After The Match 

            


Liverpool-Norwich 3-0 (2-0)        Sat Sep 25.                    Premier League
Goals: Baros (23), Garcia (26), Cisse (63)
Team: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Riise, Alonso, Hamann, Warnock, Garcia, Baros, Cisse
Subs: Diao (Alonso 63), Traore (Cisse 70), Biscan (Warnock 77)
Not used: Kirkland, Josemi
Yellow: Hamann (48)
Red: None
Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)
Attendance: 43,152

                                                            FIXTURES & RESULTS 
TEAM STATS
Shots on target: 12-1
Shots off target: 8-1
Fouls conceded: 10-12
Corners: 4-2
Yellow: 1-0
Red:

 

0-0

HEADLINES

"...we are about
60 per cent of
what I want."

               Rafael Benitez

2509: Benitez demands more from Reds
2509: Norwich boss: Liverpool were superb
2509: Garcia shines in Reds win

 

SEPTEMBER 25
Benitez demands more from Reds

ITV Football

Rafael Benitez admitted he was delighted with Liverpool's performance in beating Norwich 3-0, but insisted his players "still need to raise their level".

Manager Benitez witnessed an outstanding display from £11m midfielder Xabi Alonso which had the Anfield crowd on their feet, and he said: "Xabi is a very clever player, I am pleased for him and the way he has settled in.

"We do not have Steven Gerrard through injury but we have four other players who can perform in midfield.

"What is important is that we need to play well and if we do that it does not matter who we are playing.

"I learn all the time about my team, we still need to progress and still raise our level.

"We played well here but I still need to see my team play against stronger sides."

He continued: "I am still learning about my team, every game and every day in training - we are about 60 per cent of what I want."

Benitez confirmed that Alonso had been withdrawn in the second half with tightness in his leg muscles as a precaution before Liverpool fly out on Monday to Athens for their Champions League game with Olympiacos the following night.


SEPTEMBER 25
Norwich boss: Liverpool were superb

ITV Football

Norwich boss Nigel Worthington accepted that his brave side walked into a Liverpool team finding their form.

He said: "Rafael Benitez has taken over and brought in some excellent players and the future looks very rosy for them.

"For us it a challenge to try to survive in the top flight.

"We are still without a win in seven games now so we must get off the mark soon.

"People are saying that we have played a lot of the big teams, Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester United, and now things will get a little easier.

"But that is not the case, this is a ruthless division and it is full of quality which makes every team dangerous to us.

"Liverpool were very, very good in that first half. You have to hand it to them, they were sheer quality on the day.

"But it is a learning curve for us and will do us no harm.

"But Alonso was in a different class, you would pay good money anywhere in the world to see top class performances like that.

"We were not on top of our game, but I have to say Liverpool were superb."


SEPTEMBER 25
Garcia shines in Reds win

By Patrick Goss - Sky Sports

Luis Garcia was in brilliant form as Liverpool eased to a 3-0 win against Norwich at Anfield.

The Spaniard lit up a game that was controlled throughout by Liverpool, causing huge problems down the right as well as scoring a second after Milan Baros had smashed home an opener on 23 minutes.

Djibril Cisse added third with a low drive from a well worked set-piece just after the hour mark, but by that point Liverpool were already making changes to rest players, as Norwich showed little belief in getting anything from the game.

Liverpool had been in absolute control throughout the opening half - and deservedly moved into a two-goal lead.

Norwich simply could not deal with the sprightly Garcia on the right flank, with their attentions seemingly taken up by lively running from Baros and Cisse.

Garcia rocketed an early chance off the angle of post and bar - twisting inside before lashing his shot off the frame of the goal.

Cisse nearly benefited from some haphazard defending by The Canaries, Hamann blocking an attempted clearance which span into the box, but was nodded just over by the French striker.

John Arne Riise had Robert Green scrambling with a curler off the outside of his left boot, but it was Baros that finally broke the deadlock on 23.

The Czech star cut across the box before unleashing a fine drive across Green that clipped Simon Charlton before flying into the back of the net.

It took just three more minutes for Liverpool to double their lead - and it was fitting that Garcia was the scorer.

Cisse's ball through had picked out the Spaniard, but after twisting inside then out his shot took a cruel deflection to defeat Green at his near post.

It was all Liverpool and Green had to be alert to tip over a Baros cross that looked destined to creep under the bar.

The Norwich keeper then got down to keep out another low Baros effort, and was grateful that Cisse opted to cross rather than shoot when well placed.

The second half saw Norwich briefly show willing, and Liverpool could have been in trouble had Hamann's nasty looking challenge on sub Damien Francis been awarded worse than the yellow card Alan Wiley felt it merited.

But The Canaries' resistance was short-lived and the game moved back into the easy rhythm of Liverpool pressure.

Stephen Warnock brought a save from Green after a lovely move had allowed Garcia to play a little reverse pass in the box.

But it was Cisse who was rewarded for his hard work when he was fed the ball from a free-kick and unleashed a fine low shot that found the bottom right corner of Green's goal.

The acrobatic celebration brought wry smiles from the crowd, who had been anxiously watching the Frenchman holding his thigh and limping just moments before his goal had proved the ultimate painkiller.

Liverpool took off the influential Xabi Alonso and Cisse for the final twenty minutes, and Norwich finally got some possession - but could do little to get a foothold in the game, as the replacements settled in well.

Salif Diao produced a fine challenge after Leon McKenzie had nipped past Sami Hyypia on a rare foray into the box, but the Liverpool captain got revenge on the nippy Norwich subsitute with a well timed tackle on the opposite side of the box.

An easy win for Liverpool and, in Garcia, The Reds fans have quickly found a player that can entertain them at Anfield.


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Thor Zakariassen ©