You just got to feel for Everton. They got the short end of the stick this time and despite putting in a fairly decent performance and troubled Liverpool well enough, still they slump to a undeserving 2-0 defeat to their bitter city rival.
With almost a dozen of players out injured, the patched up Everton side were firmly in control throughout the game and if not for some terrible finishing and Pepe Reina’s miraculous saves, the result could’ve been so different.
But I guess that’s what football is about. It’s not the amount of chances. Not how well or how beautiful the link-up plays are. It’s just putting the ball into the back of the net.
Everton had the chance but unfortunately, blew it. Liverpool, meanwhile, dared to try and twice they did, twice they scored. Fortunes, sometimes does favour the brave.
With Rafa Benitez’s men knocked out of Champions League, the Reds entered this week at all-time low. Everton must’ve thought it’s the perfect time for them to put one past their city rivals.
But lady luck decided to shine on Liverpool that particular day. I can’t remember any one with the red jersey actually testing Tim Howard or posed any threats to his goal. But still, he had to pick the ball out of his net twice.
Not known for scoring goals, Javier Mascherano tried a low drive which came off Joseph Yobo and Howard had totally no chance. You could tell how important that goal was for Liverpool from the Argentinian’s celebration. He went berserk. And it definitely lifted the away side.
But still, Liverpool were very much pinned to their own half and were playing cautiously most of the time. David Ngog, the sole front man, was left isolated up top and had little support. His first derby game was probably a forgettable one as he was out-muscled by Yobo and Heitinga.
Steven Gerrard. Less said about him in this game the better. He looked totally out of form and provided zero support for the inexperienced David Ngog. A leader on the pitch in physical sense but I’ve never seen him this subdued for quite a while.
Did he miss Torres this much?
The Spanish hotshot’s absence meant that Liverpool’s goalscoring threat diminished. Other players have to step up and guess who? It’s always going to be Dirk Kuyt.
The Dutch striker, although a little over-enthusiastic sometimes, proves to be a reliable player and no wonder Rafa Benitez values him so much. It was his goal-poaching instincts that brought about the second goal which effectively finished the game off.
But before I go into the goal, I must say the introduction of Albert Riera and Yossi Benayoun did change the game in favour of Liverpool. The duo caused problems for the Everton defence, giving the Reds a little more width and creativity.
It was the presence of the extra attacker which Everton failed to handle and again, Joseph Yobo blundered, gifting Riera an opportunity to take a pot shot. Howard spilled the ball and Kuyt was at the right place, right time to slot home.
Despite not being a spectacle and in fact, a rather uncomfortable match to watch as a Liverpool fan, it was a very, very important win for Liverpool.
The team went through a really rough patch recently and the ugly and undeserved win was actually a welcoming one. It will definitely boost the morale and propel them to close and gap and fight for a top 4 finish this season.
We’ve been saying nearly every week that whoever the Reds are playing it is a ‘must win’ game and the visit of City to Anfield is as big as any game Liverpool have faced this season. Mark Hughes’ side are one point and one place above Liverpool and a win over the blue half of Manchester would go along way to restoring some faith in Rafael Benitez and his Liverpool squad.
The massive bonus for Benitez is the fact that Steven Gerrard has ruled himself fit for the fixture with City. This is what the Liverpool captain has had to say: "I've had a problem in my groin that has taken a while to get over but I'm just relieved the second injection seems to have done the trick.
"It's a case of so far so good and the aim now is to make sure I get a good week's training under my belt so I'm ready for the game with City."
Great news about Gerrard, but striker Fernando Torres will play no part as he struggles with an abdominal strain. Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera are also ruled out while Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio are all doubtful ahead of City’s visit. It remains to be seen whether we’ll get to see Alberto Aquilani or not but with Gerrard back in the fold this is certainly a winnable game for Liverpool.
City will be without winger Martin Petrov, while Robinho and Gareth Barry are also listed as doubtful but they have plenty of players to cover and expect a strong line-up. At a guess I would say City will probably line up with Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Teve and Craig Bellamy in attack – a formidable line up to say the least. However, Tevez has never been the most prolific striker in front of goal, Adebayor has suffered a dip in form since his antics against Arsenal and Bellamy can be a bit hit and miss.
The game has all the makings of a classic. Liverpool need to win to keep up with the chasing pack at the top of the table, while City have something to prove against the bigger clubs after all their summer spending. I’m not going to hazard a guess at the result as on paper it is a bit close to call, I do think we’re in for a great game though and with home advantage Liverpool should be the favourites.
So much promise and yet, Liverpool’s title hopes seemed to have imploded even before the league reaches its quarter mark. It was definitely a depressing view for most fans as the shocking 3-1 lost to Fulham seemed to have marked an end of the road for the Reds and their title ambition.
After a morale boosting 2-0 win over Man Utd last week, it looked as though things could only get better as Liverpool endured through a ‘Black October’ with 4 consecutive losses.
But by the 80th minute, Liverpool and Rafael Benitez seemed to have taken this game so lightly that it all seemed like a pre-season friendly or they’ve already won the title.
Nathan Ecclestone? Philip Degen? Daniel Ayala? In a Premiership match where so much mattered? Is Rafa having a laugh here?
Liverpool’s defence had been undeniably shaky since the start of season and I personally can’t remember the number of times we actually kept a clean sheet. It was the same at Craven Cottage as we saw how Bobby Zamora, albeit not the best striker in the land in any sense, ran rings round a dejected and tired-looking Jamie Carragher.
After his heroics last week, Carragher was back to his early season form and it’s no wonder he was sent off for bringing down Zamora. He was outpaced and outsmarted and he had no options. Neither did the referee.
But the referee did had a questionable decision when he sent off Philip Degen for a awful looking but non-malicious tackle. It was one of those moments where you’ll turn towards your friends and ask ‘what the heck?’
But referee’s decisions aside, it was an awful, awful game from Liverpool’s point of view. Other than Fernando Torres, who has suddenly turned into Steven Gerrard circa pre-Torres era, the rest cannot be spared from any sort of criticism.
What happened to that team that looked so good at Anfield a week ago? Is Liverpool suffering from a post-natal depression of a bipolar disorder. I would go for the latter.
With decision to remove goalscorer, Torres, in the 60 odd minutes, the strange bipolar performances of the team could be attributed to Mr. Rafa Benitez himself. Let me make myself clear, I do love this man.
But I guess it’s time for him to go. Many more would join me in this bandwagon IF we don’t make it through to the Champions League knockout stage this Wednesday. It is not only a do-or-die match for Liverpool and their European ambition but also it’s his job right there, on the guillotine.
Probably things have gone a little stale at Anfield and many are getting impatient. It’s year after year of the same old, except for last season where we finished high up and it smelled like title this season. But the Anfield faithfuls have to endure yet another disappointing and probably, trophy-less season.
