Rodgers' Reds: Class is Permanent

"A disappointing draw against Liverpool"

You played yourself, did ya?

Nice win over United and a strong month

Lucas Romero now where have I seen him before?
If I remember correctly you said you would put in a screenshot of the league every so often, are you able to put one or two in?

Great month and great signing. I'd recommend Gabbiadini, has worked wonders for me. Depay [around 15-18m] too

Iconic: It was! Yeah it felt great naturally, to beat Man Utd, especially to win by a huge score line like 5-1. League Cup glory is very possible!

James: Thanks! Always great to hear your feedback.

Neal:

Denzy: Thanks!

Iconic: Unfortunately I won't be able to put any screenshots of the current season up as I am already way ahead in the 2nd season in the save, screenshots of the league will start from the second season onwards though

Jeremy: Don't need a forward/winger at the moment because of the immense young talents I have at those positions, but we'll see!

After a long absence of 6 years, Liverpool have returned to the knockout stages of the Champions League. Their last run in the knockout stages lasted until the Quarter Finals, where they went out against Chelsea in 2009. Since then, they have not managed to return to their best, but things might just change this year.

Brendan Rodgers' men are still on the lookout for a quadruple - they are in the Capital One Cup Final, have fought their way to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, and currently sit at the top of the Premier League.

The Northern Irish manager has truly masterminded a revival of sorts this season. After finishing 2nd the previous year, Liverpool have only gotten better, despite the loss of Luis Suarez in the summer.


In an interview today with Rodgers ahead of his team's preparation for the First Knockout Round, where Liverpool will face Turkish side Galatasaray, the 42-year-old spoke about the challenge of Europe's most prestigious club competition.

"It's a very great feeling to top our group and make it to the Knockout Rounds, but here is where the Champions League really begins," Rodgers told Sky Sports. "All the top teams in Europe will be playing against each other and we will have to play very well if we want to go all the way and win it.

"It's not impossible. In fact, it's very possible, but we are going to have to play some magnificent football. Myself personally, I'm looking forward to the challenge."

The squad will be flying out to Turkey in a few days for the first leg, a home game for Galatasaray, and Rodgers has gone public with his admiration of Liverpool's first round opponents.

"Galatasaray are a very good team. They have players that we have to watch out for. Wesley Sneijder, Felipe Melo, I could name more. Fernando Muslera, their goalkeeper, is someone who's brilliant on his day as well.

"The fans in Turkey are really expressive and supportive of their team so it might be a bit hard for us to go there and play, especially some of the younger lads who don't have much experience playing against foreign clubs. But ultimately I believe in the quality of the team. Training has also been great and we're more than prepared."


Liverpool are one of the most successful clubs in the competition, having won the Champions League 5 times, in the years 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, and 2005.

And Rodgers issued a bold declaration: "My ambition for Liverpool is to one day beat Real Madrid's record of 10 Champions League wins. It's going to be a long journey, but we'll get there, I'm sure."

Liverpool take on Galatasaray next week on the back of a 6-game winning streak, and the second leg is due to take place at Anfield the following month.

It has been one of the best months for Liverpool as they've won all their February games, including the first leg of their First Knockout Round game against Galatasaray, although by a narrow margin of 1-0. Besides that, they also progress to the Sixth Round of the FA Cup after triumphing over Wigan.

Liverpool February Player of the Month

Simon Mignolet has been fantastic for Liverpool this month only conceding 1 goal and keeping 5 clean sheets in 6 games. A truly remarkable record and the goalkeeper definitely deserves the plaudits.

Manager's Thoughts

February was a very nice month for us, we managed to ship in 3 goals each against Arsenal and Manchester City, and it was a great feeling since these were the only two teams that have won against us in the Premier League so far this season. We also have a Capital One Cup Final coming up against Arsenal next month so to beat them now is a good omen for later. Regarding the Champions League, we're also in a good position, beating Galatasaray 1-0 away, and I can only imagine the result leaning more in our favor at Anfield. The season ahead is looking pretty bright!

awesome update u have bellotelli playing well

Jason: Everyone is playing well!

