[Liverweb] Latest News

The latest news on Momo Sissoko is not great.

Liverpool have confirmed that midfielder Momo Sissoko has suffered
damage to the retina in his right eye. Sissoko stayed in a Lisbon
hospital overnight after picking up the injury during the Reds' 1-0
defeat against Benfica.

The Reds haven't yet confirmed how long their young midfielder will
be out of action for as further tests are required when he arrives
back in England.

A club spokesman said: "Momo has undergone further tests this
morning which have confirmed damage to the retina in his right eye.

"The injury is currently affecting his eyesight. Further
consultations with eye specialists have been arranged for when the
player returns to England."

Since this update doctors in Portugal have said that there's a
possibility he may lose 80% of sight in his right eye.

The Reds have confirmed that the match with Blackburn Rovers on
Saturday April 15th will kick off at 5.15 that day. The later kick
off allows fans to attend the memorial service at Anfield before
going to Blackburn for the match. The club have thanks Blackburn
for moving the kick off with the Reds saying no other possible
movement could be found.

The reserves were in action last night away at Leeds and drew 0-0.
Sadly for the Reds though Ramon Calliste was sent off for an alleged
head butt on Simon Walton who was also sent off.

Leeds United Reserves: Bennett, Madden (Gray 76), Harding, Parker,
Walton, Einarsson, Griffiths (Howson 60), Bakke, Moore, Rothery
(Bayly 78), Pugh.

Liverpool Reserves: Martin, Kromkamp, Smith, Antwi, O'Donnell,
Hobbs, Hammill (Flynn 75), Peltier (Lindfield 84), Calliste,
Guthrie, Foy. Subs not used: Woods, Willis, Threlfall.

Referee: Miss A Rayner.

Liverpool have announced the dates of their two legged FA Youth Cup
semi-final with Southampton.

The first leg will be played at Anfield on Friday March 10, 2006,
kick-off 7.30pm.

The return game will be held at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium on
Friday March 17, 2006, kick-off 7.30pm.

The first leg at Anfield shall be of ninety minutes duration.

In the event of the aggregate scores being level at the end of the
second leg, extra time of two periods of fifteen minutes each shall
be played to try and determine a winner.

Should the scores still be level at the conclusion of extra time
then the tie will be settled by penalties.

For the first leg supporters will be accommodated in the Kop
Grandstand with the following admission prices being charged:-

Adults - £4.00

Concessions (Juveniles Aged 16 or Under and Senior Citizens) - £2.00

Admission prices for the Second Leg at the St Mary's Stadium have
been set as follows:-

Adults - £3.00

Concessions (Juveniles Aged 16 or Under and Senior Citizens) - £1.00

The winners shall meet Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle
United or Brighton and Hove Albion in the Final of the FA Youth Cup
which will also be played over two legs.

Newcastle Away

Newcastle United v Liverpool

To be played at St James' Park, Newcastle
On Sunday 19 March 2006, kick off 1.30pm

Liverpool Football Club have received an allocation of 2937 stand
tickets for this ALL ticket fixture priced as follows;-

Adult - £30
Child - £16 (Under 16)
Over 65s - £25

Ticket Allocation

Tickets will be available to Season Ticket holders based on
attendance at Premier League away fixtures during Season 2004-2005
on the following days,

Attendance at 8 or more games
Tues 7 March 8.15am – 5.30pm

Attendance at 6 or more games
Wed 8 March 8.15am – 6.00pm

Attendance at 4 or more games
Fri 10 March 8.15am – 5.30pm

The allocation of tickets will be subject to availability and while
stocks last.

Tickets will be available for personal application at the Ticket
Office, by postal application and credit card bookings on Telephone
Number 0870 787 2000. The Fan Card must be presented when applying
at the Ticket Office and in the case of postal applications or
telephone applications the number must be quoted, telephone bookings
will require the applicants address to be confirmed and are subject
to a booking fee.

Please do not apply if you do not meet the required criteria, any
queries regarding the Fan Card please telephone 0870 220 2345.

We would emphasise to all eligible applicants that no guarantee can
be given that tickets will be available to all who apply.

Executive Box holders, Centenary, Premier and Executive members
should contact the Corporate Sales Department.

