SOCCER: Assistant manager Phil Thompson hopes Liverpool's remarkable knack of returning from European competition to excel themselves in the Premiership will propel them back to the top of the table this afternoon. Middlesbrough v Liverpool (Sky Sports 1, 12.0)
Of their 12 fixtures immediately after midweek European games this season, Liverpool have won an astonishing 11 and drawn the other - 1-1 against Everton after the testing trip to Galatasaray just over a fortnight ago.
By contrast, Manchester United have won four, drawn two and lost four, while Arsenal are only slightly more successful having had six victories, three draws and only one defeat.
After this week's morale-boosting goalless draw against Barcelona in Spain which kept alive Liverpool's Champions League hopes, Thompson hopes they can continue their post-European party against Middlesbrough at The Riverside.
"Our record after past European games is good," said Thompson, whose side are unbeaten in nine Premiership matches and have won six of the last seven.
"Coming back is very difficult. But we came back from Galatasaray and won against Fulham (2-0). Although it was not a brilliant performance, it was full of determination - and we have to ensure we start well tomorrow."
Thompson is hoping Michael Owen will have recovered from his hamstring strain to feature. But Nicolas Anelka is champing at the bit to be involved again, after having to sit it out against Barcelona because he was cup-tied.
Emile Heskey is likely to be included despite limping off in the second half at the Nou Camp.
Middlesbrough will be without the suspended Ugo Ehiogu but will welcome back Benito Carbone after he was forced to sit out last week's FA Cup quarter-final clash with Everton.
Meanwhile, today's rivals also have a score to settle off the pitch. Middlesbrough want as much as £8 million from Liverpool in compensation for Christian Ziege's defection to Anfield in the summer of 2000. Boro have a case pending at the high court in London, and although Liverpool tried to have it thrown out, calling the claim "frivolous", the judge ruled that Boro's case "has merit" and ordered it to continue. It is likely to be heard later this year.
Boro have accused Liverpool of "tapping up" the German and are basing their calculation on written offers of £8 million they received for Ziege from Rangers and Chelsea. Valencia had made a similar verbal bid.
The Anfield club paid only £5.5 million, as per the terms of Ziege's contract. But Middlesbrough are claiming recompense for loss of revenue, points and merchandising.
"Liverpool premeditated a strategy to illegally obtain the services of Christian Ziege," their chairman, Steve Gibson, claimed. "Furthermore, they conspired to defraud our football club of his true market value. This they did by colluding with agents, authorised and unauthorised."
