Liverpool 3 Norwich 0 - report from PA

PA Sport, 25 Sept 2004
Liverpool 3 Norwich 0

Liverpool warmed up for their Champions League date in Athens on Tuesday
with Spanish star Xabi Alonso in red hot form.

The 22-year-old has already won over the Anfield public and he was just
unstoppable against outplayed Norwich.

Alonso certainly made the home fans forget the loss of injured hero Steven
Gerrard.

The Premiership newcomers never got close to controlling the cultured
midfielder - who more than made up for the absence of Gerrard with a
display of wonderful passing as he controlled the game.

Milan Baros, Luis Garcia and Djibril Cisse grabbed the goals, but the
architect of everything good that Liverpool achieved in maintaining their
100 per cent home league record spun from the glittering boots of Alonso.

Rafael Benitez coped with the loss of Gerrard from midfield with a broken
foot by opting to play a second striker in Baros to support Cisse, while
youngster Stephen Warnock took over on the left of midfield from thigh
strain victim Harry Kewell.

The Spanish coach also rested full back Josemi, no doubt with the Champions
League game away to Olympiacos in mind, and returned Steve Finnan to his
more usual right back role.

For Norwich it was another tough game in a severe opening examination in
the Premiership. They left Anfield having played five of the top six from
last season's Premier League and can be forgiven for wanting a slightly
easier spell now.

Norwich were under intense pressure from the start, as Alonso took command
of midfield, spraying a succession of perfectly weighted passes to all
corners of the pitch.

His first involvement came when he spun a 40 yarder to Warnock, who chested
it into John Arne Riise's path and watched as the Norwegian surged into the
box but slashed his effort wide.

Luis Garcia then cut in fom the right and cracked a rising drive just wide
of the far post, while Cisse, off balance, headed over after a Warnock
cross spun to him a couple of yards out.

Alonso then found space with embarrassing ease and had Baros' first touch
been better the Czech would have taken quicker advantage of the supply he
was getting.

The chances kept coming, Cisse had a close range effort blocked and Warnock
a bouncing effort held by Robert Green.

But Liverpool finally broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Dietmar Hamann
fed Baros, and the Czech moved to his right before blasting a fierce 20
yarder into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later Liverpool were two ahead. This time it was Garcia
jinking and twisting on the edge of the box before finding a yard for a
left foot shot that clipped Craig Fleming and flew past Green.

How Norwich got to the break without conceding again is anyone's guess.
Garcia flashed a shot wide, Cisse had another deflected over as the
Premiership newboys were run ragged and unable to stop the flow of
destruction that was being threaded through and round their defence by Alonso.

Norwich needed to do something and boss Nigel Worthington went for more
attacking options by sending on Leon McKenzie and David Bentley at the
break for Doherty and Youssef Safri, and the pair had enough pace about
them to make Liverpool's defence think.

The Canaries were far more competitive in the second period, working hard
to close the space Alonso was operating in. Francis was warned for one late
challenge on the Liverpool man, and he was certainly under more pressure now.

Cisse had missed out on much of the fun in the first half, still struggling
for his touch but at least he was getting involved more and working to shut
down defenders.

He finally got himself on the scoresheet on 63 minutes, benefiting from
what looked like a messed-up set piece. Riise touched the ball to Alonso,
25 yards out for what should have been a shot, but the ball was not quite
in the right spot and Alonso flicked it on to Cisse who drilled a low drive
past Green's right hand.

Before the re-start Alonso was withdrawn to a standing ovation and Salif
Diao took over.

Benitez replaced Cisse with Djimi Traore and then withdrew Warnock to give
Igor Biscan a run-out.

Riise and Baros both had efforts that went close to adding to the scoreline.

Norwich, still without a win in the league since their promotion, kept
going but still could not test Dudek.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Alonso (Diao 65),
Hamann, Warnock (Biscan 77), Luis Garcia, Baros, Cisse (Traore 71)
Subs not used: Kirkland, Josemi
Booked: Hamann
Goals: Baros 23, Luis Garcia 26, Cisse 64

Norwich: Green, Drury, Fleming, Charlton, Edworthy, McVeigh (Jonson 75),
Safri (Bentley 45), Francis, Holt, Huckerby, Doherty (McKenzie 45)
Subs not used: Ward, Helveg
Booked: none

Att: 43,152
Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire)

ALONSO IMPRESSES BENITEZ

Rafael Benitez admitted he was delighted with Liverpool's performance in
beating Norwich 3-0, but insisted his players "still need to raise their
level".

Manager Benitez witnessed an outstanding display from £11m midfielder Xabi
Alonso which had the Anfield crowd on their feet, and he said: "Xabi is a
very clever player, I am pleased for him and the way he has settled in.

"We do not have Steven Gerrard through injury but we have four other
players who can perform in midfield.

"What is important is that we need to play well and if we do that it does
not matter who we are playing.

"I learn all the time about my team, we still need to progress and still
raise our level.

"We played well here but I still need to see my team play against stronger
sides."

He continued: "I am still learning about my team, every game and every day
in training - we are about 60 per cent of what I want."

Benitez confirmed that Alonso had been withdrawn in the second half with
tightness in his leg muscles as a precaution before Liverpool fly out on
Monday to Athens for their Champions League game with Olympiacos the
following night.

Norwich boss Nigel Worthington accepted that his brave side walked into a
Liverpool team finding their form.

He said: "Rafael Benitez has taken over and brought in some excellent
players and the future looks very rosy for them.

"For us it a challenge to try to survive in the top flight.

"We are still without a win in seven games now so we must get off the mark
soon.

"People are saying that we have played a lot of the big teams, Chelsea,
Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester United, and now things will get a little
easier.

"But that is not the case, this is a ruthless division and it is full of
quality which makes every team dangerous to us.

"Liverpool were very, very good in that first half. You have to hand it to
them, they were sheer quality on the day.

"But it is a learning curve for us and will do us no harm.

"But Alonso was in a different class, you would pay good money anywhere in
the world to see top class performances like that.

"We were not on top of our game, but I have to say Liverpool were superb."