The over-achievement of last season could’ve been an added pressure on Benitez, a limestone hung around his neck. Added on to these are the miraculous 2005 Champions league win and the 2006 FA Cup.
Thereafter, it’s years of wilderness and there seemed no stopping of Liverpool walking further into the desert and hypothetically, could’ve turned into a team that is only motivated enough to beat their fierce rivals. Sounds like ManCity before Thaksin?
I personally think that there’s no more turning back for Rafael Benitez. Even if Liverpool does triumph over Lyon this coming Wednesday, that probably does not change the fact that there is a huge change needed at Liverpool.
I know the club represents and stands for stability, seeing the number of managers actually ‘sacked’ from the club. But I can’t bear to see the club going down this way. I’m not a doomsday merchant or a knee-jerk reactor. I’m just a little jaded and want to see some changes in the club.
For now, 5 losses in 11 games. We can realistically count ourselves out of the title race and focus on at least getting into the top 4. If ManCity are to maintain this sort of form, it could be quite a challenge and it will be pretty embarrassing to say the least.
So what will be Liverpool’s response this Wednesday? I sincerely hope it’s not going to be another limp and half-hearted performance. I really, really hope not…
The result last weekend was undoubtedly a huge one for Rafael Benitez and his Liverpool side. Beating the old enemy and closing the gap between the top sides as vastly important for Liverpool but it will count for very little if they don’t take all three points off Fulham on Saturday. Craven Cottage is often a hard place to go but fingers crossed Steven Gerrard should be back in action and we may finally get too see Italian Alberto Aquilani for the first time in the league.
Fulham should not be dismissed though as they have some decent players themselves. Liverpool may be the heavy favourites with the online betting odds, and rightly so, but the Cottagers have the talent to cause an upset.
In defence Norwegian Brede Hangeland has established himself as a top class centre-half and is also capable of popping up with a goal or two from set plays. His displays for Fulham have led to interest from the likes of Spurs and Arsenal and he is a difficult man to pass. His defensive colleagues such as Aaron Hughes, Chris Baird and John Panstil are perhaps not of the same standard and there are holes in the Fulham back line.
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has built a very well organised and efficient side at Craven Cottage. In midfield players such as Clint Dempsey and Damien Duff have plenty of quality and on their day they’re capable of competing with anyone – as they showed by coming back from two down to draw with Manchester City.
The one area they are lacking a bit of bite in my opinion is in attack. Striker Bobby Zamora has a good all round game, he runs the lines and holds the ball up well but his scoring record is not as impressive as perhaps it should be. He seems to have lost a bit of confidence in front of goal and missed an absolute sitter against City, which was a shame as otherwise he had a really good game.
It won’t be a stroll in the park for Liverpool but I wouldn’t bet against them at Fulham. After the great result against Manchester United they should head into this full of confidence, despite their Carling Cup exit. With Gerrard fit again, Torres in form and Aquliani’s league debut imminent the Reds should push on from here and three points at Fulham would go a long way to proving their doubters they can still compete with the best in the league.
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes a Reds victory over their bitter rivals will kick-start their season. A loss for Liverpool would be frankly catastrophic as it would give United a seven point lead at the top and Rafael Benitez’s side will have lost five games already. No team has ever won the league when they’ve lost more than five and in recent years it has been even tighter.
However, in all fairness United haven’t been playing particularly well recently but the difference is they have been picking up results. Carragher has been perhaps one of the players most at fault in Liverpool’s disastrous start to the season. The usually solid centre-half has lacked composure and has definitely not been his normal, dependable self.
Carragher does feel a victory over United could be just the lift they need and is in confident mood going into the tie.
He said:
"Beating United could be just the boost we need. We always bounce back because that's what we are about,
"We've got a lot of fight and character and will want to show that against United, particularly after what happened against Lyon.
"We're going through a tough patch but we've been through them before and we'll bounce back, there's no doubt about that.
"It's always a great game against United, and that could be what we need. If we win, it'll give everyone a massive lift."
Can Liverpool do it? The online betting odds have United as favourites despite Liverpool’s home advantage which doesn’t make for great reading. Rafa’s men have actually won three of their four games at home so there is a very good chance they can see off United, even without Fernando Torres.
Last season Liverpool managed to beat United without Torres and Steven Gerrard and there is a real chance they can do it at the weekend. It has been a tough time for the Reds of late but a win over Manchester United in the Premier League could turn it all around. Liverpool may have been written off in the title race already with the bookies Premier League betting odds but should they beat United on Sunday they’ll be right back in the mix.
With only Hilario to beat, Liverpool substitute, Yossi Benayoun, sent the ball inches wide. It definitely looked easier to score than to miss but that just sums up Liverpool’s day at StamfordBridge.
And it might also just be a sign of how awry Liverpool’s title challenge has gone.
Already 3 defeats in early October, the season so far has been a major disappointment in view of many Liverpool fans. With so much promised after last season’s good showing, little has been delivered.
It’s quite possibly not their year again.
With only 2 clean sheets in as many games, Liverpool’s defence has been found out. Rafael Benitez definitely has tweaked the style of their play to a more attacking one. But that doesn’t excuse the fact that Liverpool’s defence has been shaky and unconvincing.
The only player excused from criticism would be Fernando Torres, who has been plundering goals since his arrival at Anfield 2 years ago. He is the only bright spark in their campaign so far.
Steven Gerrard, often a player looked upon when needed, has been looking out of sort and has not picked up any sort of form since the start of season. His body language yesterday reflected a very frustrated man.
Jamie Carragher, the Mr. Dependable, has been disappointing. Rafa Benitez would usually be confident that his defence is well marshaled by the reliable Carragher but in recent weeks, he has definitely not inspired any confidence at all.
So it was to no surprise that Liverpool were handed a lesson at StamfordBridge by Carlo Ancelotti’s classy Chelsea side.
The away side didn’t look threatening, despite all the attacking prowess on show last week against HullCity. They were toothless and too conservative against a resolute Chelsea, who is finding a perfect response to last week’s defeat to Wigan.
With Petr Cech suspended, Hilario deputised and if Liverpool thought they were going to get a little advantage from Cech’s suspension, they’d be wrong as the Portugese goalkeeper put up a faultless performance.
On the hindsight, it didn’t matter actually. Liverpool seldom tested Hilario. Other than perhaps Riera’s effort and Gerrard’s volley, Hilario was a spectator throughout.
Fernando Torres had a torrid time as he tried to barge his way pass John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho but to no avail. The Spanish striker just couldn’t find that touch that helped him to a hat-trick of goals last week. He was presented 2 chances but spurned them.
