Stevie strikes in United draw

Liverpool failed to inflict a fourth successive Anfield defeat on Manchester United yesterday, as Javier Hernandez’s close range header 10 minutes from time cancelled out an earlier strike from returning skipper Steven Gerrard. The first half was keenly contested, with determination and drive aplenty yet little in the way of goalmouth action to justify the tag of the ‘biggest game in club football’. However, when Gerrard netted in front of the Kop on 66 minutes and Fergie quickly responded by introducing Rooney, Nani and Hernandez the game livened up and, despite United’s equaliser, frantic defending from the visitors late on was required to keep hold of their point.

Residing over his 250th League game in charge of Liverpool, Dalglish decided to make only one change to the side that secured a 2-0 victory in the Merseyside derby last time out. Despite netting his first Premier League goal of the campaign versus Everton, Andy Carroll was replaced in the starting eleven by Steven Gerrard, who made his first start since suffering a groin injury in the corresponding fixture last March.


The hosts were firmly in the ascendancy during the opening exchanges, however the first chance of any note fell to United after 16 minutes when the overlapping Evra crossed to Phil Jones at the back post. Thankfully the 19-year old could only head into the side netting when well placed.

The Reds responded with a short corner routine between Gerrard and Adam ending in the number eight's cross threateningly travelling across the goalmouth, before the in-form Luis Suarez audaciously attempted to lob De Gea from all of 40 yards. Unfortunately the Uruguayan failed to trouble the former Athletico Madrid stopper.

Goalscoring chances remained few and far between though, with both sides adopting a seemingly negative approach. United started Welbeck on his own up front and centre back Phil Jones in midfield in a clear statement of intent to constrain their opponents. Meanwhile, Suarez ploughed a lone furrow up front for Liverpool as the midfield struggled to break down the away side's determined resistance to support him and the diminutive number seven lacked the physical prowess that Carroll possesses to hold the ball up.

Both sides were cancelling each other out and it wasn't until ten minutes before the break that a genuine goalscoring opportunity arrived. A timely intervention from Martin Kelly began the move, before Charlie Adam escaped the attention of Jones and found space to shoot against the legs of Evans. Suarez, determined to extend his goalscoring streak, latched on to the loose ball and shimmied past Evans before wasting a glorious opportunity by disappointingly shooting straight at De Gea.

Fletcher's shot hit the hoardings, Skrtel's nose bled as he ran fully 70 yards into United's half and Lucas and Jones had a nasty clash of heads off the ball, however the teams went in at the interval still searching for that elusive opening goal to really bring the match to life.

Only three minutes into the second period United were given a soft free kick in an inviting position on the edge of the box after Ashley Young had ran into Lucas, who could do little to avoid the collision. Reina, who became only the sixth player in Liverpool history to appear in 160 consecutive League games, was uncharacteristically sloppy in dealing with the shot, as he spilt the ball onto his knee and breathed a sigh of relief as it ran to safety.

Kuyt and the Kop then screamed for a penalty in unison after the Dutchman's header appeared to be handled by the underperforming Jonny Evans in the box. Unfortunately referee Andre Marriner didn't see the offence; although awarding a spot kick may have been a bit harsh considering Evans was arguably moving his hand down in an attempt to avoid the ball.

Moments prior the hour mark Henderson, who was highly influential in the closing stages, replaced Brazilian teammate Lucas Leiva. The turning point arrived shortly after as, in a similar manner to the build up for Suarez's gilt-edged first half chance, Adam and Kelly played a neat one-two before the former Blackpool playmaker strode confidently beyond several attempted tackles.

Minimal contact with Ferdinand sent Adam tumbling on the edge of the box and earned the Reds a well-placed set piece. Many complained bitterly because Ferdinand was not shown a second yellow but, considering the theatrical nature of Adam's fall following a tiny touch from the England international, Kopites had little to moan about. Skipper Steven Gerrard stood up and all too easily side-footed the ball through the breaking wall and into the net in a manner reminiscent of his goal at Old Trafford last season.


An unexpected schoolboy error from the vastly experienced Ryan Giggs and Suarez's dancing to distract De Gea clearly contributed to Gerrard breaking the deadlock, however he couldn't have cared less as he sped off to celebrate Liverpool's 1200th Premier League goal in front of an ecstatic Kop.

