Memories of classic matches in our history

[Boston-Sox]

TODAY IN 2008

Last-gasp Kuyt keeps Liverpool flying high

Some days in football are just golden. For Liverpool, this was one of those rare occasions when everything came together and an admiring audience was left to wonder whether they might, after all, have the wit and gumption to sustain an authentic Premier League challenge rather than just flit around the edges.

What other conclusion can be drawn from the way Rafael Benítez's players responded to going two goals down by dismantling Manchester City? Their passing was stylish, their spirit one of togetherness and, in arguably the most dramatic game in England's top division so far this season, it culminated in that most dramatic and brutal of football moments - the stoppage-time winner that leaves opponents helpless to do anything about.

By then, the blood had drained from the faces of those City supporters who, at half-time, were giddily asking each other when, if ever, they had seen their team play so exquisitely. For it to end this way represents a bruising experience. Typical City, you could say. Yet that would be doing a huge disservice to the way Liverpool played in the second half and, in particular, Fernando Torres's ability to penetrate English defences. The Spaniard was majestic, his fourth and fifth goals of the season bringing the game level, and it was his deflected shot that fell to Dirk Kuyt to complete this remarkable comeback.

"The reaction we showed in the second half was fantastic," said Benítez, eyes sparkling. "The character, the determination. The thing our players showed is that they always believe. They went out in the second half believing they could win. It was a result that came from their mentality."

He was entitled to eulogise about the quality of Liverpool's play and City's supporters were wrong to try to pin the blame on the referee, Peter Walton, for sending off Pablo Zabaleta for his challenge on Xabi Alonso midway through the second half, with the score at 2-1. The red card badly undermined City's chances of holding on but the video replays do not support the Argentinian's protests. "I've seen it in slow-motion and I can understand why the referee has gone for his red card," Mark Hughes, the City manager, who was indignant at the time, acknowledged.

Liverpool were level within six minutes, Torres heading Steven Gerrard's corner past Joe Hart after a diagonal run to the near post. Torres, paradoxically, then skied his easiest chance of the game but the second half had become a story of near-unremitting pressure on Hart's goal. The game had been turned upside down. "I've seen a lot of Liverpool and in the first half I think we caused them as many problems as any other team this season," Hughes reflected. "We took the game to a very good side and I think we were excellent."

Stephen Ireland had volleyed City into a 19th-minute lead and when Javier Garrido curled a wonderful free-kick past Pepe Reina four minutes before the break, at the height of their superiority, it was starting to feel like this was the day that the Premier League's newest billionaires gave the Big Four a jolt where it matters most: on the pitch. Everyone's eyes naturally fall on Robinho but it was another Brazilian, Elano, who was running the game. It was not that Liverpool played badly, just that City were magnificent.

But then it changed. Ten minutes into the second half, Gerrard played in Alvaro Arbeloa who crossed for Torres to slide in Liverpool's first goal. And thereafter Gerrard, Alonso and Kuyt dominated in midfield. Benítez brought on another striker, Robbie Keane, to help out Torres and, a man down, City could not cope with the speed and accuracy with which their opponents moved the ball.

Finally, the substitute Yossi Benayoun slipped in Torres for another shot at goal, his effort clipped Richard Dunne and Kuyt swept in the rebound to consign City, these Champions League wannabes, to the highly unsatisfactory statistic of four defeats in seven league fixtures.

Liverpool are unbeaten and they did a lot here to suggest they might have the durability not to drift out of the title race in the same way as previous seasons. The perfect day? Not quite, on an afternoon that saw Martin Skrtel carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury. He will have a scan today to ascertain whether there is knee ligament damage.

Their team may never pull off another comeback to compare with the 2005 Champions League final but this recovery will live in the memory.

Man of the match: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)

MATCH FACTS

Score line
Final score Manchester City 2 – 3
(HT 2 – 0)
Liverpool
Ireland 19
Garrido 41
Torres 55
Torres 73
Kuyt 90

Bookings Dunne 86
Arbeloa 90

Sent off Zabaleta 67

Manchester City's Percentage Liverpool's Percentage
Corners 1 12% 7 88%
Goal attempts 7 33% 14 67%
On target 5 41% 7 59%
Fouls 11 47% 12 53%
Offside 1 14% 6 86%

Manchester City Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Garrido, Richard Dunne, Micah Richards, Vincent Kompany, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Blumer Elano (Martin Petrov, 85), Stephen Ireland, Robson de Souza Robinho (Ched Evans, 80), Joao Alves Jo (Gelson Fernandes, 70)

Liverpool Jose Manuel Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio (Andrea Dossena, 70), Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher, Albert Riera (Yossi Benayoun, 81), Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano (Robbie Keane, 71), Xabi Alonso, Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Torres
Referee Walton, P
Venue City of Manchester Stadium
Attendance 47,280

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2001

Teams

Dynamo Kiev: Reva, Khatskevitch, Holovko, Vaschuk, Melashchenko, Belkevich, Ghioane, Cernat, Bodnar, Nesmachnyi, Gavrancic. Subs: Filimonov, Peev, Husin, Fedorov, Idahor, Venhlinskyy, Serebrennikov.

Liverpool: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Riise, Murphy, Gerrard, McAllister, Barmby, Smicer, Heskey. Subs: Kirkland, Fowler, Redknapp, Berger, Partridge, Wright, Litmanen.

Referee: C Colombo (France)

1 Phil Thompson is in charge, but it is Gerard Houllier's team that takes the field following a discussion between the two men last week as to tactics for this game. If ever there was going to be nightmare with names, it is fixture. Kiev get things underway with someone whose name ends in "yi". I think.
2 Liverpool move things around well in the as things start to flow, but Heskey playing pretty much as a right-sided midfielder, the gameplan is surely to hold firm at the rear. Kiev break but Hyypia challenges well on the edge of the area as Liverpool players flood back.
8 First chance for Liverpool when Smicer breaks down the left and whips in a cross for Heskey in the six-yard box. Heskey can't make it work and Barmby follows up from the right; Kiev make a hash of the clearance.
9 McAllister a little over-ambitious with a pass from midfield and gives possession away when Liverpool are up in numbers. Other than that, not a bad start for Houllier's, sorrry, Thompson's men.
13 This time it is Murphy who stuffs up his pass to give away possession but Liverpool are let off when Gerard is fouled. Free-kick comes to nothing.
14 Danger for Liverpool after Cernat is sliced down by Henchoz 20 yards out; Kiev gather around the ball, Khatskevitch blasts it in but Dudek stands up well to parry.
16 Gerard plays a great ball through to Smicer on the edge of the area; Smicer checks and then wastes the chance by curling it wide of the far post. The hands on his head tell the story.
20 Melashchenko has a crack from 25 yards - straight at Dudek.
21 Heskey in possession just outside the area; Vaschuk tackles and sweeps the ball to Barmby on his right, Barmby goes down - no penalty. Kiev break and Dudek keeps Liverpool in it with two fine saves, one from a blistering volley by Belkevich.
26 Corner to Kiev; Cernat takes and Dudek claims.
30 Heskey doing a good job of holding things up well as Smicer forages around the edge of the area before shooting high.
34 Liverpool win a corner after a massive throw by Riise into the area - comes to nothing.
36 Kiev with a corner; Hyypia leaps up to head clear. Kiev finding it very hard to break through the wall of red shirts shielding Liverpool's goal.
38 Riise with another huge throw into the area; Heskey gets some of it and although the big man is doing a good job of unsettling the home side, Kiev scramble it clear.
41 Belkevich streaks away into space after Liverpool sell themselves short; Hyypia sticks out a leg, Belkevich looks for the free-kick and wins it. Cernat steps up to put it wide of the right-hand post.
43 GOAL: Dynamo Kiev 0 - 1 Liverpool A raking pass from Gerard out on the right finds Murphy running into the area; Murphy catches it on the volley with his left foot for the opener. Blinder.
45 Liverpool back in numbers for a Kiev corner; comes to nothing.Half-time All in all, not a bad half for Liverpool.


46 Liverpool get the second 45 underway, looking good for something of an historic victory. The advice from the dressing room can only have been 'more of the same, please'.
49 Kiev look no closer to breaking down Liverpool's defence.
53 There is definite pattern to play, and surely no one can be sursprised - Kiev pile forward and get to the edge of the Liverpool area only for the visitors to calmly bring the ball out for the cycle to start all over again.
56 Substitution Husin on for Bodnar.
59 GOAL: Dynamo Kiev 1 - 1 Liverpool Ghioane sneaks in at the far post to convert a great ball from wide on the left. Riise possibly at fault for leaving Ghioane in too much space.
62 Substitution Berger on for Barmby.
64 Booking Heskey.
67 GOAL: Dynamo Kiev 1 - 2 Liverpool Liverpool sweep down the left; the cross is long for Heskey at the far post but the big man heads it back and it falls for Gerard on the edge of the area to put the visitors back in the lead courtesy of a Kiev elbow.
70 Cernat has a crack from 30 yards but Liverpool have 10 men behind the ball and, not surprisingly, the shot hits one of them.
80 Substitutions Idahor on for Melashchenko; Redknapp on for Smicer.
82 Kiev free-kick 25 yards out; played short to Khatskevitch and eventually goes for a corner. Cernat takes and the move ends with a looping ball to the far post - only to be headed wide. A bad miss for Kiev and they know it.
85 Kiev throwing everything at Liverpool now, including making the most of every challenge in the hope of winning a jammy free-kick.
90 Heskey still running around up front as if it was the first half an hour. Three minutes of additional time to play before Liverpool can record a famous victory. Kiev flood the Liverpool half and Cernat is unlucky to see his shoot drift just wide of the far post, although Dudek had it covered. Idahor then releases Cernat on the right; he finds the net, only to see it ruled offside. Full-time Well done Liverpool, the first British team to have won in this stadium in 13 attempts.

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 1983


Liverpool defeated Luton Town in October 1983 in the treble season when the Reds won the European Cup, League title and the League Cup. Rush scored an incredible 47 goals in this season and five on this occasion vs. Luton. This is the match report from this historic game in October 1983.

Liverpool destroyed Luton with an avalanche of goals at Anfield this afternoon. Ian Rush hitting five and Kenny Dalglish also joining in the champions super-show.

The Reds made two changes from the side that put four goals past Brentford in midweek. Rush, rested for the Milk Cup tie, returned up front in place of Hodgson, who was named as substitute. Nicol won the battle for the left midfield slot, replacing the suspended Johnston. Manager Fagan had fought long and hard about the possibilty of recalling Whelan, fit again after his pelvic operation, but finally banked on the young player who scored that superb winner at Q.P.R. last week.

The visitors were boosted by the return up front of England U-21 star Walsh, who had served out a two match ban.

The champions got off to a flying start, taking the lead after just 75 seconds with a goal from Rush. It was the Reds' first attack and full-back Neal tried a low shot from 20 yards that was actually blocked by the Welsh international in the area. The ball fell to Lee, who attempted to turn it back in but it dropped loose to Rush, who scored from close range.

It was a lightning strike and before Luton could catch their breath they found themselves two goals in arrears. The Reds had gained a free kick to the right of the box, played short by Lee and Dalglish. He chipped in a perfect centre, skipper Souness arriving to a direct a header against the crossbar. As the ball dropped, Rush was perfectly positioned to grab his second goal from close range.

We saw six goals in this encounter last season when the sides drew 3-3, but Liverpool had only scored four goals in their opening four League games at Anfield this season. The double strike by Rush changed all that, and the Welshman seemed in the mood to get a bundle. He latched on to a ball from Dalglish to the left of the box, before hammering an angled shot across the face of goal and just wide of the post.

The Reds came forward again when Lee tried his luck from 25 yards with Sealey clawing the ball round the post for a corner. It was virtually shots in, with Sealey feeling as if he was one on the wrong end of a coconut shy in the Luton goal. A stunning shot from Lee looked a goal all the way until it crashed into the side netting.

But the Liverpool fans didn't have to wait long for their side's third goal, Rush grabbing his hat-trick in style after 36 minutes. Nicol had reached the goal line on the left and his pinpoint cross was headed home firmly by the delighted Welshman.

Poor Sealey was shell-shocked in the visitor's goal and it showed inside two minutes when he blundered badly to give Liverpool their fourth goal. Dalglish had tried a low shot that seemed to be covered all the way by the keeper, but the ball bobbled over his body and into the net.

The first half had been a sunshine carnival for the champions and total frustration for the visitors who arrived on Merseyside in good spirits and fourth place in the League. The despair showed when skipper Horton sent Neal tumbling with an over-robust challenge for which he was booked.

Half-time: Liverpool 4, Luton Town 0

It didn't take Liverpool long to get back into their stride after the break. Robinson showed his pace down the right, crossing in hard and low only for Horton to make an important interception and clear his lines. A long and high ball towards the box sent the tide of red shirts towards the the visitors goal once again. Dalglish showed his vision, heading back a perfect ball into the path of Nicol whose first-time effort went straight into the arms of Sealey.

Liverpool's emphatic response was to sweep into a 5-0 lead after 55 minutes with the best goal of the game from the rampant Rush. Kennedy had floated a long ball into the box and the striker arrived to meet it first time with a stunning right foot volley that gave Sealey no chance at all. The vistors were demoralised by the efficiency of the Welshman's finishing. When the visitors did find themselves with a shooting opportunity, Hill sliced his effort well wide of the target.

Nicol looked for a penalty when he was brought down in the area by Elliott. All he got was a corner on the left, but the Scottish under-21 international almost turned that into another goal. Dalglish played it short, and the midfield man hit a tremendous shot that was well saved by Sealey. A rare attack from the unhappy visitors saw Hill's header deflected over for a corner on the left. Horton's free kick was cleared with little difficulty, but there was an anxious moment for the Reds when Rush needed treatment after being caught by Antic.

To the relief of the crowd, the four-goal hero was soon back. The Reds should have made it 6-0 when Robinson did well to to beat Antic with a speedy run into the Luton area, only to somehow slice his right foot shot well wide. with just two mins left, Souness had a pointblank effort blocked by Sealey, Rush being on hand once again to rap in his fifth to make it 6-0.

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2000


DERBIES aren't meant to be like this.

Amid the frenzied atmosphere and tension, creativity is usually stifled and raw aggression wins the derby day.

But this was a superb spectacle in which both sides played their part to produce a quality yet hugely passionate game of football.

Liverpool took their time to get going, but when they did they bossed the game and were well worth their victory.

The Blues were left to rue missed opportunities in the early stages.

Indeed, after a passive first half by the Reds, there was a certain sense of relief on their part they were level at the interval.

It was the visitors who created the best chances in the first half and they should have had a lead to protect when the second half barrage began.

Mark Pembridge will be left to ponder how he missed two glaring chances to give the Blues the perfect start.

His first came within five minutes when Thomas Gravesen sent him one on one with Sander Westerveld.

The finish was awful.

Pembridge did find his target six minutes later with a lunge on Nick Barmby which brought the game's first yellow card.

Barmby would have his answer within 60 seconds.

It was inevitable Barmby would score his first Premiership goal against his former club.

The script was pre-ordained as he headed Christian Ziege's wayward shot into the roof of the net to spark wild celebrations.

Barmby milked the moment and on home territory he was suitably inspired to produce one of his best displays in a Liverpool shirt.

After all the hype and attention, he revelled in his second of glory.

