With Dietmar Hamman nearing the end of his playing days and Steven Gerrard becoming more of an attacking player year on year, manager Rafael Benitez was on the lookout for a tough tackling midfielder in the summer of 2005, with David Albelda from his former club Valencia at the top of the pile according to the rumour columns in most newspapers. However, when knews filtered through that David Moyes at rivals Everton was on the verge of signing Albelda's midfield colleague Mohammed Sissoko, Benitez decided to pounce, and signed the player for a reported £5.3m. Benitez knew Sissoko well having brought him to Valencia from Auxerre in the summer of 2003, and was quick to heap praise on him, describing him as possessing 'incredible ability for his age' and comparing him to Arsenal's departing midfield collossus Patrick Vieira. The comparisons to Vieira were soon to ring true to many, with Momo quickly earning himself a reputation as a player who, whilst not always having the best disciplinary record, was never shy of going in for a challenge and would always bust a gut when out on the pitch. Sissoko quickly established himself as a fans favourite at Anfield, and throughout the 2005/06 season struck up a formidable partnership in the centre of midfield with Xabi Alonso which in part helped Liverpool to a record Premiership points tally of 82. In February 2006 the Malian sustained a potentially career ending eye injury when he was kicked in the face during a Champions League tie against Portuguese side Benfica. Despite early predictions suggesting he would be out for the rest of the season Sissoko, remarkably, returned exactly one month later to the starting lineup against Birmingham in the FA Cup quarter-final (a game which the Reds won 7-0), and went on to collect a winners medal after playing in the final of the competition. The following season started brightly for Momo with him winning the man of the match award in the Community Shield win over Chelsea. However, injury struck again in November, and on this occasion it would be some time before Sissoko would return to the first team. He finally returned to action in February (in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle) but his first big test upon returning came in the Champions League against Barcelona, a game which again saw him pick up the man of the match award and is regarded by many as his best in a red shirt. Upon returning though, Sissoko found further competition for his place with the club having signed Javier Mascherano from West Ham in the January transfer window, and the subsequent performances from the Argentine once he had found his feet saw Momo pushed down the pecking order. The inclusion of Mascherano in the 2007 Champions League final ahead of Sissoko led many to believe the player would be sold that summer, with Italian giants Juventus leaving the way. It was confirmed that Juventus had made an offer, but Momo turned them down, stating that Liverpool was a bigger club and where he wanted to stay. He also put pen to a new contract at Anfield, tying him to the club for a further four years. On August 25th 2007 Sissoko started in place of the injured Steven Gerrard against Sunderland and scored his first (and only) goal for the club, a first time effort from around 25 yards out. Brazilian Lucas had also joined the club that summer though, adding further competition for places in the middle of the park, and despite being handed the responsibility of standing in for Gerrard against Sunderland Sissoko found his opportunities very limited with Benitez again opting to play Mascherano ahead of him the majority of the time. After the game at the Stadium of Light Sissoko only made a further five starts for the club in the league, and in January 2008 it was announced that he would finally be moving to Juventus for a fee of £8, 200, 000. (Ed Colenutt)