Chelsea beat the Reds 1-0 in their Champions League semi-final, but Reina told BBC Sport: "In the second half, I tell you they were tired.

"We couldn't move the ball as quick as we normally do, but they were tired.

"They have a tough game on Saturday and maybe for the second leg on Tuesday the legs will not be the freshest."

Liverpool travel to Portsmouth on Saturday already assured of a Champions League place and with manager Rafael Benitez able to rest key players.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will have no such luxury for his side's home game against Bolton as they battle it out with Manchester United for the Premiership crown.

606: DEBATE If there is any team who knows about second half comebacks, it's Liverpool XabierAlonso

The Blues are three points behind their top-flight rivals and need a win against a Bolton side chasing a Uefa Cup berth.

Reina hopes the strain on Chelsea will aid the Reds but says the Anfield crowd and more potency in attack from Liverpool will be needed to help overturn the 1-0 deficit.

The Spaniard was modest about pulling off two vital saves from Frank Lampard to limit Chelsea to a slender lead while seeing only Steven Gerrard go close at the other end.

"I hope the atmosphere at Anfield is going to be the most important ever," said Reina.

"We are very confident when we play at home and we have to show Chelsea how important it is for us.

He added: "We have to improve. We have to try to score. I don't know which way but we have to find a solution to get a goal.

"We beat them in the league 2-0 earlier in the season and we can do it again."

Reds skipper Gerrard praised Reina for his two saves in the first leg but was left ruing seeing a left-foot strike saved by Chelsea keeper Petr Cech.

I think Chelsea are happy with the result but I think they will show us a lot of respect in the second leg Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard

"I think Chelsea edged the first half on chances and Pepe has made a couple of good saves," said Gerrard.

"In the second, we dominated possession and pushed forward without creating clear-cut chances.

"But their keeper has pulled off a top save from me. I don¿t think any other keeper in Europe would have got that because I was away celebrating."

Gerrard also echoed Reina's sentiments about the role the Anfield crowd can play.

"I think Chelsea are happy with the result but I think they will show us a lot of respect in the second leg," he added.

"They know this tie's not over. They have witnessed the atmosphere at Anfield before and they know we are capable of beating them at as we showed in the Premiership this season.

"It's half-time. We would have liked a better scoreline but we get on with it. We go into the game needing to score the first goal.

"We are confident we can hurt them a lot more at our place with the crowd behind us. If we raise the tempo the first 20 minutes will be really interesting.

"If any fans in the world can make the roof come down it is certainly ours.

"We are obviously aware that Chelsea have a slight advantage by keeping a clean sheet and getting their goal but if we score the first goal next week it will be game on."source bbc.com

Chelsea cut United's lead at the top of the Premiership to three points at the weekend after beating Tottenham, while United lost to Portsmouth.

Mourinho said: "United are very lucky they don't have to play here next week. Can you imagine them here next weekend?

"That's the game where they will slip up, against us, so they're very lucky."

The Premiership champions face relegation-threatened West Ham on 18 April, while United's nest game is at home to struggling Sheffield United.

And the top two go head-to-head at Stamford Bridge in the penultimate game of the season in a match which may decide the destination of the title.

Before this weekend's games Ferguson had bemoaned Tottenham getting just 36 hours recovery time from their Uefa Cup quarter-final in Seville.

But Mourinho said: "I was not surprised Ferguson complained about our fixture because he is intelligent and maybe he thinks other people are stupid.

"But the truth is United are very, very lucky with the fixtures because, until now, they have always played before us."

Mourinho added: "Ferguson is an intelligent man, a successful man with a great career.

"But when you think other people are stupid it is not a good quality."

Ferguson though, believes Chelsea have the more difficult run-in and is confident the Blues will slip up in their remaining six fixtures.

He said: "Chelsea have a lot of tough games coming up so someone will make them suffer. It is hard to believe they will go six games without that happening.

"We are still three points ahead and if I was given that option at the start of the season I would have taken it." source bbc.com

Fans rounded on coach Steve McClaren in Wednesday's 3-0 win against Andorra and demanded the former captain's return.

Beckham said: "Qualification is very difficult but I'm 100% behind these players and this team.

"I was proud to see the way the players were fighting because it wasn't an easy game. It wasn't an easy atmosphere."

Beckham was speaking at the Sport Industry Awards in London, where he was given an award for Outstanding Contribution to British Sport.

At the same awards evening, Arsenal were honoured with the Sport Business Achievement of the Year for the construction of their new Emirates Stadium.

And BBC Sport won the Best Use of Digital Media in Sport award for its World Cup 2006 website.

Beckham was given a standing ovation at the ceremony by figures from the sporting world, and later he praised the contribution of his successor as captain John Terry, and match-winner Steven Gerrard in England's 3-0 win against minnows Andorra in Barcelona.

"When you need a win you need your big players to come out and do it for you and we had that against Andorra. It was great to see.

