Liverpool

Torres injury worry for Liverpool
Fernando Torres looks likely to miss Liverpool's next two matches after suffering a thigh injury playing for Spain against Belgium on Wednesday. The striker was substituted on 16 minutes, clutching his right thigh. Spanish media reported that Torres, 24, had suffered either a hamstring strain or a tear, and suggested he would be out for a minimum of seven to 10 days. Meanwhile another Liverpool forward, Ryan Babel, damaged his ankle playing for Holland in their 1-0 win in Norway. Babel, who missed Euro 2008 with ankle ligament problems, played no further part in Wednesday's match after going down in a tackle from Morten Gamst Pedersen on 26 minutes. Liverpool have a busy schedule, with a home match against Wigan on Saturday followed by the away Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid, Torres's former club, next Wednesday. The critical away trip to Chelsea on Sunday 26 October is one match both players would be desperate to be fit for. While details concerning Babel's injury remained unclear, Spain team doctor Oscar Celada told Spanish television that any sort of muscle tear would leave Torres on the sidelines for a minimum of 10 days. Celada added: "He has intense pain in the back part of the thigh. It is difficult to diagnose now exactly the extent , if it is a question of a strain or a small tear. If it is a strain then he could be out for about a week." Torres has struggled with hamstring problems before, most recently at the beginning of September when he was sidelined for the international break after tearing the muscle in the goalless draw against Aston Villa. Liverpool midfielder and fellow Spaniard Xabi Alonso told the club website: "It is undoubtedly bad news. "We have to wait and see what the tests say, but we do not stop now until around Christmas, and we have a big calendar coming up - we cannot let up. "It is not the first time this has happened with the national side, and it is a blow to have an injury when he is in such a good streak of form."

Benitez and Lampard scoop awards
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has won the Barclays manager of the month award for October, while Chelsea's Frank Lampard is player of the month. The Reds won all four of their league matches, in the process ending Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home record, scoring eight goals and conceding six. Lampard scored two goals in four league games, including a superb angled chip in his side's 3-0 win over Hull City. It is the first time in three years the midfielder has won the monthly award. Lampard is the second Chelsea player to win the award this season, after Deco won August's prize. The 30-year-old Lampard has now won the award three times, one behind the record for the most monthly player accolades. Six players have won the award on four occasions, including Lampard's England colleagues Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney. Benitez picks up his award having guided Liverpool to victories over Manchester City, Wigan Athletic, Chelsea and Portsmouth. The Reds twice came from behind, against City and Wigan, then inflicted Chelsea's first home defeat in four years. Liverpool ended the month with another win, as a late Steven Gerrard penalty proved enough to see off Portsmouth at Anfield. Benitez has been named manager of the month four times, but has a long way to go to catch all-time record holder Sir Alex Ferguson, who has won the award 21 times in his career.

Keane not for sale
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has insisted Robbie Keane will not be sold following reports linking the £20.3m striker with a return to Tottenham. Keane was dropped for Saturday's 3-1 win at Blackburn and has come under pressure after scoring only four goals since arriving from Spurs in July. But, when asked if the 28-year-old still had a future at Anfield, Benitez said: "Yes, why not? "He will be here after the January window, it is not my idea to sell him." He added: "We have confidence in him but he knows he's not playing to his true level. "Robbie's future is to be ready, to score goals and to work for the team. "The challenge is there for him. When you sign a player for a lot of money, that is it. He becomes another player in the squad and he has to fight for his position. Clearly he has to show character." With Keane struggling to adapt to Anfield life and the January transfer window approaching, some newspaper reports suggested Benitez may look to cash in on the misfiring Republic of Ireland forward, who has been linked with a return to Spurs under new boss Harry Redknapp. Benitez, however, was keen to play down the situation with Keane - who has only completed the full 90 minutes for Liverpool on three occasions - and pointed to the example of strikers at other clubs. "People are going on about the fact that he didn't play at Blackburn but we had Dirk Kuyt up front and Ryan Babel playing as a striker on the left," he commented. "I said before Blackburn that no-one can be guaranteed a place, that you decide on which system and players will give you the best chance of controlling each fixture. "Carlos Tevez scored four goals for Manchester United last week but didn't start against Sunderland, yet there isn't the same debate about that." After Spurs beat West Ham 2-0 on Monday, Redknapp played down reports linking him with former Leeds and Inter Milan striker Keane. "I love Robbie Keane, I think he's a great player and its a shame he's not here," he stated. "But he belongs to Liverpool and until the day they decide they want to sell it would be unfair to talk about him. "As a player he's top class - and as a person around a football club he's a great character." Keane's last action for Liverpool resulted in him being taken off, after 66 minutes, for the 15th time this season in the draw with West Ham on 2 December after which Benitez conceded: "Robbie is a better player than the one we are seeing now. "He gets disappointed when things are not going his way. He is a worker but can improve. He will be OK." With Fernando Torres sidelined through injury, Keane is expected to be handed the task of leading Liverpool's attack in their final Champions League Group D match away to PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.