Alex Ferguson had left his big guns on the bench and soon after the goal he decided to employ them, sending Nani, Rooney and Hernandez on for Park, Young and Jones respectively. The move paid instant dividends as two of those substitutes combined to equalise for the Red Devils. Nani's left wing corner skimmed the head of Welbeck and reached Hernandez, who'd escaped the attention of Skrtel, at the back post. The 23-year old Mexican headed beyond Reina from close range to seemingly secure a point for the visitors.

There was still time for a winner though and the Merseysiders pushed the hardest to clinch all three points. Kuyt had a chance to immediately restore our lead however De Gea made a good save to deny the number 18 after he'd stretched to reach Downing's fantastic left wing cross. Henderson also went close twice and showed signs of quality that should quieten his critics. First, his tremendous lobbed effort forced De Gea to acrobatically tip the ball over the bar, before his flicked header landed agonisignly on the roof of the net.

Post-match allegations that Luis Suarez aimed racial abuse at Patrice Evra marred what was an otherwise encouraging day overall for Dalglish's men.


Steven Gerrard is finally back fully fit and firing, claiming the man of the match award for yesterday's display. Charlie Adam showed his quality with several surges forward from the heart of midfield. Jordan Henderson performed excellently for the final half hour and, sloppy defending at the set piece that led to the equaliser aside, the back four were solid throughout.

Moreover, we controlled the Champions for most of the match and, although we perhaps should have nicked a late victory, the fact that we are disappointed at only collecting a point against Manchester United demonstrates how markedly we have improved since Dalglish's return in January.

Four points from fixtures against Everton and Manchester United is certainly satisfactory. Next up in the League are Norwich, West Brom and Swansea. Nine points are a must from those three matches and, should they be collected, we will be sitting in a good position heading into more challenging clashes with Chelsea and Manchester City.

YNWA

Why Ian Ayre is wrong

Managing Director of Liverpool FC Ian Ayre has caused controversy and stoked debate in the media and amongst supporters alike after airing his views on how the Premier League negotiates its overseas TV deal. The 47-year old scouse businessman was instrumental in the boardroom coup to oust former owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and also successfully negotiated a shirt sponsorship deal with multinational bank Standard Chartered worth a reported £80 million, significantly more than with previous sponsors Danish brewers Carlsberg.

As a result he has received widespread praise from fans and, after originally arriving as Commercial Director in 2007, new owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) promoted him to the more prestigious role of Managing Director in March 2011, replacing the departing Christian Purslow who, ousting Hicks and Gillett aside, was widely maligned on Merseyside for taking over on-field affairs when his remit was intended to restrict his role to solely selling the club.

Nevertheless, his recent comments suggesting that clubs should sell TV rights to Premier League matches individually as opposed to the current system of collective bargaining have received a mixed reception from fans. Presently, Premier League clubs sell domestic and international TV rights as a group and distribute the income equally. This results in teams like Wigan Athletic, Norwich City and Swansea, whose fan bases barely extend beyond their geographical area, receiving the same amount of cash as clubs that attract international supporters (or viewers) such as Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Total revenue from international TV deals for 2010-2013 stands at a whopping £1.4 billion and, as the Premier League ‘brand’ continues to expand into over 200 countries that amount appears likely to rise again next time around, possibly even surpassing the value of the domestic TV deal for the first time. Ayre therefore clearly wants to exploit the Reds’ substantial fan base in growing markets such as Asia and claim a larger slice of the pie for Kenny Dalglish and co. to invest in building up a successful squad.

On the surface this appears completely reasonable. The majority of overseas viewers tune in to watch stars such as Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie play for their respective sides so surely those sides should reap the majority of the benefits from these massive TV deals.

An important issue, though, is that football is fundamentally a sport to be enjoyed, not a business to produce profit. As a result it functions differently. There is a desire for fair competition in order to keep the League interesting. Massive income differences and disparities in wage expenditure lead to predictable outcomes as the teams who can afford better players inevitably win and finish in the top positions. The fact that they then gain additional revenue from Champions League qualification and participation perpetuates the problem. To exaggerate this problem further by introducing individual TV arrangements is not a wise move in the long-term, even though the Reds may derive short-term gains from any potential change.

Ayre repeatedly references Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain and claims that in the future we will be unable to compete with them in the Champions League because the fact that they can negotiate their own TV deals and thus generate more income means that they can spend more on transfer fees and wages and therefore remain dominant in European competition.