His timing was immaculate too as he drowned out the chants of "Judas" and worse to give Liverpool an 11th minute lead.

It was a welcome bonus for the Reds who'd been slowest to get into their stride.

But rather than give them the platform on which to settle into a more fluent game, they remained second best for long periods of the opening 45 minutes.

Pembridge should have equalised immediately, but he hit wastefully wide with the goal at his mercy after Idan Tal's head back.

It was no surprise when the equaliser finally arrived.

Westerveld's indecision with high balls into the box was exposed again as David Weir headed Tal's corner across the six yard box for Campbell to nod in.

Chances were at a premium for the rest of the half, although it was Everton who were enjoying greater possession.

For the first 45 minutes, Paul Gascoigne was running the midfield while Didi Hamann and Gary McAllister struggled to get a grip on the game.

One imagined the half-time pep talk gave one or two of the red shirts a wake-up call in derby reality.

Liverpool had to earn the right to get their passing game going and that's precisely what they did.

Things changed radically in the second half as Liverpool dominated, took control and buried the game.

Heskey was leading the improvement with yet another monumental performance.

His touch, movement and ability to hurt opponents has advanced his game beyond recognition to that which he showed when he first arrived.

Heskey struck his sixth goal in four games to give Liverpool the ascendency on 55 minutes.

Paul Gerrard may have been taken by surprise by the speed of the shot as it flew into his bottom corner.

From that point on there was no way back for Everton as Liverpool started to find their form.

When the lively substitute Vladimir Smicer accepted Westerveld's clever throw to race through on goal, a third looked inevitable until Gravesen's ill-fated intervention ended the contest.

Berger blasted in the 76th minute penalty and the ten men waited for the final whistle in the hope of avoiding further damage.

Everton could reflect on what might have been had they taken their chances, but for Liverpool it was another encouraging display with signs they are a genuine Premiership force again.

Michael Owen apart, this was arguably the best eleven Liverpool has and they found the extra gears required to turn the game in their favour.

In Steven Gerrard, Liverpool also had the game's outstanding performer.

Even at right back his ferocious tackling and distribution shone.

Gerrard is a magnificent player. A gem. He could play anywhere, and has, and while the label "central midfielder" should be stuck to him with extra-adhesive tape, it's clear he's the best right back in the country too. And left back for that matter.

Gerard Houllier explained he was playing him on the right to protect him from the more demanding midfield areas where his niggling injury takes its toll.

Understandable if it means the side aren't going to be regularly deprived of his services.

When a right back can dominate the game in such a fashion, he must be a special talent.

The celebrations on the final whistle vividly highlighted how much this victory meant to Liverpool.

There's a lot of nonsense talked about this being "just another game".

It isn't and never will be.

Winning it gives Houllier's side another huge injection of confidence and belief ahead of more crucial games this week.

If they continue to battle this hard, and play such quality football, it can only be a matter of time before a new era of success comes the club's way.

Liverpool: Westerveld; Gerrard (Carragher 86), Hyypia, Babbel, Ziege; Barmby, Hamann, McAllister, Berger; Fowler (Smicer 68), Heskey not used: Arphexad, Murphy, Traore.

Everton: Gerrard; Watson, Weir, Xavier, Ball (Naysmith 53); Gravesen, Nyarko, Gascoigne, Pembridge, Tal (Max-Moore 66); Campbell.

Subs not used: Unsworth, Simonsen, Gemmill.

Referee: Paul Durkin.

Bookings: Pembridge (foul).

Sent off: Gravesen (professional foul).

Goals: Barmby (11), Campbell (17), Heskey (55), Berger (76).

Attendance: 44,718.

Liverpool Star Man: Steven Gerrard. Sensational display by the youngster. Nothing got past him. Showed physical strength and skill to shine.

Everton Star Man: Paul Gascoigne. Competitive and controlled throughout.

How they rated

Liverpool

SANDER WESTERVELD: Still looks far from comfortable. Didn't dominate his area enough, especially on Everton's equaliser, but saved well from Pembridge in the second half and his quick thinking led to Liverpool's third. Score 6.

STEVEN GERRARD: Outstanding. Grew in stature as the match progressed and in the second half especially he looked the complete full back. Which he's not, he's a midfielder of course. Man of the match. Score 9.

MARKUS BABBEL: Steady and assured at the back. Held the defence together well during a rocky opening half hour. Score 7.

SAMI HYYPIA: Uncharacteristically shaky at the start, when his passing letting him down. Second half was more like his accomplished self, however, as he stifled the threat of Campbell. Score 7.

CHRISTIAN ZIEGE: Distribution very sloppy in the first half but remained dangerous when he found himself with the ball in advanced positions. Given a hard time by Gravesen for the first hour. Score 6.

NICK BARMBY: Scored one, made one - talk about letting the occasion get to him! Industrious as ever, was a key link in the opening 45 minutes when his team-mates struggled to impose themselves. Score 8.

DIETMAR HAMANN: Failed to impose himself on proceedings, but helped shackle Gascoigne more effectively as the match wore on. Score 6.

GARY McALLISTER: Never allowed the time and space to control play as in recent weeks as the packed Everton midfield deliberately closed him down. Escaped their attentions after the break and was instrumental in his side's second half dominance. Score 7.

PATRIK BERGER: So often a potent weapon against Everton but not this time. Started sluggishly but recovered late on, linking up well with substitute Smicer. A fine penalty to seal the victory as well. Score 7.

EMILE HESKEY: Once the passes started to find him, the big man was a constant menace to Everton, pulling their defence everywhere at times. Scored an exceptional goal which helped turn the tide the Reds way. Score 8.

ROBBIE FOWLER: Cannot be faulted for effort at the moment, but still a long way off match pace. Substituted with 20 minutes remaining. Score 6.
.

[Boston-Sox]

Gerrard revels in the role of winner

Derby joy wipes away memory of sending-off

Report by IAN DOYLE

STEVEN GERRARD turned from derby villain to derby hero yesterday to help Liverpool to a 3-1 victory over Mersey neighbours Everton.

The last time the two sides met at Anfield in September 1999, Gerrard was sent off in the dying moments for an X-rated lunge on Kevin Campbell in a 1-0 defeat.

But yesterday the Reds starlet put in a man-of-the-match performance as goals from Nick Barmby, Emile Heskey and Patrik Berger ensured Liverpool have now lost just one of their last six derby encounters.

Gerrard was outstanding at right-back, nullifying the threat of Everton's tricky Israeli winger Idan Tal with some meaty challenges and earning fulsome praise from boss Gerard Houllier.

However, the England international was typically modest about his starring role.

"I haven't been playing at right-back all my life," admitted the 20-year-old.

"But I have played there for the last few games and have enjoyed it.

"I've done quite well and hopefully I can remain in the starting XI.

"I prefer to play in central midfield, but if I keep playing like I have today at right-back and keep my place in the team, then I will be happy."

Hailing from Huyton, Gerrard is well aware of the significance a derby victory means to the fans and revealed that this will to win had been transmitted to the rest of the Liverpool dressing room.

"We were buzzing after the game," he added.

"Everyone was delighted, particularly as we'd beaten our local rivals.

The players were up for this one.

"I enjoyed myself, but I wouldn't be saying I had enjoyed myself if we had been beaten, no matter how well I would have played.

"The first half was fast and furious and we were expecting that, but we knew things would settle down in the second half and we dominated possession.

"Everton matched us in those early stages, both physically and playing-wise.

But I thought they tired the more the game went on and that is when we began to dominate."

Gerrard praised team-mates Nick Barmby and Emile Heskey for their goalscoring exploits.

"Nick was in dreamland when he scored - but so was I as well," he beamed.

"I helped him celebrate the goal, and he deserved it because he worked hard and played very well on the day.

"And Emile is on fire at the moment.

He just can't stop scoring goals.

People had written him enough before the season saying he wouldn't score enough, but he has proven them wrong - and he's playing well too."

The youngster also moved to allay fears of a fresh injury blow after being forced off the field seven minutes from time.

"It's definitely not my groin," he insisted.

"It is just a touch of cramp and hopefully I will be okay for Wednesday."

Liverpool entertain Chelsea that night in the Worthington Cup, and with the Reds lying third in the Premiership and taking a one-goal lead to the Czech Republic for their UEFA Cup clash with Slovan Liberec next week, things are beginning to gel for Houllier's side.

"We have won four games on the run now and kept three clean sheets and only conceded the one goal against Everton, so things are looking good," enthused Gerrard.

"We are defending well as a team and we have important games coming up and it is our aim to stay in the top three between now and the end of the season."

Copyright - Liverpool Daily Post

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2005

Liverpool find scoring touch

Liverpool don't really do demolitions any more, so they will gratefully take this painstakingly, chipped out victory and move on.

A deflected shot from Xavi Alonso and Bolo Zenden's late strike off a post separated them from West Ham, although they had the opportunities to put the issue beyond dispute long before the Dutchman's goal. Fernando Morientes squandered two, second half chances and West Ham's goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop saved athletically from Louis Garcia to prolong the semblance of a contest.

But therein lies what should be the lingering concern from Liverpool and their manager, Rafael Benitez. Goals remain elusive for their strikers. Morientes is a shadow of the once majestic player, a yard too slow in the frenzy of the English game and lacking the conviction to capitalise on his aerial prowess. His partner in this match, Djibril Cisse, had one of those exasperatingly ineffectual days. The Frenchman does, at least, have the pace essential to outstrip Premiership defences but he ultimately made way for Zenden's arrival.

Steven Gerrard's restoration to the starting line-up inevitably raised expectations, although his impact was compromised by being stationed wide on the right. As a consequence, he was able to make fewer of those familiar, surging runs through the middle that inspired colleagues and terrorised opponents in equal measure.

Even so, his very presence palpably unsettled West Ham and eventually Liverpool's superiority subdued Alan Pardew's side. West Ham started with admirably positive intent and Nigel Rao-Coker again demonstrated his obvious talent. Yossi Benayoun fleetingly gave glimpses of his skills, too, but by the second half, he had become an almost anonymous figure, leaving Marlon Harewood, West Ham's sole out and out striker, an ever-more forlorn and remote figure. Just like their faded bubbles, West Ham faded and died as a force.

Benitez, not unreasonably, argued he would settle for this result every week, regardless of the scorers, but behind that stoic countenance he will surely be frantically trying to work out how he can find a consistent source of goals.

He said: "The strikers worked hard and if we win 2-0 every game it's okay. Even if (Jose, the Liverpool goalkeeper) Reina scores. All Morientes needs is to score.

It was an idea to use Steve wide and he did a good job. He can still come inside and he had the freedom to do that. It's possible we will play him there again."

Gerrard did have the freedom to step in to a more accustomed role when Zenden came on and the Dutchman made the most of Pardew's decision to take off his right back, Tomas Repka.

Pardew conceded: "You could blame me for the second goal. But we tried to do something. We were up against the European champions and we had some brilliant individual performance.

"But we didn't do enough to warrant getting back in the game after their first goal. We're a little disappointed we didn't show more relief to go and hurt them. They were focussed and Steve and Gerrard made a massive difference."

West Ham failed to muster a serious threat to Reina's goal and survived a few scares before Liverpool went ahead in the 18th minute. Alonso took careful aim from 25-yards but his shot still took a deflection off Repka on its way past Hislop.

Sami Hyypia had a shot cleared off the West Ham line by Paul Konchesky as Liverpool at last began to flick through the gears.

Morientes could have claimed that second goal but wanted more time than Anton Ferdinand prepared to permit him.

The Spaniard met Steve Finnan's centre with a characteristic header, only for Hislop, lunging down to his right, to save.

The goalkeeper made an even better save to deny Garcier but couldn't respond to Zenden's drilled effort in the 82nd minute.

[pArTlYdAvE-]

Liverpool are through to the group stages of the Champions League after goals from Peter Crouch, Sami Hyypia and Dirk Kuyt (2) gave them a 4-0 victory over Toulouse at Anfield on Tuesday and a 5-0 win on aggregate.

The Reds will now wait until Thursday's draw in Monaco to see which three teams they will be grouped with after Crouch struck in the first half and Hyypia and Kuyt struck in the second to add to Andriy Voronin's strike in France a fortnight ago.

This game was preceded by a moving tribute to Everton fanatic Rhys Jones, whose tragic death has touched the hearts of the whole city. Rhys's beloved Z-Cars anthem was played ahead of the traditional You'll Never Walk Alone, before the players, fans and Rhys's parents and brother stood through an emotional period of applause.A sell out crowd gave Anfield a familiar feel for a European night, but there was an unfamiliar look to the team sheet because injuries to Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher meant this would be the first time in 103 Euro ties that the Reds have been without at least one of them. Rafa Benitez made six changes from the side that won at Sunderland, with one of them a debut for young Argentine Sebastian Leto.

It was Toulouse who started the game quickest when Emana warmed the hands of Reina with a hooked shot, but Liverpool were soon on the attack with Riise forcing Douchez into a save before Leto quickly endeared himself to the Kop by dancing in from the left and effortlessly beating two men.

Liverpool's 1-0 first leg lead meant Toulouse had to try force the issue here and they started with a good deal more ambition than they had shown in the game in France. But it was Liverpool who looked the more dangerous and they took a deserved lead through Peter Crouch in the 19th minute.

Crouch was making his first appearance of the season, but he was sharp from the start and was first to Dirk Kuyt's deep cross to hook the ball past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper and make Toulouse's task doubly difficult.

It was a goal that meant, because of Voronin's strike in France, Liverpool had one foot in the group stages. And they could have had the tie settled by half time had they taken at least one of the many chances they created before the break.

Crouch was in the action again in the 22nd minute when his drilled shot from a tight angle flashed just wide; and the England man was the scourge of the Toulouse defence again in the 29th minute when he rose highest to head Benayoun's corner just over the crossbar. Benayoun was having a good game on his Anfield debut and some more good work by him in the 33rd minute gave Kuyt a chance that he put just the wrong side of the post.

Any thoughts Toulouse had of a comeback were extinguished in the 49th minute when Sami Hyypia, who was captain for night, found himself free in the area and planted a firm header past Douchez and into the Kop net. Benayoun was again the provider with a pinpoint corner.

It was job done for Liverpool and Rafa had the luxury of making a couple of changes in the second half, with one of them meaning a debut for Lucas.

The Reds created a number of chances to increase their margin of victory, most notably when Dirk Kuyt smashed a shot against the crossbar and Crouch hit over. But Kuyt wasn't to be denied and he scored a superb third in the 87th minute before finishing the scoring with his second and Liverpool's fourth in stoppage time.

