Matchday 16 ~ Reading vs Liverpool

[Freddy Adu]

FT		Reading [3 - 1] Liverpool
17'	[1 - 0]	S. Hunt (pen.)
28'	[1 - 1]		S. Gerrard
59'			S. Gerrard
60'	[2 - 1]	K. Doyle
67'	[3 - 1]	J. Harper

[Freddy Adu]

[Freddy Adu]

This is such a horrible result for Liverpool.

[D. Stankovic]

Rofl at Liverpool, they surely have to sack Rafa.

[Freddy Adu]

Originally Posted by D. Stankovic

Rofl at Liverpool, they surely have to sack Rafa.

Rafa won't leave... He is just too good at signing players but is horrible at putting them where they belong.
If Liverpool make the CL he goes.
If Liverpool make the Uefa Cup he stays.
If Liverpool dont make neither he goes.

[D. Stankovic]

Why would he go if Liverpool makes CL? CL is better ranked than UEFA.

[Freddy Adu]

Originally Posted by D. Stankovic

Why would he go if Liverpool makes CL? CL is better ranked than UEFA.

I know but what teams tend to do is why keep their coach if they struggled to make it. They can get a new coach and still have like 3 months to build and get used to the new players.

[Brasil]

Wow this a wonderful rofl of the weekend. First defeat for Liverpol no? They're like 2 games behind everyone else too, good because they were starting to catch up with Manchester City

[Freddy Adu]

Reading end Liverpool´s unbeaten run


Written by: AFP

	Reading´s James Harper(R) celebrates scoring Reading´s third goal against Liverpool while Liverpool´s Andriy Voronin looks back during their Premiership football match at the Madejski Stadium in Reading. Liverpool´s unbeaten start to this season´s Premier League came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Reading who won 3-1.

READING, England (AFP) - Rafael Benitez looked on in disbelief as Liverpool's unbeaten start to this season's Premier League came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Reading who won 3-1 at the Madejski Stadium here Saturday.

Benitez refused to apologize for thinking of Liverpool's make-or-break Champions League clash with Marseille as the Reds lost against Reading - their first loss in the Premier League this season.

Benitez took off club captain Steven Gerrard, defender Jamie Carragher and top scorer Fernando Torres because he could not see a way back into the match for his side.

"I wanted to rest my key players because I did not feel we were going to get back in the game at 3-1," Benitez said.

"We had three or four good chances but could not take them so I decided to take off my key players to give them a rest.

"We tried to change it with different players with pace and fresh legs. The Champions League is important. Marseille is the target now," the Spaniard added.

"Torres had a kick on his ankle so was at risk. He will be okay.

"There are some big games coming up in the next few weeks and I want the players fresh."

Stephen Hunt's penalty, Kevin Doyle's header and James Harper's smart finish were enough to see off a lacklustre Liverpool.

Steven Gerrard replied for the visitors but they never looked like the team who had grabbed 21 goals in their last five games and the Reds failed to keep the pressure on the leaders at the top of the table.

Ahead of Liverpool's must-win Champions League clash away to Marseille on Tuesday, club captain Gerrard was substituted with 20 minutes to go much to the England midfielder's obvious displeasure.

This result left Liverpool seven points adrift of table-toppers Arsenal, who could go 10 clear of Benitez's side if they beat Middlesbrough on Sunday.

Benitez felt his side were harshly treated by referee Andre Marriner, who gave Reading their penalty even though the foul clearly took place outside the area and then turned down Liverpool's appeal for a spot-kick after Fernando Torres was tripped.

"There were some decisions that we didn't profit from. They had a penalty given and we didn't get one," Benitez said. "I think it (Reading's penalty) was outside. If it was a penalty it should have been a yellow card for this type of foul.

"For me it was a clear penalty for the foul by (Ibrahima) Sonko on Torres. Even if he got a touch on the ball it was after. The player was running and it was a foul. It is a penalty."

Liverpool striker Torres should have opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he missed a glorious opportunity.

John Arne Riise's long throw caused chaos in the Reading area and the ball fell to the Spaniard, Liverpool's leading scorer in the league, ten yards out.