Benitez undergoes third operation
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is to undergo a third operation for his troublesome kidney stone complaint. Benitez, 48, will return to hospital for surgery on Wednesday but hopes to be back at work next week for league and FA Cup derbies against Everton. Assistant Sammy Lee, who will lead team preparations in the absence of Benitez, said the Spaniard remained "buoyant". Benitez last underwent surgery in December and has watched matches from the directors box since then. Lee told the Liverpool website: "It's a difficult time for him because, you know Rafa Benitez - all he wants to do is be out there on the training pitch with his players. That's his forte. But he's still buoyant. "He's going for the third operation but we're hoping it won't keep him out for too long - hopefully just a couple of days. "All credit to Rafa for what he's put in place. His attention to detail and organisation means that, if any one of us is missing, there won't be a blip." Benitez's first operation came just days after his Chelsea counterpart Luiz Felipe Scolari was taken to hospital with the same complaint. Benitez, who has revealed he is close to signing a new deal at Anfield, has recently been embroiled in a series of verbal exchanges with title rivals Manchester United. In the build-up to last weekend's games, which saw Liverpool held 0-0 at Stoke, Benitez accused United manager Sir Alex Ferguson of bullying officials - Ferguson responded by branding the comments "ridiculous". Then, on Monday, Benitez targeted Old Trafford chief executive David Gill by suggesting his position on the FA board could create a conflict of interest.

Benitez turns down contract offer
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has rejected the Anfield club's latest contract offer. Benitez, 48, says he will only accept the deal if he gains more control over football matters instead of having to answer to chief executive Rick Parry. "The owners feel (my) decisions need to be subject to the chief executive," Benitez told the Liverpool Echo. "But I know that I am subject to results and to our fans and they are the best judges I will ever have." Benitez, who has agreed the financial terms and length of the proposed contract, has informed the club's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett of his stand. The Spaniard insists he has a strong relationship with the co-owners but says that the deal on offer would not allow him to manage football matters at Liverpool to the best of his abilities. "My relationship with the owners is better than people think," he said. "I have regular contact with them and especially with Tom Hicks who has always been very supportive. "The talks between my agent and the advisers of the owners have been very positive and friendly and our differences are about my responsibilities. "I have a lot of experience in football at different clubs and if you do not have a technical director and you are the manager you have to have control of the football decisions. "But always within the confines of a budget which is controlled by the owners and the club. "In this scenario the manager knows the amount money he has available to him and can decide how much he should spend on each player according to the needs of the team. "The only person who can decide the value of a player to his squad is the manager because he knows what elements are needed to improve the squad." Hicks moved swiftly to reassure supporters that Benitez will remain manager for the next five years, insisting he has no concerns about the rejected contract. "I will be working with Rafa to get this resolved - and I am just not worried about it at all," Hicks told Sky Sport News. "Rafa is going to be coach of Liverpool for the next five years, and we will work through all this." Benitez, whose current four-year deal expires in 2010, expressed frustration that he has not had the level of control he would like over the club's Kirkby-based academy. "I believe the academy is a very important part of the future of the club. The length of the contract was already agreed and this showed my long term commitment to the club," he said. "I know the academies of Ajax, Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Valencia and they are producing players regularly. "The way the system works there means the manager has an input into development and I think this could be the way forward here and we would hope that this would help us make better use of local talent." Benitez has guided Liverpool to the top of the Premier League as they search for their first league title for 19 years. "I believe that this club has the potential to improve and I just want to be able to help this to happen," he added. "I will continue to do my job as manager and concentrate on the thing that our fans want me to focus on - winning trophies for them. "From the first day I came to the club I have only ever given 100% and I will continue to do this. "We have a very important game coming up against Everton on Monday night and now I just want to be able to concentrate only on this."