That assertion is debateable considering the spending power of the big four and the success of English clubs in the Champions League over recent years, however crucially he fails to recognise the lack of competition that damages La Liga dramatically. Astonishingly, Real Madrid and Barcelona have occupied the top two places at the end of six of the last eight La Liga campaigns, with Rafael Benitez’s Valencia side of 2003/2004 the only other team to claim the top prize. As a result La Liga has become a predictable and dull League, with champagne football from Barca and Madrid its only saving grace.

Part of the appeal of the Premier League is the fact that on any given day any club can beat any other. Blackpool can travel to Anfield and claim an historic win. Newcastle can go to the Emirates and emerge victorious. Chelsea can sink to a 3-0 defeat against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. This unpredictability has led many to label the Premier League as the best league in the world and has kept fans interested on a domestic and international scale. Consequently, TV companies such as Sky have been willing to pay ridiculous figures for the rights to show matches.

Ironically, therefore, a potential result of allowing clubs to negotiate TV deals individually, as Ayre advocates, would be reducing supporter interest through restricting competition and hence lowering the quality of the Premier League’s ‘brand’ and, as a result, reducing income from TV deals in the long run.

Not only are the consequences of Ayre’s proposed reforms undesirable for the League as a whole and for Liverpool in particular long term, their overtly capitalist overtures do not sit comfortably with the legendary Bill Shankly’s infamous socialist views. The 30th anniversary of the Scot’s death was commemorated recently, and Shanks would surely be spinning in his grave in response to the business-like approach that has been imposed on the beautiful game and seemingly incorporated at Anfield.


Although I generally disagree with Shankly’s socialist political beliefs and, on the whole, endorse capitalism, this following quote perfectly summarises why Ian Ayre is, on this issue at least, in the wrong:

“The socialism I believe in is everyone working for each other, everyone having a share of the rewards. It’s the way I see football, the way I see life.”

YNWA

Who was the Reds’ star summer signing?

The Bank of England pumped a whopping £75 billion into the British economy on Thursday in a desperate attempt to improve the UK’s miserable growth figures and stave off another seemingly inevitable recession. The measure taken by Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King has been subject to fierce debate in the media and criticism from many quarters.

Conversely, nobody has questioned the decision of Liverpool’s new American owners FSG to invest approximately £60 million to revamp the Reds’ squad in the summer, and the crucial cash injection has paid instant dividends where it matters most; on the pitch.

It is somewhat ironic; therefore, that arguably our finest summer signing has been bargain buy Craig Bellamy. When the 32-year old Welsh striker re-joined the Reds on deadline day on a free transfer from Manchester City after five years away from Anfield, many supporters, including myself, understandably had their doubts. He returned with a reputation. His age, volatile temperament and tendency to cause division in dressing rooms and fall out with managers made Dalglish’s decision to purchase him a bold one.


However, the legendary Scot’s gamble appears to have paid off. Bellamy is proving a useful back-up option to Suarez and Carroll and a potent weapon from the bench. After making his second Liverpool debut as a late substitute at the Britannia Stadium, Bellamy began the match at Brighton and his man of the match performance earned plaudits from the pundits. Linking up well with fellow forwards Suarez and Kuyt throughout, Bellamy made a big impression. Not only did he calmly convert the opener early on, he also crashed a tremendous free kick against the cross bar from all of 35 yards and played a part in Kuyt’s late sealer.

While few doubted his footballing ability and match winning talent, his temper still made him a loose cannon and a liability in the eyes of many commentators. Thankfully, after entering his thirties he finally seems to have matured, enduring a torrent of abuse from the home supporters during the derby whilst preparing to take a corner in front of the Gwladys Street Stand and even ignoring plastic bottles which had been thrown at him. Moreover, his arrival proved pivotal to the outcome of the match, as it was the number 39 who ran determinedly at the Toffees’ defence before perfectly playing in Jose Enrique to assist Andy Carroll’s deadlock breaking goal.

In that instant three relatively recent signings (two from the summer) combined to net and set us on our way to collecting three crucial Premier League points and claiming local bragging rights until we next face Moyes’ men in February. While Carroll has received a mixed reception and Bellamy has been widely welcomed with understandable caution, Spanish left back Jose Enrique has received nothing but praise from supporters and management alike.

