 Goals
Owen 3
Wright Phillips 50
Gerrard 51
Match
Report
Liverpool were left to thank their lucky stars as England duo Michael
Owen and Steven Gerrard fired them into fourth place for the first
time this season.
Had it not been for goals in each half by Owen and Gerrard, the
Anfield men could easily have been embarrassed by unpredictable
City, who have now gone 14 Premiership games without a victory.
Owen's strike, his first in nine games, looked to have put Liverpool
in the fast lane to a critical victory.
But City, after a dreadful first period, equalised through the
excellent Shaun Wright-Phillips and the little wing-back almost
grabbed an equaliser in the dying minutes with a chipped shot which
was hacked off the line by Sami Hyypia.
By then Gerrard had weighed in with a close-range effort to force
Liverpool ahead, but they were nervous and defensive in the final
moments.
City had all three of their former Liverpool players on show in
David James, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman.
The latter was making his first club appearance back at Anfield
since his departure to Real Madrid in the summer of 1999. It was
also his first start since January 3, which meant Joey Barton was
relegated to the bench.
But McManaman was only a flickering light in an ineffective City
side who, certainly in the first period, seemed to have forgotten
all that passion and glory from White Hart Lane a week ago.
Liverpool, who fielded the side that drew at Bolton on Saturday
and had Emile Heskey and Chris Kirkland back from injury and on
the bench, were not much better for long spells.
However Owen looked sharp from the start and was clearly intent
on getting himself back on to the goal trail. He forced James to
dive at his feet in the first minute and ended his goal drought,
which had stretched back to October, after just three minutes.
Bruno Cheyrou was fouled by Daniel van Buyten out on the right,
and referee Mike Riley played an excellent advantage to let play
continue with Dietmar Hamann threading the ball through to Owen.
The striker went past Richard Dunne and neatly clipped the ball
over the advancing James for his first goal since his return from
injury six games ago.
There was a pace and hunger about Liverpool that had City stretched,
and Hamann was next to get in a shot - a 20-yard effort which bent
away from goal at the last moment. But Liverpool soon slipped into
the sort of display that has tested the Anfield faithful all season.
The visitors' best efforts came down the right via Wright-Phillips,
who was happy to run at Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia, but the
support from the rest of his colleagues was minimal.
The swirling fog around the stadium cleared considerably during
the break - and so apparently did a few players' heads. Certainly
Liverpool started the second period with more purpose.
Gerrard saw an effort from the edge of the box blocked by Wright-Phillips
and the City wing-back soon popped up at the other end to score
a fine equaliser after 49 minutes.
Michael Tarnat played McManaman into space in midfield and, with
Fowler going on a decoy run to his left, McManaman threaded the
ball into Wright-Phillip's path and he lashed a low shot into the
bottom corner.
But Liverpool were back in front within just two minutes. The ball
was lifted into City's box and Owen managed to make contact, with
James parrying the effort but allowing Gerrard to lash the loose
ball into the net from close range.
Harry Kewell, clearly feeling the effects of his ankle problem,
was replaced by Heskey early in the second half.
A minute later McManaman produced a double goal-line block, firstly
from an Anthony Le Tallec header and then from Owen's follow-up
shot.
McManaman had a far greater influence in the second period but
Claudio Reyna and Paul Bosvelt were being totally outplayed in midfield.
Barton eventually replaced Bosvelt with Danny Murphy coming on
for Le Tallec in Liverpool's midfield.
City took off the hard-working Jon Macken after 76 minutes, sending
Antoine Sibierski into the fray. And he almost scored with his first
touch when he rose to flick on a Tarnat free-kick but the ball dropped
just wide of the far post.
The introduction of Murphy had signalled Liverpool's intent to
defend their lead, and it gave the initiative to City, who suddenly
realised they could get something from the game.
With the Kop chanting 'Attack, attack!' at their men to underline
their displeasure with the situation, McManaman sent Wright-Phillips
in again on the right and his dink over Jerzy Dudek was cleared
off the line by Hyypia.
Tarnat then powered in another cross from the left and Sibierski
headed just wide of the post. The arrival of another Liverpool defensive
player in Igor Biscan from the bench for Cheyrou further annoyed
the home fans - but at least there team is back in a Champions League
spot.
Press Association
Teams
Liverpool Dudek, Finnan, Henchoz, Hyypia, Carragher,
Le Tallec (Murphy 69), Gerrard, Hamann, Cheyrou (Biscan 85), Kewell
(Heskey 59), Owen.
Subs Not Used: Kirkland, Sinama Pongolle.
Man City James, Dunne, Van Buyten, Distin, Wright-Phillips,
Reyna (Barton 68), Bosvelt, McManaman, Tarnat, Fowler, Macken (Sibierski
77).
Subs Not Used: Jihai, Arason, Elliott.
Att: 43,257
Ref: M Riley (W Yorkshire).
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