Napoli manager Rafa Benitez predicts that Liverpool will qualify for the UEFA Champions League at the end of this season instead of Manchester United because Liverpool do not have European competitions to worry about this season.
The former Liverpool manager, who had his fair share of tense moments and arguments against Manchester United over the years, said this in his column in The Independent newspaper tonight:
“I think it will be the season when my old club Liverpool will finish in the top four, and get back to experiencing the great Anfield Champions League nights which were very special to me. I think there will be a changing of places because Liverpool coming fourth will mean Manchester United finishing outside of the Champions League. It is hard to talk confidently about these things in a crazy British season, of course, but Liverpool will have one important advantage when January is over.
“That is time. They don’t have to play in Europe in the months ahead and that is a big advantage when the others are distracted by those commitments. I don’t mean it is not good to be competing and pressing to win in the Premier League and Europe, too. In early 2009 at Liverpool – the middle of March that year – we played United, Real Madrid and Aston Villa in 12 days, won them all, scored 13 goals and conceded one. We found that precious moment when everyone was on fire and wanting to play, play, play – and pushing. We had so much confidence that we could beat anyone at that time.”
Here are tonight’s world soccer news headlines:
Premier League
- Liverpool will qualify for Champions League ahead of Manchester United, says Rafa Benitez — Independent
- Southampton: Mauricio Pochettino to decide long-term future in May — BBC Sport
- Salomon Kalou set for talks on move from Lille to Tottenham — The Mirror
- Pepe Mel’s ‘good friend’ Rafael Benítez persuaded him to take Albion job — The Guardian
- West Brom head coach Pepe Mel wants West Brom to play European football — BBC Sport
- West Bromwich Albion provides Pepe Mel with fresh chapter of a riveting life — The Guardian
- Kenwyne Jones left out of Stoke City squad after refusing to play — BBC Sport
- Sunderland close on Santiago Vergini signing — Sky Sports
- Manchester United striker Robin van Persie backs David Moyes — BBC Sport
- Cardiff City striker Nicky Maynard joins Wigan on loan — Wales Online
- Crystal Palace midfielder Jonathan Williams signs new contract — BBC Sport
- Carlton Cole: I could have gone to Turkey or the US – but always wanted West Ham return — Metro
- Hull’s Steve Bruce on controversial Assem Allam: We should be singing his name from the rooftops — The Mirror
- Nathaniel Chalobah loaned from Chelsea to Middlesbrough — Chelsea FC
- Norwich City playing game of life or death in battle to avoid relegation from Premier League — Telegraph
- Napoli want unsettled Tottenham midfielder Etienne Capoue — Sky Sports
- Luke Shaw and Jay Rodriguez seek assurances from Southampton as EPL big-hitters hover — Telegraph
- Crystal Palace’s Tony Pulis to stick by Jason Puncheon over penalties — The Guardian
- Aston Villa’s Grant Holt plans to “shove it” to critics of his loan move from Wigan — The Mirror
- Ravel Morrison ‘confused’ over West Ham’s stance in any potential move or new contract at Upton Park — Telegraph
MLS
- Which club did the best in 2014 MLS Draft? Take a bow, D.C. United — Pro Soccer Talk
Football League
- Tom Ince linked with move to Monaco — Evening Post
International soccer
- U.S. men to play 18th-ranked Ukraine in March friendly, World Cup tune-up — Sports Illustrated
The Nightly Soccer Report is tomorrow’s news today. It’s often tomorrow morning’s worldwide newspaper headlines that are published the night before. We do all the work for you, combing the Internet and aggregating the news for you. Read The Nightly Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every night before bed, so you can stay on top of all the news that matters.
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