Benitez questions Everton tactics
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez took a swipe at Everton's tactics after the two sides shared a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup fourth round at Anfield. "One team was trying to win and the other team was trying not to lose," said Benitez, whose team have drawn five of their last eight games. "It is hard against a team with 10 players," added the Spaniard. "We know some teams will do the same thing and defend. We just have to learn to upset them and to attack." Joleon Lescott had put Everton in front but Liverpool dominated after Steven Gerrard's second-half equaliser. "We dominated the game, controlled everything but it was just one mistake and they have scored," said Benitez, following the second 1-1 draw between the two teams in the space of six days after last Monday's encounter in the Premier League. As in the league game Everton scored with a set piece that involved Tim Cahill, with an unmarked Lescott diverting the Australian's header past Pepe Reina. It is not the first time Everton's tactics have riled Benitez - two years ago after a 0-0 league draw at Anfield in a Merseyside derby the Spaniard said: "When you play against the smaller teams at Anfield you know the game will be narrow." And Benitez took another subtle dig at Everton by suggesting that he has only ever deployed such tactics when he was Extremadura coach. "I have never played like that here, and never did this while I was at Valencia, maybe at Extremadura a few times," he said. The Liverpool manager was coach of Extremadura from 1997-99, a club he guided to the Primera Liga before they were relegated, while he was in charge of Valencia between 2001-04 before he left for Anfield. Asked about Benitez's analysis of Everton's tactics, Toffees boss David Moyes said: "This is a great club, and we do things with dignity and style. But they have a great chance of winning the championship. "We got a good point in the league and we have taken a good side to a replay in the Cup. From that point of view we are more than happy. "It was a tough afternoon but I take great pride with how the players are performing at the moment - the resilience they are showing. "We certainly were tired, we had to hang in and stay with it. We tried with what we had but I thought Liverpool kept the ball well and kept possession." Moyes felt that his team were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Steven Pienaar went down following contact with Alvaro Arbeloa. "His heels were clipped," added Moyes. "It is difficult for referees but do you get many penalties in front of the Kop? I think had it been the other way round it would have been difficult for him not to give it." The two sides will meet in the replay at Goodison Park on 4 February, with the winners to meet either Aston Villa or Doncaster.

Parry to leave post at Liverpool
Rick Parry will leave his post as Liverpool chief executive at the end of the season after 12 years at the club. The relationship between Parry, manager Rafael Benitez and American co-owner Tom Hicks has been strained and Hicks asked him to resign last April. Parry branded the request as "offensive" but he has now decided the time is right to leave Anfield. The departure of Parry is likely to take Benitez a step closer to finally signing a new deal. In November Parry pledged his loyalty to the club after he was linked with the chief executive's post as part of the Football Association's 2018 World Cup bid. He decided to remain at Anfield, despite being the top contender from a five-man shortlist for the job Liverpool have been locked in a series of boardroom wrangles with Benitez looking to gain greater control over transfers in his protracted talks over a new contract and co-owners Hicks and George Gillett falling out. Parry said he had been proud to be part of the club for over a decade. "I have had 12 very exciting years at Liverpool and am extremely proud of what has been achieved by the club over that period," he said. "The 1-0 victory in Madrid was a wonderful reminder of the many high points we have experienced and adds to the moments that make Liverpool and its magnificent fans so special. "It has been a privilege to serve the club and as a lifelong supporter I wish the owners, Rafa, the players and the wonderful staff all the very best for the future. "I will be leaving at the end of the season knowing that the club remains strong and with a set of supporters who deserve success in all that Liverpool does." Liverpool co-chairman Hicks paid tribute to Parry's work at Anfield: "Rick's commitment to Liverpool Football Club is epitomised by his desire to ensure that this transitional period is managed efficiently and we are grateful to him for his help. "He will always remain a friend of the football club," he added. Fellow co-chairman Gillett added: "I would like to thank Rick for his significant service to the club and the assistance he has given us since we joined Liverpool. He has been integral to the club's success over the past decade and leaves with our best wishes for the future." Former Liverpool defender Alan Kennedy backed Parry's decision to step down and believed there had been problems between Parry and Benitez. "I don't think it's that big a shock, something had to give, something had to happen and unfortunately Rick is going to move on," Kennedy told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It is something that had to be done, whether it was Gillett and Hicks forcing the issue or Rafa Benitez, we don't know. "When you look at the transfer system, Rafa has wanted certain players to come to the club and it just hasn't happened. "Questions were asked over Robbie Keane, did the manager buy the player or did the chief executive? It's one of those situations, you have to have something between you and clearly this hasn't happened." Kennedy added that Parry's decision to leave the club could pave the way for Benitez to commit his future to Anfield. "Rafa has stalled on his contract which is a sign he wasn't happy with certain situations at the club," added Kennedy. "Everything has to come to a head and the sooner something happened the better it is for the club. "I think Rafa will now look upon his situation with Gillett and Hicks and say 'I'm signing the contract as simple as that'."