Hello to all! I'm John Thomas, reporting live at the Wembley Stadium. We're definitely in for a day of good football, with two of the Premier League's giants Liverpool and Arsenal facing each other in the Final of the Capital One Cup. I will be the man bringing you all the action and highlights live throughout the game, and I hope you'll enjoy sitting this one through with me. It's going to be a great afternoon.


Liverpool began the tournament with a convincing win against West Ham United, followed by a win over Tottenham in the Fourth Round. They were handed a relatively easy Quarter Final match against Sheffield Wednesday where they unsurprisingly came out on top. Last but not least, their last obstacle to the Final were rivals Manchester United. The Red Devils were overcame in spectacular fashion, as the Merseyside club came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 5-1 in the second leg.


Arsenal kicked their way into the Capital One Cup starting with a win over Queens Park Rangers in the Third Round, followed by a relatively tough draw against Manchester City for the Fourth Round - however, City didn't live up to their billing as they were brushed aside easily. The Quarter Final against London rivals Chelsea proved to be the match that made Arsenal fight tooth and nail, as they ended the game on a level score and had to proceed to win on penalties. Leicester put up a great fight in the Semi Final, but victory again went to the Gunners.


Liverpool's lineup offer little to no surprise as they choose to go for their usual back four. Clyne and Moreno are especially brilliant at getting forward, and Arsenal's own full-backs will have to keep their eye on them. Sakho and Skrtel are both solid together and have formed an almost unbeatable partnership at the back this season. Steven Gerrard, the leader, assumes his defensive midfielder role, deputy Jordan Henderson playing further up in the center. Raheem Sterling, who has been ever present in the team, stays at left midfield while Philippe Coutinho will support Daniel Sturridge in his quest to score the goals. Completing the starting eleven is Mario Balotelli playing as a right winger, a position where he has impressed and improved on tremendously.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have sprung some surprises as they choose to go with a few youth team players. Isaac Hayden, tipped to have a bright future at the Emirates, will start alongside fellow youngsters Calum Chambers and Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill. This leaves Neven Subotic, a summer arrival from Dortmund, as the only senior figure in Arsenal's defense. In midfield, Mesut Ozil's unlikely partner in the center of the pitch is youth team player Dan Crowley. The Gunners' front line is one to look out for as they boast the likes of Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez, two wingers who are always on hand to wreak havoc upon their opponents. Jack Wilshere, playing in his number 10 role, is the man who will captain Arsenal today. Last but not least, Arsenal's striker for the Final is Danny Welbeck, who has been awarded a start ahead of usual first-choice Olivier Giroud.

1' - And with that, let's kick on into the game!

13' - GOAL! 0-1 to Arsenal! Fantastic play from Arsenal's forwards! An Arsenal throw-in leads to Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez teaming up to beat the Liverpool defenders, managing to scramble a ball across to Danny Welbeck. His shot is rebounded by Martin Skrtel, but Santi Cazorla gets to it and hits an attempt that flies into the top left corner of the net.


15' - Arsenal are controlling the game well against a usually possession-hungry Liverpool. Ozil hits a great ball up for Sanchez to get to, but the Chilean's shot is comfortably saved by Simon Mignolet.

24' - Liverpool are beginning to get into the game after a fairly poor first 20 minutes, and Daniel Sturridge is able to force Wojciech Szczesny into action with a great effort from outside the danger area.

26' - GOAL! 1-1! Liverpool prove once again to be deadly with their set pieces, as Jordan Henderson receives the ball from a well-taken Steven Gerrard corner, and smashes it easily into the net with his strong foot. Amazing finish.


32' - A cross from Raheem Sterling finds Mario Balotelli, but he isn't able to get a clean shot at goal as the ball is blocked and cleared by Isaac Hayden.

33' - Liverpool remain on the offensive, Sterling finding Coutinho with a pinpoint pass. The Reds' attacking midfielder, finding himself with plenty of space, hits a low effort but is denied by Szczesny.

