Liverpool FC Foundation & Liverpool Sunflowers to launch new Men’s Health Course

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Sunflowers

Liverpool FC Foundation Men's Health programme is partnering with local cancer support charity, Liverpool Sunflowers to launch a new venue for its Men’s Health course.

Starting on Wednesday May 13, this new course will offer weekly men’s health sessions running between 18.00-19.00 at the Liverpool Sunflowers Drop in Centre on Aigburth Road.

Run by a qualified health and fitness instructor, each session of this popular course will support men to set realistic and achievable goals towards living a healthier lifestyle.

All of the sessions are free of cost, and men of all ages (18+) and all abilities are welcome to attend.

Christine Mounsey from Liverpool FC Foundation commented: “Funded by Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, Our Men's Health programme was first developed in 2005 to help tackle poor health in the local community. Now every year around 7,000 men from our communities benefit from the programme, and we’re delighted to be able to extend it to another new venue and part of the city in order to support even more men to take part.”

Emma Squibb, Chief Executive of Liverpool Sunflowers added: “This course isn’t just for football lovers either; it’s all about helping men to be more active and achieve a healthier lifestyle, covering a wide range of health issues including poor diet, obesity, heart disease, low physical activity levels and cancer prevention, as well as men’s mental health and wellbeing. “The sessions easily adapt to meet everyone's different levels of fitness and ability, so join us for what promises to be a great course from May 13.”

To find out more about this free Men’s Health programme or to sign up to attend, please contact Christine Mounsey from Liverpool FC Foundation Men's Health programme on 07999 857272 or email her at christine.mounsey@liverpoolfc.com.

The Men’s Health programme is just one of a range of free, weekly activity groups and classes on offer at Liverpool Sunflowers Centre to help people improve their physical health and emotional wellbeing, as well as groups and services specifically designed to support those living with a cancer diagnosis.

Other free activity groups currently on offer at Liverpool Sunflowers Centre include:

New! Weekly Jewellery Making Class – Wednesday afternoons (13.00)
Weekly Yoga Class – Tuesday mornings (11.00)
Weekly Art Therapy Class – Wednesday mornings (10.30)
Weekly Crafts Class – Tuesday afternoons between (14.00)
Weekly Tai Chi Class – Thursday mornings (11.00-12.00)

For more information on any of these classes, call Emma Squibb at Liverpool Sunflowers on 0151 726 8934 or just drop in for a session.

For more information about Liverpool Sunflowers, visit www.liverpoolsunflowers.com.

For more information about LFC Foundation, visit foundation.liverpoolfc.com.

Rovers Return (Leg) For The Reds

Daniel Sturridge and Adam
Lallana line up for a first-half
corner against Blackburn Rovers.

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Result: Liverpool 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
Date: Sunday March 8 2015
Competition: FA Cup (Quarter-Final)
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 43,820

Liverpool will have to wait - and wait - before knowing if Wembley is on the horizon after a goalless draw against Blackburn Rovers.

The FA Cup represents Liverpool's only realistic chance of silverware for this season, and so fans were hoping for the Reds to take a comfortable step forward; however, the Championship side put up a great fight, albeit defensively, and so a replay is required at Ewood Park.

Mind you, the return leg won't be for a couple of weeks due to fixture complications, meaning that both sides will only have ten or eleven days to prepare for the Semi-Final once this tie eventually produces a winner.

Liverpool went into this side high on confidence after some very impressive results in recent weeks, and they were buoyed further by the reduced field which meant that avoiding the winner of the Manchester United-Arsenal clash in the Semis will provide a relatively safe route to Wembley.

But that would be to discount their opponents, who aren't having the best of campaigns in the Championship but are still a tough side to break down on their day, and having nothing to lose, they employed a defensive strategy to ensure that they could either score on the break or bring the tie back to Ewood Park where they will press forward more in search of an unlikely win.

