| Sunday 30 December 2007 16:00 FA
Barclays Premier League |
| |
 |
|
 |
| "Manchester
City" |
0 - 0 |
"Liverpool" |
| |
(0-0) |
|
| |
| GOAL |
| |
|
|
| |
25 Joe Hart
3 Michael Ball
22 Richard Dunne (c)
2 Micah Richards
4 Nedum Onuoha
15 Martin Petrov
16 Vedran Corluka
21 Dietmar Hamann
7 Stephen Ireland
11 Elano Blumer
12 Darius Vassell
Subs:
1 Andreas Isaksson
24 Javi Gorrido
28 Gelson Fernandez
8 Deiberson Geovanni
10 Rolando Bianchi |
|
25 Jose Reina
17 Alvaro Arbeloa
3 Steve Finnan
12 Fabio Aurelio
23 Jamie Carragher
20 Javier Mascherano
7 Harry Kewell
8 Steven Gerrard (c)
11 Yossi Benayoun
9 Fernando Torres
18 Dirk Kuyt
Subs:
30 Charles Itandje
6 John Arne Riise
14 Xabi Alonso
19 Ryan Babel
10 Andriy Voronin |
| |
| SUBSTITUTIONS |
Ireland (Fernandez 61)
Elano (Bianchi 70)
Vassell (Geovanni 76) |
|
Kewell (Babel 75) |
| |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS |
| Referee: Uriah Rennie |
| Booked: |
|
Booked: Torres 85 |
| VENUE |
|
MANAGERS |
City of Manchester Stadium ( )
Attendance: 47,221 |
|
Sven-Goran Eriksson (M C)
Rafael Benitez (Liverpool) |
 Price: J3,00
|
|
CITY 0-0 REDS: THE
REPORT
Liverpool go into the New Year in fourth spot after the final game of 2007 finished
goalless at the City of Manchester Stadium.
The Reds knocked and knocked, but a defensive masterclass from Micah Richards and
Richard Dunne means they enter the second half of the season 10 points adrift of the top,
albeit with a game in hand.
A goalline clearance prevented Dirk Kuyt from netting the winner in the closing
moments, but it was perhaps unsurprising that a fixture which has seen just four goals in
five games ended 0-0.
No side has come away from Eastlands with three points this season, and while a
draw is by no means a bad result, Rafa Benitez is likely to be the more disappointed of
the managers - especially considering Christmas slip ups from Arsenal and Man Utd.
Sven commissioned his very own bodyguard for the man he described as 'perfection' -
Steven Gerrard. No, not Didi Hamann - The Kaiser never had the legs at 24, never mind 34.
Instead, the more mobile Vedran Corluka followed the Liverpool skipper wherever he went,
harrying and sliding to thwart his every move.
Gerrard dropped deeper, from where he launched a series of long balls to Harry
Kewell, Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres. Sometimes it was the offside flag which prevented a
breakthrough, occasionally it was a poor first touch. More often, however, it was the
excellent Richards and Dunne.
Two minutes later the Brazilian tried again. This time it was tipped over by Joe
Hart.
Things opened up for Yossi Benayoun when the Israeli wandered in from the right on
43 minutes. Like Aurelio, though, his shot was just the wrong side of the woodwork.
It was going to take something special to break the deadlock.
Torres is something special, no doubt, but two spurned chances inside the first two
minutes of the second half indicated it might not be his day.
Benayoun, too, can turn a game, as he nearly did with a finger-breaking hit from 30
yards on 58 minutes, but the chances were coming too infrequently to make an opener
inevitable.
City went to 4-5-1 in the face of increasing pressure, shoving Elano out to the right
before replacing him with top scorer and t-total Rolando Bianchi. The game tightened up
once more.
Gerrard started to push further and further forward but was restricted to a sole long shot
as the minutes ticked away.
Both sides were starting to tire, but more notably the hosts, who twice hung on by
the skin of their teeth in the last 10, first when Kuyt had a header cleared off the line,
then when the impregnable Dunne stopped Benayoun's low shot which seemed bound for the
bottom corner.
It just wasn't to be for Liverpool, who go into the New Year knowing they have to
close a 10-pont gap on Arsenal if they are to end their 18-year wait for a title.
Teams
Manchester City: Hart, Ball, Dunne (c), Richards, Onuoha, Petrov, Corluka, Hamann,
Ireland, Blumer, Vassell. Subs - Bianchi, Fernandez, Gorrido, Isaksson,
Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Carragher, Finnan,
Kewell, Gerrard (c), Mascherano, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres. Subs - Alonso, Babel, Itandje,
Riise, Voronin.
