Man City 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup, following a narrow, but thoroughly deserved win at Maine Road over Manchester City.
Neil Mellor, who was rejected by City after spending five years at the club as a youngster, started only his second senior game for the Reds, following on from an impressive substitute appearance at St James' Park just days earlier. Danny Murphy returned to the side after suspension.
Liverpool started the game strongly, dominating possession during the early stages of the game, with Gerrard, Mellor and Diouf in particular looking rather lively.
It was Smicer who had the games's first chance though, as he struck a fine volley towards goal from outside the area, but Schmeichel got a hand to the ball to push it towards the sideline and it was picked up by a City.
Neil Mellor was the next man to try his luck at goal, curling a 25 yard shot wide of the City goal with his right foot, and just moments later, he was bundled over at the edge of the penalty area by Gerard Wiekins, but Uriah Rennie saw nothing wrong in the challenge.
Smicer became the first player to have his name taken by the ref, as he was made to pay for a poor challenge, having already been spoken to twice by Rennie in the first twenty minutes of the game.
Liverpool remained on top of the game though, and Mellor had a couple of efforts on goal just short of the 25 minute mark in the game. The first saw the 20 year old get his head on the end of a fabulous 50 yard pass by Gerrard, but the header was just wide. Almost straight awaay, another long range shot by Mellor had to be dealt with by Schmeichel.
Nicolas Anelka had Man City's first real chance, but scuffed a shot wide from the edge of the 18 yard area, and on 35 minutes, some excellent defending by Sami Hyypia prevented Anelka from getting another clear sight of goal.
However, seeing the home side in Liverpool's penalty area was a rare sight during a first half completely dominated by Liverpool and Kevin Keegan made an attacking change with five minutes of the first period remaining, as Lucien Mettomo was replaced by Eyal Berkovic.
And within two minutes of the substitution being made, Berkovic played a delightful pass behind the Liverpool defence, which Anelka was on the end of, though his shot was blocked by the legs of Chris Kirkland.
One additional minute was played at the end of the half, during which time Vladimir Smicer volleyed high over the bar from a corner, though despite enjoying the biggest share of posession, and the greater number of chances, Liverpool went into the break no doubt feeling disappointed with their failure to take any chances.
Liverpool continued the second half where they left off in the first, and immediately went in search of an opening goal. Within 90 seconds of the restart, Diouf was knocked over in the penalty area, though Uriah Rennie waved away the appeals for a penalty, though he was pointing to the spot just seconds later, as Foe blocked a cross from Smicer with his hand.
Danny Murphy stepped up to face Schmeichel, and sent the Danish 'keeper the wrong way as he calmly slotted the ball into the left corner of the goal.
Man City started to look a little more threatening in the final half an hour of the game, but Liverpool were still finding themselves with the better of the chances.
Neil Mellor attempted to flick a Smicer cross towards goal, but Wiekins made the block, and fromt he resulting corner, Diouf had a shot blocked which was goalbound.
The next attack produced the best move of the match though, as Hyypia and Henchoz began a passing move which constantly saw the ball moving forward, and as Diouf played a pass wide for Smicer, the Czech's first time cross was too long for Mellor to get on the end of, but Traore arrived just beyond the far post to strike a volley towards goal, but another block by the City defence denied Liverpool a classic goal.
Emile Heskey was the man brought on as Houllier made his first change of the afternoon on 74 minutes, with Neil Mellor leaving the pitch to huge applause from the travelling Reds' in the North Stand of the ground.
Sylvain Disdin became the first Man City player to be shown a yellow card, when he viciously hacked down El Hadji Diouf near to the corner flag with Eyal Berkovic joining his team mate in the book minutes later for a blatant dive inside the Liverpool penalty area, as City became more and more desperate for a goal.
But Liverpool defended well and looked to add a second goal on the counter attack to secure the win. Smicer wasted a great chance for Liverpool to get that goal on 83 minutes when he raced clear down the right hand side, though opted to cut inside the area himself rather than cross the ball to Murphy or Heskey, both of whom had done well to support Smicer, and the chance went away as Disdin won the ball.
John Arne Riise came on for the final five minutes, replacing Smicer, while Darren Huckerby came on to provide even more fire power up front for City, who were also helped up front by Schmceichel in the final minute, when he joined the Man City attack for a corner, and Diouf picked the ball up and began a run towards a Man City goal which was missing a goalkeeper, but his shot fromt he half way line was quickly charged down.
Diouf came closer in the 92nd minute a headed clearance by Schmeichel was volleyed straight back towards goal from 45 yards out, and the ball dropped agonisingly wide of the top corner of the goal.
Man City's efforts to find an equaliser eventually ended on the 93rd minute though, as Uriah Rennie blew for the final whistle, and in doing so, brought down the curtain on the final FA Cup match to be played at Man City's Maine Road ground.
Liverpool now look forward to Worthingtop Cup action in midweek, before aiming to end their dismal run of league results at home to Aston Villa next weekend.
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