He seemed surprised and lashed the ball straight at Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann who saved with his legs and the ball was cleared.

Reading though were given a controversial penalty in the 16th minute when Jamie Carragher was adjudged to have brought down Brynjar Gunnarrsson on the edge of the box.

Referee Marriner pointed straight to the spot as he was surrounded by furious Liverpool players.

The offence appeared to start outside the area and Gunnarrsson only fell to the floor when he got inside the box.

After a minute's delay, while the referee consulted his linesman, Reading midfielder Hunt kept his cool to send Pepe Reina the wrong way.

Bobby Convey almost doubled his side's advantage in the 20th minute when he fired a 25-yard piledriver just over the bar with Reina grasping at thin air.

Liverpool got a deserved equaliser just before the half hour mark through talisman Gerrard.

Reina's clearance was knocked on by Torres and Gerrard raced through to plant the ball past Hahnemann and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Jack Hobbs, making his first Premier League start for Liverpool, looked assured at right-back and made a decent challenge on Convey to stop the American in his tracks.

Marriner waved away strong penalty appeals just before the break when Torres was tripped by Ibrahima Sonko in the box.

Angry Liverpool players again surrounded the referee but he refused to point to the spot even though it looked a clear penalty.

Liverpool came out firing after the break and almost grabbed a second through the excellent Torres.

Peter Crouch broke down the right and left Nicky Shorey on the floor as he crossed back to Torres on the six-yard line.

Torres made a poor connection and the ball sailed harmlessly wide of the left hand post. Gerrard was booked just before the hour when he brought down Hunt with a tackle from behind.

He was made to pay for his mistake when Shorey swung over a vicious free-kick that Republic of Ireland international Doyle got the faintest of touches on to nod home form eight yards.

Doyle almost grabbed a second when he latched on to Hahnemann's goal-kick, turned and fired a shot just over the bar.

Captain marvel Gerrard tried to drag Liverpool back into the game and was unlucky when his 30-yard blockbuster came back off the bar.

Harper made matters worse for Liverpool in the 67th minute when the midfielder ran on to Dave Kitson's through-ball, burst clear and rounded Reina before calmly sliding the ball into the net.

[Freddy Adu]

Reading 3-1 Liverpool
By Phil Harlow

[Freddy Adu]

Reading handed Liverpool their first league defeat of the season as they claimed a richly deserved home win.

[Freddy Adu]

Harper took his goal superbly to give his side a two-goal cushion

[Freddy Adu]

Interview: Reading manager Steve Coppell
Interview: Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez
Interview: Reading striker Kevin Doyle

[Freddy Adu]

Reading boss Steve Coppell:

"To get a good result against a top side is pleasing but this season is a grind - there's five more months to go.

"We needed to be seen to be having a go and I think the fans can have a few pints and be happy.

"Results against big teams won't decide our season but it's a good feeling and hopefully a solid foundation."

[Freddy Adu]

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez on the two key penalty decisions:

"For me (Jamie Carragher's foul) was clearly outside the area. Normally it would be a yellow card but it wasn't because the ref wasn't sure.

"I think it was clear Fernando Torres was fouled, but we can't change the result - I won't use that as an excuse.

"But the key was that we had some chances and we could not take them. I'm not happy with the goals we conceded."

[Freddy Adu]

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty (Cisse 90), Sonko (Bikey 81), Ingimarsson, Shorey, Hunt, Harper, Gunnarsson, Convey (Lita 88), Doyle, Kitson.
Subs Not Used: Federici, Long.
Goals: Hunt 17 pen, Doyle 60, Harper 67.

[Freddy Adu]

Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Carragher (Hyypia 82), Hobbs, Riise, Gerrard (Babel 71), Mascherano, Sissoko, Voronin, Torres (Kewell 61), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Itandje, Kuyt.
Booked: Gerrard.
Goals: Gerrard 28.

[Freddy Adu]

Att: 24,022

[Freddy Adu]

Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).

[Freddy Adu]

Reading recorded victory thanks to a Stephen Hunt penalty and second-half strikes from Kevin Doyle and James Harper.

