Agger: Deal me in, Rafa

DANIEL AGGER is desperate to pen a new long-term contract at Liverpool.

The Danish centre-back, 23, has been a regular in the Reds' starting XI since Martin Skrtel was injured earlier this season.

And, after another fine performance in the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid last night, Agger said: “Of course, I will see what they will offer me but I want to stay here for a long time.”

Kop boss Rafa Benitez has revealed he wants Agger and striker Dirk Kuyt to sign new deals.

He said: "Agger is very close and he is talking with the club.

"There is no news yet with Kuyt but he is another player that I would like to get done as soon as possible. They have to be done before the new year.

"In each team you need people with quality, that work hard and with a good character.

"I want to do it as soon as possible because it is better for them and better for the club."

Liverpool deal collapses

LIVERPOOL’S Yank owners were stunned after a shock Arab takeover collapsed.

George Gillett and Tom Hicks held secret talks with a new Middle East consortium — and were willing to sell the club for less than £500million.

Talks were so advanced that due diligence, the process of going through the Anfield accounts, took place last month.

The accounts even forecast the Kop outfit would make a projected profit of £45million by the end of this season — a claim city experts believe is totally unrealistic.

But Hicks and Gillett were left empty-handed when the Arabs dramatically walked away at the 11th hour.

The news puts the Americans under intense pressure to accept the £500m offer still on the table from Dubai International Capital, who have a long-held interest in buying the club.

Hicks and Gillett borrowed £350m from the Royal Bank of Scotland to help them buy Liverpool but that deal expires in January.

And with the bank already a major victim of the credit crunch, there is a danger the Americans will fail to get the loan deal they need to remain owners of the club.

That could let in DIC, who have pledged to invest heavily in Liverpool’s new stadium, currently put on hold by the cash-strapped Yanks, and the playing squad.

Gerro is fall right by us

RAFA BENITEZ defended Kop skipper Steven Gerrard as Atletico were left seething by a controversial last-gasp penalty.

Gerrard won a soft spot-kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time when he went down under the challenge of Mariano Pernia.

The Reds ace fired home and boss Benitez insisted: “It would have been a free-kick in the middle of the pitch so in the box it is a penalty.

We have to be disappointed we haven’t won either game against Atletico but we have one more point.

“We were talking before about the character of the team. That’s five or six times we have come back from behind.

“In the end we are happy to get a point but it’s disappointing we had to leave it right until the end.”

Gerrard said: “I got to the ball first and headed it. If it had been outside the box it would have been a free-kick, so it was a penalty.

“It was a big point for us and it means we stay at the top of the group. We showed our character by coming back.”

Atletico coach Javier Aguirre said: “I was a long way from the incident.

“I’m not in the habit of criticising referees and I’m not going to change that now.”

Liverpool are behind Atletico on goal difference at the top of Group D and can clinch a place in the knockout stages against Marseille in three weeks.

They had a frustrating night after falling behind to a 37th-minute strike from Maxi.

Fernando Torres failed to face his old club but should be fit for Saturday’s West Brom clash after a hamstring injury.

Liverpool 1 Atletico Madrid 1

IF the old saying about needing luck to win trophies holds any water, Liverpool are certainly using up theirs by the bucketload.

Less than three months into the season and already Rafa Benitez’s boys are turning The Great Escape into a long- running series.

Deep, deep into stoppage time the Reds were heading for a Champions League choker after blowing every chance they created and getting a boot in the you-know-whats off the referee as well.

But just as Atletico were preparing to celebrate a famous victory, Swedish official Martin Hansson gave the worst decision of a totally inept night — and Liverpool were out of jail.

Skipper Steven Gerrard was jumping more in hope than expectation when he challenged Mariano Pernia for a wickedly bouncing ball in the 94th minute.

There was contact, but it was minimal — yet the referee, who had dropped clangers all evening, pointed to the spot, sparking a storm of protest from Atletico.

Gerrard kept his cool to drill home and strictly speaking you could not argue with the justice of the outcome itself.

But you could certainly argue with the manner it came about.

Atletico most definitely did, as Pernia, Johnny Heitinga and Sergio Aguero were all booked for complaining.

Benitez: We can still win the title

RAFA BENITEZ insists Liverpool still have the belief to win the league.

The Kop boss said: “We have a quality. We have the mentality to win titles but we need to take our chances.

“Chelsea have shown since we beat them that they are a good team and we have to do the same.

"We have to show our character and fight back. In football you can always lose games but the question is how.

To lose a game like this is really disappointing but we don’t have to be worried about the performance, the character or the quality of the team.

“I am really disappointed but it was bad luck because everybody could see we were better than them.

“As a team we were really good but we need to take our chances. That makes the difference in a game like this.”

Benitez is also confident star striker Fernando Torres is over a hamstring problem and will be fit to feature — on the subs’ bench, at least — in tomorrow’s Champions League home clash with his former club Atletico Madrid.

The Spaniard added: “We have an important game on Tuesday and maybe Torres will start or will be on the bench.

“When a player is injured for a while he is desperate. He did not play in the first game against Atletico so he is keen.”