You'll Never Walk Alone

Liverpool cemented their hold on top spot in the Premier League with a 5-1 thumping of Newcastle at St James' Park.

It was a statement of intent from Rafael Benitez's side, who continue to strengthen their credentials as genuine title contenders and will top the table at the end of 2008.

A brace from Steven Gerrard and goals from Sami Hyypia, Ryan Babel and a Xabi Alonso penalty helped the Reds to a score-line that frankly flattered a disjointed and listless Toon, whose token reply came from David Edgar.

Liverpool utterly dominated the match but were denied a rugby score by some incredible goalkeeping by Shay Given.

The Irishman made world-class stops from Dirk Kuyt, Hyypia and twice apiece from Gerrard and Lucas Leiva, while Charles N'Zogbia cleared one corner off the line.

One of Given's saves from Brazilian midfielder Lucas defied physics as he managed to change direction while diving the wrong way to somehow get a one-handed, strong-arm parry on his point-blank header from a corner.

Given could do little about any of the goals though.

By the time Liverpool opened the scoring they had seen 10 opportunities spurned or saved by Given. Just after the half-hour mark Jamie Carragher found space on the overlap and cut the ball back to Javier Mascherano, who freed Yossi Benayoun on the right.

The Israeli could have shot at the near post but he spotted an unmarked Gerrard just inside the box and cut the ball back to the Liverpool captain, who rifled an unstoppable finish in off the post.

Hyypia doubled the lead five minutes later. Slack marking at a corner allowed the Finnish stopper to power an unchallenged header past the stranded Given, who should have received more help from N'Zogbia guarding the post.

Despite Liverpool's stranglehold on the match, Newcastle pulled one back and could even have been level at the break.

Michael Owen had a 33rd-minute goal incorrectly disallowed when Damien Duff was adjudged to have been offside while he raced on to Jonas Gutierrez's perfect through-ball.

They did pull one back though, just before the half-time whistle, when young Canadian defender Edgar beat Carragher to a Danny Guthrie corner and headed in to the right of Pepe Reina's goal just after Steven Taylor had gone close with a similar effort.

Newcastle were more than happy to press the self-destruct button though.

The second half started promisingly for the hosts, with substitute Shola Ameobi threatening down the right on two occasions.

But any hopes of a dramatic Toon comeback were dashed at a 50th-minute corner when comical defending from Fabricio Coloccini in particular handed Ryan Babel the freedom of the penalty area to finish past the hapless Given.

Substitute Geremi almost have the hosts some hope when he rattled a long-range free-kick off the top of the crossbar on the hour mark, but Liverpool put the result beyond doubt when Gerrard raced on to a perfectly-weighted diagonal pass from Lucas and lifted the finish over the onrushing Given.

It was a great injustice that Given conceded five goals as his performance barely warranted a single strike. Again he had little say in the matter when Edgar scythed down Babel in the box and Alonso - who had only recently come on for Gerrard - despatched the penalty with aplomb.

Liverpool almost got a late sixth but Given again was on hand to deny Lucas with a far-post header that was destined for the top right.

Newcastle had a couple of chances to reduce arrears, with Guthrie and Ameobi forcing smart stops from Reina, but any consolation would have been scant as Liverpool cut second-placed Chelsea's goal-difference and the Magpies found themselves right back in a relegation scrap.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is "sure" his side will overcome Real Madrid to book a place in the last eight of the Champions League.Torres faced European heartbreak last season as Liverpool were knocked out in the semi-finals by Chelsea.

The Reds are unbeaten in this year's competition but now face a tricky test against the reigning La Liga champions.

However, Torres believes his team will book their place in the quarter-finals.

"We all realise that it is going to be a tough tie against Real Madrid," he wrote on his personal site.

"I don't like talking about a possible favourite, but I am sure that we are going to qualify for the next round."

However, the former Atletico Madrid player admitted he has not had much luck against the Spanish giants previously.

He said: "When I was playing my football in Spain, I used to score a lot against Barcelona, but found it harder when playing versus Real Madrid."

Torres also looked back on a fantastic first season for Liverpool and is hoping for more of the same in the new year.