On the other side of the field, Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba gave the Liverpool defence much to worry about. With their pace and power, they were definitely going to be a thorn in Liverpool’s flesh. Drogba was tasked to exploit the flanks as Glen Johnson and Emiliano Insua are often suspects in positioning.
The visitors held on for the first half but it was in the second where Chelsea showed no mercy and the first blood was drawn when Javier Mascherano carelessly lose possession of the ball in midfield.
With Glen Johnson totally out of position, Drogba powered through and the Ivorian turned provider as his inch-perfect cross was met deftly by Anelka and the former Liverpool striker showed what he is all about.
That goal sparked a response from Liverpool as they siege an encamped Chelsea side. Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun were called upon to deliver more firepower. But clearly, Liverpool ran out of ideas and were one-dimensional.
With the visitors committing players forward, Chelsea exploited the sluggishness of their defence and hammered the final nails into the coffin when substitute, Florent Malouda, scored an easy tap in after yet another surging run from Didier Drogba.
It was a good move but Drogba really shouldn’t have gone into the box that easily. He turned Carragher with ease while Fabio Aurelio just stood and watch. The pace and power of Drogba were unmatched.
In the end, it was yet again the clinical finishing of Chelsea that was the difference. They weren’t given much chance but they took it when they should. Liverpool, meanwhile, looked like a lost child at a playground, totally clueless.
Was it the pre-season Asia tour that had burned out some of the players? Was it the extra pressure of living up to last season’s achievements? It is so frustrating to see a group of talented players unable to play like they ought to. The potential is there but the present showing is disappointing at best.
Is it already too late for Liverpool? I believe it might just be. Knee jerk reaction perhaps, but if Liverpool continues to play this way, perhaps even the top 4 finish might be a problem. With a resurging Arsenal side and a Man City side living on limitless amount of money, Rafa Benitez has a couple of problems on hand that he has to solve as soon as possible.
A)Defence – Where is that usual reliable defence we have thought of about Liverpool? Understandably, Liverpool’s approach to games has changed drastically over the past few seasons. With the purchase of Glen Johnson and the inclusion of Emiliano Insua, the attacking full backs were asked to push forward.
That leaves the 2 centre-backs exposed. It didn’t help as Carragher seemed to be slowing down and isn’t at his physical peak. Is it time to replace Carragher? It’s a rather difficult decision but it’s one that has to be made some day.
Is Agger a capable deputy? Is the Danish’s injury problem going to go on further and affect his Liverpool career? He has been potentially a good defender and his calmness on the ball is something different from Carragher’s. But I’m not sure if he is ready to fill Carragher’s huge boots.
What about the zonal-marking system? It really is quite a risk not putting anyone on the posts and with Liverpool lacking some real muscles and height, it really is a big ask for them to constantly challenge players such as Vidic, Terry, Ballack and Vermaelen. The number of goals conceded through set pieces is embarrassingly high. Time for a review?
B)Midfield – You’ll never know how much you miss the water till the well runs dry. Never knew the importance of Xabi Alonso till he left for Real Madrid. But is it really his absence that is consequential of Liverpool’s display this season?
Lucas was never called to be a direct replacement for Alonso, that’s a fact. He was just supposed to be a squad player and Alonso’s actual replacement, Alberto Aquilani, is recuperating from injury. The Brazilian never truly convinced. Yet to criticize him is a mistake as he stepped up as much as he could.
Gerrard and Mascherano on the other hand, are players whom we know can deliver yet failed to this season. The captain was not at his imperious best this season thus far while the Argentine seemed to have his head slightly turned towards the direction of Nou Camp, Barcelona.
If these two key players continue to perform as it is, Liverpool will have problems. As the mainstay of the team, players do look up to them for inspirations and if they see a dejected role model, it will definitely pull down the morale of the team.
C)Goals – Yes, I know. They are coming in quick and they have scored truckloads this season. But most of them have come from Torres and just what if he gets injured? Who are going to score the goals?
That goes back to the 2nd point as midfielders really need to chip in and play their part. Kuyt and Benayoun are doing decently but it really has to come from more players.
Rafael Benitez has told his Liverpool players they need to be more attacking following their 1-0 win over Debrecen in the Champions League. Despite notching up 23 attempts on goal and dominating proceedings the Reds only managed to get seven of those shots on target and won by just the one goal.
This is what Benitez told skysports: "OK, we could have done it a little better by scoring another goal with the chances that we had, but because we didn't score (a second), we were thinking that they could've scored so it was more difficult until the end."
The task of improving their accuracy comes against West Ham United in the late kick off on Saturday. The Hammers looked out of sorts last weekend as they went down 1-0 away at Wigan Athletic and they haven’t won since the opening game of the season. Not surprisingly the away side are the favourites to take all three points in this encounter but on home soil Gianfranco Zola’s side are no pushovers and Liverpool will have to make the most of their chances at Upton Park.
There is a chance the Hammers could welcome back Kieron Dyer, Jack Collison and Herita Ilunga for the tie with Liverpool. All three remain doubtful and will face late fitness tests before they will know whether they can take part of not. Dean Ashton and Luis Boa Morte are ruled out for some time and neither stands a chance of taking part on Saturday. Liverpool’s injury list still includes Danny Agger and Alberto Aquilani, though El Zhar has a slim chance of returning for the trip to London.
On paper you would expect Liverpool to take all three points in this encounter, indeed that is what the bookies seem to think and the Premier League betting odds on a Liverpool win reflect this. However, the Hammers have a few players capable of causing any defence problems and it won’t be a walk in the park for Rafa’s men. Occasional England international Carlton Cole has a knack of scoring important goals and he usually ups his game against the bigger sides. Mark Noble and Scott Parker provide West Ham with a steady engine in midfield and Noble in particular can deliver the goods from corners and free-kicks. In defence Matthew Upson is a hard man to pass and makes few mistakes.
The key man for Liverpool could be former Hammer Yossi Benayoun. For me Yossi has been one of Liverpool’s best performers throughout 2009, perhaps since his winner at the Bernabeu in last season’s Champions League. Yossi bagged a hat-trick against Burnley last weekend and while I may be hesitant to suggest he’ll repeat the feat two weeks in a row it might be worth considering an online soccer bet on Yossi to bag anytime. The Israeli is in top-form and will relish the chance to play against his old club.
The fact the Reds played in midweek may make this game harder than perhaps it should be but I’m still expecting them to come out on top. The Hammers created just a handful of chances against Wigan last weekend and if they perform the way they did in that game Liverpool should have no problem in taking all three points.
On paper, this is a fixture Liverpool should have no problem with whatsoever. Player for player they’re better all over the pitch and with home advantage few would back Burnley to get anything out of this game with their Premier League betting. However, last season’s play-off winners have already beaten the likes of Manchester United and Everton this season so it is at least worth having a look at what the Reds are up against on Saturday afternoon.
