Steven Gerrard is celebrating today after being named Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association.

The Liverpool skipper beat off competition from Manchester United pair Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney to win the most prestigious individual award in English football.

Having already landed the PFA Fans Player of the Year award this season, the FWA honour caps another incredible campaign for the 28-year-old midfielder, who has led by example and driven his side to within touching distance of achieving their title dreams.

Whether those dreams are realised over the next week or not remains to be seen, but over the course of the past ten months Gerrard has once again cemented his standing as the finest midfielder in European football.

His two goals at West Ham United on Saturday - which temporarily fired Liverpool back to the top of the league - saw him climb above Ian St John in the club's all-time scoring charts as he took his tally for the season to an impressive 23, equalling his best ever return in a red shirt.

Fifteen of his goals this term have arrived in the Premier League and have included strikes in high-profile games against Manchester United and Everton, while in Europe he also rose to the occasion with five goals in the group stages - including his 100th goal for Liverpool against PSV Eindhoven - and then two more against Real Madrid in the last sixteen clash at Anfield.

"We are delighted to honour Steven's contribution this season with our prestigous award," said Steve Bates, National Chairman of the Football Writers' Association.

"Steven has had a fantastic season and has so often been the driving force behind Liverpool's forceful challenge for the Barclays Premier League title.

"His passion and desire to send the title race into the closing days of this campaign has underpinned Liverpool's pursuit of Manchester United and he has frequently caught the eye with outstanding performances which have showcased his considerable talent.

"Steven is viewed by the Football Writers who voted as the heartbeat of Liverpool's team and a player who gives everything for the cause.

"He beat off a strong challenge from Old Trafford stars Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to emerge as a clear winner and he follows a long and illustrious list of British and European footballers to win the vote of the Football Writers."

Steven will be presented with his award at a gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Friday May 29.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is pinning his team's title hopes on a slip-up from Manchester United as the season reaches its climax.

The Reds returned to the top of the Premier League on goal difference after a 3-0 win over West Ham at Upton Park.

But Benitez is relying on other teams - starting with Manchester City on Sunday - to do Liverpool a favour.

"We needed to get three points and put them under pressure, and now we will be cheering and supporting City," he said.

"United will have a difficult game, a derby is a derby."

Sir Alex Ferguson's side have two games in hand over Liverpool, with the game against City followed by Premier League matches against Wigan, Arsenal and Hull.

Liverpool will take on West Brom on 17 May before finishing their season against Tottenham a week later.

"We have done our job. We have to keep winning, that's all we can do," added Benitez.

"It's a derby and if they make a mistake they will be feeling the pressure. Manchester City are a difficult team to play against.

"Clearly our position is very good, we have to keep pushing and wait - hopefully we can be top of the league next weekend."

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard put Liverpool in front after just 76 seconds for his 22nd goal of the season, following up with a penalty rebound on 38 minutes before Ryan Babel's effort six minutes from time sealed a comfortable win.

"We're happy with the clean sheet, it puts more pressure on Manchester United," said Gerrard.

"They have a tough game against Manchester City, who have come into form recently, and it's a derby match, which are never easy. We hope Manchester City can do us a favour.

"When you come to tough places like West Ham, it's important to go in front and we did that. Looking at the game, we deserved to win."

Gerrard saw his 38th-minute penalty saved by Robert Green, only to tap in the rebound past the outstretched dive of the Hammers goalkeeper.

And the midfielder admitted a morning conversation with Jamie Carragher had put the curse on his miss.

"He said to me this morning, 'You haven't missed a penalty for a while', so he's getting the blame," joked Gerrard.

"The win shows we are a good team and have a winning mentality. We deserve to be on top of the league."

Meanwhile, Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola said the 3-0 scoreline was somewhat harsh on his team.

"I don't think on the pitch there was a big difference," he said.

"In the first half we probably played better than them, the quality of the passing was good."

Liverpool do battle with Chelsea in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie at Stamford Bridge tonight.

Following Chelsea's 3-1 win at Anfield last Wednesday, the Reds must score a minimum of three goals in order to remain in the competition.

Rafa Benitez's side have already won at the Bridge this season when Xabi Alonso's early goal gave Liverpool a 1-0 victory over the Londoners to end their 86 match unbeaten home record in the league.

The danger man

Didier Drogba has proved a fierce adversary for Liverpool in recent years.

His goal in Chelsea's 3-1 victory at Anfield last week was the striker's sixth against the Reds since he arrived at Stamford Bridge almost five years ago.

Drogba also found the back of the net for former club Marseille in both legs of a UEFA Cup quarter-final tie with Liverpool in March 2004.

Four months later, the Ivorian swapped the South of France for South London and the imposing frontman claimed 16 goals in his debut season in English football, a tally he repeated the following campaign.

