Premiership: Thompson has a free hand

Phil Thompson admits that he has been given a free hand by Gerard Houllier as he prepares for tomorrow’s Champions League crunch in Kiev.

Minutes after Liverpool’s plane touched down in the Ukraine after a three-hour flight leaving their manager in hospital after a six-hour operation following his heart scare the previous day - Thompson made it clear that he was in full command for the crucial showdown with Dynamo Kiev.