Injured Gerrard Saves Liverpool Through KOP Power (Match Report), Downing Rumours, Riera Rumours Return, Fabre Wants Alonso

Cesc Fabregas Wanting Alonso To Be A Gunner

“I’d love it,” Spanish Midfielder (Arsenal) Cesc Fabregas says when asked how he would like for fellow national Xabi Alonso to partner him in the midfield of the Gunners side. “What can I say? He’s my friend but apart from that he’s a professional. He’s a great passer of the ball, he works hard defensively, he’s scoring goals now. For me it would be perfect.”

Cesc thinks that Alonso would be the missing link to make Arsenal even more competitive: “Of course, right now we are competitive but maybe in the middle we need somebody who can make some competition, who can add another dimension. I think that’s all we need really. All the rest is fine.”

This is incredibly similar to what Gerrard said about Barry….let’s hope that Alonso says something back (preferably that he wants to stay a Red, unlike what the media has been suggesting)

Liverpool 2 – Middlesborough 1 (Match Report PL) : Captain and Vice-Captain Save Liverpool

From Liverpool Echo :

STEVEN GERRARD scored a spectacular injury-time winner as Liverpool secured an unlikely Premier League victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield.

Rafael Benitez’s side were on their way to a deserved defeat as they trailed to Mido’s 70^th-minute goal with four minutes remaining.

But a deflected strike from Jamie Carragher – only his fifth-ever career goal – dragged Liverpool level in the 86^th minute before Gerrard volleyed in a magnificent 20-yard effort with almost the last kick of the match.

Fernando Torres was hoping to become the first Liverpool player to score in nine successive home league games.

But the Spaniard was kept quiet by a Boro defence that, until the closing moments, had seemingly done enough to earn their first win at Anfield in 32 years.

Martin Skrtel made his first Liverpool appearance of the season in place of the injured Sami Hyypia at centre-back, while Robbie Keane and Andrea Dossena were handed their competitive home debuts.

Middlesbrough’s chances weren’t helped by first-choice goalkeeper Brad Jones dislocating a finger in the warm-up and having to be replaced by Ross Turnbull, the 23-year-old making only the sixth Premier League start of his career.

Liverpool struggled to find any rhythm during a low-quality first half in which Boro were always a danger on the counter-attack.

The best early chance for the visitors came in the 13^th minute, when Andrew Taylor’s rising 25-yard effort was helped on its way over by Pepe Reina’s fingertips.

Liverpool finally roused themselves towards the interval when Keane and Torres showed signs of forging an understanding.

Keane fed Torres into space only for the Spaniard to be denied by a strong challenge by the excellent David Wheater, before the Republic of Ireland international’s run and square pass bypassed four Boro defenders but his strike partner’s mishit shot was deflected wide by Emanuel Pogatetz.

After the break, Boro continued to look the team more capable of stringing two passes together.

And from one such move they almost went ahead on 62 minutes, substitute Mido crossing from the left and Tuncay Sanli flicking the ball cleverly over Carragher but shooting at Reina.

Torres then flashed an effort from range inches wide before Middlesbrough deservedly went ahead with 20 minutes remaining.

Xabi Alonso, one of many Liverpool players horribly under par, gifted the ball straight to Jeremie Aliadiere, with possession being fed to Mido to advance unchallenged and strike a fine low drive into the bottom left-hand corner of Reina’s goal from 22 yards.

However, the game turned in remarkable circumstances during a hectic final five minutes.

Boro midfielder Gary O’Neil clearly handled Alonso’s cross but, after the ball broke to Carragher, referee Mike Riley allowed play to continue and the Liverpool centre-back struck a shot that took a wicked deflection off Pogatetz to wrong-foot Boro keeper Turnbull.

Aliadiere then almost capitalised on a Reina misjudgement and Gerrard’s curling free-kick brought an excellent save from Turnbull as both sides went for the winner.

But it was Gerrard who produced the game’s defining moment, thrashing home an angled volley from 20 yards after Keane’s attempted lay-off was deflected into the path of the skipper off the unfortunate Pogatetz.

From The Official Site

With just five minutes remaining the Reds had looked on the verge of a frustrating defeat against Gareth Soutgate’s side – but the home-grown duo had other ideas.

Gerrard, who is so often the hero, produced the goods again, this time with a superb curler from the edge of the area after Carragher’s deflected strike had cancelled out Mido’s opener.

It was a positive end to a frustrating afternoon for the Reds who dominated for the majority of the clash but struggled to find a way past rookie stopper Ross Turnbull.

The visit of ‘Boro marked the first match of the new season at Anfield and as supporters settled into their seats they were not just treated to their first glimpse of the likes of Robbie Keane and Andrea Dossena in competitive action, but they will also have noticed the new electronic advertising boards lining the perimeter of the pitch.

The game itself began at a frenetic pace and although the visitors looked lively in the early exchanges it was Liverpool who had the first real sight of goal when Dirk Kuyt brought a great save out of Ross Turnbull from 25 yards.

It was the ideal start for the keeper who had only been called into the starting XI at the last moment after Brad Jones injured his hand in the warm up.

