24.09.2006 / Liverpool 3-0 Tottenham

..feza.. · Site Admin Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 304

[i]TOTTENHAM midfielder Jermaine Jenas produced the miss of the decade - seconds before Mark Gonzalez sparked Liverpool's three-goal blast to victory.
Dirk Kuyt and John Arne Riise's 30-yard special confirmed Spurs' slump to a fourth loss in six Premiership games.

But if Jenas had not put Edgar Davids' inviting cross wide from two yards in the 61st minute Liverpool might well have struggled.

And striker Kuyt admitted: "The game changed when they missed the open goal and we scored straight after. It was not so funny for them.

"We had a difficult day - we had to work really hard for the 3-0.

"Spurs are a very good team and they played well first half. In the second we did well, created chances and got the goals. That's the main thing.

"My goal today was a great goal but I still have to play better for the team. I have a lot more confidence now and hope to move on and make more goals."

Rafa Benitez' side host Galatasaray in the Champions league on Wednesday buoyed by two league wins.

In fact, the Reds toiled to little avail in the first half as Benitez took the number of changes he has made up to 19 in six league games.

Tottenham retained the same side that drew with Fulham, despite this being their worst start to a season for 14 years - in which they have won at Anfield just once.

They found out that Sami Hyypia does not like being left on the bench much, if his first two tackles were anything to go by.

His first took out fellow Finn, Teemu Tainio and earned him a warning from referee Howard Webb, while the second was perfectly legal but pole-axed Jermain Defoe.

Liverpool's bid to press forward led to Craig Bellamy firing a 20-yarder high.

Then a bouncing effort from Xabi Alonso - who the crowd begged to shoot from any range after his midweek 60-yard stunner against Newcastle - just went wide.

Spurs were intent on deep defence, at times all 10 outfield players being fewer than 30 yards from keeper Paul Robinson, while trying to set Defoe free with long balls from the back.

Robbie Keane was almost put through by one pass from Danny Murphy, Hyypia getting a toe in the way, but the onus was on Liverpool to open up the Londoners.

Ledley King got a touch on a Murphy free-kick, the ball bouncing just wide before Liverpool felt they should have had a penalty when the ball hit King on the arm.

Then Pascal Chimbonda forced a Gonzalez corner away before Mohamed Sissoko saw a shot blocked.

The tempo was quicker but Spurs were getting more possession as well as extra men forward.

King and Michael Dawson battled to contain Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt, with Steven Gerrard belatedly getting into the game with surges from the right flank.

There was more urgency about Liverpool after the break but anxiety crept in when Bellamy got in the way of Kuyt as the Dutchman sent a header over.

And the Welshman also just failing to get on the end of a low cross from his strike partner.

Gonzalez, too, was more involved and the supply of crosses from both flanks increased.

The winger's 55th minute corner found Alonso racing in on the edge of the box but this time his effort sailed high into the Kop.

Spurs sent on Edgar Davids for Tainio on the hour as it seemed the visitors might get something from the game so frequently were Liverpool conceding possession in midfield, Alonso frequently at fault.

The turning point came when Davids got away on the left to tee up Jenas, who somehow failed at the far post.

As the England man lay in the six-yard box in sheer disbelief, Liverpool broke away to snatch the opener.

Gerrard burst into the right of the area for a low cross stabbed onto the back-post by Bellamy - with Gonzalez drilling his first Premiership goal back across goal.

Hyypia was soon booked for a foul on Didier Zokora, while Luis Garcia came on for Bellamy.

Then Kuyt struck a classic strikers' goal on 73 minutes.

Luis Garcia's slipped a short pass between Spurs' centre-backs and Kuyt nipped in to lash a clinical 16-yarder high inside the near upright.

Gerrard was in an offside position to the Dutchman's right - but, while Spurs wavered, Kuyt never blinked.

Liverpool sent on Aurelio for Gonzalez, with Spurs replacing Murphy with frontman Mido.

And the Reds even had the luxury of replacing Alonso with Carragher - before clinching victory in the 89th minute.

Nonetheless, Riise's trademark thunderbolt meant Liverpool were flattered by the final scoreline.

The Sun