The 25-year old only had one year left on his contract at Newcastle United when King Kenny snapped him up for a meagre £6 million days before the opening match of the season at home to the Geordie's fierce rivals Steve Bruce's Sunderland. The former Valencia full back was thrown straight in at the deep end and coped admirably, impressing instantly and finally filling the gaping hole in our defence that had previously existed at left back.


Taking the injury prone Fabio Aurelio's starting berth, Enrique has proven a steady and capable performer defensively, while also adding another attacking outlet to the side. His pace, garnered from years as a sprinter in his youth, enables him to fulfil the dual function of dependable defender and marauding winger with aplomb. Additionally, his passing and crossing ability has helped to start attacks from defence. For example, his incisive through ball set up Suarez to score at home to Wolves and his defence-splitting cross field pass set fellow new signing Jordan Henderson through one-on-one with keeper Asmir Begovic away to Stoke City.

In front of him, Stewart Downing has lived up to his £20 million price tag and silenced the critics who doubted Dalglish's decision to invest such a hefty chunk of his transfer budget in the Boro born winger. Able to play equally well on both the left and right wing, Downing's dribbling ability has added an extra dimension to our attack, while his crossing capabilities should bring out the best in Andy Carroll in time.


Liverpool fans already knew his potential after watching him score the only goal in our end of season dead rubber at Villa Park and in the Reds' opening day draw at home to Sunderland he displayed yet more promise, at one point storming down the right wing and thumping an excellent strike against the woodwork in what would have been an early goal of the season contender that fellow professionals would have struggled to surpass.

A man of the match display at the Emirates followed, before he was at the forefront of our ultimately fruitless attempts to break down the Potters' defence. This form has translated onto the international stage as well, Downing's fantastic cut-back assisting former Villa teammate Ashley Young to score the only goal in England's qualifier with Wales at Wembley last month.

Unfortunately, on the opposite flank former black cat Jordan Henderson hasn't replicated the lightning quick start of Liverpool's other new arrivals. Brought in only nine days after the transfer window opened, Henderson was Dalglish’s first summer signing. However, he has still failed to settle into the Scot's starting line-up. Admittedly, after being employed on the right wing instead of his preferred central role for the majority of the campaign so far, it is understandable why Henderson hasn't quite hit the heights he is clearly capable of reaching based on his superb displays in the red and white of Sunderland.

A poor showing at the under-21s European Championships this summer has been follow by an unremarkable opening to the new campaign. Apart from a clever finish at home to Bolton Wanderers, Henderson has been rather disappointingly quiet, failing to make the sort of impact his £16 million price tag demands. Although it is unfair to slate him at this stage and I'm confident that Henderson, at only 21, has a bright future ahead of him at Anfield, Manchester United's investment of the same sum of money in England winger Ashley Young appears more astute.


Had eccentric but excellent Blackpool boss Ian Holloway been less stubborn than the Reds would have captured the much-coveted Charlie Adam in January and I would not now be writing about him being one of our best summer signings. Nevertheless, since Dalglish finally signed his fellow Scot Adam has lived up to the hype and proved that our drawn out pursuit of the 25-year old was not in vain.

Comparing him to Xabi Alonso may be a tad pre-mature, however it is certainly understandable considering the wand of a left foot Adam possesses. The number 26's passing range has left the Anfield faithful astounded, while his daisy cutting goal versus Bolton and tremendous strike that rattled the cross bar on the stroke of half time at Goodison demonstrated his goalscoring threat.

Bar the red card he deservedly received for two rash tackles at White Hart Lane, Adam has been a good addition to the squad, forming a flourishing partnership with Lucas Leiva which could see skipper Steven Gerrard struggle to return to his preferred position at the heart of the midfield.

So, who was the Reds' star summer signing?

For value for money you cannot look past Craig Bellamy, for defying the critics Downing deserves recognition and for living up to expectations Charlie Adam warrants credit. However, for settling in instantly and finally resolving our long-term issues at left back, Jose Enrique gets my vote.

YNWA

Derby delight as duo leave Everton feeling blue

Liverpool's £58 million strikeforce paid off handsomely yesterday, as second half strikes from Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez secured a 2-0 victory in the 216th Merseyside derby. Earlier, Everton and England midfielder Jack Rodwell had controversially seen red for an innocuous challenge on Suarez and Tim Howard had denied the previously unstoppable Dirk Kuyt from the penalty spot in a typically eventful and fiery derby clash. The Reds' numerical advantage and superior class eventually told though and three crucial, confidence-boosting points were collected ahead of Manchester United's visit to Anfield in a fortnight.