The Reds were eager to test him at every opportunity but both Robbie Keane and Yossi Benayoun shot well wide of goal when provided with opportunities while Pepe Reina had to be alert to tip Andrew Taylor’s 15th minute blockbuster over the crossbar.

The visitors were far from overawed by their visit to Merseyside and, buoyed by their opening day win over Spurs, they more than matched Liverpool with Stewart Downing in particular looking dangerous on the left.

It just wasn’t happening for the hosts and after Torres saw his penalty appeals turned down by referee Mike Riley Steven Gerrard was next to hang his head in frustration after his arcing effort flew just wide of the near post.

As the half came to a disappointing end, fans will have been cheered by the sight of Keane combining brilliantly with Torres to set the Spaniard clear but Robert Huth did just enough to deny him a clear strike at goal.

It was something they hoped to see more of in the second period but as the clock ticked down the visitors’ rearguard remained stubbornly resistant.

In fact, it was ‘Boro’ who manufactured the best opening of the game on the hour mark when substitute Mido broke down the left and fed the ball into Tuncay who produced an unorthodox turn to completely bamboozle Martin Skrtel before lashing his shot straight at Reina.

For Liverpool it was Torres who continued to look the more likely and he smashed a 25-yard thunderbolt just wide of the far post as he continued his bid to become the first player in Liverpool’s history to score in nine successive home league games and break the previous record of eight set by Roger Hunt in 1961-62.

However, it was not to be El Nino’s day and Rafael Benitez’s men were stunned 20 minutes from time when Mido received a pass from Jeremie Aliadiere and fired a sweet 25 yard strike into the bottom right-hand corner to leave Reina with no chance.

It looked like Middlesbrough were on the verge of their first win at Anfield in 21 attempts but with time running out Carragher pulled them level with a speculative 25-yard effort that took a huge deflection off Emanuel Pogatetz.

And it got better for the Reds in injury-time when Gerrard seized on a loose ball on the edge of the area to curl home a magnificent winner and send the home support into ecstasy.

Gerrard On The Match

Gerrard said: “When you are kicking towards that Kop end you can feel them helping you and helping the team. It was a great feeling. This is what we play the game for – the roof came off the place at the end.

“The fans were patient with us even though things didn’t always go how we wanted. Middlesbrough played well and maybe deserved something from the game, but we showed character and kept going until the end.

“We have been working on having a positive mentality and trying to kill off the lesser teams and we finally got the breakthrough thanks to Jamie Carragher.

“Yes, I was surprised because he doesn’t get many, but it was a good shot even though it got a deflection.”

And about his injury issues, he said, “I would say I am only about 70 or 80 per cent at the moment but I am working hard on the training ground to get to the level I want to be at.”

Rafa On The Match

Benitez said: “Carragher was amazing, because normally he isn’t a great finisher. After that Gerrard showed his quality too even though he isn’t 100 per cent fit – he can change games.

“The team showed its winning mentality. This is the kind of determination we want to see for the rest of the season.

“Last season we were drawing or losing these kind of games at home, so it was important that we won. It sends a positive message to the fans, who were maybe thinking about last season.

“We did it the hard way. I was pleased in the first 15 minutes because we were creating chances but after that we did not play well and they were controlling our attacks.

“They scored a good goal and were on top of us. I thought it would be difficult but we changed – we played with three defenders and that was the key.”

Middlesborough Boss Gareth Southgate on The Match

“We’ve given absolutely everything and in the end a freak goal has got them back into it and we haven’t been able to see it through,” he said.

“Fatigue at the end has caused us to sink back and try to protect what we had.

“Hopefully what everyone will take from it is tremendous belief. We pushed a top four side away from home right to the end and we deserved to get something from the game in my opinion.”

“We spoke before the game about believing we could do it being the biggest factor,” said Southgate.

“We managed to keep it tight in the first half and felt we could cause more problems when we attacked.

“Mido got a terrific goal that put us ahead and we looked quite comfortable for ten minutes.”

“I’d like to see the second one again because I thought there were quite a few occasions when their strikers jumped into our defenders and I thought that might have been the case with the second goal,” said Southgate.

“It hurts because of the effort we put in,” Southgate said. “We feel we should have got more and deserved more from the game.

“We have to learn from it but more importantly take the belief from it that we can come to places like this and really give teams a game.”

Downing Rumours?

Link Here

Apparently Downing will plead to Middlesborough to let him join the Anfield ranks, since he desperately wants Champions League football. He is rated to be around 14 mil pounds

Riera Rumours

Andiarena Angel Castell was clear that it was a two-horse race between the two rivals from Merseyside, but the clincher for Riera was that he wanted the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

He said: ‘Everton made a bid about four days ago and Liverpool have also showed interest in the player of course.

‘Both of them have put in an offer and although he would prefer to go to Liverpool, Everton have put in a better bid so you cannot tell yet where he will go.

‘Everton said they are looking for a good player in his position and he is one of the best in Europe at attacking.

‘Reira is desperate to leave Espanyol – absolutely desperate.

‘He wants to play in the Premier League and to play against bigger clubs.”

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Tags: albert riera, arsenal, cesc fabregas, jamie carragher, Liverpool, middlesborough, steven gerrard, stewart downing, xabi alonso

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