Not for him a mere lap of honour in celebration of Liverpool's progress to the Champions League Final at the expense of Chelsea; the Norwegian preferred a lap dance for the delectation of the faithful. It spoke more eloquently for his affinity with Liverpool than words ever could. "I will never forget Istanbul, but that night at Anfield will stay with me, too."

Now they prepare for another collision of leviathans, the FA Cup semifinal a week on Saturday against Chelsea.

The inevitable edge is ground all the keener by Steven Gerrard's initial planned defection to the Londoners, a position from which he recanted before he could be burnt at the stake of the Kop's displeasure. "Stevie showed what this club means to him, " says Riise. "Not just because he didn't go to Chelsea where the money would have been awesome, but because he's committed himself here, where he's the captain, he's our best player, and the fans love him. I think he made the right decision.

Hopefully, he can show that over the next four years by winning more trophies here."

Discussion of the champions, brings us, somehow inextricably, to the vex subject of cheating and diving . . . the dismissal of goalkeeper Jose Reina at Stamford Bridge being the most recent controversial incident between the sides . . . although Chelsea are far from being the only offenders. Bolton Wanderers, whom Liverpool face this afternoon, are reportedly top of the 'Cheats League', with four of their players cautioned this season for 'simulation'.

Riise is living a dream playing in England. "To come to Liverpool was an even bigger dream, because they are massive in Norway, along with Man U. I remember admiring players like Mark Hughes, Eric Cantona, and John Barnes, on the TV."

However Riise willingly concedes that he never set out to emulate those performers. "I don't have the technique of some other players, but I've always had a powerful shot and my physical stamina, " explains the player whose international teammates deem him 'The Machine'. "I would run every morning before school and every night before I went to bed. Then, at 17, I went to Monaco (under Jean Tigana), because I wanted to improve my tactical awareness and my technique for a couple of years."

That time in the Principality was a crucial part of his development, not least because it allowed him an escape from a troubled family life. Not only were his parents, Berit and Hans, divorced when Riise was seven, but his father, who died of cancer in 2000, was subsequently jailed for more than two years because of domestic violence.

"If you're living somewhere where they don't speak English and you don't speak French, you have to grow up very quickly, " he says.

Divorced from his wife Guri, Riise described himself as single. He adds somewhay coyly: "There are many lovely girls in England. . . but I just take life as it comes. And football is my life at the moment."

So, as we say, he's playing the field. Anfield regulars will be content if Riise continues to cover every inch of it.

FA PREMIERSHIP LIVERPOOL VBOLTON WANDERERS An"eld, 2.00 Live, Sky Sports 1, 1.30