On this day, the game began on an unpleasant note when just moments in, Martin Skrtel suffered a nasty fall which left him down, surrounded by medical staff and not moving for a long time, for several minutes in a tense scene. It was a relief when Skrtel gave a thumbs-up from his stretcher when leaving to a standing ovation, and it was further good news when it was later revealed that Skrtel had suffered a concussion but nothing more.

His replacement in defence Kolo Toure actually had an impressive game, and it was Toure who put the ball in the net for the home side but an offside flag ruled it out. Toure himself later appeared to pull up with an injury but, with the game in full flow, he could do little but struggle on while awkwardly having to dispatch a ball given to him by Glen Johnson, but he appeared to get over the setback as the game progressed.

Otherwise, there wasn't too much to say about this match. Liverpool had chances but lacked the cutting edge that they possessed against Burnley on Wednesday night. They had moments where an opener seemed likely, but it wasn't to be. The introduction of Mario Balotelli didn't make much of a difference, although I think some of the criticism that Balotelli suffered after this game was unwarranted. Some people always look for a scapegoat or a reason (Johnson blamed the condition of the Anfield pitch) instead of just admitting that it wasn't your day. I personally felt that even if the match had gone on for another 30 minutes, and the Reds still wouldn't have scored under the circumstances.

This was due to Blackburn clearly setting up for a draw, and virtually having 11 men behind the ball towards the end. They did have a couple of chances themselves, mind you, the closest being an Alex Baptiste header from close range which was superbly saved by Simon Mignolet. Both sides also had penalty appeals turned down, one for Liverpool after a tackle on Adam Lallana (I thought sitting in the Kop that this was a penalty; replays later showed that it was not), and for Blackburn after an apparent handball by Raheem Stirling (which was a little harder to turn down, although I still think it would have been a harsh decision).

The game suffered from Skrtel's early injury which quietened the fans for an extended period, but it was also waiting for something to spark it into life. It wasn't a lost cause by any means, but it needed something to energise it, something to draw you in and make you believe that a goal may have been coming. Blackburn's sturdy defence ensured that it wasn't going to happen, although the Reds didn't test Rovers keeper Simon Eastwood enough to make one believe that the Reds had dominated.

Indeed, Blackburn thoroughly deserved a draw from this game; the only downer is how long fans of both sides will have to wait before knowing who will go onto the Semi-Finals. Gary Bowyer was unquestionably the happier of the two managers, although Brendan Rodgers had to be more concerned with Skrtel's health after his awkward tumble.

And so Liverpool hope to march onto Wembley having drawn their two home ties with no goals in either game (Iago Aspas is the only man to have scored for the Reds at Anfield in an FA Cup tie under Rodgers, believe it or not). Hopefully the return leg, when it finally happens, will provide an entertaining game that will give the Reds more bite in their pursuit of the FA Cup but, so long as they come away with a win, Kopites won't mind. The dream lives on, but a more ruthless approach will be needed to keep such hopes alive.

Burnley Beaten As Reds Resurgence Rolls On

He's in there somewhere: Jordan
Henderson celebrates his goal with
the other Liverpool players.

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Result: Liverpool 2-0 Burnley
Date: Wednesday March 4 2015
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 44,717

Goals from Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge secured a 2-0 win for Liverpool as they easily handled Burnley at Anfield.

Liverpool came into this game with a spring in their step after a strong run of results which culminated in a victory over Manchester City last Sunday, whilst Burnley searched for an unlikely away win to boost their survival hopes after an own goal saw them lose to Swansea at the weekend.

The Reds were almost ahead inside 30 seconds as Sturridge capitalised on a one-two between Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling, with only the reflexes of Burnley keeper Tom Heaton keeping the ball out.

Liverpool continued to create chances with Henderson coming close off a rebound, and the away side were also trying to find a breakthrough, although their opportunities were less frequent and less imposing. In fact, much of the first half was more about Liverpool controlling the game but being unable to break down Burnley's defensive approach.

