| Sunday 16 December 2007 13:30 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "Liverpool" |
0 - 1 |
"Manchester
United" |
| |
(0-1) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
Tevez 43 |
| |
25 Jose Reina
17 Alvaro Arbeloa
4 Sami Hyypia
6 John Arne Riise
23 Jamie Carragher
20 Javier Mascherano
11 Yossi Benayoun
7 Harry Kewell
8 Steven Gerrard (c)
18 Dirk Kuyt
9 Fernando Torres
Subs:
30 Charles Itandje
12 Fabio Aurelio
21 Lucas Leiva
19 Ryan Babel
15 Peter Crouch |
|
1 Edwin Van Der
Sar
3 Patrice Evra
5 Rio Ferdinand
6 Wes Brown
15 Numanja Vidic
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
4 Owen Hargreaves
8 Oliveira Anderson
11 Ryan Giggs
10 Wayne Rooney
32 Carlos Alberto Tevez
Subs:
29 Tomasz Kuszczak
22 John O'Shea
16 Michael Carrick
24 Darren Fletcher
9 Louis Saha |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Kewell (Babel 65)
Kuyt (Crouch 73)
Riise (Aurelio 80) |
|
Tevez (Carrick 83)
Anderson (O'Shea 90) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Mark Halsey
(Lancashire) |
| Booked: Gerrard 33, Mascherano 63 |
|
Booked: Evra 15, Anderson 33, Brown
36 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
Anfield (capacity 45,362)
Attendance: 44,459 |
|
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool)
Alex Ferguson (Manchester U) |
 Price: J3,00
Notes:
- Liverpool went on an unbeaten run of 31 games at Anfield in the League since this
loss, ended by Aston Villa on 24th August 2009.
|
|
 REDS
0 - 1 MAN UTD: THE REPORT
Liverpool have fallen to their first league defeat of the season at Anfield after a
first half goal from Carlos Tevez gave Manchester United a fortunate 1-0 win.
Just like in the same fixture last season, Rafa's side dominated their much vaunted
opponents, but they succumbed to a sucker punch from Tevez on the stroke of half time.
Liverpool created most of the game's best chances and United twice cleared off the
line, but the defending champions stole the points in one of their few attacks.
United kicked off attacking the Kop End, but it was Liverpool who were first to
threaten when Torres' shot flew wide of Van Der Sar's left hand post. And that was the way
of it for most of the first half, Liverpool attacking and United defending.
The opening quarter of the match was as tight as these games usually are. Both
sides were struggling to make any meaningful attacking move, but Liverpool had always
looked more likely and they came desperately close to taking the lead in the 25th minute.
The chance came when Van Der Sar came for a corner and flapped at the ball,
Liverpool kept it alive and it eventually found Kewell and his shot had goal written all
over it until the appearance of Anderson on the line to clear. Torres had a secondary
chance when Anderson's block looped into the air, but he couldn't get his header on
target.
Liverpool were growing in confidence and they forced another goalline clearance
just minutes later, this time from Evra. Again, it looked odds on the Reds would score as
Kuyt closed in, but Evra slid in to clear and the chance was gone.
The visitors had shown little in an attacking sense and we looked set for a
goalless first half, but United stunned Anfield when they took the lead against the run of
play in the 43rd minute. Alex Ferguson's side had done little to suggest they would score,
but they got a lucky break when Rooney's scuffed shot found its way to Tevez, who scored
from close range.
Memories of the same fixture last season were instantly revived by Tevez's late
sucker punch, but Liverpool would at least have time to do something about it in the
second half.
The Reds restarted the game and immediately went on the hunt for an equalizer. No
one more typified their desire to get back into the game than Steven Gerrard and he
signalled the intent when his shot warmed the hands of Van Der Sar.
Liverpool were giving it everything and the Anfield crowd, ignoring the fact that
they were bitterly cold, were getting right behind them. A free kick 30 yards out gave
Riise the chance to unleash his left foot on the ball, but the United wall stopped it
reaching the goal.