Arsenal Away

Arsenal v Liverpool

To be played at Highbury, London
On Sunday 12 March 2006, kick off 4.00pm

Liverpool Football Club have received an allocation of 2651 stand
tickets for this ALL ticket fixture priced as follows;-

Adult - £35
Child(under 16) - £17.50
Over 65s - £17.50

Ticket Allocation

Tickets will be available to Season Ticket holders based on
attendance at Premier League away fixtures during Season 2004-2005
on the following days,

Attendance at 9 or more games
Thursday 2 March 8.15am – 5.30pm

Attendance at 8 or more games
Friday 3 March 8.15am – 5.30pm

Attendance at 7 or more games
Saturday 4 March 10.15 – 5.15pm

The allocation of tickets will be subject to availability and while
stocks last.

Tickets will be available for personal application at the Ticket
Office, by postal application and credit card bookings on Telephone
Number 0870 787 2000. The Fan Card must be presented when applying
at the Ticket Office and in the case of postal applications or
telephone applications the number must be quoted, telephone bookings
will require the applicants address to be confirmed and are subject
to a booking fee.

Please do not apply if you do not meet the required criteria, any
queries regarding the Fan Card please telephone 0870 220 2345.

We would emphasise to all eligible applicants that no guarantee can
be given that tickets will be available to all who apply.

Executive Box holders, Centenary, Premier and Executive members
should contact the Corporate Sales Department.

Andy
Liverweb

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
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[Liverweb] Benfica Away Match Report

Liverweb Match Report

Prior to the report there is still no official word on Momo
Sissoko. There are fears that he has a detached Retina and has
stayed in hospital over night with some Liverpool medical staff with
him. Rumours are flying everywhere including ones that his career
may be over if the detachment is so bad. More news when anything
official is confirmed.

Benfica 1 Liverpool 0

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Carragher (C), Hyypia, Riise, Alonso,
Sissoko, Garcia, Kewell, Fowler, Morientes

Subs Used : Hamann for Sissoko(34), Cisse for Fowler (65), Gerrard
for Morientes (78)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Traore, Warnock, Crouch

Att : 65,000

Ref : Konrad Plautz (AUT)

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

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The Reds slumped to a late Luisao goal in the Stadium of Light in
Portugal against Benfica. It was a disappointing end to a dour game.
The Reds seemed to have a lot of the ball but no pace or outlet to
move the ball quickly. Benfica didn't look world beaters on the
night but had the two best chances - one of which they finished. A
simple stat of no shots on goal from the Reds says it all about our
play.

Steven Gerrard was dropped to the bench and replaced by Alonso who
returned to the lineup. Fowler replaced Crouch up front and Garcia
started instead of Hamann. It looked on paper a decent European line
up. In truth it just didn't get started though and the Reds paid for
a game of slow pace and no incision.

Jamie Carragher captained the side on the night as the Reds sported
their away European kit. The Reds kicked off but within thirty
seconds Luis Garcia was in the book for a very poor tackle. Garcia
slid in for the ball with his studs showing and caught his man and
can have no complaints at his yellow card. The early part of the
game saw the Reds back line cope easily with Benfica before lumping
the ball forward to Morientes and Fowler. This was simply never
going to work and it was no surprise to see Benitez out early to
stop that ball.

On thirteen minutes Kewell was brought down on the edge of the area
and a free kick awarded. Kewell seemed to make the most of it and
for looked like he actually had his man beat. From the resultant
free kick though Alonso drilled it low and Fowler flicked towards
goal but Hyypia was blocked before he could turn the ball in to the
goal. It was a rare chance from the Reds despite having decent
possession. The truth is though if you have the ball and don't do
anything much with it then the other team gets plenty of time to get
back and defend.

Just over midway through the half Reina was out very smartly to
gather a ball in his area ahead of Simao. Robert slid a ball through
to Simao who had gone past Hyypia like he wasn't there, the Finn had
also half thought about offside. Reina was alert though and grabbed
the ball.

On twenty eight minutes there was a scare for the Reds when Sissoko
charged on to a ball. Beto tried to get to the ball with a foot way
in the air and clattered Momo to the ground. The worry though was
after Beto was booked Momo was still down and was eventually
stretchered off the pitch and out of the ground. The Reds played six
minutes with just ten men. One reason was simply that the ball
wouldn't go out of play. It wasn't helped when Reina stopped the
ball going out either for a goal kick. Benitez was quick to let him
know as well. Hamann duly arrived on thirty four minutes.

When the Reds were down to ten men Benfica had started to get a bit
more of the ball and slowly mounted a bit of pressure on to the
Reds. This had the home crowd excited which was something the Reds
had started to prevent. Benfica did have one more great opportunity
right on half time when Simao won a free kick on the edge of the
box. Thankfully the kick was hit way over the bar though and the
half time whistle went.

