As it happened: Cardiff 0-2 LFC

Premier League
Sunday 21 April 2019 - 4:00 pm
Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff0
2Liverpool
Show Match Events
59'Wijnaldum ⚽️
Niasse off, Zohore on ↔️66'
71'↔️ Keïta off, Fabinho on
75'↔️ Fabinho off, Milner on
81'Milner ⚽️
Gunnarsson82'
Junior Hoilett off, Murphy on ↔️84'
87'↔️ Alexander-Arnold off, Gomez on
Possession %
2377
Total Shots
717
Shots on Target
26
Shots Blocked
33
Offside
42
Hide Match Events

Manchester City took a one point Premier League lead yesterday after their 1-0 win over Spurs and today the reds must respond.

Both teams have four games to go - and Liverpool play their 35th league campaign today.

The reds travel to  a potential banana skin in Cardiff who are trying to secure their Premier League future.

Liverpool won in Portugal mid-week to secure a semi-final appearance against Barcelona, but all thoughts of Europe's premier competition must be put to one side today.

Dejan Lovren is back available after an illness prevented his travel mid-week and Joe Gomez could return to the Liverpool team.  He played half an hour in Portugal.

Follow the game with us live.

As it happened...

15:00 UK
Team news approaching

Just awaiting confirmation...

15:03 UK
Confirmed LFC team - three changes

Three changes for the reds with Bobby Firmino, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita all restored to the starting XI for Liverpool.

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino.

Subs: Mignolet, Fabinho, Milner, Gomez, Sturridge, Shaqiri, Origi.

15:06 UK
Cardiff side

15:14 UK
Elsewhere...

Man Utd's continued nosedive since giving Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the permanent job as manager continues.

They are about to suffer a heavy defeat away at Everton.  Losing 4-0 with five minutes to go.  Next up for them is a game against Manchester City. 

It is likely to be a heavy derby defeat for United.

15:57 UK

Teams are out on the pitch.

Magnificent Easter weather.  Need another magnificent result.

16:00 UK
KICK OFF

WE ARE UNDERWAY!

The reds v the blues.

16:06 UK
Early corner

6' That one was cleared but Liverpool are applying some early pressure on the home team here.

Neil Warnock patrolling the Cardiff dugout.  Could this be the last time that LFC face him as an opposition manager?

Here's hoping!

16:09 UK

8' Henderson over-cooks that pass and it runs ahead of Andy Robertson who was belting towards the box.

Players already wiping sweat off their faces.  Summertime has arrived fairly rapidly here in the UK.

16:09 UK

Cardiff player down and despite the referee waving play on, Liverpool do kick the ball out of play.

16:10 UK
Wijnaldum deep

Central midfield of Gini, Keita and Henderson.

And it is indeed Wijnaldum who is operating as the deeper midfield player.

16:11 UK

11' Little bit of pressure from Cardiff.  Niasse is at the corner of the box but he can't worm his way past the LFC defence and they eventually concede possession back to the reds.

16:13 UK

13' Keita slides a ball to Mane about 25 yards out.  He's in a lot of space - he has a think about it - drags it to the side and unleashes one.

It's not on target but it was probably worth the dig.

16:16 UK
Cardiff pressure

15' They get a cross in and Andy Robertson is fuming about it.  From the corner Alisson gets a fingertip on it but it requires a pretty panicked clearance.

Reminder that this isn't going to be all Liverpool's way.

16:16 UK

16' Trent flicks a ball over for Henderson who is running down the right wing, but his ball into Mo Salah is just behind the Egyptian.

He doesn't get a good connection and it's out for a Cardiff goal kick.

16:20 UK

20' Neil Warnock has moved up to DEFCON 4.  Face colour now beetroot.  Reason is currently unclear.

On the pitch Robertson has now turned his attention to Mane.  Not happy with him.

16:22 UK

22' Cardiff keeping such a defensive line that Liverpool's centre-backs are being allowed free reign to power forward into their half.

The Welsh side have plenty of players behind the ball.  Well organised so far.  Liverpool being patient.

16:23 UK
OH MY

23' Great ball by Mane, Firmino somehow on a one on one lobs it over the keeper and the bar.

