Rodgers and out - Carra blunder costs us dear! LFC 3 Zenit 1 (Zenit win 3-3 on away goals)

Match report by Dedlfc (David Douglas)

With our team 2-0 down from the first leg, we needed the support of the crowd and the whole team to have a great game to turn the tie to our favour.

Zenit are currently on their mid season break and so therefore had to use several friendlies to get prepared for our games against them.

We started the brighter of the two teams with our sorcerer Suarez causing the Zenit defence constant problems but it was a costly lack of concentration by our most experienced defender in his 150th and ultimately last European game, with a poorly judged back pass which allowed Hulk clean through on goal to open the scoring after 20 minutes with the all important away goal.

With us now facing an uphill struggle, needing four goals to get through our fantastic crowd pushed the team on to try and turn this around, with us needing inspiration on the pitch the under fire Agger went on a great run and was fouled on the edge of the area, Suarez stepped up to take the free kick and proceeded to drive the ball through the poor Zenit wall into the back of the net for the equaliser.

The momentum had just begun to swing to us and the team drove on, a very nice move between Enrique, Henderson and the out of form Joe Allen culminated in Allen smashing the ball home from a save from the Zenit keeper Malafeev for a 2-1 lead for us at the half time break.

With our team now playing towards our Kop end, we kept driving for a third goal and preceded to get the goal through a wonderful free-kick from Suarez, with the Kop baying for our captain to step up to take the free kick, sorcerer Suarez curled the ball from about 30 yards past the despairing Zenit keeper Malafeev for a 3-1 lead with just over 30 mins left.

The Kop was now in rapturous form with the team now needing one more goal to get through, Rodgers made a decision to change the team at the exact moment we had scored our third goal, he took off Henderson and Allen for Shelvey and Assaidi.

Assaidi looked extremely lively down the left wing when he came on and was a constant threat, whereas Shelvey looked like a player trying too hard to impress the boss after falling out of favour in recent weeks.

Shelvey missed a glorious chance to prove his worth to the team when he hit the side netting from close range whilst Gerrard and Suarez both tested Malafeev, Suarez with yet another free-kick and Gerrard with an effort that bobbled before forcing the keeper to push the effort away with his fingertips.

It wasn't enough though for us, even the late addition of Raheem Sterling couldn't give us the deserved extra boost we needed and, despite winning 3-1 on the night, we sadly went out of the Europa League on goal difference. 

Man of the match - Luis Suarez
Desperate to make up for his ultimately costly missed opportunities in the first leg, Suarez was determined throughout. Our sorcerer tried to turn a game around through his constant running and two brilliant free kicks nearly helped us get through but to no avail. We now have 11 league games to help ensure we at least have Euro league football secured for next season to offer Suarez because I fear if we are out of Europe completely next season, we will lose our sorcerer this summer to a side that can offer him the Champions League platform the world class performer deserves to showcase his skills in.

Positives
Lucas Leiva

Our steady Brazilian looked like he was struggling to get back to his best but showed the qualities we have missed in the side with some excellent interceptions, tackling and intelligent passing.

The Kop
The crowd tried everything they could to spur the team on to turn this tie around and again showed why they are famous the world over for their fantastic support.


Negatives
Carragher
What an sad way for one of our legends to bow out of European football with us, he has been absolutely colossal for us over so many European nights but it was his error which has ended our chances of winning any trophies. Fantastic LFC career - YNWA

Timing of the substitutions
With Rodgers still being wet behind the ears in European football, I feel he potentially lost this tie by (in hindsight) not delaying the subs until 20 minutes left, the third goal had gone in, the momentum was very much with us so giving Henderson and Allen, ten more minutes would not have done any harm and Zenit noticeably improved briefly straight after the third LFC goal as the subs had to get up to the speed of the rest of the team.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Jose Enrique, Lucas, Allen (Shelvey 59), Downing (Sterling 84), Gerrard, Henderson (Assaidi 59), Suarez. 

Subs not used: Gulacsi, Coates, Suso, Wisdom.

Booked: Shelvey.

Goals: Suarez 28, 59, Allen 43.

Zenit St Petersburg: Malafeev, Aniukov, Luis Neto, Lombaerts (Criscito 46), Hubocan, Witsel, Denisov, Shirokov, Danny (Faitzulin 46), Hulk, Semak (Rodic 84). 