Benitez expects Gerrard recovery
Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez is hoping Steven Gerrard will be fit enough for the Premier League run-in after his groin problem flared up again. The midfielder had been expected to appear at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Tuesday, but did not even make the subs bench. Benitez revealed: "He felt something, so he was unavailable. "We felt he could be available but he wasn't. But it's not serious and hopefully he will be OK." What was originally viewed as a relatively minor thigh injury sustained at Anfield in the first-leg defeat to Chelsea soon developed into a more serious complication. Gerrard played no part in the 4-0 League win over Blackburn last weekend after Benitez had said the club needed to manage him carefully over the final weeks of the season. And he had to watch from the directors' box as Liverpool and Chelsea fought out an epic 4-4 draw in the quarter-final second leg , with Chelsea advancing 7-5 on aggregate. Next Tuesday's showdown at home to Arsenal looks the toughest of Liverpool's remaining six matches as they hunt their first League title since 1990. Benitez said Gerrard picked up a niggle in the final training session at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and said it was "an easy decision" not to play the 28-year-old. "To lose a key player is always important and especially a player like Gerrard but credit to the other players because they did a fantastic job," he went on. "Maybe the result is a positive because we saw we can score four goals here and we can do the same in any stadium. We can win a lot of games with this mentality. "We showed character, quality and we have to be really proud. The fans will be very pleased with the team."

Title bid not over, says Benitez
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insists his side's Premier League title challenge is still alive despite their 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa at Anfield. The Reds have lost two out of their first three league games and Benitez said: "We now know that we have to go to Bolton on Saturday and win. "Everything could change if we do that, our confidence will improve. "This squad is virtually the same as last season so I believe it is good enough to mount a title challenge." Liverpool are six points behind early pace-setters Tottenham and Chelsea, who have won all three of their matches, while Arsenal and Manchester City hold 100% winning records having played a game less. Defending champions Manchester United have six points from three games, having lost to newly promoted Burnley last week. Liverpool were beaten by Spurs on the opening weekend of the season but they appeared to have put that defeat behind them when they recovered to overpower Stoke. Villa had other ideas and an own-goal by Lucas and a Curtis Davies header in first-half injury-time put Martin O'Neill's side in charge at the break. Fernando Torres pulled one goal back after some heavy Reds pressure in the second half but Steven Gerrard conceded a rash penalty soon afterwards to allow Ashley Young to make sure of the visitors' victory from the spot. Benitez added: "We were not playing well, and we were up against a team who are excellent on the counter-attack. "Their goalkeeper Brad Friedel made some great saves, but when that happens we just have to make more chances. "We will have to sit down and analyse every player now, and make sure we do the right things in our next match. But our senior players must take more responsibility." Benitez feels individual errors were behind his side's defeat and felt they came at "crucial times". "In the first 20 minutes we created plenty of chances and played well," he explained. "Then we conceded the own goal and started to make more mistakes. "We have lost and we know we have to improve. I felt we had a chance when Torres scored, but the penalty finished it. It was a clear penalty." In contrast, O'Neill was proud of his players after seeing them pick up their first points of the season. "That was a terrific effort from my team," O'Neill said. "At 2-0 we were in reasonable command of the game, although you are never in command at Anfield. "But when they scored we got a penalty straight away, a clean penalty, and we were back with our two-goal lead. "That gave us confidence, discipline and shape to our team and we deserved to win." O'Neill felt Friedel was key to his side's victory, with the American making several superb stops to deny the side he played for from 1997 to 2000. He added: "Brad was outstanding. He rolled back the years. He was fantastic against his old club to perform like that at Anfield. "He will be delighted with himself, and rightly so, and we are delighted with him. "It was a fantastic performance from the whole side and we fully deserved the victory."

