Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
EPL: West Bromwich Albion 1 - 1 Liverpool (all goals - highlights - HD) 2014
West Bromwich Albion 1 - 1 Liverpool
 |
| West Bromwich Albion vs Liverpool FC |
Download Video Highlight MoTD : WBA vs LFC
Daniel Sturridge's 50th Barclays Premier League goal was only enough to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw from a hard-fought meeting with West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Sunday.
The 24-year-old registered midway through the first half from a Luis Suarez assist to hand Brendan Rodgers' team an advantage and achieve the landmark of a half-century in England's top flight.
But former Everton striker Victor Anichebe rose from the bench in the second period and struck within minutes of entering the action, capitalising on a defensive slip-up to claim a point for the Baggies.
It was confirmed before kick-off that Rodgers had retained exactly the same starting XI as the one that successfully downed Everton earlier in the week. Joe Allen, meanwhile, was fit enough to join the substitutes.
The first chance for Liverpool arrived on seven minutes, when Suarez drew a foul by Baggies midfielder Claudio Yacob yards outside the area; the Uruguayan could not produce another set-piece spectacular, though, and the effort deflected out off the wall.
Shortly before the quarter-hour mark, the No.7 was released with just a single defender to navigate - courtesy of a penetrating pass by Sturridge - but West Brom managed to crowd the Premier League top scorer and the opportunity faded.
Steven Gerrard smartly stretched a leg to block a driven shot by Youssouf Mulumbu, but the opening 20 minutes concluded with a level of activity in stark contrast to the events witnessed in Tuesday's Merseyside derby.
That changed on 25 minutes. Philippe Coutinho's incisive delivery inside the right channel allowed Raheem Sterling to speed in behind; the winger then laid off to Suarez, who somehow found the space to dink a cross to the back post and provide a simple finish for Sturridge.
On 33 minutes, it was almost 2-0 when Suarez attempted to divert Coutinho's inswinging corner beyond Ben Foster and Kolo Toure tried to force the loose ball over the line, only to be denied by the Albion 'keeper and his defence.
With momentum on their side, Rodgers' charges searched for a second - Coutinho cracked a low strike narrowly wide of the near post and Jonas Olsson had to react quickly to prevent Aly Cissokho's cross from reaching Suarez.
In riposte, Zoltan Gera - a scorer when the Reds were beaten on this ground in the first fixture of 2012-13 - unleashed a searing hit which whistled towards the top corner and, fortunately, travelled wide of Simon Mignolet's post.
When action resumed for the second half, it was the hosts causing the early concern. Gerrard tripped the dribbling Gera on the right edge of the Liverpool box and Chris Brunt was poised over the free-kick threateningly - his curler was too high, however.
The effective winger troubled the visitors once more moments later, connecting with a centre by his Hungarian teammate on the volley, but watching Jon Flanagan recover immediately to divert the shot as Pepe Mel's team upped the ante.
Mignolet was called into reflex action from the subsequent corner, keeping out a thunderous header by Gareth McAuley with an important save to ensure the Reds retained their superiority in the scoreline.
Kopites in attendance at the Hawthorns were on their feet expecting the advantage to be doubled seconds ahead of the hour mark, as Suarez danced around a succession of defenders with exquisite control and guided a finish that proved too close to Foster.
As the encounter entered its last quarter, the Baggies began to exert a level of dominance and the Reds' Belgian goalkeeper deserved further credit for his sprawl to the right after another dangerous set-piece situation involving Brunt.
But the stopper was powerless to keep out the equaliser which followed; in possession at the edge of his own territory, Toure sent a pass straight to recent substitute Anichebe, who instantly smashed a precise drive into the bottom left corner.
Rodgers' response was a double substitution - Allen and Martin Kelly replacing Coutinho and Flanagan respectively. The Welshman worked Foster shortly after, firing along the ground as Martin Skrtel pulled back Gerrard's delivery.
Hoping to make amends for the previous error, centre-back Toure climbed highest to connect with a corner from the Liverpool captain, but the Ivorian international misplaced his headed effort and it carried wide.