Subs not used: Zhevnov, Bruno Alves,  Bukharov, Kerzhakov.

Booked: Denisov.

Goals: Hulk 19.

Att: 43,026

Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Holland)

Borini's Injury Takes Gloss of Liverpool Demolition

You can only beat what’s in front of you, even if Michael Laudrup handed us the whip hand, making seven changes from the side which thrashed Queen’s Park Rangers which is understandable with a hot favourite’s chance of winning next Sunday’s Capital One Cup final against Bradford City.

That saying, we were simply wonderful, stunning in parts.  Rodgers gave the impressive Philippe Coutinho a start with Allen, Skrtel, Henderson and Sterling reverting back to bench duty and Sturridge, Lucas and Agger joining the Brazilian for a start.

Liverpool were impressive from the first to the last, dominating to such a level that five-nil doesn’t tell the full story.  Thirty-three shots with 18 on target against 4 shots and with 3 on target for Swansea gives more of a perspective.  We could and should have been way ahead before Gerrard’s penalty with Sturridge missing a golden opportunity to head in after Downing had roasted the full-back to deliver an inch perfect cross with this right foot.

Coutinho then fluffed his lines from 6 yards after Sturridge was brought down for what looked like a certain penalty.

Liverpool wouldn’t have wait long for a penalty when Agustien unnecessarily tackle Suarez misjudging his tackle.   Gerrard showing no ill effects from the miss against WBA hit a crisp penalty into the corner past the diving Vorm.

If the shots in the first half lacked a killer instinct, we started as if wanting to make amends in no uncertain terms.   Returning to our potent best with Sturridge back in the side, three goals in 11 minutes simply devastated Swansea.

Coutinho collected a pass from Suarez, who showed a decisive turn of pace to go past two defenders before slotting home.  The next goal was all about pass and move with the intricate passes between Suarez, Sturridge and Enrique slicing through the Swansea defence like a can opener, before Enrique buried his shot high into the net.

The fourth was vintage Suarez leaving, as he has he done on some many occasions, defenders trailing, in this case Bartley and Monk, before easing the ball home.

Liverpool were awarded our second penalty following Routledge’s handball, which Sturridge, given the opportunity by his captain, dispatched with vigour.

With a spirits up following the dispiriting losses to Zenit and West Brom the mood changed quickly, when Borini only recently back from a three month lay-off with a broken bone in his foot, saw his season tragically cut short with a dislocated shoulder.

With Zenit on the horizon Suarez once again is the soul striker available has he has been for so much of the season.

Man of the Match: Luis Suarez – The irrepressible Uruguayan was involved in everything that was good, prompting, probing and delivering passes with expert deftness.  His exciting combination with Sturridge again raises the what could’ve been question, had the ex-Chelsea forward been at Anfield from the start of the season.

Suarez linked nicely with Philippe Coutinho who showed incisiveness, and if he can cope with the rigours and demands of the Premiership, he may well press Downing for his place.

Critical Eye: Stewart Downing delivered a peach of a cross, having skinned the left-back and for once lifted the ball on to Sturridge’s head and for second league match in a row should’ve had an assist.

Fair play to him if he can continuing his upward curve and if he can deliver crosses like that against top class defenders then he just may save his career at Anfield.

Team: 25 Reina, 2 Johnson, 3 Enrique, 5 Agger, 23 Carragher, 8 Gerrard, 10 Coutinho (Henderson – 60min), 19 Downing, 21 Lucas (Allen – 72 min), 7 Suarez (Borini – 78 min), 15 Sturridge

Subs: 42 Gulacsi, 37 Skrtel, 14 Henderson, 24 Allen, 31 Sterling, 33 Shelvey, 29 Borini

Ref: Howard Webb   Attendance: 44,832

Zenit St Petersburg 2 Liverpool 0

Joe Allen and Raheem Sterling returned to the starting line-up with Brendan Rodgers fielding a strong line-up of the season in Europe with his team faced with its last chance of silverware this season.   Daniel Sturridge was missing, but this time through being cup tied.

Zenit with their slick fast pace passing starting the game as if intent to put it out of reach within minutes.  Breaking superbly down the left, the ball was expertly squared by Hulk to Kerzhakov whose shot was expertly saved by Reina. 

Not to be outdone, Glen Johnson, produced a magnificent cross field ball which Suarez easily controlled before, leaving Neto contorted after turning him inside out and just drawing his shot past the far post.

