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Sports - Football - Europa League Last 32 - Liverpool 3:1 Zenit
Liverpool are knocked out of the Europa League on away goals after a spirited second-leg fight back against Zenit St Petersburg.
The breathtaking last-32 tie looked all over after 19 minutes when Jamie Carragher's giveaway handed Givaldinho Hulk the ball and the Russian side a vital away goal to make it 3-0 on aggregate.
But the Reds and the roaring Kop had a different idea. On 27, Luis Suarez thumped in a free kick through the Zenit wall which spurred on an already hyped Anfield.
A couple of minutes before the break, Joe Allen's header was saved before the Welshman netted the rebound after a nice one-two with Jose Enrique to make it 2-1 at the break, 2-3 on aggregate and game on for the second half.
The atmosphere and tempo remained loud, lively and high throughout and after Suarez scored another smacker of a free kick to make it 3-1 (3-3 on aggregate) with just over half an hour to go, the game and ground went from full to overload with chance after chance, attack after attack by the Reds and the visitors snapping back with some strong counters.
Skipper Steven Gerrard pulled a brilliant double-save from keeper Vyacheslov Malafeev at one end, before Pepe Reina produced a top save of his against Hulk on the other end.
Sub Jonjo Shelvey put one golden chance into the side-netting seconds later.
The fans tried to back and push their side on at the death, but all to no avail as Liverpool crashed out and Zenit progressed to the last 16 thanks to the away goal.
The Russians will meet Swiss side FC Basel whilst Liverpool have the league left as their last and only focus, where they sit in seventh, five points from the Europa League qualification spot and nine points outside the Champions League qualification places.
Liverpool Goals: 1.: 27:01 min Luis Suarez (7), 2.: 42:41 min Joe Allen (24), 3.: 58.06 min Luis Suarez (7.).
Zenit Goals: 1.: 18:14 min Givaldinho Hulk (29).
Liverpool: 25 Reina; 3 Jose Enrique, 5 Agger, 23 Carragher, 2 Johnson; 24 Allen (33 Shelvey - 55., booked 66.), 21 Lucas; 14 Henderson (11 Assaidi - 59.), 8 Gerrard, 19 Downing (31 Sterling - 84.); 7 Suarez. 4-2-3-1
Subs not used: 42 Gulacsi, 16 Coates, 30 Suso, 47 Wisdom.
Zenit: 16 Malafeev; 14 Hubocan, 6 Lombaerts (4 Criscito - HT), 13 Neto, 2 Anyukov; 15 Shirokov, 27 Denisov (booked 27.), 28 Witsel; 25 Semak (21 Rodic - 84.), 29 Hulk, 10 Danny (20 Fayzulin - HT). 4-3-3
Subs not used: 30 Zhemov, 3 Alves, 9 Bukharov, 11 Kerzhakov.
BBC Stats: Liverpool-Zenit
Attempts: 18-10
On target: 12-5
Corners: 11-2
Free kicks: 13-11
Possession: 51%-49% (1st half), 56%-44% (FT)
Referee: Björn Kuipers
Man of the match: Luis Suarez
Sports - Football - Premier League - Everton 0:2 Liverpool
Liverpool beat Everton 2-0 in an eventful Merseyside derby at Goodison Park after seeing Jack Rodwell being sent off for a challenge on Luis Suarez, Dirk Kuyt missing a penalty as Suarez was brought down by Phil Jagielka before Andy Carroll slammed home his first Premier League goal for the Reds and the controversial Uruguayan striker wrapped things up eight minutes from time.
Everton had started the brighter with Tim Cahill pulling out an athletic save from Pepe Reina who had to tip the Australian midfielder's shot over the top.
Referee Martin Atkinson hogged the limelight when he showed Rodwell the red card halfway through the first half for what replays showed was hardly a tackle on Suarez, giving Liverpool the advantage of an extra man and the Evertonians a very sour apple to bite on.
You could say justice was done when Kuyt's penalty was saved heroically by Tim Howard after Suarez once again fell down dramatically on the corner of the penalty area brought down by Jagielka just before half time.
Charlie Adam hit the bar with a strike from 20 yards out before Atkinson finally blew the halftime whistle, giving Everton the chance to regroup.
The homeside started the second half strongly under the circumstances, Louis Saha clearing Carroll's shot off the line on the one side and keeping Reina on his toes with a low effort from distance that ended up wide on the other side.
Howard had to save another Carroll attempt low at his post with more and more chances coming off set pieces and corners early on in the second half.
Kenny Dalglish rang the changes after 66 minutes replacing Adam and the subdued Stewart Downing by Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy as his side still seemed unable to take advantage of the extra man on the field.
The changes seemed to have their effect when with 20 minutes left Bellamy played in Jose Enrique whose cross was avoided by a ducking Kuyt and netted by a grateful Carroll from eight yards.
Ten minutes later, Suarez sealed the deal when he was able to take advantage of a mix up between Sylvain Distin and Leighton Baines to advance into the box and shoot low past Howard to make it 2-0.
The game finished with Everton furious and deflated, Liverpool the happier and more grateful for it. Dalglish said he did not see the red card incident, David Moyes feels understandably angered, it should not have been.
In the end, the incident spoilt what looked like a promising, competitive derby encounter and instead ended up a controversial, negative clash of opinions, incidents and referees' decisions. Shame.
Everton: Howard; Hibbert (Vellios 78), Baines, Jagielka, Distin; Coleman (Drenthe 59), Cahill (booked 27), Osman (Neville 69), Fellaini; Rodwell (sent off 23), Saha.
Subs not used: Mucha, Bilyaletdinon, Barkley, Stracqualursi.
Liverpool: Reina; Jose Enrique, Carragher, Kelly, Skrtel; Downing (Bellamy 67), Lucas (booked 50, Henderson 88), Adam (Gerrard 67), Suarez; Carroll, Kuyt.
Subs not used: Doni, Coates, Flanagan, Spearing.
Sky (& BBC stats:)
Everton-Liverpool
Attemps: 9-12 (& 12-15)
On target: 3-6 (& 4-6)
Offsides: 2-1
Corners: 5-9 (& 5-9)
Free kicks: 10-15 (& 9-15)
Possession: 36.3%-63.7% (& 40%-60%)
Passing Success: 76.4%-84.8%
Tackles/Success: 15/86.7%-17/52.9%
Territorial Advantage: 49.4%-50.6%
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Man of the match: Jose Enrique
