News Blogger: Liverpool

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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Sterling lifts Rodgers as Liverpool make semis

Raheem Sterling eased the pressure on under-fire manager Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool swept into the League Cup semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Championship leaders Bournemouth on Wednesday.

Rodgers has endured stinging criticism in recent weeks after Liverpool dropped down the Premier League table and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stages.

A dismal 3-0 defeat at arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday prompted Rodgers to admit Liverpool’s squad lacked the unity that almost carried them to the English title last season.

In the circumstances, an embarrassing defeat to second tier Bournemouth would have been a major blow to the beleaguered Rodgers’ hopes of holding on to his job, but he was able to leave Dean Court with his head held high as Sterling’s double sandwiched a Lazar Markovic strike in a one-sided quarter-final.

“I thought it was a brilliant performance. It was always going to be a difficult job, but we controlled the game. We thoroughly deserved it,” said Rodgers, whose side will face Chelsea in the two-legged semi-finals in January.

“Raheem Sterling has got some stick recently which I find extraordinary. He is a kid of 20 and he has been outstanding for us.

“It didn’t matter who we got in the draw, it was just important to get there – to win this competition you have to win games against big sides.”

Despite their recent struggles, Liverpool had won at Dean Court in the FA Cup last season and, after Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson missed a good chance early on, the visitors took control.

England forward Sterling opened the scoring with a glancing header from close range after Jordan Henderson nodded Markovic’s cross back across goal in the 20th minute.

Rodgers’ relief was clear to see as he celebrated Sterling’s first goal since September by vigorously punching the air on the touchline.

And, with the Reds cutting through the Bournemouth defence at will, Rodgers was on his feet again seven minutes later to salute Liverpool’s second goal.

Philippe Coutinho ignored Bournemouth’s appeals for offside as he cut inside to test Artur Boruc with a low shot and when the ball spun out to Markovic, the Serbia winger kept his cool to sidefoot home his first goal for Liverpool from the edge of the penalty area.

With Liverpool’s supporters making their support for Rodgers loud and clear, Sterling ran clear to net their side’s third goal in the 51st minute as he glided past Tommy Elphick before slotting home.

Former Everton midfielder Dan Gosling got one back for Bournemouth in the 57th minute when his tame shot trickled past a weak attempted save from Brad Jones.

In Wednesday’s other quarter-final, Tottenham thrashed Newcastle 4-0 at White Hart Lane as the Magpies suffered more north London misery.

Five days after a 4-1 beating at Arsenal, Alan Pardew’s side were on course for another heavy defeat from the 18th minute.

Jak Alnwick, a 21-year-old making just his third appearance in goal for Newcastle, made a hash of catching a corner and allowed the ball to slip out of his grasp to midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, who hooked home from four yards for his first Tottenham goal.

Newcastle conceded again 36 seconds into the second half when Nacer Chadli drove a perfectly-placed shot into the corner of Alnwick’s net.

Harry Kane put the result beyond doubt when the Tottenham striker scuffed his shot past Alnwick in the 65th minute and Spanish forward Roberto Soldado added the fourth five minutes later.

Tottenham’s reward was a semi-final tie against third tier Sheffield United, who enjoyed a shock 1-0 win over Southampton on Tuesday.

“We have respect for Sheffield United. They deserve to be in the semi-finals. We expect a tough game,” Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said.

Also on Tuesday, Premier League leaders Chelsea had advanced to the last four with a 3-1 win at Championship side Derby.

View the original article here

Sterling lifts Rodgers as Liverpool make semis

Friday, January 2, 2015

Burnley 0-1 Liverpool

by Pete OLIVER

Friday, December 26, 2014

Raheem Sterling scored the winner as Liverpool won 1-0 at Burnley on Friday to end a three-game winless run and keep their opponents in the Premier League relegation zone.

It was a far from convincing performance by Brendan Rodgers’s side and the outcome was tough on a Burnley team who lost at home for the first time in five outings.

But the result was all that mattered for Liverpool, whose position of 10th in the Premier League on Christmas Day was their lowest since 1992.