34' - Arsenal go on the counter attack, as their defenders clear the ball toward Sanchez, who races down the left wing and easily dances past Alberto Moreno with a demonstration of skill. Unfortunately, he is stopped by Steven Gerrard, who comes flying in with a tackle to regain possession for his side.

37' - GOAL! 2-1! Philippe Coutinho played a perfect pass for Mario Balotelli, releasing the Italian as he chases the prize, completely getting rid of his marker, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill being completely unable to keep up with him. A great strike from Super Mario easily beats Szczesny to put Liverpool in the lead.


39' - Liverpool are playing with so much confidence at the moment and it's looking dire for Arsenal. They could have so easily made it 3-1, as Balotelli gets his head to a cross from Sterling, but only managing to rattle the crossbar.

40' - Arsenal get a rare chance at leveling as Danny Welbeck is presented with a golden opportunity after getting to a Cazorla free kick, but he completely blotches it, his shot going completely out wide for a goal kick.

45' - HT: Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal. It's looking good for Liverpool after a slow start to the match, and if they play as well as they've been playing, there is no doubt that they could go home with their first trophy of the season.

45' - We kick off the second half here at Wembley Stadium, with Liverpool currently leading against Arsenal 2-1.

56' - Arsenal make their first change of the day, bringing in Laurent Koscielny for Isaac Hayden, who has not managed to do much in silencing Liverpool's attackers today.

59' - PENALTY FOR LIVERPOOL! Jack Wilshere brings down Nathaniel Clyne inside the box, and the referee immediately points to the spot!

60' - GOAL! 3-1! Steven Gerrard coolly slots away his penalty, and Arsenal are in a real mess.


61' - With the game almost disappearing from them, Arsenal decide to take out another youth player, as Dan Crowley comes off to be replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

66' - Welbeck hits a long ball up to Sanchez, who does well to beat Moreno and latch onto it, but Skrtel gets a foot in to deny his effort at goal.

74' - Arsenal bring on Lukas Podolski to replace Sanchez, who has been suffering against Liverpool's defenders the entire game. Liverpool themselves also bring on two players, with Eder Alvarez Balanta coming in for Moreno and Gerrard being substituted for Lucas Romero.


85' - The action seems to have died now by now with Liverpool content to see out the win and put their men behind to frustrate Arsenal, who is unable to break through for goalscoring chances.

89' - Balanta manages a cross into the box, and Balotelli rises highest, but once again, he cannot hit the back of the net as his header clips the bar and goes over.

90' - FT: Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal. Liverpool bring home their 9th League Cup title, against a disappointing Arsenal team who failed to do much to challenge the current league leaders. Wonderful display from Brendan Rodgers' men, there is really no one else that deserves the trophy more than Liverpool.

Player Ratings - Liverpool

Simon Mignolet - 6. Didn't need to do much as Arsenal were repeatedly unable to get bodies up front, could have reacted a little quicker to Cazorla's goal but didn't make any major mistakes.

Nathaniel Clyne - 7. Performed adequately at right-back against Cazorla, made threatening runs forward that forced the opposition to keep their eyes on him.

Martin Skrtel - 7. Played well and stopped many of Arsenal's attempts.

Mamadou Sakho - 7. Like his fellow central defender, managed to break up plenty of Arsenal's attacking play and had a good time at the back.

Alberto Moreno - 6. Didn't do well against Sanchez but was backed up by his fellow defenders and thus didn't need to.

Steven Gerrard - 8. Magnificent display from a magnificent captain, was a nightmare for Wilshere to handle. Scored a great penalty to kill off the game.

Jordan Henderson - 8. Typical performance from the midfield general. Easily outplayed Ozil and was responsible for the equaliser.

Raheem Sterling - 7. Quiet throughout the game compared to his teammates but did manage to get a few great crosses in.

Mario Balotelli - 8. Managed to make some very good goalscoring opportunities for himself, looked like a natural on the right wing. Scored the second goal.