Just like in the first half, we saw little sign of United as an attacking threat.
They had stolen the points here last year and they looked like they were out to do it
again.
Rafa Benitez introduced Ryan Babel and Peter Crouch to the action just after the
hour and Babel was to come within inches of equalizing when his well struck right foot
shot flashed just wide of the post.
The Reds kept going right until the end and Gerrard curled a free kick just over,
but there was to be no equalizer and it will be no consolation that they deserved so much
more.
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Arbeloa,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Mascherano, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres. Subs - Aurelio, Babel, Crouch,
Itandje, Leiva.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Brown, Ronaldo, Hargreaves,
, Giggs (c), Rooney, Tevez. Subs - Carrick, Fletcher, Kuszczak, O'Shea, Saha.
Referee: M Halsey
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Javier Mascherano
Breakdown
13:32 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : United get the game underway attacking the Kop end.
2 mins : It may be cold but both sets of fans are well up for this.
3 mins : Vidic brings down Torres - a sign of things to come as Fernando had skinned him.
3 mins : First chance Liverpool. Hyypia flicks over from Torres' acrobatic attempt.
4 mins : Rio hoofs into touch under pressure from Torres.
6 mins : Agger and Alonso are both in the crowd. Hopefully they aren't too far off a
return.
7 mins : It's been a cagey opening with no-one on top.
8 mins : Brown pulls down Kewell but the referee decides it's not a booking.
8 mins : Sami hammers a 30-yard effort well over. Keep it up Reds.
9 mins : Corner to United after a great block on Ronaldo from Carra.
9 mins : Stevie heads clear and the danger passes.
11 mins : Awesome tackle on Ronaldo by Mascherano.
11 mins : ad mistake by Carra nearly allows Tevez in. Keep calm lad!
12 mins : United are holding a high line. Could be good news for Torres later in the
match.
13 mins : Torres has his first real sight of goal but drags his effort just wide.
15 mins : First Booking: Patrice Evra:
17 mins : Low free-kick from Ronaldo is comfortably cleared.
18 mins : Ronaldo is subjected to boos for another one of his oscar winning dives!
19 mins : United's best spell of possession ends with Evra running it out for a goal kick.
20 mins : It's very even so far. We've had more shots but there's nothing between the
sides.
21 mins : Torres goes down in the penalty arera but it was a good challenge. No spot-kick.
22 mins : Who did Steve Hunter's LFC quiz on Friday? I got 10/10! The font of all LFC
knowledge Jamie C would be proud!
24 mins : Rafa will be loving this, it's just like a game of chess out there.
25 mins : It has to be said that neither side are keeping the ball well.
26 mins : Hargreaves and Riise square up. They both get a talking to from the ref.
27 mins : Corner to LFC. Stevie to take...
28 mins : Chance of the match. Kewell's shot blocked on the line and Torres heads rebound
wide. It should have been.
30 mins : Wonderful tackle by Gerrard after Anderson raced clear.
32 mins : Van Der Saar is having a nightmare. He missed the ball but Kuyt was denied at
the last second with the goal gaping.
33 mins : First Booking: Steven Gerrard:
33 mins : First Booking: Anderson :
34 mins : Riise cuts in from the left but his right foot shot flies well wide.
36 mins : First Booking: Wes Brown:
36 mins : Free-kick to Liverpool 30 yards out.
38 mins : Gerrard's shot is blocked into Torres' path but his cross cum shot is just wide
of the far post.
40 mins : Kewell tries an overhead pass on the edge of the box but it comes to nothing.
42 mins : Dirk takes a piggyback ride on Anderson!
43 mins : Corner to United following another Carra block.
43 mins : GOAL! Carlos Tevez:
45 mins : There will be a minimum of one minute added time.
14:18 GMT : Half Time Reached
14:34 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool restart the second period attacking the Kop end.