Benitez stays defiant after loss
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez insisted his team remain strong title contenders despite their 2-0 defeat at Chelsea. Now six points behind leaders Chelsea, Liverpool have already lost more games - three - than they did last season. But Benitez told BBC Sport: "It is too early. It is a long race and we must keep going. We are playing good football and creating chances. "We are doing the things that you need to do. But when you have chances, you must score with them." Benitez was highly critical of his players after their midweek defeat against Fiorentina in the Champions League. And more sloppiness led to Chelsea's opening goal, which came after Javier Mascherano gave the ball away in midfield. "The defence was much better. There were just one or two things (wrong) and we paid for them," said Benitez. "We played a good game against a good team but if you make mistakes against them, they will score. The game plan was good, but top-class players make the difference." The Reds manager added: "He (Mascherano) was doing a good job. We needed fresh legs and he was doing well for us. "If Fernando Torres' header in the first half had gone in I think it could have been a totally different game." Despite Liverpool's uncertain start to the season, Benitez predicted title-chasing teams would drop more points during the current campaign than in past years. "You will see the top sides losing more points against any team," said the Spaniard. "That's good for the Premier League, for the competition, but it means we have to keep going. We can't think about three defeats. "We drew a lot of games last season. We lost just two but people were telling me about the draws. Now we're winning more and losing a few but maybe we'll have more points." Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti, who usually shows little emotion, was visibly overjoyed after beating a side he regards as strong title challengers. The Italian declared: "We are happy because we won an important game against a strong team. "For us, it was very important to win this game - an important signal. "This championship is very long. There will be a lot of matches and we want to stay like we were today." Ancelotti paid tribute to forward Didier Drogba, who set up goals for Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda. "Didier can do everything. He can score and create chances, and he is doing an important job for us," he said. "We had good control of the game and had opportunities to score more goals. "In the first half both teams maintained a good defence and the match was close, but the second half was different."

Saudis consider Liverpool offer
Prince Faisal could bid for a major stake in Liverpool but has concerns about the club's debt and relationship between its owners, a key aide says. Co-owner George Gillett will travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to hold further talks with the Saudi Royal. "His Highness's shareholding could go from anything from nought to 100%," Barry Didato told BBC Sport. "But he cannot be seen as a solution to the debt or problems in the existing relationship between the owners." The relationship between Gillett and his co-owner Tom Hicks has been strained for some time. Each has a 50% stake in the Premier League club, yet neither can sell shares without the other's approval. Prince Faisal, whose full name is Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud, has only been holding talks with Gillett so far. And Didato - director of strategic investments for the Saudi prince's investment vehicle, F6 - said the pair had established a "chemistry and shared vision". The fractious relationship between Liverpool's American co-owners is a concern, though. "His Highness would not want to get involved in (the problems between the pair), he is not a marriage counsellor," Didato said. He added that the Saudis has concerns about the high debt levels at the club. "The debt has to be at a manageable level before Prince Faisal would invest and the current level is high," he said. "He cannot be looked to as someone who is going to clean up the balance sheet - Gillett has to deal with this." Didato said Prince Faisal was flexible about how big a stake he might take at Anfield. "His Highness does not need to be a majority shareholder and a takeover has not been his focus," he said. Last week Hicks and Gillett issued a statement in response to reports that Prince Faisal was ready to bid for a 50% stake in Liverpool. The duo admitted they were looking to attract new investment to the club but added: "The process is at an early stage, there is no agreement with any party and reports to the contrary are wholly inaccurate." F6 has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Liverpool which will lead to the creation of football academies in North Africa and the Middle East and the deal also covered the possible establishment of a Nascar franchise in the area. Didato insisted Prince Faisal's involvement with Liverpool could only be a good thing for the club and its fans. "His Highness is an extraordinary man who is passionate about football," he said. "He has a tremendous respect for Liverpool and their fan base. "He only wants what is best for them and is one of those rare breeds of investor who is in it for the long haul."

