Lovren: Not just me at Anfield that was bad

Dejan Lovren: Endured difficult first season at Liverpool

Dejan Lovren has admitted he did not play well in his debut season at Liverpool but says he was unfairly singled out for the team's poor form.

Liverpool paid £20million to sign Lovren from Southampton last summer, but the Croatian failed to reproduce the sort of form that had earned him the move to Anfield.

Brendan Rodgers' side finished sixth, having finished second the year before, but while Lovren accepts he was not at his best, he believes he received an unfair proportion of blame for the Reds' struggles.

"It has been tough," Lovren told the Liverpool Echo. "I think it was a tough year for everyone at the club and the fans. I wasn't quiet last season, I just wanted to concentrate on myself

"I knew what was happening with how I was playing was not right and I didn't want to speak about it. At Southampton it was different. There was a good atmosphere and I was happy.

"If I am not playing well, I cannot be happy. I didn't pretend. But it is not Dejan Lovren-Liverpool, you know? I cannot defend all alone. It is 11 players. When we are good, everyone is good.

"When we are bad, everyone is bad, not just me. I think we need to look like this, not just put the pressure on me or point the finger. I don't agree with this.

"I know what the papers were writing about me. I don't want to have to listen to this again. We want to move on as a team. When we are better, it is because we will be doing all together good."

Liverpool have strengthened heavily over the summer, with Kolo Toure claiming Christian Benteke will complete a side that could be unbeatable, and Lovren is also confident of a better season.

"We knew that at the end of the season we should have done better," he said. "Now we need to forget it and look forward. We cannot look back. I know this season will definitely be better.

"I hope this year we will have a better start. The signs are promising at the minute and we have made great signings.

"James has been brilliant, Divock has been amazing and Danny is quite quick. I hope that I will have a good season as well.

"It is better that you have competition than not. We are all fighting for our places - nobody can be 100% certain for his place. I think it is a good thing for the club that we have quality defenders."

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Rodgers unsure on Balotelli future

Mario Balotelli: Had a poor first year at Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers says he is "not sure" whether Mario Balotelli will still be a Liverpool after the transfer window closes.

Balotelli was left out of the squad to tour South East Asia and Australia and is instead training back at the club's Melwood base.

The £16million striker, who started just 10 league games last season, angered some Liverpool supporters on Monday when he publicly congratulated former team-mate Raheem Sterling on his debut goal for Manchester City.

Rodgers stopped short of guaranteeing Balotelli's Anfield future when the question was put to him at a Kuala Lumpur press conference ahead of Friday's game against a Malaysia XI.

He said: "I'm not sure - that'll be entirely up to Mario. He's working very hard to get fit and that's something we'll see when the season begins.

"Mario's obviously not on the tour, but he's been training well back at Melwood with a number of other players."

Liverpool have already signed forwards Danny Ings and Roberto Firmino this summer, while a £32.5m deal for Christian Benteke is expected to go through.

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Benteke will make us unbeatable - Toure

Christian Benteke: Set to join Liverpool from Aston Villa

Kolo Toure believes the signing of Christian Benteke will complete a Liverpool team that nobody can beat provided they stay mentally strong.

Benteke is expected to finalise his move to Anfield on Wednesday and could be the Reds' last signing of the summer, although fresh speculation suggests they are also interested in Paris Saint-Germain left-back Lucas Digne.

Even without any further additions, Toure believes Brendan Rodgers has built a side capable of challenging for the Premier League title this season.

"Benteke is a great player," Toure told the Liverpool Echo.

"It's much better to have him on my side than have to play against him.

"He's so strong and powerful - we all know about his qualities.

"He's a goalscorer but his mental strength is very important.

"I've played against some good strikers who are mentally weak.

"Benteke isn't weak, he stands up for himself. No matter what happens on he pitch, he will perform.

"The club has done some unbelievable business this summer and it's going to be a big season for us.

"I see so much talent in this squad. So much will be played in the mind.

"If we are strong mentally then I don't think anyone can beat us with the team the manager has built."

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Nasri tells Sterling to ignore 'stupid fans'

Raheem Sterling: Congratulated after scoring on Manchester City debut

Samir Nasri has told his new Manchester City team-mate Raheem Sterling to ignore the "stupid fans" like the ones that booed him in Australia.

Sterling scored within three minutes of his first appearance for City on Tuesday night in Melbourne but had already been booed by that stage as he fell over the ball following his first touch of the game.

Nasri knows only too well of the treatment Sterling is likely to face from Liverpool supporters this season, having upset Arsenal fans when he left for City in 2011.

"You always have stupid fans in the stadium. The same thing happened to me when I left Arsenal," Nasri said in the Daily Mirror.

"You have to move on. He has come to Manchester City and you have to respect his decision.

"We just have to let him play and he will show how talented he is. He has speed and goals and he's one of the hottest prospects in world football.

"If the transfer is not too heavy on his shoulders then he can bring us many, many things.

"I have not spoken to him about the pressure and the reaction of the fans because we did not expect this.

"This is a game between Roma and Manchester City in Melbourne!

"We didn't expect anything like that from these fans, so it is a little surprise. But if he needs any advice about that, then he can come and talk to me."

