| Sunday 2 December 2007 15:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
4 - 0 |
"Bolton
Wanderers" |
| |
(2-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| Hyypia 16, Torres 45, Gerrard 56 p.,
Babel 85 |
|
|
| |
25 Jose Reina
17 Alvaro Arbeloa
4 Sami Hyypia
6 John Arne Riise
23 Jamie Carragher
11 Yossi Benayoun
7 Harry Kewell
8 Steven Gerrard (c)
21 Lucas Leiva
15 Peter Crouch
9 Fernando Torres
Subs:
30 Charles Itandje
46 Jack Hobbs
19 Ryan Babel
20 Javier Mascherano
18 Dirk Kuyt |
|
22 Jussi
Jaaskelainen
5 Abdoulaye Meite
28 Lubomir Michalik
3 Jlloyd Samuel
8 Ivan Campo
11 Ricardo Gardner
19 Gavin McCann
6 Gary Speed
39 Nicolas Anelka
14 Kevin Davies
21 El-Hadji Diouf
Subs:
26 Ali Al-Habsi
7 Stelios Giannakopoulos
10 Christian Wilhelmsson
16 Andranik Teymourian
18 Mikel Alonso |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Carragher (Hobbs 51)
Kewell (Babel 67)
Torres (Kuyt 77) |
|
Diouf (Giannakopoulos 66) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Steve Bennett
(Kent) |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Diouf 11, Campo 61, Meite 70 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 43,270 |
|
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool)
Gary Megson (Bolton W) |
 Price: J3,00
|
|
 REDS 4-0 BOLTON:
THE REPORT
Jamie Carragher claimed prior to kick-off that the pass and move football Sammy Lee
tried to introduce at Bolton was alien to the players. Well, if it was when the little
Scouser was sacked last month, it isn't anymore.
Gary Megson's men were taken apart at Anfield on Sunday by a side in championship
form. They were dispatched by goals from Fernando Torres, Sami Hyypia, Ryan Babel and
Steven Gerrard - and it could easily have been more.
The win took Liverpool to third in the Premier League table, and it's worth noting
that only twice in their 18 title-winning seasons did they have more points at this stage
of the season.
The only sour note was the sight of Carragher leaving the field early in the second
half. Rafa Benitez will be keeping his fingers firmly crossed that his defensive stalwart
is not due a spell on the sidelines as the season enters a crucial stage.
His side, purring throughout here, should have gone in front after five minutes
when Harry Kewell fed Yossi Benayoun through on goal. The Israeli evaded Jussi
Jaaskelainen's lunge brilliantly before cutting back to Peter Crouch, who with almost the
whole net gaping managed to find the outstretched leg of Lubomir Michalik.
Two minutes later Benayoun was again the provider when Torres burst into the box.
Unfortunately, the angle was too acute for the Spaniard to bag his 11th goal of the
season.
The dramatic start continued when El Hadji Diouf incurred the wrath of the people
he used to 'entertain' with an ugly challenge that could have broken Alvaro Arbeloa's
ankle. Ref Steve Bennett flashed a yellow card but it might have been more.
Jaaskelainen was again called into action when Crouch turned and shot from the edge
of the box. It was comfortable enough for the Finn, but the Reds were at least showing the
kind of thrust missing in previous home games against the likes of Birmingham and
Marseille.
Then came the opener. With 17 minutes showing on the Anfield scoreboard the skipper
swung in an almost unplayable free-kick. Megson will be furious at the space afforded to
Hyypia in the box but the defender still had to finish the job. He gave his countryman no
chance with a perfectly placed glancing header.
It could have been 2-0 on 28 minutes when Crouch connected with a Gerrard corner
but the big man's header flew narrowly over. Kewell, who aside from an unnecessary kick on
Ivan Campo was excellent, then came close with a nice touch and half volley from the edge
of the box.
Liverpool were firmly in command, with the visitors restricted to the odd chance
from set pieces.
Next up for a crack at goal was Torres, who shot through the Bolton defence with
ease after latching on to a loose ball. Again he found himself just a little too wide to
convert. Shame.
One moment of danger came on 37 minutes when Nicolas Anelka drove a fierce ball
across the face of goal. Thankfully Arbeloa got there before the onrushing Diouf.
Seconds later Bolton again nearly snatched an unlikely equaliser when a mix up
between Carragher and Pepe Reina left Anelka with an open goal from 12 yards. His
subsequent miss might have made Ronny Rosenthal blush.
Bolton were starting to get into it, and Benitez would doubtless have been the
happier of the managers to hear the half-time whistle had Torres not doubled his side's
lead with a minute to go.
The number nine dinked a delicate shot past the despairing Jaaskelainen after a
fabulous throughball from, you've guessed it, Gerrard.
With just two points away from home all season, and an Anfield record which has
seen them fail to win since 1954, it looked like job done.
The second half began in the same way as the first, with Crouch missing when he
might have done better. The England striker's close-range header from a John Arne Riise
cross was just inches wide but it really should have been 3-0.
It definitely should have been three on 50 minutes when Gerrard sliced through
Bolton's defence before being denied by the legs of Jaaskelainen.
If the misses weren't yet worrying the home faithful, the sight Carragher being
taken off for 20-year-old Jack Hobbs definitely did. Kopites will be keeping their fingers
crossed their vice-captain stays in fine health ahead of season-defining games against
Marseille and Man Utd.