Today In History
August 28th
Extra Info

LIVERPOOL V TOULOUSE
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
3ERD QUALIFYING ROUND 2ED LEG
ANFIELD
28-8-2007

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

Jose Reina
Alvaro Arbeloa
Sami Hyypia
Daniel Agger (Steve Finnan)
John Arne Riise
Yossi Benayoun
Sebastian Leto (Ryan Babel)
Mohamed Sissoko (Lucas Leiva)
Javier Mascherano
Peter Crouch
Dirk Kuyt

Won 4-0
Crouch 19'
Hyypia 49'
Kuyt 87' 90'

Att
43,118

I was on the front row of the lower Annie for this game almost behind the right hand goal post and had a good view of the Jones family and the dignified way they handled the occasion. I remember the Toulouse fans being great and joining in the applause.
I'll always remember this game.
I also got wacked in the stomach by the ball from the Toulouse players warming up despite the nets being up to stop the ball going into the crowd I was stood too close the the wall. I pretended to my friends I was with it didnt hurt

[Boston-Sox]

I was on the front row of the lower Annie for this game almost behind the right hand goal post and had a good view of the Jones family and the dignified way they handled the occasion. I remember the Toulouse fans being great and joining in the applause.
I'll always remember this game.
I also got wacked in the stomach by the ball from the Toulouse players warming up despite the nets being up to stop the ball going into the crowd I was stood too close the the wall. I pretended to my friends I was with it didnt hurt

Reminds me of the great European night at Anfield when we played St Etienne we were in the Kemlyn Road stand when Ray Kennedy sliced the ball into the stand and it hit my brother in the face

[pArTlYdAvE-]

Reminds me of the great European night at Anfield when we played St Etienne we were in the Kemlyn Road stand when Ray Kennedy sliced the ball into the stand and it hit my brother in the face

that was some night wasnt it bud

[Boston-Sox]

Derby matches are usually so tight that it is remarkable indeed when one of the clubs has the satisfaction of really thrashing their neighbours. But to score 5 away from home, and it could have been 10, is rare indeed. Sure, Liverpool had a GREAT team at this time whereas their city rivals were still a few years short of becoming a real force in the land again. But Welshman Ian Rush was the man who destroyed his boyhood heroes with the most clinical display of finishing that could have been seen in a match of such importance. His pace and accuracy tore the home team apart.

Oddly enough, Liverpool only scored once in the first half, when Alan Hansen's delicate through ball dissected the home defence for Rush to run on to and drill a low shot past his countryman Neville Southall. It was a deserved lead because Rush had hit the bar in the opening seconds and Sammy Lee was also denied by the woodwork in the first period. Evertonians will claim that the sending-off of Glenn Keeley after 37 minutes in his one and only appearance for the Blues contributed greatly to their side's downfall. But the truth is that Keeley deserved to go for cynically holding back Kenny Dalglish when the Scot appeared to have a clear run on goal. Dalglish was also furious at having a first-half header from Alan Kennedy's left-wing cross mysteriously disallowed for offside. The players had actually lined up again for the kick-off before the referee noticed a linesman waving his flag in the air. Television replays later showed that the linesman made no effort to lift his flag as Dalglish timed his run perfectly to ram his header beyond Southall. It was only a second or two later that he decided that Kenny must have been offside!

A one-goal lead is always precarious but Everton's luck ran out in the second half. However, Liverpool didn't need much luck of their own. They played some mesmerising football and ran the home defence ragged. Six minutes into the second half Rush scored his second with a shot from the edge of the area which was slightly deflected away from Southall's dive. Four minutes later the home defence went to sleep as Liverpool took a throw-in on the right and the unmarked Dalglish crossed for Mark Lawrenson to steer the ball in at the back post in front of the delirious visiting fans. Other chances came and went but Rush wrote himself into the history books when he raced from half-way to beat Southall again, showing coolness beyond his years to steer his second shot into goal after the first had rebounded from the post. But even he wasn't finished and completed the rout five minutes from time with another run from the halfway line which ended with him rounding the goalkeeper and stroking the ball into an unguarded net.

Many of the home support had already gone home to lick their wounds by this time but the Liverpool fans knew this was a moment to savour. Yes, they were defending champions and would go on to retain their crown but to score 5 against the Blues on their own ground was a sweet moment indeed. Ian Rush was in some of the best form of his career at that time, even though it was only his second full season in the First Division. He scored another hat-trick 7 days later against Coventry and ended up with 24 League goals from 34 matches. But few will have given him as much pleasure as the four he grabbed at Goodison in one of the biggest-ever derby wins.

Everton: Southall, Borrows, Bailey, Wright, Keeley, McMahon, Heath, Johnson (Richardson), Sharp, King, Sheedy.

Liverpool: Grobbelaar, Neal, Kennedy, Thompson, Johnston, Hansen, Dalglish, (Hodgson), Lee, Rush, Lawrenson, Souness.


IAN RUSH MEMORIES 25 YEARS ON IN 2007

I RECEIVED a phone call last week from someone who told me that today marked the 25th anniversary of Liverpool’s famous 5-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park.

The first thing that struck me was I couldn’t believe that a quarter of a century had passed since that day because I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

I was lucky enough to score four goals in that game and doing that ranks as one of my greatest personal achievements, right up there with the goals I scored in cup finals.

Before the game I was really keen to do well because it was my first real involvement in the Merseyside derby and the fact I was playing against the team I supported as a boy only added to my desire.

Bob Paisley had taken me to one side beforehand and told me that no-one had scored a hat-trick in the derby for 40 or 50 years.

He may have just been trying to fire me up but part of me thinks Bob being Bob he had spotted something in the way Everton set up that made him believe I could get at them a bit.

But I don’t think even he could have predicted what followed.

To win a derby 5-0 is an incredible achievement and ever since that day I’ve had Evertonians tell me that the scoreline would have been different if they hadn’t gone down to ten men when Glenn Keeley was sent off.

But I’ve always joked that they are right – we probably would have won by six or seven!

It was just one of those games when you feel you can score with every attack and I was lucky enough to get the four goals and Mark Lawrenson got the other.

What a lot of people don’t remember, though, is Neville Southall was absolutely brilliant that day.

He made some unbelievable saves and without him we probably would have scored even more.

My favourite goal from that game was the one for my hat-trick. I can remember being put through and thinking ‘this is my big chance’ but my shot hit the post.

But before I knew it the ball was back at my feet and I scored the rebound. That was my favourite because I knew how important it was and also because it happened in front of the Liverpool fans in the Park End.

It was a fantastic moment and something that will live with me for ever.

After the game I had to get back home to Wales but I was banned from driving at the time so the funny thing was I had to get a lift off Kevin Ratcliffe.

As we were walking back to his car none of the Evertonians were giving me stick but they were all giving him loads!

We got in the car and there was me, Kevin and the match ball so you can imagine what that journey must have been like for him.

I asked him if he’d get the ball signed by the Everton lads for me and I couldn’t repeat what he told me to do in a family newspaper. But Kevin being the kind of fella he is, he did get it signed for me and that’s a gesture I will always appreciate.

It was a great day and I just hope the anniversary brings back as many happy memories for the Liverpool fans as it has for me.

[Boston-Sox]

Kop that!

Liverpool staged the most magnificent recovery of their 21-year European history at a near-hysterical Anfield.

Mark Walters' 83rd minute strike enabled Liverpool's patched-up team to achieve a feat that had been beyond all their illustrious predecessors.

Never before had any Liverpool side overturned a two-goal first-leg lead in European combat.
But the Kop saluted their heroes with a rousing chorus of "You'll Never Walk Alone" as Liverpool warned the rest of Europe that they are still a force to be reckoned with.

The Reds had the breaks but they were richly deserved by players who were keen to atone for their abysmal first-leg display.

Auxerre lost Hungarian international striker Kalman Kovacs through injury after 16 minutes and defender Frederic Darras sent off in the 75th minute for a second bookable offence - a foul on Walters.

But Liverpool made a dream start with Jan Molby slotting in a fourth minute penalty after Stephane Mahe tripped Steve McManaman.

Auxerre should have equalised five minutes later when Jean-Marc Ferreri sped down the right and crossed for the unmarked Kovacs.

But his stab for goal was blocked by the diving Bruce Grobbelaar.

The Zimbabwean had kept the score down in France and was to rescue Liverpool again after the break when he stuck out a leg to foil an Alain Roche volley.

Souness omitted Glenn Hysen and Dean Saunders, moving Mike Marsh to an unfamiliar right-back role. But Marsh was one of the outstanding players in a performance full of spirit. He mastered lively winger Pascal Vahirua and stole forward for the 30th minute goal which levelled the aggregate scores heading in a Houghton cross.

Goalkeeper Bruno Martini tipped around a swerving Molby free-kick before the first-half ended on a farcical note.

Two supporters were involved in a skirmish with stewards and police in the back of the French goal as a Steve McMahon shot cleared the cross bar with Martini impeded by the struggling figures beside him.

Extra-time looked a certainty despite Nick Tanner almost turning a Vashirua shot into his own goal before Walters provided the explosive finish.

Match-winner Walters paid tribute to the Kop after the historic win.

Walters insisted the volume of support from Liverpool's fans was crucial: "The fans were the vital factor. The noise they created put fear on the faces of the French players. You could see it. It was nice for us to give them something to shout about as we have had to take a lot of flak recently. We had a dream start with a goal after four minutes and didn't panic when it would have been easy to start pumping the ball upfield. We showed patience and got our reward."

Jubilant manager Graeme Souness also appreciated the value of the Mersey sound but also recognised the Herculean efforts of his players. He said: "Considering our injuries and the four foreigners regulation the performance was immense. In terms of the silky football this club is famous for, there wasn't much of that. But in terms of grit, determination and will to win I could not have asked for more. Everybody had written us off but we showed this club is made of sterner stuff than some people would have you believe. The crowd was superb, we have a young team and they need to know they have the backing of supporters. I feel more tired now than when I was playing on one of the old European night here."


Liverpool 3 - 0 Auxerre
Game date: 06.11.1991 Stadium: Anfield
Competition: UEFA Cup 2nd round 2L Attendance: 23,094
Referee: da Silva Valente CA (Portugal)


Starting line-up

1 Bruce Grobbelaar
2 Gary Ablett
3 David Burrows
4 Mike Marsh
5 Jan Mølby
6 Nick Tanner
7 Steve McManaman
8 Ray Houghton
9 Ian Rush
10 Mark Walters
11 Steve McMahon
Subs
17 Robbie Holcroft
12 Steve Harkness
14 Jamie Redknapp
15 Barry Jones



Goals
Jan Mølby 4' pen
Mike Marsh 29'
Mark Walters 83'


- Mike Marsh scores his debut goal for LFC
- Only 4 subs due to injuries.

[Boston-Sox]

Liverpool 8 - 0 Besiktas
Game date: 06.11.2007 Stadium: Anfield
Competition: Champions L. 1st Group Ph. Attendance: 41,143
Referee: Merk M (Germany)

Starting line-up


25 Jose Reina
4 Sami Hyypia
6 John Arne Riise
12 Fábio Aurélio
17 Álvaro Arbeloa
23 Jamie Carragher
8 Steven Gerrard
11 Yossi Benayoun
20 Javier Mascherano
10 Andriy Voronin
15 Peter Crouch
Subs
40 David Martin
3 Steve Finnan
7 Harry Kewell
19 Ryan Babel
21 Lucas Leiva
9 Fernando Torres
18 Dirk Kuyt


Goals

Peter Crouch 19'
Yossi Benayoun 32'
Yossi Benayoun 52'
Yossi Benayoun 56'
Steven Gerrard 69'
Ryan Babel 78'
Ryan Babel 81'
Peter Crouch 88'


Substitutions


Fábio Aurélio out for Ryan Babel 63'
Andriy Voronin out for Harry Kewell 72'
Steven Gerrard out for Lucas Leiva 72'


It was impossible for Liverpool to do anything more in Group A of the Champions League than hoist themselves into third place but they have raised their confidence level to the very heavens. That self-belief is essential none the less because Marseille's defeat by Porto means that Rafael Benitez's side are three points short of the second qualifying place with two fixtures to be completed.

Liverpool and Marseille could, in the end, be tied on 10 points in the group. This would happen if both win their next fixture and the English side then complete the programme with victory in France. Were that outcome to be reached by a 1-0 result, reversing exactly the Anfield defeat by Marseille, a different criterion would separate them. The goals scored by each club over the whole group would decide the matter and, in view of this 8-0 rout, Liverpool would surely trump Marseille.

All of that is, for the time being, in the realms of convoluted speculation. Liverpool would be wiser to confine themselves to recognising the immediate benefit of setting the record result in Champions League history. It attests to the abrupt expressiveness of a side who have usually had too little to say for themselves.

Besiktas, of course, have to be disparaged as a team of minimal resilience. Their victory against Liverpool in Istanbul must now seem all the more maddening to the Premier League club.

Prior to this fixture the Anfield team had hit a mere two goals in the group. Peter Crouch alone got as many here and even he seemed sluggish when Yossi Benayoun pocketed one hat-trick and the substitute Ryan Babel almost had another but the ball hit the bar. Oddly the performer who outdid even Benayoun could not himself score. The irrepressible movement of Andriy Voronin was, none the less, traumatic for Besiktas.

The Turkish club were brutalised and clemency was nowhere to be found. With two minutes to go, Crouch was gleeful as he nodded in a delivery from Benayoun. The England forward basked in the limelight after months in which he had sometimes been confined to the shadows.

The entire line-up made sense, with Javier Mascherano keeping the midfield in balance while team-mates concentrated on knocking Besiktas off their feet. Despite the pyrotechnics this was a mature display, with Liverpool methodically building their dominance prior to the interval.

There had not, admittedly, been all that much reason lately for exuberance over events on this pitch. Apart from being beaten by Marseille here, Liverpool have won only a single Premier League game in five attempts at home in the current programme. It was, therefore, a breach of the pattern for Liverpool to be leading 2-0 with slightly over half an hour completed.

Besiktas, missing their best defender, the centre-back Gokhan Zan, ultimately surrendered to despair. It was Crouch who initially nudged them towards capitulation. Voronin aimed a pass towards him after 19 minutes and when the holding midfielder Edouard Cissé sought to intercept he simply prodded the ball into the path of Crouch. The first attempt by the striker was saved by the hapless Hakan Arikan but he knocked in the rebound.

With 32 minutes gone the visitors should have been awarded a throw-in after the ball broke from John Arne Riise, but the Norwegian shamelessly took it himself. Voronin crossed deep and Benayoun finished well with a low drive.

Besiktas, disheartened, became ever more fragile and Voronin, in this mood, would have smashed tougher visitors than these. The energy of the Ukrainian was a marvel but that vitality was applied with discernment. His pass set up Riise for the typically bullish shot which Arikan pushed out as far as Benayoun, who snatched his second goal after 52 minutes.

The hat-trick for the Israeli was an inevitability. When Lamine Diatta brought down Voronin, Steven Gerrard's free-kick came back off the goalkeeper to the waiting Benayoun. Liverpool wishes were coming true at a frenetic rate and the singing welled up in acclaim of Benítez.

Jubilation also gushed out for a beautiful goal by Gerrard, who completed a pair of one-twos with Mascherano and Voronin before smashing home his finish after 69 minutes. Not to be outdone, Babel recorded the sixth by flicking in a Benayoun cut-back with the inside of his heel. After 81 minutes Ibrahim Toraman's clearance bounced off the Dutchman to float high into the net.

Anfield ignominy assumed a multitude of forms for Besiktas.