In an open game Zenit almost immediately stung Liverpool with Hulk driving from deep leaving Skrtel for dead before shooting powerfully, with Reina again producing a stunning save low down.

Liverpool began to get more into the game and should have taken the lead on the quarter hour as Suarez latched on to Lombaerts’ pass, putting himself clean through only to get caught in two minds and finally over hitting the ball in an attempt to go round the keeper.

The Liverpool midfield struggled to get to grips with Zenit’s pace and movement with Downing and Sterling have to do a great deal of defensive running to support the midfield trio of Henderson, Gerrard and Allen.  Hulk on one rampaging run left Allen floundering in his wake as he steamed into the area looking threatening, Jamie Carragher showed all his experience to brilliant intercept.

Again, Hulk and Reina were on show with the Brazilian’s snap shot somehow going underneath Reina and striking the post.

In a half which should have seen multiple goals, we fashioned out a chance as Downing played in Allen whose cross was deflected over the onrushing Suarez, Sterling, in a threatening position  for the first time, picked his head up and rolled the ball into and slight behind Suarez whose improvised flick went just past the post.

The second half started with a tremendous run by Johnson from his own half committing the Zenit defence and exquisitely nutmegging Lombaerts before his shot was deflected wide by the onrushing keeper.  Liverpool looked to impose their possession game to attain some control which was made all the more difficult with pitch cutting up.

Enrique showed great composure keeping the ball under pressure in the bottom corner of the pitch before setting up an excellent move with Gerrard, feeding Downing on the right who cut in from the left ghosting past two defenders with the ball teed up for Suarez who inexplicably guided his shot wide.

In controlling the game, we took one foot of the pedal and it cost us the game.  Jordan Henderson, miss-controlled the ball which was pounced upon and fed to Hulk storming forward and with Skrtel back peddling the ex-Porto player, who’d been struggling for form since his £32 million transfer let fly with a stunning drive which faded away into the top corner leaving Reina, who had kept us in the game in the early stages, with no chance and sending the Zenith fans into raptures.

Minutes later the game was as good as over.  The ball whipped in from right by Anyukov, squirted by an under pressure Skrtel who hadn’t been overly impressive and Glen Johnson for once failed to anticipate allowing substitute Semak to have enough time to light a cigar have a puff before strolling in to tap the ball home.

We had one more attempt from a Suarez free-kick, well saved by Malafeev leaving Brendan Rodgers and his team knowing that only ‘one of those Anfield nights’ will see them with a chance of a prolonged run and any chance of silverware this season.

Man of The Match: Pepe Reina – Pulled of some miraculous saves showing he was back to his best, but even his return to form couldn’t save us from another catastrophic defeat.

Positives: We created chances and on another night should’ve had at least a couple goals to reflect that.  The two full-backs provide brilliant attacking outlets and only Johnson’s blunder on the second was the only blight on their performance.  Jamie Carragher in what is now his last throes as a professional is now the premier Liverpool centre-back (which must be a cause of consternation to the manager), his superb interception on a rampaging Hulk, was utter class.

Critical Eye:  The Liverpool midfield struggled in the first half to get in a blow against their three counterparts which allowed Hulk a free rein, something he has hardly enjoyed all season.  Joe Allen’s form must be a massive concerned to Brendan Rodgers.   He is a gifted footballer, but he looks like a little boy lost and not strong enough to compete with stronger competitors and where his passing was once his strength he is now prone to making mistakes.  Tonight he was struggling from the start and was unable to get near Hulk on a couple of occasions.

Martin Skrtel is another who has lost form.  He seemed all to ready to get rid of the ball against his former team and to slow to close down, but it can’t all be blamed on him with Liverpool unable to introduce our pressing game.

As with many young players bursting on the scene, Raheem Sterling appears on a downward curve right now and our lack of depth is forcing Rodgers to continue to play the youngster.  It does make one wonder why Rodgers hasn’t used Assaidi even from the bench over the season after paying £4 million for him.

The age old problem this season, unless Suarez scores we are struggling and without Daniel we are very one dimensional and with Liverpool strikers scoring for West Ham and Hearts respectively in recent weeks the folly of those decisions looks woeful.

Seeing is Believing -Major work still needed as top 4 hopes diminish-LFC 0 WBA 2

Report by Dedlfc (David Douglas)

As we had done in our last home game of last season vs Chelsea we had agreed to use the global charitable initiative logo "Seeing is Believing" which is aimed at tackling avoidable blindness in developing countries.