The second half got underway with neither side having made changes.
Inside the first minute or so of the half the Reds had a chance but
Garcia could only shoot over the bar when he really should have been
testing the keeper. A couple of minutes later and Reina set up
another attack when he fizzed the ball forward to Garcia. He played
it wide for Nando but his cross was all too easy for the keeper and
the chance was gone. The positive thing though was that the Reds
looked to upping the tempo a bit more - it didn't last long enough
though.

Benfica made a change on fifty seven minutes when Karagounis
replaced Beto. This change really altered the way the home side
played as he injected more urgency to them. That was just the move
the Reds needed to be making really. Reina was alert on sixty two
minutes and had to be as well. Pettit tried his luck from forty
yards but Reina spotted his attempt early and got back well to save
in front of his posts.

Cisse replaced Fowler up front on sixty five minutes as the Reds
looked to inject more pace but with poor ball down the channels to a
player who doesn't seem to understand what to do with it it just
didn't work. With twelve minutes to go the Reds brought on Gerrard.
The player was allegedly carrying an injury but the worry for us is
that Gerrard is the one player who can really carry this side
forward.

The game was turned on his head on eighty four minutes from a free
kick. Benfica were awarded a shot thirty five yards out. Reina lined
his wall up and the shot looked on for the home side. As everyone
was ready for that shot Luisao made a run in the area and was picked
out and headed home. It was simply a great goal after a really dull
game. It was the goal that settled the game on the night and even
with three extra minutes the Reds just couldn't muster a sight of an
equaliser, let alone a shot on target.

Overall this was disappointing to lose and especially so late in the
game as well when a draw looked to have been secured. That said the
Reds really needed to have attacked more and by the time the goal
was conceded it could have been game over anyway.

MotM : Jamie Carragher - played really well at the back and
captained the side superbly. Finnan also played very well at right
back.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
Match Stats
Benfica Liverpool
50% Possession 50%
3 Shots On Target 0
4 Shots Off Target 6
1 Blocked Shots 3
7 Corners 3
17 Fouls 18
0 Offsides 1
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0

Email your comments to andy@liverweb.org.uk

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
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Choose from Each season and see all those pre-season friendlies and
testimonials as well as team photos and league and cup results

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[Liverweb] Youth Cup win

I wasn't able to make it along to Anfield last night but reliable as
ever AdamS did manage to make it along and has written up a match
report here.

Liverpool Youth Play Sixy Football

I was quite excited about tonight. Not only was I collecting my
Crouchamania mug and t-shirt, but I was also getting to see the
young lads as they faced Carlisle in the quarter final of the Youth
Cup. It was the first time I have got chance to see any of the lads
who are not yet performing in the reserves this season. I wasn't the
only new face though. In the Liverpool line up was Parsonage who has
not played for the Under 18's before and can only be 16 years old at
the most.

Carlisle brought a very respectable following. Well it was
respectable in terms of numbers, but polluting The Kop with a load
of Blue and White balloons and the sound of boom-boom drum wasn't to
my fancy.

Liverpool and in particular Hammill started as they meant to go on.
As early as one minute into the game and Hammill beat two men and
fired in a dangerous cross which Parsonage just failed to get on the
end of.

Parsonage was looking very lively early on and had his first short
of the evening after brilliantly turning his man on seven minutes.
Unfortunately he steered his shot wide, but the pattern of the game
had already been set.

Before Liverpool really enforced their superiority though Carlisle
had a couple of half chances; Thelfall clearing up the first and
then creating the second when he miscontrolled. This created their
best chance of the night when Antwi had to clear a header off the
line. As it happens the whistle had gone for a foul anyway.

On 21 minutes young Parsonage was again involved. He jinked past a
man and as I was imploring him to shoot he slipped in Linfield who
smashed the ball home into the top left hand corner as he advanced
toward goal from the right angle.

Ten minutes later and Liverpool were two up. Barnett looked to be
going nowhere, he decided to go for a shot. This time I thought it
was the wrong decision to shoot, but was again proved wrong as the
ball beat the keeper all ends up as Barnett scored his seventh goal
this season.

Just a few minutes later Barnett was involved again, he crossed from
the left wing and Linfield rose to head home and join Barnett on
seven goals for the season.

