AUGUST 22
Gerrard
happy with second half display
By Steve Hunter - LFC Official Website
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said he was happy
with the second half performance of the Reds in the 2-1
win over Manchester City but agreed it was a
disappointing first half display.
Gerrard said manager Rafael Benitez had a few words with
the team at half time and it was a transformed Liverpool
in the second half who could have won by a lot more
goals.
Gerrard said: "It was the opposite to Tottenham last
week and we played much better in the second half
against City than the first. We were not happy with our
first half performance and the manager had a few words
at half time.
"We came out fighting in the second half and we were
much better and played some good stuff. We showed great
character and there is a lot of expectations at
Liverpool.
"We would have like to have started better in the match
but sometimes it takes you a while to get started but we
deserved the three points."
AUGUST 21
Rafa happy with
Reds display
By Steve Hunter - LFC Official Website
Rafael Benitez declared himself a happy man after
seeing his team come from behind to deservedly beat
Manchester City 2-1 in his first home game as Reds
manager.
Benitez said the win was good for team confidence and
was pleased to send the supporters home happy.
Benitez said: "It's very good to win at home and it's
good because the supporters are very happy. The team
played well especially in the second half and we could
have scored a lot more goals.
"There was a Liverpool spirit about our performance and
it was very important for our confidence. I said to the
players at half time we can win this match and play
well. This team has character.
"It is good that we have Baros, Cisse and Gerrard and we
have a lot of possibilities going forward. More players
can score goals and we cause defenders problems.
"I was pleased for Milan Baros to score his first goal
and this will give him good confidence and I thought him
and Cisse did well. Steven Gerrard is a very good player
and has the freedom in this team to attack as well as
defend."
AUGUST 21
Keegan has double moan
Sporting Life
Kevin Keegan was angry with referee Graham Poll and
unhappy with Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez after
Manchester City"s 2-1 defeat at Anfield.
The City chief wanted the Spanish coach to sit down in
his dug-out rather than block his own view by standing
in the technical area throughout the match.
City led early through Nicolas Anelka, but saw Milan
Baros equalise, Steven Gerrard grab the lead before
Blues centre-back Richard Dunne was sent off.
City claim there was an offside decision not given
during the build-up to Liverpool's winner and that Dunne
was unlucky to be dismissed for tangling with Djibril
Cisse.
Keegan said: "I am not going too comment on the referee
because there is no point. But when a referee calls his
linesmen to the left-hand side of the tunnel and asks
for the police to come around him at the end of the game
it suggests he may feel he is going to be questioned by
players and management. That says it all.
"Our lads came back from an offside position to be
involved in the build-up to the goal and the referee
didn't give it. Then the linesman, who wasn't up with
play, decides that what Dunne did was a sending-off
offence. That's why my lads were upset.
"Mr Benitez is going to have to learn to sit down here.
It is a very small coaching area at Anfield and he was
standing up all the game.
"Give him a few weeks to learn English properly but he
is going to have to be told. He was standing in the
technical area and I couldn't see."
Keegan added: "It is a tough place to come anyway and
you need a few decisions to go your way. I will have to
look at the video of the incidents because I couldn't
see around Mr Benitez."
AUGUST 21
Reds came from
behind - and won
BBC Sport Online
Steven Gerrard completed Liverpool's second-half
comeback as they came from behind to beat a battling
City side.
Nicolas Anelka put City ahead against the run of play
after Jerzy Dudek dropped the ball at his feet.
But Gerrard sent Milan Baros clear to equalise with a
cool finish, and Liverpool pressed forward for more.
David James made several superb stops before Gerrard
swept home the winner, and City's misery was complete
when Richard Dunne was sent off late on.
New Liverpool boss Rafel Benitez had seen his side enjoy
the lion's share of the early possession on his Anfield
bow.
But their probing play struggled to break down a
determined City defence.
The home side's best early chance came in the 11th
minute when Gerrard fired in a long-range drive that
James collected comfortably.
City continued to defend in numbers and chances were few
and far between at either end until Harry Kewell's
dipping shot which dropped just over James' crossbar on
29 minutes.
Kewell tested James again soon after with a low shot
through a crowd which the England keeper did well to
push wide.
The Reds were piling on the pressure, and from the
ensuing corner Sami Hyypia had a clear sight of goal but
could not keep his shot down.
City did not threaten until the 37th minute when Antoine
Sibierski met Anelka's corner but could not direct his
header goalwards.
And yet it was the visitors who snatched the lead on the
stroke of half-time thanks to an error by Liverpool
keeper Dudek.
Jamie Carragher headed Shaun Wright-Phillips' chipped
through ball back to Dudek but the keeper fumbled and
allowed Anelka to steal in and slot home.
But City's lead only lasted until three minutes after
the restart.
Gerrard's clever pass set Baros free in the area and he
beat James with a composed finish.
Anelka almost restored their lead when he latched on to
Reyna's flick - his first-time shot flying inches over.
City were looking comfortable despite Liverpool enjoying
the majority of possession, but the home side burst into
life in the closing 20 minutes.
In a whirlwind spell of pressure, Gerrard tested James
with a powerful drive that James somehow pushed away.
Then a sweeping move forward sent Djibril Cisse running
clear but James came out well to smother his shot.
And seconds later James was City's saviour again with
another superb stop to deny Baros who was clean through
after Dunne's slip.
But a second Liverpool goal looked inevitable and it
duly came on 75 minutes.
A long ball forward sent Baros scampering away once more
and although James did well to block his effort, the
ball fell kindly to Gerrard who swept the ball home.
City's misery was complete when Dunne was sent off for a
second booking after a foul on Cisse in the 85th minute.
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