Liverpool FC

Stoke Hit Reds For Six

2015-05-27T03:39:00.000+01:00

After 37 game-weeks, the Premier League reached its final round of games with some nerves and excitement still to settle with the Europa League places and final relegation place set to go down to the wire. All ten games were played at 3pm Sunday so the results will be listed with most important to least as follows.

The fight to avoid relegation to the Championship saw focus drawn to Hull and Newcastle with the Magpies knowing a win over West Ham would make them safe and send the Tigers down while should Hull beat Manchester United and Newcastle fail to win the outcome would be them going down.

A blank first half in both games meant the live table had Hull on 35 points and Newcastle safe on 38 but the Magpies soon moved even closer to survival with a 54th minute strike from Moussa Sissoko which left Hull with a huge task.

Hull's task received a boost on 77 minutes as Marouane Fellaini was dismissed but their fate sealed on 85 minutes as Jonas Gutierrez confirmed a 2-0 win for Newcastle thereby condemning Hull who went on to draw 0-0 with Man United.

The issues at the bottom being confirmed meant the next focus is on Europa League qualification with Liverpool and Tottenham both vying for fifth place with Southampton hoping for luck with a win and one of the two suffering a defeat.

Liverpool travelled to Stoke,Tottenham travelled to face Everton and deposed champions Manchester City hosted Southampton. The first breakthrough came at the Britannia Stadium as Liverpool fell behind to a 22nd minute opener from Miram Diouf. However, it was the first of three quick blows as Spurs took the lead against Everton two minutes later through Harry Kane to move to fifth before the Reds went two down with Diouf striking again on 26 minutes.

Liverpool went three down on 30 minutes as Walter struck but looked to be avoiding seventh when Frank Lampard put City in front against the Saints. Focus turned away from the Etihad and Goodison Park as Liverpool completed a first half collapse as Charlie Adam and Steven N'Zonzi made it 5-0 at the interval. Tottenham looked safe in fifth but a comeback from Southampton could leave Liverpool seventh and with no European place (fair play pending). Liverpool made it 5-1 with outgoing captain Steven Gerrard scoring his final goal of a 17 year career in the 70th minute.

Southampton's fate was sealed on 88 minutes as Golden Boot winner Sergio Aguero sealed a 2-0 win for City leaving the Saints to finish seventh, Liverpool's fate was sealed seconds earlier though as Stoke completed a 6-1 demolition with a sixth from former Reds striker Peter Crouch who condemned them to their worst PL defeat. Tottenham held on to win 1-0 at Everton and seal fifth place which also meant the Toffees would finish in the bottom half for the first time in nine years.

As the main issues were all settled, the round up continues with the final games for next week's FA Cup finalists. Arsenal took on West Brom and ended their league season in style with a 4-1 win over the Baggies which began with a 17 minute treble with Theo Walcott striking either side of an effort from Jack Wilshere.

Walcott completed a first half hat-trick on 37 minutes for 4-0 before Gareth McAuley pulled one back for the visitors on 57 minutes but it was in vain as they finished 13th overall.

Aston Villa were keen to avoid their worst finish in the post 42 game era but suffered just that as they finished 17th after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to relegated Burnley with the crucial strike coming inside six minutes from Danny Ings who may exit the Clarets this summer.

Leicester ended their season in style as they blew relegated QPR away with a 5-1 win which means other than the defeat to Chelsea, they end the season with nine wins from their last ten games. Jamie Vardy set the ball rolling with a 16th minute opener with Marc Albrighton making it 2-0 just before the interval.

Leonardo Ulloa and Esteban Cambiasso struck in a two minute period to make it 4-0 before Charlie Austin replied for QPR on 57 minutes to extend a great scoring streak across the season. However, the final say came from Andrej Kramaric who completed the rout on 86 minutes.

Chelsea ensured they would be crowned champions with a celebration as they ended the season with a 3-1 win at home to Sunderland who as a result finished behind fierce rivals Newcastle. Steven Fletcher put the visitors ahead on 27 minutes before a pre-planned change on the half hour saw outgoing Didier Drogba carried off by his team-mates. His replacement Diego Costa levelled for the Blues with a 37th minute penalty before a brace from Loic Remy on 70 and 88 minutes sealed the win.

Crystal Palace ended a fine season with a 1-0 win over Swansea who finished eighth but just two wins away from the Europa League places. The crucial strike came on the 57th minute from Marouane Chamakh to ensure the Eagles finished in 10th.

Hopefully the mid-season switch from dedicated Liverpool posts to general domestic posts was welcomed as it will continue next season but maybe improved with a few tweaks.

Champions - Chelsea
Champions League Qualifiers - Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United.
Europa League Qualifiers - Tottenham, Liverpool, West Ham (Fair Play Award) and either Southampton (if Arsenal win FAC) or Aston Villa (if they defeat Arsenal in FAC)
Relegated - Hull, Queens Park Rangers, Burnley.

Next season, sees a new team in the league in AFC Bournemouth as they join experienced side Watford and the instant return of Norwich City who went down last season.

The final post of the season comes on Sunday with the result and analysis of the FA Cup final between Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Eagles Sour Gerrard Farewell as Baggies Beat Champions

2015-05-22T17:23:00.000+01:00

Champions Draw Sees Reds Top Four Hopes Falter

2015-05-13T19:47:00.003+01:00

The business end of the Premier League is in full swing with Chelsea confirmed as champions and after this weekend's action, two sides have suffered relegation leaving a place for one of potentially five teams in the bottom half.

The weekend began with the Saturday lunchtime game between Everton and struggling Sunderland and a shock was on the cards as the visitors secured a 2-0 win with two second half strikes. Danny Graham opened the scoring with an effort on 53 minutes before Jermain Defoe wrapped up the points with five minutes remaining.

Aston Villa's fine form under Tim Sherwood continued as they claimed a narrow 1-0 win at home to West Ham. Tom Cleverley struck the vital winning goal on 31 minutes to move Villa away from the fringes of the bottom three.

Burnley went into the game away to fellow strugglers Hull knowing only a win coupled with other sides dropping points would see them stave off the clutches of relegation. The Clarets did their part by securing a 1-0 win courtesy of a 62nd minute strike from Danny Ings but it proved to be in vain as their fellow battlers secured good results meaning Burnley will play in the Championship next season.

Burnley's demise is something that a few months back seemed to be destiny for Leicester but a superb run of form which has seen them move from the bottom to the fringes of safety continued as they stunned Europa League hopefuls Southampton. The Foxes secured a 2-0 win with an early brace from Riyad Mahrez who struck in the seventh and 19th minutes to seal the three points.

Newcastle's slump to eight consecutive defeat came to an end as they came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw at home to West Brom. Victor Anichebe put the Baggies ahead on 32 minutes only to see his effort cancelled out four minutes before the interval by Ayoze Perez who levelled for the Magpies but who despite the result are not safe from the drop.

Sitting in mid-table clear of the drop but too far behind those chasing European spots, Stoke recorded their best points tally in the division with a comfortable 3-0 win over Europa League hopefuls Tottenham. Charlie Adam continued his recent scoring streak with a 21st minute opener which was swiftly followed by a second from Steven N'Zonzi on 32 minutes. Tottenham's miserable afternoon got worse on 51 minutes with the dismissal of Vlad Chirches before Mame Diouf extended their woes with the Potters' this goal four minutes from the end.

Manchester United have all but sealed a top four spot after securing a 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace which saw the visitors take an early lead with Juan Mata's 19th minute penalty. Jason Puncheon levelled for the Eagles on 57 minutes but United secured the points with a 78th minute winner from Marouane Fellaini.