It wasn't to be Linfield's last however it was Barnett who nearly
furthered his tally on the forty minute mark. He took a free kick
from 25 yards and with the keeper nowhere saw the ball bounce off
the top of the cross bar. Liverpool were now completely dominant and
went in at half time with an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Bradley the Carlisle keeper was in for a busy night. Four minutes
into the second half he was again called into action. This time he
made the save off the night preventing Hammill from scoring with a
shot that looked to be bending into the far corner.

Anderson wasn't getting much ball tonight, but he was certainly
involved, mainly in an ongoing argument with Carlisle number 5
Kirkup, who was about a foot taller than him. After winning a free
kick Anderson nearly had the satisfaction of seeing the big centre
half put through his own net as the ball skimmed off his head and
slightly wide of goal. He didn't have to wait long though. From the
resulting corner Anderson got a flick and Linfield managed to bundle
the ball home for a well-deserved hatrick. He looked full of
confidence and worked very hard.

With fifteen minutes of the game remaining I got a hatrick of my
own. Hammill looked up from within the centre circle and shot with
the keeper only about seven yards off his line. "No!" I said to
myself as I watched the ball fly over the keeper and perfectly under
the bar. I have to say it was one of the best strikes I have ever
had the pleasure to witness at Anfield!

Liverpool made a few late changes with Anderson, Antwi and Linfield
leaving the pitch to be replaced by Barrett, Holmes and Nardiello.
Nardiello had only been on the pitch for 4 minutes when he slotted
home in the 86th minute after beating his man.

He nearly scored again in time added on and with all due respect to
Carlisle a few more goals wouldn't have flattered Liverpool tonight.
It was an excellent performance. It wasn't just the result, but the
style too, it was very good football and a pleasure to watch!

Now I'm going to go and get a cuppa in my new Crouchamania mug while
all you lot who watched it on e-season can pick up on all my
inaccuracies and over elaborations!

We must have a good chance to win this cup this season.

MOM. A really difficult selection, Parsonage was excellent in the
first half but faded. Charlie Barnett was outstanding, but I suppose
it has to go to hatrick man Linfield. He's on a great run at the
moment and long may it continue.

Roberts, Darby, Thelfall, Hobbs, Antwi (79, Holmes), Barnett,
|Parsonage, Flynn, Lindfield (82, Nardiello) Anderson (70, Barrett),
Hammill

Unused subs: Ryan, Mimms

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
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Choose from Each season and see all those pre-season friendlies and
testimonials as well as team photos and league and cup results

Whatever Liverpool FC you need it's all there in Liverweb. If it's not
mail me back and ask me.
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[Liverweb] Latest News

The Reds have been drawn away in the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup to
Birmingham City.

Saturday saw Didi Hamann play his 22nd game of the season. That takes
Hamann to the point in his contract for him to earn a new one and he
will be there next season.

Meanwhile the Reds have added some new players to the European squad
for the second part of the season. The list includes Miki Roque, Paul
Anderson, Lee Peltier, James Smith and Adam Hammil.

Andy
Liverweb

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
http://www.liverweb.org.uk/archive.htm
Choose from Each season and see all those pre-season friendlies and
testimonials as well as team photos and league and cup results

Whatever Liverpool FC you need it's all there in Liverweb. If it's not
mail me back and ask me.
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[Liverweb] Benfica Away Match Preview

Liverweb Match Preview

Opponents : Benfica
Date : Tuesday 21 February 2006 @ 19.45 GMT
Venue : Stadium of Light, Lisbon
TV Coverage : ITV4, Premiere Sport Portal, Sky Calcio 10, TV3
Ireland, TV3 Norway, RTP1, Sport TV Multijugos, ART Sport 6,
Supersport 3SA, Albania Sat+4 Family, C+ Deporte 1, Lumiere TV,
Supersport 2, Viasat Sport 1, ESPN Atlantic, RTP1

Tape Delay : NTV+ Football (1hr 50), Polsat Sport Extra (3hrs 55),
ESPN Latin/Pacific (2hrs)

Reds versus Portugese Teams - Portugese Ltrack Files
Liverpool start back in the Champions league against portugese side
Benfica. The sides have met in the past and the Reds have always
come out on top in the tie as a whole.

The form book favours the Reds at the moment as well. The Reds come
in to the game having just beaten United (knocked out in this comp
by Benfica) in the FA Cup. That win ended a week in which they won
two league games as well. All of the three games finished 1-0 to the
Reds.

