Javier Mascherano has snubbed the offer of a new deal on the eve of Liverpool's biggest game of the season.

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The Argentine midfielder, currently on £60,000 a week, would win a £30,000 pay rise if he puts pen to paper at Anfield, but with Barcelona circling he has opted not to. (Daily Star Sunday)

And it gets worse for crisis club Liverpool with news that the club will be forced to sell both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to clear huge debts. The star duo will be offloaded unless American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett can attract a wealthy investor. Given any encouragement, Manchester City would not baulk at paying £70 million for Torres while there would be no shortage of suitors for Gerrard in Spain or Italy. (Sunday Express)

Rafa Benitez will become a lame duck manager if Liverpool lose at home to Manchester United. Hicks and Gillett will not fire the Spaniard immediately, but he will be sack at the end of the season if they miss out on the Champions League. (News of the World)

Meanwhile, stewards at Anfield have been armed with safety pins in case Manchester United fans try to bring beach balls into the away section. A steward said: "There will be zero tolerance on this." (News of the World)

The boy at the centre of that particular storm, a 16-year-old Liverpool fan who lobbed the inflatable onto the pitch, has broken his silence to apologise for his gaffe. The poor lad has been on the receiving end of death threats since Darren Bent's freak goal, but hopes his apology will be the end of it. (Sunday Mirror)

Over to Manchester, where United are taking away training ground privileges for their staff as part of a series of cost-cutting measures. Free toast, prridge, tea, coffee and fruit juice will no longer be available to 'non-essential' staff at Carrington. (News of the World)

United are among the club interested in Porto's Brazilian striker Hulk, but they would have to stump up an outrageous £86m to land their man. Arsenal and Chelsea are also thought to be interested. (Sunday Express)

Chelsea are considering an £18m move for Napoli's attacking midfielder Marek Hamsik should their transfer ban be suspended while CAS look into the case. (Sunday Times)

West Ham defender Calum Davidson has been told he will play again, despite having a 15-inch scar on his leg. It was feared his career was over after he was stabbed in August but specialists confirmed this week there is no reason why he should not play again. (News of the World)

The Hammers are plotting a January swoop for Patrick Vieira, the out of favour Internazionale midfielder. (Sunday Mirror)

New Birmingham City owner Carson Yeung has lined up former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier as a potential replacement for Alex McLeish, although it is not thought the Scot's job is in immediate danger. (News of the World)

Arsenal have been linked with a 17-year-old Georgian who, inevitably, has been dubbed the new Georgi Kinkladze. Arsene Wenger's scouts have reportedly been following Spartak Moscow's Zhano Ananidze for a year. (News of the World)

Portsmouth have been forced into an embarrassing climbdown over an interview with new owner Ali al-Faraj with a Saudi newspaper. The club said quotes attributed to Al-Faraj, in which he admitted he had no interest in sport and had bought Pompey purely as an investment, were fake and threatened legal action against anyone repeating them. However, they have now admitted Al-Faraj did indeed speak to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. (Observer)

And finally, Pompey are facing more off-field intrigue with news that two businessmen are to throw the club a £15m lifeline. Israeli mogul Levi Kushnir and Balram Chainrai, a Hong Kong-based businessman of Nepalese extraction but with a British passport, are set to become the power behind Ali Al Faraj's throne by handing the club a short-term loan to pay off part of a £10m debt and reach agreement with other creditors. (Mail on Sunday)