Liverpool striker Fernando Torres said Manchester United were still favourites to retain the Premier League title despite the Anfield club leading the table since the beginning of December.
Hull City, who visit Anfield on Saturday, have displayed superb away form in their first season in the top flight, and offer no guarantee of three points to Rafael Benitez's side.
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will be out of action for up to three weeks with a hamstring strain, the Premier League club said on Thursday.
Strict rules govern transfers, with clubs able to negotiate terms with players only if they are out of contract or once a fee has been agreed with the seller. The laws also govern indirect approaches via an intermediary.
Steven Gerrard scored a hat-trick as Liverpool maintained their stunning recent form by crushing Aston Villa 5-0 at Anfield on Sunday to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester United to just one point.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said striker Diego Costa will start against Liverpool in the Premier League at Anfield on Saturday despite being left out of the Spain squad for this month's international matches because of persistent injuries.
Liverpool's Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun is a serious doubt for their UEFA Champions League tie with Real Madrid on Tuesday after tearing a hamstring in training at the weekend. Benayoun scored the only goal when Liverpool beat Real 1-0 in Madrid in the first leg of the last 16 tie last month, but faces an anxious wait to see if he can play any part at Anfield after colliding with a team mate in training.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Holders Barcelona suffered a stunning 2-1 home defeat by Russia's Rubin Kazan while Liverpool lost by the same score to Olympique Lyon at Anfield on a night of high drama and late goals in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Liverpool's Premier League title aspirations all but vanished with a 1-1 home draw against relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic.
'A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager'
Tottenham Hotspur reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on away goals after a 4-3 (aggregate 4-4) defeat to Manchester City in a breathtaking quarter-final second leg game on Wednesday.
Liverpool duo Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were both unexpectedly passed fit on Friday for Saturday's Premier League game against champions Manchester United at Anfield. Gerrard has recently undergone groin surgery and, though manager Rafa Benitez said he thought his captain would make the game, the player himself said last weekend he would prefer more time to get back to full fitness.
Liverpool remained in second place behind Manchester United in the Premier League after a Tim Cahill goal three minutes from time earned Everton a 1-1 draw.
Rafael Benitez sees Fernando Torres as the key to Liverpool's chances of beating Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final.
Norway captain Brede Hangeland scored a first-half goal to hand Fulham, who escaped relegation on the final day of last season, an upset 1-0 home win over Arsenal in the English Premier League on Saturday. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored four minutes into stoppage time to cap a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield that gives his side maximum points after two rounds.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United celebrated the festive season with victories on Friday while Arsenal, the other member of the 'big four', squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at Aston Villa. Liverpool beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 at Anfield with Robbie Keane scoring twice to give the leaders 42 points, one ahead of Chelsea as the Premier League season reached the halfway point.
Chelsea missed the chance to reclaim top spot in the Premier League when they were held to a 1-1 home draw by West Ham United on Sunday, a day after Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal also drew.
Premier League leaders Liverpool stumbled again at home on Saturday, needing two Steven Gerrard goals to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Liverpool have signed Ireland captain Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur for 19 million pounds ($37.76 million), the Premier League club said on their website on Monday. The 28-year-old striker, who spent six years at the London club and is Ireland's all-time highest goalscorer with 33 goals, has signed a four-year contract with the Anfield club.
Liverpool piled more misery on Newcastle United with a 3-0 victory at Anfield in the Premier League on Saturday. First-half goals from Jermaine Pennant and Fernando Torres, his 25th of the season, and Steven Gerrard's effort after the break strengthened Liverpool's hold on fourth place over city rivals Everton.
Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup in stunning fashion on Saturday when Championship (second division) Barnsley beat them 2-1 at Anfield with a last-minute goal by Brian Howard.
Liverpool are banking on the expected return of Fernando Torres against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday to end a dismal record against Spanish sides at Anfield and fire them into the last 16 of the Champions League.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will join a Major League Soccer team in the United States when he leaves Anfield at the end of the season, the former England captain told the English club's TV channel on Saturday.
England striker Daniel Sturridge celebrated his return after a five-month injury layoff when he came off the bench to score as Liverpool beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Barcelona striker's clever, low free kick helped Uruguay to beat hosts Russia 3-0 on Monday and to clinch top spot in Group A with three straight wins.
'Keep Calm And Carry On' could be Claudio Ranieri's motto for the second half of the season after Leicester City earned a 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday to put the heat back on Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in a London derby while Liverpool got back to winning ways with a 4-1 win over Portsmouth.
Jose Mourinho's side have been the most impressive of any of the title contenders.
Arsenal turned on the style to beat Bolton Wanderers 3-1 on Saturday and get an early-season taste of the top of the Premier League. They top the standings on 12 points, one ahead of Liverpool, who were held to a goalless Anfield draw by Stoke City.
Liverpool went into last Sunday's Merseyside derby on the back of five wins from their previous six league games but were held to a 1-1 draw at Anfield by Everton and then to a goalless stalemate at home against West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.
Liverpool and Chelsea drew 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Anfield on Tuesday after a stoppage-time own goal from the home side's John Arne Riise. Dutchman Dirk Kuyt gave Liverpool the lead after 43 minutes.
The pain of losing two Champions League semi-finals to Liverpool is driving the Chelsea captain to ensure he does not suffer same fate for a third time.
Liverpool named former Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp as manager on Thursday with the club posting photos of him signing his contract on their official Twitter account.
Liverpool reached the Champions League after a Dirk Kuyt goal deep into extra time gave them a 1-0 aggregate win over plucky Belgian rivals Standard Liege.
Arsenal and Liverpool played out a pulsating 1-1 draw while Fenerbahce came from behind for a 2-1 home win over Chelsea in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first leg matches.
Pressure is something that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says comes with the territory, but after a dismal run, the odds on him becoming the season's first managerial casualty are swiftly shortening.
The prospect of the first repeat FA Cup final for 123 years increased on Monday when holders Chelsea and last year's beaten finalists Manchester United were kept apart in the quarter-final draw.
English Premier League leaders Liverpool will need to maintain their excellent recent record against Everton in Sunday's Merseyside derby if they are to hold their advantage over second-placed Manchester City.
Premier League referee Rob Styles has been dropped from this weekend's matches after awarding Chelsea a controversial penalty in Sunday's match at Liverpool.