But Kopites wouldn't have to wait that much longer for the opening goal: with a Philippe Coutinho effort blocked by Jason Shackell, the ball came to Henderson outside the box who pinged a sweet shot from the outside of his right foot directly into the net. Liverpool were 1-0 up, and Henderson had opened the scoring for the second consecutive match. Jordan's confidence continues to grow, and it can only benefit Liverpool; he has played a vital role in the side's revival over the last few months.

Before half time, Coutinho and Sturridge had further chances, the latter once again being shut out by a superb Heaton stoppage. Burnley raised the hopes of their travelling fans when Danny Ings earned a free kick just outside the Liverpool penalty area, but they were unable to make the most of it.

In the second half, Liverpool kept searching for a second goal to seal victory in a game that, admittedly, they were firmly in control of. That all-important second goal came around 10 minutes into the second half, as a fine Henderson cross set up Sturridge for a rare headed goal (perhaps the unlikely nature of his strike explained the unexpected absence of his traditional dance celebration, opting for a general huddle with his colleagues instead).

Not much happened in the rest of the half, bar some more chances for Liverpool by Lallana and Alberto Moreno. Burnley gave it their best shot but just didn't threaten Liverpool enough to cause any serious trouble. Given the ease at which the Reds were maintaining control of the match, it's hard to imagine that any spectators truly believed Liverpool would surrender their lead following the first goal, never mind the second. But that shouldn't discount what was a strong, unspectacular yet professional performance by the home side on the back of a major win over the defending champions three days earlier.

So, the game went as the form book would have suggested. A fairly easy Liverpool win keeps the Reds firmly in the race for a top-four finish (the only disappointment for Liverpool is that all of their rivals for the European places won in midweek as well), although their attention now turns to a home tie in the FA Cup with Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, where victory takes them back to Wembley Stadium - or Anfield South, as long-time Kopites used to call it. Burnley were obviously less happy at how things transpired, but there was no lack of effort from the Clarets and it really couldn't have been a surprising result to them. Overall, a satisfying night to be a Red.

Coutinho Creativity Keeps Liverpool Climbing

Philippe Coutinho is congratulated
after the win secured
by his stunning curler.

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Result: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester City
Date: Sunday March 1 2015
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Attendance: 44,590

A stunning curler from outside the box by Philippe Coutinho secured a major home win for Liverpool against Manchester City.

The victory keeps alive Liverpool's hopes of securing Champion's League football via a top four finish, but City's chances of retaining the Premier League title look slim after this result kept them five points behind Chelsea, with the League leaders still having a game in hand.

The identity of City has changed a lot in recent years due to the increase in their financial power, as has their trophy cabinet as a result, but one thing which has not changed is the club's fortunes against Liverpool at Anfield.

Before this game, they had only managed one win in their last 17 visits to the Reds, and despite Liverpool lagging far behind City in terms of points prior to kick-off, nothing would change here.

Liverpool started a little sluggish in defence but soon came to life, and after a few minutes Adam Lallana thought he had put the Reds ahead, only for his strike to be ruled out due to an offside decision.

Fortunately, Kopites did not have to long wait long to celebrate for real: less than 11 minutes into the game, a sweet strike by Jordan Henderson (captaining once again in the absence of Steven Gerrard) went in with a little help from the underside of the crossbar, and Liverpool were in front.

It was another sign of Henderson's growth as a potential future captain, and goals like this mark a nice resemblance to Gerrard and his habit of providing stand-out moments of quality in big games.

Mind you, as encouraging as this was, it would only retain its power if City were kept abay. Alas, after knocking on the Reds' door a few times, the titleholders equalised on the 26-minute mark with a straight finish by Edin Dzeko, although the manner in which City were able to carve open the opportunity gave a reminder to manager Brendan Rodgers - or The Brodge, as nicknamed by Noel Gallagher recently on Match Of The Day 2 - that whilst his side's fortunes have improved in recent weeks, his defence is still prone to the occasional bout of jitters.