Super Sunday began QPR's trip to Manchester City with the R's knowing anything but a win would see them join Burnley in being relegated to the Championship but not only did they fail to win, they suffered a humiliating 6-0 defeat to the deposed champions. Sergio Aguero dampened the visitors hopes inside four minutes before a second from Aleksandr Kolarov on 32 minutes dented their task further.

Aguero claimed his second goal on 50 minutes before completing his hat-trick with a 65th minute penalty for 4-0 and from there the thought was a case of just how many would City win by and the answer came with further strikes from James Milner and David Silva on 70 and 87 minutes for 6-0.

Sunday's second game saw newly confirmed champions Chelsea host Liverpool with the Reds opening the game with the traditional Guard of Honour for the new champions just under a year after they missed out on the title themselves after a loss to Chelsea. The Blues made a perfect start with a fourth minute opener from John Terry whose strike made him the league's all-time top scoring defender.

Liverpool fought back with a 44th minute equaliser coming from LA bound captain Steven Gerrard who scored only his second ever goal against the Blues before being given a standing ovation by his own fans and a select number of home fans as he departed late on in a 1-1 draw.

The weekend came to an end with the Monday night offering of Arsenal at home to Swansea with the Gunners looking to boost hopes of a top two finish but they were stunned late on by a Baftembi Gomis strike on 85 minute to secure a 1-0 win for the Swans.

Reds Boost Euro Hopes As Chelsea Secure Title

2015-05-08T02:59:00.000+01:00

Reds Top Four Hops Falter At Hull

2015-05-02T12:33:00.000+01:00

A midweek double-header after FA Cup postponements saw Liverpool travel to Hull on Tuesday and Chelsea visit Leicester on Wednesday.

Liverpool's slim hopes of a top four finish faltered after suffering a 1-0 defeat to a Hull side who as a result boosted their survival hopes with the crucial strike coming from Michael Dawson on 37 minutes.

Chelsea travelled to Leicester knowing a win would see them just three points from securing the title and after coming from behind to a 45th minute opener from Marc Albrighton, Chelsea ended the Foxes four game winning streak with a leveller from Didier Drogba on 48 minutes before John Terry put them ahead on 79 minutes.

Ramires confirmed the win six minutes later for a 3-1 triumph that means a win against Crystal Palace on Sunday will see Chelsea crowned as champions.

Reds Draw Blank At Baggies

2015-04-27T19:13:00.003+01:00

After a shorter programme last weekend due to FA Cup action, the Premier League returned to a full quota of games with the title and relegation issues still far from settled.

Saturday's opener saw Europa League hopefuls Southampton and Tottenham share the spoils in a 2-2 draw that saw the Saints twice blow a lead in each half. Graziano Pellé opened the scoring on 29 minutes only to have Eric Lamela equalise two minutes before the interval, Pellé restored the lead on 65 minutes but Spurs drew level again with Nacer Chadli's effort just five minutes later to secure a point.

Leicester's stunning form continued as they moved out of the bottom three with a 1-0 win away to fellow relegation battlers Burnley with the crucial strike coming on the hour mark from Jamie Vardy who puts the Foxes closer to safety.

Hull also boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 win away to Crystal Palace whose recent good form ended after a brace from Dame N'Doye who struck on 51 and 90 minutes to secure all three points to leave them just outside the bottom three.

Newcastle's mixed season continued with a 3-2 defeat at home to Swansea which means the Magpies are still not safe from relegation. Swansea are on course for their best ever season in the top flight after coming from behind after Ayoze Perez's 20th minute opener, Nelson Oliveira equalised just before the interval before Gylfi Sigurdsson put the Swans in front on 49 minutes. Jack Cork increased the lead to 3-1 on 71 minutes before Siem De Jong set up a tense finish with an 87th minute strike but the Swans held on for the win.

QPR remain in the bottom three and four points adrift of safety after a 0-0 draw against West Ham who despite the result still remain in the fight for a top ten finish.

The Hammers sit just behind Stoke who remain in ninth after coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against relegation battlers Sunderland who dropped into the bottom three as a result.

Connor Wickham put the visitors in front inside the first minute before Charlie Adam secured a point for the Potters with a 27th minute leveller.

Liverpool's top four hopes look slim after they could only manage a point away to West Brom who kept the Reds out in a 0-0 draw which saw Steven Gerrard make his 500th league appearance.

Manchester City left it late to hold off a battling Aston Villa as the hosts secured a 3-2 win that keeps the in the fight for second spot behind Chelsea. Sergio Aguero put the hosts in front inside three minutes before Aleksandr Kolarov added a second on 66 minutes. Tom Cleverley pulled one back two minutes later before Carlos Sanchez made it 2-2 with five minutes left of the 90. However, Villa's hopes of a point ended on 89 minutes when Fernandinho struck for 3-2.

Super Sunday began with Manchester United's 3-0 defeat away to Everton which all but ends their slim title hopes. James McCarthy put the Blues ahead inside five minutes before John Stones struck his first Everton goal on 35 minutes to put them in control. Kevin Mirallas made it 3-0 on 74 minutes to ensure a third successive home win against United.

The second game of the afternoon saw the huge London derby clash between Arsenal and Chelsea with the Blues looking to close in on the title with a win meaning they would be only a victory away from claiming the title.

However, Arsenal had other ideas as they held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw that unlike most stalemates benefited both as Arsenal all but confirmed a top four finish.

Chelsea Extend Gap As Reds Suffer Wembley Defeat

2015-04-21T20:15:00.002+01:00

A dual post this week features eight games as the Premier League sees six games due to the two FA Cup semi-finals featuring three top flight clubs.

The league programme began with four 3pm kick-offs on Saturday with the first featuring West Brom's 2-0 away win at Crystal Palace which saw former Eagles manager Tony Pulis get one over his former club. James Morrison gave the Baggies a perfect start with the opening goal inside two minutes before Craig Gardner sealed the win in the 53rd minute.

Everton piled the pressure on relegation threatened Burnley with a 1-0 win at home to the Clarets who fell behind in the 29th minute to a strike from Kevin Mirallas before suffering a blow on half-time with the dismissal of Ashley Barnes as they suffered a loss that keeps them in the bottom three.

Leicester continued their recent revival with a third in in succession as they boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 win at home to Swansea which saw Leonardo Ulloa end his barren run in front of goal with the opener on 15 minutes before Andy King made it two in two games with an 89th minute strike to confirm the win.

Southampton's hopes of a top four finish were dealt a blow as they suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Stoke who look set to record back-to-back finishes in the top half but the Potters had to come from behind after Morgan Schneiderlin's 22nd minute opener. Mame Diouf levelled or the hosts before Charlie Adam sealed the win six minutes from the end.

The evening kick-off saw a huge clash between table toppers Chelsea and potential title challengers Manchester United but the latter's title hopes suffered a blow as they fell to a 1-0 defeat away to the Blues who moved clear at the top.

Eden Hazard struck the winning goal in the 38th minute to move the Blues ten points clear of the chasing pack.

Super Sunday began with top four challengers Manchester City hosting West Ham with the Sky Blues securing a 2-0 win to open up a gap on the chasing pack. James Collins' unfortunate own goal opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Sergio Aguero wrapped up the points in the 36th minute.

Newcastle's mixed run of form continued as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to top four hopefuls Tottenham whose European aspirations have been boosted as a result, Nacer Chadli put the visitors ahead on the half hour mark only to see his effort cancelled out by Jack Colback's 46th minute leveller. Christian Eriksen restored the visitors' lead on 53 minutes before Harry Kane sealed the win in the 90th minute.