When Kenny Dalglish was last at Goodison Park in a managerial capacity two decades ago he witnessed his Liverpool side repeatedly squander a lead, eventually succumbing to a 4-4 draw in a thrilling yet taxing FA Cup tie. That proved to be the King's final match in the Reds' dugout prior to his return in January, as the accumulated stress of managing the side in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster understandably took its toll.

Despite this disappointing climax to his first managerial reign, Dalglish's record in Merseyside derbies was impressive. Under his guidance the Reds recorded 13 victories in 22 meetings with their near neighbours. His statistics at Goodison Park were even more notable; the Scot tasted defeat only once in 10 trips across Stanley Park.

Consequently, Dalglish sent his troops out with the twin aims of maintaining his impressive derby record and halting their recent run of poor form on the road. To that end, the only change to the team that claimed a 2-1 win over Wolves at Anfield last Saturday saw the out of sorts Henderson replaced with Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt, who is notoriously prolific against Everton, particularly from the penalty spot.

Although the first chance of real note fell to Luis Suarez, as the Uruguayan’s tame header when perfectly positioned was easily stopped by Howard, the Toffees began on top, immediately responding through Tim Cahill, as the Aussie was thwarted by a fine save from the alert Reina. The hosts were pressing high up the pitch and pressurising their visitors, with Distin cleverly nutmegging Enrique before lifting a shot over the bar and Saha driving a good left footed effort just wide from the edge of the box.

The turning point came mid-way through the first half when Jack Rodwell was given a straight red for a firm yet fair tackle on Luis Suarez, whose reaction to the challenge was disproportionate and perhaps contributed to the 20-year old's dismissal. Rodwell's studs were clearly showing but his foot wasn't that far off the ground and he evidently claimed the ball before slightly catching Suarez with the follow through.


A yellow card would have been harsh, yet card-happy referee Martin Atkinson, who also sent off Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Steven Pienaar in a Merseyside derby a year ago, immediately flashed a red in Rodwell's direction.

The occasional incorrect decision from an official is understandable and acceptable, but what frustrated fans of both sides most was the referee’s irritating inconsistency. This was demonstrated moments after the sending off when Cahill only received a booking for a high challenge on Adam that was arguably worse than the offence committed by his teammate. Moreover, later on in the half Hibbert committed a horrible tackle on Adam that could have legitimately seen him sent off, yet Atkinson failed to even award a free kick.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the red card, one fact was undeniable; Liverpool clearly benefited from the decision. With one less blue body in the middle the away side were granted more space to control possession and create chances. Adam and Lucas, who had previously been severely tested by their midfield opponents, were now pulling the strings in the middle.

Just after the half hour mark Suarez shot into the side netting from a difficult angle after Martin Kelly had played a through ball into the number seven's path, before Jagielka's rash and wholly unnecessary foul on the diminutive Uruguayan on the edge of the box saw Atkinson correctly award the Reds a spot kick.

Dirk Kuyt stepped up and, considering the fact that he once kept his cool to convert from the spot twice at Goodison, it seemed almost inevitable that the net would bulge and the visitors would go into the half time interval with a one-goal lead. Somewhat surprisingly Kuyt's perfectly placed penalty lacked the necessary power to find the net and Howard made a fantastic save to keep the scores level.


There was still time for Adam to thunder a beautifully struck 20-yard effort past the helpless Howard and against the underside of the cross bar before both sides entered the break to the sound of boos reverberating around Goodison in response to referee Atkinson's below par performance.

Seeking to exert their dominance, the Reds began the second period in the ascendancy, Carroll's header being cleared off the line and American keeper Howard making a good save to deny the tall Geordie. However, the hosts still posed a threat, Saha shooting narrowly wide from 35 yards on the hour mark to keep Reina and his back four alert.

The second half swung on the introduction of club captain Steven Gerrard and free transfer Craig Bellamy. The former added drive to our midfield while the latter instantly fulfilled the purpose for which he was brought back to the club on transfer deadline day. The Welsh striker ran uninterrupted with purpose and menace down the left wing and played a perfectly weighted pass to the overlapping Enrique, who pulled the ball back to Carroll from the by-line. The heavily (and unfairly) criticised number nine turned the ball home before wheeling away in celebration, relieved to have finally bagged his first Premier League goal of the campaign.