Neither side could muster a winner in the precious minutes that remained, leaving the Reds to return to Merseyside with a point in their ongoing quest for a top-four berth in the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion vs Liverpool FC in Pictures
Author: Phil Reade
Source : Liverpoolfc.com
Labels:
Liverpool FC MoTD »
Liverpool Video
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
EPL: Liverpool FC 4 - 0 Everton (all goals - highlights - HD) 2014
Liverpool 4 - 0 Everton
Liverpool v Everton by Fxxs 22
Liverpool Video Clips Download : Match Of the Day Highlight
Liverpool simply dismantled neighbours Everton 4-0 on Tuesday evening in a Merseyside derby that will rightfully take its place in the Reds' history books.
Fittingly, Steven Gerrard was the man to open the floodgates, paving the way for Daniel Sturridge to register twice in the first half and then Luis Suarez to seal the triumph with yet another remarkable individual goal.
The result - Brendan Rodgers' first win over the Blues - not only consolidated the hosts' current position in the Barclays Premier League top four but opened a four-point gap to their opponents.
When pre-match team news arrived, the teamsheet showed three changes by Rodgers - Jon Flanagan, Simon Mignolet and Raheem Sterling replacing Martin Kelly, Brad Jones and Victor Moses respectively from the side that beat Bournemouth last weekend.
The first warning shot was fired by the visitors with barely 60 seconds on the clock; Ross Barkley collected possession 45 yards from goal, strode forward and unleashed a left-footer which skimmed over the crossbar at the Kop end.
Within seconds, Tim Howard's palms were stung by a rasping Jordan Henderson volley, before outstanding pressing by Sterling presented Suarez with the chance to crash a low shot which the opposing goalkeeper dived to his left to claw away.
It's a common cliché to describe derbies as frenetic, but the 15 minutes truly were with the game played at a phenomenal pace, and Howard had to be alert again to deny Sterling after the winger connected with a Sturridge delivery and toe-poked goalwards.
An intricate exchange involving Henderson and Suarez ended with the latter dispatching a strike which was deflected for a corner on 21 minutes; the Uruguayan took the set-piece himself and planted it onto the head of the skipper, who powered home and set off on a ferocious celebration.
With Romelu Lukaku forced off injured, Liverpool sensed an opportunity and Sturridge whistled a curler inches over the woodwork from the left edge of the Everton penalty area after being teed up by Suarez.
Roberto Martinez's side responded and Mignolet was at full stretch to his right to place two strong hands on a drilled attempt by Blues defender Phil Jagielka as the tempo of the encounter merely increased on the half-hour.
Kevin Mirallas then struck a daisy-cutter from 20 yards which eluded the reach of Mignolet but, fortunately, travelled wide of the corner that the Belgian was aiming for. What happened next was incredible.
Firstly, Philippe Coutinho conjured a majestic through ball which dissected the Everton backline and gifted Sturridge the chance to take a touch and coolly lift a finish over Howard to extend the advantage to two.
Less than 120 seconds later, it was 3-0 and Sturridge had a second. Kolo Toure lofted a hopeful ball forward from the Liverpool half, but it was sufficient for the No.15 to raid in behind and lob a fabulous effort high into the Anfield air and perfectly back down into the far corner.
Everton kicked off the second period determined to gain a foothold on proceedings, and Mignolet was forced into an instant reaction to punch away a blistering drive by half-time substitute Leon Osman.
The effort precipitated another dramatic session of play. Suarez added a fourth for the home side five minutes into the half when he dribbled the entire length of the Blues' half and slotted an accurate finish into the corner from an angle.
Four minutes later, Howard rushed out to prevent the onrushing Sterling and could only clatter the No.31; handed penalty duties by the captain, however, Sturridge missed the chance for a hat-trick by smashing the spot-kick into the Kop end.
There was no let-up by Liverpool, though, and Coutinho almost deceived the Everton goalkeeper with a shot to the near post from a short Gerrard corner, before in riposte James McCarthy called on Mignolet to spring low and block his clipped hit.