Philippe Coutinho - 9. Bossed his way through Arsenal's players countless times during the game and was a thorn in their side for the entirety of 90 minutes. Classy.

Daniel Sturridge - 6. Didn't have a very lively game and had a bad time in front of goal, but overall played alright.

Eder Alvarez Balanta - 7. Came on for Moreno in the 74th minute. Showed that he could play as well at left-back as he does at center-back, made some nice crosses for his forwards to get to.

Lucas Romero - 6. Came on for Gerrard in the 74th minute. Had a quiet few minutes as his side saw out the win.

Adam Lallana - N/A. Came on for Sturridge in the 81st minute. Didn't have much time to influence the game.

Player Ratings - Arsenal

Wojciech Szczesny - 7. Had to be at his best against the likes of Coutinho and Balotelli, and did what he could. Wasn't at fault for any of Liverpool's goals.

Calum Chambers - 6. Was average, didn't make many mistakes but didn't do much either.

Neven Subotic - 6. Average as well, tried his best but couldn't stop Liverpool without a better defending partner and understandably so.

Isaac Hayden - 5. Failed to repay his manager's faith in him and had a poor game.

Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill - 5. With his contract running out at the end of the season, this game hasn't done anything to prove he deserves a new one.

Dan Crowley - 5. Was another youth team player that played poorly. Looked extremely small against Henderson.

Mesut Ozil - 6. Had a normal game but normal wasn't enough. Bossed around by Henderson in midfield.

Jack Wilshere - 4. Given the armband for such an important game but messed it up for his own team, being at fault for the penalty that ultimately destroyed any hope of a comeback.

Santi Cazorla - 8. The best player on the pitch for Arsenal, Cazorla scored the opening goal and was a more dangerous threat to Liverpool than any of his other teammates with his skill and ability.

Danny Welbeck - 7. Failed to bag any goals but still looked solid against an impregnable Liverpool back four.

Laurent Koscielny - 5. Came on for Hayden in the 56th minute. Intended to beef up the defense but failed to do much better than the teenager he replaced.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 6. Came on for Crowley in the 61st minute. Like Koscielny, was probably called up to power the Gunners' midfield but could not find any space for himself and didn't get the ball too many times.

Lukas Podolski - 6. Came on for Sanchez in the 74th minute. At a time when Arsenal were already looking lifeless, could not do anything to help as his side succumbed to a loss.

Brilliant update and a brilliant result to match, Glenn. You've got this Liverpool team playing some class football already, so it will be even more interesting to see where you can take them from here on!

^^ this

pompeyblue & Jeremy: Thank you very much!

Liverpool continue to power their way through the Barclays Premier League, picking up wins against Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Chelsea. However, they have been constantly frustrated by Southampton, drawing against them in both the league and the FA Cup, but they're eventually triumphed over in the Sixth Round Replay, a game that went on until extra time. In Europe, Liverpool also make it to the Quarter Finals after beating Galatasaray.

Liverpool March Player of the Month

Mamadou Sakho has been an iron wall in the heart of Liverpool's defense and his contributions this month are nothing short of remarkable, with his efforts helping his team concede only 2 goals in 4 Premier League games. His central-defending partner has rotated all season between Skrtel, Lovren and Balanta, but his name is the only one that stays regularly on the starting sheet.

Manager's Thoughts

Not the best of months but we'll take it. Southampton was particularly annoying but we beat them in the FA Cup in the end, and we'll be heading to Wembley one more time to compete in the FA Cup Semi Finals, another trophy that I'm hoping to win, after our victory in the Capital One Cup tournament. We're also looking really fantastic in terms of league form and Manchester United have strayed behind us at the top, so we might even manage to complete a treble, who knows? With that said, it's time to kick on into the next month.

After a few fairly intense games in the First Knockout Round, it's time for the draw to see who will play against who in the Quarter Finals of the UEFA Champions League. The last eight clubs standing in the tournament can definitely be considered some of the biggest giants in Europe, and we're in for a couple of exciting games.

