[lfc-news] Southampton report - PA

PA Sport, 28 Dec 2004
Liverpool 1 Southampton 0

Liverpool made it three wins on the trot in the end thanks to Florent
Sinama-Pongolle's first-half cracker.

But this was nothing like the sort of Liverpool performance that will
have Chelsea worried when they arrive at Anfield on Saturday.

Southampton were without soon-to-be sold James Beattie and left still
without an away win this season or a victory under new boss Harry Redknapp.

But they made life more than difficult for Liverpool and could easily
have snatched something in a second half that was painful to watch for
the Kop faithful.

In the midst of all this anxiety and error, Steven Gerrard stood out as
the class act he has become at Liverpool.

He chased, tackled, harrassed and battled for the cause in an
inspirational man-of the match performance.

Reds boss Rafael Benitez will be relieved to have bagged three points
from a horrible performance. Michael Owen was back home watching from
the stands and how his level of finishing was missing from this display.

Liverpool brought in Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso, Neil Mellor and Stephen
Warnock as Benitez rang the changes after the 5-0 hammering of West Brom.

The game was also without each club's top striker with Milan Baros
rested ahead of Chelsea's visit and Saints opting to leave out Beattie
altogether.

The former England striker, confirmed boss Harry Redknapp before the
game, had been the subject of two bids with the transfer window about to
open and he has clearly played his last match for the Hampshire side.

Saints set out to smother the life out of the game with deep defence.
John Arne Riise lashed in a low drive that Antti Niemi saved while
Sinama-Pongolle, Alonso and Luis Garcia all wasted half chances.

Southampton, who also made four changes from the side that drew goalless
at home to Charlton on Sunday, has just Dexter Blackstock up front and
gifted Liverpool acres of space, but the link play between Alonso and
the front men was off key. Luis Garcia, too, was more intent on
ambitious shooting than feeding better placed colleagues.

David Prutton, booked for a foul on Luis Garcia, and Rory Delap were
doing a sound job against Gerrard and Alonso and an air of frustration
swept around Anfield as their heroes were unable to carve out decent
opportunities.

Liverpool lost Steve Finnan with a leg injury after a foul by Neil
McCann, to be replaced by Salif Diao while Andreas Jakobsson also found
himself booked for a foul on Sinama-Pongolle.

Liverpool spluttered along while the Saints were more than happy to
hound them into mistakes. And there were alarm bells when Prutton
battled his way to the edge of the box before unleashing a low drive
that flashed past Jerzy Dudek's left hand post.

Everything about Liverpool needed to be quicker and with greater
imagination as they continued to get caught in possession.

And a minute from the break Liverpool did increase their tempo and
accuracy to go one up. Alonso snapped up possession from Blackstock in
central midfield and instantly played an outstanding pass in behind
Martin Cranie. Sinama-Pongolle latched on to it before rifling a low
drive into the far bottom corner.

The second period saw anxiety take over in the Liverpool ranks. Dudek
did not help by flapping badly at a Delap long throw, and then
Sinama-Pongolle wasted two chances that would have calmed his side's
collective nerves.

But Southampton brought on attacking experience in Anders Svensson and
Kevin Phillips and Liverpool looked even more uncertain.

Gerrard's tireless energy and industry keeps Liverpool going in
situations like this.

A cracking pass from the England midfielder set up Riise for a fierce
drive that crashed against the bar.

Niemi made a flying save from a Luis Garcia header following a Nunez
cross, but Southampton became increasingly confident that they could get
something from the game, largely from Delap's dangerous long throws.

Liverpool demanded a penalty in injury time when Niemi sent Riise
spinning into the air but referee Mark Halsey turned them down before
sounding the final whistle which brought welcome relief for Anfield.

Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan (Diao 29), Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Luis
Garcia (Hamann 87), Alonso, Gerrard, Warnock, Mellor (Nunez 68), Sinama
Pongolle
Subs not used: Harrison, Traore
Booked: none
Goals: Sinama Pongolle 44

Southampton: Niemi, Telfer, Jakobsson, Higginbotham, Cranie, McCann,
Prutton, Oakley (Svensson 58), Delap, Ormerod, Blackstock (Phillips 65)
Subs not used: Smith, Yahia, Folly
Booked: Jakobsson, McCann, Prutton

Att:42,382
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)