After their 1-0 victories over United and Everton Burnley came up against Chelsea and lost 3-0 in a very one sided game. Liverpool represent somewhat of a local derby for Burnley though and they’ll be eager to get yet another result against one of their more illustrious local rivals.
The Danger Men
It doesn’t matter how well organised a defence is when a decent free kick comes in and Burnley striker Robbie Blake has one of the best shots from a dead ball situation in the business. Blake is also a decent forward and is the man who got the winner against Manchester United so he is certainly a player to watch out for.
David Nugent has just joined the Clarets from Portsmouth and is a man who has something to prove in the Premier League. I’ve never been convinced he has what it takes to be a success in the top-flight personally but he should see more action now he is at Turf Moore and has a chance to prove everyone wrong.
In midfield Icelandic playmaker Joey Gudjonsson is probably their most creative player. He has great technical ability and the ability to pick out a pass and is a man who has the capabilities to cause Liverpool problems. Former Manchester United man Chris Eagles can deliver a good cross and the play-off final hero Wade Elliot is also a very useful player.
Injuries
For Liverpool new boy Alberto Aquilani will definitely be sitting this one out, he is sidelined until early October with a foot injury. Daniel Agger is out until the end of October with a back injury and will also play no part in this fixture. However, both El Zhar and Fabio Aurelio may be fit in time to face Burnley this weekend as both players recover from respective knee injuries.
Burnley have no injury worries going into the tie with defenders Stephen Caldwell and Michael Duff both expected to recover in time for the game at Anfield.
With Liverpool’s obvious advantages over Burnley I can’t see the Clarets picking up any points at Anfield in all honesty. The fight-back at Bolton should have given Rafa’s men a lift and if I was going to bet on the correct score I’d go for a 3-0 home win. This fixture could be just what Liverpool need to kick-start their campaign and they should be able to beat Burnley with relative ease.
The transfer window hasn’t been as exciting as it could have been from a Liverpool perspective so far. The financial troubles of the owners seem to have curtailed the Reds’ ability to spend big in the transfer market and top-target David Villa seems determined to stay in Spain.
The upside of that is he won’t be going to Manchester United or Chelsea either but it would have been quality to see him lining up alongside Fernando Torres at club level.
The key thing for Rafael Benitez is to keep his existing squad in tact and add a few quality players. Liverpool looked at times last season like champions and one man who was instrumental in this was Xabi Alonso. For me he is as important to the side as anyone, including Steven Gerrard and Torres, but he has made some worrying noises concerning his Liverpool future.
"Would you be disappointed if you end up having to stay at Liverpool next season?" he was asked while on international duty with Spain at the Confederations Cup.
"I can't answer that question," was Alonso’s reply.
I really don’t know how to interpret this other than that he doesn’t want to stay, I just hope I’ve got the wrong end of the stick!
Despite the financial worries of Tom Hicks and George Gillet Rafa has still managed to table a bid of £18million for Portsmouth and Englnd right-back Glen Johnson. Chelsea have matched that bid but Johnson was let go by the Stamford Bridge side earlier in his career so it remains to be seen whether he would go back.
The move for Johnson is intriguing in itself, whether or not he decides to join. He can also play in midfield and is very much one of the marauding full-backs who likes to join in with the attack as often as possible. Out of all the ‘top four’ teams I would argue that Rafa perhaps has the most defensive attitude when it comes to full-backs and the move for Johnson may suggest a planned change in tactics.
If Alonso leaves and Johnson does opt for Chelsea it would certainly be a blow but not a massive disaster. Granted Alonso is a top quality midfielder but if Real Madrid is indeed his chosen destination Liverpool should get an excellent price for him and invest that in another top player.
In terms of Real Madrid they’re apparently willing to let the Dutch trio of Rafael Van der Vart, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben leave, all three of which could add something to the Liverpool side and would be decent acquisitions in exchange for Alonso (plus cash of course!). If Johnson makes the switch to Chelsea Rafa will probably find another attacking full-back and he is by no means the only (or even best, in my opinion anyway) option.
Even though the season is still some time away it is sometimes a good idea to check out what other people are thinking in terms of the league title. The bookies currently have Liverpool as third favorites with their Premier League betting odds and the Reds are currently priced at 4.3 (100/30), Chelsea are second at 3.6 (13/5) and Man United are favourites at 2.96 (2/1) so there isn’t a lot of difference between the three sides in terms of odds.
I wouldn’t go betting on the winner of the Premier League myself just yet, it is far too early, and if you’re planning on having a flutter I would wait until the majority of the transfer activity has been concluded.
Liverpool welcome Spurs to Anfield for the final game of what has been a good season in some ways and a disappointing one in others. Rafa’s men may have ended the season without any silverware but they’ve mounted their best title challenge for well over a decade and for large parts of the season they were the best team. That doesn’t really matter now but it shows great signs of improvement and if Rafa makes one or two signings the red half of Merseyside could be celebrating something special this time next year.
For now though Liverpool have to make sure they beat Spurs and take the second spot. I expect them to see off Tottenham to be honest, they’ve become a good side under the guidance of Harry Redknapp but they don’t travel to well and Liverpool will want to end the season on a high and boost the points tally.
It will be a return to Anfield for Robbie Keane and I’m sure he’ll want to get among the goals and prove Rafa wrong. I’m not sure he will to be honest and I wouldn’t go backing him to score in the game with my own football betting. I’m sure most people would agree that Benitez made the right move in letting him go and he hasn’t really impressed since his move back to Spurs.
The key player for the opposition could well be keeper Heurelho Gomes. The Spurs keeper got a lot of stick at the start of the season for some high profile and costly errors but he has been a revelation in the latter part of the campaign. Gomes has pulled off some truly unbelievable saves and kept Carlo Cudicini out of the side and it will take a bit of work to get past him.
Redknapp hasn’t been impressed with his strikeforce since he took over and Roman Pavlyuchenko looks set for a summer exit. It might be a safe football bet to back the Liverpool clean sheet in all fairness as Pepe Reina is going for the golden glove award and we saw from Jamie Carragher’s antics last week that it is an important award for the team to win.
The match is fairly unimportant in all fairness but I still expect Liverpool to finish on a win. Even though Spurs still have European qualification to play for I don’t think they’ve got enough quality in the team to get a result at Anfield and Liverpool should be able to pick up all three points and go into the summer break full of confidence.
There was no thrill but plenty of emotional spill as Liverpool’s victory over West Bromwich Albion sends the Baggies down to the Championship. The Reds’ spirit were dampened prior to the match as they saw the Premiership crown being lifted at Old Trafford once again, equaling their 18 league title record.
