How long is Houllier safe?

Gerard Houllier's dismal Easter took a turn for the worse yesterday when it emerged that businessman Steve Morgan, a long-term critic of the Liverpool manager, wants to buy Granada's 10 per cent stake in the club.

The lifelong Liverpool fan, with a personal fortune of around £300million, was snubbed by chairman David Moores earlier this year when he offered to underwrite a rights issue to raise £50m.

But the building tycoon is determined to increase his five per cent Anfield shareholding and with Granada keen to cut back on non-core activities, Morgan, 51, is sure to be interested when the TV company off-loads the shares it bought in 1998.

Morgan believes that Moores would not be able to refuse him a seat if he increased his stake to 15 per cent. That would then make him the club's second largest shareholder behind the chairman, who holds 51 per cent and continues to support Houllier.

Morgan, though, would make the removal of the manager a priority if he buys himself a seat at the club's top table. At January's annual meeting, Morgan said: 'I like Gerard Houllier. This is not a personal attack on someone I respect, but we're all fed up and need a change.'

Morgan, who would be prepared to make £30m available for players, has met Moores a number of times since January but they have failed to settle their differences.