Steven Gerrard is the Reds' leading league scorer so far this season
with 7 to his name.

Benfica come in to the game having lost at the weekend to lowly
Guimares. The loss meant Benfica dropped two places in the league to
fourth place. Benfica have won seven of their last ten games though.
That said their three losses of late have come in the past four
matches.

Nuno Gomes leads the Benfica scoring charts with 14 goals so far
this season. His goals mainly come in the second half but he is just
as lethal at home or away. He has one hat-trick to his name.

Squads : Robbie Fowler is available again after missing the weekend
Cup tie due to being ineligible to play. Jan Kromkamp and Dan Agger
however are ineligible after playing for their respective sides
earlier in the competition.

Giovanni is missing for Benfica through injury but they can call
upon Laurent Robert who was signed in January without having been
cup tied.

Team Stats : This is the fourth time the Reds have been drawn
against Benfica in this competition. The Reds have always beaten
Benfica and made the final before now. On two of those three
occassions they also lifted the trophy.

The Reds have won the top European trophy 5 times and of course
after last May's triumph the trophy remains at Anfield. Our
opponents won the trophy twice back at the starts of the 1960's.

Playing Portugese sids away from home the Reds have a evenly
balanced success rate of two wins, two draws and two losses. On of
the two losses came againstBenfica last time out in 1984.

This is the Reds' 50th game in the Champions League (quals inc) and
so far the Reds have wqon 25 of those gone so far. Away from home
they have won 11 of 25 games in the CL (all games).

The Reds need one goal to make it to 150 under Rafa Benitez. Should
Benfica manage to score two against the Reds it will mean that we
have conceded 100 in the top UEFA competition.

Benfica have played English sides on seventeen occassions and have
won just the four times. Three of those wins came in Portugal
itself.

Player Stats : Sami Hyypia hopes to play in his 56th consecutive
European Game - already a Reds record.

Xabi Alonso and Jose Reina will both miss the next game if they are
booked in this one. Didi Hamann is the most booked Red in the
Champions League. He has seen yellow on nine occassions thus far.

Momo Sissoko will look to play his 10th Champions League game in
this one.

Dietmar Hamann will hope to play in his 60th European game for the
Reds in this one. Steven Gerrard will be hoping for his 60th
European start in this match.

This will be Fernando Morientes 10th European tie for the Reds.

Harry Kewell has come off the bench nine times in Europe so far for
the Reds. All of those appearances have been in the Champions
League.

A single Gerrard goal will draw him level with Roger Hunt in third
place fo the Reds' all time European scoring list. Djibril Cisse
needs one to hit double figures in Liverpool European colours.

Referee : Konrad Plautz (Aut) - took charge of the Reds' first day
win over Real Betis. Plautz has huge experience at this level and is
one of the UEFA elite group of referee's. In total this season he
has taken charge of three group games and one qualifier.

Betting : Liverpool 11/8, Benfica 17/10, Draw : 2/1

To go through this tie : Liverpool 4/11, Benfica 2/1

Tournament Odds : Liverpool 11/1, Benfica 50/1

Liverweb Prediction : Benfica 1 Liverpool 1

Email your comments to andy@liverweb.org.uk

For every first team result ever log on to the Liverweb season archive at
http://www.liverweb.org.uk/archive.htm
Choose from Each season and see all those pre-season friendlies and
testimonials as well as team photos and league and cup results

Whatever Liverpool FC you need it's all there in Liverweb. If it's not
mail me back and ask me.
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[Liverweb] Man United FA Cup Match Report

Liverweb FA Cup Match Report

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Liverpool 1 Manchester United 0

Liverpool : Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Sissoko,
Gerrard, Kewell, Hamann, Moientes, Crouch

Subs Used : Garcia for Morientes (63), Kromkamp for Kewell (81),
Cisse for Crouch (87)

Subs Unused : Dudek, Traore

Att : 44,039

Ref : Howard Webb

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------

The Reds made it through to the quarter finals of the FA Cup with a
convincing 1-0 win over arch rivals Man United. A Peter Crouch
header was enough to see the Reds through. United went out with
little more than a whimper and their day was made worse by the awful
injury to Alan Smith who both dislocated his ankle and broke his
leg. Much has been made of course since the game of the singing and
chanting towards Smith from a minority of fans but ignores the game
long taunting of Murderers from United fans.