The limited edition shirts worn by the players will be signed after the match and auctioned off with every pound raised matched by Standard Chartered. This is a fantastic gesture of support by our club which is to be expected.

What we didn't know was the other meaning of the logo until the end of this bad evening for us when we were given another reality check to where we really are as a club/squad.

When Gareth McAuley headed home West Brom's first effort on target in the 81st minute it set up their first league double over us having won 3-0 on the opening day of the season - since 1966-67.

All the promise of performances in draws against Arsenal and Manchester City was wiped away in 90 torturous minutes as we suffered our first home defeat since mid-December.

West Brom are not supposed to like Mondays. They had not won any of their previous 18 top-flight away matches on this day, a run stretching back 44 years to March 1969.

However, they appeared more than comfortable in a disappointing first half which saw both teams manage just two shots on target between them.

Both of those were registered by us as the Baggies were not intent on showing much adventure but with us not clicking into any sort of gear they were not in much danger either.

With Daniel Sturridge's thigh problem not being risked we were shorn of the pacy, incisive running which caused the Premier League champions so many problems in the 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

This was an opportunity to continue with the positive tactic from our last two league games of Suarez being supported by a striker by playing Borini as replacement to Sturridge but instead Rodgers reverted back to the 4-3-3 formation which meant that our only real goal threat was Suarez.

This tactic had been used prior to Sturridges's arrival but has without Suarez's goal impact not produced the goals that our build up play has maybe deserved and so if the tactic has not worked for most of the season it just doesn't make sense to go back to it.

Sturridge's replacement Jonjo Shelvey was given his first league appearance since Boxing Day, playing in the hole as Luis Suarez was restored to the out-and-out striker role but he failed to provide the movement or pace the way Sturridge has since his arrival in Jan 2013.

The 20-year-old did put the ball in the net early on but was well offside, which sort of set the tone for the half which was briefly enlivened by Suarez producing a brilliant behind-the-leg cross.

Agger had a header which he should have scored from a Downing cross tipped over by Foster, who also caught Stewart Downing's stinging drive at the second attempt.

The closest we actually came to scoring in the first half was when Steven Reid's attempted left-footed clearance of Shelvey's low cross cannoned off his standing leg and looped over the crossbar from four yards.

A lack of fluidity and crispness was noticeably absent in our passing game as the Baggies harried and hassled and tried to stifle as much of our attempted movement as possible.

Every pass from us seemed half-a-yard too short or long and our control of the ball was continuously wasteful.

Improvements were made by Brendan Rodgers for the second half as Downing had a shot blocked and Gerrard's follow-up was crowded out before Henderson's cheeky close-range back-heel from Glen Johnson's pass was stopped by Foster.

With an hour gone more work was required and Raheem Sterling and Borini were sent on for the ineffective Shelvey and the tiring Henderson.

Borini was denied an excellent opportunity by a fully-stretched West Brom goalkeeper after lashing Downing's lay-off goalwards, McAuley slid in to block Suarez's shot and the wrong-footed Foster stuck out a hand to stop Gerrard's drive.

The chance to take a vital lead was then missed when we won a dubious penalty by the unusually quiet Suarez being bundled over. Our captain marvel Gerrard stepped up but without the normal conviction and it was no surprise to see Ben Foster save the penalty.

Having dominated proceedings we were then were hit with the sucker punch nine minutes from time after an excellent finger tip save by Reina had conceded a corner from a Mulumbu driven shot.

Chris Brunt swung over the resulting right-wing corner and McAuley had a free run in the area to power home a header, how Agger had let him get a free header is still a mystery to us all but it is symptomatic of our defence at the moment, we are masters of our own downfall in nearly every league game.

With us now chasing the game, we were again exposed even later on when Lukaku, having originally been dropped to the bench, breezed past the now extremely low on confidence Agger to then stroke home their second.

The disgust on our captain's face when the second goal went in summed up the thoughts of all LFC fans around the world, it said typical of us to control a game again and then throw it all away!

With the chase for 4th place almost over we now have to rely on winning the Euro league to get anymore joy out of this very disappointing season.

Kop man of the match - Steven Gerrard despite his vital penalty miss!
Our captain produced some raking long range Exocet missile type cross field passes which didn't influence the result but again demonstrated that he is still undisputedly our best player.