It has been a mixed start to this campaign for the 24-year-old who has been blighted by injury.

However, Torres will have been buoyed to see his team sitting pretty at the top of the table and the Euro 2008 winner admits that the Premier League remains Liverpool's priority.

"I'm a bit sad to be coming to the end of this year," he wrote.

"The first nine months were unbelievable and at the end, even though I could not play regularly because of injury, there was recognition in the form of awards and nominations, like the PFA's, L'Equipe and being a finalist in the FIFA World Player award.

"I have said before that this has been my best year as a professional footballer.

"I adapted to Liverpool far quicker than expected, and to end the 2007-08 season winning Euro 2008 was a perfect finish.

"I hope that at the end of 2009 we can say the same celebrating another title.

"I hope to avoid injuries and that we win the Premier League title; it is the dream of every 'Red' - fans, coaching staff and players.

"And it would be great to sign off the season lifting the Confederations Cup with Spain in South Africa."

Liverpool stayed one point clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League thanks to a 3-0 win over Bolton at Anfield.

A second-half brace from Robbie Keane and a first-half strike by Albert Riera secured the points for the hosts, who had earlier seen both their title rivals, Chelsea and Manchester United, win.

It was the first time in 20 days that any of the top three secured maximum points, although United have two games in hand after Club World Cup duty, and it was fitting that all three should win simultaneously.

Liverpool totally controlled the first half but only had one goal and one good chance to show for 75 per cent possession.

The visitors barely passed the halfway line, while Liverpool's back five were redundant.

Despite this it took a set-piece on 26 minutes to create the first meaningful opportunity, which Riera took with aplomb.

Steven Gerrard's corner was sent near post and, after whisper from Dan Agger, the Spanish winger raced across the area to prod the ball home as Johan Elmander recoiled instead of making a challenge.

Yossi Benayoun went close with a half-volley 11 minutes later but otherwise Liverpool were as toothless as they were dominant.

The second half was a different story as the hosts earned the score-line they deserved through two Keane goals in four minutes.

Keane had been heavily-criticised for a lack of goals in his short Liverpool career but, after his equaliser against Arsenal the previous week, he seems to finally be hitting form - and the back of the net.

On 53 minutes, Gerrard went on a driving run through midfield and spotted Keane move into space just to the left of the area.

Keane raced on to the through-ball and rifled a left-foot drive into the roof of the net past the helpless Jussi Jaaskelainen.

The Irishman's second - which sandwiched a great chance for Kuyt who mis-timed a diving header from Riera's superb cross - came from a similar counter-attack.

Pepe Reina released Xabi Alonso with a quick throw, the Spaniard went wide right to Benayoun and the Israeli pinged a low, first-time ball which Keane finished with ease.

The Reds were cruising and eased off their visitors, and they rested Riera, Gerrard and Kuyt while knocking the ball out with ease.

Substitute Ebi Smolarek almost grabbed a late consolation for Bolton when he fired inches wide after good midfield play by Fabrice Muamba, while Liverpool came close to extending their lead in the closing minutes but had to settle for a succession of corners and a spectacular double-save by Jaaskelainen deep into injury time.

The three-goal win also meant that Liverpool now have the same goal difference as third-placed United, who are seven points off the lead but with a maximum of six in hand.

Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has hit back at Emmanuel Adebayor after he accused the Spaniard of helping him get sent off.

Adebayor was dismissed for a second bookable offence during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Liverpool following a clash with Arbeloa.

The Togo striker accused Arbeloa of acting like he "had put a knife in him" after going down under Adebayor's challenge.

Arbeloa has rejected Adebayor's claims that he is a diver and says the Gunners hit-man has no-one to blame but himself for getting sent off.

"Adebayor is a player who uses his arms and elbows when he is playing and usually that means a foul," Arbeloa told the Daily Star.

"I had nothing to do with the sending-off. I don't feel like it was my fault, it was what Adebayor did.

"I am a professional and I would never play-act to get someone sent off.

"I do not want to get involved in any controversy with Arsenal, but I received a blow in the face and a foul and if the ref then shows a yellow card that is not my problem."