Teams

Porto
Dortmund
Real Madrid
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Paris Saint-Germain
Barcelona
Juventus


Real Madrid, rather surprisingly, only barely managed to scrape it through to the Quarter Final. The current holders of the Champions League won in a rather unconvincing fashion against Zenit, who almost caused an upset in the second leg. Despite this, Los Blancos is not a team to be trifled with. Boasting a squad that consists of firepower like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, as well as extremely solid defenders Sergio Ramos and Marcelo, Real can be considered as one of the strongest still currently in the tournament.

Key Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Bayern Munich faced a tougher opponent in the First Knockout Round in the form of Chelsea, who led them 1-0 from the first leg, but Bayern struck back 2-0 in the second to advance. Bayern are armed with fantastic players all-around, including former Real man Xabi Alonso, who has been instrumental so far for them this season. Robert Lewandowski is another danger man for Bayern, but perhaps the ones that Real will need to pay more attention to are Die Bayern's captain and his deputy, Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger, who have been responsible for wrecking many of their opponents together.

Key Player: Philipp Lahm


This fixture will see Liverpool and Juventus facing each other for only the second time since the Heysel Stadium disaster, where 39 football fans - mostly supporting Juventus, lost their lives while spectating the 1985 European Cup Final between the two aforementioned teams at the Heysel Stadium in Belgium.

Liverpool are the only English team remaining in the competition after the elimination of Chelsea in the First Knockout Round, and will look to continue their run. They have looked impressive all season and currently top the Barclays Premier League, and why would they not? Mamadou Sakho has looked brilliant in defense since the start of the Reds' Premier League campaign, while the trio of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutino and Lazar Markovic have formed a flawless partnership together. Galatasaray were easily brushed aside, and Liverpool will look to take their form to Italy and Juventus.

Key Player: Raheem Sterling

Juventus went relatively unchallenged in the First Round against oil-rich Monaco, the French side having failed to put up much of a challenge. It can be argued that Juve's midfield is their strongest point, as Juve fans regularly enjoy the sight of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal outplaying opponents, but their strike force of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente is at the same time amazingly prolific.

Key Player: Andrea Pirlo


Barcelona had to fight hard in the First Round after losing the first leg 3-0 against an in-form Lille, and they completed one of the most magnificent comebacks to hit back 5-0 in the second leg on home ground. Barca may just have one of the best, if not the best front three in the world, comprising of South American trio Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, and Neymar, who have notched up a terrific number of goals between them this season in La Liga. But their strength in other areas should not go unnoticed. Xavi, their captain, acts as a great leader for the Catalans from midfield and with Gerard Pique at the back, they can have little defensive worries.

Key Player: Lionel Messi

Paris Saint-Germain lost 2-0 in their second leg match against Roma, but it didn't matter for Le PSG who had already established a 3-0 lead from the first leg. A well-balanced team forged by the riches of their Qatari owners, PSG have their leader Thiago Silva at the back partnered with David Luiz, who became the most expensive defender in football after arriving in the summer. From midfield, Yohan Cabaye pulls the strings, followed by regular strike partners Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani.

Key Player: Zlatan Ibrahimovic


Porto's games in the First Round were nothing short of marvelous as they battled it out against CSKA Moscow, and it was the Portuguese champions who came out top in the end after a 5-4 aggregate score. Danilo is one defender that can cause problems for the opposition, the right-back being one of the more influential players for his side this season. But the ultimate challenge will be to stop Jackson Martinez, who seldom fails to manage at least a goal for Porto in every game he plays.

Key Player: Jackson Martinez

Dortmund will be made to face another Portuguese giant after getting rid of Benfica fairly easily in the First Round. The Germans don't have a recognized star man up front, but instead pack plenty of power in their midfield and defense. Captain Mats Hummels will be looking to inspire his team to victory. Marco Reus and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are two others who have been performing stupendously, and are just some of the people that have to be looked out for.

Key Player: Mats Hummels