Crouch: Reds on the rampage

Peter Crouch believes Liverpool are running into form just at the right time to ensure a glittering second half to the season.

The big striker, who is having to fight hard for every appearance in the club’s forward line, can still enthuse about a run which sees Liverpool unbeaten in seven games.

In fact, they have lost just two of 22 games this term and are still unbeaten in the Premier League.

They return to that competition on Sunday when improving Bolton visit Anfield, aiming to halt the Reds’ march of four straight wins which have yielded 17 goals.

Crouch said: “It is starting to come good now. Eight goals against Besiktas, four again against Porto, three at Newcastle, two against Fulham.

“We are confident at the moment so I am sure we will go on to have a strong second half to the season.”

New Birmingham manager Alex McLeish insists he already knows everything about the Premier League – despite Sunday’s trip to Tottenham being his first match in charge south of the border.

McLeish’s management experience has so far been restricted to spells in charge of Motherwell, Hibernian, Rangers and Scotland.

However, he has kept tabs on events in the Barclays Premier League and has been an avid viewer of games on television – even if it has not always gone down well in the McLeish household.

He said: “If I wasn’t at a game there was nothing like settling down on a Sunday and watching three or four games in a row. Her indoors is not too happy about it but I have followed the Premiership since its inception.

“There is probably no squad that I don’t know about and no players that I don’t know about.”

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admits he must tread carefully to ensure Louis Saha gets back to 100% fitness.

The French striker has suffered from a series of injury problems since joining the Red Devils from Fulham in January 2004 and played his first 90 minutes for almost a year in the defeat at Bolton last weekend.

He managed a further 79 minutes against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League in midweek and Ferguson must now decide whether to keep him in his starting line-up as his old club Fulham visit Old Trafford on Monday night, with Wayne Rooney having been pencilled in for his return from an ankle injury.

Ferguson told the club’s website, www.manutd.com: “Louis’ last full game before the match at Bolton was last December. So you have to take that into consideration before talking about touch and confidence.

“He needs games, but it’s difficult with the situation he is in with injuries. We have to be careful, but he felt great against Sporting and that’s encouraging.”

Fulham defender Moritz Volz is edging closer to a return from his injury problems this season.

The 24-year-old has suffered shoulder, groin and foot problems but played an hour of a reserve game this week and could be back for the Christmas schedule.

“I’ve got some extra fitness work to do for the next two weeks to get match fit again, and then, once I’m fit and available for selection, I’ve got another task on my hands – getting into the team,” said Volz on fulhamfc.com.