Portsmouth 2-3 Liverpool – Premiership Live Blog – 7 February 2009

Relegation threatened Portsmouth host Liverpool, who fell short at the final hurdle in an energy-sapping midweek extra-time defeat in the FA Cup against Everton. Tony Adams’ side are desperate for points and could spring a surprise against a Liverpool side without Steven Gerrard and possibly Fernando Torres. Daily Soccer Blog will supply updates throughout the match.

Match Preview

Liverpool make the longest Premiership trip of the day on their visit to Portsmouth and victory would send them back to the top of the table, until Manchester United face West Ham United tomorrow at least. The Reds go into the match in great shape, losing just once in 17 league and cup matches and boast the longest current unbeaten run in the Premiership of 13 matches.

Since losing to Spurs last November, Rafa Benitez’s side have won six and drawn seven in the Premiership and avoided defeat in 18 of their last 20 matches. Plus, even when they don’t score they don’t lose – they have not lost a Premiership match this season in which they have failed to score.

Portsmouth are hovering dangerously above the relegation zone and it’s amazing to think they were in seventh place when manager Harry Redknapp left them to join Tottenham Hotspur. Pompey have won just one of their last 11 league matches, a home victory against Blackburn last November and have lost their last three at home against Newcastle United, West Ham United and Aston Villa.

Portsmouth have beaten Liverpool twice in 11 Premiership attempts, both of which at Fratton Park. They could give debuts to Greek duo Angelos Basinas and Theofanis Gekas while Liverpool will definitely be without the injured Gerrard and suspended Lucas.

Line Ups

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Basinas, Davis, Mullins, Belhadj, Crouch, Nugent.
Subs: Begovic, Lauren, Mvuemba, Pamarot, Kanu, Kranjcar, Gekas.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger, Dossena, Arbeloa, Mascherano, Aurelio, Babel, Ngog, Benayoun.
Subs: Cavalieri, Hyypia, Torres, Riera, Alonso, Kuyt, El Zhar.

Goals

Portsmouth: Nugent (62′), Hreidarsson (78′)

Liverpool: Aurelio (69′), Kuyt (85′), Torres (90+1′)

Live Blog

90+2′ That’s it. A crazy match has finally been brought to a close by Howard Webb. Liverpool return to the top of the table and Portsmouth’s relegation problems deepen.

90+1′ Goal! Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 3. It could only be Fernando Torres. Benayoun crosses in from the left and plants the ball onto the head of Torres who simply nods it into the top corner. He didn’t even have to jump for it. The Spaniard’s work is done for the evening. He can rest easy in his bed tonight.

88′ Goal scorer Hreidarsson receives the first booking of the match for reacting angrily to referee Howard Webb’s decision not to give him a corner.

85′ Goal! Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 2. Sloppy Portsmouth defending enables to Torres to amble wearily into the area and pull the ball back to Kuyt from the goal line. The Dutchman has time to take a touch and squeezes the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle.

81′ Goalkeeper James denies Liverpool an equaliser when he came out to Benayoun to a loose ball sitting almost on the penalty spot. practically on the penalty spot, after it had been headed down by Kuyt.

79′ I’m not surprised Hreidarsson celebrated with such gusto. A Portsmouth win would do wonders to preserve their Premiership status and prevent him from being relegated for a fifth time with a fifth different club. The other no hopers? That would be Crystal Palace, Wimbledon, Ipswich Town and Charlton Athletic.

78′ Goal! Portsmouth 2 Liverpool 1. Icelandic defender Herman Hreidarsson find himself unmarked from six yards out and scores with a diving header from Belhdj’s free kick from the right. Oh dear, Torres is going to have to pick his feet up during the last 10 minutes or so.

76′ And here he is! A sleepy Fernando Torres comes on to replace Babel, who has shown tonight why he is a perennial substitute.

74′ Torres warms up half-heartedly down the touchline. At least he’s awake. Benayoun dances through the Portsmouth defence but the ball is cleared before it can reach the lurking Kuyt.

73′ What are Liverpool doing? They allow the ball to bounce around in thr six yard box but none of the three Portsmouth players in the vicinity are near enough to it to punish such sloppy defending. Fortunately for Benitez, a not-tired Carragher, who obviously doesn’t run around as much as his strikers, is alert enough to hack the ball clear.

