ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP:LIVERPOOL BOSS Rafael Benitez will warn his players to be on their guard against a fallen giant who used to be one of their biggest rivals.
Benitez will send out a much-changed side at Elland Road tonight against Leeds (Sky Sports 2, 7.45pm) in the third round of the League Cup.
But the Spanish coach is more than aware that the tie is being seen by Leeds and their fans as a rare chance to compete again against one of their biggest rivals from an illustrious past.
Benitez says: “I believe the game will be a sell-out, and it is a surprise to me that Leeds find themselves in League One these days. “Leeds will be difficult, we know they are a big club and we respect their history.”
The rivalry with Liverpool dates back to the 1960s when the Reds beat Leeds 2-1 in the 1965 FA Cup final with goals from Ian St John and Roger Hunt.
For the next decade the two clubs were neck and neck for the country’s top honours.
Liverpool won the title in 1966 with Don Revie’s men runners-up, and the positions were reversed in 1969, with Leeds again winning the title in 1974 ahead of the Anfield side.
Things have changed dramatically with Leeds’ sorry decline, but after 15 successive home league wins having helped them to the top of League One, the Yorkshire club’s fans sense this may be the season they start their climb back to the top flight.
And a chance to shock Liverpool, even in the League Cup, will be accepted with both hands.
Benitez says: “I have been watching DVDs of their games and it is clear that their supporters are very important to them. They back their team all the time and make it tough for their opponents.
“Those fans are amazing, such loyalty and support, and that has been very apparent to me in watching tapes from last season.”
Liverpool are likely to include second-choice goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri, new Greece defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Swiss defender Philipp Degen, Italian full-back Andreas Dossena and Holland winger Ryan Babel in their line-up.
Babel has revised his opinion on life at Liverpool and insisted he is prepared to fight for a place at Anfield.
The 22-year-old’s frustration at being dropped following the opening-day defeat at Tottenham Hotspur manifested itself in an outspoken interview while on international duty with Holland three weeks ago.
Babel now denies accusing Benitez of broken promises during the interview and, having created Fernando Torres’s winner as a substitute against West Ham United on Saturday, claims he still has a future at Anfield. “The fact is I’m very happy here and I don’t want to leave to go anywhere,” said Babel, who previously proposed a loan move back to Ajax in January.
“Yes there is a lot of competition for places at Liverpool, but that’s the same at every top club.”
AARON RAMSEY is convinced Arsenal’s young Gunners can go all the way in the English League Cup this season.
Manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed he will continue the policy of giving youngsters some much-needed first-team exposure when Championship leaders West Brom come to Emirates Stadium for tonight’s third-round tie.
The 18-year-old Ramsey sees no reason why the latest crop of talented young Gunners should not continue their progress.
“Of course it is a competition we can win, even if the manager fields a young team,” Ramsey declared. “We can win any competition.
Arsenal are set to hand 19-year-old Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny his debut tonight.
Mexican forward Carlos Vela has recovered from an ankle injury and is also in the youthful squad, with Sanchez Watt, Kieran Gibbs, Fran Merida, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere all set to feature.
TONIGHT’S FIXTURES
(7.45 unless stated)
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP, Third Round: Arsenal v West Brom, Barnsley v Burnley, Bolton v West Ham (8.0), Carlisle v Portsmouth, Leeds v Liverpool, Nottm Forest v Blackburn, Peterborough v Newcastle, Scunthorpe v Port Vale, Stoke v Blackpool, Sunderland v Birmingham.
SCOTTISH LEAGUEThird Division: Berwick v Stranraer.
SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP, third round: Dundee v Aberdeen, Hibernian v St Johnstone, Kilmarnock v St Mirren, Motherwell v Inverness CT, Ross County v Dundee Utd.
