence Balotelli will soon be celebrating more goals.
“For strikers, goals are like food,” said Toure, quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“Mario needs to feed himself by scoring goals. Now he’s got that one he will do that now, definitely.
“Getting that goal will be fantastic for his confidence. He is a great player, he has just been lacking goals.
“Mario is my mate and I’ve tried to help him like (Liverpool captain) Stevie (Gerrard), the manager (Brendan Rodgers) and everyone else in the dressing room.
“We all know he’s a top player. I always tell him ‘you need to get out there and show you are one of the best players in the world’.
“He is one of the best. He has just been missing goals but they will come now.”
In a hectic finale to the tie, Balotelli’s goal was followed by a red card for Swansea defender Federico Fernandez in stoppage time – the latest in a series of refereeing decisions that has left the Welsh outfit’s boss Garry Monk fuming – and then a 95th-minute headed winner from Dejan Lovren.
The visitors had earlier taken the lead in the 65th minute through a fine volleyed effort by Marvin Emnes. The Dutch striker, who joined Swansea permanently over the summer after spending the second half of 2013-14 on loan with them from Middlesbrough, was making his first start of the season and netting his second goal of the campaign – the first having come in the previous round of the competition. And Emnes is delighted to be making an impression.
“I was in the right place and I hit it right into the corner,” the 26-year-old told www.swanseacity.net. “It was a good goal and I’m delighted to have scored.
“Every time you have a chance to impress the manager you have to take it. That was my first chance of the night and I took it, which was very pleasing. “But the game is 90 minutes long and everything changed within a few moments.
“They got their equaliser, then the red card is shown and they get a winner with virtually the last kick. We had worked so hard and to lose like that is very disappointing, particularly for our fans.”
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