Match Facts
11' Ozkan
19' Crouch 1-0
32' Benayoun 2-0
53' Benayoun 3-0
56' Benayoun 4-0
69' Gerrard 5-0
78' Babel 6-0
81' Babel 7-0
89' Crouch 8-0

Liverpool
Jose Manuel Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio (Ryan Babel), Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise, Yossi Benayoun, Steven Gerrard (Lucas Leiva), Javier Mascherano, Peter Crouch, Andriy Voronin (Harry Kewell)

Besiktas
Hakan Arikan, Lamine Diatta, Serdar Kurtulus (Federico Martin Higuain), Ibrahim Toraman, Edouard Cisse, Matias Emilio Delgado, Mustafa Koray Avci, Serdar Ozkan (Ali Tandogan), Mehmet Sedef (Luis Ricardinho), Ibrahim Uzulmez, Rogerio Da Silva Bobo

Referee: Merk, M

Venue: Anfield

Attendance: 41,143

Corners:
Liverpool 3
Besiktas 2

Goal Attempts:
Liverpool 28
Besiktas 3

On Target:
Liverpool 19
Besiktas 1

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2000




No more holidays in their homeland for the men from the land of fire and ice, surely. The entire population of Iceland was apparently glued to their sets for live transmission of what amounted to a home international, according to the commentator.

What they witnessed was a Second Division team owned, managed and in no small part staffed by their countrymen being humiliated by eight goals, three from Robbie Fowler, as Liverpool ran riot.

After being knocked out of the FA Cup recently by Nuneaton Borough these are not good times for for Stoke.

Barely four minutes had elapsed when Peter Thorne made himself the simplest chance. Chasing down a short back-pass he came out of a 50-50 tackle with Pegguy Arphexad with the ball at his feet and the goal empty. Somehow he hit the post.

Within 90 seconds Liverpool were ahead. Breaking quickly, Robbie Fowler made space on the left and drove in a low cross. Christian Ziege, closing unmarked on the six-yard line, sidefooted high into the net.

Determined to make a game of it but unable to rely on Thorne, Liverpool's defence handed Kyle Lightbourne an immediate chance to square it up, St?phane Henchoz slicing the ball to the big striker with no one but Arphexad to beat.

Unfortunately for Stoke Lightbourne's first touch was criminally wooden, allowing the goalkeeper enough time to block at his feet. Suddenly you began to see how it was they had failed to score in two games against Nuneaton.

Having laid siege to Liverpool's goal for 10 minutes, Stoke immediately conceded twice. First they failed to clear a Gary McAllister hoof clear, allowing Markus Babbel, slightly fortuitously, to find Vladimir Smicer, who duly scored.

Within a couple of minutes the tie was completely over. Fowler was allowed to return a half-cleared corner into the area with a scissors-kick and, with Stoke's defence admiring that, Babbel smacked home.

Liverpool made it four before half-time. McAllister sent over a corner, Sammi Hyypia flicked on and Fowler nodded in.

Hyppia delivered the fifth goal on the hour, prodding home Danny Murphy's cross after Brynjar Gunnarsson slipped; Murphy himself hit the sixth, courtesy of Fowler, both striking in less than splendid isolation.

Fowler completed his hat-trick, first seizing on a Ziege through ball and then burying a penalty. Then as the highest football crowd the Brittannia Stadium has ever drawn began to empty, the diehards sang the club anthem Delilah, laying emphasis on the line: "I just couldn't take any more."

Worthington Cup

Wednesday November 29, 2000
Stoke (0) 0 - 8 (4) Liverpool
Ziege (6)
Smicer (26)
Babbel (28)
Fowler (39)
Hyypia (59)
Murphy (65)
Fowler (82)
Fowler (84) pen

Stoke City
Muggleton; Clarke, Dorigo, Gunnarsson, Hansson (Petty), Mohan; Kavanagh, Risom; Gudjonsson, Lightbourne (Thordarson), Thorne (Goodfellow).

Liverpool
Arphexad; Babbel (Wright, S), Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Ziege; McAllister, Murphy, Partridge (Barmby); Fowler, Smicer (Hamann).

Referee: A. P. D'Urso (Billericay)

Attendance: 27,109

Bookings
Stoke City: None
Liverpool: Ziege (19) Henchoz (79)

Sent off
None

Free-kicks

Stoke City: 6
Liverpool: 9


Corners

Stoke City: 1
Liverpool: 3


Goal attempts

Stoke City: 9
Liverpool: 18


On target

Stoke City: 2
Liverpool: 10


Hit woodwork

Stoke City: 1
Liverpool: 0


Offsides

Stoke City: 10
Liverpool: 5

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2009


Happy Days for Rafa Benitez as the Fonz looks on

IT WAS almost as if Bill Kenwright was actively tempting fate. Never one to miss the opportunity of raising his club’s profile, the Everton owner invited Henry Winkler, better known as the Fonz, as a guest of honour at Goodison yesterday.

But this was anything but a happy day for the Blue half of Merseyside as Liverpool continued their hold over this Premier League fixture to kickstart their campaign and nudge their neighbours further towards a winter of discontent.

Winkler, who is playing Captain Hook in pantomime in the city this Christmas, looked on as Everton largely dominated a frenetic, sub-standard derby only to be undermined by poor fortune and poor finishing.

As Esther Ranzten, another celebrity to drop in on the local spat, might well say, that’s life.

Certainly, Rafael Benitez is unlikely to feel much sympathy towards Goodison counterpart David Moyes having grown tired of dwelling on his team’s ill fortune in recent times.

There could be no such complaints yesterday, however. From the moment Javier Mascherano’s speculative 25-yard effort struck the boot of Joseph Yobo and looped beyond Tim Howard into the goal in the 12th minute, the evidence was there to suggest Liverpool’s luck was finally beginning to change.

Of course, it will take more than one scrappy, fortuitous victory to convince that a hugely disappointing season has turned a decisive corner.

But the confidence taken from this victory – Liverpool’s eighth in their last 10 league visits to Goodison – cannot be underestimated, particularly given the manner in which a much-derided defence held firm in the face of concerted Everton pressure.

How apt Pepe Reina should emerge as an influential figure yesterday, the goalkeeper having been one of the few consistently shining lights during a gloomy autumn for Benitez.

It was his stupendous double save from Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini 20 minutes from time that ensured an all-too-rare Premier League clean sheet for Liverpool and knock the wind out of Everton’s sails.

Few could have quibbled had the home side earned at least a point. Moyes’s men played the better football in responding to their manager’s call to stand up and be counted after the horrors at Hull City last Wednesday.

No more so than Steven Pienaar, by far the game’s most creative force until understandably fading in the soggy conditions.

The South African was aided by Fellaini, who produced by some distance his best display of the season and whose aerial prowess – which overstepped the mark with one challenge that drew blood from Lucas – caused Liverpool continued problems.

But for all their application, effort and desire, the touch of class and guile that may have made the difference was lacking, Everton eventually resorting to punting long balls into the area in the forlorn hope Liverpool’s defence would cough up a mistake.

Yes, the harsh facts make for painful reading. One win in 11. Six points from a possible 24. Three points off the relegation places. Not to mention the failure of the Destination Kirkby project. Yet despite being dragged ever nearer the drop zone, surely Everton will only be looking up the table if they can build on this form in the coming weeks.

Liverpool, too, can afford to realign their sights with the top four now within touching distance once again after responding well to their Champions League exit five days earlier.

With Fernando Torres having failed a fitness test on his sportsman’s hernia and Steven Gerrard patently half-fit, the visitors were forced to dig deep and demonstrate a resilience and character that has been curiously lacking at times during this campaign.

Whether this proves a turning point in their campaign is entirely in their own hands. Benitez has always stated a run of wins could transform his team’s season, and it would be unforgivable to waste this platform.

Mascherano’s excessive celebrations after his Yobo-assisted opener, the midfielder running almost the full length of the field to gesticulate wildly in front of the travelling support, could be perceived as one in the eye for those who believe he would rather have been at the Camp Nou for Europe’s other big derby yesterday.

Clearly, the Argentine has rediscovered his mojo and was again Liverpool’s most impressive performer, followed closely by Jamie Carragher, another to have attracted criticism after an indifferent opening few months to the campaign.

This was the Carragher of old, revelling in his favourite fixture by launching into tackles and blocks while never giving an inch, complimented by the cool, composed but no less effective approach of centre-back partner Daniel Agger.

And the pair needed to be at their best with Everton’s search for an equaliser pushing Liverpool back for most of the first half. Jo, preferred as the lone striker by Moyes, twice had the ball in the net only to be correctly adjudged offside on each occasion, and also came close to connecting with Fellaini’s flick on from a Hibbert long ball.

A similar combination fashioned Everton’s best chance before the break, Hibbert’s long throw nodded on by Fellaini and eventually reaching the far post where an unmarked Diniyar Bilyaletdinov scuffed horribly wide from six yards.

Other than the goal, Liverpool’s only threat of note in the opening period came when Glen Johnson’s first real foray forward in the 41st minute culminated to the far post where an Emiliano Insua header was batted clear by a strong left arm from Howard.

After the interval, Reina, who had earlier spilled a Bilyaletdinov effort in the incessant rain, was almost embarrassed by a long-range Pienaar effort that momentarily slipped from his grasp.

But the goalkeeper made amends when making a fine save down to his left to keep out Cahill’s header from a clipped Heitinga free-kick before getting to his feet swift enough to block Fellaini’s follow-up from point blank range.

Everton were deflated. And their – and Yobo’s – misery was made complete 10 minutes from time when, after the Nigerian miscued while attempting to clear a Dirk Kuyt header from Reina’s deep free-kick, Gerrard retrieved the ball and teed up substitute Albert Riera, whose shot was parried by Howard into the path of Kuyt to stab home.

The Everton goalkeeper then saved from Riera to prevent a third goal that would have been faintly ridiculous in the context of the game. Happy days for Benitez and Liverpool, then. Everton, meanwhile, are still awaiting their good fortune.

Daily Post

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2009



Liverpool Echo report

THINK of the Merseyside Derby and, in a flash, any number of sporting icons should come flooding into your thoughts.

They are names that will stand the test of time, men whose achievements on the field of battle will still be referred to when this generation is long gone, but never would you have considered linking the great golfer Gary Player with this contest. Until now, that is.

You will know where this is going. Player, of course, famously declared “the harder I work, the luckier I seem to get” and that quote could have been coined for the offering Liverpool served up at a rain-sodden Goodison Park yesterday.

Had this been a boxing match, the judges would, in all probability, have given the verdict to the Blue corner, such was their dominance in round 212 of this local squabble and not many would have been able to quibble with the assessment.

Hemmed against the ropes for most of the first period and a chunk of the second, Liverpool were fortunate Everton’s main goal threat spent the first 65 minutes resting his damaged thigh on the sidelines.

If Louis Saha had passed a fitness test before kick-off, there is a chance this narrative would have been more a post-mortem, reflecting on the latest in a line of sorry results to make the landscape look bleak going into mid-winter.

Yet thanks to perseverance, diligence, hard work and a sheer ******-minded will to win, Liverpool were able to avoid being caught up in another maelstrom and, instead, got the result which just might kick-start this stuttering campaign into life once and for all.

There is no getting away from the fact Liverpool, as an attacking force, were dreadful, lacking cohesion or any sense of panache and Tim Howard, Everton’s reliable keeper, has probably never had so little to do on derby day.

Fortunately, the performances of the men at the back were a complete juxtaposition and the efforts of Jamie Carragher and Company, who provided the base to grab three precious points, standing tall when some may have expected them to cave in.

“I thought our defending as a team was very good and that is a positive for the future,” a relieved Rafa Benitez noted. “(Daniel) Agger and Carra did a very good job and we had (Javier) Mascherano and Lucas working so hard in the midfield to help the defence.”

Very true. There is no doubt Evertonians will be simmering with a sense of injustice today but there is also grounds for arguing their team got precisely what they deserved from an encounter that was played out in a terrific atmosphere – nothing.

It wasn’t Liverpool’s fault Everton had a striker – one that not long ago cost £24m – who kept wandering into offside positions or a £9.2m winger who couldn’t keep his feet when presented with a glorious chance to change the game.

What’s more, it’s hardly good fortune the Reds were able to keep their neighbours at arms length thanks to the brilliance of Pepe Reina, whose double save in the second half from Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill was the moment of a chaotic match.

Everton, simply, could not make their territorial superiority count and when you fail to take opportunities in games of such significance, there is always the danger it will come back to haunt you – Liverpudlians know that only too well.

Remember the visit of Manchester United in February 2007? Alex Ferguson’s men were battered to the point of submission but still ended up pilfering a 1-0 win; more recently, they failed to put Lyon away after dominating from start to finish.

So while they benefited from a huge slice of good fortune to take the lead after 12 minutes – Mascherano’s initial shot, if we are kind, was heading the wrong side of the post before deflecting off Joseph Yobo – there was nothing lucky about their defending.

Carragher, for one, was flawless; organising his cohorts at the back and chivvying that extra ounce of effort from them, he thundered into tackles, put his foot through bouncing balls and climbed highest for headers.

Alongside him, Agger was never in any danger of being bustled from his elegant stride, Glen Johnson and Emiliano Insua ran from first whistle to last, while Reina – whose save evoked memories of Jerzy Dudek in Istanbul – never put a glove out of place.

“You have to earn your luck,” David Moyes admitted afterwards; if that’s the case, he can have no quarrel with Liverpool’s clean sheet as, the more those defenders scampered and scurried, the less Everton threatened.

Despite winning, however, some continue to harbour grave doubts about Liverpool’s current health and after a performance that failed to see them put together a decent move of note, their minds are unlikely to be at rest.

Victory, though, was all that mattered here and while there may have been a paucity in quality, there was no disputing how much Liverpool wanted it – you only had to look at the celebrations which greeted Dirk Kuyt’s clincher and the final whistle to see that.

Everton might be enduring a similarly wretched run of form but it would have been naïve and misguided, had anyone expected them to simply roll over after a shambolic trip to Hull and back in midweek.

For one, their supporters would not have tolerated a repeat – especially against the arch enemy – and they generated a noise which was designed to help Everton’s players in any way possible; Moyes, equally, was up for the fight.

Happily for Benitez, and the pocket of Reds tucked away in the corner of the Bullens Road, so were Liverpool and there is now reason for believing this result will give the confidence that they should really have taken from flattening United on October 25.

That said, this is no time for making bold predictions; Liverpool, after all, have been so out of sorts for so long this season, that is best to simply look no further than the next game and see what that brings.

In all likelihood, another grind will be in store at Blackburn on Saturday but at least the Reds have shown they will not be fazed by the aerial bombardment Sam Allardyce is inevitably planning.

Liverpool, you see, have got their fight back – and should they continue to work so hard, it will a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ the quality returns to provide a perfect accompaniment.

Copyright - Liverpool Echo

Final score Everton 0 – 2
(HT 0 – 1)
Liverpool
Yobo (og) 12
Kuyt 80

Bookings Heitinga 84

Everton's Percentage Liverpool's Percentage
Corners 6
60% 4
40%

Goal attempts 12
60% 8
40%

On target 6
54% 5
46%

Fouls 15
55% 12
45%

Offside 6
85% 1
15%

Everton Tim Howard, Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Joseph Yobo (Lucas Neill, 86), Johnny Heitinga, Sylvain Distin, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Tim Cahill (Ayegbeni Yakubu, 81), Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini, Joao Alves Jo (Louis Saha, 66)

Liverpool Jose Manuel Reina, Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger, Fabio Aurelio (Albert Riera, 78), Emiliano Insua, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Lucas Leiva, Dirk Kuyt, David N'Gog (Yossi Benayoun, 75)
Referee Wiley, A
Venue Goodison Park
Attendance 39,652

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2004


The impossible was merely delayed. Steven Gerrard is the perfect person to round off the inconceivable comeback and, when the substitute Neil Mellor directed a knock-down to him in the 86th minute there was nothing speculative about the captain's strike. He smites a ball with the force of destiny; the 20-yarder ripped into the net and Liverpool hurtled into the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

Rafael Benítez's team needed to win by two goals. Once Olympiakos had gone ahead through Rivaldo, with Monaco on course for a simple win at Deportivo La Coruña, no lesser result would do for Liverpool. Since the transformation looked unlikely for a long spell, Anfield was to vault from the fatalistic to the euphoric.