Away from the league programme, the FA Cup semi finals took place at Wembley across the weekend with the first game seeing Championship side Reading take on holders Arsenal with the Gunners coming out on top but only after extra time. Alexis Sanchez put Arsenal ahead on 39 minutes before Garath McCleary levelled for the Royals on 54 minutes, the sides remained level which led to extra time. However, a howler from Reading 'keeper Adam Federici saw him spill Sanchez's shot into the net on 106 minutes which sealed a place in the final for the Gunners.

Sunday's semi-final saw an all top-flight meeting as Aston Villa took on Liverpool with the Reds hopeful of reaching the final and giving Steven Gerrard the perfect send-off to his Liverpool career. Liverpool's hopes of such a tribute were boosted on the half hour mark by a superb opening goal from the in-form Philippe Coutinho but the lead lasted just six minutes as fellow in-form Christian Benteke levelled. Aston Villa seemed the better of the two sides and secured a dream passage to the final with a 54th minute winner from Fabian Delph.

Reds Boost European Hopes

2015-04-15T21:28:00.004+01:00

Ahead of a crucial trip to Wembley for the FA Cup semi final against Aston Villa, Liverpool faced Newcastle on Monday night in the final game of the Premier League gameweek which saw a number of surprise results.

Saturday's early game saw Swansea host Everton with Toffees manager Roberto Martinez facing his former side but alike opposition manager Garry Monk, had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw. Aaron Lennon put the Blues in front on 41 minutes but his effort was cancelled out by Jonjo Shelvey's penalty on 69 minutes which sealed a point for the Swans.

Southampton kept up their hopes of Europa League qualification with a 2-0 win over Hull who as a result sit on the fringes of the bottom three. James Ward-Prowse put the Saints in front with a 56th minute penalty before Graziano Pellé ended his barren run in front of goal with and 81st minute strike to confirm the three points.

Crystal Palace's hopes of a top ten finish gathered pace superbly as they swept aside a struggling Sunderland side 4-1, a rout which came s a surprise after the sides ended the first half level at 0-0.

Palace burst into action with all four goals coming in the space of 14 minutes starting with Glenn Murray's opener on 48 minutes before Bolasie fired in an 11 minute hat-trick with goals on 51,53 and 62 minutes to put Palace in control.

Sunderland's only positive of the game came in the form of a late consolation strike from Connor Wickham in an otherwise poor performance.

Aston Villa prepared for the upcoming trip to Wembley with a 1-0 win away to Tottenham whose top four hopes were dealt a huge dent as a result. Christian Benteke has been in stunning form under the stewardship of Tim Sherwood and the Belgian continued such form with the only goal of the game on 35 minutes and despite having Carlos Sanchez sent off late on, Villa held on for the victory.

Leicester's hopes of survival were given a huge boost as the Foxes secured a last-gasp 3-2 win away to West Brom who missed the chance to surely secure safety from the drop. Darren Fletcher opened the scoring fr the Baggies with his first goal since joining the club on eight minutes before David Nugent drew the visitors level on 20 minutes.

Craig Gardner restored the hosts lead six minutes later and with time ticking down in the second half, the strike looked to be the winner but Leicester had other ideas with Robert Huth levelling on 80 minutes before Jamie Vardy sealed the win in the final minute.

West Ham and Stoke remain level on points in ninth and tenth after the sides drew 1-1 in a game that the Hammers looked to have won after Aaron Creswell's opener on seven minutes seemed to be the only goal of the game. However, Stoke had other ideas and salvaged a point late on with Marko Arnautovic denied the Hammers in the 90th minute.

The evening kick-off saw Burnley's survival hopes dealt a blow as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat against top four challengers Arsenal with the crucial strike coming after only 12 minutes through Aaron Ramsey.

Super Sunday began with a London derby between struggling QPR and table toppers Chelsea with the visitors leaving it late to deny the hosts a vital point with Cesc Fabregas scoring on 88 minutes to extend the Blues lead at the top of the table.

The second part of Super Sunday saw the fierce Manchester Derby between United and City which saw a six goal thriller between the top four challengers with United securing a 4-2 win to boost their hopes of a top two finish leaving their rivals just inside the top four. Sergio Aguero opened the scoring on eight minutes before his effort was cancelled out by Ashley Young on 14 minutes.

Marouane Fellani put United ahead on 27 minutes before second half strikes from Juan Mata and Chris Smalling on 67 and 73 minutes sealed the win at 4-1, Aguero sealed his brace late on to make it 4-2 but it was a poor day for City overall.

The final game of the weekend saw Liverpool host Newcastle on Monday night with the Reds securing a 2-0 win to keep their top four hopes alive while the Magpies still are not safe from the clutches of the bottom three. Raheem Sterling put the hosts in front inside nine minutes before a rare strike from Joe Allen sealed the points on 70 minutes. Newcastle's bad evening at Anfield got worse as Moussa Sissoko was sent off for a second booking with 83 minutes on the clock as Liverpool sealed all three points.

Reds Suffer Heavy Loss To Gunners Ahead Of FA Cup Triumph

2015-04-11T02:16:00.001+01:00

A mixed week for Liverpool with a heavy defeat away to Arsenal before a narrow win at Blackburn in the FA Cup sixth round replay in midweek, the scores and the rest of the weekends action can be seen below.

Mata Double Sinks Reds

2015-03-23T22:45:00.000+00:00

Ahead of the impending International break, the feature of this weekend's Premier League action was the tightness and excitement of all but one game which saw a three goal difference between the sides.

The aforementioned game was the first of the weekend on Saturday as Manchester City cruised past West Brom with a 3-0 win which began controversially with the mistaken dismissal of Gareth McAuley inside two minutes instead of Craig Dawson (corrected earlier today by the FA). Wilfried Bony put the hosts in front on 27 minutes before Fernando added a second five minutes before half-time with David Silva confirming the victory with a 77th minute strike.

Swansea left it late to secure a narrow 1-0 win away to Aston Villa whose good run under Tim Sherwood ended as a result. The crucial strike came in the 87th minute as Bafetimbi Gomis struck to ensure the Swans remained in the top ten.

Arsenal kept up their slim title hopes with a 2-1 win away to Newcastle with Olivier Giroud's four minute brace on 24 and 28 minutes putting them in control. Newcastle fought back with a strike from Moussa Sissoko on 48 minutes but were unable to salvage a point.

Southampton boosted their European hopes with a 2-0 win at home to struggling Burnley with Shane Long opening the scoring on 37 minutes before Jason Shackell sealed his side's fate with a 58th minute own goal.

Crystal Palace look to be safe from relegation after opening up an 11 point gap with a 2-1 win away to Stoke with Mame Diouf's 14th minute strike cancelled out by Wilfred Zaha's 41st minute equaliser and Glenn Murray's 45th minute penalty as the Eagles sealed victory.

A seven goal thriller saw Tottenham edge out Leicester 4-3 to boost their top four hopes and dampen the Foxes survival hopes.

Harry Kane's early brace in the sixth and 13th minutes put Spurs in control but strikes from Jamie Vardy and Wes Morgan saw the Foxes level at 2-2. Kane restored the hosts' lead with a 64th minute penalty before Jeff Schlupp's 85th minute own goal made it 4-2 and surely sealed the points but David Nugent's 90th minute effort set up a frantic finish which saw the hosts hold on for the win.

The late-kick off saw West Ham end a run of poor form with a narrow 1-0 win over Sunderland handing Dick Advocaat an opening defeat in charge of the Black Cats with the crucial strike coming late on as Diafra Sakho secured all three points for the Hammers in the 88th minute.

Super Sunday began with the huge clash between Liverpool and Manchester United in a game that will live long in the memory after a unbelievable horror show from Steven Gerrard rather than United's 2-1 triumph.

Juan Mata put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute before what can only be described as a 'moment of madness' saw Steven Gerrard come on at half-time before being dismissed after 38 seconds for a stamp on Ander Herrera and the ten men soon fell further behind to a spectacular volley from Mata on the hour. Daniel Sturridge gave Liverpool hope with a 69th minute strike which served only as consolation as United complete a double over their fierce rivals.