Yet they were able to conjure up a spirited and determined performance to see off West Brom away from home. It was a make-or-break game for the bottom-placed team as anything but a victory over the league runners-up means relegation.
It was as if inevitable that West Brom would go down as they stayed cemented on the foot of the Premiership table. Yet the previous 2 games suggested otherwise and the Baggies fans were hopeful of yet another great escape just like the one in 2004.
No doubt they were determined to make it count and even the presence of a full strength Liverpool side did not derail them of their original game plan.
The away side, on the other hand, was like a wounded animal. Seeing their title bid gone up the smokes without even a kick of the ball, they had nothing to play for. Perhaps only pride and a hope to finish the season on a high note.
Of course, Jamie Carragher would beg to defer as he his altercation with fellow Reds, Alvaro Arbeloa came under the spotlight. Seeing the Spanish defender’s lackadaisical defending for much of the game, the born and bred Liverpudlian gave Arbeloa a earful and it nearly turned into a Bowyer and Dyer-esque fight scene.
It was uncalled for and Carragher should have dealt with it behind closed doors. But on the other hand, one could see Carragher’s spirit and attitude of a man who gives his all for the club.
Perhaps, it was brewed through pure frustration of yet another barren year for Liverpool. Seeing the Premiership crown whizzed by, a ‘so near so yet far’ feeling was by far worse than the ‘out of title bid by November’.
But despite with so little to play for, Liverpool put up a professional performance to see off West Brom. A 2-0 victory all but sealed West Brom’s fate but they only had themselves to blame.
Steven Gerrard’s opener was totally against the run of play. Despite having a decent start to the game, West Brom decided to play Father Christmas as a lapse of concentration gifted Liverpool the vital goal.
Its mistakes like this that gives you the idea as to why they are in the mire. Yet the defenders were not the only one that should’ve been blamed.
Despite being presented with decent chances, all credits to their hardworking midfielders, the strikers were unable to put the ball in the onion bag. It doesn’t help having Jamie Carragher on the opposing team, either.
Dirk Kuyt then doubled the lead as he secures his best scoring record since arriving in England 3 years ago. The striker turned winger was given time as space as he fired home from 25 yards out.
The goal all but buried any hopes that West Brom fans harbored. Yet the home fans were still singing at the top of their lungs in appreciation of their efforts. As many fans could point out that it’s never easy singing in defeat.
Liverpool, on the other hand, can take pride in one of their finest ever domestic campaign, despite actually not winning it. The win took them to 83 points, one of their best ever and it would’ve won them the title a few years back.
Unfortunately, the bar was raised higher in recent years and despite only just 2 defeats throughout the whole campaign, they just fell short. It must be utter disappointment for the players who truly, gave their all.
With this pain and disappointment, they’ll probably strive harder next season. It’s the closest they have came in over 20 years and with a couple of shrewd signing this summer, the hunt of the title could be over in the next few years.
Liverpool 3 (Benayoun 22, Kuyt 28, Lucas 87) Newcastle 0
After a troubled season of managerial changes, uncertainties and squad full of uncommitted players, Tyneside’s worse fear was soon realised yesterday at Anfield and that their Premiership status might be stripped away. Relegation for Alan Shearer’s men beckon.
Even the former Magpie hero could do nothing with the absolutely abhorring performance marred with countless of defensive mistakes, tactical naivety and terrible discispline.
Faced with heaps of expectation and pressure for survival, Shearer might now see it as a bridge too far for Newcastle as Liverpool comfortable swatted aside any hopes of them defeating the rampant home side.
Liverpool totally deserved the 3 goals and as Rafa Benitez noted after the game, it should’ve been more. Newcastle can count themselves fortunate that Anfield’s goal frames were on top of their form, stopping 3 clear goals from Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, twice.
Aside from that, Joey Barton did what he does best and a two-footed studs up challenge on Alonso means that he’ll play no part in Newcastle’s relegation challenge, a particularly selfish act.
At such desperate moment where Newcastle needs all hands on deck, he threw in the towel. And from yesterday’s display, he doesn’t seem to be the only one.
Obafemi Martins, too, showed a total lack of commitment and couldn’t give two hoots about his team or their relegation fight. The most convicting and purposeful contribution he made all afternoon was when his name was finally on the 4th official’s board.
Defensively, Newcastle were not aggressive enough and gave Liverpool far too much space in midfield. Steven Gerrard could’ve gotten himself the match ball if only he had his shooting boots on and some match fitness with him.
The Liverpool midfield were handed the initiative as they were able to control the tempo at ease and firing pot shots at Steve Harper’s goal without much resistance. This was particularly depressing sight for Alan Shearer.
The most unforgiving part about Newcastle is their set piece defending and the Reds totally punished them for that.
Two out of three goals conceded at Anfield were down to appalling man-marking and lack of concentration. The number of players left ball-watching for Lucas’ headed goal was unbelievable.
It was the first Premiership goal for the Brazilian midfielder and he must’ve thought it could not have come any easier for him.
But ultimately, the game was tilted in Liverpool’s way as a controversial decision gave the home side the much-needed first goal.
Yossi Benayoun kneed in a Dirk Kuyt cross and replays showed that the Israeli midfielder was a yard offside before tapping the ball into the empty net.
But Liverpool’s superiority and dominance were apparent throughout and the scoreline was definitely no fluke. They hardly had to shift out of first gear and looked like they enjoyed the afternoon walk in the park.
For the supporters from Tyneside, it’s definitely heartbreaking to see the team disintegrate into such mess over such short period of time. Although they have yet to be relegated, based on their performance yesterday, they don’t deserve to stay up. No chance.
Day by day, it looks more like a modern day football tragedy as they slip out of the top flight and a slight chance of them disappearing into oblivion.
With a squad full of totally uncommitted have-beens and have-nots, it might just be a blessing in disguise, the thing which Newcastle needs to most now. A clear-out of deadwood players.
Whoever the next Newcastle manager may be (as Shearer said that he will not manage them past this season), he will be integral in Newcastle’s future and Mike Ashley can no longer make the same mistakes that he had made all these while. A right man must be picked for this transition period.
Or risk doing a Leeds United or Southampton, as the sun sets on these former top-flight mainstays. A fall from glory is quicker than most thought. Don’t be too surprised.
For Liverpool, they continue their good form but is it a little too late? With Man Utd only needing another 4 points to reclaim the title, even winning the rest of the games might not bring the elusive title back to Anfield.
Going down the wire seems a good expression of this season’s English Premiership title race but it’s more of an understatement after this weekend’s round of fixtures. Scintillating, fascinating and exhilarating. Those were the words epitomising 2 separate fixtures of the 2 closest title rivals.