46 mins : Instant chance for Liverpol but Torres mis-controls in the area.
47 mins : We need a BIG second half. How many times do United take a lead and lose - not
many.
48 mins : A nice break form Torres and Kuyt but the Spaniard's cross ends up in the Kop.
50 mins : Rafa is out of the dugout. Brown hits a volley for United but it's easy for
Reina.
51 mins : I think that was their third shot of the match.
51 mins : Great defending by Sami after a rapid United break involving Rooney and Ronaldo.
52 mins : The game is beginning to get stretched. Ferdinand and Torres square up but once
again the ref intervenes.
54 mins : We are starting to dominate but United look good on the counter-attack.
55 mins : A difficult chance for Benayoun as he heads Riise's cross over.
55 mins : Another half chance as Stevie volleys Kewell's clever pass wide on the stretch.
57 mins : It's a big crowd here today. 44,459.
57 mins : Another poor cross from Liverpool. This time Kuyt fails to find a teammate in
the box.
58 mins : Rash defending from Vidic after Mascherano's effort nearly breaks for Torres.
Could they be caving under the pressure?
60 mins : We are just past the hour mark and we've got a free-kick 25 yards from Van Der
Saar's goal.
61 mins : Riise strikes it with venom but it is well blocked and United can breathe again.
62 mins : It's all Liverpool but we aren't really carving out many chances.
63 mins : First Booking: Javier Mascherano:
64 mins : United have a free-kick in the Liverpool half as Babel gets stripped for action
on the sideline.
65 mins : Liverpool regain possession after a foul by Rooney on Carra.
66 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Harry Kewell:
66 mins : Babel moves out to the left wing in place of Kewell.
67 mins : Good work by Stevie down the left but his searching cross is well claimed by Van
Der Saar.
68 mins : Corner to LFC. Come on Reds!!!
68 mins : There's a huge shout for handball. But nothing's given.
69 mins : More boos for Ronaldo as he hits the deck - yet again.
70 mins : It's been a strange game. We've just edged it but so far it hasn't been our day.
71 mins : Huge roars of approval from the crowd as Rafa calls for Crouchie.
72 mins : A mistake by Benayoun nearly leads to a United goal, but Hargreaves' shot is
deflected wide.
73 mins : Substitution: Peter Crouch for Dirk Kuyt:
75 mins : United are pressing well and the Reds are struggling to create clear-cut
chances.
76 mins : Ryan Babel hits the shot of the match but his 25 yard strike fizzes agonisingly
wide.
77 mins : Rooney and Ronaldo nearly get in for a second but Gerrard is there. Nice one
Stevie.
78 mins : Rooney has just missed an absolute sitter. Ronaldo turned Hyypia and put it on a
plate for the former Everton man but he somehow fired a shot wide from six yards out.
80 mins : Substitution: Fabio Aurelio for John Arne Riise:
81 mins : A Liverpool corner comes to nothing with Babel's shot well blocked on the edge
of the box.
82 mins : Rafa has used all his subs so it's just a case of hoping we can manufacture a
chance in the last 10 minutes now.
83 mins : Substitution: Michael Carrick for Carlos Tevez:
84 mins : United have looked really dangerous on the counter attack.
85 mins : It's kitchen sink time!
85 mins : Gerrard turns well on the edge of the box but his shot is well over the bar,
86 mins : Vidic has coped admirably with the aerial threat of Crouch.
88 mins : free-kick to Liverpool on the right. Can we grab a deserved equaliser?
88 mins : No. Aurelio's free-kick doesn't clear the first man and United look set for
three points.
90 mins : There will be a minimum of three minutes added time.
90 mins : Crouchie fires a shot wide after Torres' flick on found him 25 yards from goal.
90 mins : Last chance saloon. A free-kick on the edge of the area. We need a Roy of the
Rovers moment.
90 mins : Substitution: John O'Shea for Anderson :
90 mins : Stevie curls just over and it looks like a United win.
15:23 GMT : Match Over
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