Harry Kewell scored Liverpool’s winner against Manchester City at Anfield yesterday, but admits that their opponents could so easily have got at least a point from a game Liverpool just couldn’t kill off. Scouser Joey Barton was sent off for two bookable offences, his other notable contribution being to clash heads accidentally with Xabi Alonso, leading to the withdrawal of the Spaniard with blurred vision.
Kewell scored the winner five minutes before half-time but says that City played better once they went down to ten men: “It was hard for us. We were ahead but when they had a man sent off it boosted them. City stepped up their game a couple of notches after the sending off. They looked like they had 12 men, not 10. They were unlucky not to get something; they had a few good chances.”
It’s been 1-0 scorelines all round domestically recently for Liverpool, and Kewell says that it’s tough for the Reds to get that second goal: “Teams are coming here and working hard. We’re creating chances but we can’t get the second goal – but we’re doing enough. On another day they would all have gone in.”
Kewell was full of praise for Peter Crouch. Crouch was given a standing
ovation as he was substituted by Rafa Benítez towards the end of the
game, a decision that initially resulted in boos for the Spanish
manager from the Kop. Liverpool fans wanted to see Crouch, the newest
cult hero at the club, get more time to bag the goal his efforts
deserved. Kewell said: “Let’s not forget that Peter Crouch was
excellent, he hit the bar and had some good chances of his own. He was
terrific out there. He should have had three or four and only David
James stopped him by pulling off some great saves.”
Crouch works hard every game but seemed to have moved up a gear against
City. The fans at Anfield know when they’re watching someone who’s
giving their all and Crouchamania continues to spread. Crouch himself
was full of praise for the hard-working City side: “It’s often the case
the 10 men rally round, which is a credit to them. They worked hard,
we’re pleased with the win but it would have been nice to get the
second. We had chances but it wouldn’t go in, it was one of those
days.”