The Sport of Kings has two fantastic courses within easy reach of Liverpool City Centre. Aintree Racecourse(0844 579 3001, www.aintree.co.uk) is home to the world’s most famous race, the Grand National, which is held in April each year, and the course also hosts several other meetings throughout the year, while Haydock Park (01942 725 963, www.haydock-park.co.uk) offers regular meets throughout the season in a fantastic setting with plenty to occupy the old and young alike.

The fantastic new Echo Arena (0844 8000 400, www.echoarena.com) also hosts plenty of top class sporting events throughout the year including for 2010; Basketball, Championship Boxing (featuring local hero Tony Dodson), the hugely popular Premier League Darts returns in April 2010 for another visit to the arena. Six-a-side football fans can watch stars of yesteryear show they still have the magic in their boots in the EFPA Champions Cup, with teams from England, Scotland, Ireland/Wales and Europe contesting the first ever EFPA tournament to be held outside of Barcelona. In addition, the popular Mersey Masters football competition will be held in July  with teams from Liverpool, Everton, Wigan, Blackpool, Preston and current champions Tranmere Rovers vying for the title.

If Tennis is more your thing and the weather is making it impossible for you to take advantage of the free facilities available in the many Merseyside parks around the area, then you can hire an indoor court just outside the City Centre in Wavertree at the Lifestyles Tennis Centre (0151 293 8350, http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Sports/Leisure_Centres_and_Pools/Lifestyles_Tennis_Centre/index.asp)  or head across the water to the Wirral Tennis Centre (0151 670 0397, http://www.wirral.gov.uk/lgcl/100009/200087/644/content_0000939.html). Both offer indoor and outdoor tennis facilities as well as plenty of other sporting or fitness activities at excellent prices.

If you are a keen golfer, then check out our specialist Golf Blog by clicking here, which lists details of many of the fantastic courses in the area!

But that is not all, you can swim (and do a lot more besides!) at the fantastic, newly developed Liverpool Aquatics Centre (0151 233 8850, http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Sports/Leisure_Centres_and_Pools/Liverpool_Aquatics_Centre/findus/index.asp?id=wavertree) which features a full sized Olympic size swimming pool and is a training venue for many of the city’s Olympic athletes. For a more relaxing swim you could try Europa Pools (0151 666 5555, http://www.wirral.gov.uk/LGCL/100009/200087/644/content_0000941.html) in Birkenhead which has slides, a wave machine, a stream run and many other water features that will keep a family happily entertained for an hour or two. If being on the water, instead of in it, is more your thing then give Merseysport (0151 608 9322, www.merseysport.org.uk) a ring as they can offer hire and tuition in activites such as canoeing, windsurfing and even power boating!

After your day’s sporting activity, what better way is there to relax than by having lunch or dinner in one of the many Sports themed bars that are dotted around the historic City Centre? As you would expect from a city that loves its sport, Liverpool is particularly well served in this specialist area. From the famous Cafe Sports England (0151 239 5060, www.cafesportsengland.com) which is owned and frequented by Liverpool star Jamie Carragher and serves excellent family meals at a reasonable price from an international menu, booking in advance is strongly recommended. The same can be said for The Abbey (0151 708 5688, 07833 092 770, http://www.partyatthepub.co.uk/bars/north-west/abbey-liverpool.html) which is a huge bar, divided into three sections with “The Season of ‘86” section being particularly popular with Sports fans on a large screen and two plasma televisions. Furthermore, almost all pubs and bars around the city centre will offer most major sporting attractions on televisions should you just want to have a quiet drink somewhere to watch the game!

All that’s listed above is just a taste of what the city has to offer any visitor keen on any form of sport. It is easy to see why Liverpool really is a sportsman’s and a sports fans city!

Everton FC (www.evertonfc.com) offer fans the chance to take part in a stadium tour, during which you will be shown behind the scenes of the world famous Goodison Park, into the changing area and down the tunnel by your experienced guide. Tours are held on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11am and 1pm and Sunday at 11am, unless there is a first team game on the day in which case all afternoon tours are cancelled. The club suggest that pre-booking (0871 663 1878) is advised for this popular, informative and educational trip.

If you want to experience a match at the historic Goodison Park then booking your tickets in well in advance is well advised (0871 663 1878), though it is still possible to pay at the turnstile for most games. There are concessions available for children under 16 and people 65 and over.