Positives - a mini cameo from our new attacking midfielder Coutinho but nothing else to shout about for us.

Negatives - the defending in recent games of our main first choice defenders Skrtel and now Agger, both players have been equally woeful in the last two months and must wish this season could just finish now.

Agger has recently invested around half a million in his brother's sewer company and he played last night like he had fell in the sewer and couldn't get out!

Rodgers attempted using Shelvey as a centre forward. Shelvey is not a Daniel Sturridge by any means, is not positionally sound as a striker, does not have great hold up play and is not pacy by any stretch of the imagination. I do understand Shelvey was put up top because his shooting is actually more accurate than any of our strikers, but he doesn't move or think like one.

Another travesty by Rodgers is Henderson as a left winger. Hendo and Shelvey should perhaps have swapped positions, seeing as Shelvey's game is about moving the play and Henderson's is about support. Hendo does happen to have good hold up play and intelligent movement. Suarez could have used the support up front from Henderson better.

The most noticeable improvement at Anfield in recent weeks has been the ability of Liverpool to add bodies in the six-yard box aiding and abetting Suarez's terror campaign, but the first half had rather more in common with the reconstructive early weeks of the season, when Rodgers' passing game  seemed methodical rather than natural. There was too much pedestrian distribution and not enough width or penetration.

A very disappointing result for our plans for the season indeed and our manager will have to reflect on the changes and tactics made.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Reina; Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Johnson; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson (Sterling 60); Downing (Coutinho 78), Shelvey (Borini 60), Suarez.
Subs: Jones, Coutinho, Allen, Skrtel, Wisdom.
Booked: Suarez.
West Brom (4-5-1): Foster; Reid, Olsson, McAuley, Ridgewell; Brunt, Mulumbu, Yacob, Dorrans (Lukaku 74), Morrison; Long (Fortune 87).
Subs: Rosenberg, Myhill, Thomas, Jones, Tamas.
Referee: Jon Moss.
Booked: Reid, Morrison, Brunt.
Attendance: 44,572.

Jamie Carragher: First Among Equals

I have to make an admission. Over the last two seasons I have been among Jamie Carragher’s sternest critics. Never the quickest, he slowed markedly and Agger and Skrtel had usurped him as the club’s premier central defenders. To his credit the Bootle born Scouser refused to be bowed and fought back to become a crucial member of the Liverpool backline once again showing immense strength of character.

When the brilliant unbeaten racehorse Frankel won his penultimate race destroying the field in last August’s Juddmonte International, his owner Khalid Abdulla’s race manager Lord Grimthorpe was asked with the spectre of one final race, why retire the horse? Grimthorpe remarked, “the best time to leave a party is when you least want to go.”

Jamie Carragher has decided to leave the party with fellow pros and fans alike asking why when he’s playing as well as ever. His strength in the tackle, whole heartedness and his never say die attitude has given fans an insight into what the team has been missing and what it will take to replace the lion hearted warrior.  

As Kenny Dalglish said his Mirror column, "He knows better than anyone when is the right time to retire and he has chosen the end of this season but he will be sorely missed."

"He did his job as well as anybody who has ever done their job as a footballer. There is no higher praise than that.  

"It was a bit of a surprise to me that he made his announcement when he did because he had just come through a couple of really tough games with great credit."

He is a born leader who would’ve made a fine Liverpool captain had his close mate Steven Gerrard not been. Suddenly, Liverpool’s backline has a purpose with Carragher organising all around him.

How many times has Jamie Carragher put himself on the line for Liverpool Football Club? If Steven Gerrard was the Man of The Match in Instanbul, Carragher was a very close second with those last ditch tackles with no less an authority than Johann Cruyff remarked at the time.

No Liverpool player as ever worn the shirt with more pride and dignity and that’s some statement for a player who started out as an Evertonian! That being said, he is engrained in Liverpool history to such an extent that it’s unimaginable that this firm favourite will not one day coach or manage the club.

Anyone listening to him as a summariser on television knows that he possesses a football brain and it’s why he probably be inundated with offers from Sky.

He’s been a great servant to Liverpool Football Club of the highest magnitude and will leaving us knowing just want we need to do to replace him if we are to start building a team capable of challenging the Manchester clubs. We’ll need a team full of Carragher’s and Gerrards.

