[lfc-news] Birmangham report - PA

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PA Sport, 6 Nov 2004
Liverpool 0 Birmingham 1

Eleven months of heartache for Birmingham finally came to an end as
Liverpool surrendered their 100% Anfield record in the Premiership to a
team whose last away victory in the league was in December.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce's side had lost 10 and drawn six of their
previous 16 away-day outings, yet they emerged with a win courtesy of
Darren Anderton's first Blues goal following his move from Tottenham.

The simple 77th-minute strike from just a yard out also ended a City goal
drought that had lasted 380 minutes as Liverpool looked a pale shadow of
the team that had scored a famous Champions League victory over Deportivo
La Coruna in midweek.

When you have set yourself such impeccably high standards at home, as
Liverpool have so far this season, you come to expect the best on every
successive occasion.

But this 90 minutes was arguably the worst this campaign for the Reds, not
simply because they failed to score, but the performance was patchy and
lacked any cohesion.

Liverpool should have taken full advantage of a City side low on confidence
and added to Bruce's woes, but they were not without their own problems,
notably in attack as Milan Baros joined Djibril Cisse on the injury list.

With Cisse out for the season with a broken leg, the last thing manager
Rafael Benitez needed was to have Baros also on the sidelines, the Czech
international ruled out with a hamstring problem.

Benitez was forced to play Harry Kewell on his own up front, with Florent
Sinama-Pongolle providing support on his first Premiership start this season.

When you are also lacking the drive and ingenuity of Steven Gerrard from
midfield - he is due to return in a fortnight - then problems are bound to
occur.

Liverpool, though, still had the chances in the opening period to have
piled on the agony for Birmingham, but Maik Taylor and their own inept
finishing proved their downfall.

Taylor initially came to the fore in the fifth minute, the Northern Ireland
goalkeeper at full stretch in palming out of the swirling rain a rising
drive following a fast break from the home team.

That came after John Arne Riise had headed wide a deep right-wing cross
from Josemi and prior to another fine save, this time clutching off the
greasy surface a low Xabi Alonso drive.

Then came the one and only opportunity for a returning Emile Heskey, back
on his old stamping ground for the first time since his £6.25million summer
move to City.

Damien Johnson and a fit-again Muzzy Izzet, back in the side after five
weeks out with a knee injury, were the suppliers, but the latter's cross
into the near post was stabbed wide and into the Kop.

After Cunningham had blocked a Sinama-Pongolle drive, Liverpool looked in
danger of conceding when Julian Gray sprung Liverpool's offside trap with a
measured through ball for Izzet.

But the ball skidded up off the turf and Izzet went on to collide with
Chris Kirkland, coming off worse as he required treatment before continuing.

Then came the chances that should have set Liverpool apart from the
visitors, only for Luis Garcia to endure the groans of the home faithful.

His first, in fairness, prompted another excellent stop from Taylor as he
held onto a fierce angled drive, but he should have done so much better
with the second on the half-hour.

With only Taylor to beat after a loose ball on the edge of the area had
ricocheted into his path, Garcia proceeded to blaze over from 12 yards.

Following a scrappy, untidy end to the first half, it was Garcia who was
then supplier 10 minutes after the restart just at a time when frustration
was growing in the home camp.

Garcia delivered an exquisite ball with the outside of his right foot into
the path of Dietmar Hamann to leave the German clean through, and although
Cunningham was bearing down, his eventual flick was too close to Taylor who
made a clean save.

With urgency growing in the Liverpool ranks, Kewell then headed over before
contention arose in the 71st minute.

In a matter of seconds Izzet made goal-line clearances from Jamie Carragher
and Garcia.

Within six minutes, it was City who then made the stunning breakthrough and
against the run of play, instigated by a short corner between Izzet and
Robbie Savage.

Matthew Upson proceeded to meet Savage's far-post cross with a downward
header into the six-yard box, and after a slight deflection on the way,
substitute Anderton - a 63rd-minute replacement for Stephen Clemence -
tapped simply home from a yard for what proved to be an unlikely winner.

Liverpool: Kirkland, Josemi, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Luis Garcia, Hamann
(Biscan 85), Alonso, Riise (Mellor 73), Sinama Pongolle (Finnan 65), Kewell
Subs not used: Dudek, Diao
Booked: Josemi, Luis Garcia, Hamann

Birmingham: Taylor, Melchiot, Cunningham, Upson, Gray, Gronkjaer (Lazaridis
63), Izzet (Clapham 88), Savage, Johnson, Clemence (Anderton 63), Heskey
Subs not used: Bennet, Yorke
Booked: Johnson
Goals: Anderton 77

Att: 42,669
Referee: U Rennie

BRUCE SAVOURS ANFIELD TRIUMPH

Relieved Birmingham boss Steve Bruce was finally savouring the sweet taste
of an away victory in the Premiership on Saturday night.

After 11 months and 16 matches, City finally conjured up three points on
their travels.

The Reds had this season previously won all four of their home league
matches, but they saw that run ended as Darren Anderton scored his first
goal for a year.

Liverpool, already without broken-leg victim Djibril Cisse, also had
seven-goal leading scorer Milan Baros on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Without his two first-choice strikers, manager Rafael Benitez was forced to
turn to Harry Kewell up front and Liverpool suffered as a consequence.

The Reds still had enough chances to win the game, in particular in the
second half when they were unlucky to see Muzzy Izzet clear two shots off
the line in quick succession.

After first hacking clear from Jamie Carragher, Izzet then appeared to use
his hand to stop a shot from Luis Garcia, but there was no penalty.

Within six minutes City grabbed the winner when Anderton, a 63rd-minute
substitute for Stephen Clemence, slipped the ball home from a yard.

Bruce was understandably delighted at finally grabbing an away-day win and
said: "I am very proud of my players.

"We have had a tough time of late, a really tough time. But you can see
that even a club of Liverpool's size and stature, when they are without
their two centre-forwards, struggle.

"We have been like that the past seven or eight weeks and for me at this
level you are only as good as your strikers.

"But all credit to my players because they have stuck at it. We have
deserved a little bit of luck because it has been so difficult over the
past few weeks.

"I hope this result now gives the lads a lift. We have drawn six games this
season and if we had won two or three of those then we would be where we
want to be.

"But I am now confident that we will now improve."

Bruce also expressed his delight for scorer Anderton.

"He has had a tough time over the past 12 to 18 months.

"I am delighted for him because he has come here on a pay-as-you-play
contract, worked extremely hard and just got on with it. Tonight is a great
night for him."

Bruce then spoke of the luck he felt went his side's way with the Izzet
incident.

"As far as I'm concerned the ball has hit him on the elbow. It would have
been harsh because the workrate and application of the players was
excellent, but today it went for us."

Benitez, meanwhile, refused to blame the loss on the fact he was without
Cisse and Baros, although he acknowledged it was an under-par performance.

"We still had clear opportunities to score, but it's just about luck," said
Benitez.

"We've now got two months with the same players and we need to work hard
and prepare the team as best we can.

"But I am not thinking about the transfer window. I am only thinking how to
prepare for the next game.

"This result was frustrating for me, the players and the supporters because
although we had the chances, we didn't score and they scored from a small
mistake from us."


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