Liverpool's defence remained quite shaky for the rest of the half, but they hung in there and, in the second half, the game became a more open affair on both sides, as each team took it in turns to create good chances, some - including more than one effort by Sergio Aguero - being only a whisker away from going in. Lallana actually had the ball in the net for the second time but, for the second time on the day, an offside flag made it obsolete.

It looked like anybody's game, although the neutral would have assumed by the passage of play that City would be the team to find a way through if either side was to secure three points.

Instead, with just over 15 minutes left, Coutinho set himself up with a touch and right-footed it around Joe Hart high into the net. Anfield was bouncing; once again, the underdogs were ahead, and this time they would not let the lead slip.

City continued pressing for another equaliser, and brought on Frank Lampard in an attempt to somehow get that second goal. But time was not on City's side and, with the Reds focused on denying their opponents the slightest chance at earning a point, Liverpool held on for what stands as their biggest win of the season.

Although nothing could equal the electricity and emotion of Liverpool's 3-2 win over City last April, this result came close. The reactions of the Anfield faithful indicated how important this win was in proving Liverpool's revival is for real, and puts Rodgers' team just two points behind fourth-place Manchester United.

After this defeat, Manuel Pelligrini will privately realise that it will take more than a slip-up to keep the Premier League title at the Etihad this season. For Brendan Rodgers, though, this win must have been extremely satisfying: whilst it has looked like Liverpool have been on the right track for a good few weeks now, this milestone victory proved it, and ensures that the Reds will have a busy two months on the horizon as the 2014/5 season comes to a close. Next up is Burnley: ahead of that game, the message for Liverpool after this win has to be: "We Go Again".

FA Cup 4th Round Recap

Emile Heskey in action against
Liverpool. (Image Source: BBC Sport)

Written By: Bashir Yusuf

Arsenal through, Liverpool and Man Utd forced to settle for replays amidst shock exits for Premier League giants

The absence of Premier League football this weekend meant that the FA cup fourth round had to live up to its billing, and didn't it do just that. We have always known FA cup weekends to come up with one or two surprises; nonetheless, no one would have predicted the amount of shocks that awaited this weekend.

Jon Stead celebrates Bradford's first
goal. (Image Source: BBC Sport)

Manchester United kicked off the fourth round in an unusual Friday fixture away to Richard Money's Cambridge United. The following day, Chelsea welcomed League One side Bradford City to Stamford Bridge, Manchester City were at home to Middlesbrough, and in the evening kick-off, Liverpool played host to Bolton Wanderers. Elsewhere, Leicester City travelled to White Hart Lane, while Alan Pardew and his Crystal Palace side travelled to St. Mary's Stadium; in addition, Arsenal travelled to Brighton & Hove Albion for another potential banana skin tie.

Beginning with our local entry (Everton had been dispatched in the previous round by West Ham United), joining Liverpool legends Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish in the stands at Anfield was captain Steven Gerrard, who as he approaches the end of his Liverpool career is being closely managed by Brendan Rodgers; his absence here ensured his inclusion for the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea this Tuesday. The atmosphere was as electric as ever with the Kop at their loudest. With Gerrard absent, Jordan Henderson captained the side, whilst Javier Manquillo, Jose Enrique, Joe Allen and Adam Lallana all returned to the starting XI.

As expected, the home side had the majority of possession, although whenever Neil Lennon's Bolton side had a spell in control, they looked comfortable and full of ideas. Still, despite a strike force including Eidur Gudjohnsen and former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey, they finished the match without a shot on target but, crucially, didn't concede either. The first half showcased some quality play from the team in red, but never enough to get on the score-line. Raheem Sterling and fellow countryman Henderson were involved in everything good coming Liverpool's way, with the latter hitting a decent shot that required an equally decent save from Hungarian keeper Adam Bogdan. The Trotters had half-decent chances of their own, but not enough to make a difference, and this resulted to both teams going into half-time goalless.