Brendan Rodgers tried to no avail tried to change his mind as he recognised early on the importance his capabilities and professionalism brought to the team and the club.

"For me, he'll be irreplaceable, said Rodgers. I don't think that type can be replaced."

"In the modern game there are very few like him. You see a lot of rash defending now throughout the game. This is a guy who's a pure defender, he defends with great intelligence. He knows when to mark a man, when to mark the space. He understands the basic principles of defending.

"He's an outstanding leader and organiser in the team, and to find someone with all those capabilities and who has got the heart the size of a lion, is very, very difficult to find.

"You won't find that type [anymore]. You obviously have to look for other types of players with other qualities, and that's what we'll have to do."

Quite simply a leader both on and off the field. His charitable work has made him revered in all parts of the city and the comments from all over the country say it all, the man is much loved and revered.

It’s no coincidence to hear that Ed Miliband is looking to get him involved in the run-up to the next general election to endorse his party.

For most of his career he played with Steven Gerrard and it’s only fitting that it is his words from the club’s website which should close this piece.

“I’ve known a little bit longer than other people,” Gerrard told the club’s official website. “I’ve tried just as hard as everyone else to try to keep him going for a bit longer. He’s basically taken no notice of what I said because I was trying for him to push on for another year.

“But we have to respect his decision. He’s had a fantastic career and he feels it’s the right time to go out, at the end of the season. Hopefully there are still some big performances left in him before he goes.

“I could go on for a long time about him. People mention him alongside the likes of (Alan) Hansen and (Mark) Lawrenson, the best defenders that this club has ever had.

“For me, if he’s not alongside them he’s a little bit above them. That’s the biggest compliment I can pay him. He’s a wonderful player – at his peak, for two or three seasons he was one of the best defenders in the world.

“At times this season it has been difficult for him, not being a regular starter – because he has been a starter since he made his debut. I can respect and understand his decision; we’re all going to come to that moment in our careers.

“Everyone knows what we’re going to miss on the playing side.  Since I made my debut Jamie has been alongside me in the dressing room and been a close mate of mine. It’s going to be different and no-one is going to miss Jamie more than me.”

Another Reckless Reina mistake costs us a win - Man City 2 LFC 2

Report by Dedlfc (David Douglas)

After the disastrous cup exit and criticism of our younger players by Rodgers a week ago we faced the daunting task of two away games at the Emirates and the Etihad stadium respectively, we came away from North London on Wednesday feeling disappointed not to win so went into today's game determined to try and break our hoodoo of not beating a side above us in the league.

Rodgers selected our oldest starting line-up (average age 28 years and 18 days) since Oct 2011.

It looked a sensible and wise ploy as City have been imperious at home since before they won the title last May - losing just one of their last 41 league games - and they made their intent clear from the off.

There were just 49 seconds on the clock when Jose Reina was forced to tip over David Silva's dipping volley.

All the early pressure was with City but once we had weathered that initial storm we started to come into our own.

A deft touch by Sturridge took Stewart Downing's lobbed pass past Hart in one move but he was denied a goal as Pablo Zabaleta got back to block.

Our sorcerer Suarez, busy without being his usual threatening self, flashed a shot across Hart and wide of the far post as it seemed we were about to take control.

That notion was dispelled in the 24th minute as some neat interplay from Silva and James Milner from a throw-in on the left saw the latter cross low for Dzeko to sneak behind Daniel Agger and tap home from close range. The defending could have been more sharper at the throw in but it was a good team goal by City.

If that goal was founded in simplicity our equaliser was made of pure brilliance, although it was viewed as controversial by indignant City players and their fans.

Agger appeared to go through Dzeko to get the ball but referee Anthony Taylor saw no foul and with the Bosnia international collapsed on the turf in their own half we played on.

The boos grew louder as the Reds made their way upfield but almost a minute had expired - with City momentarily winning the ball back on the edge of their area - before Sturridge scored.

Gerrard rolled the ball forward to the former City striker who smashed a fierce left-footed shot past Hart.

It was the first goal the City goalkeeper had conceded since December 29, 584 minutes in all.

The hosts were furious but Taylor's decision not to stop play was proved correct - even if his original one not to award the foul was not - as Dzeko leapt got to his feet, declined treatment, berated the linesman and re-started the game.

