Houllier orders rest and relaxation

Gerard Houllier admitted his Liverpool players would not train before Sunday's Premiership match against Manchester United because they need to recover from last night's draining 1-1 draw against Steaua Bucharest.

The first leg of Liverpool's UEFA Cup second-round tie was played in dreadful conditions on a strength-sapping, muddy bog of a pitch.

And Houllier said: "It was a physically demanding job in a quagmire - a pitch I have never seen the like of before.

"We showed we needed strong legs and discipline out there and that is what we produced.

"It is not the ideal preparation for playing Manchester United on Sunday, but we will just rest from now until then. Sunday is a massive game for both sides, and particularly the fans."

Houllier was full of praise for England striker Emile Heskey in the absence of Michael Owen, who missed the trip to the Romanian capital with an ankle injury and will have a late fitness test before the game against United at Anfield.

Houllier added: "I asked Emile to sacrifice himself for the team and that is what he did. He played such a big part in the overall performance. He was outstanding, it was a brave performance for the team."

The Liverpool manager said the crucial goal scored by French defender Djimi Traore was a repeat of an identical training ground goal the youngster had scored 24 hours earlier.