A mix up between Distin and Baines in the Blues' box ten minutes later presented Suarez with an unmissable chance, which he coolly converted from close range.


With the points all but in the bag, Liverpool inevitably ended the game in complete control, Kuyt hitting the post during injury time after the Toffees had fell asleep at Suarez's swiftly taken corner.

The home crowd's frustrations at both their side's defending and the referee's display bubbled over in the closing stages, with plastic bottles thrown at Craig Bellamy (who thankfully kept his cool) and coins, as well as verbal insults, aimed at Suarez. Nevertheless, while cash-strapped Everton chairman Bill Kenwright was searching for the coins on the Goodison turf, Liverpool departed with the points in the bag and their integrity intact.

Former Reds boss Roy Hodgson bizarrely described our 2-0 reversal at Goodison last October as the best performance during his tenure. Although such a grandiose description could not be attached to yesterday's display, the fact that Liverpool emerged victorious on this occasion is most important and, with Carroll and Suarez combining to prove the critics wrong and Bellamy surprising me with his maturity, there are plenty of reasons to be pleased and remain positive.

We can now only hope that the momentum built up by three consecutive victories isn't lost during the upcoming international break and that everybody returns fully fit and ready to compete in another massive match at home to fierce rivals and current champions Manchester United.

YNWA

Reds tame spirited Wolves

Liverpool brought their recent run of consecutive Premier League defeats to an end yesterday as the Reds claimed a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in front of 44,922 at Anfield. An early own goal from Wolves captain Roger Johnson and yet another impressive strike from Luis Suarez gave the hosts a commanding lead at half time, however a swift second half response from the visitors kept the contest alive. Despite late pressure from the Midlanders, Dalglish's men held out for the three points and could quite possibly have added to their goal count late on.

Many expected club captain Steven Gerrard to return to the starting line-up after being used as a second half substitute in midweek, however Dalglish decided to remain wisely cautious over the skipper's fitness, giving him a seat on the bench alongside Craig Bellamy, who was man of the match against Brighton in many pundits' opinion. Meanwhile, Skrtel and Adam returned from suspension, the former returning to his preferred centre back role and the latter partnering Lucas in the middle. Tall target man Andy Carroll was handed a chance to quieten his critics as he began next to the on-form Suarez up front.

The game proceeded in a similar pattern to our previous outing in the Carling Cup, with the Reds dominating the first period and netting early but failing to kill off their opponents and allowing them back into the match during the second 45. Unusually though, Liverpool benefited from a slice of good fortune for once when, after eleven minutes, Adam's long-range shot was deflected into his own net by Roger Johnson, who, in the build up the opener, had been unbalanced by a nudge from Andy Carroll.


Carroll continued to influence the game, heading Downing's corner into the arms of Wayne Hennessey before delivering an inviting left wing cross into the danger area, where Suarez was inches away from sliding in and diverting the ball past the keeper and into the Anfield Road net. Meanwhile, at the other end his important header cleared away a dangerous cross.

Whether offensively or defensively, legally or illegally, it was encouraging to see Carroll involved in the action and worrying the Wolves defence and, although he may not have returned to form just yet, the signs from his performance yesterday are promising.

He was outdone though by Suarez, who doubled the hosts' lead seven minutes before the interval with a moment of magic to savour. The Uruguayan striker latched hungrily onto Enrique's excellent pass and then turned Berra inside out before firing home at the near post from close range. It was a simply sublime finish from the diminutive number seven, who almost grabbed a second as he stabbed wide on the stroke of half time.

The passionate and opinionated Wolves' boss Mick McCarthy must have been infuriated by his team's first half display, and responded by making two substitutions and reverting to a 4-4-2 formation. His bold and risky move was rewarded only four minutes after the break as substitute Steven Fletcher made an instant impact, turning home Hunt's cross from eight yards.


Although Liverpool reacted immediately, Hennessey making an outstanding block to deny Suarez and Carroll crashing a header against the woodwork, Wolves remained in the ascendancy and applied pressure on their hosts. Former Spurs' midfielder Jamie O'Hara shot over the bar from the edge of the box while Fletcher beat Reina in the air and headed wide, only moments after an almighty goalmouth scramble had frightened the home side.

