Watch Liverpool

Posts Tagged ‘premier’

• Luis Suárez likely to play at Old Trafford after ban
• Only 2,100 away tickets after ‘detailed risk assessment’

Liverpool’s ticket allocation for the Premier League trip to Manchester United on 11 February has been slashed by almost a third. Luis Suárez, banned for eight matches after being found guilty of racially abusing the United defender Patrice Evra, is likely to make his first appearance away from Anfield at Old Trafford since his suspension.

Liverpool’s Uruguay striker is certain to receive a hostile reception but there will be 1,000 fewer Reds fans – only 2,100 – inside Old Trafford to see it.

“The safety of all fans is paramount and a detailed risk assessment of the match carried out by Manchester United and agreed by their Safety Advisory Group which includes Greater Manchester police and Trafford council has resulted in Liverpool receiving a reduced allocation for this specific game,” said a statement on Liverpool’s website. “This

On taking over, Mark Hughes talked about his players having to quickly understand what was required. On this evidence it is to adhere to a tight shape, fan out when in possession to offer the ball carrier options, and shoot more.

Simple, maybe, but in the last days of Neil Warnock QPR too often lost their way and games when teams got at them. Here, Tommy Smith’s 79th-minute 30-yard barnburner that sealed the win illustrated Hughes’s point when he also stated that conversion not creation was what has hobbled QPR this season.

Despite this being a contest between two sides stuck in the exit chamber of the Premier League this was a riveting watch. Bottom place (Wigan) against 18th (QPR) in late January sounds like an advert for a tense and torpid affair but this was pacy and entertaining to the end as Hughes registered his first Premier League win as QPR manager.

Victor Moses raced down the left to leave Luke Young flailing before zipping a ball across Paddy Kenny that no team-mate could convert. This followed Jordi Gómez delivering a cross that a dozing home defence allowed Steve Gohouri to wander onto unmarked but he missed.

DJ Campbell, replaced by Smith at the break, looked sharp until opportunity came knocking: a flipped pass from Joey Barton removed the defence but found only a static Campbell and strike partner, Heidar Helguson.

Akos Buzsaky missed with two attempts but ended the period planting a 25-yard free-kick beyond Ali al-Habsi that pinged in off the right post.

Before, Barton’s corner from the left was poor, but James McCarthy stuck out a hand, the penalty was awarded, and Helguson stepped up to stroke home for a ninth of the campaign.

QPR could even afford to miss a penalty – Helguson this time seeing his kick produce a fine save from Habsi to his right.

Premier League 2011-12Bolton WanderersLiverpoolPremier LeagueJamie Jackson
guardian.co.uk

Liverpool dropped two more points at the home that was once their fortress in a goalless draw that never rose above the mundane. They remain unbeaten at Anfield in the Premier League, but have won four games out of 11.

The biggest surprise of the afternoon was Kenny Dalglish’s line-up. It was hardly a shock that Andy Carroll was relegated to the bench after his recent ineffectiveness, but wholesale changes meant Jamie Carragher was recalled in a back three, between Martin Skrtel and the Uruguayan Sebastián Coates, who was making his second appearance of the season in the league. Craig Bellamy was also dropped, leaving Dirk Kuyt, who has not scored in the Premier League all season, shouldering the attacking burden.

Unusually subdued, the Anfield crowd were probably still taking it all in when Matthew Etherington burst through the middle and warmed Pepe Reina’s hands from 18 yards. When Liverpool eventually showed signs of asserting themselves, Ryan Shawcross made a last-ditch intervention to shut out Glen Johnson, Stewart Downing fired over from 20 yards and Jordan Henderson’s shot from similar range brought an uncomplicated save from Thomas Sorensen.

For all that, however, the first half was disappointing fare, Liverpool’s passing relentlessly shoddy and their attack lacking a focal point. Much too often they resorted to the hit-and-hope long ball. Early in the second half, when Kuyt dithered and was dispossessed, the Kop finally lost patience and bellowed its collective disapproval.

Carroll was introduced in the hope that his height might inconvenience Stoke’s defenders, but aerial combat has long been their speciality. Liverpool appealed, in vain, for a penalty when Jonathan Woodgate collided with Kuyt.It was a close call, but it ought not to have mattered.

They should have had one goal that was always going to be decisive after 77 minutes, but Kuyt headed wide of the far post from six yards after José Enrique’s cross from the left had reached him via Woodgate’s involuntary deflection.

With five minutes left they were close again when Skrtel bounced a header over the crossbar from the substitute Bellamy’s corner, but it was not to be.

Premier League 2011-12LiverpoolStoke CityPremier LeagueJoe Lovejoyguardian.co.uk