LFC secure two new partnership deals

Liverpool FC today announced that it is entering into two new betting partnership deals with Paddy Power and 188BET.

Paddy Power will become the club's official betting partner for the UK, Ireland and Italy, with 188BET becoming the club's official international betting partner.

Both parties have signed two-year agreements, which take them through until the end of the 2013-14 Premier League season. They will both enjoy an extensive, but distinguished, suite of rights. The structure of the deals reflect the evolution in Liverpool's ability to offer fans a geo-targeted betting experience, and the club is proud to announce these two deals simultaneously.

These deals follow two other recent partnership agreements for Liverpool with Chevrolet, the club's official automotive partner, and Garuda Indonesia, the official global airline. The club has enjoyed a partnership with Paddy Power previously, whilst 188BET is the club's incumbent, exclusive global betting partner.

Ian Ayre, Liverpool Football Club's managing director, said: "We're delighted to welcome Paddy Power back to the LFC family and continue our successful relationship with 188BET.

"The betting category has always been an area where the club has enjoyed great success, particularly in the digital space. We took the decision to invest heavily in our website in order to accommodate multiple betting partners, and that decision is vindicated in the uplift in fees that we have seen.

"Liverpool FC has a huge international following so we are glad to be able to help fans enjoy their betting experience wherever they are around the world. We look forward to working with both parties to support our mutual goals."

Paddy Power, spokesperson for Paddy Power, said: "We've built our name on our commitment to offering unbeatable value and entertainment, not least through our money-back specials and justice pay-outs, which have seen us give millions back to punters over the years. 

"Liverpool FC share this history and passion for delighting fans above all else and therefore we're extremely excited to partner with them."         

Nigel Singer, 188BET's managing director, said: "We are delighted to extend the partnership and excellent working relationship with Liverpool FC. The club has been a key driver for us to engage football fans, both in the UK and globally, over the past three seasons.

"Liverpool FC is an iconic global sports brand and this extension of our partnership represents a perfect fit for the 188BET international brand strategy. Our continuing status as the international betting partner ensures that 188BET customers and Liverpool FC's fans, globally, will benefit from exclusive promotions, exciting content and great gaming prices on every Liverpool FC game.

"We are looking forward to working closely with the club to ensure this partnership brings continued success for both parties."

Rodgers: How we can reach top

Brendan Rodgers believes his style of play can bridge the gap between Liverpool and the richest clubs in the division – and the new Reds boss is hopeful of signing more players in the next 48 hours to help his cause.

In a press conference to preview the start of the new Barclays Premier League season, the 39-year-old spoke of his ambitions for the next nine months.

Rodgers admitted the fight for a top-four spot would be a tough one, but explained his belief that an attacking brand of possession football will help elevate Liverpool into the higher reaches of the division sooner or later.

He said: "For us it's about being competitive this year in every competition we're in. The challenge at the top of the table is greater than ever.

"It was the top two, the top three, then the top four. Now there are seven or eight teams involved in that.

"The top four is certainly not something we'll shy away from. It's where a club of this status wants to be, but it's always easier said than done. The reality over the past three seasons or so hasn't been that.

"It's important that if you don't have the money, you have got to be different. That's the idea of trying to find a style. One of the ways in which we can hopefully gain an edge is in how we play and control and dominate games.

"I've got some wonderful players here, some world-class players, and I'm excited about the young players that are coming through. There are always ways in which you are trying to make the difference.

"Everyone wants the money but you can't always have the money. But it won't stop our hunger and desire to improve and be better, and one of the ways in which we'll look to do that is to define our model of play."

Asked if progress had been made strengthening his squad, Rodgers added: "There has been a lot of great work done behind the scenes, enquiring about players.

"I'll find out (more) later, to be honest. We hope in the next couple of days we'll have one or two coming in, which is great - players that can come in and help the ones that are here. Hopefully in the next 48 hours we'll find out."

Meanwhile, Liverpool head into Saturday's league opener at West Brom with a fully fit squad.

Rodgers said: "Everyone has been great, the players are in good physical condition and they have looked very well.

"Everyone will be back from the internationals today and we'll assess the group over the next couple of days."

As well as the fitness of his senior players, Rodgers was also asked by a Northern Irish journalist about teenager Ryan McLaughlin, who was called up to his international side this week but had to withdraw through injury.

The boss said: "He's at the beginning of his career. First and foremost, he's a good kid. I came here and I took 10 players under 19 with me to America and Ryan was one of those players, at 17 years of age.

"The guys at the Academy spoke very highly of him. The key thing for Ryan is he wants to learn. He made his first start against Totti against Roma so it was a wonderful experience for him and he did very well.

"I'm sure if he keeps his thirst and he retains the hunger that I've seen over the course of the pre-season and the attitude to want to get better and improve, then he has got talent.

"But talent alone is not enough, you've got to have the ability and the mindset to work. If he does all of those things, then he will have a terrific chance of having a good career."

Rodgers: We're in a good moment

 Brendan Rodgers believes Liverpool's preparations for the start of the Barclays Premier League season could not have gone any better as he watched his side beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 at Anfield on Sunday.

The Reds signed off from their final friendly of the summer with a comprehensive victory as goals from Raheem Sterling, Lucas Leiva and Andy Carroll ensured Sami Hyypia's first return to Merseyside as an opposing manager ended in defeat.