If Benítez has his way, the club will not fall to earth again. This might be one of those transcendent victories that makes a team see itself in a new light. The manager is making a small habit of these occasions. Liverpool's conviction fed on the belief already generated by Mellor's last-minute winner against Arsenal.

Here the attacker made do with edging the side 2-1 in front in the 80th minute. He had only just come on but was in position to ram the ball home once the weak goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis had palmed down an Antonio Núñez header.

If there is anything to muffle Liverpool's jubilation it must be the suspension that Gerrard incurred with a booking last night. All the same, do not expect to find anyone moping at Anfield. Given the fightback here, they will believe themselves capable of anything.

For much of the evening their deficiencies in attack were obvious and they had to tolerate having goals by Milan Baros and Gerrard chalked off for prior fouls. The referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez certainly was not caught up in the excitement of an enthralled stadium.

From the outset Gerrard was the guarantor of accurate, high-tempo attacking. It was as if he had resolved personally to deliver the level of achievement at Liverpool that will make him content to stay. Olympiakos might have been reduced to debris immediately.

They usually lay shoddy foundations in English soil and had lost all five previous European matches in this country without recording a goal. Then again Olympiakos had never come here with Rivaldo in their ranks.

The Brazilian ran sparingly but also did so with discrimination. After 27 minutes he broke away from Xabi Alonso and was halted only by Sami Hyypia's foul. The midfielder took the free-kick himself and, with Núñez breaking out of the defensive wall, his shot flew through the gap and past an unsighted Chris Kirkland.

While Liverpool had menaced with their early barrage of corners, it was the Greek set pieces that had become genuinely ominous. On the verge of half-time Jamie Carragher brought down Rivaldo but, as the crowd winced at their mass premonition, the Brazilian made a mistake.

He lay on the turf long enough for a physio to be called and then had to leave the field. In his absence Predrag Djordjevic, a less gifted understudy, fired the ball straight into Kirkland's arms.

If this was good luck, Liverpool needed the encouragement. Though Baros was back after three weeks out with a hamstring injury, he lacked support until Benítez brought on Sinama-Pongolle at the interval, at the expense of Djimi Traoré. This had the valuable side-effect of shoving Harry Kewell back to his best position, on the left flank.

He continues to underachieve but an acceptance that he prospers most when running at full-backs might be a key to recovery. Two minutes after the restart the Australian eluded Anastasios Pantos to pull back the low cross that Sinama-Pongolle turned into the net.

Liverpool's target started to look achievable then and by the end of the night nothing at all was beyond them.



Today In History
December 8th

LIVERPOOL V OLYMPIACOS
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
GROUP STAGE - MATCH 6
ANFIELD
8-12-2004

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

Chris Kirkland
Jamie Carragher
Steve Finnan (Josemi Rey)
Sami Hyypia
John Arne Riise
Djimi Traore (Florent Sinama Pongolle)
Harry Kewell
Steven Gerrard
Antonio Nunez
Xabi Alonso
Milan Baros (Neil Mellor)

Won 3-1
Pongolle 47'
Mellor 80'
Gerrard 86'

Att
42,045

[johnj147]

best goal ever ya beauty

[Boston-Sox]

Supreme Liverpool allow Benítez to stride forward with confidence

Rafael Benítez will leave his meeting with the club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks with a lavish new contract should he make as light of their dispute as Liverpool did their Champions League predicament here last night. So supreme and serene were Liverpool in the first of the pivotal encounters to shape their season - and their manager's future - that it is astonishing to think they ever flirted with an abrupt exit. The club's hierarchy have been given an example to follow.

The stance Benítez takes with the Liverpool co-chairmen will influence the length of his stay, but the watching Gillett cannot doubt the European pedigree of this team after this. Once again Liverpool have proved masters of rescuing a lost cause, producing the victory demanded to secure a place in the knockout stage of their favoured competition for the fourth consecutive season under Benítez, having taken only one point from the opening three games in Group A.

Their response to European danger has been as demonstrative as the club's support when the precariousness of the manager's position at Anfield became evident. In three "must-win" fixtures Liverpool have plundered 16 goals and saved their finest performance until last with Fernando Torres magnificently to the fore. El Niño breezed into port last night and Marseille were blown away.

"I have always maintained confidence that I will be the manager of Liverpool," said Benítez. "The supporters and the players are happy. That is the key."

The key to unlocking Marseille was an outstanding team performance which confirmed that Liverpool have regained their love and lust for the Champions League. The Stade Vélodrome did not fail its team, piercing the cold Mediterranean night with incessant screams and displaying the crests of all six English teams to fall here like heads on Traitors' Gate, but its team could not cope with Liverpool's power, movement and execution.

Within 11 minutes Benítez's team brutally and brilliantly made amends for their Anfield aberration when the teams met last. Here Marseille were exposed for what they are, 13th in the French league and with only one point from three Champions League games since that shock victory on Merseyside. With Steven Gerrard inspirational once again on the comeback trail and Torres simply irrepressible, Liverpool operated on a different plane.

The high-octane occasion brought adventure from Benítez's players but drew no risks from the manager, who selected the strongest XI available and dispensed with the experiments that backfired in the first game. One of those, Mohamed Sissoko, did not take kindly to being left behind and told a radio station yesterday that he would consider leaving Liverpool in the transfer window. His folly in claiming a place in this team was exposed as swiftly as gaps in the French defence.

From an inauspicious start, when Gerrard injured himself trying to collect Dirk Kuyt's weak kick-off, the Liverpool captain dispelled his own fitness fears and the tension of his team when he surged clear of a static rearguard in the third minute. Inside the area he was stopped by a strong tackle from Gaël Givet, who appeared to take the ball and the man and was aghast when the Norwegian referee, Terje Hauge, pointed to the spot. Gerrard himself drove the spot-kick straight down the centre and, even though Steve Mandanda made a firm one-handed save, the midfielder followed up to convert the rebound.

If there were doubts about the opening goal, the excellence of the second spoke for itself. Harry Kewell drifted down the left and flicked a pass inside to Torres on the corner of the penalty area. With an instant turn the Spaniard was away from one fluorescent pink shirt, ghosted inside another and then slotted a precision finish inside the far corner - a sublime goal, his 12th in Liverpool colours already this season, and a swift repayment on half of his record £26.5m transfer fee given the Champions League riches it ensured.

The personal cost to the striker was more painful. At the end of a second slalom run he appeared to take a punch to the head from Julien Rodriguez, and the other Marseille centre-half Givet then clattered through him, damaging himself.

Kewell was another to shine and his ingenuity produced a third goal minutes after the restart. Mandanda scuffed a poor clearance and again Liverpool punished. Kewell lofted a pass forward for Kuyt, who ambled clear and swept a confident shot beyond the keeper. In the final seconds the substitute Ryan Babel latched on to Fabio Aurelio's pass, touched the ball wide of Mandanda and rolled it into the empty net. This was a comfortable stroll through a time of crisis.

Match Facts
04' 0-1 Gerrard
11' 0-2 Torres
29' Carragher
41' Cana
48' 0-3 Kuyt
89' Aurelio
90' 0-4 Babel

Marseille
Steve Mandanda, Laurent Bonnart, Gael Givet (Jacques Faty), Julien Rodriguez, Taye Taiwo, Lorik Cana, Benoit Cheyrou (Samir Nasri), Matthieu Valbuena, Boudewijn Zenden (Djibril Cisse), Karim Ziani, Mamadou Niang

Liverpool
Jose Manuel Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise, Yossi Benayoun, Steven Gerrard, Harry Kewell (Fabio Aurelio), Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt (Lucas Leiva), Fernando Torres (Ryan Babel)

Referee: Hauge, T

Venue: Velodrome

Attendance: 53,000

Corners:
Marseille 6
Liverpool 7

Goal Attempts:
Marseille 13
Liverpool 8

On Target:
Marseille 8
Liverpool 2

[Boston-Sox]

On this day in 1991


Kenny Dalglish took his side to Goodison Park for a fifth round replay,it was to be his last game in charge in his 1st spell as Liverpool's manager



Today In History
February 20th

EVERTON V LIVERPOOL
FA CUP 5TH ROUND REPLAY
GOODISON PARK
20-2-1991

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

1 Bruce Grobbelaar
2 Glenn Hysen
3 David Burrows
4 Steve Nicol
5 Jan Molby
6 Gary Ablett
7 Peter Beardsley
8 Steve Staunton
9 Ian Rush
10 John Barnes
11 Barry Venison

Drew 4-4 (AET)
Beardsley 37' 71'
Rush 77'
Barnes 103'

Att
37,766

*Kenny Dalglish last game in charge as LFC Manager*

[Boston-Sox]

On this day in 2001


Today In History
February 25th

LIVERPOOL V BIRMINGHAM CITY
WORTHINGTON CUP FINAL
MELLENNIUM STADIUM
CARDIFF
25-2-2001

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

Sander Westerveld
Jamie Carragher
Stephane Henchoz
Sami Hyypia
Markus Babbel
Vladimir Smicer (Nick Barmby)
Steven Gerrard (Gary McAllister)
Igor Biscan (Christian Ziege)
Dietmar Hamann
Emile Heskey
Robbie Fowler

Drew 1-1
Fowler 30'

Won 5-4 on Pens
McAllister
Barmby
Ziege
Fowler
Carragher

Att
73,500



Birmingham Line-Up




Ian Bennett, Nicky Eaden, Martin Grainger, Danny Sonner, Darren Purse, Michael Johnson, Jon McCarthy, Martin O'Connor, Geoff Horsfield, Dele Adebola, Stan Lazaridis




Liverpool won the Worthington Cup 5-4 on penalties:
1-0 McAllister
1-0 Grainger
2-0 Barmby
2-1 Purse
3-1 Ziege
3-2 Marcelo
3-2 Hamann
3-3 Lazaridis
4-3 Fowler
4-4 Hughes
5-4 Carragher
5-4 A. Johnson

- Jamie Carragher recalls: "People remind me about my run-up for the penalty I took in the shootout and how it must go down as the longest in history. It was sudden death but I didn’t have any nerves. I knew where I wanted to put it and thankfully it went in. My Dad missed the moment, though. He left his seat because he couldn’t watch. It had been a difficult game but we battled through and deserved it. It was my first trophy with the senior Liverpool team and it was the catalyst for us to go on and win the cup Treble. Gerard Houllier told us to remember how winning felt and urged us to use it as an inspiration. It was and we did."



BBC Clockwatch

All the action from the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff where Liverpool win the League Cup with an amazing 5-4 penalty win over Birmingham. Courtesy of BBC clockwatch.

Liverpool 1-1 Birmingham City (Liverpool win 5-4 on pens)

All the minute-by-minute action as Birmingham City and Liverpool contested the Worthington Cup Final in Cardiff.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 mins: Lazaridis gets an early run at Babbel but though he beats the German for pace, Liverpool clear the danger.

5 mins: Vladimir Smicer tries his luck from 25 yards but the effort is deflected on its way through to Ian Bennett and lacks the pace to trouble the Birmingham keeper.

8 mins: Heskey sends Smicer away down the left and the Czech international supplies the perfect cross for Fowler at the near post.

The England striker fails to make contact with his head though and Grainger clears for a corner.

13 mins: Liverpool put together their first flowing move of the game but it ends with a disappointing deep cross from Biscan.

14 mins: A Grainger free-kick from 35 yards is blocked into the path of Horsfield but his effort is quickly closed down by Henchoz.

15 mins: Liverpool almost catch Birmingham on the break. Gerrard's run is halted by a trip by O'Connor but the Birmingham skipper is fortunate that the offside flag has already been raised, albeit incorrectly.

18 mins: A fine surging run by Babbel is ended by a tackle from Johnson.

19 mins: Smicer's half-volley from the edge of the area is deflected over for a corner.

21 mins: Horsfield turns away from Henchoz and delivers a menacing deep cross but Biscan clears from McCarthy.

28 mins: Sustained Birmingham pressure forces a weak punch from Westerveld. Sonner turns the ball back into the area but McCarthy's effort is straight at the keeper.

30 mins: Westerveld's long clearance is flicked-on by Heskey and Fowler unleashes an unstoppable shot from 25 yards that catches Bennett off his line to put Liverpool ahead. Liverpool 1-0 Birmingham

41 mins: Another Smicer effort from the edge of the area is deflected behind for a corner.

43 mins: Henchoz's long ball forward is flicked on by Heskey but Smicer puts his effort wide as Bennett advances.

45 mins: Adebola shoots from 35 yards but though the effort is well struck it is still a comfortable save for Westerveld.

46 mins: Birmingham introduce Andy Johnson in place of Dele Adebola.

46 mins: Eaden and McCarthy combine well to present Andy Johnson with a great opportunity at the near post but the young striker can not turn the ball in.

48 mins: A fine Liverpool moves sees Babbel tee up a chance for Fowler but Purse throws himself in the way of the shot.

52 mins: A sharp looking Fowler turns and fires into the side-netting.

55 mins: Referee Elleray lectures both Sonner and Biscan after an altercation between the two.

57 mins: Smicer evades the Birmingham offside trap and squares the ball to Heskey but his effort is well off target.

58 mins: Eaden's right-wing cross is glanced on by Horsfield but Babbel just holds off Lazaridis at the far post.

59 mins: A great ball from Fowler lets in Smicer but Bennett is out quickly to narrow the angle and block the shot.

61 mins: Lazaridis' deep cross gives Westerveld an anxious moment, not for the first time.

64 mins: Bennett weakly punches away a Gerrard cross but as Hamann turns the ball back in the keeper does just enough to force Fowler to take his eye off the ball at the far post.

70 mins: Bryan Hughes replaces Danny Sonner for Birmingham.

72 mins: Westerveld and Purse are lectured after the pair clash following a challenge for a high ball.

75 mins: Hamann's surging run forward is halted by an excellent tackle from Michael Johnson on the edge of his own area.

76 mins: Gary McAllister replaces Steven Gerrard.

80 mins: Purse plants an unmarked header from a corner over the bar. Marcelo replaces Geoff Horsfield in the Birmingham attack.

83 mins: Nick Barmby replaces Vladimir Smicer.

83 mins: Heskey creates a great chance for Fowler while Purse lays injured, but this time Fowler blazes off target.

85 mins: Purse returns to the action, although clearly struggling, but Birmingham have used all their substitutes.

90 mins: Barmby leads a Liverpool break but Fowler can not find the target.

90 mins: Two-and-a-half minutes into stoppage time Martin O'Connor is brought down by Henchoz in the area and referee Elleray points to the spot.

O'Connor is strechered off leaving Purse to plant his penalty into the corner of the net past Westerveld. Liverpool 1-1 Birmingham

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Extra-time

91 mins: O'Connor hobbles back into the action for extra-time and Johnson fires just wide in the early stages.