The substitution was still the talk of the stands when, on 56 minutes, Gerrard made
it game over with his eighth goal in nine games. Like his midweek strike against Porto it
came from the penalty spot after Crouch was tripped in the box; and like his strike
against Porto it was unstoppable.
All that was left was a world-class dribble and shot from Torres and a tap-in from
Babel on 85 minutes after the hapless Jaaskelainen parried Dirk Kuyt's low drive.
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Arbeloa,
Kewell, Gerrard (captain), Leiva, Benayoun, Crouch, Torres. Subs - Hobbs, Kuyt, Babel,
Mascherano, Itandje.
Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Samuel, Meite, Campo, Gardner, Diouf, Speed
(captain), McCann, Michalik, Davies, Anelka. Subs - Giannakopoulos, Wilhelmsson, Alonso, ,
Habsi.
Referee: Unknown
Conditions: Wet
Attendance: 43,270
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres
Breakdown
15:00 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Liverpool kick off attacking the Kop End
3 mins : It's a quiet start, but Liverpool are enjoying most possession
4 mins : Bolton attack for the first time, but Campo's shot is well over
5 mins : The Reds should be in front. Benayoun skips around Jaaskelainen and squares for
Crouch, but his point blank effort is blocked on the line
5 mins : It was Lubomir Michalik with the last ditch clearance
7 mins : Benayoun's involved again as he feeds Torres, but his shot is also blocked
9 mins : Danger for Liverpool as Diouf's corner flashes past the goal, but Riise can clear
11 mins : First Booking: El-Hadji Diouf: Diouf is booked for a terrible foul on Arbeloa
14 mins : Benayoun is at the centre of everything. This tim he finds Crouch and his shot
is well saved by Jaaskelainen. There was a brilliant tackle from Gerrard to set up that
move
17 mins : Bolton players are climbing all over Crouch and Liverpool have a free kick
17 mins : GOAL! Sami Hyypia: Hyypia is unmarked in the area to head home Gerrard's free
kick and give Liverpool the lead
24 mins : It's freezing at Anfield, but Sami's goal has warmed the hearts a little
25 mins : Gerrard does well to halt Anelka's progress, but he's penalised and Bolton have
a free kick
26 mins : Diouf's cross causes problems for the Reds defence before Carragher clears.
Bolton are playing to their strengths and it's definitely set pieces
28 mins : After saying that, Liverpool almost profit again from a deadball situation as
Crouch heads Gerrard's corner over
30 mins : Kewell attempts a spectacular volley, but he puts it into the Kop
34 mins : Torres nearly treats Anfield to another cracker as he eases past two defenders
before shooting just wide from a tight angle
34 mins : Torres nearly treats Anfield to another cracker as he eases past two defenders
before shooting just wide from a tight angle
37 mins : Bolton break and Arbeloa does well not to score an own goal as Davies' driven
cross flashes across the goal
38 mins : Carragher and Reina get in a tangle and give Anelka an open goal, but he
unbelievably misses
41 mins : Liverpool have a corner, won by Torres
41 mins : Liverpool players seem to get each others way as Gerrard's corner comes into the
box and Bolton clear
45 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Gerrard's pass is superb for Torres and he makes it 11
for the season with a fine finish over Jaaskelainen
15:48 GMT : Half Time Reached
16:01 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Bolton kick off the second half as the rain becomes torrential at Anfield
46 mins : The Reds almost add to their lead straight away, but Crouch heads just wide from
Riise's cross
48 mins : Charles Itandje is continuing to warm up, it looks like Reina may have a problem
50 mins : Gerrard makes an awesome break into the area and only the legs of Jaaskelainen
stop him making it 3-0
51 mins : Substitution: Jack Hobbs for Jamie Carragher: Carra must be injured, he's
replaced by Hobbs
53 mins : Itandje is still warming up, but Reina looks to be ok
55 mins : Crouch is upended in the box and the Reds have a penalty
56 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Gerrard makes no mistake from 12 yards - he sends
Jaaskelainen the wrong way to make it 3-0
59 mins : Today's attendance is 43,270
60 mins : Anelka controls and shoots well, but Reina is down to save well
61 mins : First Booking: Ivan Campo:
63 mins : Diouf has the goal in his sights, but his header is easy for Reina
64 mins : Torres makes it look like Bolton defenders are standing still as he glides past
them and his curled effort is only just over. What a player he is!
66 mins : Substitution: Stelios Giannakopoulos for El-Hadji Diouf:
66 mins : Great play from Liverpool ends with Kewell firing into the arms of Jaaskelainen
67 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Harry Kewell:
70 mins : First Booking: Lubomir Michalik:
77 mins : Substitution: Dirk Kuyt for Fernando Torres: Torres gets a deserved ovation as
he's given a rest and replaced by Kuyt
79 mins : Kuyt sprints to try and reach a through pass, but the ball skids through to
Jaaskelainen
82 mins : We're heading for another comprehensive win for the Reds, they'll go third after
this
84 mins : Riise goes for an ambitious shot from his own half, but it goes well wide
85 mins : GOAL! Ryan Babel: Babel taps in to make it 4-0 after Kuyt's shot is parried into
his path
86 mins : Great play again from Liverpool as Benayoun tees up Babel and his shot is
blocked on the line
90 mins : There will be a minimum of 2 minutes added time
90 mins : Bolton look for a consolation, but Campo's shot is deflected wide
16:49 GMT : Match Over
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