Don’t write off Dortmund yet by Jamie Carragher #thankscarra

Which position would you rather be in heading into the Champions League final?

Would you side with Bayern Munich? They won the German league by a  distance, conquered all before them this season and go into this defining match as odds-on favourites. There aren’t too many people who can  envisage them being beaten.

Or would you choose Borussia Dortmund? Jurgen Klopp’s side have not managed to win a domestic trophy... and finished 25 points behind Bayern in the Bundesliga. It all points to the Wembley showdown being one-sided, doesn’t it? Well, not in my view.

This could be one of the closest finals we have seen in recent years and Dortmund are not the 7-2 shots that bookmakers suggest. If anything, Bayern will be the more apprehensive of the two sides. They, after all, have everything to lose. Dortmund have it all to gain.

Dortmund are in a similar position to the one we experienced with Liverpool on this day exactly eight years ago.

Nobody gave us a chance of beating AC Milan in Istanbul, so that meant we could enjoy the occasion. Winning the biggest trophy in club football went beyond our wildest dreams.

Bayern, in contrast, will in some ways be dreading this match as the pressure on them is immense.
Dortmund have had the edge in recent years — they are undefeated in the past six Bundesliga games and secured last year’s German Cup with a 5-2 win. Bayern, meanwhile, have lost two of the past three Champions League finals.

Having that sequence extended to three out of four would be a major embarrassment.

Bayern Munich are THE club in Germany and to lose the prize they crave most to a team from their own country would be a savage blow to their esteem.

I have been greatly impressed by Dortmund this year. For a retirement present, I was treated by a few Liverpool players to a trip to the Bernabeu earlier this month to watch the second leg of their semi-final against Real Madrid, and the vantage point we had was perfect to see everything at which Dortmund excel.

They have incredible pace, intensity and quality — I read a superb magazine article on Klopp earlier this year and the thing I took from it was how much he wants his players to run — and they swarmed all over Madrid, to the extent that Jose Mourinho had to substitute Xabi Alonso to deal with it.

In Marco Reus, they have a player who — in my opinion — has only been outperformed in the Champions League this year by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It has been said Mario Gotze’s thigh injury will damage Dortmund’s chances, but losing Reus would have been a significantly worse headache for Klopp.

Gotze was spotted looking at property in Munich, ahead of his move there next season, and the reaction to him has not been good from Dortmund supporters. Would his head have been in the right place for this game? His absence may now work in his side’s favour.

As big a fan as I am of Dortmund, however, Bayern’s claims are there for all to see. Myself and Dietmar Hamann, who used to play for them, began calling Bayern ‘The Grinders’ a few years ago because they always get the job done.

They have incredible mental strength and to come back from the disappointment they endured 12 months ago — losing to Chelsea in front of their own fans — is a notable achievement. Some teams may never have got over such a defeat.

Given that Pep Guardiola is  taking over as manager next season and the way they have spent — they have paid out more than £100million in the past two summers, compared to Dortmund, who have spent in the region of £30m — you can see why it is being said they are on the verge of dominating  European football.

Let’s not think, however, that Germany is significantly ahead of all the other leagues.

Yes, it is very good, but it reminds me of the way the Premier League was five years ago — big, strong sides that can press with great intensity but have the skill to match. However, had it not been for a linesman’s mistake in the quarter-finals, Spain would have had three teams in the last four of the Champions League. I believe the two best teams in the competition will contest the final but Dortmund came perilously close to losing to Malaga in the last eight.

Bayern, on the other hand, have made relentless progress through the competition and the way they demolished Barcelona in the semi-finals was exceptional.

I don’t think they touched the ball in the first 15 minutes of the first leg but kept their composure and  then ran Barcelona into the ground. There should not, though, be such a discrepancy in the way the  respective chances of each side are viewed.

Bayern have strength in depth and are slight favourites but Dortmund have had their measure in recent times  — and you wouldn’t bet against them doing it one more time.