After weathering the storm, the Merseysiders began to regain control of the contest, Lucas shaving the base of the post from Carroll's lay off and Suarez heading over the bar before being replaced by Gerrard, who received a typically raucous reception from the Anfield faithful. Suarez wasn't quite as happy as the masses though, angrily kicking a water bottle as he took his place in the dug out to, I suspect, the delight of Dalglish, who will be seeking similar desire from his teammates.

Gerrard almost made the headlines with a late strike that arced just over Hennessey's cross bar from 25 yards. The fairytale return wasn't to be but, nevertheless, the Reds held out for all three points and, with key players regaining form and fitness, will head into next weekend's Merseyside derby with renewed confidence.

YNWA

Liverpool squeeze past Seagulls

Liverpool secured a safe passage to the fourth round of the Carling Cup last night with a 2-1 victory over Championship outfit Brighton and Hove Albion at the recently built Amex Stadium. Goals close to the start and conclusion from Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt sealed the win for the Reds, with Ashley Barnes' late spot kick proving little more than a consolation.

Following Sunday's crushing defeat at White Hart Lane, Dalglish picked a relatively strong starting line-up in order to quickly recover the form lost after consecutive losses. Youngsters Martin Kelly and Jack Robinson complemented an experienced core composed of Reina, Carragher, Lucas, Kuyt, Suarez and Bellamy. Meanwhile, club captain Steven Gerrard started on the substitutes' bench after six months on the treatment table, eventually completing 15 minutes at the end.

The visitors, who created numerous chances and threatened the hosts’ goal at regular intervals, dominated the early exchanges. Our bright start was in stark contrast to the apathetic beginning to our previous match, with Craig Bellamy coolly netting his tenth goal for the club seven minutes in to confirm our supremacy.
Kuyt's headed effort was then hacked clear off the line, before the Dutch striker superbly sent Suarez one-on-one with the keeper but the Uruguayan contrived to fire wide when ideally placed to double our lead. The front three of Kuyt, Suarez and Bellamy were combining effectively and encouragingly, with Suarez dropping a header agonisingly wide of the far post from Bellamy's free kick on the half hour mark and the Welsh striker smashing a sensational 40-yard set piece against the cross bar five minutes prior to the break.

The trio seemed to be on the same wavelength and were playing football pleasing to the eye which, although clearly good news for Kenny and co, leaves Carroll, who remained on the bench throughout, facing fierce competition for a forward position many expected him to make his own.

The Merseysiders could have easily been three or four ahead at the interval, however they frustratingly failed to add to their lead and the age-old adage that football is a 'game of two halves' rung true once again. A bright Brighton side, enjoying resurgence under the guidance of the likeable Gus Poyet, spent the majority of the second half placing their Premier League opponents under pressure.

On 48 minutes ex Red Alan Navarro smashed a strike against the bar following Coates' poor clearance, before good attacking play from the Seagulls culminated in Sparrow shooting straight at Reina. Scouser and childhood Liverpool fan Craig Noone, who previously worked on the roof of Steven Gerrard's house, particularly stood out for Brighton, looking lively and posing questions of our back four. Shortly after the hour mark he fired over, before former Valencia man Vicente arced a shot wide.

With an equaliser looking eminently possible Dalglish decided to introduce skipper Steven Gerrard, to the joy of Liverpool fans thankful to finally see their star performer back out on the park. Nerves were calmed further five minutes later when Bellamy and Maxi combined to set up Kuyt, who struck the ball low beyond Ankergen and into the far corner of the net.

At that point Brighton's valiant second half effort appeared to be in vain, however they were given a glimmer of hope in the last of the 90 minutes as an embarrassing, school-boy error from the out-of-sorts Spearing forced Carragher to make a hasty challenge. Instead, the 33-year old vice-captain tripped up Vicente and Barnes proceeded to dispatch the spot kick past Reina. Despite late pressure from the home side, Liverpool held out and will be in the hat for Saturday's fourth round draw.

The main positives to take from last night were our first half performance, which showed the attacking class clearly possessed within the squad, and the return of Steven Gerrard, who will surely play a huge part in helping the Reds return to the top four should he stay fit. Moreover, Bellamy's performance was encouraging and demonstrated the potential he undoubtedly has, however he was up against a Championship defence and I'll reserve judgement on him until he shows he can perform consistently well in the Premier League and not prove a destructive force in the dressing room in the process.

