O’Neill for Liverpool Talk Increases.

By Cathal Dervan

LIVERPOOL boss Gerard Houllier has hit out at the constant speculation linking Martin O’Neill with his job as the storm clouds gather over Anfield.

Houllier is under severe pressure after Saturday’s home defeat at the hands of Southampton, with O’Neill the clear favorite to succeed him.

The Frenchman has already been warned by the Liverpool board that he will be sacked if he fails to finish in fourth place in the Premiership and gain Champions League qualification.

And he finally lost his patience on the O’Neill issue when quizzed by journalists about his future after Saturday’s defeat as Liverpool struggle on without the injured Michael Owen, Harry Kewell, Steve Finnan, Stephane Henchoz, Milan Barros and Jamie Carragher.

Houllier fumed, “We have six first-team players out and it is difficult. We were missing a lot of important players but we still should have won the game and, so far, we are only three points away from the Champions League.

“Instead of putting Martin O’Neill back in the picture, perhaps you can explain that this is why we are struggling. My focus is on my team, not on what is said and written.

“The chairman said something earlier in the week which is merely what I have been saying all along, and yet it was made to sound like if we don’t finish fourth I’ll get the sack. So what? Not a problem. All I’m working on long term is for the club and the people here, and it’s difficult at the moment.”

Meanwhile, Celtic’s on loan defender Michael Gray wants to stay at Celtic. The Sunderland left-back is due back on Wearside when his four month loan deal expires at the end of the month but he admitted, “I am keeping my fingers crossed that something can happen for me here at Celtic.

“Obviously that is the manager’s decision. All I can do is keep trying my hardest in training or when I get a chance in the first team. I have had a taste of top football with Celtic recently and when you get a taste of it, you want even more.” 

Birmingham City, meanwhile, are interested in luring Celtic duo Henrik Larsson and John Hartson to the Premiership next season.

Blues chairman David Gold confirmed, “Steve Bruce has a high regard for both players and who wouldn’t want strikers like that? Henrik is a fantastic player with a scoring record that is second to none. I think you can take it there is every chance we will be coming after him come the end of the season.”

Celtic ‘keeper Magnus Hedman was bemused by his absence from the 3-2 win over Dundee on Saturday, a direct result of his misfortunes against Lyons in the Champions League the previous Wednesday as Martin O’Neill’s team crashed out.

Hedman was replaced by Rab Douglas against Dundee and admitted, “The manager read us the squad before the game and I just wasn’t in it. I haven’t heard any explanation but I didn’t expect it as things don’t work like that at a big club like Celtic.”

O’Neill, still aggravated by the late penalty decision against Bobo Balde that cost his side so dearly in France, must now plot the demise of Czech side FK Teplice in the UEFA Cup.

He said, “We know any side from the Czech Republic would be pretty tasty in terms of technical ability. They are not as easy as people expect. We know they won against Feyenoord, who won the competition a couple of years ago. 

“In many ways, I think with some of the sides involved in the UEFA Cup it is just as difficult as the matches we could have faced in the Champions League.”

Swiss referee Urs Meier has backed his decision to award the controversial penalty against Balde for handball inside the Celtic penalty area four minutes from the end of the crucial CL clash with Lyon.

Brazilian midfielder Juninho knocked the Celts out of the competition when he scored from the spot but Meier insisted, “I still have the same impression of that incident, having seen the video that I did on the pitch.

“Look at Celtic’s number six (Balde) – he jumps like a goalkeeper playing handball. He touched the ball with his hand and diverted its course - that is a penalty. 

”I was 100% correct then and I am now. I understand how hard it is to lose a Champions League place that late in the game. I know why there was a reaction like there was but you have to look at it from a neutral position. It was a handball and for me it was deliberate.”

O’Neill, just voted in the top five managers in the world in a World Soccer magazine poll, is not convinced however. He said, “The fact is that Bobo had his hand up and you can’t give anybody any possibility of giving a decision like that at all.

“The disappointing thing is that the Lyon players all turned to go for a goal kick and nobody thought it was a penalty. I saw the ball go into the penalty box and Bobo’s arm up but it wasn’t a deliberate handball. There was a slight touch if anything at all. The referee must examine his game after this.”

Celtic were named ninth best team in the world in the World Soccer pool, while their fans have received the UEFA Fair Play award for their behavior at last season’s UEFA Cup final in Seville.