D Thursday, October 22, 2009 METROSPORT 23 Mascherano: Blame players, not Benitez Javier Mascherano has jumped to boss rafael Benitezs defence by demanding that Liverpools players take responsibility for the clubs current crisis. The home champions League defeat by Lyon on Tuesday has put the reds in grave danger of failing to qualify for the last 16. a sixth defeat in all competitions this term also underlines the desperate run of form that has already damaged their Barclays Premier League title dreams. Benitez (pictured) has overseen Liverpools worst run of form since 1987, but Mascherano puts the blame firmly on the players. The argentina midfielder said: it is easy for everyone to blame the manager and not the players. But the truth is it is us out there on the pitch, the players. if we play badly it is not the managers fault, it is ours and we must take responsibility. The manager can tell us how to play but on the pitch it is down to the players. i do not believe that sundays league game with Manchester Unit- ed will decide our sea- son, it is too early to say that. But for our confidence a win will be a massive boost. if we win on sunday it will be a totally different Monday. We are not thinking about losing to United, we have beaten them before twice last season and we must do that again. Liverpool were leading through a Yossi Benayoun first-half goal, before conceding twice in the final 18 minutes against Lyon. he added: We always seem to make it hard for ourselves in europe, now we have to win the last three games in the group. But we have done that before, we just have to do it again. We need to remember that. it is a must-win game now next in Lyon in a fortnight. after GERRARD AND TORRES LIVERPOOL WITH BOTH... Won 51 Drawn 19 Lost 12 Win percentage: 62% LIVERPOOL WITH NEITHER... Won 3 Drawn 2 Lost 2 Win percentage: 43% the game the boss didnt talk too much, everyone was so disappointed. But we do need to review all the mistakes we made, it is the players that made mistakes not the manager, so we must make sure we do not do the same things against United. Brazilian team-mate Fabio aurelio added: We must concentrate on winning our final three games in europe, pressure is building on us. But the players know that we are the only people who can change what is going wrong. We know what we have to do. We have to change the feeling that we are not a strong team now, especially after what we achieved last season. Early exit: Gerrards a doubt for the United game after breaking down against Lyon Celtic cause comes first for Mowbray ROY HODGSON has revealed he turned down coaching jobs with Sweden and Norway to stay with Fulham. The Cottagers boss, who has managed Finland, the UAE and Switzerland as well as 13 clubs, leads his side into tonights Europa League match with Italian giants Roma at Craven Cottage. And the 62-year-old (pictured) revealed he wants to stay at Fulham if the club offer him an extended deal after his contract expires at the end of the season. He said: Ive made clear to the people that have contacted me I have a contract here and I intend to honour that. I am very happy here. Ive made it clear there is no point in considering me because I am not available. Hodgson reveals international interest Tony Mowbray insists helping to restore the good name of Scottish football will be of secondary importance to helping Celtic through their crucial Europa League clash with Hamburg at Parkhead tonight. rangers Champions League aspirations were left in tatters after an embarrassing 4-1 Group G defeat by romanian unknowns Unirea Urziceni at Ibrox on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Celtic have their own worries as they trail the Ibrox men at the top of the Scottish Premier League and have their own European hopes still in the balance. Celtic need all three points against the German side if they are to have a realistic chance of qualifying out of their section, and Mowbray said: Do I feel a responsibility for the Scottish game? no. I have a responsibility to our supporters to try to give them a performance that they are happy with. I am