Lazar Markovic was introduced in the second half and soon had a penalty claim. Replays showed that the foul had happened outside the box, but there was enough contact that a free kick should have been awarded. Referee Kevin Friend further frustrated LFC fans by ignoring penalty appeals after a clumsy challenge by former red Jay Spearing on Henderson in the area. Besides this and further Liverpool chances, the second half was more notable for Bolton's strong defending, earning themselves a return leg in their own backyard, where they feel their chances of progression would be higher. The home supporters were beginning to be out-mourned by their opposition fans, as a return leg began to appear very possible. Liverpool had their chances but couldn't take them, and so the match ended in a goalless draw. A replay was not ideal for Brendan Rodgers, who suddenly has a busy fixture list with this two-parter adding to his Premier League commitments, Europa League preparations and, of course, that vital League Cup clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Away from Anfield, the major FA Cup headlines for the weekend were the shock eliminaiton of Chelsea and Manchester City. Chelsea was the bigger surprise since they were facing a side two divisions below them, are currently the best team in the country, and were two goals up inside 38 minutes. Jonathan Stead pulled one back for the Bantams with a sumptuous strike just before half-time, but even then many would have expected the London giants to finish the game off in the second half; nobody expected Bradford to level things up, never mind win. But win they did, as goals from Filipe Morais, Andy Halliday and Mark Yeates completed the shock of the day, and one of the biggest surprises in the competition's rich history. Jose Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winning coach, described the defeat as a "disgrace" considering the level of their opposition (although he did praise Bradford's performance), and said his side should be ashamed of themselves. With Liverpool at the Bridge in mid-week, the West London side who had been eyeing up a quadruple could be out of two competitions in less than a week.

In Manchester, another scintillating encounter took form as Championship side Middlesbrough took an unlikely lead against Manchester City via Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford. City were playing a very strong team with Kun Aguero present, but they looked clueless as they battled to break the Boro defence, leaving theirs wide open. Their misery was completed when Boro secured the win with a stoppage time goal from Kike. In the aftermath, Manuel Pellegrini was criticised for over-working his squad, after his side were only hours removed from returning after an unusual mid-season trip to Abu Dhabi which included a friendly against Hamburg.

The red half of Manchester are still in the pot but, like their rivals Liverpool, had to settle for a replay after a below average performance led to a goalless draw at League Two side Cambridge United - a result which would have gotten greater attention had the major upsets not occurred the following day. And they weren't over: Tottenham Hotspur are also out of the competition as Mauricio Pochettino's side fell by two goals to one at home to Leicester City. In addition, Southampton were dumped out - again on home soil - by Alan Pardew's revitalised Crystal Palace side in a mouth-watering 3-2 encounter. And Gylfi Sigurdsson made the headlines for scoring a cracker and getting a red card as Swansea troubles continued with a 2-1 exit to Blackburn Rovers. Reading, West Bromwich Albion and Derby County all made it through to the next round as well. Replays are to determine the fate of Preston North End and Sheffield United and Sunderland and Fulham.

Sunday was a little less explosive, although FA Cup holders Arsenal just about managed a 3-2 win over Brighton, with German World Cup winner Mesut Ozil on the score-sheet after a long injury break, along with Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky, who poached the winning goal. Aston Villa and West Ham United also secured their spots in the fifth round with wins, as did Stoke City on Monday night.

With the two main favourites out, Liverpool have a strong chance of going all the way to Wembley come May to mark Steven Gerrard's exit with a bang. But Arsenal are also dreaming of retaining the trophy, which is never an easy task, and Wayne Rooney also has his eyes on what could finally be his first FA Cup winner's medal to complete his collection. And who knows, could Bradford City take their fairytale journey all the way to Wembley? Either way, an exhilarating fourth round has resulted in the most open FA Cup in years, as literally anything could happen between now and May 30.