Like a classic tug-of-war fashion, nobody seems to be giving up and when pressure seemingly gets on one side, they overcame and lived to fight another day. The battles were won but the outcome of the war is still a mystery.
And any slip-ups now surely will tip the scale. It’s either Man Utd or Liverpool, with Chelsea having an outside chance of sneaking it when nobody’s even talking about Guus Hiddink and his under-performing team.
United were set to face the team that were downed 5-0 by Liverpool last week while the Reds visited Craven Cottage to face the team that helped them a great favor last week after their shock 2-0 win over United.
That was the fascinating factor. In football, when adrenaline pumps and pressure gets on, form goes out the window and statistics doesn’t add up at all.
Villa, who were in dire form of late, visited Old Trafford to face a wounded giant. The humiliating defeat by Liverpool would surely give people the impression that United would have it easy at home as well.
But John Carew begged to defer. But sadly, despite some colossus effort, Villa still went down 3-2 with new kid on the block, Frederico Macheda scoring the winner in the 92nd minute of the game. Mark of the champions? Definitely.
Despite being outplayed at times and losing several key players, United managed to bounce back and avoid an embarrassing 3 games losing streak. The game was played at break-neck pace and it was end to end.
They were also playing after being put under intense pressure by Liverpool, one of those rare occasions where the ball was in Liverpool’s court and they managed to deliver it out. It is not, of course, without some minor hiccups.
Oh, I meant the crossbar and the post.
The last 2 games at Craven Cottage offered a comparison between the 2 title rivals and it’s fairly obvious to us that Liverpool have built up this newfound resilience in them which doesn’t last them to the 70th minute or the 80th minute but right to the end.
When United came and were outplayed, the fragility of their character was apparent. The heavy defeat by Liverpool did the damage and the players lost the plot. Paul Scholes thought he was in the beach of northern France playing beach volleyball while Wayne Rooney thought the corner flag at Craven Cottage had ‘punch me’ written on it.
Despite scoring 2 against Villa last night, the ‘best-player-in-the-world-tm’ showed that he’s the player you’ll want in better days but not on those dark and gloomy ones. A lack of determination and ‘get-stuck-in’ attitude meant that he was more of a liability.
In contrast, Liverpool lived true to the ‘it’s not over till it’s over’ motto made famous by Rocky Balboa. Despite severe frustrations and the seemingly familiar feeling of ‘it’s just not our day’, they fought on and found their deserved glory.
It came in the 91st minute, the 11th time Liverpool found the net beyond the 90th minute, a sign of character and resilience. This time, it was Yossi Benayoun who popped up with the beauty.
The Israeli captain infuriated the Reds camp last week after agreeing to travel for the international games and unsurprisingly, came back with a plaster and some medication for his foot.
The players came back from the international break giving Rafa Benitez some selection problems (not saying that it doesn’t affect Sir Alex but he should blame the red cards instead) but he still was able to field a pretty strong line up.
Eyes were lit up the moment they saw Andrea Dosenna on the left flank. Gerrard and Torres, the golden partnership, was reformed again.
Yet they were not able to put the ball in the net and with Dosenna’s headed balls more attracted to the goal frame and Gerrard’s lacklustre performance, it was probably meant to be yet another bad day at office. We’ve seen Liverpool done it over the past few seasons when they were put in the driving seat to apply pressure on their rivals but fail to capitalize. This time round, Benayoun decided enough is enough and put an end to this mental blockage and misconception.
The away end of Craven Cottage was bouncing and singing “we’re gonna win the league” and were in raptures. So did Old Trafford 24 hours later. Such emotions and such excitement. With 7 games to go, the margin of error is getting thinner and the neck to neck race will really give fans of both sides the edge of the seat experience.
How many times have we, Liverpool fans, felt this way? Seldom. But finally we’re in it so I say let’s enjoy it. Whether we falter at the end or gain glory, I must say the team has moved on to another level with Rafa Benitez and what we’re going to achieve this season will be a perfect platform for the Reds next season.
It was one of the longest and most drawn out transfer saga of last summer and in the end Benitez’s attempts to pries Gareth Barry away from Villa Park proved fruitless. He could get him at the second attempt though as Barry has come out and publicly said he would find it hard to stay at Villa if they did not achieve Champions League qualification.
Personally I think Villa have blown their chance to finish in the top-four, they face the daunting task of a visit to Old Trafford at the weekend and I don’t think they’ll get much joy there. The battering Liverpool gave Villa will undoubtedly have affected their confidence and I think it’s a fairly safe soccer bet that the current top-four will all qualify for next season’s Champions League.
There were many problems standing in the way of Benitez signing Barry last summer. The board refused to pay the asking price, Villa boss Martin O’Neill was adamant he would not leave for less than the £18million+ he wanted and Barry had over two years left on his deal. Now the Liverpool board have pledged their support to Rafa, the fee won’t be as high due to the fact he has just 15 months left on his deal and O’Neill seems to have softened his stance somewhat.
The one stumbling block could be Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is also a well known admirer of Villa’s England international but if I were Barry I’d probably opt for Liverpool. They’re perhaps more likely to mount a serious title challenge than the Gunners and Barry would get to partner Steven Gerrard in midfield – making it more likely he will truly cement his place in the England side.
I’m sure Barry would make an excellent addition to Rafa’s team. He has great vision, passing ability and an excellent work-rate. Xabi Alonso may be forced out by Barry’s move but as much as I admire Xabi I think Barry is a better player, just.
Right now though the most important thing for Liverpool fans is the current title race, and what a race it has become. Liverpool can go top on Saturday if they beat Fulham, at least until United play on Sunday anyway, but it won’t be an easy game. Fulham are good at home but in Liverpool’s current form I think they’ll see off the Cottagers and take three vital points. It could be a tight one though; perhaps a one or two nil victory for the Reds, my betting tip would be to go for under 2.5 goals or even the 1-0/2-0 Liverpool win.
What a few weeks it has been at Anfield! After a dark period where wins were few and far between, Liverpool picked up by smashing close rivals Manchester United and Aston Villa, off the field Benitez signed a new deal and now ‘captain fantastic’ Steven Gerrard is set to do the same.
Liverpool’s position in the league and Gerrard’s willingness to commit to a new deal show how far the club has come under Rafa’s guidance. There was a time when fears of Gerrard leaving for Chelsea were well founded but now it looks as if he is set to sign, probably for the rest of his career.
Needless to say, having Gerrard committing his long-term future to the club is a massive bonus and even if the title is still a long-shot this season, Liverpool can be safe in the knowledge that they will be serious contenders next season after this season’s showing.
Here are a few snippets from Gerrard’s interview.
"I have never been happier throughout my whole career than I am at the moment," The Liverpool skipper said.
"I have two years left on my contract and if there was a chance to extend it, I am sure I would.