And it came thanks to Sterling, who, in the absence of the injured Daniel Sturridge and with the returning Mario Balotelli being trusted only with a place on the bench, is currently being asked to lead Liverpool’s attack.

The 20-year-old had not scored in the league since September, but his superbly taken sixth goal of the season, 17 minutes into the second half, at least edged Liverpool closer to the top-four place Rodgers believes they are still capable of securing.

The last time Liverpool had visited Turf Moor, in 2010, a facile 4-0 win confirmed Burnley’s relegation back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

But this time around, the Lancashire club look far better equipped to handle the top flight and in striker Danny Ings have a potential star in the making.

The England Under-21 international was instrumental in a dominant first-half performance by Sean Dyche’s side, as Liverpool were made to look nothing like a team heading back in the right direction.

The three-man defence preferred by Rodgers in recent games was badly exposed, particularly down Liverpool’s left side, where Mamadou Sakho and Lazar Markovic, who looked out of place as a wing-back, were targeted time and time again.

Liverpool also had to make an early change in goal, with Simon Mignolet, left out for the previous three games, replacing the injured Brad Jones after a quarter of an hour.

Moments earlier, Jones had been only a spectator as Ings shot against the foot of a post.

From virtually Mignolet’s first touch, the Belgium international allowed Ings to charge down his attempted clearance, which did little to help bring any calm to Rodgers’ jittery rearguard.

Burnley’s energy and clever use of the ball frequently had Liverpool on the back foot and Ashley Barnes and George Boyd both threatened with efforts that went over the top.

Liverpool had offered little at the other end, despite the darting runs of Sterling, and it should have been the home side who led at the break.

Scott Arfield went close when his goal-bound volley was diverted just wide following a corner via a vital toe from Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva.

Rodgers made a change at the start of the second half, but did not alter his formation, as midfielder Emre Can replaced Kolo Toure in the back three.

It did little to add any authority to Liverpool’s performance, but in Sterling they always have a potential match-winner.

The England international has not done his talent justice with sufficient goals this season, but when his side needed him to deliver, he duly did.

From Philippe Coutinho’s lofted pass, Sterling sprinted away, rounded goalkeeper Tom Heaton, and finished calmly from a diminishing angle.

Burnley must have feared such an outcome after not being able to score themselves.

Their last hope of any reward disappeared when on-loan Manchester United defender Michael Keane headed into the side-netting from a Kieran Trippier cross following another mistake by Mignolet.

View the original article here

Burnley 0-1 Liverpool

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Queens Park Rangers 2-3 Liverpool

Full time Full Time Match ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Liverpool 3.

90:00 +5:35 Full time Full Time Second Half ends, Queens Park Rangers 2, Liverpool 3. 90:00 +5:03 Substitution Substitution Substitution, Liverpool. Kolo Touré replaces Raheem Sterling. 90:00 +4:13 Goal scored Goal! Own Goal by Steven Caulker, Queens Park Rangers. Queens Park Rangers 2, Liverpool 3. 90:00 +3:17

Foul by Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool).

90:00 +3:17

Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90:00 +2:26

Attempt missed. Mario Balotelli (Liverpool) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Glen Johnson with a cross.

90:00 +1:01 Goal scored Goal! Goal! Queens Park Rangers 2, Liverpool 2. Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Leroy Fer with a cross following a corner. 90:00 +0:47

Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Raheem Sterling.

89:44 Goal scored Goal! Goal! Queens Park Rangers 1, Liverpool 2. Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Steven Gerrard following a fast break. 88:53

Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Martin Skrtel.

88:49

Attempt missed. Steven Caulker (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Charlie Austin with a cross.

88:03

Foul by Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool).

88:03

Karl Henry (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

86:04 Goal scored Goal! Goal! Queens Park Rangers 1, Liverpool 1. Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Charlie Austin with a headed pass following a set piece situation. 85:32 Booking Booking Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) is shown the yellow card. 85:24

Foul by Dejan Lovren (Liverpool).