Saturday, March 14, 2009

--Manchester United 1 - 4 Liverpool--


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Join us at 1245 GMT to see if Liverpool can reignite their title charge by beating Man Utd at Old Trafford.
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Hi there, and welcome to one of the biggest games of the season. 19 years and counting for Liverpool and a win today would put them back in contention for the title.
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However, a loss and it's all over. United will be the more confident as they haven't conceded a goal at OT against the Reds for the past few seasons.
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Team news, and the combative Tevez gets a start up front with Dimi Berbatov dropped to the bench. Scholes and Giggs are there too, so it's an imposing prospect for Fergie to bring on.
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For Liverpool, Alonso is the big miss with United fans pleased to see Lucas starting. And Riera is back in the side, with Ryan Babel unlucky to miss out after a good showing against Madrid.
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1'
Here we go. It's the big one. United kick off and will attack to the left.
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2'
Ronaldo down the right, gets the ball across the box and Park is there, but Carragher throws himself in the way. Great defending and it's another corner.
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4'
Liverpool looking for that long ball over the top, but haven't seen Torres at all yet and they keep giving the ball back for United to attack.
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6'
29 games, only 9 of them have seen Gerrard and Torres play together. They are looking the biggest threat for the Reds again today.
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8'
The game has slowed down a bit now, noone is picking up possession. Torres is being booed and Lucas is trying his best to break through a resolute United defence. To no avail.
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9'
Skrtel just missed Rooney's head with that pass. The striker would have been through on goal if he'd been an inch taller.
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13'
Evra wastes possession with a shot that flies over. Rooney gave him some lip there after he didn't pass.
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14'
Very cool from Pepe Reina. Bisected two United attackers with a pass and didn't look phased. Shame Casillas is so good or he'd be in the Spain side.
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16'
Park appears to be surging forward a lot, almost playing as a striker in between Tevez and Rooney.
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19'
Good possession from Liverpool has the crowd booing. But they're not breaking through at the moment.
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22'
PENALTY!
Tevez through to Park, his pace takes him through and Reina comes crashing out.
Definate pen. Reina's reaction says it all.
GOAL!
Ronaldo steps up. So calm. Puts it to the keeper's right and it's too good.
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23'
United are so dangerous. Liverpool had the best of the last ten mins, but then Tevez and Park combined. A cruel blow for the Reds, but great counter attacking from Fergie's men.
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26'
United playing the possession game. Liverpool still look fragile and now they have a real mountain to climb.
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27'
GOAL! Torres! What a mistake from Vidic.
Out of nothing. The long ball over the top and Vidic didn't clear. He let it go and then Torres' pace took over.
Stunning pace. Through on goal and what a cool finish from Torres. VDS had no chance.
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27'
1-1 and game on!
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34'
Cynical foul from Carragher. Tevez was bursting through on the left and the defender caught his heels. Bad foul and a yellow card.
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36'
Ferdinand slides in on Kuyt. The yellows are flowing now and Alan Whiley has to keep a lid on this.
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41'
Great turn from Carrick past Lucas. He's been poor so far, but gets away and has a shot. Rasping effort and it's just wide.
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42'
PENALTY! AGAIN!
Gerrard gets the other side of Evra. Races through and Gerrard is fouled, just in the area.
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Van der Sar is booked for wasting time.
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42'
GOAL! Gerrard slides it home. VDS was close, but too much power.
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42'
Tevez was pointing left, but Gerrard went right and so did VDS. Vidic and Evra have contributed to United's downfall in this half. Great pen from the skipper.
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44'
Liverpool ahead. Two pens in this game and it's been a real thriller.
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45'
Wow. What a game. Haven't even had time for lunch yet! Hope you're enjoying it so far, especially if you're caught in a pub without a tv. You're missing a real cracker.
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46'
Nothing came of it and Rooney can break. Great defending from Carragher again! Came across with Park and Ronaldo around.
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46'
Ronaldo's cross comes off the post! Reina is having a mare! The ball swung in, but the keeper didn't get there and it rebounded off the near stick. Lucky he reacted quickly before Rooney pounced.
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47'
Half-time. There's a whole other half to come... catch a breath.
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47'
Torres is haring around up front and trying to put some pressure on Vidic and Ferdinand. United now trying to build and O'Shea is getting forward well.
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51'
Lucas goes in well on Rooney, but it's a free-kick. He looked to get the ball, but the ref was close enough to see for himself.
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60'
Mascherano picks up a booking. One too many fouls. Is he going to lose his temper? No.. not this time.
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61'
Gerrard not getting any space at all. Great work from Anderson and the ball breaks for Rooney. He cuts inside and his shot is blocked behind for a corner.
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64'
Skrtel is the latest to get a yellow are coming through the back of Tevez.
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67'
Liverpool really pegged back. United having trouble breaking them down. There are a lot of bodies in the way at the moment.
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67'
Hmm. Interesting. Riera comes off. Dossena comes on. More defensive solidity perhaps?
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70'
Oh, great chance. The ball is looped over by Carrick. Tevez is offside, but no flag is waved and he slips his shot wide of the post.
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72'
Giggs, Scholes and Berbatov come on for Anderson, Park and Carrick. Fergie is taking a chance here, but he has to. Last roll of the dice for the boss.
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75'
Vidic and Gerrard tangled. The skipper was through and it's RED!
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75'
Just as Fergie brought his three subs on, Vidic was beaten by Gerrard and hauls him down. He was the last man, Gerrard was through on goal, and that's another good decision. Vidic is off.
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76'
GOAL! From the resulting free-kick, Aurelio curls it in!
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76'
Incredible stuff! What a great effort. In the space of a minute United have had a man sent off and now go 3-1 down. VDS didn't even move.
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77'
What a match. The momentum is with Liverpool now after having a quiet second half absorbing pressure. This would be an amazing result.
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80'
Every single player is in the Liverpool half, except for VDS at the moment. Torres is now coming off and Babel's fresh legs run on.
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83'
Ronaldo, who has hardly had a kick for the last twenty mins, gets the ball across and Berbatov sends it back. Reina does really well there to grab it before Rooney arrives.
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84'
Oh shocking. Dossena gets the ball across, Babel traps it and backheels to Gerrard. Who fluffs it over the bar. How unlike the Liverpool skipper.
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85'
Berbatov hits the post, but is offside anyway. It's slipping away now.
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87'
Well that sums up Ronaldo's day. Rooney smashes the ball across, it misses everyone and once he's controlled it, he miskicks it behind him. Good chance to get a shot on target, but Reina hasn't had much to do this half.
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89'
Mascherano panicked there as Ronaldo's free-kick came off the wall. Corner, but surely this is too much for United to overcome now.
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90'
Rooney hits a hopeful shot, but it's flown wide.
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90'
Gerrard comes off and El-Zhar on.
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90'
GOAL! And it's four! Dossena breaks and loops the ball over VDS. Reina gets the assist and that was a really nice finish. 4-1! Amazing!
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91'
What a day for Liverpool.
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93'
Reina has not had much to do, other than bring down Park and United have struggled - even before Vidic was sent off.
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93'
And that's it! Liverpool have thrashed United. Vidic was to blame for the equaliser and for his sending off, but Liverpool were fantastic after their drubbing of Real Madrid.
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93'
The title race may not change too much, but this has been a real blow for Fergie's men. Hope you've enjoyed it. If United blow it now, we'll remember this days for years to come.
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