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| Liverpool 1 - 0 Everton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TORRES
PUTS REDS FIVE CLEAR IN FOURTH Liverpool have moved five points clear of Everton in the race for Champions League qualification after a 1-0 win in the 207th Merseyside derby. Fernando Torres bagged his 28th goal of the season to secure victory and put the Reds firmly in control with six games remaining. The result, which makes it eight victories in nine, also sends Rafa Benitez and his squad to the Emirates with confidence firmly restored following defeat at Old Trafford seven days ago. Benitez was asked at Friday's pre-match press conference whether he'd rest players today ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg. Unsurprisingly, the journalist was given short shrift. The race for fourth is clearly as important to Liverpool's future as progression in this season's Anglo-European Cup, so it was no surprise to see El Nino line up ahead of Steven Gerrard in a 4-2-3-1 formation which, until last Sunday, had yielded seven straight victories. The only big-name absentee was Javier Mascherano, who is still waiting to hear whether his one-match suspension following last weekend's red card will be extended. The match began amid the usual banter between both sets of supporters. The Kop spent the opening minutes reminding their city cousins they're 'not Scousers anymore' due to the Toffees' proposed relocation to Kirby. It wasn't long before the Reds were on top on the pitch, too. Seven minutes, in fact. That's how long it took Torres to get Liverpool's 100th goal of the campaign. The chance came after Xabi Alonso robbed Yakubu on the edge of the visitors' box before a Dirk Kuyt touch sent his strike partner through. Tim Howard made himself big but Torres gave him no chance with a cool finish into the bottom corner. The number nine has now scored in six consecutive home games, a club record he shares with Fred Pagnam (1919), Roger Hunt (1964), Ian Rush (1983) and Michael Owen (1999). Next he turned creator, leaving Joseph Yobo dizzy with his footwork before teeing up Kuyt. It wasn't an easy take for the Dutch international, but he eventually managed to get a shot in only for Tony Hibbert to throw his body in the way. Kuyt might have got his head on a dangerous corner from the skipper minutes later but, with the net gaping, the ball evaded him by inches. By this stage, Everton officials sitting in the press box were commenting that it seemed as if Liverpool had more men on the pitch. Their side's frustrations were certainly starting to show. Howard Webb, a referee who chooses common sense over pedantry, was forced to book both visiting central midfielders for rash challenges inside 20 minutes. It should have been 2-0 on 28 minutes when the recalled John Arne Riise flew down the left before crossing towards Ryan Babel. The winger's concentration just seemed to slip momentarily, however, and the chance was gone. The second very nearly did come six minutes before the break when Gerrard, who'd just delighted the majority of Anfield with a chainsaw of a tackle on centre-back Phil Jagielka, smashed a 25-yard volley against the post. A satisfying first half, then, with perhaps the only gripe being Liverpool's failure to make dominance count beyond the opener. David Moyes brought on Yakubu, Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar for the second half. At least, that's what anyone not watching the first closely might have thought, the trio proving totally ineffectual in the opening 45. 'The Yak', who Jamie Carragher described as one of the Premier League's best finishers in the matchday programme, even got a shot in on 50 minutes, though the whistle had already gone for an indiscretion. Leon Osman was next to threaten with a smart header from Arteta's in-swinging free-kick. Thankfully, it hit the Kop hoardings, though the visitors were starting to get foothold in the game. It took an expertly-timed tackle from Sami Hyypia to thwart Yakubu in the box on the hour mark. At the other end, Lucas had a decent hit blocked by Yobo, though chances seemed harder to come by as Everton pushed for an equaliser. Moyes again tried shuffling his pack, Leighton Baines replacing Phil Neville, who snatched his tracksuit top in anger as he made his way off to rapturous boos. If anything, the changed put a stop on the Toffees as an attacking force, with the only other chance of note falling to Kuyt, whose 20 yard curler was deflected narrowly wide by Fernandes. Stay logged on to Liverpoolfc.tv for highlights on Monday. Teams Liverpool: Reina, Riise, Hyypia, Skrtel, Carragher, Babel, Alonso, Leiva, Kuyt, Gerrard (c), Torres. Subs - Benayoun, Crouch, Finnan, Itandje, Pennant. Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Yobo, Lescott, Pienaar, Carsley, Neville (c), Arteta, Osman, . Subs - Baines, Fernandes, Gravesen, Valente, Wessels. Referee: Howard Webb Conditions: Unavailable Attendance: Unavailable Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Sami Hyypia Breakdown 15:02 GMT : Match Starts 1 min : Liverpool kick off the 207th Merseyside Derby attacking the Kop End 1 min : The Reds are quickly on the attack, but Torres can't control Gerrard's cross 2 mins : Arteta tests Reina with a shot from 20 yards 3 mins : Kuyt flights a cross into the box, but Howard gathers comfortably 5 mins : Carragher signals his intent with a good tackle on Lescott 6 mins : Lucas releases Babel, but his cross is cleared by Carsley 7 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: El Nino slides his 28th goal of the season past Howard and makes it 1-0 8 mins : First Booking: Lee Carsley: For a foul on Torres 8 mins : Gerrard curls the free kick wide from the edge of the box 12 mins : Skirtel heads the ball into touch with Yakubu hot on his heels 13 mins : Babel beats Hibbert and crosses and Lescott has to head behind for a corner 13 mins : Gerrard's corner reaches Riise, but he volleys wide 15 mins : Torres gets the better of Jagielka, but Yobo is there to clear 16 mins : Torres invites to shoot and Howard has to make a good save 16 mins : It was Kuyt with the Liverpool shot 17 mins : First Booking: Phil Neville: 20 mins : Skrtel does well to clear under pressure 22 mins : Carragher hits the ball out of Lescott, but the referee gives a corner 23 mins : Lescott gets the ball in a dangerous position, but he's wasteful 25 mins : Riise's cross is blocked for another Reds corner 25 mins : Kuyt holds his head in his hands wondering how he didnt get his head to Gerrard's cross with the goal gaping 27 mins : Alonso makes a great tackle on Arteta 28 mins : It's Babel's turn to hold his head in his hands after he just fails to connect with Riise's cross 32 mins : Liverpool are applying some pressure, Babel again just inches away from a vital touch 35 mins : Gerrard gets the crowd going with two excellent tackles on Jagielka 36 mins : Yobo has to be quick to stop Torres getting away 37 mins : Yakubu goes down easily under challenge from Hyypia, but he still gets a free kick 38 mins : Babel is running at Hibbert, but the Everton man gets a foot to the ball just as the Dutchman is about to go past him 40 mins : It should be 2-0 but Gerrard's superb volley comes back off the post with Howard beaten 42 mins : Hibbert climbs on Torres' shoulders and the Reds have a free kick 44 mins : Torres lays the ball back for Kuyt, but he cant get his shot on target 45 mins : There will be a minimum of 1 minute added time 15:48 GMT : Half Time Reached 16:05 GMT : Second Half Begins 46 mins : Everton get the second half underway 47 mins : Torres warms the hands of Howard with a scooped shot 48 mins : Yakubu wins a corner off Hyypia 49 mins : First Booking: Steven Pienaar: 52 mins : Yakubu goes down easily again and again he gets the free kick 54 mins : It's been a slow start to the second half, but that will suit Liverpool 56 mins : Today's attendance is 44,295 58 mins : Yakubu wins a free kick in a dangerous area for the Reds 59 mins : The Reds clear, but the referee awards another free kick for a foul by Lucas 59 mins : Arteta's cross is good and Osman should score, but he headed wide 60 mins : Hyypia makes an absolutely brilliant tackle on Yakubu when he looks likely to equalise 61 mins : Substitution: Manuel Fernandes for Steven Pienaar: 64 mins : Kuyt wants a foul against Lescott, but the referee says no 66 mins : Gerrard spreads the ball to Babel, but his cross is intercepted by Carsley 67 mins : Alonso's shot is goalbound, but Lescott makes a good block 68 mins : Lucas looks sure to score, but this time it's Yobo making the block 69 mins : Gerrard wins the ball off Yobo and surges into the area, but Yobo recovers well 70 mins : Skrtel makes a superb challenge on Neville to see off the danger 71 mins : First Booking: Phil Jagielka: 72 mins : Substitution: Leighton Baines for Phil Neville: 73 mins : Gerrard looks for Torres, but Yobo covers well 76 mins : Babel is rushing to close down Howard, but the Everton stopper manages to clear in time 77 mins : Pennant is getting ready to come on 79 mins : Skrtel makes another fine challenge 82 mins : Substitution: Yossi Benayoun for Ryan Babel: It's Benayoun and not Pennant who comes on 83 mins : We're heading for a nervous finale 85 mins : Torres breaks and crosses towards Kuyt, but Howard gathers 88 mins : Kuyt's shot is deflected and spins just inches wide 89 mins : First Booking: Fernando Torres: 90 mins : Substitution: Jermaine Pennant for Fernando Torres: El Nino gets a standing ovation 90 mins : Gerrard fires in an excellent shot and Howard has to produce a good stop 90 mins : There will be a minimum of three minutes added 90 mins : The ball is with Reina, we're nearly there 90 mins : Substitution: Peter Crouch for Steven Gerrard: 16:54 GMT : Match Over Copyright of Official Site Liverpool FC |
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