[Liverweb] Man United Match Report

Liverweb Match Report

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Manchester United 1 Liverpool 0

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Alonso,
Gerrard, Kewell, Sissoko, Cisse, Crouch

Subs Used : Morientes for Crouch (59), Pongolle for Cisse (75),
Kromkamp for Sissoko (88)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Traore

Att : 67,874

Ref : Mike Riley

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A dour 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford saw the gap to second place extend
to four points. A bitterly disappointing game was settled by a Rio
Ferdinand header a minute from time. The Reds had controlled most of
the game but in truth neither side really looked like scoring
throughout.

Liverpool got the game underway attacking the Stretford end in the
first half. The game though just didn't settle down much. The two
sides were up for a battle with little in the way of goof passing
football. The first half decent chance came after seven minutes when
Gerrard broke through but his poor shot went straight across the
goal without even troubling van der Saar. Before the game could get
going again Harry Kewell needed treatment. He had a bloody nose in
the build up to the Gerrard shot. Eventually after treatment and a
new shirt he returned. Kewell was left to wear a number 50 shirt for
the remainder of the half.

The first real flash point came on seventeen minutes as Kieran
Richardson hacked away at Sissoko. Sissoko was incensed by the
challenge and shot back to his feet to square up to the United
midfielder. Richardson pushed Momo away as the giant Red placed his
head towards Richardson and referee Riley booked both players.

United simply hadn't got started in the game at this point. Their
only real threat for most of the game was Rooney and he tried to
spark them in to life midway through the half by running at the
Reds. After beating a few men he lost the ball and the danger was
gone. Just after the half hour Gerrard played a neat ball round the
United defence but Cisse made a pigs ear of the chance which fell
easy for the United keeper.

You just kept waiting for something to happen in the game but it
just wasn't coming. Ruud van Nistelrooy had a half chance at the
interval but his shot was comfortable for Reina. The interval would
surely get one manager changing something. The Reds were comfortable
and there was surely enough that the Reds could attack. It didn't
really happen though despite the second half being slightly better
than the first.

The Reds controlled the ball in the main but it wasn't going very
far. Crouch looked a bit off the pace and Cisse just looked awful.
Crouch went off for Morientes on the hour. Just minutes later came a
great chance for the Reds. A quick thrown from Finnan created space
for Sissoko in the area. He passed to Cisse who looped the ball to
the goal but as it dropped just in front of the line Ferdinand got
back to clear the danger. The ball was fizzed back in and then from
six yards out Cisse blazed the ball over the bar when he should have
scored.

It took seventy one minutes for the first corner of the game which
came to the Reds. It didn't come to anything and minutes later
Pongolle replaced Cisse but again there was never much service to
the front pair. Xabi Alonso picked up a booking on eighty two
minutes for a blatant pull on Giggs as United slowly started to get
in to the game a little more. It was looking like the match would
finish nil nil now and people would have to be woken up to go home.

On eighty five minutes Rooney saw his shot across goal go just past
the outside of the post with Reina at full stretch. Two minutes
later at the other end Rooney was involved again as he raced the
length of the pitch to hack Pongolle down when he was running
through. Rooney saw yellow despite protesting, although what he was
moaning about I'm not sure.

The game was turned on it head in the final minute of the game
though when Finnan was adjudged to have pulled Evra. There was
contact but it didn't massively impede the defender However a free
kick was given and this was whipped in were Ferdinand headed past
Reina. Reina had got a hand to it but the force of the header was
just too strong. Suddenly it was game over and the home crowd went
home the happier.

A very disappointing end to a game in which the Reds had under
control. Overall the Reds were the better side but rarely created
much. United were also poor throughout but when that chance came in
the final minute they took it and the three points with it.

MotM : Steve Finnan - played as consistent as he has been playing of
late. He defends well but just as important is always available
going forward.

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Match Stats
United Liverpool
44% Possession 56%
4 Shots On Target 3
3 Shots Off Target 4
0 Blocked Shots 4
1 Corners 2
16 Fouls 17
3 Offsides 2
2 Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 0

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