just trying to win a football match for our fans and for the club. If it helps the mood around Scottish football then great, but basically we will be out to get some points to try to progress in a European competition. europa league SoCCer champions LEaGUE By david kEnnEdy Goal-den boys: kalou and Lampard Barca deny Robi bid SaLoMon KaLoUS double blast last night swept Chelsea to an easy win at Stamford bridge. Englands Frank Lampard also hit his first goal in 11 matches for club and country as the blues raced to their third Champions League victory in a row. and a miserable night for atletico Madrid was sealed in the last minute when Luis Perea headed into his own net. Kalou appeared to be hurtling towards a wretched time of his own in the Group D encounter after wasting two clear-cut chances to put his side ahead. and his luck looked to have run out completely when he was denied by a superb reflex save from keeper Sergio asenjo. but the Ivory Coast forward finally found his range in the 41st minute after Lampard sent ashley Cole scampering down the left flank. His low cross was then crashed into the roof of the net as Kalou celebrated only his second goal this season. Six minutes into the second half, he was on target again, this time rising to head home Lampards corner. and Lampards 133rd goal for Chelsea moved him past Jimmy Greaves in the clubs all-time scoring charts. Salomon sparks Blues as Lamps ends barren run BarceLona have not approached Manchester city about robinho since the summer, says the clubs sporting director, Txiki Begiristain. city boss Mark hughes rubbished talk of a possible deal for the 32.5million Brazil forward, saying he was not in the process of taking outstanding players out of the team. But Begiristain said: robinho is an interesting player who we asked about in the summer. city would not talk about a transfer and since then we have made no move. chelsea: Cech, Belletti, Ivanovic, Terry, Ashley Cole (Malouda 75), Essien, Ballack, Lampard, Deco, Kalou (Zhirkov 73), Anelka (Sturridge 78). Booked: Belletti. atletico madrid: Sergio Asenjo, Ujfalusi, Perea, Dominguez, Antonio Lopez, Cleber Santana (Maxi 65), Raul Garcia, Paulo Assuncao (Jurado 54), Simao (Reyes 77), Forlan, Aguero. Booked: Garcia, Dominguez. Ref: Florian Meyer (Germany). ChelSea 4 atl madrid 0 soccER (7.45 unless stated) UEFa Europa League Group c Celtic v Hamburg....................... 8.05 Hapoel Tel-Aviv v Rapid Vienna 8.05 Group E CSKA Sofia v Basle................... 8.05 Fulham v Roma ......................... 8.05 Group i BATE v AEK Athens................... 6.00 Benfica v Everton ...................... 6.00 GoLF European Tour: castellon masters costa azahar (Club de Campo del Mediterranean, Castellon, Spain) UspGa Tour: Frys.com open (Grayhawk GC - Scottsdale, Arizona) UspGa Tour: people vs. The pros championship (Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, North Carolina) hoRsE RacinG Brighton, Carlisle, Ludlow, Kempton, Thurles fixtureS uefa chaMpions league gRoup a Bordeaux ........2 Bay munich .... 1 Ciani 29 Ciani 6 (og) Planus 41 Juventus .........1 maccabi haifa 0 Chiellini 47 p W d L F a pts Bordeaux 3 2 1 1 4 2 7 Juventus 3 1 2 0 2 1 5 Bayern Mun 3 1 1 0 3 0 4 Maccabi Haifa 3 0 0 3 1 4 0 gRoup B cska moscow 0 man Utd ...........1 Att 37,500 Valencia 86 Wolfsburg .......0 Besiktas ......... 0 p W d L F a pts Man Utd 3 3 0 0 4 1 9 Wolfsburg 3 1 1 1 4 3 4 CSKA Mos 3 1 0 2 3 5 3 Besiktas 3 0 1 2 1 3 1 gRoup c Fc Zurich ........0 marseille ........ 1 Heinze 69 Real madrid ....2 ac milan ......... 3 Raul 19 Pirlo 62 Drenthe 76 Pato 66, 88 p W d L F a pts Real Madrid 3 2 0 1 10 5 6 AC Milan 3 2 0 1 5 4 6 FC Zurich 3 1 1 1 3 6 3 Marseille 3 1 0 2 2 5 3 gRoup d chelsea ...........4 atletico mad .. 0 Kalou 41, 52 Att 39,997 Lampard 69 Perea 90 (og) Fc porto .........2 apoel nicos .... 1 Hulk 33, 48pen Pereira 22 (og) p W d L F a pts Chelsea 3 3 0 0 6 0 9 FC Porto 3 2 0 1 4 2 6 Apoel Nicosia 3 0 1 2 1 3 1 Atletico Madrid 3 0 1 2 0 6 1 reSultS Its easy to blame the boss but it is us out on the pitch index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html