Match Reports
Liverpool 1-1 Southampton Liverpool failed to win at home for the fourth successive league game, in a run which has now seen them take just one win from their last nine matches in the Premier League. Things started well for the Reds, with a free kick awarded just outside the penalty area after only one minute. Patrick Berger took the kick, and the ball was curling into the top corner until Paul Jones got across his goal to make an excellent save. After 3 minutes, Jones was again the Southampton hero, as he blocked a header by Sami Hyypia, and with Liverpool cutting through the Saint's defence like a knife through hot butter, Jones was once more called into action after 5 minutes, saving from Emile Heskey. Heskey took the ball down before turning to face the goal and charging through a couple of Southampton defenders and hitting a powerful shot. But his effort was blocked by the legs of Jones and the corner was conceded. With the amount of early chances that fell to Liverpool, it was inevitable that a goal would arrive before too long and on 7 minutes, Michael Owen struck his 20th Liverpool goal of the season. Hamann played a low cross into the area which Jones got his hands to, but Owen was on hand to tap in from close range and grab the goal which Liverpool fully deserved. But rather than playing the same way and looking for a second goal, Liverpool allowed Southampton to settle into the game, and without looking like scoring themselves, Southampton certainly didnt allow Liverpool to have things so easy for the remainder of the game. Just as Liverpool started the first half well, Southampton started the second half in a similar way, but took only a minute to score. After Smicer stupidly gave the ball away after expecting a forward run by Carragher which never came, Southampton quickly hit a long ball over the Liverpool defence and Chris Marsden went clear. Sami Hyypia did manage to get back and make a challenge, but neither Henchoz or Carragher picked out Kevin Davies' run, and Davies was first onto the loose ball, which he slammed past Dudek to give the Saints' an equalising goal. Even with a full half still remaining, it always looked as though Liverpool's lack of adventure and inability to take advantage of their early dominance was going to cost them at least another 2 points. And so it proved. In fact, Liverpool can count themselves lucky not to have lost the game after watching Southampton creat the best chances of the second hald and go agonisingly close to scoring on at least two occasions. Firstly, Jerzy Dudek had to make a save at full stretch with just over 10 minutes to go, after Marsden had been able to get a header on goal. The, with around 5 minutes of the match remaining, Anders Svensson struck the Liverpool post from 25 yards, and with Dudek well beaten and on the ground, Kevin Davies couldnt get the rebound on target as the Saints looked to take all three points from the game. But it ended a draw, which was greeted by a chorus of boo's from all areas of the ground as spectators were once more sent home disappointed. Liverpool are now 5 points behind the leaders, Man United, and 3 points behind Newcastle. The Reds have the same points as Arsenal, who have 2 games in hand, beginning with a trip to Leeds tomorrow. View match pictures from this game!
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