After captaining the Ivory Coast at the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, Drogba enjoyed a prolific 06/07 season as he fired 33 goals in all competitions for Chelsea, including 20 in the Premier League to claim the Golden Boot award, prior to netting 15 times in all competitions last term.

Drogba has ten goals to his name so far this campaign and Carra and co will have to pay close attention to the powerful striker if the Reds are to progress into the semi-finals of the tournament.

Five great Liverpool away days in the Champions League

13 April 2005: Juventus 0-0 Liverpool
Quarter-final, second leg

Following Liverpool's 2-1 first leg victory at Anfield, the Reds claimed a place in the semi-finals of the competition after heroically holding Juventus to a goalless draw on a memorable night in Turin.

With Steven Gerrard nursing an injury, Xabi Alonso returned to the starting line-up for the first time following his recovery from a broken ankle and the Spain midfielder produced a man-of-the-match performance to help Rafa's Reds set-up a last four meeting with Chelsea.

21 February 2007: Barcelona 1-2 Liverpool
Last 16, first leg

After falling behind to an early goal from Deco, Liverpool staged a remarkable comeback to beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Craig Bellamy headed home an equaliser just before half-time, before setting-up John Arne Riise for the winning goal after the break.

The Reds lost the return leg 1-0 at Anfield, but progressed into the quarter-finals on the away goals rule.

11 December 2007: Marseille 0-4 Liverpool
Group phase

Liverpool defied the odds to secure a place in the last 16 of the tournament last season.

Needing to win their remaining three matches in the Group Phase in order to qualify for the last 16, the Reds demolished Besiktas and FC Porto in front of the Kop, but still required a victory against Marseille in the final fixture.

However, Rafa Benitez's side overpowered their hosts right from the off and were awarded a penalty after just four minutes. Steven Gerrard's inital kick was saved, but the skipper fired home the rebound.

Fernando Torres doubled the visitor's advantage soon after with a breathtaking solo goal before Dutch duo Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel sealed an emphatic triumph in the second half.

11 March 2008: Inter Milan 0-1 Liverpool
Last 16, second leg

Fernando Torres' sublime second half volley secured a famous 1-0 win for Liverpool at the San Siro.

With the Reds already leading 2-0 from the first leg, the Spain striker's goal ended the Italian champion's hopes of a comeback and set-up a quarter-final clash with Arsenal.

25 February 2009: Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool
Last 16, first leg

Liverpool came away from their first ever competitive fixture at the Bernabeu with a momentous 1-0 victory over an in-form Real Madrid.

Yossi Benayoun's 82nd minute header clinched a memorable win and the Reds produced a sensational performance in the second leg to run out 5-0 victors on aggregate.

Rafa Benitez is confident his side can become record breakers at Chelsea for the second time this season.

Earlier this campaign, the Reds ended the Londoners' 86 match unbeaten home record in the Premier League courtesy of a first-half strike from Xabi Alonso.

Tonight Liverpool return to Stamford Bridge for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie attempting to overturn a 3-1 deficit from last week's meeting at Anfield.

The Reds know they must score at least three times in order to keep their European dream alive and although no away team has ever achieved that feat in Europe, Benitez believes his side can defy the odds once again.

"We have confidence that we can do it," said the Anfield boss.

"We know that it will be very, very difficult because they are a good team who have a lead from the first leg.

"But if you look back to earlier in the season we played them at a time when they had not been beaten at home in their previous 86 games and we managed to win that game.

"At that time everyone was talking about the record that they had so to beat them at Stamford Bridge was massive in terms of the confidence of the players.

"We believe that we can do it and the way to do it is by working together as a team and by taking our chances.

"We are Liverpool so we will fight and we will try to do it.

"The people know that we do not give up. We are a team that fights until the very end and this is why we have had so many comebacks already this season.

"Istanbul is the best experience we have had and I think this is the reason why so many people are still expecting something from us despite what happened in the first game."

The Liverpool skipper is the only non-Manchester United player on the six-man shortlist and joins Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo in the running for the honour.

Gerrard, who won the award in 2006, has been in sensational form for the Reds this season, with the 28-year-old netting 21 goals.

Speaking about Gerrard's nomination, PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor said: "Steven has been a personal favourite of mine for a long time now and I have the utmost respect and admiration for the way he continues to go about his business, as an influential midfield player, a talisman if you like, for club and country.

"I remember when he won the Young Player of the Year award in 2001 he told me that, whilst he was proud to win that particular award, he would not be satisfied until he had won the main prize, and that said a lot about his ambition and dedication.

"He went on to win the Players’ Player award in 2006 and fully deserves to be amongst the nominees again this year.

"He is not only a top class player and captain, he is a top class lad too and a credit to his profession.