The second part of Super Sunday saw a Chelsea come out on top in a five goal thriller with Hull City. The Blues raced into a 2-0 lead through Eden Hazard and Diego Costa inside nine minutes before Ahmed Elmohamady and Abel Hernandez struck twice in as many minutes before the half-hour to make it 2-2. Loic Remy sealed the win for the table toppers just minutes after coming off the bench with a 77th minute strike.

Everton bounced back from their Europa League exit in Kiev with a 2-1 win away to struggling QPR with Seamus Coleman opening the scoring on 18 minutes. Eduardo Vargas equalised for the hosts on 65 minutes but the win went to the Toffees as Aaron Lennon struck for the first time since his January transfer from Tottenham to seal the points in the 77th minute.

Henderson Extends Reds Run

2015-03-18T16:53:00.001+00:00

As of this post, this blog will feature coverage from all Premier League matches rather then the usual report based just on Liverpool in a sweeping change across my blog spectrum. The weekend's action saw surprise results fro the top two which allowed the chasing pack to close the gap.

Saturday's lunchtime kick-off saw a London derby between Crystal Palace and QPR with the Eagles sealing a 3-1 victory which began with Wilfred Zaha'a 21st minute opener before James McArthur added a second on 30 minutes. Palace looked to have sealed the win before half-time when Joel Ward made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute which is how the score stayed until a stunning consolation strike from Matt Phillips in the 83rd minute.

The day's second London Derby saw Arsenal host West Ham United with the hosts sealing a 3-0 win which keeps them in the hunt for a top four spot and began with Olivier Giroud's opener just before half-time. The Gunners confirmed the victory with a late double as Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini struck on 81 and 84 minutes to complete the triumph.

Leicester City hosted Hull City with the Foxes looking to close up on their fellow strugglers at the bottom but despite playing the final 28 minutes with an extra man advantage after Tom Huddlestone's dismissal, they were unable to prevent a 0-0 draw.

Aston Villa continued their great start under Tim Sherwood with a 4-0 thumping of Sunderland, a result which led to the sacking of Gus Poyet who leaves Sunderland on the fringes of the bottom three. Villa made a superb start with two goals in three minutes from Christian Benteke and Gabriel Agbolahor in the 16th and 19th minutes before both strikers completed braces on 37 and 44 minutes to wrap up the win inside the first half.

West Brom extended their gap from the bottom three with a narrow 1-0 win at home to Stoke who remain eighth after the defeat. The Baggies secured the points early on with the crucial goal coming on 19 minutes through Brown Ideye.

Burnley buoyed their survival hopes in style with a shock win over champions Manchester City which saw the visitors title challenge suffer as a result. The Clarets moved to one point away from exiting the bottom three with a narrow 1-0 win which was sealed by a stunning strike from George Boyd on the hour mark.

Super Sunday began with a clash between table toppers Chelsea and in-form Southampton which saw the two sides come away with a point apiece after a 1-1 draw which saw both goals come in the first 20 minutes. Diego Costa put the Blues ahead on 11 minutes but saw his effort cancelled out just eight minutes later by a penalty from Dusan Tadic as the Saints denied the Blues from extending their gap at the top.

After a 2-1 home win over Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League, Everton made it two wins in a row at home this week with a comfortable 3-0 win over Newcastle which saw James McCarthy open the the scoring in the 20th minute before a double blow for the Magpies just before the hour with Romelu Lukaku's penalty soon followed by the dismissal of Fabricio Coloccini three minutes later. Everton confirmed the win late on with Ross Barkley's 90th minute strike.

Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 win at home to fellow top four hopefuls Tottenham who as a result slipped away from the top teams after a superb first half treble from the hosts sealed the points.

Marouane Fellaini opened the scoring on nine minutes before Micheal Carrick added a second in the 19th minute, Wayne Rooney capped off United's good start with the third on 34 minutes which saw a satirical boxing celebration in response to recent events.

The weekend's action came to a close on Monday night as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in 2015 with a narrow 1-0 win away to Swansea which saw Jordan Henderson strike the crucial goal on 68 minutes which put the Reds firmly in contention for a top four finish.

Coutinho Stunner Halts Champions Charge

2015-03-03T16:32:00.000+00:00

After seeing their European adventure ended by Besiktas on Thursday night, Liverpool returned to domestic duties with a huge clash against reigning champions Manchester City who looked to end a run of 12 visits to Anfield without a win.

The starting XI saw four changes from Thursday with Philippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic all included as the Reds looked to bounce back from playing over two hours in Turkey.

A fairly quiet start from both sides saw the first chance come from Coutinho combining with Lallana which saw the latter fail to test Joe Hart with an awkward effort but they linked up again minutes later with Lallana rifling an effort past Hart before being denied due to a flag for offside. However, the breakthrough did come in stunning style in the 11th minute as Coutinho picked out Raheem Sterling who in turn fed a great pass to Jordan Henderson who curled a superb effort into the top corner to open the scoring.

A euphoric Anfield came close to turning silent when David Silva clipped a pass over the Reds backline into the path of Sergio Aguero who clipped a shot from a narrow angle and despite beating Simon Mignolet saw the effort cannon off the post. Despite the miss, Aguero soon turned creator as he picked out strike partner Edin Dzeko who first touch saw him hit past Mignolet to equalise in the 25th minute.

Liverpool's next response came from Coutinho who hit a long-range effort which proved to be comfortable for Hart to claim as the sides went into the interval on level terms. However, the parity could have ended just 20 seconds after the interval as Pablo Zabaleta swung in a dangerous cross which met the head of Aguero whose effort narrowly missed the crossbar.

As the sides remained level after the hour mark, Daniel Sturridge looked set to come on to try and alter the balance but what proved to be the decisive impact came before he could come on as Philippe Coutinho continued his run of superb goals with a stellar strike from the edge of the area which sailed past Joe Hart and into the top corner.

City came close to claiming a point when Aguero hit a low effort just wide of the target but it was not to be City's day as Liverpool held firm to claim a superb victory that boosts their top four hopes and extends their unbeaten run to 11 games making them the sole side in all four divisions yet to lose in 2015.

Reds Exit Europa After Shootout Loss

2015-03-03T01:00:00.000+00:00

After securing a narrow first leg advantage thanks to Mario Balotelli's late penalty at Anfield, Liverpool made the trip to Turkey for the return leg against Besiktas which saw them re-visit the Ataturk Stadium which staged the famous 2005 Champions League final comeback as they secured a fifth European Cup title.

Thoughts of such a repeat on Thursday night were far from the even the wildest imagination but with a Liverpool travelling party lacking the strength of Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Mamadou Sakho, Lucas Leiva, Philippe Coutinho, Glen Johnson and Lazar Markovic, the Reds knew their task would not be easy.

The absentees meant a starting eleven featuring Mario Balotelli and Daniel Sturridge up front and Kolo Toure and Alberto Moreno in defence while Academy duo Cameron Brannagan and Jordan Williams were named on the bench. The match began with a roaring atmosphere from both sets of fans with the hosts making an aggressive start with some tasty challenges.

The first chance of the game came in the 20th minute with Moreno collecting a pass from Balotelli on the wing before picking out Raheem Sterling who hit for goal only to see his effort parried by Cenk Gonen. The threat from the Reds began to grow and the next chance came from Sterling who saw a turning shot blocked by Necip Uysal.

Daniel Sturridge forced a strong save from Gonen after fellow striker partner Balotelli had picked him out before Moreno hit a close range effort which Gonen took with ease. Besiktas responded with a pacy run from Olcay Sahan raising the noise level only to be denied by Simon Mignolet. The tie reached halfway meaning Liverpool had just 45 minutes left to hold on to their narrow lead from the previous leg.