Referee: Uriah Rennie
Conditions: Unavailable
Attendance: Unavailable
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Jamie Carragher
Breakdown
16:02 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Liverpool get the match under way
1 min : The Reds get an early chance, but no one can connect with Gerrard's cross
3 mins : Danger now as Petrov almost gets in, but Arbeloa is there to clear
4 mins : A clash between Torres and Richards leaves both players requiring treatment
5 mins : Both are back on and the game continues
6 mins : Good play between Kuyt and Kewell gives Aurelio the chance to cross, but it's too
high
9 mins : A chance for City, but Ireland's shot is well cleared by Arbeloa
11 mins : Reds fans are heavily out-numbered, but they're making their voices heard
12 mins : Benayoun's pass almost gets Torres in, but Dunne covers well
13 mins : The home side cry for a penalty as the ball hits Torres in the area, but the
referee waves play on
17 mins : Liverpool are dominating possession, but the City defence are standing firm
18 mins : Gerrard tries to put Torres away, but Richards is equal to it
21 mins : Gerrard's shot is well wide, but more encouragement for the Reds
22 mins : Petrov's shot is easy for Reina
24 mins : Kewell and Torres lead a Liverpool break which results in Kuyt's shot being
brilliantly blocked by Richards
26 mins : Liverpool have City on the back foot again with this time Kewell's shot bringing
a save from Hart
27 mins : It's end to end and now it's City's turn to threaten when only the quick action
of Carragher stops Elano getting in
31 mins : The Reds come close again as Kuyt's shot is deflected just wide
31 mins : Liverpool are on the front foot again as Aurelio's long ranger goes just wide
33 mins : Aurelio tries again from way out and Hart has to turn it over
39 mins : Torres tries to trick Dunne, but the City defender gets the ball away
40 mins : Petrov's pace takes him away from Arbeloa and Carragher does brilliantly to
clear with Vassell lurking
44 mins : Benayoun turns brilliantly on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot flashes
wide
45 mins : There will be a minimum of 1 additional minute
16:48 GMT : Half Time Reached
17:07 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : City get us restarted, Liverpool will be attacking the goal behind which their
fans are gathered in the second half
48 mins : Torres has a great chance, but his close range effort is saved by Hart
48 mins : Torres is in again and this time he gets the ball past Hart, but it's wide
49 mins : Richards fouls Torres and the Reds have a free kick 25 yards out
50 mins : Liverpool so close again as Gerrard's free kick is just wide
51 mins : Liverpool have started the second half brilliantly, but they need to score while
they're on top
55 mins : Rafa hasn't sast down in the second half, he's still prowling his technical area
56 mins : Mascherano does well to stop a maruading Vassell
58 mins : The fans scream for a penalty, but the ball hit Finnan's chest and Liverpool
clear
59 mins : Benayoun hits a rocket, but Hart saves again
60 mins : Substitution: Gelson Fernandez for Stephen Ireland:
60 mins : Aurelio's in on the left and finds Kewell, but his lay back is too short for
Gerrard - Liverpool are dominating this
60 mins : Aurelio's in on the left and finds Kewell, but his lay back is too short for
Gerrard - Liverpool are dominating this
63 mins : Benayoun pulls the ball down and finds Gerrard, but his instant shot is high and
wide
67 mins : Corluka tries to find Ball, but his pass is overhit
69 mins : Dunne does well to catch Torres, but he concedes a corner
69 mins : Benayoun lifts the corner to the far post, but Kewell cant get his header on
target
70 mins : Substitution: Rolando Bianchi for Elano Blumer:
71 mins : Gerrard finds Benayoun as Liverpool attack again, but he cant get much power on
his shot and Hart saves
74 mins : Substitution: Ryan Babel for Harry Kewell:
75 mins : Substitution: Geovanni for Darius Vassell:
78 mins : Babel lays it into Gerrard's pass, but Stevie is off target with his shot
80 mins : Mascherano does well and finds Kuyt, but his cross is behind everyone
83 mins : Bianchi handballs to give Liverpool a free kick
84 mins : Liverpool have clearly the better side, but it's still 0-0
85 mins : First Booking: Fernando Torres:
86 mins : Babel gets into the box, but City defend well again
86 mins : City clear off the line as their defending becomes desperate
87 mins : Dunne has been man of the match here, now he makes a superb block to deny
Benayoun
90 mins : Kuyt crosses into the box, but it's easy for Hart
90 mins : There will be three added minutes
17:53 GMT : Match Over
© Copyright of Official Site Liverpool FC |