"I can speak for the players because I've been a player with most of the lads out there."

Beckham, who received his award from Arsenal striker and his "good friend" Thierry Henry, added: "It's tough when you take criticism but the lads came through that and it was an important win. They showed a lot of strength and character.

"There will always be criticism in football but the lads rode it and I was proud to see captain John Terry standing up, as did other players around him.

"And of course Steven Gerrard won them the game."

Beckham also insisted he had not given up hope of an England comeback, saying: "I've always wanted to play for my country since I was a young boy and that has never changed.

"I'll always have that passion. Whether I do or not we'll see [but] the passion will always be there."

Liverpool captain Gerrard admitted England were missing the goal-scoring of Michael Owen, who has been out injured since the World Cup.

He said: "We are missing Michael at the moment. It will be great when he is back.

"Michael is a fantastic goalscorer and he has got a great record at this level. Any team that has got Michael Owen fit and ready is going to be stronger.

"His record for England over many years has been fantastic and how many times has he come up with the crucial goal?

"We have missed him, of course we have."

Maradona, who led his team to victory in the 1986 World Cup and is revered in his country, has suffered from health problems in the past.

He has battled both his weight and an addiction to cocaine. He has also been in hospital twice with heart problems.

No reason was given for his admission, but the hospital said it was "not linked to his addiction to drugs".

The statement issued by the Guemes hospital said Maradona was suffering from "an imbalance" and was undergoing tests.

"He's staying, he's staying... his life is not in danger," said his personal doctor Aldredo Cahe, speaking outside the hospital.

His two daughters, Dalma and Giannina, were seen arriving at the hospital a few minutes after he was admitted.

Families of patients on the 13th floor of the hospital were asked to leave and police and security guards were brought in to control the area.

Maradona is still revered in Argentina and his fans will be watching and waiting for any news of their idol, the BBC's Daniel Schweimler reports from Buenos Aires.

Ill-health

Maradona led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, and won league titles at home and in Italy.

But in 1991, he was banned for 15 months after failing a drugs test and tested positive again for banned drugs at the 1994 World Cup in the US.

He retired from competitive sport in 1997. In 2004, he spent 10 days in intensive care with high blood pressure, breathing problems and a lung infection.

Two years ago, he had a stomach stapling operation. He lost 30kg (66lb), began playing football again and appeared to be getting his life back on track.

But the Argentine media reported at the weekend that Maradona had put on weight and was considering taking a slimming cure in Switzerland.

Earlier this month, Argentina's central bank said it was investigating him for alleged financial irregularities. Source bbc.com

The Manchester United striker, 21, has not scored a competitive goal at international level since Euro 2004.

Former England striker Shearer told BBC Sport: "It is not happening for Wayne for England at the moment.

"But Andorra is an ideal opportunity for him to get among the goals. He just needs one and the rest will follow."

Rooney drew a blank in Saturday's 0-0 draw against Israel and has now gone 15 competitive games without scoring for his country.

But Shearer, who went through his own goal famine for England when he failed to score in 12 friendlies in the build-up to Euro 96, believes he will come good.

"Wayne is not playing well and the England manager Steve McClaren is not getting the best out of him at the moment," he added.

"We are not seeing the same performances for England as we are for Manchester United but I still wouldn't doubt his quality.

"He will be as frustrated as anyone that he is not playing well but I think quality comes through in the end.

"I know better than most what it is like to go through that at international level. You don't doubt yourself and I am sure he will have confidence in his ability but it is just a frustrating time.

"And it is not just a question of England only playing well if Wayne plays well. There is more to it than that.

"There are a few players who are not showing the form for their country that they have been for their club."

It is not only Rooney who is struggling in front of goal for England. McClaren's men have found the net just once in their last five games.

Everton's Andy Johnson partnered Rooney in Tel Aviv but Shearer believes he or Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe are suitable foils up front.

"Andy worked very hard on Saturday and he worked the channels well," Shearer added.

"I am sure he will have been disappointed not to score with the one chance he had - sometimes you only get one chance - and I hope he gets another opportunity on Wednesday because I am sure he will have more chances then than he did in Israel.

"Like Andy, Jermain has got his own qualities and both of them can score goals but neither of them have done it on a regular basis at international level.

"Whoever starts on Wednesday, it will be a chance for one of them to get a goal or two.

"The whole team will be looking to improve their scoring record but you cannot go there and say we need to get at least five or six goals. We are looking for a decent performance and some goals and then we will see what happens."

England are third in Group E behind Croatia and Russia after a stuttering start to their qualification campaign but Shearer believes they can still book their place in the finals in Switzerland and Austria.

"The run-in to this group will decide who qualifies," he explained.

"Having four of our last five games at home will hopefully turn things round for us.

"Wembley is going to be exciting for our players going there but it is going to be exciting for the other teams too. I hope it works for us rather than against us.