"I am playing in a top team, with world-class players and I believe in the manager. Going forward, I am sure we can be successful."
He added: “I am captain and we are winning. Our relationship (with Benitez) has got stronger as time has gone by.
"For years and years I have moaned about not being involved in a title race and being far away from the others.
"At the moment, I am playing in a team that's capable of beating anyone in the league."
When Rafa first took charge at Anfield he had a tendency to play Gerrard out of position but he has now cemented his role in the middle of the park just behind Torres. His relationship with Benitez to begin with was probably not helped by the fact he held Gerard Houllier in such high regard either. Now the pair are working as a unit, Liverpool are the most successful team in Europe in recent years and they still have a shot at the title.
The sports betting odds on Liverpool winning the league have been slashed from 30/1 to 3/1. United are still favourites with odds of around 1/3 (they were 1/50 at one point I think) but that goes to show how much progress Rafa’s men have made in the last couple of games. I’ve had a look through United’s remaining fixtures and they’ve got to face Arsneal, Spurs and Man City who are sides who have caused United problems over the years. Unfortunately all those games are at Old Trafford and I wouldn’t go betting on United slipping up too often. However, the manner in which Liverpool defeated United at Old Trafford goes to show they’re not invincible there and the race is wide open for the Premier League crown.
Liverpool 5 (Kuyt 7, Riera 33, Gerrard pen 40, 50, pen 65) Aston Villa 0
What a fantastic 10 days for the Liverpool fans. They must’ve thought they’re in some kind of dreamland. 13 goals scored against Real Madrid, Man Utd and now, Aston Villa with only 1 conceded.
And what a way for the players to show their willingness to play for Rafa Benitez, after finally signing a new 5 year contract, showing his intent to continue on his good works at Liverpool.
Liverpool were irresistible and totally blew Aston Villa away as the visitors stood absolutely no chance to stop this machine with all momentum.
With Man Utd’s reply to last week’s 4-1 drubbing being a weak and laughable 2-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham, Liverpool smelled blood. Chelsea, their closest competitor to dethrone Man Utd, too, were found wanting at White Hart Lane. Guus Hiddink suffered his first defeat and it was pretty untimely.
Playing with the gift of retrospect, Liverpool were pumped up. They knew they have half the battle won when both teams fumbled. Yet it will come down to nothing if they don’t put Villa to the sword.
Villa’s form went pear-shaped since February and touted to take over Arsenal’s place in the top four, they bottled it and are now losing touch with the Gunners.
The visitors came to Anfield with in dire form. Yet it was fate that brought them right in front of the marauding red machine. By the time the clock reached the half hour mark, the Villains were already being put to the sword and only thing they could do was damage limitation.
Anfield was in buoyant mood, brought about with the hopes and enthusiasm of that minute, just minute, possibility of the Premiership crown finally landing its feet in Merseyside for the first time in 19 years.
As the Rafa Benitez banner says, “Siempre es Possible”. Liverpool fans were hoping and praying for that miracle. Anything IS possible.
Actions speak louder than words and Dirk Kuyt was the first to prove that he is desperate and hungry for Premiership glory. Steven Gerrard’s freekick was headed onto the post by Xabi Alonso and the Dutch striker pounced on the loose ball and blasted it past the stranded Brad Friedel.
He booted the ball with such conviction and passion. It’s as if he knew it will land in the back of the net. Maybe he knew something more. Aston Villa managed to find their feet and played some fantastic football down the flanks, with James Milner a thorn in the side. The physical approach of former Liverpool striker, Emile Heskey, and John Carew gave the home side much problem.
Soon it turned into an open and expansive game, end to end stuff. But the second and crucial goal came from yet another route one approach from the Reds.
Pepe Reina’s long punt was not dealt with by the Villa defenders and surprisingly, Albert Riera was on the end of it. The Spanish winger was in inspired form yesterday and all he needed was a touch and he placed a volley into top left corner.
It was a magnificent goal which involves minimal set-up and straightforward. Let’s not even go into the technique required to score such goal.
Then came Steven Gerrard to put the game to bed with a brilliant hat trick, his first in the Premiership surprisingly. The skipper is in fine form and despite not having the best game, he still managed to bulge the net thrice.
Two of them came from the penalty spot. First, Albert Riera was brought down by makeshift right-back, Nigel Reo-Coker, and he made no mistakes.
Then an unfortunate Brad Friedel was sent off for obstructing Fernand Torres. It was unintentional and he could’ve done nothing to avoid it. The former Liverpool goalkeeper was applauded off the field and hopefully he could get the red card rescinded.
Gerrard placed it at the same spot again and Brad Guzan had no chance. The replacement goalkeeper’s first job was to pick the ball out from the net.
The other goal came from a freekick, sandwiched between the two penalties. Despite a multitude of men forming the wall, there was no stopping the skipper from placing the ball at the right bottom corner.
By then it was well and truly over with the Reds home and dry. Who would’ve thought that Liverpool would so comprehensively dispatch Villa with such ease and it was as if everything were going in their favour.
Even when Fernando Torres being a virtual spectator throughout, other players rose up to the challenge and gifted the Anfield faithful some hope.
You’ll have to feel sorry for Villa. They didn’t play particularly badly but were already K.O-ed before they even saw it coming.
Liverpool were not in their profligate self and were clinical. Something you’d see from a team brimming with confidence.
And now, the title race is truly heating up and even IF Liverpool doesn’t win it, I’d know that at least I know that they tried their best. I mean, I don’t remember seeing Liverpool still challenging at this stage in any other seasons.
This season is going to be special. Either we go on and win it or we can take it as a spring board for better things to come next season. Hang on tight, because this is going to be edge-of-your-seats stuff!
Winning the league may still be a long-shot but this is now a massive game. Had the game been a draw the race would have been all but over but for Liverpool to win so emphatically gave at least a glimmer of hope the trophy could be heading to Anfield. The win may have been a historic one but it will count for very little if they don’t follow it up with a win over Aston Villa.
Based on recent performances I would expect Liverpool to beat Villa at Anfield. They were fairly poor against Spurs last weekend but there could be a reaction from their players to that performance. They’ve also just dropped out of the top-four for the first time this season and no doubt they’ll want to get back into those much-coveted Champions League places.
Villa have impressed me a lot this season. They muscled their way into perhaps even challenging for the title at one point and played some pretty impressive stuff along the way. In Emile Heskey they have an excellent target man and he is always a danger. He can really bully defenders and is one of the best in the game at holding the ball up. There is also the ‘ex-player’ syndrome and I wouldn’t be surprised if Heskey upped his game at Liverpool. Personally I never thought he was quite good enough to be in a top side but he’s got the chance to prove me wrong now he is at Villa, who despite their recent drop are fast becoming a ‘top side.’