Buoyed by the fact that they had to score to extend the tie, Besiktas began the second half with clear intent with Serdar Kurtulus and Jose Sosa both trying their luck early on but both could only find the arms of Simon Mignolet. The threat from the hosts continued to grow and they came close to levelling through Arslan whose effort narrowly missed the post.

However, the effort was a preview of things to come as Arslan tried his luck again in the 72nd minute with a superb chance which sailed past Mignolet and levelled the tie by giving the hosts the lead on the night. Liverpool's response saw Javier Manquillo and Adam Lallana replace Jordon Ibe and Mario Balotelli but Besiktas continued to threaten and when Ba connected to a forward pass he clipped a volley which cannoned back off the crossbar.

The former Chelsea striker's effort proved to be the last notable one of the 90 minutes which meant the tie went into extra time which saw Daniel Opare, Tore and Ba himself all pepper Mignolet's goal but with no success which meant a penalty shootout.

Just under ten years ago, it was Jerzy Dudek who was the hero for the Reds so the mantle fell to Simon Mignolet to keep Besiktas out and send the Reds into the next round, Demba Ba beat him with the opener with Rickie Lambert responding for Liverpool. Tore and Lallana matched their predecessors as did Veli Kavlak and Emre Can. Atiba Hutchinson and Joe Allen's spot-kicks made it 4-4 meaning Arslan had the chance to pile pressure on the final Reds taker which he did with a clever penalty for 5-4.

Dejan Lovren stepped up for Liverpool with huge pressure on his shoulders and it seemed to prevail as he blasted the ball wide of the target meaning the Reds exited the competition and ended their European season with just two wins from eight games.

Reds Complete Saints Double

2015-02-25T19:25:00.001+00:00

After securing a late win against Besiktas on Thursday, Liverpool returned to domestic duties with the trip to face Southampton, a tie which would see two of the league's most in-form clubs face off.

Liverpool made two changes from the Besiktas match with Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge swapping places while former Saints defender Dejan Lovren replaced the injured Mamadou Sakho in a team featuring another fellow former Saint in Adam Lallana while Rickie Lambert was named on the bench.

A frantic start saw Southampton appeal for a penalty after only 22 seconds when a run into the box from Filip Djuricic saw him seemingly fouled by Emre Can but the referee thought otherwise as play continued. However, Southampton's mood worsened just five minutes later when a pass from Lazar Markovic found Philippe Coutinho whose stunning shot from long range sailed past Fraser Forster to open the scoring in superb style.

Both sides came into the game in good form so it was no surprise that despite the early opener, the play focused mainly in the midfield with Southampton's first chance to equalise coming just before the interval as Eljero Elia raced towards goal only to be denied on the edge of the area by the onrushing Simon Mignolet.

Southampton continued their attacking threat into the second half and had another good chance in the 50th minute with Graziano Pelle dragging a shot past the post, Alberto Moreno swept in a cross for Jordan Henderson just after the hour mark but the Reds captain was unable to create a chance to finish.

The presence of Moreno out wide soon proved effective for Liverpool as he swept in a dangerous cross in the 73rd minute which saw Matt Targett slip when attempting to clear and allowed Raheem Sterling to slot the ball past Forster for a 2-0 lead.

Southampton did have a chance late on to claim a consolation but Morgan Scheiderlin's header could only find the gloves of Mignolet who in securing a clean sheet broke a record of five away shutouts in a row for the first time since 1985 and ensured his side remained in the hunt for the top four.

Besiktas Pay The Penalty

2015-02-25T17:18:00.002+00:00

After a long winter break from European competition after suffering an exit from the Champions League, Liverpool began their second campaign of the season by debuting in the Europa League with the visit of Turkish side Besiktas.

The team selected included a third start in a row for Daniel Sturridge as Phillipe Coutinho extended his long run to 18 consecutive games with the duo accompanied by Jordon Ibe who made his European debut for the Reds.

Besiktas' last visit to Anfield saw them crushed 8-0 in 2007 but such a repeat seemed impossible in a fairy tight first half between the sides which began with Daniel Sturridge testing Cenk Gonen from a tight angle inside four minutes.

Veli Kavlak threatened for the visitors in the 32nd minute after connecting to a corner but his header failed to test Simon Mignolet as the ball narrowly missed the top of the crossbar but when Demba Ba latched on to a through pass in the 35th minute, memories of the infamous 'Gerrard slip' strike surfaced though this time around the counter resulted in a superb tipping save from Simon Mignolet.

Liverpool came close to breaking the deadlock just before the interval with Sturridge curling a free-kick over the bar and Alberto Moreno sweeping a long range shot which saw Gonen tip the ball over the bar. However, Liverpool's best chance of the game came in the 46th minute when Jordan Henderson's free-kick crept past the post with Gonen unmoved on the far post.

A close first 15 minutes of the second half saw the sides remain level past the hour mark which saw Henderson hit a chance narrowly past the post before a double switch saw Dejan Lovren and Mario Balotelli replace Joe Allen and Phillipe Coutinho which allowed Emre Can to move into midfield.

The Reds final change saw Raheem Sterling replace Adam Lallana and the former made an instant impact when he created a counter-attack which allowed him to find Sturridge who clipped the ball over from an acute angle. Liverpool looked the likeliest to break the deadlock and with five minutes left of the 90, they were given a great chance as Jordan Ibe's run into the box saw him felled resulting in a penalty.

Jordan Henderson collected the ball but seemed to be deposed as Mario Balotelli stepped in and chose to take the spot-kick which proved to be a good decision as he casually slotted past Gonen to open the scoring and seal a first leg advantage.

The Italian's strike proved to be enough at the final whistle but the issue of the penalty taker seemed to continue past the end of the game with a number of differing opinions.

Reds End Palace Hoodoo

2015-02-18T00:00:00.003+00:00

When Liverpool were drawn away to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, thoughts turned to the past two meetings which saw Palace come from behind to dent Liverpool's title hopes in a 3-3 draw last April before sealing a 3-1 win earlier this season.

A few enforced changes from the Swansea win saw the injured Steven Gerrard and cup-tied Jordon Ibe drop out of the squad to be replaced by Joe Allen and Adam Lallana while Daniel Sturridge started back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Liverpool looked to make a good start with Lazar Markovic sweeping in a cross in the third minute but when the ball found Daniel Sturridge, he flicked an effort over the bar. Crystal Palace's first chance proved to be an important one as they opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a lofted pass from Joe Ledley to Dwight Gayle forcing Simon Mignolet to deny the striker but the ball fell kindly to Fraizer Campbell who slotted into the empty net.

The visitors pushed to draw level with efforts from Adam Lallana, Phillipe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson all denied by a run of fine saves by Julian Speroni who kept his side ahead. However, Palace could have extended their lead in the final minutes of the first half as Dwight Gayle advanced on goal before being denied by a superb tackle and save from Simon Mignolet.

Liverpool made a half-time change with Lazar Markovic departing for Mario Balotelli but it was the hosts started the half the better with Jason Puncheon powering a shot over the bar before Liverpool equalised in the 49th minute. Jordan Henderson clipped the ball across goal to the unmarked Daniel Sturridge who fired past Speroni for 1-1.

Dwight Gayle looked to regain the lead for Palace but was thwarted by a superb tipping save from Simon Mignolet whose stop proved to be vital just six minutes later when Mario Balotelli was fouled on the edge of the Palace area before sweeping in a free-kick which despite drawing a save from Speroni, found Adam Lallana on the rebound to put the visitors in front.

