Liverpool hit new low after late shocker

Sports - Football - Champions League - Liverpool 1:2 Lyon

Liverpool's nightmare run continues with their fourth consecutive defeat, their worst run in over 22 years. They fell to a late 2-1 shocker against Lyon in the Champions League Group E match at Anfield.

The Reds started without their main striker Fernando Torres and right-back Glen Johnson. Things went from bad to worse when skipper Steven Gerrard had to be taken off halfway through the first half due to a recurrence of his groin injury that kept him out of the 1-0 Premier League defeat against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Liverpool enjoyed possession and control in the early stages of the match, creating pressure, but Lyon were the first to get a chance on target, Lisandro López heading the ball straight to Pepe Reina.

Both sides kept each other from taking advantage, leaving the match evenly poised, the Anfield crowd growing more anxious and nervous though after Gerrard's departure.

But Liverpool were rewarded eventually and their nerves eased when they finally broke the deadlock thanks to Yossi Benayoun who fired in Fabio Aurélio's cross/mis-cue. They kept the pressure up and running against Lyon in the second half, Dirk Kuyt pulling a great save out of Hugo Lloris (60).

However, on 72, they were made to pay for not consolidating the score and securing a win and three points when substitute Maxime Gonalons headed in the equaliser off a rebound after a brilliant double-save by Reina.

To complete the perfect nightmare for the Reds, an impressive Martin Kelly had to go off injured, Jamie Carragher filling his position at right-back. Cesar Delgado then stunned Anfield in the dying seconds by firing in Sidney Govou's cross, condemning Liverpool to yet another defeat with their Champions League hopes deminishing, down to third in Group E.

Manager Rafael Benítez blamed the injuries for the bad run, but that is a too easy excuse. Four out of their six defeats so far this season have come WITH their star players and most of the main squad available, which makes the situation the more worrying.

Liverpool's title hopes and chances, plus Benítez's job with it, hang on a very thin thread. It has been 56 years since Liverpool last lost five games in a row. And with Manchester United travelling to Anfield next weekend, the pressure of weight pulls that thin thread down even further.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Reina; Kelly (Skrtel 74), Agger, Carragher, Insúa; Mascherano, Lucas; Kuyt, Gerrard (Aurélio 25), Benayoun (Voronin 85); Ngog. Bookings Ngog 49. Subs not used Cavalieri, Plessis, Spearing, Babel.

Lyon (4-5-1) Lloris; Réveillère, Cris (Gonalons 43), Toulalan, Cissokho; Makoun, Pjanic, Källström, Govou, Ederson (Gomis 61); López (Delgado 86). Bookings Cris 34, Govou 55, Réveillère 13. Subs not used Vercoutre, Clerc, Bastos, Belfodil.

BBC stats

Liverpool- Lyon

Attempts: 12-12

On target: 6-6

Corners: 6-5

Free kicks: 7-11

Possession: 50%-50%

Sky Sports/Text stats:

Liverpool-Lyon

Attempts: 12-15

On target: 5-7

Offsides: 1-3

Corners: 6-5

Free kicks: 8-12

Possession: 53%-47%

Passing Success: 70.9%-75.2%

Tackles/Success: 21/90.5%-19/89.5%

Territorial Advantage: 53.9%-46.1%

Referee: Undiano Mallenco

Man of the match: Sidney Govou

Premier League Tops and Flops: Picks of the Weekend

Sports - Football - Premier League

Sir Alex Ferguson has done it again and pulled a rabbit called Federico Macheda out of the hat. 17 years and 226 days of age, he is the fourth-youngest player to have scored a late match winner and stealing the spot light and maybe/most probably the Premier League title with it. Liverpool had also snatched a late winner the evening before and were most likely watching on when their hopes of catching up and staying top were dashed at Old Trafford.

Game: Manchester United's win shocked Aston Villa who thought they had their first win in six, but any conscious football follower and supporter of the last couple of decades know what has made United the most successful Premier League club and to never write them of before the last whistle has been blown.

Goals: Yossi Benayoun and Federico Macheda both got crucial quality last-minute strikes, but which one will prove more crucial at the end of the season?

Team: Stoke finally got their first away win at the Hawthornes which put them six points above the relegation zone. They have been a forgotten team for a while but £3.5m signing James Beattie has been crucial to them scoring six goals in 10 league games and the match winner in this match, making times look much more promising for City. For West Brom on the other hand, things look much more bleak, same for Middlesbrough, both staring relegation in the face.

Hero: Youngster Federico Macheda, in the picture above, won the match for Manchester United and most probably the title. Nothing is sweeter than to introduce yourself into the football world with a crucial and beautiful debut goal like this right-footed turnaround curl into the top corner. Ferguson has got an eye for them, so, it is no dare to say we will see and enjoy much more quality like this from the promising youngster.

Villain: It has not been a good weekend for referees. Chris Foy's second yellow for Portsmouth's fouled Glen Johnson and Peter Walton sending off Wilson Palacios for a challenge he pulled out of, made both referees look not just harsh but due an appointment at their opticians. Maybe Walton has to also see his psychiatrist, because no one else saw what he gave Spurs' penalty for. The linesman at St James'Park can be added to this little rant, having denied Michael Owen a goal, his shot crossing the line before Ashley Cole hooked it clear. It could have changed the course of the match and relegation battle for the Toon Army. Why they cannot regard video replays I still cannot understand.

Manager: Alan Shearer caught all the headlines before someone at Old Trafford stole the limelight. I thought it was an April fool's joke when I read last Wednesday he was going to take over from Joe Kinnear for the rest of the season. Who would want to start their managerial career in a relegation battle, facing Manchester United, at Old Trafford, I thought?! Well, fool me. In his first post-match interview of his managerial career for the Toon, he made a respectable figure, the legend he is, not moaning or ranting about lost opportunities and the referee's fault in losing his team a goal and maybe the chance of leaving the pitch with a point but reasoning and underlining his decision and aim on his job as Newcastle manager until end of the season.

Predictions - Results

Arsenal 1:0 Man City - 2:0
Blackburn 1:2 Tottenham - 2:1
Bolton 1:0 Middlesbrough - 4:1
Everton 2:0 Wigan - 4:0
Fulham 1:2 Liverpool - 0:1
Hull City 1:1 Portsmouth - 0:0
Man Utd 2:0 Aston Villa - 3:2
Newcastle 1:1 Chelsea - 0:2
West Brom 3:2 Stoke - 0:2
West Ham 0:0 Sunderland - 2:0

Picture taken from bbc.com