Lastly, the Everton Club Shop, Everton One (0151 330 2030), sited at Goodison Park offers every possible item for the discerning Everton fan, from replica kits to dvd’ through to pennants, pencils and postcards. In addition, there is the new Everton Two store (0161 707 2273) in the brand new Liverpool One shopping complex in the city centre and a further store in The Pyramids shopping centre, Birkenhead (0151 666 2570). There is also a vast selection of Everton themed goodies available online through www.evertondirect.com.

Not to be outdone, Liverpool FC (www.liverpoolfc.tv) also offer plenty for the visitor interested in learning more about the proud traditions and history of this famous club. The Reds too offer a stadium tour with the option to be guided around Anfield by one of the clubs former legends, such as John Aldridge, Phil Neal or Alan Kennedy, who will offer their own insight into the clubs proud history, complete with anecdote or two! The tour also includes entry into the new Liverpool FC museum, a treasure trove of artefacts from the clubs glorious past and present. So popular are these tours that booking is advised either online via the website or phone on 0151 260 6677.  The club also offers a “mini tour” involving a trip to the museum and to the famous Kop stand on matchdays which can be booked in the same way.

If you want to experience the unique atmosphere of Anfield on a match day, then tickets are sometimes available for most league games and cup ties, when they are made available for general sale. However tickets for games are incredibly popular and entry to Anfield is by ticket only, therefore it is imperative that you buy your tickets beforehand from the club ticket office on 0844 844 0844. Many games at Anfield are “sold out” quickly, so it pays to ensure you get in contact quickly with the club when you know which game(s) you’d like to see.

Fans of Liverpool will also enjoy their well stocked Club Shop (0151 264 2300) at Anfield, which also has outlets in Chester (01244 344 608), Williamson Square in Liverpool City Centre (0151 330 3077) and the new flagship store at Liverpool One (0151 709 4345) which proudly boasts that it is the biggest club store of its kind in Europe! There is also a wide selection of official club merchandise available online through http://store.liverpoolfc.tv.

Finally, not to be outdone by their two esteemed rivals, fans of lower league football may be interested in taking a trip through the tunnels to Tranmere Rovers (www.tranmererovers.co.uk). Based on the Wirral just a mile or so from the Birkenhead tunnel, Tranmere can offer the football fan a fix of football at a fair price. You can turn up and pay at the gate for any game and there are very reasonable subsidised prices for juniors and people over 65. Prenton Park is well worth a visit if you are a football fan but don’t have the cash available to take the family to either of the big two across the water!

Use our Liverpool Guide to find out more visitor information.

The Reds skipper admits it’s been a disappointing season but the team has one trophy left to play for and they are going to give it everything  they can.

“It’s very dangerous to bet against Liverpool, especially when our backs are to the wall,” said Gerrard.

“This season has been inconsistent and hasn’t gone to plan. However, for me as captain and for the team, we’ve got one more trophy to lift.

“So we’ll be giving everything to go all the way. Anyone who underestimates the Europa League is not for me because I’ve lifted the Uefa Cup before.

“It’s a special trophy, and 2001 was a superb final. Hopefully we can experience the same feeling this season.”

But Gerrard is wary of Liverpool’s opponents Unirea and is expecting a tough tie

“I’ve always found in Europe that Liverpool have more problems against less well-known teams because of the surprise factor,” he told Uefa’s official website.

“To play Liverpool is a big game for Unirea and they’ll be looking for a big upset and will be very dangerous.

“But Rafa will make sure that the team is prepared. He does his homework and doesn’t leave any stone unturned.”

The Reds boss believes that this will only add yet more games to an already congested season and said teams would end up playing “until the end of the century”.

“I have to agree with David Moyes,” said Rafa.

“He said what would it mean for a team like Tottenham if they finish fourth and, after a fantastic season, have to play a team who finishes seventh, maybe 20 points behind, just to keep the competition alive?

“To play three, maybe four fixtures, when you don’t have time with international football – when will you play, how can you play these games and what does it mean for the team that finishes fourth?

“Maybe we can do the same with the teams at the bottom of the table. If you finish fourth maybe you could play with the team who finished third from the bottom. Then during the whole season we can play 50 games and we don’t have to rest so that will be fantastic.

“If we continue playing games we will end up playing three games a week – which is fantastic for the television companies. We are playing too much as it is. They were talking about the 39th game being played in Asia so if we now play the play-offs we will be playing until the end of the century.”