Palace;s best effort to draw level came from a dangerous cross from Fraizer Campbell which Simon Mignolet claimed before Dwight Gayle swept over a free-kick in added time as Liverpool ended their miserable run at Palace and in doing so sealed a place in the last eight of the competition.

Balotell Fires Reds Past Spurs

2015-02-11T21:25:00.005+00:00

After a stalemate in the Merseyside derby at the weekend, Liverpool looked to continue their stay at the top of the form table with the hosting of fellow in-form side Tottenham last night. Daniel Sturridge made his first start coming back from injury while Steven Gerrard featured from the start for the third time in a week.

A slow start from both sides at a chilly Anfield saw Liverpool take the first chance as Daniel Sturridge advanced on goal before forcing a low save from Hugo Lloris which was followed two minutes later by Steven Gerrard's free-kick sailing over the bar.

After retaining his place from the weekend, Jordon Ibe looked to build on a good performance and came close to claiming an assist when he picked out Sturridge who hit for goal only to be denied by a stunning stop from Lloris. However, the Spurs 'keeper was picking the ball out of the net two minutes later when an aerial challenge between Jan Vertonghen and Sturridge saw the ball find Lazar Markovic who advanced on goal and slotted past Lloris to open the scoring.

The visitors could have gone two behind five minutes later when Ryan Mason's back pass was cut-out by Sturridge who looked to test Lloris but could only sent the ball over the bar. Mason's error had gone unpunished and instead of being 2-0 down, Tottenham were soon level as Eric Lamela slipped a pass through to Harry Kane who slotted past Simon Mignolet to make it 1-1.

Liverpool's response saw Ibe test Lloris after a pacy run before the young winger found Sturridge who in the final seconds of the first half, performed a backheel flick which cannoned off the post and the Reds attack continued into the second half which saw Sturridge's advance into the box on 52 minutes result in a penalty.

Steven Gerrard stepped up and fired past Hugo Lloris to put the hosts in front but the lead lasted just eight minutes as Spurs drew level after Christian Eriksen's free-kick had forced Simon Mignolet into a strong save, Harry Kane crossed for Moussa Dembele who clipped the ball into the net.

Liverpool changed tact with Steven Gerrard being replaced by Dejan Lovren which allowed Emre Cam to move into midfield which came close to a quick impact when he found Phillipe Coutinho who in turn supplied Lazar Markovic who forced a stop from Lloris.

Both sides made further changes as the game entered the final 15 minutes with Sturride and Markovic replaced by Adam Lallana and Mario Balotelli while Spurs brought on Nacer Chadli in place of Christian Eriksen. As the game entered the final ten minutes, Liverpool's changes paid off as Adam Lallana clipped the ball across the box and into the path of Mario Balotelli who fired past Lloris to put the Reds in front with his first league goal for the club.

Tottenham pushed to level for a third time but were unable to prevent Liverpool from securing a huge victory and completing a league double over them.

Reds Late Show Seals Palace Trip

2015-02-07T13:06:00.002+00:00

Ahead of the Merseyside Derby at the weekend, Liverpool travelled to face Bolton in the FA Cup fourth round replay on Wednesday night looking to continue their good form in 2015.

Steven Gerrard returned to make his historic 700th appearance with Joe Allen also included in the starting 11 while Jordan Henderson dropped the bench which included Daniel Sturridge who hoped to continue his comeback from injury.

Liverpool started the better of the two sides with Adam Lallana picking out Steven Gerrard in space in the seventh minute who forced a save from Andy Lonergan before the Bolton stopper saw a stray shot from Philippe Coutinho sail wide of his goal.

Bolton responded with a high shot from Eidur Gudjohnsen in the 16th minute before David Wheater connected with a header from a free-kick which Simon Mignolet saved comfortably. The best chance of the game came from Raheem Sterling who after being supplied by a Moreno-Lallana combination, clipped a shot at goal only to see it cannon off the post.

Sterling looked to turn creator just before the interval as he combined with Gerrard to find Coutinho whose shot narrowly missed the outside of the post. Bolton seemed to be buoyed by still being in the game at half time and their position improved just before the hour mark as a run into the box from Zack Clough saw him tripped by Martin Skrtel resulting in a penalty. Eidur Gudjohnsen slotted past Mignolet to give the hosts the lead but their joy was soon soured with the dismissal of Neil Danns for a second booking in the 66th minute.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Bolton continued to threaten with Clough shooting pastthe post after a clever run before Feeney swept in a dangerous cross which saw Mignolet save crucially with Gudjohnsen just inches away from connecting.

Liverpool came achingly close to drawing level when Jordan Henderson's shot deflected off David Wheater before grazing the post before a pacy run from Daniel Sturridge resulted in a blocked shot which saw Sterling try his luck only to be denied in a similar fashion.

Emre Can fired a powerful shot at goal in the 83rd minute which saw Andy Lonergan tip the ball onto the crossbar but the Bolton stopper was soon beaten as Can clipped a pass forward into the path of Raheem Sterling who volleyed through the legs of Lonergan to level the tie at 1-1.

Extra time looked to be on the cards as the game ticked on into added time but when Jordan Henderson found Philippe Coutinho in space, the visiting fans began to believe and their faith was rewarded when the Brazilian swept in a superb shot which cannoned off the bar and over the line.

Bolton came just five minutes from a dream tie in the fifth round away to Crystal Palace but the Eagles will welcome Liverpool hoping to repeat their stunning 3-1 win from earlier in the season.

Sofa So Good For SCS

2015-02-03T19:45:00.000+00:00

After exiting the Capital One Cup at the hands of Chelsea in midweek, Liverpool returned to league duties with the visit of West Ham United who sat just above the Reds going into Saturday afternoon's meeting.

Due to the packed fixture schedule, the Reds rested Steven Gerrard from a squad that saw Mario Balotelli miss out but saw the first inclusion of Daniel Sturridge after his return from five months out injured.

The reverse meeting between the sides saw the Hammers cruise to a 3-1 win last September which saw them lead 2-0 inside seven minutes this time around it took that long for the first chance to appear as Lazar Markovic hit wide after a good build-up.

Since scoring in the previous meeting, Raheem Sterling has become a shining star for Liverpool and he looked to continue his good form by setting up Jordan Henderson which saw the captain force a save from Adrian after 19 minutes. Sterling turned creator again five minutes later when he found Philippe Coutinho who drew a parrying stop from Adrian as Liverpool built up momentum.

West Ham responded with former Reds striker Andy Carroll latching on to an free-kick but the result was a tame shot which was easily taken by Simon Mignolet. In what seemed to be a trend of the game, Sterling continued to create for the hosts and after going down in the area saw the ball make a fool out of Stewart Downing before Markovic sent the ball wide of the target.

Sterling's effort were justly rewarded six minutes after the interval when a forward pass from Alberto Moreno saw Sterling chest the ball onto Coutinho who completed the one-two to send Sterling in on goal which allowed him to slot past Adrian to open the scoring.

The Hammers response came in the 64th minute when a stray shot across goal from Enner Valencia forced Mignolet into a strong diving save. The biggest cheer of the afternoon came when Daniel Sturridge came off the bench in place of Markovic to mark his return after five months on the sidelines.

His firs impact took just eight minutes when he connected to a pass from Sterling and forced Adrian into a stop but seconds later, he showed just why the fans have craved his return as he latched onto a clever pass from Coutinho before firing past Adrian to the joy of the celebrating Kop stand.

For many, the heralded SAS of last season will still be missed but at the final whistle it seems a new dawn is building for Liverpool in the form of an SCS and long may it continue.

Ivanovic Ends Reds Wembley Dream

2015-01-27T23:48:00.004+00:00

After being held to a goalless draw by Bolton at the weekend in the FA Cup, Liverpool continued their domestic cup duties a trip to face Chelsea in the Capital One Cup semi final second leg tonight.