We then preceded to finish the half the stronger and having continued that after the break Mancini made a tactical switch 10 minutes in when he replaced Matija Nastasic with Aleksandar Kolarov and went to a back three.
That appeared to re-energise City and Aguero threatened to put them ahead again with a blistering 40-yard run only to slip as he entered the penalty area.

Our captain marvel Gerrard showed him the way to strike a ball in the 73rd minute with a strike very reminiscent of his goal in the 2006 FA Cup final.

Gael Clichy's poor clearance from Jose Enrique's cross dropped to the midfielder 30 yards out and the England captain controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a dipping low volley which Hart no chance.

It was Gerrard's sixth league goal - one more than the whole of last season - and his fifth in the last 10 games.

Martin Skrtel was introduced for the tiring Enrique and after almost scoring at one end was involved in a mix-up with Reina which allowed City to equalise.

Aguero raced onto Gareth Barry's pass and the goalkeeper's crazy rush of blood saw him charge out to the left edge of his area, from where the Argentina international turned him and fired in impressively from a narrow angle.

Sturridge forced Hart into a low save late on before departing to jeers from the fans who, only a couple of years ago, cheered him as one of their rising stars.

So we had to again settle for a draw in a game we deserved to win for the second time in 5 days this time mainly due to the poor decision by our keeper to come out of his area of the goal without thinking of the consequences to his mistake.

Kop-post man of the match:Daniel Sturridge - the best performance by the young striker in his early stages of his time in one of our shirts, excellently leading the line, holding the ball up and linking well with Suarez and Henderson.

Positives:We are now playing the best football under Brendan Rodgers and are very competitive with the top sides in the league.

Negatives: The only thing missing is the killer instinct to win the big games, this has cost us so many points against various sides this season with defensive errors by our own team costing us in both the home and away fixtures of this game.

The performances in big games over the last two seasons of our keeper Pepe Reina have now got to be brought into question and I personally feel that he is no longer motivated enough to perform to his best level for us, maybe because he wants to play high level football or does not have another strong keeper pushing him to play to his best.

I understand the reason why Downing is played at right wing for us, mainly because when he cuts inside he frees up space on our right side for Glen Johnson to provide the attacking impetus.
My problem with Downing is that he does not produce the final ball and create the chances he should do as an international winger and I personally feel that he should be more determined to take his chance as a winger at a top club. In his time at the club he has not been good enough and I expect him to be replaced in the summer as he has had countless chances to make his mark but only produces one of every ten games which is a very poor return.

Here are the statistics from a wonderfully entertaining game at The Etihad:

• Javi Garcia and Lucas Leiva both managed pass-completion rates of 92%, highest amongst all starting non-defensive players.
•  Suarez had 6 shots on goal, twice as many as any Manchester City player.
• Edin Dzeko won a game-high 7 aerial duels.
• Liverpool, collectively, had twice as many shots as their opponents (22 vs 11).
•  Despite being substituted in the 76th minute, Jose Enrique had more touches of the ball than any other player (86).
•  David Silva was dispossessed more than any other player (5).
• Edin Dzeko, Steven Gerrard, and Sergio Aguero all scored with their only shot on-target.
• Pablo Zabaleta led the game in successful tackles (7), and made the joint most interceptions (4 – Daniel Agger).
• Nobody made more defensive clearances than Jolean Lescott (8).
• James Milner attempted 11 crosses, 6 of which were accurate. Steven Gerrard was the only other player in the game to deliver more than one accurate cross (2).

Teams: Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Natasic, Lescott, Clichy, Garcia, Milner, Barry, Aguero, Silva, Dzeko

Liverpool: Reina, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Johnson, Downing, Lucas,  Suarez, Gerrard, Henderson, Sturridge

Substitutions: 
Man City Kolarov (Nastasic, 56) Maicon (Silva 76) Nasri (Barry, 88). 
Liverpool Skrtel (Enrique, 76) Allen (Sturridge, 92). 
Bookings: 
Man City (2) Dzeko, García. 
Liverpool (4) Henderson, Sturridge, Carragher, Gerrard.

Possession: Man City 46%. Liverpool 54%. 

Attempts on target: Man City 3. Liverpool 4. 

Referee Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester). Att 47,301

Arsenal 2 Liverpool 2

Report by Dedlfc (David Douglas)

Recovering from the shock of getting dumped out of the FA Cup to lowly league 1 side Oldham Athletic Brendan Rodgers made wholesale changes bringing in the more experienced first team regulars such as Reina and Johnson.

