FA Barclays Premiership
|
2 – 0 |
|
| (1 – 0) | ||
25 J Reina 3 S Finnan 23 J Carragher 5 D Agger 12 F Aurelio 10 S Luis Garcia 14 X Alonso 22 M Sissoko 8 S Gerrard (M Gonzalez, 85) 17 C Bellamy 18 D Kuyt (P Crouch, 82) |
Teams | 12 S Harper 2 S Carr 26 P Ramage 18 C Moore 33 C Babayaro 16 J Milner (C N'Zogbia, 68) 17 S Parker 5 B Emre 11 D Duff 9 O Martins (G Rossi. 76) 23 S Ameobi (A Sibierski, 82) |
1 J Dudek, 4 S Hyypia, 28 S Warnock |
Subs | 40 T Krul, 22 N Butt |
Garcia, 49.
|
Booked | Moore, 62.
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Kuyt 29, Alonso 79.
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Scorers |
|
53%
|
Possession | 47%
|
11
|
Shots on target | 6
|
13
|
Shots off | 6
|
8
|
Corners | 6
|
13
|
Fouls | 13
|
Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire)
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Att: 43,754
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Reaction:
Liverpool manager Rafa Benítez: "It was funny because before Xabi decided to shoot
for goal I was ready to shout at him because Gerrard had made a good run down
the right side. I would have spoken to him about it, but after he scored I said
to him 'good, fantastic goal'. Xabi has got great vision and it was a great
goal. It didn't surprise me because he practices that in training a lot.
"It was good for me and the supporters to see the team
playing well, creating chances and scoring goals. It was good to keep a clean
sheet and if we keep clean sheets and continue to play good offensive football
then we will win a lot of games. I thought we deserved to win by more goals but
to win 2-0 as well as a very good performance was a good night for us.
"Not only did we score two goals but we created a lot of
very clear chances. We have confidence in ourselves and we can improve. We
could have scored three or four goals and we deserved to win.
(On Dirk Kuyt opening his Liverpool
account): "It is always important for a
new striker in a new country to score his first goal and that will give him and
the team a lot of confidence."
Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder: "I feel let down
by Mark Halsey. I have had a chat with Mark and even Rafa Benitez believes it
was a penalty. He moves his hand sufficiently to block Shola's shot and that
was the turning point."
Dominic Fifield of
The Guardian: "History repeated itself on Merseyside last night when, to a
chorus of "shoot" bellowed from the Kop, Liverpool's
season ignited. Some eight months since Xabi Alonso scored from inside his own
half in an FA Cup third-round tie at Luton
Town, the Spaniard
repeated the feat, gathering possession on the edge of the centre-circle and
looping a magnificent shot over a despairing Steve Harper and into the net."