GERRARD WINS IT FOR REDS
Sporting Life 25 November 2006
Steven Gerrard almost single-handedly broke the defiance of a
battling Manchester City in Liverpool's narrow Anfield victory
today.
The men from Eastlands gave Liverpool plenty of trouble during a
close, competitive Barclays Premiership match. But it was Gerrard,
with a blistering long-range drive, who produced the breakthrough
and extended the Reds' unbeaten home league record to 23 matches -
stretching back to October 2005.
City hardly looked like a side who have lost 16 of their last 19
away league games and are still without a victory on their
Premiership travels this term.
If it had not been for Gerrard's driving inspiration from midfield
- despite Joey Barton's desire to take him on at every turn - City
may well have got something from the match.
But Gerrard's value to Liverpool is immense.
He scored a tremendous goal in midweek to help secure top spot in
their Champions League group - and was on hand to settle this
contest when frustration was beginning to envelop Anfield.
Rafael Benitez deployed three centre-backs, Steve Finnan and John
Arne Riise wide on the flanks - allowing Sami Hyypia to return in
defence.
Craig Bellamy, who had spent the last two days in a Cardiff
courtroom answering an assault charge, returned to Merseyside
overnight to take up a position on the bench - alongside Jermaine
Pennant, who had recovered sufficiently from a midweek hamstring
strain to figure in the squad.
Manchester City brought in Nedum Onuoha for his first senior start
of the season, with Georgios Samaras dropping to the bench
alongside former Liverpool star Dietmar Hamann.
England boss Steve McClaren was in the directors' box - interested,
no doubt, in Micah Richards playing on the left of midfield.
City defended with organisation and resilience and restricted
Liverpool to only a few genuine chances.
Peter Crouch wasted one opening after taking too much time and too
many touches before lifting a shot over Nicky Weaver's bar, having
been set up by Dirk Kuyt.
Then Bolo Zenden saw a 20-yarder drift wide, before Gerrard went
much closer from a similar range.
City were neat and quick on the break and responded when Claudio
Reyna sent a long ball for Hatem Trabelsi down the right - but as
he reached the area, he rushed his effort and put the ball into the
Kop.
The visitors went closer when Barton put Richards in on the right,
his pass inside finding Bernardo Corradi who shot wide across goal
after a clever drag-back gave him the space for a shot on the edge
of the box.
Liverpool should have taken the lead when Hyypia's 60-yard
cross-field pass dropped into the box for Luis Garcia, who did the
hard part by producing perfect control from a difficult angle but
then managed to hit the side-netting from six yards.
Benitez opted to replaced Luis Garcia with Pennant on 59
minutes.
The hosts reverted to a 4-4-2 system, with Jamie Carragher at left
back, but almost immediately City wasted a good chance when Darius
Vassell surged at the heart of Liverpool's defence. The ball was
only partially cleared to Corradi, who fired a low drive just
wide.
Liverpool then sent on Robbie Fowler for Crouch on 65
minutes.
But two minutes later Kuyt robbed Distin, and Gerrard surged on to
the ball and blasted it past Weaver from 20 yards.
That goal was hard on City, so much effort having gone into their
defensive defiance. But they now had to put more into attack, and
Samaras was sent on after 74 minutes in place of Unuoha.
Barton was leading the fightback, taking on Gerrard and driving
City forward. Samaras forced Jose Reina into a save at his near
post, and Reyna brought the Spanish goalkeeper to his knees from 25
yards.
City sent on Stephen Ireland for Trabelsi on 85 minutes, Liverpool
replacing Kuyt with Bellamy three minutes later - and the Anfield
side managed to see out the final seconds.