71′ It’s one-way traffic now. Liverpool are throwing men forward and an effort from Benayoun is deflected away by James. With Pompey on the backfoot, now would be the perfect time to introduce Torres into the thick of thr action. Surely he could manage 15 minutes of running about?

69′ Goal! Portsmouth 1 Liverpool 1. Alonso squares the free kick to Fabio Aurelio who smashes the ball low into the corner from 12 yards. Portsmouth had practically everyone back on the line but the Brazilian managed to find a gap.

68′ Crouch attempts to throw the lead away by playing a suicidal backpass from the edge of his own box. Kuyt races to get onto it but James rushes out to smother it, giving away an indirect free kick.

67′ Liverpool are beginning to panic. Mascherano smashes one over the bar from distance and Benitez makes substitution number two of the evening by bringing on Alsonso for Dossena.

65′ Wake Torres up Rafa, 25 minutes isn’t going to wear out the poor little mite.

63′ Liverpool are the comeback kings, remember. They have not lost yet in the Premiership this season having fallen behind. In fact, four of the six games where this has happened they have gone onto win.

62′ Goal! Portsmouth 1 Liverpool 0. Crouch plays the ball through to David Nugent on the edge of the Liverpool box, who is kept onside by three defenders. The lifelong Everton fan slots the ball underneath the onrushing Reina to give Pompey a fighting chance against relegation. Game on!

59′ Fantastic industry from Benayoun who skips past Distin and releases Kuyt on the right hand side. The Dutchman plays a delicious ball across the face of goal and Babel does his best not to make contact with the goal at his mercy. He would have been offside anyway, but it’s a dreadful miss.

56′ Kuyt, who Benitez described as “tired” before kick off, comes on to replace the ineffective Ngog. Torres is just finishing off his nap and is likely to join in the action shortly too. If he feels up to it, of course.

55′ Portsmouth have a shout for handball when Agger slips and handles the ball. Portsmouth fans bay for a penalty, well they would, where else is a goal going to come from?

53′ Basinas whips in a free kick into the box towards the far post. The lumbering Campbell attempts to stick out a foot and connect with it but he’s nowhere near and out it goes for a goal kick.

49′ Aurelio delivers a free kick into the box, Distin rises the highest to head it behind for a corner, before Agger can make contact with it.

47′ Pompey also made a substitution at half-time, bringing on Kranjcar for Mullins.

46′ Portsmouth kick-off and will surely look to frustrate Liverpool for as long as possible. The table, as it stands, sees Liverpool one point behind leaders Manchester United, who also have two games in hand. Is the title slipping away from Benitez after a barnstorming start to the season?

Half Time. Liverpool started the better and it’s unsurprising Portsmouth had difficult getting possession with Benitez playing a strange 6-3-1 or 3-6-1 formation depending on their location on the field. Despite the absence of Gerrard and Torres, Liverpool have tested David James and both Mascherano and Aurelio went close. Portsmouth seem happy to absorb the pressure and try to counter attack but they have been limited to speculative efforts. You can’t help but think Arsenal stalwart Tony Adams would be perfectly happy with a goalless draw or a hard-fought one niller. With the tactics laid out and both Torres and Alonso on the bench for Liverpool, the second half is bound to be void of much excitement.

45+1′ The camera zooms in onto a clearly delighted Nugent who is making “1-0″ gestures with his hands towards any Liverpool player within sight. The injury time is over and Howard Webb blows for half-time.

45′ While Portsmouth have got back into the game, they are still not threatening. Come to think of it, Liverpool are not either. There is very little quality on offer and both sides probably can’t wait to get out of the cold and take a breather.

40′ Liverpool get another warning when a single pass from Davis sends Nugent clear. However, the Portsmouth striker was offside and the Reds breathe a sigh of relief.

38′ Great work from Nugent down left sees him play the ball to Crouch who cracks one towards goal from the edge of the box. It’s well over the bar but it warns Liverpool that Pompey are certainly capable of causing them problems.

35′ The chances on goal appear to have ended for the moment. Liverpool, are still playing the better football and the camera pans to Torres warming up down the touchline. Watch you don’t wear yourself out, petal.

