Pompey Beat Sorry Reds

Sports - Football - Premier League - Match Report

Portsmouth 2-0 Liverpool

Liverpool got well and truely beaten at Fratton Park.

Portsmouth never looked out of control. They took the lead just past the half-hour mark thanks to Nadir Belhadj who connected to a Glen Johnson header after Pepe Reina thought he had saved and cleared Kevin-Prince Boateng's strike off Hassan Yebda's cross.

It was the first real chance of the match for either side, Johnson coping and reacting weakly and clumsy against his former side.

Things went from bad to worse for Liverpool just before half time when Javier Mascherano saw red for a puch-/strangle-hold tackle against Tal Ben Haim. As it is his second red card of the season, he will be suspended for the next four matches, to make Liverpool's Christmas and New Year even more dire.

The second half continued in a hardly better trend for the Reds, wasting chances and tackling clumsy.

Portsmouth keeper Asmir Begovic kept the main and only scare out well (67). After being sent the wrong way by two deflections through the sleeping Pompey defence, he kept the ball out with his right hand, instinctively and decisively.

Dirk Kuyt and Lucas Leiva were once again the most frustrating, not able to keep hold of or aim with the ball, total wastes. Jamie Carragher and Johnson looked just as unable to cope at the back.

Boateng capped off a fine display by providing Frederic Piquionne from the right, who netted the ball from a tight angle with a right-foot bounce-volley (82).

Pompey celebrated a fully deserved win. Rafael Benitez meanwhile is looking greyer and older by the match, leaving his substitutions too late and seeming to lack options, alternatives and hope more and more so.

Portsmouth Begovic; Finnan, Ben Haim, Kaboul, Hreidarson; Yebda, Boateng (Mullins 89), Brown (c), O'Hara, Belhadj; Piquionne (Kanu 93). Bookings Yebda 48, Piquionne 82. Subs not used Ashdown, Wilson, Hughes, Utaka, Dindane.

Liverpool Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua (Aurelio 68); Kuyt, Lucas (Spearing 88), Gerrard (c), Mascherano, Dossena (Benayoun 53); Torres. Bookings Lucas 47, Torres 56, Johnson 60. Red Mascherano 45. Subs not used Cavalieri, Skrtel, Babel, Ngog.

1st half stats

Portsmouth-Liverpool

Attempts: 6-3

On target: 3-1

Offsides: 0-0

Corners: 4-4

Free kicks: 7-4

Possession: 44%-56% (20.min)

2nd half stats

Portsmouth-Liverpool

Attempts: 6-4

On target: 2-1

Offsides:0-2

Corners: 3-5

Free kicks: 7-3

Possession: 60%-40% (2nd half, 59.min)

Sky Sports stats

Portsmouth-Liverpool

Possession: 45.3%-54.7%

Passing Success: 73.8%-74.9%

Tackles/Success: 33/84.8%-22/77.3%

Territorial Advantage: 52.8%-47.2%

Referee: L. Mason

Man of the match: Nadir Belhadj

Poor Reds Rob Toffees

Sports - Footbal - Premier League - Liverpool 2:0 Everton

Liverpool were lucky to get away with anything from the match at Goodison Park, not to mention two goals and three points!

Everton looked the more coordinated and better organised, pressing and pressing, enjoying most of the possession and chances throughout the match, not letting Liverpool have even just a peek at the goal.

A rare Reds attack ended up in the back of the net and put the guests ahead against the run of play (12). Javier Mascherano's shot from far-out was deflected in by Joseph Yobo leaving Tim Howard stranded to his left. It was lucky for Liverpool, unfortunate own goal for Everton, as the shot looked like it would have gone wide without the defender's intervention.

Everton continued to press on, Jo seeing two goals disallowed before half time whilst Liverpool had their only real chance of the half, created by Glen Johnson and Emiliano Insua, saved brilliantly by Howard.

Everton stayed clearly the better in the second half, keeping in mind they have only ever come back from behind against Liverpool once since WWII. Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini pulled a spectacular double-save from Pepe Reina with just under 20 minutes to go, a match saver.

To make matters worse for Everton, after all their dominance and a good save by Howard against Albert Riera, Yobo gave the ball away to Johnson who provided Dirk Kuyt with an easy tap-in cross from the left to make it two for Liverpool. After all their hard work, Everton seemed to have outplayed themselves.

Football can be a cruel world, as Ireland got to know the hardest way too against France most recently. But, Liverpool can hopefully use this bit of fortune to their advantage, to turn their season around for the better, to get them out of the hole they have fallen into over the last couple of months, even if it has to come at some cost, like it was Everton's today.

Everton Howard; Hibbert, Yobo (Neill 23), Distin, Baines; Pienaar, Cahill (Yakubu 82), Heitinga, Fellaini, Bilyaletdinov; Jo (Saha 66). Bookings Heitinga 84. Subs not used Nash, Coleman, Gosling, Baxter.

Liverpool Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Insua; Kuyt, Mascherano, Gerrard, Lucas, Aurelio (Riera 78); Ngog (Benayoun 75). Subs not used Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Aquilani, El Zhar.

1st half stats:

Everton-Liverpool

Attempts: 7-7

On target: 3-2

Offsides: 4-0

Corners: 3-2

Free kicks: 5-3

2nd half stats:

Everton-Liverpool

Attempts: 5-6

On target: 4-2

Offsides: 1-0

Corners: 0-4

Free kicks: 5-9

Sky stats:

Everton-Liverpool

Possession: 45.4%-54.6%

Passing Success: 75.8%-73%

Tackles/Success: 22/68.2%-35/68.6%

Territorial Advantage: 54.7%-45.3%

Referee: Alan Whiley

Man of the match: Pepe Reina