Liverpool stuck with the same starting 11 as the first leg and were lucky not to fall behind early on when Diego Costa found Willian in space only to see Lucas deny the Blues midfielder with a block in the fifth minute. Tempers flared in the 12th minute when Costa appeared to stamp on a floored Emre Can but no punishment was given and it served as the first incident of what would be a fiery encounter.

Branislav Ivanovic swept in a dangerous cross in the 18th minute when was achingly close to finding Eden Hazard but his fellow Belgian teammate Simon Mignolet claimed the ball first and quelled the danger. A controversial moment came in the 23rd minute when Martin Skrtel looked to have fouled Diego Costa in the penalty area but referee Michael Oliver waved play on to the clear dismay of the Chelsea dugout.

Alike in the first leg, Philippe Coutinho proved to pose a threat as he attempted a close shot on the half hour which drew a save from Thibaut Courtois before combining with Steven Gerrard to pick out Jordan Henderson who hit wide of the target.

Oscar looked to test the Reds defence but could only hit past the post with his first effort from a free-kick before shooting wide from free play but the last meaningful action of the first half came from Coutinho who saw his chance deflected wide for a corner.

A fairly quiet start to the second half from both sides saw the first notable chance come in the 58th minute as Hazard blazed wide before Cpsta drew a strong save from Mignolet who led a counter for Liverpool that ended with Gerrard's shot from range finding the grasp of Courtois.

Liverpool were fortunate not to fall behind in the 65th minute when a sliding attempted clearance from Jordan Henderson put Diego Costa in on goal and almost certain to score but a superb tackle from Simon Mignolet denied the Spaniard and kept the score level.

Chelsea continued to pepper the Liverpool goal with chances from Oscar and Ramires drawing saves from Mignolet before a combination between Coutinho and Gerrard saw the latter hit a tame shot towards Courtois.

The introduction of Balotelli and Lambert meant Liverpool's attacking threat was given a boost and when the Italian combined with Coutinho and Gerrard, the latter blazed over the bar before Eden Hazard thundered a shot from long range which Mignolet saved superbly.

The last chance of the 90 minutes came from Raheem Sterling whose run and shot failed to trouble Courtois meaning the tie would be extended into an extra-time period. Balotelli blazed a chance over in the first few minutes of the period but just two minutes later his miss proved costly.

A free-kick from Willian out on the right found the head of Branislav Ivanovic who evaded the zonal marking from Liverpool to head into the net with Mignolet helpless to prevent the strike which despite giving Chelsea the lead, meant Liverpool still only needed to score once to stay in the tie.

Liverpool's best chance came in the 100th minute when a clever cross from Raheem Sterling found the head of Jordan Henderson whose header went achingly past the post before Sterling himself had a good chance go wide after Balotelli's cross.

Time ticked on and Liverpool continued to push for a vital goal and when Balotelli collected the ball on the left, he chose to try a shot from an acute angle rather than find an open Rickie Lambert at the back post which could have brought the Reds level but it wasn't to be as as Chelsea held on and secured the trip to Wembley.

Battling Bolton Hold Rueful Reds

2015-01-27T16:40:00.001+00:00

In the second of three cup ties in the space of a week, Liverpool hosted Championship side Bolton in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday evening. Bolton's starting 11 included the veteran attacking duo of Eidur Gudjohnsen and former Reds front man Emile Heskey who would spearhead the attack at a combined age of 73.

Liverpool made a few changes from the midweek draw against Chelsea with Glen Johnson, Joe Allen, Adam Lallana and Javier Manquillo returning to the starting 11 and on a day where all of the Premier League top three exited the competition, Liverpool had to be wary of suffering a similar fate.

The home side made the better start with the first chance to score coming after 12 minutes as a long range tester from Jordan Henderson drew a save from Adam Bogdan who was called into action again minutes later by a chance from Philippe Coutinho.

Raheem Sterling had a superb chance to open the scoring on the half-hour mark when he raced down the left wing before coming inside and hitting a tame shot which was blocked strongly by the Bolton defence.

Despite all of their chances, Liverpool could have gone behind in the 33rd minute when Dean Moxey unleashed a powerful volley from the edge of the area which travelled just past the post but Liverpool countered and went close with a powerful effort from Glen Johnson which forced Bogdan into a superb save.

Bolton looked to make a good start to the second half and came close to opening the scoring when a dangerous free kick from Eidur Gudjohnsen crept over the crossbar just seven minutes after the restart. This was followed by a neat passing combination between Coutinho and Sterling which saw the latter force a save from Bogdan.

Liverpool's attacking threat seemed to focus around Coutinho who had a double shot blocked before seeing a third effort denied and followed up by a chance for Javier Manquillo which drifted wide of the target.

At the other end, Eidur Gudjohnsen shot wide before going sending an effort just over the bar after being picked out by Dean Moxey from the left wing. Liverpool were eager to avoid a replay due to a packed run of fixtures and in the final ten minutes, peppered the Bolton goal with a number of chances.

Adam Lallana attempted a chipped effort which Bogdan claimed well before Coutinho connected to Henderson's free kick with a fluke shot which Bogdan did well to keep out and in the final seconds, the last chance fell to Lucas whose shot failed to trouble Bogdan who fully deserved the man of the match award.

Sterling Effort From Reds Denies Blues

2015-01-21T15:31:00.003+00:00

After securing a 2-0 win away to Aston Villa at the weekend, Liverpool played hosts for the visit of Chelsea in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg last night. Brendan Rodgers made just one change from the weekend with Steven Gerrard returning in place of Fabio Borini while Academy star Jordan Rossiter was named among the substitutes.

A cagey first ten minutes saw Liverpool become the more attacking of the two sides but the first chance of the evening came in the 12th minute as Jordan Henderson picked out Raheem Sterling who pulled the ball across the area only to find a Chelsea defender.

Sterling looked to be in with a chance two minutes later when Philippe Coutinho threaded a pass towards the young striker but the ball was intercepted by a vital block from Gary Cahill. The best chance of the game came in the 16th minute as Steven Gerrard looked to test Thibaut Courtois and did so superbly with an effort from long range which forced the Belgian stopper to tip the ball over the bar.

Despite Liverpool having numerous chances early on, they soon fell behind to Chelsea's first effort of the evening which came in the 18th minute after Emre Can fouled Eden Hazard with the Belgian playmaker stepping up to slot the resulting penalty past Simon Mignolet to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

Liverpool's first chance to draw level came in the 27th minute when an in-swinging corner from Coutinho found the head of Martin Skrtel at the back post but the Slovakian was unable to hit the target with his effort which went wide of the post.

Chelsea came close to doubling their lead from the restart in the second half as a clever through pass was dummied by Cesc Fabregas and put Diego Costa through on goal but the Blues striker was superbly denied by the advancing Simon Mignolet.

Mignolet's clearance proved costly for Chelsea as they were pegged back by Liverpool just before the hour mark, Jordan Henderson's pass from the fringes of his own half picked out Raheem Sterling who raced towards goal, blitzing through the Chelsea defence before slotting past Courtois into the bottom corner for 1-1.

Chelsea came close to regaining the lead just four minutes later when a well-worked attacking move saw Fabregas and Hazard exchange passes with the latter looking to shoot only to be denied by a clever block from Skrtel.

Liverpool responded and went even closer to taking the lead when a pacy run from Coutinho saw him find Gerrard in space and the Reds captain let fly with a shot which looked to be creeping in but instead cannoned off the post and went out of play.

Philippe Coutinho continued to be a threat for the home side and forced a parrying save from Courtois after a pacy run allowed him to power at shot at goal. Gerrard went off in the 70th minute for Adam Lallana as Liverpool pushed for the lead and they came close to taking it when Henderson shot from the edge of the area and drew a parry from Courtois who had to be quick to deny Sterling from the resulting rebound.

