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Liverpool Go Top After West Ham Win
Two first half strikes by the skipper and a late Babel strike sent the Reds back to the top of the league and keeps the title race alive.
West Ham United 0-3 Liverpool
| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.00 | Draw £34.00 | Liverpool £40.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £20.00 | Draw £30.00 | Liverpool £43.30 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.09 | Draw £35.00 | Liverpool £42.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.10 | Draw £34.00 | Liverpool £42.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.40 | Draw £35.50 | Liverpool £42.50 |
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May 9, 2009 8:26:19 PM
Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League after a comfortable win over West Ham United at Upton Park.
The Reds, who welcomed Fernando Torres, Lucas Leiva and Martin Skrtel back into the side, made the perfect start to the game, opening the scoring after only 76 seconds.
Torres, starting alongside Steven Gerrard for only the 12th time this season, found his skipper with a clever ball which beat the home side’s offside trap and allowed the midfielder to calmly round Robert Green before slotting into an empty net.
Minutes later and Liverpool could have doubled their lead after Torres found himself in the clear but Green just managed to claim the ball ahead of the Spaniard.
A confident Liverpool were dominant in the opening exchanges however, slowly but surely, the Hammers grew into the game and began to create chances of their own.
Diego Tristan had a flicked header saved by Pepe Reina from a Mark Noble free-kick before Robert Kovac headed another Noble set-piece just wide.
At the other end, former Hammer Yossi Benayoun was looking to continue his recent good form and was almost handed a clear sight of goal before James Tomkins intervened, nicking the ball off the Israeli’s toes.
Yet the game really came to life just after the half-hour mark. A foul just outside the box by Javier Mascherano on Luis Boa Morte was waved away by referee Alan Wiley allowing play to move down the other end of the pitch.
Benayoun then dinked a ball into Torres in the box and a still furious Boa Morte needlessly fouled the Spaniard leaving the referee little choice but to point to the spot.
Up-stepped Gerrard but his kick, low to the goalkeeper’s right, was brilliantly saved by Green yet the Liverpool skipper was the first to the rebound to slot home his second of the evening.
The goal put Rafael Benitez’s men in a commanding position but with only minutes remaining of the first half the Hammers were handed a lifeline.
A bad error by Jamie Carragher sent Di Michele clear through on goal with just Reina to beat, however the Italian lost control of the ball and then slipped, allowing the ball to run harmlessly out of play.
Liverpool continued to threaten after the break and showed their intent within minutes of the restart.
Kuyt, out wide on the right, fired a cross to the far post for Benayoun to fire a volley just over the bar from a tight angle.
Minutes later another break almost handed Torres a goal on his return to the starting line-up. A cross, again from Kuyt, found the Spaniard in the box but on the stretch and his header was just too high.
Still Liverpool pressed, Arbeloa getting forwards down the flank and squaring for Torres who ran over the ball and allowed Gerrard to shoot but his effort was comfortably claimed by Green.
Minutes later, a Liverpool break from a West Ham corner saw Gerrard feed Kuyt but the Dutchman couldn’t beat Green who did well to parry the ball for a corner.
West Ham tried to respond and did manage to create a decent opening mid-way through the second half.
Noble sent Ilunga scampering into the box and his cross was met by Di Michele but the Italian couldn’t keep his shot on target.
Yet still the visitors continued to look the more dangerous side and they finally wrapped it up late on.
Gerrard found Kuyt out wide and he crossed for substitute Ryan Babel who watched Green save his initial header before netting the rebound to secure all three points.
West Ham: Green, Neill, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Boa Morte (Payne, 80), Noble, Kovac, Stanislas (Collison, 59), Di Michele (Sears, 70), Tristan.
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Aurelio (Insua, 53), Benayoun (Dossena, 83), Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard, Kuyt, Torres (Babel, 72).
GOALS
0-3 Liverpool (Babel, 85)
0-2 Liverpool (Gerrard, 38)
0-1 Liverpool (Gerrard, 2)
Gill Clark, Goal.com
The Reds, who welcomed Fernando Torres, Lucas Leiva and Martin Skrtel back into the side, made the perfect start to the game, opening the scoring after only 76 seconds.
Torres, starting alongside Steven Gerrard for only the 12th time this season, found his skipper with a clever ball which beat the home side’s offside trap and allowed the midfielder to calmly round Robert Green before slotting into an empty net.
Minutes later and Liverpool could have doubled their lead after Torres found himself in the clear but Green just managed to claim the ball ahead of the Spaniard.
A confident Liverpool were dominant in the opening exchanges however, slowly but surely, the Hammers grew into the game and began to create chances of their own.
Diego Tristan had a flicked header saved by Pepe Reina from a Mark Noble free-kick before Robert Kovac headed another Noble set-piece just wide.
At the other end, former Hammer Yossi Benayoun was looking to continue his recent good form and was almost handed a clear sight of goal before James Tomkins intervened, nicking the ball off the Israeli’s toes.
Yet the game really came to life just after the half-hour mark. A foul just outside the box by Javier Mascherano on Luis Boa Morte was waved away by referee Alan Wiley allowing play to move down the other end of the pitch.
Benayoun then dinked a ball into Torres in the box and a still furious Boa Morte needlessly fouled the Spaniard leaving the referee little choice but to point to the spot.
Up-stepped Gerrard but his kick, low to the goalkeeper’s right, was brilliantly saved by Green yet the Liverpool skipper was the first to the rebound to slot home his second of the evening.
The goal put Rafael Benitez’s men in a commanding position but with only minutes remaining of the first half the Hammers were handed a lifeline.
A bad error by Jamie Carragher sent Di Michele clear through on goal with just Reina to beat, however the Italian lost control of the ball and then slipped, allowing the ball to run harmlessly out of play.
Liverpool continued to threaten after the break and showed their intent within minutes of the restart.
Kuyt, out wide on the right, fired a cross to the far post for Benayoun to fire a volley just over the bar from a tight angle.
Minutes later another break almost handed Torres a goal on his return to the starting line-up. A cross, again from Kuyt, found the Spaniard in the box but on the stretch and his header was just too high.
Still Liverpool pressed, Arbeloa getting forwards down the flank and squaring for Torres who ran over the ball and allowed Gerrard to shoot but his effort was comfortably claimed by Green.
Minutes later, a Liverpool break from a West Ham corner saw Gerrard feed Kuyt but the Dutchman couldn’t beat Green who did well to parry the ball for a corner.
West Ham tried to respond and did manage to create a decent opening mid-way through the second half.
Noble sent Ilunga scampering into the box and his cross was met by Di Michele but the Italian couldn’t keep his shot on target.
Yet still the visitors continued to look the more dangerous side and they finally wrapped it up late on.
Gerrard found Kuyt out wide and he crossed for substitute Ryan Babel who watched Green save his initial header before netting the rebound to secure all three points.
West Ham: Green, Neill, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Boa Morte (Payne, 80), Noble, Kovac, Stanislas (Collison, 59), Di Michele (Sears, 70), Tristan.
Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Aurelio (Insua, 53), Benayoun (Dossena, 83), Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard, Kuyt, Torres (Babel, 72).
GOALS
0-3 Liverpool (Babel, 85)
0-2 Liverpool (Gerrard, 38)
0-1 Liverpool (Gerrard, 2)
Gill Clark, Goal.com
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