It was Rodgers' final chance to assess his players in match action ahead of next Saturday's trip to West Bromwich Albion, and he's delighted with how the squad have geared up for the campaign over the last two months.

"I thought the players were excellent today, especially on the back of a competitive game on Thursday," the boss told his post-match press conference.

"I am very pleased. I see the idea of the team improving each time we play and in a very, very short period of time the players have taken on board that tactical concept of controlling and dominating the game.

"Last time they were out, Bayer Leverkusen won 7-1 against Frankfurt, so for us to play with that control and domination against a very good side was excellent.

"We arrive into next week with a clean bill of health, everyone is training, and they are really embracing the work and it's great to see."

Rodgers added: "Certainly, I am very, very pleased with where we're at. The players have shown great determination and they want to learn. They're very happy to work in this way.

"I am delighted with where we're at because I know the vision and where this leads too, and hopefully it will continue to improve."

Liverpool took the lead inside two minutes against their German visitors when Sterling latched onto a pass from Jose Enrique and skipped beyond two Leverkusen defenders before curling an effort into the bottom corner.

It was a goal that left Rodgers satisfied in more ways than one - and the manager believes he's witnessed the 17-year-old winger mature over the last few weeks.

"I was pleased with the goal as a whole," he explained. "If you look back at the images of it, it was good pressure on one side of the field when we won the ball and took it out of the pressure zone.

"I like wingers to play with width, and by the time the ball got to Jose Enrique, he (Sterling) was in a great position.

"His movement off the ball was very impressive - he's made a great run and Jose played a terrific pass, and the rest was that imagination and creativity that I love when he cut inside and scored with a wonderful finish.

"The boy is a talent. He still has an awful lot to do and an awful lot to learn, but he's shown over pre-season that from a young guy who just worries about himself, he now worries about the team and the responsibility within the team."

Lucas added Liverpool's second soon after, sweeping home into an empty net after Leverkusen made a mess of trying to deal with a free-kick.

Rodgers feels the goal was just rewards for the hard work the Brazilian has been putting in as he continues his quest to regain full fitness following injury.

He said: "He has been brilliant. He is a terrific guy and he is prolific from seven yards with no goalkeeper!

"You have seen the growth of him as a player and a person, and the journey he's been on at this club is incredible. He still feels he has a lot to offer. How I work in liking to play this high, intense pressing and passing game brings on his fitness.

"I think if you look at him now, he is in a real good moment. Hopefully he can stay fit and strong and keep pushing on for us."

Carroll wrapped up the scoring late on, powering home from the edge of the box after a piece of nimble footwork created a shooting opportunity following a free-flowing Reds move.

Rodgers said: "It was a terrific goal from him. It was a nice, clever piece of play by Charlie Adam as the ball came into him and he flicked it around the corner.

"Maybe eight or nine times out of 10 he would have expected that (the ball) back, but big Andy showed his skill and ability as well.

"He's got stick that he can't play this way, but it was a wonderful piece of skill letting the ball go through his legs, getting the shot on target and tucking the ball away very well. It was very pleasing all round.

"The players had a wonderful idea of the game tactically and I am seeing an improvement every single day in terms of our passing game."

On a pleasing afternoon for Rodgers, new Liverpool signing Joe Allen watched the game from the directors' box and the gaffer admits he's looking forward to implementing the midfielder into his plans.

"Joe will fit into the group very well," said the Northern Irishman. "I like technically gifted players, and he is exceptionally technically gifted.

"But I also like good people and he is a very humble young guy. He knows he is 22 years of age and has an awful lot to learn, but he will be with us every single day in the journey to make this club better.

"He is a very talented boy and he comes into an excellent group. Hopefully we can add one or two more before the end of the window."

With the start of the Barclays Premier League now just six days away, journalists were keen to quiz Rodgers on how he feels ahead of the big kick off a little more than two months on from being appointed Liverpool boss.

He replied: "I will never be complacent. I've got so much to prove here. I have got to fight for my life to prove I am good enough to be here. I feel comfortable in relation to my position and work on the field. My promise was to fight for the club every single day.

"We're in a good moment and a good position. We've had a terrific pre-season and we've already started our competitive games in the Europa League. We now arrive into the Barclays Premier League next week with a real strong mindset and hopefully that can continue."

Reds hit three in final friendly

 Raheem Sterling took just three minutes to net his first senior Liverpool goal as the Reds completed their pre-season with a 3-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen.

The 17-year-old put the finishing touches to an incisive Liverpool move when he sprung clear of his marker and curled past Bernd Leno to open the scoring.

Lucas Leiva added a second before Andy Carroll fired home the Reds third and Sidney Sam clinched a late consolation goal for the visitors.

Sami Hyypia made his return to Anfield as Leverkusen manager and the crowd had barely finished chanting his name to welcome him back to his former home when Sterling broke clear and fired the Reds ahead.

Jonjo Shelvey had to stretch in the middle of the park to divert the ball out wide to where Jose Enrique was in space. Sterling made an instinctive dart forward and there was no catching him when the Spaniard threaded a diagonal ball along the floor and into his path.

The winger took one touch to cut inside from the left and leave Philipp Wollscheid for dead before unleashing a curling right-footed effort on goal that nestled in the far corner of Leno's net.