Benitez warned after ref gesture
The Football Association has warned Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez over his future conduct in interviews following a gesture he made at referee Phil Dowd. Benitez was found guilty of making an "objectively offensive" gesture after a 2-1 defeat by Tottenham on 16 August. He had responded to a question about Dowd by removing his glasses from a pocket and examining them. Benitez was cleared of two aspects of the same misconduct charge regarding his comments about Dowd after the game. The Spaniard was angry that Liverpool were denied two penalties at White Hart Lane in their defeat on the opening day of the season. He attended an independent regulatory commission hearing in Manchester on Tuesday, where he denied a charge of improper conduct relating to comments he made to the media after the match and escaped a touchline ban or fine. Benitez speaking after Liverpool's loss against Tottenham on 16 August A statement by the FA said: "A regulatory commission of the FA has found Mr Rafael Benitez guilty of misconduct in relation to a breach of FA Rule E3, arising out of a gesture made by him during a post-match briefing. The commission concluded the gesture was objectively offensive. "Two other aspects of the misconduct charge against Mr Benitez were dismissed by the commission. "The commission noted Mr Benitez's previous exemplary disciplinary record over 23 years as a coach and manager at the highest level of the sport. "Taking into account all relevant factors, the commission concluded that the appropriate penalty was to warn Mr Benitez as to his future conduct with regards to interviews and press briefings." A statement from Liverpool added: "The commission found that two of the allegations relating to comments made about the match referee were not proven and therefore dismissed. "On a third, the commission accepted that a gesture made with a pair of spectacles was 'in a non-malicious and humorous manner'." Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee also faces an improper conduct charge for his behaviour during the same match. Lee, 50, was sent to the stands for continued protests toward fourth official Stuart Attwell.

Middlesbrough agree Brad Jones transfer to Liverpool
Liverpool have completed the signing of Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones for a fee of £2.3m. The 28-year-old completed the switch on Tuesday after travelling to Merseyside for a medical. The Australia international will act as cover at Anfield for regular keeper Jose Reina. Jones qualifies as a "home-grown" player under the new Premier League rules after joining the Teessiders from Australian amateur side Bayswater City. He made 75 first-team appearances for Boro and spent time on loan at Blackpool, Rotherham, Stockport and Sheffield Wednesday.

Tom Hicks in court bid
Former Liverpool FC co-owner Tom Hicks applied to the High Court on Wednesday to lift orders preventing him from launching a massive damages claim in the US courts over the sale of the Premier League side. Liverpool FC was sold against the Texan's wishes to New England Sports Ventures for £300million. The sale went ahead after Mr Justice Floyd granted anti-suit orders which prevented Hicks taking action in the Texas courts. If Hicks is successful at the new two-day hearing, he will be able to make damages claims against the Royal Bank of Scotland and former club directors. Paul Girolami QC, representing Hicks, told the same judge on Wednesday that he was applying to strike out or dismiss claims by Sir Martin Broughton, former chairman of the club, seeking damages against his client for his actions while owner. He said he also sought to discharge the anti-suit injunctions which were granted to stop any frustration or obstruction of action being taken in the UK courts over the sale. Actions brought by RBS against Hicks are no longer in issue and should be stayed, he said. Mr Girolami said he would be opposing applications by Sir Michael and RBS to amend their court actions. The bitter courtroom battle began last October and ended with the sale of the club. Now Hicks is seeking to clear the way for a series of multi-million-pound damages claims against the bank and former club directors. RBS wants to block Hicks and his former partner George Gillett from suing over the sale in which they lost £140million. New England Sports Ventures is also applying to the court to be added to the application for a permanent anti-suit order blocking action outside the UK and European Union. It bought the club after repaying a £237million loan Hicks and Gillett took out with RBS and Wells Fargo and Co. Philip Marshall QC, representing Sir Martin, said it was obvious from public pronouncements by Mr Hicks that his action against his client remained live. "We have a case where serious allegations have been made in public," he said. He said this was having an effect on the reputation of Sir Martin - "a very prominent director and chairman of British Airways and he remains under a cloud". Mr Marshall said that was a situation that should not be allowed to continue and he sought permission to amend the proceedings to seek a declaration that Sir Martin had no liability and that he had behaved reasonably and honestly over the sale. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday. An RBS spokesman said: "The courts described the claims made by Hicks and Gillett last year as ’not realistic and abusive’. Any further claims against RBS will be vigorously opposed."

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