Yeah right Phil (London) cos everyone admires the rate at which Spanish clubs get through their managers!

Jamie, Worthing, UK

Hicks has scuppered the Dubai negotiations in order to have his revenge upon Benitez by sacking him at the end of the season. THEN he will quickly conclude the sale.

Despite the usual statements that "business is unemotional etc ", such tycoons tend to have very large egos, and are renowned for never letting an employee get away with disrespect ("...As always, I am focussed on training and coaching the team...")

Hicks, being American and a Texan, has probably got a monstrous ego. That's how he got to be successful. He is going to squash Benitez like a bug. Mark my words.

And, yes, it will be a shame. Any man that brings Torres into the English game deserves better.

A.Kirk, Manchester, UK

Liverpool have to out to win! To play a defensive game could be disastrous, Liverpool have to show the world that they are a winning team. Having played the game, I never ever wanted to go for a draw — always went out to win. These guys are hungry and will score big-time tonight.

Colin Jackson, Halifax, Canada

A deafening silence from Moores and Parry again, when will we hear anything from the pair, understandably it is difficult for them in their position but the longer it goes on the more angry and frustrated the fans will become with them.

Gerard Savage, Faughart, Ireland

Picture Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano, Babel, Carragher, Reina eyeing the downfall of Inter Milan in the champions league, in exactly the sort of occasion these guys live to play football for and exactly the reason they play for Liverpool for. Does anyone REALLY believe they, at this moment, give a stuff about anything other than that ?

Torres will be excited at the thought of playing along side the world famous Gerrard on one of those great champions league occasions. No longer watching from Spain via his tv as Gerrard lights up the champions league with another moment of brilliance. This time he will be along side him, its everything he wanted. Does anyone really think his minds going to be distracted by the fat cats fighting over owning LFC ?
Look out Milan, the REDS are hungry, excited, confident and coming to do a job on you.

D McMahon, Liverpool, UK

Good thing to remember with the things v inter is materazzi is suspeneded and more importantly if torres, gerrard or even carragher scores a goal they need 4 to take it to extra time, so i reckon play 5 back with skrtel, carragher and hyypia playing as center backs with finnan or arbeloa or riise playing side back with gerrard staying behind torres and push for an early goal

Sean, Melbourne,

Isn't it about time all club teams adopted the Real Madrid/Barcelona model, where the guys at the top are elected by the fans every few years? It would certainly prevent this sort of situation, which boils down simply to a bunch of rich people squabbling over a plaything, which they see as nothing more than a way of making tonnes more money. And why exactly would the players be distracted? Are negotiations taking place in the centre-circle during matches? Unless the players are being threatened with non-payment of wages, they should only be concerned with playing football and stop using this non-story as an excuse for another mediocre league performance under Benitez.

Phil, London,

With Inter missing key defensive personnel, Liverpool could not have asked for a better opportunity of progressing to the quarters. You would fancy them to sneak 1 maybe even 2 with a patched up defence. Nothing but a win will suffice. Go the Reds.

Yusuf Jenkins, Brisbane Q,

I hope this latest development doesn't affect the players. I have a strong gut feeling that we are going to beat Inter in their own backyard. Torres and Gerrard are a formidable pairing at the moment, and Mascherano is available too.
Come on boys. Forget the off field dramas and do the job.

Rory Collins, Sydney via Cork, Australia