Source: Mail Online

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Thank you for all your supports down the years. This blog hasn’t been ever so active without you. We will continue to serve you better with an Android mobile app, hosted by Conduit and you can try it by downloading the app into your Android smartphone today.

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Liverpool ready to offload England centre-forward to Hammers

West Ham have agreed a fee with Liverpool for Andy Carroll but the England striker has yet to decide if he wants to join the Hammers permanently.

The London side will match Liverpool's asking price of around £15m, but the 24-year-old is unsure about the move ahead of a World Cup year.

It is understood interest from former club Newcastle United has cooled.

West Ham are expected to bid for Vitesse Arnhem's Wilfried Bony if Carroll rejects their approach.

The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international finished as 31-goal top scorer in the Dutch league this season, but West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has made no secret about Carroll being his main summer target,

Meanwhile, Carroll has withdrawn from the England squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil because of a heel injury.

Carroll was signed by Kenny Dalglish and moved to Liverpool on transfer deadline day in January 2011, for what remains a record fee for a British player of £35m.

He had impressed by scoring 31 times for his boyhood club Newcastle United in 81 appearances, but his time at Anfield was short lived.

Coupled with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers and a new style of play, Carroll's return of just six goals in 44 outings for Liverpool saw him loaned to West Ham in late August 2012.

Despite a knee injury ruling him out for December, Carroll scored seven times for Allardyce's side during the season, form which encouraged the West Ham boss to pursue a permanent deal.

"If we can start with Andy Carroll, that would be a great achievement for us as he can only get better and better," he said after West Ham's weekend win over Reading.

"Then we build around that in terms of how we want to improve next year, with better quality.

"Andy is a player who is wanting to enjoy his football. He lives for his football and wants to play every game. He wants to use his strengths and score as many as he can - but he also works very hard for the team."

Whether the deal goes through appears to rest with Carroll, who has said he has "enjoyed every minute" of his loan spell in London.

"I have had a great season here at West Ham, really enjoyed being part of a great set of lads in the team, with the staff around us and the fans," Carroll told the club's official website.

"Everyone has been so welcoming to me and I have been over the moon to be here. This is a great club."

Source: BBC UK

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

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Rumour Mill: Reds set sight on £8.5M striker

Liverpool are planning a move for Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas, according to the Mirror. The Spanish club are perilously close to relegation from the top flight and need two wins from the final two games of the season, in addition to having other results go their way, to escape the drop.

Aspas' release clause is believed to stand at €10m but that will drop by almost a third if relegation is confirmed. Reds' boss Brendan Rodgers believes a cut-price fee for the 25-year-old could be a steal and he may have a point. Aspas has 11 goals and six assists from 32 league starts, which means he has had a hand, directly, in half of his side's goals this campaign.

A salary of £45,000 per week has reportedly been agreed but Rodgers' former club, Swansea City, have also shown interest and could look to make a second bargain signing from La Liga in as many years, after signing Rayo Vallecano forward Michu last summer.

Meanwhile, Rodgers has already confirmed the Anfield club will add, despite a meager summer budget, at least two attacking players to the first team. The Northern Irishman has Uruguayan Luis Suarez, England international Daniel Sturridge and young Brazilian Philippe Coutinho as his first choice attacking line but wants cover and reinforcements.

Liverpool fans are used to having a player in Luis Suarez that so ferociously divides opinion. They’ve taken to the Uruguayan as one of their own, irrelevant of the opinions Suarez’s detractors hold.

It will make fascinating viewing then, if another contentious character in Iago Aspas turns out for them.

Aspas too, is of that 'love to have him on your team, hate to play against him' mould. He also happens to be a very, very good footballer.

The 25-year-old plays each game like it’s his last, getting in the faces of opponents and going to the ends of the earth for his team. He’s energy, enthusiasm, and endeavour. But he’s also skill and sublime.

He was born in Moana, a town of just 20,000 in Galician. At school he was a terror too, constantly distracted in lessons with only focus on football.

