Villarreal v Liverpool

[Shanks]

Live on Sky Sports 1@ 8.30pm


New signings Robbie Keane and David Ngog have been handed starting roles in the Liverpool team for this evening's friendly against Villarreal.

The game has been arranged as part of the deal which took Pepe Reina to Anfield three years ago, but the Reds goalkeeper starts on the bench having rejoined the squad following the birth of his second child.

Reina is joined among the substitutes by fellow Euro 2008 winners Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.

The Liverpool team in full for tonight's game (kick off 8.30pm) is:

Diego Cavalieri
Andrea Dossena
Sami Hyypia
Martin Skrtel
Stephen Darby
Damien Plessis
Yossi Benayoun
Steven Gerrard
Andriy Voronin
Robbie Keane
David Ngog

Subs:

Steve Finnan
Daniel Agger
Fernando Torres
Xabi Alonso
Jermaine Pennant
Alvaro Arbeloa
Dirk Kuyt
Daniel Pacheco
Krisztian Nemeth
Jay Spearing
Emiliano Insua
Jamie Carragher
Pepe Reina




4-3-3 anyone.

[Jayesh87]

13 subs

[robbielad9]

13 subs

Yeah, but what a ****ing subs bench!

[JPK]

Looking forward to seeing Ngog. This will be a good test for Darby and Plessis

[Shanks]

Can't wait to see Gerrard and Keane link up.


Where is Philip Degen??

[donpisci]

Can't wait to see Gerrard and Keane link up.


Where is Philip Degen??

He's had minor groin surgery and is recovering me thinks

[JPK]

Can't wait to see Gerrard and Keane link up.


Where is Philip Degen??

Injured. Having a minor op on his groin. Out for 2weeks

[Leyton388]

Looking forward to seeing out two new strikers tonight. Hope it is a good game

[Shanks]

Ngog:

“He is training with the first team,” Benitez confirmed.

“Maybe he would find it difficult to play 90 minutes right now, but he will be able to.


Already the young Frenchman has been compared to Thierry Henry, with an attacking style and grace, and likes to drift out onto the flanks before running at defences.

However, Benitez refuses to get drawn on the subject and instead is keen for supporters to decide for themselves who Ngog most resembles.

“He can play as a target man, but he is not strong because he is still very young,” added the Reds boss.

He has quality, though.

He can keep the ball and pass it, and he has good movement.

“I think he has game intelligence, and yes, he needs to improve physically a bit, but that will come with time and he works really hard.

“It would be difficult to compare him to anyone now, I would advise the supporters to see him play and then it will be easier for them.

“There are players with his qualities in England but the supporters can decide whether he is like Emmanuel Adebayor or Nicolas Anelka or whoever.

I don't like to think too much about this.”

Fernando Torres has already taken Ngog under his wing.

[bigfooty]

Villareal giving our Spanish players a memento for their Euro 2008 win.

[bigfooty]

Gerrard with an early burst, plays in Ngog and he has an early effort at goal, easy for keeper.

[FatTony]

Where's Keane then????

[bigfooty]

Keane is playing off Ngog.

[FatTony]

there he is No7

[FatTony]

Keane is playing off Ngog.

I will refer to him as Egg Nogg