This season Liverpool made major moves in the transfer market, selling players such as Xabi Alonso and the ageing Sami Hyypiä, while signing Alberto Aquilani from Roma and Glen Johnson from Portsmouth.

[2] Liverpool announced their pre-season programme on 6 May 2009, including a tour of Asia and a friendly against Espanyol, as part of a clause of the deal that brought Albert Riera to the club.

The Asian tour began with a match against Thailand on 22 July, which ended 1–1, with Liverpool's early goal coming from Ryan Babel and the Thai's from substitute Sutee Suksomkit.

This was followed by a trip to Kallang to play Singapore, a game which Liverpool won 5–0 with goals from Andriy Voronin, Albert Riera, two by Krisztián Németh and Fernando Torres.

[33] Spurs took the lead a minute before half time when left back Benoît Assou-Ekotto scored from 30 yards, after Tom Huddlestone's free kick had been blocked.

Liverpool showed more urgency after half time, and were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes when Glen Johnson's run was ended by keeper Heurelho Gomes' challenge.

Liverpool continued to press and finally got the winner on 83 minutes, when Torres' knockdown from a Glen Johnson was met by a shot from Gerrard, who had earlier hit the bar.

Despite comments made prior to the match by goalkeeper Pepe Reina that the league title was 'not a realistic ambition this season',[46] Liverpool comfortably dispatched the East Lancashire club 4–0 to go up to fourth in the table, thanks to an inspired performance from Yossi Benayoun, who scored a hat-trick.

[47] Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez later praised Benayoun's work ethic, and stated that he was an 'example to the rest of the squad'[48][49] Michael Shields, attended this match as a special guest, his first since Istanbul, just three days after being released from prison.

[64] Liverpool were left chasing the game at this point, and they lost two men in three minutes; Philipp Degen was sent off for a tackle on Zamora, and Jamie Carragher was later sent off for a professional foul.

City got back into the game on 69 minutes; poor marking from Craig Bellamy's corner left Emmanuel Adebayor with a free header from six yards.

City then silenced Anfield when they took the lead on 76 minutes; Shaun Wright-Phillips turned Sotirios Kyrgiakos and crossed for Stephen Ireland to finish from close range.

Cesc Fàbregas later revealed that manager Arsène Wenger had given his players the hairdryer treatment at half time, making it clear in no uncertain terms that they had played awfully in the first period.

[73] Daniel Agger's close-range header was the visitors' best chance of the half, but it was Portsmouth who took the lead six minutes from the end, Algerian Nadir Belhadj rifling in a shot from what seemed an impossible angle.

The away side pressured for an equaliser in the second half, with Asmir Begović pulling off a stupendous save from Steven Gerrard's heavily deflected shot.

Villa missed good chances through Gabriel Agbonlahor and John Carew, but with the game heading for a draw, Fernando Torres slotted past Brad Friedel in the third minute of stoppage time to give Liverpool a vital three points.

Liverpool's first Premier League match of the calendar year pitted them against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium, just days after they had been knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Reading at Anfield.

They did take the lead on 57 minutes, with Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos knocking in after Thomas Sørensen had dropped Fábio Aurélio's free kick.

Albert Riera's early effort was comfortably saved by Marcus Hahnemann, but the away side failed to create any clear-cut chances, and the best opportunities in a drab game fell to Wolves' Kevin Doyle, whose goalbound shot was cleared by Emiliano Insúa.

Great work[78][79][80] from in-form Spaniard Fernando Torres on the left resulted in him cutting inside two defenders before a high, curling shot flew into the top right-hand corner.

Liverpool cruised into a 2–0 lead when a corner broke loose to right back Glen Johnson, who skipped past a Sunderland defender before unleashing a left-foot strike that took a deflection.

Liverpool took the lead just two minutes into the second half, when a corner on the left side on the edge of the 18-yard box fell short to Steven Gerrard, who curled an effort past City goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Fábio Aurélio swung over a ball from the right, Jamie Carragher headed it back across goal and David Ngog reacted quickest to poke it in from a few yards out.

A solitary goal gave the Reds all three points on the night against Debrecen but thanks to Fiorentina's win in Lyon, the 2005 champions were eliminated from the competition at the group stages for the very first time under boss Rafael Benítez.

Liverpool made 3 changes for the first leg, with Fábio Aurélio coming in for Emiliano Insúa, Jamie Carragher being drafted back into the squad to replace Sotirios Kyrgiakos, and Dirk Kuyt being placed on the right-wing, with David Ngog the lone striker.

Liverpool did not play well on the night, and it was no surprise that they conceded in the 85th minute after an Eden Hazard free kick was swung deep into the penalty area and went over Jamie Carragher's and Pepe Reina's heads and into the back of the net.

Liverpool opened the scoring in only the eighth minute of the game, with Brazilian Lucas being hauled down in the penalty area after an impressive run from just inside the visitors' half.

Agger produced a cheeky back heel from 9 yards out that slightly deflected of a Benfica defender and into the bottom left hand corner to leave the 'keeper Júlio César stranded.

They scored the game's only goal on 66 minutes, when Javier Mascherano's cross-cum-shot was trapped excellently by David Ngog, who turned and finished expertly past goalkeeper Shane Higgs.

[101] This was the fifth consecutive year that Liverpool had been knocked out at this stage in the capital, and completed a North London double over the Merseyside clubs, following Tottenham Hotspur's 2–0 victory over Everton the previous night.