93 mins: McCarthy shoots well wide, but Birmingham make a bright start to the first period of extra-time.

94 mins: McCarthy supplies a great low cross to the near post and Hughes arrives perfectly to meet it but can't find the target.

96 mins: Christian Ziege replaces Igor Biscan.

99 mins: Hughes almost beats Westerveld with a shot from 30 yards but the Dutch keeper fingertips the ball away for a corner.

102 mins: Liverpool's first sight of goal in extra-time see McAllister place a free-kick straight at Bennett.

104 mins: Johnson is bundled over in the area by Henchoz but to the amazement of everyone connected with Birmingham referee Elleray does not award a penalty.

107 mins: Marcelo tries his luck from 25 yards and is only just off target as Birmingham continue to dominate.

108 mins: Hamann is shown the yellow card for a foul on Lazaridis.

109 mins: Henchoz is booked for a blatant obstruction on Lazaridis.

111 mins: Michael Johnson intercepts Ziege's pass to Fowler but when the ball is turned back in Fowler directs a header goalwards that Bennett pushes away.

113 mins: Hyypia meets a Ziege free-kick with a downward header but it lacks the pace to beat Bennett.

116 mins: Hamann blasts a shot against Bennett's left post from 25 yards.

120 mins: Full-time after extra-time and the Worthington Cup goes into a penalty shootout. Liverpool to take the first penalty.

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2009


Today In History
February 25th

REAL MADRID V LIVERPOOL
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
1ST KO ROUND 1ST LEG
SANTIAGO BERNABEU
25-2-2009

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

Jose Reina
Fabio Aurelio
Alvaro Arbeloa
Jamie Carragher
Martin Skrtel
Albert Riera (Steven Gerrard)
Yossi Benayoun
Xabi Alonso
Javier Mascherano
Fernando Torres (Ryan Babel)
Dirk Kuyt (Lucas Leiva)

Won 1-0
Benayoun 82'

Att
85,000




Real Madrid Line-Up

Iker Casillas, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Cannavaro, Marcelo, Gabriel Heinze, Fernando Gago, Lassana Diarra, Raúl, Arjen Robben, Gonzalo Higuaín




Liverpool Echo match report

FIRST it was the Nou Camp, then the San Siro and now even the mighty Bernabeu has fallen to Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool.

Three cathedrals of European football, three of the toughest places for any team to win and yet all of them have found to their cost that when it comes to continental conquest the Spanish manager has few peers.

That’s the very same Benitez who spent most of yesterday trying to avoid having to answer ridiculous questions about his future following what can only be described as a disgusting and poisonous whispering campaign.

The build-up to Liverpool’s match with Real should have been dominated by talk of two of Europe’s genuine super powers finally going head to head in a two-legged affair.

It should have featured no little conversation about whether Steven Gerrard would be fit to take on the La Liga giants and how Fernando Torres would figure in a stadium where he has never scored.

Instead, the plazas of Madrid jangled to the sound of unsubstantiated rumour as mobile phones buzzed with text messages from home carrying “news” that the Liverpool manager’s days were numbered because a bookmaker had decided to suspend betting on his future.

Even by Liverpool’s recent standards, such mutterings marked a new low and provided proof if it were needed that cavernous divisions within the club are now being exploited by any scaremonger with an overactive imagination and mischief on their mind.

Make no mistake about it, the Anfield club’s name has been dragged through the gutter in the last 24 hours with wild and often scurrilous speculation suggesting that youth team players, first teamers and even club legends had all revealed that Benitez was on his way out.

This is what Liverpool have come to, but the most worrying aspect of all is that there could still be worse to come because there are no signs of divisions being healed, no indication that anyone in the club’s hierarchy has the inclination to lead the club out of one of the most troubled periods in its history.

Surely now enough is enough and the time has come for messrs Hicks, Gillett, Parry and Benitez to sort out their problems once and for all before the club is derailed altogether.

Somehow, the Liverpool team – that’s the players who the supporters pay to watch and who should be the only topic of conversation – managed to rise above the rancour and produce a performance which will rank alongside any in the Reds’ magnificent European history.

As was the case when Benitez’s side outmanoeuvred and out thought Inter Milan last season, they will today be damned with faint praise.

The prevailing school of thought in some quarters will be that Real failed to deliver when it mattered most after their imperious domestic form had made them favourites to reach the last eight in the eyes of many.

It is an argument which should not be dismissed because the nine times European champions did not perform like a side which had set pulses racing by notching up a 6-1 lead by half time in its most recent fixture.

But the overriding factor in this monumental win is that Liverpool triumphed because they possess the ability, belief, character and perhaps most importantly the know how to craft victory in any European venue.

Their superiority over Real was so complete that apart from a tricky opening 20 minute spell they dominated proceedings to such an extent that Pepe Reina was only ever forced to make one meaningful save all night.

Much of the credit for that must go to the outstanding Jamie Carragher whose reading of the game rendered Raul – the Champions League’s leading goalscorer no less – an increasingly marginal figure as the game wore on.

Liverpool were better individually and they were better as a team and with the tactical battle being won so convincingly by Benitez the only surprise was that it took until the 81st minute before their superiority was reflected in the scoreline.

Torres and Xabi Alonso had come closest to breaking the deadlock before Yossi Benayoun rose in the box to power home a majestic header from Fabio Aurelio’s pinpoint free kick.

The wonderfully noisy fans in the away end erupted into scenes of uncontained joy as the doubts and disturbances of the previous 24 hours were shaken off in one glorious moment.

How the players had again managed to again shake off the distractions that always seem to plague the club on a match day is a question only they can answer.

But the fact that they are having to do it at all is a disgrace and it is to their eternal credit that the talking they did on the pitch at the Bernabeu ended up drowning out the chattering and mischief making off it.

The professionalism of every player in a red shirt shone like a beacon and it is worth pondering what Liverpool could achieve if such standards were reached and maintained in other parts of the club. Vultures like nothing more than easy meat and Liverpool fit that bill to a tee at present.

Having taken a giant step towards reaching the quarter finals of the European Cup for the fourth time in five seasons today should be a day for celebration for anyone with Liverpool’s best interests at heart.

So the fact that the joy has been tainted with more than a little pain should shame those who are failing the club so badly. Beating Real Madrid away from home is a wonderful result and if the Reds can complete the job at Anfield in two weeks time it will be a magnificent achievement.

But whether they get through to the quarter finals or not the sad fact is that their biggest battle may not be with their rival super powers – it could be with themselves.

REAL MADRID: Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze, Gago, Diarra, Marcelo (Guti, 46), Robben, Higuain, Raul.

LIVERPOOL Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt (Lucas,(90), Benayoun, Riera (Gerrard, 87), Torres (Babel, 61).REFEREE: Roberto Rosetti.REFEREE: Roberto Rosetti.

Copyright - Liverpool Echo

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2010



Today In History
February 25th

FC UNIREA URZICENI V LIVERPOOL FC
EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 32 2ED LEG
STEAUA STADIUM
25-2-2010


LIVERPOOL LINE-UP


Jose Reina
Jamie Carragher (Martin Kelly)
Martin Skrtel (Sotirios Kyrgiakos)
Daniel Agger
Emiliano Insua
Lucas Leiva
Javier Mascherano
Ryan Babel
Yossi Benayoun (Fabio Aurellio)
Steven Gerrard
David Ngog


Won 3-1
Mascherano 29'
Babel 40'
Gerrard 57'


Att
25,000


FC UNIREA URZICENI LINE-UPGiedrius Arlauskis, George Daniel Galamaz, Bruno Fernandes, Valeriu Bordeanu, Vasile Maftei, Ion Paraschiv, Razvan Paduretu, Sorin Frunza, Iulian Apostol, Marius Bilasco, Daniel Onofras

Goal

Bruno Fernandes 19'



- Daniel Agger's 100th game for Liverpool.
- Steven Gerrard scores his 33rd European goal and surpasses Alan Shearer to become England’s all-time leading scorer in European competitions.
- Martin Skrtel breaks his metatarsal and is out for the season








Dominic King’s Echo report

THRILLS, spills, a record for the skipper and a resounding win away from home – is this the sign that, at long last, normal service is about to resume?

On the first anniversary of one of the most famous European nights in their history, that unforgettable victory against Real Madrid, Liverpool really had no other option but to try and mark it in style.

While it would be wrong to suggest this 3-1 success against Unirea Urziceni will live as long in the memory as the one Yossi Benayoun’s header secured in the Bernabeu, there is no disputing it was just as well received.

Having at one stage looked as if they might fall flat on their faces, the Reds rediscovered some of their verve, counter-attacking with the menace Rafa Benitez had predicted to secure a place in the Europa League’s last 16.

Rifling in three goals for the first time in a match since September 26 was one thing, that Steven Gerrard managed to move clear on his own at the top of Britain’s all-time European scorers’ list was a significant other.

When teams have struggled to be creative and laboured for as long as Liverpool have done, sometimes it needs a game like this to set the wheels in motion once again and Benitez will certainly be hoping that is the case.

With conditions underfoot hardly conducive to slick passing – clerks of racecourses would surely have described the going as heavy with bottomless patches – Liverpool, from the first whistle, did their best to move the ball on the floor with purpose.

Never more was that apparent than after three minutes, when Lucas threaded an inch-perfect delivery into Steven Gerrard’s feet and, quick as flash, the captain unleashed a drive that Giedrius Arlauskis did well to beat away. He would get his reward later.

Yet long before that, it appeared that a night to rival the ones experienced against Lyon, Fiorentina and Reading would materialise, as Unirea – backed by a noisy home crowd – poked their noses in front, setting nerves jangling in the process.

Daniel Agger had done well to dispossess Marius Onofras but he only succeeded in giving away a corner. How costly it proved. From Razvan Paduretu’s ensuing corner, Bruno Fernandes rose highest to power a header past the stranded Pepe Reina.

For more than a moment, it seemed as if the nightmare scenario of yet another early exit would become reality; every corner Unirea hurled in caused palpitations and uncertainty and one shudders to think what would have happened had the hosts gone ahead on aggregate in the tie.

Thankfully, that grim prospect was averted; Jamie Carragher’s deep right-wing cross was headed back by Gerrard, the ball was half cleared and there, waiting gleefully on the edge of the box, was Javier Mascherano.

Many might have anticipated the Argentine’s shot either being screwed wide or hoisted high over the bar, but his strike was sweet and true and the ball sped past Arlauskis to settle any lingering nerves. It was, in some ways, fitting that Mascherano came to the fore just when it was needed; his performances during the past two months have been outstanding, his commitment absolute and his energy infectious – the longer he continues in such a vein, the better.

That howitzer took some of the wind out of Unirea’s sails and, though, to their credit, they tried to rally, Liverpool were able to kill the tie off when Gerrard’s deep free-kick was instantly controlled by Ryan Babel. The finish he produced was even better.

Love him or loathe him, it has clearly been difficult for Babel to find any kind of consistency as this was the first time during the current campaign that Benitez has felt compelled to hand him back-to-back starts. There is, of course, plenty of evidence to suggest Benitez’s tough stance has been correct, as other fleeting glimpses of talent when coming on as a substitute, Babel has merely flattered to deceive.

Good cameos – such as his lively 27 minutes in the first leg – have been followed by starts when he has been anonymous, as was the case in Sunday’s dreadful spectacle at the City of Manchester Stadium.

Here, though, was Benitez finally giving Babel a nudge of encouragement, a chance to eradicate disappointing episodes such as his Twitter outburst and show he can fulfil his World Cup dream by playing a part in Liverpool’s charge to the season’s end.

That exquisite piece of skill showed exactly what he is capable of.

We can only hope for more of the same from now – sentiments which apply to the team.

Unirea refused to roll over but Liverpool put the gloss on matters midway through the second period when Benayoun, released by Lucas, scurried into the danger zone.

Waiting to take over, inevitably, was Gerrard and his history-making strike had too much power for Arlauskis.

He barely raised his arm in celebration but, had he chosen to, few would have begrudged him.

In surpassing Alan Shearer’s previous best of 32, Gerrard etched another significant entry into his remarkable career. For a man who has operated primarily as a midfielder, 33 goals in Europe is, quite frankly, a stunning achievement.

And who knows? He might yet add a few more before the campaign is out.

He will get two more chances at least in the last 16 and, if Liverpool start to click, further chances to profit will await in the spring.

Should one arrive in Hamburg, so much the better; it would be folly to predict Liverpool are now going to go on and win the Europa League but this was a small step in the right direction.

If there was one negative it was the sight of defender Martin Skrtel leaving the stadium on crutches with a suspected broken foot, but Benitez will surely focus on the positives.

Now it is back to Premier League business and Liverpool have two winnable fixtures to complete before they are next on their travels. Take six points from Blackburn and Wigan and things will really start to take shape.

UNIREA URZICENI (4-1-4-1): Arlauskis; Maftei, Galamaz (Mehmedovic 28), Bruno Fernandes, Bordeanu; Paduretu, Paraschiv (Vilana 56), Apostol; Onofrej (Semedo 62), Bilasco, Frunze.

LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Reina; Carragher (Kelly 61), Agger, Skrtel (Kyrgiakos 66), Insua; Lucas, Mascherano; Benayoun (Aurelio 77), Gerrard, Babel; Ngog.

Goals – Bruno Fernandes (19), Mascherano (30), Babel (40), Gerrard (57)

Bookings – Babel (20), Bruno Fernandes (23), Onofras (28), Apostol (31), Arlauskis (54), Mascherano (61). Referee – Stefan Johannesson (Sweden)

Copyright - Liverpool Echo

[Boston-Sox]

From this day in 1997


Liverpool 4 Newcastle United 3


Who said lightning never strikes the same place twice? Robbie Fowler soared like a hawk in the second minute of injury time to give Liverpool a dramatic 4-3 win over rivals Newcastle.

That is exactly how it finished 11 months ago but though this seven-goal thriller was a very different affair, its importance will be just as crucial as Roy Evans' men race onto the heels of leaders Manchester United, just a point behind.

For the Geordies, defeat spells the end of their own title dreams, a fifth away defeat leaving them nine points adrift. But for manager Kenny Dalglish this was an emotional return to his old stamping ground which plumbed depths and the heights, but ended in almost disbelief.

He suffered the greatest insult of his a managerial life when a Newcastle fan threw his black and white shirt in his face in disgust as his side seemed to throw away their chance in an abject first half. But he finished looking for a well-deserved grovelling apology after his side battled back to 3-3 with goals from Faustino Asprilla and Warren Barton in the last three minutes.

That should have been it, but then Stig Bjornebye raced down the left and pumped a high ball into the middle. Little Fowler outjumped everyone to steer his second goal of the game past a stunned Shaka Hislop and history had repeated itself. To be fair, it was probably Liverpool boss Roy Evans who ended the game feeling like throwing himself in the Mersey.

He said he would settle for a repeat of last April's scoreline but will have nightmares about the cavalier way Liverpool sacrificed a winning lead. The Newcastle fan had it right as his side produced the most abject 75 minutes anyone can remember.

Dalglish has never won at Anfield as a visiting manager, but he took Liverpool to three championships, and this was ground on which he completed Blackburn's revival with the league crown in 1995. But a heavy first-half humiliation - initiated by the current possessor of his famous number seven shirt, Steve McManaman - was too much too bear for the Geordies who believed they were witnessing more than just the end of their own title dream.

