| Barclaycard Premiership Liverpool v Birmingham City 30th November 2003 |
Blues had taken the lead at Anfield, but an impressive Liverpool fight-back, coupled with some sloppy Blues play meant that Gerard Houllier's men ran out 3-1 winners thanks to goals from Steven Gerrard, Harry Kewell and Emile Heskey.
As expected, Christophe Dugarry returned to the Blues side in place of Aliou Cisse, allowing David Dunn to return to midfield. Somewhat more surprsingly, however, was Ian Bennett's return to first team action in goal, replacing flu-ridden Maik Taylor. Jovan Kirovksi's impressive form for the Reserves also led to a recall to the First 16 for the American International.
Liverpool started the game brightly, and with Michael Owen out, it was no surprise that it was their only other real class players, in Gerrard and Kewell, who were proving to be a threat. Kewell was a tricky customer for Damien Johnson to handle, whilst Gerrard was spraying his passes around from a deep midfield role, as we all know he can.
Blues did settle though, and went close twice within about a minute. First Dugarry capitalised on some poor defending, but his first touch let him down as he was clean through on Chris Kirkland in the Liverpool goal. Then moments later a Stan Lazaridis header from a Johnson cross was well-saved by Kirkland.
Liverpool created one or two opportunities from crosses, but they were all well dealt with by Bennett, and it was perhaps no surprise when Blues took the lead on 32 minutes. Lazaridis had been terrorising makeshift right-back Salif Diao all game, and Diao was finally cautioned for another foul on the Australian. From the resulting free-kick, Robbie Savage sent a deep cross to the far post where Mikael Forssell was on hand to volley home his sixth goal for the club in only his tenth game.
Liverpool were controversially level just 2 minutes later, however. Kenny Cunningham was adjudged to have hauled down pacy striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle in the area. As if the fact that the young French striker hadn't been throwing himself to ground all afternoon wasn't enough, in the build up to the goal Dietmar Hamann had taken the most blatant foul throw right in front of the Blues fans, yet the assistant referee hadn't been looking. Apart from all that, then maybe it was a penalty... Even though Bennett guessed the right way, Gerrard's spot kick was too good for him.
Liverpool started the second half impressively, and when Sinama-Pongolle stayed on his feet, he provided a real threat, on one occasion taking advantage of some sloppy play by Matthew Upson, and almost teeing up Heskey. The home side were now in full flow, and sent on Vladimir Smicer and then midway through the half John Arne Riise for the ever-dreadful Djimi Traore. Seconds after coming on, and with his first touch, Riise delivered a magnificent cross which was met superbly by Kewell with a diving header at the far post to make it 2-1 to Liverpool.
Liverpool were now in control and went close again through a Hamann header that Jamie Clapham cleared off the line, and again through a Gerrard free-kick that Bennett tipped over the bar. It was 3-1, however, after 78 minutes, when Heskey brought a Diao cross down on his chest, and executed an excellent scissors kick to leave Bennett with no chance.
Whilst Liverpool did play well in the second half, they were no doubt helped by some terrible play by Blues. Stephen Clemence, in particular, lost the ball twice needlessly in the build up to Kewell's strike - once taking the wrong option and secondly playing a hospital ball to the ineffective David Dunn - and then lost the ball stupidly again just prior to Diao's cross for Heskey's strike.
Blues still sit just two points off 4th place, but worringly the likes of Leicester, Bolton, etc are not that far behind Blues anymore either. The next two games against Blackburn and Leicester are crucial if Blues want to steer themselves clear of any sort of dogfight this season. Games like this at Anfield really highlight how important it is for Blues to take full advantage in other games, such as Aston Villa at home, Wolves away, etc. It might not be too long before Blues are really regretting such results, as games like this become far more important.
Liverpool: Kirkland, Diao, Biscan, Hyypia, Traore (Riise 67), Diouf (Smicer 55), Gerrard, Hamann, Kewell, Heskey, Sinama Pongolle (Murphy 79). Subs Not Used: Dudek, Le Tallec.
Birmingham: Bennett, Johnson, Cunningham, Upson (Tebily 76), Clapham, Dunn, Savage, Clemence (Morrison 80), Lazaridis, Dugarry (Kirovski 79), Forssell. Subs Not Used: Vaesen, Cisse. .
Attendance: 42,683.
Referee: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).