Liverpool 3 West Brom 0

PA Sport, 11 Sept 2004
Liverpool 3 West Brom 0

Liverpool fans have lost a glut of heroes this summer but now have a new
star to idolise in Luis Garcia.

Michael Owen may have gone to Spain but, coming the other way, Liverpool
have acquired a clever, mobile creative force from Barcelona who stole the
show with an outstanding display.

He flits from attack to midfield, finding space with ease, and produced a
display which had the Kop purring their approval.

He had been denied a perfectly legitimate goal at Bolton on his debut a
fortnight ago by a wrongly-raised linesman's flag.

This time he capped an excellent first appearance in front of the Kop with
Liverpool's third, having been a nightmare in blurred red for Albion all
afternoon.

Albion, with 10 new signings since their promotion and only six of last
season's side on the pitch at the start, found the gap in class is still as
vast as it was the last time they were in the top flight for just one
season two years ago.

Liverpool needed this performance to send them into the Champions League on
Wednesday full of confidence but boss Rafael Benitez will be just as
pleased with the intelligent, adaptable display of his side.

Benitez sprung a surprise after successive defeats in Europe and a
fortnight ago at Bolton.

New Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso was left on the bench, as was Milan Baros
while Steve Finnan made a return in a midfield.

Luis Garcia will be employed as a support striker behind Djibril Cisse and
the ex-Barcelona man's Anfield debut was a cracker.

He led Albion a merry dance with his clever runs and the way he found space
almost everywhere he appeared.

This was not the sort of creative player Albion had encountered in the
first division before last season's promotion.

Albion had £3.5million new boy Robert Earnshaw on the bench along with
another new face, former Atletico Madrid defender Cosmin Contra.

Benitez had asked for adaptability and movement from his side and Djibril
Cisse, Garcia and Harry Kewell produced the goods.

Baros had been the lone striker in this system at Bolton last time out but
this time it was Cisse's turn and he showed more imagination and thought
about his movement.

He had two efforts before Garcia almost forced Martin Albrechtsen into an
own goal as he stuck out a foot to deflect the ball to Russell Hoult, who
had to dive to his left to keep the ball out.

Finnan and Cisse had further shots blocked before Liverpool's increased
tempo earned them the lead on 16 minutes.

Luis Garcia found space to take a Finnan pass and then laid it into
Gerrard's path. The England man initially lost control but Albion were slow
to react and the midfielder ran on to lash it left footed past Hoult.

Albion struggled to contain Liverpool and Jonathan Greening almost headed
into his own net before Sami Hyypia's powerful header from a corner went
straight at a relieved Hoult.

Garcia delighted the home fans with his vision and pace and should should
have scored with a header when he was unmarked on the far post.

The second goal finally arrived three minutes from the break. John Arne
Riise sent a searching crossfield ball towards Finnan's run on the right
and the Irishman got the better of Paul Robinson in a tussle for the ball
before cutting onto his left foot and drilling the ball inside Hoult's near
post.

Cisse was heavily involved in a couple more openings as Liverpool fought
for their third before Albion almost hit back when Jerzy Dudek needed to
save well from a Riccardo Scimeca header.

Earnshaw finally got his first taste of Premiership football when he came
on for Horsfield but it was Luis Garcia who surely finished off Albion on
the hour. He carried the ball from his own half, exchanged passes with
Gerrard and then Cisse before cruising into space on the left.

He shaped to cross and then cracked a low, angled shot which Hoult pushed
away but only as far as the 26 year-old who slammed the ball home from six
yards.

Liverpool brought on Alonso, Baros and then Djimi Traore for Gerrard,
Kewell and Luis Garcia - the later receiving a standing ovation as he left
the pitch.

Dudek needed to be at his best to turn away a 25-yarder from Koumas but
Liverpool were in cruise control and Cisse almost scored with a clever,
deft flick from an acute angle that skimmed the far post.

Earnshaw, after 100-plus goals for Cardiff and eight in 15 for Wales,
barely got a kick as Albion were forced back, leaving him isolated between
Hyypia and Jamie Carragher, but he was unlucky to be given offside as he
ghosted into the box to clip a shot wide.

Liverpool: Dudek, Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Finnan, Hamann, Gerrard
(Alonso 65), Kewell (Baros 68), Cisse, Garcia (Traore 74)
Subs not used: Luzi Bernardi, Diao
Booked: none
Goals: Gerrard 16, Finnan 42, Garcia 60

West Brom: Hoult, Scimeca, Purse, Albrechtsen, Robinson, Haas (Gera 66),
Koumas, Clement, Greening, Horsfield (Earnshaw 53), Kanu
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Dobie, Contra
Booked: none

Att: 42,947
Referee: S Dunn