City bound: Yossi Benayoun
Manchester
City boss Mark Hughes is eyeing a shock
January move for Liverpool
midfield playmaker Yossi Benayoun.
Hughes will be given the green light to make another series of
big money moves once the transfer window reopens at the turn of the
year and is keeping tabs on the Israel international.
Benayoun only signed a new Anfield deal in the summer that keeps
him on Merseyside until 2013.
But the News of the
World reports that the Eastlands club will make an
unexpected move for creative midfielder early in 2010.
.
The stumbling Kop kings are seventh in the Premier League and 13
points off the top - and also out of the Champions League.
But Benitez, whose side lost 2-1 to Arsenal on Sunday, said:
"You can't be negative, you have to think of the positives and I
am.
"We are working so hard and I can guarantee you we will finish
in the top four. "If you want to be a good manager you have to find
a way to change things. If you think confidence is low, you have to
find a way to lift it.
"You have to take positives and our first half against Arsenal
was so good. We know everything changed after that but you have to
look at how we played in the first and stick together."
Tonight, Anfield pays tribute to the greatest Reds boss of all,
when the must-win clash against Wigan marks a celebration of the
50th anniversary of Bill Shankly's first game in charge.
Legends from his two great sides of the 1960s and 70s will take
the salute of the Kop, as well as 11 members of Shanks' family.
Those glory days are in stark contrast to the side's current
form. Benitez added: "Everyone wants to win trophies here and our
idea is to bring silverware to the club every year if we can. "We
have lost some opportunities but still have the FA Cup and the
Europa League.
"In the summer we will analyse the situation. I spoke to Steven
Gerrard and Fernando Torres about the future and both were very
supportive. They know the priority is to perform now. We know we
have to improve."
Benitez's promise of a fourth-place finish has certainly put him
in the firing line if he fails.