Chelsea had Courtois to thank again for denying Liverpool after a rifling shot from Adam Lallana forced the Belgian into a superb stop before Sterling and Coutinho both hit efforts wide of the target. Chelsea seemed content with a draw but were nearly caught out in the final seconds when a clever chip from Raheem Sterling forced a crucial save from Thibaut Courtois.

So a frantic first leg dominated by Liverpool who with 20 attempts should have sealed the win and given themselves a boost into the trip to Stamford Bridge next week but a level tie spices up what should be an exciting game on Tuesday night and hopefully finish with a trip to the final for the Reds.

Reds Extend Villa's Woes

2015-01-20T16:13:00.003+00:00

After a narrow win away to Sunderland last weekend, Liverpool were on their travels again as they journeyed south to face Aston Villa who have failed to score in eight hours of play which gave the Reds confidence of continuing their good form.

Both sides made a bright start with Alberto Moreno looking for an early threat after a set up from Philippe Coutinho before drifting a shot wide via a defection while a dangerous cross from Alan Hutton at the other end drew a vital block from Martin Skrtel.

Christian Benteke looked to bring an end to Villa's barren run in front of goal in the 17th minute but could only power a header straight at Mignolet, Liverpool had the ball in the net just seconds later through Alberto Moreno but his effort was chalked off due to offside in the build-up.

After the disallowed effort sent a warning to the Villa defence, they failed to learn from it as they shipped the opening goal just seven minutes later. A quick throw in allowed Jordan Henderson to find space on the edge of the box before sweeping in a dangerous cross which Fabio Borini connected to superbly to fire past Brad Guzan for 1-0.

Aston Villa came close to levelling just before the interval as a clever attacking move resulted in a shot from Tom Cleverley but to his dismay, the ball travelled over the cross bar ensuring Liverpool would remain in front into half-time.

Liverpool looked to double their advantage early in the second half and came achingly close when an in-swinging corner found the head of Martin Skrtel and gave Fabio Borini a shooting chance which led to a superb stop from Brad Guzan which cannoned back off the post.

The home side came just as close to levelling just after the hour mark with a close range chance from Christian Benteke drawing a superb stop from Simon Mignolet with the Reds 'keeper forced to deny a rebounded effort from Andreas Weimann. Christian Benteke continued his pursuit to end his sides scoring drought when he advanced on goal in the 68th minute but a vital challenge from Martin Skrtel quelled the danger.

Liverpool looked to wrap up the points with just over ten minutes to go as Lucas swept a curling shot towards goal which saw Brad Guzan tip the ball past the post. The Reds attacking threat paid off a minute later as a pass from Raheem Sterling found Rickie Lambert who slotted past Guzan for 2-0 to surely end any hopes of a point for the home side. The only further effort from Villa came seven minutes from the end as Fabian Delph swept an effort over the bar as Liverpool extended their unbeaten run which in turn sees Villa still without a league goal in 2015.

Markovic Seals Reds Victory

2015-01-14T21:31:00.003+00:00

After securing a safe passage into the FA Cup fourth round with a win away to AFC Wimbledon, Liverpool returned to league duties with an away trip to face Sunderland.

Both sides looked to make a good start to the first weekend of the new year and it was the visiting Reds that made the better start of the two sides. A clever run from Lazar Markovic in the ninth minute allowing him to advance into the box and play a one-to with Fabio Borini which led to the Serbian tapping into the net past Costel Pantilimon.

Sunderland looked to respond rapidly with a free-kick just four minutes later but despite a long range effort from Seb Larsson, Simon Mignolet was able to save comfortably. Liverpool came close to notching a second strike with Steven Gerrard's 24th minute shot deflected past the post before a curling free kick from the Reds captain was tipped over by Pantilimon.

Lazar Markovic came achingly close to a stellar second when a nice attacking move saw him attempt a scissoring volley which cannoned back off the crossbar to the relief of the home defence who were lucky to remain only a goal behind when Jordan Henderson swept a shot at goal in the 37th minute which ricocheted off the post but had come after an handball in the build-up.

Liverpool should have gone into the interval with a two goal lead when a clever run from Fabio Borini saw him advance on goal and round Pantilimon but his shot missed the target from close range. Sunderland's hopes of a good start to the second half suffered a harsh blow as Liam Bridcutt was sent off for a second booking after a foul on Emre Can just three minutes after the interval.

Despite being a man down, Sunderland could have drawn level just four minutes later when Adam Johnson thundered a shot at goal from 25 yards which to his dismay cannoned back off the crossbar. Liverpool continued to look for a second and wrap up the points and came close with a header from Dejan Lovren via a Philippe Coutinho corner before Mario Balotelli turn and shot in the 70th minute failed to trouble Pantilimon.

Liverpool held on to secure the win and continue their unbeaten start to the year with Aston Villa at home next on the horizon.

Gerrard Double Ends Wimbledon Run

2015-01-06T21:54:00.001+00:00

After a run of good performances in the Premier League, Liverpool started their quest in the FA Cup with a trip to face League Two side AFC Wimbledon on Monday night. Since the sides were paired in the third round draw, the classic 1988 final has been a constant feature in the build up where the underdogs of Wimbledon stunned the giants of Liverpool.

In recent years, Liverpool have made sweeping changes when the third round comes calling but elected to field a strong team due to the threat that AFC Wimbledon could pose despite their lower league position. Four changes saw Martin Skrtel and Javier Manquillo return while Lazar Markovic and Rickie Lambert were also included.

The kick-off had been preceded by the fourth round draw which saw Bolton Wanderers drawn out to visit either of the two teams and Wimbledon looked to mount the best start to such a match-up with an early chance. Sean Rigg advanced on goal and found space in the area before driving his shot just past the far post.

Liverpool responded in the 12th minute with Javier Manquillo lofting in a dangerous cross which found the head of Steven Gerrrard who guided the ball past James Shea to the joy of the 800 travelling Reds fans.

Lazar Markovic could have extended the lead when a clever one-two combination between him and Philippe Coutinho saw the winger hit his shot across goal and cleared by the Dons defence. Wimbledon soon came close with an effort of their own after a corner from the right caused chaos in the Liverpool defence and allowed Rigg to power a shot at goal which was superbly tipped over by Simon Mignolet.

A defensive mistake from Skrtel and Manquillo led to the ball finding Matt Tubbs who turned and unleashed a shot but to his despair, saw the ball drift past the target and the attacking prowess from the Dons soon paid off nine minutes before the break. A corner looped into the box caused havoc for the visitors defence with the ball glancing off Sakho and into the path of Adebayo Akinfenwa who rifled the ball into the net.

Wimbledon could have taken a surprise lead after the restart after Adam Barrett hit an effort at goal which was cleared off the line by a clever header from Steven Gerrard before Rigg drove an effort over the bar as the Dons built up some momentum.

The shift in momentum to the home side gave them hopes of causing an upset but those hopes were dented just after the hour mark by a superb free-kick from Steven Gerrard which came after Coutinho had been fouled outside the area. Gerrard stepped up and swept a textbook curling effort into the top corner to regain the lead and show what the club will miss after his summer exit.

The Dons could have drawn level almost instantly when Dannie Bulman hit an effort towards goal but the ball went wide of target before Shea was called into action at the other end to prevent Rickie Lambert from extending the lead.

Gerrard came close with a free-kick before Shea denied a late chance from Coutinho with a superb save before Gerrard was denied his hat-trick by a fine stop from Shea in the closing seconds as the Reds held on to set up a tie against Bolton which may see former Reds attacker Emile Heskey return to Anfield.