"He is a real Roy of the Rovers performer who, on so many occasions when Liverpool have perhaps looked down and out, he has pulled them through virtually single-handed and I don’t think many people would argue with the comments made by Zinedine Zidane that Steve is the best midfield player in the world."

Former Liverpool FC footballers and musicians from the city have launched a single to mark the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

The Fields of Anfield Road features Cast's John Power, James Walsh of Starsailor, ex-manager Kenny Dalglish and former player Bruce Grobbelaar.

A new verse has been added to the terrace anthem by Peter Hooton, previously of the band The Farm.

He said it was a "commemoration to the 96 who lost their lives".

The 96 fans were crushed to death at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium when Liverpool took on Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup semi-final on 15 April 1989.

It is considered Britain's worst sporting disaster.

'Always remember'

The idea for a commemorative CD came from Liverpool's Lord Mayor, Councillor Steve Rotheram.

"It's important that 20 years on we try and do something," he said.

"So after talking to some of the people in the industry, they thought this was an appropriate way they can do that."

The CD's lead track, performed by the Liverpool Collective featuring the Kop Choir, features contributions from Nick Kilroe from Echo and the Bunnymen and Rob Taylor of the Troubadours and was recorded by Coldplay producer Ken Nelson.

Dalglish, ex-Liverpool player and the team's manager in April 1989, said he was humbled to be mentioned in the song's lyrics.

He said: "I'm the one who's embarrassed by it in the end, but if the families enjoy it I'd rather it be that way round than me enjoying it and they didn't like it."

The track includes vocals from Grobbelaar, who was Liverpool's goalkeeper when the tragedy occurred.

"You can't forget what happened at Hillsborough," he said. "We'll always remember it."

Former player John Aldridge, who was also on the pitch at Hillsborough on the day of the disaster, said he wanted to keep memories of the day fresh.

"This hopefully will keep them alive and make people realise we're still there for them," he added.

John Power, who found fame with The La's, said everyone involved with the song had been brought together by the tragedy of April 1989.

"You've got people who lost dearly loved ones, you had people who just went to the game and ended up dead, and you ended up also with the injustice of being blamed for that event," he said.

The single, which will be released on 6 April, has been backed by the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

Thousands of people are expected to attend a memorial ceremony at Anfield on 15 April when the Lord Mayor will present the CD to club officials.

Click here to see video

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals, the fifth consecutive season they have met in the competition.

Liverpool have won two and Chelsea one of the clubs' recent battles in Europe, but the Blues won the most recent in last year's semi-finals.

Rafa Benitez's side won the 2004/05 semi-final, before the teams locked horns in the 2005/06 group stage. Liverpool then won the 2006/07 semi-final against Chelsea, who turned the tables under Avram Grant in last season's semis.

Holders Manchester United play Portuguese champions FC Porto, while Arsenal meet Villarreal of Spain.

Arsene Wenger's team beat the Spaniards in the 2006 last four before losing to Barca in the final.

If both Premier League clubs win those ties, they will face off in the last four - their first Champions League meeting.

The winners of the Liverpool-Chelsea tie will take on either Barcelona or Bayern Munich, with the pair meeting in the other quarter-final.

The quarter-final first legs will be played on April 7 or 8 with the return matches the following week. UEFA has said it will do all it can to avoid Liverpool playing on April 15 - the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

Rafa Benitez's side, buoyed by the coach's contract renewal and a 4-1 win at United in the Premier League, will be at home for the first leg.

The final will be played on Wednesday, May 27 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, where there will be no home interest after Inter, Juventus and Roma were all eliminated in the last 16.

Quarter-finals

Villarreal v Arsenal
Manchester United v Porto
Liverpool v Chelsea
Barcelona v Bayern Munich
* First legs to be played April 7 and 8

Second legs to be played April 14 and 15

Semi-finals

Manchester United or Porto v Villarreal or Arsenal
Barcelona or Bayern Munich v Liverpool or Chelsea
* First legs to be played on April 28 and 29
* Second legs to be played May 5 and 6

Finally! Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has ended speculation over his future at Anfield by signing a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2014.

The 48-year-old Spaniard has signed after protracted negotiations which put a doubt over his tenure at the club.

But Benitez said: "My heart is with Liverpool, so I'm delighted to sign this new deal.

"I love the club, the fans and the city and with a club and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying."

Labels: coaching, rafa, signings

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is in talks with Kuwait billionaire, Nasser Al-Kharafi over a possible takeover.

It is understood meetings have taken place in London between aides of the tycoon, who has an estimated £9bn fortune, and Hicks' representatives.

Hicks and his co-owner George Gillet are valuing the club at around £550m.

The American duo's reign has been dogged by controversy since their £218m takeover in February 2007 and it appears they are now willing to sell.

Labels: George Gillett, Nasser Al-Kharafi, ownership, tom hicks