All Liverpool had to take away from Berkshire was Steven Gerrard's equaliser. The Reds should have been ahead in the seventh minute and it was a surprise when Fernando Torres, who had hit a hat-trick on this ground in a Carling Cup tie in September, could not accept a simple chance.

John Arne Riise's long-throw eluded Ibrahima Sonko as he jumped with Peter Crouch and the Spaniard was left with the simple task of slotting past goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. Instead he allowed the American to parry.

Reading seized on the let-off and produced their finest 20 minutes of the season so far, attacking their opponents with the verve that had served them so well in the previous two campaigns.

Then referee Marriner, having consulted a flag-waving linesman, adjudged Jamie Carragher to have felled Brynjar Gunnarsson as the pair thundered to the brink of the Liverpool box.

Hunt despatched the penalty with panache, however, and Reading continued to attack, with a Bobby Convey drive beating Jose Reina and only just clearing his crossbar.

[Freddy Adu]

Penalty shout

Gerrard put his side on level terms in the 28th minute. Torres eluded Sonko to take down a long ball and quickly set up his skipper with a sideways pass. Gerrard had little difficulty shrugging off Hunt's challenge to reach the box and slot past the exposed Hahnemann.

That deflated Reading but fortune favoured them when Liverpool were denied a much stronger penalty shout than the one previously given to the hosts.

Ivar Ingimarsson's header straight to Gerrard not only surrendered possession cheaply but also allowed Torres to move swiftly into space and when Sonko stuck out a boot in the box he tumbled. But play was allowed to continue.

Andriy Voronin fired in a couple of snapshots from the right of the box as Liverpool ended the half in the ascendancy, but when Momo Sissoko went down in the box under yet another strong Sonko challenge, again no penalty was awarded.

Reading began the second period on the back foot and there was a let-off when Torres sent a diving header across goal after Nicky Shorey's error had allowed Crouch to fire in a cross from the right.

The home defence then made a hash of their offside trap before yet another penalty decision went their way. Torres's trailing leg was clearly caught by Sonko and this time the Spaniard also appeared to have been hurt.

[Freddy Adu]

Wiped away

If the home fans sensed it was to be their night, Doyle gave them concrete proof on the hour by sending a glancing header past Reina to put Reading back in front.

Gerrard had been booked for bringing down Hunt on the run and when Shorey swung in the free-kick the Republic of Ireland striker lost his marker to produce a slight but perfectly-aimed deflection.

Doyle then fired just over but again Reading were in luck when Gerrard saw a drive smack off the bar seconds before Harper made it 3-1 at the other end.

Convey's pass enabled the hyperactive midfielder to scamper clear of the defence and any fears the home support had that he would be unable to finish were wiped away by a cool side-step to get past Reina and a shot into the empty net.

Harry Kewell, who had come on for Torres, fired a good chance across goal and just wide at the other end.

It just was not Liverpool's day - as Crouch proved again in stoppage time with a drive that beat Hahnemann but rebounded back to the goalkeeper off a post.

[Freddy Adu]

"To get a good result against a top side is pleasing but this season is a grind - there's five more months to go. We needed to be seen to be having a go and I think the fans can have a few pints and be happy."
- Steve Coppell

[Freddy Adu]

"We knew it was tough, because some of our players were playing a lot of games in a row. At 3-1 (down), you have to protect your good players. It was a strange game. We had a few chances but did not take them.The 'positives' are no injuries and no yellow cards."
- Rafael Benitez

[Freddy Adu]

James Harper
Scored the Royals' third goal to cement the victory for the home side.

[Freddy Adu]

Reading 3-1 Liverpool

[Freddy Adu]

Reading 3-1 Liverpool

Reading rode their luck to inflict a 3-1 Barclays Premier League defeat on Liverpool and dent the Merseysiders' title hopes. Stephen Hunt's penalty was cancelled out by Steven Gerrard's 10th goal of the season, but the home side were not to be denied and responded with second-half goals from Kevin Doyle and James Harper.

[Freddy Adu]

To read a full match report click here