RAFA BENITEZ will try to exploit the uncertainty over West Ham's future by making a swoop for Scott Parker.
Liverpool are ready with a Ј6million offer for the midfielder when the transfer window opens next month.

Kop boss Benitez is gambling the debt-crippled Londoners may be forced to cash in, especially if they reject David Gold and David Sullivan's takeover bid.

The Spaniard urgently needs to shore up the spine of his team following the latest dreadful 2-1 home defeat by Arsenal on Sunday.

The Reds are out of the Champions League and only seventh in the Premier League, putting hopes of qualifying for next year's big Euro tournament at risk.

Parker is a ready-made replacement for unsettled Javier Mascherano, who looks set for a summer move to Barcelona.

But the pair could play together for the last six months of this season.

Parker, 29, was West Ham's Player of the Year for 2008-09 and is admired for his combative personality combined with impressive passing skills to unlock defences.

Manchester City made a move for the former Chelsea star last January but the deal stalled late on.

Parker cost the Hammers Ј7m from Newcastle in June 2007 and earns more than Ј50,000 a week.

ARSENE WENGER admits he was surprised by Liverpool's collapse at Anfield yesterday.
Rafa Benitez's side were 1-0 up against Arsenal at half-time, before an own goal from Glen Johnson and an Andrey Arshavin rocket saw all three points return to North London.

And Gunners boss Wenger believes their opponents simply burnt themselves out in the first half.

He said: "I was surprised how much Liverpool's form dropped in the second half.

"They had been playing at 100 miles an hour and it is hard to maintain that kind of pace for 90 minutes." 

Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas revealed Wenger dished out a rollicking to his troops that stirred them into life.

And the French boss claims he had no choice, given his side's early showing.

He added: "I could not be pleased with what I saw in the first half. Nobody should be surprised that I reacted the way I did with the team.

"We feel that we have sent out a message to all the people who wrote us off after we were beaten at home by Chelsea.

"We have got ourselves back very close to the leaders — just six points away from Chelsea with a game in hand.

"We have come back at them in a very short space of time since they beat us in late November. Even I did not expect that to happen."

După ce a ratat transferul fostului său elev de la AC Milan Andrea Pirlo, managerul lui Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti, le-a mărturisit unor apropiaţi că va încerca să îl aducă pe Stamford Bridge pe unul dintre cel mai bine cotaţi jucători din Premier League, Steven Gerrard.

Deşi surprinzătoare, mutarea se poate concretiza mai ales în eventualitatea în care Liverpool nu prinde un loc de Liga Campionilor la finalul stagiunii. În prezent doar pe 7 în Premier League, la 13 puncte de liderul Chelsea (dar cu un meci mai puţin disputat) şi eliminată încă din faza grupelor C1, echipa antrenatp de Rafa Benitez se află în cea mai slabă perioadă din ultimii ani. Dezamăgit de parcursul "cormoranilor", Gerrard ar putea fi tentat să accepte oferta venită de la Londra, mai ales dacă propunerea financiară a The Blues va fi în acord cu pretenţiile sale.

Steven Gerrard, 29 de ani, a semnat în vară prelungirea contraclului cu Liverpool, urmînd să cîştige aproape 30 de milioane de euro în viitorii 4 ani ai angajamentului.