Their side's craven surrender also marked the internment of the last vestiges of the romance and bravado the original Merseyside icon Kevin Keegan brought to the game. A year ago he brought a side brimming with attacking instinct and excitement to fully contribute to the game of the season. This time his pragmatic successor took a *****rdly view, lining up with a miserly 4-5-1 in the absence of Alan Shearer and with Les Ferdinand still not fully fit.

Such pessimism invited punishment and when McManaman and Patrik Berger scored in the space of 70 seconds midway through the first half, followed by Robbie Fowler's 24th, the £60million pre-season favourites looked dead and buried. The visitor ripped off a shirt no fans wear with greater pride, jumped over the barrier at the Anfield end, ran down the touchline and flung it with immense symbolism at Dalglish.

There was worse to come, a half-time gamble on Ferdinand which badly misfired when the England striker limped back to the treatment room after just 11 minutes and the sight of yet another Liverpool favourite, Peter Beardsley, made the scapegoat by Dalglish.

Like Blackburn, Newcastle have become a club too heavily dependent on Shearer and suffer in his absence, there is clearly dressing room dissent, articulated by unsettled Frenchman David Ginola, and they showed a defeatist attitude that was unprecedented in Keegan's reign. Not until the ever-eager Keith Gillespie conjured a goal out of nothing in the 70th minute did they rediscover the pride and passion.

Then Asprilla punished Redknapp's mistake to lob in an improbable second in the 87th minute and mission impossible was completed a minute later when Barton bundled over after the ball broke loose from the Colombian's challenge on a shell-shocked David James.





Liverpool 4 - 3 Newcastle United

Game date: 10.03.1997 Stadium: Anfield

Competition: Premier League Attendance: 40,751

Referee: Elleray DR

Starting lineup

1 David James
3 Bjørn Tore Kvarme
5 Mark Wright
20 Stig Inge Bjørnebye
21 Dominic Matteo
4 Jason McAteer
7 Steve McManaman
10 John Barnes
11 Jamie Redknapp
9 Robbie Fowler
15 Patrik Berger
Subs
13 Tony Warner
12 Steve Harkness
14 Neil Ruddock
19 Mark Kennedy
8 Stan Collymore

Goals

Steve McManaman 29'
Patrik Berger 30'
Robbie Fowler 42'
Robbie Fowler 90'


Newcastle United lineup

Shaka Hislop, Steve Watson, Stuart Elliott, David Batty, Darren Peacock, Philippe Albert, Keith Gillespie, Peter Beardsley, Faustino Asprilla, Lee Clark, Warren Barton

Newcastle United goals

Keith Gillespie 71'
Faustino Asprilla 87'
Warren Barton 88'

[Boston-Sox]

From this day in 2009


Liverpool 4 Real Madrid 0







Awe at an overwhelming victory is matched only by disbelief that Real Madrid could be so humiliated. The visitors' sole hope of explaining themselves will lie in babbling about the authority that wells up in Liverpool whenever they skip happily into this tournament. It can seem as if they don a new identity after escaping the tribulations on the domestic front.

In the Champions League the blend of continental outlook and British gusto seems perfect. Juande Ramos' team were made to look a horrible concoction. Had it not been for the fact that he inherited a crisis when appointed in mid-season, the former Tottenham manager would fear dismissal today. The weakness of Real verged on the unfathomable.

Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy to the World Cup and was world player of the year in 2006, had to be taken off for his own good. Ramos switched to a 3-4-3 system thereafter but he would have needed to sneak batch of additional footballers on to the field if Liverpool were to be made uncomfortable.

Real came with dread in their hearts and were numb long before the substitute Andrea Dossena converted Javier Mascherano's low cross in the 88th minute. Mascherano had been cautioned earlier for kicking the ball away and is now to be suspended for the first leg of the quarter-final but little else went wrong.

The single subject for debate was whether Real can be treated as a true measure of Liverpool's quality. Rafael Benítez will expect a more daunting examination at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday but nobody could deny the impact last night. The home side had never been in doubt about the stance they would take following a 1-0 win in the away leg.

Liverpool were free of any dilemma, although outsiders would have debated whether it was folly to take risks by committing themselves to attack when they could afford to be prudent. The result at the Bernabeu had made themselves certain of finishing off a team they knew to be vulnerable. This was an assertiveness not normally associated with Benítez but the manager had made no mistake in diagnosing incompetence in the Real ranks.

Early as the opener from the inspired Fernando Torres was, it still felt overdue. There was no sign that he was hampered by the twisted ankle that had made him a doubt. All the aches were felt by the centre-backs Pepe and Cannavaro. Both were despondent by the time Jamie Carragher hoisted the ball downfield in the 16th minute for Torres to assume control as he found Dirk Kuyt on the right and hit the return pass beyond Iker Casillas.

It was telling that Benítez had insisted on Monday that he should be given more credit for the team's achievements in this competition. He must have known Real could never embarrass him. The ineptness of the visitors explains why they have been knocked out at this stage of the competition for five consecutive seasons.

Liverpool's 2-0 lead at half-time was fully deserved, regardless of the injustice at the second goal. The referee's assistant indicated a penalty when Xabi Alonso's pass bounced off the chest of Alvaro Arbeloa and on to the shoulder of Gabriel Heinze, even if the left-back had stretched out an arm. The indignation of the Argentinian brought a caution and merely delayed the penalty that Gerrard converted by sending Casillas the wrong way in the 28th minute.

There had been several openings for Liverpool before that. As early as the fourth minute Torres had dragged the ball away from Pepe exquisitely as he turned to glide through and test Casillas. Soon there was even a drive from the defensive midfielder Mascherano that had to be tipped over the bar. There was an eventual reaction from Real and Pepe Reina was compelled to deal with Wesley Sneijder's effort from a Heinze cut-back.

Everything was designed to please the crowd, including Real's replacement of the former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben. There had been as much adventure as organisation from the home team. Gerrard grew uncontainable and, in the 47th minute, half-volleyed a third goal after Ryan Babel had turned the Real defence on the left. The consistent impact Benítez's side has enjoyed in this competition has lasting benefits in the assurance that settles upon them on evenings such as this.

The manager could afford to rest Gerrard by bringing on the 20-year-old Jay Spearing. Real ought to wince at being deemed suitable opponents against whom a youngster can further his education. Then again, so many indignities were inflicted on a proud club that they would have been too dazed even to register the introduction of the winger.

Liverpool now await the quarter-final draw which takes place a week on Friday. There is both masterfulness and verve in their Champions League showings. It may well be they cannot encounter future opponents who will be as bad as Real were but it is also true that few clubs exploit frailty in this tournament as Liverpool can.

Corners 8 57% 6 43%
Goal attempts 15 50% 15 50%
On target 12 80% 3 20%
Fouls 26 63% 15 37%
Offside 5 71% 2 29%

Liverpool Jose Manuel Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio, Martin Skrtel, Jamie Carragher, Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso (Lucas Leiva, 60), Steven Gerrard (Jay Spearing, 73), Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel, Fernando Torres (Andrea Dossena, 84)

Real Madrid Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Gabriel Heinze, Kepler Pepe, Fabio Cannavaro (Rafael van der Vaart, 64), Lassana Diarra, L, Wesley Sneijder, Fernando Ruben Gago (Jose Maria Guti, 77), Gonzalo Higuain, Gonzalez Raul, Arjen Robben (Junior Marcelo, 46)

Referee De Bleeckere, F
Venue Anfield
Attendance 42,550

[Boston-Sox]

This is Anfield – so what?”

Fernando Torres scores against Real Madrid

IF Real Madrid didn’t know it before, they are now all too painfully aware of what a European night at Anfield is all about.

“This is Anfield – so what?” was the clarion call of Spanish newspaper and unofficial Real mouthpiece Marca on the morning of yesterday’s game.

Four unanswered goals in a red tidal wave of a performance that washed Europe’s most decorated club aside has surely ensured that such sneering questions will never be posed again.
Real were not just beaten, they were pummelled into submission by a Liverpool side which grabbed their illustrious opponents by the scruff of the neck and never let go until all signs of life had been squeezed out of them.

Rafa Benitez may justifiably feel that his team’s exploits in Europe are never given the credit they so richly deserve, but who needs the respect of critics when you can have results like this?
This might not have been the Madrid of Puskas and di Stefano and Juande Ramos’ team may well have been a pale shadow of the famous Galacticos who played football from an another planet earlier this decade, but as their recent league form underlines, they are no mugs either.

The fact that they were made to look like they were says everything about a Liverpool performance which will live long in the memory of all who were fortunate enough to witness it. From the very first blast of Frank de Bleeckere’s whistle to the very last, every man jack in a red shirt played as if possessed by a burning desire to be on the winning side in this battle of two of Europe’s real giants.

Fernando Torres set the tone as he set about familiar foes with all the relish and desire one would expect of someone who made his name with Real’s city rivals. It was as if the white shirts of Real served as a red rag to this Spanish bull and in the first half hour in particular Torres was simply unplayable as he tore Fabio Cannavaro and Pepe apart with a combination of a prodigious workrate and flashes of phenomenal skill.

At the end of this breathtaking spell, Liverpool were two goals to the good as Torres took advantage of his own pulverising of the Real backline before Steven Gerrard added a second from the penalty spot after Gabriel Heinze was harshly adjudged to have handled.
Real felt hard done by over that decision, they could have no complaints about the scoreline as had it not been for a string of superlative interventions by Iker Casillas they would have been even further behind.

It is at such desperate moments that Real traditionally hope for the intervention of Juanito, their very own patron saint of lost causes, but there was nothing he nor anyone else could do to rescue them this time as the ferocious tempo Liverpool were setting made it impossible for Juande Ramos’ side to even get a foothold in the game - never mind turn it around.

The former Spurs boss must have winced as the action unfolded in front of him. Having insisted that he had not been out thought by Rafa Benitez in the first leg he will have been well aware that no such arguments could be proffered after the second.

This was not the tactical battle so many had expected, it was a tactical mis-match with Benitez outmanoeuvering his opposite number with contemptuous ease.

If the battle plan was down to the Reds boss, it was executed with ruthless efficiency by his players who did not rest on their laurels even when a three goal aggregate lead had been established.

Any ideas that Liverpool would sit back on their half-time advantage were immediately dismissed shortly after the re-start when Gerrard marked his 100th European appearance with a goal to fit such a landmark occasion.

Arriving in the box with typically perfect timing, the Reds skipper made the most of Ryan Babel’s perfect delivery by dispatching a sumptuous half volley past the powerless Casillas. That techically perfect strike brought the world’s richest club to its knees and the vociferously passionate Anfield crowd to its feet, a wonderfully iconic moment on a wonderful night.

Imperiously brushing footballing royalty aside was not enough for Liverpool though and the hunger which had put them in such a commanding position did not diminish even with the game and the tie well and truly in the bag.

Part of the reason for their insatiable appetite was the introduction of a trio of substitutes who all had something to prove for one reason or another. Andrea Dossena, Lucas and in particular Jay Spearing all entered the fray and brought something to a party which showed no sign of letting up. Dossena’s night was made memorable by his first goal in a red shirt as the Italian made the most of Javier Mascherano’s unstinting perseverance to score Liverpool’s fourth.

But it was local lad Spearing who had the home fans chanting his name as he showed no fear of reputations to produce a memorable cameo which will give him the belief that he can make an impression on the first team after being a stalwart at reserve level for so long.

Like the rest of the team mates, the diminutive midfielder can now look forward to next week’s draw for the quarter finals of the Champions League in the knowledge that Liverpool will again be one of the teams that most others will be desperate to avoid. They are not just surviving in the European elite under Benitez, they are positively flourishing in it and it is high time that their prowess in continental combat was lauded in the way it should be.

Far too often Liverpool are begrudgingly described as a good European outfit, as if the Champions League is some sort of consolation prize for those who cannot hack it in the cut and thrust of domestic action.

Admittedly, the Reds’ failure to perform as well in the Premier League as they do in the Champions League is a disappointment. But when clubs of the calibre of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus are so regularly overcome, their European exploits could hardly be a cause for complaint.

There is something very special about Liverpool in Europe and in the not too distant future supporters will look back on nights like last night as among the most glorious and memorable they have ever experienced. For everyone else, it brought yet another reminder of how potent the combination of Benitez’s Liverpool and their Anfield home are on a European night.
Long may it continue.

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Aurelio, Kuyt, Mascherano, Alonso (Lucas, 60), Babel, Gerrard (Spearing, 73), Torres (Dossena, 83).

REAL MADRID: Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro (Van der Vaart, 63), Heinze, Gago (Guti, 77), Diarra, Sneijder, Robben (Marcelo, 46), Higuain, Raul.

REFEREE: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium).
ATTENDANCE: 42,550

Copyright - Liverpool Echo

[Boston-Sox]

Today in 1982

Liverpool 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Game date: 13.03.1982 Stadium: Wembley
Competition: League Cup Final Attendance: 100,000



Today In History
March 13th

LIVERPOOL V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
LEAGUE MILK CUP FINAL
WEMBLEY STADIUM
13-3-1982

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

1 Bruce Grobbelaar
2 Phil Neal
3 Alan Kennedy
4 Phil Thompson
5 Ronnie Whelan
6 Mark Lawrenson
7 Kenny Dalglish
8 Sammy Lee
9 Ian Rush
10 Terry McDermott (David Johnson)
11 Graeme Souness

Won 3-1 (AET)
Whelan 87' 111'
Rush 119'

Att
100,000


Tottenham Line-up


Ray Clemence, Chris Hughton, Paul Miller, Graham Roberts, Mike Hazard, Steve Perryman, Ossie Ardiles, Steve Archibald, Tony Galvin, Glenn Hoddle, Garth Crooks


Tottenham Line-Up


Steve Archibald 11'


Tottenham Sub

Mike Hazard out for Ricky Villa



"The Spurs fans were already toasting their victory when Ronnie Whelan popped up and whipped his goal in to equalize in the dying seconds. It took a good player to do that because Ray Clemence was still a great goalkeeper, he’d kept Spurs in the game.

Paisley would not let us sit down before extra time started. He was bellowing: ‘Get up off your feet, don’t them let them see you are tired.’ It stemmed from Shankly, who would never let an opponent see that you were weak. After that, we felt we had it in the bag." - Phil Neal.

- Ronnie Whelan recalls: "I couldn’t sleep the night before but I remember saying afterwards that I had dreamt I would score the winner — there must have been some Irish logic in that! It was my first trip to Wembley and a massive test. Tottenham had a great side with players like Glenn Hoddle, Micky Hazard and Ossie Ardiles. They looked like they had the game won until I squeezed a shot past Ray Clemence towards the end and we got stronger in extra time. I was so over the moon after getting my second that I ran over the running track to celebrate with our fans. Only when I got there did I realise it was such a long way back to the pitch and I was so tired that I barely made it. It was a magical day, and special as it was my first major medal.