30′ The frenetic action takes a slight pause as Basinas is laid out on the floor after coming off the worse when trying to tackle Agger.

29′ New boy Basinas, himself no spring chicken, gets his first shot on goal. His free kick is from a full 35 yards out and while it head towards goal at pace, it is easily caught by Reina.

26′ It’s frantic stuff at Fratton Park and Mascherano almost catches James unawares with a dipping effort from 25 yards. However, despite being the oldest man on the pitch by a country mile and showing no signs of “tiredness”, the England number one dives and tips it around the post.

25′ Liverpool are keeping possession and are pegging Pompey back in their own half. They are missing that final bit of quality though. Something that perhaps, let’s say, Torres could provide? Well done Rafa,  but if he’s “tired” I’m sure you are doing the right thing?

22′ Portsmouth looked far from comfortable defending a corner. Skrtel won it and the ball bobbled to Agger who was about to take a stab at it until James smothered it.

20′ Portsmouth get a free kick on the corner of Liverpool’s area. Davies aims for goal but it dips just over and wide of Reina’s goal. No problem for the Spaniard.

17′ Portsmouth’s defence was all at sea when sloppy play allowed Babel to get possession and slip the ball through to Aurelio. At the edge of the area, the Brazilian chose to take the shot first time but he scuffed it well wide of the goal.

16′ Liverpool are beginning the much stronger side of the two. Dossena and Benayoun are combing well down the left but Portsmouth are holding firm so far.

11′ Davis tugs Benayoun just outside the box. Aurelio takes the free kick and is unlucky to see his curling effort hit the outside of the post and go behind for a goal kick. Excellent free kick and James was well beaten.

8′ Great chance for Liverpool at the other end. Arbeloa rolled the ball to Benayoun in the box, he took a swing at it, but did not hit it cleanly and it bounced into the side netting. He should have done a lot better with that.

6′ Campbell sends a long ball forward to the lively Nugent down the left. He cuts inside the box, plays the ball across to Crocuh who attempts to take it first time, but the effort is weak and Reina smothers it easily. Great chance though.

3′ Nugent has the first shot in anger for Pompey, but its from some distance and caught easily by Reina. He’s not going to be beaten that easily.

1′ Liverpool get things underway with the mighty David Ngog. How on earth Benitez favoured him ahead of the departed Keane is beyond me. Watch him score a hat-trick today and make me eat my words.

0′ A great central midfield battle is set to warm up a cold evening. The tough English pairing of Mullins and Davis for Pompey against the South American duo of Aurelio and Mascherano for Liverpool should ensure some tasty tackles are meted out tonight.

0′ Torres has played just 13 matches all season and injuries or not, how does he feel “tired”? There is a two week break after this match where the Spaniard could get some rest and relaxation. Some great pre-match banter between Setanta and Benitez, with the interviewer enquiring why Carragher was not tired having played more matches than both Torres and Kuyt. Benitez’s response: “Anyone who knows about football knows a striker runs more than a defender”. It’s no wonder Liverpool are not going to win the Premiership this season.

0′ Greece captain Basinas walks straight into the Pompey starting line up but compatriot Gekas must make do with a place on the bench. Liverpool boss Benitez makes six changes to the team which lost to Everton in midweek and with Torres feeling “tired” following his return from injury, he starts Babel and Ngog up front. Oh dear.

Reaction

Liverpool really are the comeback kings of the Premiership. A stoppage time winner from Torres means this was the fifth time in seven games Liverpool have fallen behind and gone onto win. The victory was desperately needed in order to send the Reds top of the Premiership again and keep up the pressure on Manchester United. Did Rafa Benitez get lucky, or was his decision to leave two of his goal scorers on the bench until late of the game a masterstroke? Either way it paid off and Liverpool leave the south coast with maximum points. The defeat leaves Portsmouth one point above the relegation zone but they are only outside the bottom three because the teams below them lost today aswell.

Man of the Match

Two stand-out players for Liverpool on the night were Yossi Benayoun and Fabio Aurelio. Israeli midfielder Benayoun was full of running all evening and was clearly out to impress his manager. However, Aurelio had that extra bit of quality and always looked dangerous from set-pieces. His goal drew the Reds level minutes after they fell behind and he always looked composed in midfield. He just shades it ahead of Benayoun.