But the night undoubtedly belonged to the Reds and, upon the final whistle, Kopites drifted home to reflect on what will deservedly be remembered as 'one of those nights at Anfield' for years to come.
Liverpool simply dismantled neighbours Everton 4-0 on Tuesday evening in a Merseyside derby that will rightfully take its place in the Reds' history books.
Fittingly, Steven Gerrard was the man to open the floodgates, paving the way for Daniel Sturridge to register twice in the first half and then Luis Suarez to seal the triumph with yet another remarkable individual goal.
The result - Brendan Rodgers' first win over the Blues - not only consolidated the hosts' current position in the Barclays Premier League top four but opened a four-point gap to their opponents.
When pre-match team news arrived, the teamsheet showed three changes by Rodgers - Jon Flanagan, Simon Mignolet and Raheem Sterling replacing Martin Kelly, Brad Jones and Victor Moses respectively from the side that beat Bournemouth last weekend.
The first warning shot was fired by the visitors with barely 60 seconds on the clock; Ross Barkley collected possession 45 yards from goal, strode forward and unleashed a left-footer which skimmed over the crossbar at the Kop end.
Within seconds, Tim Howard's palms were stung by a rasping Jordan Henderson volley, before outstanding pressing by Sterling presented Suarez with the chance to crash a low shot which the opposing goalkeeper dived to his left to claw away.
It's a common cliché to describe derbies as frenetic, but the 15 minutes truly were with the game played at a phenomenal pace, and Howard had to be alert again to deny Sterling after the winger connected with a Sturridge delivery and toe-poked goalwards.
An intricate exchange involving Henderson and Suarez ended with the latter dispatching a strike which was deflected for a corner on 21 minutes; the Uruguayan took the set-piece himself and planted it onto the head of the skipper, who powered home and set off on a ferocious celebration.
With Romelu Lukaku forced off injured, Liverpool sensed an opportunity and Sturridge whistled a curler inches over the woodwork from the left edge of the Everton penalty area after being teed up by Suarez.
Roberto Martinez's side responded and Mignolet was at full stretch to his right to place two strong hands on a drilled attempt by Blues defender Phil Jagielka as the tempo of the encounter merely increased on the half-hour.
Kevin Mirallas then struck a daisy-cutter from 20 yards which eluded the reach of Mignolet but, fortunately, travelled wide of the corner that the Belgian was aiming for. What happened next was incredible.
Firstly, Philippe Coutinho conjured a majestic through ball which dissected the Everton backline and gifted Sturridge the chance to take a touch and coolly lift a finish over Howard to extend the advantage to two.
Less than 120 seconds later, it was 3-0 and Sturridge had a second. Kolo Toure lofted a hopeful ball forward from the Liverpool half, but it was sufficient for the No.15 to raid in behind and lob a fabulous effort high into the Anfield air and perfectly back down into the far corner.
Everton kicked off the second period determined to gain a foothold on proceedings, and Mignolet was forced into an instant reaction to punch away a blistering drive by half-time substitute Leon Osman.
The effort precipitated another dramatic session of play. Suarez added a fourth for the home side five minutes into the half when he dribbled the entire length of the Blues' half and slotted an accurate finish into the corner from an angle.
Four minutes later, Howard rushed out to prevent the onrushing Sterling and could only clatter the No.31; handed penalty duties by the captain, however, Sturridge missed the chance for a hat-trick by smashing the spot-kick into the Kop end.
There was no let-up by Liverpool, though, and Coutinho almost deceived the Everton goalkeeper with a shot to the near post from a short Gerrard corner, before in riposte James McCarthy called on Mignolet to spring low and block his clipped hit.
But the night undoubtedly belonged to the Reds and, upon the final whistle, Kopites drifted home to reflect on what will deservedly be remembered as 'one of those nights at Anfield' for years to come.
Author: Phil Reade
Source: liverpoolfc.com
Labels:
Liverpool FC MoTD
