World class:
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina is one of the few stars left at
Anfield
Encore: Reina will stay at Liverpool, at least
until the end of the season
Pepe Reina dropped a
shock hint last night that he would consider quitting
Liverpool.
When asked how long he
intended to stay at Anfield, he replied 'at least until the end of
the season', despite the Spaniard having a six-year
contract.
And Reina, one of
Liverpool's three world-class players alongside Steven
Gerrard and Fernando Torres, intriguingly added he will not return
to Spain
if he leaves.
Reina's comments will put
rival clubs on alert, particularly Arsene Wenger's
Arsenal.
Reina, 28, who has not won a
trophy since the FA Cup in 2006, said: 'I signed a six-year deal
seven months ago and I'm happy at the club, but every footballer
wants to be competing for trophies and winning things.
'I will stay at
Liverpool at least until the end of the season. I know
there are rumours about me leaving but I want to make it clear that
I have no intention of going back to Spain.'
Losing Reina would be a huge
blow for Roy Hodgson, who has seen his horrendous start at
Liverpool improve in recent weeks, with a previously
out-of-form Torres netting twice in Sunday's 2-0 win over champions
Chelsea.
Reina also hinted that
previous manager Rafael Benitez's departure in the summer had not
left him overly happy.
'Rafael Benitez was an
essential person for this club and the reason I came to
Liverpool,' he said.
Hodgson might not mind the
inferred criticism after the win over Chelsea lifted Liverpool up to ninth, level on points with
sixth-placed Bolton.
Keeper crisis: Lukasz Fabianski made the latest
high-profile gaffe by an Arsenal keeper on Sunday, allowing Andy
Carroll to head in the only goal of the game at the Emirates -
leading many to call for a new No 1 at Arsenal
Much-maligned
midfielder Lucas was one of Liverpool's best players on Sunday and is confident
the team have rediscovered some much-needed
belief.
'We believe again,' said the
Brazilian. 'That is the main thing. We played with intensity and
we're happy.'