Ashley Young had a good game against Tottenham last week and ran Didier Zokora ragged in the first half. Redknapp took Zokora off and replaced him with Corluka just over half and hour into the game because he just couldn’t deal with the nippy winger. One criticism of Young this season is that he hasn’t performed as well against the bigger teams and hopefully whoever is marking him will be able to cope. James Milner is maybe overshadowed by some of his team-mates but the ex-Leeds and Newcastle midfielder has been outstanding all season. He delivers some excellent crosses and has created plenty of chances for Villa this season and has really improved under O’Neill’s guidance.
One area where Villa look less convincing is their defence. I just don’t really rate their central defenders but their full-backs look fairly decent. Torres will almost certainly find space to exploit against the Villa defence and it could be a profitable afternoon for the Spaniard.
Villa are obviously quite close to Liverpool in terms of points but I think Rafa’s men will emerge victorious. Villa have been on a bad run and won’t be looking forward to a trip to Anfield. There should be no under-estimating the importance of the win over United. The manner of the victory should give the players the belief and drive to push United all the way even though I can’t see United slipping up in enough games to let anyone else in. Because of the way both sides play and Villa’s questionable defence my advice on this game if you fancy betting would be to have a soccer bet on over 2.5 goals.
The odds won’t be great on Liverpool winning but I think both teams have the ability to get a few goals and the Reds have been in free scoring mode at the moment. If they can score four against Real Madrid and Manchester United I reckon they can put at least two past Villa, if not more, and Villa are more than capable of nicking a goal even against Liverpool’s generally solid defence.
Manchester United 1(Ronaldo pen 23); Liverpool 4(Torres 28, Gerrard pen 44, Aurelio 77, Dossena 90);
“This has to be the best week since 2001”, harped Sami Hyypia, the veteran Liverpool defender who was hailed as one of the heroes at the Theatre of Dreams (or Nightmare, depending on which side you support).
The Finnish defender put the 4-1 win over Man Utd and 4-0 over Real on par with Liverpool’s 2001 Treble season where they won the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.
It was a whirlwind week for Rafa Benitez’s Reds as they scored 8 goals in 2 games. Seems like no big deal but it was against the might of Real Madrid and the champions of Europe and the world (depending if you believe the Club World Championship is an accurate portrayal or not), Man Utd.
As a Liverpool fan, it was to my dismay that I missed out (I had to watch a replay) on probably the result of the decade. I love to see Liverpool dominating in Europe, which has became a norm. But to see us so comprehensively defeat Man Utd at their backyard is something else.
It was Rafa Benitez’s 100th win and how sweet it must’ve been to gain it at Old Trafford. The manager’s call for respect came with two huge results. I would go on my knees now and beg the Liverpool owners to make him sign the contract. There’s no other manager I would want at helm.
He too, proved that his theory right. He mentioned about the fact that if Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres started more games together, Liverpool would’ve been even closer to United than they are now.
The dynamic partnership was formed last season and it was definitely fruitful thus far. It was as if they’re match-made in heaven. All credit to Benitez, whom dovetailed them into one of the most potent strike force in the football world. The annihilation at Old Trafford was the byproduct of it all.
The duo gave a master-class performance and showed the world that the 4-0 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday was no fluke. It wasn’t a one-off performance.
What they did to former World Player of the Year, Fabio Cannavaro, and Portugese defender, Pepe, they inflicted it on Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand as well.
For Torres, a seemingly frail figure, it is beyond imagination that he outpaced and out-muscled Vidic with such ease. The boy is on fire. He tormented the acclaimed ‘best defender in the Premiership’ to the point that the Serbian thought that an early shower was the best way to exit the match (He was sent off).
And what a celebration too, for the Spanish striker. Raising up 5 fingers, a reminisce of Robbie Fowler’s taunt at United fans during his time at Man Citeh.
For Steven Gerrard, it’s probably more personal. For all the disappointments at Old Trafford and seeing them almost equaling his beloved team’s English league title record, he yearns to see his team be over and above their rivals.
Indeed, he showed his desire when he led by example and was nerveless when he dispatched his penalty with ease. The large frame of van der Saar and the barisan crowd in Old Trafford didn’t put him off.
Pre-match, Wayne Rooney stoked fire the proportion of the Australian forest fire by stating how much he hated Liverpool. Well, that came as a surprise. Nobody saw that coming from a Evertonian Scouser (Sense my sarcasm).
How much it must have amused the Reds as they saw him throwing tantrums and hands on his head on more than one occasion. The camera never fails to pan his direction after each of the 4 goals.
Yet we should continue to focus on Liverpool. After the heroics of Gerrard and Torres were followed up the up and rising of two unlikely heroes.
Fabio Aurelio, so often named a sicknote, put on a fabulous performance in continuation of his midweek contributions. He’s pretty injury prone but one could see his ability once he is able to consistently feature in the side and how important he is to Rafa’s plan.
With Vidic sent off with a rugby tackle, Aurelio was given a chance to further punish United. And he did with his wonderful left foot. It arced above the wall and whistled into van der Saar’s net. The Dutch goalkeeper totally rooted to the spot.
Just when you thought 3-1 was an exceptional result, Andrea Dossena puts the icing on the most magnificent cake any Liverpool fan could’ve imagined with a fourth, right on the 90th minute mark.
Once again, a long ball was not dealt with and all the Italian defender needed was a touch before the ball was lobbed over van der Saar (rooted again) and into an empty net. He definitely didn’t impress anyone with his performances all season, considering he cost 7 million pounds. But in the last two matches, he probably has attained a cult hero status at Anfield.
‘Robbie Keane who? We have Dossena!’ - One of the fans said with delight.
Indeed it seems like a dream. The results have definitely given Liverpool a breath of life and a dose of confidence. It didn’t, of course, blow the title race wide open in any account but Liverpool and Chelsea must’ve sensed blood. United is still with a game in hand and 4 points ahead.
Barring a catastrophic and calamitous self-destruction of United, the title is still theirs to lose. But the 4-1 result must have been like a mortal wound inflicted and doubts of their invincibility must have crept in.
Now, we’ll have to see how Alex Ferguson’s men react to it. Will they come out stronger like before or would they shun away responsibilities like how Ferguson dodged BBC/Sky Sports reporters after the defeat?
Whatever it is, the result definitely brought about a breath of fresh air into the Premiership. This could go down the wire!
We might not win it this season but I feel that we’re much closer now and this season could very well be a springboard for next season, where I feel a few players of the right caliber could bring us to higher level.
Founded on the 25th March 2006, this blog is not only for the Liverpool fans, but for anyone who loves football. Latest stories, banters, personal thoughts, up to date match reports, videos, pictures and a whole lot more!
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