The early kick off and a lower Anfield Road end full of United fans
was a recipe for a very loud Anfield and the Reds were certainly up
for it. The banner at the Kop end told United that 'We achieve your
dreams' was soon followed by we won it 5 times around the ground.
Later United's only response to that was some garbled we won it 6
times.

United got the game started attacking the Kop end in the first half.
The Reds were missing Alonso so had Hamann in the centre of the
pitch with Sissoko. Both had blinders there as well. Crouch was also
back up front for the Reds in place of the cup tied Fowler. Anfield
was pretty much all packed out although there was a few noticeable
gaps in the director's box.

The game was merely four minutes old when Harry Kewell made sure
that Gary Neville knew he was in for a tough time. Kewell barged
through Neville quite late and could have been booked. A stern word
from Howard Webb was enough though and Anfield chanted his name.
Kewell throughout the game looked really up for this battle with
Neville and the only surprise was that it took until well in to the
second half before he was booked.

Ronaldo had the visitor's first effort on goal when he shot straight
at Reina. On eleven minutes Brown spooned a Kewell cross of his
keeper and thankfully for him over the bar as well. The Reds were
starting to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and dominate it.
Morientes nearly got a header in on fourteen minutes off a Gerrard
cross. On eighteen minutes Kewell headed on target but only a superb
save from van der Saar kept the ball out of the net. From the
resulting corner though the Reds took the lead. As loads in the
crowd sighed at another short corner Finnan whipped the ball in and
Crouch rose just ahead of Kewell to smash the ball home off the
post. With that goal ultimately came the game.

The Reds were now in control of the game. The centre of midfield was
won by the Reds as Giggs and Richardson were easily over run by
Sissoko and Hamann. This gave the Reds the springboard to attack at
will. The Reds had a glorious chance on thirty five minutes to score
again. The move started from a corner which Gerrard played short to
Kewell. For some strange reason Giggs launched in to a tackle on
Kewell and brought him down on the edge. It was given as a free kick
outside the box which having seen replays of it now was very
fortunate for him. The free kick was floated to the far post and
Finnan came in unmarked but hit his shot in to the side netting of
the goal.

United made a switch at half time bring on Saha for Silvestre. Edwin
van der Saar took his position in the Kop goal up having returned
the usual keeper's applause afforded to him. United were now lining
up with pretty much a three man front line but quite frankly until
they won any midfield play they were going nowhere.

Five minutes in to the first half and the Reds were nearly two up as
Crouch pounced on a loose ball. Vidic and van der Saar dithered on
the edge of their own area and Crouch poked the ball goalwards but
sadly it rolled just wide of the post. United had little of any note
to offer although at one nil part of you still fears a late
onslaught. Just after an hour Garcia came on in place of Morientes
and he slotted in up front with Crouch to begin with.

The Reds had a couple of great chances shortly after. First of all
Sissoko hit a shot straight across the face of the goal and then on
sixty eight minutes the ball landed at Kewell's feet but having got
the ball set he blasted a poor shot in to a crowd of United players.
United brought on Alan Smith on seventy six minutes as they tried to
get a foot hold in to the midfield. Either side of this the referee
had his yellow card out. First Neville was roundly cheered as he was
carded for persistent fouling and then just after the change Kewell
was booked for a poor challenge on Neville.

The Reds were failing to keep hold of decent possession now and
allowing United to stay on the attack. They rarely looked like
creating anything of note though. In the final minute came the cruel
injury to Smith. The Reds were awarded a free kick some thirty five
yards from goal. The Reds set the shot up for Riise who blasted his
shot goalwards only to see it blocked by Smith. Smith sadly crumpled
under the block and was in clear agony. Most of the players realised
straight away what happened but it was only when Cisse over ran the
ball that the trainer was allowed on. You can always sense when
injuries are bad but seeing players visibly turn their heads away
made it clear what had happened.

After extra minutes were played though the ref blew for time and the
celebrating would continue well in to the night. An FA Cup win has
been a long time coming over United so this tasted very sweet
indeed. It was a richly deserved win as well which makes this one
all the better. An excellent day all round for the Reds.

MotM : Sami Hyypia - a rock at the heart of the defence and
continues what has been some great form from the Finn. He was
closely followed here by Carragher, Hamann, Sissoko and Kewell for
this one which is what you want from your team.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------
Match Stats
Liverpool United
55% Possession 45%
5 Shots On Target 3
3 Shots Off Target 2
2 Blocked Shots 2
8 Corners 4
22 Fouls 19
0 Offsides 3
4 Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 0

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