On the flip side, the Reds failed to capitalise on their first half dominance, were ran very close in the second half by a team who were plying their trade in League One only last season and conceded a silly penalty in the dying stages.

Whatever way you look at it, Liverpool are through and can now concentrate on picking up crucial points in the contest for Champions League qualification.

YNWA

Nine-man Reds hit for four in Spurs shocker

Liverpool were dealt a harsh reality check yesterday as they succumbed to their fifth loss in a row against Tottenham in what was undoubtedly their worst defeat during Kenny Dalglish's managerial reign. Two red cards and four goals conceded painted a stark picture as Harry Redknapp’s resurgent Spurs duly punished a poor display from the Merseysiders.

Jamie Carragher started his 468th league game to overtake the Anfield Iron Tommy Smith into sixth place on the club's all time appearance list, while Andy Carroll was handed his first start since the Reds' previous visit to North London, when they claimed an impressive 2-0 victory over Arsenal.

Having travelled to Greece and back to face PAOK in the Europa League in midweek, many expected the hosts to start the slower and tire quickly. However, it was the visitors who started sluggishly and failed to recover. The Reds were handed an early let off when Adebayor fired wide when well placed, but their luck didn't hold much longer as Modric latched onto Bale's left wing cross and curled an unstoppable strike into the top right hand corner of Reina's net soon after.


It was an unbelievably good goal from the Croatian, who clearly now has his head in the right place to play for Spurs after constant speculation throughout the summer linking him with a big money move to Andre Villas-Boas' Chelsea. The 26-year old then forced Reina to dive full length to keep out his low effort, before injury was added to insult as Daniel Agger, who had damaged his ribs in the build up to the opener, was replaced by debutant Sebastian Coates.

Suarez appeared to offer some light at the end of the tunnel for the away side on 18 minutes as he poked the ball beyond Friedel and into the net, however he was fairly flagged offside and that glimmer of hope was extinguished on the half hour mark as Charlie Adam capped our horror start by receiving his marching orders following a ridiculously high challenge on Scott Parker.

Liverpool's midfield had already been outplayed, out-thought and out-fought by their dominant Spurs counterparts and, with Adam having an early bath, the Reds found it doubly difficult to get a foothold in the contest and compete with their classy and clinical opponents.

Before the break Bale blasted a free kick off target and Kaboul headed Modric's cross wide and, disappointingly, the second half continued in the same vein right from the off, with Defoe pulling a shot wide from close range when he really should have doubled the Lillywhites' lead. His strike partner Emmanuel Adebayor then had a similarly embarrassing miss as his tame and weak effort was comfortably saved by Reina after Defoe had inexplicably beaten the off-form Martin Skrtel in the air and fed the former Gunners forward.

Skrtel was simply having a nightmare and pacy winger Gareth Bale ripped him to shreds every single time he sped past the clean-shaven Slovakian. Although both Johnson and Kelly are injured, the logic of selecting a centre back out of position against Bale must be questioned and even youngster Jon Flanagan surely would have done a better job at coping with the Welshman than the woefully inadequate Skrtel.

The number 37's day went from bad to worse shortly after the hour mark as he was rightly sent off after committing yet another bookable offence. From that point on Liverpool fell to pieces and Tottenham reaped the rewards, netting twice in quick succession. First, Jermain Defoe turned Enrique on the edge of the area before firing past Reina at the near post. The Spanish keeper was then at fault for Spurs' third goal as he spilt a long range shot into the path of Adebayor, who slotted home with a minimal amount of fuss.

With the outcome of the contest beyond doubt, the rest of the match was played out in exhibition mode for the home side, who kept the ball comfortably and remained in the ascendancy, claiming a chunky 65% of possession and prolonging the Reds' misery. Adebayor drove home in stoppage time to seal Spurs' biggest win over us in over 46 years.

Liverpool were simply dreadful yesterday and deserved exactly what they got; nothing. Our defence was shaky and vulnerable, our midfield was all too easily overpowered and our strike force was inevitably lacking ammunition due to ill-discipline leading to the pre-mature exit of Adam and Skrtel. Unlike at Stoke, we could not blame the referee as Mike Jones made the correct call in both red card incidents.

This match must be written off as a bad day at the office and forgotten immediately. Fixtures against Brighton and Wolves must now be used to regain confidence and momentum ahead of two massive matches against Everton and Manchester United at the beginning of October.

YNWA