Asked what his favourite moment as a Celta fan was he didn’t mention a goal, or assist, he recalled when Wagner infamously booted Diego Tristan in the air during a Galician derby.

It was in 2010/2011 that he first rose to prominence, scoring 23 goals in 35 games as Celta pushed towards a return to Spain’s top flight.

He played as a lone striker in the Segunda that season, working in tandem with the various support acts he was handed. His coach at the time was a certain ex-Liverpool man in Paco Herrera, part of that glorious Champions League victory steered by Rafa Benitez.

Herrera had to handle Aspas with care, for he was always on the brink of breaking.

That season he played for every single fan that entered the stadium; would chase lost causes, formed the first part of defence from his attacking role, put in tackles and of course, scored goals.

He’s a passionate character too, constantly muttering to himself when moving around the field and when against an opponent engaging in some exchanged words. It motivated him, psyched himself up. It rarely did not produce an end product.

Aspas' transition from Segunda to Primera was seemingly effortless for the player. He managed three goals in his opening seven games, and as it stands has 11 in 32 matches.

There's a common misconception that Aspas is just a tenacious striker, but there's much more to him than that. He’s a creator too, marking down six assists and generally being the centre of everything good his team produces.

Aspas can drop off into midfield and start attacks, move into the channels and take players on with pace – particularly on the right hand side, where he likes to drift in from with a drop of the shoulder. He can also play on the shoulder like a number 9, offering a team verticality in their play.

His movement is one of the most impressive aspects of his game, harnessing a sweet change of direction and burst of pace. Although he doesn’t have great strength or power, he puts his body between the ball and an opponent intelligently while using skill or that pace to jet away.

His stature and skill set makes him a slippery character, difficult to contain. Out-and-out striker, inverted winger, second striker – Aspas would do any of these roles justice. He is though most at home in that second striker berth.

Aspas is seen as a Jekyll and Hyde character, so much so his ex-coach Herrera referred to him as part Messi and part monster. The latter part came to fruition in two incidents this season; one when he had to be substituted by Herrera to avoid being sent off then another when he head-butted an opponent and was banned for four games. All the while, Celta fans still sung the name of their hero who they felt represented them.

The truth is Aspas had many faces and many talents, and if he can channel that passion he has in the right direction he’ll accomplish great things.

Source: Mirror

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Liverpool ready Papa bid

Brendan Rodgers is hoping to start his crucial summer of spending with a bang by snapping up a long-term replacement for Jamie Carragher.

Liverpool manager Rodgers has targeted highly-rated Greece international Kyriakos Papadopoulos, and will table a firm £13.5million offer for the centre-half.

At just 21, Papadopoulos has the right age profile for a big Anfield signing but already has vast experience, having become the youngest-ever player in the Greek league at the age of 15 and won 14 caps.

His performances with Olympiacos earned him a move to Schalke, and he helped the Germans reach the later stages of the Champions League before turning down a £16m move to Russia's Zenit St Petersburg.

Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City have all monitored his progress in the Bundesliga, but Liverpool have been in contact with the player's father and believe he would choose Anfield.

The Reds will first need a medical thumbs-up on a knee problem that kept him out for the second half of the season, but are expected to make a formal approach within the next week.

Rodgers also wants £7m-rated right-back Sam Byram from Championship side Leeds.

The Yorkshire club have resigned themselves to losing the talented 19-year-old - also a target for Everton - and have already lined up Manchester City starlet Reese Wabara as a replacement.

Source: Liverpool FC

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

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Full-Time Highlights: Liverpool 3-2 Tottenham

Steven Gerrard's late penalty secured a dramatic 3-2 victory for Liverpool over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds captain struck home from the spot with eight minutes remaining of an end-to-end contest to seal the three points.

Luis Suarez had put the Reds ahead on 21 minutes with a slick instant finish from Jose Enrique's pass in the box.

Spurs equalised just before half-time when centre-back Jan Vertonghen headed Gareth Bale's centre home from yards out.

The visitors' No.5 then put them in front shortly after the break when he lashed home a loose ball in the box from a free-kick the Reds couldn't clear to safety.

