Liverpool Football Club News

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• Manager:Kenny Dalglish

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Mascherano set to start

03 Apr 2007 - 11:34:47

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Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has hinted that he could hand a Champions League debut to Javier Mascherano in the quarter-final first leg clash with PSV Eindhoven.

The Argentinian could be given a start after impressing in the 4-1 victory against Arsenal while fellow midfielder Mo Sissoko is suspended for the trip to Holland.

"When we signed Mascherano, I said he was a winner, a player with a good mentality," says the former Valencia manager.

"He has 20 caps with Argentina and is only 22-years-old, and that means a lot.

"When you think about the same figures in England, not a lot of players have 20 caps at his age, and Argentina is a fantastic national team.

"He has experience and character, he wanted to play and wanted to show people he was good enough to play in England, and that was a key to us.

"I think on Saturday people could see that he is a very good player. He was training really well during the week and I was sure he would play well.

"He can settle things down and he can keep the possession, is always in a good position, and when the team play well with the wingers and the holding midfielders play well, then the strikers can score goals.

"We knew when we were trying to bring Mascherano here that we needed another holding midfielder just in case Xabi couldn't play. Against Arsenal, we could play with both and we gave freedom to the wingers and to Gerrard in front of the two midfielders, and it was a solution."

Mascherano has made three Premiership starts for the Reds following his transfer from West Ham United where he endured a miserable five months, playing in only seven matches for the relegation-threatened club.