Hicks battles for Anfield control

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is determined to fight to hang on to control of the club after refusing to recognise chairman Martin Broughton's authority.

Broughton has revealed that Hicks attempted to sack managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre and install his own people in order to block a sale.

Hicks and fellow co-owner George Gillett stand to lose £144m if a £300m deal with New England Sports Ventures (NESV) goes through.

NESV owns the US baseball team Boston Red Sox.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has welcomed news of the planned sale.

"It's very positive and of course I'm delighted," he said.

"It's been going on a long time and I know how hard the board have worked to set things up."