But Liverpool levelled on 66 minutes when Hugo Lloris made a mess of trying to deal with a wayward back pass, allowing Stewart Downing to go through on goal and drill into the net with the 'keeper out of position.

Then it was left to Gerrard to have the final say after Beniot Assou-Ekotto had brought down Suarez in the box - and the No.8 made no mistake with a low finish to clinch victory and move the Reds up to sixth in the Barclays Premier League.

The pre-match team news confirmed Pepe Reina would miss the contest due to injury, with Brad Jones deputising in the absence of the Spaniard. Daniel Sturridge, however, returned to an attack-minded starting XI after a knock.

Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher notched up his 500th league appearance for the club - only the second man to do so in Anfield history following Ian Callaghan.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

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Full-Time Highlights: Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool

Stunning long-range goals from Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard helped Liverpool to a 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

The Reds made a positive start to the contest, but were underdone midway through the opening period when Edin Dzeko ghosted into the box to convert James Milner's low centre from close range.

But Liverpool levelled up before the half-hour mark when Daniel Sturridge fired into the bottom corner from distance.

The visitors began to dominate and they got the goal their display merited when Steven Gerrard netted with a volley from distance after pouncing on Gael Clichy's clearance.

However, City secured a point when Sergio Aguero beat Pepe Reina to a long ball into the box and netted from a tight angle to ensure the points were shared.

Following the spirited midweek draw at Arsenal, Brendan Rodgers elected to make just one change to his line up with the fit-again Jose Enrique replacing Andre Wisdom in defence.

The Reds had impressed right from the off at the Emirates, but within 60 seconds of the game getting underway at the Etihad, Pepe Reina was required to tip a stinging David Silva drive over the bar.

Liverpool stood up firmly to the host's early pressure and, on 14 minutes, carved out a brilliant opening when a free-flowing move resulted in Sturridge touching a lofted pass into the box beyond Joe Hart, but Pablo Zabaleta was on hand to prevent the striker from turning the ball into the unguarded net.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

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Full-Time Highlights: Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland

Luis Suarez fired his second brace in four days as Liverpool beat Sunderland 3-0 at Anfield.

On a day when the club signed another striker in Daniel Sturridge, top scorer Luis Suarez took his tally for the season to 18 - one more than his total for 2011-12.

He also assisted the opener for Raheem Sterling as the Reds made it three wins from four festive fixtures and climbed to eighth in the table.

Ineligible to play after signing a contract earlier in the day, Sturridge will have liked what he saw from the directors' box. Just as they did at QPR three days ago, the Reds established a firm lead inside the opening 45 minutes - and again Suarez was central.

The first might have come through Stewart Downing on 12 minutes when both Suarez and Steven Gerrard stood aside to allow him a dead ball effort. The England man didn't disappoint but was denied by a scampering save from Simon Mignolet.

Instead it was Sterling who secured the opener on 18 minutes, the second goal of his first full season in the Liverpool team. His lob over the visiting goalkeeper followed fine work from Suarez, who in one movement twisted his body and launched a ball over the top of the Sunderland defence.

Martin O'Neill's side had several chances to breach the Kop net in the first period, but James McLean was twice wasteful with just Pepe Reina to beat. The Liverpool goalkeeper had to work harder to prevent Matt Kilgallon scoring with a half-volley from close range but he was up to the task with a superb reflex save.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

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Sturridge joins Liverpool FC

Liverpool Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing of striker Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea.

The 23-year-old becomes our first signing of the January transfer window after penning a long-term contract at Melwood today.

Afterwards he told Liverpoolfc.com of his joy at sealing the deal.

"I am humbled and happy to be here," said Sturridge.

"Brendan Rodgers said he sees me here for a long time - and I also see myself here for a long time. I've not signed here to play for a couple of years and then move on.

"I've signed to be here for as long as possible. It's a humongous club - for me, one of the biggest in the world - and to have the fans and world-class players we have here is amazing."