Mario Balotelli also upset Liverpool fans on Tuesday when he tweeted in support of his former team-mate.

"Well done @sterling 31 ! Best Answer, keep it up," Balotelli wrote.

"Liverpool fans are amazing but I hope@sterling31 will play at his best because he deserve it. He's a good guy young and talented.....

"Support him Like you always did .He gave everything to this club and respect it so im sad to see this.YNWA ,Liverpool is a family ALWAYS."

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Christian Benteke to complete Liverpool move on Wednesday

Christian Benteke will complete his Liverpool move today

Christian Benteke will reportedly complete his move to Liverpool from Aston Villa today.

The Belgian striker underwent his medical on Tuesday and Sky sources understand an announcement is expected today on the completion of the £32.5m transfer.

It is expected that Benteke will be Liverpool’s last signing of the summer ahead of their Premier League campaign, which starts at Stoke on August 9.

Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers has been busy in the transfer market this summer, bringing in James Milner, Adam Bogdan, Danny Ings, Nathanial Clyne, Roberto Firmino and Joe Gomez.

Sky Sports News

reporter Kaveh Solhekol, who is in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur with the Liverpool squad, said securing Benteke's signature was Rodgers' top priority.

Solhekol said: "Benteke was his No 1 target. He has already signed six players this summer and there is a general feeling at the club that he will be the last.

"There are still stories linking Liverpool with a move for Marco Reus and Real Madrid’s Asier Illarramendi. But I’ve been told those reports are nonsense.

"As far as Liverpool are concerned, I’ve been told they are just working on tying up that Christian Benteke deal and then as far as Brendan Rodgers is concerned he has the players that he needs for next season."

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Liverpool's Rickie Lambert set for West Brom talks

Rickie Lambert: Set for talks with West Brom

West Brom are due to hold talks with Rickie Lambert’s representatives in the next 24 hours, according to reports.

Albion boss Tony Pulis is expected to step up his bid to sign the Liverpool striker after returning from the club’s recent pre-season tour of the US.

Lambert has one year remaining on his current contract but has fallen down the pecking order since joining from Southampton last summer.

The 33-year-old, who has scored just three goals in 36 appearances for the Reds, is likely to see his chances of first-team football diminish further with the expected arrival of Christian Benteke from Aston Villa.

Lambert turned down a deadline day move to Aston Villa during the January transfer window to stay with the team which released him as a teenager.

Norwich City, AFC Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough have also been linked with the England international.

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Christian Benteke could be Liverpool's last summer signing

Aston Villa's Christian Benteke: Medical progressing well

Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke is likely to be Liverpool's final signing of the summer, according to reports.

Benteke’s medical is currently ongoing and "progressing well", according to Sky Sports News HQ reporter Kaveh Solhekol, who is out in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur with the Liverpool squad.

Benteke’s arrival had been expected to be confirmed by the Reds on Tuesday afternoon but it may now not be announced until Wednesday.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has been busy in the transfer market this summer, bringing in James Milner, Adam Bogdan, Danny Ings, Nathanial Clyne, Roberto Firmino and Joe Gomez.

Belgium striker Benteke is expected to be the last piece in the jigsaw for Rodgers, who is splashing out £32.5m on a player former Villa boss Paul Lambert spent £5.5m on three years ago.

Solhekol said: "Benteke was his No 1 target. He has already signed six players this summer and there is a general feeling at the club that he will be the last.

"There are still stories linking Liverpool with a move for Marco Reus and Real Madrid’s Asier Illarramendi. But I’ve been told those reports are nonsense.

"As far as Liverpool are concerned, I’ve been told they are just working on tying up that Christian Benteke deal and then as far as Brendan Rodgers is concerned he has the players that he needs for next season."

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Liverpool fans angry at Mario Balotelli after Raheem Sterling tweet

Mario Balotelli's tweet congratulating Raheem Sterling did not go down well with some Liverpool fans

Mario Balotelli has angered Liverpool fans after he congratulated former team-mate Raheem Sterling for scoring on his Manchester City debut.

Sterling finally completed an acrimonious £49m move to City last week and took less than three minutes to find the target for his new club in their 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over Roma in the International Champions Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Balotelli took to social media and tweeted: "Well done @sterling 31 ! Best Answer, keep it up."

However, the former City striker soon regretted his post as other Twitter users urged the Italy international to follow Sterling's lead.

@KopWorldEdito responded: "Hurry up and follow him out of the Anfield exit please."

"@FinallyMario the club may have treated you poorly but the fans have had your back 100% from day one, disappointed to say the least," added @LiverpooLegacy.

Balotelli responded with two further Tweets: "Liverpool fans are amazing but i hope@sterling31 will play at his best because he deserve it. He's a good guy young and talented.....

"Support him Like you always did .He gave everything to this club and respect it so im sad to see this.YNWA ,Liverpool is a family ALWAYS."

However, Balotelli’s best efforts failed to calm down some Liverpool fans still angry over the manner of the 20-year-old’s departure.

"Back doing what I love doing," Sterling later tweeted with a picture of himself, which was also met by some abusive replies.

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