[Boston-Sox]

On this day in 2009


Manchester United 1 - 4 Liverpool

Game date: 14.03.2009 Stadium: Old Trafford

Competition: Premier League Attendance: 75,569

Referee: Wiley AG

Starting lineup

25 Jose Reina
4 Sami Hyypia
12 Fábio Aurélio
23 Jamie Carragher
37 Martin Skrtel
8 Steven Gerrard
11 Albert Riera
20 Javier Mascherano
21 Lucas Leiva
9 Fernando Torres
18 Dirk Kuyt

Subs

1 Diego Cavalieri
2 Andrea Dossena
17 Álvaro Arbeloa
22 Emiliano Insúa
19 Ryan Babel
24 David N'Gog
31 Nabil El Zhar

Goals

Fernando Torres 28'
Steven Gerrard 44' pen
Fábio Aurélio 77'
Andrea Dossena 90'

Substitutions

Albert Riera out for Andrea Dossena 68'
Fernando Torres out for Ryan Babel 80'
Steven Gerrard out for Nabil El Zhar 90'

Manchester United lineup

Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, John O'Shea, Ji-Sung Park, Michael Carrick, Anderson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez

Manchester United goals

Cristiano Ronaldo 23'

Manchester United substitutions

Ji-Sung Park out for Ryan Giggs 74'
Michael Carrick out for Paul Scholes 74'
Anderson out for Dimitar Berbatov 74'



Liverpool revived their ambitions of claiming the Premier League title in remarkable fashion as they humiliated champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side looked on course to stretch their advantage at the top of the table when Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty gave them an early lead after Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina fouled Ji-Sung Park.

But Fernando Torres hounded Nemanja Vidic into a mistake eight minutes later and raced through to coolly beat Edwin van der Sar.

And the transformation was complete a minute before the interval when Steven Gerrard scored from the spot after he had been upended by Patrice Evra.

United's day of misery was summed up 15 minutes from time when Vidic, who had a nightmare afternoon at the hands of Torres, was sent off for fouling Gerrard and Fabio Aurelio brilliantly curled home the resulting free-kick from 25 yards.

The torment for United stretching into stoppage time when Liverpool substitute Andrea Dossena lobbed a composed finish over Van der Sar after being allowed to race unchallenged on to Reina's goal-kick.

United remain firm favourites to claim the Premier League, with a four-point advantage and a game in hand, but if Liverpool needed any incentive to continue to carry the fight to United, the impressive manner of this performance will have provided it.

It has been a dream week for Rafael Benitez's side, with both Real Madrid and United put to the sword with four-goal performances.

Liverpool, once they found their feet, were the brighter and more creative side - with the magnificent Torres the spearhead, ably assisted by Gerrard.

The Premier League leaders, in contrast, were lifeless in all areas. They were unsettled at the back and toothless up front with Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney unable to make their presence felt.

United must now bounce back from a defeat that was unexpected, both in style and scoreline, while Liverpool will move forward with renewed optimism that they can still over-turn the odds and catch the pace-setters.

Liverpool had already lost influential midfield man Xabi Alonso to a calf problem when their difficulties increased in the warm-up, Alavaro Arbeloa injuring a hamstring with Sami Hyypia coming into the side, though the veteran gave an outstanding performance.

Benitez's revamped side struggled to settle early on, and it took a trademark block from Jamie Carragher to deny the industrious Park.

Torres posted the warning signals for United with a turn inside the area that needed Vidic to clear.

Vidic was sent off to complete a miserable match for the Serbian

But it was United who took the lead after 23 minutes when Liverpool were punished for a rush of blood from keeper Reina, who dashed from his line and brought down Park when there appeared to be no imminent danger, Ronaldo completing the formalities from the spot.

If United thought the setback would break Liverpool's resolve, they were to be sadly mistaken as Torres produced a golden spell that had them in front before the interval.

He levelled after 28 minutes with an example of all the qualities that make him arguably the world's finest striker.

Martin Skrtel's long clearance was speculative at best, but Torres' presence created uncertainty.

Vidic let the ball bounce and Torres showed lightning speed to touch the ball away from the defender and steer a composed finish beyond Van der Sar.

Torres then planted further seeds of doubt in Vidic's mind with an arrogant nutmeg on the defender, followed by respectable penalty claims when he collided with the Serb.

There had been few flashpoints, but there was a swift exchange of bookings after Liverpool's Carragher tripped Carlos Tevez and Rio Ferdinand fouled Dirk Kuyt.

Liverpool had ended the half in the ascendancy, and they were rewarded with the lead in the 44th minute.

Torres was the creator with a clever pass inside Evra, and when Gerrard was tripped after reaching the ball first, referee Alan Wiley again got the big decision right and pointed to the spot.

Gerrard tucked the penalty beyond Van der Sar, leaving Old Trafford stunned at the strength of Liverpool's fightback.

United, inevitably, penned Liverpool back after the break - but found the visitors in grimly determined mood.

Liverpool were fortunate to escape after 62 minutes when Ronaldo, a subdued figure throughout, found Rooney at the far post and his header flew across the face of goal with Tevez unable to apply the finishing touch.

Ferguson went for broke with 18 minutes left, making a triple substitution as he sent on Dimitar Berbatov, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes for Anderson, Carrick and Park.

But there was barely time for his changes to make a difference as United were reduced to 10 men and went further behind in the space of seconds. 606:
Vidic had suffered a harrowing afternoon, and once again his control was poor as he allowed Gerrard a clear run on goal. He chose to haul Gerrard back and the red card that followed was inevitable.

As a stunned Old Trafford came to terms with that, Aurelio poured salt in the wounds with a superb 25-yard free-kick that left Van der Sar rooted to the spot.

The stadium was deserting rapidly as Liverpool inflicted one final piece of punishment on United, substitute Dossena lifting a stylish finish over Van der Sar.

As Liverpool's players celebrated a landmark victory, there was only misery at The Theatre of Dreams - for once an inappropriate label for the home of the champions.

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 1982

Liverpool 3 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Game date: 15.05.1982 Stadium: Anfield
Competition: 1st Division Attendance: 48,122
Half-time score 0 - 1 Referee Mills T
Manager Bob Paisley League pos. after match 1

Starting lineup
1 Bruce Grobbelaar
2 Phil Neal
3 Mark Lawrenson
4 Alan Kennedy
5 Ronnie Whelan
6 Phil Thompson
7 Kenny Dalglish
8 Sammy Lee
9 Ian Rush
10 Alan Hansen
11 Graeme Souness
Subs
12 Craig Johnston

Goals

Mark Lawrenson 51'
Kenny Dalglish 55'
Ronnie Whelan 87'


Spurs line-up

Ray Clemence, Chris Hughton, Paul Miller, Graham Roberts, Mike Hazard, Steve Perryman, Gary Brooke, Mark Falco, Ricky Villa, Glenn Hoddle, Garth Crooks

Spurs goal

Glenn Hoddle 26'

Spurs substitution

Garth Crooks out for Paul Price 78'


After finishing a disappointing 5th in the 1980-81 season, Paisley stirred the foundations of his team and after an impressive 20 wins in 25 league games in the second part of the season Liverpool win the championship by a four point margin.



Liverpool where trailing 1-0 at half-time through a Glen Hoddle goal and the fear was that the Championship was slipping away but the second half saw Liverpool scoring 3 times to win their 13th Championship.Just 6 minutes in Mark Lawrenson header flew into the net just under the bar.Just 4 minutes latter Kenny Dalglish 15 yards out blasted a low shot past Ray Clemence.With time running out Ronnie Whelan made the game safe Ricky Villa tried to head the ball bay to Ray Clemence but Ronnie quick as a flash hammered an unstopple shot past ex Red Clemence.The celebrations started.At the final whistle fans spilled onto the pitch to congratulate their heroes.Bob Paisley won his 5th title in 8 seasons .

[Boston-Sox]

ON THIS DAY IN 2001



Today In History
May 16th



Game date: 16.05.2001 20:45
Stadium: Westfalen St.
Competition: UEFA Cup Final

Half-time score 3 - 1 Referee
Veissière G (France)
Manager Gerard Houllier


LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

Sander Westerveld
Jamie Carragher
Stephane Henchoz (Vladimir Smicer 56')
Sami Hyypia
Markus Babbel
Danny Murphy
Steven Gerrard
Gary McAllister
Dietmar Hamann
Emile Heskey (Robbie Fowler 64')
Michael Owen (Patrik Berger 79')

Won 5-4 AET On Golden Goal Rule

Babbel 4'
Gerrard 16'
McAllister 41' (Pen)
Fowler 73'
Geli (OG) 117'

Att
48,050

Alaves Line-Up

Martín Herrera, Cosmin Contra, Dan Eggen, Antonio Karmona, Óscar Téllez, Delfí Geli, Javi Moreno, Jordi Cruyff, Ivan Tomic, Hermes Desio, Martín Astudillo

Alaves goals

Iván Alonso 26'
Javi Moreno 48'
Javi Moreno 51'
Jordi Cruyff 89'

Alaves substitutions

Dan Eggen out for Iván Alonso 22'
Martín Astudillo out for Mocellin Magno 46'
Javi Moreno out for Juan Pablo 64'





Liverpool win the greatest final

It's six years since Liverpool clinched their tinpot Treble. What do you remember about their nine-goal Uefa Cup final slugfest with Alaves?

The 2001 Uefa Cup final remains one of the most surreal European matches of all: there were nine goals, two red cards, umpteen defensive howlers and, at the end, untold glory for Liverpool, who became the first English side to win three cup competitions in one season. Relive the match with David Lacey's report and share your memories below ...

Liverpool rejoined European football's scroll of trophy winners last night and did so in a manner which would have defied belief in the professional, pragmatic days of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

Having shared eight goals with Alaves on an evening when defenders were often reduced to bystanders, Gerard Houllier's team were handed the Uefa Cup by the hapless Delfi Geli, who headed a free-kick from Gary McAllister into his own net with three minutes of extra-time remaining.

The moment defied the description of a golden goal. It was more a case of sudden death by misadventure and the cruellest of conclusions for Alaves, who had twice come back to level the scores and several times appeared to be on the point of taking the game over through sheer attacking persistence.

So Liverpool have now created English football history by winning three cups in a season, and last night's triumph was achieved by a more adventurous approach than they had shown either in the Worthington Cup at the end of February, when Birmingham City were beaten on penalties, or Saturday's FA Cup final, when Michael Owen's two late goals scuppered Arsenal.

Paradoxically Owen was no longer on the pitch last night when the winning goal went in, Houllier having replaced him with Patrik Berger 12 minutes from the end of normal time. That substitution made rather less sense than Emile Heskey giving way to Robbie Fowler just past the hour, for Fowler it was who gave Liverpool a 4-3 lead in the 73rd minute.

Once Jordi Cruyff's late header had taken the final into sudden-death overtime Owen began to be missed as Liverpool failed to find the pace they needed to expose Alaves at the back, even though the Spanish side lost Magno to a second yellow card in the 103rd minute. Seconds before Geli's howler Alaves had also lost their captain, Antonio Karmona, to a second booking for the foul on Vladimir Smicer which produced McAllister's free-kick. What a finish that would have been, with Jose Manuel Esnal's nine men holding on for penalties.

Yet this was no final to be settled by an artificial shoot-out, and credit for such a fluctuating, absorbing encounter must go to the quality of attacking football achieved by both teams.

When Javi Moreno, Spain's leading scorer, a striker with quick feet and equally swift reflexes, brought Alaves back into the contest by scoring twice in three minutes at the start of the second half Liverpool suddenly found themselves on the wrong end of the sort of melodrama which four days earlier had taken the FA Cup to Anfield.

If defenders on both sides struggled to keep up with events, the evening was littered with attacking heroes. For Liverpool McAllister, Houllier's only change in Saturday's starting line-up at the Millennium stadium, remained a profound influence on the game from the moment in the third minute when Markus Babbel nipped through a rigid back three to meet his free-kick and head past Martin Herrera.

At the outset Alaves were simply torn asunder. In the 16th minute Owen gathered a pass from Dietmar Hamann, spotted Steven Gerrard sprinting through in the inside-right position, and set up his England team-mate for a straightforward low drive into the net.

Esnal's response was bold and quickly rewarded. The struggling Dan Eggen, a statue in the back three, gave way to an extra striker, Ivan, and he it was who after 27 minutes outjumped Babbel at the far post to nod Cosmin Contra's cross back past Sander Westerveld.

When McAllister's penalty restored Liverpool's two-goal advantage four minutes from half-time, Herrera having brought down Owen after Hamann's through-ball had sent the striker clear, the crisis seemed to have passed. But in the 48th minute Contra outwitted Jamie Carragher before crossing for Moreno to head a second goal for Alaves, and in the 51st he drove a free-kick low through the defensive wall, beating the unsighted Westerveld.

Fowler's goal, his first of the tournament, was taken with typical aplomb, a precise shot inside the right-hand post. Then with two minutes to go Jordi Cruyff met Gomez Pablo's corner ahead of Gerrard to send this astonishing match into its final act.

[Boston-Sox]

on this day in 1976



Today In History
May 19th

FC BRUGES V LIVERPOOL
UEFA CUP FINAL 2ED LEG
OLYMPIC STADIUM
19-5-1976

LIVERPOOL LINE-UP

1 Ray Clemence
2 Phil Neal
3 Tommy Smith
4 Phil Thompson
5 Ray Kennedy
6 Emlyn Hughes
7 Kevin Keegan
8 Jimmy Case
9 Steve Heighway
10 John Toshack (David Fairclough 65')
11 Ian Callaghan

Drew 1-1 (Won 4-3 0n Agg)
Keegan 15'

Att
29,423


Liverpool win UEFA Cup

FC BRUGES LINE-UP

Birger Jensen, Alfons Bastijns, Edward Krieger, George Leekens, Jos Volders, Julien Cools, Daniel de Cubber, René Vandereycken, Roger van Gool, Raoul Lambert, Ulrik Lefèvre

FC Bruges goal

Raoul Lambert 11'

FC Bruges substitutions

Daniel de Cubber out for Dirk Hinderyckx 68'
Raoul Lambert out for Dirk Sanders 75'


Thousands of Liverpool fans made the short trip over to Belgium for the second leg, having already had the chance to celebrate another championship when the title was won on a memorable night in Wolverhampton. The players were adapting well to the different challenge that Europe gave and this was to become more evident in the years that followed. For an away match, the game-plan was usually to try and quieten the home support in the early stages - with luck getting their impatience through to the home players - and see what they could grab on the break. But if that was their intention, it didn't work out too well to start with. Only 10 minutes had gone when Tommy Smith was penalised - perhaps harshly - for handball and Lambert blasted his spot-kick just underneath Clemence's crossbar. Level on aggregate but behind on away goals, Liverpool were forced to be more adventurous and equalised only 4 minutes later. Awarded a free-kick in a central position just outside the Bruges penalty-area, Emlyn Hughes flicked the ball sideways to Kevin Keegan who drove his shot through a crowd of players and into the goal.

Liverpool were ahead on aggregate again and it was Bruges who were forced to attack more. But there was no more scoring, although there were certainly some near misses for the home team, notably when Lambert crashed a shot against the post mid-way through the second half. But as time ran out, they become more desperate while Liverpool became more determined to hold on to what they had got. Bruges seemed happy just to be in the final but Liverpool were determined to win it. Maybe that was the main difference in the end. It had been close (4-3) but it was a proud Emlyn Hughes who stepped forward to raise the U.E.F.A. Cup high into the air. He was getting plenty of practice at this sort of thing and whilst the European Cup run the following year is another story, the experience the players gained in the run which culminated in success in Belgium was hugely relevant to what was to follow a year later.