Sturridge began his professional career at Manchester City, where he finished top-scorer as City lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2008.

Source: Official Liverpool FC

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Liverpool move for £12M striker

Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge is due to have a medical at Liverpool today ahead of a £12million transfer.

Liverpool have agreed a deal with Chelsea for the 23-year-old England international and a £60,000 per week contract with the player.

Liverpool are desperate to bolster their forward line, with Luis Suarez their only fit out-and-out striker and boss Brendan Rodgers has been keeping tabs on Sturridge since the summer.

Liverpool cannot officially register any new signing until 2 January when the transfer window opens.

The former Manchester City striker has made seven league appearances for Chelsea this season, scoring one goal.

His last league appearance for the Blues was in the 2-1 defeat by West Bromwich Albion on 17 November.

Sturridge has not featured since Rafael Benitez arrived at Stamford Bridge, due to a hamstring injury.

Source: Sky Sports

Stay tuned for more updates.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

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Post-Match Interviews: Liverpool vs Fulham

Watch Brendan Rodgers and Martin Jol post-match press conference.

   “I thought Stewart was brilliant today, in every aspect of the game,”

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Full-Time Highlights: Liverpool 4-0 Fulham

Liverpool signed off from 2012 at Anfield with a 4-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Fulham on Saturday night.

Martin Skrtel's emphatic finish gave the Reds an early lead as he volleyed powerfully beyond Mark Schwarzer after controlling a corner in the box before Steven Gerrard doubled the lead before half-time with a neat finish.

Stewart Downing extended Liverpool's advantage by cutting into the box and firing into the Kop end net in the early stages of the second half.

Luis Suarez wrapped it up in stoppage time to send Brendan Rodgers' side into eighth in the table, just five points off third-place Arsenal.

The Reds went into the day's late kick-off aiming to bounce back to winning ways following last weekend's 3-1 Anfield reversal at the hands of Aston Villa.

Rodgers made a handful of changes in order to hand some of his stars a breather ahead of the hectic Festive period, meaning starts for the likes of Suso and Downing while Raheem Sterling and Joe Allen began on the bench.

Liverpool began the brighter of the teams and after Daniel Agger had headed over and Jonjo Shelvey's flick had caused panic in the box, Skrtel thumped them into an eighth-minute lead as he controlled Gerrard's corner inside a crowded box and lashed a volley into the back of the net.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

Alternative video source: FootyTube

 

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Rumour Mill: Liverpool want Miguel Pérez Cuesta move

January transfer window just twenty one days away from now. The rumour mill are back and news of every strikers in the Europe continent has been linked to Liverpool FC, yet again.

Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers will consider a move for Swansea centre-forward, Miguel Pérez Cuesta or short for, Michu if he misses out on top strike target Daniel Sturridge in January.

The former Rayo Vallecano striker has been prolific for Swansea City since his arrival in the summer and has already netted 13 goals in 18 appearances for the club. The centre-forward leads the Premier League scoring charts, ahead of Robin van Persie, Luis Suarez and Demba Ba.

Swansea manager, Michael Laudrup does not want to lose Michu and on Thursday claimed it would take a £30million bid to change his mind.

But even a more realistic bid of around £10million would represent a fine piece of business for a player who cost £2million just six months ago.

Brendan Rodgers knows he needs to bring in attacking alternatives and support for the Uruguayan but will surely face competition for Michu’s signature if Swansea show any willingness to listen to offers in January.

Michael Laudrup signed Michu within a month of taking charge of the Liberty Stadium side and clearly the Dane was aware of the former Rayo Vallecano man’s ability, having managed both Getafe and Real Mallorca in La Liga prior to moving to South Wales.

Michu is clearly enjoying life at Swansea but may feel that a high-profile move could aid a push for a senior Spanish national team call-up.

Liverpool's owners FSG have promised their manager the funds needed to push for a top four position and it looks as if a deal for Michu could materialise due to Rodgers relationship with his old club.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club or Red's Fury™ blog.