We made a very lively start when a unexpected slip by Sagna let in Glen Johnson down the left, the cross was miskicked by Arsenal capt Vermaelen which forced their keeper Szczesny into a smart save from Sturridge, Ramsey tried to flick the ball away but it fell to our sorcerer Suarez whose shot took a slight deflection off Mertesacker which comically wrong footed Szczesny and over the line for a fourth minute lead.

Arsenal almost produced an instant response from the kick off when Walcott got ahead of Jamie Carragher, but his snapshot was straight at Jose Reina.

The match remained continued to ebb from end to end, with Sturridge dragging an angled shot across the face of goal.

Arsenal also continued to pushed for an equaliser and Reina was again called into action as he turned a curling effort from Walcott magnificently around the post.

Our captain marvel Steven Gerrard then produced some excellent herculean defending as he hooked Lukas Podolski's cross through the six-yard box behind.

We almost made it 2-0 on 27 minutes when Szczesny flapped at but missed from a corner from the left and Daniel Agger's header was hacked off the line by Podolski.

Arsenal were forced into a change before half-time when Kieran Gibbs hobbled off and Brazil defender Andre Santos came on.

Szczesny, then attempted to do his impersonation of Johan Cruyff by trying to copy his infamous Cruyff turn but it went all wrong with us capitalising culminating with him rushing from his goal to close down Henderson on the left corner of the penalty area, but our hardworking midfielder with his improved fom recently chipped the ball onto the roof of the net - much to the relief of the backpedalling Poland goalkeeper.

The Gunners nestly equalised early in the second half when Podolski floated a pass from the left out to the far post, where Walcott arrived to head it just over.

It proved a costly miss as we extended our lead on the hour.

Henderson battled past Santos with amazing upper body strength and into the right side of the penalty area, before then holding off two more defenders. As the ball bounced back off Ramsey's boot, he coolly stroked the ball home past Szczesny to double our lead.

At 2-0 Arsenal needed to provide an instant response which they did from a right wing free kick from Wilshere straight onto striker Giroud's head for a first goal. 

With us not having time to recover from the first goal Arsenal then preceded to equalise when Santi Cazorla worked the ball out on the right side of the penalty area to Giroud. His lay-off teed up Walcott just outside the six-yard box and the England forward lashed an angled drive across Reina into the far corner.

With the momentum totally with Arsenal now Walcott then curled a 20-yard effort just wide after running along the edge of the Liverpool box.

Our captain marvel Gerrard trying desperately to stamp his authority on the game again was very fortunate to only have been shown a yellow card by referee Kevin Friend after jumping in with his foot raised on Mertesacker very reminiscent of tackles he mis-timed in his younger days.

The 6ft 7in German was, though, soon up again as he headed a free-kick from Wilshere just over at the near post.

Reina saved at full stretch from Giroud as Arsenal looked for a late winner, with the Frenchman then scuffing an easy effort from close range.

Our last chance in the game saw Suarez's late strike just about turned away by Szczesny in stoppage time as a thrilling and enthralling encounter finally ended all square.

Kop-post man of the match - Jordan Henderson

Slowly making the attacking midfield slot his own with his intelligent running  and constant hardwork for the team, this player has finally proved his doubters wrong and is showing the potential that Dalglish saw which prompted him to buy him at such a tender age.

Positives - We went to Emirates stadium with such a negative cup result to get over and showed character and belief for at least the first hour of this game.

Carragher showed the required defensive leadership qualities which were missing in the cup defeat and has now warranted a run in the side as Skrtel is out of form and does not display anywhere near the leadership qualities of our Carragher.

Negatives - We again threw away a 2 goal lead which has cost us a vital win, we had the exact same 

situation facing us against Everton earlier in the season, we do not have the intestinal fortitude to secure wins against the stronger teams in the league and therefore have still not beaten a side hgher than us in the table.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs (Santos 37) , Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla, Walcott, Podolski, Giroud. 

Subs not used: Mannone, Diaby, Koscielny, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jenkinson. 

Booked: Cazorla, Giroud

Scorers: Giroud 64, Walcott 67.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Wisdom, Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Downing, Suarez, Sturridge (Jose Enrique 71).

Subs not used: Jones, Allen, Borini, Sterling, Shelvey, Skrtel.

Booked: Gerrard.

Scorers: Suarez 5, Henderson 60

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

Attendance: 60,089