16:26 UK

26' Alexander-Arnold in trouble again.  He's being burned for pace on that wing.  Liverpool luckily clear that chance away.

You can tell he's struggling becasue he just isn't getting forward.  Henderson providing him with some cover.

16:29 UK

28' Salah's got himself in the box but instead of shooting he plays it across to Henderson who can't provide a good enough return ball.

Klopp shaking his head on the sidelines.

Liverpool seeing plenty of the ball but no breakthrough yet.

16:35 UK
Good save

34' Another chance for the reds.  Etheridge is out quickly to smother Salah as soon as he received the ball in the area.

Just a couple of opportunities beginning to open up for the reds who are starting to get behind the Cardiff defence.

10 or so minutes until half time.

16:36 UK

Long ball upfield and Mo Salah is powering forward.  Two defenders back and he gets the ball stuck under his feet.

Liverpool still with the ball.

16:38 UK

38' Matip with another good run forward - he finds Mane who is flagged offside but looked onside on the replays.

16:41 UK

41' Liverpool corner reaches Roberto Firmino but he's leaning back and his header doesn't get much power on it.  Saved.

16:44 UK
GREAT SAVE

Alisson with an important reaction save from a Niasse spinning shot.  He won't have known a lot about that.

16:44 UK

Liverpool down the other end with a quick break and win themselves a corner.

16:45 UK

45' Overhit ball by Robertson.  He gets a snarl from van Dijk and Klopp stands with his arms aloft on the sidelines.

The reds have had chances in this first half.

16:46 UK

Here's Liverpool's last chance of the half.

Free kick about 10 yards outside the area.

16:47 UK

Alexander-Arnold fires it into the wall.

17:02 UK

No changes at half time for the reds.

17:03 UK
Elsewhere

Arsenal losing 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace.

Interesting for the top four race.

17:03 UK
SECOND HALF

Back underway.

17:06 UK

48' Cross in from Trent AA's side yet again and Morrisson heads that one over.

17:09 UK
Chance

51' Sadio Mane at the corner of the area and he unleashes a curling right footed shot.  That one goes narrowly over.

17:13 UK

55' Drilled shot by Trent AA goes wide. 

Van Dijk stayed up front there and it caused Cardiff major difficulties getting rid of the ball.

17:15 UK
GOAL!

ITS BEEN COMING

57' Cross comes in and Wijnaldum absolutely leathers that into the net.  Just his second Premier League away goal.

17:17 UK

60' Junior Hoilett has an attempt but its an easy catch for Alisson.

17:19 UK
WOW!

Wonderful work by Liverpool, Mane finds Henderson at the penalty spot and he somehow spaffs it over the bar.

17:23 UK
Aaarghh.

Corner comes in, Alisson is out, Morrison at the back - a simple head in - but no - it hits his back and goes wide.

That was a CHANCE!

17:24 UK
Cardiff sub

67' Oumar Niasse heads off and Ken Zahore is on.

17:29 UK
LFC Sub

71' Naby Keita heads off and on comes Fabinho.

17:30 UK

Fabinho's just come on and he's down on the floor after a clash of heads.  Klopp looks a bit concerned on the sidelines.

17:31 UK

He's sitting up now.

17:32 UK

Liverpool down to ten men temporarily.

17:34 UK

75' Fabinho is replaced after that clash of heads.  Milner on.

17:38 UK
Penalty to Liverpool

80' Morrison with the foul.  Neil Warnock at DEFCON 3.

17:39 UK
GOAL

81' James Milner smashes that one in!  2-0 to the reds.

17:41 UK

84' Josh Murphy replaces Junior Hoilett for Cardiff.

17:45 UK
Liverpool's last change

87' Joe Gomez on for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Liverpool fans are in fine voice.  We're going back to the top of the league with an impressive 88 points.

Two points more than the reds have ever had in a Premier League season and 3 games to play.

17:51 UK
FULL TIME

Cardiff 0-2 Liverpool

Liverpool return to the top of the league with 88 points.

Surpasses the 86 points that Rafa Benitez achieved in 2008/09.

18:10 UK

Thanks for joining us.  Match report coming up!



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