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Full-Time Highlights: West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool

A James Collins own goal fired Liverpool into the top half of the Barclays Premier League table and clinched a thrilling 3-2 win for the Reds at Upton Park against West Ham.

Brendan Rodgers' men made it back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season and leapfrogged above the Hammers - but they had to come from behind late in the game to do so.

Glen Johnson put them into the lead after just 10 minutes when he produced a goal-of-the-season contender from the edge of Jussi Jaaskelainen's penalty area.

Mark Noble slotted from the spot after Joe Allen was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area before Steven Gerrard turned a Matt Jarvis cross past his own 'keeper to give West Ham the lead.

However, Joe Cole struck against his old club to equalise and then Collins turned a Jordan Henderson cross  into his own net to send the travelling Reds into euphoria.

All the build-up to the clash revolved around the absence of Luis Suarez, who was ruled out after picking up his fifth yellow card against Southampton, but his replacement Shelvey proved to be the hero of the hour.

Upton Park was on its feet on six minutes when Jarvis's cross was scrambled clear by Daniel Agger and Mohamed Diame fired the loose ball against Carlton Cole, who deflected it a yard wide of Pepe Reina's post.

The Hammers posed a real threat down the left flank with Jarvis, who was constantly keen to spin a deadly cross in behind Martin Skrtel and Agger and this would prove to be a real thorn in the Reds' side throughout the match.

Full report: Liverpool FC Official

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Full-Time Highlights: Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1 Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers was left ruing a penalty that wasn't given as a Gareth Bale-inspired Tottenham prevailed 2-1 at White Hart Lane.

Bale scored one and set up another within 16 minutes before Liverpool launched a gallant comeback.

Steven Gerrard was denied a penalty and Luis Suarez had an effort cleared off the line before a Bale own-goal made it a tense final 20 minutes for the home team.

Andre Villas Boas' side hung on and the result leaves Liverpool 10 points away from the top four.

Rodgers named an unchanged side from that which drew 0-0 at Swansea on Sunday, and they were soon to find themselves behind. Bale had already tested Pepe Reina with a vicious free-kick when, on seven minutes, the Welshman whizzed beyond Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Joe Allen before directing a perfect cross towards an unmarked Lennon at the back post.

Liverpool seemed to respond well and Suarez was soon to be denied by Hugo Lloris from 18 yards. Henderson then missed an open goal from just outside the box - though he was under heavy pressure from Kyle Walker.

These are the moments which turn games and sadly for Liverpool they were soon to find themselves 2-0 down, again thanks to the brilliance of Bale. His eighth goal of the campaign came from a lashed free-kick on 16 minutes which appeared to take a deflection off the wall and totally wrong-footed Reina.

A dangerous Downing cross was missed by both Jose Enrique and Suarez, while Enrique had a snapshot on the turn saved after excellent work from Johnson.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

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Premier League: Liverpool 3-0 Wigan

Luis Suarez took his season haul to 13 with a brace as Liverpool recorded an emphatic 3-0 victory over Wigan Athletic in the Barclays Premier League at Anfield.

After an even first half which the Reds edged in chances created, Suarez hit the target just two minutes into the second period and added another within ten minutes before Jose Enrique completed the rout.

Pre-match, the Reds were boosted by the return of goalkeeper Pepe Reina between the posts, while Enrique was rewarded with another opportunity to impress following his positive performance in the draw at Chelsea.

A 2-1 victory here had proved a pivotal success in Wigan's battle for survival last season, but the Latics had no answer to a blistering 20-minute assault from the home side in the second half this time around.

Attacking towards The Kop in the first half, it was Enrique who struck the first shot in anger after retrieving possession in Wigan territory. The attempt was always wide of Ali Al Habsi's goal, though.

An exquisite piece of individual play followed, with Suso making the most of the freedom being offered by a central berth behind Suarez. The Spaniard rolled his man and glided past two more but was blocked when trying to unleash from the edge of the area.