Rafael Benitez is close to a return to the Liverpool dugout while striker Fernando Torres is also inching his way towards a comeback.

The Liverpool manager missed another media briefing on Tuesday as he recovers from a kidney stones operation, but he is expected back on the bench for the Boxing Day home clash with Bolton.

That date may well be too soon for Torres' return from a hamstring injury, but assistant boss Sammy Lee revealed the Spanish forward is improving in every training session.

Liverpool go into the Lancashire derby top of the Barclays Premier League, and protecting an unbeaten home league record in 2008.

It is the first time Liverpool have been top at this stage since 1996, and two wins over the holiday period against Bolton first and then at Newcastle on Sunday will give them their best points tally in a calendar year for 19 years.

These are heady times for Liverpool and Lee was left to hold the reins on Sunday in the 1-1 draw at Arsenal, but is not expecting to be in temporary charge much longer.

Of Benitez's fitness, he said: "Rafa is a lot better, he's on the mend. He has been in a lot of pain but he is improving.

"His presence is always missed, but the organisation he has put in place is such that even though he has not been here this week, the battle plan is still there.

"We know what we have to do, the game plan is there, it is business as usual.

"He is missed and hopefully he will be back with us for the Bolton game."

He added: "He is a hands-on manager, it is hurting him more being away from the training ground really, but he will be back soon.

"The lads will be in training on Christmas Day, we have two very important games in three days coming up and they are very professional and accept that they have to have their Christmas at a different time to everyone else.

"They know the job in hand, they know what preparation is needed to stay at the top of the Premier League."

Lee was less forthcoming over Torres' return, the 24-year-old having now missed five matches after suffering a recurrence of the injury that ruled him out for six games earlier in the campaign.

But having been insistent that Torres would not figure at the Emirates on Sunday, Lee stresses that the situation is improving.

He said: "Fernando's progressed has markedly improved. He is getting better. He improves with every training session and he has worked very hard on his rehabilitation.

"We will put him in when we see fit, that's not evasive but I don't want to start revealing our line-up."

If Torres does not make the holiday programme, Liverpool will stick with the formation of Robbie Keane up front and Steven Gerrard as a support striker.

Keane, fresh from his spectacular equaliser at Arsenal, has the full support of Lee, who said: "A lot of people have said a lot of things about Robbie.

"But we know why we brought him here, we see every day in training how hard he works and what a good player he is. Things have been said outside the club, but there has not been a word from inside.

"He is a very good player, who was bought to score goals. That is what he is and will be doing."

Former Liverpool player Mark Lawrenson has apologised for sparking speculation Robbie Keane is to leave Anfield in January.

Lawrenson, now a media pundit, implied that Steven Gerrard had told him he expected the Irishman to leave once the transfer window opens in the new year.

Liverpool moved quickly to deny that claim, issuing a statement that the comments were an "interpretation of a private chat between the two of them" and that "they do not accurately reflect Steven's opinion of Robbie Keane and they certainly do not tally with Steven's recollection of the conversation itself."

And now Lawrenson has backtracked on his comments.

He told the Liverpool Daily Post: "I'm sorry if it caused any aggravation but it wasn't meant to. Steven Gerrard's name should never have come up in terms of Robbie Keane going in January. It wasn't Steven saying that it was me saying it.

"The only connection I was making between the two was that they have the same agent and I have had a hunch for a while that Keane could go.

"But that is my opinion and nothing whatsoever to do with any conversations I had with Steven Gerrard.

"I happened to mention I spoke to him on Saturday night but I didn't mean for that to come across in the way that it has been interpreted."

Since joining Liverpool for £20.3 million from Tottenham in the summer, Keane has struggled to make an impact, scoring just four goals in all competitions and not even making it off the bench in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Hull.

He has been linked with a move back to his former club Spurs, a rumour Lawrenson's initial comments on an Irish radio station only served to fuel.

Lawrenson told Today FM: "I hate to name drop. But I was having a drink with (Steven) Gerrard on Saturday and we talked about Keane.

"They share the same agent [Struan Marshall] and quite honestly he thinks something is going to happen with Keane in January. Sounds like he could be moved on."