EPL 2008/09: Liverpool kekal di takhta

Penalti yang disudahkan oleh ketua pasukan, Steven Gerrard pada minit ke-75 sudah cukup untuk The Reds mengekalkan kedudukan takhta liga buat masa ini.

Barisan yang diturunkan oleh Benitez tanpa kehadiran bintangnya (Torres) kelihatan begitu menyengat serta memberi ancaman kuat ke atas kubu pihak lawan. Namun keadaan tersebut masih belum cukup untuk membuahkan jaringan sebelum minit ke-75.

Gerrard menyempurnakan sepakan penalti

Peter Crouch merebut bola

Pengurus baru Portsmouth, Tony Adams dan Benitez

_______________________________________

LIVERPOOL 1 - 0 PORTSMOUTH

Wednesday 29 October 2008 20:00

Barclays Premier League

SPOT-ON GERRARD KEEPS LIVERPOOL TOP

Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to 17 games after Steven Gerrard's 75th-minute penalty helped overcome Portsmouth 1-0 at Anfield.

The result keeps Rafa Benitez's men three points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League with 26 points from a possible 30. The Reds dominated the play for much of the match, but failed to put that killer touch on to a series of well-worked moves.

Dirk Kuyt was a threat throughout and Steven Gerrard always looked liable to unlock the Pompey rearguard, and it might have been a much more flattering scoreline had one of their earlier efforts gone in during the first half.

Liverpool's first chance of the match came on ten minutes when Dirk Kuyt hit the post from 15 yards with a curling low effort. The move started with Lucas Leiva finding Jermaine Pennant to lay the ball back to the Dutchman. Kuyt picked his spot and had David James well beaten, but the ball rebounded off the woodwork to safety.

Minutes later it was Lucas Leiva's turn to have a go. The Brazilian rose to head over from another Pennant delivery in a similar position to which he scored against Crewe Alexandra. With numerous corner kicks in the opening minutes, Liverpool looked every inch the top of the table team at the start of this clash.

They continued to probe the Pompey goal but time and time again lacked a ruthless edge in the final third. Gerrard continued to find himself in great positions, and all too often there was no one in the six-yard box to capitalise on the skipper's dangerous balls across the penalty area.

But Liverpool were very much the superior team throughout and, apart from a long-range headed effort from Younes Kaboul in the 24th minute, Portsmouth rarely threatened Liverpool and it was clear that Tony Adams was looking to sneak a point at fortress Anfield in his first match in charge of the south-coast club.

The second half started with much more urgency from the Reds and Rafa Benitez's men went in search of another win with a succession of high-pressure attacks. With the Kop in full voice, it seemed only a matter of time until they sucked the ball into the net like the old days, and the status quo was soon restored when Sami Hyypia - who was an assured presence at the back from start to finish - forced Papa Bouba Diop into handling in the penalty area 15 minutes from time.

Steven Gerrard made no mistake from the resulting penalty kick to ensure Liverpool - the only unbeaten side in the Premier League - stayed at the top of the table.

Teams

Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Hyypia, Carragher, Arbeloa, Babel, Alonso, Leiva, Pennant, Gerrard (captain), Kuyt. Subs - Benayoun, Keane, Dossena, Riera, Cavalieri, Mascherano, Agger

Portsmouth: James, Traore, Distin (captain), Kaboul, Pamarot, Belhadj, Davis, Diop, Diarra, Utaka, Crouch. Subs - Ashdown, Mvuemba, Hughes, , Defoe, Kranjcar, Hreidarsson

Referee: S Tanner

Conditions: Chilly

Attendance: 43,378

Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Steven Gerrard