Full report: Official LFC

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Match Highlights: Liverpool 1-0 Reading

Raheem Sterling fired Liverpool to their first home win of the 2012-13 league campaign as Reading were beaten 1-0.

The 17-year-old scored his first competitive goal for the club to give Brendan Rodgers a league victory at Anfield at the fifth attempt.

The result elevates the Reds into mid-table with eight games played as they prepare for tough fixtures against Everton, Newcastle and Chelsea.

The only change for Liverpool from their goalless draw with Stoke was an enforced one, Brad Jones replacing the injured Pepe Reina to make his first Barclays Premier League start for the Reds.

The hosts were quick to establish their dominance against a side that had conceded 14 goals in seven games heading to Anfield.

Nuri Sahin attempted a dipping effort from the angle of the box on the quarter-hour mark and Sterling bent one from 20 yards, though goalkeeper Alex McCarthy wasn't overly troubled by either.

Jones, a spectator for most of the first half, collected a cross and bowled quickly into midfield, where Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard seized possession before dispatching Sterling down the left. The 17-year-old might have had too much time to ponder, for his decision to stall and try to beat a man led only to a goal kick.

Full report: Liverpool FC Official

Source: FootyTube

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Match Highlights: Sunderland 1-1 Liverpool

Luis Suarez's strike secured a point for Liverpool as they played out a 1-1 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening.

Steven Fletcher gave the home side the lead on 29 minutes against the run of play, tapping home from close range after a run and right-wing cross from Craig Gardner.

Glen Johnson smacked the crossbar in the early stages of the second half as the Reds sought a deserved equaliser.

And the leveller did finally arrive on 71 minutes, with Suarez firing beyond Simon Mignolet after Raheem Sterling's cross had caused panic in the Sunderland box.

The Reds dominated the final stages as they went in search of a winner, but the sustained spell of pressure couldn't yield another goal and they were forced to settle for a point.

The release of the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report on Wednesday made for a momentous week on Merseyside as the 23-year quest for justice took a huge step forward.

Prior to kick off, Liverpool's players took to the field with the number 96 printed on the back of their anthem jackets in tribute to those who lost their lives in the disaster, as well as the families, survivors and fans who have campaigned for so long.

Sunderland too showed their support by flying the flags at the Stadium of Light at half-mast in light of events this week, while they also paid their respects with a message displayed on the two big screens inside the ground as the game got underway.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

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Match Report: Liverpool FC 2-2 Manchester City

A stunning free-kick from Luis Suarez helped earn Liverpool a point against champions Manchester City as the Reds drew 2-2 in their first home game of the 2012-13 Barclays Premier League campaign.

The Uruguayan curled low and hard past Joe Hart in the 66th minute to restore the Reds' lead after Yaya Toure had cancelled out a towering Martin Skrtel header.

However, Carlos Tevez cut out a Skrtel pass with 10 minutes remaining and rounded Pepe Reina to clinch a point for the visitors.

Steven Gerrard set the tone for a boisterous Anfield occasion when he surged into the penalty area and smashed a Suarez lay-off wide of Hart's post after just 30 seconds of play.

The ground was rocking but it was soon to be dealt a sobering blow when Lucas Leiva pulled up in pain and dragged his shirt over his head in frustration. Jonjo Shelvey was on his feet in a matter of seconds and the switch was made.

There was scarcely a moment to dwell on such a loss as an almighty roar went up from the Kop when Raheem Sterling, making his full league debut, killed the ball with one touch and sped towards goal.

Borini looked to slip it back to him but Pablo Zabaleta appeared to block it with his hand. No penalty given.

The Reds looked lively and hungry for a goal. At the heart of their midfield, Joe Allen was neat and industrious. The 22-year-old broke down City moves all over the park; muscling players off the ball, cutting out passes and putting his foot in.

Full report: Official Liverpool FC

Video source: FootyTube

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Video: Rodgers on City and Mancini on Liverpool

LIVERPOOL v MAN CITY

Venue: Anfield

Kick-off: 4PM

 

  

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